How To Learn

Newbie Saikyo Dojo
#1

Hello,

I am having a problem playing online. The problem is, I keep losing. I have read a ton of beginner/newbie material on this webpage and others, I have practiced for hours in training mode, I have watched many high-level match videos and tried analyzing their gameplay and styles, and have a relatively easy time beating the AI on hard.

With this as my starting point, I figured I’d win 10% of my Live matches, at least. However, when I started playing online, I quickly learned the real number is more ~2% (yes, one win for every 50 matches).

The problem is, I can’t utilize most of what I’ve learned. It seems the opponents are always too fast for me to think/combo. They knock me down and stay right on top of me, so I don’t even have time to breathe before the match is over.

What can I do to get better playing online? I know perfect practice makes perfect, but it’s nearly impossible to ‘practice’ when I can hardly hit some of them. :wasted:

Thanks, all.

#2

Learn from your losses.

Try and find a way to record your matches…put it on youtube…and maybe people here can help show you what you are doing wrong, and ultimately stop doing the bad habits.

It also would be beneficial to go to a local gathering/tournament. You can really learn alot about how you play.

If you prefer online…hit up the online forums, whichever system you play on. I’m sure there are threads on there whith other people looking for training sessions.

#3

What game are you playing?

#4

Thanks for pointing me towards the online forums, I’ll definitely check those out. As far as local tournaments, I feel it’d be kind of embarrassing bringing such a weak character to them. Perhaps not. I guess it depends on how friendly the locals are.

I am playing SSF4.

#5

You could stop trying to build this building from the 10th floor down and try building it from the ground up.
If you only win 2% of your matches stop looking at high level vids and practicing combos for a second because your losing to something much more basic than that because at least 80% of the comp online is TERRIBLE.

  • Practice blocking
  • practice using you normals correctly, find out which or normal are good and which do what (check the character forum for your character)
  • Practice execution on your specials if you can’t get them out whenever you want.
  • Stop trying to attack people while they are waking up (due to the skill evel of online competition and your win percentage its obvious your eating alot of wakeup Shoryukens and wake ultras)
  • BLOCK
#6

Figured so.

And GTFO with that embarassing bullshit…no one is going to give you shit for your gameplay, espacially if they see you are willing to learn and get better.

#7

Yeah, check the regional threads and find someone close to you to play with. People will respect your dedication far more than they will judge your skill level.

#8

I think you’re spot on. I was so overwhelmed with the vast amount of information on the website and the ‘how to fight better’ threads, that I almost skipped learning the basics in favor of learning all the new aspects.

I think an inherent flaw with the ‘endless battle’ system on SSF4 is that the winner of the match forever continues on. As such, sometimes there’s 3 beginner players in a room with one advanced player, and I never get to practice my skills with the beginners, because I’m always forced to play the advanced player. Kind of crappy.

#9

You both are right. I need to move past the shame and get right. I’ve just been into other scenes that are quite dismissive of new people.

#10

what character do you use?

and play ranked matches / endless with someone around your skill level

#11

I use Ken.

How do I find somebody with my skill? It seems so random. :frowning:

#12

This seems to be the new trend. Aka “How do i learn to win?”. Instead of trying to win so much you should try and figure out why you lost. Everything is just win win win win win. Learn how to play fighting games. Learn footsies, and spacing, utilize your biggest punishments, etc etc.

The majority isn’t even caring anymore about how they got the win, or what training lead them to start winning. Just as long as you win it’s all good. In that case just continue to play those wayyyyyyy below your skill level then you will win all the time.

#13

Huh? I don’t care that I’m losing. If I lose, I still have a smile on my face. I was just asking fellow players how I can get better (which is what you’re advocating) when the majority of players are so much better than I am.

#14

Most of kens big damage comes from his jab or short which are pretty quick so you need to build it into your head that your go to moves are your combos starting with the short or the jab

Learn his hit-confirm BnBs and any time you get a chance start doing it.

Once you’ve done that you won’t have to think in order to combo for the situaton, it’ll just be automatic.

Takes a lot of time, experience and practice. I recommend 1 person you can play against often so you can figure out how that 1 person plays and change your game accordingly, rather than trying to figure out a new opponent every 2 or 3 rounds you play.

#15

Hold up now.
If you didn’t care that you were losing…you would’nt have made this thread asking for help.

#16

Thanks for the advice. I always mk, so there might be my problem. I’ll try to throw more jabs in the mix. :slight_smile:

Hmm… let me rephrase that. I don’t generally mind losing. If I lost 90% of my matches, I’d be OK with that (for a little while, at least). It’s just when I play 25 matches in a row, and lose every single one, that I become flustered. I just didn’t want to come off as the ‘I played 3 matches, lost, and punched a hole in my cat’s face!’ type of player.

#17

I had this same problem i sucked, then i bought a stick to make my game better not only that i like the stick ofcourse, but i started playing offline first with a friend and i liked the game my friend has some good skills and he learned me alot with playing offline showing me how to execute some combos and moves and seeing him play online also made me better though i still suck and lose alot but i’m improving by the day :wink:

#18

My game was Tekken back in T5, but I can definitely relate here, except that I endured my massive loses in an arcade. What I would point out that has not already been mentioned is:

  1. Time in practice mode is wasted if you have no particular goals to reach. Be it throw breaking, footsies or whatsoever. You can learn throw breaking with the record function in practice mode. Top player footsies take mostly experience, but one can build a strong foundation by understanding the distance of your characters attacks (learn to move back and forth and recognize immediately when an attack can reach). Lastly, aim higher than you think you can do in practice. I was determined and spent 7 to 8 hours in one day learning to throw break in Tekken. It spent me, but I reaped the rewards because I wanted it bad enough to go the distance. Always go beyond practicing something until you know you can do it everytime, because it will fail you when you have to think and then it is too late.

  2. Find one player that will play you for hours and keep playing. Never give up and keep pushing. Even if you get off and have only won one time, celebrate that win. For my first year as a newbie in Tekken I celebrated my one or two wins at the arcade every weekend that kept those few dollars in my pocket to get a bite to eat.

#19

stop trying so hard to learn stuff when your basics are complete crap. play more.

#20

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

SSblanka - I agree with you and now see the error in my training. How does one practice the basics? Actually, what are the basics?