Scarcely worth a thread until I find a practical use for this, but, using Patrol similarly to how you would use a Patrol for a vulture in SC1 allows "moving shot" for air units. The extent to which this is useful is debatable, since the effectiveness of this technique varies from unit to unit. The Phoenix is able to do some pretty funky moves with patrol (like the vulture sideways shot) but the Mutalisk seems to receive the least benefit from it (only scarcely faster than a-move from my experiences).

Furthermore, this becomes more difficult as the number of air units increase (due to them not stacking). Thankfully, stacking is slightly easier if you group it with a unit far away - just like in SC1. It's not where near as effective, just slightly easier.

And no, this doesn't work for ground units (like the hellion). Just units which have an acceleration/deceleration.

caution.slip

United States775 Posts

April 06 2010 10:25 GMT

really don't understand why SC2 doesn't use the same function as attack move for patrol, all patrol is is a persistent attack move between locations...it doesn't make sense from a programming perspective for patrol's attack to operate uniquely from attack move's

Marradron

Netherlands1586 Posts

April 06 2010 10:30 GMT

On April 06 2010 19:25 caution.slip wrote:
really don't understand why SC2 doesn't use the same function as attack move for patrol, all patrol is is a persistent attack move between locations...it doesn't make sense from a programming perspective for patrol's attack to operate uniquely from attack move's

It actually does make sence. They're programmed seperatly maybe even by different people. The goal is even different.

attack move is a move till enemy is in sight then follow that enemy.
Patrol is an attack move too some location wile still trying to reach the location.

They maybe even set the goal for different behavior to mimmick sc1

Plexa

Aotearoa39261 Posts

April 06 2010 10:34 GMT

I suspect that the Mutalisk has an additional attack animation like the Hellion does (it's turret rotates around) which prevents it from receiving the full benefit of patrol. Whereas the Phoenix/Viking etc don't have that additional animation. I dno, just a guess.

TerranUp16

United States88 Posts

April 06 2010 11:12 GMT

Hmh, going to definitely play around with this for Vikings, but unfortunately I doubt they really have the movement speed to properly take advantage of this despite that they have plenty of attack range for it- could be a very slight improvement for kiting harassing Mutas though when done near a Turret.

Plexa

Aotearoa39261 Posts

April 06 2010 11:13 GMT

On April 06 2010 20:12 TerranUp16 wrote:
Hmh, going to definitely play around with this for Vikings, but unfortunately I doubt they really have the movement speed to properly take advantage of this despite that they have plenty of attack range for it- could be a very slight improvement for kiting harassing Mutas though when done near a Turret.

Pretty much. The unit its most effective for (phoenix) doesn't really need it since it's already the fastest air unit lol.

MorroW

Sweden3522 Posts

April 06 2010 11:49 GMT

isnt the attack move and patrol same reactions and attacking target and everything? i thought we established this a while ago xd. click a, click p target fire, the game doesnt care afaik

DeCoup

Australia1933 Posts

April 11 2010 01:27 GMT

On April 06 2010 20:49 MorroW wrote:
isnt the attack move and patrol same reactions and attacking target and everything? i thought we established this a while ago xd. click a, click p target fire, the game doesnt care afaik

In SC2 I think you are correct, patrol and attack move seem to be treated the same. But SC1 treated them a little differently.

Archerofaiur

United States4101 Posts

April 11 2010 01:30 GMT

I so miss mutamicro

LunarC

United States1186 Posts

April 11 2010 01:46 GMT

#10

On April 11 2010 10:30 Archerofaiur wrote:
I so miss mutamicro

I don't. 24+ mutaball raping ur Command Center doesn't sound like something to be missed. :x

Patrol and Attack shouldn't be different from a programming perspective. If the Attacking function of a unit also tells it to stop and begin attacking, then all Patrol needs to do is set a path for the unit to follow and initiate the Attack function should a target move within range of the unit. The reason that Patrol may seem faster is only units with deceleration and little to no delay in attack, because that would cause minimum loss of velocity while still initiating the attack.