Greetings Beta Squadron!
During the final preparations for sending out the Starcraft Beta, we have run across a few questions. Obviously, many more will come up during the testing process, but here are a few answers to the barn-burners:
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When is the Starcraft Beta going to start?
We will be sending beta CDs out in the next few days. You should expect to be getting them during the week of January 5th.
How will the Starcraft Beta CD be sent to me?
We will be sending the CDs out by Federal Express. To better facilitate your receiving the beta as soon as possible, we will be sending them without requiring your signature upon receipt.
How will I set up my Unique User ID account?
The first thing you will need to do is to create a Battle.net account so that we can activate your Unique User ID. Click the "New Account" button. Type the name you wish to use on Battle.net in the "Name" field. Now enter the password you wish to use for this ID in the "Password" field. You will then need to type this password again in the "Repeat Password" field to confirm your choice.
When you return to the Battle.net Login screen, you will see your Battle.net ID in the "Name" field. To go onto Battle.net, enter your password in the "Password" field and click "Ok".
To confirm your Unique User ID, you will need to play with it for 2 hours the first day you create it. To keep your Unique User ID, you will need to log onto Battle.net with that ID at least once every three months.
REMEMBER: Write down your password at this time and keep it in a safe place. We cannot look up or change your password, so if you forget it, you will need to create a new Battle.net ID. Do not give out your password to other users. Blizzard employees will never ask you to reveal your password.
What if a number appears after my Unique User ID?
Since we are testing the Unique User ID system, current names being used by people playing Diablo are still "live". If you log on as BladeMaster and there is somebody with that name already logged onto Battle.net in Diablo, your name will display as BladeMaster2. By the time Starcraft ships we will have instituted Unique User IDs across all of Battle.net, so this will not occur.
Will I be able to keep my Unique User ID from the Starcraft Beta?
If at all possible, we will allow you to keep the name you are playing under during the Starcraft beta. We will be testing the distribution data base during the beta, however, so there is a possibility that we may need to reset the names during the testing process.
Will my World Wide Ranking during the beta be there when Starcraft ships?
We will be testing this feature during the beta, but when the final version of Starcraft ships, we will be resetting all ladders, ratings and rankings.
How are Patches going to work?
Battle.net will automatically update your copy of the Starcraft beta, the first time being when you initially log on after receiving your CD. We will be doing numerous patches during the beta period, necessitating a "patch chain". This means that there may be times during the beta when, after you log onto Battle.net, there are multiple patches required to get you updated to the latest version. If this is the case, you will need go through the patching process more than once to get all of the patches. When the final version of Starcraft ships, any patching that needs to be done will be done (as Diablo currently is) in single patches.
How do I report bugs?
After installing Starcraft, you will find a "Report Bugs" icon in the Starcraft folder of your Start Menu. This provides a quick link to our web site, where you can report bugs. It is important that you report any and all bugs immediately, and in a clear and complete manner. Describe, as best you can, exactly what occurred when the bug was found. If you can re-create the bug by following an exact set of steps, please do so and report how to re-create the bug as well.
How often should I report bugs?
You should let us know about any and all bugs as soon as you find them.
Thanks for being a part of the Starcraft Beta Program, and from everyone here at Blizzard Entertainment, have a great New Years.
See you on Battle.net!
