I can gauge my skill level and in-game performance (including history and trending) at least somewhat (if not all?) based on skill rating (SR).
I can play competitively with like-minded teammates (usually), often in voice comms which I prefer, in an elongated, competitive-mode format (as opposed to quick play).
Like arcade, Lucioball, or archives missions, it’s a fun and different way to play the game.
But when I play Comp, I don’t want to…
elevate my heart rate and general anxiety.
quit playing for fun and base enjoyment of the game solely on winning alone.
rage in voice comms either for a legitimate reason (they were in the wrong) or an illegitimate reason (I was in the wrong) resulting in a lowered endorsement level.
I just want to have fun and play Comp at the same time. (I’ve seen Twitch streamers do it so I know it’s possible.)
My experience with comp is to play whatever you want to play.
People going to rage no matter what you do.
Comp is a joke and since accounts are free its even more of a joke. Get stomped or do the stomping in 95% of my matches. I mean hell I was able to go AFK during a match and still win. Its like as if the other team was bronze and did not know how to press W, yet I am in Diamond.
everyone playing comp is taking it seriously ( i hope ) but you can have fun at the same time, more than can, you need to have fun while taking it seriously. its a game, its a ridiculous broken game and if youre not having fun in a game its time to take a break
find what YOU want out of the game, personally i want to pop off and push my hero to the edge of what i’m capable of. so im having fun every match unless the enemy is running cass torb cheese. you said you like playing with like minded teammates, maybe the next move is to get a team together
What im about to say is a direct response to your post and also a different view at the same time.
You should be able to play any hero in the roster (within reason; as in Role Queue or Open Queue) and be successful (hence the fun factor).
However, the way the game is designed, Overwatch is a game of counters. Every character has a counter character that diminishes the effectiveness of that character in either a small or significant way. The problem with this style of game play, is it pigeon holes players of similar skill level into certain characters in order to achieve victory.
This does NOT include players of HIGHER skill rating than other players because they have better overall skill and can out play another player simply because of the skill difference.
The above play style (game of counters) does tend to remove or diminish the fun factor because of the need of said counter play. Which, to me, negates the very idea of a game.
The flip side of this, being that a player can stick to quick play where the overall purpose of quick play is to test new things and just play the game to have fun. The problem is, that players want to have fun AND rank up. But because of the rock, paper, scissors game play natre of competitive–its generally not always possible because of the required counter play of each character versus another.
For me, it was all about my mindset. Its stupid frustrating when you get bad teammates, or the game is going poorly, or any numerous things that can be frustrating about Overwatch, but at the end of the day once I get good enough at the game I can make enough of an impact to negate most of that and Climb higher and higher. Shifting the focus from the external factors that I had no control over to myself and what I could do to improve made all the difference in my enjoyment levels.
top500 is a little VIP bubble of content creators that’s gate-kept by the rigged matchmaking purposely by blizz that’s keeping better players out , and their free-advertising money makers up top . The only other reason you don’t see toxicity or virtually anything that happens in lower ranks is because they’re all on stream being recorded
While the ranking system is so skewed and the matching is pretty bad, why would you take it super seriously? Do I want to win, absolutely. Am I going to start screaming down the mic and calling people names, absolutely not.
Accept that about a 30% of comp games will be unwinnable, so dont be surprised when some games are like this, its just comp tax.
Have some strategies in your game play. e.g. Know some basic team compositions to help you pick your hero based on what others have selected in your team, such as dive, brawl, poke etc.
Pick one thing a day or week to work on that you need to improve at and focus your games around that skill until you’ve improved it.
You may lose a little more than usual doing this at first, but in the longer run it pays off and you will climb higher as you improve your weaknesses.
Play enough to be relaxed in this game mode, it is just a temporary game when all is said and done.
Teach yourself to never rage in voice comms by realizing, It NEVER helps people to play better, whereas praise does.
Finally, Congratulations! on wanting to improve yourself, your interactions with others and for being brave enough to put yourself out there and ask for advice knowing that some will criticize (See what I did there ) Good luck!
I don’t take Comp seriously. At least at first. Then I start playing, maybe get a pick and some momentum. Gradually, slowly, I start taking the game a little more seriously as I try harder and harder to win. And the next thing I know, I’m cursing and swearing in comms.
I would say get better but that attitude may be my problem now.
Go on…
I should mention that I have no main and change heroes frequently so that isn’t much of an issue for me. Except that one time I had to switch to Cassidy to kill a Pharah but because my aim is bad, I just got trashed in voice comms for being bad dps and blamed for the loss.
I remember laughing even when dying when I first start to play the game but that fun factor always fades in time.
For me, a lot of it comes down to just focussing on doing your best and not worrying about the little things.
Like sure, at the end of the game sometimes i think “mans needs to stop doing X or Y” but after the game its out of sight out of mind.
elevate my heart rate and general anxiety.
This will happen at moments of high intensity. I did some googling and professionals can reach heart rates of up to 180 playing this game! Mind you this isnt often, as its during moments of very high intensity and high stakes.
So, i think its ultimately an exercise in mindfulness. Notice when youre getting high anxiety levels, and either use methods (breathing exercises for example) to calm down, or take a break.
quit playing for fun and base enjoyment of the game solely on winning alone.
Im personally of the opinion of:if youre not having fun maybe its time to take a break. But, on the same token, fun is subjective! Some people have fun in competition. Some people have fun simply by improving. Some people enjoy comp just because its “more serious” quick play.
rage in voice comms either for a legitimate reason (they were in the wrong) or an illegitimate reason (I was in the wrong) resulting in a lowered endorsement level.
Self control. I dont mean to sound harsh but theres no reason to rage in voice comms because ultimately all it does is lower your mental, as well as the mental of the rest of the team.
If you need to rage, i suggest just doing it with mic/chat off.
(See what I did there 
) Good luck!
I would say get better but that attitude may be my problem now.
