A Paradox of Super Smash Bros.

[Crystanium]

All right, so it might not really be a paradox, but I sometimes feel sad for those who I brawl with online, who can't beat me. I'm not saying I am the best. I know for certain that I am not, because I have lost against a lot of people. However, while it does feel good to win, it also can feel not so good to win. Let's assume for a moment that you are playing as your character, and you're brawling with someone else. Well, let's assume now that you continue to lose and lose. When you win, it's not much. You've only won say, three matches out of twenty. Surely you'd feel upset for losing so much and winning so little.

There are a few people who are on my list for Wi-Fi that I can win against easily. I don't know how it is that they'll come back for more after losing so much. I become sad for them, not because they keep on coming back, but because they don't win as much like I do. I sometimes feel guilty for winning. It's as if I want to help them out and tell them, "Hey, try this out on me next time and see how it works," or, "Do this more, and do that less." It's the usual advice that helps people play well, and it makes them feel better (or I'd hope), because they are being given advice from someone who is better than them.

I just feel sad. It's not like I can just say, "You're not that great. I'm going to fight against someone else who is more challenging." That wouldn't be fair. Is anyone like me when it comes to this, or am I just the only one who feels this way?

 

[znintendotaku]

this goes in online discussion...
but yea i guess your right...

 

[Neon Ness]

*someone took an 'I love myself' pill this morning*

Well, I think people keep coming back for more because they wanna get better. They won't get better playing people worse than them, so they fight people who are better. Don't feel bad for people you beat.

 

[Leprechaun_Drunk]

At one point in time, ALL smashers (even the pros) lost a lot of matches. The difference in players is that there are those who let the losses effect them and have a negative impact on their progression, and those players who learn from their mistakes, think about the reasons why they lost, and become better.

It would be insulting to me if I played a person (in a tournament setting, at least. online friendlies don't really count for this sort of thing) who purposely did not give his all because he knew he was more skilled. Also, I wouldn't mind losing (and I can't, considering I lose all the time) to someone of greater skill than me 100 times straight if it meant I got that much more experience as a smasher.

You get better at hitting baseballs in the cages by going in the machines that pitch 90 mph fastballs instead of going into the cage where the machine pitches 20 mph softballs. I can't feel bad for someone if they continually lose if they do not take anything away from those loses. I might feel bad for someone who continually loses even though they try very hard to get better, but I have yet to meet anyone competent in that predicament.

 

[Crystanium]

this goes in online discussion...
but yea i guess your right...

Not really. I just brought up some people from online, because any other person I would brawl against offline is my brother. I think it extends beyond online matches, but doesn't necessarily negate it.

@Leprechaun_Drunk: I can agree with you on that. I think that might be one reason why some come back for more. After all, the person I brawl with online has said in another messageboard that I go to, "It's better to fight humans, because you can get better." I decided to let this guy in on Smash World Forums and told him to check out the Lucario section.

 

[XxBlazingSpeedxX]

lol yeah there are times when i feel bad for the person adn wish to help them like Dryn did to me when we havve our samus ditto matches. Lol i dont know about it not feeling good cause i remember when i beat you after the first 5 matches cause you killed yourself. I was like YESSS!!! i finally won. Then i got beat again the next round. But i only think you feel bad when your getting destroyed; like 3 stocked every match.

 

[Sosuke]

Yeah I know what you mean.
I just sorta feel like....playing worse.
Or trying new tactics or something.

 

[Jededi4h]

I understand what you're saying from both sides.

When I first started going online with Brawl I lost A LOT. I would fight people 20 times and win only two or three times, if that. But I stuck with it usually until they quit, because it was the only way for me to improve.

Did I get frustrated? Hell yes! I've thrown my controller down in disgust a number of times over Brawl. (Usually when Sonic fails to KO someone anyone else could have) But after all that frustration I'm now a decent Brawler and can now defeat some of those who were wooping me before.

Now I run into people that I can defeat easily. This can be a bother for two reasons, like you said I start to feel bad for them, and sympathize with their frustration. I also tend to get a little board if the gap between us is too large, and I find my self two or three stocking them.

My solution to this has been to practice new techniques when I'm fighting a less skilled opponent. While it may hurt my win record (woopdedoo) I find that if I try out new things my opponent has a better time because they have a chance to win against my unpracticed techniques, and I enjoy myself more while still actively improving my skills

Wow that turned out longer then I intended, hope it was of some help.

 

[HeroMystic]

I've played a lot of people who think they can kick ***, but when they play me they were seriously mistaken. *egobuildshot*

The thing is, people will always keep playing because of two different reasons.

A) They want to get better.
B) They want to have fun.

To get better, they have to fight opponents initially better than them, which means they are supposed to lose a lot. "No pain no gain".

It's actually hard to feel bad for an opponent in duels. You play to win, and that's that.

 

[HoChiMinhTrail]

Honestly... online play is garbage and means nothing lol. Go to tournies and you will have your share of *** rapings lol. You won't be winning there.

 

[25%Cotton]

yeah, i feel really bad!!

i try to give my best advice to them... in fact, when i lose continuously to someone i STILL give advice. like if there's something predictable i will be like "yeah, you might wanna use less usmash. it's a great move and i always fell for it, but better players WONT" (though of course it takes like 4 comment boxes and i have to summarize and clip words)

 

[Cloud Cleaver]

For some, Smash is about the fight, not just the win.