• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 04:20
CEST 10:20
KST 17:20
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
Power Rank - Esports World Cup 202550RSL Season 1 - Final Week9[ASL19] Finals Recap: Standing Tall15HomeStory Cup 27 - Info & Preview18Classic wins Code S Season 2 (2025)16
Community News
BSL Team Wars - Bonyth, Dewalt, Hawk & Sziky teams4Weekly Cups (July 14-20): Final Check-up0Esports World Cup 2025 - Brackets Revealed19Weekly Cups (July 7-13): Classic continues to roll8Team TLMC #5 - Submission re-extension4
StarCraft 2
General
Power Rank - Esports World Cup 2025 RSL Revival patreon money discussion thread Jim claims he and Firefly were involved in match-fixing RSL Season 1 - Final Week The GOAT ranking of GOAT rankings
Tourneys
Esports World Cup 2025 Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament Sea Duckling Open (Global, Bronze-Diamond) FEL Cracov 2025 (July 27) - $8000 live event RSL: Revival, a new crowdfunded tournament series
Strategy
How did i lose this ZvP, whats the proper response
Custom Maps
External Content
Mutation #239 Bad Weather Mutation # 483 Kill Bot Wars Mutation # 482 Wheel of Misfortune Mutation # 481 Fear and Lava
Brood War
General
BW General Discussion ASL20 Preliminary Maps Ginuda's JaeDong Interview Series BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ [Update] ShieldBattery: 1v1 Fastest Support!
Tourneys
CSL Xiamen International Invitational [Megathread] Daily Proleagues [CSLPRO] It's CSLAN Season! - Last Chance [BSL 2v2] ProLeague Season 3 - Friday 21:00 CET
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers I am doing this better than progamers do.
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread [MMORPG] Tree of Savior (Successor of Ragnarok) Path of Exile CCLP - Command & Conquer League Project
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Russo-Ukrainian War Thread The Games Industry And ATVI Stop Killing Games - European Citizens Initiative
Fan Clubs
SKT1 Classic Fan Club! Maru Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
[\m/] Heavy Metal Thread Anime Discussion Thread Movie Discussion! [Manga] One Piece Korean Music Discussion
Sports
2024 - 2025 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 NBA General Discussion
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Installation of Windows 10 suck at "just a moment" Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
Ping To Win? Pings And Their…
TrAiDoS
momentary artworks from des…
tankgirl
from making sc maps to makin…
Husyelt
StarCraft improvement
iopq
Socialism Anyone?
GreenHorizons
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 640 users

Widow mines aren't aesthetically pleasing

Blogs > LightSpectra
Post a Reply
LightSpectra
Profile Blog Joined October 2011
United States1450 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-01-28 08:50:40
January 28 2013 08:27 GMT
#1
(Note: I fully acknowledge that this is just my personal opinion and I only speak for myself. Also, if you think looking back to Brood War for game design makes one a nostalgiafag, this blog probably isn't for you.)

SC2 deathballs are rather ugly to look at due to the unit clutter and general use of un-vibrant dark colors, but there's at least a sense of dread in watching a mass of broodlords, marines, or colossi move around. It gives the feeling that it's powerful, and it's a concentration of force that will do serious damage if not engaged in the right way.

Widow mines just look... well, stupid to be honest.



Not an orthodox game of course, and I'm entirely willing to believe that the metagame will obsolete this type of play. So I'm not worried this will become the new infestor/broodlord. Still though, it feels so wrong. Terran thematically feels very much about "hanging on until the last gasp". Dropships leaving a strike team in the heart of the enemy base to do critical damage and escape in the nick of time is very much something that's exciting to watch. Huge amounts of zerglings and banelings blowing up while marines frantically retreat to the end of the line for a last stand is, of course, one of the coolest things to watch in all of Starcraft.

A bunch of cute robots with Wall-E arms shooting arc missiles from underground that can unexpectedly and instantly wipe out a flock of space dragons, not so much.

[image loading]

Fear incarnate

Spider Mines in BW were terrifying--partially because of their sound effect and movement speed--but primarily because they cost no supply, could be anywhere, and if they wipe out half your dragoons, there's still a terran mechball out there waiting to kill you that hasn't lost a bit of its firepower. Every time you see a vulture, you get a little anxious because it means there's up to three mines somewhere. In contradistinction to this, Widow Mines aren't suicide units, they can move around and be used for anything -- meaning they are army in themselves instead of being a limited substitute for it (which they have to be, because WM cost supply and build time). And it's really not fun to watch for aesthetic reasons. I'm not grasping the strength and utility of clever mankind, I'm seeing robots blow up other robots.

[image loading]

This is what I feel like I'm watching when I see Widow Mine drops

It really bothers me that the new HotS units seem to amplify each of the race's inherent thematic, except the Widow Mine. The tempest and mothership core are super-advanced energy weapons, and the swarmlord and viper are disgusting insects that contribute to the mass swarmy feeling of zerg. Even hellbats, at least, show the versatility and heavy metal of human beings (albeit they also suffer somewhat from having a 'cute' look and... are... bio for some reason). Widow mines, in their current state, just put terran in an awkward place. They look like they fit the role of the SCV, but they really have the explosive firepower of a siege tank. Hell, right now they do 125 (+40 splash) damage; almost three times that of the tank, even though they're both fundamentally mobile artillery. It's like a third of the size of a siege tank, man.

I'm sure we'll see beautiful usage of Widow Mine builds and micro when pro-gamers switch, doubtlessly. And every time I see Life, MVP, or Creator gg after losing their armies to WM, I'll ask "what the fuck am I watching?"


*
2006 Shinhan Bank OSL Season 3 was the greatest tournament of all time
JOJOsc2news
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
3000 Posts
January 28 2013 08:40 GMT
#2
A bunch of cute robots with Wall-E arms shooting arc missiles from underground that can unexpectedly and instantly wipe out a flock of space dragons, not so much.


This one made me laugh.

Well written blog 5/5.
✉ Tweets @sc2channel ⌦ Blog: http://www.teamliquid.net/blog/JOJO ⌫ "Arbiterssss... build more arbiterssss." Click 'Profile' for awesome shiro art!
Newbistic
Profile Blog Joined August 2006
China2912 Posts
January 28 2013 09:25 GMT
#3
Widow mines lack the boobies and other characteristic niceties that actual widows have.
Logic is Overrated
PineapplePizza
Profile Joined June 2010
United States749 Posts
January 28 2013 09:36 GMT
#4
A bunch of cute robots with Wall-E arms shooting arc missiles from underground that can unexpectedly and instantly wipe out a flock of space dragons, not so much.


Cute Robots have always been a force to be reckoned with - especially in StarCraft

[image loading]

They could probably just replace both of the 'new' terran units with the Vulture, but the SC2 dev team is too strange and prideful to do such a thing.
"There should be no tying a sharp, hard object to your cock like it has a mechanical arm and hitting it with the object or using your cockring to crack the egg. No cyborg penises allowed. 100% flesh only." - semioldguy
Daswollvieh
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
5553 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-01-28 10:25:52
January 28 2013 10:25 GMT
#5
On January 28 2013 18:25 Newbistic wrote:
Widow mines lack the boobies and other characteristic niceties that actual widows have.


I for one never called a widow mine.
Penev
Profile Joined October 2012
28475 Posts
January 28 2013 11:08 GMT
#6
Haha, funny and true. They also seem more Zergy than Terran I'd like to ad. Replace the legs whith weels or tracks and make them spin/ drill when they burrow. But they really should just be mines and not turrets of course.. And smaller.. And a vehicle should place them..
I Protoss winner, could it be?
Pengu1n
Profile Blog Joined October 2004
United States552 Posts
January 28 2013 17:44 GMT
#7
i think all we really want is the spider mine back, deployed, stationary, does damage, easy to kill, only blows up once, cost 0 supply. But this is sc2....we can't have nice things or it would be too much like broodwar
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 1h 40m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft: Brood War
firebathero 1591
Hyuk 320
Leta 304
ToSsGirL 168
Zeus 127
Dewaltoss 116
JulyZerg 51
sorry 45
Sacsri 32
soO 25
[ Show more ]
NaDa 23
ajuk12(nOOB) 22
ivOry 1
Britney 0
Dota 2
XcaliburYe216
BananaSlamJamma114
Counter-Strike
Stewie2K572
Other Games
ceh9605
Happy167
Fuzer 107
SortOf97
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick1246
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 14 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Sammyuel 44
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• iopq 5
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
League of Legends
• Stunt736
Other Games
• WagamamaTV162
Upcoming Events
Esports World Cup
1h 40m
Reynor vs Zoun
Solar vs SHIN
Classic vs ShoWTimE
Cure vs Rogue
Esports World Cup
1d 2h
OSC
1d 5h
CranKy Ducklings
2 days
BSL20 Non-Korean Champi…
2 days
CSO Cup
2 days
BSL20 Non-Korean Champi…
2 days
Bonyth vs Sziky
Dewalt vs Hawk
Hawk vs QiaoGege
Sziky vs Dewalt
Mihu vs Bonyth
Zhanhun vs QiaoGege
QiaoGege vs Fengzi
FEL
3 days
BSL20 Non-Korean Champi…
3 days
BSL20 Non-Korean Champi…
3 days
Bonyth vs Zhanhun
Dewalt vs Mihu
Hawk vs Sziky
Sziky vs QiaoGege
Mihu vs Hawk
Zhanhun vs Dewalt
Fengzi vs Bonyth
[ Show More ]
Sparkling Tuna Cup
5 days
Online Event
5 days
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

CSL Xiamen Invitational
Championship of Russia 2025
Murky Cup #2

Ongoing

Copa Latinoamericana 4
Jiahua Invitational
BSL20 Non-Korean Championship
Esports World Cup 2025
CC Div. A S7
Underdog Cup #2
IEM Cologne 2025
FISSURE Playground #1
BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 7
IEM Dallas 2025
PGL Astana 2025
Asian Champions League '25

Upcoming

CSLPRO Last Chance 2025
ASL Season 20: Qualifier #1
ASL Season 20: Qualifier #2
ASL Season 20
CSLPRO Chat StarLAN 3
BSL Season 21
RSL Revival: Season 2
Maestros of the Game
SEL Season 2 Championship
uThermal 2v2 Main Event
FEL Cracov 2025
HCC Europe
ESL Pro League S22
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2
BLAST Open Fall 2025
BLAST Open Fall Qual
Esports World Cup 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall Qual
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.