Stormgate, the debut title of Blizzard-alumni and RTS veteran developers Frost Giant Studios, has just been announced. Blizzard RTS has made a profound impact on the careers of thousands of creators with its defining UGC, and so, here's five mods across their titles as a tease of what we can look forward to with Stormgate!
Live action cinematic from Stormgate reveal
StarCraft: Burning Ground
After the infestation of the zerg and subsequent obliteration at the hands of the Protoss, the Kel-Morian prospectors discovered a unique mineral on the twin colony worlds of Mar and Chau Sara. A siege on the Sara system saw it secured in the name of the Kel-Morian Combine. The Mining Guilds of the old war were replaced with Mercenary Guilds as this new proxy war unfolded. It was not a war of principles or freedom, it was a war that would be won by the highest bidder.
☣ Dead Zone - Hope Lost
A dense horror atmosphere unlike anything else seen in Starcraft 2 thanks to a large amount of custom assets, environmental systems and intricate sound design. An Innovative Survival Horror game made on SCII's engine, it features the story of a woman surviving in a hostile world with little help or chance to succeed. Exceedingly well-developed, it's a solid pick for SC2's top possibilities of UGC.
Starcraft 1.5: Fusion Conversion Maps
By night_wolveX
Starcraft 1.5: Fusion is a series of totally converted Warcraft III custom maps designed to feel and play exactly the same as Starcraft. The project currently has single player and multiplayer maps designed and based on the original and newest Starcraft games. Designed before the release of Starcraft II and then adapted over time with features from the newest titles, this mod is sure to be a fun play for classic and new fans alike.
Dark Evolution
Dark Evolution is a total-conversion (or at least, that's what I'm aiming) modification for Starcraft. It features 3 races: The powerful Hell Zerg The resistant Exiled Protoss The massive Infested Terran. Every race has now a different gameplay, since their strategy has changed in many ways. You may not rely anymore on the Zerg's regeneration ability, but you can trust in great offensive power, as for the Terran you may take damage but the numbers will pay back, and the Protoss might even have lower numbers, but their resistance and considerable offensive power can be the best of weapons. You decide who wins in this race of survival.
Warcraft III: Nirvana
By fucckz
Nirvana is a melee mod for WarCraft III TFT. It adds several custom races and can be played on any melee map. This project is focusing on renovating WC3, expanding its playability while keeping it well balanced. The numerous added factions bring a lot to Warcraft III's already remarkable sandbox, giving old veterans a chance to flex their muscles in new and creative ways.
A Storm Is Brewing
Over decades of play and development, Blizzard has been defined by the success of its RTS genres. With the likes of World of Warcraft owing their roots to the venerable Warcraft III and the continued E-Sports success of Starcraft: Brood War and Starcraft II, it seems odd to many that more games in this genre have failed to materialise. It seemed odd, too, to the people behind some of the most celebrated titles in all of gaming - and so they left Blizzard to form Frost Giant Studios, with a commitment to revive the RTS genre with a new, AAA title from experienced developers.
Stormgate's narrative takes a blend between sci-fi and fantasy, telling of futuristic humans
battling demons from another dimension in a bid for supremacy
Open Up The Gates
Now, after a few years of teasing and rumination, the debut RTS title from Frost Giant Studios is revealed - Stormgate, a sci-fi-fantasy-hybrid RTS with an emphasis on co-operative play and the multiplayer experience, with all aspects of the game - from the story-driven campaign, co-operative, and competitive modes - supporting multiple people at once. Pursuing a free to play model (not unlike Starcraft II in its twilight years), the developers commit to releasing a game that is content-rich with no pay-to-win elements. At this time, it could be guessed that campaign expansions would be part of this monetary strategy similar to other titles from the Blizzard RTS repertoire, but no specifics have been given yet. And, of course, a level editor will launch with the game - opening up a new era of UGC, which practically defined the RTS titles of yore.
Feet First Into Hell
With demons versus mecha-humans and a third faction on the way, a strong developer base with some legends of RTS behind the wheel, and, of course, the promise of UGC, Stormgate's pedigree seems pre-determined for greatness. It's been a quiet few years for big-budget RTS, but we can't wait to see what happens with this one!
Check out more Starcraft mods here!
You can also check out more Warcraft III mods here and more Starcraft II mods here.
It's too bad Burning Ground was discontinued, that was a really good MOD.
Personally, I don't believe in the success of the storm gate. It seems to me that it will not attract new players, but it will alienate old ones. I don't like not the visual, not the setting =(
Time will tell.
woah, i didnt expect to see Dark Evolution featured in an article like this. thats one of my favorite SC mods, and a huge inspiration :D