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To my knowledge, I made one of the fastest ascensions through the ranks and rankings within a top SC country (US). Comparable to Koll and Morrow. If it were brag worthy, you wouldn't write a book on it. As it simply boils down to playing a lot, having efficient practice, and going about improvement in effective ways.
I was approached to write a "How to" book and then subsequently offered a publishing deal. If you get paid something but can't guarantee they will cover their expenses, then you can't accept that in good conscience. Thus I declined and didn't plan on finishing the book. But, I've noticed that a few players that I don't consider more knowledgeable than I am are charging $60 per hour. A time for sensibility: I took a few days and wrote a book that you can download here for free. I simply encourage you to click on the link below the download and make a free account.
One of the things that kinda irks me about coaching is that if your coaching isn't instrumental to someone improving, then how much was it worth? It has a different value for each person. The goal should be to just make sure the other person gets to the next level. If my book helps you, recommend it to a friend. If it doesn't help you so much, I encourage you to send me replays and I'll offer more in-depth analysis that's more tailored to your play. Whether it helps you or not, if devoting some time to playing makes some sense for me, then I can play some games and detail my thinking behind any given game.
The issue/idea I want to raise is that SC and SC 2 is being diluted of its talent base. I haven't played SC 2 and I don't watch it, but I would watch it if the non Koreans that I looked up to in a sense played it. For example, the three best non Korean Terran players to me were Androide, A2, and possibly Nyoken. To my knowledge, none of them even play SC 2.
What's the problem? Past a certain age (a young one at that), playing the game makes no sense whatsoever. It doesn't matter whether you enjoy playing or not. Until SC or SC 2 is like a pro sport where anyone on a team can truly justify it over having a "real job," a lot of talent will either leave the game or not put enough time into playing to be a factor. Until SC is like a pro sport, the community really needs to band together to make sure playing the game is actually a worthwhile thing to consider.
Whether you support the book or not, I hope the idea is supported; although, feel free to do both I just think it would be great to have a reason to watch games or play games on the side without thinking "man, this is throwing money and time down the drain." When Day[9], who is, IMO, the most talented non Korean player is choosing casting over playing, something isn't quite right. Don't get me wrong it's a great thing he's casting, but that's like Albert Pujols becoming a commentator during his prime. Hopefully playing games can become a logical thing for those who are passionate.
p.s. I wrote it in a span of a few days. I'll probably read it... I mean... edit it in the future.
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When Day[9], who is, IMO, the most talented non Korean player is choosing casting over playing, something isn't quite right
My sentiments exactly. Thanks for writing this! The link says, website under review....
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At first glance this looks like an incredible amount of effort. Well done, i'm sure many people can take something from this.
When I have more time i'll read it and give more input.
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What race are you? I have to go literally right now but I assume terran from what you've said. I can't read a whole book now, but is it for all races or just the one you play in particular (i know i wont be able to reply straight away but so i can check up on the answer tomorrow)
nvm barely had enough time to check quickly, cool
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T.O.P.
Hong Kong4685 Posts
Really nice read. I think if a player understands everything in the book, he just needs practice to be a top player.
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Dude, progaming is a hobby at best unless you keep winning tournaments. You cant live for the money you earn as a professional gamer unless you are in korea and your nick is JD, Flash,Bisu... and mayb a few more.
In EU most players get from 300-500 Euro Monthly. Now, this means: no future proof expirience, no enought savings for the future....
Something is quite wrong? Nope, just plainly put, its still just a game.
On the other hand, i wouldent call that a book, and not about strategy.
Its more a guide of behaviour for using time more effectivly while playing.
I myself am in a posession of a huge quantity of strategies (over 190 pages with small letters) of pure strategies, map analysis,etc.
Those are quite old, so many things (especially timings), have been modified, and in certrain situations even changed 100%.
I dont know if they can still be found thou.
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Hmmm, I've never heard of your name. Then again, I don't hear much of anybody's names. ><
But this is an interesting read so far! Thanks.
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For those that asked, I'm a Terran player that played pvt instead of tvt. I can play all mu's with both races. For instance, if I were to play now, I would play pvp.
For those that want more technical stuff like precise build orders and what not, that can happen in the future, but I believe it's largely trivial in comparison to just getting people to think about what goes into determining stuff like that. Plus, it's kinda hard to write something in a broad sense if you get too technical.
If you get anything out of it, that's great. If not, that's why I made it free Less expensive refunds... I think the SC 2 scene is pretty silly to some extent. For instance, I would love to see a book written by A2 on how he thinks about the game (granted it was in English), but to actually stream practice games? Exposing your strategies to opponents just seems so ridiculous to me. It's hard to take the scene seriously in a competitive sense.
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T.O.P.
Hong Kong4685 Posts
On October 19 2011 20:57 playa wrote: If you get anything out of it, that's great. If not, that's why I made it free Less expensive refunds... I think the SC 2 scene is pretty silly to some extent. For instance, I would love to see a book written by A2 on how he thinks about the game (granted it was in English), but to actually stream practice games? Exposing your strategies to opponents just seems so ridiculous to me. It's hard to take the scene seriously in a competitive sense.
People stream practice games for money and to get exposure. This doesn't exist in the bw world because there is no market for it.
Besides, a lot of the progamers stream practice games for show. They turn off the stream when they are practicing for real.
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Not to come off as a fan boy or anything... but if you read my Day[9] comment in the book, if you really want to get an idea of just how extraordinary he is here's more to the story.... I played him on PGT; he had a German flag and he told me I made too many "towers," referring to turrets. Now, despite this talk and me having no idea that he had a smurf account with a non USA flag, I was 100% certain I was playing against Day[9]. NO ONE plays the game like a rocket scientist besides him. Plus, no non Korean ever has as many units as Day has at any given time in a game. He is an optimization genius, and a genius in general.
Most players are either really logical or really fast and sound mechanically. Few really excel at both to the extent he does. Anyways, I guess I'm a fan boy. But, no shame in it.
To T.O.P: more specifically, I saw Strelok basically say his goal in life was to win the next tournament he was going to play in. He also said he would be streaming all of his practice games leading up to it. It's this kinda stuff that might be awesome for fans, but it just makes the scene look like a big social party. Koreans can't even leak a pro replay without being released from the team. Yet, in SC 2, it's weird to not stream games. It's just so backwards, money or not.
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T.O.P.
Hong Kong4685 Posts
On October 19 2011 16:20 playa wrote: The issue/idea I want to raise is that SC and SC 2 is being diluted of its talent base. I haven't played SC 2 and I don't watch it, but I would watch it if the non Koreans that I looked up to in a sense played it. For example, the three best non Korean Terran players to me were Androide, A2, and possibly Nyoken. To my knowledge, none of them even play SC 2. Really? Diluted of talent base? Androide and co might be good back in the day, but there will always be new talent rising up the ranks. Boxer was a great player in 2002, but he can't even touch modern SC1 progamers in his last days as a bw progamer. Why? It's because of new talent.
What's the problem? Past a certain age (a young one at that), playing the game makes no sense whatsoever. It doesn't matter whether you enjoy playing or not. Until SC or SC 2 is like a pro sport where anyone on a team can truly justify it over having a "real job," a lot of talent will either leave the game or not put enough time into playing to be a factor.
That was true for the foreign scene back in the broodwar days. But this isn't true in SC2. The very top foriegners are making good money.
Until SC is like a pro sport, the community really needs to band together to make sure playing the game is actually a worthwhile thing to consider. How would banding together make sure playing the game is a worthwhile thing? It's all about economics, banding together doesn't change the market size.
I just think it would be great to have a reason to watch games or play games on the side without thinking "man, this is throwing money and time down the drain." People play and watch games for entertainment.
When Day[9], who is, IMO, the most talented non Korean player is choosing casting over playing, something isn't quite right. He decided that he'll make much more money casting over competing as a progamer. Stream for 1 hour, run 4 commercials, make $100 dollars. Why not? They get invited as a caster for events where he gets paid even more.
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United Kingdom3685 Posts
On October 19 2011 20:56 Zergneedsfood wrote: Hmmm, I've never heard of your name. Then again, I don't hear much of anybody's names. ><
He was in both ISLs. In ISL1 he went out 0-2 in the group with Scan/JoeKim/Cute. In ISL2, he qualified through the ladder but didn't show for the group stage.
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On October 19 2011 16:20 playa wrote:
The issue/idea I want to raise is that SC and SC 2 is being diluted of its talent base. I haven't played SC 2 and I don't watch it, but I would watch it if the non Koreans that I looked up to in a sense played it. For example, the three best non Korean Terran players to me were Androide, A2, and possibly Nyoken. To my knowledge, none of them even play SC 2.
Hi, Dont know almost anything about BW, but 1 month ago he was GM, so he does play something
https://twitter.com/#!/nyokenmug
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To T.O.P: I've always believed Boxer was the most over rated player ever and his demise was obvious. I don't think it had that much to do with new talent, but more to do with players gaining more experience on how to play a game that was new. And, the maps stopped being so micro oriented. To be fair, it really was before my time.
I believe if Androide and A2 were to play SC 2 and play Terran, then they would be the best non Korean Terrans. People are too patriotic or isolated to realize the great feats others have made. A2, a few years ago, came very close to beating JAEDONG in a WCG series. Androide is said to be A+ with every race. This guy was getting top 3 in WCG world finals? I'm sorry, but the top end talent is no where near what it was in BW. Draco wanted a career in esports, to my knowledge; is he playing?
I'm rarely ever going to think something that Day[9] does doesn't make sense. My point is, that playing the game, for a top player, should always be more lucrative than commentating. Once that's not the case, it's only a matter of time before more and more talent shifts from playing.
You just can't take a scene seriously when a player can think "these are my opponents for an upcoming tournament, let me go check their streams to prepare counters." It's a farce. It's like everyone is conceding that they can't compete with Koreans, which I don't really disagree with... I just can't think of a reason to watch. There has to be a better way to make money with still keeping some purity in the competitive scene.
The US always had strong BW players. In SC 2 we have Sheth and Idra? They belong there, don't get me wrong, but obviously a drop off in talent has occurred if the numbers aren't more numerous. I'm probably going to check out of this thread for a bit. To the above poster, I appreciate the Nyoken information. I would like to check out his games.
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Great read! Thanks for taking the time to write this. Both you and Ver have written amazing BW guides.
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Intriguing book and hehe, quite sharp opinions. I'll try to read it in my free time.
You make a very interesting point about the streaming/publicity thing. I mean, if we think about Day[9] or Artosis or people who used to be the top players in the US, they hardly ever showed their games publicly. Come to think of it, TSL was quite an anomaly for getting our hands on tons of pro replays wasn't it?
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i'll read your book, i don't play BW that much any more, but i get a real good time when i read strategy or talk about strategy with friends in real life or online...
i agree with you pretty much with everything you said (not the day9 part, he is awesome and everything, but there is a lot of other less known names way more talented) , and when this coaching stuff started with incontrol i was like "why would you pay someone to teach you something, that you can learn by yourself for free...??"
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On October 20 2011 10:43 NationInArms wrote: Great read! Thanks for taking the time to write this. Both you and Ver have written amazing BW guides.
Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I haven't been playing, but if anyone really feels concepts alone won't cut it for them, I won't rule out playing, sharing replays,and giving thoughts on it. Btw, if anyone doesn't enjoy it, it's cause you're a bad reader with poor comprehension. I jest
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Thank you for this, reading it right now.
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