So this week started my new routine of having at least 2 focused replay analysis days. The analysis days are there for me to go over each game find the 3 first mistakes in a game, regardless of the result.
The mistakes are categorised into 3 aspects: Macro, Micro or Scouting. They are broken down into the following format.
Macro: Any error in the game caused by not following the macro cycle. Inject, spend larva, build (infrastructure, upgrades) spreed creep
Micro: Any error in which an engagement is lost due to bad concave, incorrect unit composition, incorrect use of banelings etc.
Scouting: Any mistake caused due to a lack of information
After this is done and mistakes have been found in each of the games, they are then tallied up, to find what areas in my play over the last 2-3 days have been weakest in order to provide more focus on those areas and to allow those helping me to assist in strengthening those areas. Whether it by build order focus, unit compositions, overlord positioning or where to spreed creep.
I believe having at least 2 days to focus on my games wins and losses, will ensure I am improving, as common mistakes are sure to be found and build order refinement will be more actively sought after.
Merry Go Round ZvT Mandrilock
-Overlord lost to marine. No overlord sent across to sac for the 6:30-7:00 window (Scouting)
-Idle larva. Due to taking a 3rd base + too many gases early and over producing OL's (Macro)
-Due to lack of information, 2 rounds of drones were made instead of units. (Scouting)
Habitation Station LE ZvT Exact
-Idle larva, Floating minerals, not supply capped, perhaps focused on gases+roach warren. (Macro)
-Used larva on more lings instead of roaches even with high hellion count. (Scouting)
-Opponent has 3rd CC (OC) as well as saturated natural, this is all unscouted (scouting)
Frost LE ZvT WalkingRazor
-Potentially missed an inject, causing drone count to be lower then expected at the 6min benchmark (Macro)
-@6:34 we have no OL in postion to sac into main or natural, to scout for tech paths+gases+potential army composition (Scouting)
-Idle larva, floating minerals, not supply capped. Focusing on 3rd base perhaps (Macro)
Waystation ZvP Barsala
-Cannons go up, no reaction due to focusing on drone scout (Scouting)
Waystation ZvP Seker
-No queen at natural (Macro)
-6:30 no OL sac in position to scout gases+tech (Scouting)
-7:00 watchtowers are neutral, lack of map vision so i miss pylon near tower (Scouting)
Merry Go Round ZvZ ctuijk
-Really unlucky on the OL scout, saw lings really late -no time to react-
Overgrowth ZvP Dreamsleep
-Lack of 4th+5th queen for creep spread, bases are connected, makes defedning harder (Macro)
-Lack of 4th hatchery for 3 base mineral saturation (Macro)
-Lack of lair, means lack of tech (Macro)
I will try to post my analysis to this blog at least twice a week, if anyone sees a comment in the mistakes section they would like to look at feel free to let me know and I'll send you the replay.
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Gravity
Formerly known as GravityAD
Id also add another aspect to look at when looking at replays, that is decision making. Decision making can be a sub branch of scouting but i think it should be its own, as in starcraft you dont only have to know how to react to information given to you but also make the right calls during a mere seconds such as going for a ling runby or not. I think this is an area many people underestimate and can by improved by getting another set of eyes on your replays.
As for micro and macro that can be improved through practice.
Scouting can also be a little wierd, especially with zerg you have to go off very little information at times. such as the smallest delay in gas timings, or a delay in tech meaning something else. A lot of scouting is not only what you see building in terms of infrastructure and units, but also what you dont see and what they should have.
On the topic of decision making as Redemption said, a really good method of checking your thinking pattern is to open up a replay from a pro player (preferably one who wins), look at their view only (can't see enemy) and pause the game every 5 minutes or so and think to yourself what you would do in that situation and how you would play it out for the next 5 minutes. THEN you resume the replay and see if the pro does what you would have done, if they have, great, if they haven't, why not? Works best when you haven't already seen the replay from start to finish ofc.
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