• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 15:33
CEST 21:33
KST 04:33
  • 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
[ASL21] Ro4 Preview: On Course12Code S Season 1 - RO8 Preview7[ASL21] Ro8 Preview Pt2: Progenitors8Code S Season 1 - RO12 Group A: Rogue, Percival, Solar, Zoun13[ASL21] Ro8 Preview Pt1: Inheritors16
Community News
Code S Season 1 (2026) - RO8 Results1Weekly Cups (May 4-10): Clem, MaxPax, herO win1Maestros of The Game 2 announcement and schedule !11Weekly Cups (April 27-May 4): Clem takes triple0RSL Revival: Season 5 - Qualifiers and Main Event12
StarCraft 2
General
Team Liquid Map Contest #22 - The Finalists Code S Season 1 (2026) - RO8 Results MaNa leaves Team Liquid Weekly Cups (May 4-10): Clem, MaxPax, herO win Code S Season 1 - RO8 Preview
Tourneys
2026 GSL Season 2 Qualifiers Maestros of The Game 2 announcement and schedule ! $5,000 WardiTV Spring Championship 2026 SC2 INu's Battles#16 <BO.9> Master Swan Open (Global Bronze-Master 2)
Strategy
Custom Maps
[D]RTS in all its shapes and glory <3 [A] Nemrods 1/4 players
External Content
Mutation # 525 Wheel of Misfortune The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 524 Death and Taxes Mutation # 523 Firewall
Brood War
General
Pros React to: TvT Masterclass in FlaSh vs Light vespene.gg — BW replays in browser BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ ASL21 Strategy, Pimpest Plays Discussions Flashes ASL S21 Ro8 Review
Tourneys
[ASL21] Semifinals B [Megathread] Daily Proleagues Escore Tournament StarCraft Season 2 [ASL21] Semifinals A
Strategy
Fighting Spirit mining rates [G] Hydra ZvZ: An Introduction Simple Questions, Simple Answers Muta micro map competition
Other Games
General Games
Nintendo Switch Thread Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne Starcraft Tabletop Miniature Game PC Games Sales Thread
Dota 2
The Story of Wings Gaming
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
Vanilla Mini Mafia Mafia Game Mode Feedback/Ideas TL Mafia Community Thread Five o'clock TL Mafia
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread UK Politics Mega-thread YouTube Thread European Politico-economics QA Mega-thread
Fan Clubs
The herO Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
[Manga] One Piece Anime Discussion Thread [Req][Books] Good Fantasy/SciFi books
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread McBoner: A hockey love story Formula 1 Discussion
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
streaming software Strange computer issues (software) [G] How to Block Livestream Ads
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
How EEG Data Can Predict Gam…
TrAiDoS
ramps on octagon
StaticNine
Funny Nicknames
LUCKY_NOOB
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 1946 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
Next event in 7h 27m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
RotterdaM 579
ByuN 271
ProTech154
IndyStarCraft 145
BRAT_OK 67
JuggernautJason54
Railgan 37
MindelVK 19
EmSc Tv 8
mouzHeroMarine 0
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 24037
Calm 3637
Soulkey 141
firebathero 83
Noble 13
Dota 2
Gorgc7530
monkeys_forever171
Counter-Strike
fl0m11174
Fnx 1782
Super Smash Bros
Mew2King66
Heroes of the Storm
Liquid`Hasu227
Other Games
Grubby17475
singsing1743
FrodaN1044
Beastyqt909
B2W.Neo602
Hui .184
KnowMe149
XaKoH 143
C9.Mang0142
ArmadaUGS121
UpATreeSC92
Trikslyr70
ToD60
ZombieGrub23
elazer11
Organizations
Counter-Strike
PGL120914
Other Games
BasetradeTV69
StarCraft 2
EmSc Tv 8
EmSc2Tv 8
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
[ Show 19 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• 3DClanTV 38
• Adnapsc2 31
• Reevou 1
• intothetv
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• sooper7s
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• Migwel
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
StarCraft: Brood War
• 80smullet 25
• FirePhoenix5
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
• BSLYoutube
Other Games
• imaqtpie1162
• WagamamaTV488
• Scarra403
• Shiphtur159
Upcoming Events
Korean StarCraft League
7h 27m
RSL Revival
14h 27m
Clem vs Rogue
Bunny vs Lambo
IPSL
20h 27m
Dewalt vs nOmaD
Ret vs Cross
BSL
23h 27m
Bonyth vs Doodle
Dewalt vs TerrOr
GSL
1d 12h
Cure vs herO
SHIN vs Maru
IPSL
1d 20h
Bonyth vs Napoleon
G5 vs JDConan
BSL
1d 23h
OyAji vs JDConan
DragOn vs TBD
Replay Cast
2 days
Monday Night Weeklies
2 days
Replay Cast
3 days
[ Show More ]
The PondCast
3 days
GSL
4 days
Replay Cast
5 days
GSL
5 days
Replay Cast
6 days
Sparkling Tuna Cup
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2026-05-14
WardiTV TLMC #16
Nations Cup 2026

Ongoing

BSL Season 22
ASL Season 21
IPSL Spring 2026
KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 2
Acropolis #4
KK 2v2 League Season 1
BSL 22 Non-Korean Championship
SCTL 2026 Spring
RSL Revival: Season 5
2026 GSL S1
Heroes Pulsing #1
Asian Champions League 2026
IEM Atlanta 2026
PGL Astana 2026
BLAST Rivals Spring 2026
IEM Rio 2026
PGL Bucharest 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 1
BLAST Open Spring 2026
ESL Pro League S23 Finals
ESL Pro League S23 Stage 1&2

Upcoming

YSL S3
Escore Tournament S2: W8
CSLAN 4
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
HSC XXIX
uThermal 2v2 2026 Main Event
Maestros of the Game 2
WardiTV Spring 2026
2026 GSL S2
BLAST Bounty Summer Qual
Stake Ranked Episode 3
XSE Pro League 2026
IEM Cologne Major 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 2
CS Asia Championships 2026
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.