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Blog: To Err is to be Human

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HonestTea *
Profile Blog Joined December 2005
5007 Posts
Last Edited: 2007-04-26 07:58:52
April 26 2007 00:12 GMT
#1
BE PERFECT

[image loading]


We always want our players to be perfect. They should be like the units on our screen: when we command our SCVs to ‘gather,’ they go and mine without error. In the same way, fans expect the players to be without error: whatever they attempt to do, they should accomplish with ease.

After all, don’t they practice for hours without sun or water?

[image loading]

Starcraft pros during practice.


We expect pros to have godly macro and devilish micro. We expect pros to have every build and counter build filed, sorted, and dewey-decimaled in their brain. We expect the pros to come up with brilliant strategies, and adapt to any in-game development.

Isn’t that what makes the difference between the pros and some B- in the pubbies? That’s why they get paid to play, while we stay up at night to watch them play, right?

Pros should be good vT, vZ, and vP. Pros should never lose their nerves. Pros should be masters at scouting, always having equal information as us, the observers.


But the same gods that gave us the SCV and its 60hp of perfection also gave us:
[image loading]


The Dragoon is Bill Roper's way of reminding us that to err is to be human.


Perfect is what robots are, what computers are. The last time a group of humans tried to be perfect, they practiced eugenics, killed everybody who was different, wore ugly pants, and tried to take over the world. And the next time in the future when everybody tries to be perfect, the machines will win the war and keep humans captive in a virtual reality while they use our energy to generate power. Humans, by nature, have flaws.

Perfect is not what people are, and I like it that way. We always laugh at players who perform ‘newb mistakes’: spilling units, leaving workers idle, skipping a round of macro. We shout at the screen, we laugh, we type “I could do better on Bnet kekeke” and then we go off to kill kittens. We expect a minimum amount of fundamentals.

But you know what? Boxer. Not perfect. Reach. Not perfect. Oov. Casy. Kingdom Nal_Ra. July. And Yellow... Yellow is heroically not perfect. His nonperfection is epic, the stuff of Homer and Shakespeare.

Of course, perfect does not equal “not slumping.” But even in their absolute primes, when they were in their best form, the above players had serious flaws in their games. And yet, they were stomping throats!

Boxer. Can’t beat any elite toss without all-in timing pushes. OSL champion.

Reach. Doesn’t understand modern PvZ. OSL Champion.

July. Fat. OSL Champion.
+ Show Spoiler +

(but seriously, July's true flaw is never getting the hang of Savior’s 3-hatch ZvT build. He just can’t. It goes against his nature of constant pressure and attack. It’s like trying to teach a bull to not charge and have the matador come to him instead.)

GoRush. Doesn’t Rush. MSL Champion.

Nal_Ra. Inconsistent. MSL and OSL Champion.

Kingdom. Even more inconsistent, with no macro to boot. OSL Champion.

Anytime. The champion of inconsistency. OSL Champion.

Oov. Attack+Click ground. MSL and OSL Champion.

Casy. Boxer’s strengths times two. Boxer’s weaknesses times three. OSL Champion.

How can you argue against such successful imperfection?

And if you ever needed any more proof that success has nothing to do with perfection:

[image loading]





Honestly, who in your mind has been the closest to perfect? I got three candidates:

First, Midas. His play is the closest to perfection: no weaknesses and strong in any matchup. He’s killer in TvZ, even better in TvP, and he’s also solid in the mirror match. But because of the successes of his play, Midas’ mental imperfections are even more pronounced. Many players have won the whole thing with much less skill than Midas. He has his flaws, but they're not gameplay-related; it's a dramatic combination of weak nerves and bad luck. As a player, it makes him exciting to watch and compelling as a storyline.

Second, Nada. Nada is something else. His gameplay is airtight, but Nada honestly can't belong in the 'perfect' category. Nada’s perfection has nothing to do with his game. He's too much of a stylist. Nada's game is full of weird quirks. He hates building turrets versus toss. He does funky builds that no one else can pull off. He never plays like a conventional Terran. Nada's perfect in the sense that you can't find an obvious flaw in his game. But at the same time, what he does well is so unique and impossible to emulate. Perfect? Maybe in his own way. Can others strive to achieve the same kind of perfection? Impossible.

That leaves us with this guy:
[image loading]


Savior Cuban Gangster. Perfect. Plays low-econ, high-econ, plays orthodox, plays funky, plays Mozart, plays Run-DMC. Micro, macro, strategy, management, fundamentals, and balls the size of Brazil. He plays Zerg the way the Xel'Naga intended - like a ball of mercury. Furthermore, he has the perfect demeanor - a cold-blooded assassin. I'm shocked - SHOCKED - when he loses. The way he carries himself, never smiling, I feel like it's simply natural for him to win. Birds fly, dogs die, people fuck, and Savior wins.

And you sit there, thinking, "How do I become PERFECT like Savior? What should I practice first?" And then you get your grubby paws on one of his replays and realize his APM is like 70.*

*not his real APM. But Savior's APM is unusually low for a pro.

[image loading]


Perfection is not the answer.

Many players are sexy precisely because they are so imperfect: Pusan is the captain of my Major Flaw All-Stars. The roster of non-champions is Midas (mentioned above), Light (falls behind in the beginning stages of EVERY game, always makes great comeback), Zergman (Has streaks of ZvT, ZvZ, and ZvP dominance, but never at the same time - only one good matchup per season.), Silver (Hydras and nothing else), Pusan (SPIRIT!) and IntoTheRainbow (He's like a magician with one good trick... but you watch that trick over and over again because he's so good and it always works.)



So, if perfection is not the answer, what is? The true reason for embracing our flaws is this: Our flaws can be overcome if we focus on our strengths. To illustrate:

Boxer. Understands the game like a stopwatch. Not a stopwatch you or I might own at home, but like one of those 0.00000 stopwatches that they use at the Olympics. OSL champion.

Reach. To play like Reach is to walk like John Wayne or squint like Clint Eastwood. OSL Champion.

July. Mastered low-econ Zerg it to the point where it's as sharp as a samurai sword. Attacks like a Piranha smelling blood. OSL Champion.

GoRush. The king of in-game management. MSL Champion.

Nal_Ra. Creative, innovative, and spectacular. Watching him play is like watching fireworks. MSL and OSL Champion.

Kingdom. Aggressive, in-your-face micro. Nobody, not even Casy, gets more mileage out of a single unit. OSL Champion.

Anytime. Innovative builds, macro for days, and balls of steel. Has a keen sense of how to make subtle but game-changing tweaks to build orders. OSL Champion.

Oov. A cheating gorilla. MSL and OSL Champion.

Casy. Makes any ranged unit seem imba. OSL Champion.



Sometimes we are judged by what we can't do. Sometimes we are judged by what we can. But a champion is always remembered by what he can do, because he has forced us to overlook his flaws.

In summary: To be flawed is to be human; to overcome our flaws by the virtue of our strengths is to be victorious.
[image loading]
returns upon momentous occasions.
ilovezil
Profile Blog Joined August 2006
United States4143 Posts
April 26 2007 00:19 GMT
#2
Encore!!!
to miss the mark
Profile Joined November 2005
Bosnia-Herzegovina1381 Posts
April 26 2007 00:21 GMT
#3
That was an amazing read

I lol'd at
I feel like it's simply natural for him to win. Birds fly, dogs die, people fuck, and Savior wins.


Again, really nice read.
Act happy, feel happy, be happy, without a reason in the world. Then you can love, and do what you will.
sweatpants
Profile Joined April 2006
United States940 Posts
April 26 2007 00:24 GMT
#4
The article, with all its imperfections in mind, is beautiful. I will now make my first signature.
Perfect. Plays low-econ, high-econ, plays orthodox, plays funky, plays Mozart, plays Run-DMC. Micro, macro, strategy, management, fundamentals, and balls the size of Brazil. He plays Zerg the way the Xel Naga intended - like a ball of mercury. -HonestTea
NeoIllusions
Profile Blog Joined December 2002
United States37500 Posts
April 26 2007 00:24 GMT
#5
Let's have lunch, HonestTea~

Great read.
ModeratorFor the Glory that is TeamLiquid (-9 | 155) | Discord: NeoIllusions#1984
xM(Z
Profile Joined November 2006
Romania5281 Posts
April 26 2007 00:25 GMT
#6
And then you get your grubby paws on one of his replays and realize his APM is like 70.

more like 240-250.(if it was sarcsm it was lame)
nice read
And my fury stands ready. I bring all your plans to nought. My bleak heart beats steady. 'Tis you whom I have sought.
Ryp
Profile Joined February 2007
31 Posts
April 26 2007 00:26 GMT
#7
Very nice, made me horny,,
IntoTheWow
Profile Blog Joined May 2004
is awesome32274 Posts
April 26 2007 00:29 GMT
#8
HT i hope one day you have eyes for me.
Moderator<:3-/-<
Vin{MBL}
Profile Blog Joined September 2006
5185 Posts
April 26 2007 00:35 GMT
#9
hahah nice you can continue to blog here! XD
yisun518
Profile Joined August 2004
Canada480 Posts
Last Edited: 2007-04-26 00:39:21
April 26 2007 00:39 GMT
#10
wow nice one, and savior's apm is 70?? thought 200+
kidd
Profile Blog Joined November 2002
United States2848 Posts
April 26 2007 00:41 GMT
#11
Wow nice read Honest Tea i look forward to your next Blog!
Hi
Blind
Profile Blog Joined December 2002
United States2528 Posts
April 26 2007 00:45 GMT
#12
On April 26 2007 09:25 xM(Z wrote:
Show nested quote +
And then you get your grubby paws on one of his replays and realize his APM is like 70.

more like 240-250.(if it was sarcsm it was lame)
nice read

On April 26 2007 09:39 yisun518 wrote:
wow nice one, and savior's apm is 70?? thought 200+
It was sarcasm.
NeoIllusions
Profile Blog Joined December 2002
United States37500 Posts
April 26 2007 00:56 GMT
#13
lol @ everyone hanging onto to the savior = 70 apm line. =o=;;

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hyperbole
ModeratorFor the Glory that is TeamLiquid (-9 | 155) | Discord: NeoIllusions#1984
FireBlast!
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
United Kingdom5251 Posts
April 26 2007 01:13 GMT
#14
Awesome read :D

"Casy. Boxer’s strengths times two. Boxer’s weaknesses times three." my favourite line.

THO to be petty, I think Kingdom has great macro which has always been highly underrated because of his playing style.
Victoria Concordia Crescit
oneofthem
Profile Blog Joined November 2005
Cayman Islands24199 Posts
April 26 2007 01:14 GMT
#15
a fine grasp of the stereotypes
We have fed the heart on fantasies, the heart's grown brutal from the fare, more substance in our enmities than in our love
GrandInquisitor *
Profile Blog Joined May 2005
New York City13113 Posts
April 26 2007 01:28 GMT
#16
It's a little ironic that in your talk of the "Perfect" player you missed out on analyzing the player whose nickname is actually the "Perfect Terran" =P What's with the XellOs hate?
What fun is it being cool if you can’t wear a sombrero?
Xeofreestyler
Profile Blog Joined June 2005
Belgium6771 Posts
April 26 2007 01:32 GMT
#17
Really nice <3
Graphics
GongKyuckTerran
Profile Joined March 2006
Croatia1096 Posts
April 26 2007 01:33 GMT
#18
so nice !
Ultras di Spalato, Etre et durer
azndsh
Profile Blog Joined August 2006
United States4447 Posts
April 26 2007 01:33 GMT
#19
hahaha, that was awesome
NeoIllusions
Profile Blog Joined December 2002
United States37500 Posts
April 26 2007 01:35 GMT
#20
On April 26 2007 10:28 GrandInquisitor wrote:
It's a little ironic that in your talk of the "Perfect" player you missed out on analyzing the player whose nickname is actually the "Perfect Terran" =P What's with the XellOs hate?


Apparently HonestTea and uhjoo are having a spat. Why else isn't XellOs featured?!
ModeratorFor the Glory that is TeamLiquid (-9 | 155) | Discord: NeoIllusions#1984
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