So even though I am in my late thirties I have decided to give a try to fighting games. My first and last experience was owning SF II for the SNES, but I never actually learnt how to play it properly.
Because until now my only platform was my decent laptop I had little choice of games to play so I started with SSFIV AE a couple of weeks ago now turned into Ultra.
I have very little time to train but last week I managed to start executing cancels consistently in training mode! I am beginning to discover the joy of fighting games. Although I must say I find the game a bit overwhelming. I still have not managed to execute a super or an ultra during combat, I still don’t quite understand the focus attacks, etc.
A workmate has offered me a PS3 and now I have a bit more e of choice. I could actually play Super turbo remix, which is the game recommended and used by Patrick Miller in his fantastic begginer manual which I would like to follow.
So should I leave Ultra SF4 to rest for a few month, learn the basics with super turbo remix and then move back to Ultra SF IV?
Other option jut keep playing ultra and hope that all those elements will fit into place eventually.
Go with USFIV
The game is a bit more catered for beginners due to a few mechanics and the input leniency, however you can most definately learn the basics and fundamentals perfectly fine in USFIV.
You are doing yourself a disservice by playing a game that very few people actually still actively play unless you know an active scene in your neighborhood, and even then it isn’t really relevant anymore.
*i’ll get burned for my last line
Or you could just go on ggpo and train with a friend.It would help build game confidence. Play hyper fighting or super turbo. It all depends on your style of play also. Good luck
If your goal is to be good at USF4, then play USF4. I’m a huge fan of ST and will always support people to play the game, especially at offline events, but it really makes more sense to practice the game you want to play the most.
While ST does reinforce fundamentals (mostly because it’s all you have), there’s no reason why SF4 can’t teach you the basics as long as you do your best to train in that fashion. It might be easier to follow the glitz and flash of learning combos and setups, but solid concepts like anti-airs, defense, spacing, how to use/combat the fireball game, is far more important to learn.
I as a big fan of Super Turbo would advise you to start with him, when you master the techniques of the game you will ve the ultra will be much more easy to play.
The ST requires the player to perform the exact commands blows is called old school street fighter and it is no wonder that the game doing this 20 years and it keeps you alive and strong in the midst of community. hug
Jumping in on this thread as I’m in a similar position as Daifuco, old guy who played SNES SFII looking to train on a PS3. When considering SFIV, any big reason for a noob to get the $40 USFIV over the $15 Street Fighter IV Arcade for the PS3? I plan on picking up Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix for $10.00 too.
I picked up PS3 Super Street Fighter IV used for $6.99 at gamestop and will grab the $14.99 ultra upgrade as well as Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix. That’s a whole bunch of fun and ultra for less than the price of ultra alone. Thanks for the advice, I’m looking forward to getting my ass schooled by y’all.
Personally I’d say playing SF2 is the best way to learn fundamentals. The problem with trying to learn fundamentals in a game like SF4 is that because it has so many other subsystems like Focus Attacks, Ultras, supers, etc, it distracts from pure fundamental learning. You’re going to be so worried about all these other things that your basics WILL suffer.
With that said, I’d say play both. Play SF2 even just in arcade mode to get a feel of what playing a bare bones fighting game where all you have to rely on is your character’s toolset is like, and then take that knowledge over to SF4. If you have good fundamentals, you’ll be ahead of most SF4 players, at least online.
The game requires a very strong command of fundamentals to do well beyond low-level play as each individual hit is far more meaningful (AA’s for half your health, random hits leading to 300~400 damage regardless of the situation etc). The weight placed on this leads to more people actively playing footsies rather than trying to force their way in/mashing reversals like fiends so they can get a hard knockdown and land their sick setup. Exceptions made for heihachi and asuka players (but those two typically dont get in unless you’ve already lost the footsie battle to their partner).
There’s also a larger emphasis on managing your resources since meter does more than just EX/Super/FADC and you only have 3 stocks as opposed to 4 + Ultra.
I wouldn’t recommend ps3. Besides the garbage netcode, Capcom games on there tend to be ported from the Xbox version, and thus have a bit more input delay.
SFxT is okay. I think it’s highly overpraised as a game requiring supreme fundamentals. For one, the risk value is heavily skewed. Being punished for jumping in by either an air juggle combo or grounded AA setup is pretty severe. 30-40% damage for jumping in and doesn’t require heavy meter usage. Not only that, but the footsies game is much more of an exercise in option-selects. Hit two buttons in a row, if they hit, continue the combo. While it does mean that individual hits are far more meaningful, the punish you get from that individual hit is pretty excessive. It’s more of the marvel system of design than a SF one, but I can see why people like it.
Half to 3/4 of the details are lost on this noob. So 360 over ps3? Really? I have both but refuse to pay for live. Can I train well without an online opponent at some point?
360 over ps3 because the majority of the competition, for Capcom games, are on 360. Not to mention it generally has less input delay, which is a good thing, and superior online network functions.
But if you don’t want to pay for live, psn will do for now.
Your best training will be offline, if you have access to offline competition. Depending on where you live, there could be a LOT of offline comp for you, or absolutely none for miles and miles. You just gotta look around and check.
But barring that, then online is your best bet. Sure, you can learn some things in training mode, but practicing via an actual match against a human opponent is going to teach you far more than playing by yourself.
I think I’m like 8 months in – and when I say “in” I mean when I actually decided to start dedicating some real training time to fighting games, and Street Fighter in particular.
I was able to get a SF 25th anniversary box on Ebay for around $50, which not only gave me physical copies of SF x Tekken and SFIV Arcade Edition AND digital copies of Super Turbo and 3rd strike, but also a bunch of other Street Fighter collectibles.
X Tekken is actually where I started because it was the most easily accessible, or at least I felt at the time. But now I feel like it was a waste of time. Now I don’t play it at all but I do play all of the other three – Ultra is the game that I’m focusing on and the one that I play the most, but Super Turbo is great for basic fundamentals and space control (not only that but it’s just a lot of fun in general, and for me a nostalgic experience) and 3rd Strike is great just for the sheer challenge of it when compared to Ultra (at one point in time I could complete arcades in Arcade Edition on hardest without using a continue, yet I would use SEVERAL just trying to get thru 3rd strike on default difficulty). Both games require more precise input, which is a plus for developing your game. When that leniency is there it’s really hard not to use it and get into some bad habits, I know from experience.
Plus sometimes you go cr.mk xx fireb I KAN FLYYYYYYYYY (and eat a full punish). Thank you, input shortcuts. It’s wonderful when you can’t make the game obey you.
That happens in a lot of games. Pretty frustrating, but I find that learning to go to neutral BEFORE you attempt the fireball input, along with slowing down your inputs, helps a lot to connect it.
I’m just used to being able to override stuff like that so it irritates me unreasonably much. I also hate bad game design much more than is probably entirely reasonable
