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On February 06 2013 21:42 [F_]aths wrote:Show nested quote +On February 06 2013 21:41 looknohands119 wrote:On February 06 2013 21:37 [F_]aths wrote:On February 06 2013 21:17 looknohands119 wrote:On February 06 2013 20:51 [F_]aths wrote:On February 06 2013 20:45 Daralii wrote:On February 06 2013 20:41 [F_]aths wrote:
Guys, this is no alternative reality, nor a new game. This is a teaser for HotS, from a terran's perspective (as zerg barely talk.) They wouldn't trademark the name of an ARG/teaser. Why wouldn't they? HotS is an important product for Blizzard. It makes no sense to create an ARG because they focus on the marketing of HotS, why divert resources? The emails in Project Blackstone mention some Dominion personnell, I see no reason why they would create an ARG when they have HotS. Project Blackstone could have something do to with the holding of Kerrigan in Dominion facilities or with an experiment which needs to be destroyed in the HotS campaign. The release of HotS is close. It makes no sense to tease now a different game in the Starcraft setting. At this point, I think we have already established that this is an ARG. The interaction and investigation required to find the password to the site means that it has already met the requirements necessary to fit the definition of an "Alternate Reality Game". That's not really up for debate, nor is the fact that it is Starcraft related. The real question is what the ARG is meant to promote or introduce. HOTS or Starcraft: Pheonix, or something else entirely? 'Established' on a speculation in the OP? Those email messages on the website could fit into the existing canon. With the HotS release in a few weeks there is no need to establish an alternate reality game. It's obviously the real game reality that the Dominion abducted some scientist to a remote research station. With HotS to be released in less than 5 weeks, there is no time to divert attention from the SC2 expansion. Clearly you are misunderstanding the term "Alternate Reality Game". It does not necessarily refer to a story that operates within a different reality than the game. It merely refers to a type of game in which the players interact with a virtual stopryline or world by interacting with the real world and vice-versa. Thus it is the players interact with a reality which is alternate relative to their own. We don't interact beside from typing in a password and getting to read new emails every few days. The email story line will likely end where the HotS campaign starts.
This seems like a pointless argument but the code found in the source and the work required to decifer it already constitutes the requisite interaction. We also have established that weekly content will be realeased. 5 weeks till HOTS is more than enough time for a great ARG to take to place. Many of the best have been shorter even than that.
Edit: I can't be the only one here excited to work on a Starcraft ARG for its own sake. Regardless of what it is promoting, Project Blackstone looks like it is going to be a blast.
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Russian Federation4295 Posts
On February 06 2013 21:42 [F_]aths wrote:Show nested quote +On February 06 2013 21:41 looknohands119 wrote:On February 06 2013 21:37 [F_]aths wrote:On February 06 2013 21:17 looknohands119 wrote:On February 06 2013 20:51 [F_]aths wrote:On February 06 2013 20:45 Daralii wrote:On February 06 2013 20:41 [F_]aths wrote:
Guys, this is no alternative reality, nor a new game. This is a teaser for HotS, from a terran's perspective (as zerg barely talk.) They wouldn't trademark the name of an ARG/teaser. Why wouldn't they? HotS is an important product for Blizzard. It makes no sense to create an ARG because they focus on the marketing of HotS, why divert resources? The emails in Project Blackstone mention some Dominion personnell, I see no reason why they would create an ARG when they have HotS. Project Blackstone could have something do to with the holding of Kerrigan in Dominion facilities or with an experiment which needs to be destroyed in the HotS campaign. The release of HotS is close. It makes no sense to tease now a different game in the Starcraft setting. At this point, I think we have already established that this is an ARG. The interaction and investigation required to find the password to the site means that it has already met the requirements necessary to fit the definition of an "Alternate Reality Game". That's not really up for debate, nor is the fact that it is Starcraft related. The real question is what the ARG is meant to promote or introduce. HOTS or Starcraft: Pheonix, or something else entirely? 'Established' on a speculation in the OP? Those email messages on the website could fit into the existing canon. With the HotS release in a few weeks there is no need to establish an alternate reality game. It's obviously the real game reality that the Dominion abducted some scientist to a remote research station. With HotS to be released in less than 5 weeks, there is no time to divert attention from the SC2 expansion. Clearly you are misunderstanding the term "Alternate Reality Game". It does not necessarily refer to a story that operates within a different reality than the game. It merely refers to a type of game in which the players interact with a virtual stopryline or world by interacting with the real world and vice-versa. Thus it is the players interact with a reality which is alternate relative to their own. We don't interact beside from typing in a password and getting to read new emails every few days. The email story line will likely end where the HotS campaign starts. The dominion recruitment test for WoL (for example) could hardly be described as a game as well.
You should read Flashpoint. That story is the true prequel for Heart of the Swarm and shows us a lot things in Koprulu sector
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On February 06 2013 21:37 SaftKalasEmil wrote:
Im thinking that this might be a DLC campaign that will be released a short time before HotS is released and that it will place inbetween the ending of WoL and where HotS will start... just my random thought tho... or it might have something to do with Samir Duran from the BW campaign since he was a major player in that lore and to this moment has just been missing in the sc2 story line...
Im actually a bit exited about this but i fear that this little stunt will drag on way to long and make alot of people loose intrest before we get to know what this "project" is all about.
He isn't exactly missing. He talks to Kerrigan in campaign as 'Narud' or something.
http://starcraft.wikia.com/wiki/Emil_Narud
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On February 06 2013 21:59 darkness wrote:Show nested quote +On February 06 2013 21:37 SaftKalasEmil wrote:
Im thinking that this might be a DLC campaign that will be released a short time before HotS is released and that it will place inbetween the ending of WoL and where HotS will start... just my random thought tho... or it might have something to do with Samir Duran from the BW campaign since he was a major player in that lore and to this moment has just been missing in the sc2 story line...
Im actually a bit exited about this but i fear that this little stunt will drag on way to long and make alot of people loose intrest before we get to know what this "project" is all about. He isn't exactly missing. He talks to Kerrigan in campaign as 'Narud' or something. http://starcraft.wikia.com/wiki/Emil_Narud
ooh, strange, since he was infested in BW i figured that he whould be more of an alien by now..
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On February 06 2013 21:48 Existor wrote:Show nested quote +On February 06 2013 21:42 [F_]aths wrote:On February 06 2013 21:41 looknohands119 wrote:On February 06 2013 21:37 [F_]aths wrote:On February 06 2013 21:17 looknohands119 wrote:On February 06 2013 20:51 [F_]aths wrote:On February 06 2013 20:45 Daralii wrote:On February 06 2013 20:41 [F_]aths wrote:
Guys, this is no alternative reality, nor a new game. This is a teaser for HotS, from a terran's perspective (as zerg barely talk.) They wouldn't trademark the name of an ARG/teaser. Why wouldn't they? HotS is an important product for Blizzard. It makes no sense to create an ARG because they focus on the marketing of HotS, why divert resources? The emails in Project Blackstone mention some Dominion personnell, I see no reason why they would create an ARG when they have HotS. Project Blackstone could have something do to with the holding of Kerrigan in Dominion facilities or with an experiment which needs to be destroyed in the HotS campaign. The release of HotS is close. It makes no sense to tease now a different game in the Starcraft setting. At this point, I think we have already established that this is an ARG. The interaction and investigation required to find the password to the site means that it has already met the requirements necessary to fit the definition of an "Alternate Reality Game". That's not really up for debate, nor is the fact that it is Starcraft related. The real question is what the ARG is meant to promote or introduce. HOTS or Starcraft: Pheonix, or something else entirely? 'Established' on a speculation in the OP? Those email messages on the website could fit into the existing canon. With the HotS release in a few weeks there is no need to establish an alternate reality game. It's obviously the real game reality that the Dominion abducted some scientist to a remote research station. With HotS to be released in less than 5 weeks, there is no time to divert attention from the SC2 expansion. Clearly you are misunderstanding the term "Alternate Reality Game". It does not necessarily refer to a story that operates within a different reality than the game. It merely refers to a type of game in which the players interact with a virtual stopryline or world by interacting with the real world and vice-versa. Thus it is the players interact with a reality which is alternate relative to their own. We don't interact beside from typing in a password and getting to read new emails every few days. The email story line will likely end where the HotS campaign starts. The dominion recruitment test for WoL (for example) could hardly be described as a game as well. You should read Flashpoint. That story is the true prequel for Heart of the Swarm and shows us a lot things in Koprulu sector
Blizzard is advertising Flashpoint, but cannot expect everyone to buy this book. Free content like Project Blackstone with some secrecy about it can catch more customers. I guess those efforts are made to ensure high selling numbers shortly after release. While HotS will probably be purchased by most WoL users eventually, it's better to have big sales in the first week(s).
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On February 06 2013 22:12 SaftKalasEmil wrote:Show nested quote +On February 06 2013 21:59 darkness wrote:On February 06 2013 21:37 SaftKalasEmil wrote:
Im thinking that this might be a DLC campaign that will be released a short time before HotS is released and that it will place inbetween the ending of WoL and where HotS will start... just my random thought tho... or it might have something to do with Samir Duran from the BW campaign since he was a major player in that lore and to this moment has just been missing in the sc2 story line...
Im actually a bit exited about this but i fear that this little stunt will drag on way to long and make alot of people loose intrest before we get to know what this "project" is all about. He isn't exactly missing. He talks to Kerrigan in campaign as 'Narud' or something. http://starcraft.wikia.com/wiki/Emil_Narud ooh, strange, since he was infested in BW i figured that he whould be more of an alien by now..
Afaik he wasnt infested, he just feigned infestation and are actually a Hybrid or a Xel'Nagaish being.
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Nice one ! They just uploaded them because i remember trying the zergling one this morning and it gave me a 404 error..
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Half Life 3: Project Blackstone pleez
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Pretty cool (mysterious) website so far  I don't really think there's too much to actually uncover at the moment, although I expect there to be updates in the future.
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On February 06 2013 15:10 Oerbaa wrote:The password is Y7_$0>0k_3<$m according to reddit 
TRUE!
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After reading updated OP I feel like this is awesome ! Looks like very good viral marketing with twitter accounts, maybe youtube videos etc. Good job Blizzard !
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The most important thing for such an ARG is a central source of information. In most of these so many things surface at the same time, its hard to keep up, if you havent some sort of infobase.
I hope the OP has enough time and interest to do this 
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Looks like it doesn't work with Opera... 
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Perhaps it's a new HOTS unit?
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I love the tweets they set up.
@Adjutant3327 Yeah, yeah. Wake me if you find anything. Can't shake the feeling that we're being watched.
I bet it's just HotS hype, but still quite fun
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I like how Blizzard works with external artists. They do it for WoW and Diablo too - they publish game art that's made by various artists on the net, and link their sites. They adopted and promoted the StarCrafts cute animations and now promote the work of MrJack in a special secret project site. That's pretty cool! gj Blizz <3
On February 06 2013 23:20 Denda Reloaded wrote:
Mr.Jack is already official staff from Blizzard c: haha, didn't know sorry
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Mr.Jack is already official staff from Blizzard c:
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My explanation from the preview videos, emails and the tweets. (mostly guessing but interesting none the less)
Blackstone Project is owned by mobious foundation under the authority of valerian mengsk and under the direction NOT of the dominion but dr. emil narud (duran from sc1). The dominion authority is a cover to keep the project secret, this would explain the kidnappings and the old adjutant found in the emails/tweets as they cannot just requisition new dominion equipment. Only valerian mengsk has the authority to give dominion security without any questions being asked.
Why do I think this is a mobious foundation site and NOT one owned by the dominion? Well in this HOTS preview video it shows a research facility being attacked which matches the description of the blackstone facility found in the blackstone emails ("do not enter areas lit with red light as you will be executed"). In the video we clearly see an area not only lighted in red but have guiding red lines along the walls to show researchers where to go. We also see researchers in the video running from the chaos.
Now the person attacking this research facility is none other than Nova. Nova is an extremely loyal follower of Mengsk and if Nova is attacking the facility you can bet your last dollar Mengsk didn't know about the facility. This means the facility is not an official site but is instead posing as a dominion owned black ops research site. Who would have the authority to do this? Well we need look no further than Valerian Mengsk, owner of the Mobius Foundation. Thus given all the info blizzard has released so far a strong case can be made that this is actually a mobious foundation facility.
Now we have to ask what is going on at Blackstone. Blackstone is holding none other than Sarah Kerrigan. From the video I previously linked and the HOTS introduction video we see Kerrigan being held within a research facility that again matches the description of the Blackstone facility in the emails. Another interesting note is the background to the beta is actually kerrigan in a research lab. Presumably this background changes depending on where you are in the HOTS campaign, similar to how the planets changed in WoL. All this leads to the conclusion that the start HOTS is actually inside the Blackstone Facility before kerrigan meets up with her zergy buddies.
How this happens is the easy part, Mengsk finds out about Valerians secret mobious site and sends in Nova to collect Kerrigan. Mobious sends in raynor to stop Mengsk from getting Kerrigan and all hell breaks loose and somewhere a long the line she escapes. This conflict at Blackstone is what the first HOTS mission is most likely going to be.
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I guess it would be DLC campaign for SC2,. i mean those lore things in the emails and stuff
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EPT
