Protoss technologically advanced or different?

The starcraft lore has always portrayed the Terrans as "weak", especially in the eyes of the other two races. In terms of Psionic potentials, Terran is supposingly the weakest of them all. Though this does not necessarily reflect the race's technology.

I have always wondered about the conclusion that Protoss are technologically more advanced. I will agree that the Protoss are definitely more well trained, disciplined and armed for battle, hence the undeniable toughness of even a single Zealot when against a group of marines. However, Terran technology is also undeniably strong. Whiles the Protoss appears to focus on bending the nature to their will (use of Psi and Void) in order to power up their technology, the Terran uses more artificial methods for their technology, using different elements and molecules present in natural resources.

However, the Protoss are always defined as a "technologically" advanced race. Although they do seem to have very advanced technology, it does not appear to offer them any real advantages in battle. In fact, some of the advantages that Protoss possess (Dark Templar invisibility, Psi Storm, natural toughness) are more biological than technological. On the other hand, the Terrans take a completely technological approach. They have power weaponary such as Siege tanks and vultures. They even have ghost technology and nukes which they deploy directly in battle.

All these things being said, it does not appear that the Terrans are technologically behind in any way, just technologically different. They may not have dragoon like technologies to deploy physically disabled soldiers back to battle, they may not have warping technology, but they do seem to have the technological means to surpass both races. This is shown when the UED mind controlled zergs.

 

The way I see it, the Protoss themselves have almost no technology whatsoever, particularly the Khala faction. They're basically using the same exact tech that the Xel'Naga left them eons ago. While there have been some advancements and such (namely the Corairs on the Argus side), they are very far and few in between. In fact, in vanillaCraft, there's none whatsoever. In StarCraft II, there looks to be new developments (Stalkers, Immortals), but at the same time, more use of ancient techs (Colossi most notably, but Pheoni as well).

I personally would say that Protoss use the most advanced technology (Seriously, phase disruptors dude), but they themselves are not technogeniuses. The Terrans, on the otherhand, due to humanity's ingenuity, are exceedingly capable of cooking something up on the fly, and, often, it works.

 

the terrans can only tech one way while the protoss has 3 ways to tech, after the cybernetics core and the factory. so it takes longer time for terrans to reach the most advanced techstuff,

 

The protoss have better tech in a variety of areas, such as teleportation. However, their tech is all psi-baded; big guns aren't something they're good at.

 

The Terrans' weapons tend to be projectiles (bullets, missiles, etc.) whereas Protoss weapons tend to be energy-based or Psi-based. Protoss warriors also are psionically very capable and can employ these powers to great effect. Terrans are psionically capable, but have not tapped into their full potential.

Weapons - Energy beats projectiles. Terrans have the Nuke, but Protoss have Planet Cracker and can create black holes. Perhaps Terrans have better mastery of nuclear-based technology, but the Protoss have the edge here.

Defense - All Protoss units have shields, even if they are generated psionically. Terrans only have Defensive Matrix, a short-lived pseudo-shield. Advantage Protoss.

Mobility - Do I even really need to explain? The Protoss have mastered teleportation techniques (warping and recalling) while the Terrans are still a ways away. Clear advantage goes to protoss.

All in all, Protoss are definitely more advanced technologically.

 

I think you should also mention that probes, reavers, Interceptor and many more are artificial intelligence so that means that protoss use technology a lot and not just psi and khala. Al tho dark templars don't use technology to be invisible arbiters use massive cloaking devices.

Also protoss have technology to keep their warriors alive even if they fall in battle so their medical technology is better then terrans.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

Whether or not the Protoss are technologicly advanced really depends on how you view certain aspects of them game (or if you just ingore the game and focus on lore). Becuase the game has to be balanced (and reasonably playable) certain things beome very repsentative, for example 6 SCVs really aren't the same size as a Command Center, and 5 Goliaths aren't the same size as a Battlecruiser or Carrier. According to some bit a pieces of lore there a millions of Zerg, and yet there can only be 400 Zerglings on a battlefield against 200 Marines? While is depends on the scale of the battle for exact numbers it is logical to assume each Zergling represents a larger number of Zerglings as well as each Marine representing a larger number of Marines, and the ratio between in-game units and lore units to decrease as you go up the tech tree (a Battlecruiser for example may only represent a Battlecruiser or a fraction of one). As the process of replacing in-game units with there lore equivalent continues the differences between the races (the Zerg become more swarmy with larger numbers, the Protoss become more powerful with fewer numbers), I think we get a better idea of technology edge of the Protoss, and the numbers edge of the Zerg.

When you compare what one Zealot can take by comparisson to one Marine you are seeing the technological advantage of the Protoss, add to that Lore abilities, like creating black holes, teleporting across vast exapnses of space, and even messing with time. Then you get the true technological advantage of the Protoss.

 

the protoss are more advanced tech-wise. terrans just overcome their lower tech with brute force. think of it this way: a gun is more technologically advanced than a sword, but if i stick a sword in you you're still going to die.

protoss have energy shields, teleportation, AI robots, more advanced cloaking, transport technology, better interstellar travel, etc. the terrans have big guns, and bigger guns. and nukes.

 

The concept of a gun is more advanced. We're talking lightsaber vs an M16 here.

 

I don't think we can accept Starcraft II abilities yet.

Mothership abilities, such as planet cracker, is often taken out and placed back in again.

I can see why some of you think Protoss are technologically advanced, but to me, the Terrans seem to use more conventional methods of battle. Guns, bombs, tanks etc. As a poster mentioned earlier, Protoss focus on more energy based technology. On the other hand, the Terrans look at more scienctific (in human eyes) technology. The focus on energy based technology have allowed the protoss to master teleportation. On the other hand, the focus on more physical weapons (guns and bullets) have allowed the terrans to create weapons that are far more dangerous than Protoss (Siege tanks).

I think it is because they branch off to different directions that they recieve different results. Terrans, in terms of fire powers, can be far deadlier with the likes of tanks and nukes. Also, when it comes to A.I, I'm pretty sure the Terrans are capable of making A.I based weapons. We already see it the terrans utilize the Adjutants (the A.I lady who is the portrait of command center and supply depots). If the terrans can build Adjutants that can advise and navigate, I'm pretty sure the terrans can utilize A.I on the battlefield. However, it is possible that A.I in the end is not as aware as humans. Hence a reason why the reavers are so slow and stupid. Protoss A.I also strikesme as more biological (with the exception of probes), but it is probably a result of their design.

In the end, I think it is only a matter of guns vs laser guns. Normal guns are more conventional and probably even more reliable on battlefield. On the other, having laser technology can sometimes lead to a fate like Fenix (Guns may run out of bullet, but you know when they do. Fenix's psi blades died out without him knowing the batteries are going). Though with guns, you can probably customize bullets to have different effects (explosive).

Edit: Don't forget Terran's salvage ability. Although we don't know for sure whether it will be implemented, Terran definitely shows more "mobility" in the battlefield.

 

Flaming do you remeber the begginging of SC1 when the Protoss incinerated planets from orbit? Planet cracker was modeled after that, so the Protoss at the very leats have that technology even if no unit has it in SC2. Next with exception of the Nuke (which Planet Cracker take the place of for the Protoss and is alot more effective) and the Yamato Cannon (which is essentially a focused Nuke), can you think of any Terran unit that can do more damage than a Scarab? The Protoss pretty much have superior weapons (and armor/shields) accross the board versus the Terran or Zerg. The only real unit that can be matched up against a Protoss counter part and really hold its own is the Siege Tank and really the only reason it can is because of the wierd balance that appeard in Sc1 (yes I know there is no direct unit counter parts amongst the races but you can get close enough for this disscussion).

As far as Salvage is concerned I though you said not to count SC2 abilities, if we start counting them I give you Warp-In, as well as the ability to create Black Holes, move the speed of light (Charge), unit grade teleportation (Blink), and the ability to create temporal disturbances (Time Bomb). SC2 makes the technological differences plain as day, especially when applied to the balance to conversion I mentioned earlier.

 

what i think the OP meant was: does the superior power lorewise of the protoss stem from advanced technologies, or rather from a mystic source


i'd have to say a combination. The protoss have some very advanced technology in the lore(anti-matter missiles, reavers), but their most powerfull advantages come from their psionic crystals which are interfaced with their mind, granting nearly unlimited energy generation.
If you dont take the psionic powers in account, i'd have to give the terrans the technological advantage, if only because the protoss fleets are useless(exception being the scout) without the psionic powers, and the protoss only seem to be able to produce small amounts of antimatter, while the terrans have thousands of nukes

 

does it matter? if you're holding a lightsaber and i shoot you with an M16, you still get an extra hole. advanced technology doesn't automatically mean better killing power.

 

Sword or gun? Why are we just observing weapon tech? Protoss have better space crafts in therms of speed and their teleport devices are great. But terrans also have primitive teleports in some missions (like when you need to get files) but for some reason they don't use them.

 

well, the terran "teleports" are all inside buildings, so maybe they're big huge complex machines that need a send/receive unit. the protoss can teleport right onto the battlefield.

 

That's true. The last time the terrans developed an "open" teleportation device, the teleportees started "vanishing" shortly thereafter.

 

Terran can't teleport himself like a protoss do. He need a *teleportation field* and i don't see them in a fight going to set a teleportation field who will be useless.

I always said that the zerg have the number, the protoss have the technologie and the terran are ingnenious.

The force in terran lie in studying the ennemie to discover his weakness and use it agains't him. But as the zerg is a fast evolution specie, the time the human find a weakness and use it the zerg evolve fast to correct it.

 

the protoss will change just as everybody does its part of evolution if you all paid attention in science >=\ would now that so yes the protoss will change, evolve, and get bigger and better weapons just as all races do:yes::yes:

if any of you watched stargate theis would remind you of the azgard the replicators and the tahri.

 

Thats because Terran technology is based off of our technology so it is easier to associate science etc with them.

Look at the Dragoons they very large heavily armored units, just because they don't look like a "conventional tank" doesn't change the fact they are basically the same type of thing except the Protoss version is much more advanced.

You do realize the Protoss have advanced science and robotics as well as metallurgy and other sciences which are far beyond that of the Terran.

I disagree with Siege Tanks etc being more deadly, they are not and energy weapons are just as physical as any bullet or bomb probably even more so because they are just that pure kinetic energy designed to rip you apart. The whole thing that makes the guns and bombs as dangerous as you say is the kinetic energy and reactions that propell the shrapnel and projectiles without that energy bullets are useless pieces of metal and chemicals. The Protoss are advance enough where they can skip the whole projectile and reaction part to where they just hurl a ton of deadly energy at you. This also makes the weapons have more endurance and be more efficient.

Their robotics are also very advanced they have huge completely automated machines to do work and maintain their worlds such as colossus which are one of those machines just outfitted for war.

Teleporation is extremely advanced science any quantum physicist or physicist in general can tell you that.

Nuclear weapons have no where near the amount of energy it requires for the things the Protoss are able to do. You would need billions and billions of them just to come close to a fraction of it. Just because it doesn't make huge pretty explosions doesn't mean it has less energy.

Then there is the fact the Protoss got most of their knowledge from the Xel'naga which genetically engineered them and the Zerg.

Also just because its the same type of technology such as A.I doesn't mean it is just as advanced. For example look at a musket compared to a modern assault rifle. They are both guns they both do the same basic thing but the modern assault rifle is much more advanced. You can look at that from the Terran (musket) to the Protoss ( advanced modern assault rifle).

As for the gun versus sword thing that has no real weight because well the Protoss also have "guns" and they are much more advanced than any Terran weapon. These swords they use aren't just plain metal swords either they are pure condensed energy that can rip through the heaviest of Terran armor, just look at how fast a few zealots can take town a Terran siege tank for example.

Finally at ijffdrie, that is the energy source they use for their technolgoy I could say the same about the Terrans without their fuels, chemicals and resources their technolgoy wouldn't work either.

I could go on and on and even into more detail on how the Protoss are much more advanced but I'll stop now.

 

If zergs evolution is considered technology, then Im thinking that they are on par with each other races progress. But since we are talking about raw technology, there is no doubt that protoss is the supreme leader of this factor. Unfortunately the protoss aren't much in vibe with mass destruction as they prefer more of a finesse combat style to prove their superiority and beliefs.

But since the topic is not concerning specifically towards terran or zerg, the answer is simply technologically different because it is too advanced!!! hahahaha!!

Marvel Starcraft
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SUPERIOR TECH! - if Iron-man was a Reaper, then Wolverine would be the Zealot, does that mean Wolverines technology is far more advance than Iron-man? hehe