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As posted by Karune :
Over the past week since the Zerg announcement, we’ve had many requests for an EPIC battle screenshot, thus I’m happy to present our ‘Psi Onslaught’ to the community for this latest ScreenCraft batch.
Chat with Devs: After the Zerg release, I have been asking Dustin what types of changes are being made to the other factions during this process, and one of the most interesting ones that have been added has to do with the Terran Ghost. In order for the Terrans to counter the various new casters that have been introduced to all sides in StarCraft II, the Ghost can now detect units with energy in a 30 yard radius. This passive ability works similarly to the Sensor Tower, revealing their location even within the fog of war. This ability could also no doubt open up some interesting assassination type single player missions as well with the Ghost.
As requested by the community, the Protoss have brought their heavy hitters in this psi onslaught upon a developing Zerg base. In retaliation, the Zerg counter with a ravaging pack of Ultralisks and Zerglings upon the advancing Templar army. While the epic battle begins, the Protoss player cleverly sneaks a group of Stalkers to raid the Zergs economy as well.
As always, feel free to give the Devs and I a w00t if you are enjoying the batches, especially the new sections like the ScreenCraft section we’ve added.
—StarCraft II Q&A Batch 33: ScreenCraft—
1. What upgrade type (assuming these are returning) is the Viking using? Vehicle or ship? (Or perhaps infantry?) (TheWarCenter.com)
The Viking is built from the Starport again and will use ship armor rather than vehicle armor.
2. What will Zerglings be able to do against new Jackal? (www.starcraftcz.com)
Attacking Jackals efficiently with Zerglings will take a bit of micromanagement, making sure that Zerglings are spread out or attacking from different directions. The Jackals hit points have also been reduced from 125 to 75 with a slight increase to their speed. This will make them more vulnerable to Zerglings if you can get them close to surround the Jackals.
3. If a unit is being produced at a Protoss building while it becomes unpowered, does it continue production or pause until re-powered? (Battle.net) Blazur
If a Protoss building becomes unpowered, all production including research at that building will pause until re-powered.
4. In lieu of the Nydus Worm, will the Zerg Overlord maintain its “Ventral Sacs” upgrade? Will the Ultralisk have any sort of unit carrying capacity? (starcraft.org)
Currently, the Overlord’s original Ventral Sacs ability has been taken out. With the introduction of the Nydus Worm, the Zerg will have more than enough mobility to keep their enemies on their toes. On that note, the Ultralisk will not be able to carry units.
5. To what degree will StarCraft II allow for remapping - limited remapping a la Warcraft III, or complete remapping of key bindings?
- Excalibur_Z (teamliquid.net)
We are planning to support key-mapping for StarCraft II. The extent of the ability for remapping keys is still to be determined. Even in current experimentations, we have found that there are often many issues with conflicting key bindings as there are very few open unmapped keys to be swapped in and out.
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No wonder Blizzard has been holding Zerg information about Starcraft 2… They always want to reveal stuff with a bang, and no doubt with the Zerg revelations in Korea, Blizzard caught the attention of fans all around the globe. Here are some of the screenshots and pictures revealed at the said event, along with the hair raising (in a very positive way) zerg video preview.
Starcraft 2 Zerg Preview Video
Revealed Zerg Units
Corrupter - New Unit
- An air-to-air combat unit.
- Rather than destroying it’s opponents, it infests them an turns them into a stationary turret-like unit/building, making them fight their own allies.
Infester - New Unit
- As a battle support unit, does not have any attacks.
- Can move while burrowed.
- Can cast Dark Swarm: Seems to be the same.
- Can cast Disease: Creates and aura that damages the unit.
- Can cast Infestation: Can infest any building and create infested marines from them. The marines are slow, but fires similar to regular marines.
Roach - New Unit
- Ground unit that can regenerate HP at an incredibly fast rate.
- Requires powerful and concentrated fire to destroy.
- Has 90HP. (*From Stork’s interview. See This Thread)
Overseer - New Evolutionary Unit
- Evolves from: Overlord
- Larger vision range than the Overlord, can detect invisible/burrowed units.
Overlord - Upgraded
- Can no longer detect invisible/burrowed units.
- New ability: Can destroy or dismantle expandable areas and neutral posts.
- Can create small creeps.
Baneling - New Evolutionary Unit
- Evolves from: Zerglings
- Explodes on contact with enemy units or buildings
Swarm Guradian - New Evolutionary Unit
- Evolves from: Mutalisk
- Has an even longer range, and powerful against ground units.
- Can create broodlings that attack for a period of time.
Nydus Worm - New Unit
- Unit version of the Nydus Canal.
- Can create canals anywhere on the map.
Queen - Upgraded
- Created directly from the Hatchery
- Can only have 1 Queen at a time.
- Has many powerful abilities that are good for zerg and directs the defensive line.
- Can expand creeps or act as a defensive structure.
- [Ability] Deep Tunnel: Can move to any hatchery on the map.
- Can evolve and learn more abilities.
Ultralisk - Upgraded
- Can now burrow.
- Can now attack multiple units.
Old Units - Same
- Zergling
- Hydralisk
- Lurker
- Mutalisk
—————–
Starcraft 2 Zerg Q&A
Q: How far in development is SC2? And how much of it will be included in the final version?
A: Nothing’s for certain. It took us such a long time because we were developing other games. Because of our perfectionism we can’t say for sure when SC2 will be released.
Q: I heard there were immense changes to Battle.net. What are these changes?
A: Unfortunately we can’t give away too much on this right now. I can only tell you it’s going along well. Expect great changes!
Q: There’s no Kerrigan in the video. Is the Queen Kerrigan? If not, how is Kerrigan represented? Also the Roach looks like a… roach. People called Paladins from WoW Roaches so is that the reason?
A: The Roach has nothing to do with the Paladin. Kerrigan is a unique unit and will only be playable in the single-player campaign.
Q: How many Starcraft 1 developers are involved in SC2 right now? I heard some developers of C&C were brought over and therefore was not a real sequel to SC1.
A: There are about 12 original developers. It also sticks to the original and is therefore a sequel! We’ve worked hard to make this a fun game and tried to satisfy picky players on multiplayer.
Q: How is the balancing process going?
A: The balancing process is very complicated! That’s why us devs are always playing and balancing the game. Fortunately we have great talents here. We’re planning on getting feedback from this demonstration. We will also balance through patches. Map developers from WC2 are participating in SC2. We can’t tell you much now but you will be able to experience it soon.
Q: I heard SC2 uses a new graphics engine. Can you tell us the specifics?
A: I’m not a graphics expert, but I can tell you we have several advanced graphics techniques being used.
Q: The Zerg scenario ended with the Protoss attacking, but the Terran were conquered for the Protoss assault. Is the sequel loyal to the original storyline? The Queen seems to be used like a hero. Do we have to tech to use it?
A: The storyline is still under development. We can’t give you any details on it yet. The Queen is usable from the beginning and is specialized towards defense. More to come later.
Q: In WWI the Mothership was a super unit and was changed to a normal unit in Blizzcon. Queen has become a superunit so what’s become of the Mothership? Do terrans have a superunit as well? The graphics look great and the system requirements look pretty steep.
A: We can’t tell you anything for certain in the game right now. The Queen’s not really a superunit but really a specialized unit. It’s weak when not defended! It’s not a hero. The sys reqs are low enough so many more users can play. A graphics card with Pixel Shader 2.0 is required.
Q: How will the testing take place? Pro gamers say SC2 feels similar to SC1 and was that a main focus? Or was the focus more on new content?
A: We’re still discussing the best approach to testing. Because SC1 was so loved we’re trying to capture the feel of SC1. However we are adding new content.
Q: Zerg’s Infestor. In SC1 Infestation wasn’t used much. How much will this be used in SC1? Do the infested units count toward population?
A: Infestation is still being tested. We’ve only shown our work in progress. We’re trying to make Infestation a valid tactic in SC2. Supply depots can be infested as well. This will be a useful ability this time around. Currently you can only produce infested marines but that’s subject to change.
Q: SC1’s AI was a bit weak. How’s pathfinding and singleplayer? The Protoss have a cliff walker unit but the Zerg don’t seem to have one. Is there a unit made with this ability? Recently user-made maps are popular but there are some restrictions with licensing. For example making a map unusable is downloaded then changed. Is there a way to secure maps?
A: The devs are working to resolve this issue (AI and pathfinding). But this is still under construction! We can’t tell you anything about what the final build will look like. The Zerg do not have a cliff walker but use Nydus Worms. We’re aware of the problem with securing user-made maps and are considering options to resolve this issue.
Q: You said the development process takes a long time but Activision Blizzard’s CEO Bruce Hack (spelling?) said it’ll be out soon. About when will SC2 be released? And what will happen to SC1’s sales and marketing once SC2 is released?
A: We can’t say when we’ll release. We’ll be going for perfection. Also we have differences with Bruce Hack. However we both want to release this game ASAP. And because we have SC2 it doesn’t mean we’ll forget about SC1. If there’s one user that loves SC1 we’ll keep it going.
Q: As of today, all 3 races have been announced. Each race has strengths and weaknesses. What do you think, as a developer, are the strengths and weaknesses of each of the three races?
A: Us developers don’t focus too much upon strengths and weaknesses. That’s why we don’t add so many unnecessary features. The player is left to decide what the strengths and weaknesses are.
Q: SC1 is more popular in Korea than anywhere else. Will there be any plans to be made with Korea in mind?
A: We know about the popularity in Korea. Because Koreans love competitive gaming we’re trying to make this an e-Sport game. Just revealing the game in Seoul should tell you how much we love the Korean market.
Q: Will there be an event where people can play SC2 in Korea? Also the Observer mode in SC1 was rather lacking. Will SC2 have new features? For other RTS’es the game’s site hosts tournaments and leagues. Will this be done for SC2?
A: It was very important for us to announce the game through WWI and Blizzcon. Therefore we’re planning on having more such conventions. The e-Sports department is doing all that they can to create the best multiplayer experience. This can change depending on the players’ opinions, however. On a side note we’re preparing a WC3 tournament and are expecting to host similar leagues for SC2. However this doesn’t seem like the right time to talk about leagues or tournaments just yet.
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As posted by Karune :
There is lots to talk about in Batch 32 and I’ll be answering questions through the day about these screeenshots so fire away
I hope everyone enjoys them!
Community ScreenCraft: In addition to our Q&A Map Maker Series, Gameplay Series, Lore Series, we are going to include our Community ScreenCraft Series, featuring screenshots crafted specifically to progress the dialogues and discussions we have currently going on in the community. To start us off, I have taken four screenshots which capture our latest discussions over the past month. Feel free to comment, give feedback, or ask questions in regards to these screenshots. When doing so, it will help to identify the screenshot you are referring to as Screenshot A or Screenshot B and etc. If you have you have additional screenshots you would like to see, that would also benefit our community discussions, please request them here: http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=sc2-general&t=628588&s=new&#newScreenshot A: Blink Assault
In Blink Assault you can clearly see and feel the new sense of Terran grittiness. Team colors are a bit worn from battle and the metal texture in Terran units and building have been desaturated a bit. In this screenshot you can see Immortals take on the pounding of fortified Siege Tanks with their hardened shields, while the Stalkers blink up on the cliffs for the assault.
Screenshot B: A Lone Outpost
The Terran Army struggles to defend their lone outpost in the scrap yards, fending off a Protoss onslaught just long enough until the Battlecruisers arrive. Though even with their reinforcements, the battle is far from won, as the Protoss also arrive with their fleet of Carriers to counter.
Screenshot C: The Final Push
This screenshot depicts a large counter attack upon a Protoss base responsible for warping in several waves of attacks on Terran outposts. Dropped Siege Tanks bombard the area, while the Jackals torch up the surroundings with their area of effect line attack. Furthermore, the Marauders slow incoming Zealots as the Battlecruisers plasma weapons make short work of them.
Screenshot D: Anti-Gravity Back Door
As requested by the community, I have taken a screenshot showing a Dark Templar squad secretly infiltrating the Terrans front lines with the help of the Nullifier and its Anti-Gravity ability (previous moved from the High Templar). The Terrans wont know what hit them until it is too late.
As always, feel free to give the Devs and I a w00t if you are enjoying the batches, especially the new sections like the ScreenCraft section we’ve added.
—StarCraft II Q&A Batch 32: ScreenCraft Series —
1. Will allies be able to use each others transport/teleportation methods? Marines in Overlords, Zealots in Nydus Worms, etc.. ? (sc2blog.com)
Many of these questions are still being debated within the development team and the final decisions will ultimately be determined through balance. Nonetheless, classic abilities, such as heal by the Terrans, will be usable on allies regardless of faction.
2. Does the Anti Gravity spell work for your own units? In other words, can you use it to lift up buildings to protect them from an early wave of Zergling? (TheWarCenter.com)
Yes, the Anti Gravity ability can be casted on friendly units and buildings. Also, the Anti Gravity ability has been added to the Nullifier, as the ability has proven much more effective in the earlier parts of the game. Nonetheless, this is still being tested and is subject to change.3. What happens to units who are under a flying building when it falls down? Can you build a building under the building that are flying? and if that is the case, what happens to that building that it is landing on? Get.Yourgun (gosugamers.net)
This is actually a notable design challenge the development team is currently facing with the Anti Gravity ability. Currently, players are not allowed to build buildings under the floating object. When the object does land, it will land on top of whatever unit is under it. For example, if a Supply Depot is lifted up by Anti Gravity and it lands on a Marine when the ability duration is over, it will indeed land on the Marine (but will not cause damage). The Marine can then move out from under that building in the direction of that players choosing. The details around Anti Gravity are still very much in testing. As this is a new ability, many of the details are not finalized.4. In StarCraft many glitches and near-bugs were discovered with the years passing. Many of them are used regularly and changed the game (Mutalisk stack, patrol-attacking, mineral hopping, Lurker hold, etc). This is and was even more true for other games (bunny hopping in quake or through-floors dmg, etc) and it became part of the identity of the game that people knew about those glitches, learned and mastered them. They became important aspects of the game.
Will any of these bugs make an appearance in StarCraft II, but as intentional features?
- Chosi (Teamliquid.net)Yes, certain unit characteristics like the firing on the move dynamic of the Mutalisk, as well as stackable flyers will be in StarCraft II. Some of these characteristics may not feel completely the same, as it is a bit tougher to get flying units to stack, it will still be possible. Although it is important to note that not all of these characteristics will be making it back to StarCraft II, there will be plenty of opportunities for players to find new ways to use the units of StarCraft II in creative ways similar to the original.
5. What are the duties of the Blizzard eSports team, and how much will they be responsible for promoting Starcraft II as and eSport?(starfeeder.com)
The eSports team is responsible for developing Blizzards presence in the increasingly popular eSports scene. Their duties include the planning and operation of Blizzard tournaments around the world in places such as Asia, Europe and the United States. They also provide third-party support for the eSports leagues that host both online and live events using Blizzard titles. Additionally, they help provide balance feedback to our development teams based on interaction with professional gamers and response from the eSports community. They will have an integral role in promoting StarCraft II as an eSports as they have done for the previous Blizzard titles.
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