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| Get your Starcraft II Beta Key |
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BAF
Member #2,981
December 2002
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I see one key on ebay going for $60, otherwise it doesn't seem that anything has bids. If there were higher bids flying around, I'd go preorder several copies and sell the keys off myself. Then when I got stuck with the full copies of the game, I'd hang them from the trees at Blizzard's offices using ethernet cables. |
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Bob
Free Market Evangelist
September 2000
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I just preordered SC2 from Amazon. They said they'll email me my beta key within 5 business days. -- |
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LennyLen
Member #5,313
December 2004
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Billybob said: Blizzard will continue to be loved Why they still are is beyond me. They haven't put out a decent game in over a decade.
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GameCreator
Member #2,541
July 2002
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Bob, let me know if you want to play a round or two when you get the game.
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An Ly
Member #185
April 2000
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If you don't plan to play it, you're missing out. The Beta is smooth as silk (even on my laptop) and the gameplay is crisp and fun. If you liked SC1 you'll love sc2. I always thought programmers would be anti-piracy as we know how much effort goes into crafting a game/app. Guess I was wrong? Anyways, I still don't see any reason why classic LAN not included is a problem. So you have to check in with b.net before you play. So what? Afterwards all info goes through host comp so it is pretty much a lan experience. As a side note, it seems to work fine for steam games.
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CursedTyrant
Member #7,080
April 2006
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An Ly said: Anyways, I still don't see any reason why classic LAN not included is a problem. So you have to check in with b.net before you play. So what? Afterwards all info goes through host comp so it is pretty much a lan experience.
Let me present you with a hypothetical scenario then. Some guy is going someplace without internet for any reason (like a mountain cabin) with some of his friends. They want to play their favorite games over LAN. They launch SC2 and see that there is no LAN option, because an internet connection is needed. They are bitter, angry, and blow up Blizzard's HQ as a result --------- |
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LennyLen
Member #5,313
December 2004
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CursedTyrant said: Let me present you with a hypothetical scenario then. Here's a real scenario... I have a ping time just to my ISP of around 600ms (I can't even ping bnet, as the request times out). The only way I can play multiplayer games with people is via LAN. So no, I most certainly won't be getting it.
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Chris Katko
Member #1,881
January 2002
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CursedTyrant said:
Let me present you with a hypothetical scenario then. Some guy is going someplace without internet for any reason (like a mountain cabin) with some of his friends. They want to play their favorite games over LAN. They launch SC2 and see that there is no LAN option, because an internet connection is needed. They are bitter, angry, and blow up Blizzard's HQ as a result
LennyLen said: Here's a real scenario... I have a ping time just to my ISP of around 600ms (I can't even ping bnet, as the request times out). The only way I can play multiplayer games with people is via LAN. So no, I most certainly won't be getting it. This scenario describes my Grandfather's cabin out the woods of Pennsylvania, where he spends all of his days. They have no option of cable. They have basic 56k. If it was an internet game I wouldn't be getting angry. But this is an artificially imposed limitation (and a downgrade from the original it is based on). It is unnecessary for markets outside of Russia and China. Moreover, Steam did the opposite, and found out that Russians and Chinese are willing to buy a product if given the actual easy opportunity to buy a quality localized version. They also found that the cost of the product didn't matter at all to whether or not they would buy it. Moreover, Steam also announced last year, a novel way of DRM-less anti-piracy Unique Code Generation. So Blizzard turned into the music industry, and Steam turned into a modern company. -----sig: |
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OICW
Member #4,069
November 2003
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An Ly said: I always thought programmers would be anti-piracy as we know how much effort goes into crafting a game/app. Guess I was wrong? I wouldn't say that we are pro-piracy. Sure there are people with diverse point of view on this forum. However this step Blizzard has taken isn't about piracy (or if it is, it's about it only marginally) it's all about pissing off the paying consumer. And that's what people in this thread criticise. [My website][CppReference][Pixelate][Allegators worldwide][Who's online] |
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GameCreator
Member #2,541
July 2002
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OICW said: it's all about pissing off the paying consumer
You pre-ordered Starcraft II? Can't get a refund? Did you get the beta key with it? Want to play? Chris Katko said: If it was an internet game I wouldn't be getting angry. But this is an artificially imposed limitation But it is. Or, it's meant to be. Not sure if you were following the news like I was but one of the main reasons Battle.net was redesigned was to incorporate all games into it and to have the community be shared across it, regardless of what game they were playing. Meaning, if you logged on with Starcraft, you'd also see your friends online who are playing Warcraft or Diablo. That's the main point of Battle.net and LAN, as I'm sure you'd agree, is counterintuitive to it.
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Chris Katko
Member #1,881
January 2002
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GameCreator said: But it is. Or, it's meant to be. Not sure if you were following the news like I was but one of the main reasons Battle.net was redesigned was to incorporate all games into it and to have the community be shared across it, regardless of what game they were playing. Meaning, if you logged on with Starcraft, you'd also see your friends online who are playing Warcraft or Diablo. That's the main point of Battle.net and LAN, as I'm sure you'd agree, is counterintuitive to it. You're talking about online mode. This is like requiring an internet connection to play campaign mode. There is nothing about LAN play that requires an internet connection, therefor it's an artificially imposed limitation. A limitation we didn't have to deal with when we played the original. So the sequel is forging new grounds in gaming, while needlessly destroying a significant feature of the original--and really, the only bridge many of played and grew up on. I have no desire to play match making with internet kids with too much time on their hands. I've got a real life now. If I want to get stomped, I've got Call of Duty and Halo for that. I play Starcraft with my friends. We're all casual gamers by today's standards, and we're all in the same boat. That's the fun. Calling your friends 5 feet away "douchebags" while they destroy your base and then you all grab a beer or soda and some pizza. Of course, with CoD and Halo... you can actually plan LAN. [This post was edited more times than Starcraft: BW was patched.] -----sig: |
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Dario ff
Member #10,065
August 2008
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I'm still wondering about my previous point, how will Koreans have private tournaments? TranslatorHack 2010, a human translation chain in a.cc. |
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GameCreator
Member #2,541
July 2002
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Dario, I'm sure that of all groups, Blizzard hasn't forgotten about Koreans. I would imagine tournament holders would have decent internet connections. Or is that rare in Korea? Chris, you don't have to use the matchmaking system. You can create custom games just like in SC1 and have your friends join (or invite them). But yeah, I'm with you that it's more fun to play with friends in person. I guess in the near future this will be a moot point anyway. There will be internet "everywhere." That's what Blizzard is building toward.
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Dario ff
Member #10,065
August 2008
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GameCreator said: Dario, I'm sure that of all groups, Blizzard hasn't forgotten about Koreans. I would imagine tournament holders would have decent internet connections. Or is that rare in Korea? No, the matches are hosted on LAN if available(at least that's what Blizzard says). The problem might be that they surely don't want ANYONE sneaking on their networks. Hence, disabling any kind of internet connection. SCII apparently checks for the Battle.Net login every X minutes. TranslatorHack 2010, a human translation chain in a.cc. |
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LennyLen
Member #5,313
December 2004
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GameCreator said: I guess in the near future this will be a moot point anyway. There will be internet "everywhere." That thud you just heard was me falling off my chair laughing. You either have an odd definition of near future, or have no concept of how many people on this planet don't have great internet connections. edit: I forgot to add... I bet some hacker will have the "connected to bnet" check removed within 48 hours of the game's release.
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SiegeLord
Member #7,827
October 2006
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Billybob said: All this debate about SC2 will die down, most of it will be forgotten, and everyone will get on with their lives pirating and playing SC2 and being happy. FTFY. An Ly said: I always thought programmers would be anti-piracy as we know how much effort goes into crafting a game/app. Guess I was wrong?
I do know that... that's why I release my games for free Otherwise, I'm with Chris Katko. Even upgraded my Internets so my upload can be faster. "For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow."-Ecclesiastes 1:18 |
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GameCreator
Member #2,541
July 2002
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Never mind.
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Chris Katko
Member #1,881
January 2002
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An Ly said: I always thought programmers would be anti-piracy as we know how much effort goes into crafting a game/app. Guess I was wrong? If you want people to enjoy your art, piracy isn't a bad thing. It's a compliment that so many people want what you have created. If you see your work as a means for money, well I can easily see how that can backfire. Piracy is actually pretty bad because it directly affects your ability to make a living, and for that, it's a slap to the face. (Look at poor Looking Glass Studios! -----sig: |
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Dario ff
Member #10,065
August 2008
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No Chris, don't do it. No please! Shit, too late, another piracy discussion is coming. TranslatorHack 2010, a human translation chain in a.cc. |
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Chris Katko
Member #1,881
January 2002
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Dario ff said:
Shit, too late, another piracy discussion is coming. I don't mean to start a flame war. But everyone does have different opinions on it, with each side having good reasons. The two most prominent I summed up. It's sad that people won't pay you for your work, but it's great that people still love and share it. It's really which one is more important. Sometime's it's not easy because if you can't make any money, then you certainly can't do things that cost money to make them better. You also can't be a dedicated professional if you have to hold down a separate day job. But in the case that this does turn the way of a piracy debate, I'll state right now that I won't post any more in this thread on the topic of piracy. -----sig: |
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OICW
Member #4,069
November 2003
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GameCreator said:
You pre-ordered Starcraft II? Can't get a refund? Did you get the beta key with it? Want to play?
Nope. No. Absolutely not. Don't intend to. Because I'm offended that they're gonna make it their milking cow by selling campaigns separately. That they're gonna omit feature that made Starcraft what it is now - the LAN play w/o any internet connection. It's just one level under what Ubisoft made to Assasin's creed II and Silent Hunter 5. EDIT: for the record, I'm not gonna buy it anytime soon (most probably never) nor I intend to pirate it. Chris Katko said: I have no desire to play match making with internet kids with too much time on their hands. I've got a real life now. If I want to get stomped, I've got Call of Duty and Halo for that. Agreed. I want to play for fun. Not spend the whole day grinding my skill. Just get together with friends, place some headshots, call them scumbag and have a good laugh. Matchmaking system can be good, but I've grown out from playing with strangers or 14 years old punks, who have been playing the game for five hours each day[1] References
[My website][CppReference][Pixelate][Allegators worldwide][Who's online] |
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GameCreator
Member #2,541
July 2002
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OICW said: I want to play for fun. Not spend the whole day grinding my skill. Just get together with friends, place some headshots, call them scumbag and have a good laugh. Matchmaking system can be good, but I've grown out from playing with strangers or 14 years old punks, who have been playing the game for five hours each day So far, I've found the matchmaking system to be excellent! I've played about 15 games against strangers since I got my key and lost about half. Except for the placement matches, they've all been surprisingly close and I can tell what I did right or wrong and how to improve. And, like I said before, you can still make custom games online with only your friends.
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Thomas Fjellstrom
Member #476
June 2000
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GameCreator said: And, like I said before, you can still make custom games online with only your friends. Now go to a lan party that has shitty internet and come back and tell me your thoughts, after every single game has died due to SCII's stupid retarded internet check. -- |
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OICW
Member #4,069
November 2003
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GameCreator said: And, like I said before, you can still make custom games online with only your friends. And like me and others said, it isn't relevant in a moment you have room filled with lads, their computers, router and dozen of cables but no internet connection. In that case you're pretty screwed. [My website][CppReference][Pixelate][Allegators worldwide][Who's online] |
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Dario ff
Member #10,065
August 2008
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Starcraft II - The new MMORTS game[1]. References
TranslatorHack 2010, a human translation chain in a.cc. |
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) But then again, people many who pirate your game wouldn't buy it anyway and many games get exposure through word-of-mouth and piracy assists that. So it becomes a very grey area to answer the question, "is this effecting me, and for the better or worse?"
