Losing Interest/Motivation Dwindling

[YourMKArcadeSource]

Just venting/releasing frustration. I've never really been any good at the newer generation MK games (MK: DA and on). I was 13 when MK1 came out in '92 and I spent so much time and effort trying to master all the original arcade games that when 2002 came around and DA was released, it was so different in all aspects that I just didn't get that interested in it. That was the beginning of my downfall. I got so far behind in the competitive MK world that as the successive games were released, I found myself getting less and less interested in them. When MK9 was announced and hype was building for it, I ended up getting a government job that landed me in Afghanistan for 2 years and I wasn't even able to play MK9 until I came home and by then, I was 2 years behind the curve, so that was a lost cause.

Not too long after that, MKX hype started building and I had every hope and intention to really get into it and start getting good. I played around with some characters and ended up going with Mileena as my main. After practicing for a good long while and learning combos, techniques, etc, I felt I was getting pretty good. So, online I went. As it stands now, I am sitting at a respectable 520/91 ranked record but it's mostly because I've been playing scrubs and noobs. When I get matched against anybody decent, I get the wall wiped with me and get so frustrated because I simply am not up to par with the techniques that I need to compete at high levels with the newer gen MK games.

That leads me to really ask myself if it's worth my time to try and get better. I see people with records like 900/20 and I think "What's the point? How could I even possibly beat someone like that?" and it makes me not want to even bother. I find myself getting less and less motivated to even play the game. When I get stuck in the corner and get combo'd to death because I can't escape, even though I know how but these guys are just too good, I lose all interest in even continuing on and just shut my system down.

I realize that I'm probably going to catch a lot of crap from some people for this but I don't really care. I'm an easy going person. I just wanted to express how I feel because I really want to be part of the community as it stands now but there are SO many players out there that are just so unbelievable good, I find myself not wanting to bother trying because I don't stand a chance.

That's it. Thanks for your time.

 

[DownfouralitY]

did you post it without finishing it on accident? Lol

 

[bebedao]

Stand by...

I WILL NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bdizzle2700]

Dont tell me how to live my life!

 

[SaltShaker]

Stand by DEEZ NUTS.

 

[YourMKArcadeSource]

Stand by DEEZ NUTS.

"Ha ha...GOT EEM!"

 

[MK_GDROM]

Just venting/releasing frustration. I've never really been any good at the newer generation MK games (MK: DA and on). I was 13 when MK1 came out in '92 and I spent so much time and effort trying to master all the original arcade games that when 2002 came around and DA was released, it was so different in all aspects that I just didn't get that interested in it. That was the beginning of my downfall. I got so far behind in the competitive MK world that as the successive games were released, I found myself getting less and less interested in them. When MK9 was announced and hype was building for it, I ended up getting a government job that landed me in Afghanistan for 2 years and I wasn't even able to play MK9 until I came home and by then, I was 2 years behind the curve, so that was a lost cause.

Not too long after that, MKX hype started building and I had every hope and intention to really get into it and start getting good. I played around with some characters and ended up going with Mileena as my main. After practicing for a good long while and learning combos, techniques, etc, I felt I was getting pretty good. So, online I went. As it stands now, I am sitting at a respectable 520/91 ranked record but it's mostly because I've been playing scrubs and noobs. When I get matched against anybody decent, I get the wall wiped with me and get so frustrated because I simply am not up to par with the techniques that I need to compete at high levels with the newer gen MK games.

That leads me to really ask myself if it's worth my time to try and get better. I see people with records like 900/20 and I think "What's the point? How could I even possible beat someone like that?" and it makes me not want to even bother. I find myself getting less and less motivated to even play the game. When I get stuck in the corner and get combo'd to death because I can't escape, even though I know how but these guys are just too good, I lose all interest in even continuing on and just shut my system down.

I realize that I'm probably going to catch a lot of crap from some people for this but I don't really care. I'm an easy going person. I just wanted to express how I feel because I really want to be part of the community as it stands now but there are SO many players out there that are just so unbelievable good, I find myself not wanting to bother trying because I don't stand a chance.

That's it. Thanks for your time.

Well at least you're honest about it. I feel like the "I'm not getting any better" stage sticks with most people. I'm having the same problem as well, and am starting to put less and less time into the game, as I always seem to have the most interest in the characters wayy above my skill level. I don't have "rhythm" when executing combos, and found that my downfall is that I input combos too fast for the game, and in return they don't come out, or they come out sloppily. So I understand where you're coming from as far as that is concerned. I am told by friends that I play with that I am doing better, as when the game first came out I was quick to back myself up in the corner instead of trying to find a way to deal with Sub-Zero's clone and would get bodied by my friend who plays him.

Now I can take quite a bit of his health when we play, and I don't back myself into the corner, but I still can't beat him a single match. I have dropped Reptile for Kano since I was so used to doing an immediate jump in punch after a neutral jump punch, because he was one of the those characters that had an insta-frame jip. Instead of relearning his combos, and planning on entering @ CEO this year for my first major (and with Reptile), I'm opting out and going to learn Kano, and play casuals. I will admit it will take me longer to adapt to that timing, than it will for my to learn a new character, but it really is discouraging not being able to use the character you had the most interest in efficiently. Hopefully you can pick yourself up and do better than I have. Good luck.

 

[diamond]

Learning the different wakeup options and when to use them really helped me. Learn when to delay, when to armor out, when to get up and block, tech roll etc. Learn to manage meter properly, use breakers when it's advantageous to you. Backdashing and punishing strings w/ holes is also a game changer.

& pick a top tier to save yourself from a lot of unnecessary losses.

 

[Jaku2011]

Idk I never really cared about being tourney level good. I just like playing the game so while going up against people that destroy me is annoying and I'll probably slap my thigh or cry about how bullshit whatever they did to beat me was, I still keep playing, cuz fighting games are fun.

 

[YourMKArcadeSource]

Learning the different wakeup options and when to use them really helped me. Learn when to delay, when to armor out, when to get up and block, tech roll etc. Learn to manage meter properly, use breakers when it's advantageous to you. Backdashing and punishing strings w/ holes is also a game changer.

& pick a top tier to save yourself from a lot of unnecessary losses.

All good points. I know that, as a Mileena player, people will expect me to roll, teleport, etc and they'll be waiting for it so I don't do the moves when it's obvious that they are expecting me to do them. I try to throw them into some combos but when I get shoved into the corner when getting hit by Raiden's Superman or some other character's move, and they are good, I'm a goner.

 

[looktotheluna]

Just venting/releasing frustration. I've never really been any good at the newer generation MK games (MK: DA and on). I was 13 when MK1 came out in '92 and I spent so much time and effort trying to master all the original arcade games that when 2002 came around and DA was released, it was so different in all aspects that I just didn't get that interested in it. That was the beginning of my downfall. I got so far behind in the competitive MK world that as the successive games were released, I found myself getting less and less interested in them. When MK9 was announced and hype was building for it, I ended up getting a government job that landed me in Afghanistan for 2 years and I wasn't even able to play MK9 until I came home and by then, I was 2 years behind the curve, so that was a lost cause.

Not too long after that, MKX hype started building and I had every hope and intention to really get into it and start getting good. I played around with some characters and ended up going with Mileena as my main. After practicing for a good long while and learning combos, techniques, etc, I felt I was getting pretty good. So, online I went. As it stands now, I am sitting at a respectable 520/91 ranked record but it's mostly because I've been playing scrubs and noobs. When I get matched against anybody decent, I get the wall wiped with me and get so frustrated because I simply am not up to par with the techniques that I need to compete at high levels with the newer gen MK games.

That leads me to really ask myself if it's worth my time to try and get better. I see people with records like 900/20 and I think "What's the point? How could I even possibly beat someone like that?" and it makes me not want to even bother. I find myself getting less and less motivated to even play the game. When I get stuck in the corner and get combo'd to death because I can't escape, even though I know how but these guys are just too good, I lose all interest in even continuing on and just shut my system down.

I realize that I'm probably going to catch a lot of crap from some people for this but I don't really care. I'm an easy going person. I just wanted to express how I feel because I really want to be part of the community as it stands now but there are SO many players out there that are just so unbelievable good, I find myself not wanting to bother trying because I don't stand a chance.

That's it. Thanks for your time.

I get what you're saying but getting frustrated isn't going to help the situation. However, get the ONLINE stats stuff out you're head, as online records don't mean anything or prove they are better players.

Put it this way, the game is a month old and learning the matchup's is one thing you should get used to and to hell if this guy(s) has a 1000-50 streak.

Doesn't mean you cannot beat him, as I went against one guy recently with a 1565/180 or something like that and I blew him up because I kinda knew the character he was using. Going against some Kano, Cage and Raiden players at a advanced level got me blown up because I wasn't used to the matchup's and their safe or unsafe strings, etc.

So I kept the recordings and went over what got me slapped about, went to practice and tested it out, so next I'm sort of ready to deal with it again.

You only get better when playing a better player. I used to be salty at one time but now I use a different mindset and also, It's just a GAME

 

[YourMKArcadeSource]

I get what you're saying but getting frustrated isn't going to help the situation. However, get the ONLINE stats stuff out you're head, as online records don't mean anything or prove they are better players.

Put it this way, the game is a month old and learning the matchup's is one thing you should get used to and to hell if this guy(s) has a 1000-50 streak.

Doesn't mean you cannot beat him, as I went against one guy recently with a 1565/180 or something like that and I blew him up because I kinda knew the character he was using. Going against some Kano, Cage and Raiden players at a advanced level got me blown up because I wasn't used to the matchup's and their safe or unsafe strings, etc.

So I kept the recordings and went over what got me slapped about, went to practice and tested it out, so next I'm sort of ready to deal with it again.

You only get better when playing a better player. I used to be salty at one time but now I use a different mindset and also, It's just a GAME

Very well said and I'm not giving up on the game. I HAVE beaten highly ranked players by using their own tells against them and avoiding mine, but it's few and far between. I love the game and it's really fun to play. I'm not concerned about my rank or anything like that, I only mentioned it to convey that I'm not venting because I'm no good. I just get frustrated and annoyed at myself more than anything because I shouldn't have let myself fall so far behind competitively on the newer gen MKs.

EDIT: Recording the matches and reviewing them like football reels...that's a good idea.

 

[virtiqaL]

Should you continue to invest your time in the game? I think that all depends on what you hope to get out of it. If you're someone who is only going to play this game online, then I guess the main question you should be asking yourself is whether or not you're enjoying the game and having fun with it, if not, it's probably best to find something else to do with your time.

Personally, I wouldn't invest a lot of time into any fighting game that I didn't want to compete in offline. Online play, in my opinion, should be mostly about casual fun and a way to get at least some experience (even if it's laggy and against people who are horrible at the game) in matchups you're unfamiliar with. I could never stay motivated to learn any fighting game at a mid to high level if my only goal or motivation was to get #1 in ranked or a really good win/loss ratio, because to be quite honest, it doesn't mean shit, it isn't noticed, and no one cares.

I think most people that are motivated to learn any fighting game at a high level and stick to them have a very competitive mindset. The thought of winning a major tournament keeps them motivated and driven. That same attitude is also what keeps them from being discouraged when they've played or placed poorly, they see it as an opportunity to improve.

Also, I think it's a mistake to put your competition on a pedestal so to speak. It's ok to respect the skill of great players, but don't tell yourself that you can't be as good or better than the person who 'wiped the wall' with you. Other players may have accomplished more, or at this point in time, know more about the game and have a better understanding of it than you, but at the end of the day they're only human, they aren't special nor were they born with some sort of god-given talent, they simply pushed for their goal (whatever that goal may be) without wavering until they got to where they are.

 

[Embestone]

First of all its okay to feel discouraged. I think we all get there at that point, I myself have been there. But you just gotta push through.

And just to help you out, here is a few tips I can give you about playing online and leveling up. One thing is, is to spend less time in ranked. Ranked is generally full of casuals who want to get a quick game or two in. When you do meet someone who is good at the game, and is decimating you, the quick 2 round bout is not nearly enough to learn the matchup and your options in it.

Rooms and player matches on the other hand provide the better option because you can not only choose who you want to play but you can rematch them. Sitting in a lobby and scoping out players who you believe may provide you with a good match will benefit you more than the random people ranked matchmaking will give you. Then when you do find someone who gives you a good match and is putting you in situations you're not sure how to deal with, you can simply rematch them and use that time to figure out your options. I've done a set with a person for 100 total matches, before. Of course thats a lot, but I learned more from that time in that set than I could have ever possibly learned from spending that time in ranked.

 

[YourMKArcadeSource]

Very good points guys. Thanks. Your advice is well received. Regarding online vs. offline. My only option for live competition is online. I live in Wichita, KS...the furthest point away from any place offering offline, live competition. So online is my only option. I can't be flying out to either coast multiple times a year just to lose in the first round of a tournament. Such is life.

 

[Dwarfmp]

When I started playing the game, I felt like I was horribly bad, and though I got better, at week two or so, I barely played. But I picked it up again, and I practiced more.

I think that you'd be surprised how much you can get better, even though it feels like you won't at all. It really comes down to practice, and it can take a long time. Maybe that's how it feels because the game is new, and I had to get used to it, but I really think I'll be a lot better in a few months.

In addition, I think patches to the game can also make some major differences, so we can't really flesh the game out for a while anyway.

 

[looktotheluna]

Very well said and I'm not giving up on the game. I HAVE beaten highly ranked players by using their own tells against them and avoiding mine, but it's few and far between. I love the game and it's really fun to play. I'm not concerned about my rank or anything like that, I only mentioned it to convey that I'm not venting because I'm no good. I just get frustrated and annoyed at myself more than anything because I shouldn't have let myself fall so far behind competitively on the newer gen MKs.

EDIT: Recording the matches and reviewing them like football reels...that's a good idea.

Just give it time and it will fall into place, patience is important. I wish I could get more time to play and practice myself, yet since I work permanent nights practically 5 nights a week, it's affected my game and the past week of my absence and coming back on this weekend, everyone seems to have leveled up lol.

 

[Pterodactyl]

There's always going to be someone better no matter what you do, so I don't see how those 900-20 record guys bother you.

 

[Sutter Pain]

Find a couple cool people that are slightly better or around your skill lvl and play with them. Don't get salty and take online with a grain of salt is the best advice I can give.

Finding nice people you can have friendly banter and lvl up with is much more enjoyable then facing randoms with padded stats.

 

[YourMKArcadeSource]

There's always going to be someone better no matter what you do, so I don't see how those 900-20 record guys bother you.

Very true. It's not that they bother me, it's more that I'm just blown away by the record. You have to realize, I'm 13 years or so out of touch with the online MK world because I joined the Navy in 2001 and have been really busy with life over the last 14 years. I never had the time to really get into online/competitive gaming from that point to now. I finally have a chance to play a new MK game from the time of it's release for the first time in a long time and it's going to take me a while to acclimate to the way things are.

 

[Embestone]

Very good points guys. Thanks. Your advice is well received. Regarding online vs. offline. My only option for live competition is online. I live in Wichita, KS...the furthest point away from any place offering offline, live competition. So online is my only option. I can't be flying out to either coast multiple times a year just to lose in the first round of a tournament. Such is life.

This is my situation as well. I live in South Carolina... There is absolutely no scene in South Carolina so online is pretty much the only tool I have, and has been since mk9. Hopefully the tips I posted could help you get better when the only option you have is online.

Fortunately for me though, Atlanta is only a 2 and a half hour drive away, and that drive is all I need to do to have the chance to play against people like Michaelangelo and Pig of the Hut.

 

[skater11]

I have a way worse win loss ratio than you and I play the game regularly and practice matchups often. Read my frame data and everything but I could care less about online records. I've beaten countless amount of people in both ranked and player matches that have ridiculously high w/l ratios that makes me wonder how they even have such a ratio. But anyways, it's more about experience that makes a player good in my opinion. A guy with 1000 wins 900 losses is more than likely better than someone with 100-3

 

[Reauxbot]

Damn you have a hell of a record.
But honestly i play for the fun of it mostly.
This game feels even rough because not only are more than half the characters mixup characters but the wakeups are also meter dependant as hell. Try being in the corner with Sonya. Shit gets outta hand.
Ive only recently used the block breaker. Fuck that.
And Erron Black -_-

 

[sub_on_dubs]

Most people will never be top players man, but the ones that aren't still have fun with the game. I would say I'm an average player and always will be. While I've never delved head first into becoming a top player (studying frame data, learning every character etc) I think it's pretty safe to say I won't be. I have a full time job and other interests as well, but I still enjoy fighters as one of my hobbies. Just keep playing if you enjoy the game.

 

[big j gleez]

Is this you bro? lol

Nah but honestly, don't even look at online record. It doesn't mean a damn thing. It is about knowledge, understanding frame data and how to punish and stay safe, and knowing each characters strengths and limitations and exploiting them.

If I wanted to go online and rip off 1,000 wins and get minimal losses I could, but like I said in the video.... there isn't any reward for being the best online player.

Use online for practice and bring it all together in games where it counts. Learn from your mistakes. Don't get bitter. Don't complain. Simply, adjust.

I am just really getting into MK competitively but I have participated in gaming tournaments for over a decade. The formula is still the same.