Gaming and the Art of War: 10 strategies for domination
- April 16, 2007 17:06 PM PST
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Winning games takes more than practice and skill; it takes an iron fist and a grasp of the Art of War.
An underlying thread in Sirlin's book is that there is no such thing as a "cheap move."
By World of Forms
In his book Playing to Win: Becoming the Champion, David Sirlin applies Sun Tzu's The Art of War, one of the oldest military treatises in the world, to specific tactics that can be used to gain an edge in competitive videogaming. Sirlin's believes that "playing to win" is the most important, and yet the most misunderstood, concept in all of competitive games. He began writing about this concept on his website. With his book Playing to Win, Sirlin has refined his ideas and expanded on everything he's learned. He spoke with GamePro about his strategies, his influences, and his approach to competitive gaming.
An underlying thread in Sirlin's book is that there is no such thing as a "cheap move." Often times when an opponent's move seems unfair, or he exploits an "easy route" to a win, he is actually doing what he should be; exploiting his enemies' weaknesses. "My whole message is only intended for people who would like to become expert competitive gamers," Sirlin tells GamePro. "It's not intended to apply to everyone... there's nothing wrong with playing casually."
The book also includes analyses of top pro gamers. In his research, Sirlin discovered a surprising truth about pro gaming: "The players with the best dexterity are almost never in the top two [winning slots]." If raw dexterity isn't a deciding factor, what is? "One ability is called Yomi -- the ability to read your opponent's mind," Sirlin says. "You really only see it in the best one or two competitors." Even more important, Sirlin says, is the ability to judge the relative value of pieces in a game. "The key is not asking how good something is in a vacuum. You need to be able to know how good something is right now, based on your situation."
The 10 Commandments of Playing to Win
1. Abandon all notions of "cheapness." Aside from hacking, utilize every powerful tool that the game offers.
*Sun Tzu says: If the enemy leaves a door open, you must rush in.
2. Exploit an opponent's inability to adapt. If your opponent has trouble adapting to your tactic, abuse it over and over until he learns better.
*Sun Tzu says: Just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions.
3. Avoid situations that allow an opponent to use their strengths. Use deception constantly: appear to be strong when you are weak, and vice versa.
*Sun Tzu says: It is a military axiom not to advance uphill against the enemy, nor to oppose him when he comes downhill....The clever combatant imposes their will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him.
4. Predict your opponent's actions. If you want to perform a tactic, what will your opponent do to counter it? How will you prepare to counter his counter? This is the secret of "Yomi," practiced by elite competitors.
*Sun Tzu says: To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.
5. Explore unconventional avenues that the opponent may not think of. But also know when to abandon them when they prove weak.
*Sun Tzu says: All warfare is based on deception....Attack them where they are unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
6. Evaluate strengths and weaknesses based on relative power, not just "power on paper." An enemy's tactic may first appear strong, but in fact may be easily defeated by leveraging another tactic.
*Sun Tzu says: The enemy can be forced to an engagement even though he is sheltered behind a high rampart and a deep ditch. All we need do is attack some other place that he will be obliged to relieve.
7. Choose the right environment to compete in. You cannot improve if you do not compete against players who are better than you.
*Sun Tzu: Place your army in deadly peril, and it will survive; plunge it into desperate straits, and it will come off in safety.
8. Recognize limitations and focus on a handful of games to master. You don't have the time to master every game. Find the right handful of games and focus your energy there.
*Sun Tzu says: One will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.... fight not unless the position is critical.
9. Know when to move on. If the game devolves and becomes less fun, challenging, or interesting, drop it and find something better.
*Sun Tzu says: When your weapons are dulled, your ardor damped, your strength exhausted, and your treasure spent, other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your extremity.
10. Follow a path of continuous self-improvement. If you feel your skills stagnate, sit back and evaluate how you can become better. Do you need better opponents? New tactics?
*Sun Tzu says: Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles without cultivating the spirit of enterprise; the result is waste of time.
David Sirlin, a producer and game designer at Backbone Entertainment, is the author of Playing to Win: Becoming the Champion. A fighting game enthusiast, he won a number of tournaments and runs the Evolution Fighting Game Series. He also works on the community gaming site Kongregate. A number of articles explaining methods for becoming a top competitive player are available on his site.
