of course, this hypothesis can be bullshit )
i havent a big experience and dont know)

yes, i also agree that skill depends partly on talent in fps.
for example a guy called flawless (he was a really good cs-player and he got offers to play in pro-clans like mtw(dunno if someone knows them)).
on the first day he played e+, he played against me i could beat him 12:6 and 12:7 (really good for the first day).. after 11 days of playing e+ he was already better than me.. and he told me that he already won against some members of ko..

i think the skill also depends on the age..
many very good players are young like marcus, flawless and atwa(from these i know that they are young).
it seems that you can develope faster in this age.

another part of the skill depends of course on the config..
i played suprisingly better after i used a cg_fov of 115.

and i think one of the most important facts is the mood of a player.
if i'm in a good mood i feel like i can beat everyone...
but sometimes i even lose against noobs.. then i get angry and play even worse..

the best ways to improve for me is to watch better players and to play much.
if you see better players playing you can see how good you can become.
sometimes when i watched better players even my aim became better without playing..
i think everyone can become endless better but sometime you get to a point were you develope slower.

omg such a long reply.. i have no life.

I like these points - they are a little deeper than the obvious of practice makes perfect.

Age has an effect but it is player-depedent.

The config file is essential. A good one will change the game a LOT. It can speed up aspectrs of the game. It would be better for all if there was a good modified config file available to all. I get the impression that this is a kind of magic ingredient to their skill to many and so will not reveal their spells

How you set up your mouse and keyboard are important too. You need to feel comfotable. Try various combinations and then choose the best for you. Because of practice, changing it causes a new learning period. You need to be very fluent in their use.

Watching good players is an excellent way to get a handle on how to play effectively. Some are very skillful indeed - the result of practice and more practice. I played UT2004 for ages and never practised, but playing. E+ is not like that. Since the better players do practise, you have to too. It is a bit like playing a musical instrument and all those scales.

The psychology of play is maybe the most important part - as in any competitive sport. Your personality and mood are basic to success. Tiredness, depression, booze, drugs, etc., all affect your play. Sonetimes it is best not to play until you are in the right mood.

The aim is fun but you must WANT to win and aim to do so since that makes for a better game for all. That said, you can have great fun and lose. Some of the best games I have ever played I have lost. Oh, and don't resort to cheating to 'win' - you don't win, you only admit to yourself and the world that you lack the ova/balls to be a wo/man.

Very true about the drugs. Once I have had a beer, I get very slow in my reactions and movement. One bottle and you can forget playing well for the rest of the evening.

wrote:

even now i play best not when i think, but when i feel the game.

I can confirm that. Some of my best games I've played while talking on the phone and not paying any attention to the game. You just let your instincts do what they always do. It's fascinating.