Karune Answers Questions

[Faiien]

Not a batch just some questions that Karune provided answers for. This exclusive batch of questions was provided by starcraftcz.
http://www.starcraftcz.com/game-info-exklusive-qa
Something worth clarifying in these answers is that if a Nydus Worm is destroyed, the units that are loaded inside will not be destroyed. Think of each Nydus Worm as an opening in a system of tunnels created by the Nydus Worm. If you lose all openings to this tunnel system, you will then lose all units in that tunnel system. With multiple Nydus Worms, this opens up a lot of deadly strategies for Zerg, to virtually be in many different places very quickly.

Some players may open up multiple Nydus Worm holes in an enemy base in order to ensure they can get as many units out as fast as possible (since the Nydus Worms themselves have very little hitpoints). Other players may opt to open up a Nydus Worm on opposite sides of an opponent's base or between his main base and his expansion, to jump his army back and forth between the two openings with little transition time.

Q u o t e:

When a nydus worm surfaces, and after releasing its troops, does it become a back and forth instant transport system similar to the nydus cannal in SC1? Or in other words, is it a 2 way road?
It is a 2 way transport, allowing units to both move in and out.


Q u o t e:

After being deployed and releasing troops, is the nydus fixed forever in its spot, or can it move again?

The Nydus Worm can repack up and move again. To change the Nydus Worm from its stationary mode to mobile mode, there will be a delay, which will be subject to balance.

1) How many units can Nydus Worm and Phase Prism transport (does it depend to number of units or population)? Is it possible to load Zerg defensive buildings to Nydus Worm? That means loading Sunken Colony to Nydus Worm, burrowing and getting into enemy Zerg base, unloading and taking roots in enemy creep.

The Nydus will be able to transport as many as can be selectable (which is currently 255). Phase Prisms will be able to transport the same amount of units as the transport from the original StarCraft. Zerg defensive buildings will not be able to be transported in a Nydus Worm.

2) Does the terrain in the game affect damage which deal shooting units? E.g. shooting down of cliff, hiding behind the trees...

Terrain will not affect damage, but will affect line of sight. Without LOS (line of sight), you will not be able to fire back at enemy units with LOS on your units.

3) Can Baneling explode at command? (for the best using damage radius, for killing cloaked units) Does a killed Baneling explode? Can it be actived like a mine? (it'll automatically explode when enemy unit gets closer) How can (immobile) Baneling hurt air units while they're lifted up by Nullifier's Anti-Gravity ability?

Banelings will not be able to explode on command. They will only explode on contact with an enemy unit or by a unit killing it. If Banelings are lifted up by Anti-Gravity and an air unit kills the Baneling, it will do damage to air units- which will be highly effectively against light units such as Mutalisks.

4) How complicated will it be to destroy Nydus Worm while moving?

In the current build, Nydus Worms are able to be seen while traversing the terrain. You do not need a detector to be able to see it traveling.

5) Is there some method in SC2, how Protoss can replenish their HP or shields or will they have to wait? Will Shield Battery replenish shields for buildings?

The Protoss will not be able to replenish their hit points unless they have allied Medivac Dropships healing them.

6) Does the Drop-pod's falling hurt units/buildings in place of falling?

The Drop Pods ability has been removed from the Ghost in multiplayer.

7) Are Reapers, while flying, considered ground or air unit?

Reapers are still considered ground units when they are jumping up and down from cliffs.

8) How does the final mosaic of I <3 SC contest look like? When will we able to see it, how many pictures is it in sum? What are its proportions?

This will be out very soon. Keep checking the I <3 SC page for updates.
I'am really dissapointed they took out the drop-pods, I was really looking forward to that aspect of gameplay

[DarkMirror]

Dammit. Get rid of snipe, for lords sake, not drop pods!

[Faiien]

Dammit. Get rid of snipe, for lords sake, not drop pods!
Amen to that, but I can see why they did it, I imagine the drop pods would be very difficult to balance.

[ChimTheGrim21]

I like it that Nydus worms can relocate. It would suck if they were permanent in the same spots.

[vIsitor]

Dustin "Cavez" Browder gave the following justifications for the removal of drop-pods in another BNet forums thread (http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=sc2-general&t=1271560&s=blizzard&tmp=1#blizzard
):

Drop Pods were "one more thing" on the Ghost. The Ghost had a TON of powers for a while and when we were looking at it we decided we had to be simpler/cleaner with the unit design so cuts had to be made.

More importantly, when we played with them in-game we really struggled to find a good use for them in a lot of situations. They had some narrow-use cases of course, but just weren't that fun. They were balance-able.

As our unit mix changes we may find a use for them again, but today they are out.

[Kankuro4800]

Heh, I just got Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War. It's an RTS, and the Space Marine faction basically revolves around drop pods. It works out really well in the balance. It saddens me that this aspect was removed from the game. Maybe they can make drop pods a non-ghost ability? Like, they can make a building to load units into, then launch the pod from that building. Or add the ability to another unit, something fast and mobile and capable of scouting, like the reaper. You're in, drop pods, rape the enemy, you're out.

[SilverCrusader]

Dude 255 selectable units? OMG. Zerg will rape everything.
"LAWL MASS ATTACK MOVE W/ MY ZERGLINGS!"

[Ktan]

Bearing in mind the Nydus worm will probably be a fairly big bottle-neck, I should hope that it will require micro and possibly a few Nydus worms to shift that many units.

Also, I'm guessing the 255 units assumes that you could reach that many units within the popcap. Obviously, to some extent that could entail 'lawl Zerglings'

[SilverCrusader]

You can get 400 in the original StarCraft. So getting 250 would be a piece of cake. 250 Zerglings costs a measly 6250 minerals. So yes, "lawl zerglings."
This is assuming their cost remains the same and you still get the but 1 get 1 free deal.

[Basan]

Amen to that, but I can see why they did it, I imagine the drop pods would be very difficult to balance.

Yeah, but I still that it'll be modifiable enough to occur in some maps through the editor. ;)

[vIsitor]

Bearing in mind the Nydus worm will probably be a fairly big bottle-neck, I should hope that it will require micro and possibly a few Nydus worms to shift that many units.

Also, I'm guessing the 255 units assumes that you could reach that many units within the popcap. Obviously, to some extent that could entail 'lawl Zerglings'

I believe there was a dev quote that said something to that extent.

I really ought to dig it up...

[EDIT: Here it is! (http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=sc2-general&t=1270407&s=blizzard&tmp=1#blizzard)]

Something worth clarifying in these answers is that if a Nydus Worm is destroyed, the units that are loaded inside will not be destroyed. Think of each Nydus Worm as an opening in a system of tunnels created by the Nydus Worm. If you lose all openings to this tunnel system, you will then lose all units in that tunnel system. With multiple Nydus Worms, this opens up a lot of deadly strategies for Zerg, to virtually be in many different places very quickly.

Some players may open up multiple Nydus Worm holes in an enemy base in order to ensure they can get as many units out as fast as possible (since the Nydus Worms themselves have very little hitpoints). Other players may opt to open up a Nydus Worm on opposite sides of an opponent's base or between his main base and his expansion, to jump his army back and forth between the two openings with little transition time.

[Faiien]

Yeah, but I still that it'll be modifiable enough to occur in some maps through the editor. Indeed, indeed good sir. With all the scraps we're getting from the unit concepts I imagine custom maps will blow up on sc2.

[Mjolniir]

has anyone thought that 255 is perhaps a temp number?
as in they are using that just for seeing how thiings work?

[vIsitor]

has anyone thought that 255 is perhaps a temp number?
as in they are using that just for seeing how things work?

Maybe.

Since 256 is a standard reference limit, and zero is a number, it would stand to reason that the devs would probably limit it to 255 for design reasons if they were stress-testing it.

Then again, they might actually want to give the player the maximum amount of selection that is possible within reason. Who knows?

[NoobOfLore]

I bet you guys that the drop pod will be an inactive ability that will be equipable to certain units with the AWESOME MAP EDITOR!

[ForTheSwarm]

You can already equip any spell/ability to any unit, or so it seems.

[NoobOfLore]

I was just saying that, although it's not a default ability, You can probably use it(like unused attacks using DatEdit).
All the abilities they discard, I can only hope that they put them into the map editor for spare parts...
Then again...Drop pod requires loading into a building...Building...You would have to do some pretty heavy work to get it to work the way you want, I think.
It's like trying to include nukes in the game when there's no nuke silo(which there better be, just using it as an example).

[RavenCrusade]

I'm sure just like units and buildings they discard, abilities will find a way into the map editor. On a side note; am I right in assuming what Karune was saying was that if you have three Nydus Worms, one in each of your bases, and one gets attacked; if you send units through it before being destroyed, those units could pop out of the other two?

[Faiien]

To some extent, doesnt the nydus worm have some disadvantages? I mean say i want to prevent a player from hatching a nydus at the back of my base, cant I just fill the proportions out so that there is no possible space the nydus can come up? Unlike the protoss and terran which could possibly sqeeze in a few units through the gaps and in closed areas. Just a thought.

[Dragonboyjgh]

then they'd send in some Muta's or some unreleased zerg air and blow something up, making a hole, THEN do the Nydus.

[Faiien]

that still seems very inconvenient compared to other drops

[RavenCrusade]

Blocking out all the available space in your base is the equivilent of building AA turrets around your base. They both stop transportation and you have to send something in to make a gap. IMO it's just as inconvenient, if you think about it.

Also; you can't fill up all the space everywhere, I'm sure your opponent could find a hole.

[Faiien]

Before hand this might have been inconvient but now with moving zerg buildings and sinking bunkers...I dont know...
They could find a hole maybe at some other spot in the base but I'am talking about a nydus in the back of the minderal lin.