Starcraft 2 - make money from custom maps

During the Battle.net panel just now at Blizzcon, it was announced that Starcraft 2 will have some really kick ass tools for map/mod makers. In addition to this, they are going to be implementing a "marketplace" where map/mod authors can place their creations for download - and charge for them if they like.

The goal appears to be to get more people making mods on Blizzard games, instead of a competitors platform - I say appears because this *is* a stated goal, just not sure it's *the* goal.

It all sounds really damn cool, and I for one am looking forward to it, even though I'm not a big SC fan (omgsaywhat?!)

Next WoW expansion: Cataclysm

It had been rumored over the last week or so, but it is now official. Cataclysm *is* the next expansion for World of Warcraft.

Some of the notes:

• Level cap raised to 85
• New Alliance Race: Worgen (werewolves)
  
• New Horde Race: Goblins
• Massive changes to the old zones (Kalimdor/Eastern Kingdoms)
• The Barrens is apparently to be full of lava and split into two zones
  
• Wetlands are destroyed.
• Ashenvale has been hit some too
• Azshara will become a low-level zone
• Flying mounts in Azeroth
• New race/class combinations (Human Hunter, Orc Mage, Night Elf Mage, Dwarf Mage, Blood Elf Warrior, Dwarf Shaman, Undead Hunter, Tauren Paladin, Tauren Priest, Gnome Priest, Troll Druid)
• Azeroth zones changed forever. No more going back to how they are now, apparently
• Shadowfang keep and Deadmines will now have a heroic option and will also be revamped
  
• A new leveling system for guilds
• Achievements for guilds
  
• Deathwing is back!
• Archaeology is a new secondary profession
• New Rated Battlegrounds

Thanks to WoW Insider for their live blogging coverage, from which I grabbed most of this info! Also thanks to MMO Champion, who apparently is buddy-buddy with someone at Blizzard.

So what's next?

So Project Overlord is on the back burner. I had the design doc just about complete, and then decided to just skip the whole web platform for now, and start working on a real game.

I have some ideas in my head, but I need to play around for a bit with the toolset I just purchased (Torque 3D for anyone wondering). Not sure what my first foray will be - I want to jump right in and start working on a MMO, but my gut tells me I need to do something small first to get acclimated to the toolset and to brush up on my C++.

Just a quick update for now, will post more once I have spent some time with my new toytoolset.

Everquest Next

It seems that work has begun on the next installment in the Everquest Franchise.

From the link:

"So you can see there's a lot to wrestle with as we begin laying the foundation for EverQuest 'Next.' As I write this, we have concept artists and game designers working hard in our studio-taking the lessons of the past, the best parts of the present and the most promising ideas for the future-to bring the world of Norrath to a new generation of players, as well as the dedicated legions of fans who made the EverQuest franchise timeless. I hope we'll see you there."