Zerg "macro" idea -- reabsorption

[Raisk]

Yeah I'm not really a fan of the reabsorption idea, but the slime minerals macro-mechanic was more the direction in which I was leaning.

I don't think we're overreacting, just brainstorming potential solutions. And it's not like you can accurately state that the game is balanced right now either. Their still moving units around and I do have faith that Blizzard will release a highly balanced and enjoyable game, doesn't mean we can't speculate about the current build though.

[Aldrius]

True, but it can be only one of those at any one time. Hence, it's not an economy+military+supply boost but rather an economy, military OR supply boost. Consequently, PC+Warp-in and MULE+Reactors are more capable.

If you morph one larvae into an overlord, one into a drone and then the other two into Zerglings it's all three at once. :P

Anyway, it allows you to saturate your mineral line with drones. It's that simple. That's a huge economy boost that Zerg simply couldn't do in SC1.

[MattII]

Spawn Larva is a production boost, not an economy boost, you still have to pay for the Drones, and they still take up population. MULE and Proton Charge are economy boosts, MULE allows you to over-saturate mineral patches and costs no supply, while PC increases the amount of minerals Probes can bring in.

[Raisk]

Oh and doesnt the Orbital Command structure also have that call down extra supplies function? Extra supply at the cost of energy.

From SC.wikia:
The orbital command can target a supply depot to grant it extra supplies. This is generally used only in an emergency.[1] It increases the supply amount by 8, permanently,[20] and causes the supply depot to look different.

So something the Zerg have to pay 100 minerals for, Terrans get for the cost of 50 energy. Beta will sort all this out, but I wouldnt be surprised if the Zerg ended up with their own mineral specific macro mechanic.

[Aldrius]

They probably won't. They don't need it. They have other economic advantages that the Protoss and Terrans don't, and larvae allows them to make more use out of those advantages.

Spawn Larva is a production boost, not an economy boost,

For the Zerg, one results in the other.

[MattII]

For the Zerg, one results in the other.

You still need both supplies and minerals, MULE is an economy boost, PC is an economy boost, Spawn Larva is a production boost only. In that way it's a temporary version of Nuclear Reactor.

[Aldrius]

You still need both supplies and minerals, MULE is an economy boost, PC is an economy boost, Spawn Larva is a production boost only. In that way it's a temporary version of Nuclear Reactor.

Except it effects workers (effects every unit) too by a lot more than the Reactor does.

The minerals used on supply and workers can be made up by expanding so much faster than the other two races and saturating all your expansions with workers.

[n00bonicPlague]

I asked several times for N00bonic to tell me why this would be better than Spawn Larvae, but I got no answer so I have to give my opinion on it without his input.

This mechanic is unnecessary, clumsy, uninteresting, and lore wise doesn't fit. Zerg are not merchants, trading their units away for money.

Spawn Larvae is cool, originial, boosts the economy and makes sense.

lol sorry I missed that XD

I wasn't intending to replace Spawn Larvae. I wanted to add this as an enhancement. It fits very well lorewise because the Zerg are all about sacrificing the individual for the greater cause of the Swarm.

Also, I think I like the idea of having the units return to the HLH itself to do this.

[MattII]

Except it effects workers (effects every unit) too by a lot more than the Reactor does.

The minerals used on supply and workers can be made up by expanding so much faster than the other two races and saturating all your expansions with workers.

Assuming the enemy doesn't take advantage of the minute you have to wait to get anything out, and the 200 minerals you have to spend to get those Drones. The Obelisk currently costs less than the Drones and doesn't take up control. Also, it doesn't matter how fast you expand, once the mineral line is saturated, that's it, the Zerg can't get any more out, whereas both of the other races can, ergo, Spawn Larva is a production boost, not an economy boost.