When does one become a good gamer? MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus has previously played in the semi-professional sector and dares to take on an analysis.
In mid-March, Riot banned some external programs for League of Legends that helped players keep track of various timers. This raised the question in the MeinMMO editorial team: Does a good player really need to memorize such things? Do they need to know when which monster respawns in the jungle?
In a small series of articles, we want to take a look at what actually makes a good gamer. Cortyn believes: a good gamer must primarily be able to reflect on themselves and recognize mistakes.
I completely agree with this. However, a “good gamer” is not always someone who plays well. Because there are other factors that, in my opinion, are significantly more important.
Practice makes perfect, literally
Whether in shooters, MMORPGs, or MOBAs: Those who play a lot will get better – as long as they follow Cortyn’s advice to analyze their mistakes. The improvement in gaming skill comes from practicing certain mechanics while playing.
In most video games, patterns repeat themselves time and again, either in the form of specific sequences of abilities or through more abstract things like recurring movements. Some examples:
- The “patterns” of bosses in games like Dark Souls are often the same, and you can recognize them by certain cues from the opponent.
- Bosses in MMOs have a fixed set of abilities that they use depending on various conditions.
- The classes in RPGs and MMORPGs have their own abilities that work better in specific combinations and sequences.
- In shooters, the hitboxes of opponents are always the same, so the movement for aiming remains similar.
Those who frequently play these games passively learn these patterns. Instead of constantly needing to pay attention to which action is better in which situation, a pattern has already become “second nature.” Muscle memory takes over. You react almost instinctively.
That this truly works has already been established by colleague Dariusz Müller. Dariusz is an enthusiastic shooter player and has spent 100 hours in an aim trainer to improve – with success.
Surely there are prodigies whose reflexes are so good that they can adapt to new situations within milliseconds. However, for most players, repetitions help to become mechanically better.
Those who stop getting better, stop being good
Those who stop getting better stop being good – I apply this phrase to a large part of my life, both professionally and in gaming. Those who are good at something have usually worked hard for it, but they should not rest on their achievements.
Once learned mechanics can be forgotten, and even the muscle memory that you all probably know from swiping on a smartphone can be lost. So, if you go a long time without playing or improving, you will get worse again.
However, if you have reached a point that sets you apart from the majority of players, you still have an advantage. Because with enough practice, you will – like in a gym – eventually reach a higher base level than an “untrained” gamer. Losing that level takes a long time.
Therefore, it is quite “fair” that someone who invests a lot of time is better than you. After all, this person dedicates their time to actively getting better – while you may be training your skills in cooking or dealing with people in real life.
Stubbornness is the first step to defeat
However, practice is just one of two parts that distinguish a good player from someone who truly plays well. Because with trained patterns, there comes a significant danger: You become predictable.
This is not relevant for boss fights in MMORPGs and other PvE activities. Here, it solely depends on how well your own skill is. However, in competitive environments like PvP shooters and MOBAs, the situation is different.
Because you always have to consider that your opponent may also be practiced, and possibly even had more time than you. Therefore, it is important to be flexible. Do things that are not predictable or recognize situations where you can apply practiced maneuvers.
With sufficient knowledge about a game, you can encounter situations that, in the extreme case, are new for all parties. It is only at this point that it truly matters who can react faster. But once you reach this point, you can already confidently count yourself among the top ten percent of gamers.
However, practice and flexibility are not the only things you can train to get better. It can actually be simpler to get a bit more out of your gameplay, for example with the right hardware. Because besides skill, it can make a difference which monitor you use: Streamer Shroud tests: Does a 144Hz monitor make you a better shooter player?
