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The Reason You Can't Climb the Ranked Ladder

Mr Carbon··10 votes·4,363 views
3 Reasons People Play Video Games: What keeps us coming back?

Ever wondered why you are stuck in bronze, silver, gold, ect.? Logging 1k games every ranked reason and barely push a division or less? Exiting games, toxic, keyboard on fire, from typing to your teammates for the past 30 minutes?

This is the post for you...

Let's preface a few things... I will assume in this post for the sake of discussion that player skill cap and champions have no impact on a game. Yes, yes...I know that they have a huge impact on the game. I'm not naive enough to think that these things have zero effect on the game. However, bare with me, because I need to isolate our primary topic... the mind.

Ever stopped to think that your mental state is the reason you are losing games, instead of your skill, teammates, or champions you play?

My hypothesis: All players, regardless of mechanical ability, can significantly improve their level of play by being disciplined enough to mentally focus in game.

STEP 1: Drop Your Pride

  • Chances are, if like me, you find yourself in a League under challenger, you don't have Faker mechanics. So why act like it?
  • Is your purpose in ranked to get better? Or to "ACT" like you are better than everyone else?
  • The sooner you admit that you don't know everything about the game and that you have room to improve mechanically, the better off you are.
  • What would happen if you FOCUS on improving your play, instead of maintaining your current appearance?

STEP 2: Stop Attempting to Control Others

  • You are in control of YOUR actions, thoughts, speech, plans, and in our case champions.
  • As hard as you might try, attempting to control another persons play style or decision making is futile. So why focus on it?
  • Evaluate the situation, though it might not be a good one, and formulate your own plan to combat the problem.
  • If you devoted all of the energy you are currently using to point out what is wrong, into focusing on a plan to win games, how many more would you win?

STEP 3: Learn From Your Mistakes

  • If professionals video game players make mistakes in game, how can you expect not to?
  • When you make mistakes, what do you do to not make the same mistake again in the future?
  • Stop grinding endless amounts of ranked games and pause long enough to review your past games and study game trends in your Elo.
  • Knowledge is power. Take what you learn, and actively focus on it in your next few games. If you are having problems focusing on it, take a break.

Step 4: FOCUS

  • Competitive ladders are just that.... COMPETITIVE... You have to focus on your game play, putting into practice the things you have learned.
  • What benefit does it do, if you learn a ton from step 3 while analyzing your past mistakes, but do nothing to correct them!?
  • Focus intently on one aspect of play at a time... You aren't going to go from bronze to diamond in a day, so take the time to improve all of your areas of play intentionally and individually.
  • Better focus means more wins, more wins means fewer games to reach your goal, fewer games means A CHANCE AT A SOCIAL LIFE.

Conclusion

  1. Tilt is a real thing, it affects how you think, act, and play. Certain players are more susceptible than others, and you must analyze yourself to know your limits.

  2. Focus on quality games rather than quantity.

  3. A few solid games focusing intently on pre-meditated aspects of play are better than loosely playing 10 games half focused on your goal.

People tend to simply lose sight of their goal when it comes to League of Legends, just have fun and if you love it enough to care about your ranking, take the steps to change how you play rather than complaining and blaming other people!

Hope this Helps!

Check out my website [http://www.leageutales.com] for more cool information!

22 Comments

AcidTheWarlock5 votes

Yeah, I feel you on those last 2 points. My most recent game I got bush cheesed by a Darius and gave up 4 kills to him. Then I decided to try something new: (Ryze btw) I'd throw a W then an E-! so I could kite and survive better. After getting the support of my allies, I did better.

Then, after missing a metric ton of Qs, I figured out I wasn't actually even aiming it right, so then I started aiming. Got a double kill and 2 more to balance out those dumb deaths from laning.

We won and I learned, from 1 match. And that one match is all I'll play today. 1 normal draft pick per day, since that fits best into my schedule and allows me to get other things done and analyze my performance, theorycraft, improve a build, research counterplay, and on and on.

Tl;DR: Like you said, quality over quantity. Despite what many people say, League is really about thinking so think before you play.

Supreme Senpai692 votes

You mean E then W right? That doubles the snare time. I always tell Ryzes that are behind to give this a try instead of the normal E -> Q for more damage. I think a more general lesson from this is that if you're losing, become the support. Don't build damage. I was a 0/10 Kennen because for some ungodly reason I had to face a platinum 3 player (I'm freakin silver.) They also had a Lux that was scripting and on top of everything else, I learned after the fact that they were a premade.

But we won!

I built a Zz'rot and a Banner of Command and Zhonyas and would just go in for stuns to let my team clean up while I relentlessly pushed top using my items.

AcidTheWarlock2 votes

Oh, no, the combo was W-E-Q, since I was going for a shield after my snare and to hit hit as hard as I could. Just kite away since his E range is the same as your W and E ranges.

You have a really good point there and any character with some form of CC and/or pushing power can do that. I never even thought about it. Nice win too!

MunchCrunchLunch2 votes

two games ago i had more cs as a jungler. than my team mates. had most kills. and kill participation. did most damage. my team gave up a quadrakill to a kennen. we lost the game. won my lane as graves. my entire team died over 30 times. i died only 3 times i had the most farm and gold. i lost

whats your point? you win by getting the better team. thats how. its a roll of dice. not much else. unless your a smurf that can carry 4 shitty people.

Mr Carbon1 votes

There will be games you lose. This isn't a cover all that will make you win every game you play.

However the only way to win more games consistently is to play better yourself.

Have you ever had a close game that you or someone else on your team made an awesome or strategic outplay to win the game?

What if that was you in those situations that came through? Without fail, everytime from being clutch.

My point is... individual play is the only thing you can consistently rely on in solo queue. The sooner you embrace that, the more games you will win.

ViiLLAiN1 votes

please teach them so that we can have more people get better at this game, its sick how the majority of players in this game are stuck in bronze - silver and gold aint that much better

Mr Carbon1 votes

Thanks for the comment

League of Legends is just like anything else in the world that you want to get better at.

Studying and Practice... but your approach to how you do it will make or break your goal.

hunterspec1 votes

Here we go:

  1. This is bronze thinking, "my teammates weighing me down, I deserve diamond cause I so gud but all you guys suck" I already realized I sucked balls so if someone says you suck, I say "yes I do suck however the rest of you are in silver so don't act like you are lighting the world on fire as well."

  2. so if my teammate has no idea what he is doing and is building full armor against a ap team I shouldn't point that out?

  3. obviously

  4. agreed exect last bullet

Rock MD1 votes

{quoted}

Here we go:

  1. This is bronze thinking, "my teammates weighing me down, I deserve diamond cause I so gud but all you guys suck" I already realized I sucked balls so if someone says you suck, I say "yes I do suck however the rest of you are in silver so don't act like you are lighting the world on fire as well."

  2. so if my teammate has no idea what he is doing and is building full armor against a ap team I shouldn't point that out?

Boy he said drop yo pride now drop it.

Mr Carbon1 votes

Hey! Thanks for dropping in.

From what I gathered your main concern was my second point.

What I was really getting at was the fact that, people tend to sit and type away and rage at their teammates for making mistakes rather than just accepting them and adjusting. Even if you know the other person is wrong, you have very little influence on them in a 35 minute game over text. You are usually better off letting them play their game, and thinking of a ways to win given the circumstances.

Hope that clears it up!

BeeCuz1 votes

It's pretty, but it doesn't actually address the league point system. If advice cannot reliably be given in the form: " Do this for 12 League points " then it's all so much feel-goody blather.

Rock MD1 votes

{quoted}

It's pretty, but it doesn't actually address the league point system. If advice cannot reliably be given in the form: " Do this for 12 League points " then it's all so much feel-goody blather.

You'd do well to listen to him.

Or at the very least STOP BUYING SHIV ON ZYRA

BeeCuz1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Chairman Rock,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=zt6wPF1i,comment-id=00020000,timestamp=2016-10-27T00:16:28.501+0000)

You'd do well to listen to him. Or at the very least STOP BUYING SHIV ON ZYRA

I have my own favorite strategies, and you should as well.

ViiLLAiN2 votes

your points are determined by ur mmr ,

the more wins ina row u get against higher tier players, the more lp per win u will get

the same is for losses

Mr Carbon1 votes

To answer your question with a question...

You cannot give that advice with any sport or e-sport can you?

I can tell you to shoot better and you will win more basketball games... or dribble better to get better at futball...

The fact remains that league of legends is a team game with 4 other people that you cannot control. Therefore you can never isolate all variables.

N Pelosi1 votes

Tldr

Cinestar1 votes

The other day I decided to jump into a ranked game as Irelia before bed. I was playing after taking 2 50mg sleeping pills which make me act completely differently. Not only am I not as focused, but I'm EASILY agitated. (Yes I know I shouldn't play on these but I wasn't feeling the effects yet so I needed to pass some time).

I don't remember who I was fighting but I got stupid and fought him for a kill and died. Put my score at 0/1/0 and I just thought to myself 'alright this is the point where I mute EVERYBODY in the match.' I then died again from a tower dive, and then after that stopped really caring. I ended up being 0/5/0 at one point. I was being cocky, thinking I could still outplay my lane opponent so I stayed in the lane, not caring if I kept dying because I was gunna lose the match anyway.

That's when it snapped into me. I'm not improving at all, I'm just making the same mistake I made the first time I died. Staying in that lane wasn't doing ANYBODY any good except for the other team. I unmuted everybody after that 5th death and apologized, obviously to a display of insane rage from my team mates, and advised my jungler to hang out top for a few minutes because he was capable of preventing my lane opponent from getting any more kills. I then utilized my teleport to its fullest and started analyzing situations in the match. The enemy bot lane did not expect the 0/5/0 Irelia to tele gank them and if I did, they were sure they'd kill me. But I ended up playing it smart, not tower diving, not jumping straight into the enemy without knowing the ADC and Support were right behind me and capable of killing.

I ended up winning that game at 7/6/11.

So I do in a way understand this post. Sometimes it's not your ability to play that'll get you to climb that ladder, but your ability to think and not let your frustration overtake your ability to judge.

TheSingularity1 votes

I'd agree on 3/4 of those. Simply because I win by disobeying number 2 (well I did pre dy-q, but I will again next season) I find in low elo, that most players have such little clue that the moment someone looks like they know how to close it out (doesn't necessarily mean I have it even 50% right), they blindly follow without objection. Which makes this an awesome option for mechanically pathetic players like myself :P

Sure it ain't full proof as you get those who can't stand taking orders. But once I have 2 on my side, they remember their place at the bottom of the food chain. In the case where I'm competing for influence, I just concede instead of starting a fuss. If they know what to do, awesome. If not they've probably lost their influence which allows me to swoop in.

it be lìke that1 votes

tfw you are excited about hitting gold in your first season thinking you dont suck horribly...then you see this.

FeelsBadMan

Mr Carbon1 votes

That's a great accomplishment, but never stop improving!

These are general guidelines to help, but adopting them at any level of play will help you climb.

We can always learn more than we currently know.

Sou a Teresaa1 votes

This is all bullcrap, it all depends if you have good people on your team or not, forget about if you are awesome playing lol forget if you manage well your lane forget about getting kills without feeding. It all comes to the players playing with you.

Escondimorcho1 votes

Very nice post, a bit old but nice. Now the idea is that in a team of 5 people, each one of them follow these instructions. Because I tried to do what the post says to do. Tried to improve, to get better, but it seems that some of the other 9 players in the game did not.

You can improve your gameplay, but you cannot control other players. Improving your gameplay does not fix the problem of disconnections, bugs, high ping, lag, bad internet, etc. Improving your gameplay does not fix the problem of other AFKs players Improving your gameplay does not fix the problem of other players that troll or int. Improving your gameplay does not fix the problem of other toxic players. Improving your gameplay does not fix the problem of other players not wanting to improve their own gameplay. Improving your gameplay does not fix the problem of other players not knowing how to play (Like the guy that carries 2 pair of same boots or buy mana items for a champ that uses no mana). Believe me that those problems in the end, affect your gameplay, even when you try harder to improve it. It does not matter if it happens on your team or in the opposite team, its the same. You can win because the other team is a dissaster, but in the next match you fall in the trash team; thus you can't never learn or improve as you should.

This is a team based game, you can't win by yourself. You need the help of other 4 persons to win. Im still struggling to get out of bronze and iron, but played premades on other accounts with diamonds and challengers. BELIEVE ME THAT WHEN YOU PLAY WITH PEOPLE THAT KNOWS HO TO PLAY, YOU CAN IMPROVE; BUT WHEN YOU PLAY WITH TRASH TEAMS YOU WILL NEVER IMPROVE.

Some quotes:

"However the only way to win more games consistently is to play better yourself. "

Actually no. This only ensures that you will play good, but you can still lose the game due to many reasons. You can see this on many championship replays, a team is doing ok but made bad call to Baron or Dragon, 4 members get killed and lost the Buff, in less than 3 minutes they lose all mid, nexus towers and finally the nexus.

"I can tell you to shoot better and you will win more basketball games... or dribble better to get better at futball..."

Again no. You can still lose a game (lol, basketball, football, soccer, etc) even if you dribble better or shoot better. Many basketball matches are won in the last second just by a team strategy. Chicago Bulls won 2 finals by a 3 shot point, 1st from Paxon, second from Kerr. Yes it was because they shot good, but opposing team shot better as well. It was the team strategy that led those 2 guys alone to shoot without a solid block in the last split second. And yes Michael Jordan won a final against Seattle Supersonics all by himself. Yes he shot perfectly, pure net, awesome run, suddenly stop to jump back and shot in the air. He really improved his skills, but he had a team backing him up. Soccer Wolrd Cup Italy 1990, Germany won by a penalty made by Ruggeri. It was a single mistake in all the match from argentinian defense. Same Cup, Brazil taught Argentina how to play soccer, although a single run from Maradona led a pass to Caniggia and they scored the only goal, leaving Brazil out of the Cup.

"The fact remains that league of legends is a team game with 4 other people that you cannot control. Therefore you can never isolate all variables." "My point is... individual play is the only thing you can consistently rely on in solo queue. The sooner you embrace that, the more games you will win."

Again, you recognize that is a team based gameplay. It does not matter if it is solo/duo, flex or 3vs3. Yes the only thing you can do is improve yourself. But that point itsef is not enough to led you to win more. You still need a good team.

It does not matter how well you do, is still the sum of the effort of an entire team; and sometimes even when the entire team does well, you still lose.

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