Do you want to improve your gaming skills? Your brain and controller will become one with these science-backed tips and tricks.
You suddenly had a lot more time to play video games, so you wanted to make the most of it. You should pay attention to Dr. Matthew Barr...
Barr, who teaches at the Centre of Computing Science at the University of Glasgow and serves as vice chair of the British Digital Games Research Association, looks at how skills, adaptability, and critical thinking can be improved through playing video games.
Christopher "Duffman" Duff, Head Analyst for League of Legends superstars G2, Michaela "Mimi" Lintrup, one of the hottest names on the female Counter-Strike scene, and Topson of Dota giants OG, are included in this presentation, which explains how you can hack the brain into improving your own gameplay.
The road to greatness has begun for you...
- Divide your day up:
It's all well and good to get ready for a day of fighting your eyelids with friends, but are you really using your full potential? Not in accordance with Barr: If you play video games every day for six hours, you'll be a much better player if you spread those out as much as you can." He claims. It is effective to allow the brain to unpack additional information and recharge itself by taking frequent breaks from cognitively demanding activities.
Taking regular breaks from anything that’s cognitively exercising is an effective way of allowing the brain to unpack more information and recharge itself
Dr. Matthew Barr, University of Glasgow
Duffman is completely in agreement: Training for a game like League of Legends carries a significant risk of burnout. When you have to balance individual practice with team play, it can quickly get to the point where you are practicing too much. In an effort to combat this, we begin the split [season] with a more relaxed approach to the season. Before playoffs and international tournaments, we typically need two to three weeks to get in shape.
Another major esports team, OG, is very careful to avoid mental exhaustion during training. "It happens often when you end up playing for too long without taking breaks," says Topson. We typically play two games before taking an hour's break before playing again. In major tournaments, mental toughness is very important. Weaker teams will begin to overthink things and lose their ability to focus.
- Mentor a Rookie:
The protégé effect sees those who tutor their peers become much better at recalling information and applying it more effectively as well
Dr. Matthew Barr, University of Glasgow
"In games like League of Legends, where tactics are especially important," "another fresh pair of eyes could even highlight the weaknesses in your own strategy." Barr adds
Denmark's CS: Mimi, a GO sensation, is of the opinion that even elite players can forget the fundamentals, and that asking newer players questions can help them stay sharp. When you teach other people the fundamentals of the game, you often discover things about yourself that you may have forgotten. Additionally, it will make you consider the various outcomes of various strategies, which you probably wouldn't have considered if no one had asked."
- Let the air in:
Barr says, "Nature can help restore our attentional abilities." "The simple act of cracking open a window and having a room that is well-ventilated and getting in that natural light is a great subliminal and physical boost," says Barr, "even if you can't get outside for a walk around." Vitamin D is one thing; however, your body is used to having access to sunlight throughout the day. And if you don't get that, it will have an effect on your ability to think and sleep at night. Don't let it stop you from being a consistently good gamer.
If you don’t get sunlight, it’s going to affect your sleep at night and in turn your cognitive abilities
Dr. Matthew Barr, University of Glasgow
It hasn't exactly hurt Topson, who has won the TI twice: When we play, we always want to have natural light coming in, so we like to keep our computer near a window. Our ability to focus worsens if we don’t get sunlight for a day. We also struggle with it, but our advice is to go to bed early and get up early so you can get more sunlight."
But make sure you get outside on a regular basis as well. Duffman of G2 says that playing in the great outdoors on a regular basis keeps the players sharp and successful: During our trips to the gym at the beginning of this split, we even observed the advantages of a quick 15-30 m walk outside. After some exercise and exposure to the sun, it is evident that some players transform from being sluggish and slow at the beginning of the day into being full of energy and ready to go from game one."
- Examine your play earlier:
It is now easier than ever to watch back gameplay thanks to the abundance of streaming services and in-game highlights packages that are available on PCs and consoles. Nevertheless, you might need to evaluate your performance sooner rather than later: We don't learn from experience; rather, we learn from thinking back on it. A great way to improve your gameplay is to go back and watch your performance again. Your brain will continue to process information in the back of your head, but it won't be as clear if you wait too long. So remember and think about it while it's fresh. You can even ask other players to watch your performance and give you immediate feedback because of Twitch."
You can learn a lot from simply watching your mistakes again – what opportunities you failed to capitalise on, or the mistakes that punished you – without emotional bias
Duffman, G2 Head Analyst
And the data-driven Duffman is the only person who understands the significance of instantaneous analysis. He is of the opinion that it is best to accept feedback with an open mind and in a relaxed setting: “The majority of our analysis is provided by post-game reviews. We give players two to three minutes to walk around, get a drink, relax, and then come back to review the game as objectively as they can.
"This mostly consists of looking at things that we did well as a team or poorly that week, depending on the training goals." Watching your mistakes again without bias can teach you a lot, such as which opportunities you missed out on and which mistakes resulted in punishment.
Mimi says that recognizing patterns in your play and traps you're likely to fall into is often the best way to improve your game: If you watch your games over again, you might find that you keep making the same mistakes, which can change a round even for players who play in big tournaments! I try to figure out what I could have done differently to avoid dying or killing more people in a round, even if I'm just playing casually."
Nevertheless, when it comes to scouting your rivals, Mimi, who represents WRTP on the GC at the moment: GO scene considers time management essential: We focus on the teams that have a better chance of beating us going into tournaments because we are simply a lot better than many teams. It may sound arrogant, but it all boils down to making smart use of your time.
- Have fun with Randoms:
In Rainbow Six Siege, it's just as important to know when to give orders or relay a position as it is to stylishly kill an enemy from 300 yards. Having said that, Barr is of the opinion that bringing in a slew of different players or abilities can seriously improve any team and keep each player on their toes.
We found that our students' communication skills improved as a result of being forced to play with people with different abilities and adapt their communication styles. As a result, if you're playing with a group of friends, there might already be a quick way to communicate that lets a lot of things go unspoken.
You become more effective at communicating with others when you step outside of your comfort zone.
Some players need more pushing than others, some players shut down with hard criticism – every person is different so you can’t go around like a wrecking ball treating everyone the same way
Duffman, G2 Head Analyst
According to Duffman, "It's also important to remember how the gamer you are communicating with us as a person: " It will be impossible for you to reach everyone if you speak to them all in the same way. Every player is unique, so you can't treat everyone like a wrecking ball and expect it to work every time. Some players need more pushing than others, and some players shut down when harsh criticism is given to them.
The opportunity to incorporate elements of other people's gameplay into your own is another benefit of playing with others, according to the G2 analyst: You can only do so much on your own, so it's important to learn from others' strategies and experiences, whether it's by copying individual playstyles or how a team plays certain parts of the game."
Mimi adds that it's even more important to observe how other teams and players approach the meta because tactics change constantly. Knowing about new game strategies is crucial because metas only work for a certain amount of time before everyone else starts doing the same thing. My most important piece of advice would be to talk directly to the team member or player whose information or position concerns you the most when playing with random players.
- Enhance your gaming area:
You can't have stoopers. According to Barr, investing in a sturdy gaming chair to
support your back will make you "more focused on the game" if you sit up straight as opposed to lying down more casually.
In the meantime, Ohio State University research has found that better posture can also help you feel more confident in your thoughts. Richard Petty, co-author of the study, stated, "The results show how our body posture can affect not only what others think about us, but also how we think about ourselves.
"During the testing, he clearly did not have Dragon Ball FighterZ in mind, but if it also helps you master Ultra Instinct Goku, it's a win-win situation.
Good body posture can affect not only what others think about us, but also how we think about ourselves
Proffesor Richard Petty, Ohio State University
In addition, Barr suggests minimizing as much external noise as possible around your gaming station, such as Spotify or the radio. Students who listen to music while studying don't actually do as well because they are distracted, according to evidence. A good set of headphones with an ergonomic fit can greatly assist the brain in determining what is important and what isn't."
However, how ought those headphones to behave? Permit Mimi to elaborate: First, you should feel like they sit right on your head and don't move when you move your head; otherwise, the sound won't be as good as it could be. They must be comfortable so that you can sit for hours in them. You've won the lottery if you don't even realize you wear them! Naturally, quality is also important because games like Counter-Strike rely heavily on sound, and you want to be able to hear footsteps and gunshots."
- Keep Hydrated:
Maintaining a high level of hydration could mean the difference between reaching the top divisions on FUT and falling down to the FIFA equivalent of non-league, at the risk of sounding like your mother. Barr shares this opinion: Even slight dehydration can have a negative impact on concentration, cognitive performance, and motor skills, according to overwhelming evidence. All of this is a significant issue for a lot of gamers.
If you don’t get that, it’s going to affect your sleep at night and in turn your cognitive abilities
Dr. Matthew Barr, University of Glasgow
Duffman has witnessed the dangers of dehydration firsthand, even during the largest of esports competitions: A major issue that has a negative physical and mental impact on players is dehydration. The energy levels and general mood of our players clearly reflect when they don't drink enough water.
It is essential to maintain control of your energy levels in order to perform at your best. G2 has benefited repeatedly from drinking Red Bull. Duffman says that the key is knowing when to use it: We've found that Red Bull works best when consumed shortly before a game so that the energy begins to kick in immediately. If you play another game right after that one, you should take a small amount again to keep yourself at the same level or risk hitting the drop.
