Author Topic: Choking  (Read 3977 times)

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Offline QAOP Spaceman

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Choking
« on: February 23, 2016, 10:09:31 am »
Any advice on this gratefully received...

I have a dreadful problem with this in general, and at the moment specifically with Snow Bros in the Yolympics.

I'll have a tremendous run on something, and the moment I realise I'm doing well, all concentration goes out the window, a sense of pure panic sets in, and I do some really idiotic things and it's game over.

I'm thinking of putting some masking tape over the score, but I know that I'll know.

Do any of you have any strategies for coping with this? (No Bedard-style 'shoot the things and avoid the other things' advice pls  Kappa ) bOther people must have the same problem, surely?
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Offline tilt

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Re: Choking
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2016, 10:23:05 am »
Any advice on this gratefully received...

I have a dreadful problem with this in general, and at the moment specifically with Snow Bros in the Yolympics.

I'll have a tremendous run on something, and the moment I realise I'm doing well, all concentration goes out the window, a sense of pure panic sets in, and I do some really idiotic things and it's game over.

I'm thinking of putting some masking tape over the score, but I know that I'll know.

Do any of you have any strategies for coping with this? (No Bedard-style 'shoot the things and avoid the other things' advice pls  Kappa ) bOther people must have the same problem, surely?
Haha, the old masking tape over the score trick.  Believe it or not, my first DK killscreen was in this manner.  I had a piece of black tape over my monitor as I played, which honestly helped me greatly.  I managed to finish the game with a man in reserve.  If you think it will reduce stress or whatnot, I can atest that is does help in some cases.
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Offline timhett

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Re: Choking
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2016, 10:31:02 am »
Great topic. 
There is the tape trick, try that for sure.  For me, much of gaming (especially millipede) is about mental control.  Learning to ignore distracting thoughts, whether it's about work, women, wine, or the score.  Good days for me are the ones that are not filled with distractions.  Focus on the enemies in front of you, the next step, not dying, etc and try to ignore the score, stage, etc except for the basic knowledge so you know how to play the next board.  You could try meditation too I guess, which is always in the planning stage for me lol.  I used to get distracted either by "I'm almost to the high score!"  or "I can't believe I lived through that/pulled that off!".  As I've gotten better I can ignore those things better since the novelty of a million points has worn off a bit.
good luck Spaceman
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Offline QAOP Spaceman

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Re: Choking
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2016, 12:39:43 pm »

Thank you, fellows.

Rolling out the old masking  tape as I type. :)

It's very reassuring to know other people have faced the same predicament.

I'm not much a football (soccer) fan, though I'll watch a game or two now and again, and it strikes me that with penalty shoot-outs someone who has played a flawless 90 minutes can completely buckle under the pressure and (dk-metaphorically) jump into a pie.

Maybe I'll try the  <Walter> TM as well, Tim

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Offline CaptainJivePants

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Re: Choking
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2016, 09:36:27 am »
For my DK Jr kills creens, it was mostly about ignoring the score and following the "Just keep living" mantra MrsJive often uses. Simple, but effective in a lot of cases. Repeating it out loud to myself helped keep me out of my own head, too.


Confidence can help a ton, too. Tim kind of pointed to that when he referred to the novelty of a 1M game wearing off. You know you're good enough, you know the game, you know you can do it eventually, so the pressure is really off in a lot of ways because you know you'll be able to do it on one run or another. For example, Spaceman knows he can get a Crazy Kong KS because he knows the game well enough. So, he should be focusing on the fact he knows it's possible for him to take any one of his four lives all the way to the end instead of worrying.


Another trick I often try to use is telling myself to prep for whatever is next. Ignore the score, the mistake(s) you did or did not make, the miraculous save, etc. I try to use this one especially when I do something exciting or good because the rush that can come with the achievement. Helps me to try and think about what is next to get myself back on track instead of on adrenaline. Naturally, this one can backfire by distracting you from the present, but I still think it can work some people and situations.
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Offline Verminator

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Re: Choking
« Reply #5 on: April 02, 2016, 09:29:17 pm »
I should try this on my Berzerk machine. I tend to panic when I am about to hit milestones (30K, 40K, 50k) and it is a game that requires a very relaxed, zen type state to be successfully.

As I go from one screen to the next on later levels... I am sometimes confident and other times feel worried or a sense of losing focus. I have to keep repeating phrases to myself like "keep focused", "stay low", and "peripheral vision". It is a mental battle for sure. It is a game that teaches life lessons... specifically how positive thoughts translate into positive results. If you are a man of faith like Joel West, you end up being a better Berzerk player than Agnostic people like myself! :)
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