Why Do People Like The Ghost So Much?

[SgtHK]

No. I'm not talking about the in-game Ghost that people hardly use. I'm talking about the concept of the Ghost.
http://forums.gentoo.org/images/avatars/gallery/StarCraft/starcraft_terran_ghost.gif

If you ask people what do they think is the coolest Terran infantry unit, most would answer "The Ghost". Before the advent of the SC2 Trailer and Tychus Findlay's Marine suit assembly, there were more Ghost fan art sketches in DeviantArt than marines.
http://blackswordsman28.deviantart.com/art/Terran-Ghost-lines-18284668

Even in Google, Ghost sketches outnumber any other Terran infantry unit sketches there are. And one of Blizzard's novels, StarCraft-Ghost: Nova, features the beginnings of a young female Ghost (Nova).
http://www.blizzplanet.com/coppermine/albums/Blizzard-images/pocket-books/starcraft-ghost-nova-cover.jpg

And once upon a time in WB, I posted some render pictures of my Ghost model and so many people got hyped into it,
http://fc03.deviantart.com/fs20/f/2007/273/4/8/Ghost_with_Gun_by_SgtHK.jpg

even comparing my model with Blizzard's own Ghost.

http://www.gg-game.com/forum/attachments/forumid_216/20070721_d2981169936edc40817b2407n1v5B5Md.jpg

So the question is: Why do people seem to like the Ghost so much? Is it simply because it looks cool? Is it because it's the most enigmatic Terran unit in the StarCraft lore? Or is it because the Ghost's concept matches that of a present-day covert-ops agent?

Comments, thoughts, brainstorms, suggestions, and thread lockdown threats are all appreciated ^_^

[Ahzz]

what other terran unit could they possibly make aside from tanks and battlecruisers/wraiths?

The ghost is sneaky, perfect for 'secret missions' and such, plus majority of the noobs (skillwise) who actually care about fanart and all that love nukes so that might explain it as well.

[U-238]

I've always been a fan of the 'average joe' marine myself.

People like ghosts because they have a very 'secretive' lifestyle that they can fantasize about. Sort of like Zorro, Special Ops, even Gordon Freeman to an extent. Since they're quite shadowy this leaves a lot open to interpretation. So a ghost is a little more lenient towards modification and variations than say a marine, wraith, or even a siege tank (I should know ;p).

So I would say it's the ghosts' 'shadowy' nature that makes it most appealing towards most people.

[Aqo]

People like ghosts because they're skinny and look like females even when they're not; since most of the Starcraft players are male, Ghosts are naturally attractive.

[neobowman]

I find them cool as they're such a high unit and it's fun to see pros use them so effectively. Namely, Boxer. Nuke rush? Lockdown? Ghost is generally very hard to use but it is awesome if pulled off right.

[Ling666]

People like ghosts because they're skinny and look like females even when they're not; since most of the Starcraft players are male, Ghosts are naturally attractive.
Okay... ;)

I like the ghosts because they are cunning and very effective in combat. A ghost would destroy the key systems of something to help him complete the mission alone, whereas the marine would just rely on going in with groups and shooting anything that moves. Just like the SWAT team that has Superior Weapons And Tactics. It's interesting to watch the powerful guns and strategic abilities go into play.

And on a totally unrelated tangent, the face masks look awesome.

[SilverCrusader]

I like them because they are the only single Terran unit that could win in a 1 vs. 1 fight against the protoss. They might be able to take on a zealot, which would be hell of a hard thing to do considering they have heavy psionic abilities and mastered their sword
craft to near perfection.

[Aqo]

1 vs. 1 fight against the Protoss...

...a single Ghost against a whole race that has mastered traveling the universe and exterminating other races that cross its path and turned to show violence?

[SilverCrusader]

Well a single protoss. A protossian maybe.

[Aqo]

Even a single zealot can beat a ghost :/

[SgtHK]

No. Ghosts employ much sneakier tactics to outmaneuver a Zealot. And remember, Ghosts can cloak and carry a long range rifle. A Dark Templar and a Ghost would be a better matchup.

[Ling666]

How would they see each other, psionic detection? :smirk:

[neobowman]

DT would just wait for the ghost to run out of energy.

[ForTheSwarm]

Or the ghost could fire blindly, hoping he or she will hit the dt.

[masterofhobbiton]

Or call in a nuke or arclite strike.

[FrankZ]

Because its concept and its abilities appeal to the players.

I mean, a unit with a cool air, a cool voice, a cool model, a cool 'nuke' ability, and even cooler, a cool 'cloak' ability... it's like a modern-day ninja with a laser-guided gun.

~Fz

[DarkMirror]

Also, Ghosts have detection now, so it could fight the Dark templar.

[ForTheSwarm]

It only detects units with energy. As of now, Dark Templars do not have energy. Also, I believe that the detction is more like the sensor tower's kind.

[Amake]

Ghosts are spies, duh. It's like asking why people like James Bond more than the cannon fodder cast in The Thin Red Line. Ghosts are the guys who get to be the one man in the right place at the right time with the cool toys who wins the war; people want to be him.

I like Medics, though, even if their job is to extend the average life expectancy of a Marine in the field to a whopping forty-two seconds. Because of that actually. It's a task as hopeless and pointless as an ant trying to sabotage an industrial strength meat grinder, but they do it - I imagine - because they care about people, unlike everyone else in the galaxy.

[Galiant]

its because their stealthy like ninjas

[FrankZ]

its because their stealthy like ninjas
Quite right, but in the ninja' aspect, I think the Dark Templars are better-looking.

Ghosts are spies, duh. It's like asking why people like James Bond more than the cannon fodder cast in The Thin Red Line. Ghosts are the guys who get to be the one man in the right place at the right time with the cool toys who wins the war; people want to be him.
I have to agree with you, Amake'. That's quite a good and real point you've got there. I've always thought of the Terran Ghosts as some kind of stealthy secret / super agent with cool lasers and a whopping nuclear bomb deployment prowess.

~Fz

[DarkMirror]

In the regard of ninja-like stealth, that is true. However, as Ktan once pointed out, Dark Templar are not ninjas.

[FrankZ]

Well, I did not say they are ninjas. I just said they look more like ninjas than the Ghosts.

~Fz