EPTSorry if my writing is subpar and you do not understand anything. It's late and it's summer. Tell me and I'll clear the section up.
One thing I've noticed while playing Starcraft 2 is how pretty the buildings look. Especially while they are being made. Each race is unique and it's also reflected in their building construction. But while I was busy admiring the buildings, I noticed something very strange.
Sometimes, when you are scouting, your worker is killed off the second he scouts an important building. Of course, that building is left in the fog of war and unless it's completely, you cannot possibly know what it is. But are you sure?
Problem 1 - Construction Phases
All races have four building times. Phase 1 lasts from 0-33%, Phase 2 lasts from 33-66%, Phase 3 lasts from 66-99%, and Phase 4 lasts from 99-100%.
Terran Example
Phase 1
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![[image loading]](http://img256.imageshack.us/i/sc22010072123290724.png/)
Phase 2
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![[image loading]](http://img143.imageshack.us/i/sc22010072123303279.png/)
Phase 3
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![[image loading]](http://img715.imageshack.us/i/sc22010072123293584.png/)
Phase 1, 2, and 3 are construction phases, which is very clear. Phase 4 is the activation stage. For example, the gateway that you created lights up very quickly in that duration before you can begin building. Similarly, the Zerg building explodes from its shell, and the Terran construction site disappears.
As you can see, the building itself is clearly shown during the third phase. Every single Terran building reveals itself in the construction during the third phase. None of the other races' building animations show their true structure until the fourth phase.
That is showing the building at least 10 seconds before it is actually built.
Problem 2 - Structure Sizes
Only one random building is 1x1, the Sensor Tower.
Unimportant buildings, such as Supply Depots and Pylons, are all 2x2
Important buildings, such as unit or technology buildings, are all 3x3.
Or not.
The Spire is 2x2. So is the Dark Shrine. Why?
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![[image loading]](http://img16.imageshack.us/i/sc22010072123480854.png/)
It is slightly less noticeable, but still definitive to a trained eye.
That is the Spire beside an Evolution Chamber on the same building Phase. Do you see how easily you can spot out the Spire from the other technology buildings while it is still building? You look for the 2x2 building and the only one, other than defensive structures.
Problem 3 - Construction Differences
Many buildings have unique construction appearances. The Missile Turret, for example, is built a circle instead of a square. So although it covers a 2x2 box, it has barely a 1 unit diameter. The rest of the Terran buildings are built exactly the same. This cannot be said for Protoss nor Zerg.
For Protoss, one important building is completely different, the Dark Shrine.
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![[image loading]](http://img12.imageshack.us/i/sc22010072123552913.png/)
That is the Shrine beside a Pylon, same building Phase. Unless you're colour blind, you should see a definite difference. The rest of the Shrine building animation is the same as the other buildings. But it is a bit smaller than the rest of the buildings, and different colours from the Pylon.
You should not be able to see through the fog of war. That is what the fog of war is. You see what you already should know. If the building is under construction, you should not be able to see what it is through the fog.
Sometimes, you click a building too late, and it is already in the fog of war, and you have no information on it.
Sometimes, you don't click on a constructing building, and fall to the fog of war, never able to know what the building is.
Unless that building is in Phase 3, and your opponent is Terran.
Unless that building is much smaller than your typical Zerg building under construction.
Unless that building is much smaller, and a different colour than your regular Protoss buildings under construction.
These are small balance issues. But they are balance issues, and can be abused.
I can imagine someone trying to poke in on a walled off ramp. The second they get to the high ground, and gain vision, they are sniped, but not before placing a building under construction. If that building happens to be Terran in Phase 3, the poke was successful, even though the player did not click the building to see it, he can determine from its picture in the fog of war.
These are aesthetics, yes. Each race is unique and special, and should have different feels to them. But that wouldn't explain away the different size for the Spire and for the Dark Shrine. On the argument about Stargates and their animation, someone argued quite well that although it was such a small design flaw, and even though it was a great race mechanic, it still hindered Protoss no matter how pleasing it looks.
This may be not as huge a deal, in terms of the possibility for it to occur, but if it can go wrong, it will.
Should this be fixed? is the question.
