Meh, I can't comment on the first Starcraft as I haven't played it, but I found SC2 incredibly simplistic, almost like it was a victim of too much balance. Instead of trying to outsmart an opponent and counter their strategy/playstyle, it just felt like a race for resources every time. I can see how the pace of the game might make it very competitive... but as far as actual strategy goes, I don't think it's all that great. :shrug:
You clearly know not of what you speak. Strategy and outsmarting is the fundamental point of Starcraft. I'm not really sure what you mean by "a race for resources", but obviously your income is a major part of the strategy. You need to scout relentlessly, know what your opponent is doing, and react. Depending on the race matchup, generally one will play more reactively, but any player can set the pace for the game and force the opponent to react, whatever their race. Taking expansions is very important, as is scouting when your opponent does. If you scout your opponent expanding, you can either expand yourself, since you know you're currently safe since he has just invested in an expansion, or punish his investment with aggression. This really applies to any investment that puts a player in a weakened position until the investment pays off. Exploiting this with an attack is a "timing attack", and a good player will know these standard timings well, and if scouted, be able to exploit them.
Of course, at lower levels, the person who knows how to do even the most basic high-economy based builds will win since they'll simply have more units that their opponent, but at higher levels it really comes down to strategy, unit positioning, cost-effective engagements, multitasking, scouting, and harassing.
» Fri Dec 09, 2011 4:58 am 
