The first time I heard about the term "mind games" was when I started getting into competitive Pokémon battles online. I first heard of this "technique" when it tied itself with predicting your opponent's choices during a match. Will he switch out? Will he use Protect? Does he have a hidden immunity I don't know about? These types of questions were always popping up during an intense match. So much so that if you tricked your opponent by successfully predicting his actions, you had initiated a mind game.
When playing a fighting game like Melee, mind games can vary in flavor. A common type of mind game involves predicting where your opponent will land or dodge. You might be falling from above leaning to the right, so your opponent thinks you will land on the right side and does a forward smash attack in that direction. But at the last second you moved your character to the left and started attacking him instead.
A mind game can easily be describes as playing with your opponent's head to your advantage. It exists in any team activity outside the gaming world as well. Sports involve mind games all the time, and yet they call them "psyche outs" or simply an act of "deception." But a mind game can be far more hurtful than that.
I personally like the potential mind games can have on your opponent's psychological health during a match. I mean, if you're playing with someone, why not play with their heads too?
Doing a fighter stance in the middle of a combo or purposefully jumping off the ledge and recovering back and forth can really put a strain on your opponent's fighting self-esteem and overall gaming ability. Two of the best, if not meanest, examples of playing with your opponent involve deception. Simply losing a stock on purpose or going easy on your opponent in the beginning of a match only to brutalize him later on can cause vast amounts of annoyance and even irritation. It makes your opponent think subconsciously that he has the upper hand in the match, and yet you know that it's just a deceptive ploy. After all, when playing a game or doing something that requires quick reflexes, focus plays a pivotal part in your performance. If your opponent is too busy stressing out about your distractions, he might lose.
On the other hand, if you're too busy performing mindless mind games, you might get hit.
When playing a fighting game like Melee, mind games can vary in flavor. A common type of mind game involves predicting where your opponent will land or dodge. You might be falling from above leaning to the right, so your opponent thinks you will land on the right side and does a forward smash attack in that direction. But at the last second you moved your character to the left and started attacking him instead.
A mind game can easily be describes as playing with your opponent's head to your advantage. It exists in any team activity outside the gaming world as well. Sports involve mind games all the time, and yet they call them "psyche outs" or simply an act of "deception." But a mind game can be far more hurtful than that.
I personally like the potential mind games can have on your opponent's psychological health during a match. I mean, if you're playing with someone, why not play with their heads too?
Doing a fighter stance in the middle of a combo or purposefully jumping off the ledge and recovering back and forth can really put a strain on your opponent's fighting self-esteem and overall gaming ability. Two of the best, if not meanest, examples of playing with your opponent involve deception. Simply losing a stock on purpose or going easy on your opponent in the beginning of a match only to brutalize him later on can cause vast amounts of annoyance and even irritation. It makes your opponent think subconsciously that he has the upper hand in the match, and yet you know that it's just a deceptive ploy. After all, when playing a game or doing something that requires quick reflexes, focus plays a pivotal part in your performance. If your opponent is too busy stressing out about your distractions, he might lose.
On the other hand, if you're too busy performing mindless mind games, you might get hit.
Labels: games, lexicon, smash bros
The other day some friends and I were getting tired of playing Melee, so instead we decided to play it another way. We all picked Kirby and decided to swallow each other infinitely. One Kirby would swallow a Kirby while another Kirby was behind him. When he would press down, the Kirby in his mouth would come out the back and the Kirby standing behind him would eat him, and so on. It was this infinite cycle that was quite comedic.
It wasn't really a match, but it was technically playing a video game. So what was it? We were playing a video game, but we weren't playing it how it should be played, yet we were having fun. Someone said it was the most fun he had had since he could remember. We even tried doing the black hole glitch afterwards. All of it was fun. Sure it was asinine antics, but it made us laugh and we had fun. These "fun matches" are good breaks to take in between actual matches, and you're still playing the same game, right?
It wasn't really a match, but it was technically playing a video game. So what was it? We were playing a video game, but we weren't playing it how it should be played, yet we were having fun. Someone said it was the most fun he had had since he could remember. We even tried doing the black hole glitch afterwards. All of it was fun. Sure it was asinine antics, but it made us laugh and we had fun. These "fun matches" are good breaks to take in between actual matches, and you're still playing the same game, right?
Labels: games, lexicon, smash bros
The term friendly match, or "friendlies" as most competitive smashers call it, are matches that do not count towards tournament progression. When players have free time between tourney matches, they may engage in some friendly one-on-one or team matches with other players.
The term "friendly" though makes these matches sound like fun, carefree battles where both players are friendly towards each other. But in actuality, these matches can be anything but friendly (in terms of Smash that is). Friendly matches are taken seriously, and it's a chance for advanced players to practice with others at their level. It becomes more of a fierce battle to victory that even sometimes evolves into "money matches", a video game version of gambling. Money matches themselves have their own claim-to-fame and can become addictive. Some players simply look forward to tournaments for the sake of winning money this way.
Friendly matches are done in good humor though. No one is dead-set on beating someone mercilessly and making him cry. That's not what Smash is about. It's just that the term "friendly" could be saved for matches that are less serious and more about having fun. I guess I'll write about these "fun" matches next time!
The term "friendly" though makes these matches sound like fun, carefree battles where both players are friendly towards each other. But in actuality, these matches can be anything but friendly (in terms of Smash that is). Friendly matches are taken seriously, and it's a chance for advanced players to practice with others at their level. It becomes more of a fierce battle to victory that even sometimes evolves into "money matches", a video game version of gambling. Money matches themselves have their own claim-to-fame and can become addictive. Some players simply look forward to tournaments for the sake of winning money this way.
Friendly matches are done in good humor though. No one is dead-set on beating someone mercilessly and making him cry. That's not what Smash is about. It's just that the term "friendly" could be saved for matches that are less serious and more about having fun. I guess I'll write about these "fun" matches next time!
Labels: games, lexicon, smash bros
