Tychus Findlay: I just wish the damn thing came with an instruction manual. For all we know we could be upsettin' the entire time-space continuum!!
Jim Raynor: Easy, Tychus, this ain't science fiction...
- Starcraft 2
In the sequel, ex-marshal Jim Raynor continues his battle against the tyrannical Arcturus Mengsk, self-proclaimed Emperor of the Sector. However, the situation is complicated by the return of the Zerg, still under the leadership of the vengeful Queen of Blades, who was a human telepath named Sarah Kerrigan until she was betrayed by Mengsk and subsequently captured and infested by the Zerg. And what of the grim omens of the future as perceived by Zeratul, Protoss warrior and mystic? Will Kerrigan save or doom the universe...?
Although it may not have a high profile in the eyes of the general public, the Starcraft franchise is one of the most popular games ever developed. More than 11 million copies of the original version and its expansion modules have been purchased to date, and Starcraft 2 sold over one million copies on its first day.
It's interesting to note how many of the really big game franchises are based on fantasy or science fiction themes. Admittedly, not all - you Grand Theft Auto fans can sit down now - but the majority of games that have really made a mark, like the Doom and Half-Life franchises, Halo, Quake, Diablo, Dark Age of Camelot, and of course World of Warcraft, are set in futuristic or mythical worlds.
Obviously there are good reasons for this. Games are not just exercises in eye-hand coordination and strategy, they present the same escapist opportunities as their relatives in the literary and visual genres. Science fiction and fantasy gaming offers a rich creative palette in terms of world-building - it's one thing to accurately duplicate the western United States during the time of the cowboy, but an entirely different challenge to believably create the various environments and technologies of the far-flung planets of the Terran Confederacy circa 2504 or the verdant glades and exotic wildlife of Elwynn Forest.
The other appeal of SF and fantasy gaming is in the range of virtual abilities that they allow the player to experience. If you're seeking an opportunity to wield mystical god-like powers in the struggle between Order and Chaos, guide massive war machines through smoking urban rubble, or just leap tall buildings in a single bound, there are lots of games that can easily indulge your particular daydreams.
The flip side of that coin is that I sometimes play historical games like Battlefield 1942 or Call of Duty simply because they lack the exaggerated powers bestowed upon the player by games like World of Warcraft. In BF1942, there are no magical spells, no mystical armour, no energy shields, no BFGs - there's just a rifle, three clips, and a couple of grenades, which presents an entirely different gaming challenge.
However, Battlefield 1942 offers an unexpected explanation for the prevalence of science fiction and fantasy gaming. I sometimes play BF1942 online with my friend Alan in Toronto. Alan, whose father flew in Mitchells during WWII, steadfastly refuses to play as the Axis forces. For me, the difference between the Allied and Axis sides is solely one of uniforms and equipment, rather than a moral position, but Alan is unable to ignore the implications of seeking victory for Hitler's forces. Changing the setting to 2142 in the newest version of the Battlefield franchise certainly removed any stigma associated with a particular historical setting, although that change probably had nothing to do with the reaction of players like Alan.
Even so, that change to a futuristic venue may not have been a bad decision on the part of the game designers. Imagine what it would be like to discover a hidden level in a game like Battlefield 1942, one in which the player is offered a horrifying opportunity to command the German forces that are operating Dachau...
- Sid
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