I think the timer can make it easier to learn interesting timings that give minute advantages moreso than large generalized timings like when a 2 basing zerg will have mutas out. For instance, if you are playing against a zerg opponent on a four player map, since all high level players basically send their overlords in predictable paths, the timer can allow players to scout the path the overlords would take on some maps such as lost temple, versus scouting the actual positions.

What is more worrisome (unless they've fixed this), is that if players learn the timing that an opponent would normally be dropping a mule, since you can (or could?) see a mule dropping through the fog of war, people could just scroll over an opponents base at the right time for a few seconds, and it will tell them if their opponent is in this location, or reveal whether or not that player is cheesing. For instance, in the recent GSL match between TLO and Hyperdub...
+ Show Spoiler +

Hyperdub cheesed TLO with proxy barracks, and because of the scouting order TLO scouted Hyperdub last. Now, what if TLO, when not finding his opponent in the first 2 locations he scouted, could have scrolled over the remaining base at a specific time using the game clock, and guessed that a cheese was coming because no mule was dropped?

crms

United States11933 Posts

September 22 2010 00:23 GMT

#223

Im honestly conflicted by this feature. Sure anyone can setup a stopwatch etc but realistically nobody does that. I feel that knowing timings etc are part of "x factors" that seperate the better players. I almost wish this feature was available in CG's but not in ladder matches. On the flipside I could see very good players exploiting this feature for ridiculously well timed builds.

StuBob

United States373 Posts

September 22 2010 00:23 GMT

#224

This timer totally reminds me of quake live (timing armors and such)

you can time your inject/mule/CB
just look at the clock and + ~25/50 seconds

and then you wont miss another inject!
(mules and CB's are not as detrimental if you miss one)

MrMotionPicture

United States4327 Posts

September 22 2010 00:23 GMT

#225

It could help with reminding people to use the queen/mule/chrono.

StuBob

United States373 Posts

September 22 2010 00:25 GMT

#226

On September 22 2010 09:23 MrMotionPicture wrote:
It could help with reminding people to use the queen/mule/chrono.

hrmm..... it might...

AzianPhoenix

United States21 Posts

September 22 2010 00:32 GMT

#227

I'm surprised at all the hostility towards the timer, I personally love having this extra tool. I was always confused to as why such a simple thing was never put into the game. One of the reasons I never liked sc was because it lacked an in game timer. Now some (or many of you in this case) probably think that's retarded. But I have a terrible sense of time, and it's hard to base how far into a game you really are by supply, harvester count, or some other completely dependent variable. If you have an amazing sense of time, great, you won't need it as much, for for some people, like me, it's a godsend. And yes, I can't wait for things to be called "6:30 double-banshee" rather than "fast banshee". Gives so much more information, fast banshee just sounds absolutely dumb.

TL;DR -Love the timer

proctological

Canada2 Posts

September 22 2010 00:33 GMT

#228

On September 22 2010 08:09 Raiden X wrote:
For practice i think its great. Blizzard should make practice area in which timers and other helpful junk is present.

But a timer in game is too much. This is asking for the game to fall apart. SC requires GAME SENCE and without that skill factor the game just get boring if i know the 4 warp gate push is coming at minimum X time. So until then im just gonna Power Drone.

How many times have you died because you didnt do something in time? Thats part of the game and shouldn't be changed

I don't see how this changes much - players at the top levels already have this game sense, so it really won't affect them as they don't need to rely on a clock. Newer players now have a timer available to them on-screen (something they could've already been doing with a stopwatch!), which will encourage them to pay attention to their timings and help them acquire this sense for when things are happening. If anything, I see this as a way to gently push players into being a little more diverse with their builds.

dRaW

Canada5744 Posts

September 22 2010 00:34 GMT

#229

I dont think it should exist at all [For Leagues/Tournaments]. However, for online-ladder skill building it's moderately decent.

Hrrrrm

United States2081 Posts

September 22 2010 00:38 GMT

#230

In the end this will help everyone just like automine did to be able to focus on other more important aspects of the game. Yes timing is an important part of the game and it will still be affected by how well you harass or get harassed in a game and scout. This won't allow a scrub to jump from bronze to diamond because he now has a timer on his screen.

This is just another example of, "You damn whippersnappers have it so much easier these days, back in my day(BW) we didn't have MBS, One Control Group Syndrome, Automine, Smartcast, Smart Targeting, Auto-surround, yadda yadda" Meanwhile if these things had been in BW they would've been accepted since there was nothing to compare it to.

thesideshow

930 Posts

September 22 2010 01:03 GMT

#231

Don't see the issue. You don't expect basketball players to count the shot clock in their head. In some cases such timings are important to strategy too.

gogogadgetflow

United States2583 Posts

September 22 2010 01:08 GMT

#232

It will be great to know whether you are 5 seconds behind or 15 seconds with your mm attack on SoW to tell you whether you really need to worry about forcefield or not (just as an example). I think even pros will condescend to abusing the timer

ThirstyFroG

Malaysia8 Posts

September 22 2010 01:10 GMT

#233

Tick tock tick tock.

mierin

United States4944 Posts

September 22 2010 01:17 GMT

#234

On September 22 2010 02:20 SnakeChomp wrote:

Show nested quote +

Why would tournaments disallow a feature added to the game by Blizzard from being used? That's like tournaments banning reapers because they are just "so annoying."

Those both sound like great ideas

Sanguinarius

United States3427 Posts

September 22 2010 01:45 GMT

#235

I really dont think its going to make a difference.

Valikyr

Sweden2653 Posts

September 22 2010 01:51 GMT

#236

Retarded feature is retarded. But yea most people will probarbly not benefit from this one but it will make the game slightly easier (to know in what stages of the game you are and should be = less time spent to realise stuff like that)

noD

2230 Posts

September 22 2010 01:54 GMT

#237

overall it´s great for bad players like myself
now i know if (hypotetical examples) i take 4m30s to build 2 cloaked banshees against zerg they will already have a spore or overseer but if I can make then at 4m maybe the harass will be good
high level diamonds and top players already had the time in mind so no big changes for the 2% best gamers ...

FortuneSyn

1826 Posts

September 22 2010 02:05 GMT

#238

OK I have completely underestimated this change. This is so fucking huge. So huge that I don't really know how much I like it anymore. It's awesome but this will change SC fundamentals drastically.

Quick example: PvT I now know the exact second his marauder gets concussive done off a 12 rax.

Pistolfied

Canada79 Posts

September 22 2010 02:18 GMT

#239

I don't see an issue with the timer as I already use one on my G15 and don't benefit at all from it. I'd rather spend that half second looking at the mini-map or the game screen than looking at a clock to see omfg my mutas are 2 seconds late. This can really help lower level players but I don't see this helping anybody in diamond or even platinum for that matter.

This will be nice for some to see how long a game has been going for though as sometimes I lose track of time while playing long UMS games.

Iggyhopper

United States259 Posts

September 22 2010 02:57 GMT

#240

I like it. I'm a noob and it'll help me learn more quickly than just relying on food counts (oh really? 5 minutes in is a window for that push and I have ~25/x supply? k). Plus, I wouldn't put all my eggs on time. Time is absolute where food and anything else is relative. I don't think it's a good idea to rely on time for game sense.