Update: StarCraft II Will Not Support LAN

[AceDiamond]

Once again I reiterate that Blizzard was always evil and just a lot more subtle about it. Ok, maybe that's a bit exaggerated, but I seriously don't get why they'd cut off LAN at the knees for no reason other than dealing with the piracy they know they're going to get because they decided to release the game in 3 components on purpose, nevermind the fact that multiplayer is built into every version anyway.

And anybody in the US is boned LAN-party wise because our broadband is still pretty crappy compared to other parts of the world.

 

[Lt. Sera]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Hopefully they won't pull the same shit for Diablo 3. >.<

Seems likely that they will though. I assume this is Blizzards form of DRM. I don't mind it that much as long as Battle.net will be stable and always accessible.

 

[L.B. Jeffries]

Jesus Blizzard, why don't you just flat out say that you don't want people to use LAN so you can make sure they get blasted with commercials before every game?

The taint of Activision continues.

 

[bue519]

Wasn't going to play multiplayer anyway...

Then why buy the game?

There's this thing called Single Player. Some of us like it...

Yeah, but skipping over the multiplayer in this game seems like a sin against almighty blizzard themselves. I mean this entire game was built with the multiplayer in mind, the single player in a nice distraction and helps you learn the ins and outs of each side, but in 10 years people will still be playing the multiplayer.

Well, I guess if we ever met you'd try to burn me at the stake. I hardly ever play multiplayer in RTS games. Did SC once in a LAN, WC3 and DoW a few times (also LAN) and I played DoW2 for about a week or so. I love RTS games, but I am allergic to the many rigors of online gaming.

But, I find the best part of starcraft is that online competitive is not the only game type it offers. There are also many co-op game types, and to write all those off seems like a waste.

 

[Jandau]

Wasn't going to play multiplayer anyway...

Then why buy the game?

There's this thing called Single Player. Some of us like it...

Yeah, but skipping over the multiplayer in this game seems like a sin against almighty blizzard themselves. I mean this entire game was built with the multiplayer in mind, the single player in a nice distraction and helps you learn the ins and outs of each side, but in 10 years people will still be playing the multiplayer.

Well, I guess if we ever met you'd try to burn me at the stake. I hardly ever play multiplayer in RTS games. Did SC once in a LAN, WC3 and DoW a few times (also LAN) and I played DoW2 for about a week or so. I love RTS games, but I am allergic to the many rigors of online gaming.

But, I find the best part of starcraft is that online competitive is not the only game type it offers. There are also many co-op game types, and to write all those off seems like a waste.

Perhaps. But I still can't agree that there's no point in buying a game if you don't engage in multiplayer. For many of us, single player IS the game. Multiplayer is something we might engage in occasionally. I understand why someone would play online all the time but I'm just not wired that way.

Despite the fact that Starcraft is mostly remembered for its multiplayer legacy it still had six very well done campaigns, complete with high quality CGI sequences (Terran/Zerg battle on the abandoned Science Vessel is one of my all time favourite cutscenes). From what I've seen so far, Blizz seems to be working on a very engaging single player campaign and if they manage to make a good one I don't see why it alone wouldn't be worth a purchase.

 

[hermes]

First they cut off two campaigns in the game and now this?
Count me out... LAN parties are the reason why I played those games; without it, I am no longer interested...

 

[Xbowhyena]

What's the problem with it? You can still play multi player with friends through Battle Net, which works just fine. They are doing this so people won't do spawn install Lan parties, you'll have to buy the game. Would you rather Blizzard take the EA approach and fill the disks with buggy DRM whilst installing illegal software on your computer?

 

[dekkarax]

Here's a prediction for y'all.

Welcome to Battle.net
Create Game - $1.00 ||| Join Game - $0.00

I see it happening, I so see it happening.

Anyhoo, the lack of LAN support is one more nail in the coffin of a game that lost my love long, long ago.

I agree, this sounds too much like an attempt at disguising an online authentication system.

It might not be, but it still worries me.

 

[dochmbi]

Well, in that case they will have to release a special Starcraft 2 e-sports edition which will support LAN, because that feature is absolutely essential for professional competition.

 

[Gildedtongue]

I guess it's a profitable move for Blizzard, and a really annoying, and expensive move for players. Essentially now, rather than a group of friends getting together and putting down cash for one game, now they all have to buy the game separately, and either stay at their own houses to play the game, or hope the the host house is able to get them all on-line to play in the same room, but on-line.

What the hell happened to the social aspect of gaming?

 

[dochmbi]

I don't think it will affect piracy either. The game is so popular that there will be many hackers who will work on bypassing the authentication process to make LAN play work directly.

 

[velcthulhu]

Ah, self-destructive DRM. I would bet good money, given how easy it would be to implement LAN, that every pirated version will have LAN capability- a half-trained CS student could put it in there. And I'll end up having two copies of the game on my machine: a legal one, because I don't like piracy, and an illegal one so I can play with my friends without the b-net hassle and lag.
Although to be fair, this move makes perfect sense, as long as you know nothing about computers and have never played an RTS in your life.

 

[Zephyr892]

Well here is what this also entails... now EVERY PERSON is going to have to buy their own copy. Of a three version game, in order to play it. Because I mean honestly; think of it like this.

They release the game. You and all the friends (or siblings) want to play it together... now forced to be online... so you all buy your copy to have your cd-key to play online. Now what, 6? 7 months later they release the next SC2 game. Do you honestly expect them not to add another unit per race? From a sales standard that's illogical because that means only people that play Single Player have incentive to buy the expansions.

So now you and all your friends/family playing together have to buy the next expansion in order to play that / most of the custom games / new leaderboards etc.... Repeat this one more time for the last expansion

Sales are now considerably higher based on dedicated fans; some people simply won't get the game because of this... I wish Activision and Blizzard had never merged.

 

[John Funk]

Well here is what this also entails... now EVERY PERSON is going to have to buy their own copy. Of a three version game, in order to play it. Because I mean honestly; think of it like this.

They release the game. You and all the friends (or siblings) want to play it together... now forced to be online... so you all buy your copy to have your cd-key to play online. Now what, 6? 7 months later they release the next SC2 game. Do you honestly expect them not to add another unit per race? From a sales standard that's illogical because that means only people that play Single Player have incentive to buy the expansions.

So now you and all your friends/family playing together have to buy the next expansion in order to play that / most of the custom games / new leaderboards etc.... Repeat this one more time for the last expansion

Sales are now considerably higher based on dedicated fans; some people simply won't get the game because of this... I wish Activision and Blizzard had never merged.

I'm fairly sure that the expansions won't add any Multi content; if they do it will be patched in. That was one of the reasons they totally divorced the SP from the MP game, actually.

 

[Jenny Creed]

Still not seeing why they can't keep LAN abilities and just remove the spawning option, if they're so desperate to stop people from gaining anything by playing together.

 

[Fightgarr]

As long as the game is still supported on services like Hamachi I will be fine without the ability to LAN or spawn install. I am, however, confused as to what element of multiplayer gameplay requires that LAN should be taken out.
MEaoow...

 

[vultureX21]

Take the best feature of a beloved franchise and dispose of it for the sequel. Yeah, that's probably not a very good idea.

 

[vultureX21]

Well here is what this also entails... now EVERY PERSON is going to have to buy their own copy. Of a three version game, in order to play it. Because I mean honestly; think of it like this.

They release the game. You and all the friends (or siblings) want to play it together... now forced to be online... so you all buy your copy to have your cd-key to play online. Now what, 6? 7 months later they release the next SC2 game. Do you honestly expect them not to add another unit per race? From a sales standard that's illogical because that means only people that play Single Player have incentive to buy the expansions.

So now you and all your friends/family playing together have to buy the next expansion in order to play that / most of the custom games / new leaderboards etc.... Repeat this one more time for the last expansion

Sales are now considerably higher based on dedicated fans; some people simply won't get the game because of this... I wish Activision and Blizzard had never merged.

Exactly, apparently now that they have made millions on WoW the developers are trying to come up with more ways to milk the cash cow.

It really is aggravating when a company that does business very effectively and in a fan-friendly way starts mining money out of the supporters it earned BECAUSE it didn't try to leech maximum play costs from them. I don't know if you could hold Activision responsible or not, but there is definitely a correlation there.

I had reservations when they started talking about three separate campaign releases, though maybe they are pricing them so that the combined cost is $50-60 USD, like a full game? Anyone know?

 

[AceDiamond]

As long as the game is still supported on services like Hamachi I will be fine without the ability to LAN or spawn install. I am, however, confused as to what element of multiplayer gameplay requires that LAN should be taken out.
MEaoow...

How do you fake a LAN connection for a game that doesn't have LAN abilities?

 

[Boxpopper]

Well it looks like I'm not going to get this game. Sure they should want us all to buy our own copy, but fuck, think about how many LAN parties are going to be ruined because the host doesn't have internet. When the space marine said "It's about time." I guess he meant "It's about time we got rid of a very important part of a game, disregarding what our patrons expect or want." Come on, aren't they making enough trillions from WoW to not pull bullshit moves like this?