Patch 3

[Xelxiuz]

As opposed to Queen and Drone. Blizzard never had creativity, they had polish.

[Thalraxal]

As opposed to Queen and Drone. Blizzard never had creativity, they had polish.

Queen and Drone are logical names, however, they're related to their functions in the Swarm.  But roach?  Meaningless!  Generic bug-alien name!

[Xelxiuz]

Roach = Cockroach = Bugs that survive nukes. Only two steps more to make the link.

[Taeradun]

and they burn your fingers if you don't use a clip

[Thalraxal]

Roach = Cockroach = Bugs that survive nukes. Only two steps more to make the link.

I know what they're referencing with the name, Xel.  'Roach' is still a terrible name for a unit.  I'm sure they could have a spent a whole fifteen minutes and come up with a better name than that.

[Lavarinth]

Roach is indeed a terrible name. Might as well call it Regenling.

[Taeradun]

Cocklisk

[Xelxiuz]

That's your 15 minutes worth of answer =[

[IskatuMesk]

Cocklisk

Has new bonus damage type "Penetrating"

[Thalraxal]

Cocklisk

That's your 15 minutes worth of answer =[

And it's still better than 'Roach'.

I think I'll go with Lav's Regenling for now.  From this day forward, I shall only refer to the Roach as the Regenling, and no one will have any clue what I'm talking about!

[Taeradun]

Dung beetle

[Taeradun]

wait wait, I got it





how about "Roachlisk"

[Hercanic]

Hydr-a-lisk
Mut-a-lisk
Ultr-a-lisk

So if anything, it'd have to be a Roachalisk.

Honestly, though, I'm fine with the name Roach. The monosyllabic word is short, simple, and connotates everything the unit is. A real roach is sneaky, able to slip between cracks and pop up in your home when you least suspect it. The skittering bug is vile, but a hearty survivor.

When you are naming something, you want to evoke an emotion and (particularly in an RTS) communicate as much as possible about the unit in a simple way. Very few unit names in Starcraft are completely made-up. They usually have a basis in something, which communicates its role, function, or flavor. The Carrier, Observer, Larva, Overlord, Queen, Siege Tank, Battlecruiser, etc, are all plain English words. A name like Firebat, which is Starcraft's own term, still has a very overt meaning with the prefix fire-.

In short, I don't see the name Roach as differing from Starcraft's established conventions.

[Xenon]

I still like Cheese-Child's list of Zerg units.

Drone
Worker
Soldier
Queen
King
Ace
Dog
Angry Dog
Mutant Dog
Angry Mutant Dog
Dogdralisk
Elephant
Elephantlisk
DefiledSlimeBeastLord
Attackdralisk
Beastolisk
Liskdralisk
Liskmastah Z
Giant Blimpolisk
Satan

"This is a picture of one of the ham monster units, the meatloafdralisk. Like all other units of that race they are big and fat and ugly and made entirely out of meat."

[Death_Wing]

Wow, that was just too much for me. Let me go lie down.