Woaw, this is actually the most viable idea I've seen on TL/Blizz forums so far. Generally fan submitted ideas are heavily imbalanced in favour of the race the're for but this would actually be a simple and interesting addition. I mean Basically any flying unit next to the smoke line makes it useless so any OV, Medivac, Observer can counter that, making it an interesting addition that can be dealt with pretty quickly. However good players might be able to utilize it to bait enemy positioning, to cover there retreat, to establish siege lines etc, without it being too game changing.

And I don't think it's the same as the BW Medic's ability. We don't reduce one ennemy's sight radius to 1 but block vision for a few seconds at a precise point on the map. And it's still something ANY AIR unit can counter by flying over the screen and providing vision on both sides of it.

Great idea sir, really hopes Blizz could look into that ....

Woizit

801 Posts

June 15 2012 09:52 GMT

#42

On June 15 2012 18:31 Ktk wrote:

Show nested quote +

It's not difficult; both players are affected by LoS blocking, it's just expected that Terran has the air superiority when this is used...

Yes, it'll definitely be much better if both players are affected instead of how it's demostrated in the OP. I still feel that it can be a concern if you have 10+ of those LoS blockers on the battlefield as they generally obscure vision even for the viewer. It looks very good on the small scale, but I just feel that it can look messy if there's a large number of these things around.

jcroisdale

United States1543 Posts

June 15 2012 10:03 GMT

#43

this combined with scan would be very powerful, how you should the tanks casting it right in front of them that alone makes it op. Scans would never let the toss engage. Like dark swarm but better for terran.

CanadianSCgamer

Canada64 Posts

June 15 2012 10:04 GMT

#44

On June 15 2012 18:52 Woizit wrote:

Show nested quote +

Yea both players are affected. The pictures shown are from the Observer's point of view. The LOS blockers won't be cluttered visually if done right. Right now, that's all the artwork I have to work with. Plus, they are not meant to stay around (short duration) or for you to stare at. Players use them, then they will move out. Moreover, they won't be any more confusing to spectators than the numerous LOS doodads that we have on maps now.

Gamegene

United States8308 Posts

June 15 2012 10:08 GMT

#45

i hope people realize this concept can be introduced for any race -_- so keep that in mind before your spidey senses start tingling.

CrtBalorda

Slovenia704 Posts

June 15 2012 10:10 GMT

#46

Sound pertty cool, though I think it would be cooler if it was fierd from the hellion.

Garmer

1286 Posts

June 15 2012 10:16 GMT

#47

this is like blind from BW, i like it

actually is exactly like blind, except that does not affect obs detection

LRObot

United States153 Posts

June 15 2012 10:21 GMT

#48

It's a great idea. It promotes tactical strategy and positioning in an evermore a-movey game.

But with the ubiquity of tanks, you'd be looking at 8-15 available smoke screens at any given time, making it very spammable. You could possibly transfer it to Orbital Commands, thus giving it weight in opportunity cost when it contends with MULE and Scan.

Catatonic

United States699 Posts

June 15 2012 10:25 GMT

#49

Introducing blinds to the game would either be either entirely useless or completely broken. If detection can see through it im sure everyone would just make more detection thus negating it or detection can't see through it and you're horribly fucked so I just seriously hope this idea never comes into play.

Woizit

801 Posts

June 15 2012 10:25 GMT

#50

On June 15 2012 19:21 LRObot wrote:
It's a great idea. It promotes tactical strategy and positioning in an evermore a-movey game.

But with the ubiquity of tanks, you'd be looking at 8-15 available smoke screens at any given time, making it very spammable. You could possibly transfer it to Orbital Commands, thus giving it weight in opportunity cost when it contends with MULE and Scan.

Maybe a limited use per unit like Vulture mines?

FeyFey

Germany10114 Posts

June 15 2012 10:26 GMT

#51

siege tank lines are more lategamish and LoS is more a problem in the early game, so doubt it would help alot. I always wished though that Blizzard added a special not-in-battle-shot to the siege tank to buff it a little.
And the natural enemies to tanks are melee units currently, and they would actually benefit more from the LoS blockers. So this would probably be only seen as part of early game attacks, which are generally do or die if tanks are involved.

OdiousTea

Australia357 Posts

June 15 2012 10:27 GMT

#52

I like the idea but lore wise having long narrow smoke screens seem just plain wrong, maybe having a circular effect effect would fit better, you could even have the units IN the smoke screen unable to see each other unless a detector is present.

FinalForm

United States450 Posts

June 15 2012 10:29 GMT

#53

tanks are soooo bad already

ArchAngelSC

England706 Posts

June 15 2012 10:30 GMT

#54

On June 15 2012 18:34 ArcLiTe wrote:
Too powerful for any one race to have as an ability. LoS Blocker ability will be abused to death.

I'll give a thumbs down vote
-1

Kinda like if you gave one race the ability to create an indestructible wall at will using only energy, oh wait.... lol

I kinda like the idea but I don't think it's really doable as it would be too difficult and limited as to what angles you could put it at.

Unless you made it like a 3x3 box or something

Fishgle

United States2174 Posts

June 15 2012 10:31 GMT

#55

I would prefer this be on a flying caster unit (cough cough Raven). It would prevent early game all-in abuse/shenanigans, and make the raven useful in something other than tvt late game

Parnass

Germany145 Posts

June 15 2012 10:32 GMT

#56

I think this is an amazing idea. Obviously it would have to be tuned and playtested, but I love the concept of manipulating vision. The zerg get something similar that only affects the range, not the vision itself, I think this would be a nice counterpart to it, affecting just vision and not the range.

Plus it has a high skill ceiling, because improper use would make you shoot your own foot, just like forcefields can end up hurting the protoss this ability would only be good in the hands of a truly good player.

kudos!

Sbrubbles

Brazil5775 Posts

June 15 2012 10:42 GMT

#57

This is a sweet idea. Should probably be posted on the bnet forums and not here, though.

Adonminus

Israel543 Posts

June 15 2012 10:51 GMT

#58

I don't think it's useful past the early game since then most people will have obs and overseers out. Plus don't think it's useful for siege tank.

Just keep aos blocking as it is, with aos doodads hiding important spots on the map.

SolidMoose

United States1240 Posts

June 15 2012 10:57 GMT

#59

On June 15 2012 19:51 Adonminus wrote:
I don't think it's useful past the early game since then most people will have obs and overseers out. Plus don't think it's useful for siege tank.

Just keep aos blocking as it is, with aos doodads hiding important spots on the map.

Or literally anything that that gives air vision. A mutalisk? A colossus? A viking? This whole idea is pointless past early game. My mind is truly boggled how no one seems to even think of this.

ZenithM

France15952 Posts

June 15 2012 10:59 GMT

#60

On June 15 2012 19:57 SolidMoose wrote:

Show nested quote +

Or literally anything that that gives air vision. A mutalisk? A colossus? A viking? This whole idea is pointless past early game. My mind is truly boggled how no one seems to even think of this.

Yes, exactly. Really not that useful at all...