Blizzard Invitational 2008

[Flopjack]

So what does everyone think about the new information regarding Starcraft 2? Personally, there is so much to think about it's hard to single any one thing out. Zerg has definitely changed a lot since we've last seen them, but I believe for the better without a doubt. I am skeptical of the new gas mechanic however and them giving two gas geysers per base to enable it. The way I understand it is you can pay a small amount of minerals (I think 100) to charge a depleted geyser, which you must wait a set duration, then you can collect from it at a higher rate... or something like that. But the ability can only be used so often as it has a recharge time.

[Mokarachi]

I haven't heard much about SCII because I've been following D3 a bit more...
I really like that geyser idea, it will give more strategy to the game. If you mine gas too fast and buy expensive things thus depleting the gas supply at a faster rate, you may end up screwing yourself in the long run. Unless I misunderstood what you meant?

[Flopjack]

The way I understand it is the two geysers will have around 1000 gas in them each and you have the ability to temporarily boost their output once they are depleted for 100 minerals.

[Sakora]

I think its a little bullocks with the gas thing, I mean the strategy is NOT to run out of materials, it just defeats the purpose

[Flopjack]

It's a new macro feature they are implementing due to complaints I believe. It will be interesting to try at least. However I hope they get it a little better so it doesn't feel tacked on in the end, which I'm sure they will.

Edit: Here is how it works, straight from Blizz's official forums.

Here is how it works. All numbers are subject to change. We have changed the balance since the WWI build and will be fiddling with the balance this coming week for sure.

You start with two Vespene Geysers in your base and at every expansion (some maps will not do this of course, but all the WWI maps do). Optimal number of workers per gas collection building is 3 (so you need 6 total).

All gas collection buildings start with a certain amount of gas (like SC1). I believe it's 1000 in your WWI build.

When a gas collector runs out it becomes "depleted" (like SC1). A depleted gas collector still allows you to harvest some gas (like SC1). In the WWI build you collect 6 gas per trip from a working gas collector and 2 gas per trip when depleted.

All gas collectors have a "Restore Gas" (name temp) button that you can use to return your gas collector to a non-depleted state. In the WWI build this gets you 400 gas back into your collector. Restoring Gas costs 100 minerals and takes the gas collector down for 45 seconds (all numbers temp).

Like all things this is work-in-progress, but here is what we have seen in the games we have played:

1) You can choose how much gas you want. The more gas you want, the less minerals you will have. If you build your 2nd gas collector too soon, you may have the wrong resource mix. If you go gas too late, you may have the wrong resource mix. If you use "Restore Gas" too few times you may not have enough gas to do some of the crazy end-game stuff. If you use it to often early on you may have too much gas and not enough minerals.

2) Some of the more mass-able units are very, very gas heavy. You can scout a player and gain some sense which way he is headed based on how quickly he goes for double gas.

3) Sometimes you don't want to "Restore Gas" if you need just a little more gas in the short term because you are trying to tech or build something critical. Since it takes down your gas collector for 45 seconds you may need to hold if you are close to being able to afford something that requires gas. This of course damages your gas collection for the long haul which makes the choice difficult.

Why we are trying it:

1) We think gas could be more interesting than it was in the original StarCraft.

2) We think StarCraft 2 can benefit from additional economy choices.

[Sakora]

But still even if it adds strategy it still makes it harder for newbies to understand

[Flopjack]

I don't think it's that difficult to understand really. New players will understand that they can pay minerals to boost their gas. It adds a needed (according to him) element to resource management.

[Sakora]

True, but I mean ppl who have never played, seen or even heard of SCI II or III

[Flopjack]

Then they will be playing from the ground up and starting the RTS journey everyone else does and consequently be introduced to the new gas mechanic at a comfortable pace.

[Mokarachi]

Originally Posted by Flopjack

I don't think it's that difficult to understand really. New players will understand that they can pay minerals to boost their gas. It adds a needed (according to him) element to resource management.

Ah....I think I like that. I'm seeing it a bit as trading in the marketplace in Age of Empires.