You guys will love this - new protoss macro mechanic in the works

[Eligor]

Interesting yes, but tweakable in it's form. For example, instead of it simply replacing the minerals, it could increment the "energy" based on it's return trip.

If probe returns 8 minerals, increment energy by x. The minerals don't need to be a cost persay.. I don't think this would work but it's still something that may spawn a better suggestion on that aspect.

Actually, one big problem with the idea I posted is that in the context of the current macro mechanics of other races it puts the Protoss at a disadvantage, since the Zerg and the Terran only lose time and energy in exchange for resources or units, while in my suggestion the Protoss lose time and resourcres to gain energy. Blizzard wants to make the macro mechanics as incremental as possible, they're all Economic Boosts (with a capital E and a capital B), you'd want to use them all as often as possible, so the suggestion, in that light, is a bad one. All the macro ideas I've been pushing are trade-offs, lose something to gain something, they don't encourage constant use and instead emphasize timing and decision making.

Question is: how do you make an incremental, consumer mentality mechanic that lacks significant trade offs (in other words: strategy) and is solely dependent on the player's concentration interesting?

[SaharaDrac]

Here's my idea, what if the Obelisk, rather than being a spellcaster, were a sort of mini-Nexus, much weaker and unable to produce Probes, but able to collect resources from the Probes?

That's not a macro mechanic.

[MattII]

That's not a macro mechanic.

Au contraire, the building itself may not contain a macro mechanic, but now Protoss players get a choice of either expanding quickly at the risk of having a weak expansion, or waiting a little bit so that your expansion will be string enough to survive a bit longer in an attack (hopefully long enough for reinforcements to arrive).

[ArcherofAiur]

Which do you guys think would be more appropriate for Protoss macro: A gas mechanic or a mineral mechanic?

[Pandonetho]

A warp-in mechanic. Oh wait.

[MattII]

Which do you guys think would be more appropriate for Protoss macro: A gas mechanic or a mineral mechanic?

Why do we need one that doesn't cover both?

My idea (from some time ago):
Name: Warp Gather
Cost: 4-5 energy per time.
Effect: rather than the Probe having to leave a mineral patch (or Assimilator) to return its resources, the Obelisk warps them back automatically when its mined them.
Selectability: You have to select each Probe (or just the Assimilator for gas) individually, but once you've done so they remain selected.

Plus a new one:
Name: Supercharge
Cost: 25 energy.
Effect: for 20 seconds the selected Probes mine at double speed and do +3 damage if they attack.
Selectability: AoE, though only the closest 5 Probes are actually selected.

[ArcherofAiur]

But if it had to be one or the other which would be more appropriate for protoss. I know everyone has there own unique solution but I want to find out if there is a resource that aligns with protoss playstyle better then other resources (kinda like larva resource for zerg).

[MattII]

Well I think Warp Gather is probably the most 'Protossy' of the two, but even though they're IMO better than PC, they still don't solve the 'dedicated resource Obelisk' issue, which is why I came up with:
What if the Obelisk, rather than being a spellcaster, were a sort of mini-Nexus, much weaker and unable to produce Probes, but able to collect resources from the Probes?

[ArcherofAiur]

But do you think either minerals or gas have a higher affinity for protoss? Or are they both the same to you?

[AegisKHAOS]

I'm just curious as to why we even need such a distinction. Both are rather necessary resources for any race, and neither gas nor mineral makes the Protoss any more 'Protossy', and even if we're talking about bountifulness of one resource over the other, why should we favour the macro on one resource over the other?