Diary of a Noob

[partymarty81]

I actually watched that game on Goodland's againt zjag because I saw it was a 9 minute game and was curious why. You opened with first air, then made an interceptor, engi, then another interceptor... I assume you learned something from that game about energy haha its good too see you being brave enough to try new things though.

Just remember you don't have to do any one thing in a game way better than your opponent, you gotta balance it out and try to do 3 or 4 things just a little bit better than them (eco, unit micro, scouting etc) if you pull ahead in a few different aspects you'll force them to react and this will throw them off their game. Get better at picking engagements this is really important early on.

Remember no matter how far behind you are all you have to do is kill the Commander, if you try to keep an eye on the enemy Com as the game progresses this becomes much easier.

Maybe this week try to use more hotkeys, pick good rally points, and scout (and actually look at what you scout, and react to it). Try to spend more time pushing forward and controlling units, not zoomed in staring at you base. Also, I believe a lot of games are decided by the 3-5 minute mark, if one player gets an advantage that early on it can be really hard for the other to come back from it. Try perfect your starts you'll be much better off.

I remember you started this thread about the same time I started playing, I've read every post, it's been fun watching your progress

LOL i was sure that it was zjag that royally screwed me going first jester a couple times previous so thought i would pre-empt it..... never again

i also know sometimes i feel that i constantly have to be dishing out orders... need to stop for a sec... look and think (scouting etc)... then carry on

[zachyattacky]

LOL i was sure that it was zjag that royally screwed me going first jester a couple times previous so thought i would pre-empt it..... never again

i also know sometimes i feel that i constantly have to be dishing out orders... need to stop for a sec... look and think (scouting etc)... then carry on

Yeah, it's crazy how this game can "stress" you out, but you just can't stop coming back to it. Sometimes on the weekend when I play for a few games I'll just have to stop, and go play some mini golf on steam (Golf with Friends) to unwind. We just gotta learn from each loss, if we take something away from each loss and don't repeat the mistake that cost us the game we will eventually be up there with the big boys.

[partymarty81]

LOL i was sure that it was zjag that royally screwed me going first jester a couple times previous so thought i would pre-empt it..... never again

i also know sometimes i feel that i constantly have to be dishing out orders... need to stop for a sec... look and think (scouting etc)... then carry on

Yeah, it's crazy how this game can "stress" you out, but you just can't stop coming back to it. Sometimes on the weekend when I play for a few games I'll just have to stop, and go play some mini golf on steam (Golf with Friends) to unwind. We just gotta learn from each loss, if we take something away from each loss and don't repeat the mistake that cost us the game we will eventually be up there with the big boys.

I know what you mean totally - I bought cities skylines a while ago so have been having that on in between battles to save my brain from frying

you are doing really well, I watched a couple of your replays - keep striving for perfection eh!

[partymarty81]

A BIT DIFFERENT

OK so I'm feeling like I want to change this up a bit, I'm planning to waffle less on the pointless stuff and (hopefully) get some more specific feedback on what I'm doing and where I can improve. Each week now I'm going to log my rating change, W/L record for 1v1's (ladder and custom) and focus ongoing. Also I am going to pick a few games to post on here with my thoughts after re-watching the replays - If I'm off the mark hopefully can steer me on the right path!

Rating - 478 to 516, 24/02 - 01/03
8 wins - 3 losses

Replay ID - 5852335 - vs prodomos 668 rated on open zeta

Positives - I won!, eco was fairly balanced through to 15 mins (ish) and over come turtle firebase in centre
Negatives - No air/scouting until minute 9, ACU idle for long periods, failed snipe attempts due to no scouting and also running army down into T2 PD again no scout before attack

Replay ID - 5874213 - vs coca 491 rated on crashing waves

Positives - Eco (my main focus) went well, new issue with how to spend it when i have got it, gained air control
Negatives - Scouted and did not deal with the 6 naval factories, did not abuse the air advantage i gained and as such the navy over ran me, had no plan to spend the massive eco i had generated

Replay ID - 5874382 - vs Crazy_CreePa 741 rated on Craftious Maximus

Positives - Good on eco early on again, got good spam, map expansion/control and scouting was better to discover isolated ACU so upgraded gun and took the kill
Negatives - Navy got neglected, lost the facs and mexs i took

Focus for coming week:

- Need a solution to get spending that eco I am now generating going into t2/t3
- Navy tends to be good if I go all out, need to learn to counter/hold back if I am going for air advantage

Looking for some feedback on the above replays please, PARTY OUT

[LeMaddin]

Each week now I'm going to log my rating change, W/L record for 1v1's (ladder and custom) and focus ongoing.

You can also see your rating change here:
https://www.faforever.com/competitive/leaderboards/global
https://www.faforever.com/competitive/leaderboards/1v1

The filter sometimes doesn't work properly (no visible result) but you can easily search yourself after trying the filter.

[partymarty81]

So an up and down couple of weeks, I've had a run of games where I have made some pretty poor in game decisions which has cost me wins.

I'm also doing some stupid things, for example settings too many expanding engi's off building mexes etc while doing a standard hydro rush BO, also setting a power spam engi going before the initial BO is complete, causing me massive stalls

Some other areas of concern, T1 power spam, going into T2 fine, I'm not good at judging T2 and T3 power respectively, im usually over doing power on T1 and under doing it on T2 and T3

Mass eco upgrading etc going better, I still feel a bit lost on how many facs to upgrade and how many to assist. Played a 1v1 yesterday, opponent (Professor_Von_M) took out my naval HQ which stopped all naval production from my other 2 factories..... This was a painful lesson in protecting the HQ at all costs to keep the production up. He was at T3 air with gunships so would have probably won but my navy was close to pushing on base had the production levels kept up...... anyway I will put that down to experience again and keep plugging away

Question - what's your routine for what you build with your initial T2/T3 engis? I know the obvious answer is whatever is needed at that particular given time, i have a template set up for one which does T2 power, T2 shield, T2 AA, T2 PD, T2 power, T2 AA close together to keep it protected, i'm doing this to save on APM so i can focus on other things.... is this a bad habit to be in? I have a similar thing for T3

will keep going, playing in the WWPC to play better players and gain more experience, I need to focus on avoiding the silly mistakes and make better decisions on where to focus on each map

PARTY OUT

[zachyattacky]

Question - what's your routine for what you build with your initial T2/T3 engis? I know the obvious answer is whatever is needed at that particular given time, i have a template set up for one which does T2 power, T2 shield, T2 AA, T2 PD, T2 power, T2 AA close together to keep it protected, i'm doing this to save on APM so i can focus on other things.... is this a bad habit to be in? I have a similar thing for T3


PARTY OUT

I would highly recommend NOT doing this. I typically only make 1-2 T2 engi's right away, they build T2 power and TMD. You should only build static defense if you need it, put your eco into units. Shields are okay especially in certain situations, like not having air control. I'm certainly no pro, so this is just my humble 1100 something ladder rating opinion.

[Plasma_Wolf]

Question - what's your routine for what you build with your initial T2/T3 engis? I know the obvious answer is whatever is needed at that particular given time, i have a template set up for one which does T2 power, T2 shield, T2 AA, T2 PD, T2 power, T2 AA close together to keep it protected, i'm doing this to save on APM so i can focus on other things.... is this a bad habit to be in? I have a similar thing for T3

T2 engineers are more sturdy than the T1 versions, so you don't have to fear for them dying so much. Especially because at this stage of the game, the places where you need the T2 engineers (in your base) are not going to be attacked so much. Well, if your T2 engineers are being killed in your base, having a high enough number of T2 engineers is not going to be the biggest issue.

So you don't have to build extra T2 engineers for survivability. So you'll need one for each spot where you're building stuff. One for the Pgens, one for the TMDs. If your opponent is going to have air control, get an extra one for static flak (though getting mobile flak may be a better option). Then 2 engineers are probably enough. Assist with a nice group of T1 engineers (which need less mass for the build power), you'll be able to build those TMD and Pgens quickly enough.

There are some exceptions of course. Think of maps like Goodlands and The Bermuda Locket. If those go to the T2 stage (BL usually does), then you may want TMD in more locations (on BL, you can reach one corner of the island from another corner with TML, though scouting will tell you if you actually need the TMD).

On Goodlands, one enemy TML can probably reach 16 of your mexes in those 4 different spots. 1 T2 engineer building TMD is not going to be enough (bombing the TML is probably a better idea but you may not have this option, the TML can be an ACU back upgrade). On goodlands, I've never had a decent game that included a working T2 PD strategy, but the same thing of engineers goes here. You've got three trenches, so 3 spots to defend. I can't think of other examples that are more relevant (1v1 person almost never building T2 PDs here). For UEF, you've got the sparky, which is an even sturdier version with Jamming. A useful thing to just include in your army because of the jammer. So it's a bit different for this.

Short story: get as many T2 engineers as you have different locations you need to build T2 stuff.

[partymarty81]

Question - what's your routine for what you build with your initial T2/T3 engis? I know the obvious answer is whatever is needed at that particular given time, i have a template set up for one which does T2 power, T2 shield, T2 AA, T2 PD, T2 power, T2 AA close together to keep it protected, i'm doing this to save on APM so i can focus on other things.... is this a bad habit to be in? I have a similar thing for T3

T2 engineers are more sturdy than the T1 versions, so you don't have to fear for them dying so much. Especially because at this stage of the game, the places where you need the T2 engineers (in your base) are not going to be attacked so much. Well, if your T2 engineers are being killed in your base, having a high enough number of T2 engineers is not going to be the biggest issue.

So you don't have to build extra T2 engineers for survivability. So you'll need one for each spot where you're building stuff. One for the Pgens, one for the TMDs. If your opponent is going to have air control, get an extra one for static flak (though getting mobile flak may be a better option). Then 2 engineers are probably enough. Assist with a nice group of T1 engineers (which need less mass for the build power), you'll be able to build those TMD and Pgens quickly enough.

There are some exceptions of course. Think of maps like Goodlands and The Bermuda Locket. If those go to the T2 stage (BL usually does), then you may want TMD in more locations (on BL, you can reach one corner of the island from another corner with TML, though scouting will tell you if you actually need the TMD).

On Goodlands, one enemy TML can probably reach 16 of your mexes in those 4 different spots. 1 T2 engineer building TMD is not going to be enough (bombing the TML is probably a better idea but you may not have this option, the TML can be an ACU back upgrade). On goodlands, I've never had a decent game that included a working T2 PD strategy, but the same thing of engineers goes here. You've got three trenches, so 3 spots to defend. I can't think of other examples that are more relevant (1v1 person almost never building T2 PDs here). For UEF, you've got the sparky, which is an even sturdier version with Jamming. A useful thing to just include in your army because of the jammer. So it's a bit different for this.

Short story: get as many T2 engineers as you have different locations you need to build T2 stuff.

Thanks Plasma, thats useful to know. Like I said my default template was purely to save APM so i can focus it elsewhere, although I get that I might be buying stuff I don't need and wasting mass

my current problem is not looking after my base building and eco enough..... I guess its a new player thing to focus too much on the micro

[Voodoo]

I guess its a new player thing to focus too much on the micro

I have the same problem from time to time. My solution is to add as many orders as possible to the build queue of each engineer.
So I have more time for the micro part. Templates for energie and other building are also helpful.

I think we should play a game again. I am interested in how much you have improved.