How Consistent are you?

[Dcold]

The more I play this game the more I start to understand why consistency is a huge factor. I can find myself playing amazingly well one day and go decently far in a tournament setting, and at another time play at my absolute worst it seems. I'm sure I'm not the only one who goes through this, and I can't seem to pinpoint the factors that cause for this, but some I could narrow it down to are:

• Not having enough practice in general
• Not having confidence in my playstyle
• Nerves
• Insufficient MU experience
• Intimidation from opponent
• Lack of "Clutchness"

So my questions to you are, what makes you consistent/inconsistent, how do you attempt to combat these problems (if there are some), and how consistent do you honestly think you are?

 

[Vermanubis]

Honestly, I think it can be narrowed down to three primary factors. 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 can be categorized into confidence or lack thereof.

I think confidence is the greatest consideration in consistency, and I'll tell you why, both from a logical and anecdotal standpoint. The instances that tell me this are M2K, Bloodcross and most LT mains. M2K was so profoundly dominant from '08 up until '10 (I believe?), that he had a patent mental advantage. No one believed they could beat him, and he knew that. Then when someone finally did beat him, I think it became a mixture of everyone getting better, and him getting more fearful.

Secondly, Bloodcross on a good day is undeniably one of the best Falcos, and I'd argue--again, on a good day--that he's the best in NE. However, his defeatist mentality completely occludes his best ability.

Lastly, LT mains, for obvious reasons. To be confident with a low-tier is an analog to being confident on an airplane: stupid **** happens, and is sometimes beyond your control. So most LT mains can only reasonably have so much confidence, so they'll naturally fluctuate between extremes. Either placing on the pedestal, or sinking in the tar. Of course, that isn't at all to say that LTs shouldn't be confident, but from a realistic standpoint, it takes a pretty forceful impetus to have consistent confidence.

Finally, I feel that "clutchness" is almost exclusively one's ability to eschew fear. For myself personally, when I get intimidated (just kidding, I'm Ganon ) I don't want to task risks, but, as we all know, not taking risks when you're not in the lead is counter-intuitively risky. Needless to say, sometimes the most invaluable virtue a player can have is the ability to say "**** this" and go in. As both a Ganon main, and Contra speed-runner, I've accepted this as a truism to success.

On the topic of personally consistency, I feel I'm beginning to get mine back. The last two tourneys I've been in I've been top 6. How? In my case, I honestly think it was finally committing to the "**** it" mentality and shaking off thoughts of potential alternatives should I choose to be safe rather than take the initiative in the match. I suppose commitment to a decision would be a fine answer.

 

[Life]

Something tells me "consistently bad" doesn't count.

 

[Claire Diviner]

Honestly, anything I have to say has already been stated and then some by Vermanubis. For me, I've been told that for someone who has almost nothing but CPUs to practice with, I am surprisingly good. I even ranked 3rd at a tourney (albeit badly organized) at 2011's PAX East. What can make me falter however, is my doubt when facing someone who is genuinely good, regardless of whether my raw skill level is higher or not. Suffice it to say, I can be inconsistent, but only because of the lack of experience against other players, even if my almost CPU-exclusive experience, along with studying matches on Youtube, have made me a better player than I actually view myself to be.

 

[Luigisama]

Dcold relax bro just because luigi 2 gud doesn't mean you make these emo thread/blogs jk.

I could care less about my consistency the reason being I seriously just like playing the game. I get better the more I play and the more I think. If I get paired up with Vinnie I go "woooo" someone different to play for once or good. I mostly look forward to playing against good people and the new people playing them is fun.

what makes me inconsistent/consistent is just that I don't enter a tourney looking to do better. I just can't I'm more for playing what happens is what happens.It all depends on how I play.

I guess I kind of look to change my consistency since I re watch videos, to learn my opponent's habits, and to fix my own bad decisions in playing.

for the last question. I would say I'm partially consistent one moment I'll place high or place low, but beat someone I've never beaten before.

 

[ANTi_]

Haven't placed outside of top 10 since January of 2009 so.. pretty consistent ^_^

 

[#HBC | Ryker]

I haven't reached the top of the game in Brawl, but it's still true. Don't get rattled (whether by an opponent or something within the round) and you'll find yourself much more successful. That's why your first round in Loser's (if it's against an opponent that you don't completely outclass) is so dangerous. You run the risk of going in still trying to shake off a defeat.

On the topic of personally consistency, I feel I'm beginning to get mine back. The last two tourneys I've been in I've been top 6. How? In my case, I honestly think it was finally committing to the "**** it" mentality and shaking off thoughts of potential alternatives should I choose to be safe rather than take the initiative in the match. I suppose commitment to a decision would be a fine answer.

This is a game I am good at where I main a character who marks the border between the bottom of viable and the top of competitive suicide. I have consistently proven to be near the top of the game though, and it's because of commitment to a decision rather than taking a "safer" route when the read is there. When I start waffling on situations because of what might go wrong, then I run the risk of being blown up by low mid level players, especially given the character I play.

Improving there helped my smash game a lot and I feel that a lot of the concepts of when to act (whether offensively or defensively) carry over.

 

[Deleted member 189823]

I am glad someone made a topic to discuss this. I was about to myself, if you haven't.

Anyway, I think I have to have one of the strangest inconsistencies when it comes to playing. It's really that weird, and it pains me that some people think I'm bad because this thing works whenever the heck it wants to.

When I play well, I can really keep up with the better players of my region. When I play bad, I'm terrible...

I had a tournament in June. I did pretty well for the first two matches. Then, after that, I just went downhill. I went up against some random player, and all he did was charge smashes with Link and D-Air really predictably...and I actually fell for all that, which almost made me lose. I was right there on the edge on that one. And then I faced the player I faced in my second match once again and got 2-0 like a b*tch. I didn't even want to stay there anymore, not knowing I have made it to quarters for the first time.

So it just seems I suck tournaments. I sucked in all my tournaments and do well in friendlies. I don't know why, though. I don't feel like I get nervous, and I'm not too unconfident.

 

[Toronto Joe]

you need to have the idgaf attitude or REALLY be motivated to do well to be consistent imo, consistency for me depends on my mood, if im in a good mood and feel like my usual relaxed self im fine, i really need a coach or my friends chilling with me when i play in order to keep myself in check though, theres sooo much bull**** in this game to shake you mentally but ultimately its up to you how you react to any situation(postively or negatively) right now im working on playing like nothing matters and just going for it because if i could play like i do on wifi or in friendlies im super confident that id be top 10-20 at any tournament

edit: i think only like 3 players have ever played me at my best so i have ways to go, olympics nikkkkkaaa

 

[BlueXenon]

Evertime I lose the first stock, my opponents can easily take my second stock before I take their first stock. Its a big problem i have when playing
If my opponent loses the first stock, I play much better.

 

[MEOW1337KITTEH]

For me my main problem is keeping my lead. Too many times have I had a 100% lead and blown it.

 

[-LzR-]

Whenever I get the first kill, my opponent spawns and immediately does a bair and die. It's very dumb.

 

[Shiny Mewtwo aka Jigglysir]

I'm terribly inconsistent, I can go from decent to mediocre over the course of a stock

Sometimes, when I'm playing really well though, I can beat players who are a lot better than me.

Then I get 3 stocked the next game

 

[Seagull Joe]

I'm very consistent. Top 3 at locals. Top 5 at regionals. Always make it outta pools at nationals.

 

[Anttheman1]

will anyone join me ? please cause have noting to do.

 

[Kuraudo]

I whole-heartedly blame my inconsistency on my lack of playing Brawl on a constant basis. I would secure 7th or 5th place most of the time at locals when I didn't practice.

I have the mindset that if I lose, I did something wrong and I have to correct it. During a match though I have to fight feeling that what I'm doing is right. Doubt is one of the many steps towards your own downfall.

At my best I feel I can make it out of pools at nationals (WHOBO 3 was my only showing of making pro bracket and being on my a-game). I play a lot more now, and I've been consistently securing around 4th place, while I feel I can clench 3rd place with just one more push. This is at locals by the way. I place well within most regionals I attend. Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 though on an international level? I bit the big one.

[EDIT]

... guess the long story short version is?

As of late I'm consistent. I used to be VERY inconsistent.

 

[Aaven]

Up until last year I was horribly inconsistent, I would place Top 8 in PR tournaments one week and then barely make it out of pools the next.

For me it was all about how I perceived the game as a whole, being an Ike main all I cared about was being known for maining a Mid-Tier character. I realized that in the back of my mind I never intentionally tried to ever compete at a higher level or "Go for the gold", I was always happy placing in a decent spot so long as I could say, "Well I main Ike so I'm happy I can at least beat a few scrubs" and that was a horrible mentality that produced not only severe mental johns, but also a lack of faith in my character.

This past year I've gotten over that and I've been doing notably better, I've made it onto PR and I'm not stopping until I'm ranked #1 in my state, I don't just want to be known for maining Ike, I want to be known for stomping faces with him. I plan to use ReveLAtions as a catalyst to launch my name further out there until I eventually dominate the PR as well the Top 5 Thread.

 

[Kuraudo]

Up until last year I was horribly inconsistent, I would place Top 8 in PR tournaments one week and then barely make it out of pools the next.

For me it was all about how I perceived the game as a whole, being an Ike main all I cared about was being known for maining a Mid-Tier character. I realized that in the back of my mind I never intentionally tried to ever compete at a higher level or "Go for the gold", I was always happy placing in a decent spot so long as I could say, "Well I main Ike so I'm happy I can at least beat a few scrubs" and that was a horrible mentality that produced not only severe mental johns, but also a lack of faith in my character.

This past year I've gotten over that and I've been doing notably better, I've made it onto PR and I'm not stopping until I'm ranked #1 in my state, I don't just want to be known for maining Ike, I want to be known for stomping faces with him. I plan to use ReveLAtions as a catalyst to launch my name further out there until I eventually dominate the PR as well the Top 5 Thread.

I don't know about the rest of you guys? But why is it always so damn epic hearing stuff like this from an Ike main?

... such a freaking awesome character.

Have a Lord Ike avatar.

 

[Host Change]

I'm a horribly inconsistent player most of the time. Most of it has to do with choking, and a problem with dropping inputs and not being able to let it go. I've been working on the problem with that, but if I mess up a phantasm cancel or anything like that, I tend to get mad and lose focus on the match entirely. Until recently, I was always making excuses about shortcomings, and I had a hard time getting out of that mentality.

I've been doing things to study and practice the game a lot more recently, so hopefully all these things will go away over time.

 

[AzureKirby]

I´m known for being horribly inconsistent. Sometimes I meet a person I have beaten the last time again, we choose the same chars, the same stage, but this time I lose just because I once again tripped ( Curse Kirby´s big feet!) or I barely missed the edge with Final Cutter. In the last time, it got better, but still there are still some flaws I have to get rid of ( For example being hit by almost every grenade/rocket of Snake or getting CGed )

 

[TreK]

Generally speaking, the more my opponent is renowned, the better I'll play. Sometimes you just see a random dude show up after a two years long brawl break, and struggle his way up to the top8 without anyone cheering for him. That guy won't struggle against me. He's just gonna plug his controller in, three stock me twice, and move away thinking this was my first tournament.

 

[Atomsk_92]

I'm the most inconsistent top player.

 

[RiverDB]

From my own experience, i've been a really consistant player from the get-go. I continue to get better and place better in my country, and i feel like i don't lose to players who i 'shouldn't lose to'.
As others already said, it might be an attitude thing, something that i have in my advantage. Even when in a bracket set some bs happens(since it's still brawl), i'm usually the one who just laughs at it and continues playing like nothing happend.
It may be an competitive game, but it's still a game and that's the way i will play it, for the fun of it.