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Heyo. I was looking for some advice about improving in SC2. Not in a mechanical or strategical way; but ways to overcome your own shortcomings. I've written blogs before about my struggles with mentality; to summarize the problem I have...
I either play well, or horribly. I'm currently a platinum player. My MMR is right around diamond level, and I regularly play diamond and ocassionly low masters players. When I can play the way I can, I have quite high win percentages with these players, to the point where they're really not challenging me to do anything out of my comfort zone, and I just pretty much roll them. Occasionally, however (once every other day or so), I just start playing horribly. I can lose to anyone and anything. I will fuck up things I do just fine on a good day, and I'll tank. I'll lose 20+ games in a row easily. I've lost to silver players during these types of losing streaks. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to when it happens, and it stops as suddenly as it began. I've tried taking a break for a day or two and I'll still play like shit for a while after I start playing again, and then I'll suddenly start playing well again, roll everyone, learn nothing, then the process repeats.
It even goes beyond just playing poorly. It seems like on these days, people are doing stuff that is so far inside my head it's ridiculous. On these off days, I'll have a goal; for instance on the ladder today, I was practicing 15 hatching in ZvZ (I usually open up 14/14), and 9 out of the 9 games I played, I got 10 pooled. I'll get a bunch of proxy 2 gates or 2 rax, and people who just do crazy stuff hoping I assume based on whatever scouting info I make that they're doing X thing. I have people go 2 star while chronoboosing +ups on their forge while they have 1 sentry or something crazy to make me thing something else is going on (and a lot more crazy shit like that).
People even treat me like shit when this is going on. I'll be having a bad day, not playing well at all, then I'll start a game, say gggl, and the guy says "fuck you", beats me, then lambasts me on how horrible I am even though I haven't said shit. I'll get BM'd all the time when I'm on an off day, I guess I just run into the most angry kids on Bnet (maybe it's because they're on losing streaks too, idk). Everythign just seems to pile up on these days.
I just can't seem to raise my skill at all, I'm either rolling through everyone because I'm not playing people around my skill level or I'm playing like shit. It's so frustrating given how much time I put into this game (or activities around it) that I just can't get better; games never feel rewarding.
I don't know what advice I'm looking for, maybe I'm just looking to vent, but if anyone knows any way to reign this sort of thing in, I'm all ears. Thanks TL, bye.
  
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I don't think people play badly for no reason, or randomly. The streaks may be tied to external factors (how many people feel like cheesing today or doing something you have a hard time handling), but for the most part they have to do with things going on in your own life.
For example, I know when I'm about to play badly. If I'm tired, hungry, distracted, if some big life issue is hanging out in the back of my mind, if I have something pressing to do soon, etc. I know I'm just not going to play well. If I make a bunch of frustrating mistakes all in a row, I will get frustrated and stop playing well. If I notice myself falling into the same repetitive pattern between games and its not working out, I know I need to stop and re-frame how I'm thinking.
There has to be a rhyme or reason, but you're not looking for it. It doesn't all have to do with the game. On those days you lose to silver players, think about what you did earlier that day or that week, or what you haven't done yet that you should etc. and see if that wasn't the issue causing you to play poorly that day. First you have to know what things are affecting you (if it's happening a lot, it's not just random), and then you can figure out how to overcome them.
I imagine someone like Jinro, who took a huge risk in pursuing SC2 as a career (as did all progamers), and if he's perfroming inconsistently, it's probably a cascade of events that led to where he is now, and it probably all started with the risk he took starting out and the pressure of expectations. Point is, it could be external factors, and it could be how you respond psychologically to those on any given day. The point is, if this bothers you a lot you should try to find the source of the problem first.
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Yeah, a lot of it is just... strange. I was #1, crushing masters. THen took a rough tumble to 30 diamond. Then have managed to get back up to #13. But still 40 points down from my high, and bonus pool is about ~40, making total change around 80 points from my peak. And I feel like I"m playing better. Dunno man, it's hard.
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There's other psychological issues at work here. When you start beating higher level players than yourself you're telling yourself you're a fucking amazing player and its easy cos you're so damned good. Or at least that's what it sounds like. You know what I think when I win a game?
"Hmmm... I slipped up my macro really badly when I was getting broods, I need to remember more macro hatches and keep up injects in future. My micro in the first 2 engages wasn't the best, I need to work on that. I also got lucky he didn't do a blink timing because I think that could have killed me, I should find ways to make sure I know he isn't doing that next time so I'm not relying on luck".
Now this isn't just me saying you should look for ways to improve. It's about the entire freakin mindset of improving and DOING YOUR BEST. If you're not playing your best then there's often 1 key reason. As I stated above you might just think you're freakin amazing and stop trying as a result. If this is the problem then it's because rather then wanting to play the game, you just want to beat your opponent. Your ego seems to be implicitly tied in with winning to the point where you get on an ego-high and start ignoring aspects of the game. Now if this is the case then it isn't until you hit rock bottom, after 20 or so losses that you finally are so upset and disenchanted with the game and your performance that your ego is crushed. With no inflated ego to focus on you have to actually start focusing really tightly on how you perform and actually go back to playing the game to your actual ability.
Of course 17 wins and 3 losses later you think you're king-shit again and start losing because all you're thinking about is crushing your opponent into the ground without even trying and how awesome you are, and so the cycle begins again.
I believe these thoughts on the ego of players in Starcraft II applies to most players to one degree or another. I hope that you realise that winning at this game, while making you feel like a baller, in no way makes you better than anyone else. There's always someone out there faster, better or smarter than you. All you can do as a competitor is gain what you would from any competitive sport or activity, the satisfaction of self-improvement, effort and trying bloody hard.
All ego does is stand in the way of real satisfaction.
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On April 24 2012 15:13 PiGStarcraft wrote:
There's other psychological issues at work here. When you start beating higher level players than yourself you're telling yourself you're a fucking amazing player and its easy cos you're so damned good. Or at least that's what it sounds like. You know what I think when I win a game?
"Hmmm... I slipped up my macro really badly when I was getting broods, I need to remember more macro hatches and keep up injects in future. My micro in the first 2 engages wasn't the best, I need to work on that. I also got lucky he didn't do a blink timing because I think that could have killed me, I should find ways to make sure I know he isn't doing that next time so I'm not relying on luck".
Now this isn't just me saying you should look for ways to improve. It's about the entire freakin mindset of improving and DOING YOUR BEST. If you're not playing your best then there's often 1 key reason. As I stated above you might just think you're freakin amazing and stop trying as a result. If this is the problem then it's because rather then wanting to play the game, you just want to beat your opponent. Your ego seems to be implicitly tied in with winning to the point where you get on an ego-high and start ignoring aspects of the game. Now if this is the case then it isn't until you hit rock bottom, after 20 or so losses that you finally are so upset and disenchanted with the game and your performance that your ego is crushed. With no inflated ego to focus on you have to actually start focusing really tightly on how you perform and actually go back to playing the game to your actual ability.
Of course 17 wins and 3 losses later you think you're king-shit again and start losing because all you're thinking about is crushing your opponent into the ground without even trying and how awesome you are, and so the cycle begins again.
I believe these thoughts on the ego of players in Starcraft II applies to most players to one degree or another. I hope that you realise that winning at this game, while making you feel like a baller, in no way makes you better than anyone else. There's always someone out there faster, better or smarter than you. All you can do as a competitor is gain what you would from any competitive sport or activity, the satisfaction of self-improvement, effort and trying bloody hard.
All ego does is stand in the way of real satisfaction.
I've thought this myself in the past, and I worked on not thinking I was going to win or anything like that. I try to play the exact same way every game. I don't think it's that I'm getting cocky, because this has been happening for a long time and I'm very conscious of not getting lazy when I'm playing well (or poorly, it just doesn't work out then).
As to the other posts, outside stimuli could be the why, but these losing streaks happen so often under so wide a variety of circumstances that I have trouble believing that is all it is as well. I've certainly had losing streaks after a shitty day at work or when I'm stressed about a relationship, or budget concerns, etc, but I've had them when I was in a great mood on the weekend where I have nothing else on my mind as well. Certainly it can't help when you're stressed, but I don't believe that is solely what's keeping me back.
Thanks for the responses. I'll try to keep these things in mind. Additional help is always appreciated ^^
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understand that what you see is not going to be guaranteed accurate information at lower levels where the players do not understand the game fully. simpliest and bestestest advice I gave myself back at release when I could beat diamond players in practice customs 80%+ and still lose to silver leagues because that 11pool 13gas does not necessitate a 7RR 100%
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On April 24 2012 15:32 dronefarm wrote:Show nested quote +On April 24 2012 15:13 PiGStarcraft wrote:
There's other psychological issues at work here. When you start beating higher level players than yourself you're telling yourself you're a fucking amazing player and its easy cos you're so damned good. Or at least that's what it sounds like. You know what I think when I win a game?
"Hmmm... I slipped up my macro really badly when I was getting broods, I need to remember more macro hatches and keep up injects in future. My micro in the first 2 engages wasn't the best, I need to work on that. I also got lucky he didn't do a blink timing because I think that could have killed me, I should find ways to make sure I know he isn't doing that next time so I'm not relying on luck".
Now this isn't just me saying you should look for ways to improve. It's about the entire freakin mindset of improving and DOING YOUR BEST. If you're not playing your best then there's often 1 key reason. As I stated above you might just think you're freakin amazing and stop trying as a result. If this is the problem then it's because rather then wanting to play the game, you just want to beat your opponent. Your ego seems to be implicitly tied in with winning to the point where you get on an ego-high and start ignoring aspects of the game. Now if this is the case then it isn't until you hit rock bottom, after 20 or so losses that you finally are so upset and disenchanted with the game and your performance that your ego is crushed. With no inflated ego to focus on you have to actually start focusing really tightly on how you perform and actually go back to playing the game to your actual ability.
Of course 17 wins and 3 losses later you think you're king-shit again and start losing because all you're thinking about is crushing your opponent into the ground without even trying and how awesome you are, and so the cycle begins again.
I believe these thoughts on the ego of players in Starcraft II applies to most players to one degree or another. I hope that you realise that winning at this game, while making you feel like a baller, in no way makes you better than anyone else. There's always someone out there faster, better or smarter than you. All you can do as a competitor is gain what you would from any competitive sport or activity, the satisfaction of self-improvement, effort and trying bloody hard.
All ego does is stand in the way of real satisfaction. I've thought this myself in the past, and I worked on not thinking I was going to win or anything like that. I try to play the exact same way every game. I don't think it's that I'm getting cocky, because this has been happening for a long time and I'm very conscious of not getting lazy when I'm playing well (or poorly, it just doesn't work out then). As to the other posts, outside stimuli could be the why, but these losing streaks happen so often under so wide a variety of circumstances that I have trouble believing that is all it is as well. I've certainly had losing streaks after a shitty day at work or when I'm stressed about a relationship, or budget concerns, etc, but I've had them when I was in a great mood on the weekend where I have nothing else on my mind as well. Certainly it can't help when you're stressed, but I don't believe that is solely what's keeping me back. Thanks for the responses. I'll try to keep these things in mind. Additional help is always appreciated ^^
In that case sounds like an issue might just be once you start losing you start playing worse and worse trying to reclaim those points, or lost ego or whatever.
Basically just a problem getting tilted by the sounds of it? Staying calm after your first few losses or starting to get more panicky?
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F11 and mute your opponent after you glhf if you don't want to deal with a BMing opponent. It always used to put me on tilt, and now I never have that issue.
I'm also in Plat and facing Diamond players in about half my games now, my goal is to get a promotion this season. I never face any Masters players on ladder so you're probably better than me, but if you need a Protoss practice partner or someone to vent to who won't BM and proxy 2gate you add me up on BNET. rikKus.323
Good luck trying to find consistency in your play!
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Tthanks heaps PiG! Great write up, and definitely true for almost all players of the lower league 
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Hi Dronefarm, sorry for belittling your blog in my blog! I forget that QQ is such an offensive term! I apologise for being so rude!
On April 24 2012 16:26 AC3 wrote:
F11 and mute your opponent after you glhf if you don't want to deal with a BMing opponent. It always used to put me on tilt, and now I never have that issue.
I'm also in Plat and facing Diamond players in about half my games now, my goal is to get a promotion this season. I never face any Masters players on ladder so you're probably better than me, but if you need a Protoss practice partner or someone to vent to who won't BM and proxy 2gate you add me up on BNET. rikKus.323
Good luck trying to find consistency in your play!
Totally agree blocking communication is the way to go!
Back to your problem though basically with such a huge discrepancy in your play it HAS to be a psychological/mental issue caused by who knows what. You say that you don't think you get lazy and keep playing the same way every game, yet also don't think its outside stimuli either as you sometimes lose when happy. Well I have to say imo it has to be one or the other right? You seem quick to say you think these aren't the problems but all I can offer then is to suggest is to really look deeper next time you'r experiencing this. If you can watch a replay and see how much worse you play SURELY you would realise ingame also that you are not playing your best? Why can't you just force yourself to play better the next game? If you are rested and in a good state of mind there is no reason that I can think of.
EDIT: Also some great advice from someone on my blog:
"I think another reason behind supposedly erratic play, is that often you aren't correctly identifying why you are/aren't winning games.
A few seasons ago my strong (for mid masters) TvZ suddenly turned to crap. I literally could not buy a win against zerg and my MMR was taking a hammering as a result. I'd been a predominantly mech based TvZer and in frustration decided that it "wasn't viable" anymore. As far as I could tell, zergs had just gotten too good at handling it.
I switched to more bio oriented play, and while I had a marginal improvement in my win/loss ratio it was still nowhere near where it had been. Particularly when I started going with fast expand builds, my win rate started to climb again, but my TvZ was still pretty disastrous.
The point is, I had identified my unit composition as the problem, when really it was only making a minor difference.
It took me a long while to realise that my problem had been I was focussing too much on hurting the zerg early game, usually through heavy hellion harass, banshees or some sort of rush, and that zergs in general had gotten way too good at fending off such aggression.
Once I changed my focus to pressuring the zerg by either denying their third for as long as possible, or taking a very fast third myself, my win rate skyrocketed. And I could mech/bio at my leisure without it making a massive impact." -Fur
P.S. Take such an interest in blogs like yours because I coach Starcraft 2 and used to do it full-time so am fascinated when someone encounters this sort of trouble. Please keep us updated on how you go!
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