Zerg "macro" idea -- reabsorption

[Xyvik]

Think of Consume as the almost exact opposite of SCV Repair, which in itself is macro involved.

Instead of using resources to increase health, you use an entire unit to increase resources.

-Psi

An excellent way of describing it, and I believe the idea does in fact have merit. The nydus network, as it stands, does not involve macro mechanics related to economics, but it could double as one.

Remember, the Devs have stated they'd like there to be 'decisions' to be made, however. With the queen, do you spawn larva or add creep (i think that was the other option, can't remember.) With the obelisk, do you boost your probes or... was it recharge shields? With the MULES, do you use them or use comsat scan?

So the alternative option for the Zerg nydus network could be: do you use it to -transport- your units, or do you use it to -eat- your units, thereby giving you some cash, perhaps at a critical junction?

[MattII]

Not really fond of the OP idea so I'll counter with one of mine:
Reusing the 'Slime' ability the Overlord used to possess, Slime lasts 30-40 seconds, and both prevents other players from harvesting that particular patch, and auto-mines it for the player, ie, saving that second or so of the Drones mining themselves, and maybe allowing a greater-than-normal number of drones on the patch. I'm not sure whether to give it a time delay and add it to the Overlord, or give it an energy cost and add it to either the Overseer or Queen.

[PsiWarp]

Thanks for your support, Xyvik! I really love the thought of actual consumption

Interesting, I believe I have thought of an idea extremely similar to yours MattII, not too long ago.
- - -
Queen ability: Spawn Zerg Harvester (50 energy)

-Creates a growth that covers a select mineral patch.
-Lasts 30 seconds, auto-gathers 10 minerals per X seconds (X is the same as 1 worker trip's time), automatically adds to Zerg player's mineral deposit.
-Any type of worker cannot gather from the Harvester's host mineral, until Harvester is destroyed or timed out.
-Zerg Harvester has 40 HP.

So that's 50 energy for 2 Drones' worth of income! Not 50 minerals for 1 Drone, but 50 energy for 2 that doesn't have to return to a Hatchery! At the cost of occupying a mineral field and increasing risk of saturation.

Great minds think alike, I suppose.


-Psi

[Raisk]

The slime ability if given to overlords, would probably be too abundant. After all the Protoss macro resource mechanic is on the obelisk and not every single pylon while the Terran one is simply on the Orbital Command.

I think the best bet would be giving the slime minerals ability to the Queen. I'm not quite sure which abilities the Queen currently comes with? Or are they researched? As far as I know she has the Spawn Larvae, Creep Tumor and Heal spells. Giving her "Infest Minerals" would prevent it being used offensively on the other races minerals, make it not entirely too abundant and force the player to choose between added mineral harvesting, more larvae, spreading creep or healing their base/units.

As it stand I see the Zerg being out-resourced by both races with their current macro mechanic costing minerals (they have to buy the extra drones), while the Protoss and Terran equivalents are "free" costing only spell points.

I mean the Terran MULEs can carry three times more minerals than SCVs [http://sc2pod.com/news/Fan_Site_QA_3__SC2Pod/] and can mine from the same mineral patch as an SCV. And the Protoss get +1 per every harvester, including vespene.

Oh wait, I just had a thought. In keeping with the difference of all the races, it currently seems like the MULE is only used on minerals, while the Obelisk works on both mineral and vespene harvesting probes. Keeping with this reasoning and the fact that the zerg are generally the most vespene dependant race. Perhaps an ability should be given to the Queen akin to:

"Overcharge Extractor" - Cast on vespene extractor
50 energy
doubles/triples(determined by balance of course)drones intake of vespene from this geyser.

[ArcherofAiur]

Proton Charge only increases mineral intake.

[Aldrius]

As it stand I see the Zerg being out-resourced by both races with their current macro mechanic costing minerals (they have to buy the extra drones), while the Protoss and Terran equivalents are "free" costing only spell points.

It allows the Zerg to EXPAND like crazy. The zerg's ability to build more expansions is unparalleled by Terran and Protoss. Being able to build tons of drones only increases that power. For Zerg, more larvae = more drones and hatcheries. For Protoss and Terran more resources =|= more workers and town halls.

[Raisk]

It forces the Zerg to expand like crazy. They have to be one expansion ahead of their opponent at all times in order to stay competitive. And even then, with Proton charge and MULEs the benefit of being one expansion ahead will be diminished.

[Aldrius]

They have to be one expansion ahead of their opponent at all times in order to stay competitive.

This is different from StarCraft 1 how?

And even then, with Proton charge and MULEs the benefit of being one expansion ahead will be diminished.

Not by that much. An expansion still provides WAY more resources than the MULE or Proton Charge does.

Also Spawn Larvae allows the Zerg to fill up all their expansions with Drones, rather than just having one per patch.

[Raisk]

This is different from StarCraft 1 how?

It's not. But I assume you saw in Battle Report 2 how the Terran suddenly summoned 4 MULEs to his 2nd expansion, that's a pretty significant boost already. The equivalent of 12 workers at the cost of no resources. These macro mechanics scale up the more the protoss and terran expand, negating the advantage of being one expo ahead for the Zerg.

[MattII]

The other issue is that Spawn Larva takes 40 seconds to have any effect, and a further 17 seconds (almost a minute together) and 50 minerals apiece before you have Drones. To top that off, every building costs a Drone, although the fact that the Queen and Overlord are responsible for most of the creep maintenance now does alleviate that a bit.