About Starcraft 2 without LAN support

[Jandau]

This decision has NOTHING to do with anti-Piracy. Why? Simple:

1. Put in LAN support into the game.
2. Upon installing the game, make LAN locked out.
3. Require the user to log into Battle.net with a valid account and serial number to activate the LAN functionality.

To be specific, they are leaving out LAN to force people to use Battle.net. There are several possible reasons, but the most likely is advertising. By making sure anyone who wants to play multiplayer has to use Battle.net, they can ensure a high rate of page hits which would mean huge advertising income.

Basically, it's about the money, not pirates.

 

[Viruzzo]

NOTHING

Don't cross the tags! Ever! Ehm...

1. Put in LAN support into the game.
2. Upon installing the game, make LAN locked out.
3. Require the user to log into Battle.net with a valid account and serial number to activate the LAN functionality.

Actually, if the game is P2P, it's basically how they are making it, you are just creating the game on Battle.net (but since you are logged in, it changes little), unless there is a "local game" option in B.net (we don't know yet).
If you mean "activate just once when you install" then it doesn't work for anti-piracy, and Steam-activated games prove it.

As for ads, there have never been in Battle.net, so why do you suppose they are going to put them in it now? What's it with the "game studios are all evil money bi***es" attitude everyone has nowadays?

 

[microhive]

Seriously... You guys are pathethic. Stop making silly and totally stupid assumptions!

Bashiok stated:

More so than overbearing/invasive anti-piracy measures that would affect everyone who buys the game regardless of how they're going to play it instead of just those that may want a LAN feature? I would doubt it.

I don't know a lot about it, Diablo III isn't really facing the brunt of the Battle.net 2.0 features just yet, but I think that removing LAN in an attempt to avoid more severe anti-piracy measures is pretty cool. We're saying "Hey, we're pretty sure you're going to love our game. The multiplayer is really the best part though. In order to get in on that that we'd just like to make sure you bought the game. Cool?"

I understand all of the concerns being raised, some are perfectly valid in their own right. I don't hold great knowledge over the ins and outs of it all. I've had broadband for over 10 years now, so I may be a bit of an exception to all of this. I can't relate as much as I'd like.

I'd like to raise a few points to ponder though, just things that occurred to me. They won't help in answering any questions or dissuading concern, but they're valid points nonetheless and I think they should be considered before jumping to extremes.

You don't know the speed, location, and server availability of the new Battle.net
When, if not now, should multiplayer games be able to rely on the proliferation of broadband connections?
If BYOC and sponsored LAN events were to adapt to changing game requirements, could a single game alter or influence the structure of these events?
If a fast and stable connection was ensured, would this affect your ability to gather with friends to hold a party based around playing a game?
How many LAN parties have you been to where games were played where you connected to an outside server?

As he said we do not know how powerful Battle.net 2.0 will be nor how the latency will be.

Here is the thread:
http://forums.battle.net/thread.html?topicId=18031100434&pageNo=1&sid=3000#18

 

[IamQ]

They have already admitted that they are thinking of adding pay-to-use features in Battlenet soon. What they're trying to do is pretty simple, rob you of all other options to play the game other than Battlenet, and soon milk you by trying to make you pay a dollar here and a dollar there to use various features. For a company that is already making BILLIONS every year, they certainly are evil, manipulative, moneygrubbing whores.

Link to where they mentioned pay-to-use?

 

[Jandau]

They have already admitted that they are thinking of adding pay-to-use features in Battlenet soon. What they're trying to do is pretty simple, rob you of all other options to play the game other than Battlenet, and soon milk you by trying to make you pay a dollar here and a dollar there to use various features. For a company that is already making BILLIONS every year, they certainly are evil, manipulative, moneygrubbing whores.

Link to where they mentioned pay-to-use?

Here's a link:

http://www.incgamers.com/Interviews/190/StarCraftIIDevelopersInterviewed

Let me point out some highlights for you:

One idea which has been discussed in different iterations is microtransactions, meaning the service is free, but added value services like starting a custom tournament, league, or the like would cost a small amount of money.

Essentially, microtransactions, likely like we have in WoW now.

We spent a lot of money on Battle.net, right, so we need some way to sustain it," he continued, but "current mockups don't include ads.

Translates to: we want cash and ads aren't enough.

There are a few other parts of the text that are a little more ambigous and open to interpretation.

 

[IamQ]

They have already admitted that they are thinking of adding pay-to-use features in Battlenet soon. What they're trying to do is pretty simple, rob you of all other options to play the game other than Battlenet, and soon milk you by trying to make you pay a dollar here and a dollar there to use various features. For a company that is already making BILLIONS every year, they certainly are evil, manipulative, moneygrubbing whores.

Link to where they mentioned pay-to-use?

Here's a link:

http://www.incgamers.com/Interviews/190/StarCraftIIDevelopersInterviewed

Let me point out some highlights for you:

One idea which has been discussed in different iterations is microtransactions, meaning the service is free, but added value services like starting a custom tournament, league, or the like would cost a small amount of money.

Essentially, microtransactions, likely like we have in WoW now.

We spent a lot of money on Battle.net, right, so we need some way to sustain it," he continued, but "current mockups don't include ads.

Translates to: we want cash and ads aren't enough.

There are a few other parts of the text that are a little more ambigous and open to interpretation.

Having to pay for tournaments or legues isn't that bad. It's probably not a high cost, and only the hardcore players will pay for it.

 

[CarrierII]

(Given as I almost exclusively play on the LAN with my family

1) I can't get 3G phone servivce where I live and the broadband drops every now and again - therefore SCII multiplay is looking dodgy already.

2) Battle.net will require seperate serials for seperate accounts. WHAT? We will NOT buy three copies of the game so we can all play. That's money-grabbing ("In order to get in on that that we'd just like to make sure you bought the game THREE TIMES! Cool?" - edited slightly)

3) LAN has nothing to do with piracy or with fan-made "Battle.net" servers - unless their coding is VERY odd. (Unlikely, I feel that they know how to program)

 

[Da_Schwartz]

If you have to connect to battlenet before playing a lan game so waht. Actually thats kind of cool, because then LAN matches will tally up under wins/losses.

 

[Nincompoop]

As for ads, there have never been in Battle.net, so why do you suppose they are going to put them in it now? What's it with the "game studios are all evil money bi***es" attitude everyone has nowadays?

Have you played wc3? Have you then furthermore entered Battle.net? Haven't you noticed the bar on top which displays ads? Check it again, sir, I'm sure you will find that it just hasn't caught your eye.

 

[Viruzzo]

1) I can't get 3G phone servivce where I live and the broadband drops every now and again - therefore SCII multiplay is looking dodgy already.

Yes, as I said the ones that will really have problems with this are those that have no good access to broadband connections.

2) Battle.net will require seperate serials for seperate accounts. WHAT? We will NOT buy three copies of the game so we can all play. That's money-grabbing ("In order to get in on that that we'd just like to make sure you bought the game THREE TIMES! Cool?" - edited slightly)

Yes, it sucks and spawn installs where really handy, but it's the way every other game in the world works.

3) LAN has nothing to do with piracy or with fan-made "Battle.net" servers - unless their coding is VERY odd. (Unlikely, I feel that they know how to program)

Actually LAN (including VPN) is usually the only type of games you can do with a pirated copy, and requiring to log on to Battle.net in order to play LAN games virtually removes this problem.

Have you played wc3? Have you then furthermore entered Battle.net? Haven't you noticed the bar on top which displays ads? Check it again, sir, I'm sure you will find that it just hasn't caught your eye.

Actually all I see are Blizzard announcements... I'd consider ads only third-party messages. Maybe it depends on region/country?

 

[Nincompoop]

Have you played wc3? Have you then furthermore entered Battle.net? Haven't you noticed the bar on top which displays ads? Check it again, sir, I'm sure you will find that it just hasn't caught your eye.

Actually all I see are Blizzard announcements... I'd consider ads only third-party messages. Maybe it depends on region/country?

I would consider that an "ad" nevertheless. But you may speak the truth, I can not be sure it were third-party ads. However, the situation, as you stated, could very well be regional.

I vaguely remember a redundant ad about some clothing, t-shirts, to be specific, but I cannot confirm that.

 

[Sixties Spidey]

This is fucking bullshit. My most memorable experiences of Starcraft were playing with friends on LAN. BattleNet better'd have something to compensate for this, so I'll wait it out. Hell, it could be worse, right?

 

[Ezzay]

Starcraft 1, is still played today, you guessed it, AT LAN PARTIES, AND LAN TOURNAMENTS.

Blizzard are fucking idiots.

And yet im sitting on the edge of my seat for Diablo III, go figure.