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Heat of the moment?
- Thread starter Wave⁂
- Start date
commonyoshi
Smash Hero
When facing a new opponent, I always freeze up on the first stock. After that, I regain my confidence and skill and win.
Actually, I dont know. I may use my first stock to measure their abilities. :/
Actually, I dont know. I may use my first stock to measure their abilities. :/
F8AL
Banned via Warnings
Inside friendlies i still try my hardest unless they ask me not too. Inside tournaments i always try my hardest.
I play smash for the competition. It makes me feel better. :D
I play smash for the competition. It makes me feel better. :D
golden_leeroy
Smash Journeyman
I definitely play like total **** when I'm nervous, especially at tournaments and also when I'm losing by a little bit when I'm playing someone I shouldn't lose to.
However, when I play competitive friendlies, I play fine/if not better than what I usually play.
However, when I play competitive friendlies, I play fine/if not better than what I usually play.
MetalLuigi1209
Smash Ace
When playing someone new that I really want to beat, I usually focus too hard on the first stock, trying not to mess up. But after I've seen my opponents true ability, I am more content on facing them.
Just because you're playing a friendly isn't a good excuse, nor is it good for you to sandbag. If you always play your hardest you're always going to be improving on the little things that you might sometimes miss.
LemonManX
Smash Lord
Normally I'm okay with pressure. But if my opponent gets maybe a couple of stock advantage over me the nerves start to set in.
I make no excuses though, if I lose its because my opponent was better and I'll work on getting better.
Nerves do get the better of me sometimes though, unfortunately...
I make no excuses though, if I lose its because my opponent was better and I'll work on getting better.
Nerves do get the better of me sometimes though, unfortunately...
ElfenLiedPeach
Smash Journeyman
I think I fail miserably with pressure...at least in many degrees.
In general, I actually tend to play better when I'm losing by a large margin. When I'm ahead, I spam and get predictable, when it's even, I play mediocre with self-doubting thoughts, but when I'm behind, I tend to get very focused, probably more than my attention span should allow, and suddenly play with some nice mindgames and pull the match back in, by which point my opponent is usually shaken enough by the comeback that the last life is a steal
But yeah, I suck hard at tournaments, even friendly-ish tournaments with no money on the line. I just can't stay focused with the atmosphere no matter how hard I try to. I've had a lot of matches against people that I 4-stock regularly in my basement (also factoring that in this environment, there are only 2 or 3 spectators at most) and lose/or come close to losing when I play in them a tournament atmosphere simple people I'm too jittery.
The last smashfest I was at, we had a second "not for bragging rights" (since we weren't playing money) singles bracket several hours after the first, which I didn't do so great in. Same people, same seeding, and I didn't lose a single match.
I think the playing "for" something, even not material, along with people attentively watching the match, just makes my thinking incoherent for at least until it's too late to salvage.
In general, I actually tend to play better when I'm losing by a large margin. When I'm ahead, I spam and get predictable, when it's even, I play mediocre with self-doubting thoughts, but when I'm behind, I tend to get very focused, probably more than my attention span should allow, and suddenly play with some nice mindgames and pull the match back in, by which point my opponent is usually shaken enough by the comeback that the last life is a steal
But yeah, I suck hard at tournaments, even friendly-ish tournaments with no money on the line. I just can't stay focused with the atmosphere no matter how hard I try to. I've had a lot of matches against people that I 4-stock regularly in my basement (also factoring that in this environment, there are only 2 or 3 spectators at most) and lose/or come close to losing when I play in them a tournament atmosphere simple people I'm too jittery.
The last smashfest I was at, we had a second "not for bragging rights" (since we weren't playing money) singles bracket several hours after the first, which I didn't do so great in. Same people, same seeding, and I didn't lose a single match.
I think the playing "for" something, even not material, along with people attentively watching the match, just makes my thinking incoherent for at least until it's too late to salvage.
-Darc-
Heir to the Monado
Heat of the Moment is a song by Asia.
Something I shouldn't do before tournies is practice, because for some reason I end up being really choppy compared to not practicing.
Something I shouldn't do before tournies is practice, because for some reason I end up being really choppy compared to not practicing.
Ensee
Smash Ace
If I'm trying to impress someone I tend to play a lot better, but with a ton of people around I get too nervous and mess up.
Kroy
Smash Apprentice
I don't know.
I am also not a tourney caliber player, but I do fine as long as I don't actively think about the match. I just zone in and play all out. When I start thinking about not flubbing my L-cancels, its pretty much downhill from there. Granted nowadays I have much more confidence in my skill, but once in a while I get frustrated and lose complete focus.
I am also not a tourney caliber player, but I do fine as long as I don't actively think about the match. I just zone in and play all out. When I start thinking about not flubbing my L-cancels, its pretty much downhill from there. Granted nowadays I have much more confidence in my skill, but once in a while I get frustrated and lose complete focus.
choknater
Smash Obsessed
honestly, it's a matter of experience. if you can handle the pressure, then handle it. but no matter what, if you're down to your last life and both of you are bound to get a lucky hit, then your heart will beat.
it's all about making good decisions in tough situations. no johns.
in tournaments, you do anything it takes to win, meaning more experienced players will USUALLY only use the top 7 or 8 characters. a more inexperienced player can be caught off guard by a good luigi or link or dk.
if you live in AZ and you've played taj's mewtwo, or EC and dire's game and watch, caveman's young link... or other amazing low tier players, then i feel for you.
in my experience, i've figured out that aggressive-safe, high tier players (such as ken) win the most. there are VERY few defensive players who are successful, because the defenders are under the pressure to make decisions instantly, and concentrate really hard. the difficulty is amplified when you're under the aggression. HugS' samus and isai's sheik are great examples of evasive defensive, and they have the amazing reflexes and tournament experience to handle this style.
but take ken and bombsoldier for instance. darkrain, chudat, chillindude, people like that. they are so aggressive that mindgames become mind-control. they put so much pressure on you that they make the decisions for you, they manipulate your movements beyond what normal people call mindgames.
in tournaments, handling the pressure is more important than your will to win. if two great players who know how to handle pressure face each other, then it goes back to the will to win.
that's just my tournament insight.
it's all about making good decisions in tough situations. no johns.
in tournaments, you do anything it takes to win, meaning more experienced players will USUALLY only use the top 7 or 8 characters. a more inexperienced player can be caught off guard by a good luigi or link or dk.
if you live in AZ and you've played taj's mewtwo, or EC and dire's game and watch, caveman's young link... or other amazing low tier players, then i feel for you.
in my experience, i've figured out that aggressive-safe, high tier players (such as ken) win the most. there are VERY few defensive players who are successful, because the defenders are under the pressure to make decisions instantly, and concentrate really hard. the difficulty is amplified when you're under the aggression. HugS' samus and isai's sheik are great examples of evasive defensive, and they have the amazing reflexes and tournament experience to handle this style.
but take ken and bombsoldier for instance. darkrain, chudat, chillindude, people like that. they are so aggressive that mindgames become mind-control. they put so much pressure on you that they make the decisions for you, they manipulate your movements beyond what normal people call mindgames.
in tournaments, handling the pressure is more important than your will to win. if two great players who know how to handle pressure face each other, then it goes back to the will to win.
that's just my tournament insight.
Sensai
Smash Master
I'm not sure if it's me being nervous, but I always manage to screw up and die in a dumb way when I'm playing in a tourney. Also, like CommonYoshi said, I usually botch my first stock and figure out where these guys stand in skill.
A team-mate of mine once SDed 3 times on Battlefield in the tie-breaking team match....
/sigh
A team-mate of mine once SDed 3 times on Battlefield in the tie-breaking team match....
/sigh
Nephiros
Smash Ace
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2005
- Messages
- 754
I get somewhat nervous at tournies but this doesn't seems to affect the way I play too much. In friendlies I just suck because I usually just try to play with a weird style and I miss alot of kill or edgeguard opportunities, while in tournies I will use everything I can to win if needed, be it chaingrabbing or being cheap overall. I just play for fun in friendlies and play to win in tournies ~
FireBomb
Smash Lord
Friendlies isn't really a problem unless it's like, someone who just completely destroyed their last opponent. The whole weight of the match lies in the first stock for me. If I get the early lead, then I'll have more confidence and play a little better. If I lose a stock rather early, then I'll probably scramble to take the lead back. Sometimes I'll win that way, sometimes I won't. Situations like this show just how powerful mindgames from others and yourself can hinder your skill. Any serious match where a lot of people are watching would throw me off, for some reason. Stupid human emotions.
Mcscruff
Smash Ace
i play better during friendlies, less pressure.
Ulttimaa
Smash Rookie
Me?
Well, I defanitly get nervous during matches.
Since im not really all that good, I only play frendlies.
When Im playing against my friend, I only get nervous when they start beating me.
Well, I defanitly get nervous during matches.
Since im not really all that good, I only play frendlies.
When Im playing against my friend, I only get nervous when they start beating me.
F8AL
Banned via Warnings
If there is money involved in the match I'm playing in, i play much, much better i find.
Sudai
Stuff here
If I'm playing someone I know is good, I freeze up. So I try to ignore the player as much as possible. Do the same in friendlies.
falco freak
Smash Journeyman
whenever i go in confident i usualy start losing or lose. but when im down 2stock-1stock or higher i start to stop talking and concentrate on the game and it works. and when im in a tourny or a MM i play more intense.