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Use of the clock

Forum Index > Brood War Strategy
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rararara
Profile Joined March 2021
115 Posts
January 02 2022 05:08 GMT
#1
Do you use the clock?

I used to play when there was no clock, so I keep forgetting.. how much is it part of your game?

any significant times worth mentioning?

around 6:30 I should be ready for Zealot-Push, but I always look when it's too late :D
Return
Profile Joined June 2005
Ivory Coast856 Posts
January 02 2022 22:39 GMT
#2
Yes I use the clock a ton. For my own in regards to how on point I am in my build(gas timings etc) and I have some scout timings to help with reading opponents build(archives timing, marine/medic count at 4:45) and some help in like counting with upgrades
Diiiscoo-oh, thats where the happy people go!
MeSaber
Profile Joined December 2009
Sweden1235 Posts
January 03 2022 00:05 GMT
#3
No APM or Clock use here. I like the extra vision without it.
-.-
rararara
Profile Joined March 2021
115 Posts
January 03 2022 14:03 GMT
#4
On January 03 2022 07:39 Return wrote:
Yes I use the clock a ton. For my own in regards to how on point I am in my build(gas timings etc) and I have some scout timings to help with reading opponents build(archives timing, marine/medic count at 4:45) and some help in like counting with upgrades


Sounds interesting. Can you specify w the builds?

what do you mean with upgrades?
ajmbek
Profile Joined November 2008
Italy460 Posts
January 03 2022 16:19 GMT
#5
I do have clock on, but i mostrly do not look at it. I have some king of good sens of timings
Sic iter ad astra
Return
Profile Joined June 2005
Ivory Coast856 Posts
Last Edited: 2022-01-03 19:54:40
January 03 2022 19:52 GMT
#6
On January 03 2022 23:03 rararara wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 03 2022 07:39 Return wrote:
Yes I use the clock a ton. For my own in regards to how on point I am in my build(gas timings etc) and I have some scout timings to help with reading opponents build(archives timing, marine/medic count at 4:45) and some help in like counting with upgrades


Sounds interesting. Can you specify w the builds?

what do you mean with upgrades?


If I want to have my spire done so I can get scourge to deal with initial corsair on zvp, I need to make gas at a particular time to be able to get lair and spire up in right time. I'm no super gosu or anything but being like 5 seconds off on the gas timing can be the difference between cleanly picking off the first corsair or losing 2-3 overlords and have my whole build thrown off and as a consequence lose the game to his zealot timing. As zerg also particular lair timings will grant me an extra larva so I'll probably want to hit those timings too. And if say no corsair show up at like 6:00 then I can deduce if I haven't seen it before that he's potentially skipping stargate to have a stronger zealot timing. Same for depending on when his forge starts spinning will tell me if he is doing other stuff needing gas before +1 or if he is doing a like 6:30 timing or if he is going for something else, like maybe corsair/dt or a power goon build. Just some loose examples

Like say I want to have +2 done at 12:00 it means I'll have to have started +1 at ~6:00 else I'll have to find some way to win time so a potential big engage doesn't happen right before my +2 power spike. Etc etc
Diiiscoo-oh, thats where the happy people go!
SirGlinG
Profile Blog Joined January 2008
Sweden933 Posts
January 03 2022 20:51 GMT
#7
On January 03 2022 07:39 Return wrote:
Yes I use the clock a ton. For my own in regards to how on point I am in my build(gas timings etc) and I have some scout timings to help with reading opponents build(archives timing, marine/medic count at 4:45) and some help in like counting with upgrades


I use it to be ready Returns mutas could come.
Not my chair. Not my problem. That's what I say
rararara
Profile Joined March 2021
115 Posts
Last Edited: 2022-01-04 16:23:31
January 04 2022 15:25 GMT
#8
On January 03 2022 07:39 Return wrote:

If I want to have my spire done so I can get scourge to deal with initial corsair on zvp, I need to make gas at a particular time to be able to get lair and spire up in right time. I'm no super gosu or anything but being like 5 seconds off on the gas timing can be the difference between cleanly picking off the first corsair or losing 2-3 overlords and have my whole build thrown off and as a consequence lose the game to his zealot timing. As zerg also particular lair timings will grant me an extra larva so I'll probably want to hit those timings too. And if say no corsair show up at like 6:00 then I can deduce if I haven't seen it before that he's potentially skipping stargate to have a stronger zealot timing. Same for depending on when his forge starts spinning will tell me if he is doing other stuff needing gas before +1 or if he is doing a like 6:30 timing or if he is going for something else, like maybe corsair/dt or a power goon build. Just some loose examples

Like say I want to have +2 done at 12:00 it means I'll have to have started +1 at ~6:00 else I'll have to find some way to win time so a potential big engage doesn't happen right before my +2 power spike. Etc etc


Thanks man, that sounds like a lot of thinking during the game.
Did you have to practice this to watch and get the timings right?

I figured the clock adds a whole new level to scouting, but this seems almost off the charts for a casual gamer like me.
What's your MMR if I may ask?
WGT-Baal
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
France3353 Posts
Last Edited: 2022-01-04 16:00:36
January 04 2022 15:54 GMT
#9
On January 05 2022 00:25 rararara wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 03 2022 07:39 Return wrote:

If I want to have my spire done so I can get scourge to deal with initial corsair on zvp, I need to make gas at a particular time to be able to get lair and spire up in right time. I'm no super gosu or anything but being like 5 seconds off on the gas timing can be the difference between cleanly picking off the first corsair or losing 2-3 overlords and have my whole build thrown off and as a consequence lose the game to his zealot timing. As zerg also particular lair timings will grant me an extra larva so I'll probably want to hit those timings too. And if say no corsair show up at like 6:00 then I can deduce if I haven't seen it before that he's potentially skipping stargate to have a stronger zealot timing. Same for depending on when his forge starts spinning will tell me if he is doing other stuff needing gas before +1 or if he is doing a like 6:30 timing or if he is going for something else, like maybe corsair/dt or a power goon build. Just some loose examples

Like say I want to have +2 done at 12:00 it means I'll have to have started +1 at ~6:00 else I'll have to find some way to win time so a potential big engage doesn't happen right before my +2 power spike. Etc etc


Thanks man, that sounds like a lot of thinking during the game.
Did you have to practice this to watch and get the timings right?

I figured the clock adds a whole new level to scouting, but this seems almost off the charts for a casual gamer like me.
What's your MMR if you may ask?


Return is about 1800, but you can use the clock at all levels, it s more a matter of getting used to it.

for example if you go for a timing build it s useful in practice (and then in that game) to mentally judge if you re on the right track. For example a 3hh hits at 5:40 or 6 (ish, give or take, i do have the exact timing somewhere though), a gas at 2:05 is a 2 hatch build, for ZvP if you don't see a corsair early (around 6th min) it s likely gateway only etc. Can be useful when scouting too. Obviously it can also be your opponent being bad, so it s not always a useful scouting tool, i use it more for my own timings than for scouting purposes. For example assuming PvT, T not dealing critical damage (say you defend a 2 fac or smthg) and you not losing too many units, you d expect to max out between 12 and 12:30.

Personally I have a list of timings on a few notepads that I pull when practicing, but it s not down to the second, more like an idea of where things should be. For instance if you tvz you want to time your turrets right for mutas, so it helps if you know the general muta timing for 2h and 3h, this kind of stuff. The more the game progresses the less important this becomes though, as games will diverge from set plans/builds by then.
Horang2 fan
Return
Profile Joined June 2005
Ivory Coast856 Posts
January 04 2022 23:20 GMT
#10
On January 05 2022 00:25 rararara wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 03 2022 07:39 Return wrote:

If I want to have my spire done so I can get scourge to deal with initial corsair on zvp, I need to make gas at a particular time to be able to get lair and spire up in right time. I'm no super gosu or anything but being like 5 seconds off on the gas timing can be the difference between cleanly picking off the first corsair or losing 2-3 overlords and have my whole build thrown off and as a consequence lose the game to his zealot timing. As zerg also particular lair timings will grant me an extra larva so I'll probably want to hit those timings too. And if say no corsair show up at like 6:00 then I can deduce if I haven't seen it before that he's potentially skipping stargate to have a stronger zealot timing. Same for depending on when his forge starts spinning will tell me if he is doing other stuff needing gas before +1 or if he is doing a like 6:30 timing or if he is going for something else, like maybe corsair/dt or a power goon build. Just some loose examples

Like say I want to have +2 done at 12:00 it means I'll have to have started +1 at ~6:00 else I'll have to find some way to win time so a potential big engage doesn't happen right before my +2 power spike. Etc etc


Thanks man, that sounds like a lot of thinking during the game.
Did you have to practice this to watch and get the timings right?

I figured the clock adds a whole new level to scouting, but this seems almost off the charts for a casual gamer like me.
What's your MMR if I may ask?


As baal says, around 1800ish. And it's not like a lot of conscious thought it's more of a habit now, I kinda just tried to boil down a lot of it into words. I mostly consciously use the clock when it comes to reading the opponent in game, like particular scouting timings and use the clock for my own play as I review my replays and to some extent to kinda clock how on point I'm in my build, some minor stuff like when to send drone and gas timings in regards to lair for extra larva and how it matches with expected timings from opponent. But it's not like I'll leave the game if my lair starts at 3:04 instead of 3:02 or whatever... If its not like single player practice and I'm trying to perfectly work through a timing

Can play perfectly fine not ever using the clock even at very high levels I'm sure, I'm just a nerd
Diiiscoo-oh, thats where the happy people go!
rararara
Profile Joined March 2021
115 Posts
Last Edited: 2022-01-05 00:37:24
January 05 2022 00:35 GMT
#11
I think if I would use the clock, I would use it like you.. I got the hang of it because Scan is talking about it in every cast and seems like it's an important part of his game and other super high-level players.

It seems like a new analytical aspect to the game, compared to 15-20 years ago.
Definitely adds more of a poker-element with more definite intel.

If there's any articles, videos on this (JinJin? ), please feel free to share everyone, thanks!
zimp
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
Hungary951 Posts
Last Edited: 2022-01-05 15:13:33
January 05 2022 15:12 GMT
#12
of course the clock is super useful. some launchers had a built in clock, which gave an unfair advantage to those players using it, that is why it made sense to include it in the game.

some basic things to remember as terran is
tvz:
-2hatch muta can come at 6 min.
-3h muta at 7 min.
-in order to have 3tanks and a vessel by 10 min you need to start your fact at 7 minutes and produce constantly.

tvp:
-no unit dt can come as early as 5:xx, with some units your turret should be up by 6 min.
-reaver drop even after nexus first can come by 7 min.
-artosis could contribute cause he knows these quite well ..

this is pretty handy:
https://tl.net/forum/bw-strategy/84768-list-of-build-times-on-fastest-speed
agentzimp
TL+ Member
TelecoM
Profile Blog Joined January 2010
United States10670 Posts
January 05 2022 23:24 GMT
#13
I am curious from top level Protoss players, what timings your looking for in PvZ / PvT. I don't know the exact times but I know the relative times of Spire timing in my head, and 1-2 base pushes vs T, just not the exact times for the clock.
AKA: TelecoM[WHITE] Protoss fighting
ZakRoM
Profile Joined December 2018
Costa Rica54 Posts
January 10 2022 14:02 GMT
#14
I'm not a top level but for example PvZ the +1 attack + 7-9 zealot push with legs must be at around 7:30, I mean at 7:30 you should be going to Z base with that.

I know that by around 10-11 minute mark I should have more than 100 supply and it's a good time for a third expansion (if the game went normally by that time). Also lurkers will come normally between 10-12 minute mark, that helps me to know around what time to make the robotics.

PvT depending the opening and what Terran is doing but if I go standard I look for 3rd Nexus between 6:30-7:30, trying to have arbiter before 12m.

I've found the clock very useful, I've noticed I used it less in PvP, but I try to have my gate explosion in this match around the 8-9m mark and it has helped me a lot in the mid game.


TelecoM
Profile Blog Joined January 2010
United States10670 Posts
January 13 2022 19:40 GMT
#15
I'm curious if there is an earliest time for a hydra all in to hit in PvZ.
AKA: TelecoM[WHITE] Protoss fighting
davidsamuel5
Profile Joined October 2024
United States1 Post
October 05 2024 05:50 GMT
#16
--- Nuked ---
CHEONSOYUN
Profile Joined August 2017
519 Posts
October 06 2024 15:40 GMT
#17
knowing common timings is powerful in games where little to no significant unexpected disruption takes place since you’re able to consider possibilities precisely

but it’s also important to know / have a sense for relative timings when inevitably you are in games where the game state is uncertain (held rushes, significant trades/harassment, mistakes/mismanagement etc.)
JAEDONG...!!! EFFORT IS ANGRY. ZERG...?!
iopq
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
United States907 Posts
October 08 2024 21:44 GMT
#18
On January 14 2022 04:40 TelecoM wrote:
I'm curious if there is an earliest time for a hydra all in to hit in PvZ.

5 minutes, but there's no speed, just some ranged hydras and speedlings

You can only guess it's coming because the speed is like a bit earlier and Zerg denies all vision earlier than usual and has enough lings to block zealots moving out
Piste
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
6174 Posts
October 09 2024 13:40 GMT
#19
I don't use it. I go by instinct and gut feeling like everyone used to before remastered.
Navane
Profile Blog Joined February 2007
Netherlands2748 Posts
October 10 2024 17:48 GMT
#20
Does lag slow down the game timer too? Is the timer always in sync with the game state?
Peeano
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
Netherlands4986 Posts
October 10 2024 18:00 GMT
#21
On October 09 2024 22:40 Piste wrote:
I don't use it. I go by instinct and gut feeling like everyone used to before remastered.

Same. Game timer and only wide screen for remastered graphics and fake old graphics lowkey made me lose interest to play BW anymore.
FBH #1!
XenOsky
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Chile2267 Posts
Last Edited: 2024-10-12 22:47:43
October 12 2024 13:38 GMT
#22
i use the clock casually for quickly checking stuff like :

- is my timing attack late?
- how much time i have till my energy is full?
- is their scout very early?
- how much time do i have to prepare for possible Muta/vulture/drop/upgrade timings?

shit like that, i play mostly based on gameflow, but knowing some crucial timings can't hurt.


On October 11 2024 03:00 Peeano wrote:
Show nested quote +
On October 09 2024 22:40 Piste wrote:
I don't use it. I go by instinct and gut feeling like everyone used to before remastered.

Same. Game timer and only wide screen for remastered graphics and fake old graphics lowkey made me lose interest to play BW anymore.


windows mode + hd graphs = made me enjoy the game again... you can adjust your SC window, till it feels comfortable for your hand ...

On January 14 2022 04:40 TelecoM wrote:
I'm curious if there is an earliest time for a hydra all in to hit in PvZ.


if hes doing 973 and u did everything on time, when 1st sair is out, hidras are on their way to ur nat.
StarCraft & Audax Italiano.
Bamo
Profile Joined September 2024
India4 Posts
October 16 2024 07:46 GMT
#23
Hey @rararara I totally get you about forgetting the clock it can really change the game; I try to use it for timing pushes but I am still working on it. I have had some clutch moments around the 7 minute mark so I get how important it is.
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