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You ever have one of those days where you can't win a game?
Well, I've been having a lot of those, actually. I've been sitting on 0 (zero) points in my diamond league division for a while now, going about 2 for 10 in terms of win ratio. I just got dropped down to platinum.
So I'm asking myself the following question: why do I devote so much time to this game?
I've got an addictive personality, so this kind of stuff happens a lot. I played seven hundred hours of modern warfare two in a year, and I never got good at that game, either. Maybe my brain just can't handle everything Starcraft demands.
It's not that I'm dumb. I got a 36 on the ACT, virtually perfect grades all through high school, and a full ride to my college. It's just that even though I know all the theory related to Starcraft II -- all the build orders, the unit compositions, the timings, and so on -- I can never remember them on the spot. I can't even manage to avoid getting supply blocked in the early game -- can't inject consistently -- and certainly can't remember upgrades or even zergling speed half the time. That's why this has been so frustrating. I lose to early pushes, to late-game deathballs, and to everything in between. Every time I lose, I look back on the game, and realize I messed up literally everything possible.
I love Day[9] and I love the community (with the possible exception of DarkForce, who called my no gas fe a "worthless trainwreck of a build" months before Spanishiwa posted his version and proved the potential of the concept). I love watching Starcraft and to some extent I enjoy playing it. But I just don't think the way things are going right now that I could ever be masters, and that makes the whole thing seem pointless.
There's a lot of stuff going on right now that I could be spending time on. Finals are coming up. I'm trying to get a novel published (started sending off query letters today ^.^). I skip more Ultimate practices than I should. I pick Starcraft over hanging out with friends in real life. And none of it has helped me become an appreciably better player. So for the time being, I'm no longer going to spend my free time playing Starcraft II. It's getting uninstalled as soon as I finish this post. I'm giving it a break that might well turn out to be permanent, depending on how internships work out this summer.
Just wanted to say goodbye. g.g.
 
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On April 10 2011 14:43 gROOT.clever wrote:
It's not that I'm dumb. I got a 36 on the ACT, virtually perfect grades all through high school, and a full ride to my college. It's just that even though I know all the theory related to Starcraft II -- all the build orders, the unit compositions, the timings, and so on -- I can never remember them on the spot.
Although there may be some relationship between being academically smart and being able to play Starcraft, there are some major gaps. SC requires you to think much faster than anything in college and requires mechanical skill. Academic intelligence requires you to know the theory and that's it (because the application takes no skill, typically memory recall only). SC requires you to know the theory and have to the mechanics, brain speed and multi-tasking to actually execute it.
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I am just here to say this:
Starcraft is not played with your brain, but won by your heart!
If you want to get better:
-) switch to a new race (if you have trouble braking habits)
-) stop watching day9
-) play the game because you want to have fun
Also: everyone has bad phases.
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peace, have fun in real life. I heard they have a lot of things with which you can keep yourself busy  It sounds, from your post, that it's simply the best option to leave the game at least until school is over, then re assess your stance
P.S: Ultimate!!!! I forgot about that game
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On April 10 2011 14:51 jacen wrote:
I am just here to say this:
Starcraft is not played with your brain, but won by your heart!
If you want to get better:
-) switch to a new race (if you have trouble braking habits)
-) stop watching day9
-) play the game because you want to have fun
Also: everyone has bad phases.
why stop watching day9?
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Bye, I guess. From what I've read you see Starcraft as purely a competitive thing, so if you don't want to kick back and play games for fun (which is what I do, I've long since stopped caring about ladder) then gl in life... you seem to be pretty damn successful so gl with whatever you do.
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Everyone starts from scratch. I remember being proud of having 50apm in BW. Now I slap myself for anything below 170 (in BW; I don't know how this translates to SC2).
Since you are hovering between Plat and Diamond, take things in steps and be proud of each little achievement. It pays off no matter how far you get
If SC2 seems to be cutting too much into your life, I guess it's only normal that you drop it. Good luck with whatever you choose to do ^^
(If this were BW, you would be back in a few weeks for sure)
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i got bored of sc2 as well playing as terran. i switched to toss and have found it to be more enjoyable. try switching races and really try to learn how to play the race from the ground up. being smart in school has nothing to do with gaming like athletics has nothing to do with intelligence. just enjoy the game for what it is, you're not going pro so why not just enjoy it and have fun with it? perhaps find friends to play with or get your gf hooked on it. either way, don't quit a game you enjoy. life is too short to push aside the things that make you happy!
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It sounds to me that you already made your mind up awhile ago. You love watching SCII because pro players make everything look so damn easy. But in game - a lot of players who watch pro players tend to have a mindset that they can just go out and achieve practice and APM intensive builds right on the spot. Because of this - you often end up making little mistakes which make you bash your head in on the wall.
You cannot succeed with such a horrible sense of negativity, and you also cannot succeed when you attempt to achieve crazy - overarching goals without taking teeny tiny steps up the ladder first.
In order to achieve anything, you have to set goals for yourself. But more than that - you have to have the determination and drive to succeed. You have to ask yourself what you want to achieve in SCII, and the reasons chosen have to be right for YOU.
In order to know just how far you have come in your goals, you have to have benchmarks, just as you would in any sport or activity. Get a notebook and write out two lists of goals. One will contain shorterm goals, and the other contains goals which you want to achieve over the course of your gaming career. Work for the little things each time you play, but keep your mind on the big things.
I would also suggest entering a tournament or two - or maybe even suggesting SCII to one of your friends. And most important of all - yes, please, PLEASE take breaks from StarCraft. You do not have to drop it - but do not let it consume you. Lead a balanced life, and work to achieve your goals in every aspect of it.
:D. Gl Hf and GG! - Best of luck for getting your novel published as well.
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I'm having one of these phases too (and racial indecision), and every time I lose a few in a row I get pissed and stop and work on some homework or do something else for a while. And then a few hours later I'll really start thinking about the games and how to fix or what I want to do next, and have the urge to play again, but not in an addictive sense.
Even though I only have time to play 2-3 games a day at the moment, and even though I lose literally about 90% of my games right now in Diamond (I took a very long, 4-5 month break from 1v1) and am frustrated right after I stop, when I wake up the next day the game's always on my mind during the day. Always thinking of little things to try or improve, deciding which race to play or which maps I like/don't like recently.
Idk nothing really to say here. Best of luck. Coming from someone who stopped for many months because of absolute ZERO motivation to improve or play after frustration and no one to really share anything with, you will either find something else to enjoy, or you will re-discover your drive. Starcraft is boring without the drive. You'll find it again.
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Well the fact that you played wayyyy to much was bad, but the fact that you are in diamond or platinum is no reason to quit. I was in high Diamond myself, then I started playing random and having more fun and now I'm rank 4 gold. I don't feel bad or like quitting because it's just a game. I know that as I figure stuff out I'll probably get promoted but who cares anyway its just a game. In fact, I've had a lot more fun with games ever since I stopped trying to be 'the best'. Try it.
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Sounds like you have plenty of exciting things to do besides Starcraft. Everything in moderation, my friend! 
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Perfect score on ACT? really?
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you will be back. I said the same thing. I stopped playing for a long time.
Funny thing is that when i got dropped to platinum in september last year i never played until last month. When i came back i couldnt even get the timings on simple builds right. That and unsuccessfully trying to switch races meant a drop down to the cheesy cesspool that is the silver league.
Now its less fun than when i first left
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On April 10 2011 14:56 SlapMySalami wrote:Show nested quote +On April 10 2011 14:51 jacen wrote:
I am just here to say this:
Starcraft is not played with your brain, but won by your heart!
If you want to get better:
-) switch to a new race (if you have trouble braking habits)
-) stop watching day9
-) play the game because you want to have fun
Also: everyone has bad phases. why stop watching day9?
I thought this was obvious, but watching day9 might create inner tension in where you really want to play as you see in the replay he shows. Even when it might be a bad idea in that particular game. If someone were in diamond, i think you can only learn small things off of day9's show and most of which will probably help you in tournaments, but not on the ladder.
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Bro, there's like a million starcraft players worldwide, you're not going to become pro, so just play the games as they should be played, for fun.
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The game doesn't have the longevity of brood war , no surprise that so many people are getting bored of melee already.
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Its got plenty of strats that havnt gotten popular, its just people don't try in fear of losing on the ladder : (
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Wait how can you not be good at mw2?
And everyone has bad days... I don't get why you're quitting the game because you get demoted.
Getting demoted means you should work harder to get better and to get back in diamond.
Also, everyone can get Into masters as long as they play enough of games (see combat-ex)
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I have these terrible lose phases where i feel like quiting but you just push through and eventually you improve. But then when you step back and realize how bad you were when you started as opposed to now you can see that have indeed improved and that is what its all about.
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EPT
