• Breaking News

    Wednesday, February 12, 2020

    Home Unlabelled Starcraft I think AlphaStar was strategically ahead of the meta last year in PvZ and ZvP. (Write-up/Analysis)

    Starcraft I think AlphaStar was strategically ahead of the meta last year in PvZ and ZvP. (Write-up/Analysis)

    February 12, 2020

    Starcraft I think AlphaStar was strategically ahead of the meta last year in PvZ and ZvP. (Write-up/Analysis)

    I think AlphaStar was strategically ahead of the meta last year in PvZ and ZvP. (Write-up/Analysis)

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 05:00 PM PST

    I was watching Artosis + NoRegreT + Astrea analyzing Chance's games on youtube. There was a specific PvZ on Ephemeron at the 48min mark that caught my attention.

    Here's a quick summary of the game: Chance opens with a very standard PvZ build, gate expand into stargate for 1 phoenix+2 oracles, fast third, then robo for immortal+sentry (eventually planning to get chargelots+archons). Zerg opens standard hatch first with ling speed+3rd hatch, then sends queens to walk across the map while going for a big roach+ravager+queen+speedling timing that hits Chance's natural at ~6min mark.

    What I found particularly interesting was Astrea's commentary once they saw what the zerg opponent was doing. He mentioned that this timing beats him a lot on ladder, and that the best way for him to hold was to continually produce oracles off his initial stargate. When he said that, I realized that both this ravager+queen timing and that several oracle opening are two things I've seen AlphaStar do multiple times in PvZ and ZvP last year.

    Here's a few examples of AlphaStar playing this matchup with some brief notes:

    AlphaStar vs Serral from Blizzcon, game 3. This game stood out to me because of how similar it is to Chance's ladder game. Alphastar opens with 3 oracles, then transitions to immo+sentry and eventually disruptors to hold Serral attempting the same queen+ravager+ling timing that hits at ~6:30.

    AlphaStar(Z) vs Exited(P) from ladder(?). In this game, AlphaStar gets +1 missile and a lair for roach speed, but still goes for a big queen+roach+ravager+ling timing that hits at ~7:30.

    AlphaStar(P) vs GM zerg. AlphaStar does essentially the same opening, making 4 oracles and transitioning to sentry+Immo then disruptors. In this game, zerg doesn't go for a timing and AlphaStar eventually wins with a strong deathball push.

    AlphaStar(P) vs GM zerg VERY similar to previous game.

    AlphaStar(Z) vs GM protoss. Protoss opens with 3 oracles and AlphaStar makes more drones/hatcheries than the previous ZvP mentioned, but it still eventually hits a huge roach+ravager+queen+ling timing to kill protoss.

    With all this said, I'm aware that 3+ oracle openings and ravager-queen timings are not brand new strategies that only AlphaStar has used. However, It's very interesting that AlphaStar seems to view this as the "standard" way to play the matchup from both sides. The way these strategies interact with each other is also interesting. If zerg attacks too early it will lose to oracle/immortal/sentry, but if they attack too late it will lose to disruptors. I actually think the reason AlphaStar often transitions to disruptors in PvZ is because it is trying to counter its own strategy of mass roach+queen timings.

    IMO, there should be some merit to high level protoss players experimenting with "fourcle" openings and disruptor transitions against roaches and high level zerg players should be more aware of opportunities to pull the queens, morph ravagers, and hit kill timings against protoss. If maps get smaller and these sort of timing attacks become more common from zerg players, we could actually see the meta shift and resemble these AlphaStar games.

    This post is already getting a bit long, so I'll stop the analysis here. Although, here's one final bonus game of AlphaStar losing in ZvP. This game is an older version of AlphaStar than the others, and it doesn't go for a queen-ravager timing and instead tries to transition from roach to mutas, but eventually loses while being stuck on roaches.

    Anyone else have thoughts on how AlphaStar approaches PvZ and ZvP?

    submitted by /u/Xutar
    [link] [comments]

    Pocket siege tank

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 03:35 AM PST

    Thanks Reddit for all the tips! Here is me getting 407 supply in game!

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 12:52 PM PST

    ShoWTimE signs with BIG

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 11:05 AM PST

    Can someone explain what this is - opponent's build order shows "Aiur Light Bridge"?

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 04:48 PM PST

    My mom commissioned a StarCraft themed hand painted Shisha for me. She knows nothing about games so this was a pretty awesome gift!

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 04:50 PM PST

    HerO signs with Black Night E-Sports

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 08:53 AM PST

    Clem with a sick tank positioning

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 09:52 AM PST

    Afreeca Valentine’s Card

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 12:28 PM PST

    ASL Season 9 starts on 02/16 with no offline audience

    Posted: 12 Feb 2020 01:09 AM PST

    WardiTV Team Liquid Map Contest Tournament 6 LIVE NOW

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 08:59 AM PST

    PSA: The WardiTV Team Liquid Map Contest Tournament #6 continues today!

    Posted: 12 Feb 2020 01:41 AM PST

    We got some sick, sick games lats night from the EU group and this afternoon (EET) we get to see the Korea group take up the torch with CURE, DREAM, HURRICANE, INNOVATION, ROGUE, SOO and ZEST going at it in TLMC finalist maps!

    Brackets and info on Liquipedia.

    Cast by WardiTV (link to Stream)

    I will be posting a "LIVE NOW" tournament thread when the stream comes online, which you guys are free to use for related discussion and semi related memery. The stream begins approximately 1 h 20 min from this posting.

    Have a fun day of Starcraft II everybody!

    submitted by /u/TheGoatPuncher
    [link] [comments]

    Flash vs Larva a funny game on the new **weird** ASL map �� #FlashStruggle

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 09:19 AM PST

    PiG ICYFAR submissions

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 11:01 AM PST

    Hi, All! I'd like to start submitting some games for PiG's ICYFAR series, as they bring me back to the good old Funday Monday times and provide a break from ladder anxiety.

    Has anyone here gotten their replays featured, and have any tips for submissions? In particular, I'm wondering if it is ok to submit multiple replays for one challenge, and also if I should say anything describing the game(s) in the email or just leave it blank. I don't want to do anything that will make the mods just ignore or disqualify my stuff. Thanks!

    submitted by /u/KillerFlea
    [link] [comments]

    Direct Strike - 3v3 Commanders Questions

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 06:01 PM PST

    Been playing 3v3 Commanders Direct Strike, and having some issues wanted to ask a question- don't know if there's a forum for direct strike.

    A: How does Abathur counter Ultralisks, my enemy did like 5-6 and it screwed up my groove. (I was doing Queens & Roach)

    B: How do you counter Nova's Decoys? I was playing Han & Horner and doing the Deimos Vikings (Because apparently that's all your team wants you to build) and Decoy's were jacking up stuff.

    submitted by /u/unclearimage
    [link] [comments]

    Olimoleague #181 LIVE NOW

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 04:58 AM PST

    Theory: Build extra barracks to float with your army to use as shield

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 08:21 PM PST

    In TvZ and TvP wouldn't it be a good idea to build extra barracks and float them with your army when you move out? They would serve as unkillable observers and you can land them in front of your army to form a mobile wall. Set up tanks, land rax to form wall or create chokepoints for zerg/toss to rush into and have them soak damage/aggro? As a bonus, you can produce marines right there on the battlefield. When you're maxed, you might as well do this to enhance the size of your army

    submitted by /u/sols2020
    [link] [comments]

    [BUG?] Post-match screen shows an incorrect value for opponents MMR - is my resulting MMR gain incorrect as well?

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 04:25 PM PST

    EDIT: Apparently unranked players can get matched with ranked players. I was not aware of this. Figured it out TY :)

    submitted by /u/EvilLost
    [link] [comments]

    More pro 2v2! HarstemsouL vs ClemElazer

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 12:02 PM PST

    Question: Alternate Creep Spreading

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 09:38 AM PST

    I'm a beginning player. I had an off-beat idea for Zerg.

    For spreading creep... I was thinking about, instead of creep-tumoring, maybe plop down extra Hatcheries a bit outside the current edge of the creep.

    Hatcheries have a pretty good creep-radius by themselves that would extend its range, and it would have the additional advantage of adding a bunch of spare larvae for unit-production. They also have a lot more health than tumors, so it'd be harder for the enemy to reduce your creep area.

    I recognize that it'd be more expensive, but I'm currently focussing on macro, so I have good mineral-production, and there's probably other arguments against it that I don't know.

    Thoughts?

    Thanks. :)

    submitted by /u/JakeHawke
    [link] [comments]

    Getting back into ranked play and unsure whether I should main Random or not

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 07:25 AM PST

    Hey guys! I've played a bit of SC2 on and off (mostly off) for the past year or so, and I'm still really not that good (currently Silver 2). In most games I play, I try to be as flexible a player as I can, partly for variety and partly so I can better understand the perspective of my opponent. Maining Random appeals to me in SC2, but now that I've been playing a bit, I'm realizing that I'm improving at some races faster than others.

    I really enjoy Terran and Protoss, but my game knowledge of Zerg is honestly really bad. I can still scrape out a few wins now and then by just mindlessly expanding and spamming roaches, ravagers, and upgrades and hoping I end up with a strong enough army to end the game before my opponent builds counters. I'm sure that with enough practice, I could improve at Zerg as well, but I'm wondering if I should just ditch Random and main Terran in ranked instead.

    Thoughts?

    submitted by /u/Spamgramuel
    [link] [comments]

    Is there any way to get the StarCraft 1 Remastered pre-order bonus?

    Posted: 11 Feb 2020 02:02 PM PST

    I can't find any info about it.

    submitted by /u/Doneos
    [link] [comments]
    Read more
    at

    No comments:

    Post a Comment