I had written this blog off last night, regarding all the build orders I was going to try to do. However, I get a HotS beta key and went into the game earlier today. So I will be leaving WoL behind me and focusing solely on HotS making almost all of those strategies irrelevant.
For those interested, I was going to be doing a Rain styled PvZ, Parting styled PvT and had very little idea on what to do for PvP. I also learned today that would be irrelevent.
I loaded in the beta, and started up the training problems. After completing one, something had become abundantly clear: I am awful. I was barely able to keep up with probes, pylons and like six gateways. The training was screaming "More pylons! Warp stuff in! PROBES!" I could hardly keep up and more than once fell way, way behind. But I kept at it, I kept at it for like two hours and am seeing progress. The training mode in HotS is incredible for those still learning to macro because it DOES yell what you need to do, lights up the supply when you need to be dropping pylons. I could hardly handle that, I can't even imagine trying to micro a warp prism, while microing a big battle while macroing. I need to figure out some really pathetically easy build orders/strategies and just get comfortable with that level of play, even if it means losing more than I'd like.
This threw a wrench into my preperation, but it was a welcome wrench. It meant that I had finally stopped dragging my feet and had finally jumped into the game. Only room for improvement from this point on. I did learn how to wall off my ramp which was cool, was worried about screwing that up.
My gameplan remains fairly unchanged, just that I'll be focusing crazy hard on the basic mechanics of the game rather than anything else for the time being. Pylons and probes all day,or at least until they aren't the only thing I'm thinking about! Once I get some mechanics down I'll slowly work on the micro of certain units, like using the oracle or high templar. I used a force field on a sentry today, that was cool.
In addition to that, I think mentality and physical health will have a large play. So I will be working on not tilting if I lose and making sure I excercise and eat healthier. Buy some fruits and veggies at the grocery store as opposed to just a six pack of mac n cheese.
I'll be trying to keep this blog as active as I can between actually practicing and school work as I can. At minimum once a week, hopefully significantly more active than that. That said, I will try to make the blogs pertinent and interesting. I won't (intentionally), make a shitty or boring blog. Like starcraft, this will be a learning experience too.
Next few days I'll be practicing hard. My major goal for this time is to keep making probes and not get supply blocked. And make zealots. Lots of zealots.