A FREE version of Starcraft II!

[DJ Omnimaga]

Yeah I mean if it remains at $50 like it is now but the expansion costs like $50 too it will be a lot. As a SC fan I don't mind paying as much as $200 for a SC game but still...

EDIT: Also it appears we can invite ppl from starter edition to our full version games, according to Builder. THey just can't invite us. However, when I create a game it doesn't state which map they can join. I'll append them to the first post as a guide

Xel’Naga Caverns - max 2 player
Shattered Temple - max 4 player
Discord IV - max 4 player
High Orbit - max 4 player

Not sure if Free For All is available, though. It migth just be 1v1 and 2v2

EDIT Weird now it shows them . I guess Battle.net is just laggy tonight

[JL235]

I was thinking similar before I got Starcraft 2, that's the three combined make up a lot of money for one game. However after buying Starcraft 2; it's actually around the same size as the original Starcraft. Maybe a tad shorter, but it's certainly not short, and it's missions are much better designed. It is a full game in it's own right, and the next two are expected to be bigger.

But I really didn't like the story, including how it's told. For most of the game, it's conveyed through reports your given from elsewhere in the galaxy. As a result it feels like the main plot is just passing you by, since for most of the game your saving colonists or completing side quests. It's only on the last couple of missions that you really get involved in the main plot.

But it was still easily the best game I played last year, and the missions in the story mode are truly some of the best designed.

[BalancedFury]

I just noticed that Blizzard recently replaced the Starcraft II Trial with a Starter Edition. Basically it lets you play Starcraft II for free, after you downloaded the huge game client.

Basically it's a limited version of Starcraft II where there are the following restrictions (Quoted from their site): "Starter Edition players can only play up to the fourth campaign mission, and most Challenge Missions are unavailable. Starter Edition players are also unable to use versus and co-op matchmaking, most custom maps, chat channels, and the party system. Publishing custom maps to Battle.net is also restricted, and offline play is unavailable to Starter Edition players. For single-player and custom games, Starter Edition players may only choose the Terran race."

However, the cool thing is that you can still play multiplayer against random people and most importantly, there's no trial time period, so it won't expire.

Despite the limitations and not being able to use parties/friend lists, I thought I would share this here in case some people ever thought about trying Starcraft II but did not want to buy it yet.

Here's the link: https://us.battle.net/account/sc2/starter-edition/

Available maps
Xel’Naga Caverns - max 2 player
Shattered Temple - max 4 player
Discord IV - max 4 player
High Orbit - max 4 player

Even if it's good cause you don't hav to spend 60 dollars, I don't think it will be much fun

[DJ Omnimaga]

Actually it isn't too bad if you just plan to play with friends. It seems we can still invite them to partys and games. It just sucks if you plan to play the campaing or compete in leagues. Also you can 3v3 or 4v4 but those aren't as fun if you just play to compete, since it's pretty luck-based (or imba, in case you ever play vs 4 terrans )

[Yeong]

speaking of 4v4, fun, true story.
our team is entirely zerg.
somebody got a good idea.
we all goes 6z rush.
enemies pwned bc they didnt scout early

[BalancedFury]

The first time I played Starcraft(I)
MY bro vs Me
(Zerg)      (Terran)
My bro brought zerglings... I had marines, I won
I started building Siege Tanks, not knowing what they werwe
MY bro brought Hydras and Zerglings
I pwned them, and started building more siege, cause i thought they were good
MY bro brought 6 Mutas... I was owned.. lol

[Yeong]

The first time I played Starcraft(I)
MY bro vs Me
(Zerg)      (Terran)
My bro brought zerglings... I had marines, I won
I started building Siege Tanks, not knowing what they werwe
MY bro brought Hydras and Zerglings
I pwned them, and started building more siege, cause i thought they were good
MY bro brought 6 Mutas... I was owned.. lol

That's the 2nd one.

[BalancedFury]

Really? I'm keep thinking it was the first one.

[DJ Omnimaga]

Good news: Patch 2.1 now allows people to play all arcade games for free!

This means Nexus wars (Tug of War), Monobattles (kinda like standard Starcraft but where each player can only build one type of unit through the game), Fastest map by wolf as well as a few other (although not very popular) modifications to the real game and lots of other arcade games of any kind.

On top of that, custom games are now free too. (They're like standard Starcraft games, but in a game lobby like Brood War rather than searching for players)