FA+
Shop
6192
Views
Views
473
Favorites
Favorites
Category
All / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 752 x 692
File Size 429.8 kB
Report this content
★
More from o-kemono
Listed in Folders
Life's A Chibi: Loser's Bracket
" My friends love competitive video games. They love to challenge one another for sport and fun. When serious, they even go to tournaments to compete for prizes, together or separate. This has sparked my interest and I wish to be just as good as them. I see them go at it, mashing the buttons on their controller, their eyes focused on the screen, locked in total concentration. Small chuckles and humorous petty insults fly between them as one destroys the other. The silence breaks when the sound of the victory music echos from their system and one of them smiles in victory. They all laugh and applaud one another. I asked what game they are playing. I rush to the game store and buy the game, my imagination soars as I picture myself become a master at the game.
I practice on my own with the game for months, trying to master the controls and learn strategic maneuvers. I constantly train myself, trying to be a good player. When the CPU no longer poses a challenge for me, I battle random people online. I'm soon able to defeat most of the online players and learned new things from them. I'm filled with pride and determination, a rush of adrenaline flows through me as I feel like I can become one of the best players out there with each victory I obtain! Feeling confident and driven, I now join my competitive friends in a 4 way battle.
Within seconds after the battle starts, I was defeated and came in last place.
Over and over again, I came within last place. My strategy and skills are worthless when battling them. They others celebrated and congratulated one another at the end of each match. No matter how many times I tried, I kept losing and remain in last place. No one bothers to give me any tips of to acknowledge me. My competitive spirit dies and my pride shatters. Even if it was "for fun", I still feel like they treated these matches as tournament matches. The game no longer becomes fun and I withdraw from their remaining battles - feeling down and worthless that no matter how hard I try, I will always feel like I will be the loser of the group and a beginner at the game..."
This was an image I did last year, but had no real reason to post it up online. After some recent events, I became inspired to post this image online.
I try my best to play and win, using what I know to all I got within matches. There are times I would feel the urge to punch forward and get in first place, pushing myself to become better with positive results, trying to become the best player I can possibly be. With every win, I earn personal experience points and level up to become a better player. learning new tricks of the trade with every challenge I face.
Then there are times when I would get my butt constantly kicked over and over again, sometimes mocked and humiliated at the end of the battles, online and offline. I continue to battle and use everything I know and have to win, but in the end, that last place victory remains on my screen with my name under it. This is when I put down the controller and turn off the system with a defeated sigh and negative grown. Pride injured and feeling disappointed.
Losing hurts. Everyone knows this. There is a various range of emotion and thoughts containing negative doubts and complete failure about yourself. You tried your best, but you remain out of the spotlight and in the shadows, watching the other competitive player celebrate his victory. Pride damaged, sadness takes over and you feel like your best is as good as the dirt on the winner's feet. You feel like you will never be as good as the other winners and remain on the sidelines, spirits damaged.
So what can you do? Keep your chin up and continue to try to become better at the game, or find something else that would be more suitable for your competitive drive. You also need to remember that the one who beaten you go in first place because of your participation. You HELPED the other to become the winner, something they could never do by themselves. Even with your failure, you still managed to help someone become victorious and have them feel the joy of being champion. You made someone happy.
There can be no winners without losers, and vise versa. Think positive. Be positive. Losing does hurt - falling does leave you bruised. But wounds heal. Everyone is good at something, competitively or passionately. Be all you can be and think positive, no matter what bracket you are in. Be your own winner and be proud with what you can do.
artwork © 2014 Alex Cockburn
I practice on my own with the game for months, trying to master the controls and learn strategic maneuvers. I constantly train myself, trying to be a good player. When the CPU no longer poses a challenge for me, I battle random people online. I'm soon able to defeat most of the online players and learned new things from them. I'm filled with pride and determination, a rush of adrenaline flows through me as I feel like I can become one of the best players out there with each victory I obtain! Feeling confident and driven, I now join my competitive friends in a 4 way battle.
Within seconds after the battle starts, I was defeated and came in last place.
Over and over again, I came within last place. My strategy and skills are worthless when battling them. They others celebrated and congratulated one another at the end of each match. No matter how many times I tried, I kept losing and remain in last place. No one bothers to give me any tips of to acknowledge me. My competitive spirit dies and my pride shatters. Even if it was "for fun", I still feel like they treated these matches as tournament matches. The game no longer becomes fun and I withdraw from their remaining battles - feeling down and worthless that no matter how hard I try, I will always feel like I will be the loser of the group and a beginner at the game..."
This was an image I did last year, but had no real reason to post it up online. After some recent events, I became inspired to post this image online.
I try my best to play and win, using what I know to all I got within matches. There are times I would feel the urge to punch forward and get in first place, pushing myself to become better with positive results, trying to become the best player I can possibly be. With every win, I earn personal experience points and level up to become a better player. learning new tricks of the trade with every challenge I face.
Then there are times when I would get my butt constantly kicked over and over again, sometimes mocked and humiliated at the end of the battles, online and offline. I continue to battle and use everything I know and have to win, but in the end, that last place victory remains on my screen with my name under it. This is when I put down the controller and turn off the system with a defeated sigh and negative grown. Pride injured and feeling disappointed.
Losing hurts. Everyone knows this. There is a various range of emotion and thoughts containing negative doubts and complete failure about yourself. You tried your best, but you remain out of the spotlight and in the shadows, watching the other competitive player celebrate his victory. Pride damaged, sadness takes over and you feel like your best is as good as the dirt on the winner's feet. You feel like you will never be as good as the other winners and remain on the sidelines, spirits damaged.
So what can you do? Keep your chin up and continue to try to become better at the game, or find something else that would be more suitable for your competitive drive. You also need to remember that the one who beaten you go in first place because of your participation. You HELPED the other to become the winner, something they could never do by themselves. Even with your failure, you still managed to help someone become victorious and have them feel the joy of being champion. You made someone happy.
There can be no winners without losers, and vise versa. Think positive. Be positive. Losing does hurt - falling does leave you bruised. But wounds heal. Everyone is good at something, competitively or passionately. Be all you can be and think positive, no matter what bracket you are in. Be your own winner and be proud with what you can do.
artwork © 2014 Alex Cockburn
Category All / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 752 x 692px
File Size 429.8 kB
Listed in Folders
I remember the golden days where I just played Pokemon for the fun of it.
But now... Despite the fact I have studied the real tricks to the trade with Pokemon and becoming a high level player, I regret the decision because I can no longer play Pokemon "just for the fun of it."
I legitimately miss the golden days of playing just for laughs.
But now... Despite the fact I have studied the real tricks to the trade with Pokemon and becoming a high level player, I regret the decision because I can no longer play Pokemon "just for the fun of it."
I legitimately miss the golden days of playing just for laughs.
I can really relate to this as much of the time I tend to lose in many things but I've grown up about it and just move on now. Though the feeling of losing does still hurt, just not as much as it once did because I've come to realize that I'm just average and nothing more or less.
I can relate...most of my friends are really good at games. My boyfriend is a complitionist and plays games at the max difficulty. So the few times he asks me to play with him I have a lot of trouble keeping up with him. I enjoyed playing Left for dead with friends, I was the worse at the game but everyone was helpful and told me what to do "Don't stand there!" mostly.
Yeah…when I started playing Street Fighter IV online…I got my ass handed to me quite a few times….then I started playing with everybody's favourite joke character and the losing doesn't hurt quite as much. (I normally play with Chun-Li).
I know those feelings all too well. My brother and I were always competing with each other in various games. Eventually, my sister started to play as well. My brother and I would stomp while she is sitting there next to us with rage and disappointment upon her face. She wouldn't say anything after a while of losing to us. She would just walk off silently to her room. We would look at each other, shrug, then continue gaming and having a blast. Eventually, I followed her after a match. Come to find out that she would head to her room and cry because she couldn't beat us and we wouldn't help. I gave her comfort and from then on I taught her how to play better and new ways around maps etc. After that, she always smiled and laughed with us. Sharing how some moves or plays that were done during the matches were cool or ask how we did things.
heh reminds me of last year smashing against you guys. i was so rusty i was barely competition for you, but it was still fun all the same ^^
I've sorta fallen out of the competitive gaming scene. i've just seen too many people who are just poor sports, win or lose. i can handle losing, but seriously what's with all the smack talk these days? like "congrats dude, you're good at, and beat me in a VIDEO GAME. Calm down, muchacho..."
i rarely game anymore these days and when i do it's more creative stuff. minecraft, terraria, starbound. collect and build sorta things
I've sorta fallen out of the competitive gaming scene. i've just seen too many people who are just poor sports, win or lose. i can handle losing, but seriously what's with all the smack talk these days? like "congrats dude, you're good at, and beat me in a VIDEO GAME. Calm down, muchacho..."
i rarely game anymore these days and when i do it's more creative stuff. minecraft, terraria, starbound. collect and build sorta things
A fair assessment of my own take on competitive gaming. I don't get into video games because I am literally incapable of developing skill in these games in the first place. Simply no ability whatsoever.
So I keep out. Sadly,m this makes me isolated from my friends and the only point where I feel like I'm an equal participant is when it comes to tabletop gaming (specifically, role playing games), which is something I love personally.
So I keep out. Sadly,m this makes me isolated from my friends and the only point where I feel like I'm an equal participant is when it comes to tabletop gaming (specifically, role playing games), which is something I love personally.
This is why I prefer co-op and/or facing off against the CPUs. There's always going to be a player that's invested 16 hours a day into the game and learned every single glitch, exploit, hidey-hole, whatever, and will use it in every match against everyone to get the upper hand on everyone.
CPUs and co-op, on the other hand, gives you the opportunity to band together with someone against a common foe, covering each other's weaknesses. Even soloing against the CPU is better, because it's not (usually) programmed to be an exploitative perfectionist.
CPUs and co-op, on the other hand, gives you the opportunity to band together with someone against a common foe, covering each other's weaknesses. Even soloing against the CPU is better, because it's not (usually) programmed to be an exploitative perfectionist.
This kinda hits me close to home....
I have an old pal that is really competitive with most of his games and always is trying to set up tournaments with these games that I enjoy by myself or with other less competitive people.
It always puts me in a sour mood when I play games with this guy....It sucks to be his only other possible competition and I just can't compete more often than not....it's upsetting in more than one way...
Thank you for sharing this piece and putting words for those who feel like losers in these situations...
I have an old pal that is really competitive with most of his games and always is trying to set up tournaments with these games that I enjoy by myself or with other less competitive people.
It always puts me in a sour mood when I play games with this guy....It sucks to be his only other possible competition and I just can't compete more often than not....it's upsetting in more than one way...
Thank you for sharing this piece and putting words for those who feel like losers in these situations...
I understand how this feels, more with my art... I despise my art because I see so many other artist do much better and it really hurts... Even when I keep trying, someone comes along and makes something better then I can... Yes part of it can be a bit of jealousy, but there are times where I have big epic scenes in my head that I just can't translate well... Maybe someday I can join the ranks, but until then, I will keep practicing until I get to a place I'm comfortable in.
Once I didn't get selected in a tournament, I felt like all I've done till now was pointless, I had nobody to tell me otherwise and I end the rest of my time there drinking water at the bar... crying.
Once I was just not playing the right games, so I coudln't play with the friends of my brother and *try* to be friend with them too. But sense now I know that I won't be with them next year, I give up the idea of makeing friends this year.
Once I played with cool but *very* strong dudes and playing with them made my whole body shake like I give so much that I had nothing left.
Once I played against two cool guys, we were around the same level so we had one hell of a time together.
Once I was just not playing the right games, so I coudln't play with the friends of my brother and *try* to be friend with them too. But sense now I know that I won't be with them next year, I give up the idea of makeing friends this year.
Once I played with cool but *very* strong dudes and playing with them made my whole body shake like I give so much that I had nothing left.
Once I played against two cool guys, we were around the same level so we had one hell of a time together.
that. All what you wrote is true, every. single. word.
only one thing should you add which is the most reason why people stop playing "such" games with (even with) there friends:
Taunting, "teabaging", making gestures, stuff which rages even the loser up.
Such stuff is something i hate the most. Its not even like you really try sometimes hard to keep up playing, if someone comes and makes even JOKES about it. That ruins the moment and i bet 80% of those people you called in your discription will stop playing a game if someone or even a FRIEND will begin to taunt him after he kills you ingame. every. single. time.
If it is now in TF2, LoL or other games where you be "able" to do such things, it will rage you up if you got killed the 5 time (or like) seeing your "worst nightmare" which was your friend at the begining taunting you wile you are the Loser, being dead in the dirt. That, my dear, Hurts the most if its not the losing self.
only one thing should you add which is the most reason why people stop playing "such" games with (even with) there friends:
Taunting, "teabaging", making gestures, stuff which rages even the loser up.
Such stuff is something i hate the most. Its not even like you really try sometimes hard to keep up playing, if someone comes and makes even JOKES about it. That ruins the moment and i bet 80% of those people you called in your discription will stop playing a game if someone or even a FRIEND will begin to taunt him after he kills you ingame. every. single. time.
If it is now in TF2, LoL or other games where you be "able" to do such things, it will rage you up if you got killed the 5 time (or like) seeing your "worst nightmare" which was your friend at the begining taunting you wile you are the Loser, being dead in the dirt. That, my dear, Hurts the most if its not the losing self.
Honestly, I've lost so many times in competitive games I've just stopped playing. I know I'm good, I don't need to prove that to myself, which is what many of these people that you have depicted in your art feel that they must do not only that but prove to everyone else that they are better then them and that they suck.
You are correct about losing hurting, I've just lost so many times, I guess outwardly I've just stopped caring. This is why I play coop games with friends. Sure they have some element of competition but it's not usually more then who's killed the most foes or who's found the best loot etc etc. I like it when coop is like this where teamwork overall is better then the actual competitive side. I'll admit I like it when I'm a higher level then family and friends in games but I don't make it like I'm better then anyone or anything.
I'd rather keep my friends then lose em. If they lose and come last, I'll make em feel as if they did well and give em advice on how to better prepare or how to become better at the game. I hate it when people end up crushed just because people set them up to self destroy.
You are correct about losing hurting, I've just lost so many times, I guess outwardly I've just stopped caring. This is why I play coop games with friends. Sure they have some element of competition but it's not usually more then who's killed the most foes or who's found the best loot etc etc. I like it when coop is like this where teamwork overall is better then the actual competitive side. I'll admit I like it when I'm a higher level then family and friends in games but I don't make it like I'm better then anyone or anything.
I'd rather keep my friends then lose em. If they lose and come last, I'll make em feel as if they did well and give em advice on how to better prepare or how to become better at the game. I hate it when people end up crushed just because people set them up to self destroy.
I look at it as a matter of fighting spirit. Defeat is not the end, it's a part of the learning process, even if the others seem out of reach. Demand a re-match, pay close attention to what they're doing. Being adaptive to the play style of others is the one true way of the ninja gamer.
this is why i don't play video games with my best mate anymore, ever since we were kids he kicked my ass at everything!
i have recently tried beating him at Dragonball Z Raging Blast 2 and Pokemon X/Y only to still get my ass handed to me on a silver platter
he's a show off, but at least he's humble, he knows i hate going toe to toe with him at anything, so when he inevitably wins, he wont gloat or try to annoy me
i have recently tried beating him at Dragonball Z Raging Blast 2 and Pokemon X/Y only to still get my ass handed to me on a silver platter
he's a show off, but at least he's humble, he knows i hate going toe to toe with him at anything, so when he inevitably wins, he wont gloat or try to annoy me
Augh, geeze... I know how that feels, especially with Blazblue, Street Fighter, and Smash Bros. It's like, when my friend beats the living heck out of me, he just gloats about it. Even then when we're not playing anything, he'll just pull up a video of some random dude doing like a 20 or more hit combo with Noel in Blazblue and says, "Huh, I wonder why you can't do that?" Honestly I quit Blazblue and ended up selling it. Now I just play Smash Bros and other stuff.
these are the people I call the "Knights" of gaming, especially if it is a combat game. Whatever the game, somebody has been playing it non-stop since it came out. Beyond obsession. If that game has been out for 3 years, it will take you 3 years of HARD training to reach their level. But by then, they will have been training for 6 years. It is like entering a marathon that is half over, and a race that cannot be won.
Gods help you if it's a game with earlier incarnations they could train on, such as Smash Bros or Starcraft. There are Knights of Starcraft and Knights of Smash with over a dozen, (12! count 'em!) years of training under their belts.
Gods help you if it's a game with earlier incarnations they could train on, such as Smash Bros or Starcraft. There are Knights of Starcraft and Knights of Smash with over a dozen, (12! count 'em!) years of training under their belts.
I can strongly relate to this, because even in such a small group of 4 people, I'm always looked at as the stereotyped "Quiet one" but because I'm introverted, I do have a hard time in social groups and stuff like that. I even tried out a lot of sports and all when I was younger, and I'd always egg them on to win instead of doing anything, unless it was dodgeball, I would always get so wound up when hit lol. But during my high school years, it wasn't fun at all, I had problems with my expressions (I still do now) and even if you try, it's just hard to really give compliments or even just a simple "Hello" since the circle just detaches itself from you after a small amount of time.
Ah, yes. Well said.
One thing I find interesting is that I love playing Smash Bros and their competitive scene. Don't get me wrong, I suck - I don't think I've ever placed higher than the occasional 3rd place. The thing is... I don't mind losing. The real reason I play Smash Bros is because it's like a simulated knife fight. Two players enter into an arena in a fast-paced game of instant death. After you've grown to a certain level of skill, it's like being a little bit precognitive. You can see two or three maneuvers ahead of both yourself and your opponent. There have been times when I charge in, nail a hit and block, but already know that I'm about to lose (and exactly how). It's almost like seeing the future and simply going through the motions of making that future happen.
Pokemon, another game that's quite competitive, I don't care for quite as much. I can build a decent team, but in the end, it's just not as exciting as Smash. This is why I've never gone particularly far in that game's 'scene'. I play it to win, instead of for the adrenaline rush I get in Smash Bros, so competitive Pokemon is less interesting to me.
One thing I find interesting is that I love playing Smash Bros and their competitive scene. Don't get me wrong, I suck - I don't think I've ever placed higher than the occasional 3rd place. The thing is... I don't mind losing. The real reason I play Smash Bros is because it's like a simulated knife fight. Two players enter into an arena in a fast-paced game of instant death. After you've grown to a certain level of skill, it's like being a little bit precognitive. You can see two or three maneuvers ahead of both yourself and your opponent. There have been times when I charge in, nail a hit and block, but already know that I'm about to lose (and exactly how). It's almost like seeing the future and simply going through the motions of making that future happen.
Pokemon, another game that's quite competitive, I don't care for quite as much. I can build a decent team, but in the end, it's just not as exciting as Smash. This is why I've never gone particularly far in that game's 'scene'. I play it to win, instead of for the adrenaline rush I get in Smash Bros, so competitive Pokemon is less interesting to me.
I know this feeling far too well. My boyfriend and I play Halo together, he has been pla Ying probably since the first on if not the second or third and moved up. He even went as far to tell me that he was in the top ten of the world on Halo Reach. So when we play Halo 5 he always wants to 1v1 me and as you could probably guess, I sucked so hard, I did so poorly it was unreal and he had no mercy for me whatsoever, it got me so angry and hateful at the time, I hadn't gotten that angry for a long time, but there I was wanting to chuck my controller at the screen. He then said it was just a game, I know it is but losing with 0% chance you will get anywhere and that is exactly what happens, which was like 4 or something to that effect against 40+ kills... What made it worse is that on Valentine's day this year there was a Valetine's day double date mode and we played together, one play through and I felt like trash, my boyfriend was getting all upset and giving me attitude and not being nice and all, I said what he said to me months before, "It's just a game" he said that it was but I was utterly garbage at it and he hates it when he loses because of a teammate. That fact that it was okay that I lost and was trash at the game just against him and is noted as being a bad boyfriend because I should just make him happy by playing and have 0 chance to even get anywhere. But when it is the other way around and he gets ticked off it is 100% okay to do and I should just not show emotion when I get obliterated. It hurts, I agree, losing is just a horrile feeling especially when you feel like you are awesome but in reality you are nothing.
I feel there is no to hardly in between on this. I have had bought a new fighting game (to me and my friends) we would only play it together so we advanced at the same time. I guess there was a bit of a middle, we both had fun playful arguing. Then soon enough my friend buy's their own copy of the game and didnt tell me. They got really REALLY good and kept spamming moves they discovered and wouldn't tell me how they did it or how to break out of it, so match after match i kept getting caught in it, destroyed over and over. They had a lot of fun and playfully called me a loser at it etc. It was annoying sure, but then I stopped playing with them and got my sister involved playing the game. She is a quick study and we were in the middle. A equal pattern of wins/loses. I became much better at the game because of this, then my friend from before was boasting about how good they were at the game before we popped it in.
I destroyed them, the game used to be difficult but now I could use any character and hardly try to beat them and won over and over. I kept being insulted and called a cheater and It just made me feel awful. I would even sometimes put the controller down and they literally didnt notice. So the one win they got out of my crushing numbers they boasted they were the best. Lame.
Every win just kept making me feel like an asshole, but every loss I was only upset at the behavior of the other.
I destroyed them, the game used to be difficult but now I could use any character and hardly try to beat them and won over and over. I kept being insulted and called a cheater and It just made me feel awful. I would even sometimes put the controller down and they literally didnt notice. So the one win they got out of my crushing numbers they boasted they were the best. Lame.
Every win just kept making me feel like an asshole, but every loss I was only upset at the behavior of the other.
You know, just the opposite of this is true, too...when those who lose belittle the winning side for their success.
We get both of this in Mechwarrior Online...alot...wherein a number of players find themselves fighting much-higher-level opponents who are in organized groups. Long-short, the organized group smashes the casual gathering apart. The better-players dismiss the casuals as being inferior. The lesser-skilled players chastize the better players for being "tryhards."
Ya can't win...
We get both of this in Mechwarrior Online...alot...wherein a number of players find themselves fighting much-higher-level opponents who are in organized groups. Long-short, the organized group smashes the casual gathering apart. The better-players dismiss the casuals as being inferior. The lesser-skilled players chastize the better players for being "tryhards."
Ya can't win...
Comments