Here’s the transcript of Heartbourne’s liveblog coverage of the StarCraft II Custom Maps and Editor panel.

2:57 Heartbourne here – covering the maps and editor panel once it starts

3:00 panel starting now

3:02 introducing people – lots of campaign designers and editor creators

3:03 “what are good custom map ideas, and tools will the community need to use them?”

3:03 the four new blizzard custom maps were projects to practice using the editor and see where it needed work

3:04 how did they choose what maps to make? “fun factor”

3:06 custom maps should be easy to learn

3:07 example – tower defense is a great map type. easy to learn, scales up, and has a huge fun factor

3:08 another key factor- get feedback to find out what works

3:10 left2die is a new custom map similar to the infected mission thing in wings of liberty. its co-op

3:11 people love killing zombies – how do you adapt left for dead into a starcraft/RTS world?

3:12 zerg biomass is a resource that you get from zombies and infested structures. its tradeable and research is shared among players

3:12 “outbreak” is the mission its based on

3:13 pro tip: focus on new player experience. new players have low patience; they don’t want to try hard to have fun

3:14 second new map: aiur chef

Continue Reading

Here’s the transcript of Amatera’s liveblog coverage from the Opening Ceremony of BlizzCon 2010.

11:13 Whew, time to catch up!

11:14 Where to start? New, official custom maps for Starcraft II! SC DotA? KooPA’s going to have an aneurism

11:14 They’ll be released for free (of course) over the coming months.

11:16 Also, a new premium in-game pet for WoW: some Moonkin thinger. Mention of some proceeds going to charity once again.

11:18 Besides that, a lot of stats for various things that I didn’t quite catch and now a retrospective on what’s happened in the past year.

11:20 Well, now that *I’m* up and running, there goes the free stream of the Opening Ceremony.

11:21 This is Amatera, by the way. How are you doing this morning (afternoon)?

11:23 And it looks like I’m not the only one with streaming problems. Starting to look a lot like last year…

11:25 *taps foot, Sonic-style* OH there we go, it’s back! Metzen’s on stage now.

11:25 I wonder if I can see KooPA in the crowd. He’s the one that should be bloggin’ this!

11:26 Metzen wants to play word games. He’s going to say some words and we have to say what first comes to our mind.

11:26 HORDE!

11:26 DIABLO!

11:26 Apparently the response is just cheering instead of actually yelling out words.

11:26 ALLIANCE!

11:27 STARCRAFT!

11:27 well, that is technically one word

11:27 Looks like Metzen could use a glass of water…

11:28 OH, there goes the stream again. Metzen usually has something pertinent to say once he’s doing hyping up the fanboys, so this is a fantastic time to freeze up.

11:28 We’re back… another word?

11:28 WHAT IS IT?!

11:29 GEEK…..?

11:29 Tell us something we don’t know.

11:30 Metzen says this word is our word, it has POWAR. Continue Reading

Longing for some quality Starcraft 2 custom maps? Blizzard made a few for Starcraft and Warcraft III, and they are continuing the tradition in Starcraft 2.

Burning Tide is now available for play on Battle.net. Simply go to the custom game menu and you will see it as an option.

Burning Tide is similar to The Devil’s Playground mission in the Wings of Liberty campaign where players must mine from now lying areas on a volcanic planet while the lava occasionally rises and kills everything not on high ground. The first team to a specified number of resources wins. The map is designed as a 3v3 map.

It would seem like Terran have a huge advantage by being able to lift off their structures and reach difficult to mine spots with less risk. We’ll have a full report later in the week.

The University of Florida (UF) is a fine establishment with a great business school. What better addition than a course in Starcraft to teach resource management?

If you want to take a 2 credit online course and meet the prerequisites, you too could be playing Starcraft 2 and watching replays to improve critical thinking and decision making.

IDS2935 21st Century Skills in Starcraft Course Description

21st Century Skills in Starcraft is an 8 week entirely online course that uses the popular real time strategy (RTS) game Starcraft to teach valuable 21st Century Skills through a hands-on approach. With society becoming increasingly technology-based and fast-paced, it is important for professionals to be highly proficient in skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, resource management, and adaptive decision making. These skills are fundamental in Starcraft and therefore make the game a highly effective environment for students to analyze and take action in complex situations. Computer and video games of all types have become a major part of today’s entertainment and technology worlds. Also, online education is an area of intense growth with many employers and professions using online courses and workshops for career development. This course synthesizes the three threads of 21st Century skill development, gaming, and online education into an innovative and experiential approach that encourages students to identify, learn, and practice crucial skills and apply and relate them to real-world situations. It does not teach about Starcraft, but rather aims to utilize the game and the complex situations that arise within it to present and develop the important skills professionals will undoubtedly need in the 21st Century workplace.

This course includes required weekly game play, viewing and analysis of recorded matches, written assignments which emphasize analysis and synthesis of real/game-world concepts, and collaboration with other students. Due to the unique and innovative nature of this course, there are several requirements that students must meet. Students taking this course must have access to computer (PC or Mac) and Internet resources outside of UF labs since it requires the installation and playing of a computer game. Students must also have at least basic knowledge of and experience playing Starcraft. Students must also be independent, self-motivated, and able and willing to learn in an entirely online environment. Enrollment is limited to 20.
Continue Reading