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Dark Maltos's Dueling Dome
Motivation
April 5, 2006

Greetings one and all. My last article received little response to say the least, and it seems many of you are eager that I get back to deck building, so from now on in addition to my regular articles, I will attempt to produce a new deck each Friday for your viewing pleasure. With that said, lets continue with this article.

People draw inspiration from all walks of life and it is definitely a concept that produces itself every day in a wide variety of situations. This inspiration is often the idea that motivates them to do something, the thing that really gets them going and fired up. Motivation is a key aspect in everything, as without it nothing gets done, and anything that is produced pales in comparison to something produced by a more eager or interested individual. The same can be said for dueling.

A motivated duelist with a strong will, will almost certainly produce the better results in a duel. A duelists motivation determines the outcome of the game before it is played out in many cases. Motivated duelists have the desire to win, and to use their cards both creatively as well as effectively , which always produces a generally more enjoyable duel. Its always better to play an enthusiastic duelist than it is an unenthusiastic duelist.

But from where does this drive to play come from? People draw their motivation from a variety of sources.

Some obtain their motivation from those they respect, players that are already successful and have a talent in the way of Yugioh. Talented players often find that their fortune attracts the attentions of the less talented as they think of them are a role model to aspire to be like. To have an ideal , and to use that for motivation and a goal is a very healthy way excel in anything. Setting yourself targets to meet often improves motivation and focus, which brings me to my next point.

Often, people are not drawn in to the ‘glamour’ that the talented players portray, and instead set themselves goals to be the direct opposite of the players that others so admire, often trying ’more innovative’ ideas instead of ’Copying’. Negative motivation can produce seemingly similar results, and can be in some cases even more effective than the above mentioned positive motivation. Often the downsides are generally more unpleasant though, occasionally individuals who find frustration when they fall into the seemingly endless stream of losses which they themselves have forced themselves into by outright refusing to p lay with cards more widely used. They learn from hard experience what works and what does not and eventually their resolve falters and they do eventually use the cards that they were originally so biased against. These players are not better nor worse than their opposites , they just embarked on a different dueling journey. Still, negative motivation often produces this enormous determination which is a good pro to the cons.

Another form of motivation that Yugioh provides comes hand in hand with the TV series. Above all else, the series has a profound influence on the motivational aspects of the human consciousness, after all, how many of us would have started playing or even known what Yugioh was without it? The Anime has the substantial influence on the way we are motivated whether we admit it or not, we cant hide from the fact that deep down we play to rein act the conditions , emotions and essence that the series portrays. In reality, whenever we feel particularly motivated to duel, it is often the result of watching the charming program, and then trying to rein act the show in the way we ourselves would have liked it to be played out. I for one frequently when I am playing feel that I am continuing my own dueling journey and almost living the fantasy that the Yugioh world paints so spectacularly. When playing I know that I achieve a sense of personal victory and accomplishment whenever I duel, be it win or lose as I get to be just like Yugi, however lame that may sound. Embracing these fantasy characters is the ultimate extreme of example motivation, as you are basing yourself and comparing to a fictional character. You derive motivation from this because you feel that ‘you could do that ‘ and therefore duel to accomplish that goal and desire.

Another form of motivation that I myself have experienced comes from within your own personality. Now im not talking magic and soul decks (again), I am in fact referring to inspiration from your own personal beliefs. Often decks have been created and games played simply because of a particular attraction to a certain card. Frequently decks have been constructed because of an inexplicable desire to use a particular card based on looks alone, e.g. my spell caster deck was created substantially for me to have a valid excuse for running Peten the dark clown, a card I have always been particularly fond of for whatever reason. Inexplicable attachments to certain cards often motivate people to play simply so they can use that card, another example being myself wanting to use Uria the lord of Searing flames simply because of its awesome picture and powerful effect, regardless of the difficulty in using it effectively. I for one always use a deck because I have some attraction in that particular field, for example Kuriboh in my fiend deck. This is good motivation as it truly promotes original play. Who can say really why we find interest in the things we do, but regardless, if you like a particular card for whatever reason, you will find yourself motivated to use it. That’s what the Maltos preference system in my Cotd reviews are all about, my score of a card simply on whether I like it or not.

The final genre of motivation in my experience in power. Power or ability in everything plays a vital role when deciding whether or not something should be used. People are definitely motivated, especially in gaming , to achieve a sense of power and dignity. People are motivated , when receiving a powerful card, to instantly use it to prove to everyone, as well as themselves how well they can wield it and to show their minor dominance over those around them. People searching for power are often the most motivated of all, and quickly they receive it in this game.

Well that’s it for me, hope you enjoyed it. As always, the usual address Toddyhole@aol.com for all your thoughts are replies, and I will reply as soon as possible.

Have a good one guys