Sci-fi Speculation: Explaining StarCraft's Minimap!

[solidsamurai]

In the early days of warfare, communication was entirely relayed by radio. Soldiers carried compasses for bearing and direction of enemy, and had to follow physical maps to interpret co-ordinates. Rendezvous wasn't perfect, and armies had to be kept in close proximity to one another, meeting up away from conflict in as careful and organized a fashion as possible. With the introduction of computers, early command centers could use spy planes and drones to survey and collect better recconaissance intel of a warzone. The first infantry HUDs came later, providing a digital compass on the UI for the soldiers to be continually aware of, which did not interfere with aiming of their weapon, and the use of a signals officer to flag allies, uncertain bogeys and enemies as green, yellow and red (respectively). Triangulation and on-board GPS was the next step. A command center would become aware of the position of terrain and targets (their direction and distance) based on the position of two soldiers from one another. Initially, the range was weak. Soldiers had to be at least within 10 meters of each other, but as laser comms improved, the range grew. Information that was gathered via the lasers of the triangulators and GPS were beamed back to a command center, where an AI would sort them out. Over the years, computers became ever more powerful, and could process more terrain and even dynamically trace the position of moving targets. Entire two-dimensional and three-dimensional maps could be instantly rendered in a command center, based on the active reconaissance gathered by unskilled troops in the field. Eventually, every military asset contained a rudimentary built-in GPS and triangulator, with EMP armor. This technology effectively allows commanders sipping coffee hundreds of miles from a hot zone, can take an active role in positioning platoons, squads and even fireteams during a battle. Sergeants and corporals and even lieutenants are given less merits. Captains, who originally commanded 100-man companies, can now organize 800-man crews in the field (an entire forward operating base), while enjoying MREs in a bunker, somewhere well out of the way of the blast wave of a tactical nuclear strike that would've killed so many of them 60 years earlier. The technology continues to use lasers, so elevation and very thick terrain can get in the way of a command center's potential map visuals. Troops and other assets have a maximum sight range. 'Fog of war' is created when no visual of movement can be obtained.

[Turalyon]

Ok, now go explain how the Zerg minimap works and looks exactly like the Terran and (Protoss!) one.

[solidsamurai]

The zerg give off psychic feedback. Each brain relays it's position to the next one.

[Visions of Khas]

The zerg give off psychic feedback. Each brain relays it's position to the next one.

They're "pan-conscious", as I like to put it, each one aware of the location and status of every other. Terrans probably use something like a Land Warrior system; and the Protoss gestalt relays battlefield information to each individual.

[TheEconomist]

Naaaaah, you're just overthinking it. The real reason is the same kind of space magic that allows Kerrigan to travel at insane speeds when the story desires it or allows Mengsk and Kerrigan to have instantaneous messages faster than the speed of light.

[solidsamurai]

Kerrigan's power level was over 9000 at the time. And other dated DBZ memes! Is that okay?! (another DBZ meme)