Starcraft: Ghost [What could of been]

[MKing]

http://media.cube.ign.com/media/489/489844/imgs_1.html

Screenshots, trailers, etc..

Game was worked on for years by blizzard, then they cancelled it

They should have released it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/StarCraft:_Ghost


Blizzard Entertainment® South Hall # 1200

StarCraft: Ghost™ Story Summary

It has been four years since the Brood War Conflict ended within the ravaged
Koprulu Sector. In that time, Sarah Kerrigan, the self-styled Queen of Blades,
has become the undisputed ruler of the zerg Swarm – and the most
powerful entity in the galaxy. Emperor Arcturus Mengsk, Kerrigan’s sworn
enemy, has rebuilt much of his Terran Dominion and consolidated a new military
force despite the ever-present threat of the zerg.

Mengsk, with the aid of his newly appointed advisor - General Horace Warfield -
has begun a clandestine research project code-named Project: Shadow Blade.
This covert program utilizes a rare and deadly form of gas known as terrazine
to alter the genetic makeup of the Dominion’s psychic Ghost operatives.
These Ghosts are transformed into terrifying Spectres – shadowy
superhuman beings bent on executing the will of their true master.

In this boiling cauldron of strife and subversion, the young Ghost known as
Nova has come of age. Having received years of intensive physical and psychic
training, Nova has become the Dominion’s most lethal and promising Ghost
in years. Utilizing a combination of pure physical aptitude, innate psychic
power, and advanced technology, Nova can infiltrate any situation and strike
without being seen or heard. Like a phantom in the shadows, she exists only as
a myth to the enemies of the Dominion she serves.

Yet, despite her skill and cunning, Nova is about to uncover a conspiracy that
will force her to question her deepest loyalties as well as her own identity.
Ensnared in a bitter struggle between the Dominion and the rebel Koprulu
Liberation Front, Nova will embark upon a perilous mission to uncover the
frightening truth behind Project: Shadow Blade. Now, the dark path that Nova
must tread threatens to not only change her forever - but upset the very
balance of the galaxy.


StarCraft: Ghost™ Questions & Answers

Q: What is StarCraft: Ghost?
A: StarCraft: Ghost is a tactical-action console game set in the
StarCraft® universe.

Q: How will StarCraft: Ghost be different from other tactical-action console
games?
A: StarCraft: Ghost will be different from other tactical-action games in many
ways. Taking on the role of Nova, the game's elite Ghost operative hero,
players will be able to:

Q: What new features have been added since Swingin’ Ape Studios took
over co-development of StarCraft: Ghost?
A: Swingin’ Ape has reconstructed the game engine and redesigned the
single-player campaign. The majority of its work, though, has involved
designing and implementing StarCraft: Ghost’s new multiplayer features,
which include:

Q: Why did Blizzard Entertainment® enter the console arena?
A: We began our early development efforts in console gaming, and we have
always been excited about returning to this arena. Additionally, we've wanted
to revisit the StarCraft universe for some time. With StarCraft: Ghost, we are
able to do both. Also, due to the game's control interface and tactical-action
nature, developing this title for the console systems makes the most sense. In
addition to expanding StarCraft's rich storyline, the game gives players a
chance to experience the sci-fi universe from an all-new perspective.

Q: When will StarCraft: Ghost be released?
A: While we have not yet announced a street date for StarCraft: Ghost, we
anticipate that the game will be complete in the first half of 2006. However,
as with all of our games, we will not release StarCraft: Ghost until it meets
the high standards that Blizzard gamers and our development teams demand.

Q: Who is developing StarCraft: Ghost?
A: StarCraft: Ghost is being created by Blizzard’s console development
team. The team is largely made up of members of the former Swingin’ Ape
Studios, which was purchased by Blizzard in May 2005.

Q: Why did Blizzard purchase Swingin’ Ape Studios?
A: Blizzard’s roots are in console development, and we’ve long
desired to return to creating games for the console platforms, with StarCraft:
Ghost being our first step in that direction. The Swingin’ Ape team has
impressed us with their work on the game and their overall approach to game
development in general. We also work very well together, so the transition
made sense on many levels.

Q: What were the terms of the acquisition?
A: The terms of our arrangement with Swingin’ Ape Studios are
undisclosed.

Q: How many people make up the console development team?
A: Blizzard’s console development team consists of approximately 40
employees. The team includes some the industry’s most-talented
developers, with more than 50 games’ worth of collective design and
development experience across all major platforms. The team is led by Steve
Ranck, Blizzard’s vice president of console development and formerly
Swingin’ Ape Studios’ president, as well as its co-founder.

Q: Does Blizzard plan to develop any other console games?
A: While we have not made any announcements, Blizzard does intend to develop
future console titles.

Q: What rating do you expect for StarCraft: Ghost?
A: With StarCraft: Ghost still in development, it’s too early to
determine what ESRB rating it will receive. Right now, we’re wholly
focused on making StarCraft: Ghost into a Blizzard-quality console game, and
we will have a better idea of what rating it will receive as we get closer to
release.

Q: On what platforms will StarCraft: Ghost be available?
A: StarCraft: Ghost will be available on the Xbox™, GameCube™, and
Playstation® 2.

Q: Will there be a PC and Mac version?
A: No. StarCraft: Ghost is being developed for console systems only.

Q: How many copies of StarCraft have been sold?
A: To date, the StarCraft franchise has shipped over 9 million copies.

Q: Is this StarCraft II?
A: No.

Q: Will there be a StarCraft® II? When?
A: Although we have not made any announcements and do not have a development
or release timeline, we do fully intend to revisit the world of StarCraft on
PC at some point in the future.

StarCraft: Ghost™ Multiplayer Modes

Now that the multiplayer component for Ghost has been revealed, it’s
time to take a closer look at the unique game modes that Swingin’ Ape
has introduced to the game. Ghost will boast the usual collection of
multiplayer modes, such as Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and
King of the Hill. However, even these game modes will have a unique twist to
them, to make them fit the theme of StarCraft and to inspire more strategic
play. In addition to traditional game types and StarCraft-flavored variants,
Ghost will also introduce an entirely new game mode that fits perfectly in the
setting – Capture the Base.

Capture the Base Mode

In Capture the Base mode, two teams of players square off on opposite sides of
a simple map. Floating in the middle of this map is an empty Terran factory.
Terran buildings can be captured and taken in the StarCraft strategy game, and
in Ghost, they make for a perfect competitive multiplayer environment.

The goal of Capture the Base is to fly into the Terran factory and gain
control of it in order to fly it back to your start point. The team that holds
the base for a set amount of time wins the scenario. Of course, doing so is
much easier said than done. First, you need to get into the floating factory,
which you can only do by flying into it with a Grizzly fighter-bomber. Once
inside, you’ll need to locate the central control room and maneuver the
base back to your side. But while you’re doing this, the other team
could be fighting a pitched battle within the factory trying to wrest control
of it from you. And even if you should manage to bring it back to your base,
the other team could always storm the factory and steal it back from you.

The initial Capture the Base map for play at the Electronic Entertainment Expo
features several of the StarCraft vehicles. There are two Grizzlies –
one for each side – which can be used to fly into the floating base and
utilized for air support as well. Also available for use on each side is a
Siege Tank, Stinger two-person jeep, and Vulture. Using these vehicles,
players can hunt down members of the other team and protect the base once
it’s captured.

Victory won’t automatically go to the team that first captures the base.
Instead, one team must hold the base for a set number of minutes, which gives
the other team a chance to take it back. However, the number of minutes you
must hold the base need not be cumulative. That means teams can keep stealing
it from each other in pitched battles that rage across the sky as the base is
tugged back and forth between both sides of the map. Once a team accumulates
the total necessary minutes – whether that’s at one time or over
several instances – that team is declared the winner, and another
exciting game of Capture the Base can commence once again.

StarCraft: Ghost™ Multiplayer Characters

In StarCraft: Ghost, players will get to experience two equally fun and
compelling styles of gameplay: the single-player campaign and multiplayer
games. While the main character in the single-player story is Nova, in
multiplayer, players can choose from among four characters to play. Each of
these characters has unique weaponry and special abilities to differentiate
themselves from the competition.

Ghost: Although Nova isn’t playable in multiplayer games, this highly
trained Ghost is. She’s a virtual replica of Nova, with psi powers and
sophisticated weapons at her disposal. The Ghost has access to cloaking and
psi vision, but not psi speed in multiplayer games. However, these two powers
still give the Ghost a unique advantage among multiplayer characters. The
Ghost is also one of only two multiplayer characters that can pilot vehicles
like the Vulture, Grizzly fighter-bomber, and Siege Tank. Her array of talents
means she is the only character that can employ stealth, kill from afar with
one-shot precision, and lockdown enemy vehicles.
Available Weaponry: BOSUN FN92 Sniper Rifle, E11 Lockdown Device, E16 Lockdown
Grenade, BE3 Sticky Grenade

Light Infantry: A common enemy for Nova in the single-player game, the Light
Infantry is surprisingly versatile and efficient in multiplayer games. Without
the heavy armor of the Marine, the Light Infantry can’t take much of a
beating, but he has the widest array of weapons at his beck and call, and he
can pilot vehicles as adeptly as the Ghost. The Light Infantry can also place,
use, and repair sentry guns for use throughout the various multiplayer maps.
Available Weaponry: Gauss Rifle, BE3 Sticky Grenade, Automated Chaingun,
Armored Flak Gun, Torrent SR 8 Shotgun, Decloaking Device

Marine: The Marine is the heavy artillery of Ghost multiplayer games.
Outfitted with a complete suit of power-armor, he can withstand the most
amount of punishment from enemy players. And despite appearances, the bulky
armor doesn’t detract from the Marine’s speed, as the power-
assisted leg motors give the Marine a fast top running speed. However, the
heavy armor does prevent the Marine from piloting vehicles. While the
Marine’s weapon options are limited, those that he can use are long-
ranged and very powerful.
Available Weaponry: Flak Pistol, Heavy Gauss Rifle, Grenades

Firebat: Like the Marine, the Firebat wears heavy armor for increased
protection and faster movement. But the similarities end there. The Firebat is
a lethal expert in close-range combat, thanks to his Perdition Flamethrowers,
which can annihilate nearby targets quickly and immolate surrounding terrain.
To deal with long-range targets, the Firebat has two fire modes for his Napalm
Rockets. One mode enables the Firebat to point the rocket towards its target
with a laser sight, while the second mode actually lets the Firebat guide the
rocket directly. However, while in this mode, the Firebat is highly vulnerable
to attack.
Available Weaponry: Perdition Flamethrower, Napalm Rockets

StarCraft: Ghost™ Key Features

Utilize a Wide Range of Elite Ghost Abilities
- Outmaneuver your enemies at sonic speed
- Infiltrate bases and sneak past guards using the cloak ability
- Lock down vehicles and electronic devices to immobilize them
- Engage in both face-to-face firefights and planet-scale warfare

Leverage the Resources of an Entire Army
- Call down massive Battlecruiser and Siege Tank strikes
- Take control of familiar StarCraft vehicles
- Wield a variety of weapons, such as the Perdition Flamethrower, Gauss Rifle,
and Torrent Shotgun
- Join your allies in battle and do your part to ensure mission success

Experience the World of StarCraft in 3D
- See the world of StarCraft on a personal level
- Visit Mar Sara, Ash 'Arak, Vyctor 5, and other planetary settings
- Explore 3D environments designed for strategic interaction
- As Nova, players will be able to hang from wires, climb poles and scale
walls, and negotiate tightropes

Unveil the Next Chapter in the StarCraft Saga
- Experience story-driven missions complete with multiple plot twists
- Play a crucial role in the rich StarCraft history
- Engage in combat with a variety of fully rendered characters from the
StarCraft universe, including well-known Terran, Zerg, and Protoss units
- Online play for Xbox on Xbox Live and for Playstation® 2 on
Battle.net®
- Unique competitive game modes, including Capture the Base mode, where two
teams of players vie for control of a single floating Terran base
- Playable multiplayer characters drawn from the StarCraft universe, including
the Ghost, Marine, Firebat, and Light Infantry

[Larynx]

Would have been pretty fun to play Starcraft as something other than an RTS.

[Jewster925]

I remember seeing this in an issue of GamePro back in the day when they first announced it. I thought it looked cool and was a cool concept that could have further built on the whole story. Who knows, maybe the sequels would be "Starcraft: Dark Templar" and "Starcraft: Hydralisk"

[MKing]

I remember seeing this in an issue of GamePro back in the day when they first announced it. I thought it looked cool and was a cool concept that could have further built on the whole story. Who knows, maybe the sequels would be "Starcraft: Dark Templar" and "Starcraft: Hydralisk"

Yeah i too saw it in GamePro first, i was pretty excited for it after reading about it.

[Reluctant]

Starcraft Baneling would be the best.

[Anjerith]

They didn't work on it for "years", they put out some info on it, including screenshots, and then abandoned it shortly thereafter.

The problem with the pre-facebook age of the internet is that they did not bother to publicly announce its abandonment.

[SirRobin]

Hehe... StarCraft: Zergling - Be the Zerg.

[MKing]

They didn't work on it for "years", they put out some info on it, including screenshots, and then abandoned it shortly thereafter.

The problem with the pre-facebook age of the internet is that they did not bother to publicly announce its abandonment.

Working on it from 2002-2006 isnt years?

it was presented at E3 2005, so yes it was publicly announced.

[Jewster925]

Starcraft: Need More Vespin Gas

[Wilian]

No, it wouldn't have been great. Remember Command&Conquer: Renegade ?!? It was almost the same thing and it was mediocre. Blizzard realized this and pulled the plug rather than release a mediocre game.

No, it was canned because the developement just kept dragging on and on in true Blizzard style, and since it was to be a PS2 it would've been horridly out of date as the new generation of consoles was approaching/launched already.

[Arteous]

Starcraft Baneling would be the best.

Would of been great but then people would complain that the game was too short as you only get to kill 1 thing.


looking thru the pics maybe they canceled it because they thought they might get sued for taking too much from aliens/warhammer 40k tyranids and halo (look at the pics of the jeep with the gun on the back allmost exact replica of a warthog.) back then blizz wasn't the juggernaught they are now.

[Restos3]

I was so waiting for this game. Would of been great if they cared enough to release it

[MKing]

Would have been pretty fun to play Starcraft as something other than an RTS.

Yeah i hope blizzard tests the water with something non rts/rpg in the future, maybe titan will be that, who knows.

[Jeffyjimbob]

Weird, I was cleaning house about a week ago, found an old blizzard catalog in a box and saw this. I just thought "huh, I forgot all about that..."

[fartman69]

I remember waiting for then all of a sudden hearing nothing at all about it, it was just weird...I was pretty sad when I heard the game was not gonna be released.

[slipn]

Who knows...maybe they'll pick it back up in the future.

[D_K_night]

I think Blizzard canned it for some of the same reasons they killed off that Warcraft Adventures game which was like Monkey Island. There were going to be other games out which simply did the particular genre much better. It was just going to be ending up as a shallow imitation of some other covert ops type games(I can't remember anymore, but just picture the military theme, and you're this shadowy assassin-type guy with googles, the ability to climb walls, other stealth elements, that sorta thing.

IMO the whole stealth thing was becoming over saturated at the time with the Thief games and the other knock offs. Even with the Starcraft theme, the demo you could plainly see and hear how they recycled some of the unit greetings(the siege tank "greeting was exactly the same), so there a lot of recycled audio and stuff. Sure this doesn't matter to some of you, but it does it give a bit of a same-same feel. I think Blizzard realized that in the end, it just wasn't going to be that good of a game, and canned the project.

[Jon]

It's "could have", not "could of".

<Infracted: Please do not correct users for grammar or spelling>

[MKing]

It's "could have", not "could of".

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<Infracted: Please post constructively>

[Wildmoon]

Rob Pardo once said that many company would release SC:Ghost in that state.