8. Gaming Gear
On the bottom of my list, I have put gaming equipment, even
though a lot of people may disagree. Some people will claim that it is an
absolute necessity, while others will say it is 100% about the skills. I
believe it is somewhere in between. You can get good without excellent gaming
gear. There are even rare examples with professional CS-GO players, gaming on
old school equipment, and still performing at the top. But this is the
exception, not the rule, and most people will benefit from updated equipment.
With that said, it is not all expensive gaming gear that will enhance your
performance. Whereas a flashy mouse with a higher DPI most likely won’t change
your performance, a monitor with faster response time or a mouse with those
extra key bindings can do wonders for you.
Related: Best mice for MOBA, fps,
and gaming
in general. Complete lists.
7. Practice
This obviously sounds like a bit of a cliché, but playing
more generally improve your capabilities. But I am not just talking about
playing the game since at some point you will not gain much from simply
playing. I am talking about playing the game, intending to improve and notice
your mistakes. The most significant and most crucial part of this is: be
critical of your own playstyle! Most people tend to blame everything on
everyone else, and that is a significant hindrance if you want to improve. Next
time you play your game of choice, analyze what went wrong every chance you
get. Once we begin to look inward and realize our own mistakes, there is
usually so much room for improvement.
YOU WILL NEVER BE GREAT, IF YOU DON’T FIRST ADMIT
YOU’RE FLAWED.
6. Watch/analyze Replays
This is obviously a bit of a continuation of the point
above, but it deserves its own section. I would argue that this is one of the
absolute most essential factors when you seek to improve your skills. Most
people keep playing hours on end and do not realize what they do wrong.
Watching replays of your games will give you a massive advantage over your
opponents, and if you ask any professional gamer, it is a part of their
process. Most gaming developers know this, and most current day competitive
games do have spectator/replay mode. Alternatively, you can choose to record
your gaming sessions using fraps, Action, etc. and sometimes this is preferable
over just watching replays. In conclusion, even though it is probably more
boring watching a replay than playing, you will usually gain so much more from
it.
5. Communication/Teamplay
Dota, LoL, CS-GO, Fortnite, WoW, and the list goes on. These
are all highly competitive games that rely highly on communication and
teamwork. There are times where you can carry your team, especially in casual
matches and solo queues. But as you begin to rank up and meet more skilled
opponents, proper executed team play and communication are the keys to success.
In many cases, you can actually have a team existing of fully capable
individuals, but if they all have different plans or ideas, it can quickly go
wrong. I realize that not all people are interested in playing in premade teams
and use vocal communication, although that is the best way to go.
Even if you don’t use voice chat, good communication through
chat will go a long way. And you will surely have a much harder time climbing
the ladder if you stay silent. Final note: Being toxic in chat, does NOT count
as good communication.
Related: Best Gaming Headsets – Top
5 List
4. Watch Professional Streams
Almost all competitive games have an active ESport scene of
some sort. And whether we like to admit it or not, there is a good chance the
pro players a just a tiny bit better than us. Watching competitive tournaments
or a professional players stream does wonder. Not only are they most likely
fantastic players, but it is also an excellent way to learn about the newest
builds/meta/tricks, etc. And this is also something that will give you a
significant advantage when playing competitively. And With the popularity of
Twitch, there is a good chance that a lot of you already do this. Most games
are ever-changing, with new hotfixes and balance patches coming in each other
week. So watching pro streams keeps you informed and up to date, and probably
improve you along the way.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
3. Private Matches
If you and your friends have already done everything on this
list, you probably won’t gain much from random quick matches and such. A team
of well communicating and highly coordinated players will usually destroy any
random team. Not only is it horrible to be demolished by a much better,
premade team, but you will also get bored with tilting bad teams. This is the
perfect time to reach out to other teams that are around and about your lvl. I
highly recommend going the subreddit for your game on Reddit and
search for groups. I have had a lot of great experience with this. Not only
will you find great challenge in this, but it is also so much fun! As rivalries
are bound to happen and you will probably find your love for the game renewed.
2. Get Healthy!
Gaming has long been associated with health issues like
obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and overall bad physical condition.
Obviously, there is some truth to this as a lot of people
tend to neglect both diet and physical activities when sitting in front of a
computer for hours on end. However, in competitive gaming, your most important
weapon is your brain, and countless
studies show how vital dietary and physical health is to your brain
function. Cognitive health, in particular, is known to take a hit when you
neglect your health, and it also happens to be incredibly crucial for your
in-game performance.
In most situations, you will benefit more from cutting the
practice session short and hit the gym or prepare a healthy meal. Competitive
gaming requires immense focus for extended periods, and having a healthy brain
is the secret key to success.
1. Enjoy it!
This is number 1 on my list only because it affects all the
above points. If you are toxic and angry, you will not have good communication,
and will, therefore, have a hard time. You will also have a tough time finding
both teammates and private opponents. But when all is said and done, this is
gaming, and it is supposed to be fun. That is why we all became gamers because
we enjoy playing very much. And we should all try to be a little more positive
when gaming, and remember why we fell in love with it in the first place. If
you do this, all the other steps on this list will not be hard work, but the
time of your life.
