EPTTheres not really any necessity given a complete update on ladders since the main one to use now a days is ICCUP. ICCUP is the easiest way to get games and skill level varies from a lot. So just go there.
League 1.
Site: www.iccup.com
or more specifically for StarCraft sc.iccup.com
Step 1: Download the Antihack launcher which is located on the right of the main screen it's not mandatory, but if you don't have it on it will be really hard to get the game.
Step 2: Install the Antihack and launch BroodWar.
Step 3: Play and try to become a gosu A+ almost pro korean player. GL HF
. League 2.
Option two which another pretty active ladder is the Pro Star League.
More info can be found here: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=74517
Website:
http://ProStarLeague.com
http://ProSL.net
How to Play – Tutorial
- Create account here. After registration activation code will be sent to given email address. Only after account activation you can login on web site and BNet.
- After account activation login on web site and join/create your team (if you have one) to count your ladder games for your team ladder also.
- Download official map pack.
- Download and run Replay uploader & Chaos Launcher (used to play games with LAN Latency) pack. Step by step Chaos Launcher configuration is available HERE.
- Once you run Replay uploader BattleNet (NetCraft) should be added to your gateways list. If it is not then download and run this registry file.
- Log on BattleNet. To play 1vs1 ladder games create game type of one vs one. To play 2vs2 ladder games create game type of top vs bottom. Only games played on official map will be reported in ladder. Pay attention to messages you get from BattleNet when the game starts or ends. If everything is ok you should get message that ladder game is started/ended else you will get error explaining what went wrong.
- If you win the game you have 48 hours to upload a valid replay for that game. If you don’t do it you will lose all points you won. To get replays automatically uploaded to server just run Replay Uploader. Program has to be running during playing games. Login is the same as on BattleNet and password is the same as on web site. Replay Uploader does not save replay but only seek for new replays and send them to server. So you have to save replay on you own or just use Chaos Launcher with auto save feature on.
Old obsolete ladders are no longer of any use.
Ok... soo.. basically the past couple of days I saw a lot of people complaining about PGT and WGT. And saying that their aren't any ladders to play on and that BW is dying.
My comment to that is that their ARE many ladders to play on it's just that people are too retarted to get acustomed to new ladders because of the different layouts that they have. (Layout being not similiar to PGT)
So here is my answer to you guys; a complete list of decent ladders to play on and how to join them (for you special people that don't like to read the long list of instructions, I'll provide them here.)
The following is the pros and cons of each ladder and a short description on how to join them. And my first hand expiriences and opinion on each of them. I currently play on all the ladders listed below so I know all the pros and cons of them.
1.
http://www.wcgzone.com
The first Ladder and in my opinion one of the best is WCGZone. It offers prizes and a program called gamon which allows users to interact easily with each other. At first they were many bugs and problems with it especially the tags. They were a lot of things wrong with it because it was launched prematurely.
Now it is a lot better a lot of the bugs have been fixed and the admistrators are A LOT more active in the forums then they have been in the past.
WCGZone is not only for StarCraft, it includes ladders for WarCraft, CounterStrike, and Fifa07. The admistrators have a lot of there hands but I think that they are balancing all the work.
I can only see one problem with WCGZone and that is the lack of users. But that can be easily fixed by YOU! It's true that not many players play their, but WCGZone by far is the best ladder out there right now because it is directly affiliated with E-Sports and the WorldCyberGames. You can also play for prizes and fun.
For your wins to count you must play someone with a WCG Icon, the map must be one of WCG Map current maps are Azalea, Paranoid Android, and Gaia, game mode must be set to WCG Saturn, and lastly you must have Gamon (anti-hack) for your wins to count.
Instructions for Joining inside the following spoiler...
+ Show Spoiler +
Step 1: Register at www.wcgzone.com
Step 2: Download Gamon, it's wcgzone's anti-hack launcher.(I'ts like Penguin Plug) It needs to be on for your wins to count in the ladder. If you don't have it on the wins will NOT count.
Step 3: Open Gamon, and launch StarCraft thourgh gameon. To launch SC through Gamon press "Play the Game" Icon on the top left on the Gamon window. StarCraft should then start.
Step 4. Go to the USEAST Server, if you recieve your WCG Icon you should be automatically placed in WCG Saturn 1, its the game channel for WCG.
Side Note: There are some users that don't recieve there Icon in the first 15 minutes like they should. If that happens make a post in the forum and a WCG Admis. will get you an Icon as soon as they can.
If you have any problems please PM me, make a post in the WCGZone Forums, or check out this help link...
http://www.wcgzone.com/myzone/MZ_Faq_Index.wcz
2.
http://starcraft.theabyss.eu
The Abyss is also a good place to play it has a decent number of people during 8:00 - 16:00 TL.Net time. It has PGT Rating D - A+ and the players skill level is very diverse.
I think that it is a decent ladder, during the time listed above after or before that not many players are on (maybe 5-8 at any given time). It does offer prizes, but it comes no where near the prizes of WCGZone.
Instructions for joining are in the following spoiler...
+ Show Spoiler +
Go to http://starcraft.theabyss.eu and Download ta_battle.exe(124kb) located in the front page in the top right of the screen.
3.
http://fishbattle.net
Fish Battle is a korean ladder it also has a decent amount of players. Pros; the skill level is ubelievable when meeting the right people. There are newbies just like any other ladders but their are a lot fewer ones. It really isn't a good place for newbies. It's more of a hardcore BW scene where you can train hardcore.
Some cons to the fish ladder is that if you are foreinger it takes about 2-5 minutes to get a single game. Also korean "gosus" say "get fuck out this korea ladder, no foreigner" as "korea joke". (happened to me twice so be prepared; maybe it was the same guy under a different name or something but w/e I kicked his ass
.)Instructions to join the Fish Ladder are currently unavailable. But I will get them to you, I just forgot how I joined since I don't speak korean. I'll try to get them to you once I figured out how I did it.
4.
Brainclan:
www.brainclan.com. The registry file to add both this server and NIC is: http://brainclan.com/data/Brain.reg (warning this will remove any other private server from your bnet list) or if you want to add it manually to your registry or use a gateway editor (address, timezone, server name):
lemon.brainclan.com
-9
BrainClan
nic.brainclan.com
-9
NIC
Pros: very good activity level, a wide spectrum of skill levels. Very easy to get a game on this server. Also runs on an ELO system. While i haven't played on any of the other servers listed in this thread, i've heard from a few different people that the skill level is a lot higher on brainclan than on fish, and that the amount of abuse that goes on is very minimal (disconnects count as losses i believe). i'd recommend brainclan over any of the other servers listed in this thread, unless you want to win some of the prizes offered by WCGZone
Cons: Almost every user on this server is korean (this could be a pro depending on what you want out of a server). Requires you to log 12 hours on your account logged into the server, so you might need to leave your computer on over night. Once you've logged your 12 hours, you'll be able to join the ladder channel by clicking the ladder button and joining the second channel down from the top (if you have between 1000-1200 points) the third for 1200+ and the fourth for -1000. There is no need for registration, all you have to do is sign up once you download the launcher in the StarCraft Screen.
(Brain Clan provided by SoMuchBetter)
Brain Clan requieres you to be active in it for at least 12 hours for you to be able to participate in a Ladder Game (One vs One). (Those 12 hours can be done in parts.
5.
http://www.jsl.de.gg
+ Show Spoiler +
1. You need ICQ http://www.ICQ.com
2. Signup
-click on the ladder you want to play
eg: JSL 1on1, Low 1on1, Low 2on2, Team Mucho
-select your language (near Login en./ger)
-click on SignUp (below Login)
-use the form to register
3. Getting games.
As a Challenger (you are challenging someone)
- Challenge a Player for a match via ICQ or on Battle.net EUROPE op JSL
- if player wants a game
- log-on to the Website and Challenge that Player
- check if the Player has Accepted you Challenge on zthe Website
- play the match, (bo1)
- report result on the Web Site together with your replay upload
As an Acceptor, (you are being challenged)
- A Player challenges you useing ICQ or in op JSL, Bnet (europe)
- if you say OK
- log-on website and Accept the match
- play the game
- check if the Challenger has given a Result
- report your result on the Web Site together with your replay upload
The match results will be processed Live
NOTE
- The match results will be processed Live
- If your playing rematches, always take turns in challenging (abuse)
- Both players must always report there personal results and replays
Replays on report
All uploaded replays should be saved useing BWL/PenguinePlug
ICQ contacting
- PLease dont just challenge players over the Website without talking to them 1st in op JSL or ICQ
- rename your ICQ name to your B.net acc name ( it helps)
- make a seperate ICQ/JSL friends list on ICQ
If you have any result problems contact JSL-ADMIN via ICQ to get it sorted
JSL works a bit like the OLD WGT system, but without the bot!
2. Signup
-click on the ladder you want to play
eg: JSL 1on1, Low 1on1, Low 2on2, Team Mucho
-select your language (near Login en./ger)
-click on SignUp (below Login)
-use the form to register
3. Getting games.
As a Challenger (you are challenging someone)
- Challenge a Player for a match via ICQ or on Battle.net EUROPE op JSL
- if player wants a game
- log-on to the Website and Challenge that Player
- check if the Player has Accepted you Challenge on zthe Website
- play the match, (bo1)
- report result on the Web Site together with your replay upload
As an Acceptor, (you are being challenged)
- A Player challenges you useing ICQ or in op JSL, Bnet (europe)
- if you say OK
- log-on website and Accept the match
- play the game
- check if the Challenger has given a Result
- report your result on the Web Site together with your replay upload
The match results will be processed Live
NOTE
- The match results will be processed Live
- If your playing rematches, always take turns in challenging (abuse)
- Both players must always report there personal results and replays
Replays on report
All uploaded replays should be saved useing BWL/PenguinePlug
ICQ contacting
- PLease dont just challenge players over the Website without talking to them 1st in op JSL or ICQ
- rename your ICQ name to your B.net acc name ( it helps)
- make a seperate ICQ/JSL friends list on ICQ
If you have any result problems contact JSL-ADMIN via ICQ to get it sorted
JSL works a bit like the OLD WGT system, but without the bot!
**UPDATE**
+ Show Spoiler +
Here's a little update on the servers, I've been playing on all of them a bit so here's my first hand expirience...
1.
WCGZone has seen some improvement, I have seen a little bit more players active on Gamon. And it's 16 man tourney ran very smoothly, the winner of which was Darki. If anyone is interested in joining WCGZone the new season starts around the 2nd or 3rd day of January. It still offers some pretty awsome prizes so if your interested just sign up.
2.
The Abyss is somewhat active at it's peak it holds give or take 220 players at one time, the skill level in the abyss varies a lot, so anyone can play.
3.
The fish server holds a lot more people than the abyss during peak korean time. But the skill level is also higher than the abyss, like I said before not a good place for newbies.
4.
And lastly the Brain Clan, I was shocked to find 15,000 players this morning at 3:00 AM. If you want a game quick that's the place to go, the skill level varies alot. It is a great place to play some hardcore BW! A downside to it is that there are quiet a few hackers there. I played 10 games (Im 6-4 hehe
) and ran into two hackers map hacking in those 10 games. There names are as followed just incase you ran into them... bboru-terranT1 and Feel_[B.BQ].5.
JSL; I believe that the person running that ladder has given up on it, because I could no longer sign up and he made a post in his forum that said he has given up on BW, so im guessing that the ladder is no good because not many players signed up on it.
Just a little update from me to you.
Hope this helps to keep you playing the greatest game ever... BroodWar.
PS Share your opinions if you think I'm right or wrong. Anything that you find good/bad about the ladders listed. Or other ladders that are good enough to be shared. I would like to make this thread have discussing value.
