i just wanted to ask you what is your preferred method on building your structure's? do you like running your macro like this? you build scv's non stop and when you get enough mineral's or resource's, you pull a worker off the line and do the build structure and return to mineral patch queue command. or do you time it so that by the time your worker come's out he will have if not the exact amount needed for the building or close enough to it and he build's the structure coming straight from your CC.
Almost always pull an SCV from the mineral line. Though sometimes the timing of the new SCV is just right to build another building. If not, it would be a waste if you waited for the SCV to come out of the CC: your building would finish later, thus delaying your whole strategy.
It doesn't matter if the scv is from the CC or from mining, as long as you build the structure at the right timing it's usually the most efficient. For example, you should have your scv arrive at the spot you build your first depot right when you reach 100 minerals. Normally, it's better to have the worker arrive early than late.
Also, don't be afraid to take an scv off gas to build a structure near that area. A lot of good players will use a gas scv to build and at the same time move another scv onto gas.
that's genius. one thing that really get's me is building placement, it's kind of tricky to find a spot for all your supply depot's. and sometime's you just end up blocking yourself in with your structure's, i figured out a plan where if you leave 2 space's in between your struc's then you will alway's have room for your unit's to get through. but i'm still trying to find the best way.
Always have a worker in the spot before you reach enough resources. In StarCraft, timing>>8minerals, even if it is ~3 seconds. Those 3 seconds will stiffle economy and production later on so dont neglet having idle worker for a while. Progamers often have idle workers (like, drones waiting for 300 minerals at natural) but almost never build that 12 hatchery at 350 minerals or so. Timing is crucial.
I would say the best solution is to remove a worker right around the time u want the building to be placed down.
For example: supply depot - cost 100 move scv around 70 - 80 mineral mark (also depends on distance, the longer the distance, the faster the scv should leave the mineral patch)
barracks - cost 150 move the scv around 110-120 mark (again, depending on distance, it will vary)
Most importantly: experiment around and find the best method for u
Ideally you have all the techniques described so far at your disposal: - always send an SCV so that it's right on time at the spot where you want to build when enough resources are reached - always minimize the traveling distance to where you want to build Use - SCVs from mineral line (one that is not carrying minerals or can return crago on his way before building) - SCV from gas (switched with another SCV from minerals) - SCV freshly produced - SCV already building something else and immediatelly going for the next building - SCVs returning from scouting (to build natural CC for example) depending on which is the best candidate to abide to the two principles above.
Another "technique" is to move your workers efficiently, so that they don't bump into other workers/units or buildings. Mineral/gas-walking helps a lot here but also to note/remember when SCVs that you sent along a certain way tend to take "dumb" routes and to manually fix that by a move-command. It's also good to observe how your SCVs who are mining move, in what frequence they return cargo alone or in a tight pack. Oftentimes you can anticipate when a sole SCV will return cargo and be relatively "free" to move for a moment, then you can just pick that one.
Especially for the first few buildings, on maps where you already know where you want everything to be put, you can literally develop patterns to produce certain buildings in always the same, most efficient manner. For the first dozen or so buildings you can know exactly things like if I want to use an SCV from the top or bottom/left or right of your mineral-line, if you want to shift-walk the SCV back or if you want it to become a scout after finishing the baracks e.g.
E.g. Flash (or others) on CB, when they do 1rax expo (greedy version), always use an SCV from the group that they transfer to the natural to build the factory because these SCVs pass the spot right above the ramp (where you want to put your factory) right when you have the 200 minerals/100 gas you need to place the factory if you maynard the SCVs at exactly the right time so that they reach the natural minerals when the natural CC finishes.
I find that such minutiae do not matter below the A level: the disadvantages that you pile up by purchasing things late (e.g., the first depot at 120 minerals) during the course of 15 minutes or so are not significant enough for an opponent below the A level to punish. Focus instead on things such as optimizing your economy and spending it properly.
It's just something you can do anyway in the first few minutes, so why not do it?
Improving the things mentioned above seems like a good way to "optimize your economy". It should be self explanatory that they're not meant for people who struggle to even follow a build order or spend their money or pay attention to their opponent and react properly. But when you have those basic things down, there are dozens of situations in every game, hundreds in longer games, where you gain a little edge every time if you perform those recurring actions a a little more efficient than your opponent.
Of course missing a handful of such little things doesn't cost you all your games on C or B, but "doesn't get punished until A level"? "Doesn't pile up much over 15 (!) minutes"? That sounds like one big exaggeration.... you understimate what people can do on those levels.
Maybe it's a Terran thing, but on C/B-level against a Protoss/Zerg cheese/all-in it gets really tight if you're lazy on these optimizations. Being 10-20 seconds behind, which can quickly happen if you're 20-30 minerals late with your first few buildings, against 9pools or 2gates or DT-rush or what-have-you decides games, no matter the level your opponent is if he can execute an early-game timing.
Until 15 (!) minutes (or even less), lots of small sloppy delays result in one big relative supply disadvantage against people with a particular strength in that field - you will get streamrolled or heavily out-macroed around 12-13 minutes by many C/B-rank Protosses if you accumulate too many "small" disadvantages until then in TvP.
TvT is nightmare if you're "just a little" slower in everything you do and don't succeed in tricking your opponent in some way.