How to be a Smarter Gamer

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Now a global industry worth over $180 billion, it’s official – gaming is cool. Geek is in and, with gaming companies pouring megabucks into development and innovation over the next few years, gaming is all set to be bigger, better and brighter than ever before.  

Not only is gaming the coolest hobby you could have right now, but there are also all manner of exciting career opportunities opening up within the industry. From development jobs at multi-national studios to pro-gaming opportunities, there really isn’t a better time to take gaming more seriously.  

If you want to take the pastime more seriously, however, you need to go about becoming a smarter gamer. Some people make the mistake of thinking they should play games all the time, but that’s actually a misconception.  

Intrigued? Read on to discover how to be a smarter gamer, whether your passion is shooting down your mates in Call of Duty or taking some high rollers for a ride in the digital casino.  

Yes, Equipment Matters 

With the proliferation of gaming tech and peripherals that are accessible nowadays, there’s simply no excuse to be gaming with inadequate equipment. 

While you don’t need to go out and buy the latest top of the range gaming rig, there are a few essentials that you need to take your screen time to the next level.  

When you’re shopping for new kit, the key thing to bear in mind is latency. You know latency all too well, it’s that time between when you initiate an action in a game and you actually see it taking place. High latency in a game effectively means you don’t stand a chance of winning in the long run, so everything you use needs to contribute to keeping it at an absolute minimum.  

Obviously, your internet connection can have the biggest impact on latency, but there’s an easy fix for that. Rather than going wireless, invest in a good old ethernet cable to use a wired connection.  

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With that sorted, the next thing to fix is the type of screen you’re using to play games. Sure, flatscreen TVs are nice to look at, but when it comes to gaming the amount of lag they produce is quite ridiculous. Keep your TV for what it’s designed for and invest in a low input lag monitor with a refresh rate of at least 240Hz.  

You can also get rid of that fancy Bluetooth mouse and keyboard combo while you’re at it, or just relegate them to office use. For gaming, you really can’t beat a classic wired mouse, keyboard and controller.  

Strategic Tips 

With your equipment sorted and some specific goals to work towards, you can zone in more on how you’re playing and what to do to improve your skillset.  

Let’s take a look at online casino gaming – a hugely popular genre with everyone from hobbyists to seasoned professionals. Roulette is easily one of the top games to play online and, if you’ve already developed some proficiency in the game, it can be tempting to start integrating advanced tactics like the Martingale into your gameplay.  

Smart players, however, know to stick with what they know until they’re consistently bringing in profits. By forcing yourself to master the fundamentals, you’ll have a much stronger base to operate from when you start going in for higher stakes games or branching out into other iGaming verticals like poker.  

As for video gaming, not only should you be playing consistently if you want to someday become an eSports legend, you should be watching gameplay too. Websites like Twitch are an absolute goldmine of resources; no matter what your primary game is there’s a streamer out there uploading hours and hours of recorded gameplay.  

Seek out the players who have already established themselves in the industry and study their every move. You’ll learn a lot from watching players who are more advanced than you and can pick up plenty of insider tips.  

Remember, when it comes to strategy the best ones enable you to work smarter, not harder. 

Goal Setting 

Ask yourself honestly, what are your long-term gaming goals? Are you playing for the social element of gaming? Are you nurturing an ambition to go pro? Or maybe you’ve got it in your head to launch a new career as a streamer.  

Whatever your goals are, write them down. You don’t need to set yourself a highly-detailed action plan if that doesn’t float your boat, but it’s still nice to have something to keep you inspired from time to time.