Creep


 * This article is about the substance. For the Frontline story, see StarCraft: Frontline: Creep.

"What the hell is that? Looks like the ground there is alive."

- Jim Raynor

Creep is a living zerg organism. It has a purple coloration and feels thick and slimy. Creep is psionically-sensitive and may be influenced and controlled by psionic entities. It is used to nourish zerg structures and larvae.

Seeding
Creep may be deposited in a number of ways. Some zerg structures, such as hatcheries, serve as loci for creep growth. Hive spores may also be used in the initial stages of infestation. Post-Great War evolution have seen zerg creatures gain the ability to spread creep as well; overlords by direct secretion, and indirectly by queens through laid creep tumors.

Biology
Creep has a cellular structure.

Creep spreads rapidly if left unchecked. This proliferation may be observed in real time. Creep helps to sustain itself and other zerg organisms by processing minerals extracted from the ground via deep tendrils.

Creep may grow in anaerobic environments and over water. It may also grow over hollows in the terrain; attempting to traverse over such hollows may cause creep to tear and give way.

Removal
Creep is notably averse to extremely high temperatures and will not grow in unsuitably hot places. While it may be set alight by high explosive or incendiary ordnance, its remarkable regenerative properties makes complete extermination by brute force a difficult proposition. Removal may only be guaranteed by destroying the structures serving as growth loci, It may be difficult to tell when creep is truly dead.

Function
Most zerg structures are effectively giant organs and draw sustenance from creep. A notable exception is the extractor. A zerg colony forms a single living creature through the interconnectivity of creep. Zerg gain nourishment from the creep.

Confederate Experiments
The Terran Confederacy conducted experiments with creep, after discovering xenomorphs on a number of fringe worlds. In secret facilities such as the Fujita Facility on Vyctor 5 and the Ghost Academy on Tarsonis, they discovered they could grow it from spores and control its growth with heat. Using ghost subjects such as Sarah Kerrigan, they found it could be controlled psionically. The Vyctor 5 and Ghost Academy experiments were destroyed by the Sons of Korhal.

The PAX Experiment
In 2502, a protoss scientific organization, the Protoss Advance/Experimental Facility (PAX), conducted their own experiments with creep. They infected it with a virus, hoping to destroy all creep and thus commit xenocide against the zerg.

The mutated creep proved infectious, was even able to engulf two zealots assigned to their facility, "infesting" one of them – Ruom. It became a "psionic predator", and could "impede" the Khala and cause madness among the nearby Khalai. Ruom went on a rampage, killing the other protoss.

The entire facility was frozen and abandoned. However, it was later discovered by a terran military expedition, which found the mutated creep to still be alive...

StarCraft
Most zerg structures can only be created upon the creep. Terrans and protoss cannot build structures on creep. Terran buildings may not land on the creep, however they may lift-off. The creep will expand to fill the immediate space over the course of a few seconds.

StarCraft II
In StarCraft II, creep is intended to be used as a resource, and zerg players will want to invade the map with creep. Creep dissolves in 30 seconds if not supported.

Most zerg units move 30% faster on creep. Drones are an exception along with air units. Spine and spore crawlers, as well as s, move much more quickly on the creep.

Creep does not "climb" or "fall" down cliffs, but does flow down ramps. If a carefully positioned overlord drops creep on the edge of a cliff, it will expand on the hill and the lower ground simultaneously. Creep can also be poured onto ramps.

The creep does not "belong" to any one player; it has no affiliation. Creep is creep.

Creating Creep
There are several ways of creating creep. The overlord can generate creep. Creep tumors generate their own creep and make it easy to spread creep over the map. Creep can also be created by hatcheries, and when a nydus worm is created, creep is spawned around it.

Building Structures
Zerg structures not in the boundaries of the creep will slowly degenerate and eventually die, taking 2 damage per second.

Structures other than zerg cannot be built on the creep although can be surrounded by it.

Development

 * This section describes previous builds of StarCraft II.

Creep was able to grow faster if a special ability was researched at the evolution chamber in March 2008.


 * Toxic Creep
 * Ability Cost: 100
 * This ability enabled the to "poison" a small area of creep, injuring enemy units over that creep.

Creep used to cause damage to non-zerg buildings it came into contact with, and it might have opened up possibilities for new creep pushing strategies.

Non-zerg buildings used to take 3 damage per second and eventually would be destroyed. However, this was removed as it caused problems in allied games.

Trivia
In StarCraft II, when creep spreads across the terrain and touches doodads such as trees, the trees wither, making the effect of the creep on the environment more realistic.