Terran tech lab/reactor positioning

On July 01 2010 09:48 jkim54 wrote:
Should tech labs and reactors be able to be positioned on any side of the building? It seems like having the add-on always pop out on the right side of the building could give advantage/disadvantages based on where you spawn.

For example, if you are spawned at the 12 at lost temple, having the add-on to the rax pop on the right side will allow you block your choke with 1 less supply depot.

Or if you compare blocking a choke when you spawn at a 9 o clock, your add-on will be very vulnerable. If you spawn at the 3 o clock, your add-on will be in your base and less vulnerable.

Does anyone have any opinions on this? Does it seem like it can be more fair if you can choose where your tech-lab will be added on?

On July 01 2010 10:21 DM20 wrote:
There will always be positional imbalances.

On July 01 2010 11:12 Zoltan wrote:
Honestly I'm really surprised this didn't change already. Such a small change but it allows for such creativity in the expansions (2 addons anyone?). Sounds like something blizz would love to do. I don't think they are going to change it now, because in a way part of the skill of sc2 terran is managing addons, including their placement on the map. Walling in is a "bonus" feature in this game, As in you have to trade position to get it. Protoss can wall too, but then their units cant get from inside to out either. Addons on both sides just allows for too many shenanigans.

On July 01 2010 10:21 DM20 wrote:
There will always be positional imbalances.

On July 01 2010 12:04 monitor wrote:


This would make one less wouldn't it?

I do think Blizzard should allow you to choose left or right for the add-on, because spawn positions shouldn't kill a TvT wall off on Lost Temple or Metalopolis.

Terran players shouldn't cross their fingers hoping to spawn 1 o'clock position on Blistering Sands.

On July 01 2010 12:58 Comet702 wrote:
yes, i have already found this problem in sc1, e.g. the radar of the command centor, so i totally agree with your idea

On July 01 2010 14:58 SichuanPanda wrote:


Sometimes you don't even have the room to build your comsat beside the command center in BW lol.

On July 01 2010 12:43 Logo wrote:

Also it's a balance change, you could now build a reactor and a tech lab for 1 building and switch per cycle based on what you want to build. Right now there's a time cost to switching so you can't just optimize it completely. You could even use 1 tech lab between 2 structures to keep stuff going smoothly without losing time moving buildings around.

On July 01 2010 15:52 Gahlo wrote:

Being able to hotswap add-ons would be pretty cool.

On July 01 2010 11:05 Peterblue wrote:

You say it like it's a good thing.

On July 01 2010 11:56 StupidFatHobbit wrote:
While you're eliminating positional imbalances, let zerg choose what direction larva/queen pop out of via the drone rally point.

On July 01 2010 15:42 Kakisho wrote:
A Reactor or Tech Lab is connected to the building on one side. If there is a barracks on both sides of it, why would that imply that it would be able to connect to the one that it was not built from?

There would be no way for a building to have a reactor and techlab facing into it, either as when connected to one, you would lose the ability to make another.


Additionally, this same problem occurs for Zerg when larva is on the opposite sides of the mineral fields, making like a .5 second longer period of time drones have to travel to harvest had the minerals simply been on the side where the larva spawned (bottom).


This is a small problem that should be fixed.

On July 01 2010 12:43 Logo wrote:
The trade-off isn't worth it. You gain a small amount of positional balance, but you add to the dexterity requirements and make the process a lot more troublesome and annoying. If you land a building near two unused add-ons which one gets hooked up?

Also it's a balance change, you could now build a reactor and a tech lab for 1 building and switch per cycle based on what you want to build. Right now there's a time cost to switching so you can't just optimize it completely. You could even use 1 tech lab between 2 structures to keep stuff going smoothly without losing time moving buildings around.

On July 01 2010 15:29 Looky wrote:
i dont see why u cant just make a 2nd supply depot to block it off not hard to do.

On July 01 2010 19:21 skeldark wrote:
zerg dont wallin and for a t it could be loose or win if the wallin is done 20 sec earlier or later...

Scrap station has a HUUUGE choke in front of the base that takes 3 supply depots to block.. yet no one complains about that.. at least in this thread!

On July 01 2010 11:28 Ocedic wrote:
Problem with having addon in more than one possible location is, logically why can't you have two+ addons at once? If you could put an addon at the left or right, why not put tech lab at left, reactor at right?

Ultimately I think that while it's technically an imbalance, a vast majority of the time it's not game breaking enough. If your build relies completely on spawning in a spot where you can do some tricky Sim City with addons, then you should adjust your build, for real.

On July 01 2010 22:51 monitor wrote:


Do you know what this thread is about? Maybe go back and read.


I hadn't though of Zerg Larva being positionally imbalanced! I think the larva should move as close as they can to the rally point, but still be next to the hatchery. This way, correctly rallied drones wouldn't take 0.5 seconds longer to get mining.

On July 02 2010 00:23 mnc dover wrote:
The tech lab and reactors are both usb devices. All Terran structures have a single usb port on one side only. Hope that clears things up.

On July 02 2010 00:23 mnc dover wrote:
The tech lab and reactors are both usb devices. All Terran structures have a single usb port on one side only. Hope that clears things up.

On July 01 2010 12:12 DM20 wrote:


Unless every building becomes a square there will be maps with spawns that are less than optimal.

On July 02 2010 05:20 chax wrote:
I think learning where to place things is part of the game. I like the one side. I also like just pressing the hot key and not having to click where I want to place it like in BW

On July 01 2010 22:34 STS17 wrote:
The problem with this is that if you “fix” the inconvenience this creates for Terran then you have to “fix” the Zerg larva spawn issue as well, which is significantly more complex. You can’t do one without the other because it isn’t “fair.”

As far as the problem for Terran, if you need to spawn in a certain location for your build to work then you need a new build. Sure some spawning locations are easier than others but I have never been in a game where I lost because my wall wasn’t completed fast enough, just speed up the production of your second supply depot or use a damn SCV and marine while you wait for the minerals.

Anyone who says “but STS17, if you think you can just throw down the second supply like nothing then you don’t understand how RTSs and economy works” should know that I play Terran and do this every day when I spawn at a less than ideal location. Also, if your build “needs” to save those extra couple seconds to get the tech lab out quicker than you are probably cheesing or going allin which isn’t going to get you very far. If it is to complete your wall off faster to prevent something like a 6 pool or early gateway pressure I can assure you (from experience) that using the second supply depot can and will complete your wall in time.

Yes, it is annoying when you build a rax/fax wall and can’t get your add on but that wall is only temporary and can be done with supply depot/bunker instead of the factory if you really need that add on quickly.

On July 02 2010 03:48 Roniii wrote:


can i get a hub or wtf? is this 98?