EPTI know that discussing balance is generally frowned upon and seen as a taboo topic. However, I was thinking of creating a custom map myself and implementing balance changes. This could be both fun and interesting and I would like to get the opinion of tl.net.
I will try to update this topic as much as possible (mainly by editing the OP) with the balance or game issues I have detected (by listening to what everyone has to say about the subject, mainly pro players) and present possible solutions. If most of the community can agree on some things, I can implement the changes in a custom map and we can all play some test games and see how it works out :-).
The reason I posted this in strategy discussion and not in custom maps is because I'm mainly focusing on strategy and not on the actual map design - I am probably going to copy an existing map (i.e. metalopolis) and tweak it slightly. I'm willing to invest plenty of time on this and don't want to dump a lot of content straight away, so I can focus on one thing at a time.
From what I've gathered, most people seem to feel that there is an issue with zerg early scouting. I have written something and would like your opinion on the matter. Be warned that this is obviously theorycraft and that I have no intention of convincing anyone of imbalance or balance, I simply want to improve my understanding of the game and would like to see what comes out of this thread and discussion, so please don't treat this like a monthly colossus-is-imba-thread or such. Please refrain from only posting your opinion without back-up (i.e. 'these are great changes' or 'nerf [x]? lol, you have no idea what you are talking about'). I also make some assumptions which I state as fact (simply because it doesn't flow very well when you have to read 'imo' every other sentence). Keep in mind this is all my opinion!
Part one:
Zerg
1) Poor scouting (mainly vs. Terran)
Zerg is a race that heavily relies on adapting and defending. The early game is especially volatile for zerg, having no general build that’s safe against most strategies. The lack of scouting is very noticeable in ZvT, especially against 1 base ‘cheese/all-in’ builds. A six or seven barracks build from 1 base (in vogue right now due to TLO’s recent usage in multiple tournaments) requires a completely different approach then, say, a 1 rax expansion, even though both look the same up to a certain point.
Generally, it can often be very hard to distinguish the early terran builds from one another. On most maps and in certain positions, you are able to get a read off by scouting the gases with your overlord, and you may even catch their production facilities and know exactly what they are doing at the cost of an overlord. However, this is not always possible. If you are able to get a solid read off by i.e. an overlord scout in 50% of your games, you will still be in the dark the other 50% of your games (i.e. when your opponent doesn’t forget to put a marine at the cliff, or raises his depot in time, …,).
Most tournaments and cups are played in a bo1, bo3 or bo5 format – losing one to three games can mean elimination from the entire tournament. If responding in a certain way to information you have collected throughout the game nets you a 65 to 75% winrate, this may still not be acceptable in a bo3 or bo5 format. Unlike in poker – where you play thousands and thousands of hands, meaning that even a consistent 55% winrate against a certain type of play is acceptable – you have only 2 to 4 games in a big starcraft 2 tournament setting, where you can easily lose the series even though you should win according to odds. This can be especially tricky when your opponent isn’t that great of a player and you are uncertain whether you have to attribute his low SCV count or not grabbing his gases at his natural to poor gameplay or a 2 base timing push.
Although this specific example is not the best, there are plenty of situations where you are forced to assume something from the information you are getting, which in many cases will most likely be [x] (~75%) but can also be [y] (~25%), and there is absolutely no way for you to tell without either cheating or being telepathic.
Possible solutions
• Give the overlords an ability that significantly boosts their speed (i.e. 1.88), but auto-destructs after a set period of time (i.e. 20 seconds). This ability could be named ‘overdrive’ or ‘helium inflation’ and may or may not require a small mineral cost. It may also require a certain amount of tech (i.e. a spawning pool) EDIT: this is an ability that can be activated on an individual overlord, obviously
• Reduce the Spine Crawler and Spore Crawler building time and root time. However, early pool Spine Crawler rushes in ZvZ may become too strong when the build time of the Spine Crawler is increased. Additional changes should occur to counteract this if this would turn out to be the case (i.e. giving workers 100% bonus damage against structures, which would also help against bunker rushes and photon cannons)
• Create better maps, allowing for an easier way to scout your opponent (it is fairly easy to scout the gas timings on close air shattered temple for example, due to the high ground behind the main) or circumventing the scouting issue in another way (i.e. by increasing the distance or terrain layout, making timings less effective).
1) Poor scouting (mainly vs. Terran)
Zerg is a race that heavily relies on adapting and defending. The early game is especially volatile for zerg, having no general build that’s safe against most strategies. The lack of scouting is very noticeable in ZvT, especially against 1 base ‘cheese/all-in’ builds. A six or seven barracks build from 1 base (in vogue right now due to TLO’s recent usage in multiple tournaments) requires a completely different approach then, say, a 1 rax expansion, even though both look the same up to a certain point.
Generally, it can often be very hard to distinguish the early terran builds from one another. On most maps and in certain positions, you are able to get a read off by scouting the gases with your overlord, and you may even catch their production facilities and know exactly what they are doing at the cost of an overlord. However, this is not always possible. If you are able to get a solid read off by i.e. an overlord scout in 50% of your games, you will still be in the dark the other 50% of your games (i.e. when your opponent doesn’t forget to put a marine at the cliff, or raises his depot in time, …,).
Most tournaments and cups are played in a bo1, bo3 or bo5 format – losing one to three games can mean elimination from the entire tournament. If responding in a certain way to information you have collected throughout the game nets you a 65 to 75% winrate, this may still not be acceptable in a bo3 or bo5 format. Unlike in poker – where you play thousands and thousands of hands, meaning that even a consistent 55% winrate against a certain type of play is acceptable – you have only 2 to 4 games in a big starcraft 2 tournament setting, where you can easily lose the series even though you should win according to odds. This can be especially tricky when your opponent isn’t that great of a player and you are uncertain whether you have to attribute his low SCV count or not grabbing his gases at his natural to poor gameplay or a 2 base timing push.
Although this specific example is not the best, there are plenty of situations where you are forced to assume something from the information you are getting, which in many cases will most likely be [x] (~75%) but can also be [y] (~25%), and there is absolutely no way for you to tell without either cheating or being telepathic.
Possible solutions
• Give the overlords an ability that significantly boosts their speed (i.e. 1.88), but auto-destructs after a set period of time (i.e. 20 seconds). This ability could be named ‘overdrive’ or ‘helium inflation’ and may or may not require a small mineral cost. It may also require a certain amount of tech (i.e. a spawning pool) EDIT: this is an ability that can be activated on an individual overlord, obviously
• Reduce the Spine Crawler and Spore Crawler building time and root time. However, early pool Spine Crawler rushes in ZvZ may become too strong when the build time of the Spine Crawler is increased. Additional changes should occur to counteract this if this would turn out to be the case (i.e. giving workers 100% bonus damage against structures, which would also help against bunker rushes and photon cannons)
• Create better maps, allowing for an easier way to scout your opponent (it is fairly easy to scout the gas timings on close air shattered temple for example, due to the high ground behind the main) or circumventing the scouting issue in another way (i.e. by increasing the distance or terrain layout, making timings less effective).
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