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I've been around RTS's for awhile, but never enough to get seriously competitive. Now that I'm getting curb stomped 80% of the time in SC2, I want to try and hone my skill.
What would you say is the most important element to high level play? Is it having a specific build order (I find myself throwing buildings down without any real timing)? Is it unit micro? Is it macro? When is the best time to scout (too early and you get nothing and maybe lose a worker, too late and you get nothing)?
I play as much as I can, and I watch videos of high level play, but sometimes I feel that isn't helping me much. The pros don't waste cash on tons of static def because they can micro their units around much more easily than me. They have different build orders because they can make their units count much more than I can.
I know I may be asking a lot, but if anyone could just give me their personal opinion of what I should focus on to get better, I would greatly appreciate it!
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Really freaking good mechanics and being good at poker.
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The Basics;
1. Control group your command center/hatchery/nexus and always pump workers until you have around 30 per each base. You may need to stop worker production for special occasion, but that's for high level player.
2. Control group your production buildings and always pump some units, in fact ANY units, at all time. Any unit is better than no unit.
3. Always look at your supply count and add supplies as needed. You should do this whenever you are producing units.
4. If you have extra resources even though you are continuously pumping units, build more production buildings or expand.
5. Congrats, you just mastered the art of macro! Now go micro all your units while you're doing all these macro, and also don't ever stop thinking during the game about the strategies and counter-moves. Good luck! =)
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There is no "secret", there are no tricks that make you good. It is a combination of
-Talent
-HUGE amounts of work. [i.e analyzing, general thinking, playing often all at the same time]
Practice things you are having problems with. That's all you can really do.
Like other people said. Practice NOT watching fights AT ALL unless you are ACTIVELY microing, you should be watching your production facilities all the time make sure they're making units. Most bad players will watch units for upwards of a minute and then make 5 additional barracks because they were not using the current ones.
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At low levels, hands down the most important thing is macro. Most players have no idea how to make a large army in a somewhat small time period.
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The most important thing you can focus on is practicing in general. When you lose a game, think it over. It's not necessary to review the replay (although you can) - determine why you lost, and improve upon that next game.
There is a certain amount of talent that some people simply have and some people don't, but it's best to focus on what you can fix rather than limiting factors outside your control. Indeed, the worst thing you can do for yourself is blame your losses on things like their race or unit combo being OP, them being cheesers, or that they play the game too much. Try to find out what YOU can do better and do so.
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If you want to be really really good, follow all the advice here and practice. Practice practice practice. Do one build against one race until you can use that build to adapt to any threat, and then start learning more builds. Another thing you can do is watch day[9]'s daily casts, the day[9] dailies. If you can't catch them, you can watch the VODs later by going to his stream and choosing one.
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The sign of an active forum: 250 views and 6 replies inside of ten minutes
Thank you for the responses everyone! I realize that there is no "magic pill" to getting better. But the game can seem at some times mysterious when the loss of one worker can set you irretrievably behind.
I know one of my main flaws is not making enough workers. I just get caught between two walls. I queue up lots of units at a building to spare my attention (because I will fall behind if I don't send out SOME kind of attacks), and then I have less money for other tasks.
Another question: When I am building my base, should I try and cover all the tech tree? I feel like this could help me tech switch if my opponent uses one build or another, building so much with so little production really sets my back. For example with terrans I will build racks and then rush to get medivacs. But then I'll try and build factories and more starports with tech labs to be ready. At some point in the game that has got to be viable, right?
On May 08 2010 11:25 uberdeluxe wrote:
Another thing you can do is watch day[9]'s daily casts, the day[9] dailies. If you can't catch them, you can watch the VODs later by going to his stream and choosing one.
Do you think you could link to where I can find those? I was unable to locate them on youtube, if that is where they are.
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On May 08 2010 11:34 InternetNinja wrote:The sign of an active forum: 250 views and 6 replies inside of ten minutes Thank you for the responses everyone! I realize that there is no "magic pill" to getting better. But the game can seem at some times mysterious when the loss of one worker can set you irretrievably behind. I know one of my main flaws is not making enough workers. I just get caught between two walls. I queue up lots of units at a building to spare my attention (because I will fall behind if I don't send out SOME kind of attacks), and then I have less money for other tasks. Another question: When I am building my base, should I try and cover all the tech tree? I feel like this could help me tech switch if my opponent uses one build or another, building so much with so little production really sets my back. For example with terrans I will build racks and then rush to get medivacs. But then I'll try and build factories and more starports with tech labs to be ready. At some point in the game that has got to be viable, right? Show nested quote +On May 08 2010 11:25 uberdeluxe wrote:
Another thing you can do is watch day[9]'s daily casts, the day[9] dailies. If you can't catch them, you can watch the VODs later by going to his stream and choosing one. Do you think you could link to where I can find those? I was unable to locate them on youtube, if that is where they are.
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=104154
the times are located on the teamliquid calendar. only get the parts of the tech tree you need, you should be able to counter your opponent's tech without completing your own, in fact its best to get minimal tech to defend, tech advantages are only really good for offense, since if you use them defensively they can just withdraw.
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Secret to high play: Practice with the intention of improving
this means u practice one mu on one map and think critically where u made the mistake. reps help with the last point
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On May 08 2010 11:18 Slayer91 wrote:
Like other people said. Practice NOT watching fights AT ALL unless you are ACTIVELY microing, you should be watching your production facilities all the time make sure they're making units. Most bad players will watch units for upwards of a minute and then make 5 additional barracks because they were not using the current ones.
I saw this problem when I was trying to teach my dorm-mates SC1. They would watch fights until it's over. But after a month's practice of NOT watching fights AT ALL, their macro was decent enough to stomp noobs.
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it's the same as sc1. develop proper mechanics from the start and develop the muscle memory in your hands so it comes naturally.
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On May 08 2010 11:09 InternetNinja wrote:
What would you say is the most important element to high level play? Is it having a specific build order (I find myself throwing buildings down without any real timing)? Is it unit micro? Is it macro? When is the best time to scout (too early and you get nothing and maybe lose a worker, too late and you get nothing)?
Out of these things you should focus on macro. Learn to spend all your resources and continually build up a large economy. Every time is a good time to scout if you don't know whats going on.
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lots of probes and keeping minerals low
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What's the best way to determine how many workers you have at a mineral field? I've read up on what's proper saturation and whatnot, but I can't just glance at a mineral field and know how many workers are I've got going.
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OP you pretty much answered your questions yourself. The true high level players are good at all the things you've mentioned, but some high level players are more renowned for a particular characteristic. It's better to be a more well-rounded player and that just takes practice and detecting your own weaknesses.
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On May 08 2010 12:01 bubblegumbo wrote:
OP you pretty much answered your questions yourself.
Yeah, I like to think I'm not an idiot and I'm no fool. I can guess at what my major areas of improvement are. But I just want to get the takes of players much better than myself. Honestly, it's very discouraging to lose game after game, even if I know I need to practice. It's exciting and encouraging to get the input of more experienced veterans. And I have indeed gotten some good input!
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I came up back in the Age series and went from nobody to winning many thousands, and it all started after I went to my first LIVE tournament. I suggest that if you ever have an RTS tournament near your house (at the time I lived near New York City, so that was easy access for me), go check it out. You can pick up a lot of things from other players, and I got all kinds of tips from people, including an old school SC1 guy named Crexis.
You realize after watching guys live what it really takes.
Also, when you are playing always commit and commit and commit some more. Once you commit to a goal, either accomplish that goal or lose, but never stop until one of those two things happens.
Do you ever see those games where guys try a drop and they see a cannon and run away? They always lose right? Once you commit, keep pushing until you at least accomplish something. If you do change strategy then RE commit and push as hard as you can in the new direction. It is when you are playing without direction and purpose that you lose.
Direction and purpose in your strategy breeds focus, and focus is the foundation to victory.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://www.camptaichi.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/tai-chi-needs-an-easy-button.jpg)
