Sometimes the Bar Eats StarCraft 2 (December 9, 2008)

[Bandit LOAF]

GameSpy.PC has an article on StarCraft 2 which compares the game's new interactive gameflow portion to that used in Wing Commander. Oddly enough, this isn't the first time such a similarity has been noted - people seem to notice sparks of WC in the strangest places:

The Mara Sara bar is the first example of what Pardo calls a "between-mission space." While not an original concept (the Wing Commander games pioneered this idea years ago), the beauty of the game's artwork shows both how far the technology of computer graphics has come since those days and the oft-lauded talent of Blizzard's art department. Each of these spaces is loaded with stuff to click on and interact with. Results range from full-blown cut-scenes that detail elements of characters to small things like a jukebox in the bar playing music, a television showing news reports about what's going on in the galaxy, and even a window on the bridge of Raynor's flagship giving a nice view of whatever planet his ship is currently orbiting.

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Original update published on December 9, 2008

 

[Vinman]

I loved it when they had things to do between missions in Unreal II, and was disappointed to see that it never really caught on. Maybe Starcraft 2, being a huge property, will change things and make them more common.

 

[Jason_Ryock]

I loved it when they had things to do between missions in Unreal II, and was disappointed to see that it never really caught on. Maybe Starcraft 2, being a huge property, will change things and make them more common.

I am surprised it never caught on, personally. After the fact you usually see massive amounts of material and writing and plans and stories that had been developed but didn't seem to fit into the game (Just look at the CIC!).

Having between-mission things to do is a good way to expand the universe/setting and make it feel bigger then it is, while still cramming in all that concept work you did before hand and getting a second use out of it.

I'm really surprised - giving the amount of 'expand-the-universe' stuff there is to Wing Commander that there's still more of it that we're finding even now today that never made it in a game anywhere.

 

[ChrisReid]

I'm really surprised - giving the amount of 'expand-the-universe' stuff there is to Wing Commander that there's still more of it that we're finding even now today that never made it in a game anywhere.

And there still will be, for years to come...