Unit Formations?

I think we'll all be rather impressed with the improvements in AI that we're going to be seeing.

 

Yeh. Afterall blizzard is no bunch of fools

 

Yes anything even as basice as speed matching would be nice. I want my army to within reason and ability: Stay at a uniform speed, line up by range with melee units in front and non combat support in the back, Possibly have an option to lock them in the position I set them in.

One thing I saw that I liked was the C&C 3 formation system where you just clicked and dragged allowing you to set your units in a line or a box of any dimentions. It was simple yet powerful. An addition could be to add some kind of mouse roll function to the distance between the units.

 

From games i played i can say that in Warcraft 3 units were going in some kind of formation with melees on the front of direction they are going and long rangers on the back. If they were ordered to move together they matched their speed movements i think so we dont have to worry about it in SC2
About dispersion this thing would be usefull as hell as well aginst splash damage and for scouting as someone stated earlier.
And about user made formation even veeryy very old Red Alert had "F" hot key which caused chosen units to remeber their formation and move in it.

About races intelligence... What if some late game units like terran Vessels (now its called in other way) BUT Tanks also (look at Tank Image this guy is an sergeant)protoss High Templars, Carriers and Zerg Overlords at high speed and Lair/Hive could somehow tell from which direction enemys army should be attacked?
Or even calculate how much damage can be than by he's siege tanks ect ect?

Lol i meant his but whatever.

AND I HAVE SOLUTION IF THERE SHOULD BE SOME AUTO MICRO MODE/FORMATION IN GAME. This should be optional if this can be done or not.
Also what if one army comes to other but terrain make like that it has to come and have its flank endarged so long range units can be attacked?
In some replay from Supreme Commander i watched at You Tube i saw that units can be placed as anybody wants without regrouping it when they arrive at their destination

Please read the forum rules. Posting repeatedly after yourself is considered spamming. Use the edit button to combine your ideas into 1 post.

 

@ Beetlelisk , please read the forum guidelines before posting!!!!

What you have just done is considered spam, posting repeatedly after yourself. Please use the edit button at the right. Pencil and paper!

Welcome to the forums.

 

IO, I really like your idea on keeping formations unique to Terran, since they have a military system. But I was thinking perhaps extend the idea so each of the three races are unique.

For Terran, give them a few pre-set formation options where they can switch between a few formations on-the-fly. One could let you have marines and medics in the front, then vikings, then siege tanks as a marching formation which can also be used for frontal assault. Another for a defensive position where marines surround the closest siege tanks. Perhaps also one where they keep the position based on unit types but spread out side ways horizontally, to have more units on-line providing support fire in large open areas.

I think for Zerg, a much simpler system would be adequate. I think being able to switch between gather and disperse on-the- fly would suffice for Zerg. I don't think Zerg should have a system like Terran where there is automatic unit arrangement based on unit type, when marching the units should still stay mixed and mingled. Even in actual games, it is more important for Zerg to swarm all of their lings/hydras/lurkers up to the enemy, rather than carefully position each type of unit. Also, it is without question that they should eliminate and improve the "single-file-march-of-imminent-death," but that should be an automatic feature for all races.

For Protoss, I want to suggest that they actually be given no formation options, and I think that in itself would be unique. I also think Protoss need it the least, they already have the fewest units on the battle field. But since Protoss players might feel that to be unfair, perhaps formations like the wedge or things like that. Nothing like the Terran or Zerg, but flavorful and unique formations that the Protoss players can toy with.

 

The formation for the units should be a good suggestion for the SC2 developpers. If not just suggest to allow us to disperse the units. I hate when they go one after one get killed by the enemy, because they follow each other.

 

I don't get it... why should the Terrans necessarily get "battle-ready" formations.

The Protoss are the warrior race and depend the most on less units used in better formations and in more useful ways to counter larger numbers. Shouldn't they be the most advanced in their battle formations?

The Terrans are rag-tag fighters, technically. That's part of their appeal. If anything they would be the LEAST organized.

The Zerg are of a SINGLE MIND! Wouldn't that mean they should exactly be able to anticipate the moves of other members of their race? I would think so. While they don't necessarily need formations, the Zerg are the ones most in need of improvements in AI.

 

I agree zerg are not a military so they should have no formations but the units should act as one and thus should have the best pathing.

Protoss spend decades in training and thius should have the sharpest movements and tightest formations I am talking distances in exacting ammounts here at precises angles

Terrans will be somewhere in between

 

I made my idea suggestion with gameplay in mind.  It's based mainly on how each race play, but I think it still fit the lore pretty well TBH.

Terran is the race that rely on unit positioning the most, they have a heavy dependancy on it to be successful.  I think I kind of touched on that in my racial analysis thread.  Based on lore, we know the Terran has a military system.  Any military, no matter how rag-tag, rugged, and unsophisticated, rely heavily on tactical movements and procedures.  If armies from hundreds of years ago functioned this way, it makes no sense for a futuristic Terran armies to behave like headless chicken.  Anyone who've been in one should know this.  But ultimately, I suggest formations for Terran because they have the greatest need for it gameplay wise.

Protoss on the other hand, instead of a military system, they have a caste system.  Instead of military rank, they have warrior classes, spiritual leaders, war machines, etc.  But the most important thing is, although having zealots in front and goons in the back benefit the Protoss, the Protoss by far is the least dependant on careful unit positioning to be successful.  Protoss units are resilient enough to "tough it out" and muscle their way through to get the job done.  But the Protoss is also few in the number of units by comparison, and is easier to micro manually.  Protoss is already the least micro intensive race, they don't really need formations like the ones I suggested for Terran.

The Zerg, unit positioning based on unit type, is relatively unimportant.  Most of the time, you can view the entire Zerg ground force as an army of melee units.  Even though the lurker is a ranged unit, in practice, you play them as melee units.  You have to keep moving your lurkers to get them up in the face of the enemy.  For Zerg, the most important thing is to coordinate your ground units to swarm the enemy together, instead of in several groups.  The difference between dead firebat and a puddle of zergling blood is whether you simply attack or you span out, surround, and hit the firebat with your lings all at once.  In that sense, being able to disperse and close-in on-the-fly is the most important thing for Zerg as far as formation goes.

As for fitting in with the lore, the Zerg is controlled telepathically as one mind.  Being able to have your units disperse and gather at will intuitively as the situations requires, seem like it would fit best with Zerg.  Perhaps even logically possible only by the Zerg.

 

I sure hope so like in rise of nation's!

 

I was simply pointing out that the Terran aren't going to be as advanced as the Protoss in battle technique. That just the way it stands.

But I suppose you are right in that the Terran are the most in need of some system like this.

But the only fair tradeoff is that the Zerg get MUCH better AI. I can't see being able to micro around even tighter Terran formations if we're still moving in a snake line.

With the Protoss it won't much matter either way. But if they do have formations people will play them even MORE as 90% of the micro work will be done for you.

Zerg is just WAY too many units to effectively micro, so your disperse idea works for me.

The only problem I still have is controlling my lurkers within a large group. They always effect my "attack" commands. I want them to... if not have an above ground attack, at least still have the "attack" command present in their display. That or they could just move around and if a unit comes into range it burrows... etc...

 

Yeah, Lurkers were a bit of a problem when you selected them with other units. It would be much easier if they automatically burrowed. There isn't really a reason for not doing that.

 

I'm positive the problem with lurkers and units moving out in single file will be taken care of.

 

Probably, but there's always the chance the Lurker got axed.

 

I hope not. They made a good ambush and when not being used for that could be used to shore up your defenses. Mobile colony ftw

 

I don't even like the mention of the possibility of lurkers getting scrapped. The lurker IMO is extremely important to the Zerg, and is one of the few units that I see as good enough to carry over mostly unchanged.

We better get lurkers...

 

Or something like them!

Calm down Remy *rubs his shoulders* save it for the Terrans!

 

NEVERRRRRR~~~ gimme ma lurkerzzz~ >.<

 

Lol....

I want us to be a little more versatile on the ground than the Lurker allows. At the very least the Lurker is going to need a faster burrow/unburrow time. These long range units like the Colossus, Thor, and Tanks simply aren't going allow that slow burrow cooldown anymore.