Who is ready for the next Starcraft game? I dreamt I wrote it..

I never really went through a fanfic stage as a writer. Apparently, as author origin stories go, it’s the equivalent of being exposed to weird radiation, or being orphaned at a young age: pretty bland and standard. I just stupidly skipped straight into writing multi-volume epic fantasy.

But, that doesn’t mean I’ve never thought about writing in someone else’s universe.

One morning I woke up with this weirdly specific idea. I had the basic outline of a plot for Starcraft 3.

Now, I have given some thought to what it might take to convince me to accept a “real job” with “hours” and “paychecks” and “people telling me what to do”. One of the candidates would be writing for a major video game. So, with the idea still rattling around in my head, I tried to lay out the basics of my idea.

For those unfamiliar with the franchise, Starcraft (which is up to 2 now), features three major factions: Terrans (humans), Zerg (insectoid hive mind), and Protoss (psychic warrior culture). I’d pick up after the events of Starcraft 2.

The Zerg Swarm is in tatters. The loss of the Brood Queen lessened their drive and ambition, leaving them vulnerable, and allowing Terran and Protoss forces to scatter them.

The Terrans would be experimenting on captured Zerg specimens, trying to use aspects of Zerg biology in designing new weapons, drugs, etc.

The Protoss are horrified that the humans are tinkering with Zerg biomaterials, yet feel honor bound not to launch a war with them, as they have given their word to Jim Raynor, the human they feel best understands their culture and ideals.

Meanwhile, Kerrigan (the human who became the Brood Queen before being rescued in SC2) is struggling with life after the Zerg. Much as they had warped, altered, and used her, they’d also given her unbelievable power. It feels like a part of her is missing, and she’s finding it hard to live without that part. She secretly yearns to go back. And before her capture by the Zerg, she was a capable psy-operative.

The Protoss come up with their own plan. If they can kidnap Jim Raynor, they may be able to help him ascend and join them. Sending out stealth missions, they kidnap lesser humans upon whom they can test the process before trying it on their valued friend.

All the plots would advance from here. This is just what I came up with in the aftermath of remembering a bit of a dream. I fleshed out some bits that weren’t clear, and came up with a few additional ideas to have a complete starting point, but if someone told me I had free reign to come up with a story for the Starcraft 3 game, this would be my pitch.