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[Q]uestion for Masters

Forum Index > StarCraft 2 Strategy
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1 2 3 4 Next All
Captain Soban
Profile Joined December 2010
United States119 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-01-24 04:42:08
January 24 2011 04:32 GMT
#1
How do you improve your playing?

I've reached the point where day9 isn't helpful at all and don't know how to improve besides just playing ladder and analyzing my replays. Lately, I've been downloading replay packs from qxc, as I play Terran, and watching specific match ups on specific maps trying to focus in on how to win in every situation.

Do any of you know any video or text series that focuses on improvement for master level players?

EDIT: Forgot to mention that I also do play with a handful of practice partners to work out the kinks in my builds. I spend a lot of time on the actual timing of my builds figuring things out like exactly how long I have to attack with a upgraded marine/ghost army before a Protoss can react with a colossus after my composition is sufficiently scouted.
They say pizza ain't a funnel I say bullshit to that
rbkl
Profile Joined March 2010
772 Posts
January 24 2011 04:36 GMT
#2
I find that if you start a practice group it usually helps. Find a few guys on ladder that are around your skill. Discuss strats, play custom games, work on specific things that you want to improve on.

www.check6gaming.com // www.iugaming.com ** Indiana's Premier Gaming / Starcraft Community **
XXXSmOke
Profile Blog Joined November 2004
United States1333 Posts
January 24 2011 04:38 GMT
#3
On January 24 2011 13:36 rbkl wrote:
I find that if you start a practice group it usually helps. Find a few guys on ladder that are around your skill. Discuss strats, play custom games, work on specific things that you want to improve on.



Exactly.

You can ladder all day every day, but the wide range of builds/skill levels of oppenants is just too random sometimes to get a specific build timing down. A practice group lets you test many different things without the result on your record. Plus the discusion aspect is so handy, being able to debate and talk about your knowlege and game theory will always help you in game when crucial decisions must be made.
Emperor? Boxer disapproves. He's building bunkers at your mom's house even as you're reading this.
farseerdk
Profile Joined May 2010
Canada504 Posts
January 24 2011 04:42 GMT
#4
Yup, even if you don't have friends to play with, you can easily find a group through chat channels now.
Perspective is merely an angle.
FabledIntegral
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
United States9232 Posts
January 24 2011 04:42 GMT
#5
Sometimes it just takes a while. I only could get to masters right away because of my prior experience in Brood War, in which I sucked for a very long time before being able to even compete in iCCuP. Noticed small improvements over each seasons, even though I kind of "knew" what to do, it was simply repeated practice that got the results, with a little bit of discussion here and there (quite important).
Grobyc
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
Canada18410 Posts
January 24 2011 04:52 GMT
#6
I was unaware that there is a point where day9 is no longer helpful. He is still great to watch if you are a masters player, you're probably not going to find much better to be honest,
If you watch Godzilla backwards it's about a benevolent lizard who helps rebuild a city and then moonwalks into the ocean.
Goolpsy
Profile Joined November 2010
Denmark301 Posts
January 24 2011 05:00 GMT
#7
If you want to get good. Don't focus too much on perfect build execution or when to do "a certain opening for maximum advantage". Its only really useful for timing attacks and if you're good, to get the last percentage to win.
It is also the part of the game that is easiest to improve.

Try playing a ladder game and being intentionally sloppy. it actually won't make that much of a difference in itself.
Better follow Day9's advice and "make a game plan" and revise that game plan. Another thing: Peoples macro tend to falter quite abit when reaching 2+ base play.

The reason for having practice partners is for consistently testing out certain 'game plans' (Not nessesarily openings). And popentially to Plug big holes.
Shifft
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
Canada1085 Posts
January 24 2011 05:02 GMT
#8
Play many games every day. If you don't know why you lost watch the replay and figure it out.
=O
vnlegend
Profile Blog Joined December 2006
United States1389 Posts
January 24 2011 05:02 GMT
#9
day9 probably can't even get into master league. I don't see how he can help.

Anyway, watch Trump's stream. He has a good mentality where he tries to make small adjustments to counter things he loses to. Also he stays calm and doesn't rage and play on tilt.

Among other things, watch replays and learn the timings for stuff. Small clues and timing knowledge can get you a good idea of what the other guy is doing.
Marines > everything
Shifft
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
Canada1085 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-01-24 05:05:07
January 24 2011 05:04 GMT
#10
On January 24 2011 14:02 vnlegend wrote:
day9 probably can't even get into master league


It's pretty funny that you think that :3
=O
DanceSC
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States751 Posts
January 24 2011 05:06 GMT
#11
experiment with your builds, be able to make substitutions and adapt.
find gamers around your skill level and keep playing.
Dance.943 || "I think he's just going to lose. There's only so many ways you can lose. And he's going to make some kind of units. And I'm going to attack him, and then all his stuff is going to die. That's about the best prediction that I can make" - NonY
IPA
Profile Joined August 2010
United States3206 Posts
January 24 2011 05:06 GMT
#12
On January 24 2011 14:02 vnlegend wrote:
day9 probably can't even get into master league. I don't see how he can help.


Yeah, a previous WCG BW champ would probably have a pretty difficult time making it into the gimped "top tier" of SC2. Makes perfect sense.

On topic: when you understand what you're doing right and wrong, a crash course in mechanics can make a large difference as well. Near-perfect injecting, spending CB energy, calling Mules, augmenting your facility with control groups, practicing "efficient APM", etc. This is in addition to consistent practice and self-analysis of course.
Time held me green and dying though I sang in my chains like the sea.
-orb-
Profile Blog Joined September 2007
United States5770 Posts
January 24 2011 05:07 GMT
#13
On January 24 2011 14:02 vnlegend wrote:
day9 probably can't even get into master league. I don't see how he can help.

Anyway, watch Trump's stream. He has a good mentality where he tries to make small adjustments to counter things he loses to. Also he stays calm and doesn't rage and play on tilt.

Among other things, watch replays and learn the timings for stuff. Small clues and timing knowledge can get you a good idea of what the other guy is doing.


1: Day9 can easily get into masters league, and if he worked at it I'm pretty certain he could get pretty high up as well.
2: You're recommending someone watch trump's stream to improve... lol
I dunno what he does now but back in beta he was one of those guys that just 3rax pushed every single game and clearly doesn't understand the complexities of the game at all.
'life of lively to live to life of full life thx to shield battery'
how sad that sc2 has no shield battery :(
cronican
Profile Joined February 2009
Canada424 Posts
January 24 2011 05:42 GMT
#14
Get a lesson from a pro, they can point you in the right direction. If you really want to seriously be good, 80 bucks for a 2 hour lesson is pretty good, imo.

Watch some of mrbitter's 12 weeks with the pros vods to see what I mean.
Azzur
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
Australia6259 Posts
January 24 2011 05:52 GMT
#15
1. Study the pro games and copy their strats.
2. Watch your own replays and pick out mistakes (e.g. didn't build a worker, supply-blocked, too much money, etc). In other words, work on your mechanics.
3. Figure out your own style and come up with a gameplan. For instance, if you're a defensive player, come up with a plan to accommodate this.
tikalal
Profile Joined November 2010
48 Posts
January 24 2011 06:05 GMT
#16
On January 24 2011 14:02 vnlegend wrote:
day9 probably can't even get into master league. I don't see how he can help.


No of course he couldn't. No 2 times WCG Brood War winner and 2 times runner up would have a chance of getting into master league...

I hope you can see the sarcasm here :D
DanceSC
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States751 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-01-24 06:07:23
January 24 2011 06:06 GMT
#17
On January 24 2011 14:42 cronican wrote:
Get a lesson from a pro, they can point you in the right direction. If you really want to seriously be good, 80 bucks for a 2 hour lesson is pretty good, imo.

Watch some of mrbitter's 12 weeks with the pros vods to see what I mean.

imo - find someone in masters willing to for free
paying for sessions can only get you so far, the rest is up to you.
if you dont believe me listen to their success stories, you always hear about someone going from bronze to plat. they can teach you the right concepts, but only you can improve you game play and speed.
Dance.943 || "I think he's just going to lose. There's only so many ways you can lose. And he's going to make some kind of units. And I'm going to attack him, and then all his stuff is going to die. That's about the best prediction that I can make" - NonY
zatic
Profile Blog Joined September 2007
Zurich15326 Posts
January 24 2011 06:11 GMT
#18
Post a replay of a typical game where you were not sure how you could have played better with a little analysis of how the game went. I am sure there is tons of stuff you can still improve.
ModeratorI know Teamliquid is known as a massive building
cronican
Profile Joined February 2009
Canada424 Posts
January 24 2011 06:20 GMT
#19
On January 24 2011 15:06 DanceSC wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 24 2011 14:42 cronican wrote:
Get a lesson from a pro, they can point you in the right direction. If you really want to seriously be good, 80 bucks for a 2 hour lesson is pretty good, imo.

Watch some of mrbitter's 12 weeks with the pros vods to see what I mean.

imo - find someone in masters willing to for free
paying for sessions can only get you so far, the rest is up to you.
if you dont believe me listen to their success stories, you always hear about someone going from bronze to plat. they can teach you the right concepts, but only you can improve you game play and speed.


True, only he can make himself improve, but he has created a thread asking how to improve, targeted specifically at master level players. I think spending the 80 bucks to spend time with people that are some of the very best at sc2 would be worth it at his level of skill. If only for a one time lesson to be pointed in the right direction.

FabledIntegral
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
United States9232 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-01-24 06:47:18
January 24 2011 06:46 GMT
#20
I'll play with you a few games if you want, around 3k in the master league atm. Play T with a strong Z offrace as it used to be my main race. Actually was better at Z relatively than I am with T now, I just wanted to try out T macro style for a week or so and the love of not getting overly cheesed made me stick with them.

EDIT: I'm assuming you're already Diamond at least, fairly up there.
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