BlizzCon 2010: StarCraft II Custom Maps

Fans of Blizzard’s RTS may have been hoping for some news on the next instalment of StarCraft II in the shape of expansion, Heart of The Swarm. Fans were left a little disappointed with the news that the anticipated Zerg expansion would not be showcased at this year’s BlizzCon. Blizzard were quick to reassure fans that the development team are hard at work on the expansion. Updates are expected in the coming months.

So what new content did we get to see regarding the criticality acclaimed RTS? Custom maps of course! Blizzard have been working on some interesting maps which introduce some completely new game modes. The maps include Left 2 Die, Aiur Chef, Blizzard DOTA and StarJeweled.

Left 2 Die

This is an evolution of the “Outbreak” Wings of Liberty Campaign mission, where the colonists on Meinhoff were infested by a zerg virus. In this cooperative mission, you and a friend can unlock, purchase, and use new technologies necessary to survive nighttime assaults by unique zerg units, repel their attacks, and purge the infestation.

Aiur Chef

This is a whimsical eight-player free-for-all in players control a chef and must scour the map for ingredients to create succulent dishes. Each round has a secret theme ingredient and three recipes to complete. Completing recipes grant you different rewards such as points, powers, or items.  The chef with the most points at the end of three rounds is named the next Aiur Chef!

Blizzard DOTA

This is a 5v5 team game inspired by the popular archetype from Warcraft III, Defense of the Ancients. Blizzard’s greatest heroes have been drawn from their respective universes to do battle on a chess-themed battleground. You control a hero and must level up, buy items, and work together with your teammates to defeat waves of units and ultimately destroy the opposing team’s King Tower.

StarJeweled

StarJeweled combines two distinct game types into a unique 2v2 experience. The right side of the game is a match-three style puzzle game. Matching jewels and clearing them away generates energy.  Energy is then used to spawn special units and activate abilities; defeat the enemy base to win.

[nggallery id=59]