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[H] How can I deal with low APM? - Page 7

Forum Index > StarCraft 2 Strategy
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Bumblebees
Profile Joined August 2010
United States328 Posts
October 21 2010 19:09 GMT
#121
On October 22 2010 00:33 Benshin88 wrote:
Show nested quote +
On October 22 2010 00:01 Bumblebees wrote:
I was going to post an update thread today, but I've decided to spend most of the day writing a guide to playing with constricted APM, or using your current APM more effectively.

I'll update the main post in this thread with a link once I'm finished.


have you tried wearing compression gloves/stockings? It should increase your BP. I'm going to assume you are already medicated. All of these might be able to delay the onset of your symptoms. It could allow you to increase your APM cap. I'm really impressed that you were able to get to 1300 diamond with 25-30 apm. Great Job! keep it up.


I've tried compression stockings, but they are prohibitively expensive. I am a big guy (6'6"/198cm) and I have quite large feet and legs. To get the correct compression I have to have the stockings custom made.

I've found that simply crossing my legs in various weird ways when I sit, as has been my habit most of my life, is just as effective as compression stockings.

Thank you for the suggestion
Parodoxx
Profile Joined May 2010
United States549 Posts
October 21 2010 19:17 GMT
#122
If its not lack of practice that limits your apm then micro intensive builds are going to be very hard for you.

Try to become perfect at the macro game b/c more often then not having more stuff wins even if its just attack move
Obsolescence
Profile Joined August 2010
United States270 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-10-21 20:09:49
October 21 2010 20:03 GMT
#123
On September 13 2010 02:38 tackklee wrote:
Show nested quote +
On September 13 2010 02:30 Bumblebees wrote:
On September 13 2010 02:25 tackklee wrote:
As many others would say, APM is not everything. This holds especially true in SC2. Macro, economy, unit composition and strategic thinking will definitely trump micro or higher apm any day.


I'd love to believe this, and would readily do so if there was a 1500+ diamond player who averaged 30-40apm. Hell, even 800+ would seriously convince me it's possible.

That doesn't mean I don't think I couldn't be the first (triple negative, hooray!). It'd be awesome if there was someone to learn from though


Well, a 1500+ diamond player will definitely not be at 30-40 apm. But there are quite a few out there that are 800+ diamond with that low apm. I know this first hand because when I watch my replays and check out the opponents apm I see it all the time.


This is absolutely incorrect. Please, don't tell people what is or isn't possible if you don't know. I'm a 1400 (w/ 120 bonus pool) Random Diamond player and my APM average for each race is:
Z = ~80
T = ~40-45
P = ~40-45

@Bumblebees: Don't be discouraged by people telling you it isn't possible! They either don't know or haven't tried. I'm sure if I made an effort I could drop my Terran average APM to 30-35 easily and still win in ~1300 Diamond. There was a Terran player recently that was around 1800-2000 Diamond talking about how he wanted to be the highest ranked lowest APM player ever (I forget what his APM was exactly but it was definitely no more than 60).

I'd recommend not playing Zerg if being in Diamond is more important to you than playing Zerg. Zerg is by far the most APM intensive. I use to play Zerg exclusively, but since I've switched to Random I've realized that Terran and Toss take 1/2 the APM that Zerg does at the same skill level. I'd try out the other races. 4-Gate and 3-Rax are fairly simple builds that don't require very much APM to be effective into mid-diamond at least. I can attest that up until at least 1300 Diamond, 3-Rax 1-A win is exactly as simple as it sounds. I'm not kidding. Not even a little. I was actually somewhat disgusted once I realized how easy it really was to beat people with these strategies compared to my frantic 80 APM Zerg omg-what-is-he-throwing-at-me-now!

Oops! I'm guilty of not reading the whole thread or seeing your update:

On October 21 2010 04:41 Bumblebees wrote:
Show nested quote +
On October 21 2010 03:04 Azzur wrote:
I'm currently a Terran, 1500 Diamond in SEA server (1300 NA so far). When I was a couple hundred points lower, my APM averaged 40-50 a game. However, with practice, I've been able to push my APM further up 10-15 points, which I feel has actually made me a better player. However, bear in mind that this is my avg APM, mine can spike to 100+ during key points of the game.

But to the OP: yes, it's possible to hit the Diamond league with lowish APM. How I cope is to play timing based attacks and to predict what my opponent is doing.


I'm the OP and I'm 1300 diamond now, and my APM has actually gone down. I'm averaging 25 or so now.


Congratz! I can't believe you've been able to reach 1300 Diamond with 25 APM. You've inspired me to find ways to use my APM more effectively as Zerg. Thanks!
It doesn't think. It doesn't feel. It doesn't laugh or cry. All it does from dusk till dawn is make the soldiers die. -Phyrexian Hulk
MforWW
Profile Joined July 2010
United States157 Posts
October 21 2010 20:30 GMT
#124
APM is overrated, and I fully support everybody that's been getting high rankings with low APM.

I used to be the same way, but for some reason my average APM (I play zerg, btw) has risen to 100 just due to playing the game a bunch. APM is really somewhat of a by-product of getting better at the game.

I still don't support spam clicking or think that you need high APM to be good, but I will say that in a big, 4 base macro game you'll definitely hit a wall if you can't handle the APM requirements (speaking 100% from experience, as I can recall past games where I thought to myself mid-match "holy crap, I just can't keep up with everything and do everything I want to do right now")

Bumblebees
Profile Joined August 2010
United States328 Posts
October 23 2010 23:31 GMT
#125
I have written and posted the first revision of my playing with low APM guide.

http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=163299
pakman
Profile Joined October 2010
United States57 Posts
October 28 2010 05:26 GMT
#126
Hey bumblebee. nice guide btw. Congrats on reaching 1300 diamond. I assure you, you can even go higher. I am a 1500 toss player with a relatively low apm around 50 for t and p and 60 for z. Even though this is considered extremely low at my level, I still find that i am executing way too many meaningless clicks and spams than what is necessary to accomplish what I want to do. All those extra clicks are just a byproduct of me subconciously wanting to raise my apm, but when the game gets deep, the spam (if you can evenc call it that) dissappears and all that really matters is effective apm, which I estimate to be 25. Even with 25 apm, I manage to take on 1600 level players who probably have around 130 apm. What this means is that even if my micro is not up to par, you can still be ahead in the game due to the games focus being economy and information management. It does not take insane apm to come up with abetter unit composition orstrategic positioning if you can effectively scout and prepare for an incoming attack. All it takes is a couple of box draggings and a few right clicks, not 5 actions per second. Anyways, mad respect for overcoming barriers through perseverance and dedication
serverdown
Profile Joined September 2010
19 Posts
October 28 2010 14:54 GMT
#127
Im a 1400 diamond zerg player who has an average APM of 65. I think its awesome how I beat higher ranking players with better army composition, macro, positioning and overall gamesense alone. But now I see that when I play increasingly better opponents I suffer because of my low APM. When Im in late game I notice that my game is lacking in all sorts of ways. I start paying less attention to creep spread and I could have used those extra minerals for another expansion late game, I could have mirco'd that engagement better if I had just been fast enough etc.. These are problems than can be solved and worked upon but you need to have a decent APM to do it.
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