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Active: 2384 users

Finally figuring out how to react to what I scout

Blogs > TheAlchemist89
Post a Reply
TheAlchemist89
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
160 Posts
May 28 2011 17:48 GMT
#1
Still on the journey beyond gold (I'm in a rut! :D). I've decided to simply just loosen up and play some games... my mechanics and keyboard familiarity should increase with just simply playing more games. While I loosen up, I figured I may as well work on my general game-sense.

My last blog entry I uncovered a timing attack.... and sort of learned the principle behind this. To me there seems to be two types of timing attacks.... the ones you create by completing an upgrade or specific tech.... and the ones your opponent gives you by playing greedy or by losing too much military during encounters.

My biggest problem to date has been my poor scouting. I always scout when I open the game, and I've been trying to 'scout the front" as well lately. Figured I would go a step further and use my robo-tech (obs) to really try to expand my scouting information so I could test my abilities to react to what I see.

Played a terran today who went 3 rax reactor into seige tank. Turtled hard... very hard to crack. After scouting this I decided colossus or carrier was the best way to go, but due to the sheer number of marines, colossus and the AOE definitely would help me rip his forces up a lot quicker.

As I teched hard.... I noticed my minerals were seriously hurting..... and that I'd begun to run out. Quickly I expanded... figuring I was just about to lose due to my lack of foresight of economy strain. Figured I'd scout quickly and see just how hard he had expanded... and to my fortune, turns out he had only just gotten an expo up a few min prior. Quickly I knocked the expo down, and decided I'd play a contain game. I expanded again... and continued to pressure his front to annihilate his marines and seige tanks to force him to spend all his econ replacing enough military to repel me. Turns out it worked :D

As I watched the replay, turns out I could have been far more bold and actually have ended the match much earlier, so clearly I still have a lot to work on

Replay can be found here: http://drop.sc/11522

Looks like it will be a long way out of gold... but slowly and surely I'm crawling my way :D

**
sTsCompleted
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
United States380 Posts
May 28 2011 18:13 GMT
#2
congrats! that's still something I'm working on -.- At least I recognize that's my problem
vnlegend
Profile Blog Joined December 2006
United States1389 Posts
May 28 2011 18:17 GMT
#3
Yes this is a very important skill that pro's have. They can deduce a lot from very little information.

I'd suggest you write down a list of rules for what you expect to see and how you react. Also keep in mind things like the game timer. For example, if Protoss 1 gate FE, he should have a nexus at X:XX time. So around this time or 20 secs later, u should scout for a nexus. By knowing the timings for things, it makes it a bit easier to predict builds as well as know when to scout for something.
Marines > everything
ven
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
Germany332 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-05-28 18:48:16
May 28 2011 18:47 GMT
#4
Attacking when your upgrades finish is not a timing attack. Finishing upgrades often coincide with one but never represent a timing itself.
You can reach the rainbow. I'll be there to help.
ven
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
Germany332 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-05-28 18:48:06
May 28 2011 18:47 GMT
#5
double post
You can reach the rainbow. I'll be there to help.
SnowFantasy
Profile Blog Joined September 2006
4173 Posts
May 28 2011 18:53 GMT
#6
On May 29 2011 03:47 ven wrote:
Attacking when your upgrades finish is not a timing attack. Finishing upgrades often coincide with one but never represent a timing itself.


Sure it is.
omgCRAZY
Profile Blog Joined January 2010
Canada551 Posts
May 28 2011 18:56 GMT
#7
On May 29 2011 03:53 SnowFantasy wrote:
Show nested quote +
On May 29 2011 03:47 ven wrote:
Attacking when your upgrades finish is not a timing attack. Finishing upgrades often coincide with one but never represent a timing itself.


Sure it is.


Ya a lot of timing attacks are built around the timing of upgrades and certain tech.
THIS NEEDS FACE!
Glaven
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
Canada554 Posts
May 28 2011 19:09 GMT
#8
On May 29 2011 03:47 ven wrote:
Attacking when your upgrades finish is not a timing attack. Finishing upgrades often coincide with one but never represent a timing itself.


You're wrong.
Special Tactics
ven
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
Germany332 Posts
May 28 2011 19:15 GMT
#9
On May 29 2011 03:56 omgCRAZY wrote:
Show nested quote +
On May 29 2011 03:53 SnowFantasy wrote:
On May 29 2011 03:47 ven wrote:
Attacking when your upgrades finish is not a timing attack. Finishing upgrades often coincide with one but never represent a timing itself.


Sure it is.


Ya a lot of timing attacks are built around the timing of upgrades and certain tech.

Which is my point. Upgrades may make it possible to exploit a timing, but it's because of the timing of the upgrade in a certain situation and not the upgrade itself. For example +1 attack can create a timing vs unupgraded zerglings but has no meaning at all vs +1 carapace.
You can reach the rainbow. I'll be there to help.
nofAcedAgent
Profile Blog Joined July 2007
United States952 Posts
May 28 2011 19:19 GMT
#10
On May 29 2011 04:15 ven wrote:
Show nested quote +
On May 29 2011 03:56 omgCRAZY wrote:
On May 29 2011 03:53 SnowFantasy wrote:
On May 29 2011 03:47 ven wrote:
Attacking when your upgrades finish is not a timing attack. Finishing upgrades often coincide with one but never represent a timing itself.


Sure it is.


Ya a lot of timing attacks are built around the timing of upgrades and certain tech.

Which is my point. Upgrades may make it possible to exploit a timing, but it's because of the timing of the upgrade in a certain situation and not the upgrade itself. For example +1 attack can create a timing vs unupgraded zerglings but has no meaning at all vs +1 carapace.


Buddy, your not gonna dig yourself outa that statement sorry.
NB
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
Netherlands12045 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-05-28 19:24:34
May 28 2011 19:24 GMT
#11
i remember back in beta phase 1 when i first got into gold and promoted into platnium (back then plat is the highest you can get)

this happen everytime i scout:
http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/38oo/
Im daed. Follow me @TL_NB
PH
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
United States6173 Posts
May 28 2011 22:24 GMT
#12
On May 29 2011 03:47 ven wrote:
Attacking when your upgrades finish is not a timing attack. Finishing upgrades often coincide with one but never represent a timing itself.

Yes...they do. They're the central factor of many timings, and so often represent a timing itself. Stop trying to be a smartass.
Hello
Antylamon
Profile Joined March 2011
United States1981 Posts
May 28 2011 22:26 GMT
#13
On May 29 2011 03:17 vnlegend wrote:
Yes this is a very important skill that pro's have. They can deduce a lot from very little information.

I'd suggest you write down a list of rules for what you expect to see and how you react. Also keep in mind things like the game timer. For example, if Protoss 1 gate FE, he should have a nexus at X:XX time. So around this time or 20 secs later, u should scout for a nexus. By knowing the timings for things, it makes it a bit easier to predict builds as well as know when to scout for something.

The tricky part is when you decide against scouting again cause you think you know what bo your opponent is doing. Then your opponent cancels their building and makes a different one (toss with their stargate/robo/twilight especially).
On May 29 2011 04:24 NB wrote:
i remember back in beta phase 1 when i first got into gold and promoted into platnium (back then plat is the highest you can get)

this happen everytime i scout:
http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/38oo/

Bad news everyone! Memes aren't allowed on TL!
(yes I know it's not actually a huge meme)
iSometric
Profile Blog Joined February 2011
2221 Posts
May 29 2011 01:29 GMT
#14
On May 29 2011 03:47 ven wrote:
Attacking when your upgrades finish is not a timing attack. Finishing upgrades often coincide with one but never represent a timing itself.

Incorrect assumption? I think it is.
strava.com/athletes/zhaodynasty
Juliette
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
United States6003 Posts
May 29 2011 04:13 GMT
#15
Gold terrans seem to really like MMM+tank don't they? o.O. i usually respond with more immortals than collosi though since they never like tank/marine, its always marauder heavy.

congrats and gl ^^
OKAY FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE I SEE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
TheAlchemist89
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
160 Posts
May 29 2011 05:51 GMT
#16
On May 29 2011 03:17 vnlegend wrote:
Yes this is a very important skill that pro's have. They can deduce a lot from very little information.

I'd suggest you write down a list of rules for what you expect to see and how you react. Also keep in mind things like the game timer. For example, if Protoss 1 gate FE, he should have a nexus at X:XX time. So around this time or 20 secs later, u should scout for a nexus. By knowing the timings for things, it makes it a bit easier to predict builds as well as know when to scout for something.


This is definitely what I'm trying to work on currently. Jotting down timings for various builds. Though I like to do it from pro replays as at my level (gold) the timings aren't really what the perfect timings should be. Though I do like to note what the builds "look" like so that I can still attempt to use timings even at my level.
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