StarCraft: An Introduction to the RTS Classic

Written by: Will Hanes

Chances are, if you’re reading this blog, you’ve played the RTS juggernaut known as StarCraft. Over half of all American adolescents have played the military science fiction real-time strategy game (according to my informal research).

Released in March of 1998, the game has gone on to sell over 11 million copies, and produced an equally successful expansion pack (StarCraft: Brood War, known on the Internet as “bw”), a Nintendo 64 game (StarCraft 64), and a couple of little-known third-party expansions/map packs (Insurrection and Retribution).

StarCraft features a compelling single-player experience via one of the most epic storylines ever conceived in the world of PC gaming, supplemented with high-quality voice acting and cinematics (well, for 1998, at least).

However, storylines, voice-acting, and collectible action figures aside, the element of StarCraft that has ensured its longevity and success is its multiplayer mode. From LAN parties to high-profile tournaments, StarCraft has revolutionized multiplayer gaming, in the process single-handedly creating the burgeoning e-sports scene. While StarCraft has a substantial following in Europe and North America, the vast majority of players (and 99% of the world’s best players) reside in South Korea.

In South Korea, StarCraft is considered a professional sport, on par with other popular sports such as soccer, baseball, and football in terms of fans and followings. Professional matches are shown on live television, and several channels exist that are dedicated solely to professional gaming coverage, which predominantly consists of StarCraft matches.

Professional gamers, such as Lim Yo-Hwan (“Boxer”), Lee Yun-Yeol (“Nada”), and Lee Jae-Dong (“Jaedong”) are media celebrities, with salaries in excess of $100,000. Thanks to the Internet, the Korean professional scene has been able to reach a wider audience. A number of international fans translate the streams and replays (known as “VODs”) into their own languages, enabling fans from outside Korea to follow their favorite players and teams as well.

So, where might one interested in the professional StarCraft scene start? Apart from checking out live streams and VODs, the basis for the international community TeamLiquid.net, is well worth checking out. TeamLiquid, or “TL,” is essentially the authority on all things StarCraft.

The community maintains their own strategy wiki, “Liquipedia,” as well as extensive forums on BroodWar strategy and the pro scene. The heart of the amateur competitive scene is the International Cyber Cup, commonly known as “iCCup.” iCCuP maintains a StarCraft server that features an extensive ranking system, low-latency play, and anti-hack precautions, as well as strategy/advising forums.

For the majority of novice players, Battle.net is fine, but due to widespread hacking and high latency gameplay, serious players will want to practice on the iCCup server, known as “The Abyss.” Even professional players have been known to frequent The Abyss – TeamLiquid features a “Who’s Who on iCCup” after each season.

In conclusion, if you’re looking for a challenging RTS, if you want to explore the StarCraft backstory before its sequel hits/is simultaneously released with Duke Nukem Forever, or if you just want to see what e-sports is all about, be sure to pick up a copy of BroodWar, hit up TeamLiquid , and/or find me on iCCup. En Taro Tassadar.