03-09-2008, 07:10 PM
StarCraft II Q&A Batch 11
Will map sizes in StarCraft II be similar or larger than the maps in the original StarCraft?
Map sizes can fluctuate on a per-map basis, but generally the playable area on maps are about the same. The terrain cells were converted over into the new editor to proportionally match the original StarCraft (i.e. 128x128 SC1 is about the same as 128x128 in SC2 ).
Will StarCraft II Heroes have unique abilities?
Heroes will have unique abilities different from regular unit abilities. Heroes will be playable only for single player and will not be a part of the multiplayer skirmish experience.
Will the Terrans be weak to melee without the Firebat?
Dont worry, the Terrans will have plenty of other counters to melee units. Nonetheless, because we know there are so many people who do love the Firebat unit, it will be in the map editor.
Will Mutalisks attack still hit multiple targets?
Yes, the Zerg Mutalisk unit is currently designed to hit multiple units with a single attack.
Will a submerged supply depot still be able to be attacked? Will it have more hit points while submerged?
Yes, the submerged supply depot will still be able to be attacked, and no it will not have more hit points. The ability to submerge a supply depot is designed to allow units to move over them strategically. Players will not only be able to keep enemies out, allow friendly units to pass through, but they are also powerful roadblocks in separating incoming armies in
StarCraft II Q&A Batch 12
Our next two batches will be answering questions submitted by the StarCraft II Community. Be sure to also check out sites involved, to participate in our Monthly Discussion Topics, starting with the Protoss Mothership for September.
Every so often, I hope to also update you guys on chats I've had with the Devs, to let you know what they're currently working on in StarCraft II.
Chat with the Devs: The StarCraft II Team is working hard on making Terran Medics 'smarter' so they do not run up to the enemy when you give a move order to a group of Marines and Medics. Medics, if given an attack move order, will scan the area on its path for injured infantry, then break off its limited path to heal those soldiers.
Again, give devs and me a w00t! if you are enjoying these Q&As!
How useful will tier 1 units be in the late game? (broodwar.de)
As a staple of the original StarCraft, which we intend to carry over to StarCraft II, is that every unit has a specific role in that factions army. Every unit will fulfill a unique role, which complements the other units, some better than others of course. In subscribing to that idea, tier 1 units will be quite useful in late game as well as early. Many of the tier 1 units will be able to be upgraded to keep up with the later game units as well.
For example, the Terran Marine currently has 3 upgrades available to it, as well as its standard attack and armor upgrades. New upgrades such as the combat shields, increasing the Marines health will be important in having the Marine deal with later game units.
Can we expect units to replace the Reaver and the Soul Hunter? (starcraftzone.com)
Yes, we are always testing the addition of new units as well as the removal of older units. For instance, in our current build, the Terran Firebat is back in the game, as we test how he interacts with the new additions into StarCraft II. Of course, nothing is final though.
What was the reasoning behind axing spell X (lockdown, mind control etc)? (sclegacy.com)
As mentioned above in question 2, much like with units, we are also testing several new abilities for StarCraft II. If these abilities do not work as we would intend, it is always possible for a reintroduction of original abilities from the original StarCraft. We are constantly striving to improve and complement what has already been very successful with StarCraft for StarCraft II.
Will there be a black player color?
We have tried using black, but it was too difficult to differentiate units on the mini-map from the fog of war.
Will you be able to use custom army colors in the game? (teamliquid.net)
In custom maps created through the Map Editor, players will be able to select any color for their factions. In multiplayer games, players will be able to choose between approximately 12-18 colors.
StarCraft II Q&A Batch 13
In todays Q&A we'd like to answer some more questions we got from fan sites. We also had another chat with the developers to see what they are currently working on. Enjoy this weeks infos straight from headquarters.
Chat with Devs: In the BlizzCon build of StarCraft II, small units were able to pass through certain player created barriers, such as a wall of supply depots at a choke point. After experimenting a bit, the Devs are now testing gameplay with true' barriers, which prevent all units from passing through, but will require a line of supply depots side by side rather than supply depots blocking a choke point diagonally. This new design will prevent smaller units such as Zealots and Marines from passing through player created barriers, but will be more costly for the player to build these barriers.
Are the Ultralisk making a return in SC2? (starcraft2forum.org)
The Ultralisk figures heavily in our current plans, but as with everything else relating to units and balance, this is subject to change.
Will there be in game voice chat supported in SC2? (teamliquid.net)
Yes, there are plans to implement voice chat into Battle.net, but details beyond that are yet to be announced.
What are the system requirements ? (Starcraft-Source.com)
We are still optimizing the game and do not have minimum system requirements yet. Nonetheless, StarCraft II will require pixel shader 0 and at least 128mb of dedicated video RAM.
Will we be seeing any hybrid units in StarCraft II? (starcraft.org)
We are planning to explore the mysteries surrounding the Xel'naga for the single player campaign. In the campaign you will encounter several unique units that would not otherwise be seen in multiplayer. At this time, you'll just have to wait and see.
Does the Thor burn out like Terran buildings if it is damaged? (starcraft4players.de)
No, the Thor does not burn down like the Terran buildings. It will be like the other Terran vehicles, which are able to be repaired by the scv.
StarCraft II Q&A Batch 14
Hope you enjoy Batch 14 of our StarCraft II Question & Answer sessions. I'm also pleased to announce that we've opened up StarCraft II Forums on the World of Warcraft Forums, to get even more discussion with fellow Blizzard fans!
Feel free to visit them at:http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/board.html?forumId=1793233&sid=1
In the upcoming weeks, I'm putting together a special Q&A specifically for our map editors, to help get you guys excited in creating UMS maps for our community!
Chat with Devs: The StarCraft II team is trying out what it would be like to have the Ghost as a Tier 5 unit without stealth, keeping the stealth ability as an upgrade at a later Tier.
This will be quite interesting since their snipe ability could provide much support to a group of Marines, picking off key units such as Medics, Templars, etc.
Again, give devs and me a w00t! if you are enjoying these Q&As!
Will there be Vespean Gas deposits that yield better rates, the same as yellow crystals? (starcrafttwo.com)
It is very likely that there will be higher yield Vespean Gas deposits, though we are being very careful in balancing this, since gas collection is based on a more linear rate of collection (3 collectors) versus mineral collection.
What happens if you initiate the warp-in of a Protoss Stalker but the pylon providing power is destroyed before warp-in completes?
If you lose the pylon providing power for the unit warping in, you will lose that unit, and the purchasing credits will likely be refunded.
Could the Colossus be transported by the Phase Prism, since the Prism's crystal can turn any matter into energy? (mymym.com)
Yes, the new Phase Prism now transports by changing the unit they wish to transport into energy, which is stored in the Phase Prism for transport. This allows the Phase Prism to be able to transport even gigantic units such as the Colossus.
What happens if a Terran Battlecruiser targets a Protoss Stalker with the Yamato Cannon but the Stalker blinks away before the shot is completed?
Currently, the shot from the Yamato Cannon will still track and hit the Protoss Stalker.
Will Dark Templars be invisible when warping in, or susceptible to attack for a few seconds before it fades out?
No, currently the Dark Templar will be invisible the instant it begins to warp-in, though of course we are still testing this for balance as it makes the Dark Templar quite strong in back door drops.
Do the bunkers have any visual indication as to whether or not they're occupied?
Currently the bunkers do not have any visual indications to whether it is occupied or not, but this is something we would like to change.
StarCraft II Q&A Batch 15
This month is almost over and I would like to invite everyone who hasn't already done so take the last chance to add their thoughts on the Mothership in the thread on the discussion of the month (http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=sc2-general-eu&t=28). We will be closing that thread shortly and compiling all information we gathered over the last month for the developers. It was great to see you all send in your feedback and we hope you had lots of fun discussing this unit. Stay tuned for next months discussion which promises to be very interesting both for you the community and for our developers.
We now present you with the next batch of your weekly Q&A. A lot of new Terran info coming your way here! So now give me your favorite Terran quote to honor the effort our devs put into giving you new bits of information every week!
Chat with Devs: Starports no longer change into Starbases.
Can an upgraded command center be salvaged? Does it lose its mobility when upgraded to a surveillance station?
No, the command center cannot be salvaged, nor can it lift off after it is upgraded to a Surveillance Station (allows the use of the Comsat ability).
In StarCraft 1, when you cancel a nuclear launch that is in progress, you lose the warhead. Will StarCraft II make any changes to this setback?
Currently, if you cancel the nuke while it is firing, you will still lose the nuke. This outcome has not yet been finalized and may be changed in the final version.
Can a Ghost be equipped with both a Nuke and Drop Pod simultaneously?
Yes, any Ghost can launch either a Nuke or a Drop Pod, making the Ghost highly effective at responding to multiple battle circumstances.
Will "caster" units, such as the Protoss High Templar, have a regular attack, like Tassadar had in SC1, or will they only be able to attack through their spells?
Currently, there are no plans to give the High Templar a physical attack, though High Templar Heroes will have additional abilities beyond that of the standard unit. At the moment, the High Templar is one of best support units in the game, with the ability to cast a devastating Psi Storm or choke off crucial areas of the map with the force field ability. Once you've used up its energy, no worries, convert it into an Archon with another Templar.
Can Marines use the Stim Pack while in a bunker? What about a Ghost's snipe ability?
In the current build, abilities cannot be activated while inside a bunker, but you can activate abilities before entering a bunker. For example, if you activate Stim Pack on a few Marines, then enter a bunker; they will attack at the higher rate of fire from inside the bunker. The Stim Pack effects will still wear off as normal though.
Will map sizes in StarCraft II be similar or larger than the maps in the original StarCraft?
Map sizes can fluctuate on a per-map basis, but generally the playable area on maps are about the same. The terrain cells were converted over into the new editor to proportionally match the original StarCraft (i.e. 128x128 SC1 is about the same as 128x128 in SC2 ).
Will StarCraft II Heroes have unique abilities?
Heroes will have unique abilities different from regular unit abilities. Heroes will be playable only for single player and will not be a part of the multiplayer skirmish experience.
Will the Terrans be weak to melee without the Firebat?
Dont worry, the Terrans will have plenty of other counters to melee units. Nonetheless, because we know there are so many people who do love the Firebat unit, it will be in the map editor.
Will Mutalisks attack still hit multiple targets?
Yes, the Zerg Mutalisk unit is currently designed to hit multiple units with a single attack.
Will a submerged supply depot still be able to be attacked? Will it have more hit points while submerged?
Yes, the submerged supply depot will still be able to be attacked, and no it will not have more hit points. The ability to submerge a supply depot is designed to allow units to move over them strategically. Players will not only be able to keep enemies out, allow friendly units to pass through, but they are also powerful roadblocks in separating incoming armies in
StarCraft II Q&A Batch 12
Our next two batches will be answering questions submitted by the StarCraft II Community. Be sure to also check out sites involved, to participate in our Monthly Discussion Topics, starting with the Protoss Mothership for September.
Every so often, I hope to also update you guys on chats I've had with the Devs, to let you know what they're currently working on in StarCraft II.
Chat with the Devs: The StarCraft II Team is working hard on making Terran Medics 'smarter' so they do not run up to the enemy when you give a move order to a group of Marines and Medics. Medics, if given an attack move order, will scan the area on its path for injured infantry, then break off its limited path to heal those soldiers.
Again, give devs and me a w00t! if you are enjoying these Q&As!
How useful will tier 1 units be in the late game? (broodwar.de)
As a staple of the original StarCraft, which we intend to carry over to StarCraft II, is that every unit has a specific role in that factions army. Every unit will fulfill a unique role, which complements the other units, some better than others of course. In subscribing to that idea, tier 1 units will be quite useful in late game as well as early. Many of the tier 1 units will be able to be upgraded to keep up with the later game units as well.
For example, the Terran Marine currently has 3 upgrades available to it, as well as its standard attack and armor upgrades. New upgrades such as the combat shields, increasing the Marines health will be important in having the Marine deal with later game units.
Can we expect units to replace the Reaver and the Soul Hunter? (starcraftzone.com)
Yes, we are always testing the addition of new units as well as the removal of older units. For instance, in our current build, the Terran Firebat is back in the game, as we test how he interacts with the new additions into StarCraft II. Of course, nothing is final though.
What was the reasoning behind axing spell X (lockdown, mind control etc)? (sclegacy.com)
As mentioned above in question 2, much like with units, we are also testing several new abilities for StarCraft II. If these abilities do not work as we would intend, it is always possible for a reintroduction of original abilities from the original StarCraft. We are constantly striving to improve and complement what has already been very successful with StarCraft for StarCraft II.
Will there be a black player color?
We have tried using black, but it was too difficult to differentiate units on the mini-map from the fog of war.
Will you be able to use custom army colors in the game? (teamliquid.net)
In custom maps created through the Map Editor, players will be able to select any color for their factions. In multiplayer games, players will be able to choose between approximately 12-18 colors.
StarCraft II Q&A Batch 13
In todays Q&A we'd like to answer some more questions we got from fan sites. We also had another chat with the developers to see what they are currently working on. Enjoy this weeks infos straight from headquarters.
Chat with Devs: In the BlizzCon build of StarCraft II, small units were able to pass through certain player created barriers, such as a wall of supply depots at a choke point. After experimenting a bit, the Devs are now testing gameplay with true' barriers, which prevent all units from passing through, but will require a line of supply depots side by side rather than supply depots blocking a choke point diagonally. This new design will prevent smaller units such as Zealots and Marines from passing through player created barriers, but will be more costly for the player to build these barriers.
Are the Ultralisk making a return in SC2? (starcraft2forum.org)
The Ultralisk figures heavily in our current plans, but as with everything else relating to units and balance, this is subject to change.
Will there be in game voice chat supported in SC2? (teamliquid.net)
Yes, there are plans to implement voice chat into Battle.net, but details beyond that are yet to be announced.
What are the system requirements ? (Starcraft-Source.com)
We are still optimizing the game and do not have minimum system requirements yet. Nonetheless, StarCraft II will require pixel shader 0 and at least 128mb of dedicated video RAM.
Will we be seeing any hybrid units in StarCraft II? (starcraft.org)
We are planning to explore the mysteries surrounding the Xel'naga for the single player campaign. In the campaign you will encounter several unique units that would not otherwise be seen in multiplayer. At this time, you'll just have to wait and see.
Does the Thor burn out like Terran buildings if it is damaged? (starcraft4players.de)
No, the Thor does not burn down like the Terran buildings. It will be like the other Terran vehicles, which are able to be repaired by the scv.
StarCraft II Q&A Batch 14
Hope you enjoy Batch 14 of our StarCraft II Question & Answer sessions. I'm also pleased to announce that we've opened up StarCraft II Forums on the World of Warcraft Forums, to get even more discussion with fellow Blizzard fans!
Feel free to visit them at:http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/board.html?forumId=1793233&sid=1
In the upcoming weeks, I'm putting together a special Q&A specifically for our map editors, to help get you guys excited in creating UMS maps for our community!
Chat with Devs: The StarCraft II team is trying out what it would be like to have the Ghost as a Tier 5 unit without stealth, keeping the stealth ability as an upgrade at a later Tier.
This will be quite interesting since their snipe ability could provide much support to a group of Marines, picking off key units such as Medics, Templars, etc.
Again, give devs and me a w00t! if you are enjoying these Q&As!
Will there be Vespean Gas deposits that yield better rates, the same as yellow crystals? (starcrafttwo.com)
It is very likely that there will be higher yield Vespean Gas deposits, though we are being very careful in balancing this, since gas collection is based on a more linear rate of collection (3 collectors) versus mineral collection.
What happens if you initiate the warp-in of a Protoss Stalker but the pylon providing power is destroyed before warp-in completes?
If you lose the pylon providing power for the unit warping in, you will lose that unit, and the purchasing credits will likely be refunded.
Could the Colossus be transported by the Phase Prism, since the Prism's crystal can turn any matter into energy? (mymym.com)
Yes, the new Phase Prism now transports by changing the unit they wish to transport into energy, which is stored in the Phase Prism for transport. This allows the Phase Prism to be able to transport even gigantic units such as the Colossus.
What happens if a Terran Battlecruiser targets a Protoss Stalker with the Yamato Cannon but the Stalker blinks away before the shot is completed?
Currently, the shot from the Yamato Cannon will still track and hit the Protoss Stalker.
Will Dark Templars be invisible when warping in, or susceptible to attack for a few seconds before it fades out?
No, currently the Dark Templar will be invisible the instant it begins to warp-in, though of course we are still testing this for balance as it makes the Dark Templar quite strong in back door drops.
Do the bunkers have any visual indication as to whether or not they're occupied?
Currently the bunkers do not have any visual indications to whether it is occupied or not, but this is something we would like to change.
StarCraft II Q&A Batch 15
This month is almost over and I would like to invite everyone who hasn't already done so take the last chance to add their thoughts on the Mothership in the thread on the discussion of the month (http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=sc2-general-eu&t=28). We will be closing that thread shortly and compiling all information we gathered over the last month for the developers. It was great to see you all send in your feedback and we hope you had lots of fun discussing this unit. Stay tuned for next months discussion which promises to be very interesting both for you the community and for our developers.
We now present you with the next batch of your weekly Q&A. A lot of new Terran info coming your way here! So now give me your favorite Terran quote to honor the effort our devs put into giving you new bits of information every week!
Chat with Devs: Starports no longer change into Starbases.
Can an upgraded command center be salvaged? Does it lose its mobility when upgraded to a surveillance station?
No, the command center cannot be salvaged, nor can it lift off after it is upgraded to a Surveillance Station (allows the use of the Comsat ability).
In StarCraft 1, when you cancel a nuclear launch that is in progress, you lose the warhead. Will StarCraft II make any changes to this setback?
Currently, if you cancel the nuke while it is firing, you will still lose the nuke. This outcome has not yet been finalized and may be changed in the final version.
Can a Ghost be equipped with both a Nuke and Drop Pod simultaneously?
Yes, any Ghost can launch either a Nuke or a Drop Pod, making the Ghost highly effective at responding to multiple battle circumstances.
Will "caster" units, such as the Protoss High Templar, have a regular attack, like Tassadar had in SC1, or will they only be able to attack through their spells?
Currently, there are no plans to give the High Templar a physical attack, though High Templar Heroes will have additional abilities beyond that of the standard unit. At the moment, the High Templar is one of best support units in the game, with the ability to cast a devastating Psi Storm or choke off crucial areas of the map with the force field ability. Once you've used up its energy, no worries, convert it into an Archon with another Templar.
Can Marines use the Stim Pack while in a bunker? What about a Ghost's snipe ability?
In the current build, abilities cannot be activated while inside a bunker, but you can activate abilities before entering a bunker. For example, if you activate Stim Pack on a few Marines, then enter a bunker; they will attack at the higher rate of fire from inside the bunker. The Stim Pack effects will still wear off as normal though.