Older Marine or footman marine?

@ Kuvasz
Duh, of course they keep shooting. But seriously, like all those things really just take a minute to build.

And in the story they have like, reinforcements and stuff. No rts has a cinematic or conversation that says: just wait a few seconds sir! We will get you a new battlecruiser in just a minute!

@ Jasmine
Once a bullet enters your body through any sort of armor, you are screwed. Having more flesh does nothing. A bullet goes through meters of it without a problem. -they actually test bullets on meters of ballistic gel in mythbusters -

Having more flesh is just more to damage. Your strength is of no importance in a powersuit. It would actually be better to put a skinny guy in there. Makes for a more slim and agile suit.

 

You completely missed the point, I was saying that if you're going to complain because a shield would be useless against attacks that can damage heavily armored vehicles (using that logic why don't they send out the marines with the cheapest spacesuits possible and ignore armor altogether?), then there are a whole lot more obvious breaks from realism you could pay attention to instead.

 

I wasn't talking to you.
I would have quoted you if I was. And not all discussions need to stay at the exact topic al the time. Most discussions would die after one page if they would. :/

 

Necromas... The post above my own... pretty clear, I think.
We have a rule against quoting the post above your own, actually. And a rule like that should not even be needed, since there obviously is no reason for doing it.

Can we please get back on topic now?
You kinda derailed it by turning this into a personal matter. :s

 

My bad, but next time just mention the rule and be done with it.

Back on topic, does anyone have ideas for alternative visual changes to show the marine HP upgrade? Maybe just change the armor design?

I think it would be important to have an indication that the marines have been given the HP upgrade, because all of a sudden they can no longer be 1 hit killed by things like banelings, colossi, dark templar, or siege tanks (and maybe D8 charges or hunter-seeker splash?). There still are a couple other upgrade thresholds, like zealots 2-hitting zerglings if they are 1 upgrade ahead, but none that I think have such a widespread effect on tactics.

 

personally, i think the idea of giving marines shields is kinda weird.
i mean, it doesnt make them look like infantry soldiers, it makes them look more like...police officers.

 

On the topic of symbolism I do believe most of what is in the game is symbolic, no one actually believes 8 Marines is about the size of 1 Battlcruiser do they?

But on topic, I like the shield idea personally. In Modern militaries there is little reason to use a shield because most military grade weapons go right through them; things change in close quaters though which is why most SWAT teams (and other groups of that nature) use shields. The two most numerous threats to a Marine on the battle field are Zerglings and Zealots, both of which fight in close quaters. Also, like others have said if a shield would be so useless, why have armor? Why not just have a space suit with an exoskeleton to give Marines the strength needed to use their weapons?

And forgetting the lore for a moment, gameplay wise there needs to be some indication that Marines have increased HP and I think a shield is one of the more inconspicious ways to do that while still making the upgrade readily reconizable.

 

If i may;

this is what a modern shield looks like, it provides a larger area of defence, fits terran alot better as they would basically be just slabs of metal and makes more sense in a formation situation. :/

 

Its true that the artworks dont show a marine with a shield, because is so ugly.

If you'r saying the shield will use in the war dont have sense (i say the same again). Look the modern war (actual) do you see any MARINE with shield there? NO, because they need less weight and more agility for move in case the enemies attack them.

I think is better the old marine with the machine gun. 'Cause the excuse of the shield is used by the SWAT its a really bad excuse. The swat no is fighting on the war, SWAT use that shield for a cover him in a block of a apartment or a house no in the middle of the planet or the desert.

@onlyhuman. I think the same, they are marines no policemen.

 

For the last time:

Marines have a power suit. Agility is not related to the weight of the armor at all. Is that really so hard to understand? :s
The discussion started out with how usefull it was, not if the shield is realistic. And Earth is 20000 lightyears away from the Korprulu sector iirc. Who cares what they use on earth?

 

How we can show the ultimate shield upgrade for the marine ? well, in morphing the marine into a Tauren marine of course. ... no, just kidding ! So that means Blizzard decided to modify the aspect of some units once they are upgraded ? This idea is cool ! A shield for the marine ? this should be modified. So what if the marine gets the maximum of weaponry for his gun ? He gets a bayonnet ? Ridiculous !

And for the Zergling, that means that they will get wings once their speed is upgraded ? ???

PS : the upgrades are instantly installed to all units in the battlefield. Of course abattle takes days in reality. So for this game it is ok that they are upgraded in a few seconds. When you build a marine, you click on its icon in the Barrack and it is written "train a marine" and one minute later (leessssss) a marine is trained and armored.

 

^ Kinda what I said, but true. And yes, they are supposed to get wings with the speed upgrade. =)

 

I don't think the OP even reads counter argument posts. I'm done with this thread.

 

The shield is a feasible idea

Oh cmon, the shield is an great idea. Let's not forget that it's one reason for us Terran players to use marines more often. To honest, i love using marines. Now that they're upgraded i have more of a reason to use them. From an aesthetic perspective, the shield doesn't look too bad. The latest animations for Blizzard does look semi realistic. I'm still happy though.

Someone also mentioned that Marines should be given a suit model update/retexture in one of the replies. I am actually very supportive of that idea, since it does, in my imagination, look better than having a marine carrying a bulky combat shield while fending off against countless hordes of Zergs. Nevertheless, it makes sense plot wise, that Terrans chose to use shields instead of issuing new suits which would cost considerably more. *LOL*