StarCraft 2 mod tool updates to let players create custom models, UI and cutscenes

StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm won't just mean a massive shake-up for the StarCraft 2 esports scene, we'll be getting the Blizzard Arcade as well, a hub designed to show off the very best creations from the StarCraft 2 modding community. Blizzard plan to give modders more power with a suite of updates to the mod tools supplied with StarCraft 2.

A full cutscene editor will give players the ability to create their own movies using StarCraft 2 assets, or assets created in 3DS Max. The devs showed a video of the editor in action. It featured Zerglings breakdancing with Raynor.

Modders will also be able to take advantage of the updated physics engine that will arrive with Heart of the Swarm. The system will add ragdoll effects to many StarCraft 2 units. A video showed an Ultralisk carving through a squad of Marines, a sweep of its horns sent them flying across the map.

There will also be improvements to debugging tools to help modders fix problems faster. A custom UI engine will let modders create all new UI layouts and there will be more documentation, tutorials, tool breakdowns and example files to help new modders get to grips with the tools.

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Part of the UK team, Tom was with PC Gamer at the very beginning of the website's launch—first as a news writer, and then as online editor until his departure in 2020. His specialties are strategy games, action RPGs, hack ‘n slash games, digital card games… basically anything that he can fit on a hard drive. His final boss form is Deckard Cain.