Today, I turned 30. Today, I realized I lost my competitive edge

I had that same thought earlier this year when I turned 30. Then I remembered that I just don't practice like I used to.

If you find the time you can get your skill back, OP
 
29 here, and I am way better and faster in games than ever before (Street Fighter, Battlefield, PlatinumGames for example) Still super motivated to figure out mechanics and tactics, and master the game.

It's all about commitment. I mean, look at how many crazy guitarists exists, pulling out insane and super fast moves, even in their 50s (or older). Seems like you can do almost anything when you are older, if you are into it and also take care of yourself (body and mind).
 
I just turned 29 recently. I feel I would whoop my 15 yr old self in any competitive game right now.

I have the same competitive drive as I did when I was a teen.
 
I've definitely noticed myself get worse as I've gotten older. I imagine a fair proportion of this is going from being able to play for many hours a week to around four or five a week.
 
JPS Kai said:
Allow me to preface this by saying I was never an amazing tournament player. I've taken first in a few locals but most every tournament I've taken place in has seen a showing of second place (If not worse). My fifteen minutes of Fame were playing in UFGTX's Mugen charity tournament and taking second. Even with an OP character, I couldn't clinch a win.

Today, I went to a barcade in Columbus to celebrate my 30th birthday. There waa a high score challenge in Joust and the winner got a shirt and a free beer. After some back and forth against one particular gentleman, I reluctantly couldn't match his high score and had to relinquish the high score title.

It was that moment, I realized that my reflexes just aren't what they used to be. Maybe they're perfectly fine for my work as a game reviewer but I'm just not a spring chicken anymore.

My question for you, GAF: How do you stay positive knowing that you just can't be as good at gaming as you used to be five or ten years ago?
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I reject your conclusion on the basis that SZ HORI | Sako, a pro gamer and one of the 5 2D gods of fighting games in Japan, is 38.
 
I've never played competively, so it will never be a big deal to me as long as I can still enjoy the games. I'm almost 30, and I've never felt that my reflexes have hindered me in any way. My grandfather played Mario on the NES well into his 70's, without cursing his declining reflexes or loss of competive edge.
 
35 and I don't care about being competitive in the slightest, I'd rather that everybody had a fun time when I play multiplayer. With that said, I'm more patient with a game now and will take time to finish one or improve at it, instead of jumping to whatever's new.

I understand that some people may want to beat a personal best but I don't understand people who give in to their temper when they lose at something. It's amusing but a bit sad.
 
Vigilant Gambit said:
I reject your conclusion on the basis that SZ HORI | Sako, a pro gamer and one of the 5 2D gods of fighting games in Japan, is 38.
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Sakonoko puts in the work though. He's one of those guys that treats fighting games like a martial art and dedicates himself to constant training and betterment. I can't say the same with how much I jump between games for my second job. :P
 
Age 33, this is how I feel

metal-gear-solid-5-last-teaser.jpg
 
I never had that much into the competitive style. I'm not good at competition. I just play (anything) for dumb fun.

Also, happy birthday to you - I turn 28 past week.
 
I've lost the will to be competitive, honestly. Just don't care in most genres simply because I don't have the time to master them. I enjoy playing with friends and always have but playing online with randoms isn't fun at all for me.

For single player games, though, I enjoy a well made challenge. Retro games that used to give me huge problems as a kid are much easier now.
 
I'm in my mid-thirties now. I play on easy mode just to enjoy the game casually.

I'm still a very active person outside of gaming though. Feel like I'm still 20.
 
29 here. I can feel reaction time has gone down a bit. Right now im playing end game path of exile and you can die reslly fast if you dont react. I feel like my head processes this faster than my fingers which is a bit annoying since Im certain me 5 years ago probably would've been able to avoid some deaths. That said with experience and commitment you csn overcome this.
 
I'm 30 and my age has nothing to do with my skill or reflexes decreasing; I simply don't have the time to play like I used to and as such I'm not as good. We ain't old yet bro, 30's still pretty young. My mind still feels fresh, though my joints are kind of a different story. Regardless, if I had the time to spend on games now that I did as a kid I know I'd stomp a mudhole in teenage Poo's ass.
Teenage Poo got a job at 16 and it was all downhill from there, as far as gaming skill goes at least.
 
I wouldn't know. The game I had played for years and started more than 10 years ago is dead. I'm 26 now. Maybe I would still pwn, maybe I wouldn't.
Sometimes I curse the young uns for their superior reflexes like an old man, but then I realize that I've always just hated tryhards and that it's just that I've found a reason other than my lack of skill to blame it on.
 
rocketskates said:
Wtf is with GAF lately with people having identity crises with games?
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Fall is coming here soon. Some people start turning into morose British existential drama characters when they see the slightest hint of grey in the sky. Prepare for months of these threads -_-
 
30 as well and yeah things have changed:

I used to play competitive CS and SC2 but I dont anymore. I cant get hooked like this on one single game nowadays, I feel like I'm wasting my time if I stick just to one specific game. I started enjoying SP experiences much more... Zelda, Nier and Persona atm for example...

And yeah sure it's not as important as it once was: It's not the centre of my life and it hasn't been for the last couple of years, but thats OK. It's part of "growing up" I guess - but I have my own business know so things are turning out pretty good so far :)
 
The lack of reflexes is compensated by a better judgement at the time to take decisions. This is true in lots of games, maybe you couldn't compete at the elite of a game, but you could still outmatch lots of young folks who are also good at a certain game
 
I've been doing the human benchmark reflex test twice a year for as long as I can remember, precisely because I'm interested in this supposed decline. I just turned 30 this year, and my average this year was better than ever. This is on the same hardware as the previous 3 years.
 
In my 40s and am more competitive in all things than I have ever been. In my teens through 30s I just didn't care about competing at all outside of playing actual baseball, marching band and drum corps. I didn't really care if I lost games in Madden 64 to my friends, or Mario Kart/Party. But now, I do research and practice my characters/classes/roles for online competitive games. It irks me when I lose or perform badly but win. Hell, when turned down for a few promorions and raises, I said to hell with it, quit my job and went back to school this week for a better career.
 
Haven't noticed any degradation, personally. However, I don't play competitive games often, and never was ace at them to begin with.

I honestly don't think age is much of a factor at 30, to be honest, unless you are out of practice.
 
I'm 33 and there is no way in hell I could beat GoldenEye on 00 Agent and unlock all it's cheats nowadays, so 13 year-old me was a way better gamer.

Unlocking the cheats on the Facility, Archive and Train levels took superhuman skill.
 
I'm 34. I don't play the same games I played when I was younger (i.e. multiplayer FPS) so that's how I adapted :)

I have no interest in them anymore
 
35 here and i think i can beat the #1 score in Polybius (YOLO mode). it requires some pretty fast reflexes and almost perfect focus but i'm sure i can do it, just a little more practice..
 
38 and I wouldn't be able to keep up with a younger me. I've mellowed greatly in my old age. When I was younger I was super competitive. Now I just want to lay back and have fun.
 
GrizzNKev said:
holy fuck the end of my life is rushing toward me. Threads about age are terrifying. I've been here too long. Been playing games too long. I'll be old and have never loved because I gamed too hard
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I used to care but I'll be 38 next month and I'd rather live for myself than keep trying to (unsucesfully) follow what we're all genetically programmed to do. Breeding only helps overpopulating this already crowded planet more.

On topic, Since Street Fighter V is the only fighting game that my lousy internet connection lets me play without perceptible input delay I've improved tenfold in fighting games. And I was already good, won a couple of local tournaments and placed 3rd in another.

Kolibri said:
I'm still a very active person outside of gaming though. Feel like I'm still 20.
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Me too. Even people tell me I look mid-20's. :)
 
Is it about biology or more to do with the fact that mounting responsibilities leave some of us with less time to hone our skills?
 
My reaction times are a bit slower now than when I was younger based on online tests I've done over the years but I'm still probably better at games now than I've ever been. If you're in your 30's and you're significantly worse than you used to be I'd put that down to lack of practice more than anything. That would be the biggest factor.
 
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