How to start playing this game (or any fighting game)?

Onerblack · January 12

Hi everyone!

So, I bought a PS3 last week just to play Super Street Fighter IV: AE (okay, not just to play this game, but it was on my top list of games to instabuy). But the thing is: I really suck in this game. I never really played a fighting game before, just some random situations, like at a friend's house, and we played just smashing the buttoms doing random stuff.

But I really like this game and want to go high level. So my question is, how can I start to pratice and learn stuff? ( considering that my ability level is 0 )

- I play with a regular ps3 controller, but I do want to go arcade stick mode next month.

User_ · January 12

Speaking as fellow fighting game noob, I found that watching and asking questions both really help. I've basically been no-lifing watching every tourney for SF 4, (EVO, etc.) and while I don't completely understand all of the high-level meta stuff, it certainly helped me a bunch.

http://www.youtube.com/user/0ShinAkuma0

This guy has literally 1000's of replays on his channel, so look up your fav char and watch em.

Just watch, watch, watch, find replays of a character you think you might like, etc. Also, if you ever fight a high-pp player, after the match ask him if he'll play endless mode with you, and while you're playing ask questions etc. I found this guy and played like an hour and a half, and while we kept fighting he learned my flaws and explained them to me.

There's also a thread here where you can submit gameplay to be critiqued, but as you're on a PS3 idk if you have any way to record + upload your matches.

Trouble Brewing · January 13

Did you check the sticky threads? There is a video guide on SF4 for total newbies.

http://shoryuken.com/forum/index.php?threads/basic-video-tutorial-guide-for-total-beginners-for-ssf4.103038/

Onerblack · January 13

Thank you for your help guys. So the thing is: just play the game and watch videos?

Arcade mode / Trials are a good way to go? Because I can't play medium mode without using tons of continues.

SNAAAAKE · January 13

time.

"playing" the cpu does nothing for you. playing online probably doesn't either. so with your free time you wanna work on execution and reaction time. have the cpu jump at you n shii then make sure you can punish things. thats what I was doing when I was learning cvs2. I made sure people dont get away with shit >:(

rest is just playing real life good players at tournaments. you'd lose most of the time but over time everyone gets better. especially in dumb games like sf4. its convenient these days.

hellbox9 · January 14

Yo, welcome to the most fun you can have in competitive video games. I wrote up an intro for some new players, you might wanna check it out, i think it has some good tips and a logical progression of how to learn and get better. Lots of links to vids, check it out, hope it helps!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gBwRN5iD8eZgujJ1nr99DYto4IPfldisfgVGN3fkksc/edit

Some other random thoughts (I wrote that two years ago and probably have some updates to do)

- don't get frustrated, you mentioned you want to play at a high level and you'll be playing against folks who have been playing for 20 years, and have natural fighting game instincts that take years to develop. take every loss as a learning experience (figure out what you did to lose, or what they did to win), and figure out how to adjust your game plan! Let the desire to win drive you to practice and learn, it'll take patience and humility to actually get better.

- learn the game mechanics. you won't win if you don't know how its played!

- figure out a character you want to learn. Ryu has all the fundamental tools you need, but feel free to experiment till you find someone that you think is fun to play, and then take that character as deep as you can.

- you can't fake execution, make sure you are spending some time as a beginner on raw execution (pulling off moves) so you can uppercut that jump in ftw! you spend 10 minutes before you play and 10 minutes after you play just learning how to do your specials and ultras (from both sides of course) and you'll jump in fast.

- if you get a stick its like learning all over again, but the payoff is huge with increased precision and accuracy, and nothing is cooler than playing SF on a stick!

- don't focus on doing desk-level combos. if you learn a basic high damage punish for huge wiffs, and a hit confirm to safely get some damage, and focus on consistently landing them (as well as understanding WHEN to use those combos) you'll be ahead of the curve.

- finally a great gameplan for a beginner: use safe normals at good ranges, anti-air all jump ins, and punish unsafe moves, and you'd be surprised at how quickly you start winning (thats called good fundamentals)!

Good luck and have fun! If your humble and teachable, we're happy to help you improve!

Paceyz · January 14

When I picked up the game I watched these tutorials:

Spoiler:

They'll improve your understanding of how the game is played and help you focus on what to learn.

AsaCarter · January 15

Honestly, you only truly need 3 things mindset wise to become a high level player or decent fighter

Experience - learn from your mistakes, learn what works, learn what doesn't, learn combos, learn footsies, all this comes with experience
Patience - becoming "good" or "high level" doesn't happen over night, it takes time and years even. It just takes alot of time and patience.
Tenaciousness - Don't get discourage after a loss or butt woopin, just look into and watch the replay and think of what you could do better and learn what didn't work for you and stick to it and keep on trucking.

I wish you the best of luck.

Darksydefluffy · January 15

Onerblack, post: 7891518, member: 83172 wrote:

Hi everyone!

So, I bought a PS3 last week just to play Super Street Fighter IV: AE (okay, not just to play this game, but it was on my top list of games to instabuy). But the thing is: I really suck in this game. I never really played a fighting game before, just some random situations, like at a friend's house, and we played just smashing the buttoms doing random stuff.

But I really like this game and want to go high level. So my question is, how can I start to pratice and learn stuff? ( considering that my ability level is 0 )

- I play with a regular ps3 controller, but I do want to go arcade stick mode next month.

I hate questions like this. All you need to do is play. You're not going to get better if you don't play.

doubleoh · January 15

My #1 tip: the matches that you lose are the most important matches of all.

deteknician · January 15

Word, just play. It doesn't matter if it's training mode, arcade, tournament, sessions, internet, whatever. Just play games. Don't make topics, don't ask questions about option selects and frame traps. For now just play the game, see what each character can do, what kind of normal moves they have and special moves they have. At beginner level you probably can't even throw fireballs consistently and with confidence, so you shouldn't worry about anything remotely advanced. Get comfortable just moving around with your character and practice their special moves enough until you feel you can do them anytime you want. Play around with their normal moves, check which ones are faster, what the ranges are, if they have any special properties. Forget about being good, crazy combos/mixups, forget about making a name for yourself, and all that FGC bs.

blufang · January 16

I picked up this game after thanksgiving, and had no prior experience with SFIV. I just went online right away, used different characters (you can look up their specials) and just got a feel for them before settling on one character to learn. Then I looked up stuff for that character and tried to implement it in matches.

Here is what I suggest.

1. Find a main character. Do this by playing around with them in trials, arcade mode, or online....take your pick. Don't look up anything at this point, just find a character you enjoy.

2. Once you are sure about the character you want to learn, then look up all his/her combos/strategies and slowly try to work them in bit by bit. Try to implement these in matches offline or online.

3. You are on your way!

Advice don't worry bout losing it is just a game, and you will lose a lot when you start......but that will change as you get better.

Onerblack · January 16

Thank you all for the tips and useful videos/tutorials. I am playing a lot and will watch every video that it's in here to have a better understanding of the game.

Darksydefluffy, post: 7900957, member: 69244 wrote:

I hate questions like this. All you need to do is play. You're not going to get better if you don't play.

I disagree with you. I do play lots of video games, and with some of them you just can't play tons of time without material (tutorials, videos, tips, etc). Because if you do, you will create bad habits that are hard to take it off.

Thank you all again.

rubixgroove · January 19

I say just jump in, play, hook-up with your local players (if you can), hook-up with smarter and less laggy online opponents if need be. DO NOT RAGE. Take time and ponder your wins AND loses (for different reasons, obviously).

I'm not god-tier or anything but I'm always willing to help people get into fighting games. If you would want to play for a few hours some time, please add me on PSN (rubixgroove). Ask me anything about any character(s), why shit worked, why shit didn't, etc.

Holler!

SisqoDisqo · January 19

The Martian, post: 7914074, member: 80076 wrote:

One time one of my followers on Tumblr told me that when it gets hot their ballsack sticks to the side of their leg.

And I'm just like

rubixgroove · January 19

I'm hoping that was on accident hahaha

The Martian · January 19

Onerblack, post: 7891518, member: 83172 wrote:

Hi everyone!

So, I bought a PS3 last week just to play Super Street Fighter IV: AE (okay, not just to play this game, but it was on my top list of games to instabuy). But the thing is: I really suck in this game. I never really played a fighting game before, just some random situations, like at a friend's house, and we played just smashing the buttoms doing random stuff.

But I really like this game and want to go high level. So my question is, how can I start to pratice and learn stuff? ( considering that my ability level is 0 )

- I play with a regular ps3 controller, but I do want to go arcade stick mode next month.

Pick a character that you know you're going to want to stick with. Then head to the training room and practice until you're blue in the face. Learn your character's combos, practice your execution, and get a good footsies game.

If you want someone to play with, feel free to add me anytime. My tag is "Onslaught_EXE".

rubixgroove · January 19

Nice! It's been a while since we last played, Mr. EXE.
You're on mi fwends list.

The Martian · January 19

rubixgroove, post: 7914839, member: 50875 wrote:

Nice! It's been a while since we last played, Mr. EXE.
You're on mi fwends list.

Oh yeahhh. We need to do a few matches sometime, good sir.

rubixgroove · January 19

Agreed! Maybe we could start a lobby some time soon and Onerblack could join up.

How to start playing this game (or any fighting game)?

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