Last week I covered the new UI changes coming to Starcraft II patch 3.0, and as of October 6th the patch has gone live. However, not everyone is happy about the changes, mostly due to the graphical strain it is putting on their computers. Just check out this mixed reaction to the game’s update in the all-chat box.
The General Chat has been filled with positive and negative feedback, both of which are on the extreme ends of the spectrum
While this might seem like a simple case of “stop using a potato computer” as some players are saying in the chat, many are claiming that this is not the case. While I’m personally a fan of the new graphical changes, I sadly have to agree that there is certainly something wrong with the new UI.
Before getting into the details of why the situation isn’t so great, let me just give a quick list of my computer’s specifications:
CPU: AMD A8-5600K APU with Radeon HD Graphics (Quad-Core 3.6GHz)
RAM: 12 GB DDR3
Graphics Card: AMD Radeon R9 280X Series Graphics Card
OS: Windows 10
Now, I’ll admit that my computer hasn’t been top of the line for a few years (if ever). However, anyone who has built a rig for themselves should know that these parts aren’t exactly low-end by today’s standards either. But here’s the funny thing about patch 3.0: I’m getting serious hanging issues on the main menus, even on default recommended settings. In fact, when I ran the game for the first time after the patch I had such high graphical lag that I couldn’t exit the game.
There is a bit of a workaround, though. It seems that the patch has rewritten a great number of the original files in the game. As such, the client is scrambling to rearrange those files on your hard drive to load in a decent amount of time (or something along those lines… I’m not a programmer so don’t quote me on this!). As a result of… whatever is going on the first time you load, the future startups should run much smoother.
As for people with computers that are much less powerful than my own… Consider picking up some new parts. A custom rig ranging around $500 or so should be able to play this game no problem.
For those running the game on older rigs, here’re some screenshots showing what the game’s new menus look like running on the highest possible settings!
Artanis leaps into action on the title screen!
The classic Brood War-style campaign menu returns.
For those wondering what it looks like when you click on a campaign…
And lastly, the beautiful multiplayer menu.
While it might take some getting used to, the changes to the UI are objectively for the better. Some older machines might not be able to run the game anymore, but it’s quite likely that many of those machines were likely barely able to run the game in the first place.
EDIT (20/10/2015): Based on the reactions in the comments section, and the outcry on Twitter, the issue appears to be related to CPU compatibility with the new 64-bit option. As a new experiment, try turning off the 64-bit version via the Battle.net client. The 32-bit client appears to run much better on my machine so far.
EDIT (07/11/2015): Patch 3.0.3 has come out and fixed even more issues. More details found here. If players are still having connection, gameplay, or other issues, contact Blizzard here to make a complaint.
What do you guys think about the new UI? Is your computer having issues with the menus after restarting the game? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
