Uncontrollable Rage

#21

I don't have anger issues over losing games. They are games. I won't win every time I play. Why should I choose to invest emotions into that?

Emotions aren't "uncontrollable" unless you're letting yourself lose control.

Deepfake · #22

Games only piss me off if something unprecedented wrecks a good run. 6 invincibility stars just happen to fall onto your opponent in SSB. I'm not angry at inanimate cartridge/disc as much as I am at the programmers that it could happen. But I'm old enough that the most I'll do is swear at the **** circumstances the program threw at me, or just dodgy programming on occasion.

The only thing that really gets under my skin is the poor attitudes of other players. I don't play competitively online anymore. Despite enjoying a fair run through an FPS arena, etc, I keep the amount of jackasses in my life to a minimum where possible. It's especially disappointing that these games became the epicenter for 12 year olds having a tantrum. I preferred the days when online games had a much higher paycheck/tech knowledge requirement.

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · #23

Saria Dragon of the Rain Wilds wrote:I don't have anger issues over losing games. They are games. I won't win every time I play. Why should I choose to invest emotions into that?

Emotions aren't "uncontrollable" unless you're letting yourself lose control.

I have a string of questions to ask you, if you don't mind.

1) Do you play any skill-based games seriously/competitively?

2) If so, how do you feel when you lose?

#24

1. Yeah, I've played plenty of skill-based games with the serious intent of beating them. Sometimes really obsessively. I don't tend to do competitive, because other people have really poor behaviour. Plenty of them, uh, freak out when they don't win. Yeah. About that. :|

2. Well, that depends on a huge amount of factors. Most of the time I shrug it off and keep trying until I achieve my goal. If I start getting frustrated and taking it too seriously, I'll usually take a break. I swear pretty freely, so that's no indication of my disappointment or irritation.

On the rare occasions I do play something competitive and things get too riled up, I have the amazing ability to *gasp* decide it's not a big deal. Then I will start screwing around for lulz. But, of course, the people I play with tend to agree on house rules with me. For instance, in Smash Bros, if we reach Sudden Death, it's a race to throw yourself off the edge first, not continue fighting. So, you know, I really don't make things like that overly valuable in my life. It's a game, they are designed for fun.

Really, if I lost my **** every time something didn't go my way, that would be a pretty sad life to live. And since emotions are within your control, I choose to have fun and enjoy myself.

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · #25

Dancin'

1) That's understandable.

2) Ah, so you get do get frustrated, even to the point where you are too riled up. It seems that you do get angry, albeit rarely, but that you manage your feelings internally. That's probably pretty easy for you, since you don't place much value in the competition, and even when you play "seriously", your overall view is that the game in-and-of itself should be fun, regardless of the outcome.

As I thought, we're on a different page concerning what is fun or important. But thanks for taking the time to answer me.

As for the matter of consistent loss of one's own **** under unideal circumstances leading to a sad life, I'd have to agree. However, as I stated earlier, "fun" for me is different. Fun is competition; more specifically, victory, and since loss is the opposite of victory, and anger is the opposite of fun (is it?), I smash controllers.

You should try it some time. Instant, but momentary satisfaction. Then an emotional sickness.

..I don't think I should play anymore

#26

Actually, being as obsessed as I am about words, I can tell you there is a sliding-scale of "anger" emotions, and "frustrated" and "irritated" are not the same as "angry" when I use them. Angry would be the all-out ragefest with potential for physical reaction like throwing things, or in my case, refusing to play anymore (I have reached that point; both Zelda games, Majora's Mask and Ages, I have finished neither of them from my seething hatred, so there you go). Frustrated is lesser, like clenching the jaw, telling the game to go **** itself, tossing one's hands in the air and maybe some storming off. Irritated is down again to maybe a well-placed for ****'s sake and heavy sigh.

I mean, I'm not some unfeeling machine. I have bad days where something like a game will draw out my Hulk, but it's so infrequent, and I would never consider it an "uncontrollable rage". I mean, that's moving right into "berserker" territory, which I don't think you mean, but that's what I imagine. Like, you are so overcome with emotion (for a computer game) that you lose all sense of reason? I dunno. I have a clear head, even when I ragequit forever, a la MM and Ages. It's just a matter of "I hate this game's mechanics so much I will never invest time in trying to beat it again".

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · #27

Interesting breakdown of those words, I see your point.

Just FTR, I wasn't trying to imply that you were incapable of anger or anything. I was just trying see if you've ever gotten to a point anywhere near my little fit.

Uncontrollable rage, for me, is really just that I'm childish and acting out makes me feel better. Uncontrollable rage sounded cooler though.

Bad Dragonite · #28

I used to years ago when I was really young. The only time I can really recall where I got "Violent" though is when I was recovering from surgery and got MAJORLY pissed and frustrated at megaman battle network 4 (I think) on one of the required minigames. Other than that I'd just have to be in a bad mood to yell/curse a game. It doesn't really happen often though.

@DZ on controllers costing money: true that, man. screw that, I would willingly just bottle it up and release it later on something constructive then have to pay a good 30 - 50 dollars on a new 360 controller.

#29

Losing with grace is a part of good sportsmanship. Who wants to be a poor sport?

Marilink · #30

If I ever want to throw controllers, I throw a pillow instead.

The most satisfying was my GBA. It didn't have a back, so if I was getting frustrated, all I had to do was jerk it once and the batteries would fall out. It was always satisfying.

Microphone_Kirby · #31

S1x wrote:Why does your ego start feeling this way at all?

Simple: no one likes a loser, least of all themselves as one.

S1x wrote:As for "getting angrier if it's through no fault of their own", did you know that something called luck exists in this world and you have to deal with it? And that it happens to everybody equally over the long run?

Duh. I play Mario Party. That doesn't mean I shouldn't get angry over SUDDEN BAD LUCK!!!, nor should I be judged/mocked over it.
Besides, "Luck" is only half of "no fault of their own". The other half: try you absolute best and still lose, especially when luck is miniscule factor at most. Makes one want to quit a game forever... :\
Also, one way to "deal with it" is stomping in a blind rage. Makes me feel better. :)
And I tried "keeping it all inside"; it only makes a bigger explosion when it leaks out.

S1x wrote:Of course, there are also games where nothing is on the line, except maybe some fake currency or some online bragging score. In that case, losing doesn't cost you a thing. So why let it do anything to you if you lose against a random nobody?

1: Bragging rights, self-esteem/confidence... I'd say you'd lose enough.
2: Wait..... a "random nobody"? Yeah...... **** you. That could be me. >:|

S1x wrote:If you're not getting relaxation/satisfaction, or you're actually getting the opposite of that, it's perfectly valid to just stop, just like how I end a session early if I feel I'm affected enough that I can't focus on my decisions optimally any longer (and even this is much more mild than "seething").

Doesn't everybody do that: stop when their anger is negatively affecting their performance?

S1x wrote:Friends play games together to have a good time. Would you do something hurtful to win that caused your friends to stop playing with you forever, just to fuel your low self esteem? Just because winning is the current objective, that doesn't mean it is the absolute priority for everything ever, long-term friendships and enjoyability be damned. Respect goes a long way.

TL;DR: You're doing it wrong

1: YES and actually, it is. The best way to use your friends are as stepping stones. Plus, I have no friends so it doesn't really matter.
2: You lost the right to preach about respect since you said "a random nobody". Why? It shows that you have no respect for whomever you face.

TL;DR: No I'm not doing it wrong; Fun = Winning

Booyakasha wrote:Losing with grace is a part of good sportsmanship. Who wants to be a poor sport?

Me, 'cause it feels better than the alternative. I mean, I won't be lying to anyone, and/or it feels good letting all that anger out.
Sportsmanship: one of the biggest loads of crap I've ever heard.

#32

The more you train yourself to react and give into the feelings of anger, the more it happens (science). You have control over how messed up you let yourself get over something as basic as arbitrary "winning" in a video game. Winning is no life-changing, ultra-valuable event, that's for sure. It means nothing except you've chosen to invest too much in it.

Bad Dragonite · #33

I learned a long while back that, yes, winning is fun, but if you can only have fun by winning then you're severely limiting yourself to one specific type of fun rather than enjoying the pleasures of others.

^^ also, I read the first part of noone liking losers and the part that comes after the gigantic bold "YES" because they stuck out the most, and honestly after that facepalm worthy moment I couldn't bring myself to read the rest of your post.
xD

#34

Yeah, no.

To have a winner, one must have a loser, and sometimes that is you. Destroying your stuff, or throwing a fit does not change that or make it better. If anything, it shows you as having a destructive temper.

I'll admit that I have a breaking point, but making such a big deal over it is something that flies over my head.

And Jesus H. Christ M_K. Excuse me for being blunt, but what kind of life do you lead that causes you to think like that?

Calamity Panfan · #35

losing doesn't make me uncontrollably angry and make me want to quit playing things forever, it gives me more drive to win the next game I play.

Deepfake · #36

Microphone_Kirby wrote:YES

Marilink · #37

Y'know, MK, "Fun = Winning" may be one of the absolute most ignorant viewpoints I've ever heard.

If you don't mind me asking, what sports have you played?

#38

Well, MK, if you'd rather be an impossible baby than a good sport, that's your prerogative. Good news, though---once everyone gets tired of your sh*tty attitude and refuses to play with you, you won't have to worry about losing anymore. You have fun with that, little one.

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · #39

^^ You're implying that losing is fun. Only thing fun about losing is not losing, and I think even that's just my tired gibberish. Losing isn't fun, man. The experience before the loss is, but nothing about losing in itself is fun. Now winning, that's fun no matter what.

Bad Dragonite · #40

^No he's not necessarily. I think he's implying that the experience of the game itself can be fun, whether it's just from the gameplay or the hanging with friends or some other factor.

I on the other hand, am saying that losing can be fun, whether it be because of a funny way that you lose, like a funny kill that one of your buds gets on you in Halo or other things that can result from you losing (Once I died in Fallout New Vegas via Deathclaws and the game glitched, causing my sniper rifle to go through my neck and get stuck, that sh** was funny as heck) OR by making it a learning experience to help better yourself when it comes to playing the game.

but moreso than them even, is just the game itself being fun to participate in. Personally I think that's the reason why I and others like me continue playoing games even if we lose, because it's fun to actually play. I think ML kinda had that point in mind with sports. Sure, losing can kinda suck, but the overall fun of whatever game your playing really does outweigh any suckiness of losing.

I'm sure there are other examples, but those 3 are the ones that come to my own mind right away.

Finally, I think that people who lose and can't take it and genuinely go into a rage at a game obviously don't get, or have forgotten the entire point of the game, it's a game. It's something you can relax and enjoy. Don't get me wrong, I've had my moments of raging from a game, but only at the MOST ANNOYING types of things in videogames finally getting to me after numerous tries, along with numerous outside factors influencing my mood and judgement; however, it was never because I lost in a game, especially against a person, except I think once I got pissed when I was like 9 or something about a game of pokemon. They were always because of a poorly designed game causing me eventual rage after a long, patient fight with the controls, camera, design, or what have you.

If a game is competitive, then you honestly can't expect to win all the time. YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE SOME OF THE TIME. Especially against human beings (especially especially if they play it regularly) If you could just insta-kill every enemy in a game or beat any human opponent with the "win button" then the game would suck and be unfair. So why keep playing if you're just inevitably going to lose? Because the game itself is fun and because you can keep improving as time passes.