My Thoughtsss

Well, in my last blog post, I said I would around 60 more games by the end of the summer... it's only been a few days XD.

Anyway, I am writing this blog post to track my improvement.

I learned so much more from playing than reading guides (how ever I still read them from time to time). It's too much for me to type out here. Even though im 21 to 81, I still learned alot. I should also mention I have been losing to my friends alot, so add nother 20 and my record in general should be 21-101 ish :O Most of my improvements are just in game sense, and situating to a final hotkey setup.

1-4 units
5,6 - gateways
7 - gateway at first (5d6d7d) then any tech building I want to track, then the robo facility.
8 - my stargate in PvZ, then nexus
90 - nexi
F keys - over bases.

I was confused on what to do with the units. Do I have a set plan like " 1- goons, 2 - zealots" or randomly assign units? I answered by watching a Bisu FPVOD (vs n.Die_Jaedong, so he must be multi tasking seriously in that game). During the corsair reaver he was performing, I noticed that he only hotkeys what he needs to recall within a moments time. Any defending units at home were not hotkeyed at all, instead it seemed he was using the F keys and microing them at that way. This also helped me realized the true meaning of hotkeys: to recall what you will be using very often, and wil need to switch back and forth from.

Another thing I have been doing is creating a grid of pylons. Basicallly every pylon in the early-mid game should be 2 gateways horizontally and 1.25 gateways vertically away from another pylon. Wat this does is create this huge power grid, and my gateway placement looks so smexy XD. Another thing is that I can have stargates aligned with gateways because they take up the same number of squares. Then I can surround my tech around my base and access them with 7.

Playing fast is very hard to do without spamming. I tried it, and I maxed out in around 20 minutes. I won that game, but I was doing everything very, very slowly, because I wanted to do what I wanted. In the end I had 10 000 minerals left over.

Some things that I have been thinking about that people can give me tips on:

1) Psi locking - im thinking of adding a pylon or two after every round of production. sometimes I have to defend and what not so.. any tips on remember on making pylons?

2) Creating a multi tasking pattern: I think I should go in order of my hotkeys: move my army, make units, check my tech/weapons, create probes. Will a pattern like this help me at all? I tend to do things on the fly.

3) Repeat a sound in my head saying "faster" in order to become faster. Or maybe turn on a light weight media player and set something saying "faster" in an endless loop while I am playing.

4) Taking expansions :/.. Should I do something like "take a new expo every 2-3 minutes, just to force myself?

Well that is all I can think of. GG GL HF to anyone I play.

As of a few minutes ago, my iCCup record is 15-40. Even though I am losing a lot, it feels great because I am improving a little bit. For example, instead of taking my 10 seconds to get Build Pylon, it took me 2-5 at max :D. There was one game where i was multi tasking (omgzz..) for a full minute or so. Some of the pros might laughing, "lol wat a newb... a full minute XD," But for me it was a very cool, thrilling 1 minute. Also, atleast its not like my first season where I lost 99.99% of my games, now its 75% :D. I actually had the pleasure of raping some people.

I tried some expirements. The first one was how it was like to be zerg (how it felt emotionally). Even though it was a zvt, I got wat i wanted. When I played PvZ hydras, and lings seeemed very buff, but now they really dont, because I can abuse the fear of losing weaker units that most zerg players have, and I believe a lot of pros use this as part of their mind games.

I was starting to question the use of hotkeys until the game i just played. I was wondering "can't I just click this, instead of waisting time hitting the wrong keys, and then losing?" Well it turns out: the time it took for me to click sometimes is three the amount of time it takes me to miss some letters. Even thought I won (I 2 gate dted, with very late dts, and still won), my left hand kept flying to keys, even if they were wrong. Now, I truely know why hotkeys rule.

Some things I can still work on:

1) Macro - this is something i really need to work on, along with multi tasking. even when i rape, i end the game with 2k mins/gas....

2)Concentrating on being efficient. Sometimes, i get things early, sometimes i attack 3 minutes late. Sometimes i dont do anything for a full 10 s while i am slightly dancing some goons around, and then build up 1k mins.

A notable mention goes to Resonance for this statement:

Modern gaming consoles rule!

While I was at summer school, my little brother bought a Wii points card.

I am writing from the internet channel on my Wii.

Now back to surfing TL.net on my Wii!

I rate the Internet channel 4/5. The only problem is the load time (but TL loads very fast, so good job technical staff

Well I have played as many games as I could squeeze in (summer school, computer problems, spending time with friends and family).

I have been playing on just Outsider. I thought it was best to stick to one map, because then I learn more in depth about architecture, tactics, what works when, where and why. For example, there is a place where terrans can place tanks on this cliff right above the gas natural. After lossing many times to it, I have learned to keep the perimeter of that cliff surrounded by goons (not literally, but its like army movement).

builds:

Pvt: 1 gate Reaver harass
PvZ: 4 Gate/2Archon
PvP: fre style

I thought it was good to have a match up to experiment in.

I finally understand why this game is soo hard, frustrating, yet so interesting and thrilling at the same time.

Some things I have a problem with:

1. Macro. Sometimes I forget to make probes, and then I always end up with atleast over 2k mins and gas after 10 minutes. Not enough gates, teching properly and what not. Things like checking my resources constintly is very difficult.

2. Using the keyboard correctly. I have always looked at the keyboard a lot when I was playing for doing tihngs like bp, bo, 7d8d9d0d or 5o6o. I have started to not look at the key board at all, and I would get something like vovocobp before I can make a pylon. Also, I need to work on not stopping to use hotkey then. I have all the letters for things memorized (like k for dark templar, or L for leg enhancements), but using numbers consistently is extremely hard, beacuse I have always used the Numpad on the right hand of the keyboard all my life for number (for punching in library card numbers or something). For the first 4 minutes its, its merely ok (i still dont use them sometimes). Right after that, i rarely use the numbers. Like sometimes I prefer to control a my first 20 units with the mouse rather than going 1a2a (btw going 1a2a is hard too, because I have to pend my pinky alot for it, and I am doing it the way DAy[9] said to, I think).Here is an example of my average game. I know this stuff comes with practice, but its still very hard for me.

3. Sticking to my game plan/Multitasking. In some situations are perfect for me to go, for example, reaver harassing while taking exansions and adding gates (I have work out when to add gates), but then I screw it up because of my first two problems.

Just an update. If anyone has any specific solutions to my problems (besides practicing alot), please feel free to advise me.

ON a side note: SKT vs KT

It

Sucks

Hard.

Does anyone have any problems with companies like Rogers, Bell, The Brick? For the past few years, their services have been down the drain.

The Brick:

My family has only bought something from them once, when they were giving away a free 50 inch TV with a sofa set. We ordered the 1,2, and 3 seaters. We asked for a brown set (matching our house decor). Simple right? Just send over a couch set and a TV, then we pay them; everyone is happy.

WRONG

For 6 months, they kept getting sending over a green 1 seater. Like come on. My father requests "a brown 1 seater, like chocolate you know?"... The brown one came, but then we never looked at the Brick again.

Rogers:

Internet. Sometimes it goes off every half an hour. Sometimes its extremely laggy when im only browsing the web. AND they keep changing the Norton Protection software. Now its starting to work like the "Cancel or Allow" part of Vista.

Bell:

Where do I start:

1) when we used to have DSL from them, we ordered their anti-virus software, and It did not come for 9 months. To this day, it has not come...

2) For the past five years, their has always been bell and rogers vans in the neighbourhood (near those brown boxes). I dont know what they are doing, but they are always screwing up our neighbourhood's phone/cable/internet lines. We keep calling the customer service, but they blame it on us. Once 911 police came to our house, and spoke very rudely, as they thought we were the ones that called. We kept saying "no one called from here." I understand that the police have a job to do, and people's safety are on the line. The question is: Why did they come here? Turns out some of the wires were re hooked, and so the signal or what not ended up saying my address.

Do you guys have any problems with companies like these? Its been going on for years...

Hi,

I want to get better at the frustrating game called sc. I want to type this out because 1: I want TL.net's opinions on my plan on getting better and 2. If I feel down, I want to to look at what I typed, and how everyone responded as a motivator. So this is how I am going to get better at starcraft.

1)Recognize that I am a newb - After a Year and 1/2 of trying to get better, off of 1-5 games a week, I am going to tell my self "I suck at this game, and I dont know ANYTHING!" I always used to tell myself after every loss "I have game sense" or "I can macro" or somethng, just cuz I read a guide or two. Now I am the type of person that applies abstract concepts to a whole lot of stuff. When I started to listen/watch top foreigners (note, not Korean pro-gamer FPVODS) FPVODS/podcasts, I was like "I vaguely know that, its ok". That is wrong. I have to know it like I know how to walk.

2) Pretend I never watched Combat-EX's videos - I am not kidding. They dont help. No this isnt an attempt to troll. When I was watching the live stream, I realized that I play like Combat (all the bad decisions, bad timing, not walling properly, poor micro/macro etc) alot. Like I tend to do tihings like the 12 gates 2base thing alot, and then never do anything about my gateway advatange, just like Combat. I always never liked Combat when I heard he abused, and then found proof (a replay of him abusing). To add to my nerdrage, he got mandhandled by Chill. I was glad Chill raped him...beacuse I realized I need to find a new style, and fast! So I guess I am one of his victims... I actually think this is one of my biggest problems, apart from my first point, because his "style" is a load of bs.

3) Play in my free time - I have a few builds written down, and now I am going to stop waisting my play time. After this im gonna play iCCup. I spend on time doing NOTHING on msn, or just hanging out in my friend's hamachi network. Sometimes, the person who always beats me asks for a game, and I say no..cuz I frankly I dont think its good if I play the same person everyday for hours, and always lose to the same strat (5 hatch hydra), especially after explaining point 2). My belief is that, If I play on iCCup, ill come across a whole bunch of situations. And if in my post game reflections I get stuck on something, I can play the opponent's race, try to execute the same strat the winner of my last game did, and see what my new opponent can do to beat it. Even if I win, I think I might find holes in it while I am executing it.

So, my plan in a jist:

1) Stop reading guides - iv read enough, im more of a practical person anyway
2) start playing alot
3) wash away all the sc dirt (aka combat, and other crap) out of my head. Ill find a way
4) eat healtier
5) go to the gym (i guess physical fitness helps in this game?)

So yeah, I want to know what you guys think. I also have a question:

1) How often should I do all-in tactics (like proxy gating)?

ty for reading this

While I am downloading the Halo trial to play with my friends over Hamachi, I thought "might as well write this"

I have been pondering alot about the community on my free time (even more so as iv had it with my mouse, getting an MS mouse tommorow, and exams are over). Before I go anywhere, I think this is the best community ever. period.

I have some confusions though. What was the first sc community site? I am guessing this one. Then I was wondering, if TL.net is sooooo awesome, why are there other sites? Like when the mogulus (aka livestream.com) thing was discovered, a new feature was added right away. I think it makes the English community's life so much easier if they are trying to stream things, and its very simple to use, just like every single feature here. I relate it to my discovory of Mac. As soon as I got on that thing, I figured the basics out (at the age of 11) within 2 minutes, and at the time, I wasnt very good with computers. That was possible because it was straight forward, just like TL.net. I mean look at GG.net.... my first look at it and I was like wtf..........

Anyway. Why are there so many other sites, when they know that they could just contribute here? like sc2gg.com. It was supposed to be like the thing that made e-sports spring up in North America (right? or I believe something along those lines). After listening to that Untitled Podcast, I am still confused... If they are finding that their thing isnt as successful, why not just shift everything and add english commentaries to TL.net?

Example of this already happening. VioleTAK in my opinion is IMO the most visited english commentary channel on youtube next to Klazart. I learned before, there were MANY youtube channels, doing commentaries on the same thing. I tihnk its better when ex. Rise + Diggity + Kenny do a commentary. Its just easier on the netizen's part.

Another example.. what is the point of Game Out Loud? Why not just stick to sc2gg.com, because thats where you got your fame from.

Another example.. I think GG.net is dying out right? Last time I checked, all their news was on foreign sites.

And what was the point of scforall.com... Why not just contribute here. Same goes with the handsomenerd.com, or tastelessgaming.com ... I dont see the points in these sites, cuz frankly the news is the same on the pro scene in all of those sites, and TL.net just makes it easier. Like I still see some good things here and there on the other sites, but why not help make TL.net be this huge mega site? It already kinda is for the sc community, and it has all the features. All i need is nevake + TL.net (and maybe Jon747, he is an exception to this rant because he adds things related to other e-sports).

Please someone correct me if im wrong here, cuz im kinda new to all this stuff.... but I think it be better for the starcraft community to just fuse, and have this one HUGE mega site (aka. TL.net), cuz its just better.

Before any flame occurs, this is just my opinion (very confused opinion I might add).

Exams (and history class) are FINALLY DONE! I was at a friends house till 12:30 yesterday (or today... wtvr) and i learned poker. I won 3 all ins XD and I didnt know wat i was doing

Anyways this isnt the point of this blog post. I have a made several changes to how I play starcraft (every long weekend I always end up messing around with my computer ).

1. I made a computer noiseless for now (You should have seen how much dust was in there.. I havent cleaned it for a year). One thing you guys can do: Instead of spending money on a can of compressed air, use a bicycle pump. I works XD.

2. Hotkey changes. After I played a few levels of the terran campaign with DAy[9]'s hotkey set up, I felt like I was multi tasking a lot better, because I had hotkeys that werent for my command centers. Then I listened to the SC weekly Tip of the Week ( ep 13 i think?) where he tells us to use F keys for bases in the late game. Then I also added the fact that my hands are very big ( I have long fingers), and I thought "Why not use F keys for my bases all the Time anyway?" As a result here is my new hotkey setup:

F2-F4: Nexi locations
1: Zealots
2: important units (ie, shuttle, scouting worker)
3: dragoons + obs
4: usually dragoons + obs/ zealots
5: robo facility ( for constant obs or shuttle reavers)
6: Stargate/Gateway
7-0: Gateways

As you can see, I use my long fingers to my advantage because I dont find it difficult to go F2, click on nexus, P (for probe). I use 890 for gateways, so I can go 7z8d9d0d in a middle of a battle, so I have those zealot/dragoons waiting for me after I win the battle.

3: Arrow keys: IM NOT USING THEM. After a search on TL, I read that arrow keys for scrolling are a bad idea. And I noticed in my last game my hand flies right to the arrow keys, and my mouse kinda stays in the middle (kinda like boxer or yellow).

4. Monitor is far away from the keyboard/mouse. I am not sure if this is bad or not.. so plz tell me? I have a 17" monitor, and I think its ok cuz then I can see the entire monitor (see my resources and units and minimap faster). Otherwise I am confused on this one.

5. Mouse sensitivity. I finally put it half of my usual sensitivity. Its very hard to get used to right now. any tips on how to get used to mouse scroll + low sensitivity faster?

So yeah. Please comment on these changes, and I think they will help me.
-sonu

This blog post is about three (not one, and that’s why its +1 :O) topics, and one I think will valuable to TeamLiquid members, as they might come across the same problems. Btw I changed my title from \"n00b to pro\" to \"My Thoughtsss\" because High Templars always say \" Your Thoughtsssss\", and I am always typing out my thoughts... So why not?

Topic 1

Well, I feel a lot better from my previous blog post, and that\'s because I talked to someone about it... like EVERY Single problem I had. Guess who that was? My Mom.

My Mom = Raynor. Awesome

I actually realize that she was trying to find out what was wrong with me for the past few weeks. Well I told her, and I was very surprised. She just said, oh its ok, its normal for your age, and stuff like that in a really soft tone. It made me feel sooo much better, because before I felt like a horse was stepping on my chest. Basically I was losing my mind and it was hard to breathe.

Lesson learned: My Mom is awesome.

Topic 2

Another thing that I want to talk about is something called IB. It stands for the international baccalaureate program. The history of it is that before when generals or soldiers went from one country to another in Europe, it was hard for their kids to keep switching education systems every 2 weeks. So they made something that was standard every where. It started to spread with the idea of a global village... and now you can take this in pretty much any country.

I was accepted into this program, as I thought it was a chance to finally get away from the stupidity of my town. Basically 99% of the people that live where I live are closed minded and stupid. Im the only person of my ethnic group in my town, but I really dont care either way, as long as I am being treated as an equal. Im one of those anti- racist people. But I wasn’t treated equally ... or alteast thats how I feel anyway.

Well anyway, I was accepted, and the accepted people were told it was \"challenging and demanding, and for high motivated students.\" The program also gives an edge to anyone that wants to apply to foreign Universities (like From Canada to Oxford). Well turns out they were right. I found my self being surrounded by mostly very friendly, open minded people, and it does help with foreign unies. But the marking scheme is awkward, and then they have projects that are a requirement for the IB Diploma. t very unstable in my opinion (u can go from a 80-90 or a 90-80 because you missed 1 mark and instead foing from 97-95, the number, as its out of 7, goes to like 5 from 6, and then u lose 10%). Actually for grades 9 and 10, the marching scheme is VERY messed up. In Ontario High schools, all rubrics are out of 4. In IB (or they call it MYP) some courses are out of 8 and 10, some are out of 6... its very messed up.

Next, there is something called the Personal Project, where you have to do a 4000 word assignment + some other stuff on something you do as a hobby or something ur passionate about (I didn’t know about sc then so I didn’t do it on that). Sounds easy right? WRONG! It’s a 2 year process… and it got a lot harder the year I came into the program (I ended up failing, re writing the essay part, and then passing). This is a requirement to get into the IB Diploma program (the one that gives the edge). Then they just uped the amount of work for it. Also there are 2 other projects in Grade 11 and 12, and if I fail, then I AM SCREWED because then I wont have either the Ontario Diploma, or the IB Diploma :S.

Another thing I think I should inform you guys about is that domestic Universities don’t care about it. Why? They just don’t… and why should they?
So the end result is that I am planning to drop this IB programme, but stay in the school. I need to get some signatures and approvals and what not, but I don’t think that’s a problem.

Lesson: Go into IB if you are planning to attend foreign Universities.

Topic 3

I have a neat idea for a strat for PvT. Why not go fast illusion with Templars for Protoss? Like get 10 templars, and then illusion 10-12 zealots. The result is atleast 20 random zealots running everywhere, and the Terran will be like OMFG SO MANY ZEALOTS !!!! You can mix in real zealots, and micro them away from damage, and go straight to the tanks, while the illusions go for the mines . Yes the terran will realize the zealots are illusions but then by the time they realize it its going to be 2 late, as 12 zealots will be in the tank line and goons and energy full templars can storm them/attack them.
Key Elements:
- Gateway
- Zealot
- Gas
- Core
- Gateway
- Citedal
- Templar Archives
- Research Illusion

I think with this you can expand normal (after 1rst gateway or after 2gate/1gate robo). Otherwise Idk. Someone might want to try this. This might actually create a Timing push.
Hope atleast the 2nd one helps.

-Sonu

I need a place to vent out, and the internet is the best place to do it. Here is goes.

For the past like MONTHS, everything has been screwing up for me. Like everything. My life is just like sAviOr's slump in 2007.

Real Life:
- Grades are sht, but I put more effort into things then before, and History class is really getting to me..... Im like a A level student but now im like C with Ds and random As here and there. Then some 2 months ago I just stopped caring.
- Family: Getting in arguments with my mom because of my work ethic dropping. Finances arent as great as they used to be (but not like really bad). See I wouldnt mind this if my dad wasnt a big...[insert word for not co-operative most of the time here]

Online:
- Honestly, I think this site is a great place. But i dont know why but every time I try contributing stuff here it fails. Example, Not one person that viewed my last thread replied. NOT ONE.
- IF you have been reading my other posts.... Iv bean losing online in sc left and right recently, and iv been trying everything I can to get my groove back.. but it isnt working. Normally this wouldnt be a problem except 1. i really REALLY want to become pro and 2. I feel like my skill has really decreased or hasnt even gotten up AT ALL since September 2008. (the only actual thing that I learned was about how you need 2 gas if your going 2/3 hatch muta).

Iv been told that... iv been really dissapointing looking/acting lately.

The only good side I see right now is that I have some great open minded friends (but only at school, besides my neighbour). And I know this isnt depression... thats for sure.

Iv literally tried everything I could think of to solve my problems... I feel like this song:

I need advice. Please.

EDIT: I removed the youtube vid. Im really serious. i dont troll....and I was fine last semester when I had just as much work to do and I was still loosing in sc.