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2025-03-25 10:29:02
5 votes, rating 6
5 votes, rating 6
The issue with dice… and how we perceive them
During the BBT13 run I learned a lot. A lot about Blood Bowl, a lot more about playing Elfs, but also a lot more about myself (playing BB).
I am not going to cover the first two topics here, but I want to publish some thoughts and a request for help on the later.
I know that dice happen, I know you should always prepare for the failure state and do the no dice actions first… But I also know that in a game I get agitated when I have the feeling dice are very unfavorable. Which sometimes leads to stupid actions and – I need to admit – some stupid whining. I am sorry for the second and I want to stop both!
Sp00keh’s forum posting on fixing tilt is a very solid starting point and I read it more than once. So, I would say it is not a matter of knowledge, it is a matter of ‘in game application’.
WaffleIron stated it in a very good way once: ‘Some of my wins come from my attitude as much as skill. I rarely write off a game as a loss after a bad half. I’ll always try to create opportunities for a sack, or even a score. Even if it means making some miracle rolls… The real skill comes from knowing when it’s time to play safe and when it’s time to chuck dice.’
And for me – related to tilt – I would add: Develop an understanding of realistic expectations, which include an average but also at least a standard deviation from that average, to fight getting tilted and stay focused during the match… and not annoy my opponents with whining.
That on the psychological aspect plus work on my coaching skills. Because with some distance, dice sometimes does not look that unbalanced anymore and you can find better options to play in most cases.
I would love to hear your experiences and advice on this aspect of our beloved game.
Cheers,
Chris
I am not going to cover the first two topics here, but I want to publish some thoughts and a request for help on the later.
Sp00keh’s forum posting on fixing tilt is a very solid starting point and I read it more than once. So, I would say it is not a matter of knowledge, it is a matter of ‘in game application’.
WaffleIron stated it in a very good way once: ‘Some of my wins come from my attitude as much as skill. I rarely write off a game as a loss after a bad half. I’ll always try to create opportunities for a sack, or even a score. Even if it means making some miracle rolls… The real skill comes from knowing when it’s time to play safe and when it’s time to chuck dice.’
That on the psychological aspect plus work on my coaching skills. Because with some distance, dice sometimes does not look that unbalanced anymore and you can find better options to play in most cases.
I would love to hear your experiences and advice on this aspect of our beloved game.
Cheers,
Chris
Comments
Posted by koadah on 2025-03-25 11:18:52
Ask yourself, why is a blood bowl match so important that you'd be upset at not winning it?
Don't bet your first born child on the outcome. Or even your house or your car.
Then hopefully, you can play for the fun of the game.
Defeat is a learning opportunity. :D
Don't bet your first born child on the outcome. Or even your house or your car.
Then hopefully, you can play for the fun of the game.
Defeat is a learning opportunity. :D
Posted by CrisisChris on 2025-03-25 11:34:36
So you mean reminding yourself during the game that the outcome is nothing that will have an impact on real life and thus you should bother less? I buy that.
I guess for me it is a combination of two aspects if I am very honest to myself - which is not the easiest task sometimes:
I guess I would not get involved that much if I was really sure about my play. Beeing confident that I chose the right moves and did them in the right order would most probably be a good calming cushion. That plus 'perceived' unbalanced dice that lead to unfavorable situations.
So, my hope is that experience will also help, because I am more certain of my choice plus I may also be more able to handle unfavorable situations. But I want to work on the mental part as well. So thanks for the advice!
I guess for me it is a combination of two aspects if I am very honest to myself - which is not the easiest task sometimes:
I guess I would not get involved that much if I was really sure about my play. Beeing confident that I chose the right moves and did them in the right order would most probably be a good calming cushion. That plus 'perceived' unbalanced dice that lead to unfavorable situations.
So, my hope is that experience will also help, because I am more certain of my choice plus I may also be more able to handle unfavorable situations. But I want to work on the mental part as well. So thanks for the advice!
Posted by vharter1976 on 2025-03-25 21:57:11
thats easliy said if your not a very competive person. most of the other games i play with freinds and we get very cutthrout when things go upside down, maybe its because most of my freind group played very compative sports. i know that sounds like bitching but i feel like its a very good opion.
Posted by koadah on 2025-03-25 22:41:43
Will your friends ridicule you if you lose?
What do you mean by "cutthroat"?
I've been very competitive in the past. But that was because being competitive was fun.
Now, just having fun is fun.
Though, I may become (more) competitive again, right now, I don't have the time, energy or inclination to become very good.
Even if I did become very good. I don't expect being very good at blood bowl will earn me a million pounds.
It is well over 50 years since I last cried after losing a game.
If being competitive isn't fun, why do it?
Why care?
What do you mean by "cutthroat"?
I've been very competitive in the past. But that was because being competitive was fun.
Now, just having fun is fun.
Though, I may become (more) competitive again, right now, I don't have the time, energy or inclination to become very good.
Even if I did become very good. I don't expect being very good at blood bowl will earn me a million pounds.
It is well over 50 years since I last cried after losing a game.
If being competitive isn't fun, why do it?
Why care?
Posted by koadah on 2025-03-25 22:48:16
From the point of view of a fun/fluff baller, you always win.
If you win the game, you win.
If you progress your team you win.
If your team is destroyed, you progress the team's story but the team always lives on if you wish. So, you win.
Though, I won't play [C] because the team is destroyed after 15 games without anything really added to the story.
If you win the game, you win.
If you progress your team you win.
If your team is destroyed, you progress the team's story but the team always lives on if you wish. So, you win.
Though, I won't play [C] because the team is destroyed after 15 games without anything really added to the story.
Posted by MattDakka on 2025-03-25 23:32:54
Well, technically the team is not destroyed after 15 games, but it gets trimmed, so I understand what you mean.
I used fluffy names for my players, I stopped doing that because they are throwaway now.
About being very good at something to earn money: money is important, but the value you give to your passions can't be measured with money.
You can do lots of things just for the sake of doing them, without any economical gain.
You can be very good at Blood Bowl (or whatever hobby, sport, activity, etc.) just for the emotive reward it gives to you.
I used fluffy names for my players, I stopped doing that because they are throwaway now.
About being very good at something to earn money: money is important, but the value you give to your passions can't be measured with money.
You can do lots of things just for the sake of doing them, without any economical gain.
You can be very good at Blood Bowl (or whatever hobby, sport, activity, etc.) just for the emotive reward it gives to you.
Posted by koadah on 2025-03-25 23:50:18
Ah, yes. If being competitive is fun. If you enjoy it enough to put that much effort into it.
But if losing/bad dice is going to upset you then I wouldn't consider that fun.
But if losing/bad dice is going to upset you then I wouldn't consider that fun.
Posted by MattDakka on 2025-03-28 10:39:04
A Spence's quote (the coach formerly known as Dionysian):
"Look for whatever chance you can see. Make that the aim. If you can find a 10% play that creates a big swing you'll be happy regardless of outcome. Make your aim finding the best plays rather than the result and things going bad will never worry you."
"Look for whatever chance you can see. Make that the aim. If you can find a 10% play that creates a big swing you'll be happy regardless of outcome. Make your aim finding the best plays rather than the result and things going bad will never worry you."
Posted by koadah on 2025-03-28 11:56:19
Spence is a poker player. :)
Posted by CrisisChris on 2025-03-30 16:47:53
I new the quote and I really hope I reach that level some day. In my oppinion it perfectly fits into WaffelIron's 'The real skill comes from knowing when it’s time to play safe and when it’s time to chuck dice.’ perspective.