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Getting Better... Indirectly?

Blogs > EsX_Raptor
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EsX_Raptor
Profile Blog Joined February 2008
United States2802 Posts
October 26 2009 20:07 GMT
#1
This is something that is creeping me out really bad larely.

I haven't played on iccup for about 6 months already, at all. However, I've been playing random 1v1 games with people ranging from extremely bad skill to really good, BUT, like one game a week or something.

Furthermore, I've been watching a shitload, A SHITLOAD, of VODs and replays. I've been studying how progamers play and stuff, not really deep or anything, just grasping the whole and abstract flow of their game.

Now the really creepy thing is, I'm much better than what I used to be when I was a hardcore iccup massgamer.

Is it because I've been taking the time to actually study my game, or is it because of something else? In total, I've played like, at max, 20 1v1 games since I left iccup.

Any thoughts?

**
ilovezil
Profile Blog Joined August 2006
United States4143 Posts
October 26 2009 20:11 GMT
#2
My dad used to tell me how workers that took like a 10 minutes before working to seemingly just chill and relax did a lot more in an hour than he did going into it full throttle within the hour.

Basically, yea taking the time to analyze and study your weaknesses and strategies will help you a lot more than blindly mass training.
meeple
Profile Blog Joined April 2009
Canada10211 Posts
October 26 2009 20:14 GMT
#3
I'm sure a strategic player like gretorp would totally agree with this play style... Personally, I think studying how games are played is almost as important as actually playing them, but that's just me
Piy
Profile Blog Joined January 2008
Scotland3152 Posts
October 26 2009 20:15 GMT
#4
you may be better than you were, but you'll never be good doing this
My. Copy. Is. Here.
besiger
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
Croatia2452 Posts
October 26 2009 20:22 GMT
#5
huh, ive always felt like i play better after i take a break from sc for a week or two, i just have time to sort things out somehow, and it just seems to flow more naturally.
A weak will coupled with delusions of grandeur
nAi.PrOtOsS
Profile Blog Joined August 2007
Canada784 Posts
October 26 2009 20:26 GMT
#6
I know exactly wat you mean I was C+ on iccup and then I took a 9 month break and started to play again and now im a B (Theoretically).
XXehh
Profile Joined May 2009
Canada122 Posts
October 26 2009 20:29 GMT
#7
I always try to take a break from SC, but you just can't. I swear, just deciding to take a break is enough to make me want to come back .

I ABSOLUTELY encourage taking a break if you only mass games. Only mass gaming is inefficient. Play some. Reflect on losses, and even wins as well. People always say ask yourself why you lost.

BUT you should also look at games you won. Figure out why THEY lost. Figure out what holes are still in you're play that the opponent could have taken advantage of.

This is kinda off topic, but I wanted to put it somewhere for the past little bit and this kinda fit

Yes, it is because you took the time off to study you're game. As well, when you aren't massing games as much, you're focus - and attention to details like minimap/drops/scouting - will be way higher when you play that one random game as compared to playing a bunch at one time.
Leath
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
Canada1724 Posts
October 26 2009 20:44 GMT
#8
On October 27 2009 05:26 nAi.PrOtOsS wrote:
I know exactly wat you mean I was C+ on iccup and then I took a 9 month break and started to play again and now im a B (Theoretically).

I witnessed this miraculous transformation.
Very counter intuitive, but the system works.
http://www.kongregate.com/?referrer=Sagess
MiniRoman
Profile Blog Joined September 2003
Canada3953 Posts
October 26 2009 20:55 GMT
#9
How is one theoretically a B? What are you basing this off of?
Nak Allstar.
Heyoka
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Katowice25012 Posts
October 26 2009 20:58 GMT
#10
A lot of people really overvalue what can be gained from massgaming. Tough to really figure out since its different for every person though.
@RealHeyoka | ESL / DreamHack StarCraft Lead
andiCR
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Costa Rica2273 Posts
October 26 2009 21:03 GMT
#11
theoretically as in not playing a B game, just reached 7004 points and freezing the account?
Nightmare1795 wrote: I played a guy in bronze who said he was Japanese. That was the only game I ever dropped a nuke, which was purely coincidental.
numLoCK
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
Canada1416 Posts
October 26 2009 21:06 GMT
#12
Breaks from SC have produced great results for me. Actually, it was probably during a break from SC that I went from D- to D+/C-
But for me I think it was because I got older and smarter.
UFO
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
582 Posts
October 26 2009 21:49 GMT
#13
I ve been like that too .... no games at all , just watchin vods all the time totally and only for fun and when I started to play some again I noticed a big, positive difference in my play ( ie macro only player -> cheezer ) and it gave me a LOT better results ;;
nAi.PrOtOsS
Profile Blog Joined August 2007
Canada784 Posts
October 26 2009 21:51 GMT
#14
On October 27 2009 06:03 never_toss wrote:
theoretically as in not playing a B game, just reached 7004 points and freezing the account?


Well no even less work then that I just felt myself improve and I made a educated guess that I would be around the skill level of a B to B+ player.
Mortality
Profile Blog Joined December 2005
United States4790 Posts
October 26 2009 22:01 GMT
#15
On October 27 2009 05:07 EsX_Raptor wrote:
This is something that is creeping me out really bad larely.

I haven't played on iccup for about 6 months already, at all. However, I've been playing random 1v1 games with people ranging from extremely bad skill to really good, BUT, like one game a week or something.

Furthermore, I've been watching a shitload, A SHITLOAD, of VODs and replays. I've been studying how progamers play and stuff, not really deep or anything, just grasping the whole and abstract flow of their game.

Now the really creepy thing is, I'm much better than what I used to be when I was a hardcore iccup massgamer.

Is it because I've been taking the time to actually study my game, or is it because of something else? In total, I've played like, at max, 20 1v1 games since I left iccup.

Any thoughts?



The mass game ICCup games probably HAVE paid off, but now after watching games and shit you've probably been able to internalize all that experience you accumulated and better think about things and therefore make better decisions.

Really, also, I tend to find that ICCup helps a lot more with working out mechanics than strategy because someone you've never played before playing you on a ladder is either going to do a standard build or do a "standard cheese" (like proxy gates or proxy dt). Someone who knows you a little better is going to play a more innovative game.



What I find creepy is that if I study school-related work for a little bit I tend to play a slightly smarter game of Starcraft.
Even though this Proleague bullshit has been completely bogus, I really, really, really do not see how Khan can lose this. I swear I will kill myself if they do. - nesix before KHAN lost to eNature
EsX_Raptor
Profile Blog Joined February 2008
United States2802 Posts
October 26 2009 22:12 GMT
#16
^ lmao now that's interesting xd

but yeah, since i took that huge break i noticed my macro improved a lot, i don't get ovi stuck as much as i used to, i keep a better judgment on my drone balancing, smart expanding, and above all, i keep an eye on the minimap except when i'm microing (which has gotten better too) as well as macroing by using hotkeys while moving units (that was a huge issue before lol).

all by watching pros play and high level foreign reps.
unit
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
United States2621 Posts
October 26 2009 22:25 GMT
#17
hmm i hope this works for me when i return to playing on the iccup ladder in a few weeks ^____^
nttea
Profile Blog Joined July 2008
Sweden4353 Posts
October 26 2009 22:39 GMT
#18
awesome! im never playing a game again until i go to korea :D
ilovezil
Profile Blog Joined August 2006
United States4143 Posts
October 26 2009 23:12 GMT
#19
On October 27 2009 06:51 nAi.PrOtOsS wrote:
Show nested quote +
On October 27 2009 06:03 never_toss wrote:
theoretically as in not playing a B game, just reached 7004 points and freezing the account?


Well no even less work then that I just felt myself improve and I made a educated guess that I would be around the skill level of a B to B+ player.


Oh dear...
Divinek
Profile Blog Joined November 2006
Canada4045 Posts
October 26 2009 23:45 GMT
#20
Time away from most things can make you come back and be better at them. For whatever reason it can give you a clearer understanding of them when you have time to think of them, and if there are any muscles involved it gives them time to relax and remold, to be able to perform whatever task they worked hard at before.
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
Oh goodness me, FOX tv where do you get your sight? Can't you keep track, the puck is black. That's why the ice is white.
Rekrul
Profile Blog Joined November 2002
Korea (South)17174 Posts
October 26 2009 23:50 GMT
#21
after quitting starcraft and watching it a lot on TV when i started playing a bit again i had a much better grasp of the game
why so 진지해?
Liquid`Drone
Profile Joined September 2002
Norway28895 Posts
October 26 2009 23:54 GMT
#22
On October 27 2009 05:11 ilovezil wrote:
My dad used to tell me how workers that took like a 10 minutes before working to seemingly just chill and relax did a lot more in an hour than he did going into it full throttle within the hour.

Basically, yea taking the time to analyze and study your weaknesses and strategies will help you a lot more than blindly mass training.


its proven that semi-frequent breaks increase productivity, like if a worker has a 5 hour work day and has 40 minutes of breaks during those 5 hours that worker will have a larger amount of work done during all 5 hours than someone who works all 5 hours without breaks

obviously an average as it is very possible for individuals with great work ethics or motivation to work steadily for 5 hours hehe
Moderator
Leath
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
Canada1724 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-10-27 02:33:59
October 27 2009 02:33 GMT
#23
I started playing Starcraft better concomitantly with me starting to add pepper to my daily meals.

Surprisingly, spicy food can enhance your APM and testosterone level. Chewing on a died chili with seeds while playing makes you so manly; even Reach would envy your performance.
http://www.kongregate.com/?referrer=Sagess
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