Why Practice Partners are better than ladder.

Trufflez

Australia174 Posts

November 26 2011 08:11 GMT

Yes... This is a blog about ladder and about practice games, mostly because I want to keep track of my improvement but also for the entertainment of the masses!! ^^

You can find the replay of this the most excellent of games by clicking here.

GAME ONE:

The first game we played was on Shakuras Plateau for those too lazy to watch the replay. We both played pretty badly, cold hands, first game etcetera

We spawn close by air on the top half of the map and I (Protoss) scout after pylon. We both find each other first go of course considering the positions on the map.

Zerg opens gas first into very fast ling speed, and I open with a 3 gate robo build. I immediately poke with my first 3 units (sentry stalker and zealot) to gain map control and produce an observer to keep him scouted. The poke has medium success but I lose a stalker then freak out thinking "FUCK SPINE CRAWLERS MIGHT BE UP THERE" and leave.

My first poke

The zerg takes one more gas, I make a WhiteRa Prism and expand while warping in sentries with plans to drop harrass like a boss.

The zerg takes his third.

I load up 3 sentries into the prism with intentions of getting another zealot using it's power field to frocefield his workers into the mieral line... but... well... I'm plat okay! It got seen by an overlord when I parked it next to one thinking it was out of vision range and I don't drop because lings come to protect...

Not exactly how I planned that to happen...

With the third unscouted (even though I have an observer -_- because I'm just that pro) I think the game is about even. By now the Zegr's Lair is finishing up and since I have a heaps basic knowledge of timing I start to get scared of mutas and become passive (I'm sowwy... :/)

I then GUESS the third has just finished and forcefield the ramp to it reinforcing the WHITERA PRISM :DDD, killing it off and leaving, losing a fair bit in a trade that looking back was probably not that even my way...

Feeling pretty damn pro with my HuK-like forcefields. :DDDD

This allows me to get on a fairly even game but I'm definitely still behind.

I take both gases at my nat during this attack and begin immortal production to try and deal with the roach count coming from my zergy opponent. Because of my excellent deduction skills I don't bother with cannons or blink knowing the spire isn't coming any time soon. However the fact that that means he's probably going infestors if that's true slips my mind somehow...

He begins pathogen galnds and infestor production. This is where it really goes to shit for me... -_-

At this time I get a robo bay and two more gates hoping for a collossus deathball as I secure my third (such is toss ^^)

I'm falling extremely behind on upgrades even though supply is fairly even by now... I look back on that and facepalm.

By now it's the thirteen minute mark and my third is half done, pretty even on expos but pretty far behind on tech. I probably should've been more active with my WhiteRa Prism anyways.

Supply block is killing me but I begin my first collossus and move my army around the map trying to get some map control. I drop a twilight council after seeing the first 5 infestors aqnd start producing collossi and more stalkers that zealots and sentries.

Our thirds finish at the same time and he grabs burrow and a spire...

The bane of the Protoss race...

Then for some silly reason I feel I'm not being aggressive enough (the WhiteRa prism is being very quiet... sad face D

I randomly attack at a very bad timing and angle with 5 infestors and a bunch of 1/1 roaches my attack is thoroughly flattened. I attempt some decent forcefields, when I should've retreated, but got fungalled shorty after I didn't capitalize on a window of opportunity.

Before...

After...

By now I'm pretty damn far behind and have to hope to get lucky with scouting and deathball it up and A move... I get templar and storm and to feedback the infestors, in hindsight I shoul've gotten void rays and a mother ship to try and archon toilet a win...

I turtle up and take a fourth... and nothing much really happens, I'm pretty much trying to stay even on bases with the Zerg and get a decent composition, but I really should be getting some warp prisms to harrass.

Then we both turtle to max, he spreads some creep, kills zsome probes with mutas at my fourth and we a move into each other ^^

A-MOVE ALL THE THINGS

Because of upgrades and brood lords, I get squashed out and am forced to gg.

That was just one of the games, I'm too tired right now but I'll post them once a day for a while I reckon, to try and keep progress of my improvement in the matchups and my macro and multitasking, which in that game in particular was pretty abysmal. (That was the first game of the night so not the best one ^^

Thanks for reading there'll be more on the way. Get a practice partner doods. :DD

Jaxtyk

United States600 Posts

November 26 2011 08:18 GMT

I had a practice partner once. Asked if we can use Skype to talk strategy and how we can improve. When we 1v1ed however, he would use profanity all the time (said the word "fuck" every second) so now I'm sticking with laddering.

thesideshow

930 Posts

November 26 2011 08:27 GMT

Sounds like you had good non-cheesy games.

You haven't explained what you think games with a practice partner is better than laddering though, your analysis can still be done with ladder games

kierpanda

United States757 Posts

November 26 2011 08:29 GMT

I feel like if I play with someone too long, I'll learn their style and they'll learn mine....Then the whole thing becomes way too predictable.

I like the mess of shenanigans that is 1v1 ladder.

apalemorning

Canada509 Posts

November 26 2011 08:36 GMT

ladder is great because it teaches you how to play safe. (really good for touraments/pool play). practice partners are good to a certain degree, but after you learn someones style you will subconsciously cut corners in your build.

ladder > practice partners

Felo

Germany392 Posts

November 26 2011 08:38 GMT

Practice Partners are helpful if you have a specific problem or want to try out something new.

Lets say you learned a new build for PvT trough playing it a hundred times in YABOT, the opening is safe and sound and now you want to bring it to ladder.

After 25 games you've won 7 PvPs, 4 PvZs, lost 13 PvPs and 1 PvZ and then, finally, you get rewarded with the first T of the day.

You've nearly forgotten the new BO and begin to play it sloppily and just when the brilliance unfolds ... he storms your ramp with all his SCVs and a bunch of marines to steal himself some juicy ladderpoints.

Repeat.

OmniEulogy

Canada6593 Posts

November 26 2011 09:57 GMT

I think the thing that helps you more than anything is that he is of a higher skill. Practice partners are fantastic when the person you are playing is better than the people you play regularly on ladder. You get used to stronger timings / better mechanics most of the time so when you ladder vs people who are worse You feel that you are playing better. Good Luck

Emporio

United States3069 Posts

November 26 2011 10:45 GMT

Is there any reason why you don't FFE on Shakuras?

Trufflez

Australia174 Posts

November 26 2011 21:34 GMT

I just don't like how much Zerg can drone if I FFE.
Also Practice partners are better because you can focus on one map or matchup or build and discuss it after. ^^

zZygote

Canada898 Posts

November 26 2011 22:04 GMT

#10

On November 27 2011 06:34 Trufflez wrote:
I just don't like how much Zerg can drone if I FFE.
Also Practice partners are better because you can focus on one map or matchup or build and discuss it after. ^^

It's good to practice on a particular thing you find you're weak on. Therefore you should try to FFE and see how you can punish a greedy zerg instead of assuming that you'll always be behind if you take an expansion.

Trufflez

Australia174 Posts

November 27 2011 01:40 GMT

#11

I have tried that and had medium success with it, i've gone ffe into 7 gate +2 with blink to kiill the greedy early third. just not this game ^^