Interesting game:

Terran Step 2
TvZ - 29 min long
Spending Skill: (T) High Grandmaster (112 SQ) [offtopic: third in a row over high GM, yes! gogo marauders!]
http://ggtracker.com/matches/2033673

A friend and me were playing some casual games. I've been practising steps 1 and 2 just for fun as T, since my T macro sucks real bad, and this game was a lot of fun. Let me know if you like it.

Regards.
fatum.

dsjoerg

United States384 Posts

March 20 2013 03:25 GMT

#602

On March 19 2013 22:56 Zebansis wrote:
@dsjoerg

If its your business.... and this is the business side of me. Um yeah, absolutely.
Perhaps raise it up to 50 total or 15 games a month or so, but free trials are about giving people a taste of a worthy service.

Subscription sites of most types average about a 3.5 month drop out rate, but that number is at much higher dollar figures and usually not affiliated with a game.

thanks for the advice, definitely appreciate it!

Peculator

Netherlands7 Posts

March 20 2013 16:05 GMT

#603

Hey JaKaTak and others following the thread, I'd like to share a little testemony and word of thanks.

It's been little over three months ago that I started playing SC2, without much relevant RTS experience. I have used the Staircase and the Core from the beginning and I've recently cleared all the stages that I wanted and reached my goal. Today I got promoted to diamond league! I think your training method has definately helped me with it's focus on improvement through mechanics and measurable goals.

Now the road to Masters starts, but I'll be sure not to let my mechanics slip: after all, it's the solid foundation of my play!

Thank you ever so much.

JaKaTaKSc2

United States2787 Posts

March 20 2013 16:21 GMT

#604

So glad to help Peculator!

jawzy

5 Posts

March 20 2013 20:25 GMT

#605

First and foremost I just wanted to thank you JaKaTak for taking your time to put this program together it was exactly what I was looking for.

I have owned SC2 from the day it came out, but was so bad I never played past the first week of release. I decided it was time to try again and was relentlessly searching for a "step-by-step" guide on how to improve - exactly what The StairCase is. I am currently still in Step 1 (been with the program less than a week) and I can clearly see how maintaining high standards for basic mechanics will lead to my end goal.

Beyond The StairCase opening up my eyes to how great resource control and inject timings are a necessity - I love reading the chat messages (win or lose) of people whining about how many zerglings I am pumping out at them!

Thanks again! I look forwards to more of your work.

JaKaTaKSc2

United States2787 Posts

March 20 2013 20:48 GMT

#606

You're very welcome jawzy

apocriva

Canada66 Posts

March 21 2013 00:31 GMT

#607

I have a comment and a question...

First and foremost, thanks so much for putting this together! It's a concept that I've understood for a long time, but never within the context of SC2. Since adopting a "ling-only step 1 plan", I've had pretty good results. In fact, I just got promoted from Silver to Platinum over the course of two games... which is a little bit weird, lol.

(I had been placing Gold-ish in WoL, but have switched to the Core for HotS, and am only just starting to get a hang of the new keybinds.)

Here's the question, though... I have my aim set high. I'd like to use Diamond as my macro benchmark, but I'm struggling to figure out how to raise my SQ while making only lings. I cut back on drone production so that I would have less income (and use the surplus larvae to pump out more lings), but that doesn't feel like a ... healthy direction to take, regardless of how successful.

So, if making only lings, what can I do to improve my SQ to the Diamond level? (Assume for the sake of this question that I am willing to make only lings from now until I reach step 2, regardless of how long it'll take.)

jawzy

5 Posts

March 21 2013 01:40 GMT

#608

aprocriva, I am currently on step 1 as zerg myself. on my ggtracker.com I am typically in the master-GM level with my SQ. I expand when I have money and constantly send my zerglings to attack (usually to their death). Therefore, I am always making more zerglings and spending money.

apocriva

Canada66 Posts

March 21 2013 01:45 GMT

#609

Okay, that 100% makes sense. My macro isn't very good right now -- it's good to hear that it's at least possible to achieve that SQ on step 1! Now to see if it's possible for *me*, haha!

KhrisKruel

United States146 Posts

March 21 2013 03:44 GMT

#610

Just hit step 4 of Protoss. I'm only accepting Grandmaster SQ level, and so far that is doing well. My main issue is nexus energy, and the last few games I've really got that under control now...now it's just being able to balance the right amount of gas with mineral mining, cause I don't really have a gas dump...I upgrade like crazy.

I've really noticed that the attack upgrade is so important for protoss. There are pushes from terran that I thought were impossible to hold with the amount of forces I have that hold with the upgrade. I get it early, and keep the upgrades coming now on step 3/4...will likely continue to do it for the rest of my career lol.

With step four I will likely be here for awhile. I want to incorporate the layered cameras from the core into my mechanics, and that's going to take some learning, while also microing units and macroing at the same time. I look forward to making it to step 5 when I can send observers everywhere and use that gas :D

Expir3d

Spain17 Posts

March 21 2013 07:55 GMT

#611

Hello !

I'm currently stuck on platinum, my goal at this moment is to reach diamond.
I'm watching the zerg videos to try to improve. Is there more than two videos of the staircase method for zerg? I can't find them in this thread.

Thank you so much !

JaKaTaKSc2

United States2787 Posts

March 21 2013 17:56 GMT

#612

@Expir3d

TheStaircase is a system, once you have the hang of it, you just continue on. So just keep playing and keeping track of your benchmarks, when you hit them 3 in a row, its time to take the next step! :D

Juvator

Netherlands199 Posts

March 22 2013 00:32 GMT

#613

Are there going to be more videos for Terran on the different steps ?
I'm only able to spot the step 1 video, and it gives me a great understanding of what exactly is meant to be done in this step.
So being able to watch videos of every step will be a big help, visual aids are always a nice extra to process lots of information

-edit

Man I'm actually having much more fun going through these steps than screwing around by myself.
The incentive somehow does work :D the people who worked on this should get a medal or something for all this hard work, done for FREE for other people, with no CASH rewards

You have my eternal gratitude

JaKaTaKSc2

United States2787 Posts

March 22 2013 17:04 GMT

#614

@Juvator

I'll be starting up a completely new video series with the rebirth of TheStaircase. I am working with ggtracker to make it awesome and fun and user friendly and all sorts of other stuff.

I strongly believe in the business model where the product is free, and the user then decides if they do or do not want to support the people/organization responsible with a donation. That being said, I do receive donations in return for my work, so its not totally "with no CASH rewards" but I think its even better when you can choose to use your money to support the people/organizations you want to support, in the amount you can/will support.

SupaTech..313

United States17 Posts

March 22 2013 20:45 GMT

#615

@Jak,

Thanks for making this guide, it is SO helpful! Although I do have one questions....When I am looking at the GGtracker with my uploaded game, what exactly am I looking for now since it is different then the spendingq?

Thanks for the help!

JaKaTaKSc2

United States2787 Posts

March 22 2013 21:16 GMT

#616

For spending skill just match the league badge to your league goal

Its actually more accurate than just using SQ because it takes game length into account.

Glad you're enjoying TheStaircase