Mengsk is shaping up to be the main villain of HotS; bad move for the story?

[Zero]

I don't think its a bad move. The dark voice doesn't really come in until the end of the WoL mini campaign. In WoL, the Zerg was the main threat along with Mengsk. Now that you are going to be controlling a part of the zerg. What I think will happen, is that you will fight to gain control of the zerg, and then Mengsk starts taking over the zerg or something else that makes the zerg want to kill him. Then they all the zerg go and try to take down Mengsk. That's probably what will happen. At least something along those lines.

One of the things I remember, at the 2008 BlizzCon I believe, was in the lore panel, it was mentioned how the Hybrids and their masters (which was still unknown at the time) would be a constant theme throughout the trilogy. Not so strong at first, but slowly and ominously building up for the main confrontation. So I wouldn't say the Dark Voice will play as minor of a role as WoL.

I'm not too worried about the storyline of HotS. In both StarCraft and Brood War, the storylines were slow in the first of the three campaigns for each, and kept building up until the main confrontations in the third campaigns. So as far as the threat of the Dark Voice and the Hybrids are concerned, I'm sure their presence and influence are going to be far stronger in this installment. My only concern is that if you kill off Mengsk, and presumably Valerian takes over, would that be removing a lot of PvT in the LotV? You could reason civil war or something, but events like that would take away from the main focus of the SC2 overall storyline.

[Sheliek]

...would that be removing a lot of PvT in the LotV? You could reason civil war or something, but events like that would take away from the main focus of the SC2 overall storyline.

Off the top of my head, the Kel-Morian Combine could be mining out worlds important to the protoss. It's basic, but it would work for a couple of missions at least. Bonus points for involving another Terran faction.

[Turalyon]

My only concern is that if you kill off Mengsk, and presumably Valerian takes over, would that be removing a lot of PvT in the LotV?

Not if Valerian is evil as well...

[Zeraszana]

Not if Valerian is evil as well...

somewhat i doubt that he will be, i hope blizz doesn't make it exactly like warcraft...although in that case we would be probably getting world of starcraft soon

[Turalyon]

somewhat i doubt that he will be

Aha! An expectation that is waiting to be subverted by the genius that is the Blizzard story writing team.

[Sheliek]

He certainly seems to have betrayed Raynor, if the released cinematic is any indication. Could be Mengsk just went above him, though.

[Zeraszana]

He certainly seems to have betrayed Raynor, if the released cinematic is any indication. Could be Mengsk just went above him, though.

well if you take all the things in account - the game saying its Warfields landing site (IIRC) and he was doing his thing under valerian in wol, i presume that the trio (war-val-jim) are keeping sarah safe and doing some tests or stuff dunno (maybe even warfield turned on them by choosing to serve mengsk by giving him codes or something), so i assume that mengsk senior did the same thing as in the books - overlooked vally and went for the kill -> it would explain why they had enough time to set up everything (after tychus was killed he sent in his best assassins from another planet) and so the sweep arrived when they all felt cozy already and blondy said he wanted to reform sarah anyway, so killing her is counterproductive won't you agree?

[Sheliek]

well if you take all the things in account - the game saying its Warfields landing site (IIRC) and he was doing his thing under valerian in wol, i presume that the trio (war-val-jim) are keeping sarah safe and doing some tests or stuff dunno (maybe even warfield turned on them by choosing to serve mengsk by giving him codes or something), so i assume that mengsk senior did the same thing as in the books - overlooked vally and went for the kill -> it would explain why they had enough time to set up everything (after tychus was killed he sent in his best assassins from another planet) and so the sweep arrived when they all felt cozy already and blondy said he wanted to reform sarah anyway, so killing her is counterproductive won't you agree?

I haven't been able to play SC2 for months. When does Valerian say that?

[Zeraszana]

I haven't been able to play SC2 for months. When does Valerian say that?

uh, i think right after the vid where tychus and raynor storm the buccephalus - you know, when matt and jimmy get into a fight for joining hands with the dominion and c*ap, and jimmy goes to talk to val over a comm (ingame) and val says that ''people are wondering if he'll be as good an emperor as his father. but that [he] wants to prove that he will be a better emperor and a better man. and if [he] reforms the biggest mass murderer in humans history teamed with the famous outlaw, it's all the proof [he]'ll need.''

- i think that's the closest i can get to what he actually said...something like that maybe a few words are wrong but

[Sheliek]

uh, i think right after the vid where tychus and raynor storm the buccephalus - you know, when matt and jimmy get into a fight for joining hands with the dominion and c*ap, and jimmy goes to talk to val over a comm (ingame) and val says that ''people are wondering if he'll be as good an emperor as his father. but that [he] wants to prove that he will be a better emperor and a better man. and if [he] reforms the biggest mass murderer in humans history teamed with the famous outlaw, it's all the proof [he]'ll need.''

- i think that's the closest i can get to what he actually said...something like that maybe a few words are wrong but

Ah, right. He also mentions saving her to Raynor in the cinematic where they storm his bridge.