Here is an example of the worker AI I was speaking of. Watch as the SCV made from the CC goes directly to the open mineral patch instead of the rallied mineral patch. It does not do any "bouncing" off of the rallied mineral patch. This is not live. This is a new change in the PTR.
Well, this is only minor, but it was very noticeable to me. Not to mention, I haven't really heard any talk about it (correct me if I'm wrong).
The workers in the PTR now automatically go to the closest open mineral patch (straight from the CC). For example, at the beginning of a game, if you rally all of your workers (from your hatchery/CC/nexus) to the same mineral patch, they will normally go to that mineral patch, and then (if there is another worker already there) they will navigate to an open one. However, now the workers automatically navigate to a near, open mineral patch directly from the base. No more bouncing in the very early game. (I know this is very minor.)
Also, if there are no near, open mineral patches, they will stay on the one they were rallied to, whereas you previously would have had to "force" it to work on that patch by clicking it many times. Previously, they would waste mining time by bouncing from the assigned mineral patch to an open one on the complete other side. It simply feels much smoother now, and it was easily noticed by me because I always perfect my mining workers.
I retested the stuff in the spoiler, and it seems to not be the case. It may happen in some circumstances, but I'm not really sure.
I know this is an extremely tiny change, but I thought some people would find it interesting.
EDIT: I tested the "force" / bouncing around further, and it seems to work the same as it always has (at least some of the time). The SCVs will still go to an occupied mineral patch and then 'bounce' to another. (However, there may have been a slight change here that fixes this in only some cases, which was what may have led me to believe it was completely fixed.)
Also, I just wanted to clarify that worker splits remain unchanged. The only thing that has changed is the pathing of the SCV immediately after is is created from the CC. I am currently uploading a video of how it looks!
I believe this has been the case for a while, now, actually. I'll check now but I'm pretty sure workers already automatically go to a nearby open patch if it's close enough...
Edit: Just tested and confirmed that this is the case on live. If memory serves it's been like this for... a long time.
Edit edit: I would post a video if I could record one, but what the OP describes does happen on live. Unless it's been tweaked somehow, this is not new.
On February 28 2011 08:46 etheovermind wrote: Wow so they even take out worker splits. This game is easier now than it was 4 months ago. O.o
I don't know about you but I don't think anyone ever lost or won a game because he split his workers. The gain was always not much more than five minerals a second or two earlier. This is hardly a case of dumbing the game down.
On February 28 2011 08:46 etheovermind wrote: Wow so they even take out worker splits. This game is easier now than it was 4 months ago. O.o
I don't know about you but I don't think anyone ever lost or won a game because he split his workers. The gain was always not much more than five minerals a second or two earlier. This is hardly a case of dumbing the game down.
If it doesn't have any impact why would they change it?
they did this on previous versions too, it was quite minor because I want them to double up on the short distances before going to a far one. You'll have to post a vid so we can see if there is any difference on the PTR since some of us are from other regions
This isn't new. They don't always go straight to the empty one, but it has happend since release. Don't know the exact conditions for it to happen though, but yer...
On February 28 2011 08:46 etheovermind wrote: Wow so they even take out worker splits. This game is easier now than it was 4 months ago. O.o
I don't know about you but I don't think anyone ever lost or won a game because he split his workers. The gain was always not much more than five minerals a second or two earlier. This is hardly a case of dumbing the game down.
If it doesn't have any impact why would they change it?
Don't ask me, they changed the league icons as well without there being any real reason for it. Guess it looks prettier when you're a lower league player casually observing your base, hell, I don't know
On February 28 2011 08:46 etheovermind wrote: Wow so they even take out worker splits. This game is easier now than it was 4 months ago. O.o
Why don't you take that giant brain of yours and use it to win with superior gameplay when the game has actually started? I mean if you're so good you can split workers then the midgame must be a cakewalk right?
It's a faux skill test, it serves no purpose other than showing off mindless hand speed. What really should win you a game are decisions, not hand speed, and Blizzard seems to agree.
On February 28 2011 08:46 etheovermind wrote: Wow so they even take out worker splits. This game is easier now than it was 4 months ago. O.o
During the beta it was shown that splitting workers actually had absolutly no effect or gain(And sometimes even a loss) in minerals over letting the game autosplit.
That was about a year ago.
OT: I actually noticed this on live...not something that I jumped up and was like "HEY IT CHANGED!", but I observed that all the mineral patches were filled before I could start to double up.
On February 28 2011 08:46 etheovermind wrote: Wow so they even take out worker splits. This game is easier now than it was 4 months ago. O.o
During the beta it was shown that splitting workers actually had absolutly no effect or gain(And sometimes even a loss) in minerals over letting the game autosplit.
Its not about easy or not. The early game is just so damn boring because you have nothing to do, even worker harrass is usually quite easily defendable.
On February 28 2011 08:46 etheovermind wrote: Wow so they even take out worker splits. This game is easier now than it was 4 months ago. O.o
Sorry if I didn't explain it well enough, but they did not take out worker splits. I'm talking about the workers that come directly out of the main hatchery / CC / nexus. I will try to post s video, but like I said, it is extremely minor.
On February 28 2011 08:46 etheovermind wrote: Wow so they even take out worker splits. This game is easier now than it was 4 months ago. O.o
I don't know about you but I don't think anyone ever lost or won a game because he split his workers. The gain was always not much more than five minerals a second or two earlier. This is hardly a case of dumbing the game down.
If it doesn't have any impact why would they change it?
I'm pretty sure they didnt change anything. Why are you looking for a reason to be upset?
On February 28 2011 08:46 etheovermind wrote: Wow so they even take out worker splits. This game is easier now than it was 4 months ago. O.o
Worker splits are probably the most overrated thing in this game anyway - It may look good, but I bet that 90% of the people practicing on their workersplits will gain loads more by practicing other things, like macro.
EPT
