Lan 100% Confirmed For Televised Korean Tournaments

[LordofAscension]

So you do indeed have to pay for SC2's online play? Well, guess I'll be sticking to AI opponents then.

That's one option in Korea (in addition to just purchasing the game).

~LoA

[ArcherofAiur]

Korea is the beginning and heart of eSports. So of course they'll reserve it there. Make it huge there, then start deploying here.

While we are at it why cant we dream that Blizzard will eventually let everyone have LAN and that all the times they said no they were just pulling our legs...



Blizzard is just waiting...for the right...time...to surprise us..yes.

[Blackthourne]

Frankly, I don't know about you guys, but the days of LAN parties for me are over. If I had a buddy come over, the only reason we'd be forced to play on a LAN on SC 1 is because of the ancient Bnet architecture only allowing one IP address connected at the same time, which was frustrating because we wanted to play together, against other people.

There has been sizeable lag in the beta, but I only really experienced bad lag when they introduced the map publishing system, so I personally am of the belief that no LAN will be just fine for me and my buddies who sometime play in the same room together.

I would be willing to wager that many of those complaining about the lack of generally available LAN play are doing so because they're remembering the days they used to LAN, not because they actually plan to use it a lot in the future.

I'm glad Blizz is being smart and sticking it to KESPA by controlling who gets the LAN. It sounds like the professional edition will have a special login for it, controlled by Blizzard on their servers. That sounds right to me. =)

For those who simply must have LAN, I'm sure somebody out there will create a clever program that accommodates that in the future, a la BattleLAN.

[ArcherofAiur]

Frankly, I don't know about you guys, but the days of LAN parties for me are over. If I had a buddy come over, the only reason we'd be forced to play on a LAN on SC 1 is because of the ancient Bnet architecture only allowing one IP address connected at the same time, which was frustrating because we wanted to play together, against other people.

There has been sizeable lag in the beta, but I only really experienced bad lag when they introduced the map publishing system, so I personally am of the belief that no LAN will be just fine for me and my buddies who sometime play in the same room together.

I would be willing to wager that many of those complaining about the lack of generally available LAN play are doing so because they're remembering the days they used to LAN, not because they actually plan to use it a lot in the future.

I'm glad Blizz is being smart and sticking it to KESPA by controlling who gets the LAN. It sounds like the professional edition will have a special login for it, controlled by Blizzard on their servers. That sounds right to me. =)

For those who simply must have LAN, I'm sure somebody out there will create a clever program that accommodates that in the future, a la BattleLAN.

As explained in the below video LAN level latency is nessisary for pro gameplay like currently seen in BW. However if you only allow lan for tournaments than players arnt familiar with the responce. Further more it creates a amature barrier for people to become pros as they have no access to lan.

[Rizhall]

One of the main things that separate competitive gaming to regular sports is the equal playing field.
There is no size difference, no weight difference, no reach difference, none of that kind of mumbo jumbo. Everyone has the same tools to win, the same pieces, specs, and all that jazz, to play as well as they can, just the same way a pro does, and have a real shot at playing.

Another thing that separates the competitive gaming to regular sports is the difference in setting. You can watch a football game all you want, but unless you really go ALL OUT AND have the right body for it, you will never be able to play in the same 100 yard football field as them. You can't call your friends, ask them to go out and play football in the street with you, and then expect to be ready for the NFL.

But with gaming, you can do all that! All those maps, all those features, and all those characters/races are there! The same stuff the pros have, you can go right to your console or computer, and access it just as easily as the pros can. As a competitive Street Fighter player myself, I know what it's like, and I know I wouldn't be able to get here if I didn't have the same tools as the pros.

I can't call Kobe Bryant and ask him to shoot some hoops with me, but I CAN easily go to a SF tournament on saturday, and play with some of the best players in the entire coast, and do it CONSISTENTLY, and in the same way pros do it; in person, one on one, no kind of lag or delay, same rules and format, with fully functional arcade sticks.

But with LAN being only available to pro South Korean teams, it takes that away, and I don't like it one bit. If this is true, and the playing field is NOT equal between the normal players and the competitive ones and the real pro ones, then Starcraft 2 is going to be nothing but a spectators sport for all of us, just like Football, or Soccer, or Basketball. If we can't practice with the same tools as the pros, then how are we expected to ever reach that kind of level, or even TRY, if the developers themselves gave us a handicap?

That's my take on this whole thing. I hope LAN does come out to EVERYONE or NOBODY (preferably everyone).

[SinsWage]

One of the main things that separate competitive gaming to regular sports is the equal playing field.
There is no size difference, no weight difference, no reach difference, none of that kind of mumbo jumbo. Everyone has the same tools to win, the same pieces, specs, and all that jazz, to play as well as they can, just the same way a pro does, and have a real shot at playing.

Another thing that separates the competitive gaming to regular sports is the difference in setting. You can watch a football game all you want, but unless you really go ALL OUT AND have the right body for it, you will never be able to play in the same 100 yard football field as them. You can't call your friends, ask them to go out and play football in the street with you, and then expect to be ready for the NFL.

But with gaming, you can do all that! All those maps, all those features, and all those characters/races are there! The same stuff the pros have, you can go right to your console or computer, and access it just as easily as the pros can. As a competitive Street Fighter player myself, I know what it's like, and I know I wouldn't be able to get here if I didn't have the same tools as the pros.

I can't call Kobe Bryant and ask him to shoot some hoops with me, but I CAN easily go to a SF tournament on saturday, and play with some of the best players in the entire coast, and do it CONSISTENTLY, and in the same way pros do it; in person, one on one, no kind of lag or delay, same rules and format, with fully functional arcade sticks.

But with LAN being only available to pro South Korean teams, it takes that away, and I don't like it one bit. If this is true, and the playing field is NOT equal between the normal players and the competitive ones and the real pro ones, then Starcraft 2 is going to be nothing but a spectators sport for all of us, just like Football, or Soccer, or Basketball. If we can't practice with the same tools as the pros, then how are we expected to ever reach that kind of level, or even TRY, if the developers themselves gave us a handicap?

That's my take on this whole thing. I hope LAN does come out to EVERYONE or NOBODY (preferably everyone).

This is the most well thought out post I've seen on the subject. THIS makes me upset that we don't have LAN. This post brings it home without a bunch of whining and vilifying.

These are real reasons and I hope you are sharing this thought process and argument on the official forums.

[Alex06]

Why do they get LAN but not us? If they can have it, why not let us have it, too?

[ReliableSource]

Disclaimer: TL is awaiting confirmation to see if this is infact 100% Confirmed.

It is confirmed.

[silencbank]

Everyone should keep in mind the context of this June 24th Korean Air was just information for Korea and a little Taiwan as well. It was just a Korean-centric press conference. Will it be horribly bad if this is in fact true that ONLY Korean pro gamers and the rest of the entire world will not have LAN, of course. It would be down right retarded for Blizzard to do that. But there was hardly any mention of any of the other region or their features that would be implemented.

Hidden Content:

Previously rumored but now confirmed - Starcraft II Professional Edition will have LAN, but will only be available for televised tournament play in South Korea

If you look at this statement as being spoken directly, and only to Koreans as a group; then this no different from the rumor of "professional" LAN that we had been discussing when this thing was first brought up. But since this entire conference was directed to and meant for the Korean public in general, I do not think this one statement should be any different. So until Blizzard says their intentions (which will probably happen soon if this statement was said there) we can not say either way. If TL does get a confirmation of this expect Blizzard to say something to calm the rage down not too long afterwards. They have said they want global e-sports. If they give LAN to one professional region they 'should' give them to all.

[spychi]

the need to control the market and the need to make huge money on it wins


*sarcasm mode on* GJ Blizzard *sarcasm mode off*