Matt Horner page up on SCII site

[Triceron]

What? Why does it have to happen in WoL? Why does it have to be an "optional" side quest in LotV just because the Hybrids are taking center stage? Are you saying there's no possible way to incorporate a Terran mission somewhere to include Kerrigan's death as a major part of the story? My god.

Second of all, so what if Kerrigan dies in WoL? I'd be all for it, I'm getting sick of her arrogant "I think I'm da boss" attitude that's totally fitting of Terrans. It doesn't even make the Zerg feel alien at all. What is this huge threatening species of aliens that we don't know? Oh it's a species lead by a human who got infested. Woo.

If they did that, I'd write off the whole thing as bullshit. They spend most of SC1 telling her story, focus BW on her rise to power and betrayal, announce that SC2 will be split up into 3 campaigns, but decide to 'kill her off' in the first campaign? No thanks.

[Pandonetho]

If they did that, I'd write off the whole thing as bullshit. They spend most of SC1 telling her story, focus BW on her rise to power and betrayal, announce that SC2 will be split up into 3 campaigns, but decide to 'kill her off' in the first campaign? No thanks.

And there's somehow a problem with that? How? When WoL will be 28 missions?
That's already a full game in itself, they had a full game to tell her story, and now they have a full game to end it. Instead, they're going with a story that frankly I'm not interested in atm (of course that might change when the game actually comes out). If they introduce more xel'naga or hybrid stuff in WoL then sure, but right now all it is freedom fighter vs Tyrant (and haven't we already seen this story in SC?)

Not in Wings of Liberty. She's the main character of Heart of the Swarm, which comes after. It's just not possible for her to die until LotV.

Yes, that's unfortunate. My point was that they could just kill her in WoL and make something more interesting happen to the Zerg in HotS instead of "let's watch Kerrigan evolve and get stronger than she already is, while acting like Queen of the Universe and making everyone else feel inferior to her." It's already well established that she pretty much rules the sector now, and the only interesting thing that could possibly happen to threaten her power now is either Duran or the Xel'Naga.

[Kimera757]

And there's somehow a problem with that? How? When WoL will be 28 missions?
That's already a full game in itself, they had a full game to tell her story, and now they have a full game to end it. Instead, they're going with a story that frankly I'm not interested in atm (of course that might change when the game actually comes out). If they introduce more xel'naga or hybrid stuff in WoL then sure, but right now all it is freedom fighter vs Tyrant (and haven't we already seen this story in SC?)

Raynor vs the Dominion is probably only the first portion of the campaign. When Zeratul delivers his announcement about the artifacts (we were told in one of the BlizzCon 2007 panels - either gameplay or lore - that his happens halfway through the campaign) and Raynor seems like he has to make a choice:

1) Fight the Dominion. Sell artifacts to make money to continue the fight.
2) Deal with the new threats. Keep the artifacts (or, more likely, give them to Zeratul). Run the risk of running out of troops or suffering a mutiny.

Obviously there'll be a lot more to the campaign, and obviously Blizzard isn't going to tell us much.

Yes, that's unfortunate.

The decision has already been made. In fact, the nature of the zerg makes it impossible for Blizzard to kill off Kerrigan early and still have an interesting story. There's no Overmind anymore (and if there was, it'd get repetitive) and if some new entity, like a queen, takes over the Swarm, there needs to be an explanation for this... and that's something Raynor wouldn't know about.

My point was that they could just kill her in WoL and make something more interesting happen to the Zerg in HotS instead of "let's watch Kerrigan evolve and get stronger than she already is, while acting like Queen of the Universe and making everyone else feel inferior to her." It's already well established that she pretty much rules the sector now

But will she rule the Sector by the end of Wings of Liberty? Mengsk is frankly smarter than her; he could always lure her into a trap. (It's not like she can read his mind from that far away. Well, I hope not!)

Furthermore Kerrigan isn't just interested in "powering up". Shadow Hunters had a great character description in the free excerpt (chapter one), but I swear people just can't remember it. They just remember Kerrigan being ticked at Mengsk, probably because her invasion of the Dominion involves her being ticked at Mengsk. They forget about her history with Zeratul, they forget about her also wanting to get artifacts, they forget she still wants to continue the Overmind's aims (see Shadow Hunters -- she just doesn't want to be a slave) and they forget any other plotlines she could be following.

If you're expecting Kerrigan to start Heart of the Swarm as a superpowerful leader who spends 26 or so missions rolling over the Dominion, then no wonder you think HotS is going to suck.

and the only interesting thing that could possibly happen to threaten her power now is either Duran or the Xel'Naga.

The hybrid threat against the Sector and against Kerrigan herself is a big reason people want a StarCraft II campaign. That's why Dark Origin is so interesting. If people don't want either Duran or the xel'naga to be a part of the story, then I have to wonder if they'll even like StarCraft II's campaigns.

[Triceron]

Pando, you ever figure some people actually LIKE Kerrigan as a character?

I'm not a big fan of Kerrigan, myself, but I know there are many who do and are looking forward to using her in HotS. 28 missions is a fair bit, and yes, many things can happen, but WoL is not only Kerrigan's story, it's the Terran story.

Kerrigan's a major player in the universe. You can't just kill her off in the first act, especially when they've poured in so many resources into make her the queen bitch of the universe.

[Pandonetho]

Obviously there'll be a lot more to the campaign, and obviously Blizzard isn't going to tell us much.

Hopefully, which is why I said my opinion could easily change when the game is out.

In fact, the nature of the zerg makes it impossible for Blizzard to kill off Kerrigan early and still have an interesting story. There's no Overmind anymore (and if there was, it'd get repetitive) and if some new entity, like a queen, takes over the Swarm, there needs to be an explanation for this... and that's something Raynor wouldn't know about.

IMO the overmind is much more interesting than infested Kerrigan ever was. She's just another character who interacts and talks to other humans and gloats and such. The overmind doesn't do that, he talks only to his own commanders, he's an alien force that humans don't interact with, can't talk with, etc. Kerrigan is just another human personality in an infested shell.

Furthermore Kerrigan isn't just interested in "powering up". Shadow Hunters had a great character description in the free excerpt (chapter one), but I swear people just can't remember it. They just remember Kerrigan being ticked at Mengsk, probably because her invasion of the Dominion involves her being ticked at Mengsk. They forget about her history with Zeratul, they forget about her also wanting to get artifacts, they forget she still wants to continue the Overmind's aims (see Shadow Hunters -- she just doesn't want to be a slave) and they forget any other plotlines she could be following.

If you're expecting Kerrigan to start Heart of the Swarm as a superpowerful leader who spends 26 or so missions rolling over the Dominion, then no wonder you think HotS is going to suck.

I know, she's only too human. She acts just like a human. That's the main thing that annoys me. And no, I don't think she's going to spend 25+ missions rolling over the Dominion, but I certainly don't think it's possible for her to be losing (when you're playing as her, and you're supposed to be winning because the player doesn't lose). So then what does that leave us? I hope Blizzard surprises us.

Pando, you ever figure some people actually LIKE Kerrigan as a character?

Triceron, you ever figure that I'm using "IMO" for a reason? When you do, it'll all make sense to you.

[Kimera757]

IMO the overmind is much more interesting than infested Kerrigan ever was. She's just another character who interacts and talks to other humans and gloats and such. The overmind doesn't do that, he talks only to his own commanders, he's an alien force that humans don't interact with, can't talk with, etc. Kerrigan is just another human personality in an infested shell.

While I can agree that Kerrigan doesn't seem like an alien, a giant disembodied brain that can't interact with its environment or members of other species and can't even fight just isn't interesting. That seriously limits the kinds of stories you can tell.

A queen would be more interesting than either, but that's not an option available right at the start of StarCraft II. (Also, the new queens are kind of large and wimpy.)

[hiru]

So Kerrigan acts too human, but Protoss and Cerebrates get a pass? Zerg stopped being alien when we got to the zerg campaign and played as them tbh. Xel naga will be the true alien factor in the starcraft 2 campaigns. And I'm pretty sure thats not going to last either.

So, for kicks Pando: what would you do to remove the human factor from the zerg without making it boring to play?

28 missions in WOL leave plenty of room to shape the story into something where we could start the Zerg campaign in a fresh and original way. The further evolution of the various zerg strains and Kerrigan seem nice enough of a concept. I'm pretty sure we'll see Kerrigan in all 3 campaigns tho. In what form is a different question.