It's interesting, between this and the custom game feature they introduced a while back, it seems like Blizzard is really interested in replicating the benefits of games that are moddable and have...
It's interesting, between this and the custom game feature they introduced a while back, it seems like Blizzard is really interested in replicating the benefits of games that are moddable and have community-run persistent servers despite keeping a lock on their game like everyone else has for a while now. I wonder if these features feel novel and forward-thinking to younger players without experience in those games.
Of course, it's a hollow imitation of what that's like on TF2 or CS or something...but I guess it's nice to see them try? Mostly just reminds me of how much better things could be if Overwatch was truly opened up to the community. Without community servers, they'll never be able to replicate the feeling of having a "home" to return to that makes lifestyle games out of multiplayer things not built to be like that at all.
I think they are in spite of older games having offered more flexibility. While the idea of modifying your game to create new rules and even new game types is hardly new, what Overwatch is doing...
I wonder if these features feel novel and forward-thinking to younger players without experience in those games.
I think they are in spite of older games having offered more flexibility. While the idea of modifying your game to create new rules and even new game types is hardly new, what Overwatch is doing here is making it simple and easy enough for anyone without programming experience to do. That in itself is novel and forward-thinking.
Does it include tools for rebalancing/altering the roster? Kaplan mentioned in the video that you could prototype new heroes, which sounds like those tools are there, but I didn't see anything...
Does it include tools for rebalancing/altering the roster? Kaplan mentioned in the video that you could prototype new heroes, which sounds like those tools are there, but I didn't see anything about either point at a glance through that page.
As a well-known critic of Blizzard's poor decision-making about... well, everything, I'm curious if this will go anywhere. Personally, I think this is exactly the tool the game needed, but it's going to be hamstrung by Blizzard maintaining so much control over the game itself. To use a TF2 comparison:
Competitive TF2 would never have succeeded without the community disabling random spread for shotguns or, say, random crits for example, but I HIGHLY doubt that such a change would ever be played on the pro circuit, even if it did have big community support.
Similarly, community game-modes will just never be as popular in Overwatch as they are in TF2, because they're squirreled away and so hard to access.
So, I donno. Maybe blizz is trying to go hands-off on more things and this is the first step towards community-based updates. That'd be neat. But we'll see.
It's interesting, between this and the custom game feature they introduced a while back, it seems like Blizzard is really interested in replicating the benefits of games that are moddable and have community-run persistent servers despite keeping a lock on their game like everyone else has for a while now. I wonder if these features feel novel and forward-thinking to younger players without experience in those games.
Of course, it's a hollow imitation of what that's like on TF2 or CS or something...but I guess it's nice to see them try? Mostly just reminds me of how much better things could be if Overwatch was truly opened up to the community. Without community servers, they'll never be able to replicate the feeling of having a "home" to return to that makes lifestyle games out of multiplayer things not built to be like that at all.
I think they are in spite of older games having offered more flexibility. While the idea of modifying your game to create new rules and even new game types is hardly new, what Overwatch is doing here is making it simple and easy enough for anyone without programming experience to do. That in itself is novel and forward-thinking.
I will now be taking bets on when they will implement a full blown map editor a-la Starcraft.
I'll take a bet on this. What do we do if it never comes out at all?
Bitch and moan until they put it in OW2
Does it include tools for rebalancing/altering the roster? Kaplan mentioned in the video that you could prototype new heroes, which sounds like those tools are there, but I didn't see anything about either point at a glance through that page.
As a well-known critic of Blizzard's poor decision-making about... well, everything, I'm curious if this will go anywhere. Personally, I think this is exactly the tool the game needed, but it's going to be hamstrung by Blizzard maintaining so much control over the game itself. To use a TF2 comparison:
Competitive TF2 would never have succeeded without the community disabling random spread for shotguns or, say, random crits for example, but I HIGHLY doubt that such a change would ever be played on the pro circuit, even if it did have big community support.
Similarly, community game-modes will just never be as popular in Overwatch as they are in TF2, because they're squirreled away and so hard to access.
So, I donno. Maybe blizz is trying to go hands-off on more things and this is the first step towards community-based updates. That'd be neat. But we'll see.