Anyone still play Starcraft 2?

That game ticked me off more than I can remember, but considering giving it a go again. Seems it doesn't have even near the staying power that Starcraft 1 did. I just logged in and it showed less than 3000 players online in my region. I am assuming that means USA?

But just for fun, let's take a poll!

 

I like playing 4v4s with friends. It gets off to a good start 5 matches later, but then we get PO at each other after that for little communication or starting to get into a losing streak.

I play on occasions when we all feel like playing, but I never play alone because I suck 1v1s and it's more fun to play with friends.

 

I play at odd hours of the night, for short stints, so I've always played 1v1. I keep on getting close to breaking out of bronze and into silver, but never quite do. I eventually gave it up because the intense amount of multitasking a game like that requires makes me feel more stressed and heightened after playing it instead of more relaxed--and I get stressed and heightened enough at work. I'd rather play a game that I find relaxing, like an RPG, or RPG--shooter like Mass Effect 2 or Deus Ex.

 

I still play, id play more but other stuff keeps me busy.

In the long run I consider it my #1 game even if its not my favorite game because I can pretty much play it forever due to how the game is always changing and there is no "end" it just has unlimited re-playability and potential.

No matter how polished or fun other games are I beat them and then they go into the abyss. SC2 won't ever do that. Its the worlds largest e-sports game with tournaments held almost daily I enjoy watching it as much as playing it.

SC2 is for uber nerds what football is to jocks

I have fun playing 2v2's and sometimes I play a 1v1, but if the main game ever stressed me out too bad I can just go play a custom game or something for fun. Just how WC2 was 50000 games in 1 due to the vast custom games available SC2 should be the same way.

 

Bought it on release. Beat the single player in about 2 days. Made diamond league in 2v2s within a couple weeks. Got bored of melee played UMS occassionally for a couple months...and haven't touched it since.

This is pretty sad considering I put 1000's of hours in SC1.

 

I think we will see a burst of SC2 when the HOTS expansion comes out.

New players and bringing back old ones. It may not "revive" the community but will at least be like putting a big squirt of lighter fluid over the flame. How much ember forms to stick around we will have to see.

 

I'll likely buy HOTS for the single player and maybe mess around on the custom maps every now and then, but as far as the competitive scene goes I'd rather play a MOBA, MMORPG or FPS. I generally prefer those types of games for pvp because they come down to personal skill/reaction rather than being able to calculate a complex version of rock, paper, scissors that is RTS.

 

I still haven't finished the Terran SP campaign. I got bored. I think I may go back and finish though. I've been starting to catch up on my backlog of games. Well will never be fully caught up, but you know what I mean. I gotta finish "You Monster" first!

 

I don't even know what that's referencing.

 

For SC2, I usually just play Use Map Settings [Go Desert Strike!!!]. For actual PvP, I play SC:Brood War

 

Haven't done multi in a while, i got back in the campaign recently though, doing it again on hard difficulty.

 

there isnt very much to do in sc2 besides ladder. the custom map quality are still miles behind wc3.

but all i do is ladder so im fine with it

 

When it launched I played maybe 6 missions in SP and haven't touched that since it came out. Played 1v1s and 2v2, got to diamond in 2s and high plat in 1s after about a month. Then life got busy and I didn't game at all until now. I play every weekend either by myself or bring my notebook to my friend's place and we rock it out. I love competitive rts over all. It does suck being rusty though. I don't have time in the week to play so the skill honing is taking longer than I like, but its still loads of fun. I'm new to the gaming notebook community and I have to say its awesome to just pack up and be ready to go "LAN party" in 30 seconds lol.

 

Oh btw, I feel its necessary to say that I play teh Brotoss, not that scrubalubnub terran that you find in sub-diamond If you play at diamond+, you know what I mean....nothing but MMM from terran till that bracket XD

 

I really think the SP game was underwhelming. Not just because you've just got one of the three factions, but because it lacks the drama of SC1 and BW. Most missions have all the emotional engagement of a Borderlands fetch-quest.

Even though SC2 is a vastly superior game overall, I think C&C 3 had the better single-player campaign, by far.

 

That's my problem with SC2. You can't change up play styles much at all. You do the same thing over and over and over and over again and again and again. Most games last 10-15 minutes, usually with the same basic units and strategies.

 

Ah, but thats where you are wrong. As you move up in the bracket, simple stageies are easily beaten and it becomes nessasary to broaden your list of plans. As an example, when I'm vs a terran in diamond+ I HAVE to scout so i know if he has a fast gas(meaning tech route requiring another scout in a few minutes), missing barracks(probobly proxying), or some kind of 5-6 minute barracks pressure. At least 3 tech routes, 2 kinds of proxy and 3 types of barracks pressure= 8 builds to anticipate just at the start of a game, let alone a tech switch at any point in the match. But, it requires a skill level of which doesn't apply to casual play, which if you've only played casually you wouldn't have seen and I can see how it would seemed boring.

 

I chose no-but own it as its the closest to the truth.
(I don't own it anymore)

I played beta and got a copy gifted to me... I re-gifted it to someone who would enjoy it.

I hate battle.net with a passion and the horrid community surrounding it.
My experience with battle.net and SC2 simply reaffirmed my previous experiences. (Diablo, D2, SC1) Worse, it was the beta community which is usually a particularly cooperative partition of any gaming community.

 

Every once in a while I started the game to see if there are any new and fun custom maps to play (like mafia) (not into the "real" multiplayer) but I don't open it up anymore because of the lack of new interesting stuff...

 

But you have to do it at such a rapid pace it's like Asteroids on steroids. There is so much emphasis put on APM, I just don't have interest where the more keys you can press than the other guy you win. Just not for me really.

There's a few friends I play with on occasion, and we set up our own rules, and have fun with it and don't worry about APM or even if we screw up. We have fun screwing around more than anything. Any time I play with any stranger online they get so angry or mad because you're not playing like them. That's what I dislike most about it. I never had that problem with the original Starcraft for some reason. Seems like I could always get in a good 1v1 or 2v2 without issue and people would just have fun.

 

YEH man me and my friends still play we do ridicolous stuff for fun ranked 4v4 monobattles style and what not...i think the kety is not to make it a chor and become overly competive i mean you can be good but unless your makin money from the game theres no point in gettin angry at it and stressing it... MASS REAPER FTW

 

my apm is fairly low and im doing ok in ladder (avg 60 peak 220 in fights, mid na masters). i play both terran and protoss depending on the mood (terran if im aware and protoss when im tired)

sc2 ladder more "stressful" than any other game ive played so i dont really spend much time on it. and its really not the apm part that makes it so stressful, its the fact you have to be aware of everything that may or may not be happening. my hon apm is more than double my sc2 apm and i can play it when im drinking because its just not a very stressful game.

 

Problem is now, there's a lot fewer players, and most are probably hardcore. Getting matched up realistically with someone on par is probably next to impossible. I tried a couple months ago, and it took forever to even find a 1v1 opponent, and then they smoked me in no time.

 

i started playing sc2 as soon as it hit, got place in silver and got promoted to diamond in a couple games. then i stopped playing and only started again recently, the skill level of players sure has gotten alot better so i was on a losing streak to even to high platnium players, but after a bunch of games im back to where im suppose to be. might try hard mode after my exams and try to get top 200 in the next season.

sc2 is the only competitive game i find interesting atm, waiting patiently for dota 2 and cs go.

 

I agree. It's not the APM that's the problem, it's the multitasking. I probably have as high APM while playing Borderlands or Diablo II as playing SC2, but since I'm managing one character fighting 6-12 characters, not watching a giant map and managing a hundred units against another hundred units in real time, it's totally different.

SC2 is probably the most "stressful" game I've ever played--not the most reflex-intensive game, but the most stressful--and I eventually sat back and said "why the hell am I doing this to myself? Gaming is supposed to be fun, and this level of stress isn't fun."

 

I think it is not appropriate to compare SC2 to SC1 when it comes to "drag". There are just too many reasons why the second game cannot have the same effect as the first one did. Circumstances are different. The games are completely different. Times are different.

And I am actually surprised of how the game managed to "drag" itself so far. IMO tournaments seem to handle very well.

 

I lost interest the beginning of this year. It was fun watching people play it competitively and I mainly play it for co-op. But after awhile I just lost interest and started playing other games and have never gone back.

 

it truly is a sport u need to practice, I really love the game, the single player (not as good as WC3 though story wise... i looooooooooooooooooved WC3)

but multiplayer is just seriously a touch one if you want to relax, have a beer and play some game, SC2 is not good for that. Then again, you would not go grab a beer and do play hardcore competitive sports D:

 

Am I the only guy here who plays every day?

Diamond League Terran on EU. While I did find single player a bit meh, and it is indeed true that ladder can be very stressful, its by far the most fun game I've ever played and the satisfaction you get from continuously improving is awesome

I can understand how some of you guys don't get that, but I guess you have to have a certain amount of commitment to working on your game and getting better before you can truly enjoy the game. That + watching progamers play

 

lol - yes. Lot's of people play starcraft 2. The community is MASSIVE. There are over 13k games happening right now, probably mostly 1v1, but many with 4-8 players as well. I'd say there are minimum 26k players in game at the moment, probably closer to 35k players in game right now.

And the SC2 community is much larger than this, of course. For every player actually in game right now, there is another who is not in game but is watching a live stream of someone else, or of a major broadcast.

And, obviously, not all the players in the community will be in game at any given time- the total pool of SC2 players has to be much larger than 35k, but I would just be speculating.

 

The point was asking NBR members. Based on the poll No and own it + occasional = 56%, that's not massive.

And no it is not massive in general. 3-5000 people playing in my region at any given time is not massive. It used to be 60000.

 

56% of forum members playing isn't massive? nevermind then. it's actually just a small little title with a tiny community, my mistake.

 

You didn't read my comment. I said 56% said NO or only once every few months. That's 76% if you count the ones that never owned it in the poll. Those responses are people that are never or rarely ever in the game. 24% play once a month or more. Tell me which is larger. I refuse to teach elementary school math.

Did you just come here to troll or actually contribute something?

Please don't let the door hit you.

 

used to play tons of games every day,

But I got sort of burned out. It takes a lot out of you lol. too intense sometimes.

 

Not sure where you're getting your numbers. There is never the # of players playing because it counts anyone on B.NET (WoW). If you're talking about games, it was never 60,000 in a region, that was worldwide at launch. 3-5k GAMES (not players) CURRENTLY being played during the middle of the day is pretty darn good for a year old game.

 

Game is boring compared to SC1, and it doesn't seem like the new expansion is going to make multiplayer much more fun. The relative ease of multitasking means if you slip up once in the higher levels, the fact the game ends in one all or nothing battle, almost means you kinda have to wait for your opponent to make a mistake for you to come back.

Protoss sucks at the moment, no harassment, and no I will not switch race

 

I actually think the fact that 24% of the gamers here play an eighteen-month-old game at least once per month is testament that the game is incredibly popular. Do one in four players here still play Bad Company 2 at least once a month? How about Red Dead Redemption or Mass Effect 2?

I'm not a huge fan anymore, but it's hard to deny it's had good staying power compared to other games its age.

 

I agree, but it's just nowhere near the epicness or interest of the original. I'm just saying it's dwindled considerably, most of the players are seasoned vets, and matchmaking is horrendous too. Like others have said, it's a stressful game and not fun when going in the ladders. It's a grind and people take it way too seriously.

Plus, ask from BF2 to BF2142 to BFBC2 to BF3 I think you'd get a solid commitment. Asking if BFBC2 is played is not fair because it's more or less been replaced by BF3. If Starcraft 3 came out in a few months, SC2 would all but die.

Also, asking a single player RPG vs an online RTS is not a fair or realistic comparison either...

As far as RTS, I still play C&C Generals / Zero Hour, Warcraft 3, and AoE time and again. I think most quality RTS games live a long life with a solid fan base.

 

Warcraft 3 was the greatest RTS of all time, in my opinion (not the most popular, just the best). That game was just so amazing on every level. I replayed the campaign probably a half-dozen times. Never done that with any other RTS, before or since.

As for SC2 not having the fan interest of the original Starcraft, no video game EVER has had the fan interest of the original Starcraft. Starcraft 1 is to computer gaming what chess is to board games. No other game has ever come close, and I have a sneaking feeling that no other game will ever come close. It was truly an unprecedented phenomenon. So saying that SC2 fan loyalty didn't live up to SC1 fan loyalty is setting the bar pretty, pretty high.

 

the problem with SC2 now is that unless you are a really good player there is no point, as HT said it will take a long time to find you an opponent and even when you have one you are probably gonna loose, cause most of the players who play now are really good. I stopped playing but i still love the game and i still love to watch mathces

 

Serious? I'm not trolling or anything, but guys have made videos of getting through lower leagues doing nothing but macroing all game (i.e. just focussing on economy) and then just ctrl+a attack when they hit 200 supply. I reckon it can get you to the top of gold atleast alone.

 

That's like saying you can get on an Olympic ski team by just skiing fast. It's not as easy as it sounds. It may be impossible for some of you awesomesauce players to believe, but there are players like me who, despite putting in a ladder game or two every night for a couple months, despite watching Day 9, can't break out of bronze league because multitasking at the level needed with that much going on just doesn't come natural to us.

 

As Mitlov said, it looks easy in the vids, but it isn't really that easy to pull it off

 

Right, the game caters to the hardcore players, which I guess is good. But it leaves the casual players out and frustrated. I wouldn't want them to nerf it in any way like most other PC games have gone just to cater to everyone, because that compromise ends up in reduced features and makes it more arcade.

However, it would be nice if they had a casual mode and hardcore mode. Casual mode for the occasional gamers and modify the game a bit to make it more conducive to team play and less stressful. I did have fun a few weeks the NBR clan got together for some games and it was casual play. But many of those guys went pro and got too serious at times, or would dominate the map on their own.

I don't understand either. I used to be pretty good at SC1, but just never got it in SC2. Granted I did play primarily Terran, but I just couldn't do Protoss or Zerg nearly as well.

 

anything below master league is casual mode. how you can be good at bw and not do decent in sc2 is beyond me.

 

I purchased SC2 solely for the custom maps such as team survival.

Didn't even play the campaign or PvP

Custom games are so entertaining/fun and the game in general has unlimited replay value due to new/tweaked custom games that are continuously added.

 

I have it, but I still haven't played it, despite how much I planned on doing so a good while back.

I am. . . disappoint.

 

This was my point. I'm not trying to troll you, I just disagree.

As far as casual mode, you have matchmaking which does a pretty solid job of matching you up against players of similar skill, and then you have custom games which are also casual. Casual oriented players should get matched up with similar level players just by the nature of the game.

If you want the main multiplayer game to be easier, just lose more

 

BTW Who here besides me would totally go to "Barcraft"

Its where a bunch of SC2 nerds take over a bar and put on competitive SC2 matches instead of football and drink and be merry.

I would die if we had a dedicated e-sports/nerd bar in town