Dealing with how demotivating losing is

[DDutchguy]

Losing is supposed to help you learn, improve and in general make you better at the game. However it feels like I'm the exception to this rule as I feel like losing rarely helps me improve. A couple reasons I feel this way:


- I lose against every type of player. It doesn't matter if they are Supergirl players that only do teleports, Robin players that pretend every move on block leads to a frame trap, or players that have played the game for 30 minutes total.

- When I played MKX I felt like I was at least a decent player and was able to go give legitimately good players a run for their money. With Injustice 2 I feel like my ~700 hours of MKX might as well not exist because I can't keep up with anyone, which makes losing all the more frustrating for me.

- Because I keep losing to players that I don't consider to be fundamentally good (relying on a specific gimmick that keeps working on me), it feels like I have to put much more effort into my play than they do. This in turn makes improving feel futile.

- My reasons for losing are a combination of bad reads, bad reaction speed (can only react to Supergirl's teleport if I very specifically look for it), getting hit by every single mixup, getting outzoned (Darkseid, Superman), getting rushed down (Batman


At this point I seriously feel like not playing any fighting games anymore. In the past months of playing Injustice, I feel like I haven't accomplished anything. I'm sure I'm the only one who has had this problem / is currently having this problem, so I'd really like you guys' help before I get so frustrated I quit playing altogether.

 

[Kotal_Wannabe]

My advice. Take a break dude. Tilt can be crippling to your game-play and is self reinforcing. Sometimes it can last one match, sometimes the rest of the day, other times tilt can follow you around every session.

Take a break for a week or more if need be, play a different game, preferably a single player game you're good at or something that isn't too competitive, to relax your brain. Come back to Injustice 2 with a fresh mind, you'll find that unconsciously your brain will be working on solutions to your past problems when you give it a break from the stress.

 

[DDutchguy]

My advice. Take a break dude. Tilt can be crippling to your game-play and is self reinforcing. Sometimes it can last one match, sometimes the rest of the day, other times tilt can follow you around every session.

Take a break for a week or more if need be, play a different game, preferably a single player game you're good at or something that isn't too competitive, to relax your brain. Come back to Injustice 2 with a fresh mind, you'll find that unconsciously your brain will be working on solutions to your past problems when you give it a break from the stress.

Well...I kind of already took a break for 2 weeks.

 

[Wam-Zlay]

Stop playing the game if you don't like losing. For me it's the same, but i don't care if i win or lose. I just play 2-3 hours and if i lose, get up and go again.

 

[Tanno]

Judging by your losing issue, I would say that you're kind of tired. It's like you are trying to solve a puzzle to no avail. Take a break to let your mind clear, and then retry again. Usually for me, it works, because when I get tired of solving something to no end, I take a break sometimes before retrying again. Helps with giving back the energy to the mind.

Speaking of which, my issue here is that I don't know why am I losing my matches. My problem is that I can't predict what my opponent will do, and this is why I keep losing due of wrong guesses. I'm not a mind freak to read what the opponent is about to do in-game. Usually, when I see my opponent break through my attacks I tend to say "I see" aloud out of my mind to myself that I learned something and start changing my strategy. Lately, I'm not myself and I don't know why. Maybe I'm too tired due of my job.

 

[KingHippo]

I think the problem seems to be that you say this:

- My reasons for losing are a combination of bad reads, bad reaction speed (can only react to Supergirl's teleport if I very specifically look for it), getting hit by every single mixup, getting outzoned (Darkseid, Superman), getting rushed down (Batman

But then freely say this:

- Because I keep losing to players that I don't consider to be fundamentally good (relying on a specific gimmick that keeps working on me), it feels like I have to put much more effort into my play than they do. This in turn makes improving feel futile.

If you are losing because you can't make reads, have poor reactions, and generally can't counter common playstyles, it would stand to reason you probably aren't very good, which you freely acknowledge in that first quote. Yet at the same time, you have a standard that you are applying of being better than those you don't consider "fundamentally good." But if you are not fundamentally good, then should you really split hairs about something like that?

My advice would be to see your inability to win as a serious misunderstanding of how to play the game, and work from there. What are you doing that seemingly everyone else isn't? What parts of the game do you not use/actively avoid using? Do you have a lot of knowledge about how the game works? Any of those would be a better place to start from than "I'm losing to people I don't consider good".

 

[thlityoursloat]

This game's casual aspect is a hilarious joke, so don't take it seriously.

 

[DDutchguy]

I think the problem seems to be that you say this:



But then freely say this:



If you are losing because you can't make reads, have poor reactions, and generally can't counter common playstyles, it would stand to reason you probably aren't very good, which you freely acknowledge in that first quote. Yet at the same time, you have a standard that you are applying of being better than those you don't consider "fundamentally good." But if you are not fundamentally good, then should you really split hairs about something like that?

My advice would be to see your inability to win as a serious misunderstanding of how to play the game, and work from there. What are you doing that seemingly everyone else isn't? What parts of the game do you not use/actively avoid using? Do you have a lot of knowledge about how the game works? Any of those would be a better place to start from than "I'm losing to people I don't consider good".

You're very right, thanks for pointing that out. I'll not fuss who I play until I clean up my fundamentals a bit.

As for your advice, I'll keep it in mind. What everyone else seems to be doing that I'm not is something I always take too negatively. 90% of the time I play ranked so I have a bad habit of saying "Well he was just spamming X thing there" or trying to discredit what they're doing in some way, which is a terrible mindset that I'll try my best to get rid of.

 

[Crusty]

I used to suffer from extreme fits of anger whenever I lost but as I grown older, I've learned that losing doesn't matter. Hence, I became indifferent to losing while still maintaining my attitude to winning.

 

[Roy Arkon]

@DDutchguy

I hear you dude. I also played MKX for hours and hours and yet in IJ2 it took me a while to get the feel for it and I still kinda do. MK and IJ are two very different games with some similarities, there are players who play only one of these two franchises and for some it's because they don't feel like it's a game for them. When I've started to play fighting games on a higher level, I also tried several other fighting games (I've played all of them in single player format though) but yet I've always went back to MK9 because that's the one game I felt the most comfortable, and when MKX came, I've played only MKX on a high level. Maybe this could be the issue.

Or maybe it is just a timed thing. When I was practicing for Yuzu Cup earlier this year, a few days before the tourney I got into this huge losing streak and I couldn't have win a match at all, I was so stressed and felt like I wasn't going to get anywhere for the tourney, but I didn't give up until I've finally started to win again (for the record I've played against some really strong players like @HappyPow and such), and I always remind myself to never give up.

So I think you just need to remember that you can always go back on winning side and never give up, and not to take IJ2 to much for granted. Maybe you can also go to play against lower level players or even the CPU in the single player mode to put yourself in less stressful situations or just take a break for 20 mins or so, not for too long of course.

I hope this helps

This game's casual aspect is a hilarious joke, so don't take it seriously.

Yes there is a joke here, but it's not the game.

 

[Juggs]

Idk if you read this, but an article I wrote on this topic awhile ago: https://testyourmight.com/threads/tips-on-becoming-a-better-player-part-1-how-losing-helps-you-get-better.3674/

It's not specifically about your issues but more of a mindset thing.

One thing I do is put players in certain categories. This doesn't really apply to ranked or 1 and done matches. You really can't learn TOO much playing against someone one match.

Anyway, if a player isn't doing anything fundamentally sound and is taking huge risks in neutral, they fall under my "Hail Mary" category. Against these players I counter their seemingly random style by playing a solid, low risk fundamentally sound game.

If a player is playing solid, good spacing, footsies, fundamentals, etc and isn't really doing anything crazy, they fall under my "Ninja Turtle" category. Against these players I'm more aggressive and play mind games and force then into making mistakes.

These are just examples. But it's important to identify the type of player you're playing against and already have a gameplan of what you do vs these types of players. Obviously this is only half the battle as every player is different, but it will help you tremendously if you can already have a strategy in mind no matter what type of player you come across.

 

[navaroNe]

What character do you play?

 

[Cashual]

I can relate man. It is very frustrating to devote time and energy and serious thought and effort to the game to be beaten badly by someone doing something so simple that any child could pull it off. I've been there. It was the bane of my existence in MKX.

I'd spend all this time learning advanced combos, watching high level play, looking at frame data and going to practice and drilling hit confirms and setting the dummy to jump in to practice AA conversions, and even recording the AI to some move that gave me fits or I couldn't punish right, and yet I'd still lose to someone relentlessly jumping in or yolo teleporting in the neutral.

I would get pissed and feel like a fool. It was a slap in the face because I knew the people beating me and doing fatalities were playing the game " the wrong way".

But you know what man? There is no right way. I don't get to decide how others play. In fact, me losing to someone doing the same shit over and over is 100% my fault. The moment I accepted that was the same moment I dropped my ego and realized a simple truth: I suck. I suck bad. Just because I had immersed myself in the fgc culture and decided to "take it serious" didn't mean that 6 months later I was any good. From there, I was more honest with myself and I started to get real. And since then (2 years or so) I have improved.

Here are a few things that I did and still sometimes do wrong that might be true for you:

I'd be too 1 dimensional in my approach, offense and game plan. I'd rely too heavily on one particular normal or string and develop shitty habits because my play would be effective against the AI so I'd force the round peg into the square hole and be unable and unwilling to adapt when an opponent would blow it up. And because sometimes the strategy would also work against some opponents it led to me dismissing the losses to the person doing something cheap or scrubby.

Also, my punishes just weren't very good or consistent. I would leave damage on the table and sometimes just let very unsafe or semi unsafe shit go unpunished. To be ANY good...and I mean at ALL...you have to know the movesets of every character. I don't care how naturally talented you are, how good your execution is, or your reactions are. Without knowing when you're supposed to commit to punishes and/or poke and challenge, you will allow the opponent to get away with all kinds of shit and you'll lose. This is where smart practice is crucial. If you play a character and player who whoops you, go to practice and look at the move list and see what your options are. Set the dummy to do the moves and practice your response until it's reflex.

I also would do shit like panic and d1 and sometimes when it was blocked.....I'd try and d1 again. You just can't do that shit not either against a great player or even a trash ass masher because you'll get bopped. This ties into the above but the concept of understanding who's turn it is is vital.

Lastly, I had to let go of my expectations of the other persons play or "integrity". For example, a while ago I played a guys batman where he literally exclusively cross up j2ed into d3. Exclusively. It was frustrating because I was sure that he would just have to do something different! Well he didn't. So now what? I relaxed and realized all I had to do was block the crossup, then block the sweep attempt, and I was free to full combo punish. My expectations of his play were worthless. I had to actually react to what was going on.

As for supergirl. The good ones are truly tough man. But mostly they shoot lasers, and teleport and you've gotta be able to beat those players. Watch their meter. If they don't have bar, just crouch from half screen or more because the reg teleport will whiff on crouching and you have all day to punish. If they have meter....well honestly man, it's like what....30 frames or something? I forget exactly but it is 100% reactable and easily punished on block. Listen for the swoosh sound effect and if she for any reason moves to go off screen you have time to push forward and block and punish. If you simply can't you just have to admit that you're not very good yet. Go to practice and pick SG and record yourself shooting a couple random lasers, shimmy back and forth, and mix in her teleport and even maybe f3. Just do them randomly for 15 seconds and then practice it! You will get it, I promise. Also set the wakeup mode to on with her rising punch and practice converting full combo and then get use to walking back on her wakeup and full punishing the rising punch.

Ok. Enough said. Mostly I just wanted you to know that I promise you you're not alone!!! There's lots of players like you and I that are somewhere between being any good but also being slightly above your average bum who barely plays and just lets it rip. Lots of people are in your shoes.

Good luck man and keep playing and try and have fun! Also.....don't let your self esteem ride on ranked matches man! Play people from here or on player match and when you find players you like, add them and invite to private games. Ranked blows.

 

[B. Shazzy]

wish i could help u bro but i have zero experience with losing especially to nrs players

 

[CrimsonShadow]

It takes some patience, but honestly the best thing to do is to work on one thing at a time.

Temporarily remove your fixation on Winning or Losing, and just Get Better.

The hardest thing about improving is that it requires playing better in a number of different areas; and so if you're trying to fix them all at once, it can be overwhelming.

I'd say to pick one thing, and work on that first. If it's correctly responding to blocking attacks that are slightly negative on block, then just focus on that until you get it down. Don't worry about winning or losing -- just focus on improving that one area, through practice mode /real matches.

Then after you have that down, move on to something else.

If you do this in enough areas, the winning will start to come naturally. Give yourself encouragement for improving in one area, not just for winning.

Keep in mind that this game will throw stronger opponents at you the better you get -- don't let that discourage you. Your own incremental improvement can be your reward (ex. "I lost, but I interrupted Robin correctly after EX DP this time -- that's good!")

 

[Ninequads93]

Did you play the first Injustice? You might have trouble adjusting to I2 from MKX if this is your first time also wt other fighters have u played as well?

Injustice 1 (as great as it was damn I had some good times) balance was not as great as it is in I2 movement was more clunky more 50/50s , Martian etc. my point is even in that game if I lost I felt like it was on me never did I feel like I got robbed , I could of made diff decisions that could have led to a diff outcome

The reason I bring that up is because I did not feel that way in MKX same thing goes for SF5 I lost and it would just leave a bad taste in my mouth mind like the problem is not with me but with the game and the mechanics itself ended up making me not enjoy those games at all, having someone just being able to get in for free by running in then just start going ham, or In sf5 I won't get into it but we all know the issues with that game

The point I'm trying to make is with I2 even if I lose I'm still enjoying the game , the balance is fairly good (I think it's amazing but everyone has their opinion, cept for Deadshot f$&k him lol) there is not such overwhelming stuff like the stuff I mentioned above so when it comes down to it if you lose its bcuz you got outplayed simple as that which means u can make improvements to prevent that.

It sounds like you are playing a lot of ranked matches mind you there is no problem with that but you are running into a lot of diff matchups with a lot of diff ppl playing said characters which also means lots of diff playstyles u can run into tele happy supergirls then run into a very methodical Supergirl making it hard to adjust so I would recommend playing sets more if you can that way if you are losing you can take a second and adjust to the player itself too not just the character then u will start to see yourselve improve and start not falling for that stuff you said you've been falling for

I'm lucky and get to play a lot of great players I can't tell you how many times it will b like my first set playing against them and I'm losing more than winning then I play a set against them again on some other day and start winning more eventually to the point were I feel very comfortable in said matchups , I had in my mind what I wanted to say but kind of turned into a rant lol but I hope something I said helps I2 is an amazing game and losing in it should not b the end of the world

 

[Tweedy]

The most optimal way is to not care about wins or losses ever. Everything is just a learning experience and you just do your best.

That's not how it works though since we're human. Caring about online wins and losses will drive you mad eventually tho. Really gotta let those go.

 

[B. Shazzy]

spoken like a true loser Freedy so inspirational lul

 

[Damaja325]

i quit the game. injustice 2 isn't fun for me at all. i spent the first 2 months playing and trying to learn but realized i wasn't having fun with it. from there, i just started playing less and less until the people i normally play with were getting better and improving and i just stagnated with my limited knowledge of the game.

you should ask yourself: do i enjoy injustice 2? if you don't, then you should either stop playing the game or just take a long break and try to come back later and try new things. that's what i did. i took a series of breaks, trying different characters i thought i would like. eventually, i just realized i didn't like the game so i just stopped playing.

losing definitely is frustrating. but if you were a good player in mkx, you should remind yourself: this is what it takes. this is what needs to be done to get better, go through the pain first of losing to later experience the pleasure of winning and outplaying the other guy. i feel like it's a lot easier tho to deal with losing if you're at least enjoying the game. in my case, i loved mkx so i licked my wounds and kept going with it. but for injustice 2 i don't feel that way at all and not going to burden myself with frustration over a game that i don't like.

 

[Tweedy]

spoken like a true loser Freedy lul

Idk why you're in here Shazzy. Not like you've ever had to deal with losses to free NRS scrubs.

 

[scorpiomagnum]

Some random suggestions:

- try new characters. Maybe you need to use someone else who has a more straight forward game plan.

- use training mode for more than just combo training. Record and playback tactics that others use against you to better defend yourself and/or punish

- screen positioning can be more important than damage

 

[RyuKazuya]

I know losing is not motivating and can be even frustrating, which can completely kill the fun. But if you really want to get better then you should first of all try to have fun playing the game again. If you start losing and dont feel like having fun anymore then you should definitely take a short break. However if you mainly play ranked or random people it is not really helpful to improve. When I played ranked for instance and kept losing , I started to feel more frustrated than having fun. Therefore I stopped playing ranked for a certain amount of time and used the time to play with friends only to get confident playing the game again.

The hard thing about losing is fighting thoughts that make the loss even worse. When you lose you start to think you were trash, which doesnt have to be the case. But even decent to good players may struggle with certain playstyles, especially when it comes to certain matchups.
So dont give up and just try to have fun playing again

If you really cant have fun playing the game at all, better stop. Dont torture yourself playing something you dont like or cant enjoy. But always examine if its not just the heat of the moment.

 

[B. Shazzy]

Idk why you're in here Shazzy. Not like you've ever had to deal with losses to free NRS scrubs.

twitch is down might as well see how my kingdom is doing


remember what i told you about nubcakes at hth finals look what happened lul shouldve listened scrub

 

[MadPropz101]

You just need a really good character with a lot of cheap shit trust me, this is how NRS games work.

 

[Lt. Boxy Angelman]

You just need a really good character with a lot of cheap shit trust me, this is how NRS games work.

This. You can't touch this game with any sort of loyalty to anyone.
Find a character whose BS you can bang with comfortably.
Then, find somewhere to start. Something you do that drives you crazy.
Work on it until it isn't a big deal anymore. Go from there.
If you're genuinely burned out, you won't have the patience, which is fine because as Tweedy said, this shit can drive you crazy depending on your mindset.
But if it works, if you feel better, find something else. Challenge yourself a bit.

I'm only good with villainous killing machines.
Can't play Red Hood well. Or GL. Or Sub or Swampy or Starfire.
The shit just does not work for me. So I stick to the bad guys.

We all have our things.