[breadfan]

So at this very moment, I am in a form slump. I didn't play at all on Saturday as I was at ACL GC. I've been sleep deprived, which may be a factor, but last night I decided to play on the NA ladder as a bit of a warmup for a solid night of practice. I played one match and I was pretty much supply blocked every chance I got. That particular build I have my first drop in enemy base around 11:00, and last night, it was 15:00 and I didn't even have a medivac out. The Protoss I was playing proceeded to drop me then attack at my natural with his superior colossus-infused army and just obliterated me. I could have given my nanna the keyboard and told her to "do whatever" and she would have stood a better chance than I did. The whole game was just a train wreck.

So today, I've caught up on some rest, but I'm still sucking. Not as bad as yesterday, but I am definitely in a slump. So my question is, does anyone have anything they like to do when they are playing poorly? Do you wait it out and not play any games? Do you play only custom maps or team games? Do you just suck it up and ladder til you get over it?

[FaDeBadger]

I'll usually rage for a little bit at myself play some customs or jump on my mates na account that he doesn't use to take the pressure off.

[Apth]

Two things - first, a string of losses isn't necessarily a bad thing. Going through the replays of you playing badly will probably highlight what you need to work on to improve. Particular aspects of your gameplay that need improvement may not be as obvious to you while you're winning.

Second, if your current environment - how comfortable you are, how tired you are, what time of the day you're playing, etc - is producing a string of losses, you need to adjust your environment. Grab some caffeine and watch your replays, maybe go for a run, play in the dark or with music, etc etc.

Losing streaks are going to happen. Treat the games like you would any other - as a learning experience.

[AvPoker]

Take a break.

Quick Comments

	EveTechtron:	^
	Baldie:

[Meatex]

fapfapfapfapfapfap
dump
fapfapfapfap

Quick Comments

	ToRSpookToR:
	foxmeep:	are fapping while taking a dump?

[ToRVenom]

I am in the exact same boat . I usually play pretty decently for my level. however i didnt play much since the ACL and now i started playing today and have been playing absolutly terribly !.

[ToRSpookToR]

if you are in south Australia then it is probably to hot to play well tt, i usually go play something else and listen too Mozart its a nice relaxing change from yelling copious amounts of abuse at the computer. But it is different for everyone you eventually work out what is best for you.

Quick Comments

ToRPeek:

I don't think copious signifies how much abuse you hurl at your computer

[Zealo]

i play r2v2s when i get annoyed at my 1v1 awfulness

[Demisesodlu]

I play mineralz nothing is more relaxing than the easiest custom in the world.

[FSDarkNemesis]

Well, I have been suffering a form slump. From 1v1 Silver I dropped back to Bronze. Have been on a Losing streak and STILL without a win since Season 2. I hate 1v1s. I always fare best in team games.

[TADivinity]

Cheeky maz to release the stress

[VB_WhiplashJC]

Mirco tournament!

or watch some streams.

[ToRSpartaz]

I get like this often, but for me its more mentality then anything.

[ROOTPetraeus]

Originally Posted by Spartaz

I get like this often, but for me its more mentality then anything.

But you don't 1v1.... -.-

Quick Comments

ToRSpartaz:

FUUUUUUU PET ITS WHEN I DO

[TABjornbrandr]

I actually read the title as what to do during a dump.

For me, I will play as many games as I can whilst I feel shit and think over them in my head afterwards, trying to find a common theme (was I underdroning because I didn't feel safe, was my decision making poor, etc.) and then I think about it again before I go to bed.
The next day, I might watch a replay or two and then practice again to just hammer out what I did wrong. Just be ******* ballsy with droning and thinking steps out loud.

I dunno, I think the best thing to do is relax as much as possible, form coherent thoughts about why you're playing like a retard and then come up with your approach as to how you'll fix the holes that have appeared in your gameplay.

That and sleep!

[MooZfY]

Watch some replays from pros or watch pro streams

[Volition]

Hey Blitz

The problem with being in a "slump" is that there are a few assumptions. Our heads tend to associate winning with "playing well" and losing as "playing poorly". Sometimes, it is true. For example, you were late in a particular game - you werent playing your best in that particular game.

But most slumps revolve around the fact that you have lost games. Therefore, there seems to me to be 2 different kinds of slumps:-
1) times when you are playing poorly; and
2) times when you think you are playing poorly.

Determining which of these it is will actually be how you break out of the slump. The game is designed to give you that 50% win loss ratio - meaning for every stella day you have in which you go 6-0, there will be a day you go 0-6. the important thing is that you consider whether you are playing badly or judt htink you are. it may be that your MMR has raised over the last few days, and you are now facing harder opponents. In which case, you could be playing well, but still sucking more than your opponent.

That is actually the way think about it - we really do suck most of the time. and so do our opponents. whether you win or lose depends on whether you are worse than your opponent. Therefore - how "good" you are playing actually has little to do with your win/loss ratio in my opinion - more important is whether you suck less than your opponent.

So, check out some reps and see some stuff you could have done better. if it is a lot, you may be in a slump. if it is only a few things or a few choice decisions that cost you the game, chances are your opponent was just better in this game. If you are actually in a slump, work on your macro vs some AI. if you only think you are in a slump play a few more games - it will be ok.

glgl

EDIT - i hope you are still in a slump when we play in the SEACL

[ToRDeathsFang]

What i do when i'm pissed off at losing

1- Say vile things to my monitor using interesting adjectives and nouns
2- Do some push-ups/ weights
3- Fap (optional)
4- Watch South Park

Quick Comments

ROOTPetraeus:

holy shit those are good ideas

[wTlzq]

watch 1-2 episodes of "how i met your mother"

Quick Comments

MooZfY:

rofl nice :D

[Delraich]

If I am having a bad day, I usually just quit for the evening and just watch streams. It usually takes me a day to get over this and the next day I try and watch replays related to the matchup or map. By the 3rd day I am ready to ladder again.

Unfortuately, I lose a lot which means this "strategy" often means I don't ladder as much as I should which doesnt help my mechanics and might not be the best idea. Maybe watch those 2 replays, work out what went wrong and try and think of a possible solution for the next time.

[FLuX]

Personally, if I'm in a slump I will go ahead and play 2-3 monobattles or 4v4s; games that really don't matter to me whether I win or lose. I find that this allows me to get back into the mind set of the game a lot better. Also, I never play ladder 1v1s during the week, only at weekends; because I always seem to play like absolute crap during the week. I find that I generally reach my peak performance on Friday evenings each week.

But yeah, I play for sh*ts and giggles during the week; then play actual games on the weekend. This is just for me, some people don't notice any difference at all; but I find that playing this way works best for me

[QEDMazaire]

I am in a Massive slump at the moment as well and this is the way i am dealing with it:

1) Taking a break and nothing thing about the game, removing myself from it for 1 or 2 days, even forums and blogs etc. ANYTHING to do with starcraft. This way i come back REALLY wanting to play the game and it give your head a break from the intensity it can be really hard to focus playing SC when you are studying or trying to do something complicated all day. hence frustration.

2) Massing games. This way, its a check, saying that maybe my MMR has gone up and i am just not as good as other players - that can be really frustrating. Just remember that with massing games, every match take a deeep breath, Think about it and start thing about the most basic things in the game, am i scouting? WHAT did i scout? is my macro solid? did i respond fast and appropriately? if i won, how did i win? and if i lost, what did my opponent see? Never try too much to get into next level stuff, it will only give you the illusion of making mistakes.

When i am massing games to help get better/out of slump, thinking about the very basics and thinking in a super structured manner helps so much, and i usually have this sort of discipline to do thing like that, because i have had a big break.

I'm not sure it will work for every body but it sure as hell is working for me.

EDIT: spelling, grammar, all the fun stuff.

[Jaywalk]

dont mass game. play a game, if win, play another, if lose, open up the replay.

u need to find real reasons why u lost. here is an example from one of my games -

1. I got proxy rax all in'd and lost because i didnt have a bunker down.

So then u have the problem, and u think of a fix for it, it doesnt have to be perfect, but it has to be something

1. Use my first SCV scout to check possible places around their base, use my first marine to check around my base.

Now I know that i will do that at the start of every TvT, thus I have learned from this game, and most likely wont lose to this strat again easily.

Using this method im not just rolling the dice when i go into the next game, and hoping i play better because im playing more and more, i have slightly improved my game every lose i take. If i lose a couple of times, its ok because im learning something every time. If i lose lots of times in a row, then ill recognise my heads probablly not in the right space for some reason, and ill just play again when i feel like it tomorrow or later. dont force it or you wont enjoy yourself

[MatiNO]

take a break for a while and cool off then come back fresh .

[iM yang]

i just keep playing, NEED MORE GAMES

Quick Comments

Fenner:

retweet

[Loach]

I know this sounds stupid.. but I go and play HoN with my mates.. and end up raging more.. I feel as it i'm GOING to rage.. I might as well FULL rage so that the next time I play I have no rage left in me... so I get to peak rage.. then play Worms Reloaded whilst watching a movie or tv show I love - instant relief...

Of course u cld just do as what other people said and fapfapfapfapfapfap

Quick Comments

cruxBsK:

add me cruxbsk :P

[stronK]

hey guys, i recently got promoted to diamond 2 weeks ago and was enjoying a win ration of 3:1. since then, i have gotten completely down hill. today i think i probably won 3/15 games. its fustrating, and i dont know what to do . feels bad man

[ROOTPetraeus]

Check out this thread http://www.sc2sea.com/showthread.php?t=3420

Quick Comments

	Satu:	Petraeus is the master of useful linkages.
	nirvAnA:

[TADivinity]

3:1 are super-normal results. The fact you lost 3/15 after a streak like that is totally normal - its just MMR doing its thang.

[SanG]

when i get in a slump, i ladder more hehe. I don't feel bad about losing a lot tho :/

[eniram]

In my opinion the best thing to do is not worry about it and keep playing. If you start to get in your own head take a break and come back when you're more calm.

[iRLpuku]

play dota 2

[TheGentleman]

I generally stop playing ladder after losing 3 games in a row. I've disobeyed that rule once before and consequently was not... TheGentleman

[cruxis]

I read title as 'What to do during a dump."

And I was going to be like "read something?"

[syfCabracan]

I'd swap to NA, which ever server you care less about, and practise getting my build exactly right even if I'm not reacting to my opponent, or practise cheese on NA to get rage. If I'm still unable to execute a build or just playing terribly I take the night off, but try to make sure I play the very next day.

[IrisFlaunt]

in a slump? start playing.

[Mr_Zain]

I learnt rather recently the power of the loss and indeed the loss streak on ones state of mind and gameplay. If you treat mass losses not as a question of your skill and rank (which to be honest, unless you're fighting to get into a clan - no one really cares about) you will always be more inclined to try cheesy strategies to get ahead in points but not necessarily in skill and understanding of the game. The yield is short term and it can become extremely frustrating when you switch to a more macro oriented game and realise you just aren't up to scratch with the league you're playing in. This is a good thing. It forces you to adopt a better understanding.

From what you say, the lack of play makes you slip - there are three main elements to any good game (and this doesn't just apply to SC2 but really to any competitive activity): The plan, the execution and the mindgame. If your plan is bad and you execute it well over and over eventually you will lose with it as you verse better players. Replays can help with this. Coming away from a long streak of not playing is likely to be a failure of execution. This is something which you can endure and grind with practice and play. The mindgame though, often an understated element, is the most important particularly concerning loss streaks and will really mess up the first two elements irrespective of how good a player you actually are. If you think you're versing people that have beaten you before, and beaten you confidently, you will no doubt come at the game with a more cautious perspective and this is often not a good thing. It's important to play the game, not play the person - as cliche and difficult as this advice can be. Ultimately, like anything in life, a careful balance of these three factors will better ensure that you continue to have fun and enjoy playing this game and that you are playing effectively and not get caught up in superficial ranking systems which serve to detract from your ability and skill in the long term in any event.

In short, don't stress about it and try and recognise which of the three elements is really messing you up before diving into the next game. There is scarcely nothing more infuriating from my perspective than watching a game I just lost, but often if my strategy was completely off, even if my execution was perfect it wouldn't have helped me win and I need to re-evaluate what it is I'm trying to achieve at what points in the game.

Zain

[Atha]

I just stop, and jack off and/or do something active. Easy.

[souljah]

Best thing to do when you're in a slump is to stop laddering and get your act together again by playing customs with your clan mates. Gives you a way to get your confidence back while at the same time, you can learn from your mistakes in the game without jeopardizing your ladder points =)

Another good point that I think PiG raised up in his blog post is to take breaks. Try to take a break every few games or so because you find yourself tired after a few long, intensive games in a row.

[cruxSpoon]

STOP LADDERING - is the best advice

I just got demoted to diamond (from masters), cause i kept laddering. Right now...i need a hug. It feels like, all this effort I put into getting better at sc2, 6 seasons to get to masters from diamond, gone in a week.

How do you break the cycle though? The one where, you play bad, stop laddering, your skill atrophy's cause you aren't playing, then you go back and play, start losing again, take break, skill atrophy's, and so on and so forth? HOW DO YOU STOP THAT SHIT?

Never, never, have i been this upset over pixels on a screen....

[syfCabracan]

Originally Posted by cruxSpoon

Never, never, have i been this upset over pixels on a screen....

Even when Bambi's mother died?

[faithHunter]

When I'm not in the mood to play (or in a slump, at least), I usually wander off to NA and play some Monobattles or some other custom games.

But well, you might want to take a break from playing. Clear your mind and just put your eyes to rest. Then play again ;D

[Lovebox]

There are a few things I like to do while in a slump.
if im raging too hard I will just get up get a glass of water maybe get some fresh air for about 5 min or so then get back at it. If im still sucking I will start watching my replays to see what sort of mistakes im doing and see if I can improve on them THEN if im still getting stomped on ill take a break completely and just watch pro replays or SC2 guides on my race etc.

[Ghosty]

I usually watch youtube videos I can find inspiration in.
I'll just give an example and post this one so you get the idea.

You Tube

You Tube

This works for me, if I'm not in the mood for playing/casting or I'm feeling like a bag of crap in general I'll try watch videos of Pros playing / doing spectacular things, casters hyping things up or MLG interviews etc.

Give it a shot if you want, try finding something that works for you.

[SLCN.CautioN]

when i play like shit and lose... i say to myself F!@K YOU win.... then i win

[Paroxysm]

I seriously recommend physical exercise. It gets the blood pumping and releases stress ^^ Good luck getting out of your slump!

[RVLiveR]

Usually you notice slumps when you play to win and not to have fun. Micro trainer, AT's with some of your close friends, watch streams, etc. As soon as you are more confident with yourself, even if you play to win, you will win more. Whatever you do, don't spam ladder games as that makes you more stressed.

[tioN]

I actually like to jump right back into ladder games when i lose a ladder game or im in the slumps.. i keep the mind set that if i lost its cause im lacking in something and if i keep playing i can improve that, i like to push myself cause im a lazy stoner =P

[Shieldz]

If im having a bad day i just play it out until i start winning because normally when i lose 8 games in a row then later on i win 9 games in a row also watchign streams or replays will help.

[Theend]

I find It is normal for me to lose 10-20 game nearly in a row and win likewise for the next set...
the cycle never stops.... and hence im still in newbie league T.T

[FS.Kezz]

If I'm feeling bad about it (angry at myself/the game or just not enjoying playing at all) I stop playing ladder completely for a day. I play monobattles and other custom games that I am guaranteed to enjoy.

If I'm on a losing streak but still feeling motivated, I keep on playing through it. I find that I learn the most and am able to analyse myself better when I lose because I'm not distracted by the feeling of winning so I don't miss any mistakes I've made.

[mGGDrGooSe]

The rest/physical exercise/finding inspiration are all good. But they only fix the physchological (an important) side of things. Usually my slumps are caused by a loss of mechanics, where something I used to do without out thinking how now been forgotten.

Play AI games with no opponent and try to max out BOTH army and upgrades as quickly as possible (I know lots of people say max army, but chucking in tech and upgrades allow you to work on timings still, I think it's just too easy to concentrate on pure early game units). When that becomes easy, add an AI opponent in to simulate the necessity of scouting, etc. Then take it to ladder. Usually I will concentrate exclusively on my own base for those first few ladder games. Makes it pretty tough to win those games you have no information, but once those mechanics are ingrained again, you go back to playing however you want.

[Hydroid]

I know this is a little late to the party, but this is something I've struggled with in the past and feel as though I'm starting to come to grips with now. My SC2 time is very sporadic. I've gone from having time to play 40+ hours a week to not being able to touch the game for a month. So I've suffered from the two extremes of slumping. 1 from overplaying and the other from a lack of playing. The key thing is to isolate the cause of your slump each time it happens and adjust your training accordingly.

If you have been playing the game a lot recently it is possible to start going on autopilot and losing to stupid stuff. I find this kind of thing happens when you get into a rythm and produce nothing but drones and forget to make any tech and end up losing to a 9-10 minute push because all you had was drones. When this kind of stuff is happening I normally take a break for a day or two and often I'll mentally refresh my play and try think of something new to do in each matchup so that I can have something to think about in the game and keep me on my toes.

The other extreme is from a lack of playing and this is by far my most common slump. End up not playing for 2 weeks and I come back and lose to a basic 2-rax bunker rush because I slipped up my drone micro. Now this is by far the most rage inducing slump for me because I know I've held bunkers hundreds of times but because of mechanical rust I lose. But the key here for me is to remain calm and just hit that find match button again. It might mean sacrificing 10 games in a row, but eventually the mechanics come back and you can play at your prime again. It is also probably a good idea to refresh certain focus points in your strategy such as what you want your drone count to be at a certain time and when you want to scout. I always try and steer my play away from "clever" things that can help me get ahead but require extra attention. I go back to the basics of pure macro and mechanics.