Starcraft 2 Critter Ideas!

Hey all!

Okay, so I saw some pretty similar topics but nothing quite like this, as far as I looked (sorry if I missed an essential thread, but there were a LOT of results for the word "critters" and I didn't know what else to look for).

I was just wondering what everyone thought about the SC1 critters, and how they should be added to SC2, but more specifically, what types of them should be added. I'm personally a big fan of critters and would love to have huge amounts of critter species to be added in the game. I was thinking about some of the mutated-ish critter types that were in SC1 (e.g. Ragnasaur, Kakaru etc.) and a lot more like these, but also a number of creatures that we know from our own world, maybe altered a bit and given different names like they were in SC1 (e.g. Ursadon, Bengalaas etc.) Tens of different critters would not be too much for my tastes.
I also like the idea I read in a thread called "Critters or Creeps?" to make the Critters' AI a bit more clever and engaging in having them run, or having the more aggressive types even fight back, when a player attacks them. Maybe they could even have a small ecosystem AI going on where they will hunt each other or what not. Sure, it's fine it their AI remains simple, but I would at least like it if they wouldn't again, as quoted from the aforementioned thread,

So to answer my own main question, I would like many critter types in SC2, perhaps including those from the original SC and expansion. I would also like a few generally thought of as cuter animals such as pandas (not à la WC3 Pandaren of course ), koalas, meerkats and such. But really, I thought all the original SC1 and expansion critters were very cute as well, except maybe the Kakaru, but I still liked that one too (made for fun gameplay with the Queen's parasites, as well), so yeah. But I would like there to be a few WC3 style critters - in that game, you had quite a lot of options (although not nearly enough for my tastes) and most of them were really quite cool, in my eyes.

I guess I'm kind of silly in that I think a game like SC is cute, but I do think it is. For all its blood, gore and warfare, it has cute creatures like these critters, the Zergling (claws and fangs aside) and, above all else, the Probe, of course <3

Does anyone else have any thoughts about the critters for SC2 and, especially, ideas as to which one(s) should be added?

 

do you think they will be able to explode

 

There were three types of "critters" in Warcraft III.

1) Chickens. Not literal chickens, but graphical stuff. Had no impact on gameplay whatsoever, you couldn't even click on them.

2) Critters. What we have in StarCraft I.

3) Creeps. Neutral units that can attack.

1) is fine.

2) is fine, as long as they don't usually attack. It's okay to give them attack animations and AI, but by default they should never attack, as that would interfere with gameplay too much. (This is a big deal, because critters move randomly "by default". A player whose natural has a critter in it will be disadvantaged compared to someone whose natural didn't have a critter in it, if the critter could fight back.)

Warcraft III had some maps where critters would attack. (Hell, it had maps where enemy bases made critters and they would actively attack you.) I expect to see that in StarCraft II's campaign.

3) Not in multiplayer! Most creeps in Warcraft III were races of somewhat less intelligence, such as gnolls. While not geniuses, gnolls had a good reason to stake out healing fountains and gold mines. (They had a less good reason to stake out mercenary camps though.) A big reason for creeps to exist was to help level up your hero and slow down rushing.

In StarCraft II, the only creeps you would expect to find are either aggressive animal-intellect creatures (which would have no reason to stake out high yield minerals or xel'naga watch towers, as they wouldn't understand why those areas are valuable) or pirates. Creeps should just be neutral units that can be used, in whatever way you see fit, in UMS and campaign maps. They probably wouldn't even be called creeps, just "NPC units".

You can get a list of creatures at http://starcraft.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Fauna -- take careful note of any fauna you can find on Aiur. I hope to see the lot of those in StarCraft II.

 

Hehe... well, while I thought that was interesting, I never liked it too much in SC1 to be absolutely honest.

Hmm? I can't recall these, what would be an example of them?

Well, you know, that could just be another thing to consider while balancing a map. Maybe there would only be a few critters that could fight back and mappers would just have to be aware to balance these out well in a map.

I loved that sort of thing in Warcraft III maps: while it was often rather silly, it was interesting to have such varied maps. I made some maps like these too.

I agree. I honestly wouldn't like "Creeps" in the Warcraft III sense of the word to be in SC2, certainly not too prominently.

Why are you especially interested in the ones originating in Aiur?

 

Look in the southern section of the second night elf Frozen Throne mission. Hell, they're in lots of missions, if only you take the time to look out for them.

As for the ones on Aiur, they're

1) New.
2) Many are dangerous.
3) We get more than one sentence of info on them.
4) More than one type of critter on the same map = coolness. (IMO, this is one thing that made Warcraft III maps cool.)

 

i really wanna see lots of critters really bringing the universe alive for campaign and maybe not as much for multiplayer..

 

It would be cool if the critters interacted with your units.
Like the a critter rearing up on its hind legs when it is attacked or running away when it is provoked.

 

Actually I'd like to see the critters used in missions. Like for example you have to infest or abduct a critter. For some experiment on it. And use it's DNA to further your race in some way. Or on the other hand strapping mines on them and let them walk inside the enemy base, hey that would work . . .

I just had an idea. What if there was an infest critter ability. To inject venom or a mine or something into the critter. And then it's become a proximity mine. But none of the other players would know it. And if you got too close boom. It'd be funny the first time one got you. It's be like "what the??? what happened to my unit???" It'd make for some good tactics. But it could backfire though if the critter walked into your own base.

 

I wouldn't really want the creatures to attack, then they'd be too similar to creeps (WC creeps, not that purple ooze) with an exception of not giving out rewards (if that's the case). I'd rather have creeps just be that annoying critter that often blocks the land for you to build your command center so you have to kill them first.

If there were to be changes for the critters, I'd rather have them possess more HP (100, 200, depending on their size). They'd be a walking debris that you have to destroy in order to proceed to your destination, or in this case you would have to kill them so they wouldn't be in the way of you building an expansion on a new field of resource. It'd be interesting to kill a small pack of bangalass (that purple jaguar) each with 60 HP, or kill a single massive critter with 300 HP just so you can have the space to create that new command center you needed so bad.

 

Since there is no heroes, correct me if I am wrong, in the standard multiplayer games, creeps are not really necessary, as they will not bring anything to the game. The idea of some agressive and/or smart critters (able to run if they are attacked) may be interesting, but I personnally don't want to have to struggle with creeps in addition of the other players. Let just say there should be the possibility to add some aggressive critters in custom maps that defend a location, like an expansion site, but nothing that could ruin your whole army early games. No big monsters please. It's not that I love rushes, but rushes must remain a possible tactic amongst others. And beyond expansions sites, there is nothing else to my knowledge to possibly defend in SC2, so not much point into neutral defenders...

But in the campaigns, yes that could be a good idea. Creeps with whom you could talk, or need to interact anyhow in order to progress. Sure, why not, it's a sci-fi universe after all.

But AI creeps, ecosystem stuff etc, will just make the games heavier to run for the servers in my opinion. I am not sure we really need this level of realism.

 

Let me first say that some of you, such as the8thark and visom, have some pretty harsh/evil thoughts regarding how to deal with critters (infest them? Strap bombs on them? Slaughter them? :<)... but hey, that's fine, I suppose

As I think I mentioned, I also don't think that Creeps in the WC3 sense of the words would be very desirable for SC2, at least not as a common sight in Campaign or Melee missions. Like Kimera757, I also don't think that critters of lower intelligence such as certain animals and such creatures like the critters in SC1 should really "defend" things like expansion sites, for realism purposes. But well, that's up to the map makers, that's just an extra thought I figured I'd throw in.

Well, I think it could be done without it decreasing performance of the game, pretty much. Such things could be done fairly simply, without really heavy calculations. The AI doesn't have to be that great. But I suppose if they got the right animations, at least (or even if they didn't and people could animate them on their own), people would have the option of triggering the critters on their own in their maps, so as to create such concepts, if they wanted to, and it wouldn't have to be present in average, default maps.

I couldn't agree more. With Seradin and me555, too.

 

exploding Sheep from WCII IMO lol

 

Erm, yeah... Lol. (spam)

To the point:

Wrong, you could still use those critters as scouts when you possesed them with (for example) Banshees. To expand this idea: the Zerg now have the Infestor unit. It would be a great addition to the Zerg mechanic if it would be possible to infest critters. Then you would be able to use them as scouts. You wouldn't have to take the risk of being discovered, since the critters wouldn't be recocnized as enemy units. (at least not right away)

As for a new critter species: why not add some infested units? For example: after the fall of aiur, there were still some Protoss left behind, if there would be a mission on aiur, (I expect that to happen) there could be Protoss "critters", because they are infested. Just an idea.

As for totally new critters: we are going to see more of the X'ellNaga, (I still have no idea on how to spell that) so why not add some critters based on that part of the storyline? We know that if they would appear again, (which is likely to happen in StarCraft 2, or the expansion) they would want to take revenge on the Zerg for almost destroying them. Why would they battle the Zerg themselves? They are the most advanced race ever, maybe they can genetically engineer some sort of super critters to fight for them. They already "invented" the Protoss and Zerg themselves, it was a failed experiment in their eyes, (if they even have eyes) but it still is pretty impressive. Those X'ellNaga critters could be some kind of levelbosses, which you would have to fight with one of your hero units. (like Kerrigan for the Zerg) They could appear at those new buildings that the X'ellNaga left behind.

And what about that weird guy who was experimenting with Zerg/Protoss combinations? Who knows what he will unleash upon the Korprulu Sector? He told Zeratul that he had dozens of those labs, so I wouldn't be suprised if something would go wrong there.

But before I really start to go crazy and off topic, any opinions?

 

Not really a live critter but I would to see an ice cream truck that heals units for minerals upon approach.

 

I don't think infesting critters for scouting will be that useful, because if infesting critters for scouting was an actual ability in the game, people would just kill critters at sight, regardless of it being infested or not, just to keep safe.

 

I was talking about "chickens", not creeps.

I've never tried that, but wouldn't the critter "become" your and thus be attacked by enemy units?

To expand this idea: the Zerg now have the Infestor unit. It would be a great addition to the Zerg mechanic if it would be possible to infest critters. Then you would be able to use them as scouts. You wouldn't have to take the risk of being discovered, since the critters wouldn't be recocnized as enemy units. (at least not right away)

Critters are non-combat units. You're describing NPC units. Also, I seriously doubt the zerg can infest the protoss without some kind of intelligent guiding hand. It took the Overmind to infest Kerrigan properly, and she herself took four years to learn how to properly infest terrans.

Again, they're not critters, they're combative NPC units. And what you're describing are almost certainly Duran's hybrids.

And the universe shall tremble. Mwahahah! I mean, yeah, they're probably going to be the main plot-based threat in the game.

 

I used to love hitting the flying critters with parasite in SC1.

Some aquatic critters would be nice. Since water in SC is pretty much pointless (yes it makes gaps but thats it) might as well pretty it up some more.

That wasn;t a bad idea about having to capture a critter in a mission. Fits the Zerg lore. Zerg vs Terran hunters. Grab 3 critters for yourself before they get hunted to extinction.

 

In SC 1 if you clicked on a critter over and over enough times it'd explode. Would something like this be a good idea for SC 2?

 

For singleplayer it would.

 

Just to wait for your Reapers to get in position, yes.