StarCraft Universe, the "StarCraft MMO" concept that got a bunch of Blizzard's lawyers itchy and nervous a couple of years ago, is aiming toward a full fledged release—with Blizzard's permisson—and is looking for $80,000 in Kickstarter funding to do so.

Remember StarCraft Universe? The mod was called the "Starcraft MMO" that kicked up a brief fuss in 2011 but was smoothed out, eventually, with Blizzard's blessings. Ryan Winzen, the project's creative director, is happy to share news that SCU: Chronicles of Fate is now available, and will be going out over…

StarCraft Universe, the "World of Starcraft" MMO project that touched off a tense week for the StarCraft II modding community back in January, has released the first trailer of gameplay from its alpha version. You get a wide look at a lot of features of the game in that four-minute trailer, above.

StarCraft's top designer called last month's stir over a "World of Starcraft" mod "a big misunderstanding," but said the mod's creator could be seeing job offers down the road, possibly from StarCraft's studio itself.

A week ago, Ryan Winzen was a college student with another year and half until completing his degree. Today, he's the mod community's Cinderella story, with a foot in the door at one games studio and a pat on the back from another.