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[SC2B] Under the Microscope - Page 3

Forum Index > News
265 CommentsPost a Reply
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Hautamaki
Profile Blog Joined December 2003
Canada1311 Posts
July 11 2010 04:07 GMT
#41
BTW I think you should give Zileas credit for Reaver Dropping micro as he won the BW beta tourney with it. And the original game changing Micro in SC was Blacklizard raping everyone in the original SC beta with scouts and shield batteries way back in 1997. If your point is that micro has always existed in SC I don't think you should use examples of progamers using micro tricks almost 4 years after the game was out; otherwise we could reasonably conclude we won't be seeing any decent micro in SC2 until 2014 =p
True learning is not the memorization of knowledge; it is the internalization of patterns.
DarkMatter_
Profile Joined January 2010
Canada1774 Posts
July 11 2010 04:07 GMT
#42
Excellent post, I agree completely. To those who are disagreeing by pointing out that BW had 10 years to develop, I think you're missing the fundamental differences between BW and SC2 that were addressed in the article. Sure, it would be premature to completely write off Starcraft 2's potential as a spectator sport, but it's also really naive to assume that, given enough time, SC2 will somehow produce the same excitement and awe as Brood War. The flaws with SC2 mentioned in this article have little to do with the development of the game's strategies. The negative effects of SC2's simplified mechanics and its resulting effect on game balance will always persist, regardless of how many years SC2 is given to develop.
Freezard
Profile Blog Joined April 2007
Sweden1014 Posts
July 11 2010 04:11 GMT
#43
The question is: Was it that wise of Blizzard to release the beta so early? I mean, I bet many people won't buy SC2 now that they have played it for a good while, the game is disappointing for many BW players.

I just played a crazy 2v2 in BW where I ended up sniping high templars with 3/3 cloaked wraiths, one shotting overlords and scanning for observers to finally attack with a group of battlecruisers vs a bunch of goons and cannons that were protecting the last remaining expansion. I don't know but I've never got a feeling like that in SC2, just controlling wraiths TvZ is more fun than doing any micro in SC2.
Darpa
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
Canada4413 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-07-11 04:18:16
July 11 2010 04:14 GMT
#44
While thats an interesting read and I agree on a few points, I dont understand how you can make such a factual statement about a game that had 10 years to get where it is versus a game that hasnt even cleared beta. I know that has been beaten to death, but despite the posts above, I think its naive to say that SC2 doesnt have the potential to be a fantastic spectator sport.

There are still tons of timing pushes in SC2, there are still imbalances, the imbalances come from unit comp (as you mentioned) rather than spells. I fail to see how this is less dynamic. Different, absolutely, but I dont see how unit imbalances make for less interesting play then spell imbalances, frankly I would much rather see a good army comp and decent micro crush an enemy army rather than watching 3 Hi templar storm 30 hydras into submission, or watching a tank line killed by 10 zerglings and dark swarm (maybe others feel differently?).

I am just hesitant to make a claim like that when you nor I have any idea where SC2 strategy and play is going to take us. While I agree to some extent that there is less gameplay potential I for one am excited that games will be more based on tactics and unit play rather than who has more APM and can manage his control groups better. Dont get me wrong, I am and always will be a huge fan of BroodWar, The game has changed, thats for certain but I think its a little premature to count out Sc2.
"losers always whine about their best, Winners go home and fuck the prom queen"
Freezard
Profile Blog Joined April 2007
Sweden1014 Posts
July 11 2010 04:17 GMT
#45
Sadly, things aren't the same anymore as they were when BW came out... nowadays if a game doesn't get a lot of attention, it usually dies quiet fast. There's just too much competition. If people don't like SC2, people will go back to BW or try other RTS games, SC2 is not alone on the market anymore. It's a tough business...
teamfuckquit
Profile Joined July 2010
1 Post
July 11 2010 04:19 GMT
#46
--- Nuked ---
soliddew
Profile Joined April 2010
United States28 Posts
July 11 2010 04:19 GMT
#47
The whole "new engine with sleeker graphics means the game MUST be better thing" is really starting to get old. I agree with a lot of the points, but that is really just bland. It just feels like hatred to anything that is new.
jackofclubs81
Profile Joined January 2010
United States196 Posts
July 11 2010 04:28 GMT
#48
On July 11 2010 11:22 Sheth wrote:
Good read. Very intereseting points about why SC1 was great, I hope we can find enough little tricks in SC2 that will make it interesting. Also if not theres always the expansion to hope for. Thanks for taking the time to write this!

I doubt they will nerf the game engine in the expansion though...
But it never hurts to hope!
ElectricGrandpa
Profile Joined April 2010
Canada8 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-07-11 04:38:30
July 11 2010 04:37 GMT
#49
If you REALLY want all the old SC stuff, I'm sure someone will eventually make a mod using the map editor where everything gets set back to SC1 macro and SC1 units with SC1 stats. The little quirks will be different, so it won't be the exact same, but it'll probably be reasonably close. I think it'll also be kinda boring.

Everyone is comparing the *BETA* of StarCraft 2 to the *EXPANSION* of the original StarCraft, which had bajillions of patches until it got to the state it's in now. That seems just a little bit premature, doesn't it? Chillllll.
I made a sweet iPhone game called Trainyard, it's goooooood.
SolidusSnake
Profile Joined May 2010
United States11 Posts
July 11 2010 04:38 GMT
#50
On July 11 2010 13:03 Lord_of_Chaos wrote:
I would say that, for example, force fields are extremely interesting. It's just on the current maps they play out wrong. There are big differences between current sc2 maps and the professional bw maps. I think that on a map with a wider center, allowing for more army movement and flanking, force fields will be a very interesting spell that will increase the dynamics and interactions.

Overall I fear that sc2 is currently being balanced on inferiour maps....


Very true. I was thinking maybe we gotta wait for bigger maps like in proleague maps for BW n see how it plays out. Ive been watchin alot of korean proleague, n the maps are alot alot bigger. We just gotta wait for them to recreate the maps for sc2
DeckOneBell
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
United States526 Posts
July 11 2010 04:41 GMT
#51
I agree to an extent. Scarabs and their volatility, spider mines, psi storms, defilers dark swarm, all of that was very interesting to watch.

But a possible side effect (or even intended effect) of the missing "over-powered" spells of BW in SC2 means that it's a lot less possible for one misclick to lose a game. Maybe that destroys some tension as a spectator sport, who knows.
myopia
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United States2928 Posts
July 11 2010 04:46 GMT
#52
banelings are cool and all but they're just not spider mines
it's my first day
N(o)sarcasm
Profile Joined July 2010
11 Posts
July 11 2010 05:03 GMT
#53
I'd have to agree that the attentiveness required to be comparatively decent to the next fellow in Brood War was a lot larger than in the current beta phase of Starcraft 2. However, as has been mentioned, ranted, raved, and beaten to death is the small, minute, minuscule thing that is the following.

--- Starcraft and its predecessor are 12 years old.
--- Starcraft 2 and its three expansions are 0 days old. It is still in its beta phase.

To expect a legacy like Starcraft to be followed without flaw or fault is simply being naive. Starcraft took years to captivate the lives of millions upon millions of players and viewers. Starcraft 2 seems to have to do this before it ever hits the shelf. I understand the sentiments of needing to macro a marine around to make the most of its usage on the field. The desire to dodge that lurker shot, split the armies to avoid the mass tank damage that could potentially end the game if you so much as a half a second off. Give the baby of this Legacy time to grow into what we all hope it will be. To expect a child to have the same aspects as its parent before its even been given time to grow is, I'll use the word selfish. People are being selfish with the seemingly unwavering desire for starcraft 2 to simply be a polished up starcraft 1 in every aspect, good or bad. It seems that perhaps while what made starcraft one great, also poses a sense of.. arrogance to the newer generation of children that haven't had more than a decade to perfect what seems to easy when we watch. Let Starcraft 2 have a chance to apply that 'awe' factor that the original had. I'm sure there will always be "I wish this was like that" moments in games, but to isolate those who want to take part in the creation of a game that is, in my opinion, a legacy by which most rts compare themselves to, seems very selfish.

In closing, I understand most, if not all of what I am typing has probably been posted or said a hundred million times over on various threads, forums, and conversations with friends. Though I would hope that some will gain a little insight if I have covered something that hasn't been said before.
Ideas
Profile Blog Joined April 2008
United States8152 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-07-11 05:26:06
July 11 2010 05:23 GMT
#54
man i hate all this thought about "yea but SC2 isnt 12 years old!!!!"

it doesnt matter how old the game is. there is a competition between BW and SC2 right now, a competition to take up our free time. right now BW is out and costs 20$. SC2 is out and will cost 60$ in 3 weeks. basically you are all saying "yea BW is better but in a few years SC2 might be as good! just give it time!" is it unfair to compare the 2? absolutely not. Sure it has a lesser developed metagame but that doesnt mean i have to play this inferior game for 2 years until MAYBE it gets better.

basically BW is superior to SC2 right now in every gameplay regard except accessibility, which is where the masses of new SC2 users probably find most appealing (there is also probably the lot of people who like playing a game where most strategies are widely undiscovered, although that doesnt really apply to this comparison).

will SC2 improve and have greater dynamics over time? maybe. the expansions will add new units for sure, but even if they rival BW in terms of completely awesome game-changing units that are possibly the most exciting in the game, i have doubts that it will ever match the perfection of BW. a fun distraction for a time? sure, but it will just be like any other game i play for a week or 2 and then go back to my real game, BW.
Free Palestine
D1sturbance
Profile Joined July 2010
United States30 Posts
July 11 2010 05:33 GMT
#55
I think the issue is, people are afraid to innovate the type of play that we have come to expect. A lot of people worked VERY hard to develop the level of play we come to expect in BW, Day[9] has done some very good games recently where I see the start of this "innovation" of play.

There were a few games where it was non-stop action, back dooring, and just general aggression that were wonderful to watch and obliviously took skill.

This is all not to say that the skill ceiling isn't lower in SC2, you don't have to fight the game to play it, your not fighting each unit to go up a ramp, so that lowers the skill ceiling.
iNcontroL *
Profile Blog Joined July 2004
USA29055 Posts
July 11 2010 05:45 GMT
#56
well done as always <3
BioSC
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
United States636 Posts
July 11 2010 05:46 GMT
#57
Lets let the Korean Pros get a hold of this game for a while before we simply pass judgment on a game compared to one with 10+ years of aging. I firmly believe there will be tricks found, similar to how different a game SC vanilla was to BW is now.
Bio - Breaking it down
cHaNg-sTa
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States1058 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-07-11 05:52:11
July 11 2010 05:50 GMT
#58
On July 11 2010 11:59 ApacheChief wrote:
I don't think this is true at all.

StarCraft 2 probably has MORE interactions between the races, with early game spells like forcefield, EMP and fungal growth.

I don't understand...


Have you played/watched BW a decent amount? I'm guessing you haven't.

Spells were a lot more devastating in BW. They were ESSENTIAL to some tactics. Getting storm out for the mass hydra bust, getting dark swarm to save yourself from the M&M/tank push, getting irradiate out to stop the powerful muta sniping, getting spider mines to deal with the mass speedlots, and many more. These were all absolutely critical and powerful to stopping the opponent's powerful push/strategy. But the beauty about it is that even though it's a great and powerful spell to repel the opponent's strategy, the opponent can still make use of his units with superior micro. Storm dodging, moving all units out of dark swarm quickly, scourging science vessels (which even the Terran can counter with even better micro), zealot bombing, etc.

SC2 introduces too many elements that weaken the effect of these awesome spells because of how easy smart casting is. This is an extremely poor decision in terms of game dynamics because now everyone can storm with similar efficiency. On the other hand, a greater player in BW can make less templars AND storm far more effectively and faster than a player who is slower and not as micro-prepped. This is key, a BW player with a couple of templars against zerg is scary. But it's not scary at all in SC2 until they have a ton of templars. You EARN your "terrible terrible damage" in BW, the game doesn't just give it to you.

Things in SC2 like FF, fungal growth, marauders' concussive shells, etc, don't allow the opponent to overcome these "counters" with greater micro. It's just not possible. If I get FF'd, the only thing I can do is just.. let my trapped units attack. There's really nothing else you can do. Fungal growth? Well, you're just trapped until it wears off. And I'm sure everyone has experienced trying to run away from marauders with the trailing units have zero hope of living. They don't give the option of "hey, great micro can get me out of this pinch!" And that's what makes BW the great spectator sport it is today.

I think SC2 is fun to watch, but just for how long? Who knows. I still get goosebumps watching BW games. I hope SC2 can still do the same, but that might be asking for too much.
Jaedong <3 HOOK'EM HORNS!
Chairman Ray
Profile Blog Joined December 2009
United States11903 Posts
July 11 2010 05:51 GMT
#59
Great read. I completely agree that all the exciting action has been depleted. In addition, I think it's boring to watch as well. After watching scbw for 3+ years, I'm still watching it. After a few games of sc2, I just can't get through the first 5 mins of the most exciting matches.
sluggaslamoo
Profile Blog Joined November 2009
Australia4494 Posts
July 11 2010 05:53 GMT
#60
Yeah likewise, SC2 has had 7 years of design time plus 12 years of BW evolution, to create a game that should be 100x better than BW from the get-go.

SC2 should have taken what was so captivating in BW and made it even better. IMO SC2 just seems to be riding on the success of BW, and hoping that any change will still lead to a good game.
Come play Android Netrunner - http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=409008
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