Q&A Batch 15

[img width=650 height=171]http://www.starcraft2forums.org/img/scqa.jpg[/img]​

With the return of the Firebat (for testing) and improvements made to both the Ghosts and Medics, there are a lot of exciting changes being tested for the Terran faction! Also for October, keep checking back to find out our new Monthly Discussion Topic.

Chat with the Devs: The Terran Starport will no longer transform into a Starbase. <More info pending, keep checking back on this thread for updates>

Again, give devs and me a w00t! if you are enjoying these Q&As!

---StarCraft II Q&A Batch 15---

1) Can an upgraded command center be salvaged? Does it lose its mobility when upgraded to a surveillance station?

No, the command center cannot be salvaged, nor can it lift off after it is upgraded to a Surveillance Station (allows the use of the Comsat ability).

2) In Starcraft 1, when you cancel a nuclear launch that is in progress, you lose the warhead. Will Starcraft II make any changes to this setback? (starcrafttwo.com)

Currently, if you cancel the nuke while it is firing, you will still lose the nuke. This outcome has not yet been finalized and may be changed in the final version.

3) Can a Ghost be equipped with both a Nuke and Drop Pod simultaneously?

Yes, any Ghost can launch either a Nuke or a Drop Pod, making the Ghost highly effective at responding to multiple battle circumstances.

4) Will "caster" units, such as the Protoss High Templar, have a regular attack, like Tassadar had in SC1, or will they only be able to attack through their spells? (blizzplanet.com)

Currently, there are no plans to give the High Templar a physical attack, though High Templar Story Characters will have additional abilities beyond that of the standard unit. At the moment, the High Templar is one of best support units in the game, with the ability to cast a devastating Psi Storm or choke off crucial areas of the map with the force field ability. Once youve used up its energy, no worries, convert it into an Archon with another Templar.

5) Can Marines be Stimmed while in a bunker? What about a Ghosts snipe ability?

In the current build, abilities cannot be activated while inside a bunker, but you can activate abilities before entering a bunker. For example, if you activate Stim Pack on a few Marines, then enter a bunker, they will attack at the higher rate of fire from inside the bunker. The Stim Pack effects will still wear off as normal though.

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great news owerup:

 

'bout time this is released

 

2 updates in one day, must be dreaming

infantry should be able to use ability in bunkers, make them more useful, the bunker is highly underused in mid to high level games

 

boooooooo...star post was such a cool idea

 

just realized there are more info! can't wait

 

No starbase - BAD.

 

What are the new abilities for the ghost and the medic?

 

During much testing, the Developers realized that the Starports ability to transform into a Starbase was not very essential in the gameplay of the Terrans and was also leaving several tech lab add ons scattered across the map. At the moment, the Starports ability to transform into a Starbase has been taken out of the game, thus to produce advanced units, the Starport will need the appropriate tech lab add-on, similar to the original StarCraft.


Too bad, I really liked the idea of the Starbase. Maybe they could make the Techlab part of the upgrade process?

 

what? no! how can they remove such a good mechanic? they could just make starbase lift up with the add-ons attached.

 

not as good as the last batch but the info on the command center was..

 

I am really worried that they aren't paying enough attention to the bunker. You can't stim inside the bunker, you can't order a bunker to attack a specific target... you have no control at all.

 

Karune made a post about the Bunker issue.
http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=sc2-general&t=34598&p=1&#post34598

It makes sense but I believe that they should just allow stim-pack while in bunkers. Everything else like the Medic's heal, sniping, nukes can be omitted.

 

The bunker is a med fortified piece of crap now,but at least they are going to try to make a change to the bunker's occupied interface.

 

Why would you get the nuke back. you canceled the nuke so it just flies its way on home. thats not even kinda realistic. I mean if the nuke is launched then its launched. I could maybe see you retrieving its fallen form for minerals but that sounds kinda dumb.

 

all answers are awesome, except the stims... god damnit. stimming and directing fire for bunkers would make them so much useful.

 

I agree that you shouldn't get the nuke back, but I like your idea. Perhaps once launched and it is canceled, the warhead is deactivated and falls at a random spot on the map harmlessly. Any Terran player can collect it and get a mineral bonus or perhaps can be reused. If it did fall randomly somewhere on the map, it wouldn't show you where it landed, that way you would have to hunt for it (if you really wanted to) or stumble across it somehow.

 

Starbase idea was really cool (I do feel like the actual model was a bit lame). Although, better to have it not in at all than have a pointless late game function. Blizz knows their shit, gotta trust em.

About bunkers, they are (in real life history) fortified fire base. If you're in one you would be more effective with landing those hgih velocity "metal spike" into enemy skulls. Why not make (at least marine) rate of fire faster just by being in one. Or increased attack range. Or shit, how about railguns/machine guns/grenade launchers being prebuilt in bunkers? Latter game upgrades like fortified armor or defensive spikes (burrow in war3) would be another idea.

Lots of ways to improve without fuckin with the GUI

EDIT: More I think about it, CC gets planetary fortress upgrade...same shitty bunkers..WTF Blizz? They should hire Bob Villa; "This old Bunker".

 

The bunker's good as it is. It really doesn't need many changes, except for the part about not being able to direct fire.

 

The biggest problem with the Starbase is that you don´t really need it. Even with Rearm it would be a questionable investment, why would you put a port to risk near the enemy lines?
Making it a repair "station" could work (make it have cargo, all units in it [even air units] get repaired), SCVs are fragile anyway. Or make Rearm like aura of Brilliance, so you have to have it close to profit from it.

They could remove the addon that is attached as part of the upgrade process, it goes on board so to speak. That way you might even build in Reactors, you can decide if you build a Tech/reactor/Vanilla Starbase....

I agree that some abilities in Bunkers would be overpowered, but couldn´t they make a exeption for stimpacks?