StarCraft II Official! (Pictures)

[IskatuMesk]

As I said, it's pretty certain carriers can't attack air. I've been hearing that from all over the place.

Also, blizzard had said that they wont be adding units, just replacing. Count em, Protoss have more units now than in SC1. That gives me hope that the game will be an improvement over SC2, and add a greater amount of variety.

Wait, SC2 is already out? gimme

[Xenon]

www.starcraft2.com

Updated with an interview about cinematics, and data and screens pertaining to the Phoenix.

Also, adding more units brings challenges; it makes it more difficult to balance the races, as well as the units within the race. This is complicated further by special abilities and attack mechanics. Blizzard needs to make sure that all the units are useful; many RTS games have units that aren't used very often.

Observer with an ability? Perhaps a "telescopic mode" in which its circular view range switches to a long-distance arc in front of it.

[IskatuMesk]

Well, the protoss having more units should be easier to balance because of how specialized they are.

Unfortunately, unless the carrier is either returned to normal status or they get a heavier air unit, the protoss are going to have a serious weakness in air power. They won't be able to contend with bcs/wraiths/whatever else is out there with just warp rays and phoenixes.

edit - I don't really consider the mothership a primary air power unit because it's supposedly going to be insanely expensive.

[Infiltrator]

Um, those phoenixes with overload? Twelve of them will devastate any enemy fleet.

[IskatuMesk]

Against bcs... I doubt it. They aren't designed to take on large units. I doubt twelve of them could beat 5-6 bcs, especially with yamato having as short as a cooldown as it apparently has.

If they could that would be ridiculous.

[Infiltrator]

Well, it seems to do stacks of damage to EVERYTHING nearby...

[Anonymous]

It does, although I still imagine that a group of 5 bcs could trounce a dozen of those dudes pretty easily, especially with yamato. Bc's are very powerful units. I don't think Warp Rays make excellent tanks, either. So it seems that other then the late-game Mothership, the protoss may not have an answer for heavy airpower other then drawing units into land-based assets.

The primary purpose of the carrier in sc1 was absorbing damage and harassing/swarming weaker enemy air units or land bases. Now, the new carrier can't even hit air let alone absorb damage from air targets. Hmmm.

edit - Also, wtfx2 at those yellow minerals... could they just be doodads (doubt it given their arrangement), or serve the same purpose as Blue Tiberium?

[Xenon]

They might be harvested faster (say, 12 minerals per chunk) or be infused with Vespene Gas (say, 6 minerals and 2 gas per chunk) which is actually kind of like what Tiberium is 

[chris]

In my opinion the tempest is quite simply a weak carrier.
BTW its grey because its a dark templar weapon.....i think

edit: just had a look at the SC2 website. its unit page has finally been updated. it now includes the phoenix

update: oh god, i just had a look at the 22min demo video, I just foudn somethign hilarious on it!

for all those who have the video go to 12:30 of the video.
the look to the left for a green billboard doodad.
it says "iPistol" lol!!!

[IskatuMesk]

Yeah, I noticed the ipistol last night, too. I giggled.

[Grandma]

They might be harvested faster (say, 12 minerals per chunk) or be infused with Vespene Gas (say, 6 minerals and 2 gas per chunk) which is actually kind of like what Tiberium is 

That's fine and dandy, but what I'd really like is if they gave you the normal amount of resources, I don't like the thought of super minerals. Or the general idea of changing anything about the resources themselves. ='(

I REALLY wanna know how the Zerg and Terran match up to the protoss, though.


Oh and blizz definitely needs more carriers!

[chris]

where did the SC2 forum go? 

[Maglok]

Boom!

[Lavarinth]

It was taken down for the mean time as SC2 gets closer to a release date.

[AA7Dragoon]

I am concerned how the Protoss lacks a super air unit now that the Tempest is weaker and useless to other air units.  Although the Warp Rays can counter BC's very well, nothing can stand up to that Yamato cannon.  The fact that the Yamato Cannon wiped out a Tempest in one hit makes me gulp.

Luckily, they haven't even begun to balance things out yet.  Hopefully the BC's won't be the superdogs of the air and that the Protoss and Zerg have some kind of cool counter.  Even in Brood War, enough Devourers could wipe out a BC Fleet with that stackable anti-haste debuff..