EPTCalling a MULE on a close mineral patch will return 270 minerals, but the MULE will actually mine 300 minerals, and die in transit to the command center, thereby causing you to lose these 30 minerals. Calling it on a far patch will still yield 270 minerals over its lifespan but the MULE dies on its way back to the mineral patch so you don't lose anything.
Just wanted to let everyone know if they didn't already that calling a MULE on a closer patch actually harms you as the game goes longer and your bases begin to mine out.
MOD EDIT:
To clear up all the misinformation flying around here..
On June 26 2011 12:20 Xapti wrote:
Yes, this. I heard that a long time ago, and it was by quite well-respected people as far as I remember.
Something like 240 and a wasted trip if you went on far patch, 270 and no wasted trip if you went on a close one.
Maybe Blizzard did some sort of hidden update? or is someone just mistaken?
One thing I do know though... it's it is not as simple as close patch and far patch... there are close patches and far patches, but there are also patches inbetween, some which are more shorter, others which are more further, and probably some (not sure how many) that are truely in between them both.
EDIT: OK this makes perfect sense and it's what I remember
So It is MEDIUM distance patches that will cause this problem. Far distance patches will only make 8 trips and die, which is still very bad. Close distance patches will yield 9 trips and should not be dying with minerals in their arms.
Take a look at this link:
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewpost.php?post_id=5015816
Look at the pictures of the mineral positions. The map screen shots are old, so they may not be accurate (aside from many of the maps not even being used anymore), but it is not very intuitive as to which patches are close and which are far.
Maybe... there are actually FOUR distances...
I find this somewhat hard to believe though, because liquipedia doesn't pick up on it, nor do those other people who peopled about this long ago. You'd think if they picked up on the 240+30 they would have picked up on the 270+30.
Maybe all that information is so old, it was before the patch that fixed worker micro trick to speed up mining time, which was enough to affect the mules from mining extra (or missing a trip) to being able to return that trip, or mining extra. This seems like the most probably explanation, but I'm suprized that no one would have picked up on it long ago. Maybe it's just that I don't play terran and hence don't follow this as much as others.
Yes, this. I heard that a long time ago, and it was by quite well-respected people as far as I remember.
Something like 240 and a wasted trip if you went on far patch, 270 and no wasted trip if you went on a close one.
Maybe Blizzard did some sort of hidden update? or is someone just mistaken?
One thing I do know though... it's it is not as simple as close patch and far patch... there are close patches and far patches, but there are also patches inbetween, some which are more shorter, others which are more further, and probably some (not sure how many) that are truely in between them both.
EDIT: OK this makes perfect sense and it's what I remember
So It is MEDIUM distance patches that will cause this problem. Far distance patches will only make 8 trips and die, which is still very bad. Close distance patches will yield 9 trips and should not be dying with minerals in their arms.
Take a look at this link:
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewpost.php?post_id=5015816
Look at the pictures of the mineral positions. The map screen shots are old, so they may not be accurate (aside from many of the maps not even being used anymore), but it is not very intuitive as to which patches are close and which are far.
Maybe... there are actually FOUR distances...
- 270 with wasted 30
- 270 (no waste)
- 240 with wasted 30
- 240 (no waste)
I find this somewhat hard to believe though, because liquipedia doesn't pick up on it, nor do those other people who peopled about this long ago. You'd think if they picked up on the 240+30 they would have picked up on the 270+30.
Maybe all that information is so old, it was before the patch that fixed worker micro trick to speed up mining time, which was enough to affect the mules from mining extra (or missing a trip) to being able to return that trip, or mining extra. This seems like the most probably explanation, but I'm suprized that no one would have picked up on it long ago. Maybe it's just that I don't play terran and hence don't follow this as much as others.
Big thanks!
