A Discourse on life, the universe, and everything StarCraft

As is probably obvious to everyone, there will be a big update at BlizzCon. This may reveal a sizable part of one of the other races (much like the original announcement did for the Protoss). I hope this will be the Terrans as I do not like the Zerg. Also, as evidence from the recent updates to the official StarCraft 2 site (Stargate, Phoenix) they will probably be giving updates for each of the Protoss things shown in the official gameplay trailer. This includes those three unknown buildings, the nexus, the warp ray, the mothership, the photon cannon, the colossus, and the pylon.

The next large update will probably come at the 2008 E3. Before this happens, small updates will be given for the second race revealed (like what they are doing with the protoss). This will probably reveal some of the third race's units (assuming some of the second race's units are revealed at BlizzCon. After this, small updates will be given for the final races units as well as updates for any other unit or building that has not yet been showcased/officially put on the page.

With this sort of timetable, the probably beta for StarCraft 2 would be towards the end of 2008 with a release coming around May 2009 (Most Blizzard RTS games are released May/June).

Also likely is the fact that they already have all the units for every race completed. I doubt they would add another unit later on because they would have to rebalance and if they do that for every unit, rebalancing would take a very long time. Minor art changes may come in response to mass fan riots against certain things (Soul Hunter / clean look of the terrans) but probably nothing major. All the revealed units will most likely be in the final game with some possible abilities taken away due to balance issues (like the afterburner that the Valkyrie used to have).

I will now discuss the revealed units of the protoss, their roles, and the roles that the protoss still need to have filled based on StarCraft and on what the other races have and what they had in StarCraft and may have in StarCraft 2.

Protoss
Probe - construction unit - same as before
Zealot - basic infantry - most likely be used in the same capacity it was used before, the main unit in protoss ground forces
Dark Templar - higher tier infantry - most likely be used in the same capacity it was used before, harassing units and anything that doesn't have a nearby detector.
High Templar - spellcaster infantry - most likely will be used as a support unit like before - retains the psi storm and also has a barrier ability that will be useful - may or may not have its other abilities
Twilight Archon - Heavy Infantry - seems like it will have some spells and will also be an infantry unit capable of absorbing damage and dealing high damage - seems to replace both the archon and dark archon
Stalker - medium infantry - most likely will be used as a harassing unit much like the Dark Templar - sort of replaces the dragoon but is weaker and has the added advantage of blink which increases its mobility - also seems to be a good AA unit which sets it apart from the Dark Templar.
Immortal - heavy infantry - most likely will be used as a tank unit against heavy hitting units - unfortunately it is unlikely that any good players will waste their heavy hitters on attack this unit and will instead attack your other units and let lighter units destroy these - cannot forsee this unit as being particularly useful as is and may be revamped a bit - replaces the dragoon in spirit but not in function
Reaver - siege unit - most likely will be the same as before
Colossus - heavy ground unit - will most likely be used as a support unit with its ability to deal high damage to individual units and move to the next unit quickly - doesn't really replace any unit in function
Soul Hunter - medium infantry - will most likely be used for harassing in large groups - seems to have the same role as the Dark Templar and Stalker and is the least "Protoss" of all the units in its design and function
Phoenix - air superiority fighter - most likely will just be used for AA even though it can attack ground - replaces scout and corsair
Warp Ray - air support unit - will most likely be used for taking down large air units such as the battlecruiser or mothership - can also be used effectively against buildings making this a pretty effective base destroyer - seems pretty useful as everyone has buildings
Tempest - air support unit - will most likely be used to confuse base defenses with the large number of disc interceptors however the weakness to air means that it does not fulfill the role of the carrier - replaces the carrier in spirit but not fuction
Phase Prism - air transport - will be used like the shuttle was as well as a mobile/emergency pylon - players will probably have more of these than they did shuttles as they are more useful - replaces shuttle
Observer - detector - will be used the same as it was before as the protoss primary detector
Star Relic - spell-casting air unit - will probably serve the same capacity as the arbiter did - seems to be a souped up arbiter
Mothership - support "command ship" - while the mothership is relatively strong the fact that there can only be one of them as well as the destructive abilities it as will cause it to be the focus of the enemy attacks - sort of replaces the carrier in the capacity of it being a large air unit but as there can only be one the function of the carrier fleet is removed

The functions of some protoss units from SC seem to have been broken up and given to a variety of units in most cases while in one case two units seem to have been combined into one unit.
The Immortal and the Stalker seem to replace the Dragoon in function. However, apart they do not fulfill the role of the Dragoon. Only when put together do they accomplish this.
The Tempest, Mothership, and Warp Ray seem to be the spirit and function of the Carrier. The Tempest as the spirit of the carrier without the heavy air unit capacity while the mothership fulfills the role of a big air unit and the warp ray fulfills the shear damage capability.
As stated before, the Dark Archon and Archon seem to have been combined into the Twilight Archon.

The Protoss at this point have all the roles that they had in the original with some overlaps (Soul Hunter) and some additional support (Colossus)

Terran
SCV - construction unit - same as before
Marine - light infantry - same as before - added shield for possibility of having more defense later on
Reaper - light infantry - will probably be used for raiding - possibly replaces the vulture in this respect - may also replace the firebat as it may have a secondary flame attack
Siege Tank - siege unit - same as before - looks like a toy
Dropship - air transport unit - same as before
Battlecruiser - heavy air unit - same as before

While many Terran units were revealed, all but the Reaper are returners and have the same function as they did before so little can be said about them

Zerg
Zergling - light infantry - same as before
Baneling - suicide bomber infantry - evolution of the zergling - will probably be mid-tech - replaces the infested terran
Nydus Worm - transport unit - seems to function somewhat like the nydus canal but also like the overlord's transport function - may be the primary transport for the zerg
Mutalisk - light air unit - same as before

Zerg has the least number of units revealed with half of them being returners. The mechanic of the nydus worm is certainly interesting and the baneling is a good replacement to the infested terran.

Off topic: Type "the answer to life the universe and everything" into Google.

 

According to what I have read about Blizzcon, all attendees will have access to Starcraft 2's gameplay, meaning more than likely, by the beginning of August, or at Blizzcon itself, all of the new units will have been revealed. I'm still hoping for a one unit/ and one building a week updates from starcraft2.com.

 

unless they don't allow one or more race to be played at blizzcon.

 

Offcourse the won't allow the other races, whats the use of them revealing everything 6 or more months before the game comes out, I think a developer shoud actually NEVER reveal anything before the game comes out.

And be honest, wouldn't it be fun to have a few surprises when Starcraft 2 comes out?

 

True, but I believe the quote was "fully playable". I'm thinking Terran will revealed, adn the Zerg will remain shrouded in secrecy.

 

Yeah, but 'fully playable' could be interpreted differently, I think they mean that you can really play it, but that its still a demo version.

 

I think protoss will be fully playable not all the races.

 

This may just be my opinion, but I am thinking that the new units and changes to the Terran will be alot less surprising than the changes to the Zerg. Heres hoping they reveal some Terran soon, AKA my favorite race. owerup:

 

I hope they won't reveal the Zerg unto the very end.
Me wants surprise.

 

a nice play on words from The Hitchhicker's guide to the galazy

 

I imagine that they won't reveal everything (they aren't that close to being done) but people will get to play with those protoss units shown and maybe get to see a few more units for the other two.

BTW the answer is 42

 

I think that only the Protoss will be playable at the demo.
They will probably show off most of the new stuff for Terran in a video, and perhaps, some minor stuff for the Zerg.

So basically at BlizzCon, we will probably know most of the Protoss. As for the Terran, we will probably know just as much as May 19th's Protoss (around 75%) which is when Blizzard announced SC2. As for Zerg, same theory, we know just as much as the May 19th's Terran (around 25%), which would be like their core units and some buildings.

Hopefully, my guess is right because I have a strange feeling that Blizzard isn't going to release any info regarding the Terran and Zerg simply because they think that giving us the demo to play would satisfy us. (That is, if the demo only has Protoss as the playable race).

 

I want Zerg info. I can be surprised now, no need to wait til release day damn it.

 

I second that notion! Damn Blizzard, reveal! Does anybody know the cheat to lift the "Fog of Secrecy?"

 

I don't think something simple like "black sheep wall" will work this time. Maybe if we try "black rhynadon wall", "black bengalaas wall", "black ragnasaur wall" or someting... Perhaps if we could get our hands on an observer och a ComSat station... My overlords don't seem to be working, even with improved antennas

 

Its me lock and load and if you go to the hydralisk stab or spit convo you'll see why I did this owerup: owerup: