Those without much experience in gaming could be forgiven for believing that a player who is good at one video game is good at them all. There’s a prevalent idea that all skills are transferable because games use shared controllers and devices, but as we know, this is entirely incorrect. In reality, skill is largely bound to genres, and even then a person’s ability can vary hugely by title.
This raises the question: how can you train your skills in a certain genre to let you slide into new releases more smoothly? Looking at the most important components and a few examples, we explore what you can do to get a leg up, even if it won’t make you an instant winner.
Know the Rules
Before you can hope to improve your gameplay, you need to know two things: what you can do and what you can’t. This is the same in any game, and it starts with reading online guides and watching videos. This is the same in any form of competition, as is well-illustrated in this guide on poker Texas Holdem gameplay. In this example, you learn the rounds, you learn the hands, and you study the knowledge until the basic rules require little actual thought.
Once this is done, you’ll be better off playing poker with others, and the same concepts apply to video games too.
In the video gaming landscape, this means understanding the shorthand and basic terms that apply to the different gaming functions. If you’re looking into fighting games, you should have a glossary handy to help you understand terms like meaty or EX move. In shooters, you’ll want to know about camping and flick-shots, and in MOBA games, you’ll want to know about APM and build orders. You won’t need to implement these ideas when you start, but you should at least try to learn what they mean.
Practice the Groundwork
You can jump into any game without practice, and you can become an expert by playing a lot. However, you could also learn bad practices, creating a shaky foundation on which all the rest of your gameplay is precariously built. For this reason, it can be best to try training modes and maps to help you form your basic skills with a calm and collected mind.
If you want to get better at fighting games, this would include avoiding button-mashing whenever possible, as this habit is difficult to break. In MOBAs, you’ll want to practice fast menu navigation for buying upgrades and the right hotkeys set to mark the map and quickly accomplish your goals. Once these are second nature, you’ll be far better off in the competitive landscape.
Truly Universal Skills
The final skills that really apply to all forms of gameplay are communication and introspection tools. Being able to talk with others without getting frustrated and being able to accept constructive criticism while blocking trolls is a central part of online competition, as much as we could do without the troll part. Still, learn these skills, and take into account all of the above, and you could be the player that all your friends pick as your first-choice teammate for gaming night. Just remember to be humble about it.
