SC2: Zerg Baneling Nest

Starcraft 2: Zerg Baneling Nest
Modeled by Phill Gonzales, final texture pass by Ted park!
Animated by Jay Hathaway

The initial game mechanics of the Baneling were simple: an upgrade was researched at the Zerg Spawning Pool which allowed the Zerglings to morph into Banelings. Later design decisions thoughfully concluded that there should be a building to visually indicate the technology was available to a Zerg player. So the art team developed the Baneling Nest.

SC2 Artist Jesse Brophy made the initial building. I honestly can't recall if it was even intended to be a Baneling Nest (many of the buildings were given differnt roles during development, the Roach Warren was 10 differnt things), and the visual was dramatically different from anything seen in the Zerg base so far. Although the look was jarring, the building was decided to be the Baneling Nest once and for all, so when the time came the final art pass was my responsibility.

I admit I struggled with this design for a while. Many of the other redesigns were more literal interpretations of Zerg units in building form while the Baneling Nest was a more liberal spin. I was interested in making a large, bloated Baneling Brood Mother planted on the creep, too fat-assed to move and instead serving as a building. Samwise however, loved Jesse's rendition and suggested the minor addition of the Baneling-like growth benieth the main buildng. My skepticism was laid to rest after the remodel and additional components were complete, I was sold on the new look. The new building stands out fantastically and undeniably declares the presence of the new Zerg Banelings.

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