Unit Formations?

Am I the only one who wishes that Starcraft had formations when units were grouped and moving? I’d love to be able to build my own formations and macros, so I could load them into my profile on battlenet. I want my time to be spent strategizing instead of just microing. I want to be able to set up “plays†like in sports. Yeah you have to be good at microing but this is a strategy game. So why not take that further in Starcraft2.
Formations are what made all ancient armies powerful, Roman Phalanx, Spartans, etc. Formation building capabilities would also help to develop the individuality of each race.
Imagea well formed army of Protoss marching across one of the beautiful jungle worlds from SC1 then reacting to a surprise attack from some cleverly embedded zerg forces who’s hive mind allow them to work together in unison.
I’d love to hear what the rest of you think. Maybe it’s a half-baked idea, I don’t want any “Age of Empires†crap. But it could be very cool…

 

Gosh friggin' dang it. That's like, the best example son.

 

Actually, I think that the closest blizz will get to that is that "Age of Empires Crap".

 

Age of Empires isn't crap, but I would agree as to not having unit formations. Starcraft just isn't one of those games that really has any use for anything like Unit Formations, I say if you want to make a straight front defense line, then do it yourself with your marines or dragoons or whatnot, then just tell them to hold position or whatever. There's really no need for compact defensive lines and formations that don't assist you much on the battlefield. (Though a box formation would be useful in protecting a hero, though that's not really necessary)

 

I think having macros for putting units in formation takes the fun and intrigue from the game. Whenever a player is attacked they go into some sort of "panic" mode clicking away and units and producing new ones, if there was a macro to do all this, the only action you would be doing is watching what's happening at the hot zone.

 

Im not saying AoE is crap, I was sarcastically quoting, w/e.

Imagine marines protected by a square/circle of firebats and medics. Talk about pwnge.

 

I was mostly thinking about how you can use melee units to protect the ranged expensive units and the like while in motion. Nearly impossible to do micro on that. I really just hate the way the units make a long "Kindergarten bathroom" line as they march into the hot zone. Not too realistic. Did someone say formations are of no use in the battlefield? I hope you are kidding.

 

I could see Blizzard creating some very basic unit formations but I don't see them creating a way to make your own.

 

wow mrfranko nice job on spamming that

 

Indeed owerdown: to mrfranko

 

i just hope that they put some kind of formation movement, cause i hate when im zerg needing take 5 steps with lings then wait for the hydras.

 

Wow you only have to say it once. we heard you the first time ;D
Formations are always better if you can make your own. It would make a new level of game play maybe. I'm thinking like a level editor but for units once you have enough units to complete the form you can activate the macro and have “roman tank†effect. If they were programmed in it would be just too easy. You’d have to come up with them on your own or read about one someone else made. Okay maybe that’s crazy and not SC style. We all do it in micro anyway though.

 

Wouldn't unit formation affect some of the micro a bit? I mean when you click, click, click away constantly when you micro, say zerglings, you don't want the units to space out in a neat formation. You want it to move where you click at. It's kind of hard to explain.

For example like if you played Empire Earth or even Rome: Total War, the units sometimes don't go to where you wanna click and all it wants to do is go to that exact unit formation. argh i don't even understand my explanation but I hope you get the gist lol

 

in WC3 you could turn formations on or off

 

ahh yea thats right. eh but I hope SC2 differs and not have it at all. I have no reason why it shouldn't, but like it's not starcraft-like. hehe

 

like i said, as long as a can get my whole army moving at the same speed, im fine with it.

 

No, that makes total sense. I know what you mean but you are only using a formation in a group anyway so if you select an individual it should act as an individual. You can even have sub-groups with hot key set etc. so formations wouldn’t interfere with that when done right.
An army needs to act as an army instead of a nursery school. Which is what I think of every time my army forms a line.

 

greek phalanx. the romans stole it. and i think you would do a terrible job. we all would. we are not experts in stuff like that. blizzard is. so sit back, and enjoy, and don't make yourself think you're better than blizzard

 

haha "let blizzard do its thing" is my philosophy to games.

 

*Laughs* Even if there 'was' formations, it will get easily ruined after using zealots special move. I dont think there should be any. *note*: I wish that Zerg units shouldnt go like in a line. they get pwned easily by tanks