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Sjow style no scouting - overlooked? - Page 5

Forum Index > StarCraft 2 Strategy
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netherDrake
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
Singapore1831 Posts
December 14 2010 15:11 GMT
#81
He'll change once he goes to Korea, where all-in and cheese plays are more common than anywhere else in the world.
SC2 player for Flash eSports. twitch.tv/nether_drake, https://twitter.com/bryan_sum, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bryan-Drake-Sum/468389706519567
gogogadgetflow
Profile Joined March 2010
United States2583 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-12-14 15:16:26
December 14 2010 15:11 GMT
#82
Inc's post doesn't make much sense to me. I never bother sending an SCV scout to toss because I open with 2 rax pressure every game and use that to feel out toss's build. The extra bit of minerals helps in the early stages of this build, and if I were to just send an scv well toss is gonna get a stalker or sentry anyways before revealing his tech patterns if he so chooses.

As far as using an scv to check for an FE that's just retarded early when I could send units instead. I open with 2 rax in tvz too but I send an scv ahead of marines to use it for blocking. No need to send it in way ahead. In tvt as has been said there's really no need for an scv scout if you play a safe build and don't rush for addons.
Liquid`Nazgul
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
22427 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-12-14 15:15:17
December 14 2010 15:12 GMT
#83
I think it's rather on the disrespectful to call it "fucking terrible" when the person doing it has 80apm and somehow manages to win more tournaments than anyone out there. He may not be the best in the world but to win as much as he does he clearly must understand the game really well. Most likely better than most 250apm perfect macro good micro top players that get everyones respect but win a lot less.

There is definitely a lot more to it and there's a lot of builds that benefit from it. For example if you're Terran your scouting SCV should never find a stargate against a decent Protoss and thus your early scout scv should give you zero info regarding void rays. However if instead of scouting early you scout later but build your factory in a position where you can float it over his base to see all that he is doing you will have saved minerals and know everything you need to know at the time you can know about it. This could be done with a build that is safe vs 4 gate allin for example, instead of a build that needs adjustment against a 4 gate allin.
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SirGlinG
Profile Blog Joined January 2008
Sweden933 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-12-14 15:15:53
December 14 2010 15:14 GMT
#84
It's worth to mention that what you don't see can give you a lot of information as well.

For example. if an attack hasn't happened at whatever timing a 6pool should come then he's not 6pooling.

It's a bad strat-example but I've hardly played sc2 compared to bw so if someone can give a more rewarding strategy-example to why this works please do
Not my chair. Not my problem. That's what I say
hmunkey
Profile Joined August 2010
United Kingdom1973 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-12-14 15:21:05
December 14 2010 15:17 GMT
#85
If he doesn't ever scout, he's a fool and will never get far in major tournaments like GSL. Seriously, if I was a half-decent player, I would just cheese or go for a build that hinges on not being scouted. 100% win rate.

So no, it's not overlooked.

Edit: And, if the idea of now scouting doesn't already sound idiotic, look at every other pro. Sjow isn't top 10 in the world. He might be top ~500. None of those other players (except for the cheesers) don't scout. So would you rather emulate Sjow or Fruitdealer/Nestea/MC/IdrA/Jinro/everyothergoodplayer?
iNcontroL *
Profile Blog Joined July 2004
USA29055 Posts
December 14 2010 15:18 GMT
#86
Oh ok scouting is bad. Everyone here please take note and start applying this. I wont but i would appreciate it if you guys would.
hifriend
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
China7935 Posts
December 14 2010 15:21 GMT
#87
On December 15 2010 00:12 Liquid`Nazgul wrote:
I think it's rather on the disrespectful to call it "fucking terrible" when the person doing it has 80apm and somehow manages to win more tournaments than anyone out there. He may not be the best in the world but to win as much as he does he clearly must understand the game really well. Most likely better than most 250apm perfect macro good micro top players that get everyones respect but win a lot less.

There is definitely a lot more to it and there's a lot of builds that benefit from it. For example if you're Terran your scouting SCV should never find a stargate against a decent Protoss and thus your early scout scv should give you zero info regarding void rays. However if instead of scouting early you scout later but build your factory in a position where you can float it over his base to see all that he is doing you will have saved minerals and know everything you need to know at the time you can know about it. This could be done with a build that is safe vs 4 gate allin for example, instead of a build that needs adjustment against a 4 gate allin.

Add to this the fact that early scouting information is often misinterpreted or could be cleverly deceptive.
Dominator1370
Profile Joined November 2010
United States111 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-12-14 15:22:03
December 14 2010 15:21 GMT
#88
I highly doubt he simply "doesn't scout" - just because it's not a worker doesn't mean it isn't a scout. Most players aren't going to scout with a worker beyond their first worker scout, does that mean they stop scouting at 11 supply?

What he's actually doing is delaying his "scout" until a time where the information he gains would be meaningful enough that he would change what he is doing to respond to it. The fact that he's doing that scouting with a unit that isn't a worker doesn't invalidate it.

Ultimately though, if scouting is never bad, so why not worker scout with one of your initial 6?
kirkybaby
Profile Joined May 2010
Korea (South)781 Posts
December 14 2010 15:22 GMT
#89
players who make sweeping generalizations about anything in rts games have failed to divine the truest wisdom the game requires.
tournament history: 512th place in Altitude TLOpen #1
knL
Profile Blog Joined June 2010
Germany400 Posts
December 14 2010 15:22 GMT
#90
I use his TvT opening (1Rax -> Marines -> Factory -> Helion Scout...) in my games and I never lost a game where my initial scouting scv would have helped me. I cant argue on vP and vZ but on TvT i think its not necessary to scout with your starting scv if you do this build.

And what Nazgul said is also very true. If you get cheesed with a hidden X your initial scv shouldnt find it or you opponent is just bad.
iNcontroL *
Profile Blog Joined July 2004
USA29055 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-12-14 15:24:16
December 14 2010 15:22 GMT
#91
Naz you are literally arguing that he understands the game well so he doesn't need to early game scout as long as he can float a factory (which he never does btw, do you even watch his games?)? As if he doesn't and hasn't lost to things 100% more defensible if you fucking scout. You know how often he loses to a vr rush? Each time he streams I see it 2-3 times if he scouts and gets 2 Vikings instead of a raven he can lawl at the vr rush but he never does and usually dies. I am not saying he is bad because obviously the results speak for themselves but the argument that he wouldn't benefit from scouting is actually retarded. Like full retard retarded.
Brutus
Profile Joined May 2010
Netherlands284 Posts
December 14 2010 15:23 GMT
#92
On December 15 2010 00:18 {88}iNcontroL wrote:
Oh ok scouting is bad. Everyone here please take note and start applying this. I wont but i would appreciate it if you guys would.


This is where you go wrong incontrol. You first made a brilliant post describing why you should do it, but now that not everyone is agreeing you take it 1 step too far. This post makes the first post a lot less "good" (sorry for not thinking of a better word). Just let them think they figured out the game by not sending the scout, you explained it perfectly why it is important to do.
syllogism
Profile Joined September 2010
Finland5948 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-12-14 15:24:02
December 14 2010 15:23 GMT
#93
It's disrespectful to criticize bad play? His accomplishments are almost completely irrelevant to the discussion. I've to say I find it disappointing when someone like Nazgul just dances around the subject rather than says what he really thinks, unless, of course, he really thinks not scouting is good.
Hider
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Denmark9439 Posts
December 14 2010 15:23 GMT
#94
On December 14 2010 22:19 cilinder007 wrote:
it seems to be working quite fine for him so far, he won like every recent tournament he played, won the last 6 craft cups he played in so either people dont take advantage of his non scv scouting or they try and he still beats them regardles


Because he does not face cheesy very often. But he kind of instaloses vs 6 pool or proxy gates.

Anyway I still believe scannin is way overused, and when the meta games evolves, to hide tech more and only show a part of your army which that becoems aviavlabe to scan, scans will not be worth a mule for most of the early/early midgame. I realize that right now scans are cost effective, as people dont hide tech/hide units enough, but I dont wanna rely on builds that are based on my opp prob. not doing x or x. I wanna use build that have long-term potential.
loladin
Profile Joined October 2010
Norway184 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-12-14 15:30:28
December 14 2010 15:25 GMT
#95
I love how all your posts are hyperboles iNcontroL (see what I did there? ). It makes for fun reading.

It's not that SjoW doesn't scout at all, he just doesn't do the 10-11-12 food SVC scout. There are positives and negatives with not doing that. It apparently works for him, it doesn't mean it is the right thing to do and he has the game figured out though.
When the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.
.kv
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
United States2332 Posts
December 14 2010 15:26 GMT
#96
I like to scout because I use the information to change my build around to favor me. But like others have said; people scout just because others tell them to scout so all they do is bring their worker to their opponent's base and move around and leave and don't change their build at all. If you aren't going to change your build at all, what's the point of early scouting when you can scout later with a hallucination/observer/hellion/overlord?

I think people need to ask themselves if they are willing to change their build according to the information they gain from early scouting.
Hider
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Denmark9439 Posts
December 14 2010 15:27 GMT
#97
On December 15 2010 00:12 Liquid`Nazgul wrote:
I think it's rather on the disrespectful to call it "fucking terrible" when the person doing it has 80apm and somehow manages to win more tournaments than anyone out there. He may not be the best in the world but to win as much as he does he clearly must understand the game really well. Most likely better than most 250apm perfect macro good micro top players that get everyones respect but win a lot less.

There is definitely a lot more to it and there's a lot of builds that benefit from it. For example if you're Terran your scouting SCV should never find a stargate against a decent Protoss and thus your early scout scv should give you zero info regarding void rays. However if instead of scouting early you scout later but build your factory in a position where you can float it over his base to see all that he is doing you will have saved minerals and know everything you need to know at the time you can know about it. This could be done with a build that is safe vs 4 gate allin for example, instead of a build that needs adjustment against a 4 gate allin.

¨
Actually this is not entirely true, as you can gain info by seeing when he takes his second gas making it likely that he is doing vr og dt build.
Trentelshark
Profile Joined September 2010
Canada385 Posts
December 14 2010 15:27 GMT
#98
When I started watching his replays I was left scratching my head trying to figure out why he never scouted. Coming from WC3 I never really needed to scout, most mu builds were predictable so I scouted far less in that than I had been in SC2 since I didn't play SC1 much at all. The more replays of Sjow I watched the more it made sense and I've made changes to my scouting in ladder to experiment. I went to the other extreme of not scouting enough and kept getting smashed so I picked the frequency up some, watched an absolute load of replays including my own, came up with general timings for what my opponent might be doing and realised why his openings/scouting patterns are as effective as they are.

Even knowing he doesn't scout, the frequency of proxy/all-in play is limited because if held off, it leaves you very vulnerable to counter-attack, or in the case of the all-in, the game is generally over. I agree with the menatlity of who cares if you lose to an all-in, unless in tournament play where he only has the BOX games to win. When I get rolled by all-ins I just GG and leave, I don't even waste my time trying to hold it off most of the time because it's a waste of my time in ladder where it simply doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.
LittLeD
Profile Joined May 2010
Sweden7973 Posts
December 14 2010 15:27 GMT
#99
I believe some people (*Glares at Geoff*) hasnt watched enough of his play to quite realise what they're talking about.
For the sake of God, of course he scouts. He uses scan and different kinds of units (Helions, Repears) as scouts just like everyone else.
What he doesnt do though (Or atleast very rarily) is to scout with an initial SCV.

I wish we could get SjoW in here to clear up some misunderstandings
☆Grubby ☆| Tod|DeMusliM|ThorZaiN|SaSe|Moon|Mana| ☆HerO ☆
imyzhang
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
Canada809 Posts
December 14 2010 15:27 GMT
#100
On December 14 2010 23:16 Brutus wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 14 2010 21:55 Liquid`Nazgul wrote:
I completely agree with Sjow that people overscout in both BW and SC2. Oftentimes you start off with a build that is undecided for a while then scouting is crucial because your build adapts.

However so many players use builds that are not made for adapting (again in both BW and SC2) and will lose to proxy rax for example even if they scout it. Not talking about Sjow here I'm talking about other players that do in fact scout, but when they see something happening still die to it, because they don't use an adaptable build. These players (a lot of top guys) don't understand the relation between adaptable builds and scouting patterns. Sjow understands that when using builds that aren't fit for adapting (which are plenty of builds from just about every player) you shouldn't scout at all. This does not make the build bad whatsoever btw because plenty of adaptable builds can lose to standard stuff because they gave up too much becoming adaptable. That's the price of playing RTS and the choices players need to make for themselves.

People blindly saying thinking this is bad or that SC2 has failed need to get a clue and create a better understanding for the game. Judge a guy that scouts using an unadaptable build instead of the guy using the same build not scouting. The one not scouting understands the game much better. Everything depends on the builds that are being used.

There's not only a difference between builds but also a difference between races. It's hard to imagine a good ZvT strategy where Zerg does not know how many raxes were built; thus Zerg should always drone scout.


I'm sorry but this has to the biggest bullshit I've heard in a while from someone that's considered to be good. You think it's better to to not scout? Even if you do a solid build, you still want to know what your opponent is doing.

Let's say someone 2 gate proxys him, he wants to respond right? Or is a bunker before OC standard? There are countless other examples, like when your opponent is doing a FE. You need to respond by expanding yourself or making an attack. These two are very different reactions that needs to be based from your scouting info.

I already said something about Sjow in his stream thread. I don't understand how he wins so many tournaments if you watch him play. His lack of scouting, macro, hotkeys and general apm seems to not hurt him in the slightest.

No offense Nazgul, but the way I read your post I just can't agree with it. Maybe I read it wrong?


what the fuck...? bullshit? read the op and nazgul's post again, cus ur obviously missing the point. sjow does scout obviously. Everyone is talking about how he doesnt do the initial scv scout. he scouts later with either a helion or reaper a minute or two later. i've seen people try to cheese him and he either stops it with his BO, micro+buidling placement or with his micro + scvs.
bleh
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