Source
r/splatoon•
gleepglap

Time to Give it Up?

So, I'm @ 1,200+ hours of game play. Farthest I've gotten is S 80-something a few weeks back. But generally I'm on the S/A+ treadmill where I can escape A+ pretty quickly, but not progress in S. Since then I've been mired in low S / A+ for several months. I have an occasional solid game, but my typical game is a 6-6 k/d or something equally mediocre. In A+ I can usually manage a double digit k-d.

As of late, I seem to have actually gotten worse as a player. Consistently miss shots, put myself in stupid situations, etc (especially in SZ)

I'm starting to think I've basically reached my ceiling. If I'm not S+ material now, I'm not likely to ever be and certainly not before the game winds down.

Anyone else reach a similar conclusion and give it up? Anyone else keep grinding and actually managed to rank up (and be S+ consistently)? Any way to actually gauge whether I'm making progress or just spinning wheels?

Posted Jan 19, 2017, 4:44 PM UTC

716
GalacticSweetsNNID: •

A short break might be what you need but it also might not work. For example, I jumped between S and S+ a few times and after a bit of frustration, I decided to take a break. After I cam back, I fell pretty quickly to A+ and it took longer than I would like to admit to make it back to S. Right now I am hovering around the S 10-20 range. Personally, the best advice I can think of is to not be too hard on yourself. It is isn't about whether you miss or not, but rather if you learn from your mistakes. You can't be too easy on yourself either, it is a very fine line to walk that most people, myself included, struggle with. If you want, you could try playing with people you know or even just a squad you formed online and see if playing with others helps. Hope this helps.

6
gleepglapOP•

Thanks. I do try to learn from mistakes, but generally I'm thinking my mistakes aren't correctable. For example, I know I lost a game this morning because I simply failed to connect on a kill that should have been doable. Just bad aim. I'm out of ideas for fixing that sort of problem...may be play more...but per my question seems like I'm at a plateau where that's not going to help.

Other than just getting more reps I have no idea how to, say, improve connecting on shots for the splat.

A break probably isn't a terrible idea.

1
CyroZentakuNNID:CyrusZentaku•

Try limiting yourself to a weapon like the Splattershot Pro or other weapons with high aim requirements exclusively for a while, and figure out how to move your reticule with your enemy, and keeping it in sync with their movements.

2 key elements to help make shots connect:

  1. Aim where your opponent will be, not where they are. Especially imporant for long range weapons, but also helps with mid-range.
  2. Predict enemy plays. Before attacking your opponent think about what they will most likely do to counter you. Will help with knowing where to start moving your fire and allowing for all of your shots to connect right away.

I've made it to S+ by doing that as practice in Turf War (which is where 90% of my 1400hrs of playtime probably went). If you have the will, and dedicate yourself to practing for a while, you'll make it there.

2
gleepglapOP•

Thank you for your thoughts. I'm actually maxed on the splattershot pro and at 700K on the forge...so tons of seat time with high aim weapons. I switched to heavy b/c I wasn't going anywhere with the pros, and I was tired of no one inking the map (pro isn't the best for turf control).

So, I'm not so sure more practice is going to do much.

There are two types of shots I miss: hitting a swimming target. I know I have to lead but the lead is MUCH more than I anticipate. I'm starting to get this. And, then shooting down through grates on maps like kelp and hammerhead. Just fyi - I don't expect there's any special trick to this...just learn how to do it through practice.

(I also think I'm mired in S because I tend to play for defense and map control...which leaves me at the mercy of teammates who can start a push. Don't get me wrong I'm not one of those back benchers...if there's nothing happening I'll try to get something started even if it means putting my weapon in a compromised position)

1
GliepsNNID: Glieps•

For the aim, I would recommend you to go in TW, and try different sensitivities and weapons, while focusing on splatting other players, you'll definitely improve it

1
rch2101NNID: rch2101•

I think the only question is do you like playing the game? If you still like the game, then keep playing. If its just become an obsession to get to S+ or something, and you don't think you will, maybe it's time to move on. In the end, having fun is the reason to play. Edit: I am not an S+ and I never will be. I just accepted that fact quite sometime ago. If I find myself getting too obsessed with the points in ranked battles, I usually put down ranked for a while and just play turf wars. It's a little more relaxing for me. Edit 2: wow there were a lot of dictation typos in that last edit by Siri

4
gleepglapOP•

Thanks for your thoughts...I can tell you this:

  1. Its fun when things click, and I can do pretty well. But, those times come and go, and there are long slogs of poor play. For example, I got to S80 playing quite well, but as of late its like I don't even understand how the game works. The wild and hard to understand swings in performance suck the fun from it.

  2. Its an obsession for sure. I tend to justify it on the grounds that doing anything really well takes devotion and work. But at the same time, I'll never be a professional athlete either. So, I'm asking this because I'm wondering if I'm reaching for the impossible. I'd never devote myself to running a <3hr marathon 'cause it ain't gonna happen.

  3. I actually don't love turf war...its like decaff coffee...without rank the game has no juice. But, point taken.

2
rch2101NNID: rch2101•

Its fun when things click, and I can do pretty well

Yeah, I totally understand. Fun is relative. I've said it before... getting your ass kicked is not fun. Personally, I've found an equilibrium where I don't expect too much outta myself in the game. And I've found other ways to enjoy the game other than just playing ranked and trying to rank up. I had to. S+ is just not an attainable goal for me. Don't get me wrong... I get pissed off at the game all the time, but not in a big picture kinda way, just in the moment. For instance, I really, REALLY hate losing a match in OT. I suppose my opinion of your situation is this... If winning in ranked mode is the only thing that you truly enjoy, and it sounds as this might be the case, and you have indeed "peaked", then this may not be the healthiest obsession for you. There's plenty of suggestions I, and others, could make, but it definitely does sound as if the chase for rank points may ultimately be the reason you're playing the game. FWIW, I had the exact same attitude as you for a short while. I even had to put the game down. But I did manage to come back to the game just purely for the enjoyment of it... and I truly do love playing Splatoon. If you also love Splatoon, you can probably find a balance too. But don't let this chase for rank control your happiness.

2
gleepglapOP•

Well, good to know others have thrown in the sponge on rank attainment.

Hard to say whether I love the game or rank chasing. They're pretty intertwined.

Actually winning / losing isn't what matters most to me, but my subjective sense of how well I played. If I lose but played well, I'm ok with it.

2
shishiccal•

Yeah... I'm at the same point in this game. Also hovering around low S, but the highest I've gotten is S 73 maybe. I haven't been able to actually practice and get better either. I definitely think I could get into S+ someday, but I'd have to put in some consistent time into the game to do so.

2
DDBofTheStarsPLEASE BE OKAY CALLIE•

I can only just stay in the same S range, I never seem to leave S30 - S50.

2
fa9•

switch weapons.

use a totally different class of weapon from what you're used to. gives you a very different perspective,

2
squidtrapNNID: a-bone77•

Was gonna say this. I started to get bored with the game, then i tried playing carbon roller for awhile and had an absolute blast.

Slowly started picking up splatlings, sploosh and splash, blasters, and had fun with them all. Started building new gear sets to compliment, seeing what worked. Now, when i get bored, i just change weapons! Everything is better!

1
frozenpandamansniper loli!•

https://youtu.be/KxGRhd_iWuE

2
youtubefactsbot•

Matsuoka Shuzo [松岡修造 ] - あきらめかけているあなた (NEVER GIVE UP!!) [English] [0:35]

Matsuoka Shuzo's famous NEVER GIVE UP!! message, subtitled in English for those viewers who have no clue what he's saying.

^Ryuujin131 ^in ^Entertainment

^4,200,671 ^views ^since ^Jun ^2010

^bot ^info

2
EMPgogglesNNID: sammich•

go back to TW and play with a couple of different weapons you aren't used to for a while until you're comfortable with them (of course you can still play your main, but mostly stick to TW for a while). try out crazy things you don't know will work because in TW it doesn't really matter if you win or lose.

after a while, come back to ranked, drop rank a bit, then watch as you rise.

i was able to move to S+ for a good while after doing that. at some point i was stupid and allowed myself to drop to A+ and since then my squiffer game has been... poor... but still i'm way better.

2
KaizokuShojo•

You might need a break. But in any case, it's a great game and the point isn't so much the numbers as it is the fun. If you're not having fun, break. If you are, squid around in TW as well as ranked and let your rank fall where it falls.

1