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StarCraft 2 to include Mod Marketplace
Author: Joe MartinPublished: 24th August 2009
Blizzard will be selling StarCraft 2 mods through an in-game marketplace that will be released after launch.
The news comes via Eurogamer, who quizzed Blizzard VP of Design Rob Pardo about the new feature and how exactly it will work. According to Pardo the marketplace will allow mod creators to get "a portion of the revenue" from their mods and missions.
Pardo describes the first planned versions of the marketplace as simply a forum that will host both free and premium maps and mod content, but hopes that the system will evolve beyond that and start to attract the attention of highly-qualified modding teams away from companies like Valve. Pardo mentioned Valve specifically, drawing comparisons to how the Day of Defeat and Counter-Strike mods formed around Half-Life and Steam.
In order to be successful though, Pardo says it will be important for modders to create their own assets for their missions and not just rely on in-built StarCraft ones.
Obviously the main focus for Blizzard is to generate profit from the mod community, as well as adding to the longevity of StarCraft 2, but Blizzard also plans to support the community by adding in achievements and match-making facilities to the most popular mods.
As for why the marketplace will not be available at launch, Pardo says it's simply because Blizzard wants to get the game out as quick as possible. Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
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Well, yes - then they can filter it, pick it, sell it, make money from it, exclude LAN support from it, but crucially - they won't spend any money on development of it.
The limp-wristed chocolate starfishes.
And Joystiq, meanwhile, reports that it's even possible to create an FPS with the editor. Blizzard also showed one map starring the character model from the long-cancelled StarCraft Ghost, which apparently was made in just a few hours."
<nerd rage>
Shame. This game in which I have been a big fan of since the day the first was released didn't come out sooner as I would really like to use this for part of my university course. I'm sat at university using tools like hammer and the editor within nwn2 and even using the first Starcraft editor, which I was already familiar with years before I went to uni. Would've been nice to go to uni and make maps within the "new" editor with all these cool features but I doubt that will happen, unless the game is released some time this year and early next. I wouldn't mind using Starcraft 2 as my main project for making game maps/scripts and storytelling.
Also I personally think it's a little lame that we have to pay for "premium" maps that others have created. I remember helping a friend work on the Half-Life story mode in Starcraft based of the start of the first game, which worked pretty well and I don't think I would ever want to charge people or set a price tag for it. I mean how can you even consider a price of a map? what would make up the exact price? Creating maps in a game is not like creating little apps for a mobile phones where you can charge people for them. It's like charging people to download a Team Fortress 2 map or a Call of Duty map (PC, as consoles are already getting charged for that stuff, sadly). I mean back in the day it was also known for its excellent user-created maps and that's how it should be and those were free. I love the whole idea of people getting paid for making maps and I will probably follow the cult and start making my own maps and mods but I for one won't be selling them for a price tag, I would rather have them listed as free because people deserve them for free since they have already paid for the damn game. I'd feel robbed if I had to download a game mode that I played for free in Starcraft 1.
Anyway, love the whole idea of being able to create complex maps and produce better story telling and the different game styles such as being able to create an FPS mod within Starcrat 2 is real cool. I can see Left 4 Dead clones already being planned but the only thing that bothers me is that these "small developers" will put silly prices for their game types. Don't they get enough from draining peoples wallets for World of Warcraft? What next monthly subscriptions to play Diablo 3 -_-
</nerd rage>
I mean look at all the good maps in WC3 and SC...
Hands up if you think this'll back-fire into their faces...
It's suicide I tell you. *raises both hands*.
This will revolutionize gaming and be the first mod money portal.
Three cheers for Blizzard!!!
Yours in the Blizzard North Plasma,
Star*Dagger
Even if it's just 50p/map that's insane! If WC3 is anything to go by there'll be a couple BAZILLION maps 'n mods soon after release especially if they release that editor. Another money-printing product for Blizzard.
See the future, you are welcome to join us all there.
LOL,
S*D
Just my 2 pence, of course. ;)
Of course it's decided by Blizzard, although I don't know how this will even work? Will there be separate categories? And how will you play on Bnet with others on the same map? Or will you have to enter a "special" server just to play that map?