Starcraft II Battle.net Marketplace

[Neo]

Well the most recent poll ended and it looks like the answers weren't as obvious the other poll asking you guys which game you wanted first. Most of you agreed that we would see SC:G as bonus or premium content. On the other hand it also seems like quite a few of you think Blizzard is just teasing us. And there's still the console holdouts, desperately clinging to the hope that they'll see:

http://blizzforums.com/images/news/scg360.jpg
ps: it's been photoshopped, you can tell by the pixels.

<div style="border: 1px solid #333; background-color: #111; width: 400px; padding: 10px;">Starcraft: Ghost, Is it Possible?

Yes, as premium content: 20.93%
Yes, as bonus content: 34.88%
Maybe, but I'm still hoping for a console release! 16.28%
No, they're just teasing us: 27.91%

Total number of votes: 43</div>

It's time for the new poll, and this week the topic is the SC2 Marketplace. There seems to be a divide forming between fans relating to this topic, those who support the idea, and those who oppose it. There are also people worried about how it will work -- will we see an influx of App-Store like 99 cent "lite maps"? So what do you say BlizzForums?

What do you think of the SC2 "Marketplace" for Customs/Maps?

[CajunMan]

Uhg paying for custum maps? Wtf is this crap I will not.

[dʞ]

With the success of DOTA it was bound to happen.

[Paxel]

Love the idea. But to pay for stuff, after you buy the game? Meh.

[DemonLORD]

I'll have to see how blizzard does this, it just sounds very imposible that there wont be any piracy..Either the map thats on sale will need to be as succesful as DOTA or everything will go to hell..

[Kaervek]

I voted "Awesome, I can make money by creating cool maps?!", not because I'm likely to have any interest in creating maps, but because it's good to see that those of us who do put in the time and effort to create such content can be compensated for it.

I'm sure there will be countless, high-quality free customs, too. But what's bad about giving people an incentive to keep creating them, particularly given the complexity that we can see that the new editor is capable of?
I'll have to see how blizzard does this, it just sounds very imposible that there wont be any piracy..Either the map thats on sale will need to be as succesful as DOTA or everything will go to hell..
I think comparing the new map-creation engine to the previous is like comparing apples to oranges. There's far more variety possible, so limiting your expectations to DOTA is a tad short-sighted imo.

[dʞ]

I'm really concerned that it's going to turn into a microsoft esque - lets release a map with a ton of bugs but that is really cool so we can charge people twice - type system. Either that or there will just be a bunch of clones of successful maps out there with people trying to abuse the system.

I dunno I like the idea but it'll either be a total waste of time (like Microsofts indie games) or a great way for people to take advantage of others.

[DemonLORD]

I think comparing the new map-creation engine to the previous is like comparing apples to oranges. There's far more variety possible, so limiting your expectations to DOTA is a tad short-sighted imo.

i was using DOTA as an example, because you'll need the same quality that DOTA has now for you to charge others, otherwise is just a rip off

[LXM]

It's cool to have all maps in one place, but I doubt that a lot of people will pay for custom maps. I think it's counter-productive since customer maps often rely on a high amount of players to be fun.

[Spychi]

It doesn't mean that everyone who made a single map will demand money for it.
It's a good thing, also this will allow small groups of map makers to make excelent mods and stuff.
I like the idea.

[LXM]

wtf is up with mass spammers... its not like we're that popular...

[Kaervek]

lol in your face, lxm. and i'm still repping him for the best spam-bot name EVAR.

[LXM]

District 9 looks cool.

[Neo]

I still think that Blizzard is aiming the "get money for your stuff!" at good developers, whether they're individuals or actual studios. I've been discussing this over on starcraft.org a bit -- the idea here is that SC2 will basically be an engine for other games.

who knew a portal would contain all the spam like that, zomg

[DemonLORD]

thats the good side of it but there will always be dudes who will charge for lower quality maps..Blizzard will need to ask for the developers to show some kind of demo..

[TwoTimer]

The reason TMA took off was because at first all the BF related people played it, then friends, then friends of friends, etc. Then people had to feel they had a part of its development cycle and made its own and crowned it like they thought of it itself and soon you had full macro wars in the middle of the map lol.

Money isnt an issue cause if u told someone two or more years ago you're going to play for SC2 THREE TIMES they'd say you were nuts. Yet we're all going to do that. Money is in the end irrelevant when it comes to good content.

[Adron]

thats the good side of it but there will always be dudes who will charge for lower quality maps..Blizzard will need to ask for the developers to show some kind of demo..
my thoughts as well. First a map will have to prove itself good, only can one expect people to pay for it. But even then...it all somehow makes me feel things will cost more and more in future, and many people wont like it, making a downward spiral.

[Amok]

With the success of DOTA it was bound to happen.

The success of Dota is probably, at least in part, due to the fact that it was a free mod. If they make you pay for Dota 2, people will probably accept it, just like most people don't mind paying for Counter-Strike Source. However, no one is going to pay for a mod that isn't true and tested, and the only way it's gonna be true and tested is if it is available for free.

Conclusion: This ain't gonna work.