My Dearest & Highly Respected, Erudite Scholars of the Gaming Industry,
This isn't for you pros out there, though I'd love for you to join in and contribute to this hot topic. This is for the inexperienced few who are too timid or naive to attempt a good romping without a partner.
Step 1: Lock your doors & set your phone to vibrate. I've been caught soloing a few too many times by my wife and/or kids in the most embarrassing and awkward positions and moments during a session. I'm sure this has happened to a great deal of you out there in happyland. Just as bad as a physical interruption by a person, is having your ringtone blare out Taylor Swift's Shake It Off during the objective wave, and you totally lose your derection and miss out on extraction! Either way, not only do you essentially have to start over, you're left with soreness and fatigue with nothing to show for it! Tsk tsk. Lock them doors, boys!
Step 2: Set the mood. I like to play with the lights off and with headphones, so I can blast the volume up. There's nothing more immersion-breaking than trying to get drawn into what's on the screen, but you're dancing to the sound of yourself beating your controller. Not cool. This is your opportunity to escape the real world and be one with yourself, to rely on yourself, to not have to depend on others or worry that they are having a good time.
Sometimes, I like to set up a mirror, just to make sure I'm not making any funny faces, because it's easy to lose yourself when you get reallly into it.
Step 3: The grip. It is not your job to strangle the controller. At the same time, you need to be firm, allowing your joystick to know that you are intimately familiar with its movement, its buttons, its sensitivity. It is only when you are relaxed, yet alert and attentive, that you can break the bad habits of jerky movements and premature bullet discharge. We've all missed out on some glorious headshots because of this. Relax and let yourself warm up to your own rhythm (which may be different from day to day).
Some advanced soloers experiment with different grips. Once you've mastered the default one, feel free to experiment, but only once you've mastered the default grip. Some of my friends got into playing with trackballs prematurely, and they can no longer seem to play default anymore and can only extract when playing with their trackballs. This is a door that you can't always return back from.
Step 4: Dehydration. Keep a glass of water (or your favorite beverage) nearby for each session. Some days, you're on point, but some days, you may be taken on a marathon. Either way, don't get frustrated, and protect yourself from excessive loss of fluids. You'll thank me later.
Step 5: Equipment. It's for some people, but not all. My suggestion, use what you are comfortable with, but nothing too powerful. People often regret using equipment that is too powerful their first time. It takes away from the portion of your own personal skill which you need to hone for consistent results. If you are not careful, you will be overly reliant on powerful equipment. This is an opportunity for self exploration and discovery. Why cheat yourself from yourself?
*Note: you can never have too much penetration, but you want to stay away from high damage equipment, if possible.
Step 6: Don't give up. It may get frustrating. Heck, you may not always hit extraction in the beginning. As long as it's not interfering with your personal life, or making you late to work, keep at it until you can extract consistently. It can be the most rewarding feeling ever. You'll love yourself!
Step 7: Stretch afterwards. After some intense sessions, though you will feel exhilarated, don't just nod off to bed right away. Though the characters on the screen have been wildly active, stabbing, spraying, shooting faces, etc, you have been most likely in a fixed, tense position for the duration, especially at the later stages. Your shoulders and legs were probably flexed to the point of cramping, and you might have even popped a vessel in your temple. You need to unwind and take care of your body after each session. Not only will this disentangle those cramped muscles, it will also provide you with more stamina for futures sessions. Take care of your body, and your body will take care of you.
Step 8: Start a thread and post pics of your accomplishments.
You're worth it.
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