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[Q] When do you look at the minimap?

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ChidoriPOWAA Sweden17 Posts October 24 2011 22:48 GMT #1 Hello fellow sc2-lovers. I'm a rank 1 platinum player (probably diamond next season) and I'm starting to get comfortable in most areas of my game. One thing I totally suck at though is constantly watching the minimap. Recently I've been trying to watch the minimap from time to time when I watch streams or VODs, but I find it hard to actually get any information from it with just a glance. I kind of need 1-2 seconds to really analyze the mini map to get a good grip of the map control I have vs my oppontents etc. My question is, when do you higher level players actually watch the minimap? Is this something you do every 3rd second or is it something you do while macroing stuff like larva inject, start upgrades or whatever. I kinda need a general idea of when to at least give the mini map a bit more attention than usual. Any help is welcome, though I'd appreciate it more if you're atleast masters or higher.

Chocolate United States2350 Posts October 24 2011 22:53 GMT #2 I'm far from a high level player but I find checking it periodically a useful talent toi have. A good way to get yourself into the habit is to put units at the watch-towers at all times, and to pull them back only when you see enemy units coming (unless you really need them). Edit: I'm diamond

rauk United States2228 Posts October 24 2011 23:01 GMT #3 i find it useful to be primarily looking at the minimap at all times

Skyro United States1823 Posts October 24 2011 23:04 GMT #4 I think at a minimum you need to be able to watch the minimap while you macro, and ofc to do this you have to be comfortable with a build enough to not have to think at all when doing it.

Avril_Lavigne United States446 Posts October 24 2011 23:04 GMT #5 you should be looking at the minimap almost all the time, I constantly bounce my eyes to the minimap and back to the top right of the screen almost all game long. Almost nothing ever gets by me without me seeing it unless i'm complete distracted in a battle and someone drops me at an expo. In other words, a well played tactic by my opponent. Other than that, almost nothing gets sneaked around without me noticing, it's really important to constantly look at the minimap

E.H Eager United States227 Posts October 24 2011 23:07 GMT #6 Day[9] did a daily on your "mental checklist" and checking the minimap should be one of the things you should do. The daily is mainly about exercises you can do to get better at all those things, which I'm sure do already to some extent since you are plat, but check it out if you want to have a good way to practice those things. http://blip.tv/day9tv/day-9-daily-360-p1-mental-checklist-exercises-5635566

ForeverAzerG United Kingdom101 Posts October 24 2011 23:15 GMT #7 day9 has expained this time and time again just go watch him

Silidons United States2813 Posts October 24 2011 23:18 GMT #8 not a whole lot, periodically. i have it set to me being always green and the enemy always red and i guess i have a good reaction time so i can literally immediately see when 1 red dot comes onto the minimap (whenever i play team games i also am the first to notice such things and can ping the map for my team). i may just without knowing it look, but i feel like i don't, but i do have a very very good reaction time to know when a just a single red dot (such as a medivac) hits the map.

ChidoriPOWAA Sweden17 Posts October 25 2011 00:06 GMT #9 Alright, thanks guys! I guess I'll just have to practice it further until I'm more comfortable with it. I'll be sure to check that day[9] daily out. Ty!

SoKHo Korea (South)1081 Posts October 25 2011 00:37 GMT #10 I watch the minimap with my preferral vision constantly. For example, if I see a red dot where my overlords were placed, I know a drop is coming.

iokke United States1179 Posts October 25 2011 00:55 GMT #11 I am also curious if pros play by watching the minimap and not the screen (basically eyes on minimap at all times unless something else requires attention). Seems like the best way to play to make sure you dont miss anything (not the funnest though probably)

Remb United States190 Posts October 25 2011 01:02 GMT #12 If you watch tournaments that do close ups on the players' faces, you will notice that their eyes always do the same 3 step waltz: resources, screen, minimap; resources, screen, minimap; resources, screen, minimap, constantly in some order. Map awareness is super important at high level play. The difference between responding to the game 'under attack' warning and a dot in vision to a scout or forward base can be around 10-30 seconds time to react. Seconds win battles in RTS.

CodeMajik Canada19 Posts October 25 2011 01:23 GMT #13 I like to be looking at the map most of the time, but not an absurd amount to were it distracts me from more important things. It lets me keep a close eye on Mutas, drops, etc.

TBone- United States2309 Posts October 25 2011 01:25 GMT #14 You should be able to generally move around the map while still looking at the minimap. In addition to the minimap, regurally looking at your resources is very important.

coL.hendralisk Zimbabwe1756 Posts October 25 2011 01:27 GMT #15 I see it in my peripheral 90%+ of the time

Stipulation United States587 Posts October 25 2011 01:40 GMT #16 When I practice builds in my build order tester I spend most of my time scrolled to the corner of the map watching the minimap and my resources. That I think is a big part of what has helped me.

JonnyLaw United States3482 Posts October 25 2011 01:43 GMT #17 As often as possible. This is especially true during times when watching is hardest. Namely *vT when they poke the front and you know a medivac full of bio is coming to pick on your workers.

Achilles306 Canada84 Posts October 25 2011 01:48 GMT #18 I play Protoss. So for me, it's make workers, look at minimap, warp in units, look at minimap, make pylon, look at minimap. Basically, whenever there isn't a battle that needs your attention look at the minimap. Looking at the minimap will tell you if you are being attacked, harassed and how much map control you have. It is one of your most important resources in an RTS

ene13 50 Posts October 25 2011 02:03 GMT #19 Its not so important to memorize builds as it is to react to opponents properly, and this can only be done by doing the waltz from top right, middle, and then to the minimap. That means you should be looking at the minimap every few seconds, even more so in the midgame when youre macroing.

Oboeman Canada3980 Posts October 25 2011 02:10 GMT #20 stare at the minimap, and occasionally remember to glance at the screen.

JL_GG Canada249 Posts October 25 2011 02:12 GMT #21 top 20 master i use peripheral vision since colours r green and red so its pretty ez for me to pick up and my broodwar experience and mechanics also help a lot

SEA KarMa Australia452 Posts October 25 2011 07:32 GMT #22 I generally hope my peripheral vision catches it, though I really should be looking at it more often. It is so useful to react to a drop even just a few seconds earlier. Usually a red indicator tells me that I've been dropped, then I see it. I don't think I can concentrate watching the minimap constantly and doing whatevers on my screen.

GGPope Australia367 Posts October 25 2011 07:56 GMT #23 The minimap actually should be the thing you look at the most often, seeing as reacting to what appears on it is actually more important than almost anything else in a lot of situations.

Wildsound United Kingdom144 Posts October 25 2011 08:42 GMT #24 im not a zerg player, but from what iv played with it myself, I find that actively aiming to use burrowed banelings (zvt) in some way makes you automatically pay more attention to the minimap I mean, you want to be able to land those mines right? you dont wana miss an opportunity with them!

synapse China13814 Posts October 25 2011 08:44 GMT #25 As much as possible, but I focus on it a lot when my army isn't in my base to catch drops / runbys with ovies.

Lowko Netherlands286 Posts October 25 2011 08:49 GMT #26 It's one of the things that you're either born with or that you will need to play a ton for. I notice myself always picking up when a green or red dot that suddenly pops up on the minimap. I don't actually conscious stare at the minimap. It just pops up at the corner of my eye. Just play a bunch more, and it should be going well. Depending on what race you're playing: Build some static defences. I know pro's don't do this very often, but if you defend drops 100% with a 2-3 cannons which otherwhise would have killed your base it's 100% worth it. Don't think you're a pro. Play it savely. Top master/low GM

AnxiousHippo Australia1451 Posts October 25 2011 08:53 GMT #27 As often as possible which is about once every 5 seconds. Edit: I recognise that I am not very good.

lukasdesign Switzerland93 Posts October 25 2011 10:06 GMT #28 This topic reminds me how much I hate Blizz' screen layout. Why the hell can't i place my Mineral/Gas/Supply Indicators just above the Minimap or my selection window? i always glare at the selection window and the minimap. Then my eyes have to travel all the way up to the right corner...to check my supply and eventually my money/gas. I want all my vital indicators as close as possible FFS! This feels so 90's Another thing that drives me crazy: I would love to see is the possibility to move the single icons on the lower right. I play with a completely customized hotkey setup. However it has a Grid layout idea behind it. It would be so nice if I could move the icons into right position, rather than just having the corresponding letter shown over it. these guys want to produce a game for pros...but most likely never checked real PROS applications. hell I make my living with 3D apps like Maya, where everything is just measure made to MY needs...

k3m4 Germany94 Posts October 25 2011 11:10 GMT #29 Im a diamond player and i never really tryed to make me watch at the minimap. I just try to have as much vision on the minimap(obs,xel naga towers...) and then I just notice if something happens cuz of my peripheral vision.

rEalGuapo Germany832 Posts October 25 2011 11:35 GMT #30 90% of the posts are "I do it" "I don't do it" "you should look at the minimap!" Congratz... OP asked for specific ways how to train to do it.... I find that stickies on the outscirts of the screen really are helpful. Also I would advise you to get a notebook and just write down everything you want to get better at, pick out one thing and practice it for a couple of days, then ADD(not replace) another thing. Most important: Watch upper right Corner Watch Minimap Tap production buildings(also Nexi CC etc..) BUT you must get used to playing your builds and really know them by heart before you should do this otherwhise you will destract urself too much, screw up everything and get frustrated. GL

TheGreenMachine United States730 Posts October 25 2011 11:55 GMT #31 Peripheral vision 99% of the time. Better on some days when I'm not tunnel visioned too hard.

Miggypops England18 Posts October 25 2011 15:00 GMT #32 the screen is 5% of the game the minimap is the whole 100%. use screen to micro. and mini map to macro

digmouse China6331 Posts October 25 2011 15:05 GMT #33 in the basic mechanic episodes of Day9 daily he mentioned that you should watch your minimap after every major action, I find this approach quite useful.

Huggerz Great Britain919 Posts October 25 2011 15:17 GMT #34 You should be checking it very regularly. Particularly at points when you are pushing out, or moving most of your army anywhere, expanding, when you are macroing, and even more regularly against Zergs

Yoshi Kirishima United States10372 Posts October 25 2011 15:24 GMT #35 As much as possible. Keep it in your very peripheral vision (unless you have great vision and can see small dots really well) You need to know sometimes you just need to keep looking at your minimap. For example let's say you're doing an econ build and know that one dangerous way you can lose is if he drops you at the back and attacks at the natural. This is the kind of time when you need to keep looking at the minimap to see his drop come so you can defend it right away and also not be tricked by his other attack at the front. You can also just use the F keys for your base, and keep scrolling through those to check for things, but overall a minimap is better. Another example is if you're moving out with your 200/200 terran mech army, and you're also taking more bases and setting up gas and transferring workers so you can remake an army if you lose. You need to keep looking at your minimap the instant the zerg comes in so that you can siege in time. Another example is if you're playing vs zerg and you're doing some hellion pressure. You decide he has too much so you sit the hellions back behind his creep. You need to look at the minimap to see if any zerglings are going to come out and try to catch you off guard. You don't even need to double tap/click the control group for your hellions, just select them via control group and micro them without even looking at them (move them towards your base, etc., then look at them).

brachester Australia1786 Posts October 25 2011 15:27 GMT #36 when i'm doing something i don't need to look at such as macroing building units and probes. You may also want to have a look at Day9's video, can't remember the name of that video thouhg, was that "The secret of APM" or something?

HikariPrime United States122 Posts October 25 2011 15:33 GMT #37 I just remember my color and if my peripheral vision picks up anything odd on the map ( another color, or units moving that i didn't tell to move.) I glance for a better look. I just assumed everyone else used peripheral vision as well >>

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