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//: StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm |OT| Like Riding a Bike

how'd dream win game 6? crazy hold

Upgrade advantage, as I recall. He was like 3/3 vs 1/1 at one point. Seems to me like Life made the same mistake in the last two games: too much confidence in his muta/ling/bane timing and continuing to try to win with that army past the point where he should have been getting more upgrades and transitioning.

They say they're adjusting the league distribution back to what it's supposed to be, and making it so the starting point for new players is lower.

Maybe I can try it again now... I'm really bad at the game in multiplayer (I usually just play through the campaign, and watch the pros ;)), and when I do try, their matchmaking just sets me up with a platinum league player or something who completely destroys me. Not fun.
 
Life should open double Hatch before pool with how well he defends against cheeses.

Innovation can't do anything against Life right now.

Not sure why Life never tried to prevent Innovation's 4th.
 

Mr Swine

Banned
Ugh, I was hopi g that blizzard would announce the LOTV Beta at Pax but that never happened so I guess that the game won't be released until summer next year and Beta at Blizzcon :/
 

Syf

Banned
Ugh, I was hopi g that blizzard would announce the LOTV Beta at Pax but that never happened so I guess that the game won't be released until summer next year and Beta at Blizzcon :/
This panel was always going to be just about HS, HotS and Overwatch. They've already said the beta will start in the first half of this year, and there was a leak on DailyDot saying it's starting around the end of this month (organizations have been asked to submit their requests for beta keys). I'm betting release shortly after BlizzCon as that's when the WCS season ends.

http://www.dailydot.com/esports/legacy-of-the-void-beta-release-date/
 

Mr Swine

Banned
This panel was always going to be just about HS, HotS and Overwatch. They've already said the beta will start in the first half of this year, and there was a leak on DailyDot saying it's starting around the end of this month (organizations have been asked to submit their requests for beta keys). I'm betting release shortly after BlizzCon as that's when the WCS season ends.

http://www.dailydot.com/esports/legacy-of-the-void-beta-release-date/

First half of the year is soon over in 2 months and that leak wasn't it more of a rumor than leak? Either way people are starving for some new Starcraft 2 content and Blizzard has been pretty hush on the new changes since last month
 

SamuraiX-

Member
I cannot believe Dream defeated Life. That's so awesome. This kid has always been so good. Can't wait to watch him in the SSL grand final. <3

Also, really cool that 3/4 out quaterfinal matches in the GSL went the full 5 games. Semifinals look hype as fuck:

esw7gqr.png


Also, Life vs INnoVation (GSL Ro8) rebroadcast right now: http://www.twitch.tv/gsl

Huge props to GSL for reshowing these.
 
Annoyed I didn't realize this was on sooner. Sounded like I missed a crazy game 2 of Rogue/Hero. Game 3 showed why I don't understand Protoss getting a Robo so late, especially against Swarm Hosts.
 

Lethe82

Banned
What's Clan Wars...?

TIta19q.png


Participating Teams
Axiom StarTale Incredible Miracle MVP Evil Geniuses
Team Liquid ROOT Gaming MYinsanity Millenium Team Acer
Mousesports IvDgaming Clan Who? CompLexity Gaming
Yoe Flash Wolves

Clan Wars is the StarCraft league put on by Total Biscuit and MLG (if memory serves), they took a break from it (even though season 1 was successful and making money for all involved) due to TB being diagnosed with Cancer a while back.

But the TLDR: Clan Wars is an amazing league because:

- Teams play on high quality community made maps, some even have environmental gimmicks (like Lava periodically covering certain areas) or other considerations that dramatically alter the play of a match in ways that are ihteresting and did their best to get away from the samey feeling of most official map pools (not that they didn't also have maps with complete standard play, but they were often better made than the official maps)
- Maps are rotated frequently, bringing in breaths of fresh air and different strategies/evolutionist of strategies.
- Variety is one of the themes, each best of includes a 2v2 which was actually getting quite developed and interesting throughout season 1. There was also a Starbow matchup in the lineup for a while.
- Bigger and smaller teams and players are represented and TB did a good job of explaining who these more unknowns were and their stories so to say, making it easy for the viewer to get invested.
- There is an interesting dynamic at play where less powerful teams could dedicate more time into preparing unique builds and strategies in clan wars often times resulting in great 'skill versus will' clashes.

Clan Wars was arguably the best (or second best) league to watch during season 1 when it aired, and season 2 coming back with an expanded 2v2 map pool is great news (not that the 2v2 map used in season 1 wasn't really cool).

Wiki: http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft2/SHOUTcraft/Clan_Wars

Season 1 vods https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS67L5dgs2EZ_e3K8kuTLKHSAR308Lz8t
 

Syf

Banned
Yeah Clan Wars was great last season. This season TB said one map per match is actually going to be played on the LotV mod too. Should be really fun to watch.
 

Lethe82

Banned
^
*thumbs up!

Clans Wars is best SCII league no one knows about, it's a complete treat and does things in a way that I wished we saw more of from the big leagues.
 

Syf

Banned
StarTale is confirmed for Clan Wars as well. I hope what Life has to say about Flash is true and he's fixed his TvZ. Katowice in 5 days and there's no bigger stage to perform on outside of BlizzCon. Would be awesome to see him do well there.
 
Looking over the IEM bracket again. I know many people don't like mirror match-ups, but there not being one in round of 16 is terrible. There's 4 TvP's and 3 TvZ's in round one. Couldn't there be at least 1 TvT for diversity?
 

Lethe82

Banned
StarTale is confirmed for Clan Wars as well. I hope what Life has to say about Flash is true and he's fixed his TvZ. Katowice in 5 days and there's no bigger stage to perform on outside of BlizzCon. Would be awesome to see him do well there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOuLtVMHnQ8

I have high hopes for Flash at Katowice, when he was first (FINALLY) breaking through in SCII ratings were through the rough, there were 40k people watching the GSL Ro32 when he played at like 3-4 in the morning in America, 40k. I don't just want Flash to do well for the good of SCII, obviously, but seeing god back to form (even a shadow of it) would be tremendously exciting.
 

Syf

Banned
So the master and diamond league percentages have only fallen further from the target since Blizzard's "fix." gg
 

Lethe82

Banned
Total Biscuit said:
Liquid for Clan Wars

https://twitter.com/Totalbiscuit/status/574536303179603968

I'm sure that most teams from season 1 are a shoe in but I am a little nervous that some bigger teams might not be involved this season because of the additional commitments from SSL etc, still Liquid = automatic underdog to cheer for against some of the bigger names. Bigger teams can also use Clan Wars to help season newer and less experienced players, so I hope we see a good pool of participants.
 

Lethe82

Banned
HTO Mario faced off against Neeb earlier on fightnight, great games, I feel like the Immortal change alone might make mech viable.
 

SamuraiX-

Member
Can't really blame them when they're going with what's popular.

I can.

Fuck DreamHack for killing eSports.

Yeah I don't really get that. I mean I know it's a very popular game but what are you going to cast? Maybe I'm missing something lol.

"Look at those guys breaking those blocks! Look at those guys placing those blocks!"

Repeat ad nauseam.

Doesn't matter. It'll still get much better stream numbers than SC2.

The depressing truth. Even the crowds at the past couple DreamHack Winter events were a joke.
 

Lethe82

Banned
When they talk specifically about less hard counters in LotV, it warms my heart.

Agreed. The fact that hardened shield is gone alone is huge, even with Barrier not have an upgrade and being 100 extra HP (shields), tanks are suddenly going to be great against immortals and can actually have a good shot at controlling positions. I look forward to seige tanks being something to fear again in TvP.

I still kind of don't like the medivac siege mode tank pickup, if I have any concern about lotv thus far is it the potential problem of having a ton of units that are so micro-able and active that it will kind of negate the overall importance on positioning/board control.

Another change I wouldn't mind is if they removed Zealot charge and made the upgrade a straight speed buff.

Frabite Masters is on (Souldkey versus GunfuPanda
http://www.twitch.tv/fbmsc2
 

clav

Member
Agreed. The fact that hardened shield is gone alone is huge, even with Barrier not have an upgrade and being 100 extra HP (shields), tanks are suddenly going to be great against immortals and can actually have a good shot at controlling positions. I look forward to seige tanks being something to fear again in TvP.

Source?
 

SamuraiX-

Member
Let's be honest they've been killing eSports for a long time with those awful Bo3 semi-finals in their tournaments.

It's disgraceful. Bo3 semis and a Bo5 grand final. IEM are really the only premier events outside of WCS/GSL that gets finals brackets right.

Wonder any of you guys have seen the ZvZ car bot animation.

http://youtu.be/yAc4c-0qFXw

LOL yup one of my favorites.

dat Infestor shushing the fungal'd Mutas like "it'll all be over soon, just let it happen" xD

Good news, Dreamhack hasn't dropped SC2 altogether. It'll still be featured in three tournaments this year - http://www.dreamhack.se/dhs15/2015/03/10/announcing-dreamhack-open-2015/

And one of the stops this year is in my hometown!! :O

DreamHack Cluj-Napoca &#8211; October 30-November 1 (30-1), Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Would have never thought they would try to hold an event in Romania in any city outside of Bucharest.


NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Paul "ReDeYe" Chaloner steps down from ESL

Somebody probably drowned him with that dirty LoL money. -_-
 

Lethe82

Banned

Originally confirmed way back.

Official info, videos and more at http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/legacy-of-the-void/#undefined

Protoss said:
Disruptor - "Disruptor is a moving land mine pretty much"; "releases an energy pulse around it and kills lots"; "doesn't detonate until 4 seconds after ability. Get a small speed boost too"
Carrier - "Moves quicker. 90sec build time. Can release interceptors all instantly and keep fighting even if carrier dies."
Tempest - "Has a long range ability that has a dot. 500dmg over 50sec. Can no longer shoot at air, except for ability shots. Speed increased." (might be reverted to old HotS tempest minus bonus DMG)
Warp Gate - "Warping takes 8 seconds now and warping units take 200% damage."
Photon Overcharge - "Nexus Cannon shoots ground only" (since reverted)
Immortal - "Loses hardened shields, gets an active, similar ability instead"
Warp Prism - "You can pick up your own units from 6 range"
Nexus - "Starts with 14 supply now. Basically have to build a pylon straight away by 10 sec in"

Tempest

We’re considering changes that make the role more similar to the Heart of the Swarm Tempest.
We’re thinking the current changes may be too big of a redesign in terms of unit role. We’re leaning towards going back to the Heart of the Swarm Tempest with a couple of changes. Since we still don’t want Tempests to hard counter units like Brood Lords, Carriers, or Battlecruisers we’re looking to remove the +massive damage component and then add Disintegration.

The new ability is called 'Barrier' originally it granted the unit something like 250 extra (temporary) shield HP and an upgrade, but they decided that was too much.

Last we heard:

Immortal

Barrier is no longer an upgrade
Damage absorbed has been reduced to 100 down from 200.
Immortal Barrier ability being an upgrade isn’t working out well for us, so we went back to no upgrade and reduced the damage absorbed. It was too buried in tech, and in order to use Immortals with max efficiency, you had to have the additional building. So we’re trying to just balance the unit without the ability being an upgrade.

http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/blog/17...development-update-february-12-2015-2-12-2015

Immortals are still going to do crazy good damage against mechanical though. :p
 
I'm still wondering how Zerg is gonna deal with mass Blink Stalkers in LotV. +2 Blink Stalkers already takes down mass Hydra unless vastly outnumbered and with the Swarm Host change they don't really have anything to deal with them in mid game.
 

SamuraiX-

Member
Adding to the "fuck daylight savings" sentiment.

Thank goodness GSL has been awesome has been constantly rebroadcasting all of the Code S matches even through the Ro32.

Should be able to catch it a replay.
 
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