Gaming Journey: From Overwatch to Valorant

Introduction

• Seeking a New Game: Tired of the usual Steam games, sought a new game with competitive scene.
• Old Love for Overwatch: Used to enjoy Overwatch before its decline.
• Discovery of Valorant: Chose Valorant due to similarities with Overwatch in abilities and teamwork.

Initial Impressions

• First Experience: Struggled with game mechanics, felt bullets did nothing.
• Random Abilities: Overwhelmed by unfamiliar abilities and game dynamics.
• Initial Failure: Frequent deaths, frustration, and a feeling of foreignness.

Turning Point

• Research Phase: Decided to give Valorant an honest try by researching and learning.
• Learning Mechanics: Discovered movement error and recoil control through YouTube guides.
• 30-Day Commitment: Set goal to rank up as much as possible in 30 days, starting with unlocking ranked play.

Growth and Learning

• Initial Placement: Surprised to be placed in Silver 1 despite chaotic placement matches.
• First Real Silver Match: Faced structured opponents, felt lost and experienced imposter syndrome.
• Struggle and Goal Setting: Determined to reach Gold rank, adapting strategy beyond brute force.

Coaching and Routine

• Hiring a Coach: Found a service called Gamer Sensei and hired an experienced coach (Lucas).
• Basic Training: Routines of playing deathmatch and shooting bots, initially met with skepticism.
• Skill Improvement: Gradual improvement in mechanical skills, leading to first ace and increased confidence.

Deeper Insights

• Stalling in Ranking: Despite mechanical improvement, struggled to rank up due to lack of impact in games.
• Economy Understanding: Learned about the importance of the game economy, managing resources for better rounds.
• Contribution to Team: Began to see slight progress, climbing within Silver 1, but hit a plateau again.

Mid-Course Corrections

• Analyzing Gameplay: Used recorded gameplay (vlogs) to identify mistakes and improve faster.
• Intel Gathering: Realized the importance of Intel (gathering information) in game strategy.
• Applying Chess Analogies: Compared agents to chess pieces, understanding roles to enhance team strategy.

Overcoming Challenges

• Dealing with Smurfs: Developed strategies to handle smurfs (experienced players on new accounts).
• Two-Pronged Strategy: Helping team smurfs play better and focusing on enemy smurfs to disrupt their gameplay.

Embracing the Meta

• Understanding the Meta: Discovered the importance of playing within the meta based on maps and agents.
• Data-Driven Approach: Used tracker.gg to analyze win rates and agent effectiveness.
• Adapting to Meta: Aligned gameplay with meta to boost win rates and moved toward Gold rank.
• Success and Setbacks: Reached Silver 3 but faced limitations such as facing new acts in the game and ranking system challenges.

Final Push and Reflections

• Intense Play: Intensified gameplay and study in the final days to reach the goal.
• Reaching Gold: Successfully placed in Gold 1 after a final match despite initial setbacks.
• Post-Goal Reflection: Felt empty despite achieving goal, questioning the source of fulfillment.
• Future of Gaming: Struggled with balancing joy of gaming and practical benefits, continued playing despite mixed feelings.