YcMing
21st April 2007, 03:27
Well iain already explain the true basic of the game, i shall go into a bit further and hopefully people can start to see the depth of the game :). Again this shall focus on the map lost temple and playing protoss :). As for build orders or any specific strategy , i shall avoid that. You can only learn them by playing more, but i am happy to answer any questions :)
Note: **** Use the "a" key when u attack and move your unit , it basically means attack move, so if u want to fight a bunch a units you would 1) slect your units 2) press "a" then right click on the land around the units (not on the unit), this allow the units to fight anything at sight and not concentrate on just one unit. ****
Map control
Well, first of all, do try to look at the map and know where the expand is and where your enemy could be , so alway to remeber to look around with your units or worker. Map control is the main ingredient to win a game. It consists of expanding, containing your enemy and controling the flow of the game (i.e knowing what your enemy is planning to do then plan ahead of them)
To start this off, i like to illustrate this with some simple examples, i found that most people tries to stay in their base and never come out, well that is fine at the start, but do remember to put your units at your entrance. This will stop all units getting into your base and stop them knowing what u r planning to do.Here's a picture, where your should place your units.
Here 's a pic where your unit should be.
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ycming1985/album/576460762398788342/photo/294928804341537304/3
Now to the mid game, you may ask you never know when to attack or where to attack ?
The real solution to your timing is playing more, but a nice trick is to keep searching around the map, if your find a weak spot( e.g his newly third expand), then just go for it. Or if you found out he is going for air units, then prepare yourself, with some corsairs or scout (someone at the lan seems to use that unit all the time :P)
Using you money
Most people never seem to build more than 2 gateway throughout the whole game, i think this was due to people playing the New types of RTS, such as Dow and warcraft 3, where macroing just doesn't exist. In starcraft, everything are strictly under your control, and you must know how to spend you money.
I guess most people always find themselves with too much money on their hand after a battle or two ? (i have that problem as well). Well Is not too much of a bad thing. At the same level, the other player will also have alot money saved up
* Don't stop building workers (probes) at the start of the game to mid game
* Build more gateways as you have more workers, since your economy will support it
* Keep buidling units, when your money is high :) (not nessesary high tech units)
* most important of all, expand when ever you feep comfortable and you must do it as early as possible then send your probes to your expand.
Here's a pic , of where you should expand first
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ycming1985/album/576460762398788342/photo/294928804341510998/1
knowing you units
with time, you will get to know your units much better, same goes with every other RTS game :). And you'll get to know which units is best to combat which, but with protoss, their units is easiest to use by far, since their units have large amount of health on them. So one zealot can kill like 3 zerg lings, so no need to run away next time ;).
Important thing to remember, There is no need to fight a losing battle, retreat run back and gather up. This will not only save you money, but it will let you have time to rethink and build more units.
Unlike other RTS, a high tech unit doesn't mean it will auto kill a lower tech unit, this is what makes starcraft different (e.g one zealot will kill a tank without micro, yet tank is in tech two). So teching is nice, but is not a must :).
Here's a chart will all the building and units dependency
1) buidling - http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ycming1985/album/576460762398788342/photo/294928804341510982/2
2) Units -
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ycming1985/album/576460762398788342/photo/294928804341527346/0
finally, iain said something about flanking, basically, means attacking your enemy from mutiple sides/angle , here's a pic :)
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ycming1985/album/576460762398788342/photo/294928804341528965/4
Conclusion
I see alot of new players starting to play the game (or maybe not :P), even if u like it or not by looking at it. Give it a go, u'll love it, i hope. Hopefully it will geneate a bit more interest, any question feel free to ask or want a games of starcraft against coms or anything :).
Note: **** Use the "a" key when u attack and move your unit , it basically means attack move, so if u want to fight a bunch a units you would 1) slect your units 2) press "a" then right click on the land around the units (not on the unit), this allow the units to fight anything at sight and not concentrate on just one unit. ****
Map control
Well, first of all, do try to look at the map and know where the expand is and where your enemy could be , so alway to remeber to look around with your units or worker. Map control is the main ingredient to win a game. It consists of expanding, containing your enemy and controling the flow of the game (i.e knowing what your enemy is planning to do then plan ahead of them)
To start this off, i like to illustrate this with some simple examples, i found that most people tries to stay in their base and never come out, well that is fine at the start, but do remember to put your units at your entrance. This will stop all units getting into your base and stop them knowing what u r planning to do.Here's a picture, where your should place your units.
Here 's a pic where your unit should be.
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ycming1985/album/576460762398788342/photo/294928804341537304/3
Now to the mid game, you may ask you never know when to attack or where to attack ?
The real solution to your timing is playing more, but a nice trick is to keep searching around the map, if your find a weak spot( e.g his newly third expand), then just go for it. Or if you found out he is going for air units, then prepare yourself, with some corsairs or scout (someone at the lan seems to use that unit all the time :P)
Using you money
Most people never seem to build more than 2 gateway throughout the whole game, i think this was due to people playing the New types of RTS, such as Dow and warcraft 3, where macroing just doesn't exist. In starcraft, everything are strictly under your control, and you must know how to spend you money.
I guess most people always find themselves with too much money on their hand after a battle or two ? (i have that problem as well). Well Is not too much of a bad thing. At the same level, the other player will also have alot money saved up
* Don't stop building workers (probes) at the start of the game to mid game
* Build more gateways as you have more workers, since your economy will support it
* Keep buidling units, when your money is high :) (not nessesary high tech units)
* most important of all, expand when ever you feep comfortable and you must do it as early as possible then send your probes to your expand.
Here's a pic , of where you should expand first
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ycming1985/album/576460762398788342/photo/294928804341510998/1
knowing you units
with time, you will get to know your units much better, same goes with every other RTS game :). And you'll get to know which units is best to combat which, but with protoss, their units is easiest to use by far, since their units have large amount of health on them. So one zealot can kill like 3 zerg lings, so no need to run away next time ;).
Important thing to remember, There is no need to fight a losing battle, retreat run back and gather up. This will not only save you money, but it will let you have time to rethink and build more units.
Unlike other RTS, a high tech unit doesn't mean it will auto kill a lower tech unit, this is what makes starcraft different (e.g one zealot will kill a tank without micro, yet tank is in tech two). So teching is nice, but is not a must :).
Here's a chart will all the building and units dependency
1) buidling - http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ycming1985/album/576460762398788342/photo/294928804341510982/2
2) Units -
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ycming1985/album/576460762398788342/photo/294928804341527346/0
finally, iain said something about flanking, basically, means attacking your enemy from mutiple sides/angle , here's a pic :)
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ycming1985/album/576460762398788342/photo/294928804341528965/4
Conclusion
I see alot of new players starting to play the game (or maybe not :P), even if u like it or not by looking at it. Give it a go, u'll love it, i hope. Hopefully it will geneate a bit more interest, any question feel free to ask or want a games of starcraft against coms or anything :).