|
Ok, so far I have yet to actaully improve in my general Starcraft gameplay!!! Massing games and watching over them isn't actaully helping me, because even though I know what I did wrong, I do the same things over and over again. Like for example, if you knew you macro'd bad, then you marcro'd bad, I mean you can't improve you're macro in the next game just by playing another game again. You need to know things, the strategies, what to do in situations recognize what you have and what you're opponent has and you have to know the specific processes to improving macro or micro etc etc. So I need some general advice on what I should do, and other alternative means.
Here's what I have:
Old keyboard
A laser mouse from like the 2000's, that sucks (but is still usable!!!!!!)
BW chart (which I don't use, because I can't exactly find anything helpful except finding about my apm or build orders and hotkeys)
I don't have any gaming hardware or anything of that kind. So I'm low on the infrastructure category. Now, for a noob like me, here's what I have to ask:
-What do you recommend doing to improve what I can already do? Like for instance what should I do to improve my overall macro? play single-player custom games?
-I've heard about UMS maps where like for instance you have to destroy a whole field of mines using a group of dragoons in like this training map thing, I know there are UMS maps where you can improve in specific sitautions you face often in a certain matchups or improving overall where can I find these maps and could you name some?
-What should I do to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of certain maps?
-If I am watching a replay what should I look for? For example, besides looking at what the player you're trying to learn from and his opponent have at different intervals of the game, what else should I look for?
-There aren't basic build orders, because every single game differs but if you're going for like a single strategy with many build orders that can correspond with the build order of you're opponent how are you supposed to get the timing straight? How do you learn those specific build orders and know exactly at what time to do this and that/build this and that?
-How do you use BWchart for improving in starcraft? (excluding what I described above)
-How can I can improve in controlling multiple armies? Like how do you use keys such as attack-move, and the move button or patrol and many other useful buttons in sitautions such as flanking a terran army, or sorrounding a group of hydralisks with zealots etc?
I'm a complete noob sorry!! I would really appreciate it if you guys could answer those questions and post more general advice and what I could do by myself to improve besides watching mass replays 
|
On August 16 2008 02:37 nimysa wrote:
Like for example, if you knew you macro'd bad, then you marcro'd bad, I mean you can't improve you're macro in the next game just by playing another game again. You need to know things, the strategies, what to do in situations recognize what you have and what you're opponent has and you have to know the specific processes to improving macro or micro etc etc.
Well, of course you're not gonna learn anything if you just mass games without thinking. Take a moment after each game you lose (or win for that matter) and THINK about what strategies and what situations came up during it. You take the knowledge gained from each loss (most specifically, why you lost) to the next game so that you can improve on the areas you felt weak in. If your macro was poor, make a conscientious effort to focus more on macroing next game. You're not gonna get better by simply theorycrafting. You have to play games. "Practice makes perfect" is a tried and true expression; it works.
|
attack-move = army moves and attacks anything they see along the way
move = army moves without attacking anything
patrol = army moves back and forth while attacking anything they see
|
On August 16 2008 02:49 blabber wrote:
attack-move = army moves and attacks anything they see along the way
move = army moves without attacking anything
patrol = army moves back and forth while attacking anything they see
He is terran, not protoss.
Edit: Nvmd, that was one of his questions.
I am an ass.
|
Improving in Starcraft is a lot more mental than it is about physical training. When playing it's easy to stop thinking, and that is what separates D players like myself from the higher ranks. Throught the game you have to be thinking about what you can get away with at the moment. If you and your opponent are even at a moment, and he expands, you have to decide whether or not to expand yourself and try to keep up, or to try a timing attack to punish him. You have to think about giving your opponent a threat so that he can't wander around the map uncontested. You have to think about when it's safe for you to expand and tech. Basically, you have to train yourself to think, not to hit buttons.
I don't think training UMS maps will help much when starting out. If you really want to do some artificial training, I suggest the APM topic that Blue Iris wrote.
-edit- I was looking for that topic, but I can't find it to link, sorry 
|
Having old equipment doesnt really matter, I'm using a ball mouse at the moment and a fucked up keyboard with an extremely sensitive space bar which results in my screen jumping about all over the place when I play brood war.
-In order to improve macro you need to know how many facts/raxes you should have for the number of bases you have. If you have the correct amount (eg. 5 or 6 facts for 2 base TvP) then you should be able to keep them all pumping constantly while spending all your money but not queing up units in each fact. It all comes down to going back to your facts at the right time and pumping the next round of units.
-I don't really play any UMS maps, I think just general gaming should be enough to get good.
-I think just playing the maps a lot and watching pro games should teach you things about certain matchups on certain maps.
-When watching a replay I'd suggest watching it from one person's perspective only, then see when, how and what he scouts, what he sees and how he reacts to certain things. Also just general guidelines on factory numbers, SCV numbers, when and where to expo/how to defend it are helpful things you can pick up from replays.
-Learning timing is just takes a lot of practice and some intuition I think. For example timing pushes require you to do things like scout at certain times and see how many units they have, if they're taking that 3rd expo, how many gateways they might have. It's something that will come with enough mass gaming
-I used BWChart to chart the rise of my APM and that's pretty much all
-It's all about control groups and speed. Moving this there, that there, those here etc. Just takes practice and perseverence through the multiple times that it will all go horribly wrong.
Edit:Oh and I'd HIGHLY recommend watching a lot of fpvods, I watched a LOT when I was learning to play properly and they helped a shit load.
|
Think actively while you're playing.
- Peons
- Supply
- Units
- Tech
- Upgrade
- Expo
- Micro
Try it, it might become a habit.
|
|
|
On August 16 2008 02:52 Kwidowmaker wrote:Improving in Starcraft is a lot more mental than it is about physical training. When playing it's easy to stop thinking, and that is what separates D players like myself from the higher ranks. Throught the game you have to be thinking about what you can get away with at the moment. If you and your opponent are even at a moment, and he expands, you have to decide whether or not to expand yourself and try to keep up, or to try a timing attack to punish him. You have to think about giving your opponent a threat so that he can't wander around the map uncontested. You have to think about when it's safe for you to expand and tech. Basically, you have to train yourself to think, not to hit buttons. I don't think training UMS maps will help much when starting out. If you really want to do some artificial training, I suggest the APM topic that Blue Iris wrote. -edit- I was looking for that topic, but I can't find it to link, sorry
That'd be this topic.
|
On August 16 2008 02:51 Lemonwalrus wrote:Show nested quote +On August 16 2008 02:49 blabber wrote:
attack-move = army moves and attacks anything they see along the way
move = army moves without attacking anything
patrol = army moves back and forth while attacking anything they see He is terran, not protoss. Edit: Nvmd, that was one of his questions. I am an ass.
Ahahaha. Maybe unintentional, but that was very funny.
I like using the cheesiest, gayest strategies until I start losing, then try to figure out what my opponent is doing and what kind of sacrifices (?) he is making to be safe against my strategy, then try to exploit those.
|
if u want
all u gotta do is start a game vs a computer opponent and then close the slot
and spend the next 12~15 minutes just macroing and trying to max as fast as possible
this is easiest for protoss to do, u can max in 13 minutes with 3 bases
basically just do standard openings and never have more than 400 minerals unless you are waiting to expand
learn the standard openings
like in pvz u can either go 2gate zeal rush or you can go for expo/tech
and then your choices depend on what your opponent is doing
if he 9pools, u forge/2cannon and maybe a probe or 2 to block
if he 12hatch, u nex first then maybe 1 or 2 cannon and gateway~>tech
if he masses ling, then u delay tech and put up as many cannons as you think u need
if u want to learn micro, just play on ums like team micro arena or something
theres a map called micro tournament thats not that bad if u can make a decent custom battle
|
|
|
|
|
|
EPT
