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Being Part of the Top 1.1% - How Valorant Helped Me Think Critically

(Draft) You're given multiple chances to solve a problem

Posted by Carl Gaspar on Tue, Nov 30, 2021

Introduction

Valorant is a free-to play 5 versus 5 FPS (first-person tactical hero shooter) game developed and published by Riot Games on 2020. Simply put, it’s like CS:GO but with abilities.

I played this game because I don’t have anything to play at that time, the system requirements is pretty low, and my computer can easily handle it. It is not my first FPS game but I can confidently say that it is the first FPS game that I seriously played.

Experience

6 months from now, I started playing Valorant (June 2021), and today I reached Immortal 1. Now I’m part of the top 1.1% of players playing the game.

I got hooked because of the satisfying head-shot sounds in-game.

My Progress

Here are the Valorant Ranks: (If you don’t care about the game, move forward.)

Experience (PUT EXPERIENCE WITH TEAMMATES, PUT AGENTS USE ON EVERY MAP, ALSO TWITCH STREAMERS)

  • Iron 1-2 - Pick Reyna, buy Odin, use ult, GG.
  • Iron 3 - Started watching YouTube videos about how to play THE GAME.
    • Played Aim Labs training
    • At this time, I understand that it is possible to tap people heads and not just body shot them
    • Got impatient and always getting tilted and got back to Odin
  • Bronze - Gold 1 - Went so fast (Yes, I reached Gold 1 with Odin).
    • Hard-stuck at Gold 1, always getting 1 tapped by the enemy
    • Got back to my ass and started trying to hit heads with the Vandal
    • Started hitting heads but still stuck at Gold 1
    • Got back to YouTube and learn the mechanics, I found out that you need to also move to avoid the enemy bullets. Learned counter strafing and different kinds of peeking which is also part of the mechanics
  • Gold 3 - I don’t know how did I get here but I’m having a hard time getting to Platinum.
    • Learned about the 3 most important things in the game, mechanics, game sense and communication. These things apply in real life as well
      • Mechanics - Understanding the mechanics of the game
        • Easy - I shoot people - they die - we win
          • Plant the bomb - it explodes - we win
          • Enemy planted the bomb - I defuse it - we win
        • Medium - Each character has their own skills - use it to make the easy mechanics easier to achieve
          • Use smoke - enemy could be on the other side of the smoke - people won’t cross
          • Use flash - enemy blind - enemy can’t shoot
        • Hard - Shoot them in the head - don’t just shoot them anywhere - shoot them in their head
          • Move after or before shooting - enemy will find it hard to hit
      • Game Sense - Now that I’ve understand the game mechanics it’s now easier for me to deduce what’s going on.
        • Easy - Enemy not in A - they’re probably in B
          • Use abilities to figure out where the enemies are
        • Medium - There are 3 people in A - there’s probably 2 people in B
          • Enemy used all their smokes - they don’t have smokes now
        • Hard - We got B site but the 3 people in A hasn’t helped them yet - they’re probably in flank
          • Abilities have cool downs - how long until the next ability can be used
      • Communication - Talk to team - try to understand each teammates personality - mute if necessary
        • Easy - Talk to team
        • Medium - Talk to team
        • Hard - Talk to team
    • Watched Twitch streamers (specially sinatraa - clearing angles, zombs - different way to play the game, noted - counter strafing)
    • Learned double counter strafing, where I strafe, shoot; strafe, shoot; strafe, crouch, spray
  • Platinum 3 - Hard stuck. I understand the game sense and communication properly, but always inconsistent with the mechanics. Always getting 1 tapped.
    • No cover, always picking the losing angle, always ending up in the middle of the field
    • You don’t have to always make flashy plays
  • Diamond 1-Immortal - This is just a matter of time once I got the mechanics, game sense, and communication figured out.
  • Immortal-Radiant - Hitting the Radiant rank will require so much time and effort. I don’t have those things so I gave up. I just want to prove to myself that I now finally understand the game.

Takeaways

  • The higher your rank is, the more toxic, prideful, and troll the most players will be.
  • Everything in life has its mechanics.
  • When you know the mechanics you’ll understand the game better.
  • When I developed my game sense, I learned how to critically think in real life. Apparently, game sense is just common sense applied in a game.
  • I started playing CS:GO again and the mechanics is the same.
  • I started playing DotA 2 again and started owning.
  • Mechanics also applies on how to live your own life. The way I live my life now is very different because of playing this game. I learned that almost everything has it’s own pattern. I’m now always trying to be conscious living my everyday life instead of living the ordinary repetitive unconscious life. I’ve got the sense of critical thinking.
  • Gears matter, too:
    • 140hz ASUS Monitor
    • Anne Pro 2 Keyboard - Not really a ground breaking keyboard, it just feels premium, like something has changed.
    • Logitech Mouse - How you hold a mouse and grip it matters as well, me personally uses fingertip grip.
      • Settings - EDPI 312, 2400 - 0.13, 2000 - 0.156, 800 - 0.39
  • Food I eat
  • Addiction
  • The progress made it easier because of solving the problem part
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