shmups and sedatives?

[1up]

I dont know if this is in bad taste but Ive been having this question on my mind for some time now.

Has anyone experimentet with sedatives while playing shmups? To calm you down and kinda zone out. I know some people like to take in alcohol while gaming to kinda relax and that is a sedative in a way. Some people like to smoke a joint. That also has a sedative effect.

does is help? I know in games when you're close to that high score or close to a 1cc you get really anxious/stressed and probably mess up. Also, could be something to calm the nerves in tournament play to take the pressure off a little?

just wondering if anyone has a story to tell?

[kengou]

I imagine that no substance of that type would be allowable in tournament play, or at the very least shouldn't be.

[ncp]

Why would you want to calm down playing shmups? They are best played when you are so nervous you are shaking. That's how I am during high score runs, with caffeine.

[jonny5]

I imagine that no substance of that type would be allowable in tournament play, or at the very least shouldn't be.

why not...its not performance enhancing....by definition you are sedating your senses, thus decreasing your performance....it would be foolish to do so, so why not allow it?

"oh no...that drunk dude is gonna crush us with his slurred speech and full palm button mashing...."

or

"hey...look at that dude drooling on himself in the corner.....i bet he is gonna win"

weed and gaming can be good if you smoke regularly....otherwise it would mess you up too much.....a non-smoker would be too fucked up to play....for a regular smoker it levels you out and you kinda go zen sometimes

+1 on the caffeine....which should be consumed at all times, not just for gaming

i would not recommend trying to play any games on psychotropics/hallucinogens.....easily distracted by shit that isnt even really there....and you cannot trust your visual perceptions at all

[Acid King]

A little may be good to relax you, but too much would slow down your response time. I remember another thread where a few people talked about having really good games after a beer or two and I know that I've had that happen on more than a few occasions. I know that sometimes it helps, but more often than that it hurts.

[jonny5]

A little may be good to relax you, but too much would slow down your response time. I remember another thread where a few people talked about having really good games after a beer or two and I know that I've had that happen on more than a few occasions. I know that sometimes it helps, but more often than that it hurts.

i cant play and drink....just doesnt mix

but a few credits after a bowl or 2 is perfect for me

[TLB]

Well, it's pretty much as jonnyFIVE says. Personally, I'm not a fan of smoking, but a little alcohol or a little of the other stuff can chill you out enough not to fuck up too much. One time I smoked waaay too much, and while I could see 90% of the screen without having to move my eyes, my fingers were too retarded to do shit with any accuracy or remotely challenging timing. For example, the stage 1 boss of Ibara becomes a silly joke; you can see EVERYTHING, and you don't even need to move your eyes to perfectly tap-dodge in all the appropriate places.

tl;dr the money and side effects aren't worth it just to try playing video games. Definitely something that's fun to experiment with though. Also try: watching 360 visualizations, walking up and down stairs, brushing your teeth

[Jockel]

Well, it's pretty much as jonnyFIVE says. Personally, I'm not a fan of smoking, but a little alcohol or a little of the other stuff can chill you out enough not to fuck up too much. One time I smoked waaay too much, and while I could see 90% of the screen without having to move my eyes, my fingers were too retarded to do shit with any accuracy or remotely challenging timing. For example, the stage 1 boss of Ibara becomes a silly joke; you can see EVERYTHING, and you don't even need to move your eyes to perfectly tap-dodge in all the appropriate places.

tl;dr the money and side effects aren't worth it just to try playing video games. Definitely something that's fun to experiment with though. Also try: watching 360 visualizations, walking up and down stairs, brushing your teeth

I can heartily agree with this post by mTHREEtallONEca.

[jonny5]

Well, it's pretty much as jonnyFIVE says. Personally, I'm not a fan of smoking, but a little alcohol or a little of the other stuff can chill you out enough not to fuck up too much. One time I smoked waaay too much, and while I could see 90% of the screen without having to move my eyes, my fingers were too retarded to do shit with any accuracy or remotely challenging timing. For example, the stage 1 boss of Ibara becomes a silly joke; you can see EVERYTHING, and you don't even need to move your eyes to perfectly tap-dodge in all the appropriate places.

tl;dr the money and side effects aren't worth it just to try playing video games. Definitely something that's fun to experiment with though. Also try: watching 360 visualizations, walking up and down stairs, brushing your teeth

to be clear, i dont smoke weed to enhance my gaming....i would be smoking either way....

i just find its a good mix for me....but im high all the time pretty much aside from work....im sober like 5-6 hours a day at work after i sober up from the morning bowl

i cant see sedating yourself to play games being very productive or worthwhile....

[sjewkestheloon]

I fucked up my back and I've been heavily medicated for the last year. Now I've got it down to a high dose of amitriptyline (spelling anyone) which has muscle relaxant effects. I permanently game in this state.

I have been on this shit for a while though so it doesn't really affect me in the way that it would others.

[Smraedis]

I don't think taking whatever helps that much.. maybe psychologically, but that's all.
I play well by not playing the game too much, and usually take a little rest between games.. I go outside too, that always helps me

[EPS21]

I've played a few games while drunk, and felt it didn't really affect me that much. Mileage just varies from person to person, I guess.

[Jeneki]

Related to this, try playing any twitch-game after driving home on a cold winter night. You know, after holding on to an ice-cold steering wheel for an hour and your hands are basically popcicles. Especially one with no rapid fire, where you basically have to move your whole arm up and down after your hand goes numb ten seconds in.

"Why am I not shooting?" (looks down) "Oh, I'm missing the button. Sure wish I could feel something."

I should wire up a huge joystick with giant Pop'n Music style buttons for those nights.

[cools]

Relaxed muscles, yes - relaxed mind, no.

I've not been sleeping this week so I've stopped playing games due to mental fatigue and dulled motor control.

If I've had a beer or two my focus and responses become stronger but my ability to take in whats going on over the whole screen is severely diminished - shmups are kind of fun like this but puzzle games (Magical Drop springs to mind) turn into a total zen experience.

[General Martok]

I fucked up my back and I've been heavily medicated for the last year. Now I've got it down to a high dose of amitriptyline (spelling anyone) which has muscle relaxant effects. I permanently game in this state.

I have been on this shit for a while though so it doesn't really affect me in the way that it would others.

Amitryptiline isn't really a sedative , it just really makes you tired (beeing a strong anti-histamine) . It's actually an outdated anti-depressant , only used for chronic pain nowadays.

I guess best drug for nervous twiching shmuppers would be benzos like Valium , they really calm you down without the side effects from alcohol etc.

[EinhanderZwei]

I remember playing Guitar Hero 2 while being sober and then drunk... After 3 bottles of beer I've stopped missing notes Never tried it with shmups though

Funny fact: I had a girlfriend who was on sedatives all the time, drinking shitload of them on every 2nd date. If only I had a PSP back then to ask her to 1CC Gradius 1 or something

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I remember playing Guitar Hero 2 while being sober and then drunk... After 3 bottles of beer I've stopped missing notes Never tried it with shmups though

Funny fact: I had a girlfriend who was on sedatives all the time, drinking shitload of them on every 2nd date. If only I had a PSP back then to ask her to 1CC Gradius 1 or something

She probably could've done the 1CC with no problem. Practice makes perfect for such an serious attempt though. ^_~

Or how about trying the combination of drinking both Vodka and Red Bull energy drink and see if that combo is a good recipe for 1CC'ing a serious shmup session?

Some good ol' Mountain Dew soda drink in the bloodstream works wonders, y'know.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[TLB]

Well, after an awful C-S run, I just cleared the first loop of DDP with B-S (yeah I know LAWLZ) with half a glass of Crown Royal in me. I was watching The One and shit, and I thought it'd be funny if I recorded me looping DDP with B-S. So I did it. I don't know how much the alcohol affected anything, but it's data. I'm game for collecting more :D

EDIT: For reference, the whiskey was mixed with Mountain Dew Throwback. Did you know that Mountain Dew was originally designed for mixing with whiskey? No? Neither did I. Tastes pretty good though ;P

[crithit5000]

Why would you want to calm down playing shmups? They are best played when you are so nervous you are shaking. That's how I am during high score runs, with caffeine.

This. I don't play these games to relax; I actually enjoy the nervousness, frustration, and exhilaration I feel during the more fun moments. The times I've tried shooters inebriated were fun and all, but for me it's just to hard to focus and actually not get hypnotized and fall asleep during massive bullet spam patterns. Back when I was playing Giga Wing like a crazy person trying to crack the arcade top 5 here and while finishing up college, I remarked to someone that my energy drink/caffeine intake was probably enough to make a small rodent's eyes explode. Now I'm skinnier and strung out looking...hmm...

[1up]

my thought was to achieve the zen like state in which you kinda space out and act on instinct and score really well.

Ive noticed this sometimes when I was really into simracing. That I would do x number of laps for a time trial and after a few laps I would drift off/space out and I would think of other stuff while still racing and when you snap out of it, you look up at the timer and you about to set your best time yet and you go "oh? what did I do right?"

Ive had the same experience with puzzle games when Ive been a little tired. I would just sit back really relaxed and breeze through the puzzles.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

Im more like what Cools posted in that if im knackered, which i quite often are, i wont bother playing games but instead just browse the net or watch videos on you tube if im on the PC.

For me (rather then taking drink/ drugs) Its what attitude my minds in that makes the biggest difference to how well i do in gaming. Its when i get serious with a shmup (or any game) and am really determained to finish it is when my performance increases by allot. As apposed to just half casually playing a game for enjoyment which is what state of mind im usually in. (Although shmups been great games do make me a more serious gamer in general)

Personally i think that looking for quick and easy ways to improve my shmupping is just a plecebo. Since nothing beats hard work when doing anything challenging

[gray117]

A drink or 2 is fine .. much more than than that - I won't care at all about a game. Sedatives? ... I'd be too tired to play anything other than maybe fighting games....

I'd be guessing the caffeine approach is the most productive...

... I think the only people who like sedatives to work 'better' would be the odd musician sort who typically have a luxury amount of time ... ?

[Plasmo]

my thought was to achieve the zen like state in which you kinda space out and act on instinct and score really well.

This "zone" you're speaking of only happens with shmups you're not too familiar with. (playtime around 100h). If you want to get very high scores and you know the game inside out or if you even attempt to break WR scores then this zone doesn't exist at all.
The only games (for me) where it sometimes feels like the zone actually exists, are bemani/rhythm games like Beatmania etc. But that's probably only, because of a natural learning progress. Everytime you play, you get better and you're not fully aware of it each time. When you do things you couldn't imagine to do before, I often hear myself thinking "omfg I'm in the zone!!". How wrong I am.

The zone doesn't exist at all, it's your own progress you're experiencing.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

my thought was to achieve the zen like state in which you kinda space out and act on instinct and score really well.

This "zone" you're speaking of only happens with shmups you're not too familiar with. (playtime around 100h). If you want to get very high scores and you know the game inside out or if you even attempt to break WR scores then this zone doesn't exist at all.
The only games (for me) where it sometimes feels like the zone actually exists, are bemani/rhythm games like Beatmania etc. But that's probably only, because of a natural learning progress. Everytime you play, you get better and you're not fully aware of it each time. When you do things you couldn't imagine to do before, I often hear myself thinking "omfg I'm in the zone!!". How wrong I am.

The zone doesn't exist at all, it's your own progress you're experiencing.

So this "in the zone" state of mind that i keep on hearing about? (as i touched on it the the mind thread) i thought it just ment when i was concentrating 100% on the task at hand with a very determained and serious attitude. But from what im reading here it means something zen like.

[DMC]

With "in the zone" I mean a state where your awareness is very broad (you recognise bullets from anywhere, literally speaking) but also very focused on the game. You're absorbed in the game and you don't think about your play, you just do it. There's barely no awareness of the surrounding. For instance, you might be surprised when you look at the clock and see how long time has passed by.

In contrast, probably most of us are otherwise quite constantly aware of distractors (frriends talking, cat craving food, the tune being catchy, the enemy being tricky, reco being pretty, the controls being unsatisfying, inner thoughts etc etc). Or focusing on and analyzing the task in a very conscious manner ("now I have to start from left and tap to the right, and when the counter reaches 500 I switch weapon- and then..." )

This "zone" you're speaking of only happens with shmups you're not too familiar with. (playtime around 100h).

With the (admittedly vague) definition above I can't see any reason why the zone couldn't be achieved with playtime aboe 100h, it's a really strange statement really so I wonder what you really mean with the concept. and it's stated in such a certain, absolute way upon that. I think that with lots of playtime a lot of your behaiors are automatized and not in need of specific focus allowing you to allocate your resources more broadly - increasing the likelihood of entering "the zone".

If you want to get very high scores and you know the game inside out or if you even attempt to break WR scores then this zone doesn't exist at all.

learning the game may not be very efficient if you're in the zone, right. But obiously you're not in the zone all the time. It appears to be a very transient state, in my experience. and, plasmo, how do you know that zones dont exist for WR record holders? you seem to fall on some false dichotomy between zones and learning the game phases.

On-T, considering my recently posted thread. There is a link between alcohol (a sedative) and mind wandering. So I would guess that generally sedatives make you more inclined to drift away in your thoughts. Bad for you! Though it's a good idea it might calm you down as well. Tough call.

[Plasmo]

With "in the zone" I mean a state where your awareness is very broad (you recognise bullets from anywhere, literally speaking) but also very focused on the game. You're absorbed in the game and you don't think about your play, you just do it. There's barely no awareness of the surrounding. For instance, you might be surprised when you look at the clock and see how long time has passed by.

The first half of your quote imo just describes very high concentration, however, if you don't think about your play and just do it, you're most probably going to fail after a short time. At least that is what would happen to me. Always thinking and reflecting your moves while you're playing and being highly aware of everything you do is a very important attitude while playing shmups. IMO

I simply don't believe in this zone. Of course I don't know for sure and that's just my opinion. Sorry if my statement felt more like facts, it definitely isn't.
As I said above, for me, this zone only happens when your skills are already higher than your expectations and you're wondering wtf is going on and why you're suddenly THAT good.

[DMC]

you have a point, its not that easy to distinguish from just plain high concentration. but the latter entails more self-awareness of what you do IMO. I don't think zones generally have that "wow, im good now-thinking". The moment you think that, you probably exit the zone anyway, if you ever where in one. Plasmo, you might just not be a zone-guy I think.

[charlie chong]

mebbes the stronger players don't get it ! if you are a weaker player you will totally notice how much better you are playing than normal
i'm a strong believer of the zone.. somedays you just know it's on from the moment you wake up!
a variety of things that can lead to it for me generally involving some or all of these
feeling real alert
knowledge of the game but not too much (i generally get it when i have been practising the game quite hard all week but still have not learnt/perfected/found a path on the last level.
a smoke (this stops my heart going crazy on the last level when i know i could possibly finish the game)

it really is a spiritual thing for me when it happens. i feel calm, the bullets seem slower (when i'm tired i often feel the bullets seem faster to me) ,i can track all bullets on the screen with ease and see my way through things i would normally not be able to or attacks i haven't seen or practised before .

this is totally different to the "twitch" style zone you can get in where your just surviving by teh skin of your teeth and your hearts pumping etc i do get this more often but it is not very controllable and often leads to deaths when you can't handle the adrenaline anymore.

[Aquas]

I agree with "the zone" being a transient experience. Personally I don't do any better if I'm stoned (most likely the case if anything, (herb)) or buzzed. Improving in a shooting game requires attentiveness to the workings of the game and broad comprehension of what you need to work on. That is to say, for earnest and serious gamers. For me the zone is when I'm feeling alert, well rested, and ready to take on anything. That's my calling sign to play shmups, anyway!

If I'm intoxicated in some way I'll just be playing out of casual leisure, or I'll try my best and come up short, but still have fun. I think the adrenaline high of shooting games is what players should look for, and the confidence to dominate the game from what may have seemed dire in the beginning.

I remember an interview with the Thunderforce guy for TFVI saying that he liked the STGs where you could enjoy the game's easier nature for those who come home from work and enjoy a brew or two. Or maybe for those who just want to blow shit up without worrying too much about getting hit once.

So, I guess have some beers and play Thunderforce? Good tunes, right.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

about the "the zone" i think i understand now, it was kinda what i already imagined it to be just DMC's desribtion defined it abit more for me. For me there are cetainly times when im "in the zone"

usually when doing a task even if you are very serious about it and are concentrating in what you are doing a persons mind is still multitasking inthat you are analyzing in what your doing. Its when your mind is 100% focused on just one thing for a period longer then a few seconds is what the zone is, you will lose track of time and when you do snap out of it is usually like DMC said notice that you are in the zone because when that happens your brain is multitasking again.

I think that there is simler things to the zone aswell. What about when you lose yourself in a book? Ill be reading a book and then totally get into it and i enter an almost simler state as the zone where im almost reading the words automatically but my mind is focusing on picturing the story. And as i just said when i come out of it usually hours of past and it didnt feel like it.