Macro Mechanics Discussion Thread

[ArcherofAiur]

True. In fact, the concept of research and upgrade is based on this philosophy of design.

I guess it's a matter of making the ability fun to use, and not so much as to a necessity.

And wouldnt a instantanious but short term boost minerals (at the cost long term production) be fun. Think of it as a mini "show me the money" cheat

[PsiWarp]

It sounds fun, so fun in fact that you'll win the war of attrition if you constantly use it :3...

Nah, even "Show Me the Money" gave you a set amount in one go x_x

[MattII]

Thats not a problem. Its part of the gameplay. Some people just get hysterical about it and cry imbalanced.

No, it was an imbalanced mechanic.

Part of this is that Starcraft isnt balanced by some huge math equation on Blizzards chalkboard. Its balanced by the composite effect of all factors over the entirety of the game. Almost all abilities, units, tech, etc.. change as a function of time, often in incredible and drastic ways. Very few have the "linearity" that people so often ascribe to them.

Resource gathering is a fairly simple equation (5*No. Probes/journey time=income/second). Mule is fine because it adds a more-or-less fixed amount of minerals (more-or-less being that it matters where you actually drop it), PC isn't because it has a variable reward (twice as much reward for 10 probes as for 5, yet the same cost each time). It could have been balanced if they'd made the cost variable (say 5 energy per Probe).

[DemolitionSquid]

And wouldnt a instantanious but short term boost minerals (at the cost long term production) be fun. Think of it as a mini "show me the money" cheat

That would be fun. Too bad Blizzard never implemented such a thing. The "at the cost long term production" part never existed. There was never a single valid reason to not cast PC.

[ArcherofAiur]

No, it was an imbalanced mechanic.



Resource gathering is a fairly simple equation (5*No. Probes/journey time=income/second). Mule is fine because it adds a more-or-less fixed amount of minerals (more-or-less being that it matters where you actually drop it), PC isn't because it has a variable reward (twice as much reward for 10 probes as for 5, yet the same cost each time). It could have been balanced if they'd made the cost variable (say 5 energy per Probe).

Almost every ability is variable.

That would be fun. Too bad Blizzard never implemented such a thing. The "at the cost long term production" part never existed. There was never a single valid reason to not cast PC.

And now with Time Warp for competition thier is that potential.

Money now vs money later.

[MattII]

Almost every ability is variable.

Only the AoE ones,and there are very few of those with a radius as big as PC (most would only affect 2-3 units if they were packed together), I mean it's not like the cost of Graviton Beam drops if there's more than 1 Phoenix around does it?

Look at it this way, for 10 Probes, the cost of PC is 5 energy each, but for 5 Probes, the cost has suddenly risen to 10 energy each, that's what you're working with, and that's why it was imbalanced.

[ArcherofAiur]

Only the AoE ones,

Thats not true. Here name an ability and ill tell you how it varies in time, enviroment, build, opponent, etc...

[MattII]

Protoss
Blink, Forcefield, Wormhole Transit
Terran
Snipe, Cloak, DMatrix, Mule, Yamato Cannon, Auto-Turret
Zerg
Spawn Larva, Transfusion, Creep Tumor, Spawn Infested Terrans, Excrete Creep, Changeling

[ArcherofAiur]

We'll just start with the first one you gave.

Blink

Now lets be serious do you really not think Blink is variable in power? Do I really have to describe how Blinks worth changes with enviroment, time, etc...?



Which is more useful, Blink with a cliff nearby or Blink without a cliff?

[MattII]

One ability out of everything I posted, that's the best you can do? When you can pull something on MULE and Spawn Larva I might begin to accept you have a point, but not till then.