StarCraft II Q&A - Batch 21

[img width=630 height=137]http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/1729/qa1sw6.jpg[/img]​

This latest Q&A Batch features questions from our fans in South Korea. We've made sure to include an additional question to cover any questions that may be repetitive from previous Q&As.

Chat with Devs: Since the Terran Ghost has an upgradable EMP ability, the Terran Nomad's has been given the ability to create stationary defenses in addition to its Defense Matrix ability. One of the new stationary defenses is the Auto-Turret, which can attack ground units, and this unit be seen on this screenshot:
http://www.gamemeca.com/news/img_data/200711/STAR-1.jpg

We are hoping the Nomad's new abilities will innovate its role, in addition to being a detector.

As always, feel free to give the Devs and I a w00t if your enjoying these Q&As!

---StarCraft II Q&A - Batch 21---

1. Do you have any plan to put the auto-casting ability into StarCraft II units, just like in Warcraft III?

At the moment, Medics are the only units that we have deemed fit to have an auto-cast ability. StarCraft II, compared to Warcraft III, has fewer abilities but are much more potent when executed properly, thus making them manual cast will give players a huge opportunity to demonstrate much skill in the game.

2. Would you make it possible for players on observing mode to check various information including a mini map, upgrading status, and resource status on a personal window? If not, would you consider developing this function?

These are all great ideas and we will work to get these in for observing mode. We will be working hard to have the observing mode innovative and comprehensive, building upon all the features that were in our previous RTS titles, as well as other titles in the market.

3. Will the story of StarCraft II be continued right from where the original StarCraft story ended? Or, will it begin at the moment after some amount of time passed since the last time of the original StarCraft?

The StarCraft II storyline will continue 4 years after the events of Brood War.

4. It is not possible to watch how a mouse was moved in a saved replay game. Could you make this possible to see the movement of mouse?

We would also like the mouse to be viewable in saved replays, however, it may be more likely that well have the options to show both the view of the players playing as well as selection icons of the units being currently selected in the replay.

5. When grouping units to a control group, how many units could be added to one group?

Currently, players are able to select more than 150 units in a single control group. The final actual number will be determined by hardware performance tests on the game, but should still be close to that number.


6. Players often tend to stack up workers and air units looking as one group in original StarCraft. Will this still be possible in StarCraft II?

In StarCraft II, this is harder to do than in the original StarCraft, but still possible. Units tend to group together more and more with each manual attack order. As long as you keep giving that manual attack order upon a target certain attacking units of the same type will group closer together. When the unit attacked upon is destroyed or the units become idle, they will naturally spread out again.

---End of Transmission---


Bonus 800 minerals.

 

we pretty much knew everything...

 

wtf i posted this first and i didnt get any bonus minerals

 

You have to add color to your text and a picture to make it look better so it could be put on the front page.

 

then what about the sensor tower update or the "Blizzplanet Interview with Christie Golden". It made it to the front page and it didnt have any color or pictures

 

LOL, wrong screenshot

 

LOL I'll fix that.

EDIT: Fixed

 

Yeah, nothing really new. However, Karune's answers to questions about the new screenshots (see previous news item) have a TON of new information, so my Q & A hunger for the week is plenty satisfied.

 

not really much to go crazy about, but hey its not that bad. nothing dissapointing about this Q&A.

 

I think admin should give moderator rights in news section for LT guy. He's good newsposter...

That's what I miss in many RTS games replays. Cool thing to see how fast player is doing things, what controls with keyboard. Lol, sounds like keylogger.

w00t! 150 fully upgraded zerglings spam ;D

 

i think the grouping idea is kind of bad. As seen in the terran high def video it makes the battlecruisers look like a giant mess of uglies.

 

High grouping rocks, I get tired of assigning all my numbers to 12 group armies, only to realize I no longer have my buildings on them for easy selection.

150, now that is an army, swarm my zergling pretties, hahaha!

 

Is it me or were these questions already asked in previous Q & A batches? Go recycling!

Also a note to Heavyarms2050, if you think it is unfair, feel free to voice your concern by reporting the topic. Global moderators may be able to resolve the situation, after all this would be considered a duplicate topic as it was posted 29 minutes after yours.

 

woot but boring batch of QandA.

wheres the ion canon or other AOE static defenses of the terran? 2400+ years in the future and the terran only get bunkers and turrets. and the siege tanks although good at defense are classified as unit. lorewise terran needs uber defensive static weapons. =\

and new static defense for the toss coz the phase canon looks and attack is gay. come on, if you add new units why not improve change add something new for the static defenses or add new ones for sc2 too? dont say gameplay balances as an excuse for sticking with turrets and bunkers and canons and omg sunken and spores again. and movin phase canon and planetary fortress aint enough.

im glad that the nomad got the ability of dropping stationary turret.. but why can't it be just buildable by scv and mounted my marines?

ion canon. laser canon. electric canon etc. with long attack cooldown and cost 400 min 500 gas and buildable only once. ^^

i want teh missile turrets to be upgradable coz right now they are just like that.. boring and starcraft1ish.

 

What I find interesting is how they said that the turret was one of the Nomad's stationary defneseS. That mean there's more than one. I wonder what else it could have. Without Emp, it drastically loses some offensive power. Perhaps now, it will be a mobile mini base with the defenses and nano- repair and other goodies.

On the "other" issue: why don't we just pay LT for each one he does, instead of awarding him minerals for " an interesting post". I find it annoying how its this big rush every time Blizzard updates and someone gets upset because someone else got the minerals. If anything, it's public info, it's not new or original, why should someone get awarded minerals for it. If anything, the mods should pay LT a little for the small work he does to spruce it up, since he takes the time to color it and put up an picture and other stuff. That way, he can take his time, theres not like 5 posts on the topic, and everyone can just accept the fact that he does it and gets the minerals.

 

Because it encourages a number of members to pay attention to the Starcraft site.

If they want to risk their time for the reward of minerals, or the risk that someone beats them to the line, that is something they accept.

But all posts must be made with correct formatting.

This is not a debatable point. If we have to do any work aside from simply moving it to the front page, you will get 0 minerals. Period.

 

yay we can still stack!!

multa stack was fun and easy for me

and over 100 per group...holy crap...
big effect on game

 

Only two of the six questions were actually new information... but it is nice to learn about the replay and observer systems.

 

Horra for the 150 group selection; no more puny 12! Now I canactually control my whole army, and still set selections on buildings for easy finding and building.

 

nice Q&A...

dont u guys think selecting 150 units is abit 2 much?? i mean..isnt the population like...200 or 300??

sc1 was good with 12 units (well...not all the time) but with selecting 12 units only, it was harder and thus u have to micro more =P