Crystanium
Smash Hero
Introduction
Are you a scrub? Or more importantly, do you have a scrub mentality? One who has a scrub mentality may be considered a scrub, but I would prefer we don't label people. Rather, I think we should use it to describe one's way of thinking in a competitive scene. Whether you're at a tournament or at home, this mentality will hold you back. So what's a scrub? Surprisingly, I think I know where this word comes from, and it can be found in the Oxford English Dictionary. The OED defines scrub as, "Vegetation consisting mainly of brushwood or stunted forest growth."
So what does vegetation have anything to do with competitive gaming? Two words stand out: "brushwood" and "stunted". Brushwood is "undergrowth, twigs, and small branches". I think we all have an idea of what "stunted" means. So, does this mean that whoever has a scrub mentality is your typical novice? Not necessarily. Even professional players can be scrubs. Since competitive gaming involves strategy, it's important that one's scrub mentality is removed. After all, brushwood is used for burning. That doesn't sound very useful, does it?
Complaining
This is probably the most common form of a scrub mentality. Phrases like, "I was in the lead", or "I should have won" are forms of complaints. The loser may or may not complain about his loss. If he complains, he's only complaining because he has set up some form of notion that he deserved to win. The thing is, no match, no set, is set in stone. As long as there are two players on the stage, the match or set is open to either player. To think otherwise is merely one's preference. Besides, complaining is a poor form of sportsmanship. No one likes a sore loser.
Instead of complaining, ask the person you played against what you were doing and trying to change your strategy based on the tips given to you. If that person doesn't know your character well enough to offer tips, show appreciation and let your opponent know you had fun and that you'd like to play again some time. I'm positive that most of the time, with this attitude, you'll make more friends and gain more experience.
Excuses
Similar to complaining, but not quite. I'm sure some have played a game competitively, but had to remind either himself or others that he's still new at the game, or that everyone else has more experience than he does. That might be the case, and I'm sure some people are fine with this excuse. The problem is when this excuse is used continuously, even after one has been playing for some time now. The truth is, no one cares anymore. If you're still losing, that's on you. Don't blame your lack of experience when you've been playing for quite some time. What if a year passed and you still said the same thing? As long as you make excuses for your losses, you won't progress.
Instead of making excuses, ask yourself what you're doing wrong. If you're losing, perhaps your strategy isn't good enough. Maybe it's time to pick up a secondary. If you have a top-tier character, maybe a secondary isn't necessary for you, but you probably should look into why you're not performing as well as others. If you're using a bottom-tier, then you're in no position to complain like the one who is using a top-tier. You're using a bottom-tier character. What did you expect to happen? That doesn't mean you should drop your character if he or she is your favorite. Besides, the best thing is you can tell stories about how you beat top-tier characters.
Quitting
Whether or not you want to continue playing a game is entirely up to you. This isn't necessarily toward those who decide to give up the game because she feels there's no point in continuing. This is mostly aimed at those who are in a match and decide to give up because the match is looking bleak. As I said before, as long as you are on the stage, the match or set isn't finished. I used to think that if someone took my stock off first, I was probably going to lose. This way of thinking probably was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Just because a match or set looks bleak, does not mean you cannot turn it around.
Since playing Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U, I've had a change in attitude. If my stock is taken off first, or if I accidentally suicide and it looks like I cannot win the match, I keep trying. Sure, I have to work harder to remove both of my opponent's stocks, but as long as I pick up the momentum, I can at least get my opponent close to losing, or just simply turning the match around in my favor. If you quit, you're fortifying a defeatist attitude, and if you keep it up, you will find it more difficult to even try winning.
Like I said, if you honestly want to quit the game, that's your choice. If you'd rather not quit, look for ways to improve your attitude. Don't buy into the idea that you're not good enough, or that you'll never get to where you want to get. You have to work for it. If you feel that you've been working for it long enough, then perhaps it's best to go back to the basics to start fresh. Perhaps you'll pick up something new or interesting along the way. Look for the strategies that worked for you and discard the kinds that didn't.
Are you a scrub? Or more importantly, do you have a scrub mentality? One who has a scrub mentality may be considered a scrub, but I would prefer we don't label people. Rather, I think we should use it to describe one's way of thinking in a competitive scene. Whether you're at a tournament or at home, this mentality will hold you back. So what's a scrub? Surprisingly, I think I know where this word comes from, and it can be found in the Oxford English Dictionary. The OED defines scrub as, "Vegetation consisting mainly of brushwood or stunted forest growth."
So what does vegetation have anything to do with competitive gaming? Two words stand out: "brushwood" and "stunted". Brushwood is "undergrowth, twigs, and small branches". I think we all have an idea of what "stunted" means. So, does this mean that whoever has a scrub mentality is your typical novice? Not necessarily. Even professional players can be scrubs. Since competitive gaming involves strategy, it's important that one's scrub mentality is removed. After all, brushwood is used for burning. That doesn't sound very useful, does it?
Complaining
This is probably the most common form of a scrub mentality. Phrases like, "I was in the lead", or "I should have won" are forms of complaints. The loser may or may not complain about his loss. If he complains, he's only complaining because he has set up some form of notion that he deserved to win. The thing is, no match, no set, is set in stone. As long as there are two players on the stage, the match or set is open to either player. To think otherwise is merely one's preference. Besides, complaining is a poor form of sportsmanship. No one likes a sore loser.
Instead of complaining, ask the person you played against what you were doing and trying to change your strategy based on the tips given to you. If that person doesn't know your character well enough to offer tips, show appreciation and let your opponent know you had fun and that you'd like to play again some time. I'm positive that most of the time, with this attitude, you'll make more friends and gain more experience.
Excuses
Similar to complaining, but not quite. I'm sure some have played a game competitively, but had to remind either himself or others that he's still new at the game, or that everyone else has more experience than he does. That might be the case, and I'm sure some people are fine with this excuse. The problem is when this excuse is used continuously, even after one has been playing for some time now. The truth is, no one cares anymore. If you're still losing, that's on you. Don't blame your lack of experience when you've been playing for quite some time. What if a year passed and you still said the same thing? As long as you make excuses for your losses, you won't progress.
Instead of making excuses, ask yourself what you're doing wrong. If you're losing, perhaps your strategy isn't good enough. Maybe it's time to pick up a secondary. If you have a top-tier character, maybe a secondary isn't necessary for you, but you probably should look into why you're not performing as well as others. If you're using a bottom-tier, then you're in no position to complain like the one who is using a top-tier. You're using a bottom-tier character. What did you expect to happen? That doesn't mean you should drop your character if he or she is your favorite. Besides, the best thing is you can tell stories about how you beat top-tier characters.
Quitting
Whether or not you want to continue playing a game is entirely up to you. This isn't necessarily toward those who decide to give up the game because she feels there's no point in continuing. This is mostly aimed at those who are in a match and decide to give up because the match is looking bleak. As I said before, as long as you are on the stage, the match or set isn't finished. I used to think that if someone took my stock off first, I was probably going to lose. This way of thinking probably was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Just because a match or set looks bleak, does not mean you cannot turn it around.
Since playing Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U, I've had a change in attitude. If my stock is taken off first, or if I accidentally suicide and it looks like I cannot win the match, I keep trying. Sure, I have to work harder to remove both of my opponent's stocks, but as long as I pick up the momentum, I can at least get my opponent close to losing, or just simply turning the match around in my favor. If you quit, you're fortifying a defeatist attitude, and if you keep it up, you will find it more difficult to even try winning.
Like I said, if you honestly want to quit the game, that's your choice. If you'd rather not quit, look for ways to improve your attitude. Don't buy into the idea that you're not good enough, or that you'll never get to where you want to get. You have to work for it. If you feel that you've been working for it long enough, then perhaps it's best to go back to the basics to start fresh. Perhaps you'll pick up something new or interesting along the way. Look for the strategies that worked for you and discard the kinds that didn't.
