What do you think of the Zerg?

Hmmm... I just took a glimpse at the queen poll thread. I guess I had the completely wrong idea about the queen as well.

I thought the queen was a stationary(that could only reposition via tunneling) defensive unit/structure that could only stay near hatcheries. After reading up on the queen in greater detail, that does not appear to be the case at all. If I finally understand the queen correctly, and it is indeed a tier 1 caster unit(well, pseudo-caster, but anything's better than the SC1 queen), then I like it.

An earlier tier caster(that's actually viable in the slightest in practice) available before the defiler was exactly what the Zerg needed. Not real sure about the whole "build sunkens with the queen or nothing at all" idea, especially with there being only one queen and all, but all in all, the SC2 queen is a good start. It even incorporates the "multi-tier caster" idea I brought up way back for Zerg, as well as a method of creep extension that many people wanted.

I still don't like having to evolve ovies, and the fact that all the most prevalent Zerg combat units are exactly what they were in SC1, unchanged, but I think with this better understanding of the current SC2 Zerg, I would vote at least a 3. Protoss and Terran got the fixes that they precisely needed, it's about time that Zerg finally got one.

Now if only the queen could take from my Zerg turtle idea and carry babies on its back, lol.

 

I think the zerg got most of thier units back unchanged because Blizzard didn't want to go through the whole "OMG I don't want the tempest, I wants my carriers back!!!!1112" thing.

I'm sure if the ling, hydra, or muta was removed for a different unit, they would get pounded for it. People complained about the hydra moving to tier 3 (I have no idea where its at anymore), now imagine how people would react if the hydra was completely removed for a different unit.

 

By "unchanged" I don't mean that it's not a different unit. But rather, that it has the same role and function as it did in SC1.

Lings, hydras, lurks, mutas, filers, and ultras are "unchanged" in my book. (Also drones of course, but don't know enough about guardians, still my guess is "unchanged" as of now) Don't say that baneling evlution somehow changes zerglings. Banelings are completely new units, evolving from zerglings is just the method of production that Blizzard chose for them. Defilers are also the same in practice, despite the name change and inheriting the then-useless infest ability.

 

=O
When did Remy come back?


Anyways, I really like about half the Zerg at the moment. My biggest gripe is the mechanics of the Infestor. It should be more like how the Queen worked in the first one, actually physically entering a building and infesting it (Permanently) over a certain time period.

 

The infest ability looks pretty good. It's certainly more powerful than it was in SC2. Just the fact that you can infest any non-Zerg building makes it that much more powerful. It'll be interesting to see the tactics using infesters. Hit a base with a diversion in the front, then sneak in a few infesters to infest their supply depots and barracks, then hit their mineral line with the infested marines.

As for the Swarm Guardians, I think they were a little weaker and with less range, but spawned broodlings when they killed a target.

 

Hey Fenix. I'm assuming this is THE Fenix, but just lost the Praetor name.

 

yep, Blizzard told him to lose that part.

 

I've actually read that somewhere that the Swarm Guardians spawn Broodlings at the base of the target with each successful attack. I'm sure this has got to be either a miscommunication, mistranslation, misinterpretation or just a flat out lie, but thought it was worth mentioning.

 

That's what Jon told me over AIM Hex. Unless... I also misunderstood him somehow.

 

It would be kinda weird if they did. It's hard to imagine a Marine or Zergling survive having Broodlings hatch from inside them. Not to mention that having a few Swarm Guardians would quickly clutter up the screen with fairly useless units. The main appeal of Spawn Broodling In StarCraft1 was that it instantly killed the unit. The Broodlings were basically just for lore.
Without knowing more I can't really comment further, but I think it would be best if it either only happened when the Swarm Guardian got the killing blow or was an ability.

 

In any case, it's a pointless change. Not an improvement in the slightest. Jon said that the broodlings sucked more than they did back in SC1 which I've never thought to be realistically possible. So the broodlings are beyond completely useless, whatever that may be.

Blizzard really needs to do a little better. Changes like that is more upsetting than no change at all. Then there's... tier 3 lurks... omg... wtf... @%^@$#%!$^@&

 

They are trying something new, so far they have done great ideas for new Zerg units

 

Are the broodlings the attack or an addition to the attack (kinda like how the attack of devourers added acid spores)?

That whole hydra business sucks. I would swap the roach and hydra myself. The roach is supposed to have mad regeneration which doesn't sound good at low tiers when you are still using marines and zealots as primary forces.

 

For exact details, you gotta ask Jon. But from what he told me, it sounded like something automatic that just happens all the time all by itself, not an ability/spell. He said that the broodlings died even faster than back in SC1 and the only thing they were good for is to draw un-micro-ed fire from the enemy, which, is useless.

My impression on Jon's impression on the Swarm Guardian is that, they're less than stellar. Not bad, not suxxorz, but perhaps a tad subpar from what they should be by now. But I think he said they moved faster than before. I asked him if they're still slow like snails, I can't remember exactly, but I think that's what he said.

Anyway, ask Jon. You'll get a better idea.

 

I like having Roaches early on. Jon's told us that they're a mad counter for Zealots, which is something that Zerg really need as Zerglings get absolutely hammered by them. However, Stalkers have a great damage bonus when attacking Armoured units, which the Roach is, and is a great counter against Roaches. However, due to a fairly low damage against Light units and a relatively low attack speed, Zerglings rip through them. This sets up a really interesting situation for early Zerg versus Protoss games. Roaches>Zealots>Zerglings>Stalkers>Roaches>Zealots>Zerglings>Stalkers.......
About the Guardian, I'd rather it have the strongest possible attack without any novelty bonuses. If it spawns Broodlings each attack, regardless of how weak the Broodlings are, its attack would have to be weakened.
One other thing I want to know is what the Spawn Guardians look like. The seriously looked freaking sweet in StarCraft1 gameplay, but look horrible in the cinematics. There's so much potential in them, but there's so much to get wrong as well.

 

If Jon said they're spawned per hit, he's probably right. I really don't see the point of having broodlings either way, unless they could be used to slow down you opponent's computer to the point where he drops out of the game. I'd like the old guardian back, but neither do I want so many old units in. I think it might be better to just give the Swarm Guardian the old Spawn Broodlings ability instead.

 

I always thought that the new broodlings spawn with each kill, which would make a lot more sense IMO. If broodlings really do spawn with each hit then are too weak to be worthwhile.

 

They already were worthless. You just get a lot more worthless units now.

 

they could one shot siege tanks, that not useless
too bad thats gone now though

 

They weren't completely useless in sc1. It was always fun to brood in the middle of a tank line, then watch the friendly fire kill 2-3 more.