StarCraft II Q&A - Batch 12

[img width=640 height=137]http://www.starcraft2forum.org/gallery/4_20_06_07_9_52_24.jpg[/img]​

---StarCraft II Q&A Batch 12---

1. How useful will tier 1 units be in the late game? (broodwar.de)

As a staple of the original StarCraft, which we intend to carry over to StarCraft II, is that every unit has a specific role in that factions army. Every unit will fulfill a unique role, which complements the other units, some better than others of course. In subscribing to that idea, tier 1 units will be quite useful in late game as well as early. Many of the tier 1 units will be able to be upgraded to keep up with the later game units as well.

For example, the Terran Marine currently has 3 upgrades available to it, as well as its standard attack and armor upgrades. New upgrades such as the combat shields, increasing the Marines health will be important in having the Marine deal with later game units.

2. Can we expect units to replace the Reaver and the Soul Hunter? (starcraftzone.com)

Yes, we are always testing the addition of new units as well as the removal of older units. For instance, in our current build, the Terran Firebat is back in the game, as we test how he interacts with the new additions into StarCraft II. Of course, nothing is final though.

3. What was the reasoning behind axing spell X (lockdown, mind control etc)? (sclegacy.com)

As mentioned above in question 2, much like with units, we are also testing several new abilities for StarCraft II. If these abilities do not work as we would intend, it is always possible for a reintroduction of original abilities from the original StarCraft. We are constantly striving to improve and complement what has already been very successful with StarCraft for StarCraft II.

4. Will there be a black player color? (starcraft-source.com)

We have tried using black, but it was too difficult to differentiate units on the mini-map from the fog of war.

5. Will you be able to use custom army colors in the game? (teamliquid.net)

In custom maps created through the Map Editor, players will be able to select any color for their factions. In multiplayer games, players will be able to choose between approximately 12-18 colors.

Karune
RTS Community Manager

http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.asp ... #post23162

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Black is gone

 

yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees we are able to choose our colours! 12-18, wow....red..blue...green..white...yellow...orange...teal...purple....brown.....pink? :-*

 

best batch till now, awesome, firebat is back

 

The Firebat is back. Shows that bitching is very effective.
And I'm glad that black is gone. You'd never find them on the space platform maps, where the space background showing through would mask them. They'd only be found by switching to 'Ally/Enemy' colors.

 

As long as the large range of colors isn't all pastels I am fine. I like the deep mystic blue. The bright firey red.

As for the firebat I liked if but I am not sure we need it. The reaper can surely take out masses of units quickly. Although what I was hoping for as an AoE infantry was something like a grnadier or shotgun wielding Marine.

Be honest everyone did you want the Firebat back because it was so usefull or do you just like flamethrowers?

 

Just the flamethrowers personally. Firebats themselves, at least how they were in SC1, were over-specialized units that ran out of usefulness very quickly.

I actually wanted a shotgun unit for Terran as well LOL.

 

You can still have black just not in Melee mode. Or I misunderstood that part:

"In custom maps created through the Map Editor, players will be able to select any color for their factions."

Well wanting the Firebat back because it was fun to use isn´t wrong - it´s a game. The deciding factor will be if it will work. It did work in SC - until the enemy got something other than Zerglings/Zealots.

 

The reaper is far more usefull than the firebat though. They are both high damage low cost but can't hit air units but the reaper is far more useful since it can jump cliffs and throw bombs

 

Reaper and Firebat don´t have the same Roles or anything. Reapers are Harrasment / Raiding units, the Firebats are Meatshields / Hordetoasters. I wonder if Firebats can be usefull lategame. They would need a upgrade/ability.

How about some brainstorming: What does the Firebat need to stay usefull through the whole game?

 

They need to hand their flamethrowers over to their reaper brothers. The transaction should take place as a tier 2 upgrade. There, now both are more useful and have a role in SC2.

 

FIREBATS back in the game???

This is looking good. Perhaps, the famous Reaver will make a comeback also.
Excellent batch. The best one I have read so far.

 

Ych9, I just recycled the pic you used for batch 11, I hope you don't mind. The admin wants some kind of pic to go along with every single piece of new item, so I had to "borrow" what you used in a hurry. OK, fine, I'm a theif. :upset:

 

Haha no worries man. I'm also a thief because I recycled the pic from batch 10, LOL.
It's the best pic I can find and it fits perfectly for the Q&A, so I just had to steal it LOL.

 

sweet thanks remy, best recent Q&A!

 

Wow. My suggestion about the Reapers with flamethrowers, or a Firebat upgrade to Reapers is closer to realization. This is awesome.

The Firebat was one of my favorite Terran units. SCHWEET!!!!

 

But how would you balance Reapers with Firebat armor and HP? They are supposed to suck at fighting. Reapers are designed to die when you look at them sharply while Firebats could be considered the most durable Infantry unit in the game (depending how you classify Zerg units).

I would consider a Fuel upgrade, "sticky Napalm" that would burn and slow ground units. A bit like the Devourers spores. That is just a idea feel free to shoot it down.

 

You wouldn't. You would just have reapers that are individually flimsy, but have a tier 2 upgrade available to convert to flamethrowers, providing a unit that is designed to fill the role of anti-infantry specifically.

 

YES!!! Lockdown is still a possibility!

Lockdown > Sniper anyday

 

Firebat is boring. Great batch. Best one so far. No questions were answered that were posted here. :no: But after all we don't ask too much.
BTW What is tier 1, tier 2...?