Nova: Covert Ops [SPOILERS]

[Visions of Khas]

So, how's everyone liking it? I have to say the quality is pretty astounding. It would also seems as though we're re-living history: terrorists luring the Zerg to worlds with psi emitters while trying to topple the regime. "There will be a new Mengsk, and nother one after that." Thanks, Tosh. Hope to see you around, but I doubt it'll happen.

So I can't be the only one to catch the Moebius Corps symbol on the neural device given to Nova by Reigel. Also, was that Delta Emblock in the first mission?


EDIT And was anyone aware of the ARG? I had no idea it existed til just now !

[Sheliek]

If I had to guess, Moebius Foundation either wasn't entirely under Amon's control, or the survivors eventually recovered and regrouped.

I found it very difficult until I adjusted my play-style in the first two missions. By the third, I was in a good groove with the game, and I'm probably going to give it a more-prepared playthrough in a day or two.

The dialogue and plot was, IMO, much better than Wings of Liberty, though. Everyone felt professional, except Swann with his banter (Nova's response to one of his remarks was perfect). I can't complain about a bit of well-timed, well-written comic relief though. The role-reversal with Rebel Yell should prove interesting.

Tarsonis intrigues me, more than it probably should. I wonder if the Defenders of Man might be, at least in part, Confederate Remnant? They love hidden bases, and Tarsonis would make sense as a symbol to such a group. Moreover, some of the tech they use is a bit beyond low-tier revolutionary group -- let's not forget Mengsk only got high-tech stuff once Alpha Squadron joined up. Plus, they're leaping all over the chance to take down a less aggressive Mengsk and Dominion. Revenge is best served cold, right? Just my guess.

Also, I love how the Defenders Officer in mission 2 looks a lot like the SC1 battlecruiser portrait. Just a heads up for map makers, at any rate. While we're talking about assets, they really went all in for this. New skins and portraits for every terran unit you control, new animations, new spells. Even the defiler is fully finished (completely with unit sounds; dark swarm sounds great), barring some tool-tips that need work for the spells.

It was very good, though. I wish Wings of Liberty was as coherent as this is, and it proves Blizzard can do good stories with the setting still, when handled properly. This was well-polished, and I can't wait for 4-6, and sincerely hope they do another one next year.

[KaiserStratosTygo]

Pleasantly surprised with what I saw.

Not going to buy anything from this company ever again.

But quality is quality:

Very interesting fairly grounded plot with obvious yet interesting similiarities to Episode I, really awesome tile-sets, doodads and Unit models (that polished defiler is sexy as fuck.)

[ragnarok]

So, how's everyone liking it? I have to say the quality is pretty astounding. It would also seems as though we're re-living history: terrorists luring the Zerg to worlds with psi emitters while trying to topple the regime. "There will be a new Mengsk, and nother one after that." Thanks, Tosh. Hope to see you around, but I doubt it'll happen.

So I can't be the only one to catch the Moebius Corps symbol on the neural device given to Nova by Reigel. Also, was that Delta Emblock in the first mission?


EDIT And was anyone aware of the ARG? I had no idea it existed til just now !

Oh I noticed the Moebius Corps symbol.

But if you take away Amon's enslavement, I don't think Moebius is really considered evil. Sure, Duran manipulated them, but still...

[Robear]

Yeah, I'm a tiny bit disappointed that the end of this one was just 'oh yeah, use psi emitters to direct zerg attacks against the dominant government' again, but I'm happy to see the return of some darker mystery and extremist groups and SC1 themes, without 'it's the end of the universe!' at stake. And I'm sure that there will be more shenanigans going on with the rest of the Ghost team. Stone is definitely hiding something.

Definitely pleasantly surprised that they made so many new assets when really they could have reused old one for everything. Good for them, that's making the prices much more justified, and it does feel like they really are continuing 'supporting' the game.

Also, I love how the Defenders Officer in mission 2 looks a lot like the SC1 battlecruiser portrait. Just a heads up for map makers, at any rate. While we're talking about assets, they really went all in for this. New skins and portraits for every terran unit you control, new animations, new spells. Even the defiler is fully finished (completely with unit sounds; dark swarm sounds great), barring some tool-tips that need work for the spells.

I kind of thought that that battlecruiser guy was repurposed from the Warhound portrait, but I could be wrong. Was definitely surprised to see all the new portraits even for marines and reapers and whatnot.

Edit: just checked it, yeah, it's the warhound pilot's face and hair and moustache model with the colors changed. But, you know, they might as well get more use out of it.

[ragnarok]

Yeah, I'm a tiny bit disappointed that the end of this one was just 'oh yeah, use psi emitters to direct zerg attacks against the dominant government' again, but I'm happy to see the return of some darker mystery and extremist groups and SC1 themes, without 'it's the end of the universe!' at stake. And I'm sure that there will be more shenanigans going on with the rest of the Ghost team. Stone is definitely hiding something.

Definitely pleasantly surprised that they made so many new assets when really they could have reused old one for everything. Good for them, that's making the prices much more justified, and it does feel like they really are continuing 'supporting' the game.

It just makes the DoM no different than what Mengsk did back at Tarsonis. Typical.

Taking out "the end of the universe" was a good idea, but this is strictly a terran business. Now, if Blizzard decides in the future to make DLCs for the Protoss and concentrate on Alarak, things could change.

As for Stone hiding something, we all suspected that. In the first mission, if Stone is still with Nova by the time they reach the shuttles, Nova would want answers from him, but Stone said they're in danger and therefore have to leave. Nova gave in, but clearly wasn't happy about it.

A possible theory is that Stone had always hated the Dominion and wanted something better. At the beginning, the DoM captured him, but very quickly he began to see their POV and therefore decided to help him. That could then explain why Nova and the others got captured and everything, but were kept alive because Stone felt they'd be valuable causes.

If that's true, what we're seeing would be somewhat like what happened in the Spectres rebellion with Tosh. For those who read the book SC Ghost Spectres, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

[Gradius]

So wait, after Kerrigan left the zerg to their own devices, they are attacking humanity once again? And Swann's voice popping up on the equipment menu made me cringe. God I hate that guy.

Otherwise, I'm highly impressed with the polish of these missions. You can tell that after 3 gamefs, the team's got their workflow down pat. Very impressive. I never really cared about Nova - she's essentially a blonde Kerrigan. But I'm enjoying the smaller scale of these missions and I'm glad that all this Amon crap is over.

[Visions of Khas]

I think the DoM are seeding worlds with psi emitters, luring feral zerg and separatist brood mothers.

[Sheliek]

I was under the impression they were just sending the Tarsonis feral broods out, then recalling them. I was tired when I played though; could be remembering wrong.

[Visions of Khas]

You could be right, I was just speculating.