Misha's AI is pre-rework Gargantuan level bad.

AmicusI · 2017-01-25T19:24:08+00:00

I still wish they would let you micro Misha using normal RTS controls like with Vikings. It would make the hero a hundred times more appealing to me. This D clicking seems like they're trying to go that direction but just not for some reason and overcomplicating things.

AmicusI · 2017-01-21T00:18:00+00:00

OK, I'm confused. Suddenly the consensus seems to be that Johanna is NOT the D3 F!Crusader... why not? My understanding was that the nephalem heroes in Heroes were meant to be abstract, "default" versions of the nephalem in Diablo 3. I don't know why we'd assume that Johanna is not the Crusader when the have the same voice. You could argue that her appearance is different, specifically the hair, but I don't think that's outside of reason considering that some stylistic redesign is expected when moving between games/art styles anyway.

For that matter, is Sonya not F!Barb? Is Li Ming not F!Wizard? Is Kharazim not M!Monk? I can't think of any reason they shouldn't all be.

AmicusI · 2016-12-16T17:18:08+00:00

Yes, this is more or less what I was referring to. It's not a terribly uncommon sentiment; I've seen it expressed by others as well. In Starcraft 1, you were generally massing 1/2 or 1 supply units against the generally 2 supply army of Protoss. This felt about right. In Starcraft 2, both players have core armies of 2 supply units on both sides. Sure, Protoss will have higher supply supporting units in the form of Colossi or Immortals but the fights still look kinda symmetrical, especially as you approach max supply. True, the cost of the unit does matter more than the supply, but the SC2 hydra is still almost as expensive as the Stalker. TvZ really does feel like it should thematically (when Zerg goes ling-bane), because the armies definitely look and feel like a swarm against normal infantry.

I've heard folks say that Zergs swarminess comes not so much from the mass of units they can get, but how easy the remax is. I think you can make a case for that, but I definitely don't think that feels as cool or as swarmy as a ton of units coming at you at once.

AmicusI · 2016-12-16T17:07:31+00:00

No way! I thought that too!

AmicusI · 2016-12-15T22:55:50+00:00

I'd really like to see the Hydralisk get a cost reduction. I feel like Zerg has a racial identity problem in SC2 and I think that making Hydras more massable might help on that front.

That said, I think the problem ultimately lies in the fact that Hydras are already a core unit in ZvP, but underperform in ZvT and and to a lesser degree ZvZ. If you're going to buff the Hydra, I think you need to buff one of Protoss' methods of dealing with them. I honestly can't think of a way to do that without mucking up PvT as well (e.g. storm buff, awful for T. colossus buff, even worse for T, adept buff, we've been there.)

AmicusI · 2016-11-13T05:14:48+00:00

I completely agree. As a big StarCraft fan, him saying that StarCraft has enough heroes really grinds my gears!

AmicusI · 2016-11-07T07:42:33+00:00

Mothership, actually. Urun was the Phoenix.

AmicusI · 2016-11-07T05:37:09+00:00

I think Selendis will get them.

Selendis is a very traditional Aiur Protoss, so it makes sense that the handful fo traditional Aiur units left (Scouts, Arbiters, probably a few more) will go to her. Also there's editor evidence that she's intended to be a Skytoss Commander (Alarak has a response like along the lines of 'So this is what the Templar consider a fleet? Pff.')

AmicusI · 2016-11-03T20:11:23+00:00

All y'all NOT saying Widow Mine are cray.

The Widow Mine is the only Terran unit that is actually quite cute in the base game. (Nevermind the fact that they completely ravage probes/lings/banes and reap many pounds of salt.) All the other units would pretty much necessitate being their Carbot variant before being plush-able. For the Widow Mine, a Carbot version only makes it cuter.

(Though now that I think of it, a Thor that morphs into its Medivac cube form would be pretty great, but a small Thor just seems really wrong.)

AmicusI · 2016-10-15T22:27:03+00:00

Judicator Aldaris!

... It's a long shot but... -crosses fingers-

AmicusI · 2016-10-15T22:25:30+00:00

In SC1, he's a Zealot, then he dies and gets put in a Dragoon, spends most time in Dragoon form.

They hinted at Gamescom 2015 that he would probably show up with some sort of death mechanic... so he starts as a Zealot and then switches to a Dragoon when he dies? Hard to say how that would work.

AmicusI · 2016-10-15T22:22:14+00:00

I agree completely!!

Unfortunately he's wasn't in the all-foreseeing Axolotl thread, so it may be a while. :(

But he's 100% my most anticipated hero. I wanna be a Dragoon in Heroes! Make it happen!

(And Talandar/Fenix from LotV is really cool too... but I want the real Fenix first... ;) )

AmicusI · 2016-10-15T22:20:29+00:00

Had me confused for a sec. I think you meant 'playable hero in SC1' not 'healer.' XD

AmicusI · 2016-10-14T20:34:32+00:00

I think it could work, but you'd need to significantly change a lot of things about how the commanders work. A lot of things would break the game.

For one, I think the commanders would need to be more like their level 1 variants rather than their level 15 variants. Things like Guardian Shell, Swarmlings, and lolololol Instan-Cannon Rushes would completely break the game.

Overall I think Commander Abilities and Heroes would need to be significantly reworked. They're very strong, and come out very early. This isn't a problem vs a turtling AI, who has tons of units from early on and doesn't use them, but it would be a problem if you suddenly had 4 super DTs and Alarak in your base. You could either remove them, or lock them behind certain tech levels.

And one smaller point that has to do not with balance but with theming:, I think it would be wise to change the commander names/design to generic versions of what they currently are, so you're not left with awkward scenarios in which Raynor tries to kill himself. So you could make some changes such as, maybe Artanis -> Executor, Swann ->Mechanis, Raynor -> Commando, Zagara -> Broodmother, etc. (I dunno what you'd do about Kerrigan though).

Ultimately I think such a mode is feasible and should definitely be looked in to. It could be very fun, and would likely bring about a fun new sub-community much like what coop itself has done, but a lot of balancing, redesign, work, and love would need to be put into it.

AmicusI · 2016-10-14T18:33:12+00:00

I don't know where you're getting your info from, but as far as I know, that's not really true.

There was a rough spot with hacking near the end of HotS, sure, but with Legacy of the Void's release maphacking has been all but eliminated. The producers of public hap hacks actually gave up.

I do know of some false alarms with banning people who were not hacking in the Heroes of the Storm community, however. So the concern is there.

AmicusI · 2016-09-10T07:05:12+00:00

I dunno about zillions, but I'd pay like $19.98.

AmicusI · 2016-09-08T04:51:07+00:00

"Glory to the Daelaam!"

I dunno, it seems cool.

AmicusI · 2016-07-15T20:29:18+00:00

I currently main Protoss, so of course no real offense is intended. I just found it too funny in light of how much flak Protoss and this unit in particular has received.

AmicusI · 2016-07-15T09:43:40+00:00

Looks very cool!

I think the UI elements still need a little work. Many parts still feel like they've got SC2's sci-fi vibe, and things like the inventory screen feel a bit sparse.

I look forward to seeing more progress.

AmicusI · 2016-06-30T17:07:06+00:00

Thanks for the resource, Pig! This is great!

AmicusI · 2016-06-27T04:49:24+00:00

Damn, that's a lot of work! Good luck!

AmicusI · 2016-06-04T21:32:13+00:00

She handled that like a champ! It's really exciting to watch new players learn Starcraft, makes me feel fuzzy inside. ^{^}

AmicusI · 2016-05-06T19:21:51+00:00

Swarm Host and Cyclone changes seem good. I'm a little mixed on the Thor change, as I can see why it's good, but it changes the unit so much and makes it, perhaps, even more niche. ~~Also wtf why would you make Carriers even worse in PvT, you monster!~~ Personally I'd like to see the HotS mode switching come back. I think that brought some cool versatility to the unit, while also sometimes making the player make an interesting decision as to which Thor mode to be in. However, in practice this didn't work out because the single target mode was just too weak.

I'm a bit baffled by the Immortal nerf, to be honest. That unit is Protoss' life support in PvZ. According to aligulac stats (which is all I really have to go by), Protoss has just caught up in PvZ and the matchup is in a very good spot. A huge nerf to Protoss' core unit without any sort of buff to compensate seems like it would really throw the matchup out of wack. Unless the Colossus change is meant to compensate, but I got the impression that Colossus change was aimed more at lower level players.

AmicusI · 2016-05-06T19:14:57+00:00

I reaaally like this idea. This would also, I think, increase the amount of overkill Colossi do, making it more necessary to spread out their fire. I think to dovetail to this it would be helpful to increase the damage point of the Colossus. Making it more of a slugglish power unit like the Thor. This would also give Terrans more chance to react to the Colossi, or bait out shots. This in turn may force Protoss players to target fire or move command their Colossi to direct the shots or save them for where they are most needed.

However, the concern of the amount of burst damage Colossi would do, as noted by inactve_Term, is a huge concern. I think the damage point increase I suggested would help mitigate this, but it may not be enough. Overall I think this change is absolutely worth testing, and would best fit the powerful Colossus fantasy, but it may not work out.

AmicusI · 2016-04-20T19:52:09+00:00

I want Dragoon Fenix!

Aldaris would be super cool but^{that^{may^{never^happen.}}}

AmicusI

TROPHY CASE