Further distinction for Terrans: Munitions instead of energy

[Zigurd]

Like the Vulture. Do like.

[Aldrius]

In my mind: just do this to the Raven. Make all it's abilities cost minerals and have cooldowns. Simple as that. Make more of their abilities cooldown-based except for cloak.

Make EMP missile produced at the Ghost Academy like a nuke, nukes at the ghost academy, snipe on a cooldown, all the Raven abilities as mineral-based with cooldowns, leave heal energy-based, BC abilities cooldown-based...

That'd be my preference at least.

[Triceron]

Abilities costing minerals is dumb. Don't turn the Raven into an aerial Reaver, it's a support unit with support abilities. I'm pretty sure Hunter Seeker will be nerfed from what it is right now, which is a pretty darned powerful ability.

[Aldrius]

Abilities costing minerals is dumb.

How is it dumb exactly...? It's unique. Completely different, and very purposeful.

Don't turn the Raven into an aerial Reaver, it's a support unit with support abilities.

The Reaver is a support unit too. But it wouldn't even work like that, it wouldn't be a flying Reaver. It'd be a flying SCV.

[dynamiK-]

Nice idea on making each race more unique. However it would just require even further balance testing and micros. I'm pretty sure I'll be satisfied with the game as is.

[Hamshank]

I'm playing Starcraft to have fun or I'm watching it because it's interesting. This is neither and extremely stupid no offense. I like the name munitions instead of energy, kind of an interesting thought (even that complicates things lol, why change the name it's the same thing) but this is really bad game design

[Asfastasican]

I'm not sure if someone else mentioned this, but I wouldn't want the mechanic only because EMP would end up being a TvP novelty ability. There's no energy for an EMP to burn! I do miss the good ole reaver scarab mechanic though. They really should bring that back somehow if they don't make the Raven's turret bought with minerals like the OP suggested.

[mr. peasant]

I think resource-based abilities can be applied to Terrans but not as a blanket rule. Instead, it should be for a select number of abilities. The ones that come to mind are Repair, D-8 Charges (Reapers are mercenaries after all) and Auto Turrets (it is a defensive structure after all).

[Triceron]

How is it dumb exactly...? It's unique. Completely different, and very purposeful.

And Protoss. Carrier and Reaver both use this feature, and it's a testament to the Protoss style of great power at a cost. If minerals is a factor, it should be a factor for the Protoss, not Terrans. The Spidermine mechanic of limiting a few powerful attacks on a given unit would be more appropriate.

I don't think the limit should apply to current abilities, rather it should be designed with the ability in mind. I would like to see D8's and such be given a hard limit, but that would impact the usefulness of Reapers, and I see them as a niche unit already.

The Reaver is a support unit too. But it wouldn't even work like that, it wouldn't be a flying Reaver. It'd be a flying SCV.

You're paying for the turrets with energy, that's the cost. There's a difference between costing minerals and costing energy.

Minerals aren't softcapped, and the limitation is only as much as you pay out. There is no cooldown for creating for interceptors or scarabs, it's all about cost effectiveness.

Energy limits the amount an ability can be spammed in a given time frame. Once you use up your reserve of energy, the ability can't be used. This is a softcap that limits per caster.

Having BOTH an energy cost and mineral cost is bad design, since you're paying double the price, limiting burst creation as well as paying a monetary fee. It deters a player from using this unless the payout is damned worth it. But it's still really really bad design.

[Pandonetho]

Also, to add to what Triceron said about impacting the usefulness of the Reaper, one big reason the Vulture had limited mines was because it's 75 minerals and easily mass produced.