Be Excellent To Each Other

So I got an 'A' grade on Ikaruga last night having only ever got 'C's on the DC version despite numerous attempts when it first came out.

I've also done miles better on the likes of Scramble and Time Pilot on XBLA than I did when I was a wee nipper. You would think that now that I'm only a couple of years away from being 40 my reactions would be a lot slower and lead to lower scores but that's not what's happening.

What I reckon is that whilst I probably am that split second slower in reaction time with age has come a less urgent style of play where I will actually formulate some form of strategy before launching into a level for the umpteenth time. There's obviously other factors like controllers being better, screens being larger and HD, being able to watch replays of people on youtube etc and the ongoing challenge of the leaderboards spurring me on but that's only a small percentage of it.

So are you better or worse at gaming than you used to be?

I've always been pretty useless at games, with the possible exception of puzzlers. However, in the past, I'd have just plugged away at a game, now I just move on to something else.

I'm maybe better but far less patient. I rarely if ever feel the need to complete a game just for the sake of having done it. When it stops being fun I stop playing.

it's hard to judge really. i feel worse because of going up against people on FPS or driving games but equally I never would have perfected Scramble or Contra fifteen years ago.

I do seem to be a bit rubbish at the FPS stuff which is annoying. I'm okay if they are tactical (GRAW, R6, TF2) but when it gets all run and gunny I'm fucked (COD4, Halo3). i did put it down to age (33) and slowing reactions. I also get remarkably worse after about 10pm but that might be in my head.

i seem to do okay on XBLA leaderboards though, often 2nd or 3rd behind you Trousers (you scarily talented bastard!) and top on a few but twin-stick shooters I dont tend to be too good at (not bad at AssHeroes tho).

which reminds me, how do I get good at Geo Wars cos currently I've got no tactics at all.

I used to be in a Quake 2 clan and was a demon shot with the Rail Gun but a large part of that came down to tactics and knowing the maps.

There's a mate of mine I can beat at pretty much every game going but he's got a 55 rank in CoD4 and can run rings round me all day on CoD4 without breaking into a sweat. I'm wary of sinking all the time into it to get that good personally, a shooter like Omega 5 you can learn attack patterns pretty quick but on CoD 4 there's perks, hiding spots, fixed gun positions, weapon choices and various other things on every single map to take into account.

I'm better now than I used to be. I remember I couldn't complete the first Half Life game on anything other than easy mode.

Much, much worse

Hard to say really, I tend to play more new stuff rather than return to old faves.

I am far worse now than I used to be.

I used to be really into q3 and was really good at that (playing for my country on a few occasions) but then as my free time got less and less, I got worse, and towards the end I wasn't even good enough to play for a division 4 team. I just don't have the time to get really good any more. And I take a lot longer to finish stuff than I used to. I don't know if it's just getting old, or having kids that's done it.

Malc

I think I plateaued quite early on in my life to be honest. Luckily, it would appear I hit a slightly above average allround position as most of my scores in the Official BETEO XBLAH Scoreboards are roughly position 3 to 5, seemingly regardless of how many people are on it.

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.

And I do so want to wear that dress.

I hang around 'average'

I've always been awesome.

Most importantly, my enjoyment of gaming hasn't dropped in the slightest.

I'm pretty awful, to be honest. Always have been, always will be.

Oh well. I still enjoy it, so who cares.

*Looks at Trouser's scores and weeps uncontrollably.*

I am worse.
Of course I have a medical condition I blame this on.

I am far less patient, my reflexes are now shot to bits and my brain simply refuses to co-coperate.
Still, when I do something good in a game I am allowed to be excited and smug for ages.

I'm not quite 30 yet, been playing for the last 20 years nearly. I'm definitely playing at my best now. Which isn't that awesome but I do find myself returning to older games and acing them much quicker than I did only 5 years or so ago. Especially when they're online with bezzie mates. There's something about knowing that you're shooting (e.g. Myoptika) right in the fucking face that really spurs me on!

Everyone loves shooting Myoptika in the face!

Oh, in games as well, I suppose.

Why I oughta...

I pretty much agree with all of that. Even 5 years ago, the thought of actually trying to chain enemies in Ikaruga would have reduced me to a pile of mush and I'd have just played it to blast everything as quickly as possible. But blimey, sitting down a couple of nights ago and trying to perfect the chaining technique wasn't just productive, it was a lot of bloody fun as well.

I'd definitely say I'm moderately spurred on by on-line leaderboards. I practically did a lap of honour round the living room when I beat your Ikaruga score a few days ago (not that it lasted long of course, grumble, grumble!) and it definitely gives me that extra nudge to try and improve my scores.

I'm probably rubbish at stuff like Rainbow Six Vegas - 'modern' stuff that I never play - but I'm always improving at 2D-oriented games that involve jumping, shooting, or jumping and shooting.

What Trousers says is definitely true, too. Until someone comes along with a shmup in which all of the bullet patterns are entirely random, memorization will always be 70% of the battle.

i'm better. Nowadays i can get somewhere besides the 1st level at shmups.

But for me its just a question of practice. In my childhood-early teens i mostly played strategy games. In my teens i played mostly RPG's.

Early 20's -> FPS. Since most of them play roughly the same i was getting very good at it.

Now i play mostly shmups and retro plataformers. For the same reason above for FPS's, i'm getting much better at these.

Anyone notice a pattern here? The games i play are getting simpler and simpler. In 10 years i'll have fun only throwing a tennis ball at a wall.

Following on from what RuySan said, I just stick to wanking and pocket billiards, these days. I can't be fucked to help some plumber save his bimbo missus anymore.

"Pocket Billiards" has to be an upcoming DS game. IT HAS TO BE.