I’ve been a part of the SF scene for only 2 years, and Marvel even less, but in that time I’ve had these epiphanies; Either I suck at fighting games in general, or I play a vastly different game than what’s on the disk.
I’ll elaborate. Waaaay back in May 2010, I picked up SSF4. I had known about it for the longest time and figured this $40 game would be a great place to finally jump in. Then I learned about EVO after I had been playing off and on for about a year. I dropped the money for a fight stick and practiced for a very solid 10 weeks straight in the lead up to EVO 2011 (I wasn’t expecting to win, but I didn’t wanna lose either). In that 10 weeks I found that I had great difficulty sticking with one, or even two characters, and I also greatly enjoyed forcing opponents out of my space with normals and projectiles. EVO happened, lost my first game, but had fun and watched some seriously great EVO moments be born live, right before my eyes.
Since then, I’ve been trying to level up my game. I’ve watched vids, watched a few streams, digested numerous Tutorial vids on numerous characters, trying to find the one or two I could really stick with, and learning about advanced stuff like frame traps, safe jumps and meaties. So far, it’s only gotten me frustrated, especially in the last couple weeks. I can’t go online because I just get destroyed and get mad, making me not want to play. I know you’re not supposed to get upset when you lose, but I do because I was fairly decent not that long ago! (have a 2000 bp Sagat sitting in Super).
Also, when I watch these top tier fights, or even high level, I go in to training and try to get it down and take it online, only to miss even the most basic and easiest of links (Cody’s c.mp xx CU, for example). I’ve stopped doing combos all together online and just use normals and projectiles exclusively; I don’t attempt combos because I don’t wanna drop them and eat a reversal; It gets really old. But, that only does so much for me. I can’t do blockstrings anymore, I still crumble under intense pressure, and I have no idea how to pressure myself still (despite the well-meaning and highly detailed efforts of Raas).
I just am not ready to admit to myself that I suck. I’ve already invested in two stick and numerous hours of practice, off and online. But… I just feel like I’m playing wrong, or incorrectly, when I use only normals and projectiles to simply zone out my opponent instead of going for mixups and combos. So, AM I doing something wrong? Or am I really just that bad?