3

I am a low level player who really wants to improve on the ladder. One of my biggest problems, and I guess for many low ladder players, is keeping track of the in-game time especially with respect to knowing when to get ready for potential attacks or windows for my own attacks.

For example: Players often say to expect Muta harass around 9 minutes.

Of course scouting information is a great way to get a fix on what to do when. If scouting is shut down though or, especially, in cases where I get harassed/make an early mistake and I feel under pressure I can lose any 'game-sense' in the match.

What do you recommend to try and keep track of time?

Improve this question
5
  • Can someone make a 'timing' tag or 'time-management' tag?
    – gbsod
    Commented Apr 29, 2011 at 1:00
  • Get an eggtimer or stopwatch and put it next to your monitor?
    – Raven Dreamer
    Commented Apr 29, 2011 at 1:04
  • I am concerned with the in-game time being different from 'real' time.
    – gbsod
    Commented Apr 29, 2011 at 1:31
  • @Raven Dreamer, I wonder if you use this egg timer method. I have seen mention of egg-timers and the like on some forums. Is there any reason to use this over the in-game timer?
    – gbsod
    Commented May 1, 2011 at 23:39
  • none at all. I wasn't aware there was an in-game timer before sth's answer.
    – Raven Dreamer
    Commented May 2, 2011 at 0:52

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
11

In the options under "Gameplay" you can check "Show Game Timer" to get an in-game timer. It will be shown on the left side, above the mini map.

Improve this answer
3
  • Well, that is sadly very simple. I really should check the options more thoroughly, thanks.
    – gbsod
    Commented Apr 29, 2011 at 1:32
  • We're all guilty of that every once and awhile :P
    – Wipqozn ♦
    Commented Apr 29, 2011 at 11:14
  • This could use a nice screenshot to prove it ;-)
    – Ivo Flipse
    Commented Apr 29, 2011 at 13:46
2

I would recommend not only check timing... Timing is important, but also is important to develop a "game feeling"!

For example, if you play vs Zerg and 'usually' are expecting mutas around 9 minutes... you probably will build 1-2 cannons/turrets/spore crawlers (that is ok not only for low level players) in each of your mineral line (you should have main + natural till that time).

BUT, if in the early game you did good damage to your opponent he won't be able to get those mutas as usually. They will be 3-4 minutes later. So instead of investing 4-6 hundred minerals in those static defense right now ... you would better expand or build 1-2 ore production buildings. But don't forget about that defense 2 minutes later.

Another example: your opponent builds a bunch of infestors. For this case, I would say: don't care about mutas at all! If you see at least 1-2 infestors (or infestor pit), that usually means he will have 3-5 infestors more. In turn, that means either no mutas at all, or just a very small amount of them (at least in the nearest time) and you can deal easily with them with no static defense.

The best way to know timing is to have game feeling. To do that - you need to see an opponent army constantly. To do that in turn - harass constantly: don't waste your army for nothing, but keep opponent under pressure. So his mutas will go not to mineral line, but to your death ball...

Improve this answer
1
  • Thanks Budda, This is really useful extra info. And is a problem I kn ow I have to work on. I doubt I am the only one that keeps my army too static.
    – gbsod
    Commented May 1, 2011 at 23:36

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .