Starcraft 2...

Starcraft 2 was announced yesterday, and i was wondering if GMA950 256mb can be able to run it when it comes out? Any guesses?

 

Depends on how scalable the graphics are really; in the gameplay video you can see quite a few special effects, including refraction which i don't think the GMA handles very well, but if you can turn all that stuff off it might run.

 

Might run yes but I dont think it will be very enjoyable. Even at low settings I would think the GMS950 will run into problems when there are many units. But it is too early to tell.

 

The graphics don't look too far ahead of Warcraft IIIs...

 

Agree with you.

 

I guess you could run it on low settings

 

I highly doubt it. I think the people are giving you answers which are overly optimistic about your chances. the graphics may not look so intense but that doesn't mean the special effects wont be. this thing might run on a nvidia 6150 but the intel GMA is just not up to it at all.

 

Why? Blizzard's game, historically, tend to be highly scalable.

I'd say there's a good chance you'll be able to run the game at low settings, but we won't know for sure for a while.

 

This game is due out on 2008... there's still a long way to go unless ur deciding on buying a laptop now...

 

Where'd you see that?

 

http://news.com.com/Starcraft+II+wa...5096.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-5&subj=news

 

well it would probably have to look like the original starcraft to be playable on the intel GMA, i think. and i wonder even at low settings just how many frames you can get.

 

I'm pretty sure Blizzard will find some way to make SC2 work on the GMA 950 even if they have to program a custom code path. Blizzard always tries to include the largest possible market for their products and the GMA 950 represents a significant part of the market. I can't see Blizzard just ignoring it. It'll be just like Doom 3 was specifically designed to work on the GeForce4 MX, it being the only DX7 card supported, simply because the user base was too large to ignore. The fact that the MacBook, Mac Mini, and the lowest iMac all use the GMA 950 means that Blizzard would have to support the GMA 950 if they really want their Mac version to be a success. WoW also works decently on the GMA 950 which is probably a good sign.

Perhaps it won't work very well in the largest multiplayer maps with everyone at their unit limit, but the campaigns (which Blizzard can control) and smallest multiplayer maps will probably work.

 

Yupe, i agree too, if they really wan it to spread, they ll need to somehow support the lower end as well..

 

the GMA is only significant in terms of notebooks. in the desktop market which they will probably concentrate most on, there are so many cheaper nvidia and ati cards both dedicated and integrated that can be supported. ppl who bought the GMA are essentially assumed to not be interested in the latest games, the percentage who did buy and didnt realise they got the wrong config are much lower.

but anyways even if it does work, i dont see it being graphically pleasant and who knows wat the fps is and how slow itll be with intense battle scenes.

I just dont see them trying to make it playable on a GMA950 but who knows it might just well be, though it would probably be called super duper low settings

 

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/games...topslot;title;1&om_act=convert&om_clk=topslot

read... they did mention about the rules of dunno wat korean game law... which should suggest that the gma might be able to run it in lowest resolution..

 

This is good news. Looks like I'll have something to look forward to, PC Games wise, while at college (other than Warhammer Online)

 

I'm assuming you're responding to me since it was right after my question... anyways, I skimmed the article and didn't see 2008 mentioned or a release date. Did I miss it?

I'd assume 2008, but Blizzard never really reveals much about release dates.

 

Totally agree. The graphics look like they are Warcraft III. They are definitely not 07 or 08 material. Luckily this is still in the beta phase and I hope new and great improvements will go into this game.

 

I thought the game looks awesome. If Blizzard want another game as successful as SC1, they'll ensure scales very well.

 

Well the graphical enhancements mainly look to be in larger polygon counts and lighting effects. Those are probably more subtle and the difference is probably that they are dynamically generated rather than stock effects in Warcraft III. It's true it doesn't look particularly spectacular, but I think that's partly a consequence of the artistic style they've choosen which is more cartoonish (maybe not the perfect description) rather than photorealistic. It may not look as amazing, but it ages much better, which is probably the goal considering how long Starcraft went without replacement. I guess they can be forgiven if the graphics had to be tuned down to allow for the massive models, massive numbers abilities they are seeking in the engine.

 

A game doesn't have to look good to be fun

 

The biggest difference in performance imho will be the physics.

Watching gameplay trailers on youtube gave a sneak peak into some subtle independent physics.

Which encorporated into a large scale rts battle could wear you down.

 

GMA 950 is a weak card (one of the worst cards) even by today's standard and it will be outdated by the year 2008. After all,laptop are not designed for gaming, epecially one with intergrated graphics. Even the outdated Geforce go 6 series is better than GMA 950. And the 6 series probably will be the minimum requirment. Forget about playing it on intergrate graphics.

 

Might be playable on small scale battle (100unit or less) but since they are focusing on large scale battle (about 300 at a time), playing on weaker computer might cause you to lose.

P/S: See the screen shot in Gamespot, there's one zerlings rush... that's a lot of Zergs i see in 1 screen.

 

Yes that was my point, you may be able to run this on the GMA950 but once the action gets intense, you might think your comp has frozen cuz of how slow itll be.

 

I was able to play frozen throne at the highst resloution woth everything high will not a single lag. Even Burning Crusade was pretty good when i played it on high resoultion. I think that blizzard always ties to make the game highly scalable so many users can play it even with not that good graphicards. They sated so in the official website.

 

Lets see, it's being announced in May, scheduled to go gold in October, which means we're looking at a January 2008 release.

The trailer got me really psyched though. Damn you Blizzard Entertainment, back to the sleeping pills for me!

 

Not really, it just happened to be after your post. I was adding the link to contribute a little more content/information to the thread. I didnt see a release day in that article either.

 

I see Blizzard cramming for a Holiday '07 release, not a January '08 release.

 

http://www.starcraft2.com/

When is the game coming out?
-At this point, it's too early to provide an initial estimate on the release date. As with all Blizzard games, we will take as much time as needed to ensure the game is as fun, balanced, and polished as possible.

How will StarCraft II be different from StarCraft?
-StarCraft II will run on a vibrant new 3D-graphics engine that will be capable of rendering beautiful landscapes as well as massive individual units and army sizes.
We're also introducing a number of distinct new units to the Protoss, Terran, and Zerg, and even some of the familiar units that return in StarCraft II will have new tricks up their sleeves, which will give the game its own unique flavor.
In addition, Battle.net will be overhauled with some new and exciting features to enhance online play and competition, while the story-mode campaign will also offer some unique aspects for players who enjoy single-player content. We'll have more details on all these aspects in the months to come.

Will there be both single-player and multiplayer components?
-Yes, StarCraft II will include a unique story-mode campaign, as well as multiplayer capability over Battle.net. We'll provide more detail on both of these aspects a little further along in the development process.

What will StarCraft II's story line be? Will any of the characters from the original StarCraft make an appearance in StarCraft II?
-It's a little too early to get into details on the story. Once we're able to discuss the single-player campaign in detail, we'll also share some exciting information about the story line for the game.

How many cinematic cut-scenes will be included?
-We know that StarCraft II players will expect to see some Blizzard-quality cinematic content in the game, and we have definite plans to include multiple cinematics, starting with a cinematic intro. We'll provide further confirmation once final determinations have been made.

How many races are in StarCraft II?
-In StarCraft II, players will see the return of the Protoss, Terran, and Zerg races. Our goal is to ensure that all the factions in the game play even more distinctly from one another than in the original StarCraft, while still maintaining the fine balance that helped make StarCraft such a classic. We're also introducing a number of new units to each race, as well as modifying some of the familiar units returning in StarCraft II. With these design refinements and the new features we have planned for the single-player and multiplayer elements of the game, StarCraft II will offer a next-generation StarCraft experience.
StarCraft II has some big shoes to fill - is there added pressure in developing a follow-up to one of the most beloved games of all time? We recognize that the bar is set pretty high, but this type of pressure is not new to us. Warcraft III had to follow in the footsteps of Warcraft II, and Diablo II had to follow the original Diablo. Creating a StarCraft game that's bigger and better than the original is definitely a big challenge, but it's one that we fully intend to meet and exceed.

Will the game be released in multiple countries? Will the release be simultaneous?
-Which countries and what languages will the game be localized in? Our goal is to release the game simultaneously across the world in multiple languages. As we get closer to release, we'll have more details to share.
Will there also be an expansion, and if so, what features will it contain? Our focus has been and will continue to be on developing and refining the core StarCraft II experience, so we haven't really had much time to consider what types of things we would include with an expansion for the game if we were to do one.

Will there be a console version of StarCraft II?
-StarCraft II is being developed for the PC. We have no current plans to bring the game to any console platform.

Battle.netWill Battle.net be overhauled? Will there be new features?
-There will be some exciting new changes and features to Battle.net that will help us ensure that StarCraft II will be the ultimate competitive online real-time strategy game. We're not quite ready to discuss those features at this time, but we look forward to getting into more detail in the future.

Will we still be able to play the original StarCraft on Battle.net after StarCraft II is released?
-Yes, you will.

Will there be clan management?
-We're not quite ready to discuss specifics related to Battle.net at this time, but we look forward to doing so in the future.

What steps are being taken to prevent cheating in multiplayer games?
-We don't want to tip our hand to the people who may try to cheat on Battle.net, so we can't go into too much detail, but rest assured that security is one of our top priorities as we redesign and overhaul Battle.net, and we will take every precaution to ensure fairness in our online games. We've taken an aggressive stance against cheating in all of our games, and our players have overwhelmingly supported us in that, so we don't have any intention to make any changes in that regard.

Cost, Rating, Beta/Trial versionsHow much will StarCraft II cost? Where can I buy this game?
-Pricing and availability will be determined and announced much closer to the release date.

What will StarCraft II's rating be?
-We are aiming for a T-rating in the US, and similar ratings elsewhere in the world, but those details won't be finalized until we get closer to release.

Will there be a closed or open beta? How about a trial or demo version?
-Decisions related to beta testing and trial or demo versions are usually made further along in the development process. We don't have any details available on these topics at the moment, but we will be happy to share the news once final decisions have been made.

Will there be a collector's edition?
-Decisions related to the types of retail packages available will be made much closer to the game's release date.

Technical AspectsWhat are the system requirements for StarCraft II?
-We'll have more details on specific system requirements closer to the release date.

Will the game run natively on Windows Vista?
-StarCraft II will be fully compatible with Windows Vista, as well as XP. We'll have more details on system requirements closer to release.

Will StarCraft II be available on Mac simultaneously with PC?
-As with all of Blizzard's recent releases, StarCraft II will ship on both PC and Mac simultaneously.

Will StarCraft II take advantage of DirectX 10? What other graphical goodies are included?
-The game will be compatible with DirectX 10, and we're still considering whether there will be exclusive DirectX 10 graphic effects, but the graphics engine will also be very scalable to ensure that a wide range of different systems will be capable of running StarCraft II. The new engine is also capable of rendering very large units, as well as large numbers of units on screen together. Havok physics have been integrated into the engine for added realism as well.

 

WC3 runs on anything. I played it on an Intel extreme Graphics (2 or 3 generations before gma950) with a northwood P4 2,8 GHz and 512 MB ram on high @ 1024x768 with minimal lag (at least i don't remember any lag). I even played it on a PIII 866 and a TNT2 M64.

This ought to mean it runs on GMA950. It ought to run pretty well, only maybe not so pretty.

 

Still, you're talking about using an out-of-date GPU on a game that'll be released probably in nearly a year (and possibly using tech that's barely released even now).

Also, although you might be able to get away with running everything at its lowest in the single player campaign, one of the main attractions of any Blizzard game these days is multiplayer - and I imagine any type of competitive play over battle.net with a bare-minimum graphics card would make the experience less than enjoyable for all players involved probably. (i.e. your screen would freeze 2 min into the game as soon as your two opponents zerg rush your base and unfreeze after it's all over probably )

 

This was the topic of my lunch table today at school. We're all starcraft fans and have awaited this for some time. However, I think the graphics are fine..not to amazing, but the lighting and stuff is crazy. If they keep this current look I will be very happy. Alot of my friends were dissapointed, saying that for a game that is to be released in 2008 which has graphics like it does..will make many unhappy, I disagree fully. I'ts starcraft people..its an international sport! And cramming for a holiday 07 release...highly doubtful. Blizzard does a great job at delaying release dates to make the game as polished and ready as it can be (take WoW for example). This is what I think seperates them from other companies, in a good way. Can't wait for 2008, maybe I'll have a good desktop to play this on.

 

Ah....can't wait!

*whips out Starcraft :Brood War*

 

Actually I think the grafics for SCII is amazing. I mean, I saw the clip where they pause the game and then rotated the camera, I almost creamed in my pants. The game seems to be on par with Supreme Commander grafics, and even better at some area. BTW, if Blizzard was able to make WCIII play on my PC's crappy grafic card, then I am pretty sure they'll probably find a way to make SCII playable on the GMA.

 

A DX9 game with DX10 features would be awesome, I would buy it anyway and the new race will probably be the hybrid zerg/protoss that Duran concocted, Blizzard has my 50$

*EDIT* Damn, no tird race, xp pack anyone?

 

I thought the new race was going to be, if there was to be one..the Xel'naga.

 

Actually, didn't they say that there wouldn't be any new races?

 

According to the FAQ it doesn't seem like there will be any other races available. With such great balancing in the original Starcraft, it's very likely any additional races would just destroy the balance. In terms of playability, there are three great races of opposing strengths -

Protoss - a little goes a long way
Terran - flexibility
Zerg - giant mobs

 

Hrm, well they somehow managed to introduce an all-powerful invading force to WC3 and 4 races and still keep the game balanced ...more or less...eventually....

 

The Xel Naga were wiped out by the zerg, its in the SC manual/backstory

Terrans were criminals shipped from earth to inhabit new worlds, ships malfunctioned and crashed here.

Protoss where created by Xel Naga but the toss got arrogant and the Xel Naga left.

Zerg were created from parasites, Xel Naga created overmind to control zerg, overmind slaughters Xel Naga.

One thing I've always found weird about SC is that the UED (ships sent from earth) had the same units and ships as the Terrans

 

What happened at the end of Brood War anyway? I can't remember...did the Zerg overrun everyone?

 

Well, Zerg was the most powerful after that.

 

So is SC2 when a renegade dark templar goes to a forgotten planet and awakens the (xel) naga, and then comes back to purge the galaxy of the zerg through any means available, only to be misunderstood by his former fanatical protoss jailor...who ruins his plan and drives him into exile...oh wait...this is sounding oddly familiar

It would be nice if they introduced a new faction though, sortta like what the scrin are to c&c3...

 

I just finished watching the full gameplay trailer and I thought I would share a few comments.

First, the way the Protoss units warp in with those planes of light look very similar to how its done in Homeworld 2. In fact, the Mothership in SC2 warps in with really just a more complex version of the effect the Mothership in Homeworld 2 uses.

In terms of gameplay, I really get the feeling that Blizzard is introducing a lot of specialized units. Creating a situation which seems to push you to use one unit to counter another, and this unit to counter that unit. Hopefully they don't make the gameplay too complicated forcing you to remember endless counter chains or forcing you to be extremely creative in order to avoid the chain.

In the trailer, the Ghosts also literally use a huge red bullseye, the size of a Collosus, to laze the target for a nuclear strike. What's more it appears that the Protoss player can see the bullseye. Hopefully, that's only for demonstration purposes, because there is no way anyone is going to not know where the nuclear strike is headed.

 

I hope that only you(the launcher) can see the target marker.

 

I remember I was addicted to sc bw for awhile, first the melee maps then the Ums. Zerg was my favorite to play melee. Fun stuff, but I'm debating whether I should buy sc2 b/c getting addicted to that will not be too good especially for my job.

 

Great analysis, although mine differs slightly:

Protoss - a little goes a long way
Terran - no chance whatsoever
Zerg - giant mobs

 

Protoss - look cool, quality matters!
Terran - eh, they're just humans, how boring...versatile, but still boring.
Zerg - who'd want to be a bunch of grubby parasites...strength in numbers but...you're still a parasite!