Arranging Teams in Single Player

[Yoda]

Hi everyone,

I have just recently started playing Starcraft, and I am (naturally) not very good at it. I verse the computer, and in about 5-10 minutes they've attacked and destroyed me. It would be a lot easier if I could arrange teams so that it's 2v1 or something. But there is no "team option.". If I select "melee" in the "custom games" area, does that automatically divide the game into even teams?

[MatGeo]

No. What u need to do is go on bnet. And start a game Top vs Bottom 2v2 that will mean 2 players on top and 2 on bottom. you can add a compie to your team and only 1 compie on the other team.

Oh and bdw i really sugest that after u learn what does what and u choose a race, you should start playing on bnet. Drop by channel op.swbk. Most of us stay there. :D

[blupp74]

Another option would be to start a single player game in "free for all" mode.
Sure you won't get an ally, but atleast they won't gang up on you.

Other than that, I really suggest you do what matgeo said.
Oh, and download replays (there are plenty of them in this forum) and watch them. Copy the build orders, and you'll be beating the cpu in no time.

Good luck!

[Yoda]

Thanks :)

Is there any way to do this in Single Player, though? It seems strange that Blizzard would leave out a "team" option in Single Player.

All the computers seem to mass the 4 earliest military units (Zerglings/Marines/Zealots). Do any (good) human players do that? Are there common "cookie-cut" strats in SC like there is in WC? I've heard that SC is much more balanced, so I'd guess not. ;)

[blupp74]

Thanks :)

Is there any way to do this in Single Player, though? It seems strange that Blizzard would leave out a "team" option in Single Player.

All the computers seem to mass the 4 earliest military units (Zerglings/Marines/Zealots). Do any (good) human players do that? Are there common "cookie-cut" strats in SC like there is in WC? I've heard that SC is much more balanced, so I'd guess not. ;)

Both good players and bad players do it.
The difference being that good players know the risk of it, so they don't do it that often (perhaps only when they're bored, or if they see an opening for it).
Bad players seem to have it as rule #1 to rush asap, because they want their wins to increase.

I have no idea what you mean by "cookie-cut", but in SC any kind of rush can be countered if it's spotted in time. By any race. And if the rush is defeated, the rusher is usually considerably set back in the game.

But if you play Blizzard's CPU 1v1 then there shouldn't be too much of a problem to defeat it.

General rules:
#1: Build workers constantly (exception is Zerg, where you'll need the larvae for units after a while).
#2: Build everything with timing. Not too late, not too soon. And build with brains. For instance, if you don't plan on upgrading or building spore colonies, there is no reason to build a...whatever it's called...gah...I forget... Anyway, don't build anything just for the sake of building it (I get the impression most beginners build things just because it can be built).
#3: Always pump units. When you have leftover resources, and units are building everywhere possible, build a new unit-producing building.
#4: NEVER reach population limit. Always build supply depots/pylons/overlords BEFORE you need them. (An exception could be right before you go into battle, if you expect to take losses).
#5: Expand. Before you run out of resources in your main/other expansions.

I'm sure there are more general rules, and there sure as hell are PLENTY more specific rules.
A book covering all possible angles and tactics of all three races would be...well...kinda interesting to read, actually...hmm...but anyway, it would be huge.

[U-238]

To get a 2v1 going witout heading to B.net go into the multiplayer and head into any of the other connection possibilities except Battle.net or Modem. Then create a new user profile and you'll come to a menu with a button that asks you to create a game. Make the game on the map of your choice and set it to "Top vs Bottom". Then in the game waiting screen put on computer in the "away" slot and one with you in the "home" slot. Then hit "ok" and go play!

Note: Since this is multiplayer that are no cheats. Of course I wouldn't expect you to use them anyways. ;)

[MatGeo]

Another option would be to start a single player game in "free for all" mode.
Sure you won't get an ally, but atleast they won't gang up on you.

Other than that, I really suggest you do what matgeo said.
Oh, and download replays (there are plenty of them in this forum) and watch them. Copy the build orders, and you'll be beating the cpu in no time.

Good luck!

Well about the replays i'd suggest getting pro replays. Some of the reps on this forum are good(especially those played by lammy and ahzz). But for really good reps and BOs go to . www.gosugamers.net (http://www.gosugamers.net)

They have loads of reps.
Oh and compies suck i know what they go for: Terran go for M&M first then tanks then they keep making random stuff.
P make zeals first then come with goons then make random stuff.
Zergs ocasionally Fast Expo(and they usually get fucked when they do it). They go Lings and a couple of hydras first, then hydras and other random stuff.

Like i said plying ppl helps a lot more. :D

Oh and important rule: Make as less defence as u can, beat them by massing an army and killing them.

Usually if u can strike back after their second attack they're screwed.

Or ou could prevent them from expoing and make them run outta resources then it's gg. :D

[IrishDutchman]

All the computers seem to mass the 4 earliest military units (Zerglings/Marines/Zealots). Do any (good) human players do that? Are there common "cookie-cut" strats in SC like there is in WC? I've heard that SC is much more balanced, so I'd guess not. ;)

About the massing, only zergling and zealot massing occurs, but not very often. Early game zergling massing is usually done after a rush that (almost) cripples his enemy. Late game ling massing usually is done in combination with ultralisks and defilers, but that's a whole other thing.
Zealot massing is rarer than zergling massing, but there's a good chance of it happening in a 2v2 against two protoss players.

I'm not sure what cookie-cut strategies are, but I have a feeling it's the WC term for a cheese tactic. Some examples of cheese/cookie-cut strats are a cannon rush with P, (forge ASAP, maybe 1 or 2 lots. sneak drone into enemy base, and surround enemy with cannons) or mass carriers/BC's.
Neither of these is effective against a player that knows what he's doing though.
BTW, what race do you prefer most?

[ShadeZ]

Mass zerglings can be viable option, mass zealots works against zerg in the beginning but otherwise it's a rare strategy, marine medic and firebat is the same way.

[PrestonBurke]

Or you can make your own map to play on. Then use the "UMS or Use map settings" to play your own map that has allys.

You can simply make a 2v2 map, with 2 teams on the top and 2 on the bottom. Seperate the map with cliffs or water, and place 1 vespene geyeser and 7 minearl patches per starting location. Then make at least 4 expansions with the same amount of rescources.

Set your forces so that you have 3 forces:
Force 1 (You)
Force 2 (Computer Ally)
Force 3 (Both enemies)

Your condition triggers to make your ally a "ally" is "Elasped time at least 0 game seconds) or you can use the "always" trigger. Then set "Force 2 to ally status." But make sure you do the same for the computer or else it will atttack you, but you wont be able to retiliate. Do the same for your enemies, then place a CC and 4 workers for each force at the start location.

Yes, that seemed rush, but i dont have the time to explain how it works. I can make a 2v2 map for you if you want.

[Yoda]

For some reason Starcraft doesn't recognise the LAN, although I certainly have it. :shiftyr:

I'll probably just use the Battle.net feature - it's good that I can play a game with myself. Given that I don't have very much time to play computer games at the moment, it will be a long time before I verse other people. I want to be able to beat the computer comfortably first - and maybe 'try' to do more of the campaign missions.

"Cookie-cut" strats means strategies which people do every game regardless of whatever race their against or what their opponents build. Often this means abusing a race-specific imbalance. For example, almost all night elves mass bears + dyrads in WC3. Innovation in WC3 usually loses to "cookie-cutters."

Note: Since this is multiplayer that are no cheats. Of course I wouldn't expect you to use them anyways. ;)

The only time I use cheats is when I'm testing maps, or when I'm redoing campaign missions and wish to skip the boring ones. However in single player I might reveal the entire map (but not removing the fog of war), just to see what it looks like. It's tedious when games have a black screen on unexplored territory, and I can't switch it off. :shiftyr:

[Sambo83]

If all you want to do is have some fun beating up on a comp then make defensive structures.. put bunkers/cannons/colonies in a choke point and let the comp beat it's force against it while you make a force of 12 carriers or w/e and overrun it.

[Yoda]

In regards to replays, it's unlikely that I'll be able to watch very many because I do not have the Expansion :shiftyr:

[blupp74]

In regards to replays, it's unlikely that I'll be able to watch very many because I do not have the Expansion :shiftyr:

In the words of Yoda himself: "The expansion buy you can. Cheap, is it."

[Yoda]

I probably will, but not until the school holidays.

[Basan]

And Yoda', I trust that you still can see replays even solely with SC if your patch version is at least 1.08.

[MatGeo]

So u won't be coming on bent until u get expansion??? :/

Anyways if u decide to go to bnet and play ppl, i'll give u a tip in vanilla SC(not the expansion) Zerg are rigged. They pwn, but in BW all races are equal, "skill is the only factor".

[Yoda]

So u won't be coming on bent until u get expansion??? :/

Anyways if u decide to go to bnet and play ppl, i'll give u a tip in vanilla SC(not the expansion) Zerg are rigged. They pwn, but in BW all races are equal, .

No - I have been on battle.net, but not often against people. I'm more interested in being able to beat the computer AI first. :smirk: I'll get the expansion early in the school holidays, provided I don't lose interest first. Mainly because I won't have time before that to play it often due to exams (starting in less than a week :o ). And there's no point in exploring the BW add-ons if I haven't seen all of the original stuff. :)

Zerg doesn't seem rigged... but you would know more than me.

[blupp74]

Zerg doesn't seem rigged... but you would know more than me.

I think "rigged" is the wrong word. But I guess blizzard didn't see how things would develop... I guess Terran has the biggest disadvantage vs Zerg in SC, having no medics (and for those who rely on them, Valkyries), making stim a less attractive option.

On the other hand, Protoss has no Dark Archon, and thus no maelstrom.
(Though P seems to rely a whole lot more on HTs' and storm).

Zerg loses an advantage in the Devourer, but then again, Zerg usually don't get into huge air battles, so...

[MatGeo]

I think "rigged" is the wrong word. But I guess blizzard didn't see how things would develop... I guess Terran has the biggest disadvantage vs Zerg in SC, having no medics (and for those who rely on them, Valkyries), making stim a less attractive option.

On the other hand, Protoss has no Dark Archon, and thus no maelstrom.
(Though P seems to rely a whole lot more on HTs' and storm).

Zerg loses an advantage in the Devourer, but then again, Zerg usually don't get into huge air battles, so...

Ya in vanilla Sc it's hard to stop Z. Muta rush... expo like hell, mass guards, gg.

This is only my opinion but i think lurks are a lot more important then devourers. :shiftyr:

[blupp74]

Ya in vanilla Sc it's hard to stop Z. Muta rush... expo like hell, mass guards, gg.

This is only my opinion but i think lurks are a lot more important then devourers. :shiftyr:

True, true.