Starcraft 2 may feature premium user-made maps for a price

[Sedako]

Good news for talented modders, bad news for everyone else. Makes me wonder what else they plan to charge for...

http://kotaku.com/5343006/blizzard-you-may-sell-your-starcraft-2-maps-on-battlenet-eventually

 

[Captain M4d]

Ah. That's what they meant when Blizzard said they were going to do some monetary thing with Battle.net. Why don't they just do what Valve does and hire the best mapmakers?

 

[Lucid]

...You've gotta be ****ing kidding me.

 

[Sedako]

Ah. That's what they meant when Blizzard said they were going to do some monetary thing with Battle.net. Why don't they just do what Valve does and hire the best mapmakers?

I'm thinking that this feature is intended for those who make custom maps, and not simple miltiplayer maps. Maps like DotA and Tower Defense. Still, there are thousands of great free mods for all sorts of PC games, many of which are not limited by models and textures like Blizzard's map-making tools. If Blizzard want to attract a large modding community, I don't feel this is the way to do it.

 

[Kyorisu]

I lol'd when I heard this across the house from my box streaming the panel. Pay for SCII maps, haha funny.

 

[Captain M4d]

SC mapmakers just boners everywhere.

 

[Kyorisu]

Loved at the end.

Aussie guy: Battle.net is a laggy POS.
Blizz dude: We're looking into it.

Sure you are.

 

[<RJMC>]

well I will prepare to learn the map editor

and will make a tower defense but instead of you been the defender,you are the attacker HA! I will be rich

 

[Viperidae]

I wonder if tower defence and dodging games are considered 'premium.'

 

[Sedako]

I wonder if tower defence and dodging games are considered 'premium.'

With the sheer variation of these maps you can find in both SC and WC3, I wouldn't doubt at least one would be up for sale.

 

[Stigmata]

With the sheer variation of these maps you can find in both SC and WC3, I wouldn't doubt at least one would be up for sale.

Right at the bottom of the download rankings.

 

[Sedako]

Right at the bottom of the download rankings.

Most likely, I was sick of these types of games before they became popular. Hell, even Square Enix has a Final Fantasy themed tower defense. Who is still playing these games?

 

[13LACKBISHOP]

 

[Murray]

Eat up, whatever Blizzard shits on plate.

1984th post, coincidence? I think not!

 

[Gargantou]

Glad I'm not interested in Starcraft 2, nor any Blizzard game for that matter.

 

[Captain M4d]

Glad I'm not interested in Starcraft 2, nor any Blizzard game for that matter.

Besides this one flaw, you're missing out on a lot!

 

[Ennui]

Who cares? As long as they let people decide whether to charge for their map or distribute it for free, it doesn't bother me. If they start trying to control the flow of customs and charge for ALL the good ones though regardless of whether the creator wants it to be free, that's when I have a serious problem.

 

[Acepilotf14]

God damnit Blizzard.

 

[Uriel]

Oh Blizzard, you're turning into a steamy bowl of crap.

Valve = Blizzard

Now it's Valve > Blizzard

 

[Stigmata]

B.net2 looks like a poor man's Steam. I think it might be because its unveiling was incredibly rushed. But the interface is messy, wastes tons of space, and leaves lots of space simply... empty. Useless background graphics, menu-cluttering UI fluorishes, and help text on map screens explaining the most fundamental idea behind RTS games does not paint a pretty picture for that service.

 

[CyberPitz]

"WHAT, OMFG BLIZZARD IS GAY NOW HOW COULD THEY DO THIS?"

1.) You don't have to buy.
2.) Map-makers can make money off of their maps.
3.) YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY.

 

[Gunner]

"WHAT, OMFG BLIZZARD IS GAY NOW HOW COULD THEY DO THIS?"

1.) You don't have to buy.
2.) Map-makers can make money off of their maps.
3.) YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY.

People don't like micro-transactions, that's for azn people.

 

[Krynn72]

In after Pitz rushes to Blizzard's defense.

This only pisses me off because Blizzard is going to be making money off of things players made. Its an extremely sleazy way of making more money.

 

[Ennui]

I'm confused as to what people's problem with this is besides the usual RARRGH HOW DARE THEY MAKE MONEY.

 

[CyberPitz]

TBH, it's the map creators choice to put them up for sale. You're acting like they are charging money for maps without the creators agreement. "Sleazy" Yeah, any company that makes money these days is sleazy to people.

 

[Krynn72]

Well for one, it will divide the community according to financial status (those who can stupidly waste money on additional maps, and those who need their money for real things). Richies will be playing paid-for maps all the time, poories will be playing the shitty free ones. Think about day of defeat for example. What if Valve charged for the Avalanche map? It wouldnt have nearly as many players, but those who did have it would still play it all the time and avoid the poor people maps.

Plus this is like if Adobe charged micro-fees for everything a good artists who already paid for photoshop sells. They're making money off the money they already made. I think thats despicable.


EDIT: They're not "making" money at all. They've done nothing in the creation of the content. They wont have earned a damn cent. At best, all they will have done for that product they're getting money from is hosting it on their servers. And I guarantee you they will get a very large portion of the money and the mapper will get jack shit in comparison.

 

[CyberPitz]

So, you're pissed because...? They are charging for maps that people are putting up for sale, FULLY KNOWING how much they will get and what they are doing?

You do realize there will be a shit ton of people that will be making maps and not put them up for charge, so I think you're just raging because Blizzard is going to make some money, and you don't want to pay for *which you don't have to anyway*

You're just bitching to bitch, I think.

*EDIT* Adobe does charge for certain filters, you know?

 

[Kyorisu]

I think buying maps/content is just silly. The community creating free content has been proven to be successful. They talk about rewarding people for their work, well you can do that. Instead of premium maps why not give people who have created awesome content the ability to have a small donation button on their stuff?

So, you're pissed because...?

so I think you're just raging

You're just bitching to bitch, I think.

This attitude annoys me.

 

[Krynn72]

Lets take a step back here. Explain to me why Blizzard deserves to make money off of player created maps.

 

[Acepilotf14]

It's also going to be a bunch of 12 year olds making shitty maps and trying to sell them.
Of course, I'm sure Blizzard will only pick actually good maps to sell.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR DIPLO OR RISK OR SOMETHING

any good map maker should make it free, even if to just preserve their reputation.

 

[CyberPitz]

Only maps that have the majority of the content custom made can be chosen to be sold. So the kids who are making maps probably aren't making their own stuff to that large of an extent.

 

[Krynn72]

Did you purposely overlook my question pitz? Because I'd be happy to declare victory in this argument.

 

[CyberPitz]

Did you purposely overlook my question pitz? Because I'd be happy to declare victory in this argument.

Because it's their content and if someone is willing to pay, then I don't see an issue. This falls into the hands of "If you don't want it, don't buy it." Kinda the same principal on the L4D2 shit.

 

[Kyorisu]

Because it's their content and if someone is willing to pay, then I don't see an issue. This falls into the hands of "If you don't want it, don't buy it." Kinda the same principal on the L4D2 shit.

That's not what he asked.

 

[CyberPitz]

That's not what he asked.

Yes it is. "Why does Blizzard deserve to make money off other players maps."

They are LETTING blizzard do it. Blizzard isn't forcing the selling part at all. They can do the good ol' "Donation" thing like they have before....but if they chose to let Bnet be their selling medium, there is nothing wrong with that.

*EDIT* Hell, I won't be buying any maps at all...don't want to. You don't see me complaining because of this idea?

 

[Kyorisu]

Your post didn't come off anything like this one does.

 

[CyberPitz]

It means the same thing, just one is more "EVE PVP + beer" and the last one is more "Post on hl2.net"

 

[Kyorisu]

Either way I won't be paying for any community made content either. I just wonder how big Blizzard's cut would be. I could understand bandwidth costs as a measurement but I'm sure it'll be more than that.

"Oh sure we recognise your content is awesome and we'll let you sell it, we'll just take all those monies and give you jack"

See what I mean? They'd have to give a really good incentive for offering your content for sale.

 

[Ennui]

^^^ Impossible to judge without more information. Hopefully it will either be a solid cut (~50%) or negotiable between the mapper and Blizzard.

Well for one, it will divide the community according to financial status (those who can stupidly waste money on additional maps, and those who need their money for real things). Richies will be playing paid-for maps all the time, poories will be playing the shitty free ones. Think about day of defeat for example. What if Valve charged for the Avalanche map? It wouldnt have nearly as many players, but those who did have it would still play it all the time and avoid the poor people maps.

I have huge problems with what you're saying here. Some people will buy paid-for maps, and yes, the community will have a minor rift in the sense that some people will never pay for a map and thus will never play those specific maps. However it's not like they're building a wall and saying YOU EITHER PAY FOR ALL THE GOOD MAPS OR YOU PLAY ONLY SHITTY ONES MADE BY TALENTLESS 12 YEAR OLDS. The rift will be small, probably mostly unnoticeable beyond the mere sense of "oh, X map costs money so I'm not playing it."

There will be hundreds of thousands of good free maps just as there will be quality customs that you have to pay for. The fact is that the spirit of such a scene is still FREE FREE FREE. Sure, maybe for an ultra-polished DOTA or Diplo map you can throw down $2 to play it - but there will always, and I mean always be free alternatives that are 95% as good if not 100% or better. Talented mappers will always release their stuff for free. Some will sell out, others won't. The ones who do sell out will just get undercut by people willing to make the same high-quality, polished content and distribute it freely rather than demand compensation. This is why I am not bothered by this whole thing.

Plus this is like if Adobe charged micro-fees for everything a good artists who already paid for photoshop sells. They're making money off the money they already made. I think thats despicable.


EDIT: They're not "making" money at all. They've done nothing in the creation of the content. They wont have earned a damn cent. At best, all they will have done for that product they're getting money from is hosting it on their servers. And I guarantee you they will get a very large portion of the money and the mapper will get jack shit in comparison.

Uhhhhh... what in the **** are you talking about man? Blizzard created the engine, the technology, the universe, the extremely versatile map editor, and tons of content to work with. That's quite a large step in the creation of the content. To make a Starcraft II quality map experience without any of Starcraft II is difficult and would take 1000x the work as you start from scratch to build an engine and tools and everything else needed. Sure you could argue that by purchasing the game you get free unlimited use of all of it but the fact is they have always released excellent editing tools when they are not remotely obligated to (just like our dear friends at Valve). If they want a piece of the pie in exchange for promotion and distribution, that's between them and the mapper. You don't get all bitchy at Valve for them making money off distributing GMod 10, this is no different.

 

[Kyorisu]

I predict at some stage there will be a fallout between premium content creators and Blizzard at some stage. At least this stuff isn't launch material and nobody will have to deal with it until some months after release.