Blizzard remaking old games in HD? It's about time!

[zeoh]

For those that haven't seen the news about it, the rumor is going around due to the posting by blizzard at
us.blizzard.com/en-us/company/careers/posting.html?id=15000XZ

Personally I've been waiting for this for a long time. However, the thought crosses my mind...

Of course these new HD copies of starcraft, diablo 1 and 2, warcraft 1, 2 and 3 (maybe even the lost vikings lol) will be sold at some standard price, which is to be expected. I'm only too happy to spend the 40 or so bucks on an HD diablo 2! But the thought crosses my mind... what if only about half of the diablo 2 players make the switch? Surely the b.net servers for d2 and d2hd won't be cross compatible, so will this end up splitting the available playerbase on each game? Maybe they'll both be underpopulated due to the folks who choose to stick to old D2? Perhaps b.net support for old d2 would eventually end or be cut back even more on server capacity/quality.

Just a thought that crossed my mind. Of course, it could also be that the massive influx of old players coming back for HD will solve any such issue.

[Fawkess]

Most people will flock to the new one because

1. Most computers have problem running old games like these or just cant run them at all

2. It looks a whole lot better (prime motivator to switch)

3. Its a chance for people to experience an old game or play a game they have never played before

[zeoh]

All valid points. My only concern I suppose was due to the fact that many diablo 2 players may not want to spend 40-60 bucks on a remake of what they're already playing. Now that I think about it I'm sure that the HD servers will have no shortage of players, but it will kinda suck for those who will still be on the old version. If not for the game price, perhaps they're playing on an old monolith of a pc that won't handle the HD remake.

Again, nothing that affects me but just spitballing about the community impact.

[KrazyK923]

It's also exceptionally obnoxious to record the older games, Warcraft 3 especially.

I can run current gen games at at least very high graphical settings while recording, but I need to drop War 3 and Frozen Throne to low otherwise it's entirely unrecordable.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

HD remakes would be a mega cash cow; the plot and setting and core systems are already there, so the game designers already have 80% of their work cut out for them. They just have to bring it up to modern standards, use new game design innovations to make them more accessible & intuitive, and possibly add new missions/refine the storyline. The vast majority of the work would simply be actually programming the game, and with the SC2 engine being a thing (and has proven to be quite flexible, considering it's use for SC2 (See Heroes of the Storm), they could easily just hijack that engine and bingo; mostly making adjustments and bug fixes. That'd cut the usual development budget by tens of percents. Still won't be cheap, but certainly easily affordable with guaranteed profit.

[ComputerNerd]

GOG shows there is still a demand for the old games, if you can get them running.
DOSBox works wonders for some, but official updates for modern systems would be even better.

[Jakexe]

They need to do warcraft 1 and 2. It's a task getting those to work.

If they're just HD remakes I'll probably skip all but diablo as I dont even have my discs for that anymore. W3 and SC still work perfectly.

[endersblade]

WC 1-3 and SC 1 in the SC2 engine. That would be amazing.

[zeoh]

WC 1-3 and SC 1 in the SC2 engine. That would be amazing.

True. And I suppose updated b.net support for the older titles would be a huge improvement too. The old game lobby for starcraft and wc3 got a bit tedious to keep refreshing in order to find a decent game of enfos or footman wars (or the many many open rpg maps i played).

And ANY actual b.net support for super old titles like diablo 1 would actually be a first. As I recall it only supported direct connection multiplayer.

[Detritivores]

WC1 would need some serious updating to even be playable in my opinion. I recently did get it installed and lasted about 3 minutes. It's just super wonky to control anything or group units or do anything we're used to in an RTS now, even in WC2...

Still, this is definitely an exciting possibility.

[Deleted]

how long before people start crying about
HD Vanilla servers ?

great news about old games getting some loving though

[Shelly]

I'd actually really like a fully remastered version of the Diablo series, meaning not only gameplay but cut scenes and voice acting as well as story to close all the various plot holes.

You could make something really tight.

[Deleted]

Man I'd love to play some of the older games polished up.

[Thage]

how long before people start crying about
HD Vanilla servers ?

great news about old games getting some loving though

Somewhat on topic, just the other day I was pondering how neat it would be to have a Vanilla, BC, Wrath, or MoP server that used the WoD HD character models.

Firmly on-topic: I'm guessing they figured the potential outweighs any risk of splitting the existing user base for Starcraft/Brood War, Warcraft III/Frozen Throne, and Diablo II/Lord of Destruction. I'm sure that there's also a lot of existing fans, like myself, whom have entirely more trouble than is necessary getting those games to run on my/their current rig because Windows is a butthole, so updated rereleases (even if, say, the WC3/Starcraft rereleases used the SC2 engine) would be worth the money just to avoid the headaches and enjoy an old favorite with some under-the-hood improvements and a slick coat of new paint.

[zeoh]

Somewhat on topic, just the other day I was pondering how neat it would be to have a Vanilla, BC, Wrath, or MoP server that used the WoD HD character models.

Firmly on-topic: I'm guessing they figured the potential outweighs any risk of splitting the existing user base for Starcraft/Brood War, Warcraft III/Frozen Throne, and Diablo II/Lord of Destruction. I'm sure that there's also a lot of existing fans, like myself, whom have entirely more trouble than is necessary getting those games to run on my/their current rig because Windows is a butthole, so updated rereleases (even if, say, the WC3/Starcraft rereleases used the SC2 engine) would be worth the money just to avoid the headaches and enjoy an old favorite with some under-the-hood improvements and a slick coat of new paint.

As much as I agree with you on this, I'm afraid they've been far too adamant about not making such servers to really change their minds. I SUPPOSE that the degree of success these HD remakes show could possibly persuade them otherwise, but I believe it is far more likely that they would just develop an entirely new MMO before they would make legacy servers. "Starcraft: Universe" / "Realm of Sanctuary" anyone?

[Lillyth]

We already have a thread on this. http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...akes-happening!

[zeoh]

We already have a thread on this.

Actually that thread is located in the World of Warcraft sub-forum but has nothing to do with WoW. But thanks!

I wonder if they'll release D2 and LoD as a HD bundle or if they'll be seperate like they were. Same for SC and Brood War, WC3 and Frozen Throne.
My guess is that they'll just be the expansion, but there are even still those that prefer to play the original Diablo 2 without the expansion installed. Wonder if that will be an option.

[Lillyth]

Actually that thread is located in the World of Warcraft sub-forum but has nothing to do with WoW. But thanks!

I wonder if they'll release D2 and LoD as a HD bundle or if they'll be seperate like they were. Same for SC and Brood War, WC3 and Frozen Throne.
My guess is that they'll just be the expansion, but there are even still those that prefer to play the original Diablo 2 without the expansion installed. Wonder if that will be an option.

It is in the general discussion, since it concerns Blizzard, Blizzard games, that is fine and a moderator would have already moved it, if it had to be moved.
Again, you are just duplicating threads.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

It is in the general discussion, since it concerns Blizzard, Blizzard games, that is fine and a moderator would have already moved it, if it had to be moved.
Again, you are just duplicating threads.

General discussion for World of Warcraft.

Your argument would have the StarCraft thread moved to the general discussion sub forum for World of Warcraft as well, considering 1. The mods adamantly refuse to give it a sub forum of it's own and 2. It's a Blizzard game. I do not see logic in this claim.

- - - Updated - - -

Actually that thread is located in the World of Warcraft sub-forum but has nothing to do with WoW. But thanks!

I wonder if they'll release D2 and LoD as a HD bundle or if they'll be seperate like they were. Same for SC and Brood War, WC3 and Frozen Throne.
My guess is that they'll just be the expansion, but there are even still those that prefer to play the original Diablo 2 without the expansion installed. Wonder if that will be an option.

Expansions will probably be baked into the remakes, as is the norm nowadays with remakes of expansions.

[Zeta333]

Misleading title is missleading. They are hiring someone to make sure old games are compatable with newer OS's. Not to do HD remakes.