What Features Should be Carried Over to HotS?

[mr. peasant]

I remember coming across SC:Legacy being described as the go to forum for single-player discussion. Yet, every topic in the main section seems to be related to multiplayer these days. So, in the name of that original reputation, here goes:


Wings of Liberty has been out for a good many months now. In that time, the story has been critiqued and the narrative's issues dissected. Yet, in all this time, we haven't asked a really simple and important question; which new campaign features that Blizzard introduced in WoL would you like to see carried over to HotS?

Best as I can recall, the new features are as follows:

1. Open structure mission progression (as in the middle section where you could choose what order you completed your missions), which is different from
2. Optional/Side-missions (e.g. Colony missions, Covert missions, etc)
3. Story Mode (as in the part between missions where Raynor could talk to his crew)
4. Named, non-functional characters (e.g. Kachinsky, Thatcher, etc)
5. Research points
6. Armoury (as in ability to upgrade your units)
7. Mercenaries
8. Buildable campaign-exclusive units (e.g. Medics, Diamondbacks, etc)

Of the ones you did not want, why? Of the ones you supported, should they be improved upon? How so? Discuss.


P.S.: Hope I didn't miss out any.

P.P.S.: I didn't mention achievements and difficulty settings since these will almost undoubtedly be continued.

[JackhammerIV]

I thought blizzard mentioned some campaign features they would bring over. Plus lately the single-player discussion is sort of being a bit derailed by dustinbrowder. And the fact that Starcraft 2 as an e-sport is picking up now and that's noteworthy.

I remember something about kerrigan gaining experience and being able to modify herself and the zerg as well as level up between missions. Also they said something about the lurkers being in single player hopefully as a possible campaign only unit. It might be possible Blizzard will have all the features you listed as options but with a zerg flavour to it.

I don't really want mercenaries back. Would be kinda weird for zerg campaign to have like hireable special units....... I actually should have chosen armoury as well but too late now.:P

[JackhammerIV]

WoL had terran fight against zerg, terran and protoss factions. And it had a separate part where you could play as the protoss.... Makes me wonder about HotS. Obviously they could easily write in why zerg is fighting terran, zerg and protoss.
Terran: Mengsk's loyalists
Zerg: Zerg not fully under control by Kerrigan
Protoss: Protoss who still distrust kerrigan and wish to annihilate the zerg

But what i wonder is if they'll have another race be playable as well in HotS and what race it would be. Would it be so there's equal distribution: so play terran for some optional missions in HotS then play zerg for some missions in LotV.

Wonder how that will tie in with the story. Would it be as interesting as Zeratul's memory prism thing showing Raynor a possible future and why Kerrigan is necessary. Or just some Terran missions of Raynor helping out Kerrigan or something else along those lines.

[dustinbrowder]

optional side missions, research points, unique single player units.

And as little of the current story cliche text as possible with possibly new writers.

Hopefully the ending of the game is not the leaked video that everyone saw and that blizzard will actually rewrite the ending.

[TheEconomist]

Preferably Keyboard/Mouse support although I can probably live with controller only. I CANNOT, however, live without hotkeys.

And as little of the current story cliche text as possible with possibly new writers.

Hopefully the ending of the game is not the leaked video that everyone saw and that blizzard will actually rewrite the endin

And, of course, DB has to respond in a topic called "what features should be [kept]" which what should be changed.

[HydraHydra]

Let's see... I would love to see mercenary zergs... you know, hunter killers and so... But i want to see different portraits for them.

And armory, would be cool. Buying groovy spines, and lurker evolution for hydras and things like that x3

[Triceron]

Campaign exclusive units, Mercs and Research Points (Talent tree).

These were the best things about the campaign for me. A shame I didn't go through a true second playthrough, but I love choices in singleplayer.

[Atj3h]

i kinda like all the things u named, number 4 would be the first one i would give up i geuss since it's not a game mechanic and thus doesnt affect gameplay. i would like to see how they would make an armory for zerg though. my most favorite are still mercs, for zerg it could be more like a special evolution version that cost a bit more or something (like the hunter killers for hydra's).

edit: mercs like a brutalisk would be cool

[Kimera757]

I voted everything except mercenaries and armory, and I probably should have voted for the latter, as it'll just be called something else.

[Dalarsco]

I like everything except for the open structure. I was really disappointed when I found out that the Agria mission can just sit there. IMHO, side missions for extra stuff are great, but they should be a one-time event. It should have been a choice between saving the colonists or going to work, and you should have your "pay" cut if you do those missions (because it means that you're late for what the Moebius Foundation wants you to do), but then get the bonus units and research points.