I don't use build orders. I find them a hassle to remember unless I want to practice something someone has suggested, but for the most part, I adapt to the game and see what I need, how many I want and when. I like going crazy builds to at sometimes where the opponent is like wtf? I mean ya I might use it to say i'm going to pylon at 9 or 10, but once that pylon is up I make a gateway and chrono boost what I feel like. If I feel I need more workers for this game, I chrono boost the nexus, if I need zealots fast, gateways. So I was just wondering, will this hinder my play? Will I be late at things, does this actually help, because I've been fine without it. Then again, i'm not the greatest player.
Build orders are there to help you to build your forces up faster and more efficiently. Further, having a couple build orders remembered by you is always handy when you scout an enemy, and see units you have no counter for. Then you will know exactly what to build, and what the fastest way to get there is.
Thanks Aurora. It's just I always see so many people go exact builds through out the entire game and I wonder if I should do the same.
Its good to adapt, but I always keep an idea of what build I want to do early in game after scouting.
I personally only use build orders for early game, and have a plan of what I want to do in that game depending on which race I am playing against (like for Protoss I throw in some ghosts earlier on, etc.). Once it gets later in the game though you definitely can't follow a build order, you have to make units based off of what your opponent is making, expand when you know you can expand succesfully, etc. I think having a build order for early game though just helps you out because if it is tested enough it will get you what you want in the early game a LOT more faster. There was a Day9 Daily video about this using QXC's build order tester. And usually they aren't too long and easy to memorize.
having, and practicing, a build order can make or break a game. if you're planning on a specific strategy... dark templar rush, M&M&M's, high templar drop... whatever. shaving a second or two here and there can add up to you having 30 extra seconds of free reign killing your enemy before they have any anti-air or detection or whatever, or having one full extra base later in the game. being flexible is good, but if you've scouted your enemy and you know you don't need to change your build order, getting what you need just a few seconds faster is a big deal during high level play. however, if you can use a single build order throughout an entire game, that just means your opponent sucked and didn't bother countering your strat. BO's generally shouldn't last beyond the first major attack/push... after that, your opponent should be either counterattacking or reacting to your strat, and there's no way to plan exactly how every opponent will react.
I build order till the first engagement. After that, I just roll with whatever. Course, I'm like maybe a 3/10 as far as skill, so...
I try to follow builds but I am either playing with an opponent that kills my scout and gets my units countered or overpowered or I'm playing someone that probly has only been playing for a little bit so I simply steam roll them. But I have made some quick BO's so that when I feel like accually playing and using one I atleast have an idea of what I am trying to go for and scouting should tell me if thats a good Idea or not. of course if you make a BO you should probly try it out and then watch a replay and see if it did/ or did not work well and for what reasons. This will eventually make you a better StarCraft and general RTS player.
