Official StarCraft 2 FAQ Topic Thing v4.0

General FAQ
Official StarCraft2 Site: www.starcraft2.com

PLEASE READ!!!
First and foremost, the official Blizzard FAQ is located here: http://www.starcraft2.com/faq.xml
Video links at the bottom and I highly recommend looking at the tech trees in my Photobucket album. List is also at the bottom.
Also, any entries with parenthesis "()" and questions marks "?" are parts that I am unsure of or are guessing is what is going to happen.
END PLEASE READ!!!


Blizzard Announced StarCraft 2 (SC2) on May 19, 2007
Information from:
http://tinyurl.com/22c7sj ; http://tinyurl.com/3a6pzu ; http://tinyurl.com/3yexhp ; http://tinyurl.com/yq5xvr ; http://tinyurl.com/2c36hu ; http://tinyurl.com/2cbjo2 ; http://tinyurl.com/2f83oz

History
StarCraft 2 started development in 2003, after WarCraft 3: The Frozen Throne was done. SC2 is/was developed by a team of 40 people.

General Information
Races
- There will be three playable races: Zerg, Protoss, and Terran.
- The Xel'Naga will make a return in the story and pe a prominent feature.

Gameplay Mechanics
- Units attacking from cliffs will still be covered by Fog-of-War after the hit connects.
- Yellow minerals will give more return (12 per unit) than blue minerals (8 per unit), but will generally be placed in more vulnerable locations on the map.
- Allied chat is set as the default, and resource sharing between allies is planned.
- When a nuke is launched, the player that launched it sees a big spot. The opponent still only sees the small dot.
- Multiple buildings can be selected through Shift-Clicking.
- Max population count will be "similar" to the original.
- There is (currenly) no limit to how many units you may have selected
- Holding the Alt button will display overhead halth bars.

Multiplayer
- Blizzard will be making changes to Battle.Net for Starcraft 2
- Max players is still 8, but this is subject to change.
- There will be a map editor (Scumedit) and mod tools (Startool).
- The map editor will be more powerful than the Warcraft III map editor.

Technical Stuff
- You will be able to change the camera angle/position
- Building placement is grid based.
- There will be variable game speeds.
- Blizzard is encouraging the viewing of replays to create the excitement of competitions
- Blizzard will add new features to Battle.net
- Siege Tanks graphics were changed!

Requirements
- The game will run on Windows XP/Vista and Mac OSX
- There are no minimum requirements as of yet. The game will use PixelShader 2.0
- The game will use a new Engine, not a modified WCIII one.
- The game will also be using the Havok Physics Engine
- The graphics will be scalable so the game can run on a wider range of hardware.

Story/Campaign Mode

The story mode will be much different this time around.
Currently all we have seen is the Terran area, so it will be used to explain.

- There is a greater focus on story.
- You will be able to choose between different missions, rather than following a linear path.
- Each planet will have a history and lore assigned to it.
- After completing a mission, you will recieve money.
- Instead of recieving new units/abilities for each subsequent mission, you must purchase units/upgrades.
- Missions will recommend what units/upgrades to buy for that mission.
- Inbetween missions, there is a Point-and-click adventure style area.
. . . - In the Terran campaign, you play as Jim Raynor aboard the Hyperion.
. . . - There are various characters that you may talk to in the Hyperion
. . . - There are various areas to go to, such as the Armory or Cantina.
. . . - There are different conversation branches that you may choose when talking to characters.
. . . - There will be many sub-plots that you can participate in.

New Units/Abilities
Format: Unit
. . . . . . . . Ability

Protoss:
Probe: Protoss building unit

Zealot:
- Basic Protoss infantry.
- Built from Gateway/Warp Gate.
. . . Charge:
. . . - Zealots will dash into their enemies when they got close to them.
. . . - Researched at Twilight Councel.

Stalker:
- Walker attack unit.
- Requires Cybernetics Core.
- Built from Gateway/Warp Gate.
. . . Blink:
. . . - Allows the stalker to warp anywhere in it's sight range.
. . . - Researched at Twilight Councel.

Immortal:
- Walker attack unit.
- Has "Hardened Shield" that only activates when hit by a powerful attack (e.g. Seige Tank), but not small attacks (e.g. Reaper).
- Requires Twilight Councel
- Built from Gateway/Warp Gate.
. . . Hardened Shield:
. . . - Increases power of Immortal Shield. Lowers single, powerful attacks by 10 until shield is depleted.
. . . - Researched at Twilight Councel

Stasis Orb:
- Ground support unit.
- Can slow enemy movement and fire rate.
- Requires Cybernetics Core.
- Built from Gateway/Warp Gate.

High Templar:
- Ground spellcaster.
- Requires Templar Archive
- Built from Gateway/Warp Gate
. . . Psi Storm:
. . . - AOE Spell. And area is covered by a lighting storm. Units in the storm take damage.
. . . - Researched at Templar Archives

Twilight Archon:
- Ground attack unit.
- Formed by merging two Dark Templar, two High Templar, or a High and Dark Templar.
- Can drain enemy energy reserves.
. . . ???
. . . - Drains enemy energy
. . . - Researched at ??? (Templar Archives?)

Phase Prism:
- Flying support unit.
- Can deploy to create a power field.
- Acts as a Dropship.
- Built from Robotics Facility.
. . . Gravitic Drive:
. . . - Increases Phase Prism movement speed
. . . - Researched at ??? (Null Circuit?)

Observer:
- Detector Unit.
- Always cloaked.
- Requires Null Circuit.
- Built from Robotics Facility.
. . . Gravitic Booster:
. . . - Increases Observer movement speed.

Colossus:
- Huge walker attack unit.
- Can step over cliffs.
- Has a beam weapon that continues firing until all targets are gone.
- Can be attacked by Air/Ground-to-Air weapons, due to it's height.
- Cannot be put into transport.
- Requires Robotics Support Bay.
- Built from Robotics Facility.

Phoenix:
- Flying attack unit.
- Anti-Air
- Built from Stargate.
. . . Overload:
. . . - Many lasers erupt from the Phoenix and bombard nearby enemy targets. After casting, the Phoenix is disabled for a few seconds.
. . . - Researched at ??? (Fleet Beacon?)
. . . Gravitic Thrusters:
. . . - Increases Phoenix movement speed
. . . - Researched at ??? (Fleet Beacon?)
. . . Apail Sensors:
. . . - Increases sight range of the Phoenix.
. . . - Researched at ??? (Fleet Beacon?)

Warp Ray:
- Flying attack unit
- Front made up of a cone of panels.
- The panels open like a bud, and it fires a continuous laser. The more it fires on one target, the more damage it does.
- Built from Stargate

Carrier:
- Capital Ship.
- Has a shield that activates when hit by ground-based attacks.
- Attacks by launching Interceptors.
- Requires Fleet Beacon.
- Built from Stargate.
. . . Interceptor
. . . - Builds one interceptor.
. . . - Maximum of ??? (8?) interceptors.
. . . - Basic unit ability.
. . . (Shield?)
. . . - (Creates a shield that repels ground attacks until it's depleted?)
. . . - Researched at ??? (Fleet Beacon?).

Mothership:
- Flying attack/support unit.
- Can only attack ground.
- (Can fire many lasers at multiple targets?).
- Can build more than 1, at this time.
- Requires Fleet Beacon.
- Built from Stargate.
. . . Planet Cracker
. . . - Shoots one, large, sustained laser under the Mothership, damaging ground units.
. . . - Can move while active.
. . . - Researched from ??? (Fleet Beacon?)
. . . (Cloak Field?)
. . . - (Cloaks the Mothership?) becoming invisible to all enemy units, except detector units.
. . . - (Cloaks units around the Mothership??), becoming invisible to all enemy units, except detector units.


Terran:
SCV: Terran building unit.

Marine:
- Basic Terran infantry.
- Built from Barracks
. . . Stim Pack:
. . . - Marine looses some health, but gains increased attack and run speed for a few seconds.
. . . - Researched at Tech Lab on Barracks.
. . . Combat Shield:
. . . - Increases Marine hit points by 15
. . . - Researched at Tech Lab on Barracks.
. . . U-238 Shells:
. . . - Upgrades attack range of Marine.
. . . - Researched at Tech Lab on Barracks.

Medic:
- Ground support unit.
- Can heal Terran infantry.
- Requires Tech Lab
- Built from Barracks.
. . . Heal:
. . . - Heals nearby, damaged infantry.
. . . - Automatically targets damaged units.
. . . - 1 HP-per-energy unit.
. . . - Basic unit ability.
. . . Flare:
. . . - Medic reveals select area for 10 seconds.
. . . - Researched at Tech Lab on Barracks.
. . . Caduceus Reactor
. . . - Increases Medic energy by 50.
. . . - Researched at Tech Lab on Barracks.

Ghost:
- Ground attack unit.
- Requires Shadow Ops.
- Built from Barracks.
. . . Snipe:
. . . - Ghost does 150 damage to any biological unit
. . . - (Base unit ability?)
. . . Cloaking Field:
. . . - Ghost cloaks, becoming invisible to all enemy units, except detector units.
. . . - Researched at Tech Lab on Shadow Ops.
. . . Nuke:
. . . - Allows the ghost to call down a Nuclear strike.
. . . - (1 per Tech Lab per Shadow Ops?, 1 build per Ghost?)
. . . - Researched at Tech Lab on Shadow Ops.
. . . Drop Pods:
. . . - Pod falls on selected area, releasing 6 Marines.
. . . - (1 per Tech Lab per Shadow Ops?, 1 build per Ghost?)
. . . - Researched at Tech Lab on Shadow Ops.

Reaper:
- Ground attack unit.
- Can jump up/down cliffs.
- Fast movement speed.
- Build 4 very quickly, then building recharges.
- Built from Merc Haven
. . . Jump:
. . . - Allows Reaper to traverse cliffs.
. . . - (Passive?)
. . . - (Base unit ability?)
. . . Explosive Charge:
. . . - Reapers throw a timed explosive on a desired location
. . . - Researched at (Tech Lab on Shadow Ops?)

Viking:
- Ground/Flying attack unit.
- Can transform from a ground walker to a flying unit.
- Starts in ground form.
- (Ground attacks ground only, air attacks air only?)
- Built from Factory.
. . . (Transform?):
. . . - Allows the Viking to swap between a ground and flying unit.
. . . - (Researched at Tech Lab on Factory? or Base unit ability?)

Siege Tank:
- Ground attack unit.
- Can deploy to Seige Mode.
- Requires Tech Lab.
- Built from Factory.
. . . Siege Mode:
. . . - Allows the Siege Tank to deploy into Seige Mode.
. . . - Siege tank gains a powerful, long range cannon with large cooldown.
. . . - Cannot attack adjacent units while in Seige Mode.
. . . - Researched at Tech Lab on Factory.

Cobra:
- Ground attack unit.
- Quick moving hovertank.
- Can attack ground and air.
- Can fire its weapon while moving.
- Requires Armory.
- Built from Factory.

Predator:
- Flying attack unit.
- Anti-air unit.
- Has intercept mode to block/reflect incoming enemy fire.
- Built from Starport.
. . . (Interceptor Mode?):
. . . - When active, allows Predator to deflect enemy attacks.
. . . - (Researched at Tech Lab on Starport?)

Dropship:
- Transport unit.
- Provides unit transport.
- Built from Starport.

Nomad:
- Detector/Flying support unit.
- Detects cloaked enemies.
- Can repair units.
. . . EMP:
. . . - (Depletes the energy of any unit around the Nomad?)
. . . - Researched at Tech Lab on Starport.
. . . Defensive Matrix:
. . . - Creates a Defensive Matrix over selected area.
. . . - Units inside the Matrix receive 50% less damage for a limited time.
. . . - Researched at Tech Lab on Starport.

Banshee:
- Flying attack unit.
- Ground attack only.
- Shoots multiple bombs for AoE ground damage.
- Requires Tech Lab.
- Built from Starport.
. . . Cloaking Field:
. . . - Banshee cloaks, becoming invisible to all enemy units, except detector units.
. . . - (Researched at Tech lab on Starport?)

Battle Cruiser:
- Capital Ship
- Can have 2 different abilities, choosing 1 per battle cruiser.
- Requires Deep Space Relay and Tech Lab.
- Built from Starport.
. . . Yamato Cannon:
. . . - Single shot does large damage to single target.
. . . - Air or ground.
. . . - 1 upgrade per Battle Cruiser
. . . - (Researched at Deep Space Relay?)
. . . Plasma Torpedoes:
. . . - Large damage over a wide ground area.
. . . - Ground only.
. . . - 1 upgrade per Battle Cruiser
. . . - (Researched at Deep Space Relay?)

Thor:
- Huge ground attack unit.
- Slow turning speed and fire rate.
- Has a "barrage" attack that rains heavy fire on a location for a few seconds.
- Requires Munitions Depot.
- Built by an SCV.
. . . (250mm Cannons?):
. . . - Allows the Thor to use it's artillery strike ability to bombard a target.
. . . - Researched at Munitions Depot.


Zerg:

Zergling:
- Basic Zerg infantry.
- Can morph to Baneling.
. . . (Morph to Baneling?):
. . . - Zergling morphs into a Baneling,
. . . - Researched at ???

Baneling:
- Ground suicide unit.
- Morphs from Zergling.
- Quick movement.
- Explodes on contact with an enemy ground unit.

Nydus Worm:
- Transport unit.
- Carries units to a location via burrowing underground.

That's it! We await more Zerg info.

Buildings
Format: Building 1
. . . . . . . . Building allowed by Building 1

Units with *'s beside their name need an additional building to become available.

Protoss
Nexus:
- Base building. Creates Probe builder units.
- Does not need Pylon to function.

. . Forge:
. . - Upgrade Ground weapons and armor.
. . - Allows Photon Cannons to be built.

. . . . . . Phase Cannon:
. . . . . . - Takes the place of the Photon Cannon.
. . . . . . - (Detects?)
. . . . . . - Ground and air defense.
. . . . . . - Can mobilize and redeploy. The cannon is vulnerable during movement.

. . Gateway:
. . - Produces Zelots, Stalkers*, Stasis Orbs*, Immortals*, Dark Templar*, High Templar*
. . - Can be deployed to Warp Gate.
. . - As a Warp Gate, created units can be dropped into any zone with Pylon power.
. . - As a Warp Gate, there is no build queue, and there is a cooldown between unit production.
. . - Allows construction of

. . . . . . Cybernetics Core:
. . . . . . - Allows upgrades for Zealot, Stalker, Immortal
. . . . . . - Upgrade Air weapons and armor.
. . . . . . - Allows production of Stasis Orb
. . . . . . - Allows Construction of Twilight Council, Robotics Facility, and Stargate

. . . . . . . . . . Twilight Council:
. . . . . . . . . . - Allows Production of Immortals
. . . . . . . . . . - Research Charge, Blink, Hardened Shield.
. . . . . . . . . . - Allows construction of Templar Archive, Dark Obelisk

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Templar Archive:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . - Allows creation of High Templar
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . - Research Psi Storm and Khaydarin Amulet

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dark Obelisk:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . - Allows Production of Dark Templar.

. . . . . . . . . . Robotics Facility:
. . . . . . . . . . - Produces Phase Prism, Observer*, Colossus*.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Null Circuit:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . - Allows creation of and Observers.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . - Allows upgrades for and Observers.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robotic Support Bay:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . - Allows creation of Colossus.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . - Allows upgrades for Colossus.

. . . . . . . . . . Stargate:
. . . . . . . . . . - Produces Phoenix, Warp Ray, Carrier*, Mothership*.
. . . . . . . . . . - Allows construction of Fleet Beacon

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fleet Beacon:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . - Allows production of Carrier and Mothership.

Assimilator:
- Allows the harvesting of Vespine Gas.

Pylon:
- Creates unit supply.
- Provides a power field for buildings.
- Buildings can only be build in a power field.
- Buildings outside of the power field do not function.

Terran
Command Center:
- Base building. Creates SCV builder units.
- Can carry 5 SCVs when lifting off.
- Can be upgraded to Planetary Fortress, which has defensive capabilities, or Surveillance Station, which has increased sight range.
- As Planetary Fortress, attacks two targets at once.
- As Surveillance Station, has the "Scanner Sweep" ability.

. . Engineering Bay:
. . - Upgrade infantry weapons and armor.
. . - Allows construction of Missile Turret and Sensor Tower.
. . - Allows Surveillance Station and Planetary Fortress upgrades.
. . - Cannot lift off.

. . . . . . Missile Turret:
. . . . . . - Air defense.
. . . . . . - Does not detect.
. . . . . . - Cannot lift off.

. . . . . . Sensor/Radar Tower:
. . . . . . - Detection building. Also detects units in Fog of War.
. . . . . . - Sensor Tower upgrades to Radar Tower.
. . . . . . - Radar Tower senses a larger area than Sensor Tower.
. . . . . . - (Enemies can see the area the Radar Tower covers?)
. . . . . . - Cannot lift off.

. . Barracks:
. . - Produces Marine, Medic*, and Ghost*.
. . - Can use the Tech Lab and Reactor addons.
. . - Allows construction of Merc Haven, Bunker and Factory.

. . . . . . Merc Haven:
. . . . . . - Produces Reaper.
. . . . . . - After 4 Reapers are quickly built, building must recharge before the next 4.
. . . . . . - Allows construction of Shadow Ops.

. . . . . . . . . . Shadow Ops:
. . . . . . . . . . - Allows construction of the Ghost unit.
. . . . . . . . . . - Can use Tech Lab addon.

. . . . . . Bunker:
. . . . . . - Allows (4?) Terran infantry to garrison inside of it.
. . . . . . - Cannot lift off.

. . . . . . Factory:
. . . . . . - Produces Viking, Siege Tank*, and Cobra*
. . . . . . - Can use the Tech Lab and Reactor addons.
. . . . . . - Allows construction of Armory and Starport.

. . . . . . . . . . Armory:
. . . . . . . . . . - Allows production of Cobra.
. . . . . . . . . . - Upgrade Air and Vehicle weapons and armor.
. . . . . . . . . . - Allows construction of Munitions Depot.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Munitions Depot:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . - Allows construction of Thor.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . - Allows Thor upgrades.

. . . . . . . . . . Starport:
. . . . . . . . . . - Produces Predator, Dropship, Banshee*, Nomad*, and Battle Cruiser**.
. . . . . . . . . . - Can use the Tech Lab and Reactor addons.
. . . . . . . . . . - Upgrades to Starbase.
. . . . . . . . . . - Starbase allows production of units while the building is airborne.
. . . . . . . . . . - Allows construction of Deep Space Relay.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deep Space Relay:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . - Allows production of Battle Cruiser.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . - Allows Battle Cruiser upgrades.

Refinery:
- Allows the harvesting of Vespine Gas.

Supply Depot:
- Creates unit supply.
- Can be sunk into the ground to allow units to pass over it.

Tech Lab:
- Addon for any unit production building.
- When connected to:
. . - Barracks: Allows production of Medic, with Stim Pack, U-238 Shells, Combat Shields, and Caduceus Reactor research.
. . - Factory: Allows production of Siege Tank, with the Siege Mode research.
. . - Starport: Allows production of Banshee, Nomad, and Battle Cruiser (with Deep Space Relay), and Cloaking Field research.
. . - Shadow Ops: Allows research of Cloaking Field, Nuke, and Drop Pods.
- Only one addon can be connected at a time.

Nuclear Reactor:
- Addon for any unit production building.
- Allows 2 units to be produced simultaneously (Two production qeues)
- Only one addon can be connected at a time.


Zerg
- None yet.

Videos
Gameplay:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Sog2k6s7xVQ
http://youtube.com/watch?v=aJDFw4TGWmo
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_TR7nGISEfc
http://tinyurl.com/2ygbq4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30MBljXxg3M

Trailer:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ELhtXtnV3pg
http://youtube.com/watch?v=A_mEDcBDPF0

GameTrailers.com:
http://tinyurl.com/28hsod

Additional Links
Forums:
http://www.battle.net/forums/board.aspx?ForumName=sc-general
http://www.blizzforums.com/showthread.php?t=10348

PC gamer Podcast
http://www.pcgamerpodcast.com/podpress_trac/web/134/0/pcgp_083_20070518.mp3

Images:
http://limitedgaming.com/files/18/newterranunits.jpg
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v163/Kopiok/StarCraft/

Other:
http://gamereplays.org/starcraft2/task.php?nameid=terran_buildings

That is all the information available at the moment. Please feel free to add more in this topic.

Special Thanks
Wii (for GameSpot and official FAQ links)
BDF2000 (For Video Links)
Bald-n-Nekkid (For "Bane"ling clarification)
Bahamut89 (Unit selection info)
infinix (GameSpot video link)
htfwky (Various sources)
Math Murderer (For stickying this! I wish he'd sign on to AIM!)

This is the new version of the FAQ yay!!!
I hope you like the new format. I, for one, think it's much easier to understand.
---
"Poop? Kids these days, back in MY day, we didn't even poop! Poop wasn't invented yet." - Eagle's Dad
= kopiok.deviantart.com - last.fm/user/kopiok =

[This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

Bump
---
"Poop? Kids these days, back in MY day, we didn't even poop! Poop wasn't invented yet." - Eagle's Dad
= kopiok.deviantart.com - last.fm/user/kopiok =

Bump.
---
"Poop? Kids these days, back in MY day, we didn't even poop! Poop wasn't invented yet." - Eagle's Dad
= kopiok.deviantart.com - last.fm/user/kopiok =

Bump.
---
"Poop? Kids these days, back in MY day, we didn't even poop! Poop wasn't invented yet." - Eagle's Dad
= kopiok.deviantart.com - last.fm/user/kopiok =