Mission Briefings

[Jecrell]

This post is speculation, but because we know almost nothing about the topic about how Mission Briefings, I figured it was worth discussing.

In the original Starcraft games we had briefing rooms where we'd see a unit's frame animate while voice acting was played along with it. Now I'm all for nostalgia, but that's the one thing I did not enjoy with the original Starcraft game.

How do you think mission briefings will be handled in Starcraft 2?

[mc2]

I really wish Blizzard can incorporate missions where you get to decide what's gonna happen next in the story.

Remember the Terran campaign in brood war? Where the player can choose to either attack Mengsk's physics lab OR attack his nuke silos. If the player destroy his nuke silo, he'll encounter Battlecruisers in the next mission. If the player destroy his labs, he'll concounter nukes in the next mission.

Options similar to the one above should be frequent in SC2, where the player gets to play out their own story, but have a common ending.

So in the mission briefings playing as Terran: blah blah blah blah, please select an option:
- [Attack Kerrigan's Hive clusters on Char]
- [Protect the new Psi Disruptor from the Kerrigan's forces]
- [Lure Kerrgan to Shakuras and convince the Protoss to activate the Temple]
the player then selects whichever option he likes and the mission will be the one he chose, but the ending should be the same though

[PeterPetreli]

Cool! I actually like the briefing rooms though. Especially the protoss one because it felt real! The zerg one was a little strange. I don't mind if they do it again. I also wouldn't mind if they used cinematics to introduce the missions, much like in warcraft 3. The graphics are good so it'll be sweet! :D

[Exterranminator]

I like terran briefing room, cuz it has a scary ambient sounds. Climate even darker than that of the Zerg.

[markus]

I believe it is "welcome executor", you probably thinking of starwars. This is starcraft ;) ;)

[TheDarkTemplar]

I would like the option of maybe replying in the actual briefing room, like maybe three set answers that you can choose from, I think it'd be a nice little addition :)

[UchihaItachi0129]

lol ambassador silly life XP

[reject_666_6]

OMG I love what has been said on this thread! I'd be so happy if you could choose stuff in the briefing room and the missions.

[Jecrell]

I thought the briefing rooms lacked that extra punch, sure they made sense in the Terran and Protoss campaigns, but the Zerg campaign felt like it needed a lot more to it. Especially when you were literally birthed into the swarm only to be welcomed by a small twitching eyeball that claims it is the Overmind.

Perhaps such things would have been done better as cinematics in of themselves.

[Fenix]

I would like the option of maybe replying in the actual briefing room, like maybe three set answers that you can choose from, I think it'd be a nice little addition :)


That'd be cool. And your replies actually affect what mission you play. Like, what mc2 said, but instead of directly choosing them, your responses do. Like, you piss off your leader, you have to lead the attack.

[reject_666_6]

They could actually give you the opportunity to choose what missions you go on, like after finishing mission 4 you'd have a choice of either forcing the enemies out through a sudden and fierce attack, make a stealthy approach to directly assassinate the leader or buy time to activate the Xel'Naga Temple. This is just an example if you were playing on Shakuras.

[starcraft2iscoming]

It could be like warcraft 3, were the misson is explaned in gameplay.

[TheDarkTemplar]

I would like the option of maybe replying in the actual briefing room, like maybe three set answers that you can choose from, I think it'd be a nice little addition :)


That'd be cool. And your replies actually affect what mission you play. Like, what mc2 said, but instead of directly choosing them, your responses do. Like, you piss off your leader, you have to lead the attack.


Yea, exactly. Like I know it's a completely different game but in Football Manager you're the manager of a football club (duh) and you get asked questions by the media about certain players - your answers affect the players morale and form in a match as a result. Same sort of idea, except like you said, it affects what kind of mission you'll be asked to play.

And I'd rather StarCraft2 steer clear of too many similarities to WarCraft3, they're different games.

[starcraft2iscoming]

They might do it in a new way..

[khalan9]

i never did like the terren brefin, that lady/ robot freaked me out ;D

[starcraft2iscoming]

i never did like the terren brefin, that lady/ robot freaked me out ;D
What about when she says, "Nuklier launch detected"?

[Whatsifsowhatsit]

i never did like the terren brefin, that lady/ robot freaked me out ;D
What about when she says, "Nuklier launch detected"?


Lol that really is a classic isn't it =P how often that has been mentioned xD

Another example of how you were already able to influence coming missions, though it was a minor influence, was when you had to gather 10.000 minerals for Kerrigan so she'd be able to launch her attack well and all that...and on the way you could infest up to 5 (I think) Terran Command Centers to own in the next mission... it doesn't really change anything though except that you have these centers xD hehehe...

Anyway I like the idea of different options, and I liked the cinematics in Warcraft III, but I don't want them to remove the Mission Briefings! =P I liked these.. it'd be okay if they're altered a bit to make them more interesting though, but I always loved the briefings!

[reject_666_6]

That reminds me of the very rare Nuke rush... Nuclear launch... Nu... Nuclear... Nucle... N... Nu... Nu... N... Nuclear launch detecte... Nu... Nucl...Nuclear launch detected. You called down the thunder?

Back to the subject, having a little bit less linear gameplay could be a very bold and smart move for Blizz to pull off, if thet manage to pull it off. Secondary Objectives rule!

[Fenix]

That reminds me of the very rare Nuke rush... Nuclear launch... Nu... Nuclear... Nucle... N... Nu... Nu... N... Nuclear launch detecte... Nu... Nucl...Nuclear launch detected. You called down the thunder?

Back to the subject, having a little bit less linear gameplay could be a very bold and smart move for Blizz to pull off, if thet manage to pull it off. Secondary Objectives rule!


I managed to pull off a nuke rush once. The dude quit before they landed. I roffled.

Anyhoo, yeah. Secondary objectives freaking rock.

[TheDarkTemplar]

I really liked the Briefing Rooms, I'd like Blizzard to keep those. And yea, secondary objectives would be cool! Like if you complete a secondary objective you get extra minerals or a larger unit cap for the mission - not essential, but helpful.

[Fenix]

I really liked the Briefing Rooms, I'd like Blizzard to keep those. And yea, secondary objectives would be cool! Like if you complete a secondary objective you get extra minerals or a larger unit cap for the mission - not essential, but helpful.


Dude, you're a genius. You seriously just figured it out.

[TheDarkTemplar]

Why thank you :D

[zeratul11]

wow! briefings would be cool. put some cool effects on it and style. ;D

[reject_666_6]

Maybe even actually create real holograms of the heroes, with actual gestures and coordinated lip movement, instead of just some generic monitors of the heroes' face animation...

[thekrnjigga]

i personally think ther should be a punch-the-screen-in-the-briefing-room-because-he-is-annoying option
u kno
as a stress reliever =]

[Zeratul]

i personally think ther should be a punch-the-screen-in-the-briefing-room-because-he-is-annoying option
u kno
as a stress reliever =]

Someone could just mod it afterwards for that >:D Muhahaha

[beBoy]

I suspect it will be so similar to what we have for wc3 (just a loading screen!), but we could have alot in-game scenes to help describing the story better, similar to what we have for the unit-demo.

[SirBaron]

Maybe even actually create real holograms of the heroes, with actual gestures and coordinated lip movement, instead of just some generic monitors of the heroes' face animation...

<3 this idea. Seriously. :powerup:

[[LightMare]]

the brievings are like in 007, or the older ones,with pierce brosnan, when Q was brieving him with his new gadgets, it always excites me

[Frost]

the brievings are like in 007, or the older ones,with pierce brosnan, when Q was brieving him with his new gadgets, it always excites me


Yess, mr.bond and this toliet comes equipped with an eject button incase somebody tries to catch you on the jon :sleeping: lol

Moving holograms and selectable mission paths seem like a great addition to the game, maybe even a global mineral+gas amount that transfers between missions? Although people could potentially 'horde' the resources in the early missions to use late game, so it would need some balancing

[Lord David]

Hmm interesting concepts and ideas here... I would like to see a more "cinematic" style briefing room.

Maybe have the first mission a whole cinematic of you walking towards the building (where the briefing room is located of course) and such? Or better yet, leave it to the end where you walk out of the building!

Perhaps show maps and such before the game? (Essentially show a map in the briefing room showing the general location of your forces... not C&C style... but maybe the actual map showing your position and allies' positions (not enemies' unless the story dictates...))

Basically have a large Star Trek-esque style monitor maybe a flat screen look (though given that they commonly use some sort of hybrid CRT in Starcraft, maybe that for the retro look? ;) (Or maybe even a battlement table thing))
For the Protoss you have a holographic image/field shown and I'm not sure about the Zerg... well the Borg of Star Trek did use a holographic image screen for the Borg Queen, not sure about the Zerg exactly...

What st about having off mission cinematic actions occur in the briefing segment? (Essentially, your talking to characters via video uplink or in person and such and suddenly the base comes under attack, where you gotta evacuate by heading to your next mission... (or maybe even have some sort of mini mission based on your installation where you evac some important technicians or whatnot..))

The user response may be a good idea, though there are peeps that tend to just click start and begin the mission so I'm not sure... :)

[bleuchill]

i never did like the terren brefin, that lady/ robot freaked me out ;D

I actually like it when it calls me magistrate. "Adjutant online. Good evening, Magistrate."
Oi, so cool. Haha.

Anyway, regarding the mission briefings, I don't mind if they keep the presentation like Starcraft. But would be great if there's an extended intro before the mission begins Ã* la Warcraft. We've seen this in the original SC—the Terran expansion mission when DuGalle let the Valkyries loose on the Mutalisks was a pretty long intro. This is what made me wait through the campaigns and not just rush to the battle.

Lots of choices are ideal, too, like what the other guys have said. More opportunities to ask for the players' response (briefings, missions, etc) = higher single-player replayability.

[Ishe]

The options idea is kinda cool but im not sure if it would work and theyd have to spend a lot of time on campain ediotr if u could make decisons every level thered be so much work involed in it. They be make the campains for another year a lone! its a cool idea though

[Major Willy]

If you could reply to character's sayings, I'd love to yell at Mengsk for a few minutes.

[GuiMontag]

i think it would be awsome if we got to chose which main characters to follow, like in the protoss campain you have the choice to follow zeratull in finding the hybrids or be part of the kerrigan killling team :P
or getting to chose between major factions of the terrans, (like when we are forced to betray the confederacy, wouldnt it have been nice if they gave us the choice!)

[Malicus]

I think it would be awsome if it began with you walking through a long hallway (first person view style) and entering the warchamber with all of the characters actually standing or sitting in the room waiting for you. Almost like a cinematic, the characters would stand as you entered. It would be so much fun to go through and script out the whole briefing in the editor and everything, making the characters act how you want them to act and whatnot. Can you just imagine walking into to the main war chamber of a Protoss Flagship or something with a huge viewport facing out into space with Braxis below. That would just totally rock. Or how about slithering through slimy tunnels as you enter into a massive chamber lined with mighty Hydralisk Warriors on both sides, with Kerrigan sitting on a large (slimey -thing) throne at the head of the chamber. That would be way cool, I would spend more time playing with Mission Briefings then making the actual levels I think. ;D

[MrFrancko]

I enjoyed the briefing rooms. The voice acting was great. In SC2 i'd like the room to be pretty much the same but have the various characters be moving and looking like they are actually speaking.

[Major Willy]

Actually Malicus, wasn't Warcraft 1 sponsering the feature of entering a chamber for your briefing?

[[LightMare]]

the brievings are like in 007, or the older ones,with pierce brosnan, when Q was brieving him with his new gadgets, it always excites me


Yess, mr.bond and this toliet comes equipped with an eject button incase somebody tries to catch you on the jon :sleeping: lol

Moving holograms and selectable mission paths seem like a great addition to the game, maybe even a global mineral+gas amount that transfers between missions? Although people could potentially 'horde' the resources in the early missions to use late game, so it would need some balancing

:upset:















:furious:










:argue:

[lilchibikun]

u know, i didnt really go against the mission briefings, but i would reallly like the blizzard team to make the mouths of the speakers to sync with their words >.<

[SirBaron]

I think it would be awsome if it began with you walking through a long hallway (first person view style) and entering the warchamber with all of the characters actually standing or sitting in the room waiting for you. Almost like a cinematic, the characters would stand as you entered. It would be so much fun to go through and script out the whole briefing in the editor and everything, making the characters act how you want them to act and whatnot. Can you just imagine walking into to the main war chamber of a Protoss Flagship or something with a huge viewport facing out into space with Braxis below. That would just totally rock. Or how about slithering through slimy tunnels as you enter into a massive chamber lined with mighty Hydralisk Warriors on both sides, with Kerrigan sitting on a large (slimey -thing) throne at the head of the chamber. That would be way cool, I would spend more time playing with Mission Briefings then making the actual levels I think. ;D

Well. I don't want to "pop your baloon, kiddo" so to speak by saying that slithering through slimy tunnels for the Zerg player is gonna be a tad bit difficult seeing as you (the zerg player that is) are a large, immobile, slimy, mucus-ridden piece of sh1t-caterpillar known as a Cerebrate. Which is immobile, as i just mentioned. And large. So that's gonna be hard. Good idea(s) though. :thumbup: