When you play a video game, do you ever wonder things like: How did I lose that match? How did I win that match? Why am I always the first one to die in this game? Why do my teammates suck? Am I playing this right? What does the opponent see on his screen? You might think these questions don’t matter but they do and knowing what your opponent sees while playing can give you an advantage in winning matches and games.
You might have heard of a player named Westrice who plays for Team SoloMid. He always knows what the enemy jungler has to offer both level and gold wise which gives him a competitive edge over other players. A lot of people like to blame it on luck but players like Westrice and Dyrus always know what their opponents are up to. How do you think they became better at gaming?
They learnt to use the right gear
Gaming gear refers to the keyboard used, the mouse used and the monitor used. Even though most gaming mice and keyboards out in the market today are designed for gaming, you have to make sure that they also suit your playing style. For example, if you’re a League of Legends player who likes to play aggressively and roam around with your character a lot, then getting a keyboard that has the following will be really helpful:
- A keystroke that is as close to your WASD keys as possible – so you can hit them faster.
- A keyboard with a good wrist rest – so it doesn’t put too much pressure on your wrists when you play for long periods of time.
- A keyboard that has the right amount of resistance – so you can press the keys without putting too much pressure on them.
You can find all these in a gaming keyboard. If you’re a hardcore gamer who plays games like FPS (First Person Shooter) or MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game), then getting a good gaming mouse like the following will be really helpful for you:
- A mouse that fits your hand well – because having to hold your mouse with an awkward grip will cause discomfort during long gaming hours.
- A mouse with buttons on both sides of its body – so it won’t matter which hand you use to control your character in shooters (for example, Left Handed Shooters).
- A mouse that tracks well on most surfaces – so you won’t lose precision when playing games that require a lot of quick motions.
They choose the game they’re interested in
Everyone has their own interests and it’s not bad to be into something that’s different from the norm. Playing a popular game is not necessarily better than playing an unpopular game because what really matters is how much enjoyment you get out of playing a certain title. After choosing your favorite game, you should also choose your character or champion of choice and master him/her/it until there’s nothing more to learn about that character(s). I love reading on the Roman Empire and know much Julius Caesar. I play Caesars’s empire slot every time I get Caesars free coins
They put in the time
Professional players have honed their skills over the years by putting in hundreds and hundreds of hours into their games. In fact, it’s not uncommon for pro gamers to practice up to 12 hours a day like Starcraft II legend Bisu or League of Legends superstar Faker.
They improve their mental dexterity
In order to become better at gaming, you have to be mentally sharp because there will be many times when you get frustrated due to losing matches, having a bad connection or being taunted by your opponent. Remember that practice makes perfect so give yourself some time before getting upset with your game performances and instead focus on what you can do better next time.
- Improve your reflexes
In order to play a game well, you have to be able to react quickly and make good decisions on the go. To do this, you should keep your reflexes sharp by doing things like playing other games where you get to sharpen your handling skills in different ways. For example, if you’re a Starcraft player who likes macroing (creating units and managing your base) a lot, then playing fighting games like SSF4AE and 3s might improve your macro because they require efficient micromanagement of your characters.
- Know that you’re not perfect
It’s easy to get carried away when your winning streak is on, but you have to know when to back off and learn from your mistakes because you’ll never truly master a game if you can’t admit that you’re human.
- Don’t play too much at once
You might think it’s cool to be able to play three different games at once, but playing too many games at the same time will cause you to lose your concentration and forget what was supposed to be done in a match or match up which will in turn result in more losses. It’s better for one day of gaming than three days of gaming because too much of something can be bad for your health. 5
They play the game(s) they love
One of the most important steps to becoming a better gamer is to love what you do. The reason why this is true is because you’ll be putting in long hours into your hobbies and this will grow into a lifestyle for you. If you really love what you do, then that passion will push you to become better than your peers and eventually become one of the best players in your game.
They don’t get easily distracted
A lot of people like to play with a lot of noise going on around them but this can be detrimental when playing games because it causes distractions which lead to bad performance when both teams need 100% concentration in order to win their games or matches. So if you want to play on your best, then try to find a quiet place where no one would disturb you. When you’re done playing, make sure you go back to your original environment so you can get used to the sounds that surround you in your real life.
They practice their mechanics
Mechanics in a game are basically the techniques and actions that an experienced player will do over and over again because he/she has ingrained them in its muscle memory – allowing them to perform those techniques faster than other players who haven’t yet developed those skills. For example, Starcraft II players are very good at using the select worker button because they have used it over and over again to produce workers (which allows them to get more production buildings and units) while other players are still trying to find that button by themselves.
They become a student of the game
Learning about a game is important if you want to become better at it because you’ll be able to discover new things that other players may not know. There are a lot of resources where you can learn about playing games so look for articles and videos on your favorite titles and learn from the experts or any pro gamers who’ve appeared on TV or in magazines.
