[Dingobloo]

Beta Patch 2.0.1 Incoming!

After a few weeks of teasing, Blizzard is preparing to release the 2.0.1 beta patch tomorrow at 3:00 AM AEDT. The whopping 3.38 Gig patch features the previously announced Levelling, Clans, Stats and UI changes and they anticipate 8 hours of beta downtime.

Originally Posted by Cloaken

I just wanted to post a brief update here to let you know that the beta environment will be coming down tomorrow around 10:00 AM PDT for a major update. We anticipate the downtime to be around 8 hours.

There will be a 3.38 GB download for this patch as a result of the significant changes being made to the beta build, so be prepared. If you're looking for information on some of the features being implemented in tomorrow's patch please take a look at some of our recent blog posts regarding UI changes, Leveling, and Clans. More extensive patch notes will be provided in the 'morrow.

Thanks for all the great help you've provided in testing Swarm and giving us your feedback. We are excited about where we're headed and look forward to hearing your thoughts on these new features.

Estimated Downtime:

31st October 2012 10:00 PM PDT

Patch Notes:

General

• New Menu Screens
  • Revamped overall UI layout, art, and graphic style.
  • More detailed information on these changes can be found here.
• Clans Support Added
  • Clan tags are now pre-pended to character names of all players who join a clan.
  • More detailed information on Clan Support can be found here.
• Leveling System
  • Players now earn XP when playing Ranked and Unranked matchmaking games or when playing Custom Games on Blizzard melee maps.
  • As players earn XP they will progress in level, with a maximum level of 20 for each race.
  • Decals and portraits are rewarded through the leveling system.
  • More detailed information on the leveling system can be found here.
• Physics effects on the battlefield have been greatly enhanced.
  • Death animations have been updated for many units.
  • Ragdoll physics now cause units to get blasted away from explosions more naturally.
  • After being killed, units can now fall off cliff edges, into caverns, etc.
• Improved Score Screen and Added Stats
  • Experience Tab: Added a Score Screen tab that tracks XP gains and leveling progress.
  • Performance Tab: Now tracks gameplay performance stats such as Average Float and Combat Efficiency, and displays lifetime averages and values for the current match.
  • Added a “Play Again” button to the post-game Score Screen.
  • Race Report: Added a profile section that tracks performance by race for each matchup.
  • Map Report: Added a profile section that tracks performance on each ladder map.

User Interface

• Custom Games
  • Many drop-down filters are now consolidated into side navigation.
  • Merged Join Game and Create Game screens into a single page.
• Moved all party displays and controls into the Party Chat window.
• Updated the Profile Summary screen to include progress UI for the new leveling system.
• Updated loading screens with new background images, more clearly displayed player names, and the overhead map.
• New Copy Link buttons have been added, which automatically copy certain pages in-game to the clipboard, allowing players to share them with others via clickable links in chat or on the web. When clicked, these links will navigate to the in-game page.
• In-Game UI Polish
  • Moved the Main Menu and Help buttons above the command card.
  • Achievements and Message Log menus are now accessible via the Main Menu.
  • Added a Select Army Units button next to the Idle Worker button.
• Unit Status bar settings have been added to the Gameplay Options screen.
  • Show Unit Status Bars – Damaged: Show only status bars for units that are below max health or energy.
  • Team Colored Status Bars: Status bar border frames match each player’s team color.

Observer Mode

• Leader Panel
  • Added Structure tab and Upgrades tab.
  • Observers can now click Leader Panel icons to center the game camera on a unit or structure.
  • Clicking multiple times cycles through units of the same type.
• Minimap
  • Attacked units now flash white for the observer.
  • Nuclear Launch and Nydus Canals now create pings on the minimap for observers.
• Versus Mode Side Toggle
  • Added a hotkey (Control-X) that flips the side on which players appear in various parts of the UI when watching a 1v1 Versus Mode game.
  • By default, the player with the leftmost start location will appear on the left in the user interface.

Balance

• The latest balance changes can be found in our Balance Update threads in the Beta Discussion forum.

Bug Fixes

• A full list of documented game and service bugs can be found in our Known Issues sticky in the Beta Bug Report forum.

Source: http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/blog/774...tes-10_31_2012

Learn More:

Official Forum Post
A Glimpse at Clan Support
Introducing Levelling
Heart of the Swarm UI Update

[Zanderax]

I can't wait to try this out.

AS SOON AS I GET A FREAKING BETA KEY

[Maynarde]

Really excited See you guys online tomorrow!

[Antel0pe]

I'm suddenly veryveryvery jealous of the guys who have beta keys :/

[TheGentleman]

I'm still disappointed that a lot of the screenshots don't have tentacles... This is heart of the swarm after all and I want a ergo interface

[ThatGuyDoMo]

Awwwwwwwwwwwwww yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

So surprised this is happening now, blizzard is moving at a breakneck pace compared to their usual schedule. At least that's what it feels like.

[TABjornbrandr]

My pleasing hand is ready and I have sufficient numbers of tissues.

[SLCN.Kez]

Might actually download t he beta now and try it out!

[FS.Kezz]

I started it up this morning thinking that it would be up by now, but alas the login server was still down. C'mon, I wanna see this new UI!

[SiF]

Server should be up with the perfect timing of my lunch break... WIN!

[FS.Kezz]

EDIT: 2 more hours added to the ETA of servers being back up, in addition to PATCH NOTES!

+ [PATCH NOTES] +

StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Beta Patch 2.0.1 is now live. This update to the beta test includes a number of new systems, art updates, and changes to the look and feel of the game interface.

There are still several features and improvements coming to Heart of the Swarm, and this is not a final pre-release patch. Please read the full patch notes and related articles to learn all about what’s available in the beta test.

General

New Menu Screens

• Revamped overall UI layout, art, and graphic style.
• More detailed information on these changes can be found here.

Clans Support Added

• Clan tags are now pre-pended to character names of all players who join a clan.
• More detailed information on Clan Support can be found here.

Leveling System

• Players now earn XP when playing Ranked and Unranked matchmaking games or when playing Custom Games on Blizzard melee maps.
• As players earn XP they will progress in level, with a maximum level of 20 for each race.
• Decals and portraits are rewarded through the leveling system.
• More detailed information on the leveling system can be found here.

Physics effects on the battlefield have been greatly enhanced.

• Death animations have been updated for many units.
• Ragdoll physics now cause units to get blasted away from explosions more naturally.
• After being killed, units can now fall off cliff edges, into caverns, etc.

Improved Score Screen and Added Stats

• Experience Tab: Added a Score Screen tab that tracks XP gains and leveling progress.
• Performance Tab: Now tracks gameplay performance stats such as Average Float and Combat Efficiency, and displays lifetime averages and values for the current match.
• Added a “Play Again” button to the post-game Score Screen.
• Race Report: Added a profile section that tracks performance by race for each matchup.
• Map Report: Added a profile section that tracks performance on each ladder map.

User Interface

Custom Games

• Many drop-down filters are now consolidated into side navigation.
• Merged Join Game and Create Game screens into a single page.
• Moved all party displays and controls into the Party Chat window.
• Updated the Profile Summary screen to include progress UI for the new leveling system.
• Updated loading screens with new background images, more clearly displayed player names, and the overhead map.
• New Copy Link buttons have been added, which automatically copy certain pages in-game to the clipboard, allowing players to share them with others via clickable links in chat or on the web. When clicked, these links will navigate to the in-game page.
• In-Game UI Polish
• Moved the Main Menu and Help buttons above the command card.
• Achievements and Message Log menus are now accessible via the Main Menu.
• Added a Select Army Units button next to the Idle Worker button.
• Unit Status bar settings have been added to the Gameplay Options screen.
• Show Unit Status Bars – Damaged: Show only status bars for units that are below max health or energy.
• Team Colored Status Bars: Status bar border frames match each player’s team color.
• Observer Mode

Leader Panel

• Added Structure tab and Upgrades tab.
• Observers can now click Leader Panel icons to center the game camera on a unit or structure.
• Clicking multiple times cycles through units of the same type.
• Minimap
• Attacked units now flash white for the observer.
• Nuclear Launch and Nydus Canals now create pings on the minimap for observers.
• Versus Mode Side Toggle
• Added a hotkey (Control-X) that flips the side on which players appear in various parts of the UI when watching a 1v1 Versus Mode game.
• By default, the player with the leftmost start location will appear on the left in the user interface.
• Balance

The latest balance changes can be found in our Balance Update threads in the Beta Discussion forum.
Bug Fixes

A full list of documented game and service bugs can be found in our Known Issues sticky in the Beta Bug Report forum.

Finished patching, login servers aren't up yet though.

+ [Screenshots!~] +

(More to come when I can log in)

Quick Comments

nirvAnA:

nice wall paper!

[Dingobloo]

Updated the OP with the ETA and patch notes

[Thrasher]

oh wow, after reading through that changelog I'm impressed. A lot of really simple but great changes.

[SiF]

6 hours after there intended launch and it's still down... Standard Blizzard timeframe

[mGGAequitas]

Originally Posted by SiF

6 hours after there[sic] intended launch and it's still down... Standard Blizzard timeframe

Originally Posted by Dingobloo

10:00 AM PDT for a major update. We anticipate the downtime to be around 8 hours.

10 am + 8 hours is often times 6pm.
I just tried it and it started updating.

[TidaL]

Can't wait to these features in action, even if it's only from other's experiences...

[SFTAElessar]

omg download takes forever!!! HURRY UP PATCH AND DOWNLOAD UGHHHH!!!!!!!

[ToR.Arnor]

The servers are down anyway brohan

[nirvAnA]

The best starcraft 2 patch and it doesn't even affect the game. Amazing stuff, I wonder if the full extent of these features were all already planned to be this detailed or if destiny's call to action thread had anything to do with it.

Quick Comments

Dingobloo:

Everything except levelling was announced well in advance.

[ToR.Arnor]

Originally Posted by nirvAnA

The best starcraft 2 patch and it doesn't even affect the game. Amazing stuff, I wonder if the full extent of these features were all already planned to be this detailed or if destiny's call to action thread had anything to do with it.

This kind of coding doesnt happen over night, all this would have been planned (and everything bar the exp thing was something that was "coming soon"), It is likely that all the hype lately has caused them to release all the updates at once, even if they arent 100% ready (hence all the server issues atm).

[ToRSpartaz]

Downloading the patch atm, can't wait to have that feeling to finally create Clan ToR on battlenet

[FS.Kezz]

Still can't login, and there is an announcement at the login screen stating that they will be down until at least 3 AM (Queensland time).

[Maynarde]

An update via Blizzard forums, the roll out of this patch experienced some problems basically and they'll have more info at 10am PDT which is 3:30am AEDT (I believe).

Shamelessly stealing Dingo's sexy bbcode:

Official Forum Post

EDIT: Looks like the update is scheduled for Noon PDT now, hardware failure being the reason according to blue poster Cloaken.

EDIT2: Now it's 1pm PDT Blizz

[Maynarde]

Beta patch is LIVE! GOGOGO

[inFeZa]

I put these suggestions into PJ and he sent them on to the devs.
PJ Delivers!

[TABjornbrandr]

This is what it looks like when I login.

[TidaL]

looks nice, can't wait for the official release of the game although i believe it may come out about this time next year or another 6months after that

[FS.Kezz]

The levels system is kinda cool, there is a small floaty +50xp (for example) when you make units/buildings and kill units/buildings. I played 3 games today and am already Level 6 Terran (all 13-15min games), so I think they need to tweak the XP values so that it takes lots more games to get a level. At this stage the rewards are limited to more detailed/cool looking decals every 2 levels however I think once the game is released it will include other things like portraits.

As a side note, I'm also really noticing the optimisations of the game. I play on Low settings both in WoL and HotS beta and I get a much smoother game in HotS. At the very beginning of the game I sit on a constant 60 fps in HotS, whereas WoL jumps up and down between 55 and 60. As the game progresses, HotS holds more smooth performance as well which really helps with mid-late game engagements and multitasking. I play on a kind of low-end rig so these things won't impact on those with half-decent computers, however it probably stands as a good sign for those that will be streaming HotS.

Originally Posted by ETL.TidaL

looks nice, can't wait for the official release of the game although i believe it may come out about this time next year or another 6months after that

I hope it doesn't take that long! I was thinking more like January/February 2013.

[Dox]

Originally Posted by FS.Kezz

I hope it doesn't take that long! I was thinking more like January/February 2013.

They're aiming for Q1/Q2 2013:

Source: http://kotaku.com/5958659/starcraft-...will-miss-2012

P.S. This patch is ******* amazing. It's like a whole new game. Been playing all night!

[SiF]

Originally Posted by TABjornbrandr

This is what it looks like when I login.

I don't know why but I don't have that background - mine is the same BG as WoL but the layout is the new HOTS style... weird.

[Maynarde]

Originally Posted by SiF

I don't know why but I don't have that background - mine is the same BG as WoL but the layout is the new HOTS style... weird.

Check out your settings in the UI, from memory it's in the Battle.net section, you can select Terran / Zerg themed. You probably have Terran selected.

[Dox]

Bunch of screenshots I took:

The animated login screen with Kerrigan psi-smashing everything in the room is pretty fun to watch


Tried to create a clan for Nv, but the tag was already taken. This will surely be revised before launch, otherwise you'll see everyone racing to steal the EG tag on day 1. Also note the ability to copy/paste in-game links to other peoples' profiles.


Looks like you might be able to import your own overlay files/textures for observing?


Prettttttty...


The EXP you receive for creating or killing units/structures is the equivalent mineral & gas cost. Pretty straightforward! If your opponent leaves the game, it calculates the total cost of all remaining units/buildings.


ALL ladder maps now come with "neutral depots" at the bottom of each bases' ramp.


First daily win bonus is nice!


Every single level with each race yields a new portrait or decal. Decals are REALLY prominent now.


My overall level is 24, whilst my level with each individual race is different.


Clan tags are shown in ladder rankings


It even shows your win ratio when selecting map preferences


And the new music is AMAAAAAAAZING. You must listen to it.