STARCRAFT

'''StarCraft''' is a real-time strategy game by Blizzard Entertainment. It was initially released for Microsoft Windows in 1998. A Mac OS version of the game was released in 1999, and a port to the Nintendo 64 was released in 2000. The main storyline follows a war among three galactic species: the adaptable and mobile Terrans, who are descendants of Human outcasts from Earth; the hive mind arthropodal Zerg; and the psionic humanoid Protoss warriors.
''StarCraft'' was the best-selling computer game in 1998^[1] and won the Origins Award for Best Strategy Computer Game of that year.^[2] Nine million copies of ''StarCraft'' and its expansion pack, '', have been sold since its release,^[3] making it the third best-selling computer game in history (behind ''The Sims'' and ''The Sims 2''). It is especially popular in South Korea, where professional players and teams participate in matches, earn sponsorships, and compete in televised matches.^[4] Blizzard initially intended to continue the story with the tactical shooter '', which was later put on hold indefinitely. The sequel, ''StarCraft II'', was announced on May 19, 2007, in Seoul, South Korea.
The title can be spelled either '''StarCraft''' or '''Starcraft'''. Both spellings appear in official sources, including the game itself.

Contents

Gameplay

Multiplayer

StarCraft Campaign Editor

Story

Plot

Episode I

Episode II

Episode III

Characters

Development

Versions and sequels

Prior to announcement

Reception

Legacy

Merchandise

References

External links

Gameplay

''StarCraft's gameplay centers on the acquisition and control of two resources: minerals and vespene gas. They are harvested by worker units. Minerals, which are required for all normal units, appear as blue crystalline formations protruding from the ground. Vespene gas, which is required for advanced units and upgrades, appears as a geyser with green clouds erupting from it. An extractor must be constructed before worker units can harvest the vespene gas.
Some buildings allow the creation of new units, while others upgrade the players' forces or allow more advanced units or structures to be built. Each of a player's units demands a certain quantity of supply, which is provided by buildings or units particular to each race. Players must maintain enough supply to support their forces, lest they become temporarily unable to produce additional units. In standard games, the maximum amount of supply that can be used at any time for each controlled race is 200, limiting the total number of units any player may have. In the ''Brood War'' expansion, the Protoss dark archon unit can capture worker units from other races. This does not add to the Protoss supply limit but instead creates a new supply group for each controlled race.
The selection of units available to each species defines its racial identity. Protoss marshal powerful and expensive warriors and machinery, while Zerg rely on sheer numbers and speed to overwhelm their opponents. Terrans are the versatile and flexible alternative to both races, providing a compromise between specialization and combined arms. No species has an innate advantage over any other. The balance between species has been the subject of numerous gameplay tweaks introduced via infrequent updates.
Resource management, expansion to control resource locations, and effective offensive and defensive combat tactics are key to victory. In order to excel, players must develop the ability to perform both micro- and macro-management simultaneously. Micromanagement includes moving units into certain formations and maneuvering them on the map or in battle, while using their different combinations of abilities and numbers to full advantage. This skill requirement distinguishes StarCraft from many other, more modern RTS games, the latter performing many of the strategic organizational arrangements with active assistance from the AI.

Multiplayer

Blizzard's Internet service Battle.net grants online multiplayer gaming at no additional charge. Many fans, especially casual players, enjoy playing in groups against computer-controlled opponents, as well as on teams against one another. Games between players with no computer-controlled opponent tend to be a bit more challenging since adding the human aspect makes the opponents' next move unpredictable. Since experienced players generally do not find the artificial intelligence of the game challenging, fans have also created maps that are advantageous to the computer and can be extremely hard to win. Up to eight spots can be filled in a game when played on Battle.net, four with direct cable connection, and two players with modem connections.^[5] In cooperative play, several people can play on the same team, controlling the same units, or on different teams that are "allied" so they do not harm each other. Clans gather groups of people for competitive team play.^[6] Clan involvement ranges from casual friendship to mandatory meetings and tournaments. In multiplayer gameplay, some players use modified or "hacked" versions of the ''StarCraft'' client to gain an unfair advantage. People also use programs (hacks) to gain other unfair advantages such as commanding more than 12 units at once, no fog of war, infinite resources, and other unfair ways of winning. Blizzard attempts to detect and ban those who modify their client software, and several third-party "anti-hack" programs are under constant development to prevent these hacks. In 2003, Battle.net closed over 400,000 accounts for cheating and hacking.^[7]

Most competitive, high-level gaming outside of the Korean professional scene takes place on "private" ladders such as "PGTour" (Pro Gamers Tour) or "WGTour" (World Gamers Tour). These ladders use specific sets of maps (mostly taken from Korean pro leagues like MSL and OSL), hack-preventing third-party programs, teams of administrators, and sometimes even a private server (such as the PGTour's Bnet-X) to enforce fair play. Since the end of July 2006, with the release of patch 1.14, Blizzard has removed the Ladder option on all gateways, save the European gateway, whose Ladder is now held in cooperation with "WGTour".^[8]
Beginning with version 1.08, ''StarCraft'' enables the player to record a game and save it as a ''replay'', which can then be viewed with any other copy of ''StarCraft'', displaying the entire course of gameplay. Replays allow for the studying of game players tactics, and thus pro-level replays are rarely released to protect team secrecy and to comply with the policies of pro leagues. Fans have developed applications such as BWChart and Lasgo's Observer Pack^[9][10] to analyze replays in detail and compute statistics such as the number of actions per minute (APM). Some replays are accompanied by an audio commentary recorded by the player or an experienced observer in real time or during later viewing. When the audio files are produced using third-party recording and playback tools, the viewer must manually synchronize the audio with the replay. Alternatively, auxiliary applications such as RWA can ensure synchronization.^[10] VODs (from "Video On Demand") are videos showing a commentator or player during a pro-level game. They are sometimes illegally ripped from Korean television or Internet streams. They usually come in the ASF video file format for Windows Media Player or in the WMV format. Because they are compressed with an MPEG-4 codec into a small file, their video quality is poorer than replays.

StarCraft Campaign Editor

Main articles: StarEdit

The game is packaged with the ''StarCraft Campaign Editor'' (also known as StarEdit). The editor's trigger system allows users to change maps radically and create custom map scenarios. The ''StarCraft'' community has constructed new editors and functionalities that grant users even more power to modify the game. The company Microstar sold a CD with new levels created with the StarEdit feature, but was forced to stop when Blizzard won their court case against its distribution.^[12]
An exemplar campaign developed by Blizzard Entertainment, ''Enslavers'', was included with the release of ''StarCraft''. This campaign, following the Terran Dominion and the Protoss during Episode II, showcased the means of creating a full custom campaign for ''StarCraft''.

Story

''StarCraft'' takes place in the distant future. Human exiles fight for survival on the edge of the galaxy, and a unified Terran government has formed through espionage, deceit and military might. In the midst of these events, the Zerg have begun an invasion of the Terran worlds, along with the war against the Protoss.^[13]

Plot

The plot of the original ''StarCraft'' game revolves around the Terran civilization in the Koprulu Sector, which was founded by former prisoners exiled from Earth. The most powerful Terran faction is the Terran Confederacy. It is opposed by other factions, such as the "Sons of Korhal," a paramilitary organization. The arrival of the Zerg, led by the Overmind and its Cerebrates, greatly complicates matters for the Terrans. The Zerg Swarm is itself closely followed by a Protoss fleet who burn any world the Zerg infest. The Protoss fleet is led by the high templar Executor Tassadar.

Episode I

In Episode I, the player assumes the role of a colonial magistrate of the Confederate colony of Mar Sara. He soon meets local marshal Jim Raynor. After being arrested by the Confederacy for destroying Confederate property (even though it was infested by the Zerg), the player joins the Sons of Korhal, who free Raynor from prison. Raynor also joins the Sons of Korhal and frequently accompanies the player on missions. After the Protoss destroy the Zerg-infested Confederate colony on Mar Sara, the leader of the Sons of Korhal, Arcturus Mengsk, uses psi-emitters to lure the Zerg to Confederate installations and further his own goals. Mengsk acquires the services of General Edmund Duke, a Confederate general, and sacrifices his second in command, the psychic Sarah Kerrigan, to the Zerg to ensure the destruction of the Confederacy. Raynor is outraged and flees with a small number of soldiers, accompanied by the player. Mengsk then uses psi-emitters to destroy the Confederate capital world of Tarsonis by means of Zerg infestation. Mengsk reorganizes what remains of the Terran population under his control into the Terran Dominion, crowning himself Emperor.

Episode II

In the second episode, the player assumes the role of a newly created Zerg cerebrate and is entrusted to the care of the chrysalis. It soon opens to reveal Kerrigan, who has been infested by the Overmind. Meanwhile, Tassadar has discovered that the Zerg cerebrates can be near-immediately reincarnated by the Overmind unless they are killed by the dark templar, whose energies match those used by the Overmind. Tassadar allies with the dark templar, and while he distracts Kerrigan, the dark templar Zeratul assassinates the cerebrate Zasz. This disrupts the Overmind's control over the Garm brood (causing chaos as the brood runs rampant), but also allows the minds of Zeratul and the Overmind to come into contact for a brief second, enabling the Overmind to learn the location of the Protoss homeworld of Aiur, for which it has been searching for a considerable amount of time. The Zerg soon invade, despite heavy Protoss resistance, allowing the Overmind to embed itself into the crust of the planet.

Episode III

In the third episode, the player takes the role of the newly appointed Protoss fleet
executor, replacing Tassadar, who has been branded as heretic by the Conclave (the Protoss ruling council) for working with the dark templar. The player at first serves the Conclave in their fight against the Zerg on Aiur. However, while on a mission to arrest Tassadar, the player ends up joining him. This results in a Protoss civil war with Tassadar, his unlikely templar allies, and the dark templar pitted against the Conclave and the Khala. Tassadar and the dark templar prove themselves by having Zeratul slay two Zerg cerebrates. The Conclave then reconciles with Tassadar and the dark templar in time for their assault on the Overmind. The Protoss are aided by Raynor and his raiders. When the shell of the overmind is destroyed, Tassadar channels dark templar energies into the hull of his ship, the Gantrithor, and crashes it into the Overmind, sacrificing himself in order to slay it.
The story continues in ''.

Characters

Main articles: Characters of StarCraft

The ''StarCraft'' storyline is carried by multiple positively received characters. As the series comprises a number of games, authorised add-ons and novels, the ''StarCraft'' universe has an extensive list of characters, but only a limited number of these characters have a major influence of the overall story arc. The characters that do exert influence generally first appear in one of the Blizzard-developed games, although characters have emerged into the games from the novels.
Most of the main characters in the ''StarCraft'' series are playable at some point within the game to some degree. Jim Raynor and Fenix are consistently controllable throughout the games, whilst others such as Edmund Duke appear multiple times but are only usable by the players once or twice. Some characters, such as Arcturus Mengsk and Aldaris are never controllable during the course of the games, but feature prominently in the lore of the series. The universe also contains a whole host of minor characters.

Development

'', an earlier Blizzard production, had been criticized for the similarity between its two races with the only exception being minor differences in spells and upgrade costs. Similarly to the Strategic Simulations game ''War Wind'', ''StarCraft'' implemented decisive asymmetries among its races. Further improvements included pre-rendered sprites and backgrounds using 3D Studio Max. An isometric view was used, unlike Warcraft II's top down perspective. CD quality music and professional voice acting were also utilized.^[14]
Operation CWAL (Can't Wait Any Longer) was formed in 1997 as a writers' group in the ''StarCraft'' Suggestions Forum to try to "liberate" an early, unauthorized final copy of ''StarCraft'', which appeared obviously completed despite numerous delays on the part of Blizzard Entertainment. Blizzard Entertainment went so far as to give special thanks to this group in the ''StarCraft'' manual and use their name as a cheat code.^[15]
The ''Brood War'' expansion released by Blizzard in 1998 provided several new units and a new campaign for each race, continuing the original ''StarCraft'' storyline and changing the gameplay. ''Brood War'' allowed the production of units, such as "Dark Templar," which ''StarCraft'' had only made available at the beginning of certain single-player missions, and created exclusive unit upgrades for all three species.^[16] Though the three races in ''StarCraft'' were considered slightly unequal in power when the game was first released, the expansion pack and four balance patches are thought by most players to have created a very stable, balanced game.^[17]

Versions and sequels

In 2000, ''StarCraft 64'' was released for the Nintendo 64. The game featured all of the maps from the original game and the ''Brood War'' expansion, as well as some exclusive missions, such as two different tutorials and ''StarCraft Resurrection IV''.^[18] For Brood War missions the game also required the use of an Expansion Pak.^[19] The game was not as popular as the PC version, perhaps because of the clumsiness of the n64 controller compared to a mouse and the lack of online multiplayer capabilities (split-screen multiplayer option was included, however). Also, speech during mission briefings was omitted^[18] and the cut scenes were shortened. Blizzard previously considered a PlayStation port of the game, but it was decided that the game would be released instead on the Nintendo 64.^[21]
Blizzard had been working on a third-person shooter, '', originally slated for a 2003 release, but this was repeatedly postponed through 2006 in a classic example of development hell. Although some players welcomed the game's new concepts, others felt that a change in genre from real-time strategy to stealth action^[22] was unnecessary or unfaithful to the game's core attraction. SC:G also was to be made only for console release with no PC version. This aroused protests and disillusionment amongst many die-hard fans. In March 2006, ''StarCraft: Ghost'' development was put on hold indefinitely, while the producers considered next-generation consoles.^[23]
''StarCraft II'' was officially announced on May 19, 2007, at Blizzard's Worldwide Invitational in Seoul, South Korea. Blizzard has not confirmed a release date.^[24]

Prior to announcement

Many Easter eggs can be unlocked during and after completion of ''Warcraft III'' which relate to ''StarCraft'', leading many to sequel speculation.^[25] There was also a leak about a 2007 release from HanbitSoft, the Korean publisher of ''StarCraft''.^[26] Job advertisements on Blizzard.com looking for a "Game Balance Designer" with experience in ''StarCraft'' and ''Warcraft III'',^[27] and the fact that there are several unannounced titles also being developed, suggested that Blizzard was working on another real-time strategy game, possibly ''StarCraft II''.
Prior to the sequel's announcement, nearly 17,000 players had signed an online petition in support of a sequel's creation.^[28] On January 16, 2007, Blizzard hinted at ''StarCraft II'' at the launch night for ''World of Warcraft''.^[29] On May 13, 2007, a timeline was added at www.blizzard.com, documenting the three flagship series. The timeline ended on May 19, 2007, when Blizzard Entertainment announced that ''StarCraft II'' is in development.^[30][31]

Reception

''StarCraft'' was the number-one selling PC Game of 1998, selling over 9.5 million copies worldwide.^[32] As of 2006, over a third of total sales, or 3.5 million copies, have been sold in South Korea, population of 45 million.^[4] Blizzard's Battle.net online gameplaying service grew over 800% after ''StarCraft's release.^[34] ''StarCraft'' remains one of the most popular online games in the world.^[35]
''StarCraft'' received a star on the floor of the Metreon as part of the Walk of Game in San Francisco in early 2006.^[36] IGN rated the game as the 7th best on its Top Games of All Time in both the 2003 and 2005 editions, calling it the "best real time strategy game ever made". It also placed #2 among PC games, behind Sid Meier's ''Civilization II''. IGN's Top 100 Games IGN's Top 100 Games GameSpot named ''StarCraft'' one of the greatest games of all time.^[36]
Not without criticism, the game suffers from "coarse resolution".^[38] It was also noted at release for the problem of "rushing" during multiplayer mode (allowing players to swiftly conquer one another by attacking first instead of allowing time to build up forces). However, over time, rushing has developed into a standard gameplay strategy.^[39]

Legacy

Main articles: StarCraft professional competition

After its release, StarCraft rapidly grew in popularity in South Korea, establishing a successful pro-gaming scene.^[40] Pro-gamers in South Korea are media celebrities. ''StarCraft'' games are broadcast over three television channels dedicated to the professional gaming scene.^[41] Pro-gamers in South Korea have gained television contracts, sponsorships, and tournament prizes, allowing the most famous player, Lim Yo-Hwan (known in-game as SlayerS `BoxeR`),^[42] to gain a fanclub of over half a million people.^[43] Professional gamers dedicate a lot of time playing ''StarCraft'' to prepare for the highly competitive leagues. Lee Yun-Yeol, a Terran player known as [Red]NaDa, reported earnings in 2005 of US$200,000.^[35]

Merchandise

In addition to numerous fan fiction works taking place in the ''StarCraft'' universe, it has spawned several official novels and eBooks, including '' (ebook only), '', '', '', ''^[45] and ''. Simon & Schuster has also announced the publication of ''StarCraft: the Dark Templar Saga #1: Firstborn'' for late May 2007 (ISBN 0-743-47125-3) and the publication of ''StarCraft: the Dark Templar Saga#2: Shadow Hunters'' in the series (ISBN 0-7434-7126-1) for November 2007. The storyline of the Dark Templar Saga series is in tie with the storyline of ''StarCraft II''. ''Firstborn'' in particular involves a lot of Protoss history^[46]
Blizzard Entertainment authorized two short stories in Amazing Stories magazine, entitled ''StarCraft: Hybrid'' and ''.^[47] Blizzard also licensed Wizards of the Coast to publish ''StarCraft Adventures'', a supplement for the role-playing game ''Alternity'' set in the ''StarCraft'' universe. Even manga comics^[48] and action figures have been done in the ''StarCraft'' universe.^[49] A CD was also released of 2 game tracks and 11 original works by Korean musicians.⁴⁵ A ''StarCraft'' board game entitled ''StarCraft: The Board Game'' is in development.^[50]

References

1. StarCraft Named #1 Seller in 1998 IGN Staff
2. The Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design
3. StarCraft Ghost FAQ
4. Samsung, SK Telecom, Shinhan Sponsor South Korean Alien Killers Kevin Cho
5. Multiplayer-Mayhem
6. Gaming in Korea (Part 1) Cavin Smith
7. Blizzard Bans Battle.net Accounts Andrew Burnes
8. Changes in StarCraft version 1.14
9. VOD Maker Program Release
10. Replay with Audio (RWA)
11. Replay with Audio (RWA)
12. Blizzard Wins in StarCraft Case IGN Staff
13. A Galaxy in Chaos...
14. Interview by Al Giovetti Al Giovetti
15. The Official CWAL FAQ
16. StarCraft Expansion Set: Brood War Instruction Manual, , , , Blizzard Entertainment, 1998,
17. StarCraft Patch Information
18. StarCraft 64 Joe Fielder
19. Starcraft Needs Some Expansion IGN Staff
20. StarCraft 64 Joe Fielder
21. StarCraft on PlayStation? IGN Staff
22. Starcraft Ghost FAQ
23. Blizzard Postpones StarCraft: Ghost Indefinitely (Xbox) Gamespy Staff
24. StarCraft 2 Officially Announced
25. StarCraft in Warcraft III
26. Starcraft Sequel Rumor
27. Game Balance Designer
28. Starcraft 2 Kenny Marshall
29. Blizz exec hints at Starcraft 2
30. Starcraft 2 Announced
31. StarCraft 2 Official Website
32. Starcraft Named #1 Seller in 1998 IGN Staff
33. Samsung, SK Telecom, Shinhan Sponsor South Korean Alien Killers Kevin Cho
34. Blizzard Entertainment Press Release
35. Sex, Fame and PC Baangs: How the Orient plays host to PC gaming’s strangest culture Mark Donald
36. Developer Awards
37. Developer Awards
38. Starcraft IGN Staff
39. Starcraft review Ron Dulin
40. Will Starcraft Survive Next 10 Years? Kim Ki-tae
41. THE BOYS WITH THE FLYING FINGERS: South Korea Turns PC Gaming into a Spectator Sport Marco Evers
42. Playa Rater: The 10 Most Influential Video Gamers Of All Time Stephen Totilo
43. Samsung, SK Telecom, Shinhan Sponsor Kevin Cho
44. Sex, Fame and PC Baangs: How the Orient plays host to PC gaming’s strangest culture Mark Donald
45. Blizzard Online Store
46. www.blizzplanet.com/content/683/
47. Starcraft is an Amazing Story IGN Staff
48. Bill Roper, Vice President, on StarCraft: Ghost (Blizzard) UGO Staff
49. Blizzard Tackles Toys IGN Staff
50. Playtest in Minneapolis at the Source on 6/16/06 Kevin Wilson

External links

★ ''StarCraft'' homepage at Blizzard Entertainment

★ ''StarCraft'' Wiki

★ Battle.net ''StarCraft'' Compendium