How do you guys do it?

Bastard Bill · February 3

Anyone else here pump in hours of practice into fighting games, but still end up playing as mediocre as possible? I just don't know how you guys do it, it's like you have to be born with it or something. When ever I win a match I feel as though it was an undeserved win, because I'm just doing stuff that wouldn't work at all should I have been playing against some one who knew their shit. I'm not asking for tips on how to get better, that ship has long sailed (Besides, the only "Advice" ever given is to purchase an arcade stick). I just want to know, how do you do it? How do you get your mind to remember these long ass combos and be able to input these complex moves fluently and easily like this?

I play on 360 with a regular controller (not a madcatz pad, just a regular xbox360 controller), I once asked asked that guy "Lythero" what he used, and he told me he used a regular 360 controller as well using the analogue stick, just like I do. I guess that's why I pushed on instead of giving up fighting games altogether, because there are other guys out there that play using a regular NON-MODDED controller. I probably sound babby as fuck with all this complaining, but it's frustrating to know that my limit is laughable in the eyes of other players. I'd play some of you guys to show you my skill level, but that wouldn't solve anything.

Rokmode · February 3

steroids

AOS- · February 3

Marvel's easier on stick. This is coming from a wing-controller user.

Fernando · February 3

As someone that wonders the same thing as you, the answer I came up with is that you are only as good as the people around you. The reason top players are top players is because all they do is play other top players. Move to socal and stop by jwongs on a weekly basis and you will get better. I promise.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

Bastard Bill · February 3

AOS-, post: 7966391, member: 18037 wrote:

Marvel's easier on stick. This is coming from a wing-controller user.

How is it easier?

X Fatal Grace X · February 3

AOS-, post: 7966391, member: 18037 wrote:

Marvel's easier on stick. This is coming from a wing-controller user.

I disagree.. Games with button setups like SF - the stick feels better. Regular 360 controller for me when it comes to Marvel games

Also @OP:
I think you might be trying to hard man. I mean, what is it you are trying to get out of the game? Fun and enjoyment? Going pro? Money, prizes and women?! It sounds like you take very little fun or enjoyment out of it.. Just relax and have fun, and learn from your mistakes... Learning from losses and mistakes is sometimes the best way to improve your own game.

kawasakinin · February 3

controller doesn't matter. If you want to be "good" you have to play a lot. I'm talking like 80hours a month and play against someone better then you or at least as good. Watching lots of marvel helps to - to learn match-ups and what characters can do. Playing online and getting destroyed is the fastest way to get better. You wont notice you get better for a long time then one day you will be like wtf I'm good now?

TheTR3NDSETTA · February 3

I have maybe been in training mode for 1-2 hours tops...... and Im a High Lord on XBL and play with a 360 controller too.... Most of the shit I know I learned getting my ass handed to me in Vanilla and the first month after Ultimate came out.... and here I am today with one of the worst characters in the game handing ass beatings to top tier teams.

I would suggest like everyone to hit up training mode but to some players like myself, countless matches with better players than me taught me the ropes of Marvel.

BTW we had some great matches today Lythero....

Bastard Bill · February 3

X Fatal Grace X, post: 7966631, member: 65487 wrote:

I mean, what is it you are trying to get out of the game?

I want to be able to be GOOD, like to be able to pull off combos in the video I posted in the OP, and to actually feel like I deserved to win. I play tons of online matches and get my shit slapped a lot and won't learn why I'm losing right away, but eventually figure it out once I lose enough times (Like Dante players always doing that overhead teleport into helmbreaker to start that generic combo, or nova players always going for overhead attacks to start their combo if you're moving around too much) I'm a very evasive player, and often feel like I don't deserve my wins because I'm doing cheesy fundamental stuff (Super jumping all over the place with Trish setting ground traps and spamming divekicks to go into a simple ass combo). I've tried to learn how to actually play and use the characters through youtube vids, but I just can't seem to actually get any of the combos started in an actual match. I also have a hard time memorizing combos.

pedoviejo · February 3

There is something that most poeple don't talk about when it comes to fighting games.

you always hear go to training, practice.

Ok, but it really accomplishes nothing. You can practice all you want, but at a certain point it becomes useless. What training mode does, and the only thing it does very well, is imprint how you can move with said character, what buttons are neccessary to execute the combo, and specific set ups.

but other than that, it becomes useless because you cannot emulate stress in training mode.

That execution, real execution, shit that actually matters, comes from days of practice against others.

X Fatal Grace X · February 3

Bastard Bill, post: 7966878, member: 84079 wrote:

I want to be able to be GOOD, like to be able to pull off combos in the video I posted in the OP, and to actually feel like I deserved to win. I play tons of online matches and get my shit slapped a lot and won't learn why I'm losing right away, but eventually figure it out once I lose enough times (Like Dante players always doing that overhead teleport into helmbreaker to start that generic combo, or nova players always going for overhead attacks to start their combo if you're moving around too much) I'm a very evasive player, and often feel like I don't deserve my wins because I'm doing cheesy fundamental stuff (Super jumping all over the place with Trish setting ground traps and spamming divekicks to go into a simple ass combo). I've tried to learn how to actually play and use the characters through youtube vids, but I just can't seem to actually get any of the combos started in an actual match. I also have a hard time memorizing combos.

Sounds to me like you want to drive a Porsche but your in a Pinto.

What you have to understand is- the typical person posting a video has good experience with that character/team. Tons of time spent practicing and making it all muscle memory. Do you have the patience/time/will to spend in training mode smacking a dummy of Spencer/Wolverine/Sent, over and over and over? Then take it to moving dummies, over and over and over? Then take it online/local and execute the same said combo against someone trying?

Now, your typical YouTube footage is a different beast. The big names in the community that you hear about all the time, and tourney pros have not just picked this game up, and became masters. They have OMFG experience with a myriad of fighters and know how to break the game down to a science.

You see Dante hitting you with a sword, they see green and red frame data on the screen.
Sometimes you have to be happy with the lot you have man. It takes years of experience, not with just one single game, to get as good as a lot of those folks.

Don't be discouraged though. Accept each victory (cheese or not), learn from each loss, work on your teams movement and tighten up your defense and it will get easier man.
Also dont forget to have fun.. If your not enjoying yourself, your time is probably better spent doing/playing something else.

DevilJin 01 · February 3

Not enough "Duc Do said da combos so easy in marble 3 he don't understand how people drop dem baby ass combos" posts.

NonSexualRice · February 3

AOS-, post: 7966391, member: 18037 wrote:

Marvel's easier on pad This is coming from a wing-controller user.

Mash LLL to victory and you'll be fine

WorstPlayer · February 3

Bastard Bill, post: 7966342, member: 84079 wrote:

Anyone else here pump in hours of practice into fighting games, but still end up playing as mediocre as possible? I just don't know how you guys do it, it's like you have to be born with it or something. When ever I win a match I feel as though it was an undeserved win, because I'm just doing stuff that wouldn't work at all should I have been playing against some one who knew their shit. I'm not asking for tips on how to get better, that ship has long sailed (Besides, the only "Advice" ever given is to purchase an arcade stick). I just want to know, how do you do it? How do you get your mind to remember these long ass combos and be able to input these complex moves fluently and easily like this?

I play on 360 with a regular controller (not a madcatz pad, just a regular xbox360 controller), I once asked asked that guy "Lythero" what he used, and he told me he used a regular 360 controller as well using the analogue stick, just like I do. I guess that's why I pushed on instead of giving up fighting games altogether, because there are other guys out there that play using a regular NON-MODDED controller. I probably sound babby as fuck with all this complaining, but it's frustrating to know that my limit is laughable in the eyes of other players. I'd play some of you guys to show you my skill level, but that wouldn't solve anything.

Seriously practice every conversion you can think of. Some people are naturally born with the ability to see it. Some people become good repetitively playing with other people. Sounds like you're going to have to burn lots of time to get it. Just decide if the time investment is worth it to you. Personally I play just enough to be a pain in the ass to a good player and get bodied by great players.

And I'm cool with that, but then again I'm a grown ass man with a career that takes priority.

charlie88 · February 3

I would say 1 change your team or at least the order.
Be real with yourself. Are the characters you playing fit your playstyle?
Too its fine if you have combos but what about setups and neutral?
Don't go in to training mode just to go in there if you go in there find a purpose.
Take a long ass break from marvel play some other games then come back to marvel. This helps alot of players out.

I am someone who has had character Chrisis since marvel 3 came out. I have yet to find 1 character that I just resonate with so I just do training mode stuff and learn the potentials of characters. Because of it though I can hold my own against anyone. I also have a deeper understanding of the game. And o yea if your an online warrior don't take your losses seriously because the online is ass.

AndWhoCanForgetDearRatboy · February 3

To be honest, I find the long combos boring; both to do and recieve. I'd rather have a back and forth match than "tag, your dead".

<Insert Name Here> · February 3

This might help with memorizing long combos: http://shoryuken.com/2011/11/29/six-psychological-tips-to-help-you-level-up-your-game-faster-part-1/

AndWhoCanForgetDearRatboy, post: 7967293, member: 51268 wrote:

To be honest, I find the long combos boring; both to do and recieve. I'd rather have a back and forth match than "tag, your dead".

You better play another game, then.

M.D. · February 3

Play more casuals so you get accustomed to not dropping combos in a real match. That's where it counts.

TheTR3NDSETTA · February 3

lol @ ppl feeling some kind of way were not telling him to waste hours and hours in training mode and learn "cool" combos.... fuck outta here

you can learn all the cool combos you want but if you get hit by a Hulk's H, Haggars pipe, Sentinel frying pan or any Nemesis normal.... then you'll understand why Marvel is Mahvel

Jakeyjake · February 4

Well, I can't say that I am Great at this same, I can however say that I can play it.

Pretty sure everyone has this question when they start. What I did about it was I played online. I didn't bitch about losses. I didn't rage quit when Haggar broke my skull in with a pipe, I didn't call the game shit when Wesker Steamrolled my entire team, I just played online a lot.
Then at one point, you learn what isn't working and what is working. You learn that pushing buttons fast and knowing the best combos isn't the only concern. You learn on how to get your characters in, when to call assists, and how to convert hits into decent damage.

Then when you get good you erase your record and get a better one huehuehue.

AOS- · February 4

X Fatal Grace X, post: 7966631, member: 65487 wrote:

I disagree.. Games with button setups like SF - the stick feels better. Regular 360 controller for me when it comes to Marvel games

Complete opposite for me. I actually prefer pad for SF and stick for Marvel because of ABCs.

X Fatal Grace X · February 4

AOS-, post: 7968988, member: 18037 wrote:

Complete opposite for me. I actually prefer pad for SF and stick for Marvel because of ABCs.

That's cool man- I play chargers in SF- so stick > pad! To each their own

Lythero · February 4

This topic reminds me of a particular vidja. Specifically at 07:33, haha.

I think it helps if you stick to only a select few characters (I've never really tried more than 4 in Marvel) to make sure you're ready to take advantage of any opportunities your characters stumble across in a match. If you can get to local tournaments or places where there's other great players, this'll be the best way to improve. Sadly, that's not an option for many, including myself since I live in the middle of nowhere in Ireland.

The second best solution I've figured out is to play online matches with as many different players as possible, while practising in training mode between matches (go to training mode and search for ranked/player matches. Depending on your location you may have to look for any rank, any region). If you're trying to learn new combos, do so on a dummy. Then when you get the hang of the combo, set the dummy to a CPU and do your best to make it work on-the-fly in a match. Force yourself to defend better by setting the computer's health to infinite and have your own set to normal. Eventually, you'll have combos for all your characters for all situations (off a throw, from ground and air conversions, etc). Keep doing online battles and pay attention to the tricks high ranked players use. There's usually a way to deal with it. Hopefully someone in your team will have the answer for each problem.

I realise that all of this could just be a repetition that you've heard from other folks, but there's not much else to it other than practise, practise, practise (and perhaps keeping an eye out on experienced players using the same characters you use to make sure ur doin' it rite).

Also GGs Mr. Tr3ndsetta!

Hitzel · February 4

I'm not a great player (or even a good one), but I've found that going into training mode and figuring out that that work for ME instead of what works for OTHERS makes a big difference. Optimized combo #265 is more than likely going to be too overwhelming to learn, but understanding what the goal of the combo is and meeting that goal on my own through training mode and practice is very realistic to learn, and the fact that I came up with it myself makes me remember it.

It's easy to see people pulling off crazy shit and forget how much work it takes to earn it. You need to take it one step at a time. Yeah, your combos will probably be worse than the ones you see online, but at least you'll be able to nail yours consistently and pave yourself a future where you eventually CAN learn to play more excellently with time.

==================================

For example, I recently came up with an easier version of one of Trish's standard Hopscotch > relaunch combos. Instead of trying to land the difficult st.H, I found that a j.M is WAY more easy and consistent. The paths I can go from there aren't that great, but it does set up my Round Harvest/Trip stuff for Rocket Raccoon nicely because of how low to the ground I am when I hit S. My friends at my weekly were saying nice things about it, and I felt a lot more confident while playing because I didn't keep dropping the damn thing like I normally do. I'm still working on getting the real BnB down, but at least for now I have something consistent to fall back on when I'm not willing to risk dropping the real BnB.

The whole point is that teaching yourself things is going to help you a lot at the level that I (and I assume you) are at right now. When we're at higher levels I assume that we'll just know it and be able to execute much better. It'll be a great day lol.

guiarroyos · February 4

I'm a online player as well and despite I have much more losses than wins I don't feel bad or get mad, because it's online and I play characters I like, so I'm putting a lot of training and effort into them. This game requires time to spend: some characters requires more than others, but somehow everyone that plays spent some time in training mode. The bad thing is that time is a thing we don't have anymore nowadays. In 1 month my college vacation is over, meaning I won't be able to train that much anymore. If you really want to be at least decent in this game you should spend the time you're free training and watching the pros playing. If you don't like doing this I suggest you (with all respect) to play other game.
Don't get mad at online. Lag is a recurring problem that makes you drop combos and stuff. Also online teams that look unbeatable (Hulk + Sentinel, Wesker + Strider, Vergil + anything) are all doable when playing offline. You should find people in your place that plays this game so you can feel how this game works with no lag. But playing online helps seeing different strategies and characters used by players helping you improving your matchup experience (probably the most important thing in the fighting games).
I was feeling like you when I started playing this game, I was like: I can't even see what's going on! Now that passed 3 months since I started playing I can even beat some higher ranked people than me.

Diveman · February 4

Play more vs other people, offline if possible. Learn how to handle mental pressure, don't be afraid to lose, don't get discouraged. Try to get a training partner or group as well. Training mode can only take you so far.

D4Gamers · February 5

It took me a year and a half to get where I am today, a lot of practice in training mode, lots of losses online, transitioning betwween controller and stick and then back again. It's a journey, if this is your first fighter, it's going to be rough and you will be in for the long haul. You will blame your losses on your characters and controller or just the derp stuff in this game along the way. Given enough time you will find a team that is perfect for you and your playstyle, when you feel like you have to work too hard with a character in order to get a combo going, that character isn't for you. The characters I use now all feel like they were made for me, the way I move with them feels so natural and in sync with my fingers. Lots of practice and work need to be put in order to get good. Not everyone has this kind of time on their hands, so you need to factor that in to your losses as well. If I had put in 6+ hours a day into this game instead of my 2 hours that I'll play on different days of the week, I would've been winning tournaments 9 months ago.

Chimpan-A · February 6

Bastard Bill, post: 7966878, member: 84079 wrote:

I want to be able to be GOOD, like to be able to pull off combos in the video I posted in the OP, and to actually feel like I deserved to win. I play tons of online matches and get my shit slapped a lot and won't learn why I'm losing right away, but eventually figure it out once I lose enough times (Like Dante players always doing that overhead teleport into helmbreaker to start that generic combo, or nova players always going for overhead attacks to start their combo if you're moving around too much) I'm a very evasive player, and often feel like I don't deserve my wins because I'm doing cheesy fundamental stuff (Super jumping all over the place with Trish setting ground traps and spamming divekicks to go into a simple ass combo). I've tried to learn how to actually play and use the characters through youtube vids, but I just can't seem to actually get any of the combos started in an actual match. I also have a hard time memorizing combos.

What's the rest of your team? Trish is a hard character to use. I mean, she's easy to annoy people with, but you have to get your damage in small bursts, and in a game where so many characters have touch of death combos, if you're not really on your toes with a zoner like her you're asking for trouble. Not saying you should drop her if you like the character, but consider branching out to characters who have easier movement options and deal big damage even with the more basic stuff. Captain America, Wesker and Akuma are the first that come to mind. A "simple combo" with Trish might only net you ~300-400k damage, but a simple Cap combo would be 600-700k.

If you're landing hits but unable to get actual combos going, it's probably because you're not ready for it when it comes up. One reason for that can be your assists. If you're using assists that help you in combos, but aren't that great in the neutral game (like Sentinel rocket punch, Deadpool Katana Rama, etc) then you kind of adopt this mindset that you're just pressing buttons and hoping something good happens. So when you happen to get a hit, you kind of go "Oh shit, I got a hit! What do I do here again?" and drop the combo. Even if you know the combo, it takes you a second to remember it because you're in the mindset of "I'm just doing whatever" and not "I will eventually get a hit."

If you choose powerful neutral assists (Like Sentinel Drones, Dr. Doom Hidden Missiles), you'll be able to be the aggressor more often. Even if you don't actually open the opponent up, you'll be making them block more and at least trying to get a mix-up going. The more often you're in that spot, the more chances you will get to do your combos and that in itself will make you more consistent at pulling them off over time (given that you practice them in training mode). Make your point character a heavy hitter, and combined with powerful assists, suddenly your "cheesy" combos are actually good, consistent damage.

EDIT: For what it's worth, I play on a standard PS3 pad. I've always found the standard Xbox controllers to be really hard to use, because I only use the d-pad, and the back triggers are even squishier than PS3 . My etokki PS2 to 360 converter works pretty well and only ran around $20. And the Afterglow controllers are not bad at all for around $30.

ifbpwnstar · February 19

Any peripheral is fine, but you have to put in drills on the weaknesses of each. Pad players can do fine competitive play, but there's a reason stick is standard for 2D fighters. Hitboxs are also gaining popularity and I argue them as the superior choice in controller. As for training, once you practice doing the combo, put the AI on and try to convert into the combo. Half the issue is learning how to start the combo without your standard c.L starter. Also DO NOT worry about online. Online drops inputs, has lag, etc... UMvC3 is terrible online and you should not feel bad losing in it. I lose to trash players all the time and I can't do my day 1 combos to save my life online. Offline I can do 900+k doom combos and etc... Lastly don't learn everything at once, when learning Doom I was very frustrated. I had to learn each part of his combos in sections and just use day 1 versions until I was comfortable, then I would add the next part. So work in installments, don't try to do Magneto swag combos from the start.

How do you guys do it?

Comments