• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 01:13
CEST 07:13
KST 14:13
  • 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
[ASL22] Ro16 Preview: Holy Diver5[ASL22] Ro16 Preview: Rough Waters10[ASL22] Ro24 Preview: Siren's Call8[ASL22] Ro24 Preview: Summer's End9Serral wins HomeStory Cup 2915
Community News
Weekly Cups (Sep 7-12): SHIN, ByuN, MaxPax double down1StarCraft open world shooter announced at BlizzCon100Weekly Cups (Aug 30-Sep 7): herO thrives amid growing schism10Official StarCraft website teases new content ahead of BlizzCon?179Stellar Fest TWO the Moon (Dec 16-20)9
StarCraft 2
General
SC4ALL II: StarCraft 2 Player Announcement 8/8 Balance hotfix patch 5.0.16b (July 16) The Death of Cheese: From a Professional Cheeser Yamato Cup Series StarCraft open world shooter announced at BlizzCon
Tourneys
Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament RSL Revival: Season 6 - Qualifiers and Main Event RSL goes to London! 2026 Offline Finals Nov 21-22 SC2 AI Tournament 2026 Fall KSL Week #92
Strategy
[H] ZvP Mid-Late Game: Stalkers Collossi HT
Custom Maps
Nexus Wars 2021 GUIDE [M] (2) Industrial Park
External Content
Mutation # 543 Enhanced Defenses The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 542 The Ascended Mutation # 541 Binary Choice
Brood War
General
Man Bnet can't even load profile now, WTF an AI researcher's take on the ladder bot Bot on ladder Syncronization issues and can't find games New 3v3 BGH Ladder (and more) on ShieldBattery!
Tourneys
[ASL22] Ro16 Group D [BSL23] SM: Ret vs TerrOr - bo7 - Sunday 9pm CEST [ASL22] Ro16 Group C [Megathread] Daily Proleagues
Strategy
Replay Review Process - What do you do? Simple Questions, Simple Answers Odyssey Mineral Stack Saturation Game Theory for Starcraft
Other Games
General Games
Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne Nintendo Switch Thread Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread EVE Corporation Diablo IV
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
[TL LoL EUW IHs] Teemo shall perish
Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Canadian Politics Mega-thread Post Your Watch!
Fan Clubs
MarineLorD Fan Club The Creator Fan Club The ShoWTimE Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Movie Discussion! [Manga] One Piece Diablo Animated Series on Netflix
Sports
Football (Soccer) Thread TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 MLB/Baseball 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
The Automated Ban List Northern Ireland Global Starcraft
Blogs
Can Bots Beat Pros?? Starcr…
namkraft
[meme] I finally understa…
LUCKY_NOOB
Virtual Romance, Real-Life C…
TrAiDoS
Regacy Esports:Our Goa…
regacyesports
Dreaming of BW patches (mod…
c3rberUs
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 7368 users

magic box in SC2

Forum Index > SC2 General
Post a Reply
1 2 3 Next All
deadalnix
Profile Joined May 2010
France120 Posts
May 24 2010 20:19 GMT
#1
Hi,

In BW, we had a pathfinding system working with « magic box ». I will not explain you again what is a magic box, as long as it is really well explaind in liquidpedia : http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/Magic_Boxes

The magic box allow us to make some formations with our units and units keep the formation given some condition.

In SC2, unit seems to always make some kind of big balls. This make the battle look like big ball vs big ball, which isn't really nice.

Why not having a similar functionnality in SC2 ? The magic box system was even mentionned on the starcraft CD case as a new revolutionnary functionnality. Tjis isn't revolutionnary now ?

What do you think ?
Lovin
Profile Joined May 2009
Denmark812 Posts
May 24 2010 20:22 GMT
#2
I think you're suffering from one ctrl grp syndrome, and that you should start setting up controls for more than just one big blop of units
AKA SuddenSalad
Darpinion
Profile Joined January 2010
United States210 Posts
May 24 2010 20:23 GMT
#3
The whole pathing system would have to be reworked which isn't going to happen. But I agree, I did like the magic box thing more.
"A well formulated question is more important than the answer." -Albert Einstein
deadalnix
Profile Joined May 2010
France120 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-05-24 20:29:05
May 24 2010 20:27 GMT
#4
On May 25 2010 05:22 Lovin wrote:
I think you're suffering from one ctrl grp syndrome, and that you should start setting up controls for more than just one big blop of units


This is quite unrelated. If you make 2 groupe, you'll have two balls of units :D And if you make 3 groups, you'll get with 3 balls.

That's way différent from the magic box concept.

Darpinion > Sure if the whole stuff have to be recoded, this is unrealistic. But as wehave see with the micro project, the engine is really permissive and maybe allow for these kinf of tweak. (I trully don't know)
metasonic
Profile Joined April 2010
United States115 Posts
May 24 2010 20:27 GMT
#5
I was never much of a BW player but this looks really cool. I think it would be great to have this functionality in SC2. They could even have it be an option so people could turn it off if they want.

Really shows how much thought was put into the gameplay of SC1... I wish the current developers had the same mindset
PhoenixM1
Profile Joined January 2010
United States178 Posts
May 24 2010 20:28 GMT
#6
Blizzard might have gone a little overkill with the improved AI. Not just stuff like selecting all your units but with shit like auto focusing workers and zergling auto surrounds. These AI improvements are being abused (morrow build anyone?) by good players.
=/
metasonic
Profile Joined April 2010
United States115 Posts
May 24 2010 20:31 GMT
#7
On May 25 2010 05:23 Darpinion wrote:
The whole pathing system would have to be reworked which isn't going to happen. But I agree, I did like the magic box thing more.


I don't think the whole pathing system would have to be reworked, just which coordinates are given for units to move to when they have been selected under different group conditions. The code for telling the unit to go from x1, y1 to x2, y2 could remain the same.
CowGoMoo
Profile Joined December 2006
United States428 Posts
May 24 2010 20:36 GMT
#8
Magic Boxes are totally in SC2, its just a fairly small box.
Spawkuring
Profile Joined July 2008
United States755 Posts
May 24 2010 20:49 GMT
#9
On May 25 2010 05:36 CowGoMoo wrote:
Magic Boxes are totally in SC2, its just a fairly small box.


This is true. It's pretty noticeable with air units, but it seems to be "nerfed" in regards to ground units, probably due to the units clustering up more.

I'm still not a fan of the whole units cluster up thing though. It's annoying knowing that no matter how you handle them, units will always form into a tight ball when you order them to move. It makes strategic positioning much more annoying to do, so most people just give up and resort to ball vs. ball.
givemefive
Profile Joined April 2010
United States300 Posts
May 24 2010 21:03 GMT
#10
On May 25 2010 05:49 Spawkuring wrote:
Show nested quote +
On May 25 2010 05:36 CowGoMoo wrote:
Magic Boxes are totally in SC2, its just a fairly small box.


I'm still not a fan of the whole units cluster up thing though. It's annoying knowing that no matter how you handle them, units will always form into a tight ball when you order them to move. It makes strategic positioning much more annoying to do, so most people just give up and resort to ball vs. ball.


It makes tanks so freakin good
Hammy
Profile Joined January 2009
France828 Posts
May 24 2010 21:09 GMT
#11
On May 25 2010 05:23 Darpinion wrote:
The whole pathing system would have to be reworked which isn't going to happen. But I agree, I did like the magic box thing more.

Yes I've mostly noticed that with small air armies and zergling micro. I haven't been able to use it to effect though.
Lobo2me
Profile Joined May 2010
Norway1213 Posts
May 24 2010 21:13 GMT
#12
Everything so far seems to me that there is a magic box in SC2 as well. Select a group of 10 or so air units, move them somewhere, hold shift, press P, click a bit further away. They will all start patrol dancing in the same grid before they started moving. Try that with more units and it won't work.
Bad manners are better than no manners at all.
0mar
Profile Joined February 2010
United States567 Posts
May 24 2010 21:14 GMT
#13
good god, the last thing this game needs is obscure bullshit like the magic box.
clickrush
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Switzerland3257 Posts
May 24 2010 21:22 GMT
#14
On May 25 2010 06:14 0mar wrote:
good god, the last thing this game needs is obscure bullshit like the magic box.


the only bullshit here is your post. and its obscure that you think a function, that would improve control in micro management is not needed.
oGsMC: Zealot defense, Stalker attack, Sentry forcefieldu forcefieldu, Marauder die die
SichuanPanda
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
Canada1542 Posts
May 24 2010 21:35 GMT
#15
WC3 TFT had one and it was awesome especially for Huntress micro. I really hope there is one in SC2 that we haven't noticed as in both BW and W3 it made for some very interesting positional micro, that can't be achieved without such a system.
i-bonjwa
firebound12
Profile Joined March 2010
Canada274 Posts
May 24 2010 21:36 GMT
#16
[image loading]

Epic image coming in this post! :D

On May 25 2010 05:36 CowGoMoo wrote:
Magic Boxes are totally in SC2, its just a fairly small box.


This is absolutely true. I have tested it plenty of time in the editor. I can safely say that the magic box have considerably been reduced in SC2 for both air and ground, as both air and ground magic boxes in SC2 are approximately the same size.

However, due to the smart cast and the anti-clumping mechanism in SC2, I do not see this as a necessity in SC2. I could see the uses in these only:

# Laying Spider Mines burrowing banelings
# Multiple transport drop

It is almost impossible to cast multiple spells at the same time, due to the fact that only one caster will move at a time. However, if you move while casting the spells without using the shift button, you get this (sorry this isn't perfect):
+ Show Spoiler +
[image loading]


No matter how tiny it is, the magic box works and units will stay in formation as long as you click outside of their box (NOT THE UNIVERSAL MAGIC BOX)
+ Show Spoiler +
[image loading]
[image loading]


If we click INSIDE the box, the formation fall. The minimum unit selection box is the box of the current selected unit!
+ Show Spoiler +
[image loading]
[image loading]


Here is the maximum magic box for BOTH AIR AND GROUND:
+ Show Spoiler +
[image loading]


Again, the magic box doesnt need to be in a rectangular fashion:
+ Show Spoiler +
[image loading]

Sandrosuperstar
Profile Joined November 2009
Sweden525 Posts
May 24 2010 21:43 GMT
#17
On May 25 2010 06:36 firebound12 wrote:
[image loading]

Epic image coming in this post! :D

Show nested quote +
On May 25 2010 05:36 CowGoMoo wrote:
Magic Boxes are totally in SC2, its just a fairly small box.


This is absolutely true. I have tested it plenty of time in the editor. I can safely say that the magic box have considerably been reduced in SC2 for both air and ground, as both air and ground magic boxes in SC2 are approximately the same size.

However, due to the smart cast and the anti-clumping mechanism in SC2, I do not see this as a necessity in SC2. I could see the uses in these only:

# Laying Spider Mines burrowing banelings
# Multiple transport drop

It is almost impossible to cast multiple spells at the same time, due to the fact that only one caster will move at a time. However, if you move while casting the spells without using the shift button, you get this (sorry this isn't perfect):
+ Show Spoiler +
[image loading]


No matter how tiny it is, the magic box works and units will stay in formation as long as you click outside of their box (NOT THE UNIVERSAL MAGIC BOX)
+ Show Spoiler +
[image loading]
[image loading]


If we click INSIDE the box, the formation fall. The minimum unit selection box is the box of the current selected unit!
+ Show Spoiler +
[image loading]
[image loading]


Here is the maximum magic box for BOTH AIR AND GROUND:
+ Show Spoiler +
[image loading]


Again, the magic box doesnt need to be in a rectangular fashion:
+ Show Spoiler +
[image loading]



This was really interessting thanks man! I really hope that they decide to makke it bigger before release :D
I'm homo for Lomo, gay for GGplay, but at the end of the day I put my dong in Lee Jaedong
Maginor
Profile Joined May 2010
Norway505 Posts
May 24 2010 21:52 GMT
#18
In Warcraft 3, units are actually forced into formation in a similar way that they are in age of empires. This is not the same as the magic box, which is designed to preserve the formation the units start moving in.
Atticus.axl
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States456 Posts
May 24 2010 21:52 GMT
#19
On May 25 2010 06:14 0mar wrote:
good god, the last thing this game needs is obscure bullshit like the magic box.


You mean everything that made the first game great?
DoctorHelvetica <3
nurle
Profile Joined August 2009
Norway308 Posts
May 24 2010 21:57 GMT
#20
On May 25 2010 06:14 0mar wrote:
good god, the last thing this game needs is obscure bullshit like the magic box.


why is that bullshit? sc2 could atleast have something good from sc1, since they are removing everything that requieres skill-_-
Jaedong fucking beast
1 2 3 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Replay Cast
00:00
ISSL Monthly #1 - Day 2
LiquipediaDiscussion
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
WinterStarcraft685
StarCraft: Brood War
Larva 333
sSak 58
Dota 2
NeuroSwarm195
Other Games
summit1g11160
JimRising 623
C9.Mang0348
PiGStarcraft287
XaKoH 186
Mew2King70
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick1155
[ Show 14 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• practicex 29
• Adnapsc2 4
• Letter143
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• Migwel
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• lizZardDota2134
League of Legends
• Rush969
• Stunt401
Upcoming Events
GSL
5h 47m
AI Arena Tournament
11h 47m
Replay Cast
18h 47m
GSL
1d 5h
Shopify Rebellion Sundays
1d 9h
Spirit vs Mixu
BSL
1d 13h
Ret vs TerrOr
Replay Cast
1d 18h
Afreeca Starleague
2 days
Shine vs Rush
WardiTV Weekly
2 days
Monday Night Weeklies
2 days
[ Show More ]
Sparkling Tuna Cup
3 days
Afreeca Starleague
3 days
Light vs EffOrt
PiGosaur Cup
3 days
Kung Fu Cup
4 days
The PondCast
5 days
Replay Cast
5 days
Korean StarCraft League
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 3
Blizzard Classic Cup 2026
Big Dog Cup 2026 Div 1

Ongoing

K-JUNGMAN
ASL Season 22
Super Anchor Qualifying S3
CSL 2026 AUTUMN (S22)
Acropolis #5
Acropolis #5 - GSA
Calamity Invitational
Logitech G Play Connect 2026
SL StarSeries Fall 2026
FISSURE Playground #3
BLAST Open Fall 2026
Esports World Cup 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer Qual
Stake Ranked Episode 3
XSE Pro League 2026

Upcoming

Acropolis #5 - GSB
Acropolis #5 - GSC
SC4ALL II: Brood War
HSC XXX
Stellar Fest 2: Lunar Cup
SC4ALL II: StarCraft II
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
RSL Offline Finals
Copium Cup
PGL Major Singapore 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 6
BLAST Rivals Fall 2026
IEM Beijing 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 5
PGL Masters Bucharest 2026
1win Private Club #2
Thunderpick World Champ. '26
ESL Pro League Season 24
Stake Ranked Episode 4
1win Private Club #1
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 © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.