Jump to content
Search In
  • More options...
Find results that contain...
Find results in...
Memfis

Can you stop raging at games?

Recommended Posts

I've been playing the same fucking level for hours and hours, trying to beat my record. A few times I was so damn close to my goal but of course I fucked up the end. At the moment I hate everything that has ever existed, I want to say mean things to people, I imagine myself throwing shit around and just completely snapping. Can you get out of this mindset by choosing to think about games differently? Is it something that can change as you grow older? Or will pain always be associated with games, which are supposed to be a fun activity?

Share this post


Link to post

What I usually do, is that if I'm stuck on something in a particular game, or if I'm just sucking at multiplayer, to the point where I get angry, I make it a point to just take a break from the game and come back later. 

Usually, I end up doing better after taking said break. 

Share this post


Link to post

Can't remember the last time I was genuinely mad at a game, to the point of lunacy, and it would only be if I, one, absolutely adore the game for me to feel such strong emotion towards it, or two am feeling very split with a love/hate relationship and I want to like the game because it can be great sometimes but it's giving me all this god awful shit so I just end up getting really frustrated.

But if I'm not having a good time to begin with or I'm being bored to death I will have little tolerance for halted progress of any kind and wasting my time will only make me simply give up without feeling really anything afterward except said wasted time. Thanks Chaser.

Share this post


Link to post

Since I play a lot of bullet-hell shmups for competitive scoring purposes, I can really relate. At times I am simply amazed at what I manage to fuck up, just because I'm not concentrated enough, or something pushes me out of route, and I fail to recover.

The thing about games is that people get emotional over them by way of nature. If that was any different, and people didn't care, games wouldn't exist. The moment you get passionate about something, it can hurt you, no matter your age.

We all deal with stress differently, but when it comes to being precise for a set amount of time, that stress can either start whittling you down, or it can push you forward. If you're stressed to the point of having a negative attitude toward's what you're doing, or you kind of think "don't fuck it up, don't fuck it up, don't fuck it up!" That is when you will fuck it up.

Best to take a break at that point. And come back to it later, after getting some distance between yourself and the task at hand.

Basically be self-aware enough to know when your mood starts shifting, and that'll help you prevent the rage to begin with. Once you're ballistic, you're ballistic for a set period of time.

Share this post


Link to post

It's a matter of perspective. From the sound of it:

1 hour ago, Memfis said:

I've been playing the same fucking level for hours and hours, trying to beat my record. A few times I was so damn close to my goal but of course I fucked up the end.

You're not playing to have fun but to achieve something, presumably because it will bring satisfaction. You can still have fun along the journey of that achievement, but don't expect that specific task to be automatically conducive to fun. Perhaps the method you're taking is more frustrating than others? Sports practice is as much about drilling specific technique as it is exhibition matches, for instance. Or you could move the goalpost from "improving best time" to "improving consistency closer to the current best". Decide if you want the achievement to be fun, or if the achievement itself is worth whatever frustration it brings.

 

Toward the general topic on hand, raging at games isn't much different from raging at, say, driving a vehicle in heavy traffic. We all have existing ways of coping and how we cope can change over time. I tend to funnel such frustrations towards myself first, blaming incompetence, though I also try to reflect on situations critically and determine what is at fault. Games can be appropriately or inappropriately challenging, for instance, and if I'm just trying to play through in a casual context and the game throws inappropriate challenge at me, I can say there's blame to go around. If you don't want to rage, then I suggest you research coping strategies and find one that you prefer. Try the wikipedia article if you need a direction.

Share this post


Link to post

I don't rage much at all anymore. after playing certain games with permadeath aspects, dieing to lose large amounts of time over and over breaks you down into a calmer and more sensible state I'v found. I just don't feel much of that frustration at all anymore. So I would say, yes, you can stop raging at games, but I'v found in order to do so you must subject yourself to true lose within the video games medium. Only then I found that getting frustrated at standard games felt petty to myself. It's all about perspective.

Share this post


Link to post
1 hour ago, Nine Inch Heels said:

Since I play a lot of bullet-hell shmups for competitive scoring purposes[...]

Elixir?

 

(I was wondering why you had the same avatar...)

Share this post


Link to post
5 minutes ago, Cynical said:

Elixir?

 

(I was wondering why you had the same avatar...)

Nope. That avatarpic is from a game, by the way, so chances are some more people have that.

Share this post


Link to post

I don't rage anymore, although i do get frustrated when the game is unfair, when that happens i take a small break and come back at it.

And sometimes when i'm failing so bad, i laugh at myself, saying that i can't believe that i'm failing so badly.

 

Share this post


Link to post

I have to join the club and say I don't rage so much anymore. I used to rage the most at Wing Commander 3 for some reason. I hated the design of waves of enemy fighters besieging me arbitrarily. I generally try to avoid games (like sidescrollers or bullet hell or arcade anything) where concentration, and questioning your concentration, and getting the yips are major factors.

 

I will occasionally be angry at doom levels (like Deus Vult or toilet of the gods) that are very hard.

Share this post


Link to post

used to when i was younger, not really anymore.

when i die doing ILs or going for hard records i normally just find it funny when i fuck up.

i also think taking a break if things arent going so well is a good idea; come back and it will feel fresh and can feel a lot less grindy

Share this post


Link to post

When I get frustrated at games, I quit then go back to playing it later after a while. Usually, that works.

 

Throwing your PC or console to the wall if you get frustrated from playing another generic, modern FPS is something only lunatics do.

Share this post


Link to post

This only happens when I play competitive PVP games like Battlefield 4, Dota 2 and so forth. Even the most embarrasing and annoying WOW Raid wipes never made me rage.

Share this post


Link to post

When I was unemployed I naturally played games a lot more often and a lot more seriously. I have raged far too many times and it took some unwanted expenses to confront myself with it.

 

What I'm about to reveal is very embarrassing but I feel more confident in admitting this to strangers on the internet than any family or friends. Maybe I'm not alone in this but here it goes. I have raged over games so badly that I have literally broken at least 5 Mice and 2 Monitors. I also have punched myself in the head or headbutt hard objects on various occasions just to release the emotions. What got me to that point was from competitive multiplayer games that I had personal pride in, so when I get unfairly played against in addition to getting verbally abused and unable to perform well in these scenarios the rage begins to build rapidly.

 

An example is when lots of players on deathmatch bend the rules, gang up against me and then verbally abuse me, vote kick me etc when I did nothing wrong but play well and try really hard, keeping to myself. This results in a burning desire to physically harm them, and I would of if I could. The funny thing is I like to consider myself as a well rounded guy, but I definitely have a strong weakness in that department.

 

Now that I'm working, playing games far less often / seriously and decided I really didn't like that behaviour from myself, I learned to take it easy and just quit if it gets to that point.

Share this post


Link to post

Doom is Doom, but mostly I hate difficult mindfucking singleplayer games. I'm still raging from multiplayer games too, but not so much... :D

Share this post


Link to post
10 hours ago, Man of Doom said:

What I usually do, is that if I'm stuck on something in a particular game, or if I'm just sucking at multiplayer, to the point where I get angry, I make it a point to just take a break from the game and come back later. 

Usually, I end up doing better after taking said break. 

 

I find myself doing this as well.

 

Out of curiosity, how long are your breaks usually? For me, they can range anywhere between a week and a month. And as for doing better, I find that's not always the case. In fact, a lot of the time, taking a break and coming back to retry has ended in a rage-quit on my part.

Share this post


Link to post

I used to rage hard a few years ago. I've noticed when I'm not playing a multiplayer game I don't rage anymore. I know I can beat AI, but other people always seem to beat me and it frustrates me. I try to stay away from any competitive games, or just be happy losing.

Share this post


Link to post

I never could understand how people rage over video games. Of course situations can get very frustrating, but I could never actively become so emotionally influenced that I would let it control my behavior irl (e.g. Kids breaking their equipment). I suggest to try meditation, have a chill pill or don't play video games at all. Meaning if it's at a point where it controls your emotions and you lose your shit. This ↓

Spoiler

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
2 hours ago, Chezza said:

What I'm about to reveal is very embarrassing but I feel more confident in admitting this to strangers on the internet than any family or friends. Maybe I'm not alone in this but here it goes. I have raged over games so badly that I have literally broken at least 5 Mice and 2 Monitors.

There was a time when I was into Chivalry: Medieval Warfare a lot. At some point I reached my skill limit and there were some players that I just couldn't beat, no matter what. But I still tried. It ended up with me having to go to the hardware store to buy glue for wood.

Share this post


Link to post

I need to learn how to rage less at video games, since (shock horror!) I can be pretty bad at unleashing my "autistic" rage at things over the years, although I don't break things thankfully. (just tend to shout and swear)

 

I might have to keep this thread favourited in case any good tips pop up.

Share this post


Link to post

When it comes to online games I am the saltiest mother fucker alive and I can't stop myself barking out really odd insults like "invertebrate dick missiles" every five seconds, usually punctuated by "uh hum, yep, uh hum" or "fuck me in the arse with a (random object)" like I have Tourette's syndrome.

 

I've been told it is actually quite funny to listen to, so now I actually go out of my to be weird/creative as possible when I rage. Usually I also feel a lot better after a rage filled nonsense verbal puke because I actually end up having fun with it, you should try it sometimes.

Share this post


Link to post

It's one of the reasons I avoid multiplayer games. I have possibly the worst temper and if things don't go they way they should I end up breaking shit and/or hurting others. Nowadays, if I find a singleplayer game that has mostly annoying gameplay mechanics over fun ones, I'm just gonna stop playing it to ease my sanity.

Share this post


Link to post

I don't rage all that much. I've learned to calm myself down if I'm losing my cool. Quake 3 on Nightmare for example. It taught me to be calm & focus.

Share this post


Link to post

I have raged occasionally at games, but always immediately recognize it and just walk away. It's amazing how little it suddenly means when you're not sat at the screen. Taking a break is absolutely the most effective thing to do as you very suddenly realize it doesn't actually mean anything.

 

Also, giving your brain time to internalize what you practiced helps get you better at it. Ask any musician, and they'll recount stories of trying a piece a hundred times and failing, then coming back the next day and nailing it first time.

 

The only time recently I really got mad at a game was coming home drunk from the pub (never a good start) and trying the Capra Demon on Dark Souls for the 20th time that day.

 

Anyone who has played the game will know just how unbelievably frustrating that goat-headed bastard is! I tried him once, realized just how much he angering me, and promptly went to bed instead.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post

When I get angry at a game, I direct my anger towards the game, especially if it's Single Player. It drives me to conquer the game, motivates me to defeat it.

Share this post


Link to post

If I get fustrated with hard game,I just switch off it and go outside to clear my mind or just make cup of tea. Tiredness also can make things harder than it should be.

Share this post


Link to post

You can't stop raging, because what would a fun game be when you can't lose?

The bigger the loss, the more frustrated you are, it's human nature.

Share this post


Link to post

I just play something else. I used to get wicked angry at games, but my adjusting of game-playing time and dropping of all multiplayer titles calmed me down substantially. 

Share this post


Link to post

Get angry, you should leave. Don't make work out of something designed for entertainment.

Share this post


Link to post

I'm highly competitive, and hate losing. Nobody likes to lose. I shit talk constantly, and swear like a sailor when something goes wrong. In extreme cases where I feel like something was flat out bullshit (I'm looking at you Counter-Strike) I will punch my wall or throw something, though I've never thrown my expensive equipment around. When I win, and if it was a hard win or a win I had to really fight for, I will gloat because it feels so damn good.

 

It doesn't have to be other players either, if a game is difficult by design and I really enjoy it, I push myself to get the absolute best scores/times/whatever possible. Difficult platformers and other games that require a lot of attention, and don't allow a lot of room for mistakes. Getting A+ on all Hotline Miami levels for instance, some of those levels were.... whew.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×