Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness
Encyclopedia
Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness is a fantasy
-themed real-time strategy
(RTS) game published by Blizzard Entertainment
and first released for DOS
in 1995 and for Mac OS
in 1996. The main game, Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness, earned enthusiastic reviews, won most of the major PC gaming awards in 1996, and sold over 2 million copies.
Later in 1996 Blizzard released an expansion pack
Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal
for DOS and Mac OS, and a compilation Warcraft II: The Dark Saga for the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn
. The Battle.net Edition, released in 1999, provided Blizzard's online gaming service, Battle.net
, and replaced the MS-DOS version with a Windows
one.
Players must collect resources, and produce buildings and units in order to defeat an opponent in combat on the ground, in the air and in some maps at sea. The more advanced combat units are produced at the same buildings as the basic units but also need the assistance of other buildings, or must be produced at buildings that have prerequisite buildings. The majority of the main screen shows the part of the territory on which the gamer is currently operating, and the minimap can select another location to appear in the larger display. The fog of war
completely hides all territory which the gamer's has not explored, and shows only terrain but hides opponents' units and buildings if none of the gamer's units are present.
Warcraft II 's predecessor Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, released in 1994, gained good reviews, collected three awards and was a finalist for three others, and achieved solid commercial success. The game was the first typical RTS to be presented in a medieval setting and, by bringing multiplayer facilities to a wider audience, made this mode essential for future RTS titles. Warcraft: Orcs & Humans laid the ground for Blizzard's style of RTS, which emphasized personality and storyline. Although Blizzard's very successful Starcraft
, first released in 1998, was set in a different universe, it was very similar to Warcraft II in gameplay and in attention to personality and storyline. In 1996 Blizzard announced Warcraft Adventures, an adventure game
in the Warcraft universe, but canceled the game in 1998. Warcraft III, released in 2002, used parts of Warcraft Adventures' characters and storyline and extended the gameplay used in Warcraft II.
. In Warcraft II one side represents the Human inhabitants of Lordaeron and allied races, and the other controls the invading Orcs and their allied races. Each side tries to destroy the other by collecting resources and creating an army. The game is played in a medieval setting with fantasy elements, where both sides have melee
, ranged
, naval and aerial units, and spellcaster
s.
The game's map editor allows gamers to develop scenarios for use in multiplayer contests and against AI opponents. The editor runs under the Mac and also under either Windows 95
or, if the WinG
library was installed, under Windows 3.
The scenarios can be played against the AI or in multiplayer contests against up to seven other gamers. The DOS version initially provided multiplayer games by null modem
cable, modem
or IPX
, and Mac gamers could also play via TCP/IP or AppleTalk
. Blizzard quickly released a facility to connect with Kali
, which allows programs to access the Web by means of IPX.
that dig gold
from mines and chop wood
from forests and then deliver them to their Halls. Both buildings can be upgraded twice, each increasing usable resources per load from the builders. Players can also construct Shipyards, which can produce both combat ships and Oil Tankers. Tankers build construction offshore Oil Platforms and then deliver the oil to buildings on the shoreline. As all three resources become exhausted during the game, players must collect them efficiently, and gamers must also retain forests as defensive walls in the early game when combat forces are small.
Builders can also construct Farms, each of which provides food for up to four units, and additional units cannot be produced until enough Farms are built. Farms are also the toughest perimeter defense.
Humans and Orcs have sets of buildings with similar functions, but different names and graphics, for producing ground, naval, and air units. All but basic combat units require the assistance of other buildings, or must be produced at buildings that have prerequisite buildings, or both. Many buildings can upgrade combat units. When advanced units appear, the Orcs have a strong advantage in ground combat, while the Humans have the more powerful fleet and spellcasters. The most advanced ground combatants on each side can be upgraded and taught some spells, which are different for the two sides. Some campaign missions feature hero units, which are more powerful than normal units of the same type, have unique pictures and names, and must not die, as that causes the failure of the mission.
Initially most of the main map and minimap are blacked out, but the visible area expands as the gamer's units explore the map. The fog of war
completely hides all territory which the gamer's has not explored, and shows only terrain but hides opponents units and buildings if none of the gamer's units are present.
All functions can be invoked by both the mouse and shortcut keys, including game setup, the menu options and some gameplay functions including scrolling and pausing the game. Units and buildings can be selected by clicking or bandboxing, and then their actions can be controlled by the mouse or keys.
The new campaigns feature ten new heroes for Warcraft, five for the Alliance and five for the Horde. Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness had a few hero units, but these units were only marginally stronger than their basic unit and had no speech of their own. The new heroes have increased unit statistics, making them more powerful than regular units, have their own unit portraits, and their own speech. The Alliance heroes are Alleria (Ranger), Danath (Footman), Turalyon (Paladin), Khadgar (Mage) and Kurdran (Gryphon Rider on his mount Sky'ree). The Horde heroes are Grom Hellscream (Grunt), Korgath Bladefist (Grunt), Dentarg (Ogre-Mage), Teron Gorefiend (Death Knight) and Deathwing (Dragon). While regular units of the two armies are balanced (only the spells wielded by spellcasters differ), the heroes have greater distinctions. The Orcish heroes are more powerful than their human counterparts. The heroes are important to the story and may not be killed during the mission with exception of the final missions in both campaigns, and with the exception of Khadgar in the Human campaign.
The expansion also adds a new swamp tileset for the world of Draenor.
The CD-ROM itself, when put into a CD player, will play the many different musical tracks from the game itself. In addition, there is a special track at the end of the disc that incorporates unit voices as well as lyrics to create a rather comical song entitled "I'm A Medieval Man".
started work on Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness. Development began in February 1995 and the game was released in December for MS-DOS
and in August 1996 for the Macintosh
. Blizzard later explained that the small budgets of the time allowed short development times. The response of Warcraft: Orcs & Humans also allowed Blizzard to recruit addition top-class developers. The company's initial design combined modern and fantasy elements, such as fighter pilots ambushed by a fire-breathing dragon. However, they found that this was unsatisfactory, and that there was plenty of content for a fantasy RTS. The initial release of Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness ran over a local area network
using IPX but not over the Internet communications protocol
TCP/IP. Kali
, which used the Internet as if it was a local area network, became very popular and Blizzard quickly provided to gamers a program that made it easy to set up multiplayer Warcraft II games using Kali.
In 1996 Blizzard published Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal, an expansion pack
developed by Cyberlore Studios
, with new Human and Orc campaigns, using new and much more powerful heroes. Later that year the company released Warcraft II: Battle Chest, a compilation of Tides of Darkness and Beyond the Dark Portal, for DOS and Windows 3.
Also in 1996, Blizzard released for the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn
Warcraft II: The Dark Saga, which combined the campaigns of Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness and Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal. The Dark Saga also allowed gamers to automate upgrade of buildings and production of units, and to select more troops at once, facilities that were not extended to the DOS and Mac versions.
version that included play by TCP/IP, and provided Blizzard's online service, Battle.net
, for multiplayer games. After considering new content, Blizzard preferred to make it easy for new and older fans to play each other. Battle.net Edition included some user interface
enhancements from Starcraft
– a hot key to center on events, assigning numbers to groups of units, and double-clicking to select all units of a type. However they excluded production queues and waypoint
s.
, id Software
and LucasArts
. The rivalry between Blizzard's series and Westwood Studios' Command & Conquer series
fueled the RTS boom of the late 1990s.
Retrospective reviews by IGN and GameSpot emphasized the ability to join multiplayer games on local networks or using Kali
, and the simple but effective map editor, with which some users published maps on the Web. Another GameSpot review in 1996 commented that the campaigns are rather short, but the scenario builder and multiplayer options were ample compensation.
In 1996 GameSpot and Computer Games Magazine regarded the AI as better than in Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, and the latter also said that Warcraft II "surpasses the original game in almost every way". GameSpot approved how the innovative fog of war
forced players to scout continuously, and IGN's retroview agreed. The Adrenaline Vault noted that gamers must manage their resources, as all resources run out. GameSpot's retrospective review was enthusiastic about the variety of strategies that gamers with different styles can use, and The Adrenaline Vault noted that maps set in winter often allow ground units to walk on the ice.
The IGN review considered WarCraft II in general a well-balanced game, but GameSpot's retrospective review regarded Ogre-Mages with the Bloodlust spell as too powerful. IGN found that searching for the survivors of a defeated opponent could be tedious, and that the first few missions were very easy, although the final ones were challenging.
In 1996 GameSpot, Computer Games Magazine and Entertainment Weekly
praised the SVGA graphics. The retrospective reviews by IGN and GameSpot enjoyed smaller details, such as the increasingly humorous responses when a gamer's units were repeatedly clicked, the "critters" that wandered around, and the detonating of Sappers/Bombers. WarCraft II won most of the major PC gaming awards in 1996, and sold millions of copies. Gamers were still playing in 2002, on DOS or using the Battle.net edition.
' survey of reviews calculated a composite of 87% for the DOS version of Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal. GameSpot and MacGame agreed that the missions are difficult and that gamers must think more carefully about strategy. GameSpot added that heroes are more powerful than in Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness but letting them die loses the mission, and that the 24 new single-player scenarios and nearly 50 multi-player scenarios are very good value for money.
s of the consoles
Sony
PlayStation and SEGA Saturn
, combining Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness and Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal, are practically identical. The Video Game Critic
and different reviewers in GameSpot for the PS and Saturn suggested that gamers with PCs should not buy the console versions, but recommended the game to those who use only consoles. Absolute PlayStation and Electronic Gaming Monthly omitted comparisons with the PC and praised the console versions.
Absolute PlayStation and Electronic Gaming Monthly commented that the console versions have no multiplayer capability, but were impressed with the number of campaign and skirmish maps. The two GameSpot reviews noted that, while most campaign missions follow the "resource, build, destroy" pattern, some have other objectives.
Absolute PlayStation and Electronic Gaming Monthly regarded the console buttons easy to use. However, Video Game Critic found that, despite Blizzard's streamlining of the UI
, the PS buttons are still a clumsy substitute for a mouse. GameSpot's review for the PS noted that the gamer can to auto-upgrade buildings, auto-build units, and select more troops at once than in the PC version.
Absolute PlayStation praised the graphics and sound, while Electronic Gaming Monthly regarded the graphics as serviceable but praised the sound. However, Video Game Critic complained that the units were indistinct and load times very long on the PS.
and StarCraft
, and the fact that it was free would be attractive both to new users and those of earlier editions. While the production values were those of 1995, the cartoonish graphics and excellent sound effects and musical score were still enjoyable in 1999.
’s Editors' Choice Award, Computer Life’s Critics' Pick and the Innovations Award at the Consumer Electronics Show, Winter 1995, and was a finalist for Computer Gaming World
’s Premier award, PC Gamer’s Strategy Game of the Year and the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
's Best Strategy award. In November 1995 Entertainment Weekly
reported that WC:O&H ranked 19th of the top 20 CDs across all categories.
The game was the first typical RTS to be presented in a medieval setting, and its units included spellcaster
s as well as melee and ranged units. Although Modem Wars
, released in 1988, was the first RTS with multiplayer games by means of modem
s, WC:O&H brought multiplayer to a wider audience and added the use of LANs. This made multiplayer facilities essential for future RTS titles.
WC:O&H laid the ground for Blizzard's style of RTS, in which personality was a distinctive element. The humorous responses to clicking a unit repeatedly became a trademark. The game introduced characters that also appeared in the enormously successful massively multiplayer online role-playing game
World of Warcraft
. The company's manuals presented detailed backstories and artwork. In all the Blizzard RTS games and in World of Warcraft
, units must be managed carefully, rather than treated as expendable hordes.
) in the Warcraft universe. They wanted to show a nobler side of the Orcs and a darker one of the Humans, in a game in which the story and humor were central rather than background. However, Warcraft Adventures always seemed a step behind the competition, especially LucasArts
' recently released Curse of Monkey Island and announced Grim Fandango
. IGN's reviewer wrote, "Then again, Blizzard itself was in a kind of turmoil of its own at the time, with many long-time employees leaving to form spin-offs, while dozens of new employees came in to work on StarCraft, Diablo II, Battle.net, and the company's many other projects. To add to the chaos, Blizzard itself would eventually be bought out by Sierra." Just before the 1998 E3 trade fair
Blizzard canceled Warcraft Adventures.
Blizzard released StarCraft in 1998 for Windows 95/98
, in 1999 for the Mac
, and in 2000 for the Nintendo 64
. The game's mechanics are based in those of Warcraft – the UI
is similar; builders collect two types of resources, which can be depleted; to construct a type of unit, players must first construct all the prequisite buildings. However, StarCraft also introduced new features: the theme was based on science fiction
rather than medieval fantasy; the game was the first RTS to balance successfully three totally different races, and the campaigns were connected into a single storyline. The Windows version was the fastest-selling game of 1998, at 1.5 million copies. According to Blizzard Entertainment, StarCraft has won 37 awards.
The company released Warcraft III in 2002. Reviews were extremely positive, the first printing sold 5 million copies, and the game won 52 awards. Although Blizzard had announced the game in 1999 as a hybrid of RTS and RPG, by the time of release the game was based on the RTS features of Warcraft II – collecting resources, constructing a base, building a variety of units, defending the gamer's base and destroying the opponent's. However, while the Orcs and Humans of Warcraft II are very similar, those of Warcraft III have distinct capabilities and two additional races are unique in their methods of construction and their combat abilities and tactical preferences. As a result Warcraft IIIs races are nearly as different as those of StarCraft.
In the Second War the Orcs are successful at first, but the Humans and allies take the initiative, helped by two civil war
s among the Orcs. At the final battle round the Dark Portal in Azeroth, the Alliance exterminates one Orc clan and captures the Orc supreme commander and the remnants of his forces. Hoping to avoid further invasions, the Alliance destroys the Portal.
The greatest Orc shaman led an army from Draenor into Azeroth, apparently hoping to steal magical artifacts with which to create further Portals. The Alliance, expecting an attack, sent through the Portal an army led by the Alliance's supreme commander, its greatest heroes and the mage who had destroyed the Azeroth Portal. It seems they destroyed the counterpart of the Azeroth Portal, but it was not known whether the force escaped from Draenor.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
-themed real-time strategy
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
(RTS) game published by Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher founded on February 8, 1991 under the name Silicon & Synapse by three graduates of UCLA, Michael Morhaime, Allen Adham and Frank Pearce and currently owned by French company Activision Blizzard...
and first released for DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
in 1995 and for Mac OS
Mac OS
Mac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...
in 1996. The main game, Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness, earned enthusiastic reviews, won most of the major PC gaming awards in 1996, and sold over 2 million copies.
Later in 1996 Blizzard released an expansion pack
Expansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...
Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal
Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal
Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal is an expansion pack developed by Cyberlore Studios, released in 1996 by Blizzard Entertainment for their award winning real-time strategy computer game Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness...
for DOS and Mac OS, and a compilation Warcraft II: The Dark Saga for the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
. The Battle.net Edition, released in 1999, provided Blizzard's online gaming service, Battle.net
Battle.net
Battle.net is a gaming service provided by Blizzard Entertainment. Battle.net was launched in November 30, 1996 with the release of Blizzard's action-RPG Diablo. Battle.net was the first online gaming service incorporated directly into the games that make use of it, in contrast to the external...
, and replaced the MS-DOS version with a Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
one.
Players must collect resources, and produce buildings and units in order to defeat an opponent in combat on the ground, in the air and in some maps at sea. The more advanced combat units are produced at the same buildings as the basic units but also need the assistance of other buildings, or must be produced at buildings that have prerequisite buildings. The majority of the main screen shows the part of the territory on which the gamer is currently operating, and the minimap can select another location to appear in the larger display. The fog of war
Fog of war
The fog of war is a term used to describe the uncertainty in situation awareness experienced by participants in military operations. The term seeks to capture the uncertainty regarding own capability, adversary capability, and adversary intent during an engagement, operation, or campaign...
completely hides all territory which the gamer's has not explored, and shows only terrain but hides opponents' units and buildings if none of the gamer's units are present.
Warcraft II 's predecessor Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, released in 1994, gained good reviews, collected three awards and was a finalist for three others, and achieved solid commercial success. The game was the first typical RTS to be presented in a medieval setting and, by bringing multiplayer facilities to a wider audience, made this mode essential for future RTS titles. Warcraft: Orcs & Humans laid the ground for Blizzard's style of RTS, which emphasized personality and storyline. Although Blizzard's very successful Starcraft
StarCraft
StarCraft is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The first game of the StarCraft series was released for Microsoft Windows on 31 March 1998. With more than 11 million copies sold worldwide as of February 2009, it is one of the best-selling...
, first released in 1998, was set in a different universe, it was very similar to Warcraft II in gameplay and in attention to personality and storyline. In 1996 Blizzard announced Warcraft Adventures, an adventure game
Adventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
in the Warcraft universe, but canceled the game in 1998. Warcraft III, released in 2002, used parts of Warcraft Adventures' characters and storyline and extended the gameplay used in Warcraft II.
Gameplay
Warcraft II is a real time strategy game (RTS), in other words the contenders play at the same time and continuously, so that players have to move quickly rather than taking turnsTurn-based strategy
A turn-based strategy game is a strategy game where players take turns when playing...
. In Warcraft II one side represents the Human inhabitants of Lordaeron and allied races, and the other controls the invading Orcs and their allied races. Each side tries to destroy the other by collecting resources and creating an army. The game is played in a medieval setting with fantasy elements, where both sides have melee
Mêlée weapon
A melee weapon is any weapon that does not involve a projectile — that is, both the user and target of the weapon are in contact with it simultaneously in normal use...
, ranged
Ranged weapon
A ranged weapon is any weapon that can harm targets at distances greater than hand-to-hand distance. In contrast, a weapon intended to be used in man-to-man combat is called a melee weapon....
, naval and aerial units, and spellcaster
Spellcaster
A spellcaster in role-playing games refers to a creature capable of casting magic spells.See also:*Mage *Magician , a practitioner of magic as portrayed in works of fiction...
s.
Modes
Warcraft II allows gamers to play AI opponents in separate Human and Orc campaigns, and in stand-alone scenarios. Most of the campaign missions follow the pattern "collect resources, build buildings and units, destroy opponents". However, some have other objectives, such as rescuing troops or forts, or escorting important characters through enemy territory.The game's map editor allows gamers to develop scenarios for use in multiplayer contests and against AI opponents. The editor runs under the Mac and also under either Windows 95
Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...
or, if the WinG
WinG
In computing, WinG is an application programming interface that provides faster graphics performance on Windows 3.x operating environments, and was positioned as a way to help game developers more easily port their DOS games to Microsoft Windows...
library was installed, under Windows 3.
The scenarios can be played against the AI or in multiplayer contests against up to seven other gamers. The DOS version initially provided multiplayer games by null modem
Null modem
Null modem is a communication method to connect two DTEs directly using an RS-232 serial cable. The name stems from the historical use of the RS-232 cable to connect two teleprinter devices to modems in order to communicate with one another; null modem communication was possible by instead using...
cable, modem
Modem
A modem is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode digital information, and also demodulates such a carrier signal to decode the transmitted information. The goal is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded to reproduce the original digital data...
or IPX
IPX
Internetwork Packet Exchange is the OSI-model Network layer protocol in the IPX/SPX protocol stack.The IPX/SPXM protocol stack is supported by Novell's NetWare network operating system. Because of Netware's popularity through the late 1980s into the mid 1990s, IPX became a popular internetworking...
, and Mac gamers could also play via TCP/IP or AppleTalk
AppleTalk
AppleTalk is a proprietary suite of protocols developed by Apple Inc. for networking computers. It was included in the original Macintosh released in 1984, but is now unsupported as of the release of Mac OS X v10.6 in 2009 in favor of TCP/IP networking...
. Blizzard quickly released a facility to connect with Kali
Kali (game browser)
Kali is an IPX network emulator for DOS and Windows, enabling legacy multiplayer games to work over a modern TCP/IP network such as the Internet. Later versions of the software also functioned as a server browser for games that natively supported TCP/IP. Versions were also created for OS2 and Mac,...
, which allows programs to access the Web by means of IPX.
Economy and war
Warcraft II requires players to collect resources, and to produce buildings and units in order to defeat an opponent in combat. The Human Town Hall and Orc Great Hall produce non-combatant buildersPeasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
that dig gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
from mines and chop wood
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
from forests and then deliver them to their Halls. Both buildings can be upgraded twice, each increasing usable resources per load from the builders. Players can also construct Shipyards, which can produce both combat ships and Oil Tankers. Tankers build construction offshore Oil Platforms and then deliver the oil to buildings on the shoreline. As all three resources become exhausted during the game, players must collect them efficiently, and gamers must also retain forests as defensive walls in the early game when combat forces are small.
Builders can also construct Farms, each of which provides food for up to four units, and additional units cannot be produced until enough Farms are built. Farms are also the toughest perimeter defense.
Humans and Orcs have sets of buildings with similar functions, but different names and graphics, for producing ground, naval, and air units. All but basic combat units require the assistance of other buildings, or must be produced at buildings that have prerequisite buildings, or both. Many buildings can upgrade combat units. When advanced units appear, the Orcs have a strong advantage in ground combat, while the Humans have the more powerful fleet and spellcasters. The most advanced ground combatants on each side can be upgraded and taught some spells, which are different for the two sides. Some campaign missions feature hero units, which are more powerful than normal units of the same type, have unique pictures and names, and must not die, as that causes the failure of the mission.
User interface
The main screen has five areas:- Along the top are the menu button and counts of the gamer's resources and Farm capacity.
- The largest area of the screen, to the right, shows the part of the territory on which the gamer is currently operating. This enables the gamer to select friendly units and buildings.
- The top left is the minimap, which shows the whole territory at smaller scale and highlights the part on which the gamer is currently operating. By clicking or dragging in the minimap, the gamer can select another location to appear in the larger display.
- The unit descriptions in the area in middle on the left shows the units and/or buildings. If units of the same type are selected, this area have an icon for each unit, showing the unit's vital statistics including the unit's healthHealth (gaming)Health is a game mechanic used in role-playing, computer and video games to give value to characters, enemies, NPCs, and related objects. This value can either be numerical, semi-numerical as in hit/health points, or arbitrary as in a life bar....
. - If a single unit or building is selected, the area at the bottom left shows the actions the object can perform and all completed upgrades that apply to this type of unit or building.
Initially most of the main map and minimap are blacked out, but the visible area expands as the gamer's units explore the map. The fog of war
Fog of war
The fog of war is a term used to describe the uncertainty in situation awareness experienced by participants in military operations. The term seeks to capture the uncertainty regarding own capability, adversary capability, and adversary intent during an engagement, operation, or campaign...
completely hides all territory which the gamer's has not explored, and shows only terrain but hides opponents units and buildings if none of the gamer's units are present.
All functions can be invoked by both the mouse and shortcut keys, including game setup, the menu options and some gameplay functions including scrolling and pausing the game. Units and buildings can be selected by clicking or bandboxing, and then their actions can be controlled by the mouse or keys.
New features in Beyond the Dark Portal
The expansion adds two new campaigns and several multiplayer maps.The new campaigns feature ten new heroes for Warcraft, five for the Alliance and five for the Horde. Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness had a few hero units, but these units were only marginally stronger than their basic unit and had no speech of their own. The new heroes have increased unit statistics, making them more powerful than regular units, have their own unit portraits, and their own speech. The Alliance heroes are Alleria (Ranger), Danath (Footman), Turalyon (Paladin), Khadgar (Mage) and Kurdran (Gryphon Rider on his mount Sky'ree). The Horde heroes are Grom Hellscream (Grunt), Korgath Bladefist (Grunt), Dentarg (Ogre-Mage), Teron Gorefiend (Death Knight) and Deathwing (Dragon). While regular units of the two armies are balanced (only the spells wielded by spellcasters differ), the heroes have greater distinctions. The Orcish heroes are more powerful than their human counterparts. The heroes are important to the story and may not be killed during the mission with exception of the final missions in both campaigns, and with the exception of Khadgar in the Human campaign.
The expansion also adds a new swamp tileset for the world of Draenor.
The CD-ROM itself, when put into a CD player, will play the many different musical tracks from the game itself. In addition, there is a special track at the end of the disc that incorporates unit voices as well as lyrics to create a rather comical song entitled "I'm A Medieval Man".
Publication
After seeing the excellent response of Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, released in November 1994, Blizzard EntertainmentBlizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher founded on February 8, 1991 under the name Silicon & Synapse by three graduates of UCLA, Michael Morhaime, Allen Adham and Frank Pearce and currently owned by French company Activision Blizzard...
started work on Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness. Development began in February 1995 and the game was released in December for MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
and in August 1996 for the Macintosh
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
. Blizzard later explained that the small budgets of the time allowed short development times. The response of Warcraft: Orcs & Humans also allowed Blizzard to recruit addition top-class developers. The company's initial design combined modern and fantasy elements, such as fighter pilots ambushed by a fire-breathing dragon. However, they found that this was unsatisfactory, and that there was plenty of content for a fantasy RTS. The initial release of Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness ran over a local area network
Local area network
A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building...
using IPX but not over the Internet communications protocol
Communications protocol
A communications protocol is a system of digital message formats and rules for exchanging those messages in or between computing systems and in telecommunications...
TCP/IP. Kali
Kali (game browser)
Kali is an IPX network emulator for DOS and Windows, enabling legacy multiplayer games to work over a modern TCP/IP network such as the Internet. Later versions of the software also functioned as a server browser for games that natively supported TCP/IP. Versions were also created for OS2 and Mac,...
, which used the Internet as if it was a local area network, became very popular and Blizzard quickly provided to gamers a program that made it easy to set up multiplayer Warcraft II games using Kali.
In 1996 Blizzard published Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal, an expansion pack
Expansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...
developed by Cyberlore Studios
Cyberlore Studios
Cyberlore Studios was a developer of computer games based in Northampton, Massachusetts. The company was founded by Lester Humphreys, Ken Grey, and Herb Perez. Since 1992, they produced expansion packs for MechWarrior 4, Heroes of Might and Magic II, and Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness...
, with new Human and Orc campaigns, using new and much more powerful heroes. Later that year the company released Warcraft II: Battle Chest, a compilation of Tides of Darkness and Beyond the Dark Portal, for DOS and Windows 3.
Also in 1996, Blizzard released for the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
Warcraft II: The Dark Saga, which combined the campaigns of Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness and Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal. The Dark Saga also allowed gamers to automate upgrade of buildings and production of units, and to select more troops at once, facilities that were not extended to the DOS and Mac versions.
Online play
In 1999 Blizzard published the Warcraft II: Battle.net Edition for Windows and Mac, which combined the original game and the expansion pack, retained the Macintosh facilities and replaced the DOS version with a WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
version that included play by TCP/IP, and provided Blizzard's online service, Battle.net
Battle.net
Battle.net is a gaming service provided by Blizzard Entertainment. Battle.net was launched in November 30, 1996 with the release of Blizzard's action-RPG Diablo. Battle.net was the first online gaming service incorporated directly into the games that make use of it, in contrast to the external...
, for multiplayer games. After considering new content, Blizzard preferred to make it easy for new and older fans to play each other. Battle.net Edition included some user interface
User interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
enhancements from Starcraft
StarCraft
StarCraft is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The first game of the StarCraft series was released for Microsoft Windows on 31 March 1998. With more than 11 million copies sold worldwide as of February 2009, it is one of the best-selling...
– a hot key to center on events, assigning numbers to groups of units, and double-clicking to select all units of a type. However they excluded production queues and waypoint
Waypoint
A waypoint is a reference point in physical space used for purposes of navigation.-Concept:Waypoints are sets of coordinates that identify a point in physical space. Coordinates used can vary depending on the application. For terrestrial navigation these coordinates can include longitude and...
s.
Tides of Darkness
Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness earned enthusiastic reviews, elevating Blizzard to the elite along with Westwood StudiosWestwood Studios
Westwood Studios was a computer and video game developer, based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was founded by Brett Sperry and Louis Castle in as Westwood Associates, and renamed to Westwood Studios when it merged with Virgin Interactive in...
, id Software
Id Software
Id Software is an American video game development company with its headquarters in Richardson, Texas. The company was founded in 1991 by four members of the computer company Softdisk: programmers John Carmack and John Romero, game designer Tom Hall, and artist Adrian Carmack...
and LucasArts
LucasArts
LucasArts Entertainment Company, LLC is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was once famous for its innovative line of graphic adventure games, the critical and commercial success of which peaked in the mid 1990s...
. The rivalry between Blizzard's series and Westwood Studios' Command & Conquer series
Command & Conquer series
Command & Conquer is a video game franchise, mostly of the real-time strategy style as well as a first-person shooter game based on the former...
fueled the RTS boom of the late 1990s.
Retrospective reviews by IGN and GameSpot emphasized the ability to join multiplayer games on local networks or using Kali
Kali (game browser)
Kali is an IPX network emulator for DOS and Windows, enabling legacy multiplayer games to work over a modern TCP/IP network such as the Internet. Later versions of the software also functioned as a server browser for games that natively supported TCP/IP. Versions were also created for OS2 and Mac,...
, and the simple but effective map editor, with which some users published maps on the Web. Another GameSpot review in 1996 commented that the campaigns are rather short, but the scenario builder and multiplayer options were ample compensation.
In 1996 GameSpot and Computer Games Magazine regarded the AI as better than in Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, and the latter also said that Warcraft II "surpasses the original game in almost every way". GameSpot approved how the innovative fog of war
Fog of war
The fog of war is a term used to describe the uncertainty in situation awareness experienced by participants in military operations. The term seeks to capture the uncertainty regarding own capability, adversary capability, and adversary intent during an engagement, operation, or campaign...
forced players to scout continuously, and IGN's retroview agreed. The Adrenaline Vault noted that gamers must manage their resources, as all resources run out. GameSpot's retrospective review was enthusiastic about the variety of strategies that gamers with different styles can use, and The Adrenaline Vault noted that maps set in winter often allow ground units to walk on the ice.
The IGN review considered WarCraft II in general a well-balanced game, but GameSpot's retrospective review regarded Ogre-Mages with the Bloodlust spell as too powerful. IGN found that searching for the survivors of a defeated opponent could be tedious, and that the first few missions were very easy, although the final ones were challenging.
In 1996 GameSpot, Computer Games Magazine and Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
praised the SVGA graphics. The retrospective reviews by IGN and GameSpot enjoyed smaller details, such as the increasingly humorous responses when a gamer's units were repeatedly clicked, the "critters" that wandered around, and the detonating of Sappers/Bombers. WarCraft II won most of the major PC gaming awards in 1996, and sold millions of copies. Gamers were still playing in 2002, on DOS or using the Battle.net edition.
Beyond the Dark Portal
MobyGamesMobyGames
-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
' survey of reviews calculated a composite of 87% for the DOS version of Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal. GameSpot and MacGame agreed that the missions are difficult and that gamers must think more carefully about strategy. GameSpot added that heroes are more powerful than in Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness but letting them die loses the mission, and that the 24 new single-player scenarios and nearly 50 multi-player scenarios are very good value for money.
Dark Saga
GameSpot was pleased that the portPorting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
s of the consoles
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
Sony
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
PlayStation and SEGA Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, combining Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness and Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal, are practically identical. The Video Game Critic
The Video Game Critic
The Video Game Critic is a website focused on video-game reviews and run by David Mrozek. It was established in 1999, and is known for featuring comprehensive reviews on many early gaming platforms.-History:...
and different reviewers in GameSpot for the PS and Saturn suggested that gamers with PCs should not buy the console versions, but recommended the game to those who use only consoles. Absolute PlayStation and Electronic Gaming Monthly omitted comparisons with the PC and praised the console versions.
Absolute PlayStation and Electronic Gaming Monthly commented that the console versions have no multiplayer capability, but were impressed with the number of campaign and skirmish maps. The two GameSpot reviews noted that, while most campaign missions follow the "resource, build, destroy" pattern, some have other objectives.
Absolute PlayStation and Electronic Gaming Monthly regarded the console buttons easy to use. However, Video Game Critic found that, despite Blizzard's streamlining of the UI
User interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
, the PS buttons are still a clumsy substitute for a mouse. GameSpot's review for the PS noted that the gamer can to auto-upgrade buildings, auto-build units, and select more troops at once than in the PC version.
Absolute PlayStation praised the graphics and sound, while Electronic Gaming Monthly regarded the graphics as serviceable but praised the sound. However, Video Game Critic complained that the units were indistinct and load times very long on the PS.
Battle.net Edition
GameSpot thought the AI was predictable but very efficient and the multiplayer facilities, while four years old, made it more enjoyable than at least half the new RTS games released in 1999. The Battle.net service was already reliable after refined through experience on DiabloDiablo (series)
Diablo is an action role-playing game franchise owned and produced by Blizzard Entertainment. , the series has sold over 18.5 million copies worldwide.-Story:...
and StarCraft
StarCraft
StarCraft is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The first game of the StarCraft series was released for Microsoft Windows on 31 March 1998. With more than 11 million copies sold worldwide as of February 2009, it is one of the best-selling...
, and the fact that it was free would be attractive both to new users and those of earlier editions. While the production values were those of 1995, the cartoonish graphics and excellent sound effects and musical score were still enjoyable in 1999.
Predecessor
Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, released in 1994, gained good reviews. It won PC GamerPC Gamer
PC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games magazines in their respective countries...
’s Editors' Choice Award, Computer Life’s Critics' Pick and the Innovations Award at the Consumer Electronics Show, Winter 1995, and was a finalist for Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World was a computer game magazine founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication. Early issues were typically 40-50 pages in length, written in a newsletter style, including submissions by game designers such as Joel Billings , Dan Bunten , and Chris Crawford...
’s Premier award, PC Gamer’s Strategy Game of the Year and the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences , founded in 1996, is a non-profit organization that promotes computer and video game entertainment with the annual D.I.C.E. Summit event, where its Interactive Achievement Awards ceremony has been held annually since 1998...
's Best Strategy award. In November 1995 Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
reported that WC:O&H ranked 19th of the top 20 CDs across all categories.
The game was the first typical RTS to be presented in a medieval setting, and its units included spellcaster
Spellcaster
A spellcaster in role-playing games refers to a creature capable of casting magic spells.See also:*Mage *Magician , a practitioner of magic as portrayed in works of fiction...
s as well as melee and ranged units. Although Modem Wars
Modem Wars
Modem Wars is a 1988 Real-Time Tactics game developed by Ozark Softscape and published by Electronic Arts for the IBM PC and Commodore 64 platforms.-Summary:The first multi-computer online game...
, released in 1988, was the first RTS with multiplayer games by means of modem
Modem
A modem is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode digital information, and also demodulates such a carrier signal to decode the transmitted information. The goal is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded to reproduce the original digital data...
s, WC:O&H brought multiplayer to a wider audience and added the use of LANs. This made multiplayer facilities essential for future RTS titles.
WC:O&H laid the ground for Blizzard's style of RTS, in which personality was a distinctive element. The humorous responses to clicking a unit repeatedly became a trademark. The game introduced characters that also appeared in the enormously successful massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
. The company's manuals presented detailed backstories and artwork. In all the Blizzard RTS games and in World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
, units must be managed carefully, rather than treated as expendable hordes.
Sequels
In 1996, Blizzard announced Warcraft Adventures, a RPG (role-playing gameRole-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
) in the Warcraft universe. They wanted to show a nobler side of the Orcs and a darker one of the Humans, in a game in which the story and humor were central rather than background. However, Warcraft Adventures always seemed a step behind the competition, especially LucasArts
LucasArts
LucasArts Entertainment Company, LLC is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was once famous for its innovative line of graphic adventure games, the critical and commercial success of which peaked in the mid 1990s...
' recently released Curse of Monkey Island and announced Grim Fandango
Grim Fandango
Grim Fandango is a personal computer game in the graphic adventure genre released by LucasArts in 1998 and primarily written by Tim Schafer. It is the first adventure game by LucasArts to use 3D computer graphics overlaid on pre-rendered, static backgrounds...
. IGN's reviewer wrote, "Then again, Blizzard itself was in a kind of turmoil of its own at the time, with many long-time employees leaving to form spin-offs, while dozens of new employees came in to work on StarCraft, Diablo II, Battle.net, and the company's many other projects. To add to the chaos, Blizzard itself would eventually be bought out by Sierra." Just before the 1998 E3 trade fair
Trade fair
A trade fair is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent market trends and opportunities...
Blizzard canceled Warcraft Adventures.
Blizzard released StarCraft in 1998 for Windows 95/98
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, in 1999 for the Mac
Mac OS
Mac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...
, and in 2000 for the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
. The game's mechanics are based in those of Warcraft – the UI
User interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
is similar; builders collect two types of resources, which can be depleted; to construct a type of unit, players must first construct all the prequisite buildings. However, StarCraft also introduced new features: the theme was based on science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
rather than medieval fantasy; the game was the first RTS to balance successfully three totally different races, and the campaigns were connected into a single storyline. The Windows version was the fastest-selling game of 1998, at 1.5 million copies. According to Blizzard Entertainment, StarCraft has won 37 awards.
The company released Warcraft III in 2002. Reviews were extremely positive, the first printing sold 5 million copies, and the game won 52 awards. Although Blizzard had announced the game in 1999 as a hybrid of RTS and RPG, by the time of release the game was based on the RTS features of Warcraft II – collecting resources, constructing a base, building a variety of units, defending the gamer's base and destroying the opponent's. However, while the Orcs and Humans of Warcraft II are very similar, those of Warcraft III have distinct capabilities and two additional races are unique in their methods of construction and their combat abilities and tactical preferences. As a result Warcraft IIIs races are nearly as different as those of StarCraft.
The Second War
The First War brought the Fall of Azeroth, following the Orc campaign in Warcraft: Orcs & Humans. The survivors of Azeroth have fled by sea to the Human kingdom of Lordaeron, and the Orcs have decided to conquer Lordaeron, in what is known as the Second War. Both sides have acquired allies and new capabilities, including naval and air units, and more powerful spellcasters.In the Second War the Orcs are successful at first, but the Humans and allies take the initiative, helped by two civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
s among the Orcs. At the final battle round the Dark Portal in Azeroth, the Alliance exterminates one Orc clan and captures the Orc supreme commander and the remnants of his forces. Hoping to avoid further invasions, the Alliance destroys the Portal.
Through the Portal
After the Second War the Alliance lost the allegiance of the Elves, who thought the Alliance had not done enough to defend the Elves' home, and of two Human kingdoms, which advocated exterminating the remaining Orcs rather than keeping them in captivity. One Orc clan that had fought in the Second War's final battle was unaccounted for. Although the Dark Portal had been destroyed, a tear in reality hovered over the ruin. A few years later, the Portal and rift were hidden by a strange darkness, and there were the sounds of hundreds warriors rushing away through the rift, followed by shrieking Dragons, and finally by the repeating phrase, "We will return..." When the darkness lifted, Alliance scouts found the ground around the Portal trampled to mud – apparently the elusive Orc clan had escaped to their race's homeworld, Draenor.The greatest Orc shaman led an army from Draenor into Azeroth, apparently hoping to steal magical artifacts with which to create further Portals. The Alliance, expecting an attack, sent through the Portal an army led by the Alliance's supreme commander, its greatest heroes and the mage who had destroyed the Azeroth Portal. It seems they destroyed the counterpart of the Azeroth Portal, but it was not known whether the force escaped from Draenor.