Any experienced gamer will tell you that their set-ups are unrecognisable compared to what they used when they first started. They have learnt from experience that if you play longer than a few hours without a comfortable chair, a battery charger or a solid internet connection, then you should be prepared for a lot of waiting and a good amount of back pain.
Gamers rely on plenty of mental tools like reactions, patience, critical thinking and cooperation to do well, but the best gamers are also backed by good equipment and the right mindset for a session.
If you play for fun, do your thing! But if you’re someone who wants to get more out of gaming, it’s worth looking at how you play today and how you could improve in the future.
Take Stock
Technologically speaking, many gamers tend to have a pretty solid grasp of gadgets and gaming equipment. Even a casual gamer will pick up small snippets of info as they go, whether it’s ways to improve a wireless connection, or what to do in the case of a hardware error. What you’re using to game with is often closely tied to things like your habits, background, and ‘technological age’—they can actually be pretty good indicators of all three.
Serious gamers understand a good quality chair, a wireless headset and ‘nice-to-have’ equipment like ergonomic keyboards are hugely worth acquiring if you spend a lot of time gaming. Have a look at your set-up, and pick out things that let you down or affect your physical comfort during sessions. First things first, throw out the battered controller and beaten-up office chair. You can do so much better!
Mental Agility
Many of us have had five or six-hour periods of gaming. Running through an entire storyline with your friends online or fending off the competition in a closed lobby—long sessions are fun, but they aren’t necessarily conducive to being a good player.
Experts recommend splitting your time up into smaller chunks, which is proven to improve cognition and help your brain recharge in between bouts. In addition, opening windows to let natural light in, staying hydrated and eating nutrient-rich foods are all directly supporting better brain function and mental sharpness.
Who You Know
Many people play with a few friends and will only occasionally branch out beyond that, which is understandable if you’re playing for fun. However, the fastest way to improve your abilities is to start trying more skill-based matchmaking. If you play against a wider variety of competitors, you’ll experience different opponent styles and make games more unpredictable. This will improve your chances in future games.
To go a step further, you could upload some clips online and ask for feedback on your performance. The sooner you begin critically analysing your mistakes and exposing yourself to other players, the quicker you’ll be able to adapt to and overcome opponents in many gaming genres.
Being the best in any pastime isn’t necessarily the reason we pick them up, and gaming is no different. That’s not what the above advice is here to do. Getting more out of gaming means growing as a player and enjoying more success, but also staying within healthy boundaries with your gaming. We all love a long gaming marathon, but if you’re doing them multiple times a week, missing out on natural light and following a diet suited to a survivalist in the wilderness, your mind and body aren’t going to be giving you much in return.
Treat yourself well, challenge your skills and notice the difference in your performance on the battlefield, on the turf, beneath the waves or up in space—wherever your gaming takes you!