PDA

View Full Version : New Attribute: Accuracy / Dodge


Original_JaminGrit
09-18-2004, 9:57 PM
When I thought about this, I thought it was gold. You can upgrade attack power, armour, and even speed with some units. But I was thinking "what other upgradable attribute could a unit have that hasn't been used before?" And I thought of range-weapon accuracy. And then my next thought was "How about the ability to dodge range-attacks, too?"

Now I know there are still the Starcraft purists out there who don't want the gameplay to change; they say it's fine the way it is. There are some people who might think that having accuracy and dodge attributes would make the game too complicated. Myself, I doubt it will make the game more complicated. It's just another couple of numbers for each unit.

It will affect your strategy, though. Defensive players could have high armour and high dodge, offensive players would have high attack and high accuracy, and other players would benefit from having any other combination (Of course, all players will eventually research all the upgrades, but at the beginning of a game they will have to pick and choose where to focus research).

It would also solve the hero problem: normal looking units with ridiculously high hit points, attack power, and armour. The solution would be instead of god-like hp and attacks, they are just extremely lucky; always hitting their target and almost never getting shot (sort of like fictional heros like James Bond, or old-timey karate movie heroes, etc; they have better skills rather than just being more resistant to damage.).

Perhaps it doesn't have to be just an upgradeable attribute, either. It could be a way of units gaining experience. Units that have made more kills would likely be better shots, right? A good way to work in the unit's kill counter as an actual factor in your strategy, rather than just a detail about the unit, and I've seen a few posts by people saying they'd like their individual unit's experience reflected in their abilities.

The accuracy may only really apply to units with range attacks, like hydralisks and dragoons. Maybe some units will have special homing attacks that never miss. Accuracy wouldn't really apply to units with melee attacks, or should they? I can totally imagine a protoss zealot and a zergling slashing at each other but not always hitting, and blocking/dodging each other's attacks. And of course, dodge would apply to all units, but big units like tanks and ultralisks (and definitely big flagships) that are slower would be easier to hit, and would have a significantly lower dodge than, say, an interceptor from a protoss carrier.

I dunno, but I think it's a cool idea. Any thoughts?

BSTRhino
09-18-2004, 10:35 PM
I love the originality and detail of the idea Original_JaminGrit. It would change the gameplay entirely. That might be a good thing, I believe StarCraft 2 has to make a significant change from StarCraft 1 if it's going to be successful.

I don't know about your idea though, I am not a great fan of randomness in the game. I think that StarCraft's success relies on the fact that if you win a game, it's because of your own skill, meaning strategy is an important part of the game.

However, it would have great implications if it could be made so their dodging and hitting ability is perhaps controlled by the player. I mean, it would bring a lot more depth to the micromanagement scene of StarCraft, which currently is something that WarCraft excels in.

I think if it could somehow depend on a player's ability, and not on random factors, it'd be a good addition to the game.

Sauvastika
09-20-2004, 8:29 PM
Accuracy is a good idea, but dodging should only be applied to being attacked by melee units. How would a unit dodge a bullet? It'd be near impossible. I can see accuracy working for both range and melee.

Pinstripe
09-21-2004, 7:55 AM
hes right.... you can't exactly dodge a bullet but applied to a melee setting dodge could be a good new factor.... also for aircraft dodge would be important. accuracy would matter in melee and would also apply for ranged attacks where there is a margin for error beyond your enemy's dodging capabilties. however if you were to implement these types of ideas then you would start getting into more complex elements of the game like terrain providing cover... elevation as applied to accuracy and rage and unit morale.... which although might make an interesting game would be totally different from the starcraft we all know and (probably)love

Geckat
09-21-2004, 7:57 AM
I agree with BST here. I was going to say that one of the ideas had to go for balance, but now it makes sense when you lay it out like that. Yeah, if there was accuracy/dodge, it shouldn't be random like in WCIII. It should be like, Accuracy is all ranged attacks, and then you have dodge for defending against close attacks. Like, Marines: 1/10 times they attack they miss, and that's always in order (9 hits, 1 miss, 9 hits, 1 miss....) and Melee units always hit to start, but then that is lessened by the defending unit's dodge, the same way a Marine hits. It wouldn't affect the game much, as much as WC anyway, but it would add a bit more strategy to it with the upgrades to accuracy and dodge.

Oh, and welcome Pinstripe, glad to be the first to see you post. Terrain already provides cover (like more accurate and better dodge on higher terrain is already in effect in SC). But I don't think morale should make a difference. Almost all of the units in SC, if not all, have had their minds messed up so they're completely loyal to their commander.

And aircraft, I forgot all about aircraft. Errrmmmm...actually they should have the same stats as other ranged units, with accuracy mattering for attacking and dodge for dodging melee attacks (their could be a Hyppogriph wannabe in SCII). Yeah, any more ideas that I can chew on?

Spartan-II
09-21-2004, 6:56 PM
Lol a hipporgriph wannabe.