That all sounds pretty hot.

Mmm . . . this worries me a bit--one of the great expectations waiting all these years for Starcraft II has been a return to the fast-paced, big-event storyline of the single player campaigns. An open-ended model that changes based on preliminary mission choices, funneling into a single line acting as the bridge to the Protoss or Zerg campaign, might work . . . but, first mild impression here, and I can't say I have much faith with open-ended working well for the Protoss, or at all for the Zerg.

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't want a more open ended storyline structure. I want the storyline to unfold in linear path...

This is unreal. Someone take the name away from Epic, because I think they've worn it out. But this... this is incredible.

for a game like starcraft where the storyline was an important part of the campaign, this whole open-ended concept is worrying. the story in the original was big and epic, not singularly amazing, but quite good nonetheless, but now...I guess we'll have to wait and find out how it turns out.

Bit of a mixed day at blizzcon. The Northrend expansion is turning into a giant leap backward for WoW as a whole, meanwhile Starcraft 2 is looking better than I ever expected it to. I like the idea of a semi-open campaign a lot; if it works half as well as it did for the last Warhammer 40k (and why not, since the 'Craft series has never been shy about cribbing notes from the parent property)the open campaign should add a ton of replayability to the single player experience. If they can work it into a risk-style online game, so much the better.

@Rohsiph: I understand the concern that leaving it open-ended might take away from the feeling of being swept up in this epic conflict but I think it will work out pretty well. Remember how Starfox on the SNES sorta had those three routes you could take to get to Venom? Well, I figure it will be something similar to that.

Basically, you can pick and choose missions when they aren't plot-centric (you won't choose to fight Kerrigan's end-game map I suppose) and once those are completed, the plot advances and you are presented with a new series of options? Anyway, that's one way I can imagine it working decently.

I just think it's great because... based on this, I have a feeling that each race's campaign will reflect the values of that race. The humans are scrappy mercs and these sorts of missions are suited to that. I hope it's as clear for the other races as well.

Hmmmmm open-ended. I'm looking forward to trying it. I do like things that are more story-focused though, which means no choose-your-path stuff for me. We'll see how it goes though. I guess I have a lot of faith in Blizzard right now.

@Rohsiph: Maybe, but on the other hand, just because there's certain choose-your-path sections of hte plot does not mean that the entire campaign centers around that.

Most of KotOR was spent going to the four planets in any order you chose, but there were significant parts of the game that played out in a specific way.

Most likely, you'll play a bunch of random mercenary missions and then be shunted into a much more heavily plotted mission sequence.

Did you guys read the post? It's not an "open-ended story." It's got a mission-based structure that's open, but the story is closed. He goes into the basement and the story goes on. This is no different than KOTOR, and NOBODY complained about THAT story.

Remember in SC1 you had a choice in some missions (e.g. destroy nukes or BCs for the next game)? Well, I think it's going to be like that, except more choices and the choices are on different planets. Still, NO EFFECT on the main story.

I like the idea of unlocking the new technology between missions. "Do I get Vultures, or should I save up for the Wraith and nail them with my cloaking?"

But honestly, it all comes down to "In Blizzard We Trust". I have never been disappointed in a Blizzard game and I don't expect that Starcraft 2 will buck this trend.

The big problem with open-ended campaigns: open-ended stories.

That might be fine for some games, but not for story-centric Blizzard games.

Anyone play Dawn of War: Dark Crusade? It had a fully open-ended campaign but no story whatsoever.

Hopefully Blizzard can use their magic to make a REAL Starcraft 2, not Command and Conquer 4.

Meh, the diablo, Starcraft and Warcraft stories are all the same. They just change the setting. Troubled hero, saves the day, converts to darkside, ends up on throne.

@Kirbytheslayer: So you're telling me that Raynor and Zeratul will fuse into a massive Zerg overbrain and purge the universe of all life? Thanks a lot buddy! Learn to use spoiler tags!

Wait, how'd Zeratul get on the ship?

I'm all for more control over my gaming experiance. Yes, tight narrative is often sacrificed in the name of more freedom, but I play games to have fun first, and a get a great story second. But knowing Blizz, I think I'm gonna get both anyways :)

Cool stuff. Can't wait to play it.

Open ended really is just GTA style.

Yes it is choose and pick your path as it goes, but really, it is a linear path. You're gonna kill your Ex-girlfriend who betrayed you at the start of the game.

How you get there in the end wount matter at all. This just means I get my nukes by the 4th mission! :D

I really don't like any of those ideas at all.

Some of the best missions on the Starcraft campaign (and Brood Wars too) were ones that absolutely required the level designer to know what your available technology tree was going to be. In this way the difficulty curve of the game allowed nice introduction of the different units, with missions to take advantage and showcase each unlocking area of the tech tree.

Making it all open-ended - so you pick your technology advancement and mission order etc - sounds like a colossal step backwards.

Whats so open ended about this campain ? It is the same thing that was introduced in Red Alert long time ago. As for this technology choise, the new units have never been of any big importance during the SC1/BW. You could use new tech, you could stick to the old units.
If anything, this is worrying as it reminds me too much of the crap that was the sequels to Red Alert.
The most important part is multiplayer anyway.

@Pezdispenser: how do u think he got on there? hes a friggin dark templar. no one can see him if he doesnt want them to.

Sounds frickin awesome!

I dunno, I think it's kinda awkward to switch around the story telling device in between installments of the series. It's kinda like Hamlet turning from a play into a series of villanelles. It just doesn't feel right.

just gotta say something after looking at those starcraft pics. What's wrong with the zerglings? They look more like big grasshoppers/crickets instead of the menacing things in the original starcraft.

I see the bridge there, and I think of Prey, Doom 3 and Unreal 2.

I obviously didn't read the post, so I'm going to express my fears of this so-called "open-ended" free-love hippie-style communist gameplay. it terrifies me that I'll be able to play the final boss as the first level.

seriously though, I can't wait for this game to come out

Don't care.

When can I finalöly play it? That's all I am interested in. I will buy this asap.

@kiigan: You're going under the assumption that all units are always available for purchase. Any respectable RPG player will tell you that this is just not true, and that, in fact, certain items that are "purchasable" have areas that fully take advantage of you having them.

I find it odd how much people whine about any change whatsoever, be it mega-units or a different type of single player play. You know the story is going to be good, and you know the units will be balanced. If for some reason you find that the units AREN'T balanced, then play on servers that don't use those units.

To me, more options means better. I guess people who like a closed path share a closed mind?

@Jewbacca: You can't compare this game to a singular play. Why? Because Starcraft I was told the exact same way all of Blizz's other strategy games were told. So, comparing Shakespeare plays would be more accurate. And Shakespeare DID write some off-the-wall plays.

@realmrpger

Get some manners please - no one is "whining" here. What we have here is just a difference of opinion.

"You're going under the assumption that all units are always available for purchase". Actually I made no such assumption. My comments were pretty clear I think.

Some of us have been regularly playing StarCraft since it came out, so is it really that surprising that people have opinions on this stuff? A lot of what I've seen of StarCraft II so far is very exciting, but let's be realistic here: Blizzard isn't the same company it was 15 years, and not all change is good.

I've no idea why you then proceeded to talk about multiplayer unit balance and playing on different servers etc. We're talking about the single player campaign mode here!

It's obviously a tough balance to know what to tinker with and what to leave alone with a phenomenal success like StarCraft, and there's no way to please everyone. That said, I question the merit of the open-ended approach to the campaign mode mentioned above - the changes described don't fill me with excitement, and reek of change for the sake of change.

@kiigan: Only the first paragraph was directed at you. I recall people complaining about Thor because it's a super weapon, and Starcraft doesn't have those, therefore they don't belong.

Well, your post must not have been that clear, then. If at mission g you know the tech tree MUST have a, b, and c, then you design the level around that. Also, with open-ended gameplay comes pieces of missions that can only be done if you have certain upgrades. I'd say it's still entirely possible.

As long as the main plot moves along, this open-ended story doesn't sound that bad at all. It's a nice change of pace. I hope the player just dictates the pace and doesn't miss out on anything crucial though.

That engine + WoW.....NOW.

That aside, I really really can't wait for this game. Too bad, knowing Bliz, I will.

(though in all fairness, I like their 'wait til it's just right' policy)

The creators of strarcraft will streamline the open ended storyline process, and playtest the crap out of it before its ever released.

Not sure why anybody should be worried. This is BLIZZARD, who never releases stuff until it's thoroughly vetted out as excellent by people like you and me.

I'm a tad worried, although then again...blizzard is making the game. No way it can suck

You got wing commander in my starcraft! Awesome!

Jimmy Raynor makes me happy.

Yeah, this is reminiscent of the Wing Commander story interactivity.
The open-ended choose your adventure type thing seems rather redundant or worse if the single campaign is forcing you to pick one tech and sacrifice the other...
I want to be able to use all my techs in the final rounds of the game (which makes picking and choosing pointless too if that becomes the case)

i hope they will finally get to kill kerrigan for real this time

Re: some comments--

Comparing this to KotoR opened my eyes a bit--but still not to the idea of an open-ended (akin to KotoR) Zerg campaign.

Then again, I think some of you made an excellent point: as long as the overarching story always moves forward, and thus the player is just given minor choices as to what scenery they want to see, I think this could work out very nicely.

What I dread is a total of 16 possible missions per campaign, where one will only see four of the first 12 during a single play-through, because that'd mean an 8-mission campaign. However, a campaign as long as the original Starcraft/Broodwar, with "choose map A, B, or C, which are all a bit different, but the backstory moves forward at the same pace" at numerous points, that could be really neat.

One last worry is whether this model would take away from the player feeling like he/she is the "commander" of each race--if I am the Executor of the last remaining Protoss forces, why am I forced to focus on one of three missions, instead of my subordinates taking care of the minor two and letting me take on the most important role? But, as with the arguments I agree with above, if it is such that the mission you choose is always the most important, and at the end you have pretty much the same storyline happening, I think everything should be pretty cool.

From the look of the bridge, it would seem they might also be gearing up for a future "World of Starcraft" spinoff.