SC2 blog Exclusive : Yellow Crystals!

The following shot is taken from the recently released PC Gamer StarCraft 2 video: At 1:31 minutes into the video, you can clearly see the bright golden-yellow crystals at the top right corner of the screen, right next to the Vespene gas deposit – effectively proving that the Yellow Crystals are a mineable resource and not a doodad.

* all other footage features blue crystals only.

By introducing an additional, possibly more valuable version of the basic blue crystals, Blizzard is following in Westwood’s footsteps, who added Blue Tiberium to their Command and Conquer franchise. Blue Tiberium is the more valuable version of the normal, green Tiberium – yielding twice as many credits per volume. Could this be the idea behind yellow mineral crystals?

If this is indeed the case, the gameplay implications are vast, especially for island maps and other difficult expansion spots which could provide a much faster and greater return of investment for the daring fast-expanding player. Introducing super-rewarding expansion spots to existing maps could greatly alter gameplay and strategy. Imagine a StarCraft 2 Lost Temple game: instead of the useless temple in the center, you get to fight over a higher quality mineral cluster! Having one expansion providing twice the amount of resources over the same period of time is surely something worth fighting for.

Whatever the actual purpose of the yellow crystals may be, the introduction of an additional type of resource to the game is exciting, and is sure to have many implications on the gameplay.

Additional theories explaining the existense of Yellow Crystals.

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9 Comments to “New Stacraft 2 Resource – Yellow Crystals!”

1. George — June 16, 2007 @ 4:59 am
   

   Whoa! Nice find. I wonder if they put it there on purpose?

2. darkphantom02 — June 16, 2007 @ 3:44 pm
   

   Cooooool! I think its pretty cool.

3. gg — June 16, 2007 @ 6:10 pm
   

   thanks for running this site. will check back often.

4. Travis — June 30, 2007 @ 9:42 am
   

   Hey, good job man. You guessed it right on the crystals!

   I don’t mean to spam/advertise so don’t take this as one please, but if you’re interested, I’ve started an SC2 Topsites…

5. Fred — August 19, 2007 @ 6:05 am
   

   if you check the dark templar unit page on starcraft2.com, in the action shot where the dark emplats attack te workers, thay are mining gas and a yallow resource…

6. bennyhaha2 — August 22, 2007 @ 3:14 am
   

   yeah they are cool find!!!!!!!!

7. Ken — August 23, 2007 @ 4:07 pm
   

   I’ve read that the yellow minerals are “high yield” minerals. Instead of the usual 8, they give you 12 for every gather. Though It will be rear or otherwise non existent on some maps, I think this will tighten the competition for expansions near these minerals.

8. camelOne — October 22, 2007 @ 8:14 am
   

   Very nice this blog =)

9. GWAR — December 4, 2007 @ 12:23 pm
   

   What if they’re like the Gems in Dungeon Keeper that are a slower gather but unlimited? Wouldn’t be as much fun or as powerful trying to control it, but still cool…