EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/hxmPoru.jpg)
On the occasion of the upcoming balance patch (http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=420549) I decided to try to get the oppinion of the TL users on a question which I personally have found a clear answer to:
"Over the past couple of years since the launch of WoL up until now, the players of which race have expressed their dissatisfaction with the balance of SC 2 most often respectively the players of which race had the strongest presence in this regard?"
And before this turns into an awful and childish flamewar about who whines the most please read the following before taking the poll and/or posting:
- The answer should just reflect your subjective overall impression which you got from reading TL, Reddit, Battle.net forums, any websites/forums you could think of, watching streams, what your friends tell you etc.... the operative words being "subjective impression". Don't try to sell them as absolute truths.
- I'm not interested if the various expressions of dissatisfaction are/were justified or not, if they are/were reasonable or not etc. Again it's just about your subjective impression of which race had "the strongest presence regarding questions of balance" from the start of SCII up until now (irrelevant if the complaints had good reasons or not, this -despite the title- is not about balance it's about perceived presence)
- Please answer all polls (which actually concern you)! (Because it's interesting)
- Please don't post comments like: "All 'insert race here' ever does and did since the beginning is whine/complain/bitch etc."
- If this poll should create any interesting information please don't interpret it in the following way: "All 'insert race here' ever does and did since the beginning is whine/complain/bitch etc. I knew it."
- gl hf
Poll: Which players have expressed their complaints about balance the most?
Zerg Players (1490)
73%
Terran Players (360)
18%
Protoss Players (169)
8%
Random Players (20)
1%
2039 total votes
Terran Players (360)
Protoss Players (169)
Random Players (20)
2039 total votes
Your vote: Which players have expressed their complaints about balance the most?
(Vote): Zerg Players
(Vote): Protoss Players
(Vote): Terran Players
(Vote): Random Players
Poll: I am a...
Terran Player (600)
33%
Protoss Player (564)
31%
Zerg Player (466)
25%
Random Player (206)
11%
1836 total votes
Protoss Player (564)
Zerg Player (466)
Random Player (206)
1836 total votes
Your vote: I am a...
(Vote): Terran Player
(Vote): Zerg Player
(Vote): Protoss Player
(Vote): Random Player
edit for additional polls (comment from 32) edit 2: spoilered out because of limited value
+ Show Spoiler +
Poll: I play Z and I think following race expresses its complaints the most:
Zerg (344)
62%
Terran (135)
24%
Protoss (74)
13%
Random (6)
1%
559 total votes
Terran (135)
Protoss (74)
Random (6)
559 total votes
Your vote: I play Z and I think following race expresses its complaints the most:
Poll: I play T and I think following race expresses its complaints the most:
Zerg (530)
83%
Protoss (55)
9%
Terran (50)
8%
Randam (5)
1%
640 total votes
Protoss (55)
Terran (50)
Randam (5)
640 total votes
Your vote: I play T and I think following race expresses its complaints the most:
Poll: I play P and I think following race expresses its complaints the most:
Zerg (460)
74%
Terran (123)
20%
Protoss (31)
5%
Random (4)
1%
618 total votes
Terran (123)
Protoss (31)
Random (4)
618 total votes
Your vote: I play P and I think following race expresses its complaints the most:
Poll: I play R and I think following race expresses its complaints the most:
Zerg (240)
70%
Terran (56)
16%
Protoss (33)
10%
Random (13)
4%
342 total votes
Terran (56)
Protoss (33)
Random (13)
342 total votes
Your vote: I play R and I think following race expresses its complaints the most:
edit 3: added my conclusion post:
Ok, the votes are in time to wrap it up.
First of all: thanks everybody for voting and more importantly posting in an overall positive and constructive manner (a feared much, much worse)
Second of all: though it seems the results are very clear and definitive, they should be treated with caution, be carefully interpreted and not be taken as absolute fact.
Furthermore only the first two polls are (and should be) discussed, because of the possibility of multiple votes on the last four polls.
Poll: Which players have expressed their complaints about balance the most?
Zerg Players (1490)
73%
Terran Players (360)
18%
Protoss Players (169)
8%
Random Players (20)
1%
2039 total votes
Terran Players (360)
Protoss Players (169)
Random Players (20)
2039 total votes
Your vote: Which players have expressed their complaints about balance the most?
(Vote): Zerg Players
(Vote): Protoss Players
(Vote): Terran Players
(Vote): Random Players
Poll: I am a...
Terran Player (600)
33%
Protoss Player (564)
31%
Zerg Player (466)
25%
Random Player (206)
11%
1836 total votes
Protoss Player (564)
Zerg Player (466)
Random Player (206)
1836 total votes
Your vote: I am a...
(Vote): Terran Player
(Vote): Zerg Player
(Vote): Protoss Player
(Vote): Random Player
What do the polls show?
Poll 1:
A very clear picture. 74% of all people who voted have the impression that Zerg players did express their dissatisfaction the most about questions of balance until now. The second outstanding thing is, that only 8% had the feeling that Protoss did complain the most.
Poll 2:
This served mainly as control tool to make sure that every race is represented equally in Poll 1 (random is not regarded as race obviously), which was not the case. Zerg players are underrepresented and there is a slight deviation in total votes between Poll 1 and Poll2. What does that mean for Poll 1: not much. If we add the “missing” zerg players as well as the difference in votes between Poll 1 and Poll 2 under the very generous assumption that these “missing cases” would not pick Zerg as the race which complains the most but terran, the percentage would change from 74% to 63% for Zerg and from 17% to 29% for Terran. This would still indicate the same trend as it does now.
What do these results indicate?
This is really the interesting question, and the most important thing to note here is: they indicate nothing about the actual present and past state of balance of the game but - in combination with the posts in this thread - allow some interesting theories to why Zerg seem to complain so much and Protoss seem to complain so little.
All that follows now is written under the assumption that all SC 2 players regardless if the play Z, T, P, or R a basically the same, and have the same prerequisites (for rage, frustration, patience, talent etc.).
Why do then Zerg complain so much and Protoss so little?
The frustration Factor:
There are some great posts in this thread from Zerg players describing their frustration when they lose a match. It’s not losing that is so frustrating (everyone has to deal with that) it is the way of losing that is regarded as the most frustrating thing and even more interesting: the general “reactionary” way of playing Zerg is pointed out to be frustrating. The feeling that Protoss and Terran are able to dictate the way a Zerg has to play the match and basically even only being able to win on “their conditions” sounds not very fun.
Hypothesis #1:
Playing Zerg is more frustrating than playing Protoss or Terran because wins are not as rewarding, losses are more discouraging due to the feeling of not being in control of the match.
In reverse that would of course mean that Protoss wins are the most satisfying or their losses the least frustrating. I don’t know… (There’s a reason why it’s called ‘theory’)
The ‘Idra Factor’:
Sounds weird, but is has been brought up. Idra has been around since the dawn of SC 2 and it’s a fair assumption that the majority of the people who voted not only have heard of him but also know that he is famous for voicing his complaints in a very, let’s say ‘direct’ way.
Is it possible that one guy alone is able to affect the perception of all Zerg players? Maybe, but what seems more likely is that his way of discussing certain issues caught on in his massive fanbase.
Hypothesis #2:
Zerg Players only seem to be complaining the most because of a very vocal group who have a visible and well known idol.
The Terran Factor:
Let’s face it: especially in the beginning of SC2 there has been a very long period of Terran domination on the professional level of play. GSL trophies were passed on from one Terran player to another after an exciting TvT final. (at least it felt that way). It would have been very bold to complain constantly about balance as Terran player in those days, and I think somehow this era still echoes into the present.
Hypothesis #3:
Zerg players only seem to be complaining the most because in comparison for a long time Terran players couldn’t voice their complaints openly without looking very ‘unreasonable’. Of course this still leaves open the protoss paradox, which I currently have no hypotheses on
That’s it from me, bear in mind that this are only wild hypotheses based loosely on a far from perfect poll and responses in this thread.
