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FROM SILVER TO MASTER: HOW I LEARNED TO MACRO
So I started a blog on blogspot, but will update this blog as my site is updated. I'll mostly be posting first person VODs (FPVODs) and whenever I feel like writing something on my way to the top 200. I am currently mid-master league, which isn't much of an accomplishment - but I'm trying.
I started out in beta as a silver player and was stuck for a while, but got to diamond (now in master) in about 2-3 weeks with a few exercises. I wrote about them here:
Link to post
And if anyone else is interested, I stream most weeknights and Sunday nights. I stream 1v1 ladder games, practice games, casting, and do a lot of analysis of my own play during/after game:
justin.tv link
EDIT:
Thanks guys! But to be honest this wasn't supposed to be a "congratulate me!" thread. I was looking to share some insight into how a lower level player can increase their play skill and ranking just by learning how to macro. And this post was to help those players learn HOW they should go about learning how to macro.
EDIT 2:
I've gotten a few private messages on how to deal with harassment and early rushes and I don't think people read my response down on the thread:
These exercises are meant to give you a goal in each game where you want your economy to be - think of anything below this as less than optimal. Secondary to the optimal economy, it should help you with your speed and how quickly you need to spend your money, which will equate to larger armies in less time.
I wouldn't do this on ladder until you are comfortable doing it without any harassment etc. And to deal with early rushes, you just need to be active with scouting and make units ONLY as needed. After defending the rush, back to drones and expanding. Focus on this then later, when you advance in ladder, you can experiment with counter attacking, aggression, and other options. Learning to macro properly is the key here.
Focus on macroing until you are mid-high diamond, then start doing things like counter attacks and other strategic moves.
 
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nice going! WP GJ and everything, i have gone bronze to plat sine release
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Thanks spitfire, and congratulations with your accomplishment too! ^_^
If you are below diamond, all you need to do is set aside time to learn to macro and you will get to diamond. I know you probably hear that all the time, but hopefully you can read what I wrote and do those exercises. I don't know how they should change for terran or protoss, but the idea of just straight up macroing is the same.
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what do you mean it's not 'much' of an accomplishment?
You went from silver to masters. If thats not a huge accomplishment I really don't know what would be considered a huge accomplishment :p
good job!
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You should add a title to the post (too long for the thread). Silver to Master or: How I Learned to Stop Cheesing and love to Macro.
+ Show Spoiler +
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A great testament to what you can achieve you don't focus on random theory crafting and balance arguments and just purely focus on mastering the fundamentals.
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Congratulations your a good example to all the lower players who complain about the only advice they get is 'macro better' and say its pointless, i hope you continue improving dramatically now you can begin to focus on other things! 
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Thanks again guys
Some people argue that macroing in lower leagues is bad because you will just cheesed and 1 based all the time. That may be true, but if you are macroing well and working on it, lower level cheeses and all-ins simply won't work.
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Any feedback of what I've written bros? lol
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lol brah it took you that long? Soniamdissapoint.jpg. Didn't think you'd have a TL account lolol.
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congrats man! and nice writeup!
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Nice Job getting masters.
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Thanks guys! I really appreciate it, but to be honest, this wasn't supposed to be a "congratulate me!" thread. I was looking to share some insight into how a lower level player can increase their play skill and ranking just by learning how to macro. And this post was to help those players learn HOW they should go about learning how to macro.
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Good job you give me hope
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brotosterone-
Thank you so much for sharing your blog and writing about your experiences on how you learned to macro!! I'm cuurently a Gold level Terran that started as Bronze #100 and I've made it my mission to become a better macro player and the exercises you posted on your blog were exactly what I was looking for. I've signed up to follow your blog and if you could please continue to post articles like this, I will be on there all the time.
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Fiziks,
Thanks for the feedback brah. I wish that I knew how I could make it more specific to Terran, but I learned Zerg >_<. Anyways, the concept should be similar - learn how to get to 3 base efficiently, learn how to max out as quickly as possible (this includes making the right amount of production facilities that are consistently pumping units), then last but not least, keep your money low. The "keep your money low part" shouldn't be too hard when you figure out your production capabilities.
I'd like to continue to write stuff so if anyone wants any other topics written about I can see if I have any thoughts on them. I think I have other things to talk about too.
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how fast can you get to 200 units? I can do it right at 14 mins sometimes very slightly before but I am still doing terrible on ladder granted i spend minerals like crap
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nice advice migth try it how do you deal with early rushes though ?
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On February 04 2011 07:50 DISHU wrote:
nice advice migth try it how do you deal with early rushes though ?
These exercises are meant to give you a goal in each game where you want your economy to be - think of anything below this as less than optimal. Secondary to the optimal economy, it should help you with your speed and how quickly you need to spend your money, which will equate to larger armies in less time.
I wouldn't do this on ladder until you are comfortable doing it without any harassment etc. And to deal with early rushes, you just need to be active with scouting and make units ONLY as needed. After defending the rush, back to drones and expanding. Focus on this then later, when you advance in ladder, you can experiment with counter attacking, aggression, and other options. Learning to macro properly is the key here.
On February 04 2011 07:40 plasemeious wrote:
how fast can you get to 200 units? I can do it right at 14 mins sometimes very slightly before but I am still doing terrible on ladder granted i spend minerals like crap
I haven't done that exercise in a while, but my best time was somewhere between 13-14 minutes, I think closer to 14 minutes.
Like I said in my post, set a measurable mineral count not to go over and do everything in your power to be successful in that. Be active in trying to achieve that goal and don't just shrug it off when you fail. Find where you make your mistakes and correct them and it will be second nature that you are always low in money.
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I updated OP since I've been getting questions about handling early rushes, but I had already answered it
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Do you offer coaching? I have very good macro when I'm attacking and microing. my weakness is when I'm attacking at multiple places at once and still macroing every mineral. I know I have to keep working on it to get better but any advice?
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I don't do any official coaching since I don't think I have the qualifications or time to do that. I'll do my best to answer any questions. I do have a stream and skype so you can follow me and catch me when I'm live so I can answer questions more promptly.
As for your question about "attacking multiple places at once and still macroing every mineral", I don't see how that would be any different from microing and macroing at the same time (building units/injecting by using your hotkeys during battles). Could you be more specific?
As a side note, which I still think is important:
When people talk about working on something to get better, I hope you are stressing the fact that you are actually working on it. For your example, when the situation comes up where you are doing multi-pronged attacks, make a conscious decision and say "hey, here's an opportunity to improve simultaneous macro and micro". Don't be one of those people that just keeps playing and massing games thinking they are going to get better just with experience. You will get better with experience, but make each experience count!
^I think I may actually make this a separate blog post and elaborate more on making practice count, since its something people don't really stress about.
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do you end up making units in between 2nd and 3rd or do you just time when to make your third well
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For zergs, for this exercise, I like to straight drone until a saturated 3rd.
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Well I read this and am inspired now! ^_^ I am gold right now.
So I will try this and mark my progress and post another reply when I reach diamond :D
Thank You for this great post.
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wait... im supposed to get 3 bases as zerg?
MASTERS HERE I COME!!!!!!
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Nice job / nice blog. Hope you were okay without that first beta key! 
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EPT
