How to cope with choking when playing games?

Question

It happens to me all the time, especially on rhythm games, but also on other action and fighting games where flawless performance is crucial.

I've practiced a very tough level several dozen times, and I'm getting really close to finish it flawlessly (like full combo, or something like that). And then when I start my perfect run push, as I get closer to finishing the level, at the very end I choke and I end up doing some stupid mistake I wouldn't do otherwise. I can't say how many times I've seen a result screen like this:

On the other hand, if I make a mistake early on the level, I know I'm not going to finish it perfectly, so I can flawlessly clear the later part of the level.

I think it has something to do with unconscious movement. If I'm doing the level unconsciously, probably even thinking about something else, I do it pretty well; but when my brain senses I'm close to finally doing a perfect run, I get nervous, and my consciousness, who sucks at playing games, takes over and I end up making really stupid mistakes.

In the end, when I actually flawlessly finish the level, it is more because I managed to somewhat finish the game consciously, rather than because I actually practiced. With levels with really tough endings, I can do more than a few hundred runs and never actually get to finish them, just because I get nervous at the very end.

How can I stop choking when playing games?

Answer 1

You are experiencing choking — you are playing the game relying on subconcious timing and movements, which totally break down once you become sufficiently self-aware that, god damn it, you've tried this segment thirty times already and finally I made it oh god oh god no dammit let's try again uh let's try again better wtf why can't I even make the first jump now!

As the article explains, there are really two types of learning: implicit ("muscle memory") and explicit ("study"). These processes are different, rely on different portions of the brain and are independent of each other. Stress can, however, inhibit the basal ganglia - the brain part responsible for implicit learning and short term memory. When that happens, you've choked. It's not a matter of being good or bad, expert or newbie — actually, it only happens to those sufficiently experienced.

I would suggest doing a context switch whenever you feel like this, if possible. Go have a snack, drink something, call a timeout, watch a video on youtube then come back to the task. This should help resetting your mind, relaxing a bit and losing a little bit of the excess self-awareness that is the issue to begin with.

Answer 2

I used to choke on games. I don't play rhythm games because I suck at them, but the way I found to stop choking on the types of games I do play is music.

I'd play a loud heavy track, something I'm familiar with, and then try and "zone out" of the game. I'll be playing but almost paying no attention to what I'm actually doing. I'm almost watching my own body play the game without me actively taking part in what I'm doing.

It's especially awesome in FPS's when I end up taking shots and hitting people I didn't even consciously notice, but my subconscious which is controlling the game for me has already killed them. I think I ended up gaming like this by having to play and work at the same time for a year or so in a lan gaming centre. It took awhile before this "happened". May not be worth trying if you enjoy being deeply ingrained into your games.

Answer 3

You may not be open to it, but I have a suggestion for learning not to do this.

Whenever you're doing well and start to get excited/panicky/nervous and you're thinking about that perfect score rather than just playing with your normal focus, quit right then and there. Cut it off as quickly as possible. This should help avoid any sort of adrenaline dependence as well as prevent you from "practising wrong". For any sort of practice you want to maximize time spent practising correctly and minimize time spent practising incorrectly to better train your brain and muscles.