• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 10:09
CET 15:09
KST 23:09
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
ByuL: The Forgotten Master of ZvT30Behind the Blue - Team Liquid History Book19Clem wins HomeStory Cup 289HomeStory Cup 28 - Info & Preview13Rongyi Cup S3 - Preview & Info8
Community News
BGE Stara Zagora 2026 cancelled3Blizzard Classic Cup - Tastosis announced as captains12Weekly Cups (March 2-8): ByuN overcomes PvT block4GSL CK - New online series18BSL Season 224
StarCraft 2
General
BGE Stara Zagora 2026 announced ByuL: The Forgotten Master of ZvT Terran AddOns placement BGE Stara Zagora 2026 cancelled Blizzard Classic Cup - Tastosis announced as captains
Tourneys
[GSL CK] Team Maru vs. Team herO WardiTV Team League Season 10 Master Swan Open (Global Bronze-Master 2) RSL Season 4 announced for March-April Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament
Strategy
Custom Maps
Publishing has been re-enabled! [Feb 24th 2026] Map Editor closed ?
External Content
The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 516 Specter of Death Mutation # 515 Together Forever Mutation # 514 Ulnar New Year
Brood War
General
ASL21 General Discussion BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ BW General Discussion Gypsy to Korea Are you ready for ASL 21? Hype VIDEO
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues [BSL22] Open Qualifiers & Ladder Tours IPSL Spring 2026 is here! ASL Season 21 Qualifiers March 7-8
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Soma's 9 hatch build from ASL Game 2 Fighting Spirit mining rates Zealot bombing is no longer popular?
Other Games
General Games
Nintendo Switch Thread PC Games Sales Thread Path of Exile No Man's Sky (PS4 and PC) Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion The Story of Wings Gaming
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
Five o'clock TL Mafia Mafia Game Mode Feedback/Ideas Vanilla Mini Mafia TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
Mexico's Drug War US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread NASA and the Private Sector Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine
Fan Clubs
The IdrA Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Movie Discussion! [Req][Books] Good Fantasy/SciFi books [Manga] One Piece
Sports
Formula 1 Discussion 2024 - 2026 Football Thread General nutrition recommendations Cricket [SPORT] TL MMA Pick'em Pool 2013
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Laptop capable of using Photoshop Lightroom?
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
Iranian anarchists: organize…
XenOsky
FS++
Kraekkling
Shocked by a laser…
Spydermine0240
Gaming-Related Deaths
TrAiDoS
Unintentional protectionism…
Uldridge
ASL S21 English Commentary…
namkraft
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 2265 users

Games of Speed

Blogs > datscilly
Post a Reply
datscilly
Profile Blog Joined November 2007
United States529 Posts
June 15 2009 15:50 GMT
#1
This is more on philosophical thoughts about getting faster than any specific tips. A lot of games depend on speed for depth of play and enjoyment. For example, once you learn how to solve a Rubik's cube or finish an expert game of Minesweeper, then you are done. If just being able to do it is the game, then there is nothing more to learn. But add in the the element of time and suddenly a vast array of techniques and skills arise in order to deal with this new game, one which the goal is to do it as fast as possible. The subconscious and muscle memory comes into play; if you have to think about it, then you've already lost a second. The time it takes for the pointer to move from one location to another becomes a factor. The time a single mouse click takes becomes a factor.

The speedcubing website shares tips on how to get faster. The most important tip in getting from 30 seconds to 20 second is "go slow, and look ahead!" This may be surprising to some people. The idea is that at solve times of around 30 seconds, people tend to turn the cube too fast. It's not difficult for an intermediate to turn the cube at 3 or 4 moves per second. The result is that as they're doing the current step quickly they can't see the faces of the cube, they can't see the next step, and they pause significantly in between steps. For a fast cuber a solve is one continuous, fluid motion, without pause. The same thing applies to Starcraft. Concentrating on doing your current action as fast as possible is pointless. Instead, you should always be looking ahead, thinking of your next move. Your game should be one continuous, fluid motion, without pause.

There are tips online for improving your times for Minesweeper as well. The tip I'll like to share is to "make the time it takes to click and to move the pointer from one location to another as short as possible". When people think of the word "fast" they tend to think of physical speed or agility. So they'll imagine someone running really fast or moving the mouse as fast as possible from one physical location on the desk to another. But how fast you can wave your arm with your mouse in your hand really has nothing to do with how fast you can play a game. Another thing is that we tend to think of a mouse click as an instant, no time at all. But in fact a mouse click does take some time, and the time can differ depending on whether we are aware of this fact or not. So a mental trick we can do is to make the mouse clicks, and the linear movement of the pointer from one click to the next click, take a short amount of time as possible.

*****
EchOne
Profile Blog Joined January 2008
United States2906 Posts
June 15 2009 15:57 GMT
#2
This was a good read. 5/5.
面白くない世の中, 面白くすればいいさ
Reason
Profile Blog Joined June 2006
United Kingdom2770 Posts
June 15 2009 16:08 GMT
#3
Yeah I've noticed progamers aren't actually THAT fast but they have a sick way of ticking over at a reasonably high speed that NEVER slows... it's like I can play faster in bursts but they just constantly play this really impressive speed.
Speak properly, and in as few words as you can, but always plainly; for the end of speech is not ostentation, but to be understood.
Blyf
Profile Blog Joined December 2007
Denmark408 Posts
June 15 2009 16:50 GMT
#4
Interesting read. Similarly, the reason pros have significantly higher APM is that they always know what to do next, making the game flow without pauses for thinking.
"ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge" - Charles Darwin --- wtf? begets isn't a word. quit trying to make up words, fuckface. - Some idiot --- D3 Evelynn main with a side of Ashe/Tristana
B1nary
Profile Blog Joined January 2008
Canada1267 Posts
June 15 2009 16:51 GMT
#5
Interesting ideas. I always think 4 or 5 clicks ahead when I play minesweeper. The biggest problem I have is if I mess up a right click or something, it totally screws up my flow.

If you think about it, 300-350 apm isn't too fast in terms of sheer speed. Almost everyone can press 4v5v6v7v in a span of 1 second but noobs like myself spend so much time deciding what to do next. I guess the ability to see ahead is something that only comes with experience.
imperfect
Profile Blog Joined July 2008
Canada1652 Posts
June 15 2009 16:58 GMT
#6
Actually I've thought about this too! but you put it in much better wording ^^

this is one of the reasons why i try to come up with a game plan. it helps you play smoothly, knowing what to do and able to react appropriately.
blind bisu free and anytime fanboy.
Husky
Profile Blog Joined May 2009
United States3362 Posts
June 15 2009 18:22 GMT
#7
I just want to note that peoples speed at minesweeper is amazing, I have a friend who is the fastest I've ever seen. Good read
Commentaries: youtube.com/HuskyStarcraft
ghermination
Profile Blog Joined April 2008
United States2851 Posts
June 15 2009 18:34 GMT
#8
Some people are really fast at minesweeper, i think there even used to be a small competetive scene for it at some time... i've never been able to solve a rubik's cube in my life, lol. So what are your tips for starcraft?
U Gotta Skate.
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 9h 51m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
mouzHeroMarine 661
RushiSC 9
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 41083
EffOrt 1293
Mini 1121
Soma 1115
BeSt 847
Light 569
actioN 557
Rush 530
ZerO 439
Stork 161
[ Show more ]
Leta 62
Mind 48
IntoTheRainbow 40
sorry 36
Nal_rA 36
[sc1f]eonzerg 35
Backho 32
Bale 11
GoRush 11
Rock 11
zelot 10
JulyZerg 9
Terrorterran 7
Icarus 5
Dota 2
qojqva1446
Gorgc1394
Counter-Strike
fl0m2780
olofmeister1596
markeloff83
Heroes of the Storm
Khaldor142
Other Games
singsing2300
B2W.Neo1451
Lowko401
crisheroes330
Pyrionflax187
Hui .139
KnowMe38
ZerO(Twitch)16
Organizations
Dota 2
PGL Dota 2 - Main Stream15312
Other Games
gamesdonequick877
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 13 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
League of Legends
• Nemesis3901
• Jankos2269
• TFBlade1048
Upcoming Events
Replay Cast
9h 51m
CranKy Ducklings
19h 51m
RSL Revival
19h 51m
MaxPax vs Rogue
Clem vs Bunny
WardiTV Team League
21h 51m
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
1d 2h
Patches Events
1d 2h
BSL
1d 5h
Sparkling Tuna Cup
1d 19h
RSL Revival
1d 19h
ByuN vs SHIN
Maru vs Krystianer
WardiTV Team League
1d 21h
[ Show More ]
BSL
2 days
Replay Cast
2 days
Replay Cast
2 days
Wardi Open
2 days
Monday Night Weeklies
3 days
WardiTV Team League
3 days
GSL
4 days
The PondCast
5 days
WardiTV Team League
5 days
Replay Cast
6 days
WardiTV Team League
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2026-03-12
WardiTV Winter 2026
Underdog Cup #3

Ongoing

KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 1
Jeongseon Sooper Cup
BSL Season 22
RSL Revival: Season 4
Nations Cup 2026
ESL Pro League S23 Finals
ESL Pro League S23 Stage 1&2
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026
IEM Kraków 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter Qual

Upcoming

CSL Elite League 2026
ASL Season 21
Acropolis #4 - TS6
2026 Changsha Offline CUP
Acropolis #4
IPSL Spring 2026
CSLAN 4
HSC XXIX
uThermal 2v2 2026 Main Event
NationLESS Cup
CS Asia Championships 2026
Asian Champions League 2026
IEM Atlanta 2026
PGL Astana 2026
BLAST Rivals Spring 2026
CCT Season 3 Global Finals
IEM Rio 2026
PGL Bucharest 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 1
BLAST Open Spring 2026
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.