Bashiok says Blizzard ok with worthless units

The issue really isn´t the MS itself - Beta isn´t actually over yet and there are 2 expansions announced.

The concept of a "unused" unit really isn´t as appalling as many make it out to be. Especially since the exact wording included: "just as long as it's something we've planned for and are balancing for."

First and formost "unused" units may very well be used in a different context (Meta-Game, Skill Level...)
Also being unused doesn´t exactly mean it has no impact on the Game.In the mere availability of High Templar for example prevent Marines from being used in TvP - even if the Protoss never ever builds one.

A different concern is the "Wah wah, it replaces the Arbiter which would have been usefull!" Not necessearly. The Arbiters advantages are emulated by other Protoss functionality - Recall vs. Warp-in, Stasis vs. Force Field. The Mothership is simply much better at what it does than the Arbiter would be.

You'd have to make the units either very uniform, not as well-rounded, or the lesser used units overpowered for ALL units to see high levels of play.

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Originally Posted by hyde

Hey guys, chill out... Basiok is just a forum moderator / community manager.

Browder or anyone else on the actual developement team didn't say nothing. Anyways I remember back from the WoW days, Kat the WoW community manager got canned.
Their words are not final, and from the obvious tone of sarcasm in capitals and poor spelling , I would take them with a grain of salt.



Btw....



March 9th Interview with Browder.
http://www.vg247.com/2010/03/09/inte...ly-going-home/


I know it is not likely for them to remove the Mothership and then to add an Arbiter unit, that would require some solid testing. It's easier for them at this point to keep the mothership and give it a small buff and then possibly remove it mid release or replace it...etc...But logically and from a developement viewpoint, the next logical step is buffing the mothership..
I still see the Mothership as a defence/support unit. But what about this

a) Reduce the tech tree requirements like people have said
b) The cost should be the same considering what it does
c) Give it an energy costing "burst of speed" skill, so it can be possibly used on offensive. I do miss warping in +30 Dragoons in the back of a terran base...
And in it's current state, it is not "that" bad of a unit. Not as bad as the carrier IMO...

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Actually, a couple months back dustin did an interview where he basically said the same thing about the mothership. That they were fine with it never seeing use by higher level players.

I made a Mothership once. It's so stupidly slow (without any reason to be so), that it's absolutely worthless. I was waiting for the chance to cast Vortex, but as the enemy units were already dying under the rest of the fleet, there was no need to do so.

Useless units in multiplayer are ridiculous. Why would you want something like that?

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Originally Posted by Norfindel

Useless units in multiplayer are ridiculous. Why would you want something like that?

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Cause its big and shiny and Samwise says he will quit if we take it out?

Hell, if it were up to me I'd advocate more units in general...even knowing some of them may hardly get used. More units = more strategy, tactics and variety.

It's pretty rare to see a Mothership, Ultralisk, Battlecruiser and Brood Lord. Mainly because games are usually over by the time these become viable, and oftentimes it's easier to simply macro an army of smaller units en masse. I wish that is something they would address.

Useless units = bad design. In BW, I can think of only a couple units that were truly useless.

Only the Scout, and maybe Dark Archon were truly useless across all matchups.

The problem with useless units is that they are a trap, especially for newer players. If Newbie McJones spends 20 games trying a certain strategy that involves motherships or ultralisks, he's going to get stomped big time and end up being frustrated at the game. Either he quits ladder or finds out that those units aren't meant for multiplayer. Either situation is not good for a dynamic game.

Secondly, the sheer number of useless units in SC2 is astounding.

Terran -> Reaper.
Protoss -> Archon, Mothership, Carrier, arguably Dark Templar.
Zerg -> Ultralisks, Zerglings, Corrupters (only useful against colossus, loses against all other AA for cost)

That's a lot of traps for a new player to fall into.

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Originally Posted by 0mar

Only the Scout, and maybe Dark Archon were truly useless across all matchups.

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I agree with you about the Scout but Dark Archons weren't useless at all...

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Originally Posted by 0mar

Secondly, the sheer number of useless units in SC2 is astounding.
Terran -> Reaper.

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There are more useless units in SC2 than BW, but I wouldn't go that far. Reapers provide opportunity for micro and boost Terran's early game since Marines are the weakest T1 units.

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Originally Posted by 0mar

Protoss -> Archon, Mothership, Carrier, arguably Dark Templar.

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Problem with Archon and Carrier is that Immortals and Void Rays respectively have taken their roles for cheaper, but I don't see how Dark Templars are useless. Maybe you need to play more matches.

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Originally Posted by 0mar

Zerg -> Ultralisks, Zerglings, Corrupters (only useful against colossus, loses against all other AA for cost)

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Zerglings? Really?... Your posts need to be more informed and backed up

every unit is a situational unit, that being "I have a smaller army than him but he has no detection"

Perhaps the mother ship could warp to Protoss units or just buildings. That would at least help with it's speed. Being able to warp to my pylon I set up at the start of the round to warp in stalkers. So I spawn my mother ship and it can catch up on the front line. I'm just trying to brainstorm any ideas that might help in some way.