Planet Bob

Oha, that sixth orc mission sure is a tough one. I've been playing it for three hours straight tonight, not succeeding thus far. But tomorrow I will, for sure!

I've been replaying Starcraft

I came to Warcraft after Warcraft II also (and after Dune 2 and Command & Conquer, though before Starcraft, I think). I agree that it is surprisingly good, though each newer RTS that I've played has better and better controls (and enemy AI) that make it harder and harder to go back to the older games.

I've been replaying Starcraft

 

Strange enough, I have Starcraft and Warcraft 3 originals, but never played them. I think my computer was too slow when I bought Starcraft and then I just forgot about it. And I don't even remember buying Warcraft 3. Maybe I picked it up on a flea market...

 

I agree that it is surprisingly good, though each newer RTS that I've played has better and better controls (and enemy AI) that make it harder and harder to go back to the older games.

 

I must admit that I'm missing a couple of features from later RTS games, like double clicking on a unit to select all of that type or assigning groups to keys. Even just having groups larger than 4 units would actually help it

 

But well, it's not that big a game and I quickly loose control in these games anyways. And RTS games will never get as good as turn based strategy games anyway

 

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Okay, of course after a good nights sleep the sixth orc mission was quickly done. Already knowing the map, esp. the mine and bridge locations sure helps a lot

 

The 7th was more of the same and I beat it on my first try, so I guess It's either me improving or an easier mission

 

Mission 8 was yet another one without a base. I don't like those 'special' missions too much, but well, they definitely inject some variety into a campaign. Occasionally some of them are really good, e.g. who doesn't remember the Tanya missions from Red Alert? Well this one was okay. I failed the first try, but then made it through

My review of the game, from back when I finally took the time to beat it a year or two ago: http://greg-kennedy.livejournal.com/48679.html#cutid1

My review of the game, from back when I finally took the time to beat it a year or two ago: http://greg-kennedy.livejournal.com/48679.html#cutid1

 

That review is spot on, I can pretty much confirm everything you wrote there!

 

I'm not solely relying on archers in my playing style, but I use them a lot as well now, mostly ignoring the magician units.

 

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I only managed playing the 9th orc mission tonight. This was the first one with two enemy outposts, so in the beginning I was being attacked from two sides, which required adusting my strategies a bit. Actually it was almost like defending from three sides, as I regularly had humans teleporting into my settlement, which felt a bit like an unfair element and caught me off guard the first time it happened.

I also have Warcraft 3, and I was kind of disappointed. It's rendered in 3D (polygons) and IMO it doesn't look nearly as good as Starcraft. And while Starcraft was revolutionary compared to Warcraft II, Warcraft III just plays like a reskinned, fantasy version of Starcraft.

 

...

 

Just realized that you mentioned never playing Starcraft

 

That's worth investing a little time into; it is a beautiful, beautiful game.

Just realized that you mentioned never playing Starcraft

 

I think I played ~5 PC games during the past decade, if it even were that many. Actually I think it mostly comes down to Aquanox, Tachyon and Dungeon Siege

 

That's worth investing a little time into; it is a beautiful, beautiful game.

 

Starcraft 64 as well?

 

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The 10th mission was another no-base mission, but also very easy, especially considering they give you 4 catapults to wreck havoc there

 

The 11th was a lot tougher again. The humans have some air (or water?) elementals there, which are tough to beat and their magicians can do a spell that's like a meteor shower going down on the base. It was kind of an arms race and took a while until I gained superiority on this map.

 

So, I almost made it through the orc campaign in the 5 days of Interplaying this one. Based on my calculations I'd need another ~7 days to finish it completey

 

Instead I'm ending this issue with another random info bit, telling you that three Interplay games are currently in the works for WiiWare: Earthworm Jim, Clayfighter and Stonekeep

 

Watch this space for "Dungeon Master 2", the next game I'll be Interplaying!

Starcraft 64 as well?

Looking at these fuzzy screenshots, I'd have to say no. The wiki entry also has this to say as well:

StarCraft 64 featured a lower resolution than the PC version, and a redesigned interface for the gamepad.

 

StarCraft 64 was not as popular as the PC version, and lacked the online multiplayer capabilities and speech in mission briefings. In addition, cut scenes were shortened.

 

The story* is quite interesting and losing the speech would impact that. There was quite a ruckus when it was first announced that 2 of the main characters would be voiced by different people. Since then 1 of them has been reinstated.

 

One thing that's really impressed me with Blizzard is that they're still updating Starcraft. The Mac version was released in 99 and it's been updated so it will run under OS X. They also released an update that removed the "Insert CD" requirement.

 

* there's been a number of novels and manga released, possible to build up interest in Starcraft 2. I've read them all and even gave my nephew a complete set for his birthday last month. We play Starcraft online and he's gotten to be quite good at it. We're both eagerly awaiting Starcraft 2.

I've never played an RTS on a console, with a gamepad...I can't imagine it being very fun.

 

 

And honestly, I've never found the story for any RTSes to be very compelling; I can't really remember anything beyond a few details from the stories of Warcraft, Warcraft II, Warcraft III, Starcraft, Command & Conquer, and Dune II.

I don't think this applies to Warcraft or Diablo, but with Diablo II and Starcraft, games I purchased long ago for my PC, I was able to go to Blizzard's site, enter the codes for those games, and was then allowed to download the most recent versions for my 10.6.2 Mac OS X. I can't begin to say how much that impressed me. These games are close to 10 years old or more and not only are they still updating them for newer machines, but they're letting me use my codes from the first time I bought so that I can play it again on my new iMac.

 

How cool is that? Blizzard rocks. I didn't know they did the Lost Vikings, now I have to play that...

 

... hmm, I wonder if Warcraft would run in Boxer (DosBox for Mac with a pretty cool front end.) now I have to find Warcraft to find out...