SC3 Plot Ideas

[Turalyon]

Not really. The crystals were things that mechanically operated a temple. They have a proper, limited purpose, unlike the artifact in SC2 that can do anything at any time.

I disagree. They (Temple crystals and artifacts) are both shameless and crappy plot devices with magical powers... it's just that their "magic" is in how they force the plot to revolve around them whilst at the same time draining the narrative of any life it could ever have.

[Drake Clawfang]

Let's also not forget the Khaydarin Crystals, which through the magic of "power undreamed of by the protoss" allows the Overmind to assume a physical form.

[Visions of Khas]

I'd still like to know how the Shakuras temple fit into the Xel'naga's -- or Amon's -- plans. The Xel'naga were disturbed by the development of the Khala within the Protoss. Were the zerg and protoss both only meant to wield the Void? Were either supposed to develop Khala-like power? Or did Amon create the Temple with the intent of the Khala developing and using the Temple himself somehow? Maybe it was his original plan to create a host form, but had to improvise when Shakuras was destroyed.

[Turalyon]

I'd still like to know how the Shakuras temple fit into the Xel'naga's -- or Amon's -- plans.

There's probably a prophecy on it somewhere that explained that it would kill Zerg someday or something for some vague reason.

The Xel'naga were disturbed by the development of the Khala within the Protoss.

Whuh? When did that happen? The Xel'Naga were no longer around when Khas developed the thing that eventually became the Khala. If you're talking about the communal link in its base form, the Xel'Naga were never "disturbed" about it, they were excited about it and cited it as one of the best things about them. Even with the LotV retcon of Amon being the actual Xel'Naga (not the good ones, if there are even such things as good Xel'Naga given that the retcon essentially asks us to throw the manual in the bin anyway) who uplifted the Protoss, the "Khala" was something he wanted so that he could later control them not something to be "disturbed" by.

Maybe it was his original plan to create a host form, but had to improvise when Shakuras was destroyed.

You're assuming Amon/Xel'Naga knew that the Protoss were going to make a home of Shakuras before it was even going to happened? Oh, that's right, Xel'Naga can see the future... but only sometimes semi-correctly... or not even that in some cases.

[Gradius]

BW may have had magic crystals but StarCraft 2 escalated the level of science fantasy bullshit far beyond anything in SC1. Certainly, I don't find it believable that just because you have a crystal you can conjure up a supremely powerful being like Ulrezaj out of nothing like some damn genie. This isn't Aladdin.

[ragnarok]

You're assuming Amon/Xel'Naga knew that the Protoss were going to make a home of Shakuras before it was even going to happened? Oh, that's right, Xel'Naga can see the future... but only sometimes semi-correctly... or not even that in some cases.

They most they can see are TRACES of the future, and in any case it makes no difference because what Ouros projected into the material universe as the "prophecy" was so damn confusing that no one had much of an idea what they were supposed to do until it was almost too late.

[Nissa]

I disagree. They (Temple crystals and artifacts) are both shameless and crappy plot devices with magical powers... it's just that their "magic" is in how they force the plot to revolve around them whilst at the same time draining the narrative of any life it could ever have.

Nah, not so. The crystals are clearly there to make the Shakuras temple go blooey. They aren't shown doing anything else, or having any sort of mystical power until reunited with the temple.

Oh, and Drake, that Khaydarin crystal thing you mention is a SC2 retcon. Though to be fair, they were mystical crystals still, because even in their first appearances they served no clear purpose and were important for "some reason."

[Gradius]

The Protoss still used khaydarin crystals for all their tech. But they had a limited and defined role.

[ragnarok]

The Protoss still used khaydarin crystals for all their tech. But they had a limited and defined role.

Until Christie Golden's Dark Templar Saga books made it seem like they can do just about anything. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it DID make the Protoss seem like space leprechauns.

[Nissa]

The Protoss still used khaydarin crystals for all their tech. But they had a limited and defined role.

Clarify that for me. Those crystals were for some reason important to the Overmind, implying that they weren't simple Protoss tech, but had some other mystic power.