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So after watching Day[9]'s awesome video in regards to a mental checklist I started asking myself how I can improve on the efficiency of such a list while at the same time making it easier to remember?
So I brainstormed for awhile taking in to consideration how my brain thinks. I realized that if I ask myself a preset list of questions mentally (such as: Are my minerals low?, Am I building probes?, What's my food?, What's next in my build order?) that my efficiency wasn't all that great and I wouldn't remember half of what I wanted to.
I find that with such a list I am literally word for word asking myself in my head the questions on my list and that it was quite inefficient and was compounded by the issue of a small delay trying to remember what the next question was. You literally have to wait for yourself to ask the question before your brain frees up enough capacity to begin answering the question.
So the solution? Well for me the answer was to find a way to ask the question quicker so your brain can get to the answer much quicker. In combination with some visualization techniques I will list below my speed improved a ton! The key is something I learned while in the military and as anyone who has served can tell you the military loves acronyms. Acronyms have the ability of truncating those long questions into small concise questions that are astonishingly easy to remember.
So heres my Mental Checklist and what I actually think about as I try to answer them in my head:
1. M & B.O. (Money & Build Order)
- I immediately check my money and see if its high while simultaneously thinking of the next building on my build order. While I'm doing this if I'm beyond the initial build order and into the midgamge/lategame I visualize my opponents base and army to help me determine where the money can best be spent.
2. P.P.C. (Probes, Pylons and Chrono)
-Rather than think aloud probes, pylons and chrono I attempt to visualize how they look. My brain is much quicker at visualizing a probe followed by a pylon and a nexus casting chronoboost than it is saying them in my head. So i simply say PPC in my head and instantly the vision of all three flash across my head and i check them very quickly.
3. S&S (Scout & Strategy)
-For this I simply visualize my opponents base if I can't do that it's time to find a way to scout. I think about the composition of the and how I should properly transition. I also think of creative ways to scout my opponent if it's been uncomfortably long since I gathered intel. Try and retain that knowledge so when you get back to Money & BO you are armed with the knowledge to adjust your BO on the fly.
4. T.E.E. (Timing, Engage, Expand) pronounced Tea Eee Eee not TEA
-At this point I look at the clock and determine if my timing is correct to engage, I will rely heavily on my S&S phase to see if it's a good time to push and where. I also think about expanding and maintaining & defending my current expansions.
Now time yourself trying to ask yourself:
Hows my money? Whats next in build order? Am I making Probes?, Is my supply good? Am I chronoboosting? Am I scouting?, How do I react to the meta? Is it a good time to attack? should I expand and how are my expansions doing?
Keep in mind how difficult that is to memorize and how much harder it will be to remember once in a game.
Now try asking yourself:
M & BO, PPC, S&S, TEE
Your brain shouldn't have a hard time picking this up quickly and it will understand what the acronyms mean rather quickly. In fact if you take a moment or two to memorize it you will quickly find you can name every single question in the top list with only a few minutes practice.
Hope you find these mental exercises useful in your macro!
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheThinkingGamer
Edit: In retrospect S&M might not have been the best choice as that seems to be a pretty well known abbreviation already and one that has some awkward meanings...but non the less I shall keep it.
Edit #2: In double retrospect I'm going to take the below posters suggestion and change it to S&S not only because it makes more sense but its also easier to remember.
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I lol'd at "I will rely heavily on my S&M"
Good stuff though, it's nice to hear other people's methods to multitasking.
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On September 23 2010 07:05 TheThinkingGamer wrote:
3. S&MS (Scout & Meta-gameStrategy)
-For this I simply visualize my opponents base if I can't do that it's time to find a way to scout. I think about the meta-game and how I should properly transition. I also think of creative ways to scout my opponent if it's been uncomfortably long since I gathered intel. Try and retain that meta knowledge so when you get back to Money & BO you are armed with the knowledge to adjust your BO on the fly.
Fixed that for you. You should look up some of the threads explaining its actual meaning. 
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Err I'd call half of those just "playing the game" I mean what would you do without these questions, just sit there like a lug or something?
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Nice job. I think memory assisting devices will help me remember to do all of those at once.
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On September 23 2010 07:52 Penecks wrote:
Err I'd call half of those just "playing the game" I mean what would you do without these questions, just sit there like a lug or something?
It's not about needing this to play but its about improving your efficiency in the game. How often do you forget to do something? Find yourself supply blocked? Find yourself with 1200 minerals because you were too busy doing something else?
This is a simple mental exercise aimed at helping your memory develop and improve your macro and subsequently your APM.
If you run this list through your head at all times while playing you will never run out of things to do or find yourself wondering...what the hell do I do now?
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On September 23 2010 07:52 Penecks wrote:
Err I'd call half of those just "playing the game" I mean what would you do without these questions, just sit there like a lug or something?
actually all of them are playing the game, it is just a tool so remember to play every part of the game and dont forget to macro or continute to build probes. He took what day nine suggested and actually did it. I bet it made him a better player.
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Could you create Zerg and Terran equivalent of your second step; P.P.C.?
Probably something like Drones, Overlord, Larva Inject; D.O.L. and SCV, Supply Depots, Mules; S.S.M., amidoinitrite?
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On September 23 2010 16:38 Dauntless wrote:
Could you create Zerg and Terran equivalent of your second step; P.P.C.?
Probably something like Drones, Overlord, Larva Inject; D.O.L. and SCV, Supply Depots, Mules; S.S.M., amidoinitrite?
is it so hard, to try it yourself?
what the TE mentioned is imo basically the most important point to win a game.
although i would always put scouting and strategy over the economy.
(because economy should be the hardest thing to forget)
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I'm a Protoss player, so I'm not sure if those are the things you wanna check in that order and whatnot.
Anyway, I made an image based on this thread, which I'm gonna have on my additional monitor while playing. Just to learn the pattern, and hopefully I won't need it after a while.
Thought I'd share it for anyone interested.
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/U20fE.jpg)
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It's more or less second nature to me now, but if any full, conscious thought goes in to these reminders, it's not and condensed to the top-right and bottom-left. Top-right, I check my supply to see if I'm capped. That also reminds me of my build order, which, of course, includes constant production of SCVs and whatever else is needed. All right there. Check. Step two is checking my minimap, making sure my opponent isn't getting the jump on me, which reminds me to continue scouting.
Top-right, bottom-left.
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My mental checklist usually consists of just a single point: "Play systematic"
Which means:
-Take a look at my Ress and Food and react accordingly.
-Then take a look at the minimap and react accordingly.
-Use macro mechanic (e.g. check Queens and afterwards spread creep).
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Hi !
I Like that !
I am an oldschool player (Dune II, WCI/II, SC/BW, now SC2)
The mental checklist is for me "instinct" BUT I think your method is great, specially for new players.
I think every new player should read this. Good Job man.
If I had to add an advice, that would be "to use" where you look on the screen, to keep you in the game.
For exemple : when you are driving a care, no mater what you will look randomly in your rearview mirror.
This is the same for thing such as : mini-map, psy limit, money, CC/hatch/nexus (to keep building workers, spawn larva etc).
So even when you ARE doing something else like throwing down some supply depo you ARE ALREADY looking the mini-map for exemple.
So your eyes do this : center screen - bottom left - top right - center screen etc.
"Voila" sorry for my bad english, and keep the good work man !
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Not everyone's mind works the same way, but this could be useful to some people.
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Hello.
I'd like some comments about this.
My mental checklist is inside my hotkey groups:
1 - Command centers >> worker production constant, muleing/scaning.
2 - Production buildings >> Checking minerals and gas, unit production without queuing constant.
3 - Scouting SCV and builder(s) >> scouting, checking supply, following BO.
4, 5, etc - Scout, army, casters... >> Checking minimap, micromanaging.
9, 0 - In theory could be upgrades (but it's too much to handle for me with the keyboard, i dont do that yet.)
Notes:
- Press 1 to 'x' in a cycle and your mental checklist comes naturally. At each group there is something to check. For example 1-1: check (or pass if queueing), 2-2 check/pass, 3-3 check/pass, etc..
- When the cycle is too fast, meaning you don't have money, you can work on micro for a bit and harass.
- By double clicking you cover a big portion your base and map : early game you are able to check mineral line (i.e.mules), simcity, opponent, watch towers, ramp/chokepoint.
- And further in the game, it allows to build workers first, build army second, buildings (supply!) third, minimap fourth, micro fifth...
- When money is too high, you can work on macro without forgetting anything strictly in this order: worker, army, supply, build.
- It keeps money low without queuing and, if you don't have good mid/late game macroplan, it helps improvising strats, depending on the opponents moves.
- If your buildings aren't able to constantly produce units or only marines/hellions are available, it triggers the choices of thinking about upgrades, expand for gas or build static defenses.
- It seems easy in theory but it needs a lot of practice not messing up the groups and updating them while playing, It adds so much apm.
Voila, I hope it helps somebody.
This has brought me from newbie beginner to platinium. I started with group 1 only, then I added 2 and 3 when it felt right, which improved my macro and got me to gold. It makes me get used to keyboard play and learn hotkeys fast. Now i'm getting better with the micro groups (4,5..) and i'm in platinium!
gl hf
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On September 23 2010 18:32 Dauntless wrote: Neat picture, 13:37 on timer made me smile :D
I prefer hotkey checklist described poster above me.
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lol at S&M
good checklist. should help out a lot of newer players until the process is second nature.
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Very interesting post on the very part of my game i'm trying to improve.
Thumbs up.
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got the link to the day9 daily on this? don't really keep up to date on his live's
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you can find all links in the day9 daily thread
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My mental checklist pretty much comprises of
1) Can you see anything happening that should make you panic?
If yes, panic.
If no, panic about the fact that you can't see what's happening.
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Sorry for a slight necro, but I have a reoccuring issue of being supply blocked during mid game. I don't really fall behind in spending minerals/gas or probe production, but I just get caught up in things and forget to throw down pylons. After it happens I throw down 3 to 4 to kind of catch up, but in reality that time is lost.
Can anyone throw a mental checklist tip out there that works for them so I can give it a whirl (such as a probe to a hotkey or something)? I seem to have separated building probes/units from building pylons and it's a very important step to miss. And I miss it often!
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Hey everyone, I understand this is an old post but I thought I would just post in here instead of making a new thread.
I am a gold player who is trying to improve, I have tried to use a mental checklist a little bit but I am finding I'm having a few problems with it. My current mental checklist is as follows:
1) Controls units
2) Build SCVs
3) Build units
I am trying to keep it simple at the moment but I plan to add more to. I find my attention is being taken away from my mental checklist by things like my build order etc and I often forget to go back to it. Des anyone have any advive on how I can prevent this?
Cheers
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On December 11 2011 19:39 andrewf87 wrote:
Hey everyone, I understand this is an old post but I thought I would just post in here instead of making a new thread.
I am a gold player who is trying to improve, I have tried to use a mental checklist a little bit but I am finding I'm having a few problems with it. My current mental checklist is as follows:
1) Controls units
2) Build SCVs
3) Build units
I am trying to keep it simple at the moment but I plan to add more to. I find my attention is being taken away from my mental checklist by things like my build order etc and I often forget to go back to it. Des anyone have any advive on how I can prevent this?
Cheers
forget about the build order in your league. Really focus on the mental checklist as long as it's not "in you". Just say something like "I want to 1rax expand and then add 2 additional rax" and that's it. Now you can really focus on your mental checklist this will help improve your macro automatically -> you make your circles and you still have too much money, well you probably need additional rax/starports etc
fyi if it's important: i'm only platin but I must say that that is what I did to get from silver to platin
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I haven't actually doen this yet, but it is an important exercise so I'll give it a shot, if only on paper:
1. PMS -Production, pylons, Money, Sentry count. I have a big problem with missing my warp-in cool downs. I'm usually a few seconds late which leads to my money getting a bit too high, I also misprioritize my production and produce too many (which delays my tech and my techy units) or too little sentries (can lead to an early death from ling runbys and without ff's to block infantry, it can get my collosi killed). I am also grouping pylons with production since (for me) they roughly are in sync with one another.
2. MAXC -Map Awareness and eXpansion Control. What does the map look like? Does he have more expos than me? How long has he had those expansions? Where is his army? If I'm doing a number 2 right then I should be able to answer all these questions and correctly evaluate whether it's time to expand, harass, all-in or sit back and play defensive.
3. CP -Chronoboost and Probes. Probes are the least of my problems. Every time 17 game seconds pass, my left hand hits 1e. I actually have to consciously think about in order to stop it from happening. I blame the old UMS Map, Coach AI for this. I do however occasionally have problems with where my probes are (ie saturation in expos) and when I need to stop building them and switch to late game mode. Similarly, Chronoboost isn't a huge problem for me early game but in the mid and late game, my nexus energy gets way too high.
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I'm surprised to find out that Day9 thinks that having these kinds of pre-defined checklists is a good idea.
Looks like a completely retarded way to learn imo. Not only useless but very detrimental to your game imo.
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On December 11 2011 21:42 TuElite wrote:
I'm surprised to find out that Day9 thinks that having these kinds of pre-defined checklists is a good idea.
Looks like a completely retarded way to learn imo. Not only useless but very detrimental to your game imo.
Any reasoning behind that statement?
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On December 11 2011 21:42 TuElite wrote:
I'm surprised to find out that Day9 thinks that having these kinds of pre-defined checklists is a good idea.
Looks like a completely retarded way to learn imo. Not only useless but very detrimental to your game imo.
Detrimental in what way? I suppose it COULD be detrimental if you are talking about purely focusing on the mental checklists and ignoring everything else that's happening in the game, but isn't that what learning the check list is about? The goal of the checklist in day9's tutorial is to allow a relatively new player the opportunity to learn the basic mechanics of the game early on so that when they get to a higher level then they can focus on the other aspects of the game.
Much of these checklists are very macro-orientated which is what low level players are struggling with - getting more units out, spending money and generally keeping their economy in shape. I doubt many masters/gm players actually make the effort to remember "gotta build probes, gotta pylon etc etc". After having spent time practising these basic checklist ideas, it'll probably be second nature to them anyways so while they are not actively thinking about them, they may still be actively performing those actions.
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On December 11 2011 22:34 mrGRAPE wrote:Show nested quote +On December 11 2011 21:42 TuElite wrote:
I'm surprised to find out that Day9 thinks that having these kinds of pre-defined checklists is a good idea.
Looks like a completely retarded way to learn imo. Not only useless but very detrimental to your game imo. I doubt many masters/gm players actually make the effort to remember "gotta build probes, gotta pylon etc etc". After having spent time practicing these basic checklist ideas, it'll probably be second nature to them anyways so while they are not actively thinking about them, they may still be actively performing those actions.
Yeah, that's kind of what I was thinking. I just don't understand the need for anyone to actively think/remind themselves about those things.
Someone told me once, you should constantly make workers, so... I just constantly make workers.... No need to think about it... That's just like 2+2 = 4, you don't need to remind yourself of that, you just know once someone tells you.
Thinking about not getting supply blocked imo is not an optimal way to learn, you should instead learn how munch food all the units are worth than just do the math, if you want to produce X units from Y numbers of buildings that takes Z time to produce, you'll know exactly when you'll need to build supply.
And it's detrimental in the way that you do not learn the optimal way, so you get used to a learning/practice system that is far from optimal. But that's just my opinion, I never tried any form of mental checklist, so I don't know... Could work for some I guess... I just think they're not learning as optimally as they could. hence why I was surprised that this idea comes from Day9.
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EPT
