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Starting to ladder

Blogs > pdc
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pdc
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
23 Posts
January 30 2011 12:27 GMT
#1
Hey all,

Got SC2 when it came out. Have been playing UMS, custom and team games to get my SC2 fix. Finally got some time off and want to start laddering. I've decided to play Random since I'm not going to go pro so I just want to have fun.

Just wondering what would be some good things to keep track of while I go from (more than likely) bronze and improve my way up to (hopefully) diamond?

Here's what I've got so far:

* Write down each match-up that I play and note down the result so that I can track my strong/weak match-ups over time.
* note my opponents build
* note my own build
* watch replays and note down large errors
* if I lose, identify the point that I lost and why

anything else that I should be tracking to help myself improve?

jlim
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
Spain943 Posts
January 30 2011 12:37 GMT
#2
Note your opponents' rage comments. Remember, you ladder only for the lulz.

Aside from that, GL with your laddering
tealc
Profile Joined October 2010
109 Posts
January 30 2011 12:38 GMT
#3
1. stop playing random
2. play a lot
3. don't overthink it
4. play standard, keep refining
5. have fun
HaRuHi
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
1220 Posts
January 30 2011 12:57 GMT
#4
* Write down each match-up that I play and note down the result so that I can track my strong/weak match-ups over time.

Matchhistory+Achievments of wins per race will keep track for you.

* note my opponents build

There are no builds until a high lvl of play

* note my own build

wooot, no goddamn. ALWAYS build SCVs, KEEP your Money low, USE every building you got all the time if possible, USE everything else like your army etc - move around be active.
DON'T get supplyblocked, ever. If you got an opening until like the third overlord, supplydepot or pylon and always do the above you will be more than fine as a random player.


I'd rather suggest an Overall gameplan, like - I expand early, and push when I got 140 Food - at his third if there is one.
Or I go Onebase all in and try to do enough dmg to his expand so I can get up my own.

* watch replays and note down large errors

Well, can't argue with that. But SC2 builds up from macro and micro. Sure, getting the fith hatch before spawningpool was a huge error that lost u the game, but if you notice things like, oh my, I had 17 drones at my main mining minerals and only 15 at my natural, then try to fix this aswell.

* if I lose, identify the point that I lost and why

Doesn't hurt to watch replays you win aswell, and think about little things. As a random player myself I often learn neat little things from my enemys even If I beat them. Like his macro was a disaster but wow, I never thought of placing cannons there etc....
ticktack
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
United Arab Emirates874 Posts
January 30 2011 13:04 GMT
#5
Well The thing i found out to be most helpful, is keep on the SCV Production and Always have enough production buildings to support your income. For Example, When you get the gold base, Then you obviously want to have more Barracks/Factories so you can spend your money. This doesn't really apply to Zerg though(i think). Hehehe..
A winner is just a loser who got pissed off and tried harder
FlashIsHigh
Profile Blog Joined December 2009
United States474 Posts
January 30 2011 13:41 GMT
#6
I just wanna say GL to you, I laddered a bunch when I first got the game(in 1v1) but then after a while I began to lose confidence in myself and stopped laddering. If you can just remember that its only a game then you should be good try not to rage as much as I do when I lose and it will be fun
KT Flash// WhiteRa/Scarlett/Naniwa/MC/Huk/Nony
KrAzYfoOL
Profile Blog Joined September 2005
Australia3037 Posts
January 30 2011 14:11 GMT
#7
It sounds like you're turning SC2 into a chore. Just play the game, enjoy it, and you'll improve in time. I don't understand this whole rat-race SC2 players are getting stuck in where they need to improve and set goals instead of just chilling the fuck out and enjoying a video game.
It's better to burn out than to fade away
TheWoodLeagueAllstar
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
United Kingdom617 Posts
January 30 2011 14:45 GMT
#8
Especially if you are starting lower down, there is a huge tendency for bronze players to overthink a game when the game they played is not a representation of the general way the game is played. The best advice i can give is to not stress it, play, play safe and conservative, and get a general feel for whichever race you play as.
Bunker rushing is the way to a mans heart <3
Impervious
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
Canada4222 Posts
January 30 2011 14:55 GMT
#9
I just decided to switch from T to Z (I like macro games, and T seems terrible in the late-game at the moment.....). I've been playing with a speedling opening, with the intent to expand, in all matchups, and then reacting to my opponent, trying to keep at least 1 base ahead of them, so I don't need to record my BO at any time. What I've been doing is saving my replays in the format:

ZvX - Map Name - Opponent - Opponent's Opening

If it's a game where I'm confused about something, or there's something wierd that happened, I'll add a "!" infront of the name.

EG: !ZvT - Xel'Naga Caverns - pdc - 1/1/1 Reactor Hellion into Banshee

I'm going to be saving them in folders for each month, so I can keep track of when the games were played and organize all my replays quickly and efficiently. I've been doing this as T, and I've watched my gameplay change drastically over the course of a few months, never really finding anything I actually enjoyed playing that was successful unless I was way better than my opponent.....

I also watch every replay at least 2 times, on at least two separate occasions, win or lose, so I can see where I could improve. There's times where I really could have snuck an extra couple of drones, and there's other times that I really shoulnd't have made them, even if I did win.

If you're really trying to improve though, until you're starting to work on some finer refinements of your game (which you won't be until you reach at least diamond), it's probably better simply to play the game. Find some people who are better than yourself and get them to give you some tips for improving - you can find a lot of people who wouldn't mind giving you a hand, if you actually put some effort in yourself.
~ \(ˌ)im-ˈpər-vē-əs\ : not capable of being damaged or harmed.
herberckl
Profile Joined January 2011
Germany117 Posts
January 30 2011 15:28 GMT
#10
On January 30 2011 23:11 KrAzYfoOL wrote:
It sounds like you're turning SC2 into a chore. Just play the game, enjoy it, and you'll improve in time. I don't understand this whole rat-race SC2 players are getting stuck in where they need to improve and set goals instead of just chilling the fuck out and enjoying a video game.


Man, sc2 really needs more people like you. I know its a very competitive game and the whole ladder thing really gets into peoples head, but its still just a videogame and most people probably wont make a carrer out of it.
So, like he said, enjoy the game, chill the f out and GG EVEN WHen you think the opponent didnt deserve to win.
The ladder would be a better place´´´´´´´´´´´´´
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