Starcraft 2 :: User-generated maps can be sold for money

[Krusader]

http://www.vg247.com/2009/08/22/star...-created-maps/

Activision written all over that one. Now there will be premium maps, maps generated by the fans but that are sold through microtransactions.

To me it just gives a bad feeling, fondly remembering how Blizzard made multiplayer maps for free every week for I don't know HOW many years.

I for one will probably take a wait and see approach with Starcraft 2. First off, I want to see if the "split into 3 games" is because they want more money out of the gamers or if its actually because the single-player campaign is so big. Second, I don't want to try and join multiplayer games where I get the message "You don't have the Premium map on your computer. Do you wish to go to battle.net store and purchase it?"

But the cynic in me, thinks most people won't care about this...especially the younger crowd who'll just use daddy's credit card.

[Husar]

Yes, Blizzard would never do this, just like WoW is for free and hardly netted them any profit...

I think the idea behind this is that people may be more inclined to create quality maps as they could get some actual profit from that, I guess Blizzard gets a share from sold maps as well.
And it doesn't look as if they are forcing anyone to ask money for maps or buy them.
Despite all that I guess most people would still buy this even if they decided to use StarForce.

[Meneldil]

You can bash Blizzard for making profit with WoW, but unlike many companies, they've - so far - a record of excellent games, with very good post-release support.

I'm sure as hell disappointed by the whole SC2 thingy. 3 games? What the hell? The single player game better be freaking awesome, as in incredibly better than anything released so far, because I'm not willing to pay a game 3 times to have cheap ass, or even decent campaigns.

Now, they go for purchasable custom maps? It seriously looks like good old blizzard is turning into another Activision.

[pevergreen]

Well:

1. if you read reviews, the terran singleplayer campaign has about 29 missions. Multiple RPG-esque elements etc
2. They are Blizzard-Activision now.

[Ramses II CP]

Doubtless some group will come along and make near clones of the pay maps to release for free. Heck, if the game itself is decent I might get involved with an effort like that myself. Then it'll come down to promotion; if Blizzard pushes hard enough I suppose they could make the pay maps popular. I doubt it though.

[Monk]

Oh Blizzard, is there no genre of games you can't ruin?

But in all seriousness, Micro-transactions have been done before by companies much more "sinister" than blizzard. (Capcom did it with Mega Man 9) Yeah, it's kinda shady and I'm not sure how I feel about i since it has the potential to break up the upcoming MP community into haves and have nots.

2. They are Blizzard-Activision now.

A rose by any other name..

[Veho Nex]

Heh. I think there are ways around this premium map business. I for one wont be paying for 3 games I will buy one most likely the toss one and then I will be happy.

[pevergreen]

Only buy all 3 if you want 3 campaigns. Buy 1 if you want MP.

[Xiahou]

Well, if I hadn't already decided to skip StarCraft2, I would now.

StarCraft fans don't need to feel singled out though, they're also bent on ruining Diablo.

I mean, were Diablo2 and StarCraft not among the most successful PC games ever? It kind of sticks in my craw that they're trying so hard to gouge extra money out of their fans when the games are pretty much already guaranteed cash making bonanzas.

Another problem with these DLC systems is DRM. Does anyone think purchased content will be transferable? Of course not. In fact, the game itself requires a Bnet registration to install- which I imagine ties itself to your copy of the game, making that non-transferrable as well. Also, forget about LAN play.

And before Husar tries to jump on me, yeah, Blizzard-Activision can do whatever it wants. And I can choose not to support them with my money.

[Sheogorath]

Good thing I've got little to no interest in SC2. Once it hits bargain bin in a compilation I might get it (So I can run it on my 500ghz Pentium 12 with 1tb Nvidia AS-500,000,000). And because it's Blizzard, you KNOW there's going to be a pack like that.

Really, though, by now people should have realized that the only series that gets better as it goes on his Hitman.

A rose by any other name..

'Rose' isn't quite the term I'd use

[Monk]

'Rose' isn't quite the term I'd use

Perhaps but the sentiment is the same whether you're describing something that is good or bad. It shouldn't matter what they are named, only what they are. Activision-Blizzard will always be Blizzard to me, mainly because Activision-Blizzard is a mouth full.

Really, though, by now people should have realized that the only series that gets better as it goes on his Hitman.

I could disagree with that but we'd be getting off topic!

Honestly I am still on the fence about micro transactions. They aren't bad in the sense that they amount to only a little bit of money for each item, but it adds up for what (should be) a free service, you're forced into going through b.net yet again, ect ect. Perhaps my apathy is in part due to me not having much interest in SC2. If one of the games on my radar pulled this I wouldn't exactly be happy so I can't fault anyone for saying "Enough is enough" with SC2.

[pevergreen]

I dont see the problem TBH.

People make maps, try to make some money out of it.

Its not like Blizzard going to say: To play multiplayer you must download these maps, or to play in the ladder, you must have x maps.

That would be silly.

[Veho Nex]

Yeah but back in my SC days my favorite part of playing online was using custom maps. Now i dont want to have to pay for that service, so I hope people will just make replicas of these p2p maps

[pevergreen]

Not every map will be, only the silly people who spend way too much time and think its much better than it is.

[Whacker]

I mean, were Diablo2 and StarCraft not among the most successful PC games ever? It kind of sticks in my craw that they're trying so hard to gouge extra money out of their fans when the games are pretty much already guaranteed cash making bonanzas.

The problem is these morons consumers gamers will eat this crap up and beg for more. They could sell bottled fart and charge per sniff, and people would buy it like it was crack just because... Hey man, it's Blizzard! They can do no wrong!

Another problem with these DLC systems is DRM. Does anyone think purchased content will be transferable? Of course not. In fact, the game itself requires a Bnet registration to install- which I imagine ties itself to your copy of the game, making that non-transferrable as well. Also, forget about LAN play.

Sounds just like another giant turd that we all know and love as Steam! That YOU and prawl have been hammering away at me to reinstall for days now!!! indeed!

And before Husar tries to jump on me, yeah, Blizzard-Activision can do whatever it wants. And I can choose not to support them with my money.

QFT!

[Veho Nex]

Not every map will be, only the silly people who spend way too much time and think its much better than it is.

you're talking about the whole of Korea and maybe 90% of the SC player database...