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Another week, another batch of official answers from Blizzard. As always, Karune, Blizzard’s RTS community manager, has posted a thread containing the answers and the new “Chat with the devs” section.
This week’s chat with the developers deals with blocking choke points. We’ve already seen the updated supply wall system, which allows lowering them into the ground to allow passage for the player who had built them.
In the latest playable StarCraft 2 build, the supply depot wall was not impenetrable to a few of the smaller units. However, this might change soon enough:
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.
On to the Q&A, starting with four “you’ll have to wait and see” answers:
1. Are the Ultralisk making a return in SC2?
The Ultralisk figures heavily in our current plans, but as with everything else relating to units and balance, this is subject to change.
2. Will there be in game voice chat supported in SC2?
Yes, there are plans to implement VoIP into Battle.net, but details beyond that are yet to be announced.
VoIP has become an integral part the game experience in all of Blizzard’s multiplayer games, and is being used daily to coordinate WoW raids and DotA pushes - using 3rd party VoIP software such as Ventrilo and Skype. Karune’s answer states that Battle.net will provide some sort of integrated VoIP service - a bold move considering the bandwidth and load generated by VoIP communications.
3. What are the system requirements ?
We are still optimizing the game and do not have minimum system requirements yet. Nonetheless, StarCraft II will require pixel shader 2.0 and at least 128mb of dedicated video RAM.
Considering the 200 unit cap, the minimum possible limit of 8 players and the following screenshots, the release of StarCraft 2 might trigger the biggest software-motivated computer upgrade rush in history.
4. Will we be seeing any hybrid units in StarCraft II?
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.
5. Does the Thor burn out like Terran buildings if it is damaged?
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.
An interesting question. The Thor, having 900 hit points, is more armored than a few of the Terran’s structures. This could actually have been an interesting gameplay mechanic - perhaps adding the Pyrrhic Victory concept to StarCraft 2’s battlefield. Heavily damaged Thors burning down after a glorious victory could be a interesting sight; however, the Thor will apparently act like any other unit.
That’s it for the 13th StarCraft 2 Q&A - maybe Ultralisk, probably VoIP, maybe your current PC is good enough to run StarCraft 2. All It means is that there are still plenty of open questions, and we will definitely be seeing more Q&A batches in the near future.
12 Comments to “Q&A 13: The Return of the Ultralisk and Burning Thors”
BlizzCon StarCraft 2 HD Terran Video: Analysis »
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I don’t know if the questions are the problem or the answers…
They should answer questions they have answers to.
The answers were a bit.. avoiding the questions, yeah, they should had have not answer these and answer something else.
currently, I am counting how much units more might eh protoss reveal:
I expect:
High Templar
The Probe
The Observer
The Shuttle
The Carrier
But of course, I sure hope not. cause this will mean besides the ’stalker’ ‘warp ray’ ‘colossus’ and ‘mothership’, everything already exist in SC1, well, and the Phoenix, I guess.
and that’s just rather disappointing of SC2, when I will be at least expecting 50% more units then the original, not just 4 more, and the removal of all the better units, ex. Reaver, Dragoon (immortal doesn’t even shoot air), Corsairs (cheap disruption web), D.A…. The only unit that I found new and interesting is the warp ray, but that’s it.
so I guess what I am saying, is that the protoss showcase is FAR from being satisfying save the new Graphics, which looks nice. I sure hope more ‘awe’ inspiring units are on the production line.. and I sure hope we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg.
We’ve already seen the Shuttle; it’s just called the Phase Prism now.
I’m quite excited on how they present the Zerg! if the Ultralisk is going to make a comeback, it will certainly have new stats or abilities that can make it even scarier to face. Karune said that the Zerg race is already done, they’re only making finishing touches and in-game tests to it.I’ve also heard of a long-range ground support unit that secretes acid from its butt. and a new-breed zerg flyer to be introduced. WOAH!!!
Phase Prism is not shuttle.
“Transported” units are not at danger when Prism is shot at.
Thor burn-down would be even more interesting if it happened stepwise by component - first one gun, then some mobility, other component etc.
Downside: That would require counting hits by locations and separate hitpoints for components.
Terrans are very interesting now.
I would like to know the mechanics of drop pods though, were are those marines from? The Thor is a big daddy for long range bombard, we will see two thors behind bunker and supply depots, Terrans can turtle better then ever!
I sure hope the ‘elitism’ protoss does begin to show off though. Bigger/badder/more Expensive/more devastating please.
These things could be nice:
- Deformable terrain
- Debris don’t disappear into the ground (it will be cool to see all those dead marines pile up and the blood flowing .. and maybe see piles of dead zerglings and any incoming zerglins will be climbing over the dead zerglings .. cool) ..
However, these things would probably eat up a lot of processor power .. oh well .. just dreaming here ..
@Hulkur - Er, how d’you figure that? Presumably, if I load a bunch of units into a Phase Prism, and then the Phase Prism gets shot down, those units will either go bamf with it or be dumped out unceremoniously. You may be confusing the ability of the Phase Prism to act as a transport (physically loading units inside of it) and the ability of the Protoss in general to ‘warp in’ wherever there is Pylon power (which the Phase Prism can deploy to provide).
@Battlar - Well, I don’t have all the answers, but if you watch the new HD terran demo… around the 9:30 mark or so theres a message flashing on the screen to the effect of ‘Drop Pod available from Silo’ (I’m paraphrasing, I don’t have the demo in front of me right now) and three Terran structures become highlighted on the minimap. So it would APPEAR that you have to ‘pre-build’ a drop pod in a silo the same way you build a nuke, and the Ghosts paint a target and deliver it.
well if u pause at right time u ll see the tooltips, plz list it, like
ghost snipe : deals 150 dmg to a biological target….
or marines cost/ build time and many other interesting things
Does anybody know if SC2 will have the map editor like in SC1. The map editor just made SC fun to play after a few games of constant defeat in FFA or teams. + it was just awsome making new maps and playing them with friends.
Yes, in previous interviews with Karune, the Editor will be there. you can even access the former characters in SC1 through the editor.
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Cheers