On April 23 2010 08:03 HeyZeus wrote: I don't understand why high-level players (especially those with SC1 backgrounds) continue to defend UI elements that are repetitive and/or arbitrary for the sake rewarding higher APM.
Would the game be better if: - Unit selection max is 1 unit? That would require some sick APM just to not attack in a straight line! - Workers don't return minerals automatically after mining? - No unit production queues? - Every hotkey changes throughout the course of the game, at pre-defined time intervals? The truly pro would memorize every hot key at minute 1, minute 2, minute 3, etc. - You were forced to play Bop-It during SC2, and every time you mess up you lose resources?
More repetitive, arbitrary APM-demanding mechanics just dilutes the "strategy" part of "RTS".
I don't understand why you can't see that a good compromise is necessary.
What is necessary about forcing players to focus on repetitive and mundane tasks?
On April 23 2010 07:56 EuroBlast wrote: i never injected with the wires so idc about that at all iv been practicing to get my timing good enough to just know when hatches need it. but the change of spawn larva from r to v HURTS. >.< mule and chrono are easy to push buttons right by the hotkeys.... why V.... why?!?!?
It's changed to V since burrow is now R instead of W. As far as why warpgates being W affects other races' hotkeys though, I have no idea. Maybe because of team melee or something.
It's quite strange considering R is the dominent phonetic in Larva(LA(R) VA(R))
On April 23 2010 07:42 Senx wrote: Blizzard just made the game a tiny bit harder to macro well (for zergs and Protoss) and the QQ is just pouring in..
If we want this game to be a great e-sport, we should welcome changes like this. I know its hard for casual players to deal with, but most didn't even know about the wireframe-trick nor do they care about finding the most optimal way to play the game.
Let's make it so that when you call down a MULE, it doesn't start auto mining. You have to manually tell it to mine after it lands. This would be great since it adds more control and complexity to the game, and higher APM players would benefit from it.
And how is that on par with the other mechanics in difficulty? Now that every mechanic requires you to go back to your base it is now really unfair all the sudden. Gosh!
So do you agree that zerg players should be able to stockpile queen energy and cast multiple spawn larva on a hatchery at the same time?
If the answer is no, I can't really help you.
Zergs macro mechanic is the only one that has a major negative in that every energy above 25 is lost macro potential which the other races do not suffer from at all. It can be argued that heal is a counter to that but that is hardly used all game long in the way spawn larva has to be to be effective. Do you agree that zergs macro mechanic is the strongest out of the 3? Does it make sense that a stronger mechanic should also be harder to pull off?
On April 23 2010 07:54 MorroW wrote: what are decals?
The small logos on the units / buildings (next to the pool/hatch in case of zerg) in your team color. I guess you can unlock them through achievments...
well is there any way to disable it?
i dont wanna see any custom bullcrap or green circles floating around
btw i think its a solid idea to add a sound for zergs when spawn larva is done, i think thats pretty fair as it makes a sound when any other upgrade or unit is done
On April 23 2010 07:53 avilo wrote: wow, turning out to be an excellent, excellent patch by blizzard. Congrats on them realizing that there is such a thing as "interface balance," (being too easy, or too hard)and using it in their design process there is no reason to wonder why these guys are top tier RTS developers.
WTF is interface balance? There is nothing "too easy" or "too hard." That's like saying Protoss in BW is "easy," cause you just "1a2a3a."
Interface balance is a concept of how easy it is to play a game mechanically. You have RTS games such as dune, cnc1, war2 that are on one spectrum of the interface balance, aka way too hard and hindering input of what you can do in the game.
Then you have Starcraft, which is perfectly in between everything (theoretically) as you have a very nice interface, not too easy, but also not so hard. This is why Starcraft has the highest skill differential among top players period.
Then you have newer modern games that are very "easy," such as warcraft 3, redalert 3, cnc3, where macro and game input is very easy, almost too easy, such that the skill differential between top players is very little (that goes for cnc games, not war3).
So basically, you have the original RTS games that are one end, the newer RTS on the other end of interface balance, and Starcraft right smack dab in the middle.
and then you have SC2, which Blizzard has designed well enough that I would say from playing/watching has a high skill differential, while also having an easier interface than brood war, but not so easy it takes the skill differential of the game away like many other 1 year life cycle RTS games.
so you have:
Dune/cnc1 +++++++++++ SC BW ++++++++ SC2 +++++++++ cnc/war3/modern RTS that is interface balance...
On April 23 2010 07:54 MorroW wrote: what are decals?
The small logos on the units / buildings (next to the pool/hatch in case of zerg) in your team color. I guess you can unlock them through achievments...
well is there any way to disable it?
i dont wanna see any custom bullcrap or green circles floating around
Well if they're unlocked via achievements you just have to not achieve anything and you're set!
On April 23 2010 07:56 EuroBlast wrote: i never injected with the wires so idc about that at all iv been practicing to get my timing good enough to just know when hatches need it. but the change of spawn larva from r to v HURTS. >.< mule and chrono are easy to push buttons right by the hotkeys.... why V.... why?!?!?
It's changed to V since burrow is now R instead of W. As far as why warpgates being W affects other races' hotkeys though, I have no idea. Maybe because of team melee or something.
It's quite strange considering R is the dominent phonetic in Larva(LA(R) VA(R))
Build Pylon? Warp in Probe? lolol
The harder for toss the better, everything that gets in the way of 1a for them makes my soul shine =D
But in serious'ness all hotkeys should be on the left side of a natural keyboard and Alt+1-6 should be alternate group selection to make up for the non-need of use for 7-0 keys for natural keyboard users.
On April 23 2010 08:04 Captain Peabody wrote: But it's...not a terrible mechanic. If it helps, think of the overall mechanic as simply "Larva management," and Spawn Larva the ability as one of the things involved in that mechanic. The single click isn't everything...it's how the mechanic affects the game itself that matters. And it DOES promote decision-making in different aspects of the game, even if the ability itself is sometimes a no-brainer.
Spawn Larva succeeds in allot of ways. But that doesnt make it not a terrible mechanics. You said somtimes the ability is a no-brainer.
reason to change burrow hot key is that if u neutral a probe and start making a protoss army while ur a zerg player, u hv a chance of getting wrapgate => conflict
On April 23 2010 07:42 Senx wrote: Blizzard just made the game a tiny bit harder to macro well (for zergs and Protoss) and the QQ is just pouring in..
If we want this game to be a great e-sport, we should welcome changes like this. I know its hard for casual players to deal with, but most didn't even know about the wireframe-trick nor do they care about finding the most optimal way to play the game.
Let's make it so that when you call down a MULE, it doesn't start auto mining. You have to manually tell it to mine after it lands. This would be great since it adds more control and complexity to the game, and higher APM players would benefit from it.
And how is that on par with the other mechanics in difficulty? Now that every mechanic requires you to go back to your base it is now really unfair all the sudden. Gosh!
So do you agree that zerg players should be able to stockpile queen energy and cast multiple spawn larva on a hatchery at the same time?
Do you agree that zergs macro mechanic is the strongest out of the 3? Does it make sense that a stronger mechanic should also be harder to pull off?
If the answer is no, I can't really help you.
Ok Terran is the new Protoss and Zerg is the new Terran...? :X
i can't get it. how u guys used that wireframe thing? I mean.. let's say for example all of ur queens were on 4 and all ur hatch on 5 - so how u were able to fast switch to ur base locations? 0 9 8 for locations? Or mini-map clicking or maybe even middle button screen move? well thats zerg discussion lol
anyways good change. simply because this nerf does not affect me at all, and seems like affects bunch of my opps.
On April 23 2010 07:53 avilo wrote: wow, turning out to be an excellent, excellent patch by blizzard. Congrats on them realizing that there is such a thing as "interface balance," (being too easy, or too hard)and using it in their design process there is no reason to wonder why these guys are top tier RTS developers.
WTF is interface balance? There is nothing "too easy" or "too hard." That's like saying Protoss in BW is "easy," cause you just "1a2a3a."
Interface balance is a concept of how easy it is to play a game mechanically. You have RTS games such as dune, cnc1, war2 that are on one spectrum of the interface balance, aka way too hard and hindering input of what you can do in the game.
Then you have Starcraft, which is perfectly in between everything (theoretically) as you have a very nice interface, not too easy, but also not so hard. This is why Starcraft has the highest skill differential among top players period.
Then you have newer modern games that are very "easy," such as warcraft 3, redalert 3, cnc3, where macro and game input is very easy, almost too easy, such that the skill differential between top players is very little (that goes for cnc games, not war3).
So basically, you have the original RTS games that are one end, the newer RTS on the other end of interface balance, and Starcraft right smack dab in the middle.
and then you have SC2, which Blizzard has designed well enough that I would say from playing/watching has a high skill differential, while also having an easier interface than brood war, but not so easy it takes the skill differential of the game away like many other 1 year life cycle RTS games.
so you have:
Dune/cnc1 +++++++++++ SC BW ++++++++ SC2 +++++++++ cnc/war3/modern RTS that is interface balance...
That is an absurd concept. As far as I'm concerned, when X years from now and we can link minds with our computers, that is when RTS games can be perfected. How/fast.well you can physically input something should have absolutely no bearing on a strategy game.
Interface should not, if possible, ever be a limiting/differentiating factor in "skill."
On April 23 2010 08:11 zergporn wrote: i can't get it. how u guys used that wireframe thing? I mean.. let's say for example all of ur queens were on 4 and all ur hatch on 5 - so how u were able to fast switch to ur base locations? 0 9 8 for locations? Or mini-map clicking or maybe even middle button screen move? well thats zerg discussion lol
First of all, that's not how you use wire frame for larva injection. Second, you would for example have all hatches on 4 to produce, and quee1+hatch1 on 5, and u could hit r+click on the hatch in the wire frame. So on and so forth.