Keeping a Calm Mentality

Rocket League can be a very emotional game. Maybe it was that zero-second save that was just out of your reach, your teammates not performing, or the opposing team just being a nuisance. Despite all these frustrating situations, it is important to keep your temper in check. No one wants to let their anger get the best of them, so in this article I have come up with a few different ways on how to combat that rising agitation you feel coming out of yourself.

Tip 1: Be Understanding of Mistakes

We all know the old saying “everyone makes mistakes”. This goes for Rocket League as well and is an important saying to remember while playing. For example, you and your teammates conceded a goal, and everyone is firing off at each other about it in quick chat. While watching the replay, think about what caused the goal to happen, recall where you were or what you were doing at the time, and imagine what you could have done different that might have given you or your team a better chance of saving the goal.

Even if it wasn’t you who made the primary error, keep in mind the events that happened before the goal. Perhaps you swiped the boost from your teammate on the retreat and then, a few seconds later, the goal was scored because that teammate was not able to get to the ball due to their lack of boost. Make sure you worry about your personal errors rather than only your teammate’s errors. If it was completely someone else’s fault and not yours, remember the saying that was mentioned earlier, say no problem, and focus on the next play.

Tip 2: Don't Be Impulsive

Everyone is guilty of being impulsive at one point or another. An error was made and a wave of aggravation washes over your body, causing you to immediately act out in quick chat sarcastically or maybe even throw up a vote to forfeit. Participating in these toxic actions sets a negative tone for the remainder of you and your teammate’s time together, especially if the error happens early in the match. Impulsive toxicity, even if it only happens for a second, can make you feel easily agitated and angrier than normal at even the smallest little mishaps, which can greatly affect your play for the rest of the game.

Tip 3: Keep a Lighthearted Approach

This is one of the more important tips to remember while playing and it can even stretch out to apply to any other competitive game you play. It’s as simple as this: Don’t be too serious. In certain environments it can beneficial to be serious, like if you are participating in a competitive LAN tournament. However, the majority of us aren’t doing that, and that’s the reason we read these types of articles. Remember not to get too into the game or it can be detrimental to you and your teammates.

There is a system I like to call “The Cycle of Rage”. The first portion of the cycle is the player becoming angry. The second part is when the player becomes consumed by that anger and then proceeds to play in a different and typically brash style. Lastly, the player just gets angrier because they are playing worse as a result of their anger in the first place.

The best way that I have learned to avoid the cycle is to create a relaxed or enjoyable environment for yourself to play in. Although it is mainly personal preference, these are usually the main factors that are involved in creating a relaxed environment:

- Playing with friends/people you enjoy playing with.

- Having a conversation with friends. Talking while playing can help ease the tension surrounding it and can redirect your focus away from those little mishaps that happen every game.

- Throwing on music that you enjoy and listening to it in the background.

- Setting RGB lights to a more ambient, relaxed color.

- Making sure that you are sleeping well and healthily. Just like any activity, you perform better when you are well rested.

Conclusion

Rocket League was made to be an enjoyable, fun video game. However, the little nuisances that frequently occur in-game can be very detrimental to a player’s attitude. There are ways to make the game the experience that it was intended to be, so keep these points in mind: Be understanding, don’t be impulsive, and just have fun. Rocket League is one of the most authentic and original games of our time, so in order to receive that authenticity to its fullest, you have to learn to look past the small inconveniences and enjoy yourself.

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