StarCraft II Beta

[NowhereMan]

I'll be a pretty terrible friend and I'm not all that interested in getting into the Beta so Draegan's not saying all that much really.

[Xuri]

Just done with my first multiplayer game in SCII.
Me as Terran, opponent as Protoss.
Lasted 38 minutes :O

Near victory for me as I nearly wiped him out, then major fuckup due to incredibly stupid micro-management of banshees/vikings/some other crap --> victory for him instead. 

[Fordel]

Another build is up: http://forums.battle.net/thread.html?topicId=23094049316&postId=239769018323&sid=5000#6



SCV Nerf :(



-edit- Ladder/User wipe as well. Go get yer names again!

[Margalis]

I feel like I've turned a corner, I'm no longer clearly the worst person in team games and I've won two in a row.

Go me!

[patience]

I am pretty bad at this game. I'm placed in silver, but I may not be quite good enough.

Better than me, I'm only in copper, heh.

The league you're in isn't everything. The points you have in your league matter as well.

A high rated gold player is superior to a low rated platinum player after a certain inflection point.

[Malakili]

I am pretty bad at this game. I'm placed in silver, but I may not be quite good enough.

Better than me, I'm only in copper, heh.

The league you're in isn't everything. The points you have in your league matter as well.

A high rated gold player is superior to a low rated platinum player after a certain inflection point.

I got moved up to bronze in the latest reset.  I've been getting owned pretty hard.  Then again, I played around 70 games of straight zerg before, and now I am forcing myself to play random so I can practice/learn all the races.

[Megrim]

I'm Solaris.megrim if anyone wants to add me. Played my 5 placement matches and got into Gold division #22 or something. Not a bad game. Not a bad game at all.

[bhodi]

bhodi.bhodi

Add me. I'm solid high silver with protoss, bronze with everyone else. Getting better, though!

[Goreschach]

They really need to just open beta this thing.

[Thrawn]

They really need to just open beta this thing.

Oh please oh please oh please oh please.

[Fordel]

Best game yet:

part1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGP1-R9rugo

part2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkygqX_JIjk

part3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sphi1jD_LnI

part4) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzE2Jnr0rU0

[bhodi]

That was probably the best game I've seen so far. I was watching it live but the stream went down when the nukes started flying. One of the coolest things about that fight is not only was it back and forth edge on seat action, but nearly every unit in the game was showcased doing it.

I also recommend the first game as well. It's short. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMVfFDcy6jI

TLO is great. He actually entered as random. And made it to the finals. That's some balls. And skill.

[Malakili]

That was probably the best game I've seen so far. I was watching it live but the stream went down when the nukes started flying. One of the coolest things about that fight is not only was it back and forth edge on seat action, but nearly every unit in the game was showcased doing it.

I also recommend the first game as well. It's short. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMVfFDcy6jI

TLO is great. He actually entered as random. And made it to the finals. That's some balls. And skill.

Yeah, impressive game overall.  He played well in the other games I watched too.  I can only dream of such RTS skills though, so I feel quite bad.  Not that I realistically expect to be able to play as well as top tier players, just that I'd love to be able to even get an inkling of how they do it.

[Megrim]

This is the thread with the replay pack for that entire tournament.

[Fordel]

So many other players just seem to give up once they get countered once or their perfectly timed rush build doesn't work. What I love about TheLittleOne is how often he seems to just go "fuck it, wing it!  ".

[ffc]

Those replays were really fun to watch despite me not knowing much about StarCraft.  The announcer's reactions when he would see something unconventional was great.

[Sheepherder]

Not favoring a race while the other guy does is a not insignificant advantage if you can play multiple races well.

[Ollie]

Best game yet:

part1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGP1-R9rugo

part2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkygqX_JIjk

part3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sphi1jD_LnI

part4) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzE2Jnr0rU0

After watching those clips I have to chime in and sing the LittleOne's praises. I loved how versatile and malleable his tactics were. He kept switching his attack units and managed near-constant harassment from the early game on. Fantastic diversionary nuke deployment, too.

My RTS skills are deeply entrenched in the sucky end of the scale, but it's always enjoyable to watch two titans of micromanagement duke it out, even if it does foster slight pangs of jealousy and deep-seated feelings of inadequacy.

[Xuri]

Just played a pretty fun Terran vs Terran game! Lasted around 20 minutes, with lots of different units being involved (marines, marauders, siege tanks, medvacs, banshees, vikings, a couple of thors - even a battle cruiser :) I guess neither of us played really smart, but was fun nonetheless.

Replay here, in case anyone wants to criticize my n00bness at Starcraft 2!

[Prospero]

It's definitely worth watching TLO in the finals. He doesn't win, but boy howdy does he pull off some amazing shit.

[Thrawn]

Well, downloaded the beta and playing single player but can't seem to get the more difficult AI to work, seems to be stuck in idiot mode.

[Ragnoros]

Well, downloaded the beta and playing single player but can't seem to get the more difficult AI to work, seems to be stuck in idiot mode.

I think that is intentional so people will actually play against each other online.

[Megrim]

Just played a pretty fun Terran vs Terran game! Lasted around 20 minutes, with lots of different units being involved (marines, marauders, siege tanks, medvacs, banshees, vikings, a couple of thors - even a battle cruiser :) I guess neither of us played really smart, but was fun nonetheless.

Replay here, in case anyone wants to criticize my n00bness at Starcraft 2!

I had a quick look; a few general pointers...


While you are playing on newbie maps, it's a good idea to start getting used to 'normal' play. Start learning how to wall-in your choke as t, 1 rax, 2 supply, etc...

Keep an eye on your supply count. You got supply blocked at one point during the beginning. It's not a major thing, but having it not happen will smooth out your transitioning.

Normally, one would use their rax scv to scout, but since you are on newbie maps, i would have used your quick reaper to run around the map and saved the energy for mules instead of scanning. You will need scan later, but initially it's a better idea to utilize the resources.

Also, just keep in mind to turn off your banshee cloaking to conserve energy. And keep your scvs mining! You peons at your nat were sitting around doing nothing for about half the game =)

After that it mostly a matter of your units kill his units better - but there is one important lesson to be learned in this. You probably noticed how you were out producing him for the most part; this was in part due to your early natural expansion.

This is important, because at lower levels, often just having a +1 source of income over the opponent, and assuming equal unit replenishment rates will be enough to ensure a victory. So with that in mind - if you see that your opponent is sitting on one base while you have expanded, and it looks like you have the advantage in terms of winning fights around the map, knock down the rocks blocking you choke and expand again.

The progression for winning games at this stage is quite elementary. More income = more unit production buildings = more units. If you have more units, you win.




 * one minor sidenote on peon production. Keep it up. Not taking into account MULE income, you need about 2 scvs per mineral patch. So with eight patches be base, you will need about 16 peons. Suffice it to say, you will need to keep the command center blinking for about the first 20 minutes.

[Goreschach]

 * one minor sidenote on peon production. Keep it up. Not taking into account MULE income, you need about 2 scvs per mineral patch. So with eight patches be base, you will need about 16 peons. Suffice it to say, you will need to keep the command center blinking for about the first 20 minutes.

+3 per geyser. And although the hardcore numbercrunching hasn't really begun yet, some people have suggested that 2 per mineral, although optimal, isn't totally saturated. So it might be a good idea to not cut workers at your main, and wait until you have a significant surplus of them to build your first expo, then maynard the extra over and start mining immediately.

[lamaros]

Finally got the internet at my new place. Please bring on an Open Beta.

[Astorax]

 * one minor sidenote on peon production. Keep it up. Not taking into account MULE income, you need about 2 scvs per mineral patch. So with eight patches be base, you will need about 16 peons. Suffice it to say, you will need to keep the command center blinking for about the first 20 minutes.

+3 per geyser. And although the hardcore numbercrunching hasn't really begun yet, some people have suggested that 2 per mineral, although optimal, isn't totally saturated. So it might be a good idea to not cut workers at your main, and wait until you have a significant surplus of them to build your first expo, then maynard the extra over and start mining immediately.

The first two scv (or equivalent of course) per node, nab 100% efficiency...then the 3rd grabs 55% efficient.  Then it drops sharply after that.  I think the 4th ends up around 18% efficient.

So as far as I can tell from reading up on things, the strat is slam the first 16 out as fast as possible, then begin tech to whatever it is you want, while spending spare minerals (since you're usually bound by gas anyway) on more scv loving.

It's also universally held/known that it's 3 per collector.  Any more than that and they simply queue outside the collector and don't increase your gains any.

[Xuri]

I had a quick look; a few general pointers...
(...snip...)

Thanks for the feedback! I usually do go with the supply + barracks + supply wall but skipped it in this game because of the newbie map.

I've got the start down alrightyish, I think, but unfortunately lose focus on the svc production as I go along. I also seem to consistently be having problems getting my expansions up and running properly (forgetting about the peons, as you said, for half the game), overfocusing on tech/unit production. In some cases I also tend to bunker up too much instead of going on the offensive.

Have been winning about half the matches I've played so far (around 12-14 total I think - all as Terran, and all practice matches/ladder placement matches directly before and after the wipe), though some of those victories felt a bit cheap =P Reaper-rush, kill opponents harvesters, clean up :P I guess I should play some zerg/protoss as well, to get to know them better and such.

Edit: Also, I don't know when to quit even when it's clear that I'll eventually lose - so I'm probably a pain in the ass to play against. ;P

[Malakili]

though some of those victories felt a bit cheap =P Reaper-rush, kill opponents harvesters, clean up :P I

Truth is, the vast majority of games are over in ~10 minutes, often less.  At least its true of the ones I've played.  Attacking early isn't cheap.  I mean there are a few cheese tactics, like a six pool, or a proxy gateway, or whatever, but just doing your normal build order but attacking early on is just how you're supposed to play.  20+ minute games where both players are at max supply and have an epic battle seems to be the expception.

[Thrawn]

Well, downloaded the beta and playing single player but can't seem to get the more difficult AI to work, seems to be stuck in idiot mode.

I think that is intentional so people will actually play against each other online.

I'd rather play online but I'm not in the beta.  I downloaded the beta launcher and all of that and the single player launchers you can find.  It has a bunch of info about the AI and files for more difficult AIs but I can't seem to get them to work. 

[Kitsune]

I can't help but notice that nobody's sent me Lantyssa's key yet.  If someone could get on that, that'd be great, yeah, thanks.

[K9]

It's definitely worth watching TLO in the finals. He doesn't win, but boy howdy does he pull off some amazing shit.

Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Game 4

Games 1 and 2 are brilliant, 3 and 4 are a bit more standard.

[Fordel]

Patch! : http://forums.battle.net/thread.html?topicId=23094049316&sid=5000&pageNo=1#7



Static Defense buffs are interesting, since Blizzard seemed to go out of their way to make them unappealing to begin with.

[Malakili]

Patch Notes

It seems like they are softening up the +damage v. particular types in favor of more upfront damage against everyone.  Patch 6 saw a couple similar moves.  I am torn about that as a design decision.  On the plus side, more units are more viable in more situations.  On the down side, it means that games might get even more homogenized, because you could say something like "Well, this unit is terrible against X anymore, instead of switching my meta to something else, I'll just see if I can produce extras to make up the difference" saving yourself the tech switch.   Then again, I'm not exactly a starcraft veteran, so I don't have that much useful input on how this will actually effect things, its just me musing.

Realistically, playing a few games after the patch, I don't notice any huge differences, but maybe the difference is bigger to the number crunchers in the platinum division.

[Fordel]

Don't let the size of the numbers fool you. For example, pre-patch a Thor could bring down a Muta in two attacks. Now it would take three attacks.


That's a very significant change multiplied across entire armies.



-edit- How u spell.

[Malakili]

Don't let the size of the numbers fool you. For example, pre-patch a Thor could bring down a Muta in two attacks. Now it would take three attacks.


That's a very significant change multiplied across entire armies.



-edit- How u spell.

Well, yeah the Thor change is just a straight nerf.  I'm talking about the trend towards say, 25+ 5 instead of 20 + 10.  Same amount of damage v. the armored unit, more v. everything else.

EDIT: Then again, it appears we forgot to take in to account the new splash damage. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWvvpzgalNY (of course, this isn't exactly a normal situation)