A beginners guide to Starcraft.

[ArtOfProtoss]

Well, I couldn't decide whether to put this in sc, or scs, but when considering the question I was going to ask I chose here!

The question: Is this the best guide of starcraft principle you have ever read, and the most complete. If you say yes: you chose right. If you say no: you must cite your sources!

http://starcraft.strategy-gaming.com...pic.php?t=1414

Written by me (AoP)

[Phoenix2003]

I was gonna direct you to shockwave's guide but I see you already know about that.

[ArtOfProtoss]

Originally Posted by Phoenix2003

I was gonna direct you to shockwave's guide but I see you already know about that.

No offense to shockwave, his guide is pretty sparse, and was obviously written in one sitdown. Do you think it's in any way better?

[-Azrael666-]

This is definitely the best guide of starcraft principle I have never read

[ArtOfProtoss]

Ownage :-)

[CruelJustice]

(I tried collaborating one from the top... ahwell...)

Playing SC on Bnet for n00bs:

-The red bar near your name is not good. It's another indication of lag.
-The number next to your name is the download progress. If it goes too slow, get out and rejoin.
-When beginning a game remember your allies if you have any then ally them immediatly.
-Another thing to consider at the beginning is to set the network latency to Extra High.
-If you lose, save the replay and learn from those who vanquished you.

No's and Don'ts:
-Don't try to play games with red or even yellow bars; lag = bad
-If you see the same group of letters placed the same way as the other guy (ie. SGt.[Venom] and SGt.[Shadow]) you're playing with, they are in a clan and WILL bs you whether you like it or not. Get out of there.
-Usually, the host (and the second guy) of a comp stomp game will bs you and everyone else they don't like.
-If you lose a game, don't request a hack from the guy who owned you or anyone else. Including myself, they love to screw over n00bies like you.
-Getting banned from a session does not mean you cannot play on bn anymore.
-Don't attack a guy unless you have backup. If you rush early and have a suck base, everyone will kill you, even your allies.
-"Fairplay" means nothing on bn, because those who know how to cheat without getting caught, rule. Deal with it.
-If you want to join a game, don't be a loud mouth aoler. Nobody likes that kind of chatter and will boot you.

Vocabulary:
Stacking (v.) - It is used to place buildings on top of one another for more life. Again, those who know rule, is it cheating? What do you think?

Lag (n.) - 1 The slowness of your crappy connection during the game. "Lag sucks"
(v.) - 2 The process of slowness your machine is undergoing. "That guy's lagging..."

BS (v. abbr.) - Bull Sh*t; To fool or to cheat one or more people playing online; to betray an ally.
(n abbr.) - Betrayal, cutthroat, doublecrossing; "No bs!!!"

TVB (abbr.) - Top versus bottom

n00b (n.) - If you don't know what this is, then it's you. (Tw@t!)

newbie (n.) - New to a group, but informed enough to play.

ran (abbr.) - Short for Terran.

toss (abbr.) - Short for Protoss.

racks (abbr.) - Short for Barracks

lot (abbr.) - Short for Zealot

Cannon Rush (n./v.) - Where a protoss player sends in a probe to build photon cannons in an enemy base. Cheap shot but fun to do.

Metal (n.) - Where a terran player blocks a choke and builds marines and tanks to ward off enemies.

[Lwek]

My beginners guide to Starcraft:
Learn by experience.

[ArtOfProtoss]

Originally Posted by Lwek

My beginners guide to Starcraft:
Learn by experience.

Well, you'll learn the same stuff that way, but my guide will give them a jump on the competition.

[Master.America]

I haven't read through many Starcraft beginner's guides myself, so I'd have to say that's definitely the most accurate I've read yet.

Not bad.

[Renzokuken]

I never needed one, i'm male, i learn by screwing up

[Phoenix2003]

Originally Posted by Blizzforums

No offense to shockwave, his guide is pretty sparse, and was obviously written in one sitdown. Do you think it's in any way better?

no, I didn't mean anything by it. GJ with yours.

[ArtOfProtoss]

Originally Posted by Renzokuken

I never needed one, i'm male, i learn by screwing up

You can use that excuse for everything but video games and sports. In those cases, your just screwed

[TrongaMonga]

-Another thing to consider at the beginning is to set the network latency to Extra High.

That's not always true.

And you make 90 workers? I've never made that many.

[Phoenix2003]

I agree. Making too many workers can be detrimental. PvTs are won and lost because toss makes too many probes. It's just as important when to stop making them, too. With zerg, please, it's so freaking complicated, you definitely need to go by experience.(where this is concerned)

[ArtOfProtoss]

Originally Posted by TrongaMonga

That's not always true.

And you make 90 workers? I've never made that many.

First of all, this is a newb guide. Newbs don't build enough probes. If I said fifty they would stop after they expanded. You should, though, build around that many in PVT. PVT's are lost late game when toss doesn't build enough probes. Not many people (even me sometimes) pump probes from a main they expanded to until they have around 25. You should. Of course, you also have to be agressive and not let terran build up to 150 supply straight men when you have nearly half supply of probes.

It also is a matter of play style.

[Phoenix2003]

On the contratory, toss loses pvt because he makes too many probes. Think about it. P has more expansions and thus more workers than the T. So much of his psi is going towards probes and not combat units. That's why people think T ground > P ground. Whereas P ground is perfectly capable of competing and beating T ground. Yes, it's important to pump lots of workers, but it's also IMPORTANT to learn when to halt worker production.(Even for newbs) That's all I'm sayin'.

[ArtOfProtoss]

Originally Posted by Phoenix2003

On the contratory, toss loses pvt because he makes too many probes. Think about it. P has more expansions and thus more workers than the T. So much of his psi is going towards probes and not combat units. That's why people think T ground > P ground. Whereas P ground is perfectly capable of competing and beating T ground. Yes, it's important to pump lots of workers, but it's also IMPORTANT to learn when to halt worker production.(Even for newbs) That's all I'm sayin'.

You are right. But that is only if his play style is conservative. If you let terran build up to high supply limits and you pump alot probes, then if you play conservatively you will lose. On the other hand, if you expand and play agressively; that is attack his second expansion (normally to mineral only), then when your troop count is lessened, you can build it back in an instant, and in fact already have a solid troop count because of strong macro and the saving of goons from the assualt.

It is important to learn to halt worker production as you said, especially in PVP, PVZ (for protoss). I think because of our different play styles we have different outlooks on the game.

[Renzokuken]

I still think you should've said 50 workers rather than 90. There are some people out there who WILL build 90 and go by what your saying. So therefore, your guide is somewhat flawed.

Also, setting extra-high latency in 1v1's that have no lag is a silly idea. You should set it to low latency so the units wont stall for as long when you command them to do something.

[TrongaMonga]

Gah, forgot to move before.

Actually, I usually make a total of around 40, 50 probes/drones/SCVs. Never more than that, since then I lose lots of supply.

[ArtOfProtoss]

Originally Posted by Renzokuken

I still think you should've said 50 workers rather than 90. There are some people out there who WILL build 90 and go by what your saying. So therefore, your guide is somewhat flawed.

Also, setting extra-high latency in 1v1's that have no lag is a silly idea. You should set it to low latency so the units wont stall for as long when you command them to do something.

To each his own. Will you be on tonight? We'll see who's probe strats are best! Same for you tronga!