Playing StarCraft as my first real-time strategy game was an intense and overwhelming experience. I went in knowing it might be challenging, but I didn’t expect to feel so immediately overloaded with layers of information being thrown at me all at once. I started with the tutorial, expecting something that would ease me in, but even that felt like a lot. There were so many commands, systems, and things to keep track of that even getting the basics down was challenging, to say the least. Eventually, I gave up on actually playing and just ended up watching a bunch of StarCraft gameplays instead. Not sure if I should be embarrassed to admit this, but I actually learned a lot just from watching people play and explain the intricate rules and nuances.
I quickly learned that the game has three main species: Terran, Zerg, and Protoss, and each one plays completely differently. From my understanding, Terrans are similar to humans and are very mobile. They can actually pick up and move their buildings across the map. The Zerg seem to be insect-like and create large swarms, attacking enemies through sheer volume. Then there’s the Protoss, which are these powerful humanoids. It was fascinating to watch how differently each race plays and how those differences shape each battle.
The number one thing that stood out right away was how fast-paced the game is. The idea of actions per minute was pretty stressful as someone who doesn’t have great reaction time, especially knowing that top players hit over 300. Even just watching the gameplay stressed me out with all the moving parts. I started to question if I’m simply not built for this. The mental load is a bit much for me. You’re managing your economy, scouting the opponent’s army, planning attacks, responding to their moves, and adjusting in real time. Also, can we talk about the pressure of playing with real people who are obviously going to be better and probably judgmental about my lack of skill? That sounds incredibly nerve wracking to me.
Watching some of the gameplays gave me a good look into the strategy side, which I found genuinely fascinating. There seem to be two clear paths to victory, though I’m sure there are more. One is to starve your opponent of resources by controlling the map. The other is to put them in an unwinnable position through smart attacks. A lot of the game seems to come down to unit composition: which types of units you build and how they counter your opponent’s. It’s like rock-paper-scissors but way more complicated and moving way faster.
One of the gameplays I watched!
I also found the base building aspect interesting. You have to gather resources and spend them to build structures, which then let you produce different kinds of units or upgrades. It’s like a mini-economy, and if you mess up your build order or spend too much too early, you fall behind fast. There’s a careful balance between expanding your base and making sure you have enough units to defend it.
Coming back to the social pressure, I learned that the matchmaking system is supposed to pair people with similar skill levels, which I guess is meant to make the game feel less intimidating. But honestly, it still doesn’t feel very comforting. Even just watching, I could feel the pressure of trying not to fall behind. I completely understand now why people say this game is hard to learn but rewarding once you get it. I didn’t get that far, but watching definitely gave me a sense of how much thought and effort goes into every move.
I still think RTS is not really my cup of tea, and I’ll probably not become an RTS enthusiast anytime soon. However, I do have a new appreciation for how layered and complex these games are and the skill it takes to play them well. For now, I think I’ll stick to watching. It’s a lot less stressful and honestly pretty exciting to me.
