Protogod
07-17-2008, 12:17 AM
Blizzard and Starcraft II: Decisionmaking Dilemma
A Critical Essay By: E.S. "Protogod," Senior Content Editor of Starcraft.org
Allow me to begin this essay by explaining what prompted its creation."That is [something] of a disappointment... Having the Queen build defensive structures was making the game more unique... But anyway, Blizzard knows best." (ZeratulStukov) This quote is the most recent of many which perpetuate an age-old myth - the myth that because Blizzard Entertainment has produced good games in the past that it is guaranteed to make the correct decision on its own in the development of Starcraft II.
Of major game developers, Blizzard is, historically, among the more reliable of game companies. They have a large budget, incentive to maintain their title, and belief in taking their time to make games right. These are all admirable traits, but in regards to decision making itself, I can't help but feel that some of the ideas aren't fully fleshed out before being implemented or removed from SC2. In my own opinion, I would like to see Blizzard start making some more tasteful and well-conceived ideas.
Points of contention include the Zerg Queen, Multiple Building Selection (as outlined in my previous Essay (http://www.warboards.org/showpost.php?p=596424&postcount=51),) and not only the Thor, but all decisions surrounding it.
To backtrack, my mention of "more tasteful ideas" refers to those decisions pertaining to the Thor and how to handle it's release. Regardless of my own ill-feelings for the Thor, I think that it's safe to call Blizzard's handling of the problem a fiasco at worst, and at best, distasteful. Thats not to say that I liked the concept at all, far from it, but what's more important is how mismanaged the new ideas seem to be, and how out of sync the press is with the development of SC2. Take, for example, the original announcement of Starcraft II. On the very first day we saw the Protoss Mothership. Shortly after the internet was flooded with "Will all 3 races have superunits?" type questions. Blizzard's swift and clear answer was "No. This is a dynamic designed for the Protoss, and the other races have no such 'Ultimate' units." Yet, a month or so later, images and descriptions of the Thor are leaked from a Swedish Magazine. Bravo. The fact that the Thor was so readily available after these (continuing) statements from Blizzard all but robs SC2 Dev's of their credibility, which has kept me wary of all changes since then. Not to mention the fact that the Zerg Queen was still on its way to the limelight. Instead of being a "solely Protoss dynamic" each race has gone through it's trial "Ultimate unit."
Maintaining focus on the long-since impertinent Thor issue, allow me to highlight its developmental stages (a response from Blizzard to growing criticism of the unit itself.) It originated as a superunit, turned into a slightly nerfed unit to facilitate micro, turned into an anti-air unit, turned into a nerfed anti-ground unit, and turned back into an anti-air unit. Each one of these changes was a result of criticisms of the Thor ranging from the fact that it's a superunit, to the fact that it's role overlapped with Battlecruisers and Siege Tanks, to the fact that it became simply unnecessary. However, by the time these cries were resonating within the community, the Thor was already posted on SC2.com, and Blizzard was in a bad position. Rather than scrapping the unit at any point, Blizzard opted to save face by simply subjecting it to change after change until it disappeared in obscurity with the release of the Zerg and Medivac Dropship.
I have nothing to say to Blizzard's PR team, whom I find to be disrespectful - an insult to my intelligence.
This also isn't to say that I want Blizzard to just listen to everything the fans say on the forums. God knows some sites like battle.net forums are crawling with the unskilled, inexperienced, and flat-out stupid. A good example of this is the Zerg Queen. The Queen was an excellent solution to a problem plaguing SC2's production - balancing micro, macro, and skill in general in a new and exciting way. This is the (mismanaged) issue which culminated in the creation of my first essay (http://www.warboards.org/showpost.php?p=596424&postcount=51), which I won't reiterate at this time. The Queen was a necessary, but not overpowered unit in its original role. It constructed unique base defenses and could cast spells (the latter is still available) to defend one's base. Then there was the option of further upgrading the Queen or working more on one's units (which is ironically still present.)
However, static defenses were a point of contention, and in the end, drones reclaimed the ability to create them. This largely nerfed the Queen & its use, while leaving the originally supposed "flaw" that caused fans to demand change (the original flaw being the need to choose between Queen upgrades and units. Currently there is still the need to decide, but the more stacked answer is to invest in units, which makes for a poor dynamic.)
Finally, and most recently, Blizzard's solution to the originality vs skill issue comes in the form of a new Vespine Geyser dynamic. With this new change, players will start with 2 geysers (600 gas each) and be expected to pay minerals to replenish them. Not only is this dynamic wholly illogical (especially from a realism standpoint) but it is a change that affects the quintessential Starcraft experience (as MBS did in my other article (http://www.warboards.org/showpost.php?p=596424&postcount=51).) Changes in Starcraft 2 should be fairly great and different, however Blizzard walks a fine line changing different aspects of the game and changing what the game is (its soul, if you will.) The former is a necessity, and the latter is unacceptable.
As a whole, Blizzard makes decent games. However, Blizzard has no divine inspiration to guide their Devs, and it is beginning to show. Their choices are questionable, and in increasingly noticeable ways. I'm hoping Blizz can address this gross mismanagement of contention within the community. I'm hoping Blizz can address their PR woes. And most of all, I'm hoping Blizz can produce a Starcraft II that was worth waiting 10 years for.
A Critical Essay By: E.S. "Protogod," Senior Content Editor of Starcraft.org
Allow me to begin this essay by explaining what prompted its creation."That is [something] of a disappointment... Having the Queen build defensive structures was making the game more unique... But anyway, Blizzard knows best." (ZeratulStukov) This quote is the most recent of many which perpetuate an age-old myth - the myth that because Blizzard Entertainment has produced good games in the past that it is guaranteed to make the correct decision on its own in the development of Starcraft II.
Of major game developers, Blizzard is, historically, among the more reliable of game companies. They have a large budget, incentive to maintain their title, and belief in taking their time to make games right. These are all admirable traits, but in regards to decision making itself, I can't help but feel that some of the ideas aren't fully fleshed out before being implemented or removed from SC2. In my own opinion, I would like to see Blizzard start making some more tasteful and well-conceived ideas.
Points of contention include the Zerg Queen, Multiple Building Selection (as outlined in my previous Essay (http://www.warboards.org/showpost.php?p=596424&postcount=51),) and not only the Thor, but all decisions surrounding it.
To backtrack, my mention of "more tasteful ideas" refers to those decisions pertaining to the Thor and how to handle it's release. Regardless of my own ill-feelings for the Thor, I think that it's safe to call Blizzard's handling of the problem a fiasco at worst, and at best, distasteful. Thats not to say that I liked the concept at all, far from it, but what's more important is how mismanaged the new ideas seem to be, and how out of sync the press is with the development of SC2. Take, for example, the original announcement of Starcraft II. On the very first day we saw the Protoss Mothership. Shortly after the internet was flooded with "Will all 3 races have superunits?" type questions. Blizzard's swift and clear answer was "No. This is a dynamic designed for the Protoss, and the other races have no such 'Ultimate' units." Yet, a month or so later, images and descriptions of the Thor are leaked from a Swedish Magazine. Bravo. The fact that the Thor was so readily available after these (continuing) statements from Blizzard all but robs SC2 Dev's of their credibility, which has kept me wary of all changes since then. Not to mention the fact that the Zerg Queen was still on its way to the limelight. Instead of being a "solely Protoss dynamic" each race has gone through it's trial "Ultimate unit."
Maintaining focus on the long-since impertinent Thor issue, allow me to highlight its developmental stages (a response from Blizzard to growing criticism of the unit itself.) It originated as a superunit, turned into a slightly nerfed unit to facilitate micro, turned into an anti-air unit, turned into a nerfed anti-ground unit, and turned back into an anti-air unit. Each one of these changes was a result of criticisms of the Thor ranging from the fact that it's a superunit, to the fact that it's role overlapped with Battlecruisers and Siege Tanks, to the fact that it became simply unnecessary. However, by the time these cries were resonating within the community, the Thor was already posted on SC2.com, and Blizzard was in a bad position. Rather than scrapping the unit at any point, Blizzard opted to save face by simply subjecting it to change after change until it disappeared in obscurity with the release of the Zerg and Medivac Dropship.
I have nothing to say to Blizzard's PR team, whom I find to be disrespectful - an insult to my intelligence.
This also isn't to say that I want Blizzard to just listen to everything the fans say on the forums. God knows some sites like battle.net forums are crawling with the unskilled, inexperienced, and flat-out stupid. A good example of this is the Zerg Queen. The Queen was an excellent solution to a problem plaguing SC2's production - balancing micro, macro, and skill in general in a new and exciting way. This is the (mismanaged) issue which culminated in the creation of my first essay (http://www.warboards.org/showpost.php?p=596424&postcount=51), which I won't reiterate at this time. The Queen was a necessary, but not overpowered unit in its original role. It constructed unique base defenses and could cast spells (the latter is still available) to defend one's base. Then there was the option of further upgrading the Queen or working more on one's units (which is ironically still present.)
However, static defenses were a point of contention, and in the end, drones reclaimed the ability to create them. This largely nerfed the Queen & its use, while leaving the originally supposed "flaw" that caused fans to demand change (the original flaw being the need to choose between Queen upgrades and units. Currently there is still the need to decide, but the more stacked answer is to invest in units, which makes for a poor dynamic.)
Finally, and most recently, Blizzard's solution to the originality vs skill issue comes in the form of a new Vespine Geyser dynamic. With this new change, players will start with 2 geysers (600 gas each) and be expected to pay minerals to replenish them. Not only is this dynamic wholly illogical (especially from a realism standpoint) but it is a change that affects the quintessential Starcraft experience (as MBS did in my other article (http://www.warboards.org/showpost.php?p=596424&postcount=51).) Changes in Starcraft 2 should be fairly great and different, however Blizzard walks a fine line changing different aspects of the game and changing what the game is (its soul, if you will.) The former is a necessity, and the latter is unacceptable.
As a whole, Blizzard makes decent games. However, Blizzard has no divine inspiration to guide their Devs, and it is beginning to show. Their choices are questionable, and in increasingly noticeable ways. I'm hoping Blizz can address this gross mismanagement of contention within the community. I'm hoping Blizz can address their PR woes. And most of all, I'm hoping Blizz can produce a Starcraft II that was worth waiting 10 years for.