Learning From the Replay

A while back, I made the decision that I was going to get “good” at Starcraft. I failed. But I did manage to get better. In order to do so, I made a number of changes to my gameplay. I paid attention to my supply so I wouldn’t get blocked. I kept my eyes on my minimap whenever possible so I didn’t lose to something I could have seen coming. But the most effective technique to make me better, faster wasn’t something I did during the game.

After the match had ended, but before the adrenaline had stopped pumping, I loaded up my replay and took a look. Win or lose.

When pro players look at replays, they tend to look at what they’re opponent did. Since they already know what they did or didn’t do, focusing on themselves is redundant. But for us lesser players, it’s amazing what we miss when we play the game. In order to improve, focus your replay analysis on yourself and the things you didn’t notice while the match was actually happening.

For starters, look at these parts of your gameplay.

Macro
This is a huge umbrella of gameplay aspects that I’m lumping together, but I’ll keep it simple: Keep your minerals and gas below 500 until you’re at 200 supply. This is a monumental task all on its own. Sometimes, it’s even impossible, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.

When you watch the replay, pause the game every time your minerals get high. What’s going on? If you’re anything like me, it won’t take a pro-level analysis to quickly discover what has gone wrong. Supply block is a common culprit, as is the occasional group of Barracks that haven’t made anything for three minutes because I forgot to hotkey them.

Supply block at minute four. That's how bad I am, people.

 

Perform this analysis enough, and you’ll undoubtedly start to notice patterns. One of the first things I noticed about my own play is I would forget to build a Spire when I’m Zerg. I build the Lair at about the right time, then I sit there with Zerglings and Roaches for another two minutes before I think, “Hmm, some air units might be nice about now”. Meanwhile, I’ve stockpiled 700 gas.

Hopefully, your own analysis won’t turn up anything as silly as that, but you’d be surprised.

Have you ever watched Tech Lab for three minutes, waiting for Siege Tech to start? I have.

If you’re truly at a loss as to what went wrong, then check the production tab (the “D” button for the uninitiated). Your production tab keeps track of everything you and your opponent are currently building. That tab should be fat, forced beyond its normal bounds with all the stuff you’re making simultaneously. Upgrades. Town Halls. Tech structures. Units, even.

If you’re floating 500+ minerals/gas, the issue is usually easy to spot right there. Nine times out of ten, you’re not building enough stuff. Next game, make that tab bigger.

Vision
Seeing what your opponent does gives you a huge advantage. Sometimes you’re operating under the impression that you know what’s going on, only to lose because there’s a base hidden away in some corner of the map you didn’t scout. When you watch the replay, take a look at what you saw in game and compare it to what you are seeing while you watch.

Hidden expansions are just one of the things you’re looking for. Are you also aware of what kind of tech you’re up against? Do you know where your opponent’s army is? Do you know what units are in that army? Every player makes certain assumptions when they play. Make sure your assumptions are right.

And the most important question: Where the hell did that drop come from?

Sure, you can see everything easily enough now that the replay is on, but once again, your play is more important than your opponent’s. If you were surprised by Mutalisks, it’s important you see why. Maybe the Spire was planted at his second expansion, which you never bothered to scout. The other day I was caught off guard when my Terran opponent didn’t have as many Marines as I was expecting. I thought the others were hiding, but the replay revealed he took two expansions when I had assumed he only took one.

Replays make painfully obvious these deficiencies in our vision. Learn from them and discover what, when, and where to scout. Everything is clearer in retrospect.

Timing
Starcraft II is a game of strict time limitations. No matter how good a player is, he can’t make a Marine in less than 25 in-game seconds, and every worker unit collects resources at the same rate.

When I began playing Starcraft, the furious pace of the game took me by surprise. Everything felt like it was moving impossibly fast and I couldn’t keep up with it. A few weeks of effort and the game was slowing down to more comprehensible levels, but I still maintained the illusion that my opponent was moving faster than the game allowed. I was scared of Banshees at the five minute mark, and prepared for Infestors even earlier.

When you’re up against a shadowy opponent on the ladder and you can’t see what’s going on, it’s easy to fall for this illusion. You worry about units that aren’t on the field yet, and think they’re coming at you in numbers that your opponent’s economy wouldn’t allow.

Zergs with three quick bases have crazy income, but can't have an early army.

Replays, especially if you play then at in-game speed, reveal the true limits of every strategy. The first time I went up against a fast-expanding Terran, I was terrified of the sheer number of Marines that would inevitably come storming across the battlefield.

Looking at the replay, I saw how painfully long it took for the Marine numbers to reach dangerous levels. After all, 400 minerals that normally went toward Marines were invested in a structure that takes 100 seconds to build. In the meantime, I could do whatever I wanted without fear of repercussion. The replay helped me plan out my strategy for my next battle against a fast-expanding Terran by giving me a realistic sense of how much time “free time” I had after I saw that extra Command Center.

Even Four Gates look slow when you watch a replay.

Keep in mind that whenever you go out of your way to prepare for something, you are spending money that could otherwise go toward helping your economy. For that reason, the most economical preparation is one that is only there at the last possible second.

Watch the replays. Learn the timings. See your opponent is human and just as slow as you are.

Finally
While it’s tempting to watch your replays at x8 speed (especially if they went longer than 20 minutes), you’ll miss everything if you go too fast. I would recommend staying at x2 and below. Good luck, and may all your mistakes have easy fixes.