How do you manage defeat? (psychologically)

[GeneralFerraro]

Dear fellow gamers,

I have a problem with gaming in general, perhaps veterans can give some tips about how to manage this. Games for me are only fun if I'm winning!! If I'm losing, the game is not fun at all. In PBEM, I have to drag myself to play the next turn if I'm not doing well in the game. This causes delays, I'm sorry to say. It's ridiculous, but I cannot help it!! I play my turn in the end, of course (I hate quitting and find it despicable) but it's slower.

Another problem. If I'm losing in a certain game, I get anxious, and sometimes (I know this is absurd, but there you are) I wake up in the middle of the night worrying about some game!!

I'd be grateful for any advice on how to manage defeat, or simply not clearly winning while playing some game.

Cheers,

[Aurelian]

It's a game, not a cancer treatment. Losing a game won't kill you.

[Rosseau]

Well, I don't play much multiplayer, and when I do it is with someone I truly like, and take pleasure even if he is winning.

Single player I do not have the patience to try a scenario 10 times just to win. I will mod, use trainer, use Cheat Engine, whatever, to get through that scenario. Most of these games I avoid, as they are not historical based and artificially made difficult.

I am actually happy to lose to a decent AI, but have my limits. I will mod and cheat and experiment if it furthers my enjoyment of the game. There is enough stress in life, so no way am I bringing that into the gaming world. But yes, maybe people who are super-competitive and really take this stuff seriously, it could be frustrating. And there is nothing wrong with being competitive.

Take some of the Ageod games. They are hard enough even to understand how to play sometimes. So I take great pleasure in modding myself an advantage and seeing how things turn out. This is something a real historical-minded player would abhor. On the other hand, it is often not about winning, but how enjoyable the game is to play. If I'm playing Command Modern Naval Air Operations, I always play in "editor" mode and experiment. Winning the scenario is the last thing on my mind.

However, I admit to get frustrated with some consistently bad, or seemingly "unfair" internal dice rolls. In those instances, I am tempted to cheat through it when possible.

[solops]

Execute a few subordinates and have my aide-de-camp hold some of my phone calls.

[pkpowers]

sorry, but you should just resign , as in chess ; I find players who play slower when losing are , as you say , "despicable" ; poor sportsmanship just dragging it on to the bitter end...tis just a game...

[Zorch]

In order to overcome your fear of losing, you must lose as many games as possible (preferably to me). [8D]

[Zap]

If you use your turns to try and implement different tactics. Use to full advantage the capabilities of your units, how to use smoke wisely. Learning these things while playing will make it more of a challenge to get better.

Playing Pbem since 2005 at least 30 a year. I had (have a hurdle) to overcome. I had (have)an ingrained tendency to move forward aggressively (little tactics used) with a general plan but had very general idea of units capabilities.
Slowly, I began to take notice how I had this tendency to be aggressive in battle(not smart in battle). I pissed myself off numerous times when I battled I couldn't let go of that tendency. It has taken me 13 years of constant loosing to slowly let go of aggressive blind attack in favor of better tactics.

When you begin to realize the game is not going in your favor resign yourself to it. Make a mental note to yourself to not make game about loss but (tell yourself) I'm going to pay attention to how to use tactics better for next game.
Ingrained, tendencies are hard change takes repeated losses to break it from my personal experience.

[Rising-Sun]

ORIGINAL: GeneralFerraro

Dear fellow gamers,

I have a problem with gaming in general, perhaps veterans can give some tips about how to manage this. Games for me are only fun if I'm winning!! If I'm losing, the game is not fun at all. In PBEM, I have to drag myself to play the next turn if I'm not doing well in the game. This causes delays, I'm sorry to say. It's ridiculous, but I cannot help it!! I play my turn in the end, of course (I hate quitting and find it despicable) but it's slower.

Another problem. If I'm losing in a certain game, I get anxious, and sometimes (I know this is absurd, but there you are) I wake up in the middle of the night worrying about some game!!

I'd be grateful for any advice on how to manage defeat, or simply not clearly winning while playing some game.

Cheers,

Good question. Well we all have good times and bad times and not only learning from our mistakes. We all know it is just a game, but some take it too seriously and really going into rage when they lose. Seen enough of that on youtube. Just have to learn how to cope with your feelings and don't feel depressed. When something is bothering you, find something positive to do.

[MrsWargamer]

Losing happens, well maybe for you men I always win

Actually, nothing annoys me more, than winning when I realize the AI just did something inexcusable dumb. It ruins the win. Sort of like playing a 6-year-old girl, hard to get excited about beating her.

And I sure hate winning when a guy merely let me win to "pity the girl player" you so don't want to do that to me.

There are some games where the AI opponent is simply unable to play competitively. Those aren't 'wins'. A win never exists when you couldn't really lose.

Some games are precisely like chess though. Battle Academy is a good example. If you lose, you lose. Just accept the loss and move on.

Some games, they take soo much invested time to play out. I refuse to set up The Longest Day board game, and then surrender the landing to the dice. Too much work to set that game up just to throw away the effort in 5 minutes. Not to mention the game is already forcing random chance on you, as the game beaches all happened by chance, to begin with. I went to great efforts to research the historical losses in games terms for the end of D-Day+1 so I could move past that one moment in the game. Now I don't mind rolling the dice for a simpler design effort like Fortress Europa.

I've played Risk at a dollar per army lost. Rather a fun way to gamble

If you can't handle losing, chances are you are a poor winner too.

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: GeneralFerraro

Dear fellow gamers,

I have a problem with gaming in general, perhaps veterans can give some tips about how to manage this. Games for me are only fun if I'm winning!! If I'm losing, the game is not fun at all. In PBEM, I have to drag myself to play the next turn if I'm not doing well in the game. This causes delays, I'm sorry to say. It's ridiculous, but I cannot help it!! I play my turn in the end, of course (I hate quitting and find it despicable) but it's slower.

Another problem. If I'm losing in a certain game, I get anxious, and sometimes (I know this is absurd, but there you are) I wake up in the middle of the night worrying about some game!!

I'd be grateful for any advice on how to manage defeat, or simply not clearly winning while playing some game.

Cheers,

Early ending of a PBEM I think depends on the situation. If you have picked the side that has an early advantage - such as France in AGEOD's French and Indian Wars (WiA) or the axis in WiTE - then I really don't have much time for players who disappear after they have finished their period of dominance. At the least have a chat as to whether the situation is worth playing out.

A grim desperate defeat can be fun and very instructive. I lost a game of WiA but had one glorious summer when I completely out manouvered my opponent. Still lost but it was worth it.

Equally in losing you might find something interesting. In a game of the American Revolution (WiA again) as I was losing badly as the Americans I put together a desperate defense of Pittsburg. Next game I planned this as a backstop, built up supplies, reinforced the region and it gave me a solid base for a victory in another game.

But can agree, esp in WEGO games that you wake up plotting moves and responses. I still have fond memories of a 3 player Revolution Under Siege where everyone was pulling the most underhand tricks they could [:)] ... lost that one too.

[MrsWargamer]

I concur on those playing games where the opponent has all the initial fun in the opening of a game.

Play the Germans in the opening moves and do well, fine. Do poorly and quit, you will be playing the Allies next game, or you just burned a human opponent.

I won't spend my time as someone's willing punching bag. And I'm so not alive just to promote someone with a weak ego.

[pzgndr]

Whether you win or lose playing a good game, consider doing a quick AAR for yourself. Learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of your opponent. Sometimes it does boil down to a few very unlucky die rolls, but even in those cases consider why you got into those gambles rather than doing something else. Sometimes you need to understand rules better. And most times you need to take some risks because overly conservative play usually doesn't win, but again understand the difference between a risk and a gamble. But keep playing and have fun!

[aaatoysandmore]

Once I have determined I'm going to lose I turn the game into a lesson of learning. Take into account moves that caused me to lose and keep playing to see the end game results of the way to close a battle down to the last turn.

Resigning only shows defeatism. Continuing to play shows you're willing to learn from others. We all can't win all the time every time. Even the great Khasperov (sp) lost chess matches.

Now, for me what I can't stand is a gloating winner or a rub it in your face type. Those are just bad players in any game. One should never gloat over a victory and rub it in another's face but, congratulate the player on a game well played whether won or lost. That builds friendships and gaming character.

[Capitaine]

ORIGINAL: pkpowers

sorry, but you should just resign , as in chess ; I find players who play slower when losing are , as you say , "despicable" ; poor sportsmanship just dragging it on to the bitter end...tis just a game...

I agree with this. While premature surrender is poor sportsmanship, letting an obvious lost cause drag on till the bitter end is as well and is depressing. Someone who's winning and insists upon full completion is also a poor sport.

[pkpowers]

I run into those "dragging the feet" losers in a lot of online chess tourneys. 8 moves a day when they are winning, 1 move per week in a losing battle...clock/time management is allowed in the rules, but poor ethics..

[rico21]

You can not win all the time, there will always be stronger than you, that's life.
On the other hand, you can fight again and again, do not let go, fall and get up to fight again and again until you die if you have to.
And once in paradise or hell, get up and beat again and again ...

[TulliusDetritus]

Human vs human games are simply not made for you (nothing wrong with that) ergo make your opponent and yourself a favour and stay away from them.

Unless you can find a cure. If that is possible in the first place.

[Kuokkanen]

ORIGINAL: MrsWargamer

And I sure hate winning when a guy merely let me win to "pity the girl player" you so don't want to do that to me.

If ever again a guy tells you something like that, just respond with him being a sore loser throwing off excuses. Most likely the case.

[Lecivius]

Don't like to loose?

Don't loose [:'(][;)][:D]

[E]

ORIGINAL: GeneralFerraro
I'd be grateful for any advice on how to manage defeat, or simply not clearly winning while playing some game.

Simply realize that wins or losses do not matter. Family matters. Games do not.

ORIGINAL: Lecivius
Don't like to loose?
Don't loose

Loose is a good thing, when wearing a noose. But, if he tightens up his game so that it is not loose, he will no longer lose, but he will win?