Modder Creates "Warcraft IV" in Starcraft II Engine

Cognimancer

Imperial Intelligence
Jun 13, 2012
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Modder Creates "Warcraft IV" in Starcraft II Engine



Warcraft IV probably isn't coming for a while, so one fan decided he'd just build it himself.

Blizzard games are pretty consistently great, but the Blizz sure does take its time releasing them. Most of us have come to accept the long wait between games, but not long-time modder StevenLuo. No, he decided that if an official RTS sequel to Warcraft III wasn't coming anytime soon, he's just have to create it on his own time. Eight months later, he's ready to show off his work by releasing a huge mod on the Starcraft Arcade.

The mod, which StevenLuo dubs Warcraft: Alliance and Horde (or WAH, which is a lot more fun to yell), was built using the Starcraft II Editor with assets imported from World of Warcraft. It's a fully functional RTS, with two factions, 14 buildings, 16 units, 18 heroes, and over 50 neutral creeps. The WoW models look perfect when scaled down to a classic RTS perspective, and the MMO supplies all the units with familiar animations and gear. Heroes and grunts have abilities as they did in the Warcraft series, with many new ones pulled from memorable WoW classes like Undead Rogues, Blood Elf Paladins, and Pandaren Monks. The mod can even be played single-player with a serviceable skirmish AI.

At the end of the day, this is a mod made by one guy, so don't go in expecting Blizzard levels of polish. Still, it's impressive work - and it had better be. StevenLuo worked on the mod for six months in his free time before quitting his day job and devoting all his time to the game. Not sure how wise that was financially, but he plans to continue adding content to the mod, with the next big update to feature a third faction for the Burning Legion.

Source: Team Liquid [http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=433750]

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Alfredo Jones

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Jul 1, 2013
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I'm not a huge Blizzard, Starcraft, or Warcraft fan but you still have to appreciate the kind of hard work and dedication that gets put into making big mods like this.
 

thiosk

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Sep 18, 2008
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This sort of effort appears the kind of thing an aspiring gamer can do to get noticed and hired by established developers.

Bravo. I might fire up sc2 just to run the mod; theres been, in my opinion, a severe dearth of single player experiences in the game.
 

Evil Smurf

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Nov 11, 2011
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I'm not sure Bliz will make Warcraft 4, Considering how much I like warcraft 1 and 2 I'll check out the mod.
 

Baldr

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Jan 6, 2010
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It is technically not in Blizzard's best interests to make Warcraft RTS anytime soon. It would be a competitor to Starcraft in terms of RTS, and to WoW in terms of lore and story.
 

RikuoAmero

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Jan 27, 2010
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Baldr said:
It is technically not in Blizzard's best interests to make Warcraft RTS anytime soon. It would be a competitor to Starcraft in terms of RTS, and to WoW in terms of lore and story.
I have to disagree. Both Starcraft II and a potential Warcraft IV would be from the same studio, so no matter which of the two you're playing, you've still bought a Blizzard game and they enjoy the profit. As for lore and story...just say IV is set say a hundred years ahead of WoW, that will give the MMO plenty of room for storytelling. If you mention e-sports, I don't see how a pro e-gamer can't be pro at both games. They'd be similar enough in terms of mechanics.
 

Baldr

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Jan 6, 2010
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RikuoAmero said:
Baldr said:
It is technically not in Blizzard's best interests to make Warcraft RTS anytime soon. It would be a competitor to Starcraft in terms of RTS, and to WoW in terms of lore and story.
I have to disagree. Both Starcraft II and a potential Warcraft IV would be from the same studio, so no matter which of the two you're playing, you've still bought a Blizzard game and they enjoy the profit. As for lore and story...just say IV is set say a hundred years ahead of WoW, that will give the MMO plenty of room for storytelling. If you mention e-sports, I don't see how a pro e-gamer can't be pro at both games. They'd be similar enough in terms of mechanics.
Warcraft is pretty tight in terms of Lore. It is pretty apparent who the bad guys are and what direction the MMO is taking with the story. There is little wiggle room for hundreds years later. It goes back to the titans vs old god war. I might see something with the Lich King, but I even see a scenario where the Lich King could be important/cured in the MMO.
 

CriticalMiss

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Jan 18, 2013
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He quit his job to work on an unofficial mod. Wow, he must have his fingers crossed that Blizzard are going to throw him a bone and hire him. You've gotta love that kind of reckless ambition.
 

sid

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Jan 22, 2013
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Strazdas said:
sid said:
18 heroes? What is this, DOTA Allstars?
The original warcraft III had plenty of heroes
4 dudes for each faction after the expansion, 4 factions that I can remember, thats 16. This one has 2 factions and 18. Also, I'm making it sound like a negative factor, I fucking loved the heroes in w3, this is a good thing if anything
 

Iosifavich

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Apr 23, 2010
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Baldr said:
It is technically not in Blizzard's best interests to make Warcraft RTS anytime soon. It would be a competitor to Starcraft in terms of RTS, and to WoW in terms of lore and story.
It would be a direct competitor for SC2, but the reality is that it would still make a crap load of money.

If blizzard was only interested in making money I am sure they would make it but given their business practices and development cycles it is vary clear that they know they will make money so they take their time and produce extremely high quality, feature rich and polished products.

I don't think they will make a Warcraft RTS any time soon for a few reasons. Mainly because well it hasn't been announced, the average time it takes Blizzard to release a game (Not Expansions) once it is announced is 24+ months. Also I don't think people are ready for a new Warcraft RTS there is so much Lore and Story in World of Warcraft they have to worry about market saturation and world continuity. Thay are making Harthstone that is Warcraft themed but it is something new and I would not be surprised if they release Diablo or even Starcraft Heros/Decks for it.

I believe they are trying to diversify their IP's a little bit. Warcraft has more-less been redefined and embodied by World of Warcraft as their MMORPG product. While Starcraft is largely been defined as their RTS product, although I would not be surprised to see a Starcraft based FPS. While Diablo is really their Point/Click Dungeon Crawler game.
 

Baldr

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Jan 6, 2010
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marioandsonic said:
Hope he doesn't get a "Cease and Desist" order for this...
No, Blizzard usually gives full blessing on projects like this. (That way they can sell more Starcraft copies)
 

Strazdas

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May 28, 2011
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sid said:
Strazdas said:
sid said:
18 heroes? What is this, DOTA Allstars?
The original warcraft III had plenty of heroes
4 dudes for each faction after the expansion, 4 factions that I can remember, thats 16. This one has 2 factions and 18. Also, I'm making it sound like a negative factor, I fucking loved the heroes in w3, this is a good thing if anything
16 agasint 18 isnt really a big difference. And your post sounded like there should be 0. Personally i didnt really like the heroes in 3 as they sort of made a war of attrition more than actual war in there, but to each his own i guess. Still, it soudned like you though there should be none so i responded in such manner.
 

Aeshi

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Dec 22, 2009
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Strazdas said:
16 agasint 18 isnt really a big difference. And your post sounded like there should be 0. Personally i didnt really like the heroes in 3 as they sort of made a war of attrition more than actual war in there, but to each his own i guess. Still, it soudned like you though there should be none so i responded in such manner.
16 against 18 may not be a big difference, but 4 against 9 (the number of heroes each faction has) is.