German Articles! Mostly info On Terran

[Wing Zero]

This Magazine hits the stores tomorrow. expect scans and updated stickies!

Original
http://forum.ingame.de/broodwar/show...hreadid=139933

A German magazine called GameStar has gotten a preview of the Terran (They actually played against the Swedish magazine that had the Terran update previously). They have released some new information, screenshots and more. Below is a rough text and most important information from the articles. We will try and get full translations and scans later.

View Released Details or Interview with Dustin Browder. You can also see a new screenshot of two Thors here and some Banshees here.

Progress according to GameStar: 30%
Protoss are full playable, the core of Terran is finished and there are several terrain graphics. The story is there and for sure secret.

To do: Balancing, Campaign, Battle-net, Zerg (Alleged there are only 2 units, Mutalisk and Zergling), AI, sounds, effects, textures, menu and so on.

Note: Some of this may not be fact, expect a more detailed update soon.

- In the current version you can queue a max of 5 production orders.
- If the Gateway is upgraded to the Warpgate, you can teleport a unit every 30 seconds into pylon range.
- He described how he used a phase prism to warp 3 Dark Templar and own the Swedish guy.
- When the guy got an Observer and attacked the Dark Templar, they automatically defended themselves against the zealots.
- Phase Cannons disappear if they leave pylon range in energy form.
- There are still forges for upgrades
- Stalker and Immortal are unlocked by Cybernetics Core. (Twilight Council not in yet?)
- High Templar can stasis enemy troops for 15 seconds. Also they have still their Psi-storm.
- Tall doodads and plants block units from sight.
- There are "neutral observatories" which give a sight radius when captured.
- Twilight Archon doesn't have any special ability yet, just a strong attack and strong shields.
- Browder quotes about shield batteries: They don't exist yet, if the testers want them we implant them.
- Collosus are twice as expensive as Reavers.
- Ramps can be blocked by destroyable rocks.
- Star Relics are always visible when they create a cloaking field and they don't have to move.
- Star Relics can use hallucination.
- Star Relics got a "Detonate" ability: If a unit is targeted by a blue ray for several seconds, it explodes. The unit has to flee or to destroy the star relic.
- The Motherships current resources are: 400 minerals, 400 gas and 10 supply.
- You can "burrow" your Tearran supply depot to open it like a gate and "unburrow" it again to close it
- Terran Barracks and Factory use the same addons: the Reactor and the laboraratory, the Reactor allows the building to build 2 units at the same time, the Laboratory enables new technologies
- The Thor Mech is to big to be build in a Factory therfore he is build by the SCV
- You have to purchase 2 upgrades for the Mothership to gain all abilities each costs 300 Minerals and 300 Vespin Gas therfore an fully usable Mothership costs 1000 Minerals and 1000 Gas (and 10 Food)
- The second possible weapon for a Battle Cruiser are Plasma Torpedos especially effective against many Ground Units

Information already known from SuperPlay

- With Radar Dome you can see all units with a red dot on the mini map and in the fog of war. But you can't tell which unit it is.
- Cobras can attack air and ground.
- Battlecruiser have Yamato-Gun and the new area of effect ability.
- Vikings can attack air and ground as mech but have less armor then in air form.
- Banshees can fire rapid laser blasts at ground units.
- Reaper are able to attach a time bomb at units or buildings every 30 seconds. A sign and a red bar show where the bomb is and when it detonates and enemy can destroy the bomb.
- It is not decided yet if the planetary fortress could attack air too.
- Thor: His special ability is to perform an artillery strike: He uses his four cannons on his back to fire long-ranged projectiles. He is helpless against air-strikes and he is very slow. He can be killed by a few cobras cause he turns slowly.
- Ghost: In sniper mode they can kill lonely soldiers or lesser zerg units with a single hit. They can also call for a marine drop with 8 Marines.
- Zerg are still in conception.
- Heroes in single player don't gain experience but they have more powerful abilities.

Blizzard still debates if the medic is implemented. Dustin Browder: "The Medic counts towards the favored features in Brood War. But we have to test if they fit in Starcraft 2 and don't mess up the balance."

Q: Dustin, Starcraft 2 isn't very innovative. Why are you orientating so much on the original game and relinquish on innovation?
A: Hey, don't be unfair. Right now, we are working on innovations which are not quite ready to talk about yet - for example on the campaign and Battle.net.

Q: But the core of the game still stays the same, e.g. there is no fourth faction. Why?
A: Because we instead try to further distinguish and deepen the differences of the 3 races, for the entirely different factions were one of the biggest innovations in the first Starcraft. We think we can further improve this strength.

Q: How do you approach this?
A: With the new units and special abilities. Just think of Warp-In which allows whole new strategies for the Protoss. Furthermore, the terrain plays a bigger role because some ground troops can climb cliffs without effort, for example the Protoss Colossus.

Q: How do you decide which ideas will make it into the game?
A: We don't integrate ideas at random but think whether they make sense. Then we test carefully - and remove things if we don't like them.

Q: But with the Warcraft franchise, Blizzard was more courageous. Warcraft 3 really took a huge step forward and introduced heroes - among other things - which gain experience. Why does the Starcraft franchise take a smaller step?
A: Because Starcraft 2 should keep the feel of its predecessor: the first game is a first class RTS and therefore an excellent fundamental, so there is no need for radical innovations in order to create an entertaining successor.

Q: The first Starcraft is downright adored in South Korea, TV stations even broadcast games live. Were you afraid of turning your back on the Korean fans with an all too uncommon and innovative successor?
A: It has nothing to do with fear. And nothing with Korea either, at least not with them in particular: There are millions of Starcraft fans worldwide. They do not wish for a twisted successor but for a game which focuses on the classic virtues of Starcraft. But Starcraft 2 will be more than a simple remake of the first installment, with new unit types and abilities which will refresh the game experience. The fans can finally figure out new tactics.

Q: Starcraft will likely hit the shelves in 2008...
A: ...Wait a sec, that's not what I said. We will release the game only when it's completely done.

Q: Alright. But when it gets released, wouldn't it be technically antiquated? The graphics' polycount looks quite low by now.
A: The technicians are currently refining the engine, for example with new light and shadow effects, bigger explosions and better lasers. So, what you can see on screenshots is not finished yet for a long time. I think that every customer will shout: "Oh, what a beautiful game!"

Sauce: here

Some one explain why we have to search for information

[Renzokuken]

Thanks Wang. Updated a few stickies, going to class soon so i'll work on it more when i get back.

[Wing Zero]

np. i wonder if the mine thing for reapers are on constant.

[Bret]

Nice info! Terran is looking more a more promising!

[Emperor Pan I]

Zerg are still in conception.

Thought so. looks like Zerg has alot more work than protoss and terran

[Wing Zero]

they could be saving the zerg for show in blizzcon.

[Emperor Pan I]

I figured terran would be much more revealred at blizzcon. Despite the fact that these magazines spread around, Blizzard hasn't come out and given us direct information or revealed full about the Terrans for themselv.es