What sets Blizzard apart from most other devs?

[Lyric Suite]

Then why did Blizzard North jump ship? Blizzard is owned by Vivendi/Universal, and are not independent although their cancellations would let one suspect otherwise. As long as they have success I think VU will let them do whatever they want, as long as it sticks to the big selling franchises of course.

Blizzard were originally an indipendent company and i think Blizzard North jumped ship exactly after the company sold to Vivendi.

They still enjoy considerable freedom but i think they are no longer what they used to be...

 

[Ryuken]

Then why did Blizzard North jump ship? Blizzard is owned by Vivendi/Universal, and are not independent although their cancellations would let one suspect otherwise. As long as they have success I think VU will let them do whatever they want, as long as it sticks to the big selling franchises of course.

Blizzard were originally an indipendent company and think Blizzard North jumped ship exactly after the company sold to Vivendi.

They still enjoy considerable freedom but i think they are no longer what they used to be...

Hmm, I thought they were really 'sold' alongside with Sierra when their parent company Cendant Corporation got into trouble (and they indeed got all the freedom they wanted from them). That is several years ago, Vivendi bought them then, pretty much raped most Sierra franchises and made it just a label but apparently Blizzard could do whatever they wanted though which I think is because even then they were scoring hits like no-one else.

The trouble with the folks from Blizzard North only came when Vivendi was doubting to sell their game division as a whole and never communicated with Blizzard about it (two years ago I think). I don't think we'll ever know how much power VU has (had) over them but VU would be fools if they would ever doubt to sell them again if you see that WoW pretty much keeps on saving their financial results. Maybe VU wants to see even more cash and take more control of it now.

 

[Sentenza]

I know the mighty Codex don't like Blizzard games, but you cannot argue with the numbers, now can you?

For what it matters, I kinda like Blizz games; however, I didn't expect RPG coming from them...

Besides, you're answered your own questions

 

[Romanian_Dude2005]

They are the most respect and succesfull PC game company because every other game company that could compete or even criple Blizzard are now selling their games on consoles, which leaves Blizzard with little to no competition on what is now decading platform (with the exception of Maxis). So when every other company moves to PS3 or Xbox360, Blizzard will profit from the every desperate PC fan left

 

[Top Hat]

Too bad Maxis were bought by EA...

I find it amusing to be old enough to remember when EA actually involved in things that were extremely good. Deluxe Paint, for those Amigophiles? Best graphics software I've ever owned - too bad I had it when I was 6...

 

[kingcomrade]

I like Blizzard games. After Dune 2, Warcraft 2 was the first strategy game I've played (first pirated game I've played as well, on my friend's computer). I love Total Annihilation and overall I think it is the more elegant game, but Starcraft is frankly more fun. The setting, the units, etc.

I just wish they didn't have that stupid limit on selectable troops. Ugh. In a game with a 200 population limit where your basic soldier only takes up 1, you can only select 12 people at once? Ugh.

I played Diablo to death. It's still a very fun multiplayer game if you can find a friend to play with. Diablo 2 wasn't nearly as good but it was still a great game (if ugly).

I didn't expect RPG coming from them...

Blizzard is good at artwork but they are TERRIBLE when it comes to storytelling. The SC story wasn't bad but most of the rest of their stuff is either dreck (Warcraft) or somewhat uninteresting (Diablo). Diablo has excellent artwork and design but the story and setting are terribly generic.

They're also really bad at naming things...they have an obsession with the word "Fel" and every other proper noun is just two words squashed together or random letters with an appostrophe in there somewhere.

 

[Higher Game]

I just wish they didn't have that stupid limit on selectable troops. Ugh. In a game with a 200 population limit where your basic soldier only takes up 1, you can only select 12 people at once? Ugh.

That's the beauty of Starcraft. It's not just a TBS game, it's TBT. Tactics become hugely important and solid micromanagement is essential when so few units can be selected at once. Unlike Warcraft 3 (with its stupidly small unit limit, heroes, and other crap), however, macromanagement is also key. Starcraft's balance between the two makes it wonderful.

I played Diablo to death. It's still a very fun multiplayer game if you can find a friend to play with. Diablo 2 wasn't nearly as good but it was still a great game (if ugly).

Diablo and Diablo 2 were great. I like Diablo 2's teamwork emphasis and both games' complexity. They're almost like action roguelikes, and they do take a lot of influence from them.

 

[suibhne]

That's the beauty of Starcraft. It's not just a TBS game, it's TBT.

Actually, it's not TB anything.

 

[Dmitron]

What sets Blizzard apart from most other devs?

The most Hype ever.

 

[Nightjed]

I played Diablo to death. It's still a very fun multiplayer game if you can find a friend to play with. Diablo 2 wasn't nearly as good but it was still a great game (if ugly).

They ruined Diablo 2 by adding a set storyline and forcing you to follow it, i still play d2 sometimes but i dread each time i reach act3 or i have to enter the maggot lair with a minion build (on any small bulding for that matter) ugh..., also, just like the 12 selected troops in sc, just answer me why the hell couldnt they make "buff" spells just spend mana all the time instead of forcing you to recast them all the freaking time

 

[TalesfromtheCrypt]

don't forget the dota-kids. Fucking annoying pests. I swear. I hated WC3 simply for that alone >_<

You mean these?