What's the right mindset to play QL and how do you get it?

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What's the right mindset to play QL and how do you get it?

(9 posts) (7 voices)

Started 3 years ago by zscan
Latest reply from Malice

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zscan

Bring it on
Joined: Dec '08
Posts: 7

Hi,

kind of a weird topic, I know, but what I'm aiming at is this: once you passend the beginners stage, QL is much of a head-game. What applies to "real" sports like tennis, also applies to QL. Psychology plays an important role. You know how to aim, you know what to do, but sometimes "it" just isn't there. Or sometimes "it" is and you don't know why.

Take me for example. I played Q3 for years. I join a server, play some games, having more or less fun. It's a bit like going to work or school. You just do it, nothing special. Done that, been there. Sometimes playing rather good, sometimes bad. But there are days or games, when I'm just in the right mindset it seems. It's like playing in god-mode. I hit almost everything, every rocket-jump works, I'm practically invulnerable and I know it. Three defenders in base? You can't stop me taking that f..ing flag out of there.
So the question now: what makes this mindset? How do you get there? And can you train to get it on purpose?

Personally I think it's a mixture of high self-confidence and aggressiveness, while beeing highly concentrated that does the trick. But how to get there? Just thinking someting like "ok, now I'm gonna play good and aggressive and I'm very concentrated now" doesn't work...

So, in what mindset are you when you play at the top of your game and can you reproduce it? Do you even have good or bad days or do play always the same? Or is it all an illusion and just a result of the other players beeing bad that day?

Ciao,
zscan

Posted 3 years ago #
xephyr

Pickupeteer
Joined: Nov '08
Posts: 216

Interesting topic.

First of all I think you need full concentration before you can be at your best. The slightest distraction might be disastrous.
For me also a few external factors are important; I need it to be quiet and dark around me.
Healthy confidence is also a key to success most of the time. You shouldn't be overconfident but you do want to have a some confidence before starting a game.
And well ... As we all have experienced, some days you just play better than on other days. I don't really have an explanation for it. Though, the more you play, the more consistent your playstyle will be.

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Posted 3 years ago #
Malice

Fragmeister
Joined: Nov '08
Posts: 533

What you're describing is what some call "being in the zone" :]

For me its just generaly playing a lot. But when I've played too much I suck as well. Doing a few days without quake will do me wonders and improve my game a ton.

Also, by nature I don't really have the best aim. I don't think everybody is gifted with a great aim like I see some people have (like rax, vertex or strenx,... all people with X in their name so it seems oO).

What I do to compensate for my aim is what oldschool players like if22 did as well: play a very defensive +back style. :]

People sometimes hate me for it, saying I camp and run away. But hey, why do 1v1 combat when you can just run away and fire when the other's not looking?
This style grew on me mainly because of CA as well though. Lots of rape and spam there, gotta saver the HP you started with to survive :]

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Posted 3 years ago #
Lashknife

Pickupeteer
Joined: Nov '08
Posts: 274

I've always been a div3 avg player in quake 3, for years. But sometimes - and weekly reviews from bigfoot (awesome reads back in the days) confirmed this that I was really an added value to the team and could easily play along in div2. And sometimes I felt my play was pure bollocks.

Mostly i find this due to a bad gaming environment. I played on the corner of my wife her desk, seat not really adjusted to the height of the table, not a good distance on table vs keyboard vs screen. This disturbs me as my aim does not really suffer but my movement goes rockbottom. I feel like a total pinball bumping into everything, nullifying my gameplay, and what's more, my value for my team that's struggling out there.
Another thing is cold hands: I absolutely cannot aim with cold hands.

But if all this felt right (I usually even sit on a pillow on my chair to sit a bit heigher :p ) I enter this zone like Malice describes it, movement goes smooth, gameplay becomes fun. I still die (i'm still average) but it feels more smooth, nicer to play the game. Defending goes better, attacking smoother, giving cover (keeping up with a running teammate) goes quicker....

In short: a healthy, well-adjusted gaming environment improves the gaming experience, no matter your initial skill.

Posted 3 years ago #
Godspd

Fragmeat
Joined: Jan '09
Posts: 2

To keep up with competitive enviromnent you ought to be confident, composed and relentless. To setup yourself with that in mind isnt that easy. Temper, personal health, physical enviroment have their own leverage on the consistency of gameplay as well. For instance, cold temper helps your emotions to stay low and thus prevent yourself from exploding (once enraged games consistence is put at risk, on the other hand it boosts your confidence). While confidence goes up through experience, it is an ever changing trait subjected to temper, health, etc.
As a quake live player, I discern myself as an average player, however if required can enhance my gameplay through the values I have established based on my experience.

Posted 3 years ago #
Loekino

Fragmeat
Joined: Jan '09
Posts: 3

having a clear mind helps also since i always loose focus on the game by other random things^__^
and it depends on everything also abit of luck since your opponent has his own way of moving and thinking and where he wants to go etc

the right mindset for me is if i feel happy and have a clear mind but this is quite hard since i have to much energy most of the times ^________^
to improve i think its the best to spec the more skilled players and see what they do and how they move where they spam and just try this out in matches and just play allot and find new things and try to get the "feeling" of the map @_@

Keep loving, Loekinos Love island.

Posted 3 years ago #
ra1n

Fragmeat
Joined: Jan '09
Posts: 3

Nice topic. Have been thinking about that for a while (as everyone, I guess, who is trying to actually improve his game).

I have one thing that works for me. I often found myself playing different from day to day too, sometimes I was fragging so easily and the other day I had aim like total newb. Eventhough the gaming conditions were always the same I guess. And what really worked was pure concentration and agressive gamestyle. Sometimes my mouse seemed to be glued on the table but I just decided not to give a f**k about that and played with it. Somebody disturbing me, having fps drops, high ping, whatever - I just went on and on playing concentrated on the actual game. And I just owned. =)

And after few months I was surprised how quickly my aim, tactics and skill overall improved as hell compared to the time I spent playing Q3. "Practice!" said the blind man. Never believed that "practice, practice, practice" clich

Posted 3 years ago #
Godspd

Fragmeat
Joined: Jan '09
Posts: 2

Nice topic. Have been thinking about that for a while (as everyone, I guess, who is trying to actually improve his game).
I have one thing that works for me. I often found myself playing different from day to day too, sometimes I was fragging so easily and the other day I had aim like total newb. Eventhough the gaming conditions were always the same I guess. And what really worked was pure concentration and agressive gamestyle. Sometimes my mouse seemed to be glued on the table but I just decided not to give a f**k about that and played with it. Somebody disturbing me, having fps drops, high ping, whatever - I just went on and on playing concentrated on the actual game. And I just owned. =)
And after few months I was surprised how quickly my aim, tactics and skill overall improved as hell compared to the time I spent playing Q3. "Practice!" said the blind man. Never believed that "practice, practice, practice" clich

Posted 3 years ago #
Malice

Fragmeister
Joined: Nov '08
Posts: 533

Fatal1ty always said "if you want to be better you have to practice, practice and practice".

Of course your natural abilities play an important role as well. But by practicing you keep repeating and internalizing certain movements and patterns. By internalizing these you make them a part of your own, like a reflex, which means you dont have to think about these patterns and actions next time you face them. You now have room to learn new patterns and internalize those as well.

The more you practice however, the harder it is to learn and discover new things to internalize. The best way to learn new things is then by playing opponents who are better than you. You will face new situations and learn new things which you can then again internalize and make your own.
...

If you get what I mean

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Posted 3 years ago #

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