Wow… these are really difficult questions here. I’ll try my best…
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Usually towards the end of the match when players are at low life, they play more cautious, using power moves like Roundhouse or Fierce punch would be harder to land because your opponent will be playing safer. I’m not saying this is a rule to abide by, but power moves are easier to parry and easier to react to as well as harder to hit the other player with because they may be slower, etc. This is more of a discussion of, how to finish off your opponent. How many times have you been in a match where you almost HAD the player, when he was in no life, but you just couldn’t hit him to kill off that last bit of life. I believe strategy completely changes from full life, to mid life to low life to no pixel. You should think about that deeply, and then ask questions that may further your understanding.
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This is a really tough one… Tournament nerves no matter at what level will always exist. I still get nervous when I play. But sometimes, it’s more about my lack of preparation. I’ll feel nervous when I’m playing someone who I think has a shot at beating me. I don’t get nervous when I play someone better than me. That has more to do with self ego than anything else. I want to maintain that I’m better than this person, whereas playing someone who is better, you can go all out because maybe you are meant to lose, playing with house money.
These days however, 3rd Strike has become more of a spiritual experience for me. I’ve become a 3rd Strike monk. I care about becoming a better player for myself, more than showing people what I can do or my skill level. When you stop caring about what other people think, and how they see you as a player, you stop being nervous and you can perform the way you want to perform. This is obviously, a lot easier said than done. I guess I’ve become more comfortable with myself as a player in my role in the 3rd Strike world. You ever watch that movie The Last Samurai with Tom Cruise? He’s practicing the wooden samurai swords and he keeps getting beat, but Katsumoto’s son watches him and knows he is capable of doing much better. He goes to him and he says… “no mind, no mind the people watching, no mind what you’re thinking, just no mind.” I think a lot of times, we care so much to try to impress the people around us, to show our peers, hey I’m good at this game too. You just need to be more calm, don’t think about those things, play your game. Some people suck, some people are good, accept where you are and go from there. How many times have you gotten nervous and played worse cause someone good is watching? Or even someone shitty is watching? Think deeply on that.
3 I’m a fanboy too, but I’m also a constant student of the game.
- Do you feel like… you’ve witness me beat someone so bad it’s like they offended my family and temple? If so… just ask yourself this question. How can you lose… if you know exactly what your opponent is going to do? Not only do you not lose, you know how to counter every move, and create a sick punish. I hate it when people don’t watch matches when it’s not there turn to play. I always watch every match, because I’m observing players. I hate it when people distract and talk about nonsense during the middle of other peoples matches or go smoke cigarettes or ask me nonsense questions. PAY ATTENTION! It is the worst when players who talk the most and think they’re really good do this. They expect top players to watch there matches but when others are playing, they go and do whatever they want. I guarantee you you will learn more from watching a match then going to go play someone on the scrub cabinet. When I was in Japan, the players will sit and just watch for hours and not play, but it seems like the players in America lack the discipline to do that. Maybe sometimes, watching closely will be more beneficial than playing and losing badly, I CANNOT express this enough. If there is someone you want to beat that badly, then study everything they do. Defense, knockdown defense, anti air defense, etc. The best players have multiple ways to defend and attack. The easy players defend and attack the same way against every character the same way against every player the same way.
Kokujin beat me so bad in Japan once, I told myself I’m either never going to play this game again when I go back to the States or I’m going to work so hard that I’ll be the best here.