Hydralisk saliva looks too awful.

[horror]

True, there are things in the game that aren't realistic. That being said, all of these things are awesome. The hydra animation, on the other hand, is dumb. The sc1 hydralisk was 10x better for the model as well. The proportions were perfect (large crest-head, thin tail). the sc2 hydra looks like a worm...

[deadlyhazard]

I definitely think the hydra attack animation is extremely weak. It should look like an acid covered shot maybe with some acid falling off as it hurls at the target. Maybe coat a roach attack animation with a needle visible in the center.

[Shadow Archon]

That seems both incredibly ad hoc and inconsistent with the fact that the Hellion's light-damage upgrade is described as an "infernal pre-igniter" (accompanying image below). And even if I were to concede to point, it would be indecisive, simply because this is hardly the only feature which prioritizes gameplay and aesthetics over realism (rightly, I think). One of the above posters has already pointed out that it's strange that the BC's "lasers" appear as discrete red blobs. Also, how is the Banshee, a helicopter, able to fly on space platforms? The list goes on and on.

1. Just because it has the label "laser" doesn't mean it actually it is a laser. Take TurboLasers for an example.

2. A: They don't need to have an atmosphere to fly, just a little motion from some propulsion will allow the vessel to work in space. It wouldn't work as well as in an atmosphere, but it could still manage. It all depends upon the design really.

B: Space platforms have their own atmospheres produced by the platform itself.

3. The Helion uses some sort of plasma in its flamethrower. It probably contains the gas and whatever else it needs for it to work probably. Again, Space platforms have their own atmosphere.

[Grrblt]

They need to work on the sound, too. It looks like they're spitting sticks, and it sounds like they're slashing tall grass with sticks.

[TunaFish]

Whether it fits the lore or not, the current Hydralisk attack presentation - both the sound effects and the animation - is lacking. The Hydralisk attack in the original game was much more satisfying and distinctive. Right now Hydralisks seem like they're shooting huge blow darts.

[GnaReffotsirk]

Correct, I mean, why even argue against improving the Hydra's attack anim? It's obvious that we all see it needs to get some attention.

spooghit for the win!

And demo, that was hilarious man.

[mr. peasant]

True, there are things in the game that aren't realistic. That being said, all of these things are awesome. The hydra animation, on the other hand, is dumb. The sc1 hydralisk was 10x better for the model as well. The proportions were perfect (large crest-head, thin tail). the sc2 hydra looks like a worm...

And had the SC2 model's proportions been used in SC1 and vice versa, you or somebody else would be complaining how Blizzard's using anime proportions, with a giant head and scrawny tail. These are all subjective preferances and very much influenced by nostalgia.

Correct, I mean, why even argue against improving the Hydra's attack anim? It's obvious that we all see it needs to get some attention.

spooghit for the win!

And demo, that was hilarious man.

Because the question at the end of the day is how? As previously mentioned, the old 'spooghit', as you call it, isn't ideal either as it contradicts lore and equally just as unrealistic (in that the acid spray can't believably be used against air units). At the end of the day, it all depends on who and how many people prefer the 'spooghit', the 'arrows' and who isn't bothered at all.

[Todie]

Whether it fits the lore or not, the current Hydralisk attack presentation - both the sound effects and the animation - is lacking. The Hydralisk attack in the original game was much more satisfying and distinctive. Right now Hydralisks seem like they're shooting huge blow darts.

i agree

[SpiderBrigade]

The old animation doesn't contradict lore. As has been mentioned already the green material represents something like a muzzle flash. The hydralisk is firing a burst of many small spines at high speed, which are coated with the green substance as a lubricant/propellant or as an secondary acid effect. This is why the animation looks as it does, with the cloud of green left behind as the spines leave it, and the instantaneous impact of the spines with a very slight green splash from residual coating. An acid-lobbing attack would be a slower-moving projectile like the Guardian. Finally, the distinctive "krsssh" or "squirting" sound, to me, perfectly indicates the idea of a volley of razor-sharp spines being shot out at high speed. An acid splash would sound much more liquid.

I do agree that the new "lobbing/tossing" animation is not great, though.

[pure.Wasted]

Because the question at the end of the day is how? As previously mentioned, the old 'spooghit', as you call it, isn't ideal either as it contradicts lore and equally just as unrealistic (in that the acid spray can't believably be used against air units). At the end of the day, it all depends on who and how many people prefer the 'spooghit', the 'arrows' and who isn't bothered at all.

Why not the compromise suggested on page 1 -- take both? Whether Blizz like it or not, SC1's acid spit is simply iconic. It might not have been intentional, it might not have been realistic, but for most people, the green spit is associated with the Hydra a lot more strongly than a thin little blowdart. That's not to say that the spit ought to be the attack -- but why can't it be some sort of chemical reaction released during ejection of the projectile?

That way we get the distinct, iconic, and intimidating animation/sound from SC1... but lose neither the "see which target you're hitting" directness of a projectile, or the intention behind the lore behind the attack (they hurt with spines, not spit).