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Getting Friends into SC

Blogs > Dromar
Post a Reply
1 2 Next All
Dromar
Profile Blog Joined June 2007
United States2145 Posts
October 19 2008 23:17 GMT
#1
So I've gotten a couple friends into Starcraft lately. The first one really likes playing, but really hates losing, so basically only plays one or two games at a time, and only once or so a week. Mostly hosting 1v1 noobs only on bnet west. The other one is a more hardcore competitive player (like myself). The problem is that I've been playing for almost a year now, and so I'm quite a bit better than him. He's improving fast, already ~100 APM Terran after playing only like 50 games. But my experience and being ~180 APM Zerg is kind of crushing his spirit.

Are there any ways to play that won't end up being a one-sided, not-very-fun rape for him? I'm still trying to get better myself whenever I can play, so I tend to try my hardest. Usually it's pretty even until I get my mutas, then he pretty much gets torn apart by muta/ling/lurker.

My first thought was to offrace, which would put us a bit closer together mechanically and strategically (but still with me having an advantage in both), but he says TvT and TvP are "gay," and only want's to play TvZ, because it's the most fun matchup. While I agree, it's also the most difficult matchup, and I don't want to turn him off to Starcraft.

So what can I do? I've told them to play against each other, since they're both at a similar skill level, and they're brothers, but I'd like to play some games with them too.

*****
Raithed
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
China7078 Posts
October 19 2008 23:22 GMT
#2
man good luck ive been trying to get my friends to get into it and they refuse to..

"OLD GAME" wtf.
-orb-
Profile Blog Joined September 2007
United States5770 Posts
October 19 2008 23:23 GMT
#3
Play with only the mouse.

You'll be way worse with no keyboard. Sure, you'll have way better decision making/etc, but without that keyboard, controlling a zerg army without hotkeys will be very very very difficult.
'life of lively to live to life of full life thx to shield battery'
how sad that sc2 has no shield battery :(
Dr.Dragoon
Profile Joined November 2007
United States1241 Posts
October 19 2008 23:23 GMT
#4
Make a set of handicap rules? You can also try funky builds that wouldn't work versus anyone near your skill level. I've done some pretty crazy things as handicaps, I'm sure you can think of some.
~o~ I have returned
-orb-
Profile Blog Joined September 2007
United States5770 Posts
October 19 2008 23:23 GMT
#5
On October 20 2008 08:22 Raithed wrote:
man good luck ive been trying to get my friends to get into it and they refuse to..

"OLD GAME" wtf.


ditto, I try to get my counter strike clanmates into it but they're all noobs and they either don't want to play because the graphics are "bad" or because the game is old or because they're too noob to play rts in general.

Saddens me
'life of lively to live to life of full life thx to shield battery'
how sad that sc2 has no shield battery :(
Dromar
Profile Blog Joined June 2007
United States2145 Posts
October 19 2008 23:25 GMT
#6
On October 20 2008 08:22 Raithed wrote:
man good luck ive been trying to get my friends to get into it and they refuse to..

"OLD GAME" wtf.


Well, they acknowledge that BW is the greatest game ever created, so that part's done. One of them is even watching progames on youtube in his free time. I predict he'll be liquibetting in 2 seasons or less.

But it seems like they barely play except when I play with them, and then they just get raped, and I don't want to turn them off to it, as I elaborated in the op.
Dr.Dragoon
Profile Joined November 2007
United States1241 Posts
October 19 2008 23:28 GMT
#7
I think the difficult part isn't setting up an even game, but rather doing it so that they don't feel ridiculously humiliated by it.
~o~ I have returned
ScarFace
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States1175 Posts
October 19 2008 23:33 GMT
#8
If you want him to get into starcraft:

1) Convince him to play all match up's and use actual build orders
2) throw him into iccup and stop raping someone who is clearly inferior to you

Otherwise, don't bother.
Can you dig it?
Dromar
Profile Blog Joined June 2007
United States2145 Posts
October 19 2008 23:36 GMT
#9
On October 20 2008 08:23 Dr.Dragoon wrote:
Make a set of handicap rules? You can also try funky builds that wouldn't work versus anyone near your skill level. I've done some pretty crazy things as handicaps, I'm sure you can think of some.


I have tried that a couple times, doing what JD did in a couple games on b.net attack/live battle: playing ZvT mass hydra. It was pretty much a rollover.

Thing is, I'd like to improve my mechanics as well, and mouse-only type stuff wouldn't work well in that respect. Maybe I have to just give up on that avenue and intentionally play shitty. I'd really rather not though if there's a way not to.

He is improving though. Last game we played, he halted my muta harass pretty well (though he built somewhere around 15 turrets), and used that security to move out to my 3rd immediately, but I got my lurkers on the ramp just in time and he walked right into the spines. That was a bit disheartening for him.

If I played mouse only, he'd probably roll me. I've never clicked anywhere in the 3x3 box in the lower right except for the occasional upgrade (overlord speed/drop). Never for buildings or unit production.

Also, if I make it too obvious that I'm playing intentionally shitty, he might be offended.

I really don't know what to do about this.
Zoler
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
Sweden6339 Posts
Last Edited: 2008-10-19 23:40:18
October 19 2008 23:38 GMT
#10
Show them pimpest plays videos and boxer videos.

Then tell them to watch gomtv or OSL finals with you live.

Tell them to play on battle.net 1v1 noobs only, and then show them iccup
Lim Yo Hwan forever!
Dromar
Profile Blog Joined June 2007
United States2145 Posts
Last Edited: 2008-10-19 23:40:37
October 19 2008 23:39 GMT
#11
On October 20 2008 08:33 ScarFace wrote:
If you want him to get into starcraft:

1) Convince him to play all match up's and use actual build orders
2) throw him into iccup and stop raping someone who is clearly inferior to you

Otherwise, don't bother.



He uses actual build orders. He used to only feel safe doing 2rax openings, but I've slowly gotten him to do 1rax-cc. As for the other matchups, he does play them when he hosts 1v1 noobs only games (I think).

You think he's not gonna get raped on ICCup? Maybe if he gets into D- he could find some equal competition. You think it's better than 1v1 noobs only on west?

edit: @Zoler: we did watch the TSL finals live actually. They're into it, I just want to keep them into it, and get them into it more competitively.
Mastermind
Profile Blog Joined April 2008
Canada7096 Posts
October 19 2008 23:39 GMT
#12
maybe try getting them into 2v2 first. Play public 2v2 games with your friend and you can do most of the work. Once they figure out bo's, unit counters, and get decent mechanics reintroduce them to 1v1. This is what I am doing with a friend of mine. He is a decent wc3 player, but hasnt played sc in 7 years. So a few days a week I go online with him and play 2-5 2v2 games and we do pretty decent. I am able to make up for his lack of skill so we can win games often enough. He is having trouble accepting that he cant use the same bo in every matchup, but I am working on him. Its also helping me as well, because now I am learning 2v2 which I didnt really know how to play before. I was always just into 1v1.
DanceCommander
Profile Blog Joined May 2008
United States1808 Posts
October 19 2008 23:39 GMT
#13
make him practice BO's and watch alot of FPVODS

just offrace him alot and mass games and tell him to not be a bitch about losing
BanZu
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
United States3329 Posts
October 19 2008 23:43 GMT
#14
Tell your friend to suck it up and stop being such a baby.
Sun Tzu once said, "Defiler becomes useless at the presences of a vessel."
ScarFace
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States1175 Posts
Last Edited: 2008-10-19 23:47:43
October 19 2008 23:46 GMT
#15
On October 20 2008 08:39 Dromar wrote:
Show nested quote +
On October 20 2008 08:33 ScarFace wrote:
If you want him to get into starcraft:

1) Convince him to play all match up's and use actual build orders
2) throw him into iccup and stop raping someone who is clearly inferior to you

Otherwise, don't bother.



He uses actual build orders. He used to only feel safe doing 2rax openings, but I've slowly gotten him to do 1rax-cc. As for the other matchups, he does play them when he hosts 1v1 noobs only games (I think).

You think he's not gonna get raped on ICCup? Maybe if he gets into D- he could find some equal competition. You think it's better than 1v1 noobs only on west?

edit: @Zoler: we did watch the TSL finals live actually. They're into it, I just want to keep them into it, and get them into it more competitively.
If he loses/wins against West newbs, he learns next to nothing. The competition is not even reliable, half of the time they are hacking. ICCUP is a far easier system to not only play great players [which will force him to up his game] but it gives you stats, so you can track your progress, your weaknesses, etc. A competitive ladder like ICCUP is infinitely superior to b.net.
Can you dig it?
GHOSTCLAW
Profile Blog Joined February 2008
United States17042 Posts
October 19 2008 23:50 GMT
#16
You should try creating a ums map (either python or LT) where you start with 0 mins, and he starts with like 100. Alternatively, go throw away your first drone in the corner of the map somewhere (don't use it for scouting) right at the start. This ends up being about a 30 second mining handicap, which should allow him a heck of a head start.
PhotographerLiquipedia. Drop me a pm if you've got questions/need help.
A3iL3r0n
Profile Blog Joined October 2002
United States2196 Posts
October 19 2008 23:53 GMT
#17
Really, it just sounds like you want your friend to be as good as you so practicing is more fun.

I think its going to be pretty tough to "make" your friend want to be good at SC. I mean, being good is a large time commitment, and the only way you will do that is if you genuinely like it. In other words, your friend just has to simply like it on his own. Otherwise he will never become good, and thus, not someone you can play with.
My psychiatrist says I have deep-seated Ragneuroses :(
EtherealDeath
Profile Blog Joined July 2007
United States8366 Posts
October 19 2008 23:58 GMT
#18
Now is the best time to start experimenting with builds you would have never thought of doing before!

For example: two base no units fast hive only sunken defense -> defiler + ultra + lings

But while he is busy with that....use queens to create broodlings in his mineral line O.o
Djabanete
Profile Blog Joined May 2008
United States2786 Posts
October 20 2008 00:11 GMT
#19
On October 20 2008 08:58 EtherealDeath wrote:
Now is the best time to start experimenting with builds you would have never thought of doing before!

For example: two base no units fast hive only sunken defense -> defiler + ultra + lings

But while he is busy with that....use queens to create broodlings in his mineral line O.o


Only problem is that then the friend won't learn how to beat common strategies

I think your friend just needs to suck it up. BW is fun and losing in BW is fun too as long as you have the right attitude.
May the BeSt man win.
ArvickHero
Profile Blog Joined October 2007
10387 Posts
October 20 2008 00:19 GMT
#20
just keep playing standard with him. That's the only way he'll get better.

you could also give him a couple UMS maps to work on his mechanics. There's the splitter one, and one where you multitask an scv from being killed in the corner of the map while you build up a base to take down a zerg base in the north
Writerptrk
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