StarCraft 2 Gameplay Panel Summary
The StarCraft II Gameplay panel was quite interesting and gave a lot of news on the topic of Single Player gameplay for once. We saw more shots of Jimmy's bar (which was revealed to be on Mar Sara, not on Hyperion), and many aspects of the way the new THREE parts will be shown. Rob Pardo takes us on a tour on StarCraft 2 Single Player Gameplay.
The Big News
The BIG news is of course the splitting of StarCraft II into the StarCraft Trilogy:
- Wings of Liberty (Terran)
- Heart of the Swarm (Zerg)
- Legacy of the Void (Protoss)
This was done, because the alternatives seemed very dull for the dev team (more later), and the advantage is more maps, more ingame cinematics, more info, more pre-rendered cinematics etc. They will be sold as separate products, probably similar to expansions of the game. Whether there will be an actual expansion later on or not is unknown, but it seems very apparent that you only need part one for playing multiplayer with ALL races. This split is mainly to enable the extensive single player experience, and to release the multiplayer game within reasonable time.
Just so that we will get to play more races than the Terran when getting the first game, a small Zeratul mini-campaign will be added, with a "deeper storyline" that transcend the other campaigns. If there will be similar "mini-campaigns" for the other parts of the trilogy is unknown.
星际2座谈小组很有意思,一次给了很多单人游戏的信息.我们看到了Jimmy在酒吧里的图(在Mar Sara上,不是Hyperion),还有游戏的三个部分会怎样被呈现. Rob Pardo带我们游览了
星际2单机游戏 [也就是展示了一下单机部分]
重要新闻
重大的新闻当然就是星际2会被分成三部曲:
自由之翼 (人族)
虫族之心 (
虫族)
虚空遗产 (神族)
这已经决定了,因为其他方案开发小组看来很无趣. [三部曲的]优势是更多的地图,更多的即时生成动画和信息,还有CG动画,等等. 它们会被分开出售,也许就像资料片那样. 现在还不确定以后是否会有真正的资料片,但是很想然你只需要第一部分[单独人族战役版本]就可以在多人游戏里玩所有的种族. 分开主要是为了扩展单机游戏的体验, 同时在一个合理的时间内发布多人对战.
正是如此我们在第一个游戏里不单单可以玩人族还可以玩其他种族, 会有一个超越其他战役的更深成次的故事[应该是指第一个部分,人族战役],一个迷你的Zeratual战役会被加入. 还不确定其他种族的战役是否会有类似的迷你战役[穿插其中].
New Focus
The new focus is Single Player, and Blizzard decided they want to focus heavily into this, and to show a whole new game with StarCraft. A new approach compared to StarCraft I, where you will have more choices and varied, interesting missions. SC1 had that to some extent, but it will be even more advanced this time around. This time we'll see a lot more of the StarCraft Universe, all the world and planets. Blizzard are nto done with the multiplayer aspects, but they mostly involve minor changes and balance tweaks at this point. There are no more whole races to create...
The focus will start with Jim Raynor, as the actual character you are representing, not some faceless "Executor" or officer of some sort. He starts on Mar Sara, in the bar Kalos unveiled screenshots of. Tychus Findlay is a supporting character, whith long history with Jim, even if he did not appear in SC1. He's the marine being welded up into a Marine suit in the first SC2 teaser.
新的焦点
新的重点是单人游戏,
暴雪决定以这个为重点,去显示一个全新的SC. 跟SC1比,你会有更多的选择的,可变化的有趣任务. SC1有些这方面的东西,不过这次会更先进. 这次我们会看到更多的SC宇宙,各样的世界和星球.
暴雪还没有把多人对战方面做好,但大部分只是小改动和平衡性[的问题]. [不需要]去做一个全新的种族了.
重点会从Jim Raynor开始,你代表的是一个真实的人物,而不是一个不知名的执行者或长官. 从
截图看来他[的故事]从Mar Sara的一个酒吧开始. Tychus Findlay 是一个辅助性人物,他和Jim有很深的交情,虽然他在sc1里没有出现. 他就是我们在最早星际2
视频中看到的机枪兵.
Environment
Several things in the environment will be clickable and activated, such as the Jukebox, and TV screens with Mengsk propaganda channels. Entire 3D TV programs from the UNN news network is available, and you can easily see how Mengsk has been able to defeat Jimmy in media instead of on the battlefield. Accusing him of stealing biological weapons and other things. Quite well made TV programs as well, with voice actors. For people who have read the novels, we might even get to see Liberty!
The Star Map is the most intricate and impressive feature, with a detailed outlay of the local part of the universe right at hand. Choice of what planet to visit next and where to go will vary depending on alliances made through your choices. Picking and choosing units and technology when entering combat. Single-Player-specific upgrades such as "Bunker NeoSteel frame" will enhance Bunker strength, or basic things like StimPack upgrades. The prices are in the millions of credits, and since every mission only gives a little, your choices might mean a lot down the line.
The Star Map shows you the mission, and you get briefed from different people, depending who are initiating it. In one case it's Tychus Findlay, or another might feature civilians under attack by the Zerg.
环境
环境中有个别东西是可以点击和激活的,例如点唱机,有Mengsk宣传频道的电视屏幕,有完整的UNN新闻频道的3D电视节目. 你可以看到跟在战场上比Mengsk在媒体里更容易击败Jimmy. 指控他偷了生化武器还有其他的东西. 做的不错的 TV节目,还有配声. 有小说的朋友,我们也许看到Liberty! [不太明白,直译成自由的话感觉很怪.查了一下好像也不是书名,但是应该和书有关吧]
星图有着最复杂和令人印象深刻的特点, 有详细的局部宇宙. 选择下面去哪一个星球,或者去哪取决于你之前选择的联盟. 在进入战斗的时候选择
单位和科技. "单机特效"升级 例如 "地堡Neosteel结构" 会增强地堡的抗击打能力, 或者类似于兴奋剂的基础升级. 升级需要大量credit,但每个任务只给一点点,所以你选择的路线很重要.
星图展示给你任务, 还有不同的人给你回报, 取决于你从哪开始. 有的场合是Tychus Findlay,也有时候是被虫族攻击的平民.
Cinematics
Ingame cinematics are of a quality even higher than the pre-rendered ones in StarCraft I (perhaps the lighting is slightly better), and involves both lip synced dialogue as well as action scenes such as a swarm of Mutalisks attacking the Hyperion, and the ship is using multiple cannon batteries to shoot them all down. The real size of the Battlecruiser becomes apparent, and some truly awesome videos is to be expected by the community.
The trilogisation of StarCraft 2 also enables Blizzard to make many more pre-rendered cinematics, something many fans will appreciate. While no source on BlizzCon, press kit, panel, QA or interview have talked of a set number of cinematics, Samwise did mention that it would be likely to have at least an introduction and finish for each campaign. Cinematics they talked about was about 4 minuts, which is very promising. On the whole, we can probably expect at least 6 cinematics, plus the Tychus Findlay one.
动画！
游戏内动画的质量甚至在原作的预渲染动画质量之上（光照效果更佳），对话中配合以嘴唇动作，甚至还有一群飞龙攻击亥伯龙号，而战舰炮组弹幕全开将它们击落这样的大场面。战舰的大小更加真实，一些令人震撼的场景有望公布于众。
三部曲也使得暴雪能制作更多令粉丝们尖叫的预渲染动画。本次暴雪控没有正式公布，但宣传袋、座谈、问答和采访都透露有大量预渲染动画。SamWise表示每个战役都至少会有一个开场和通关动画。他们保证动画大约会有4分钟，那么一共会有至少6部动画值得期待，包括Tychus Findlay那部。
Why Three Parts?
Blizzard faced a lot of challenges with StarCraft II, the behemoth of a project it is becoming. By the sound of Rob Pardo, the game was probably meant to be launched by now or something, in old internal plans. Meeting this problem of three HUGE stories, alternate missions and lots of ingame cinematics, a greater need for development time became apparent. The fact that they use this story mode apparently increased the required development by 3 or 4 times what it would have been in a simpler Single Player mode. They were faced with three options:
- Simplify the campaigns significantly, and make fewer maps, cinematics etc.
- Make each of the campaigns EPIC, but separating them into individual products.
- Compromise, and do the epic pieces, but delaying the game greatly.
Out of these three, they decided on the second option, and all the fans at the panel gave them a sounding applause in agreement. Rob promised that this meant nothing for multiplayer, and this might be a very good way for lore and single player enthusiasts to get exactly what they want, without holding back the game for all progamers and multiplayer fans.
为何三部曲？
星际2使得暴雪面临大量的挑战，它正成为一个程序巨怪。按照RobPardo的说法，按照原来的内部计划到现在游戏已经发布，或者接近发布。然而三个庞大的剧情、支线任务和大量游戏内动画，使开发时间需要大大延长。实际上，和简化的单人模式（指原作的关卡式单线剧情，译注）相比，剧情部分需要的开发时间增加了3-4倍。暴雪面临三个选择：
1、大大简化剧情战役，减少地图和动画；
2、分割为独立产品的三部史诗战役
3、折中路线，保证品质，继续跳票。
最终他们选择了第二项，而座谈会上所有粉丝都报以赞赏的掌声。Rob允诺这对多人游戏没有任何影响，而对单机控和剧情控是个福音，也不会让程序员和对战玩家继续等待。
How Does it End?
The campaigns all have a start and an end. How to get there, and what things you do on the way will be unique to each player. If you want to play all the content, it will be a
26-32 hour experience. Each Campaign will end with an end cinematic [Ed note: It's also EXTREMELY probable to start with an intro cinematic]. There will also be more easter egg maps etc.
战役的完结？
三部战役都会有始有终。而通关流程和经历每个人都是独一无二的。体验所有内容需要26-32小时的游戏时间。每个战役都包含通关动画，地图中也有更多的彩蛋。
What Cinematics Will We See?
We were not shown the cinematic, but as Blizzard makes them, they start with an animated draft (hand-drawn, with sound), and then create the 3D animation afterwards. We were shown the animated draft, wich pictured Sarah Kerrigan being abandoned on New Gettysburg by Arcturus Mengsk. Quite cool and interesting, and we are very exited to see the full version.
We also got to see 1 minute out of one of the cinematics, in which Zeratul is looking for Xel'Naga artefacts, and finds Zerg. The Queen of Blades had apparently been waiting for him, saying "I thought you were going to get here eventually", not seemingly aggressive.
Q & A Session
Coming soon!
什么样的动画？
我们尚未展出动画，但暴雪制作的动画总以手绘的动作草图开始，然后建立3D动画。他们展示了一张动作草图，绘着被Arcturus Mengsk在新盖兹堡战役遗弃的Sarah Kerrigan。很酷很有趣，我们非常期待最终版。
我们还看了一段动画片断，大约1分钟。Zeratul在寻找萨纳加遗物的时候发现虫族，原来刀锋女王在此等候，并说“我知道你终将来此”，看起来没有敌意。
Q&A即将放出！
以上翻译来自狂徒&枫无行 @
sc2.cc
