Blizzard hasupdated its official StarCraftII website with an interview with Nick Carpenter, the developer's cinematic creative director, in which he discusses the cinematic teaser traile✨r that arrived with the announcemen𓂃t on the sequel last month along with general cinematics plans for the game.

Topics covered in the interview include the balance between in-game cut-scenes and pre-rendered cinematics in StarCraft II.

"StarCraft II," Carpenter explains, "will have cut-scenes just like the original StarCraft games, but one thing I'm really excited about is that this time, the controls for these scenes will be much more intricate than before. Since our graphics engine for the game itself can display a wide range of effects, such as normal mapping, we can actually create in-game cut-scenes of near-cinematic quality.

"And sinღce we have more control over camera movement, unit animation, and lighting, our only limitations here 𒁃are the engine's limitations. A good part of the plot will unfold through in-game cut-scenes, but the most pivotal scenes are still being told through cinematics."

He reveals too that Blizzard plans to make the tools it's using to create in-game cut-scenes in StarCraft II available to players/modders.

"It's always been our tradition to ship level-editing tools with our games, and I think that adds a lot to the success and longevity of games like Warcraft III and the original StarCraft. Even with World of Warcraft, there are a lot of really great fan-made machinima movies out there. There is a desire among the players for software like our level editors, an🔯d we're really excited to seꦗe what they'll do with these tools."

The full interview with Nick Carpenter.

June 4, 2007