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Our very of Ciel was on hand to give viewings of Blizzcon.
StarCraft: Ghost
Two multi-player modes playable at BlizzCon: Invasion and Mobile Conflict (capture the base).
Invasion is Zerg vs. Terran (yes, ZERG IS PLAYABLE). Mobile Conflict is Terran vs. Terran.
Invasion:
A simple game of capturing nodes and defending them, hoping to eventually get to the enemy base and destroy it (think Arathi Basin meets Battlefield 1942, I suppose). The object is to destroy the enemy base, which can only be done once one of the two nodes connected to it is destroyed.
The Zerg units are Zerglings, Hydralisks, Infested Marines, and Mutalisks. Zerglings are fast little buggers who attack and move faster in groups. They're quite the force when moving together, and can plow down Terran foolish enough not to keep their range. Hydralisks move a bit more slowly, but have a stronger melee attack, in addition to having a ranged attack (shooting spines). Infested Marines shoot toxic shells and have the ability to blow themselves up, killing any nearby unit and dealing toxic damage to those not killed by the blast. Mutalisks are flying creatures with the ability to shoot acid balls, which you can charge up to increase the power. They can also swoop down and pick up enemy units to gain health.
The Terran can be the normal Infantry, Marines, Firebats, and Ghosts. Infantry can build turrets, which are quite useful, and use their normal weapons. They die easily to Zerg when up close, but a blast from their shotgun can kill a Zergling in just one or two shots up close, and the Turrets work wonders for defense of nodes. The Marines have better armor, stronger weapons, and a grenade launcher. Firebats use Flamethrowers and laser/manually guided rockets. They are an unstoppable force, almost, against Zerg up close, unless the Zerg attack them from behind. And of course, you have your Ghosts, who are armed with an Assult Rifle, Sniper Rifle, cloaking, Grenades, and a Tactical Nuke (very fun).
Everyone starts out as the lowest unit (Zergling/Infantry). Then, as you accumlate kills and capture nodes, you gain points. You may change your unit after you die, or if you are Zerg at any time, for a point cost. Zerglings/Infantry are 0, Hydrlisks/Marines are 1, Infested Marines/Firebats are 2, and Mutalisks/Ghosts are 4.
Also, Zerglings/Hydralisks can burrow into the ground, and all Zerg slowly regenerate life.
There are two vehicles pilotable in Invasion, it seems, the Stinger (a car with rear gunner) and Vulture (a rocket-firing hoverbike).
Mobile Conflict:
Terran vs. Terran, simply. The four normal classes are availible, however the abilities and weapons are a bit different from Invasion. Infantry are armed with their Submachinegun and Shotgun from Invasion (and gun turret), in addition to a Decloaking Device and Chain Gun turret. You build both of the devices. Also, you have Sticky Grenades, which are like mines that you can detonate at will. Marines are armed normally, as are Firebats. Ghosts, however, lack the Assault Rifle and Tactical Nuke. However, you have a Lockdown Grenade, which locks down all nearby electronics (guns, vehicles, etc.), and a Lockdown Rifle, which can be used to lock down enemy vehicles, including aircraft.
The objective is to dock the floating factory starting in the middle of the map for 6 minutes. The first team to do so wins. This is accomplished by loading into a Grizzly, a new prototype aircraft, and flying it onto the top of the factory, and heading to the control room to fly the factory back to your base. Infantry can set up their turrets and decloaking devices inside the room, and Ghosts can lock them all down with a simple greande :). It's quite a fun game, and I believe I've mastered the Infantry on this level.
Oh, one more cool thing the Ghost can do...Thermal Vision. Yes, you can view heat behind walls and view other Ghosts who are stealthed with this mode, easily toggled on and off with one button. This makes the Ghost perfect for infiltrating the control center. A good Infantry can make excellent use of the mines, though, and set one off as soon as they see that lockdown grenade come in :).
In Mobile Conflict, the Stinger, Vulture, Siege Tank, and Grizzly are all pilotable. The Grizzly truly is a beast! The pilot has access to dual machine guns, and there are seats for a bomber, rockateer, two flack cannons, and of course Marines/Firebats can hang off the side.
I must say, this is the game to bring me back to consoles, if there will ever be one. It's fantastic. Pictures soon to come.
I also got to see a demo of the single player campaign. The mission was to retrive a scientist and the Grizzly prototype from the clutches of a rogue faction of Terran. You can use your cloaking, but you have only 3 minutes of it, and there are limited times only when you can recharge it, so most of your time is spent sneaking without invisibility...just the good old-fashioned stealth. Coolest of all, you has super-speed, and can slow down any enounter to about 8x slower, while you move at normal speed. This makes it quite easy to dispatch your foes. You get to throw bodies into the lava in order to hide them, too :).
Pictures to come soon!
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