SC2Mapster

Thanks for all the comments! Sorry it's taken me so long to respond...I've been getting ready to move back to school (I leave tomorrow on a 7:25 am flight from LA to Boston - ugh) and I haven't had much time to post or to work on the editor. Some good questions were raised and I'd like to quickly address some of them.

To Bounty_98, you wrote first that my maps could not really be inspired by NASA: "I dont see what ANY of that could have been inspired by using Cutting Edge Information from NASA." You next wrote that there are "absolutely no parallels between space exploration and Starcraft 2." I disagree with you on both points, and here's why:

As far as cutting-edge technology goes, these maps feature technology currently under testing and development at NASA's Desert RATS project. The Space Exploration Vehicle (SEV), the Robotic Assistant, certain In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) devices, and even the Portable Utility Pallet have physical prototypes in testing right now.

I'm glad also that you brought up a certain skepticism toward my claim that there are parallels between space exploration and Starcraft 2. Here is a brief (not comprehensive) list of parallels I've identified and tried to incorporate into my maps:

• Strategic Parallels: When establishing a lunar or an SC2 base you must...

1. Collect resources found on-site (in the case of space exploration, with ISRU devices)
2. Explore the region for interesting items or resource deposits
3. Reuse old technology already there and build upon it over time to improve its capabilities
4. Plan and execute a base expansion to nearby advantageous regions
5. Operate units at a distance to repair and build other units or to explore regions

• Technological Parallels: The following SC2 units and their matching NASA counterparts...

1. SCV <-> Robotic Assistant (both can gather resources and repair mechanical units)
2. Hellion <-> Space Exploration Vehicle (both are 'rover'-like and can transport units quickly
3. Command Center <-> Lunar Lander (both act as central hubs for early bases, providing storage and safety for units)
4. Supply Depot <-> Portable Utility Pallet (both provide support for the base's units)

I hope this post helps. Thanks again for all the comments, I appreciate any feedback you might have, good or bad :-P

Lot of negative comments here.

I understand that this map can be better and when you tell this like: "NASA hires people to do SC2 maps" things get absolutely wrong dimension.

So mostly that NASA word is too much.

"Inspired by NASA" is very much different than "NASA hired me to do a map for them".

And if you think that this is very expensive and terrible use for tax payers money you can think this as a way to look for talented "nerd" people for NASA.

I can find around thousand more useless ways to "spent tax money" than "hiring" ONE person for that kind of thing. And do we really even know how much that NASA emplyoee had time to do this thing and how much they paid for him? And was that just some sort of part time job during other things?

How often we get news about how stupidly tax money was spent in some military research projects for example?

That Help-screen looks good / informative at 0:19.

Ok thats lot of text already =) I hope this helps people to get some sense of proportion for that project.

And one last sentence:

"Many students can spent ten weeks to read magazines and drink coffee in job"

Shut up Rodrigo.

Get it done Boldly, I've been usin that kind of editor for years and I still don't get some stuff. May you have some luck.

Most importantly, have nice time doin the job. I would really like to see this thing go forward, but I must say that up to now, it ain't advanced enought to be called a map. IT's basicaly a start-up of something that might someday become cool.... anyways. Sixen, when this map get to something, please advice on the news, is that alright?

Tanx TheBigMike

@Sixen

NO U

THE CHAT GEM LIVES!

I debated about Nasa once in Debatessssss

I'm sorry but I still call BS and here is why.

1. You were hired by NASA to make NASA Inspired maps using "cutting edge information".

I have not had a chance to play the map but just going purely based off what people are saying and the trailer.
I dont see what ANY of that could have been inspired by using Cutting Edge Information from NASA.

2. You tried to draw some of the striking parellels that exist between real space exlporation and Starcraft 2.

What parallels? There are absolutely no parallels between space exploration and Starcraft 2. What? Because you can have space ships? Then i guess since the Red Alert series has had helicopters and planes it has parallels to a flight simulator?
:)

I wish i had that Job!!! well done looks like a fun map..

Hey All,

I'd like to address some of the comments posted here. But before I say anything else, I must first thank Sixen for posting this announcement. Sixen, I was shocked and impressed that you knew about my summer project, especially since you also seem to think it's cool! I really appreciate your shout-out.

Now, some of you are skeptical of my story as told by Sixen, so let me tell you my story as me, Todd Sheerin, recent NASA intern and current student. If you still want to call BS by the end of it, I don't know how else I can help you because you'd be wrong. Basically, I spent 10 weeks beginning in early June as a LARSS intern at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA. My job was to make NASA-inspired maps that could include cutting-edge information about NASA concepts and technology and still keep the Starcraft 2 feel. I worked with publicly-available information and tried to draw some of the striking parallels that exist between real space exploration and Starcraft 2.

With that said, I freely admit that I am an amateur map artist and developer. I began seriously working with the SC2 map editor only months ago, but in the short time I've been working with the editor, I've learned a few key skills and mostly a sense of how much there is to learn, especially with the data editor. This isn't to say that I believe my maps aren't good. On the contrary, I think they could be fun for SC2 fans and space enthusiasts alike.

I want to be clear: Lunar Harvest is a proof-of-concept map series, meant to serve as a baseline for future NASA-inspired maps. Real mission plans and technology that NASA has developed have unmistakeable equivalents in SC2, and with better maps, these connections can be made more visible.

As the series is now, here are the maps available to play:

• Lunar Harvest: Base Operations (1 player campaign);
• Lunar Harvest 1v1: Crater Battle (classic melee);
• Lunar Harvest 1v1: He3 Grab (collect 5000 minerals, or Helium-3 deposits, first!);
• Lunar Harvest 3v3: Crater Battle (melee)

Find these while playing SC2 by searching for "LunarHarvest" when creating a game. I'll also be uploading my maps to sc2mapster soon, and I'm planning on updating these maps as soon as I get to the fast internet of my school next week.

I hope this response helps with any questions you might have. If there are more, please let me know and I'd be happy to explain myself better.

Thanks!

Well, so what? He may be from NASA or not, that doesn't change anything about the fact that we are a community of Blizzard entertainment and that we don't seek a shit about this guy as long as it's map isn't much better. Sorry BoldyGo, but actually, your map isn't impressive at all. Any novice could do it. You barelly integrated NASA stuff inside of a poor concept/map.

If you aren't improving it with tons of things, well let's say there won't be interest about it. I played it for 1 hour at Insane and found it quite boring. the first part where you must look around with your RAS is interesting, but afterward, all is normal gameplay. and there is quite some bugs, like i couldn't build bunkers on the low ground located at top, but I could spam click the construction button of the bunker to cheatly build one.

Calling BS as well. Searched for a good hour or so and couldn't find anything relating NASA to bringing an intern/temp to do this except sc2mapster sites.

I'm sorry but i call bullsh*t on the whole "Getting hired by NASA to make Starcraft II maps".

Its hard to even type it out let alone believe it because it sounds absolutely retarded.

What is this I dont even

So is this basically melee except the terrain is set up where it's like a moon crater? Other than that the units seem the same.

Sad and happy. Sad because NASA spends on PR more and more. Happy because I would love a job like that.