When an assimilator/ refinery/ extractor is depleted, they turn red to signal depletion status. When one of these depleted structures is destroyed, a depleted version of the original extractor is shown. The regular vespene geyser and the space platform variant have depleted models that get rid of the "green" from the model and that are darkened, but the Protoss variants have very unnoticeable changes that can make it difficult for players to tell in a hectic lategame if a base is already mined out.
For instance, this is a screenshot of the Protoss variant geyser when it is still has gas vs when it is depleted:
Readability issues can be rectified by adding lines to the actors of the Protoss-themed variants that tint the unit upon gaining the depletion behaviour (and tint it back to normal when it is "restored"):
This issue evidently does affect esports as I have personally witnessed a tournament pro game where a player on NeoHumanity in the extreme lategame "forgot" about a geyser from an earlier base when gas collection would determine the winner, despite taking one with less gas available nearby
When an assimilator/ refinery/ extractor is depleted, they turn red to signal depletion status. When one of these depleted structures is destroyed, a depleted version of the original extractor is shown. The regular vespene geyser and the space platform variant have depleted models that get rid of the "green" from the model and that are darkened, but the Protoss variants have very unnoticeable changes that can make it difficult for players to tell in a hectic lategame if a base is already mined out.
For instance, this is a screenshot of the Protoss variant geyser when it is still has gas vs when it is depleted:
Readability issues can be rectified by adding lines to the actors of the Protoss-themed variants that tint the unit upon gaining the depletion behaviour (and tint it back to normal when it is "restored"):
After the changes:
This issue evidently does affect esports as I have personally witnessed a tournament pro game where a player on NeoHumanity in the extreme lategame "forgot" about a geyser from an earlier base when gas collection would determine the winner, despite taking one with less gas available nearby