Starcraft become free (and get a remaster)

http://www.polygon.com/2017/3/26/15064174/starcraft-brood-war-free-blizzard-version-118

So, starcraft got a brand new remastering and for the occasion, blizzard release at free the first chapter, including the brood war expansion and it's servers are updated with the newer remastered version...

For me it's a great news, I have the original game that I buy... 10 years ago, more than less.

I haven't played the original Starcraft, this looks like a good chance to test it, Thanks for the heads up :)

Interesting. I never imagined Blizzard would do something so generous. Only 5 months ago I had an interest in playing starcraft again only to find that the battle chest still retailed for 99.99. It wasn't hard to find starcraft for free pretty quickly on other websites though.

What does this remastered version have?

Hard to believe Starcraft was released 19 years ago...how time flies.

7 minutes ago, 40oz said:

What does this remastered version have?

Judging by the video, More screen resolutions and Higher quality sprites.

I wish they also added a free side campaign too, like the Founding of Durotar for WC3.

If they ever remaster WC3 I hope they add another mini campaign like that too. I mean better graphics are cool but I'd like something extra too.

I haven't even tried to play my copy of SC2 yet and I bought it in 2013. I probably won't even get around to playing this re-release of SC1.

I aways wanted to play the full version, i only played the demo and i watched near all full version in youtube, now i can finally play it.

Higher resolutions will be cool. I hate how every RTS game now seems to be zoomed right into a tiny view of the battlefield, rather than letting you see anything going on. Not sure how I feel about the updated sprites though. I really like the original art, and these ones look kind of weird to me. Would be cool if you could toggle them. I'd love to play through SC campaign again at a high resolution with the original sprites.

5 hours ago, 40oz said:

What does this remastered version have?

Widescreen HD graphics aside, there's also..

- remastered / re-recorded sounds, voices and music

- old single-player campaign mission briefings get replaced with "comic style" illustrations

- improved multiplayer options

- localized in 13 languages

- Cloud saving for savegames and setting

Apparently the classic game and the remastered version will be multiplayer compatible, too.

I remember playing the original Starcraft when it came out, been hooked on it ever since. I'll have to check this out when it gets released.

6 hours ago, Avoozl said:

I haven't even tried to play my copy of SC2 yet and I bought it in 2013. I probably won't even get around to playing this re-release of SC1.

Same, i played a little of starcraft actually from when i buy it, as usual i was absorbed with Doom and other stuff. Goddammit.

It's amazing that the original Starcraft is still being played by lots of people in here. I guarantee you that you can see people, playing this good-old game, along with brand-new games, in every internet cafe you visit. Not to mention that Starcraft introduced the new sport with competitive video game matches, which now we call E-Sport, in our country. I also bought both original one and expansion one 19 years ago, but I can't find the CDs or manual book right now. I assume that they're hiding somewhere in the storage boxes. IIRC, the expansion one contained v1.04 client.

Anyway, I'm so glad to hear that this masterpiece is getting the remastered version. I'll definitely replay the whole campaigns again in HD when it's released.

Great, more of my childhood memories to be trampled on. I guess it's inevitable with Microsoft finally dropping much of the compatibility with 90s Windows games.

I'm excited, though skeptical. Heard that you can play the original game vs remastered in multiplayer? That at least, is pretty damn cool.

Here's the three maps I've made for original Starcraft, should anyone want a quick vs. Zerg blast, or need another MP arena.

http://www.monstercute.com/uploads/2/8/1/9/2819457/sverre_starcraft.zip

NB!

Be warned that on Marooned Forever, the Zerg are known to make a comeback...

4 minutes ago, Soundblock said:

I'm excited, though skeptical. Heard that you can play the original game vs remastered in multiplayer? That at least, is pretty damn cool.

So at least it's vanilla compatible. Good and reassuring.

This is awesome news. I've been wanting to replay this game for a really long time.

1 hour ago, printz said:

Great, more of my childhood memories to be trampled on. I guess it's inevitable with Microsoft finally dropping much of the compatibility with 90s Windows games.

"Trampled on?" The remastered version appears to be a completely separate version of the game, and the original is being updated to work better on modern Windows in addition to becoming free.

I finished Diablo 3 recently (will also be searching for 2) and Starcraft was on my list for the distant future. Well, the priorities have changed now!!!

thanks swine&roses. I watched a video of the new trailer. Zooming in and out is on hell of a nice feature. I played Brood War a few months ago shortly after I watched a video of someone winning a melee against 7 CPU opponents. Up until then most of my experience was playing it with cheat codes, but I decided to give the game an honest effort, but it requires way more multitasking than my puny brain can handle. I sincerely believe that putting expert starcraft player on a resume is grounds for a high level job.

Nice. I've played that game so much. I've stopped playing only two or three years ago. 

There are screenshots in this article and they make direct comparison between the old and new graphics. Since they are taken at the spot with the same units on the screen, they may be a setting to revert to the old graphics while playing. 

The new version will come out on March 30. 

I hope they are going to solve the path finding. God it's awful. This will be version 1.18a of the game, but the last version was 1.16. I wonder what happened to version 1.17. 

Hey wait I remember these sprites being crystal clear and gorgeous.

I'll always love SC1 and WC2 (please remaster that while you're at it) for the dialogue you get when you repeatedly click a unit. "Quit poking me" and so on.

http://starcraft.wikia.com/wiki/StarCraft_unit_quotations

I would love a remaster of Diablo II but there's no chance of that ever happening.

Wow, pretty cool! I sucked ass at SC though (goddamn Ghosts on the last Terran mission). Looks like I'll pick it up just to have.

I hope they have an option to use grid-based controls instead of the 90s hotkeys.

Well that's neat. I still wonder if the full version CD I have that has Shareware printed on it is worth anything.

This is exciting news. They are going to be adding the expansion pack Brood War to the free release, which is awesome. Making the expansion pack free and compatible is always a good thing.

personally, bought diablo 2, warcraft 2, and starcraft together in a "battlechest" sale back a long time ago. I never did play Brood War but heard it had balance issues.

I'm moderately excited for this.

This also reminds me to re-install the original SC and do the campaign, now that I've finished all three chapters of SC2...

3 hours ago, Jello said:

Well that's neat. I still wonder if the full version CD I have that has Shareware printed on it is worth anything.

Na, I'v a copy as well. not worth much at all. especially mine because my key is tied to my account.

On ‎3‎/‎28‎/‎2017 at 3:54 AM, Cupboard said:

I never did play Brood War but heard it had balance issues.

Lurkers will make you throw your computer out the window.

On 3/28/2017 at 10:54 AM, Cupboard said:

I never did play Brood War but heard it had balance issues.

KEKEKEKE!!!! Zerg rush!

Ah, those were the times ;-)

Edit: Try googling just "Zerg Rush" and see what happens O_o