STARCRAFT IILEONEL SALAZAR

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OVERVIEWStarcraft 2 is a science-fiction based real-time strategy computer game

A “real-time strategy” (or RTS) game is a type of strategy game that is not turn-based; in other words, two (or more) players are competing in real time. RTS games are generally wargames in which players use resources to produce units and structures with which to fight one another

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OVERVIEWStarcraft 2 players can choose from one of three factions (Terran, Protoss, or Zerg) to play as in 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, 4v4, or 4 player free-for-all matches. However, the game is designed and balance around 1v1 matches (which are by far the most popular)

Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty was released in July 2010, and an expansion, Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm, was released in March of 2013. A third expansion, Starcraft 2: Legacy of the Void, is scheduled to be released in the future

The game also contains campaigns and a significant story element, but multiplayer is by and large the primary focus

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OVERVIEW• The basic elements of Starcraft are buildings, workers,

and military units

• Workers are needed to harvest minerals and gas, which are then used to purchase and construct new buildings and units

• Buildings are required in order to produce units and research new technology (which grants combat bonuses and allows for the production of more powerful units)

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OVERVIEW• Military units, quite simply, are used to fight. There

are air and land units, and proper unit composition is critical to countering an opponent’s army

• Victory occurs when every enemy building is destroyed; however, players will generally surrender before this happens, once they realize they are in an unwinnable position

• Because of all this, map control is key. One must expand to new bases in order to gather more resources, construct more buildings, and out-produce and overwhelm the opponent

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MULTIPLAYER STRUCTUREBronze

Silver

Gold

Platinum

Diamond

Masters

Grandmasters

Players in multiplayer are placed into one of seven leagues and can jockey for position in the “ladder”, allowing for league promotions and/or demotions over time

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MULTIPLAYER STRUCTURE

Bronze; 8%

Silver; 20%

Gold; 32%

Platinum; 20%

Diamond; 18%Masters; 2%

League Percentages

BronzeSilverGoldPlatinumDiamondMasters

*Grandmasters League is exclusive and consists only of the top 200 players in a region (North America, Europe, etc.) rather than a set percentage of all players7

FACTIONSTERRAN

• The Terrans are the humans of the Starcraft universe. They are rugged survivors in a harsh universe, with a history of dictatorships, wars, and strife

• Terrans like to rely on their heavy machinery in battle; they have access to an arsenal of marines, tanks, mines, battlecruisers, and nukes

• Terrans are middle-of-the-road in unit cost and strength, and they have a very versatile army

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FACTIONSPROTOSS

• The Protoss are an elite and mysterious race of aliens from the planet Auir. They are a religious people, and they are fanatically devoted to the pursuit of justice in the universe

• Protoss technology is highly advanced, and their army includes towering constructs and sentries capable of producing forcefields. Protoss units and buildings all have shields, and Protoss players have the ability to warp units into any position on the map that is powered by a pylon (a structure that powers other Protoss buildings)

• The Protoss also possess psionic powers, which gives their zealots the ability to use lightsaber-esque “psi-blades”, their stalkers the ability to “blink” (teleport a short distance), and their templar the ability to cloak and summon powerful lightning storms

• Pound for pound, the Protoss have the strongest units in the game; however, they are also the most expensive, and losses are costly9

FACTIONSZERG

• The Zerg are a brutal, animalistic race of aliens, and a force of destruction in the universe. They have long been a plague to the Terrans and the Protoss, having overrun and infested many of their worlds

• Zerg society and life is somewhat insectoid in nature. They spawn from hatcheries, lairs, and hives, and they serve under queens and overlords. They are capable of rapid mutation and evolution, and like to fight in great numbers by swarming their opponents (the term “zerg” is widespread in the gaming world, and is used to describe any mad rush by a large group of enemies)

• Zerg units tend to be very cheap and very expendable. However, they are also very weak in small numbers

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ESPORTS• In recent years, a professional gaming scene has

developed; this has become known as “eSports”• Tournaments with large production values are

regularly hosted for various games; Starcraft 2 is one of the more popular games in the scene

• Tournament prize pools can be in the tens of thousands of dollars, and many professional players make a living off of gaming

• Watching these games and tournaments can be quite like watching a sport, hence the name; a large amount of high-quality Starcraft content is constantly produced on YouTube and other sites and is consumed by large quantities of people for entertainment

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