Q&A batch 32

http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=sc2-general&t=630141&p=1&#post630141

There is lots to talk about in Batch 32 and I'll be answering questions through the day about these screeenshots so fire away I hope everyone enjoys them!
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sCommunity ScreenCraft: In addition to our Q&A Map Maker Series, Gameplay Series, Lore Series, we are going to include our Community ScreenCraft Series, featuring screenshots crafted specifically to progress the dialogues and discussions we have currently going on in the community. To start us off, I have taken four screenshots which capture our latest discussions over the past month. Feel free to comment, give feedback, or ask questions in regards to these screenshots. When doing so, it will help to identify the screenshot you are referring to as l allies be able to use each others transport/teleportation methods? Marines in Overlords, Zealots in Nydus Worms, etc.. ? (sc2og.com)

Many of these questions are still being debated within the development team and the final decisions will ultimately be determined through balance. Nonetheless, classic abilities, such as heal by the Terrans, will be usable on allies regardless of faction.

2. Does the Anti Gravity spell work for your own units? In other words, can you use it to lift up buildings to protect them from an early wave of Zergling? (TheWarCenter.com)
Yes, the Anti Gravity ability can be casted on friendly units and buildings. Also, the Anti Gravity ability has been added to the Nullifier, as the ability has proven much more effective in the earlier parts of the game. Nonetheless, this is still being tested and is subject to change.


3. What happens to units who are under a flying building when it falls down? Can you build a building under the building that are flying? and if that is the case, what happens to that building that it is landing on? Get.Yourgun (gosugamers.net)
This is actually a notable design challenge the development team is currently facing with the Anti Gravity ability. Currently, players are not allowed to build buildings under the floating object. When the object does land, it will land on top of whatever unit is under it. For example, if a Supply Depot is lifted up by Anti Gravity and it lands on a Marine when the ability duration is over, it will indeed land on the Marine (but will not cause damage). The Marine can then move out from under that building in the direction of that players choosing. The details around Anti Gravity are still very much in testing. As this is a new ability, many of the details are not finalized.

4. In StarCraft many glitches and near-bugs were discovered with the years passing. Many of them are used regularly and changed the game (Mutalisk stack, patrol-attacking, mineral hopping, Lurker hold, etc). This is and was even more true for other games (bunny hopping in quake or through-floors dmg, etc) and it became part of the identity of the game that people knew about those glitches, learned and mastered them. They became important aspects of the game.
Will any of these bugs make an appearance in StarCraft II, but as intentional features?
- Chosi (Teamliquid.net)

Yes, certain unit characteristics like the firing on the move dynamic of the Mutalisk, as well as stackable flyers will be in StarCraft II. Some of these characteristics may not feel completely the same, as it is a bit tougher to get flying units to stack, it will still be possible. Although it is important to note that not all of these characteristics will be making it back to StarCraft II, there will be plenty of opportunities for players to find new ways to use the units of StarCraft II in creative ways similar to the original.

5. What are the duties of the Blizzard eSports team, and how much will they be responsible for promoting Starcraft II as and eSport?(starfeeder.org)

The eSports team is responsible for developing Blizzards presence in the increasingly popular eSports scene. Their duties include the planning and operation of Blizzard tournaments around the world in places such as Asia, Europe and the United States. They also provide third-party support for the eSports leagues that host both online and live events using Blizzard titles. Additionally, they help provide balance feedback to our development teams based on interaction with professional gamer and response from the eSports community. They will have an integral role in promoting StarCraft II as an eSports as they have done for the previous Blizzard titles.

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wow nice screenshots and much to disscuss


Bonus 200 minerals for a great post


update from karune:
1) Currently the High Templar has their original abilities, Hallucination and Psi Storm.
2) It serves as a prerequisite for Reapers to be built at the Barracks.
3) This is still subject to balance and is still being decided.

wheres the anti-gravitation?
It is a little difficult to see, but the rocks are actually what is being lifted, and the Dark Templars are infiltrating the based from underneath them. The final visuals for the Anti-Gravity ability are not finished, but nonetheless since it was so highly desired by the community I wanted to at least get everyone a work in progress screenshot.

Karune: battlecruiser seems to have new attack animation(picture B and C), does it now attack multiple targets at a time or has it an aoe damage ?


That is the Battlecruiser's Air to Ground Plasma attack which does AoE damage(Area of Effect).


3. In screenshot C, what are those Protoss units at the top right of the shot, behind the Immortals?

Those are the High Templars. Also, honestly, the Psi Storm in screenshots does not do it justice at all, as it looks much more amazing animated.


First off, graphics are GREAT colors look a LOT better.

Screenshot B: Is that the new look of the Firebat next to the CC? In another screenshot he's throwing fire... it looks like he also may be throwing grenades.
Screenshot C: What's being used on those marines? Some kind of stasis field? Can we accurately assume that's the Jackal as well?
Screenshot D: Is that line of brightness the Nullifier's normal attack?

B: That is the new Terran Marauder, equipped with dual concussion grenades which slows down the movement of biological units, as well as does bonus damage to armored vehicles.

C: There is a Psi Storm being casted on the Marines in the center. On the bottom left near the Siege Tanks are Jackals, with a line area of effect attack, which is visually displayed by the flames.

D: Yes, that is the Nullifier's base attack, although the final effects are not finished yet.

 

Lol the marauder looks funny.. But I really like the new colouring, they should just make the terrain a bit more realistic, cause the difference between the texture styles is big.
And OMG Vulture skin for the Jackal! Go go blizz!

 

Darker and grittier Terran! They look so incredibly awesome!
The marauder is REALLY cool (They look like Firebat model did), and jackals=vultures.The screenshots are the best I have seen so far, they kind of overshadow the Q&A...

Very nice, I'm very happy.

 

Emm what is the Protoss thing on "D" Screenshot attacking the missile turret on the right? Have I missed something from earlier Q&A's?

 

God f***in damnit. Why does the best news always have to come when school firewalls are up? I can't wait until tonight so I can actually look at the screenshots.

 

an observer Nullifier

but in the third screen the command base with these satelit[ dont know the word] is this the add.on???

 

Wow, the Marauders looks very cool, yet quite odd as well and the Jackals seems to be a replacement for Vultures and looks like they haven't completed their attack animation (their cannon in a line of fire)

The Nullifiers looks like fishes...quite interesting

It would be quite fun if Blizzard can make your allies go into your transport units

 

@proxy serva I am quite sure thatz is not an observer, cause it attacks with the blue beam... Maybe it is the Nullifier?

 

It is the Nullifier, it describe the screenshots that DTs were aiding the Nullifiers so they were obviously Nullifiers

 

Ok, now that I have caught my breath back, I must say the Q&A sucked but the screen shots made up for it big time.

Screenshot A:
The colour scheme for the Terran is very nice, especially on the Battlecruiser. Not much else to say.

Screenshot B:
I'm loving the Marauder look so far but they shouldn't make it so round, other than that I am pleased with the Marauder model.
They seem to have changed the Zealot model, I have no comment for that.
The Interceptors still look like binoculars which needs to be changed.
Nullifiers look nice too.
What is that large scructure top left?

Screenshot C:
First off, the Psi Storm looks mad ugly. It needs to be similar to the Sc1 Psi Storm.
What are those weird lines at the bottem middle on either side of the Zealot?
The Jackal looks very appealing, the wheels are nice too. Its pretty much a Firebat and Vulture in one which I like. Long range ftw.
High Templar model is sexy.

Screenshot D:
Is it me, or do the Dark Templar look really big?
It also seems that Anti-Gravity isn't a channeling ability, it just lasts for a certain duration meaning cast-and-ran tactics can be used with it.

Very nice screen shots.

 

That Nullifier looks really nice but I thought it was a ground unit. Also, why doesn't anti-gravity lift the building? Or is the blue beam its attack?
Jackal attack looks devastating, I like it.

Very nice batch on the whole.

 

that was my question too...

 

are nullifiers air units built from the... robotics facility?

 

dropship and observers are built from the robotics facility , too...

 

So are Colossus and the dropships are actually the Phase Prism

 

what lines on which zealot? or do you mean jackal's attack?

 

These:

 

They just look like terrain to me.

 

owerup: to Zergalicious for providing downloadable screenshots of the Nullifier, Jackal, and Marauder. Thanks man!

Loving what I can see of the grittier look. Wow, the Nullifier does look like a fish. It's funny, but at the same time a really cool and unique look ;D. It looks a lot like an air unit though...maybe they've changed where it's built since last they mention it?

The Jackal just looks awesome! As far as aesthetics go, it's definitely a good replacement for the ugly Cobra . What I want to know is if they have changed the Jackal's attack to a fire stream, because that looks NOTHING like a railgun.

For some reason though, I just don't like the look of the Marauder. The red-capped cylinders on its back look ugly, and the grenade launchers look too big and diamond-shaped.

P.S. did anyone else notice that the Immortal's cannons look slimmer now? I liked them when they were bigger

 

Marauders? Jackals? Nullifiers?

OMGOSH *nerdgasm*