If you're like me, then its not really about playing for fun, but its about seeing how good you can get and always wanting to be better then you previously were. To me, getting to the next league is always my goal and it can be frustrating sometimes, but it can also be very fun. I guess I'm just a very competitive person, since i play lots of sports and such, so i feel like losing is only frustrating and I use that frustration to push myself to overcome my goals. "Just play for fun" is pretty boring to me. Beating players who are better then myself and improving my game to see how good i can get is just what I like, and maybe you're the same.

Anyways, goodluck and never give up!

Glurkenspurk

United States1915 Posts

October 28 2011 04:04 GMT

#23

Do not get mad. Stay as calm as possible while playing, it's the only way to keep your head in the game and win. Ignore your league, if you're reliably beating plats then just remind yourself that if you continue to do this well you will be plat yourself in no time.

I went from shitty copper league beta toss to master league zerg and I know your pain with the cockblock league walls that will occasionally hit you in the face. Just keep it up.

Korinai

Canada413 Posts

October 28 2011 04:08 GMT

#24

Just take a break. If you need to, take a day off. If that's not enough, take a few days off, or a week, or a month, or however long you need to cool off.

jdseemoreglass

United States3773 Posts

October 28 2011 04:10 GMT

#25

I'd say find someone who is willing to coach you for free. I kind of enjoy watching people learn concepts they never understood and quickly advancing. I've helped several people get out of bronze within days and a couple more reach diamond.

I mean all it really takes to reach at least plat is solid macro, and that isn't hard to teach. Go in a channel and instead of repeating the "bronzisms" like "how do I beat X composition," or "what's a good strat/build order," just ask "can someone help me learn how to macro?"

Just my advice.

Whiplash

United States2929 Posts

October 28 2011 04:24 GMT

#26

I think coaching would help you out a lot, if you care this much then it would probably be worth a bit of investment for a few coaching lessons to get u off in the right direction.

Pwntrucci[sR]

Canada1519 Posts

October 28 2011 04:27 GMT

#27

I remember when I first started playing pgtour in bw. I literally lost over a hundred games before I got my first win. After that I never cared about losing a shitload anymore.

phiinix

United States1169 Posts

October 28 2011 04:34 GMT

#28

you may not realize it but tilt control is part of being a better player. I got promoted to masters after i learned to play extra safe and never let rage from my past game affect my play for the next game.

GigaFlop

United States1146 Posts

October 28 2011 04:42 GMT

#29

Just play the game. That's why I don't feel bad about being in bronze. If I lose, I just re-queue after checking the replay for whatever I can find. If I'm mad, I play something else or do homework.

Chairman Ray

United States11903 Posts

October 28 2011 04:43 GMT

#30

Sounds like you have the problem a lot of people have. Your MMR isn't an accurate representation of your skill because you are not playing at your skill level. Try to play more when you are focused, and less when you are on tilt. A lot of people have a problem where they keep playing when they are on tilt, and stop after a game or two when they are feeling good. This is a no-no. If you want your ladder ranking to match your skill level, only play when you can give it your 100%.

Kid-Fox

Canada400 Posts

October 28 2011 05:37 GMT

#31

Chill... just chilll.... relax... more than that... there =D

After I achieved calmness on the ladder I have been playing better than I had ever before. Even if my opponent BMs really really hard or something, I don't take it personally. It's when you don't get bothered by every little thing that the game becomes second nature to you, and that 's when you shoot up in skill. Oh, and macro should eventually be an automatic process.

marttorn

Norway5211 Posts

October 28 2011 05:45 GMT

#32

As everyone else said a million times over, either don't put your ego into it, or don't ladder. It's hard to not get nervous and annoyed at ladder, I know, but you can always improve outside of it too. Try to get some friends (or make some friends) who can be practice partners and help you, or play normal games in custom game mode (join game --> melee --> --> Shattered Temple/whatever is at the top atm).

There's a surprisingly large group of people, from unranked to masters, who play in just custom games. I think Blizzard should make it easier and implement some sort of "casual ladder" system where you're not ranked. That's basically what it is anyway, but nonetheless they could acknowledge us and make it easier and more comfortable to use.

QuanticHawk

United States32130 Posts

October 28 2011 14:41 GMT

#33

Stop taking the game so seriously when you're not good at it?? just have fun.

Thorakh

Netherlands1788 Posts

October 28 2011 18:33 GMT

#34

Ladder was not for me so I stopped doing it quite a big while ago. I enjoy tournaments more than ever now.

I couldn't seperate my 'must win' feeling from just playing for fun, that's why I quit. I wish there was a nonranked 'ladder' of some sort.

Lysenko

Iceland2128 Posts

October 28 2011 19:32 GMT

#35

On October 28 2011 13:43 Chairman Ray wrote:
Sounds like you have the problem a lot of people have. Your MMR isn't an accurate representation of your skill because you are not playing at your skill level.

I don't even know what that means -- "skill" means nothing if it's not executed in actual games.

Anyway, for the OP, improving at a game this complicated requires working on the right skills and systematically removing the weaknesses from your game.

At your level (and mine, I'm gold league) the biggest area for improvement is probably macro and (secondarily) knowing how to scout and defend all-ins. The latter is only really important because many of our opponents know they are weak at macro and so focus on all-in strategies as a way to avoid playing a longer game.

If you *think* you're working on the right skills and you're stuck in silver, you may actually not be working on the right things. In that case, coaching might help. However, it won't help to tell yourself "oh I beat X number of gold and platinum players." Those people may have taken long breaks and just not been demoted yet. Also, the outliers are going to stick out in your mind, while you'll never remember the other 50 people you played who are in your league or below.

As for myself, I'm not particularly talented at the game, and getting to where I am, such as it is, has been a TON of work, and I'm not currently in the highest league I've been in, either. However, the long-term trend from Copper league in early beta to a long stretch in bronze and silver to gold, platinum, and then gold again is at least headed in the right direction, and I'm sure if you put in the time and practice you can have the same or better experience.