I'm a newb... Can anyone answer a few questions for me?

[AdmiralOvishanj]

I have been playing Starcraft and other RTSs for a long time, but I only recently started playing Starcraft online. I have been kind of lost lately with some online features of Starcraft. When I ask about these online, I usually get called a n00b and am booted out of a game, or if the game has already started, everyone stalemates it. Anyway, can anyone help me out here?

1) There is a feature(or is it a cheat?) I have seen and belive it is called "Stacking", where people will build building on top of each other. I have seen this over 30 times and asked about it about as many times as I have seen it, yet only one person has gone so far to give me a brief overview of how to do it. He said to give my unit a number(via grouping, I understand this part) then something about clicking in the black area with the right civ(I have no clue what this means, is it civilization? like Toss, Zerg, etc?) and then using my unit that I grouped to build the wish-to-be-stacked building in the dark area.

2) One game I played was a 3 person FFA and I was taken out pretty early in the game, but not destroyed. While the other two kept fighting I slowly rebuilt using the limited resources I had and eventually developed a fleet of Carriers and Dark Templar. When I finally attacked, one player resigned and the other(who eventually killed me anyway) was ranting and flaming me for "Map Hacking". Am I right in assuming this is some sort of cheat? What is this exactly? I don't want to learn how to do it but I would like to know what it is, I have only seen Freezers and DDS hacks in other RTSs.

3) Is there any way to use "Flares"(i.e., something on a minimap that indicates something to be noted) I can use instead of visually describing a location so my allies know what I'm talking about?

4) I have hosted a few games and no-one ever joins, except for an odd person. One day someone asked me "Do you know how to make games public?" He told me to click on my name and select make game public, which I did, multiple times,a nd it becomes highlighted instead of my name, but no-one joins still. Am I doing this right?

5) Are there any other imporant things I should know about Starcraft?

[ZeratulStukov]

Don't worry. I'm also a NOOB(unfortunatley), but I know SC a lot.

1) Can't help(sorry)!
2) Can't help(sorry)!
3) No there aren't flares in SC!
4) I always play vs. computer. Can't help(sorry)!
5) Yup. Always kill enemy dark archons!

[SilverCrusader]

I can explain them all:
1. stacking is used in UMS games, you do it by hotkeying your builder, than turn the lights off, press the number that you hotkeyed your builder to, you than can build on top of other buildings becuase it will show up green when you move where the future building will be, than turn the lights back on and enjoy. There are cheats for it, but don't use them, they are only used by hackers and well cheaters.
2. "Map Hacking" is where you download a program and run it while running StarCraft, it modifies your gaming experience and allows you to stack, have unlimited minerals, fastbuild, controlling more than 12 units at once, and much more. These of course are illegal and violates the user agreement.
3. I guess you can call them "flares." press Ctrl + Alt and hold them, than left click on your minimap to make them go, they draw attention to the location on the minimap. The official name is pings.
4. This is becuase your latency is too high and people can't join your games. Some people that live closer to you might be able to join, but that is about it. Not everyone can host games, usually if you don't have cables running from your computer straight into the internet you can't host games. In other words, wireless = not good for SC.
5. Many, I will tell you a few. There are different type of damage and size types, first the size types:
Small (Marine, Zealot)
Medium (Hydralisk, Mutalisk)
Large (Ultralisk, Carrier)

And then their are the damage types:
Plasma/Concussive- 25% damage to large units, 50% damage to medium units, 100% damage to small units. (Firebat's attack [fire is plasma ppl], Ghost's attack.)
Explosive- 25% damage to small units, 50% damage to medium units, 100% damage to large units. (Hydralisk's attack, Siege Tank's attack [both of them].)
Normal- 100% to all units. (Marine's attack, Zergling's attack)
^ that should help you greatly, if you want to see what unit is what go to battle.net, they have a very accurate detailed list.

[AdmiralOvishanj]

Thanks alot. They where always refered to as flares in my other games, but Pings makes sence to. I have never been told I lag when playing games, but I guess I'm to far away(I live in the Rocky Mountains) to host them? Oh well.

One last thing... how do you turn the lights off?

[SilverCrusader]

there are triggers for it, in UMS games there will be a beacon labeled lights off, and one labeled lights on.

[AdmiralOvishanj]

ohhhh ok

[Superiorwolf]

Actually for 'flares', better known as pings, you only need Alt+Click and not Ctrl. Don't hesitate to ask anymore questions, we're always here to help! :)

[DarkLStrike]

Oh yah, and welcome to our community. You can ask a lot of questions here and we will try to aid you as much as possible.

[DragonPaladin]

Aye! Looks like you could use some help! Here we go!


When I ask about these online, I usually get called a n00b and am booted out of a game, or if the game has already started, everyone stalemates it. Anyway, can anyone help me out here?

Hmm, that's much harsher than I would normally think it...well, you're better off not asking the general public, because they're bastards. Try not asking questions or acting noob in the game room, will get you kicked out (its worse in WC3) Go to Op SWBK and ask someone there.

1) There is a feature(or is it a cheat?) I have seen and belive it is called "Stacking", where people will build building on top of each other.

Does not work in real games. Only in certain UMS. Hotkey worked and civ. Use civ to "turn lights off" so you can't see then use hotkeyed unseeable worker to build.

2) One game I played was a 3 person FFA and I was taken out pretty early in the game, but not destroyed. While the other two kept fighting I slowly rebuilt using the limited resources I had and eventually developed a fleet of Carriers and Dark Templar.

It's not cheating, it's just called...weeding. He's probably just jealous and had no idea how you came back.

3) Is there any way to use "Flares"(i.e., something on a minimap that indicates something to be noted) I can use instead of visually describing a location so my allies know what I'm talking about?

Alt + Mouseclick on minimap. Shows up to allies as a yellow exclaimation point.

4) I have hosted a few games and no-one ever joins, except for an odd person. One day someone asked me "Do you know how to make games public?" He told me to click on my name and select make game public, which I did, multiple times,a nd it becomes highlighted instead of my name, but no-one joins still. Am I doing this right?

Try not to host games. Chances are you can't. Sometimes you lag too much, sometimes you're blocked, sometimes b.net fucks you up....you need more experience first, with smaller thing. Public games are not passworded and available to anyone. Private games CAN be passworded (with one you provide). Sometimes no one joins cause the map sucks, or as I like to put it, business is slow.

5) Are there any other imporant things I should know about Starcraft?

Lots and lots. Go ask around, channel OP SWBK, www.starcraft.org or PM me.

Also, DAMAGE TYPES ARE VERY IMPORTANT. IT IS WHY YOU NEVER MASS GHOST OR VULT OR FBAT VS. MECH, AIR, OR ULTRA.

[BrotherGreen]

Hmm

I was gonna post

But most of this has been answered...

So...

Welcome to the community =D

[Superiorwolf]

Oh yeah, welcome!

And channel OP SWBK only on US EAST server -
To join OP SWBK just type

/join op swbk

[DragonPaladin]

Some people you might meet there so you can get a list:

Ixions
nw.Lost
ahzz.WB
lammas.WB
Gladstone
protogod
Unholy-assassin
TitanWing
TheDutchJelle
Superiorwolf
sharp-edge
Salv
Yaqoob

and etc.

maybe Dragonpaladin (not likely).

[Tael_Zenith]

Medium (Hydralisk, Mutalisk)
Large (Ultralisk, Carrier)

And then their are the damage types:
Plasma/Concussive- 25% damage to large units, 50% damage to medium units, 100% damage to small units. (Firebat's attack [fire is plasma ppl], Ghost's attack.)
Explosive- 25% damage to small units, 50% damage to medium units, 100% damage to large units. (Hydralisk's attack, Siege Tank's attack [both of them].)
Normal- 100% to all units. (Marine's attack, Zergling's attack)
^ that should help you greatly, if you want to see what unit is what go to battle.net, they have a very accurate detailed list.

This stuff is Vital! It allows you to use knowledge of the mechanices to figure out proper counters.

Oh An the Mutalisks armor is actually small, which is why Gols and Missle turrets just do so Bad against them >.<


Like everyone else asi,d Keep asking questions as they come and we'll all help as mucha s we can.

[SilverCrusader]

I forget which unit's sizes are what alot... damnit... But if you play Zerg, use Ultras vs. firebats... total ownage... if you can get the armor up to 6 than ur good to go.

[Basan]

I forget which unit's sizes are what alot... damnit...

A side order of sizes (http://www.battle.net/scc/GS/damage.shtml) comin' up... ;)

[SilverCrusader]

there you go, nice and pretty for you. Just print those out and tape the to the side of your moniter or something (you can do this with hotkeys too)

[Basan]

... Just print those out and tape the to the side of your moniter or something (you can do this with hotkeys too)

You mean... like this (http://www.battle.net/scc/GS/com.shtml) (although every race also has their own set of personal hotkeys)? :smirk:

Just trying to show that most of the strategic basics are already (somewhat, if not) well covered on the game's online FAQ (http://www.battle.net/scc/GS/) pages. ;)

[SilverCrusader]

not those, like building hotkeys.

[Basan]

not those, like building hotkeys.

Oooooooh, that will be much more difficult. :P
- Terran (http://www.battle.net/scc/terran/hk.shtml)
- Protoss (http://www.battle.net/scc/protoss/hk.shtml)
- Zerg (http://www.battle.net/scc/zerg/hk.shtml)

And please just clear this doubt of mine... you've never actually bothered to look at it, right? :)

[SilverCrusader]

I read them...

[Basan]

I read them...

So, pardon the pertaining question... why ask/act as if you didn't knew it then? :_poke:

[SilverCrusader]

didn't knew it? wow bad english.
just becuase I read them doesn't mean I remembered it.

[Ktan]

Ok, can we all stop bickering about what people have and have not read now and move back onto topic?

[Infested_Zeratul]

can we all stop bickering about what people have and have not read now and move back onto topic?
NEVA!!! XD
cause the questions been answered already :P, unless he needs direct links to hacks or w/v everything else was already covered.

[Ktan]

Fair enough.

*Smites*