On October 12 2016 18:56 Saturnize wrote: Does anyone have a tip they wouldn't mind sharing in regards to improving at this game? This may sound really vague, but it isn't. Like, sort of a psychological tip that makes you feel a certain way towards the game of Brood War. I'm aware that people that play golf have their little tips, and mind tricks for a more well rounded approach to the game. Something other than; "Play a lot, watch your replays, browse liqipedia". While these things are indeed helpful, I'm looking for more of a; "Think about X", or "Act like you're doing this", or "Visualize that". Does this make sense?
I see sense in in it this way: I think these tips, generally speaking, are meant as 'encouraging simplifications' that work like placebos. You cannot 'be the ball', and imagining you were the ball alone doesn't really help you improve - but trying to makes you focus, keeps you going, creates a routine, and in the end helps you channel all the things you've practiced...
BW is not a ball-game though or comparable to such activities. As soon as you can click with a mouse and press a button, the real challenges concern the intellect or the dexterity of your mind and are far to complex to be summed up in one single tip. The center of what the game is about - like the ball - is much harder to point out.
Also: In golf, so to say, you play your own game for points, in BW you're trading blows. Iloveoov once summed up his mindset like this: "When you play, you have to start off with a mind to turn the game into a rape". Interesting for someone who's considered a strategical genius. I guess, with BW, you're not so much looking for a visualization or for an image of the game's functions or properties, rather it's like this: if you're out for blood, you'll find a way to kill... (or there is a complementary mindset: if you don't want to die, you'll find a way to stay alive). Anyway: At the core it's a game about winning by destroying your opponent's units and bases, you versus him/her in real time, not an equivalent to maneuvering a ball where it belongs according to certain rules/restraints (then again: maybe that's how Flash sees it, maybe he can kind of conceptualize the opponent ^^... but even he started out with some mean cheeses, all for the win... and Flash is Flash, of course...).
(As these mindsets might even be beyond personal influence: ) I would not completely dismiss what Cryoc wrote though, improving at BW, for the most part, is just a big heap of dedicated, precise work, it's about specific solutions for specific problems. Apart from a good mindset that keeps you going - including the awareness that everyone else is probably trying just as hard... but for 5 or 10 more years than you... - you need something that makes you work on concrete problems, not so much a principle of imagination but of analysis. What counts if you want to improve your game's quality is endurance and efficiency. After every loss, brush it off, find one or two mistakes and make sure you don't make those mistakes again in the next game. + Show Spoiler +
edit: and practice your mechanics first :D
For the love of Christ. Obviously Brood War isn't a ball game. That's just one example I was using. It is however a game of skill like most other games. I'm simply asking if there are phrases and or memes, what have you that would sort of trick your mind into behaving more efficiently and or effectively towards the game of Brood War. "Turning the game into a rape", ok that's what I'm looking for. Here's another example of a tip that would help me in the game of basketball: (or in other sports actually) "When you're out on the court, have the fluidity and grace of a ballerina" This little trick would in turn help you free yourself and not be so robotic in your thoughts and movements. I'm sure there are a lot of tips like this for Brood War especially pertaining to mechanics. Koreans aren't so much better "just cuz".
Sorry, I should have tried harder treating a not-ball-game like a ball game, damn me.
If you find such a 'phrase or meme' that 'tricks my mind into behaving more efficiently', please do tell me (but don't tell me it's actually drugs, please).
Those uptight and robotic B-ball players you see all the time could really learn from those ballerinas - who surely gained their fluidity and grace not from iron and disciplined practice, but from clever little tip-trickery that worked like magic on them - just like it worked on all those Koreans (if only we knew their little tricks... maybe they just think of a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and suddenly they're mechanically on fire).
On October 12 2016 18:56 Saturnize wrote: Does anyone have a tip they wouldn't mind sharing in regards to improving at this game? This may sound really vague, but it isn't. Like, sort of a psychological tip that makes you feel a certain way towards the game of Brood War. I'm aware that people that play golf have their little tips, and mind tricks for a more well rounded approach to the game. Something other than; "Play a lot, watch your replays, browse liqipedia". While these things are indeed helpful, I'm looking for more of a; "Think about X", or "Act like you're doing this", or "Visualize that". Does this make sense?
Best change in mentality for me ever was to tell myself (mutter under my breath): "You're bad, you're going to lose. You're going to lose 10 000 games."
This allows me to be extremely calm while playing. My brain also treats my opponents with respect, so I barely get surprised, I don't get tunnel visioned as easily.
yeah for brood war i usually drop my competitive mindset and play to have fun. it helps relax and focus on the game more rather than focusing on winning when i play dota or lol though, its the other way around. i tell myself im topshit and everyone else are scrubs and then i proceed to outplay people and win games. anytime i dont do this i tend to show to much respect to my opponents and not go for plays (even if they are shit)
On October 12 2016 18:56 Saturnize wrote: Does anyone have a tip they wouldn't mind sharing in regards to improving at this game? This may sound really vague, but it isn't. Like, sort of a psychological tip that makes you feel a certain way towards the game of Brood War. I'm aware that people that play golf have their little tips, and mind tricks for a more well rounded approach to the game. Something other than; "Play a lot, watch your replays, browse liqipedia". While these things are indeed helpful, I'm looking for more of a; "Think about X", or "Act like you're doing this", or "Visualize that". Does this make sense?
What race do you play?
I like to use Terran on low money maps. I play a lot of 3v3 fastest though and always select random. Would like to be equally as strong with all races on low money maps and in general.
in ZvP, many times the probe will scout me early and block me from putting down my hatch in the natural. it will either run around in circles and or put down a pylon. what am i supposed to do? bring another drone and kill the probe? what is the best way for me to handle this situation? can I just go to my third base with the drone and save trouble?
I ask because it feels like whenever the P does this, it puts me very behind. I am trying to understand which approach is best so that I am not so far behind. Thank you!
There are several approaches to this: 1: hide drone, sneak the hatch when probe scouts main 2: 3rd location as you mentioned, although this is risky when you haven't scouted protoss (2 gate is still quite popular and viable at non-progamer level) 3: bring 2 drones, take a few hits with the 2nd one and then scout with it (protoss can still pylon block here) 4: drone stays on top of the ramp, blocks the probe faking an early pool, so protoss takes a risk if he tries to block the hatch instead of scouting the pool timing first 5: similar to 4, fake a scouting drone leaving the natural and put down the hatch when probe scouts main All of this depends on pool timing of course, a 9pool shouldn't have any trouble putting down the hatch, while a 12 hatch on 4-player maps might get the hatch down before the probe reaches your nat
On October 23 2016 20:07 ortseam wrote: There are several approaches to this: 1: hide drone, sneak the hatch when probe scouts main 2: 3rd location as you mentioned, although this is risky when you haven't scouted protoss (2 gate is still quite popular and viable at non-progamer level) 3: bring 2 drones, take a few hits with the 2nd one and then scout with it (protoss can still pylon block here) 4: drone stays on top of the ramp, blocks the probe faking an early pool, so protoss takes a risk if he tries to block the hatch instead of scouting the pool timing first 5: similar to 4, fake a scouting drone leaving the natural and put down the hatch when probe scouts main All of this depends on pool timing of course, a 9pool shouldn't have any trouble putting down the hatch, while a 12 hatch on 4-player maps might get the hatch down before the probe reaches your nat
Thank you ortseam! I will go with #3 as much as possible! I gotta practice my drone micro now ^^
Just hide a drone behind the mineral line, 99% success rate in ladder games. When doing overpool, take the 10th supply drone, right as it spawns. Put your overlord over the ridge at the natural so you can see the probe coming in. This way protoss can't know your spawn location by seeing the overlord.
I am having quite the huge difficulty in clearing lurkers in PvZ. I am not sure how to approach it. In PvT, I don't really have a problem clearing tanks with storm, but in PvZ, getting rid of lurkers is a bit shaky and scary. Can I please get some tips in how to approach a lurker field? Do I send my HTs first one by one and storm one by one? What about zealots? I shouldn't attack in a line right? My observers get sniped all the time as well which is a pain. and I am really bad at spotting where the lurkers are at when I don't have vision.
also, how many storms does it take to kill a lurker? two right? what about tanks?
Lurkers are really strong. Avoid sending your zealots (its kind of like a mine field to them). Goons and templars in front. Go somewhere else if possible. lol it takes two storms to kill a lurk but often you may want to storm one time and finish off with goon shot for example, since they have only a bit of life left after a storm (kinda same with tanks well tank has 150hp lurker has 125hp storm deals 115 I think, depending on opportunity you finish off with second storm or not) you could maelstrom lurkers before they burrow, that's nice but can't count on it have extra obs and constantly careful, enough goons forward enough to catch scourge or damage hydras that try a snipe Reaver is probably the strongest P unit against lurkers.
On October 25 2016 00:36 ProMeTheus112 wrote: Lurkers are really strong. Avoid sending your zealots (its kind of like a mine field to them). Goons and templars in front. Go somewhere else if possible. lol it takes two storms to kill a lurk but often you may want to storm one time and finish off with goon shot for example, since they have only a bit of life left after a storm (kinda same with tanks well tank has 150hp lurker has 125hp storm deals 115 I think, depending on opportunity you finish off with second storm or not) you could maelstrom lurkers before they burrow, that's nice but can't count on it have extra obs and constantly careful, enough goons forward enough to catch scourge or damage hydras that try a snipe Reaver is probably the strongest P unit against lurkers.
thanks for the detailed advice! haha I will keep my zeals away from the lurkers now. ok Hts and goons in front. Can't wait to try again in my next game~
On October 24 2016 22:29 B-royal wrote: Just hide a drone behind the mineral line, 99% success rate in ladder games. When doing overpool, take the 10th supply drone, right as it spawns. Put your overlord over the ridge at the natural so you can see the probe coming in. This way protoss can't know your spawn location by seeing the overlord.
put the 1st ovie over the ridge in the nat? thanks for the tip man. I will hide my drone and see how it goes! 10th drone, got it! but im worried that if they scout me early, the will just scout my base and go right for the natural and just sit there.
@Golgotha, How to clear Lurkers with Protoss: 1. Wait until you have 3 observers. Hotkey them and be very careful to retreat them back to goons (and sairs) as soon as scourge/hydra attack.
2. Use goons at the front to hit the lurkers. Have the ht just behind. Dont use storms on lurkers. Save the storm for when the lings or hydras attack. You can use a storm if it will hit 2 lurkers though.
3. The zealots hang back until a good amount of the lurkers have been cleared by the goons.
Ofcourse there are many variables but thats some good starting tips. Show us a replay would be best because its most likely that your problem isnt so much tactical army movement so much as timing. You havent said if its a lurker contain or not.
why would you want to wait for 3 observers...wtf if zerg goes for a lurker contain you want to break it asap. by the time you have 3 observers hes going to have a contain set up that no longer gives a shit about how many observers you have, you just wont break through
On October 24 2016 22:29 B-royal wrote: Just hide a drone behind the mineral line, 99% success rate in ladder games. When doing overpool, take the 10th supply drone, right as it spawns. Put your overlord over the ridge at the natural so you can see the probe coming in. This way protoss can't know your spawn location by seeing the overlord.
put the 1st ovie over the ridge in the nat? thanks for the tip man. I will hide my drone and see how it goes! 10th drone, got it! but im worried that if they scout me early, the will just scout my base and go right for the natural and just sit there.
Not the 1st overlord (that you get when the game starts), but your second overlord.
If protoss scouts you on first try (before you even place your pool), there's not much you can do aside from sending two drones in that case. Damage the probe, if he places a pylon, send one to a close-by third. Just take it as it comes.
EPT
