I was considerably worried when Hanbit announced they were pulling the sponsor, especially since the Hanbit Stars are my favorite team, and Free is my favourite player. But, ItemMania has decided to pick up the team. ItemMania is a gaming-related company that deals with MMORPG transactions.
A new team name may be announced soon or they will just keep their old name- Stars.
RIP Hanbit Stars. Welcome ItemMania Stars (?).
UPDATE: KeSPA has rejected Item mania as a sponsor. KeSPA said they can take over the team until the new proleague season and if they do not find a sponsor the team will dissolve. Bad news for the head coach, since there is no team for him to go to.
Full article.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
BlizzCon on DirectTV
That's right. BlizzCon will be broadcast live on DirectTV. BlizzCon is being held in Anaheim, at the Anaheim Convection Center on October 11th and 12th. It is a special pay-per-view event and will need to be ordered- it's not free. More information here.
Now, remember in one of my earlier posts I wrote:
"Blizzard had mentioned there may be a deal forthcoming regarding broadcasting their games on television in North America"
This quote was taken from an old Gamespy article just after StarCraft 2 was announced. It has come true so it seems. Could this be exactly what they were talking about or do they have bigger and better plans with this as a test? Time will tell.
Now, remember in one of my earlier posts I wrote:
"Blizzard had mentioned there may be a deal forthcoming regarding broadcasting their games on television in North America"
This quote was taken from an old Gamespy article just after StarCraft 2 was announced. It has come true so it seems. Could this be exactly what they were talking about or do they have bigger and better plans with this as a test? Time will tell.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Gameplay Videos and Mar Sara
Zerg (FP) vs. Protoss
These guys aren't exactly candidates for SK Telecom but the videos showcase gameplay like no other and without the constant shakiness of the camera. The Zerg interface is reminiscent to the old interface and it looks fantastic in its new graphics engine. As I observed the beautiful graphics and interface, noting the new models and units, I saw something very odd... barely ever witnessed in the ten years before... it was... THE QUEEN! Yes the Queen is being used and it is a low tier unit and walking instead of flying! It also built some static defenses, which fended off the Zealot attackers. Other than that, the Zerg player didn't really want to leave his base and was.. well... absent from the game.
Protoss (FP) vs. Zerg
Ah, we get to see the mighty Protoss played in first person. Again the interface looks the same as in StarCraft but in the new 3D engine and looking great of course. The Protoss player opts for a two gateway rush, pumping zealots and rallying them to the Zerg base (something Zergs saw a lot of on iccup, am I right?). The Zerg never stood a chance against the omnipotent Protoss forces; should have learned his place on iccup.
Also, StarCraft2.com was updated with a new planet: Mar Sara.
These guys aren't exactly candidates for SK Telecom but the videos showcase gameplay like no other and without the constant shakiness of the camera. The Zerg interface is reminiscent to the old interface and it looks fantastic in its new graphics engine. As I observed the beautiful graphics and interface, noting the new models and units, I saw something very odd... barely ever witnessed in the ten years before... it was... THE QUEEN! Yes the Queen is being used and it is a low tier unit and walking instead of flying! It also built some static defenses, which fended off the Zealot attackers. Other than that, the Zerg player didn't really want to leave his base and was.. well... absent from the game.
Protoss (FP) vs. Zerg
Ah, we get to see the mighty Protoss played in first person. Again the interface looks the same as in StarCraft but in the new 3D engine and looking great of course. The Protoss player opts for a two gateway rush, pumping zealots and rallying them to the Zerg base (something Zergs saw a lot of on iccup, am I right?). The Zerg never stood a chance against the omnipotent Protoss forces; should have learned his place on iccup.
Also, StarCraft2.com was updated with a new planet: Mar Sara.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
The Naked Macromanagement
The macro aspect of StarCraft 2 is quite a mystery to us players who remain on the sidelines, hearing of these glorious stories of fans playing the demo at BlizzCon and WWI. The introduction of MBS (Multiple Building Selection) brought on a mass uproar of dislike from the fans and Blizzard seems to be at a loss of what exactly to do about it. MBS is a feature that allows you to select all of your gateways, barracks, hatcheries, or whatever you have that builds units and build from all of them at once. That means that even Killer56720 can have macro skills like the Monster Terran, iloveoov.
The argument for MBS is that StarCraft shouldn't be a click fest, and winning a game shouldn't be based on who can click faster. I disagree, obviously, mainly because it is a skill; being able to keep up your economy and production whilst microing your units is a very difficult thing to do, or even to achieve understanding of and how to execute properly. Without the constant going back and forth between your base and units the game could get stale. Even after 10 years on StarCraft, about every year a new player with incredible macro skills comes to the scene and blows everybody away. Macro is something that can take years to master, or even improve, which gives gamers a long lasting task.
After much debate on whether MBS should stay or go, Blizzard decided to add a new feature. This was new to the build and only at World Wide Invitational and it is subject to change at any time. Vespene geysers (Assimilator/Extractor/Refinery) now have the ability to double the amount of workers who are mining gas to increase gas intake, which is supposed to divert more focus into macro. This feature is under much debate and could be taken out within the next build of the game or event.
In my opinion, Blizzard seems to be really lost at what to do, and is just trying to find a way to improve focus on macro after MBS took so much out. I think it's a really bad idea. I remember reading about Testie (Canadian SC player) trying to explain to Dustin Browder about how MBS takes out so much macro in the game and he just didn't understand. I don't blame him of course, such understanding might take years of experience in playing StarCraft at a high level. Macro should be more fluent within the game, not a feature that you add to substitute for the lack of but to the developers, adding MBS would give us more free time to micro units, which isn't exactly what we, the players, want.
Just look at WarCraft 3, in many opinions, and even in some pro-gamers opinions, the game is micro intensive and doesn't need much focus on macro. This game wasn't as successful as StarCraft in the e-sports department. But there are many other factors to why the game failed where StarCraft flourished, not just purely because there was less need for attention to your macro and economy.
In my opinion, StarCraft 2 would be better off without MBS and these bizarre substitutions for macromanagment. Of course, I am no game developer, especially on the level of Blizzard, so my expertise is extremely limited.
The argument for MBS is that StarCraft shouldn't be a click fest, and winning a game shouldn't be based on who can click faster. I disagree, obviously, mainly because it is a skill; being able to keep up your economy and production whilst microing your units is a very difficult thing to do, or even to achieve understanding of and how to execute properly. Without the constant going back and forth between your base and units the game could get stale. Even after 10 years on StarCraft, about every year a new player with incredible macro skills comes to the scene and blows everybody away. Macro is something that can take years to master, or even improve, which gives gamers a long lasting task.
After much debate on whether MBS should stay or go, Blizzard decided to add a new feature. This was new to the build and only at World Wide Invitational and it is subject to change at any time. Vespene geysers (Assimilator/Extractor/Refinery) now have the ability to double the amount of workers who are mining gas to increase gas intake, which is supposed to divert more focus into macro. This feature is under much debate and could be taken out within the next build of the game or event.
In my opinion, Blizzard seems to be really lost at what to do, and is just trying to find a way to improve focus on macro after MBS took so much out. I think it's a really bad idea. I remember reading about Testie (Canadian SC player) trying to explain to Dustin Browder about how MBS takes out so much macro in the game and he just didn't understand. I don't blame him of course, such understanding might take years of experience in playing StarCraft at a high level. Macro should be more fluent within the game, not a feature that you add to substitute for the lack of but to the developers, adding MBS would give us more free time to micro units, which isn't exactly what we, the players, want.
Just look at WarCraft 3, in many opinions, and even in some pro-gamers opinions, the game is micro intensive and doesn't need much focus on macro. This game wasn't as successful as StarCraft in the e-sports department. But there are many other factors to why the game failed where StarCraft flourished, not just purely because there was less need for attention to your macro and economy.
In my opinion, StarCraft 2 would be better off without MBS and these bizarre substitutions for macromanagment. Of course, I am no game developer, especially on the level of Blizzard, so my expertise is extremely limited.
Monday, July 14, 2008
ZERG RUSH KEKE
In my absence, the Zerg have been announced... obviously, we all knew it was coming.
They look kinda... swarmish, which is exactly what he Zerg is all about. I love to see that the Hydralisk is back and it looks beautiful in the new 3D engine. Not quite sure what the flying creatures are doing to the Battlecruisers, disabling it or mindcontrolling it or whatever, but they look fascinating.
Also, we have here, Bisu (P) vs. sAviOr (Z) on StarCraft 2:
Ah, the Zerg swarm controlled by the Fuhrer, Ma Jae Yoon, unfortunately isn't enough to stop the Revolutionist, Kim Taek Yong.
They look kinda... swarmish, which is exactly what he Zerg is all about. I love to see that the Hydralisk is back and it looks beautiful in the new 3D engine. Not quite sure what the flying creatures are doing to the Battlecruisers, disabling it or mindcontrolling it or whatever, but they look fascinating.
Also, we have here, Bisu (P) vs. sAviOr (Z) on StarCraft 2:
Ah, the Zerg swarm controlled by the Fuhrer, Ma Jae Yoon, unfortunately isn't enough to stop the Revolutionist, Kim Taek Yong.
Diablo III Unveiled!
Another installment to the Diablo franchise is upon us.
Check it out!
www.diablo.com
Check it out!
www.diablo.com
"And the heavens...
....shall tremble"
....shall tremble"
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