Heart of the Swarm Sept 2012 beta unit details - leaked video

[Kimera757]

Blizzard has explained how the xel'naga (except possibly the Fallen One) are now dead. The xel'naga won't be back, but I could picture Kerrigan going to Zerus in order to collect some information or old tech.

However, Zerus is really far away. I don't think Kerrigan could go there during the course of the war. Perhaps Zerus will just appear in someone's memory.

[Hawki]

When did they say that? Thought there was every indication that there was some xel'naga still around, such as forming the backbone of the trilogy, to Zeratul's outright statement that the xel'naga are returning.

As for Zerus, I think it'll actually be visited, though presumably there'll be some McGuffin to make it possible for a return trip within a decent timeframe.

[Noctis]

When did they say that? Thought there was every indication that there was some xel'naga still around, such as forming the backbone of the trilogy, to Zeratul's outright statement that the xel'naga are returning.

As for Zerus, I think it'll actually be visited, though presumably there'll be some McGuffin to make it possible for a return trip within a decent timeframe.

the return of the xel'naga would also be fulfilled by the proper planned union of protoss and zerg resulting in the creation of xel'naga.

coming starcraft 3 - release date TBD "soon".

[Hawki]

the return of the xel'naga would also be fulfilled by the proper planned union of protoss and zerg resulting in the creation of xel'naga.

coming starcraft 3 - release date TBD "soon".

Dunno-I again refer to Zeratul's "save or destroy" line concerning their return, and I doubt such a union is possible now. Certainly not within the timeframe of the series.

And I disagree with SC3-"soon" is too...soon. Try "soonish" instead.

[Shadow Archon]

As for Zerus, I think it'll actually be visited, though presumably there'll be some McGuffin to make it possible for a return trip within a decent timeframe.

Uh, the UED had the FTL to travel from Earth to the Korpulu sector 60,000 light years away under a month. The Zerg gave them a head start at the end of Brood War, and chased them down, suggesting they have superior FTL to the UED.

Zerus is near the Galactic core.

[Hawki]

Uh, the UED had the FTL to travel from Earth to the Korpulu sector 60,000 light years away under a month. The Zerg gave them a head start at the end of Brood War, and chased them down, suggesting they have superior FTL to the UED.

Zerus is near the Galactic core.

Did the UED ever engage in FTL travel back to Earth though? Judging by the ending cinematic of BW, I'm guessing they didn't.

Zerus is probably closer to the Koprulu sector than Earth, but it still took the zerg an extended period of time to reach the K-sector-it took 60 years alone for them to reach the sector for wherever they were when the Overmind learned of humanity. All things considered, the travel times for the zerg should be slower nowadays as I can't see Kerrigan using the same wormholes the Overmind did. Behemoths and leviathans can get her around, but for a trip to Zerus?

Hence, McGuffin. Or a plothole. We'll find out I guess.

[Shadow Archon]

Did the UED ever engage in FTL travel back to Earth though? Judging by the ending cinematic of BW, I'm guessing they didn't.

We don't see them overrun in the cinematic though. The description seems to hint at them retreating, only possible at this scale with FTL.

We either have to believe their idiots for not using their own FTL, usable in seconds out of atmosphere, or that the Zerg chased them down.

Occam's razor suggests the simplest solution.

Zerus is probably closer to the Koprulu sector than Earth, but it still took the zerg an extended period of time to reach the K-sector-it took 60 years alone for them to reach the sector for wherever they were when the Overmind learned of humanity.

Simply explained that the Zerg took their time. Remember, the trip took thousands of years and they were invading hundreds of worlds along it and integrating new life into their swarm.

All things considered, the travel times for the zerg should be slower nowadays as I can't see Kerrigan using the same wormholes the Overmind did.

Why not? I doubt that the Overmind was the only being capable of Zerg FTL considering the other factions capable of it. For example:

Alan Schezer's Brood. They moved to multiple planets in the series of Enslavers.

After the Overmind's death, the Renegade Zerg's arrival on Shakuras and Kerrigan's brood that arrived there as well.

Ulrezaj had his own brood IIRC and it moved at FTL too.

Her abilities may be degraded, but I don't think that's proof of no FTL capability.

Behemoths and leviathans can get her around, but for a trip to Zerus?

Not unbelievable. Who says that the wormhole thing is unique to the Hiveminds themselves? They very well could do it by themselves.

Hence, McGuffin. Or a plothole. We'll find out I guess.

....I think people around here like to hit the plothole button too much. It's perfectly explainable with what we have.

[Hawki]

We don't see them overrun in the cinematic though. The description seems to hint at them retreating, only possible at this scale with FTL.

We either have to believe their idiots for not using their own FTL, usable in seconds out of atmosphere, or that the Zerg chased them down.

Occam's razor suggests the simplest solution.

The Hyperion is an oddity, but at the least, I could entertain the notion that Horner had already plotted a course and charged the warp engines, a process that takes hours. Terran vessels are stated to have to emerge from warp space further away than protoss ones, but as the Hyperion was modified by the Umojan Protectorate, I could see Horner pulling it off.

Concerning the UED, their tech is more advanced, but I could assume that the same rules apply to an extent-time to charge engines and time to plot a course. First order of business is to get away from Char Aleph and Kerrigan. Presumably that didn't work out. And besides, if they DID enter warp space, could the zerg really engage them? Nothing against that, but it's quite rare in sci-fi where your x-space can be a potential battleground.

Simply explained that the Zerg took their time. Remember, the trip took thousands of years and they were invading hundreds of worlds along it and integrating new life into their swarm.

There's no real indication of how long the trip took-I'd go for centuries or a millenium at the most. Either way, keep in mind the zerg were essentially going from point a to point b, eliminating/assimilating species they found along the way, not zig-zagging across the galaxy. Might be some diversion, but nothing major.

Why not? I doubt that the Overmind was the only being capable of Zerg FTL considering the other factions capable of it. For example:

Alan Schezer's Brood. They moved to multiple planets in the series of Enslavers.

After the Overmind's death, the Renegade Zerg's arrival on Shakuras and Kerrigan's brood that arrived there as well.

Ulrezaj had his own brood IIRC and it moved at FTL too.

Her abilities may be degraded, but I don't think that's proof of no FTL capability.

I didn't say the zerg didn't have FTL, I said that I doubted they'd have the Overmind's MO. In theory, a wormhole should provide a faster travel time than other methods of transport (and does in the series via protoss/xel'naga warp gates) Behemoths and leviathans can enter warp space on their own volition, travelling normally. Kerrigan's used them before for that, she uses a leviathan again in HotS. Point is, there's never been any indication that she has the ability to do the even faster method the Overmind used.

[Shadow Archon]

The Hyperion is an oddity, but at the least, I could entertain the notion that Horner had already plotted a course and charged the warp engines, a process that takes hours. Terran vessels are stated to have to emerge from warp space further away than protoss ones, but as the Hyperion was modified by the Umojan Protectorate, I could see Horner pulling it off.

You have to note that there are two different Warp processes.

Warp jumping, from Queen of Blades, stated to take hours.

Sub-Warp, from Uprising, Liberty's Crusade, and Twilight. A process that can be initiated within seconds.

Presumably there are limits to sub-warp compared to Warp.

Concerning the UED, their tech is more advanced, but I could assume that the same rules apply to an extent-time to charge engines and time to plot a course. First order of business is to get away from Char Aleph and Kerrigan. Presumably that didn't work out. And besides, if they DID enter warp space, could the zerg really engage them? Nothing against that, but it's quite rare in sci-fi where your x-space can be a potential battleground.

Well, it is possible. We don't really know, but there is enough "wiggle room" to suggest that they did, or sub-jumped a good distance away and were preparing for a full on Warp.

Though, it also depends upon the order they were defeated in the mission (no canon statement for it) and what limitations the Zerg have, if any.

There's no real indication of how long the trip took-I'd go for centuries or a millenium at the most.

They appear in the mid 2400s, we know they were created after the Protoss by an unknown amount of time. Assuming the Xel'naga made a year trip at most considering there supposed origins, there's still the remaining amount of time for the Aeon of Strife to finish, the build-up of the Protoss Empire, and Adun's time period roughly 700 to 1000 years before the main game, it has to be over a thousand years.

Either way, keep in mind the zerg were essentially going from point a to point b, eliminating/assimilating species they found along the way, not zig-zagging across the galaxy. Might be some diversion, but nothing major.

The Zerg left the lifeless, burning world
of Zerus and laid waste to every planet
they found along their path towards the
Protoss Homeworld. As they progressed
slowly through the trackless dark between
the stars, the Zerg assimilated only the
strongest of the races that they came
across. The swarm continued to build
steadily, ever-increasing in size and
power. As they progressed, the Overmind
sent out numerous deep-space probes
that scouted ahead of the swarm,
searching for new worlds to plunder.
Despite innumerable victories, the
Overmind was greatly disturbed. The
Overmind was aware that the Protoss had
become a highly psionic race, able to
bend and warp the very fabric of reality
to their whims. It sought a way to counter
the awesome might of the Protoss, but
found no answers among the genetic
strains it devoured.
On the verge of despair, the Overmind
made an amazing discovery. One of its deepspace
probes had relayed the location and
vital statistics of a race that occupied a series
of nondescript worlds, right under the
shadow of the Protoss.
The new race, called Humanity, was mere
generations away from developing into a
formidable psionic power. But the Overmind
also knew that Humanity was still in its infant
stages, hardly capable of defending itself
against the ravenous Zerg. Although a shortlived
and seemingly frail species, the
Overmind knew that Humanity would be the
final determinant in its victory over the
Protoss. If it could assimilate the psionic
potential of Humanity, the Overmind would
have the ability to combat the Protoss on its
own terms.
Thus, the Zerg swarms slowly made their
way towards the burgeoning worlds of
Humanity. The journey lasted for sixty years,
but eventually the massive, extended Zerg
Swarm reached the outskirts of the Terran
Sector of Koprulu

Well, there's an explanation for this.

One, the Zerg took their time, making a slow approach and growing their forces.

Two, the Zerg's psionic ability increased with there time experimenting on humans allowing faster than light travel.

I didn't say the zerg didn't have FTL, I said that I doubted they'd have the Overmind's MO. In theory, a wormhole should provide a faster travel time than other methods of transport (and does in the series via protoss/xel'naga warp gates)

Sure. But how do we know that it is faster than there other travel methods or that lesser hivemind beings can't create one?

Behemoths and leviathans can enter warp space on their own volition, travelling normally. Kerrigan's used them before for that, she uses a leviathan again in HotS. Point is, there's never been any indication that she has the ability to do the even faster method the Overmind used.

There's also been no mention that she can't as well. You would say that I can't prove a negative, and thus burden of proof falls on me. So, let me get some quotes.

Zerg Overmind
I am well pleased young Cerebrate, and so long as my prize remains intact, I shall remain pleased. Thus, its life and yours shall be made as one. As it prospers, so shall you. For you are part of the Swarm. If ever your flesh should fail, that flesh shall be made anew. That is my covenant with all Cerebrates.
Now you have grown strong enough to bear the rigors of warp travel with the Swarm. Thus we shall make our exit from this blasted world and secure the Chrysalis within the Hive cluster, upon the planet Char.
Zasz
Remnants of the Protoss fleet still linger within this planet's orbit. They will attempt to block our exodus at every turn.
Daggoth
My Brood shall aid you, Cerebrate, should you require assistance.

“Now you have grown strong enough to bear the
rigors of warp travel with the Swarm,” the Overmind
stated, its words sending a thrum of power through the
Swarm. “Thus we shall make our exit from this blasted
world and secure the Chrysalis within the Hive Cluster
upon the planet Char.”
As one the first brood rose, soaring high above the
ruined city. They broke free of the planet’s weak, fading
grasp and approached the storm above, pulled into
that yawning, beckoning darkness at its center, and
vanished. The cerebrate felt their transit through the
hive-mind link all zerg shared and allowed a spark of
contentment to linger within its own mind. Then the
Overmind summoned it as well, and the cerebrate
called its brood together, linking them tightly for travel
through the warp. They rose from the crater, letting
the power of the Swarm fill them as they ascended
and soon the darkness had drowned out all thought,
all sense, as it carried them across the vastness of space
to their destination.
And within the Chrysalis, faintly visible through its
thick skin and viscous contents, a body writhed in
pain. Though not conscious the figure within shifted,
stirred, unable to lie still as the zerg virus penetrated
every cell, changing DNA to match their own. Soon
the Chrysalis would open and the new zerg would
emerge. All the Swarm exulted with the Overmind.
And, as they departed and Tarsonis died behind
them, the mind trapped within the Chrysalis screamed.

That's literally all we have on the process.

It could also be that the Zerg's Warp Space FTL is just as fast or that it is the same.

Regardless, we don't have the info to really debate it.

Also to point out, the Zerg travel using Void psionics, not Khalai based psionics.

[Quirel]

May I offer an alternative theory?

Warp travel is probably resource-intensive, particularly over long distances. It could be that the UED forces retreated and regrouped elsewhere in the Korprulu Sector to take on fuel and make repairs, at which point the Zerg ambushed them.