StormCrow
07-27-2007, 09:34 AM
Bonus 300 minerals for this unique idea
I just couldn't resist posting this idea on the forums. It might feel a little weird at first, but when people would get used to it, it could change the flow of the game, make it more interesting, and really make Starcraft 2 a next generation strategy experience.
So to the idea:-----------------------------------------------------------------------
We know that StarCraft maps have different height levels. As far as i know there are currently 4 different heights in SC2 including the air level in which the air units move and engage in combat.
I'm going to make a list of different height levels from top to bottom:
1.) The air level
2.) The 2nd cliff level.ProbablyAccessable trough ramps from the ground level or the 1st cliff level.
3.) The 1st cliff level.Accesable trough ramps from the ground level.
4.) The ground level. On this level your troops are originally, even though in known maps such as the Lost temple , you start to build on the 1st cliff level, and later move down to the ground level.
- At this point comes my idea -
5.) The underwater level:
This level is accessable from any water pool on the map, only by certain type or upgraded units. This level could be used to hide units, sneak to enemys base unseen trough waterways such as: rivers, lakes,seas and underwater tunnels. The underwater level would allow you to build secret bases underwater protected from those nasty mutalisks that harass you.
------- The underwater level would offer you many options to create strategic advantage:----
- Yellow minerals and high quality vespene gas would fit there perfectly to encourage the players to try playing underwater.
- SCVs would recieve an upgrade to move effectively and survive in underwater environments (Ill return to the protoss and zerg later). With this upgrade your buildings would recieve an upgrade aswell, making you able to build bases underwater and granting you acces to several buildings designed only for underwater environments.
- Underwater combat units: They would basically be upgraded versions of normal ground units.
these are just examples.
* The Terran viking would have an underwater form trough upgrade.
* The marines or ghosts would recieve a tactical suit designed for underwater combat, ofcourse with the ability to return to the surface at any time.
* The zergling and Hydralisk would't need any upgrades for underwater movement. Pearhaps just a movement speed upgrade or tunneling.
- Underwater tunneling.
* Ability only accessable by the Zerg units such as the Hydralisk , and terran SCVs (notice that the Terran version of this ability would be significally slower because the SCV would just use his drill/ fusion cutter to create the tunnel, whereas the Zerg use their claws and force their way trought with a great speed.)
THE PROTOSS:
The forces of Protoss would not gain acces to the underwater level at any part of the game. However, they have several special abilities that can counter your enemies attempts to build an underwater base.
Examples:
* The Phase prism recieves an ability ''Magnetize'' to suck all water from a specific area to make the underwater level accesable for normal ground units. This would allow protoss units to be dropped on the area, or a colossus just to walk in and pew pew.
This ability would also work on interactive obstacles such as rocks blocking ramps.
* The Reaver recieves a new ability called ''Shock wave'' that works on the ground and also has effect to units and buldings placed underwater.
This is an ability that has a cooldown and requires energy. On the ground, it launches a shockwave that deals psionic area of effect damage and throws back enemy units. When used near the water, it creates a Zunami - like effect that deals damage to underwater structures and units (deals less damage than on ground units.) However when you have 4 reavers making shockwaves on the top of the water pool, doesnt that kinda force your opponent to make a decision wether to sacrifice their base or to come and destroy your Reavers?
*The Protoss Observer recieves an ability to scan water pool areas. You are unable to see underwater but you will hear a beeping sound if there are any enemy movement on the selected area. The Observer won't be able to detect units that aren't moving, or buldings that arent processing anything. So it is wise for a player to stay as silent as possible if there is an Observer lurking around.
THE ZERG:
Are the kings of underwater environments when it comes to speed. While not able to build underwater, They move swiftly and dig tunnels with a great speed, so if you are playing a Terran, make sure to have troops near the walls to prevent a zerg surprise attack from a tunnel. Otherwise you might be forced to lift off your buildings and move your base on the ground level (Not that it would prevent the Zerg from following you to the surface and continuing their attack.)
THE TERRAN:
Use the waterways for surprise attacks and for fast resource gaining. One common tactic would be to send a squad of marines and ghosts to an enemy location with a stealthy underwater submarine. Go build that Nuclear silo underwater and your enemy won't know that you even have one, unless he succesfully scouts all the water areas on the map. Even after that it might be too late... Boom.
This is all i can think of for now. Sorry for all the mistakes in spelling. Sure this idea sounds kinda complicated and starcraft has never seen something like this, but I think that Blizzard would find a way to make it work.
I think the best way to shift between underwater area and ground area would be to use PGup and PGdn ( not accessable by Protoss.) PG dn would show you all the explored underwater areas on the map if there is no fog of war (if not explored then it would be shown as black.). PG up would return you to the ground level.
Edit: Notice that not neraly all maps have any water pools, so u don't have to worry about it all the time :)
Your opinions gentlemen ?
I just couldn't resist posting this idea on the forums. It might feel a little weird at first, but when people would get used to it, it could change the flow of the game, make it more interesting, and really make Starcraft 2 a next generation strategy experience.
So to the idea:-----------------------------------------------------------------------
We know that StarCraft maps have different height levels. As far as i know there are currently 4 different heights in SC2 including the air level in which the air units move and engage in combat.
I'm going to make a list of different height levels from top to bottom:
1.) The air level
2.) The 2nd cliff level.ProbablyAccessable trough ramps from the ground level or the 1st cliff level.
3.) The 1st cliff level.Accesable trough ramps from the ground level.
4.) The ground level. On this level your troops are originally, even though in known maps such as the Lost temple , you start to build on the 1st cliff level, and later move down to the ground level.
- At this point comes my idea -
5.) The underwater level:
This level is accessable from any water pool on the map, only by certain type or upgraded units. This level could be used to hide units, sneak to enemys base unseen trough waterways such as: rivers, lakes,seas and underwater tunnels. The underwater level would allow you to build secret bases underwater protected from those nasty mutalisks that harass you.
------- The underwater level would offer you many options to create strategic advantage:----
- Yellow minerals and high quality vespene gas would fit there perfectly to encourage the players to try playing underwater.
- SCVs would recieve an upgrade to move effectively and survive in underwater environments (Ill return to the protoss and zerg later). With this upgrade your buildings would recieve an upgrade aswell, making you able to build bases underwater and granting you acces to several buildings designed only for underwater environments.
- Underwater combat units: They would basically be upgraded versions of normal ground units.
these are just examples.
* The Terran viking would have an underwater form trough upgrade.
* The marines or ghosts would recieve a tactical suit designed for underwater combat, ofcourse with the ability to return to the surface at any time.
* The zergling and Hydralisk would't need any upgrades for underwater movement. Pearhaps just a movement speed upgrade or tunneling.
- Underwater tunneling.
* Ability only accessable by the Zerg units such as the Hydralisk , and terran SCVs (notice that the Terran version of this ability would be significally slower because the SCV would just use his drill/ fusion cutter to create the tunnel, whereas the Zerg use their claws and force their way trought with a great speed.)
THE PROTOSS:
The forces of Protoss would not gain acces to the underwater level at any part of the game. However, they have several special abilities that can counter your enemies attempts to build an underwater base.
Examples:
* The Phase prism recieves an ability ''Magnetize'' to suck all water from a specific area to make the underwater level accesable for normal ground units. This would allow protoss units to be dropped on the area, or a colossus just to walk in and pew pew.
This ability would also work on interactive obstacles such as rocks blocking ramps.
* The Reaver recieves a new ability called ''Shock wave'' that works on the ground and also has effect to units and buldings placed underwater.
This is an ability that has a cooldown and requires energy. On the ground, it launches a shockwave that deals psionic area of effect damage and throws back enemy units. When used near the water, it creates a Zunami - like effect that deals damage to underwater structures and units (deals less damage than on ground units.) However when you have 4 reavers making shockwaves on the top of the water pool, doesnt that kinda force your opponent to make a decision wether to sacrifice their base or to come and destroy your Reavers?
*The Protoss Observer recieves an ability to scan water pool areas. You are unable to see underwater but you will hear a beeping sound if there are any enemy movement on the selected area. The Observer won't be able to detect units that aren't moving, or buldings that arent processing anything. So it is wise for a player to stay as silent as possible if there is an Observer lurking around.
THE ZERG:
Are the kings of underwater environments when it comes to speed. While not able to build underwater, They move swiftly and dig tunnels with a great speed, so if you are playing a Terran, make sure to have troops near the walls to prevent a zerg surprise attack from a tunnel. Otherwise you might be forced to lift off your buildings and move your base on the ground level (Not that it would prevent the Zerg from following you to the surface and continuing their attack.)
THE TERRAN:
Use the waterways for surprise attacks and for fast resource gaining. One common tactic would be to send a squad of marines and ghosts to an enemy location with a stealthy underwater submarine. Go build that Nuclear silo underwater and your enemy won't know that you even have one, unless he succesfully scouts all the water areas on the map. Even after that it might be too late... Boom.
This is all i can think of for now. Sorry for all the mistakes in spelling. Sure this idea sounds kinda complicated and starcraft has never seen something like this, but I think that Blizzard would find a way to make it work.
I think the best way to shift between underwater area and ground area would be to use PGup and PGdn ( not accessable by Protoss.) PG dn would show you all the explored underwater areas on the map if there is no fog of war (if not explored then it would be shown as black.). PG up would return you to the ground level.
Edit: Notice that not neraly all maps have any water pools, so u don't have to worry about it all the time :)
Your opinions gentlemen ?