I've been building up a bitter, nasty, vitriolic rant in my head over the past few days, but like so many things, if it just sits there for awhile, you eventually say "Eh, screw it."

So let me instead say this in an "Eh, screw it." manner. I've decided to quit VS., or at least scale back for the time being. Over the past few months, I've grown increasingly frustrated with the state of the metagame and my own perpetual scrubbyness. It's time to admit that if I can't even win a PCQ by this point, I don't ever have a chance of going to the Pro Circuit or finishing well in a $10K. The money is what originally attracted me to VS., but I've slowly become aware that the money finishes are widely dominated by an elite few who have more time, money, and brainpower to invest in this game then just a shmuck like me struggling to hold down a graduate degree program and a part-time job. Even at Hobby League, the environment is just too competitive, and complain as we might about netdecks or unbalenced metagames, the bottom line is that players who aren't willing to give 110% just aren't going to make it. Not with so much money involved.

So, for now I'm phasing VS. out of my life. I'll go to the pre-releases and maybe stop by for a draft or sealed tournament, limited is still kind of fun. But I've got to prioritize my free time for activities that bring me joy. Lately VS. only brings me frustration, boredom, and depression. People say it's not about winning or losing, and they've got a point, but the fact of the matter is when you go to events and just lose, lose, lose, before long the game stops being fun.

So, I guess this is goodbye. I'll try to stop by here occassionally and maybe get back into the game if I get the itch occassionally, but right now I've got bigger and better things to worry about.

So long, VSRealms. It's been fun.

First, do whatever you need to do. You're not the only person to take a break from a game, believe me. I've actually taken a hiatus from VS for several months a while back, due to feelings similar to yours. What I find helps is to go find some other outlets for the fun you're looking to have. Learn how you find enjoyment, and you can come back with a fresh perspective if you choose to do so.

It seems that your primary motivation is to win as much as possible, at least at tournaments. That's a tough way to play, given how a loss can automatically be a Bad Thing (R) for you. Something to keep in mind is that VS requires a lot of its players in a constructed format. If you expect to do especially well at a tournament, you need to put in a good amount of effort. Besides pure playing skill, there are matters of metagame prediction and deck building/tweaking as well. I don't want to sound insulting, but I think this needs to be said: I haven't always agreed with your analysis of teams and individual cards, and I suspect being stuck with certain obscuring preconceptions has made it more difficult for you to play optimally. I can't point out any specific examples off-hand, but I'd consider going into another game, and learning its intricacies and play patterns. Sometimes, all it can take is that sort of new method of playing to make things stand out when looking at game you'd already learned.

Something else to consider is the balance of your expectations and resources. If you know you don't put in a ton of effort into practicing, it's more reasonable to go to a PCQ expecting a 4-3 result than going in expecting to win. The difference? The latter goal, while great to meet, is far more difficult to get, and at some level, it may not be a deserved expectation. In any tournament, someone has to lose. It'd be awesome if a PCQ was an event where every got 10 PC points and a check card, but it's not. Only one person can win, and while all games with a component of chance have an "Any Given Saturday" factor, if you know others there play more than you, it makes sense that they're more likely to win. Having a reasonable goal takes some undue pressure off of you, and that can at the very least make the entire affair more enjoyable, if not improve your play by relieving stress. Bad beat days will happen, and it's there where you need to be able to look at it critically. Was it a bad deck choice? play mistakes? a series of bad draws? Sometimes, you can just be the guy that has to take the losses. It sucks, but understanding that vastly reduces the long-term impact of such an occurance.

Anyhow, you're always welcome back if you really do go. If your leave is permanent, best of luck in whatever else you do. And you decide to stay after all, I'll mock you playfully. ^_^ lol

I've also come to this realization...actually I did a long time ago. I watch Yugioh GX to keep my spirits up. Jaedin never gives up! Chazzzzz it up!!

Also I find that having friends in your local metagame is very important to the "enjoyment" factor. Just showing up on your own playing your matches and leaving is not the best recipe for fun. I for one do all I can to try to keep people interested that includes opening up a chair and playing the worst deck possible (which is most of my decks) to let the new guy get a win under his belt.

I also try to keep people real. If you are playing Arkham every time you enter a PCQ you shouldn't expect to top out, and you have to decide what kind of player you will be. Can you handle dropping twenty bucks at a pcq and lose a bunch of times. Personally I can. I know others that have come to the understanding that they want to win, and so now have started using decks that win, and not whatever they whipped up last week and played with a couple times. It doesn't stop him from designing some excellently flavored decks, but he knows those are for fun, not for a PCQ.

Best of luck to you.

Craxton man, how you gonna leave? I miss your super awesome, super badarse take no poop from nobody posts. If you leave here who's going to keep it real with regards to all the brown-nosing people like me give to the pros?

By the way, I don't think you can ever quit a game like VS. I mean, the possibilities are endless, and it's just so darn fun. I give it until Infinite Crisis comes out for you to come back into our legion of geekdoom.

canamrock: I think that statement ("I haven't always agreed with your analysis of teams and individual cards, and I suspect being stuck with certain obscuring preconceptions has made it more difficult for you to play optimally.") totally describes the way I feel about you. For some reason it feels the circle of life has begun.

Lord_Craxton: I totally understand, recently I was in a slump that I just couldnt get out of. Recently I started playing more and made 3 PCQ top 8, which boosted my morality so much more than you know. Even though it was probably easy wins or luck, it was great to finally win some games. I'm not a hardcore player and I don't really test hardcore to become a professional Vs player, but losing on a consistant level brings you down a couple notches.

I think I speak for everyone when I say...Huh!?

Typos are funny.:grin:

k.......................

"Morale" does not equal "morality" is the typo point ... if that's what you didn't understand. Not a difficult error to make, though.

k..........................

Well, hey, there ya go. The feeling's mutual. lol :P All I'm saying is that if a slump continues on for long enough, it's time to step back and assess the situation. A break is a good way to get yourself into a more objective mindset for doing such.

One of the best things about the Vs. System community? Every time one of these threads pops up, they turn into heartfelt passion plays. In fact, the birth of YARR!! actually happened in a thread just like this.

For this particular departure, with its particular reasons, I think I can add a bit of assistance. Stress the words "I think", since I am wrong quite often.

If a player is in this game simply for the money or the thrill of victory, they run the risk of getting bitter fast. That principle applies to every aspect of life. Bottom lines cause bottom feeders.

However, if a person can participate in this game (or anything else) simply for the experience... then the fun grows on trees. Leaving (Pun Master!) is not an option when you are only in it for the joy of being in it.

I couldn't have put that better myself. Infact (copy and paste) I may use that stu! ;)

>It's time to admit that if I can't even win a PCQ by this >point, I don't ever have a chance of going to the Pro Circuit >or finishing well in a $10K.

Hey man, I really sympathize with you. I got a full time job, part time business of my own, two kids and all that stuff and I don't have the time to invest to be competitive at a high level. The highest I've ever finished was 9th at a PCQ. As I have said before, I play the game because I love the heroes. I like them so much I even bought Overpower (shudder). I was woefully unprepared for the high level of competition in the first PC in Indy. I have had little time lately to play around with the X-Men set, so I barely knew the cards in the 10K we just had in Atlanta.

But it doesn't really matter if I bombed out of the 10K. I spent the day with my daughter (she played too). We both had a lot of fun. I'm not even sure I expected to win anything. These days, I'm happy to win a t-shirt at a Sneak Preview.

I salute you, Stu, for your willingness to play the Multiple Man deck at the PC because it was fun. I think I'm going to follow the pro crowd less and start showing up to games with my pet decks made of my favorite characters. My Avengers/F4 deck is just a blast, especially when Thor gets two Mjonirs. My latest creation is a TBolts/SSoSV deck that I call Close EnCOUNTERs.

Oh, and feel free to come back anytime Lord C.

I dont think its reasonable to get into a game like this for the money and then not be willing to dedicate the full time it takes to become a professional. There are people who play this as their job so of course they are the ones who are going to rack up more wins in these pro events.

For the rest of us who work full time, go to school, and have other hobbies are going to lose less just by virtue of less play time/test time. I I have no desire to go to a 10k(heck I'm still looking for a local tourney I can go to) so for me vs. is a fun game to play with friends, it also happens to be by far the best tcg around today, and if you look at it that way you can never lose.