So what’s better than fighting the hoards of hell in Diablo III with friends? Fighting the hoards of hell with people in other regions of the world, right!

Yes, Blizzard has introduced us to Global Play. Players play with characters in their home region (determined by where you live), Global Play gives the ability for players to switch regions through the options menu before or after logging in.

Just keep in mind that characters, items, and friends lists do not transfer. So switching regions means you will need to start over in that region. As for the auction house, you will be placed in a gold-based auction so players from other regions cannot buy or sell in the real-money auction house.

Servers are broken down into regions like this: The Americas grouping US, Latin America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia. Europe contains Eastern Europe, Russia, Africa, Middle East countries such as Israel and United Arab Emirates. Finally, Asia, which contains South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.

So no longer are you alone in the blight against the hoards of hell. Be sure you preorder Diablo III which comes out in just a few weeks on May 15.

Source: [Battle.net]

I’ve kept you guys waiting long enough for my review of the second series of StarCraft 2 action figures, and as promised I’ve got the whole shebang on these two new additions to the StarCraft 2 collection: Tychus Findlay and Sarah Kerrigan.  So, what’s the good and the bad points of these figures? What sets them apart from the first series, and most importantly — has DC Unlimited held up their quality this time around for StarCraft collectors like myself?  Read on my friends, to get the answers to all these questions and more.

Before we dive into both models, I’d like to point out a couple of things.  First, while these may seem like robust action figures, don’t be so quick to handle them without caution.  Especially Kerrigan. This may not be the case for every one that ships, but both of mine had their weaknesses that I feel they’re worth mentioning. Second, I received a large number of questions regarding the assembly of certain parts on my review of the Series 1 StarCraft 2 Action Figures.  I did my best to answer them all, but this time around I’m going to include more thorough details on assembly. Sound good? Good! Let’s do this.

Terran Marine: Tychus Findlay Action Figure

Tychus Findlay, the rugged convict we all know from the StarCraft 2 campaign. Bringing this character to life is no easy task, but DC Unlimited did a damn fine job.  Right off the bat, he’s a heavy handful.  And I say that with no exaggeration.  Even compared to Kerrigan and Series 1 figures — the Tychus figure is the heaviest.

Standing nearly nine inches in height, the Tychus action figure is riddled with detail everywhere from head to toe.  His helmet can be pulled down to cover his face, and on the front of his armor is written “Suck it Down” with a skull and crossbones. There are scratches to show the imperfections that come with war on his shoulder pads and legs. The number 435 is labeled on his shoulder pads, and there’s plenty of detail put into the hoses, wiring, and jet boosters on his back.

In terms of flexibility, Tychus can be adjusted to a few different stances but he’s no Olympic Gymnast.  You can rotate his arms from front to back, flex mid-arm, and his hands can be rotated. As for his hands: The right hand is able to be adjusted only to fit the included rifle appropriately, however, the left hand is stiff, and is not meant to be tampered with.  The legs on Tychus are fairly similar. Flexible at the knees, and even the tongue of his steel boots can be lifted or lowered slightly.  The great thing about this action figure being as heavy as it is, you hardly have to worry about him falling over!

Alright so let’s talk assembly.  Tychus comes with a lightweight rifle that is meant to fit in his right hand.  To do this, simply push out his pointer finger to leave room to set the handle of the rifle in.  You want the pointer finger to go into the trigger opening (naturally), and his thumb and remaining fingers to wrap around the pistol grip.  It may seem a bit confusing at first but it’s actually quite simple.  One you’ve got the gun in his hand you’re all set.  If it still seems like it’s going to fall out of his hand, that’s normal.  The grip is not strong with this one.

There’s no additional pieces that come with the Tychus action figure, not even a custom mounting plate for him to stand on like all the other StarCraft 2 action figures.  But as I stated before, he’s plenty heavy enough to not need any additional support to stand.

Pros:  

The detail in the armor is outstanding.  I couldn’t be much more happier with that.  The weight of this action figure makes me feel like I purchased a good, quality figure.  The ability to pull down his helmet shield is a plus for me, since I’m not a fan of the detail in his face (see cons).  He’s plenty adjustable for standing on my display, and I never have to worry about him miraculously falling over.

Cons:

I’ll begin with the face. I’m no action figure manufacturer, but I felt like with the amount of detail that went into the rest of Tychus, the face could and should have been a lot more similar to the game.  Yes, he does have a scar, but he still looks like a plain-jane G.I. Joe.  Maybe I’m nitpicking here, but I’m just calling it as I see it.

The left shoulder pad falls off continuously while handling him.  There’s two square holes on the inside of the shoulder pad that are meant to snap in the protruding pegs on his shoulder, yet it still finds its way to the floor every time I move him around.  It’s a bit irritating, so if you run into this issue I’d suggest setting him where you want him, then snapping on the shoulder pad to avoid any additional frustration.

The included rifle felt a bit cheap.  It’s detailed quite nicely, however, compared to the rest of Tychus this thing is like paperweight.  I also wish the rifle sat more securely in his grip, and not so loosely. Even though he’s a heavy bastard, I would of liked to see a cool plate included.  Maybe a Stalker’s remnants, or even a simple piece of lava-coated landscape.

Queen of Blades: Sarah Kerrigan Action Figure

She’s the bad bitch of the StarCraft 2 universe, and we’re getting up close and personal with her in the upcoming Heart of the Swarm expansion.  The Kerrigan action figure stands around eleven inches tall with her blades intact.  She’s an aggressive looking action figure, and rightly so.  With her blades, she appears as evil as portrayed in the game, but touch her the wrong way and you may regret it.

Just taking the Kerrigan action figure out of the box, you feel the stabs from every which way.  She’s got spines on her arms, legs, waists, and her hair will even take a jab at you if you’re not careful.  She comes separated from her blades, which can be found behind the actual figurine in the box, along with a custom creep mounting plate.

When I think of what color describes Zerg, automatically I think pink, red, and purple.  Let me assure you, there’s plenty of all those colors combined on this action figure.  Starting with her face, she has yellow pupils and a green hue to her skin — very smooth.  Deep purple lips and her dark-brown hair branches out behind her in all sorts of directions.  The hair feels pretty solid for the most part, so long as you’re not pulling on it like it’s removable.

Jumping right down to her chest and arms, you’ll find immaculate detail.  Her chest is curved nicely, and includes a large amount of scales that lead down to her pelvic area.  (Yes, it’s starting to get warm in here.)  Her hands are accompanied by a series of long black claws that look like they could be used to rip the flesh right off your bones.  The legs sport a combination of different spines leading down to her feet.  Also, her arse is rounded perfectly like the backside of an egg. Boom!

The creep mount is definitely a cool addition.  It curves around in sort-of an “S” shape and features some serious spines on the edges of one end.  It’s slightly raised in the middle, giving the overall mount some nice texture and appeal.  Lightweight, sturdy, and overall… great mount.

Alright, so the bottom of her feet have small pegs which are used to snap into the included creep mount.  Pretty simple and self-explanatory installing Kerrigan on the creep.  What’s not so easy is installing her blades.  Upon my first attempts, I actually cracked one of the blades where it pivots in the middle.  Why? Too much pressure. You absolutely must be careful handling these blades and install them gently.  There are two holes on her back underneath her flailing hair that are meant for the blades to install into.  At the end of each blade, you’ll see the small rotating ball that goes into each hole.

There’s no simple way to explain this, so the best advice I can give you here is to be gentle.  Avoid making the same mistake I did, trying to rotate them every which way.  I expected the blades to sit more on each side of her rather than straight behind her back, which is why I applied too much force in the wrong direction.  I’ve included plenty of images so if you’re unsure of the direction, those should be helpful.

Pros:

Detail. Detail. DETAIL! DC hit the nail on the head with this one, without a doubt. Even though I stress that she’s fragile, The Queen of Blades isn’t a bulky, robust character.  Therefore, we shouldn’t expect the action figure to be any different.  My own impulses led me to the blunder I encountered.  I love that she’s in an aggressive stance.  It really brings out her character and her determination for destruction. The mount is plenty detailed, and easy to work with.  My overall favorite aspect in her design: The blades.

Cons:

I would have been much more comfortable with the Kerrigan action figure out of the box if it had been more clear how both blades were supposed to be installed.  A little trial and error goes a long way, but sometimes too far, like in my case.  Other than that, she’s solid and I’m happy with everything else.

Wrap up

The StarCraft 2 Series 2 Action Figures are a fine addition to anyone’s collection of StarCraft accessories.  You can grab these directly from Blizzard or DC Unlimited, but I’d suggest buying both the Kerrigan Action Figure and Tychus Action Figure through Amazon for a better price. Whether or not we can expect a Series 3 Collector’s Set is still up in the air, but surely with the Heart of the Swarm Expansion coming out later this year DC Unlimited will glamour us with new additions.  Check out my hands-on video (above) and some additional images below.  Drop a comment below if you have any questions!

]]> http://www.thebluepost.net/starcraft-2/starcraft-2-series-2-action-figures-review/feed/ 0 http://www.thebluepost.net/starcraft-2/sc2-world-championship-series-open-qualifiers-taking-place-now/ http://www.thebluepost.net/starcraft-2/sc2-world-championship-series-open-qualifiers-taking-place-now/#comments Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:01:59 +0000 John Palmer http://www.thebluepost.net/?p=3947

The time has come to prove your worth on the field of battle. If you think your’e the best Starcraft II player around now is your chance to find out just how skilled you really are. The SC2 World Championship Series open qualifiers are taking place now.

Most SC2 prize tournaments are not open to the public and become dominated by a small group of professionals. With the creation of the new SC2 WCS, Blizzard is doing their best to change that. Although many of the WCS qualifiers are invitation only, players competing in open qualifiers have as much chance of moving forward in the tournament as high ranked professional players.

By visiting their region’s official SC2 Battle.net webpage players can find a list of open qualifiers available to them. For example the EU region has qualifiers for each country taking place now culminating with National Finals. Players in the US region can compete in the Playhem Daily tournament any day in April or the Collegiate Starleague USA qualifier on May 6. To register simply follow the link for the tournament you wish to enter from the Battle.net site.

Source: [Battle.net]

The practice phase of the World of Warcraft Arena Pass has officially begun, giving players a chance to hone their skills as a team and decide upon the best compositions.

Once you’ve registered for the Arena Pass, you’ll find an additional tab in the World of Warcraft realm list after you log in.  Select the Arena Pass Realm from that point, and you’ll be in! There’s a large number of vendors nearby that can provide you with everything including armor, gems, and reforging, as well as NPC’s that can teleport you to each of your faction’s capital cities.

If you haven’t done so already, now’s the time to start deciding which characters you’ll be using and gear them up properly before the Ladder Phase kicks off on May 8.  Good luck!

Source: [Battle.net]

The fourth hero to get unlocked on the official Diablo III reveal page is none other than the Witch Doctor.  As with the previous unlocks for the Demon Hunter, Barbarian, and Monk, this page reveals a intriguing back-story of the Witch Doctor.  Rebelling from one of his most spiritual leaders, this Demon Hunter has fled from the corruption to fight the hell-spawns at Sanctuary.  Check out the Witch Doctor’s story and spells below.

The dark and distant lands of the eastern continent are home to countless mysteries and exotic cultures with strange and frightening ways. Beyond the deserts of Aranoch, across the Twin Seas, and deep within the teeming jungles of Toraja lie the vast tribal territories of the Teganze. There the umbaru people live, much as they have for centuries, in a nomadic state of hunting, spiritual musing, and constant savage warfare.

War amongst the tribes of the umbaru is a ceremonial affair, a ritualized part of everyday life that allows each tribe to vie for respect, honor, and acclaim in the eyes of their gods. Enemies taken in battle are then deemed worthy of sacrifice, and their lives are given to the umbaru deities—powerful spirits who reign over the Unformed Land.

Known as the Mbwiru Eikura to the tribes of the Teganze, the Unformed Land is believed to be the true and sacred reality, the purest form of existence. To the umbaru, their mortal duration is but a pale shadow of the Unformed Land, a testing ground for those wishing to ascend to the higher plane. And only the witch doctors are able to look upon the Mbwiru Eikura, through mastery of potent herbs, bloody rituals, and an intense focus known as the Ghost Trance. Their combined spiritual and military acumen has earned the witch doctors a place of status and reverence amongst the tribes. Theirs is a calling that requires an incredible degree of courage, self-sacrifice, wisdom, and foresight.

It is that same sense of foresight that has brought the umbaru’s attention to the distant village of New Tristram. The Ghost Trance has revealed terrible signs and portents for Sanctuary and the Unformed Land. Only the boldest of witch doctors would dare cross the far horizons to the west, braving incalculable odds to bring answers back to their tribe.

 

Source: [Diablo 3 Reveal]

]]> http://www.thebluepost.net/starcraft-2/witch-doctor-hero-page-unlocked/feed/ 0 http://www.thebluepost.net/starcraft-2/diablo-iii-beta-open-all-weekend/ http://www.thebluepost.net/starcraft-2/diablo-iii-beta-open-all-weekend/#comments Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:50:28 +0000 Jeremy Kratka http://www.thebluepost.net/?p=3914 Great news for all the Diablo fans who couldn’t get a beta code! This weekend Blizzard is opening up the Diablo III beta to all! Yes that’s right, you read correctly. Now you too can join the fight of the end of days this weekend!

Beginning Friday, April 20 anyone can log on to the game servers. You and your friends will be able to play as the five heroic classes and fight the demonic forces to the level cap of 13.

The open beta goes from 12PM PST on Friday May 20, and continues until Monday 23 10AM. PST. You can even get a head start and go over to your Battle.net account and start the download now!

So if you’re a fan of Diablo and have been itching to get a taste of this long awaited installment then take advantage of this open invitation. Diablo III is set to release May 15.

 Source: [Battle.net]

Starting the video they continue discussions about the internal alpha they had talked about in Developer Diaries 2. While trying to bring polish to the game they also have the challenges of problems that arise within the game that need to be fixed.

They continue the conversation by talking about localization. Getting the game ready to be released in other regions, they lock pieces of the game then send it off to be localized. Gaming systems was another topic that was talked about.

As they got the game ready for the alpha they realized some things needed to be fixed. Mentioning the save system as something that needed to be made more clear for players. Check out the video to see what they have to say.

We are in the final stretch of waiting for Diablo III and excitement is brewing. Check out the other two Developer Diaries for more insight on the development of Diablo III.

Source: [YouTube]

Starting this morning, Cataclysm patch 4.3.4 is rolling out to all realms bringing no changes to gameplay, but rather to address ticket submissions via the UI. A new “Submit Bug” and “Submit Suggestion” button has been added to the UI, and the “Report Lag” button has been completely removed.

It seems as though a large number of players were running into issues with the 64-bit client again.  To learn how to fix this, check out our quick fix guide. To get the complete list of these minor changes in patch 4.3.4 see the official patch notes below.

• A new Submit Bug button has been added. Clicking this option will open a report dialog box, along with basic instructions on what to include in your bug report.
• A new Submit Suggestion button has been added. Clicking this option will open a text dialog box, along with a description of what to include in your suggestion.
• The Report Lag button has been removed.
• The Report Abuse button is now called Report Player.
  • The Report Player function offers four categories: Spamming, Language, Name, and Cheating.
  • Reporting a player for Cheating now opens a text window in which a description of the occurrence can be written.
  • Reporting a Name opens a window with three categories: Player Name, Guild Name, and Arena Team Name. There is also a text field for optional information.
  • Report Player now includes text and visual instructions for how to submit a report.
• Right-clicking a character’s portrait now offers additional reporting options.

Source: [Battle.net]

Blizzard’s released the second part of the Developer Diaries of Diablo III, which takes us through some of the key points of the beginning of their internal alpha testing of the game.

Jay Wilson, Christian Lichtner, and Jason Regier talk about the initial feedback from the strike team addressing what they felt was wrong with Act 1, and how the development team picks and chooses what to tackle above other issues.

With majority of the issues being the UI, the Diablo III development team still takes all other issues into account and tweaks what they can for a polished final product for the first act.  Help from other development teams in the company played a big role in the progression of this alpha stage, and even installer windows were created at this point.

The team discusses how Battle.net is becoming integrated with Diablo III, and that sleep is something of the past.  Because lets face it: Diablo III demands the utmost attention, right?  If you haven’t seen part one of this series, we recommend watching that first to get the full perspective of Diablo III’s development. Check out the video of part two below.

Source: [YouTube]

IGN has announced today that IPL 4 has set a new record for any single eSports event. Held April 6-8 at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, IPL 4 drew an all time high of 346,000 peak concurrent online viewers. Over 3,000 audience members were there live in the sold out crowd. This is the largest online viewership of any eSports event ever held outside of Korea and the largest in North American eSports history.

IPL 4 was a result of a partnership between GOMTV and IGN. This event was also the first Global StarCraft Team League event to be hosted outside of Korea. In many ways this was one of the most groundbreaking events in all of eSports history. Collaborations like this are really starting to help the growth of eSports and are shaping the future of gaming events as we know them today.

Over three million unique online viewers were reached by the IPL 4 stream. More than six million hours of video was viewed online during the event that lasted three days. Another milestone was reached as this was the first time eSports has hosted a live event on the Las Vegas strip. The IGN Pro League, since its launch in April 2011 has become one of the major contenders in the eSports industry. This record is a remarkable accomplishment considering that it’s only the second live eSports event from IGN Entertainment.

Source: [Marketwatch]