Anyone else can't handle playing Aoe3?

[Astaroth]

I never really introduced myself on these forums, but have been posting pretty frequently these last few weeks, mostly due to Corona free time.

I also don't want to write a huge essay about myself or anything, so I'll try to keep it short.

I used to play Aoe3 when it came out until about 2008 (at a decent level using a completely different name) when I stopped. I partly did so due to school, but mostly because I can't really handle the game. It affects me and my mental state too much. I think about it too often, get distracted from other things, dream about it. It also stresses me to play the game, gives me adrenaline rushes when I win and makes me feel quite bad when I lose.

I'm writing this in present tense, because over the last year I tried getting back into it, although I have much less time nowadays due to having a proper job. However, I have the same problem as before. I can't just play the game and enjoy it, I tend to obsess about it too much.

That's why I have again stopped playing and stick to obly watching twitch streams nowadays.

Does anyone else have this problem? I have played many games - total war series, RPGs etc - and I have never had this problem to such a degree. Usually I enjoy the game, focus on it for a while, then get bored and stop. With aoe3 however, I feel like I have to go cold turkey.

[I_HaRRiiSoN_I]

its just because you are playing another real life opponent where you likely feel you need to be continuously playing at a 80%-100% effort to compete if your opponent is at the same skill level as you. I am a bit more engaged with the community in recent times but before I certainly would play AoE3 for about 2 weeks before taking a month break and that cycle continued to repeat. I have always enjoyed watching competitive Aoe3 since 2015 more than trying to get good at the game

[evilcheadar]

I can’t handle it anymore. Too many patches, cheats, good players.

[Horsemen]

this is why i only play easy ai

[Dolan]

Play more teams, maybe you like it more than 1v1s. 1v1 can be more taxing because you have to constantly anticipate what the enemy does and prepare in advance, scout, etc. And if you make a single mistake, there's less potential to come back than in teams.

[Amsel_]

I just play occasionally. I think the frequent extended breaks are because: (1) it can be extremely taxing to go full tryhard over a game and lose; (2) my gameplay depends a lot on my mood, so my skill can vary immensely from like 14 to 29 PR; (3) it's kind of sad to put a bunch of time into building your colony and then having it all disappear. I still have memories of games from like five years ago.

[Goodspeed]

(2) my gameplay depends a lot on my mood, so my skill can vary immensely from like 14 to 29 PR;

Is "my mood" code for high doses of mind-altering drugs? Because that's an insane range.

[evilcheadar]

Load a fat one if you need focus

[Amsel_]

(2) my gameplay depends a lot on my mood, so my skill can vary immensely from like 14 to 29 PR;

Is "my mood" code for high doses of mind-altering drugs? Because that's an insane range.

It's not drugs. Some days I'm bouncing off the walls with energy, some days I'm slow, my body fatigued, rather bored and irritated. If I'm not in the zone, I do stupid shit like not put my warrior priest on the firepit or not notice the hussars slaughtering my villagers.

[UpMySleeves]

These days I'm just on auto-pilot and react to teammates flares. In 1v1 I almost always do troll stuff, unless the opponent talked smack. I just naturally stop playing for however long, and start playing when I feel like it.
I still jizz my pants over a good heavy-cannon shot or something similar, but I can't take it serious anymore.

[Goodspeed]

(2) my gameplay depends a lot on my mood, so my skill can vary immensely from like 14 to 29 PR;

Is "my mood" code for high doses of mind-altering drugs? Because that's an insane range.

It's not drugs. Some days I'm bouncing off the walls with energy, some days I'm slow, my body fatigued, rather bored and irritated. If I'm not in the zone, I do stupid shit like not put my warrior priest on the firepit or not notice the hussars slaughtering my villagers.

I mean, sure, but I guarantee your actual range is not 14 to 29