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What exactly is the gap between pro gamers and Masters? -…

Blogs > Brandish
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StarStruck
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
25339 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-03-07 22:44:12
March 07 2012 22:43 GMT
#41
On March 08 2012 00:35 BrTarolg wrote:
Gap between D and C on iccup ]xxxxxxx[
Gap between C and Grandmasters on sc2 ]x[
Gap between progamer and grandmasters ]xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx[
Gap between C and bw progamer ]xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx...*10[
I like this notation


The gap between D and C on Iccup is a lot bigger than that. - -

In either case I don't like using numerical values to make a point.
TylerThaCreator
Profile Blog Joined May 2011
United States906 Posts
March 07 2012 23:44 GMT
#42
On March 08 2012 07:18 DueleR wrote:
Show nested quote +
On March 07 2012 08:47 HardlyNever wrote:
Basically what I see are a lot of players that can do 1 single thing on a pro level sometimes. I'd put myself in this category as well. Maybe they have a particular build they are good at, and sometimes they really nail it. Maybe they have good stalker micro, and sometimes they do especially well with it in a game. It is about consistency as well.


I floated around top masters on NA for a period of time last year and this is probably the most accurate description of how I felt about myself and the skill level of most of the players I faced on ladder. I had a few go-to builds I used for each match-up, and for all of them I had more or less "pro-level" timings. Like, I would watch a replay of myself and a replay of a pro executing the same build, and things would more or less line up 10-15 minutes into the game. This, plus decent micro, was enough to get me to high masters on NA.

So basically, if you saw a good replay of mine, there wouldn't be much on the surface that you could use to differentiate my play from a pro's. But never once did I think I could actually be a pro, or compete with them on a consistent basis (and I felt the same way about most high masters on NA - I'm sure the Korean server would be different). I could take games off GMs and even a few mid-tier NA pros on teams, but I was severely lacking in many areas - creativity to come up with my own builds, decision-making in complicated/novel late-game situations, not falling apart in pressure sitautions, etc. Add to that the simple problem of stamina - I just didn't have the energy to "try" for more than 10-15 games a day, and when I played games past that limit the quality of my play deteriorated significantly. All this meant I eventually realized I never was going to break that high master's wall.

Anyway, those qualities - poise, creativity, stamina, decision-making - I feel are what separates people like me (essentially copy machines that are decent enough at executing set builds) and people who have what it takes to make it to the next level with hard work. And of course, they're the same qualities that are important to succeeding in a tournament setting, which is where pros make their careers.


Being a copy machine definitely puts you at the pro level - it isn't necessary (but definitely what sets one pro above another) to have your own builds. Decision making in lategame situations is something that comes with time for everyone, along with stamina and not getting nervous in pressure situations. Being a pro and being a high ladder player is not quite as far apart as you may think.
aka SethN
Gann1
Profile Joined July 2009
United States1575 Posts
March 07 2012 23:47 GMT
#43
About tree fitty.

Seriously, you can't put an exact number on player skill.
I drop suckas like Plinko
aMEkaRmy
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
Canada633 Posts
March 08 2012 03:31 GMT
#44
Imo low - mid masters to high masters is a gap no one really understands. Low masters are bad, Truely. You can get to masters by 4gating or 6 pooling or doing some silly all in, but when you continue to climb the ladder you suddenly face players with the ability to hold off the builds and the players are never able to macro out of it, So to answer your question it's a dumb question... Pro's will 100% of the tim beat bad players, even if they can get GM. Their mechanics and mind set are on a higher level. I've executed a perfectly timed and micro'd 8gate vs TSLhyun and he absolutely crushed me, but when I do it to a mid teir GM player I crush them with it. The skill gap is huge, more so than any non-pro could understand.
Team Captain for FXO.NA Follow me on twitter @FXOkarmy
Drowsy
Profile Blog Joined November 2005
United States4876 Posts
March 08 2012 21:53 GMT
#45
You guys must think pros are some sort of omnipotent gods. Ask yourself this. What's more likely to happen? A bronze taking a game off of a mid masters? Or a mid master's taking a game off a pro? Watch western pros stream while playing on smurf accounts. They are still very capapble of losing to competent mid masters guys who know basic builds and can execute them well, whereas there is no chance in hell a mid masters player will ever lose to anyone sub platinum.
Our Protoss, Who art in Aiur HongUn be Thy name; Thy stalker come, Thy will be blunk, on ladder as it is in Micro Tourny. Give us this win in our daily ladder, and forgive us our cheeses, As we forgive those who play zerg against us.
OpticalShot
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
Canada6330 Posts
March 08 2012 22:19 GMT
#46
Simply, the differences are:
- 25-50 hours / week
- $$$
- swag

That's about it, I think.
[TLMS] REBOOT
stuzH
Profile Joined September 2011
United States56 Posts
July 29 2012 21:11 GMT
#47
rawr sauce mcquibbles! the gap is very hard to bridge between low-mid masters all the way up to High masters or gm.

User was warned for this post
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