[Valigarmander]

StarCraft 2 Map Editor Capable of Action RPGs, FPSes, Shmups

So we all know that Blizzard plans to sell some "premium" StarCraft 2 maps for a price. But what will your cash buy you? Evidently, it almost seems like the sky's the limit, as Blizzard has shown off maps created in the game's editor that played like an action RPG, an overhead shoot-em-up, and even an FPS.
As VG247 reports, Blizzard showed off these maps during a StarCraft 2 gameplay panel at Blizzcon. One map was described as a "third-person action-RPG," while another was an "old-school, top-down Galaga-style space shooter." A third showed how players can create new enemies, as it starred a custom made "mega-Zerg."

And Joystiq, meanwhile, reports that it's even possible to create an FPS with the editor. Blizzard also showed one map starring the character model from the long-cancelled StarCraft Ghost, which apparently was made in just a few hours.

With that kind of impressive flexibility, it's going to be exciting to see what kind of madness gets created when StarCraft 2 finally gets in the hands of eager gamers next year.

Blizzard Working on LAN-Like Solution for StarCraft 2

A lot of hardcore PC gamers were upset when Blizzard revealed that StarCraft 2 wouldn't support traditional LAN play -- even causing some to go as far as start an online petition to convince Blizzard to change their minds. But while Blizzard technically hasn't, they are looking at ways to provide a LAN-like experience while still maintaining some connection to Battle.net.
Speaking to Shacknews during Blizzcon, Battle.net developer Greg Canessa explained that Blizzard is looking into ways to provide the sort of low-ping peer-to-peer experience LAN play brings while still keeping Battle.net in the loop. "We are working on solutions with regard to things we can do to maintain connectivity to Battle.net in some way, but also provide a great quality connection between players," he said.

When asked whether that could me a sort of "pseudo-LAN connection," where the game first connects to Battle.net only to authenticate before reverting to a standard LAN connection, Canessa responding that it's along the lines of what they're looking into. "Something like that. Maintaining a connection with Battle.net, I don't know if it's once or periodically, but then also having a peer-to-peer connection between players to facilitate a very low-ping, high-bandwidth connection... those are the things that we're working on," he said.

And for Diablo fans wondering what all this may mean for the upcoming third installment, it looks like it'll follow whatever direction StarCraft 2 goes in. The game won't have a traditional offline LAN option, but any workaround StarCraft 2 ultimately uses will be available in Diablo 3 as well.

Blizzard Might Add More Pay Services To Battle.net

Long ago, when it was first announced that Battle.net would be undergoing a significant revamp for StarCraft 2, there was some concern that Battle.net would become a subscription service, a la World of Warcraft or Xbox Live. Thankfully, Battle.net will remain free, but when we chatted with Battle.net project director Greg Canessa, we asked if Battle.net would eventually add something like Xbox Live's Avatar Marketplace, or some other microtransaction model besides the upcoming StarCraft 2 Map Marketplace. Canessa started his answer with, "I'm not going to rule anything out," which gives us pause.

But he continues, "But Blizzard's reputation is about providing an amazing value -- an amazing amount of stuff for free. And then enabling additional stuff, like value-add services, to maintain the free level. Okay, you pay for StarCraft 2, and Battle.net is free. All the stuff we're talking about: the Achievements, the profiles, the Avatars, the unlockables, the leagues; it's all included for free. Then there's value-added services -- like for WOW where you have a paid subscription with tons of stuff, and we then added paid character transfer services on top of that later. So we may add some stuff to Marketplace, but it won't interfere with the free tier."

Interesting stuff; we're curious to see what other services, besides the Marketplace, might be added to Battle.net as paid items down the line.

Tricia Helfer Playing StarCraft II's Kerrigan

The Queen of Blades and Caprica Six have both destroyed a world or two in their time. And pretty soon they'll have something else in common as well -- the acting talents of Tricia Helfer.
Videogaming247 is reporting that "Battlestar Galactica's" Helfer has been tapped to play Kerrigan, the leader of the Zerg swarm. She'll be lending her voice to both the Queen of Blades, and to flashbacks featuring Sarah.

The role was previously filled by Glynnis Talken Campbell, who said, "That's showbiz" after hearing she wouldn't be back for StarCraft II.

Helfer described herself as a "video game virgin," but is apparently quite enthusiastic for StarCraft II. We'll know how it all turns out when it arrives in 2010.

Lotsa stuff to get excited over. I can't wait for this game to come out.