EPTThesis to Increase Macro Part 1: Manual Mining
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=78498
Thesis to Increase Macro Part 2: Supply
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=78501
Thesis to Increase Macro Part 3: Auxiliary Buildings
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=78657
Thesis to Increase Macro Part 4: Production Buildings
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=79926
Thesis to Increase Macro Part 5: Gas
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=82730
Contact at ArcherofAiur@gmail.com
I am really excited to share these thoughts with you today.
So I’ve been churning over an image of an object in my head since I started thinking about increasing macro and how to make the player fall in love with his base again. This image is kind of strange and I originally felt it was too silly to propose as a model for how starcraft2 bases should work. However, the more I dwell on it the more I realize that this object represents the dual goals of interactivity and fun that I so desperately want to inject into base design. You guys ready for this? Here is what I think SC2 base design should seek to mimic:
http://www.tjskids.com/images/products/safe_bouncer45616.jpg
Bear with me. So what is it about the “tjskids safe bouncer” that I think starcraft 2 game design could take a cue from? To answer that lets try and break down the components that make up this device. Let us examine why these different components function as they do and for what end.
First let us understand the most important component. The controller. See that thing in the middle. Yup, that’s the controller. He’s so cute but more importantly he’s the guy in charge of everything that is happening around him. The controller is positioned in the center of the apparatus to facilitate his interactions with the other components. A myriad of possibilities await his influence. Now the controller has a huge drawback. He is the only component of the system that is human and as such he is subject to human faults and limitations. One of his biggest limitations is attention. Unfortunately, he cannot focus on everything at once. He can focus on that flower thing or oh maybe the birdie or oh how bout that seesaw, that looks interesting. In essence this lil tike is subject to the same restrictions that govern the starcraft player. He cannot be everywhere at once (though the good players come close). His attention in the form of the main camera window and his mouse cursor can only concentrate on one component at a time. Therefore, the most fundamental decision that the controller must make is what to focus on and when. That concept is really important so I am going to restate it, not because I think you guys don’t know it but because I think all of us don’t completely understand it.
In an RTS the most important decision you make is what to focus on and when.
Ok now let us deal with all the other components. The toys around the controller represent the various options a player is allowed to do at his base. The controller must interact with each component in its own unique way. You spin that green guy but you have to push that car. Each object gives a different reaction when the controller interacts with them. A moo sound goes off when he pulls that lever but when he pushes the button the house sings mary had a little lamb. The controller discovers each components identity and his relationship with it. He looks at one of the rings on the hoop thing and notices that it is away from its counterpart. He figures out how to get both rings on the same side by flipping one ring over the top. He has now gained the ability to control the configuration of rings on the hoop component. He has approached a system, determined how it works and through this acquired command over the component. It has become a tool or extension which he can influence to whatever means he so desires.
When the controller interacts with the other components he is rewarded on several levels. The most basic levels are those of visual and auditory stimulation. Flashing lights, whirling objects and whistling sounds. These all sound so silly but if you take a look at your videogames I think you would be surprised by just how much of your enjoyment is influenced by these factors. There is also satisfaction that occurs on a much more profound level. While the beeping lights and explosions stimulate your lower brain this satisfaction works on the higher echelons. This is the satisfaction a person receives from setting and achieving goals. I intend to devote a whole other essay to the concept of “fun”. Until then let me just stress that I believe the most essential component of “fun” in videogames is intrinsically tied to achieving goals.
FOCUS STATEMENT
Ok so my focus for this section will be to getting the player to identify, think about and interact with all those buildings in his base. As I mentioned before you can think of this section as "Learning to Love Your Buildings". You see back in the early days of RTS most buildings did one of two things: make things or allow you to make things. Since then each generation of RTS games has continuted to increase the emphasis of units at the detriment of buildings. The result is a huge disparity of interest to the point where players now view the base as a vestigial apparatus. At present, the base exists only by necessity for certain game pacing and developmental elements. To return to the base is viewed as a chore, a burden, a distraction from the “real game”. This is wrong. With the addition of automated features like automine and MBS your base is now perceived to be little more then a source for new units. I cannot stress how much of an incredible waste this is. Buildings are a source of untapped design space with such enormous potential. Players are required to construct two parts of their war machine and then only use one of them? It truly baffles me how little thought and care has gone into building design. We are going to change that today.
One of my goals to remedy this is to get players excited about their buildings again. So the first question I needed to answer was “well what is so great about units?” I have observed two reasons for why this may be.
1) Units have such character. Take a look at how many SC2 suggestions are made about new cool units and how many are made about buildings. Players are conditioned to think of units as doing all the cool things in a RTS and buildings as sitting there like oh so many bricks. I believe this is because game designers have not spent sufficient time developing buildings as a dynamic and exciting component of your war machine.
2) Units help you win games. They are the front line players and so they are naturally associated with turning the tide of battle. No one ever thanks that mineral patch that provided the metal to make the siege tanks that splattered those reavers. No it's the siege tank and the siege tank alone that takes credit for your victory. This also does not have to be. I will propose building mechanics that allow players who focus on their base to gain battlefield advantage. You will still need units and we are defiantly not going for C&C "I win buttons" but we will defiantly reward players who use there units and buildings in unison to claim victory.
Therefore my current approach is to have support buildings reflect the incredible character of the units they produce or are associated with. Buildings will express this character through abilities and traits that help give battlefield advantage.
Please note that the protoss mechanic I am about to introduce is a revision of the psi focusing mechanic I proposed as part of my supply essay. Nicol Bolas (BlizzForums ) brought it to my attention that speeding up the construction of one building becomes less effective as the game progresses and the players base production increases. This caused me to think of a way to have a greater impact through out the games duration. I stumbled upon the idea of having benefits for more pylons, from there I jumped to using cooldowns on pylons to accomplish several things (bypass automation, introduce strategic placement and use of pylons). More and more ideas started falling into place until the complete picture hit me. So once again Id like to thank everyone who responds constructively to my ideas. This is in no way a one man show.
To facilitate effective feedback and ensure that I take your responses into consideration I would appreciate it if you structured your replies in the following format.
Initial Impressions
Here you write your take on the material.
Perceived Problems
Here you point out potential complications.
Suggested Solutions
Here you offer ways to alleviate said complications.
Protoss Auxiliary Buildings Mechanic: Psi Focusing 2.0
Abstract
It is here proposed that the protoss be endowed with an ability to “focus” psi from their nexus into buildings via a chain of pylons. Once focused upon buildings would be able to activate abilities to gain battlefield advantage.
How It Works
A protoss player would select the nexus. He would initiate the focusing action and then click a pylon in range. Once the pylon is selected a ray/beam/energy chain of psi would shoot from the crystal on top of the nexus (Reference: http://www.starcraft2.com/screenshot.xml?s=11 ) to the crystal in the pylon. The player would then select the next pylon (also in psi range) and a beam of energy would now link the nexus, pylon 1 and pylon 2, etc. The player would continue creating this psi pathway until he clicked on a building. The beam of energy would now connect this building to the nexus through a chain of pylons. At this point the nexus is channeling psi through the sequence of focusing pylons and into the building. The building can now use a special ability characteristic of its role in the war machine.
The range of connecting energy beams would be limited to the radius of psi generated by pylons. Pylons would be given energy and as long as the pylon participated in the focusing chain that energy would diminish. This cost would be spread out among all pylons participating in the chain. Therefore if you have more pylons in a chain each individual pylon loses energy at a slower rate then if one pylon bore the grunt of the workload. When all energy was drained from a pylon it would lose the ability to contribute to the focusing chain. Any loss of function of a pylon in the focusing chain would break the entire chain. Energy would replenish after time in unfocusing pylons. The inner hue of the pylon can be used as a visual indicator of the pylons energy with full pylons displaying a healthy blue and empty pylons appearing clear.
Auxiliary Buildings and Abilities
For the purposes of this discussion the primary pylon will be defined as the pylon directly connected to the nexus. The secondary pylon will be the pylon directly connected to the primary pylon. The terminal pylon will be the pylon directly connected to the building being focused on. Since I am not privy to the protoss buildings in the current build of starcraft 2 I will instead show how focusing can be used on protoss buildings from the original starcraft. Oh and yes I know shield battery and observatory are out and I know there is now a dark templar equivalent of the templar archive that would be a more suitable home for the mechanic but play along anyway. Try and remember that this is a prototype meant to illustrate how psi focusing mechanics work. You are not going to see the final version of psi focusing till you pay for it at EB Games ;-) (Whoever said I was pretentious was dead right.)
Forge: Recharge Shielding Psi Field
How it works: I am proposing that Forge be given the shield battery “recharge shields” ability. Upon focusing on the forge all units in the terminal pylons psi field would be subject to shield recharging. Recharging would be dependent upon available energy reserves contained within the forge itself.
Rational for Building Character (No, not that kind of building character… Building Character!): The Forge is the source of protoss shield upgrades (at least for ground units). On a figurative level a forge is a place for the construction and repair of arms and armor. This ability emphasizes the Forge’s role in restoring protoss armament to full capacity.
Cybernetics Core: Accelerate Research
How it works: This is a universal effect. When a Cybernetics Core is focused upon all upgrades in all protoss buildings are accelerated slightly. Sounds simple right? Balancing won’t be.
Rational for Building Character: Housed within the Cybernetics Core are the arcane technologies that bind fallen warriors to cold mechanical shells. This process calls for mammoth crystal circuits to facilitate essence translation. When the Cybernetics Core is focused upon a conduit is established between these crystal circuits, the nexus and the entirety of the protoss base. These crystal circuits can now lend their tremendous calculating power to research endeavors.
Citadel of Adun: Replenish Pylon Energy
How it works: You can think of this ability as the reverse of normal focusing. As a pylon chain focuses on this building the energy levels of the participating pylons are restored rather then depleted. The amount of energy replenished is spread out so the more pylons you have in the chain the less energy each individual pylon receives. Desperate to use a focusing ability but all your pylons are on empty? Hook one pylon up to the Citadel and in a short while you should have some working energy to execute that vital ability. Want to focus on micro for a while? Hook all your pylons in a chain up to the Citadel and forget about it. When you return they should be at full capacity.
Rational for Building Character: The Citadel of Adun is a center for meditation on the Khala. Within its hallowed walls protoss warriors attain the highest levels of this sacred practice. The Khala is the body of cultural, religious and phylisophical teachings that allow the protoss to access the psionic matrix that binds them. When the Citadel of Adun is focused upon psi can be funneled directly from the greatest of templar minds back into the pylon lattice.
Robotics Support Bay: Energize Probes
How it works: A protoss player must first focus on a Robotics Support Bay. The Robotics Support Bay would now host a large ball of pure psionic energy within its center. A protoss player would select a batch of probes and move them in contact with the focused Robotics Support Bay. Upon contact these probes would become energized. The protoss player could continue to energize probes until the energy levels of the Robotics Support Bay were drained at which point the ball of psionic energy would fizzle out. Probes that had been energized would move and harvest minerals at a faster rate. The probes would have a blue aura to visually indicate their increased efficiency. This would be a temporary effect. It would wear off after a time period at which point the energy levels of the Robotics Support Bay should have recovered sufficiently to allow for a new round of workers to be energized. I would advise that this ability be researchable. By requiring researching the protoss player must commit time and resources into the Robotics Support Bay for increased resource output at a later point in time.
Rational for Building Character: The Robotics Support Bay provides, well support for robotics. It is here that the non-organic tools of the protoss armada are constructed and maintained. The bay provides the necessary interface for channeling psi directly into the soulless mechanisms of the diligent probe. This psi allows for extraordinary power currents and results in increased productivity. However, the energy of psi can only be properly maintained by a sentient being. After a time period the probe’s psionic energy will dissipate returning the probe to normal efficiency.
Templar Archives: Cloaking Psi Field
How it works: By focusing on the Templar Archives the protoss player can conceal all buildings (or maybe units) in the terminal pylon’s psi field. Now is a good time to address balance concerns for those of you who haven’t already gone to compose responses telling me this is imba. Please note that there are several levels on which this ability can be balanced. It can be balanced by requiring a larger amount of energy drain from pylons. Alternatively it can be balanced through a mineral and/or gas cost when the player initiates the ability. A (non energy related) cool down could be attached to this ability if necessary. In my very, very…very humble opinion I believe that it should be possible to balance this ability by draining energy levels tied to the Templar Archives. I am afraid that without the capacity to playtest this ability (in the current starcraft2 build) my opinion is the best that I can offer.
Rational for Building Character: The Templar Archives is the coven of the Dark Ones. Hidden within its shadowy recesses they continue to practice their abominable tradition. By enacting what must surely be primitive and deplorable rituals they have devised a way to shroud entire psi fields in mystery. I would highly advise the Conclave to investigate this matter with the utmost of urgency and expedience.
Observatory: Increase Observer Sight Range
How it works: When this focused building’s ability is activated the sight range (and detection capabilities) of observers is significantly increased. This is a universal effect. It applies to all observers on the map. I have included this ability to demonstrate how support buildings can provide “upgrades” for as long as they are focused. This presents protoss players with an important decision, when to “upgrade” their observers and when the focusing mechanic would be better applied else where. I would be eager to see how competitive starcraft players dealt with this option. One consideration that must be taken into account in future development of this ability is visual clarity so that passive observers can easily comprehend when the player has “upgraded” his observers. This consideration applies equally to all other aspects of the psi focusing mechanic.
Rational for Building Character: An observatory is a site from which the corners of the universe are uncovered. This ability allows the progeny of this structure to more effectively record and analyze war zone activities.
Fleet Beacon: Rapid Stargate Construction Psi Field
How it works: When a protoss player focuses on a Fleet Beacon the psi field of the terminal pylon is magnified. The construction of Stargates in the magnified psi field is accelerated. To clarify, this ability is specific only for the construction of Stargates.
Rational for Building Character: The Fleet Beacon strengthens the psi energies needed to warp in the largest elements of the protoss war fleet. By focusing psi through the Fleet Beacon’s enormous Khaydarin orb the local psionic matrix can also be magnified. This allows warp rifts in the immediate psi field to resolve at a more rapid pace.
Note: This ability was originally attributed to the Cybernetics Core and Accelerated Gateways. I transferred the ability to the Stargate because of crowding issues. With air units you do not have to worry about units being boxed in.
Arbiter Tribunal: Recall Forces
How it works: Focusing on the Arbiter Tribunal allows protoss players to sever the very ties that bind space and time. When this ability is activated a rift can be created over any protoss forces teleporting them back to the Arbiter Tribunal. This ability would drain a significant amount of the Arbiter Tribunal’s energy. These energies would need to be recovered before subsequent rifts could be opened. Please note that recalling forces is a particularly attractive way to increase macro since it encourages players to return to their base in order to send troops back into battle.
Rational for Building Character: Inconceivable artifices accessible only to the highest echelon of protoss society allow for the most fundamental of universal laws to be broken. By providing psi focus these technologies can reach across continents, planets and the stars themselves. In this way the Judicator’s fulfill their sacred vow that no First Born, no matter how far away, is ever beyond salvation.
Gameplay Example
Lil Billy is playing protoss in starcraft 2. For most of the early game, Lil Billy is creating and maintaining focusing pathways on the Cybernetics Core for speeding up upgrades. Occasionally, when under attack he is constructing pathways to his forge to recharge defender’s shields. In the middle game, Lil Billy gains the ability to recharge his pylon’s energy levels at a much faster pace with the Citadel of Adun. He is now alternating between energizing his probes for increased mineral yield and recharging his pylons. He continues to intersperse the accelerate research and recharge shield abilities when appropriate. As Lil Billy reaches the late game his attention is continually brought back to his base to focus on fleet beacons for rapid construction of stargates. When his base is besieged he must switch these focus pathways to the templar archives to conceal defensive forces. In the end game, Lil Billy gains mastery of battlefield intelligence when he focuses his psi energy on the observatory. He also achieves the awesome power to rescue his units from anywhere on the battlefield by recalling them back to his base.
Why Protoss?
For the Protoss, Psi IS Life. It permeates every facet of their existence. The greatest asset to the First Born’s dominance of universe around them is their ability to harness this latent but elemental power, this fundamental force upon which the cosmos is built. Psi Focusing is a direct representation of the protoss ability to channel psi to their own ends. Psi is the source of vitality for all aspects of the protoss base. It is what endows their structures and war machines to function with the efficiency and mysticism so characteristic of the protoss. But, psi is a chaotic force and its manipulation can only be achieved with the aid of an elaborate network of Khaydarin crystals to stabilize the potent energy.
Coordination of this crystal lattice is achieved through a nexus. The nexus provides an anchorage in the psionic nether by which additional entities can transverse time and space. It is through this nexus that the advanced technologies of warping and energy shields are directed to protoss forces. For the Children of Aiur the psionic matrix is far more than a limitation on where they can expand or how many personnel they can employ. For the Protoss the psionic matrix is their greatest ally in bringing order to a universe in turmoil.
Dissecting the Mechanic
Note that each component (Focus Beam/Nexus/Pylon/Building) in the mechanic plays a key role. First, let us discuss the focusing beam. The focusing beam is a direct manifestation of the player’s non-automated attention. In our “tjskids safe bouncer” analogy you can think of this beam as the arm through which the controller interacts with his “toys”.
The nexus serves as the source for the focusing ray and limits the number of buildings that can be focused to one per base. In future installments I intend to address the prospect of protoss players building multiple nexus in one base. Right now I am leaning toward some sort of balancing factor or an offset cost to make it more effective for protoss players to create another expansion if they want a new focusing line rather then build more nexuses (nexi?) in their main base. As always “elegance” takes priority. Thoughts?
The nexus also serves as the first stop a protoss player must make in returning to his base. From here he is in prime position to quickly assess any other base management duties that need attention.
Next we have the pylon component. As I mentioned before Nicol Bolas’s comments sparked a revelation that by attaching a cooldown factor in the form of an energy capacity the pylon could become a resource that grows exponentially as the game progresses. The attachment of energy to the pylon’s function also provides an avenue by which the pylon can regulate against its own abuse.
One of the largest obstacles in effective micromanagement solutions is the expectation of automation. The pylon component circumvents this by providing strategic benefits for manual manipulation. These benefits take the form of time, space and energy resources far too sensitive and vital to entrust to the care of an algorithm. Automation would be a detriment because a computer does not and can not know how many pylons you want to use, which pylons you want the chain to involve, where you want the chain to go, when you want the chain to stop or when to alter participating pylons. The “elegance” of this mechanic is that the strategic advantage of deciding for yourself how pylon energy is utilized outweighs the convenience of automation.
Finally, we come to the building component. The “toys.” These buildings provide engaging tools for the protoss player to use. Doing so allows the player to bolster his army, manipulate critical game factors and increase productivity.
“Wait a second Archer, aren’t you just bringing micro to the base? Where’s the macro?”
Before answering this allow us first define macro (remember definition is the first step to understanding any subject matter). Imperial-guard (Content Manager at StarcraftZone.com) states “Macro in Starcraft was quite simplistic in theory: Managing your economy, your buildings, and the effectiveness of your bases while deciding upon an overarching strategy that will ultimately allow you to reach your goal, defeating your opponent.”
Let us start with economy. Economy is the acquisition and utilization of resources. Psi Focusing 2.0 transforms pylons into a higher economic niche. You acquire more of this pylon resource by building new pylons or letting expired ones recharge their energy. You then must decide how best to utilize each individual pylons energy. Do I string all of them together or just use a couple in the chain to this building? Should I build more pylons to have more psi resources or just put greater attention into using the ones that I have to the best effect?
Next we will examine how Psi Focusing 2.0 impacts building management. Note that many of the auxiliary building’s abilities utilize the psi field generated by the terminal pylon. Building placement is once again a key consideration that players must take into account if they hope to use their buildings abilities to their full potential. As one example, consider a scenario where a protoss player has a base with two entrances for enemies to attack through (Ill try and describe this but a picture would probably be better). In the center of his base is his nexus. Next to this nexus in the direction of the two entrances is the primary pylon (P1). Directly in front of each entrance is a secondary pylon (P2a and P2b). Within each secondary pylon’s sphere of influence is a defensive structure that will benefit in someway from focusing. This could be a photon cannon that receives a buff from focusing, a templar archive that will provide a cloaking field to all buildings (or units) in the vicinity of this entrance, or any other auxiliary building with protective or support capabilities.
Now suppose that the protoss player knows that an attack on his base is immanent. He must set up a focusing pathway to a defensive structure to give his forces the best chance at repelling the invaders. First connects his nexus to the primary pylon (P1). Now comes the crucial decision. The primary pylon can focus on either P2a or P2b but not both. One entrance will not have the advantages of local focusing. So the player decides to connect P1 to P2a. All of the sudden the enemy shows up at the P2b entrance. The player rushes to micro his units effectively but the tide is turning against him. He rushes back to his nexus and connects the focusing beam to P1 (whose energy is partially depleted but still viable). His valiant front lines are beginning to buckle from wave after wave of invaders. He connects P1 to P2b. His army is getting slaughtered and intervention must come now or not at all. He connects P2b to the forge and activates the recharge shield ability. The forge whirls to life, latent energy surging through its frame and permeating the psi field of the terminal pylon. All across the battlefront protoss shields burst back into existence. The enemy crashes, falters and breaks upon this impenetrable wall. The foe retreats from this phantom force, able to materialize from seemingly nowhere with devastating consequences.
Finally, Psi Focusing plays a role in the overarching strategy that allows you to defeat your opponent. Remember how we talked about the most important decision players must make in a RTS (it was “what to focus on” for those with memories as short as mine). Psi Focusing brings that decision to the forefront. The more pylons you put in the chain the longer you have till you have to return back to your base to set up new pylon pathways. However creating a long pylon chain requires more clicks and time spent at your base while your army is getting pummeled by those siege ta OHH DARN IT your stalkers are goo…shouldn’t have spent so much time at your base.
Advantages
A problem with the version suggested in my supply thread was that psi focusing 1.0 lost its effectiveness as the game progressed. It should be noted that the 2.0 version scales as the game progresses. As a protoss player builds more pylons he has more resources to run his building’s special abilities. As the protoss player builds more expansions he has more nexi (yah im gonna go with nexi) with which to initiate new focusing chains.
Next I’d like to quote GRUNT (Starcraft Source forums):
“One of the aspects of Macro that [I] like is the memory game. You really need to be able to stay on top of things in BW - making sure you don't have idle workers and remembering when you finish building stuff or where you sent your workers.”
Psi Focusing 2.0 recovers this memory game. In order to use this feature to its full potential protoss players have to remember the energy level of each pylon and keep track of when that energy is going to run out. The players that will benefit most are those players who are on top of base management and return to their pylons just in time to initiate focus through a “fresh” pylon pathway.
For players without impeccable memory this is another good reason to return to your base. By flipping back to your base you can check all the energy levels of all of your pylons (lets say by holding down the shift key like you can with hit points in WC3). In a glance you can assess your focusing pathway and plan future pathways for when your current ones run out or you want to use a different building’s ability. While you’re at your base you might also want to complete other tasks such as Warp-In.
Now some of you may have noticed that using the Psi Mechanic requires allot of energy manipulation. You have to manage the energy levels of you pylons, the energy levels of the buildings which use energy to power their abilities…that requires a whole lot of (some pun intended) focus. I believe this adds to the immersion of being a protoss player. You belong to a race with extraordinary mental capabilities and you use your mind to calculate and maintain your control over astounding energy forces. If you want to wax poetic (I know, I know, you don’t) you can consider yourself akin to a high templar exercising extreme cerebral discipline to cast that psionic storm.
Disadvantages
In the original starcraft there was an advantage to spreading out your pylons to get a greater area of covered psi and available building space. With this mechanic there is a crowding “issue” were protoss players would place all of their pylons and buildings adjacent to take full advantage of this mechanic. Autocheesybacon (from the Blizzard forums) and I have been working to devise a solution. While we attempt to deal with this “issue” there is something I would like everyone to keep in mind.
For every “issue” a mechanic has there is a remedy. This remedy often takes the shape of another feature, aspect or detail. With each such remedy the complexity of the mechanic is increased. Complexity distances the game from new and casual players. And so we resume the search for that delicate balance of the intricate and the intuitive. Once again the answer lies in that alluring ideal “elegance.” Alas there was never a more evasive temptress.
Conclusion
In closing, I am eager to explore the full potential of psi focusing. I am considering expanding this mechanic to encompass a more holistic approach to macromanagement. I believe that psi focusing may provide benefits to all aspects of macro from base building to economy management. However, I wanted to present it to you guys with respect to only auxiliary buildings first. You guys have an amazing penchant for pointing out flaws that I was wholly oblivious to. Once I hear what you guys have to say we will see if this idea is worth applying to the entirety of protoss macro.
Until then, may you learn to love constructing additional pylons.
Addendum 9/19/08: Modeling Macro Mechanics
I am pleased to announce the first “Modeling Macro Mechanics” section of this threaditorial. In these sections proposals will be modeled to reflect game play impact. Methods for modeling will take a variety of forms. Today I am going to offer what pylon focusing might feel like by providing a link to a game that features similar mechanics.
http://homokaasu.org/gasgames/game.gas?6
In future sections we will go into further depth but for now I just want to hear the community’s thoughts on where “Thesis to Increase Macro” is heading. What do you like, what don’t you like, where can we improve and how. Feel free to state your opinions here or if you are shy you can PM me.
