Game Timer

[JoshisaNoob]

Would using a timer in games be considered cheating? The use of it would somewhat obviously be for recognizing what you have in comparison of what your opponent potentially has, and also timing your builds.

Just wondering what you all think. (No, I've never used one btw)

[SilverCrusader]

if it isn't hax, or any modification to starcraft, no.

[Ahzz]

timers are useless.
"Ok, I've got to have 2 gateways and 3 zealots at 2:15, ok, that pwns!" PFFFTTTTT I mean its total shit, you play depending on how the game goes and moves on, not because timer is 12 minutes or something. The only way it could be useful is if you want to train to get a huge army as fast as possible, and make a goal to do 12 minutes 200/200 vs a human opponent. Otherwise, no.
I consider myself to be very experienced, and I've never seen any progamer, nor gosu, nor good player, or myself get any good use out of a damn timer. I never think that the time is xxx so i gotta do xx i just do what is useful at that point

[JoshisaNoob]

Being that I'm still a total newbie (meaning I'm not very experienced) I haven't developed a knowledge of how quickly the game passes. There have been games where I've watched a replay and been well ahead of my opponent (production-wise) early on in the game and had the opportunity to make some sort of move to gain advantage, but I hadn't realized exactly how early in the game it was. Then I wait longer and get out-macro'd and lose. lol

[Basan]

JohnIsANoob, if you want to see how your opponents go in the games save the match replays and get BWChart (http://www.bwchart.com/) to watch'em later on. It's the best you can do, although I don't think it would be that useful in your case ("total newbness", as you said it). :concern:

[JoshisaNoob]

Who's John? I obviously have BWChart and use the launcher w/pp.

[GosuGamers]

you don't need a timer because if you do your build order efficiently then you already know what time it is. what time is it? it's right after my 2nd gate, that's what time it is. if you want to see how effectively you're doing a build, look at the time you built something in bwchart, to see if it was slightly slower than it should be. that's bout it.

[MrBobby]

a timer wouldnt be illegal, coz it would be about as bad a hack as having a stopclock next to your pc..........
and for those who say a timer wouldnt be useful, like he said originally, it would be for knowing what your opponent would be likely to have.
and the guy who said time it by your build order.... yes. (if you're good enough)

[Basan]

Who's John? ...

Made a blooper, sorry. Wasn't it understandable anyway? ;)

And my simple solution if you really want that much of a timer you can always put a stop watch right next to the PC/Mac' and start it just as the game does. But hey, perhaps that is too simple... :angel:

[lammas]

hmm I could imagine that it could help some people with timing detection for example in tvp if they would know if 6 minutes will pass soon... tho on the other hand someone who cant do detection timings without timer would surely be totally bashed by a toss who can make dt rush properly in 6 minutes anywas.

Being that I'm still a total newbie (meaning I'm not very experienced) I haven't developed a knowledge of how quickly the game passes. There have been games where I've watched a replay and been well ahead of my opponent (production-wise) early on in the game and had the opportunity to make some sort of move to gain advantage, but I hadn't realized exactly how early in the game it was. Then I wait longer and get out-macro'd and lose.

Iam afraid that timer wouldnt solve that. One of the main reason that makes sc by far best strategygame ever made (maybe 100 million times better than chess or poker) is that every game is so totally diffrent (well actually so they are on chess and poker too... but sc is still better than them gg no re) and when in one game you lose if you dont attack in 10minutes on other you lose if you do. Instead of learning some advices like: "attack at 11minutes" you should learn to understand the thought process of attack strategy. For example in tvp you must attack in 10minutes (assuming you did fast expand) if
1. your opponent made second expansion
2. your opponent tried harass that failed
3. your opponent is doing fast carry
4. your opponent does have his army in his main so that by placing mines you can know if he moves out

But on the other hand you cant attack if
1. you didnt do perfect macro and you know it
2. map doesnt allow good pushing (luna)
3. opponent is sick macro monster that made second expansion after 6goons and has been massing goons since that.
and for some other reason I would most likely follow in game but I cannot get to my mind.

[Ahzz]

There have been games where I've watched a replay and been well ahead of my opponent (production-wise) early on in the game and had the opportunity to make some sort of move to gain advantage, but I hadn't realized exactly how early in the game it was. Then I wait longer and get out-macro'd and lose. lol
That, you can solve with better scouting. And a bit of experience. Timer doesn't tell anything, if you watched a timer how much he could have you'd lose every game, because he'd always have just about two times more units than you do.

[Superiorwolf]

Ye, don't be afraid to sacrifice units to scout. In many cases I sacrifice overlords if I really need to know what's going on in there - or scourges. Terran has scan, so scouting shouldn't be too big of a problem. If you didn't go scanner mines will be good and to look for tech you will just have to find some alternate ways. Protoss always has the good ole observer so that's all you need once in late game pretty much.