[ToRPatto]

I just wanted to know how people get over their anxiety before they play there first game. Does everyone get it? Apart from the obvious 'just play a game' idea, does anybody have any pre-Starcraft warm-ups? Thanks

Quick Comments

SLCN.Kez:

Just play a game. Sorry couldn't resist hehe ^_^

[ShinyA]

I never really got the whole 'ladder anxiety' thing. Why are you playing SC2 if you get anxiety from playing? The game is meant to be fun, you gotta have fun! Win or lose, if you're not having fun then you shouldn't be playing, that goes for any level of play IMO~!

[ToRPatto]

Originally Posted by MensA

I never really got the whole 'ladder anxiety' thing

You lucky man.. its stops me from playing which is really stupid because I'm only silver ahaha

After I loose my first game it seems to go away, but untill I do I am constantly wanting to cancel and just watch streams.

[AuXCoolpuff]

it's only natural if you want to win, I'll admit I get the feeling but after that first game I'm fine. Specially if you haven't played ina long time!

[FSNiseH]

Once you play one, it becomes so much easier to play more, just click the button and dont cancel ^^

[ETL.Branno]

i used to get this, im not sure why but you dont want to play first game and as soon as its done you are fine to play for hours even if you loose.

kinda weird but i used to have a shower before i played and it made me feel fresh and ready to go but now days i just say screw it and play.

[ToRPatto]

Originally Posted by ETL.Branno

kinda weird but i used to have a shower before i played and it made me feel fresh and ready to go but now days i just say screw it and play.

I always how a shower before I play but after I am out I feel like my fingers are really slow and numb. It doesn't help too much at all xD I got my friends to tell me to play because whenever I say im going to play they give me shit if I don't

Quick Comments

ETL.Branno:

if you live with someone get them to start the game for you lol

[Toastyzeus]

Yeah, I run my hands under some hot water before I play, I also like to practice a game or two on NA

[SLCN.CautioN]

I drown myself in music then i sing along to the lyrics whilst i search for a game and once in game i slow down the singing and start to think of a strat to play

[TwoGee]

i have dual screens always have something playing on the other screen.
simply search and watch the other screen til the sc2 background changes (sometimes i missed their race so i have to open trade tab to check), then its do or die so i try my best.

[TABjornbrandr]

For me ladder anxiety has always revolved around the mindset of "Look where I am now I don't want to lose that league." However, once you understand that you have to lose to improve, it disappears.
It took a while, but once I hit Diamond as Zerg I actually started to take a serious interest in my replays. I would look at my losses positively and realise that they are simply stepping stones to the next win, the next league, etc.

It really is a matter of "just pressing search". Try to get a feel for how helpful losing is, though. It's the best learning tool in the book.

[ToRPatto]

@Caution - My Spotify opens with my PC so it's always there.. just a matter of whether or not anyone is at home ahaha

@TwoGee - I only got 1 monitor so I guess ill have to try and alt+tab and look through the strip down the bottom of my screen to see if it changes lol

Originally Posted by TABjornbrandr

However, once you understand that you have to lose to improve, it disappears.

I will definitely be forcing myself to think that. Great mindset to have! Thanks

[MooZfY]

play vs computer ai first to get warmed up that's what i do

[Sc2Clare]

hmmm for me, i just play the 1st game doing wonky strats. making it fun then after that, SERIOUS mode activated ^^

[AxSGRiM]

i just cheese ;p

EDIT:

Just kidding, I don't really have any problems with playing as soon as I log into battle.net so I just quickly search and get into it asap.

[VB_WhiplashJC]

I'll do a bit of exercise and some stretches, probably watch a replay, then jump into it.

[syfSoundwave]

I stretch my hands and fingers before the first game of the day. Sometimes I'll play a custom to warm up and make sure my fingers are moving okay.

[OSPixel]

i just play a game on NA or KR where i dont really care about my league. then play some games on sea lol

[Flamga]

I actualluy just did stupid stuff and had fun to the point i may as well just give them the game. It helped get over the whole losing and anxiety thing :-)

[sykora]

It took a while for me to get over the jitters of pressing the find match button for 1v1.
But now I change my mindset to "Just play 5 1v1s today" If I achieve that goal then its a win for me today.
It really does come down to that moment where you go "stuff it" and press the find match button.
But it gets easier from there. =)

[TASlowHands]

When I played SEA all the time I would play my first game on NA to get into it.

Now I just play NA all the time and after a while you just stop caring about first game problems

[jayaiwhy]

Originally Posted by TASlowHands

When I played SEA all the time I would play my first game on NA to get into it.

Now I just play NA all the time and after a while you just stop caring about first game problems

aha I'm exact opposite, NA is much harder for me so I mess around on SEA first xD

[ToRPatto]

Thanks everybody for the advice.. I think I might learn a cheese or funky strat and see how I go. 4 port banshee vs z or p sounds fun haha guess it just comes with time

[FS.Kezz]

When I know for sure I'm going to be playing in the next few hours or just after I've woken up in the morning, I spend some time getting myself excited about the game by picturing in my mind how it would look if I played perfectly. For example I set up an imaginary engagement and picture how I would micro against the opponent's army, and imagine multitasking to send some drops to all of his bases, and imagine winning the fight and crushing through to destroy all of his buildings. It usually only takes 5-10 minutes minimum (can be longer if I have time) and I feel so much more excited to find a game than if I haven't thought about it.

[ROCCAT_Savior]

Play a 1v1 on the server you play on the least, if you have sea/na ect. Or play a team game.

What I do just play any server and do one of the more aggressive builds I have in my repertoire as it works on both my macro and micro to get them warmed up.

[breadfan]

Just get out of the mindset that each ladder match actually matters. Ladder is not a way to measure your skill under a microscope. The matchmaking system wants you to lose as much as you win. So basically, it is trying to find games for you to lose. I used to get bad ladder anxiety, but I took a break and my mindset changed. Don't know how I got there so all I can tell you is where you need to go, sorry.

It might help to remember that pretty much all the way up to the pro level, players are losing as often as they are winning. The ones who aren't are named Liquid Taeja and they all kill teams called Incredible Miracle in team leagues.

[SLCNPezz]

i have a few accounts 1 taht i dont really care about but play toss on anyway, another that i do care about and one that i offrace on. I play on either offrace one or don't care one first to get warmed up. :P

[Fairyking]

Stop being a coward and play, it's that simple, if you're not man enough to play a video game that's pretty sad lol.

[DUCKVILLELOL]

I've been playing for quite a long time, so I don't really get anxiety as it were; however sometimes if I try something a bit whacky or do a build I haven't done for a while I'll make sure I have specific music on; normally some power metal because it gets my mind pumping hehe.

[RVLiveR]

I think I got used to ladder anxiety by fraps-ing my games - it made me get used to the pressure and after a while i didn't feel anything.

[A3Mercury]

I'm pretty new to Starcraft and RTS games as a whole. I've literally only ever played FPS games my entire life on consoles lol. So I get anxiety before every ladder game I play. after I win 3 or 4 in a row I start to get really nervous because I know that I'm going to be playing ppl higher up each time. I usually do most competitive things better with anxiety so I almost rely on it. I hope I don't ever become completely complacent with SC like I did with halo. You make more mistakes if you're not nervous I think.

[Dox]

I just accept that my first game of every day is going to be really sloppy, riddled with mistakes and poor mechanics. Back when I used to stream my ladder games, I'd usually play my first (warm-up) game off-stream before going live. Just consider it a warm up!

[eCKo`Switch]

I just treat my first game as a warm up, and do something silly like queen hydra or mass baneling. Puts me in a good mood for the following games and warms up the hands so you're not so sloppy playing seriously

[inFeZa]

I play a team game or two. But even then, the first game of the day doesn't count.

I'd Actually rather lose the first game, this way gets me driven to play more.

[JiNxXx]

I actually play a couple rounds of CA on Quake Live to warm up before hitting SC2.

I'm a fps junkie. aha

[Typhoon]

Somehow the first game of the day has come a must win for me. If i don't start on a high note i tilt. Any games after the first game tho i don't care much about...

[ChiLLwindSC2]

I used to get pretty bad ladder anxiety only because i didn't want to lose and get demoted but then i started looking at it in a different way. I looked at it like ''i don't care if i lose as long as constantly make probes and dont get supply blocked'' and i'd look as every game as a learning experience.
I also stopped drinking energy drinks and other high sugar drinks because that can lead to higher levels of anxiety aswell.

[ToRMaverick]

Just think that you are versing someone else that is also playing their first game of the day

After a few thousand games on ladder the nerves tend to die down, the tournaments on the other hand....

[FLuX]

Just hit find match and expect to lose. If you lose, well you can tell yourself that the other guy was a noob and that you lost because it's your first match of the day. If you win, feel good because you just started the day off with a win >.<

[ToRPatto]

I'm starting to get over it.. I was just wondering what everybody else did pre-first game rituals were

[LiquidNova]

Press the find match button and stay calm. Go into the match hoping to play well not win. Just relax as it's finding the match then click a bit to warm up and have fun!

[ETL.Santi]

i just click search and smash nerds on the ladder