Help with SSF4

Hello, I’m new to SRK. I have been playing SSF4 a very long time. But I guess don’t understand it. I practice, practice, practice, but the results are ultimately the same. When I try linking its genuinely basic, but when I try more advanced links I’m completely lost. Especially in a match when I’m facing an opponent I become excessively addled when I try to utilize combos I learned. I main Juri and I’m great at zoning, the problem is I do not know how to “get in” or pressure my opponent when they are constantly blocking. I’m sorry if I making this immoderately confusing. Its just I do this cyclical of training, and I constantly lose. Can someone tell me what I’m doing wrong? More details is welcomed if needed.

It would help if you provided footage of your matches so that we’re able to give you more specific critique as to your gameplay issues.

You’re focusing too much on trying to do hard links and combos. Once you learn a basic hit confirm and punish combo, you really ought to be focusing more on the fundamentals of SF. Learn basic defense, your available choices for anti-airs, knowing how to do cross-up attacks, learning how to maintain pressure in the ground game, identifying patterns in your opponent’s gameplay, etc etc.

If your opponent is constantly blocking your attacks, then it’s probably time to go for the throw. Don’t be afraid to mix up your offensive patterns. Go for tick throws, fish for a counterhit setup, or just do simple block strings and observe how your opponent reacts.

What character do you use? It would help a lot if you posted in your particular character’s subforum.

http://shoryuken.com/forum/index.php?categories/character-discussion.11/

At the moment I have no recording equipment to use. I guess you’re right. I know plenty of basic combos. I just kept believing that if I kert preforming basic tactics constantly I wouldn’t get anywhere, it sure does feel that way. The character who I use is Juri; I just pictured since I wasn’t asking anything directly about her I’d post it here.

Do you own a phone with camcorder capabilities? If so, you have recording equipment. A vast majority of people own phones with this feature, or at least know a friend who has a phone like this.

Basic combos are great, and at this level, they are all you need. Combos aren’t the primary contributing factor in your win. 90% of the time, you’re not doing a combo, so logically you should focus on the other aspects of your gameplay that you are using at all times throughout the match. Focus on your tactics, use what works, discard what isn’t working, and don’t be afraid to be flexible and change your strategy on the fly.

Like 4neqs said, if you want specific Juri help, you are best off going to the Juri character sub-forum on SRK and looking up her info there.

Very well. I put in some practice. A lot of the advice you guys gave me helped (the tick throws especially); I just need to continue training. I do have one more question. Its a general thing, so I don’t guess I should post it one the character sub-forums. But when you’re doing a combo such as a 4 hit combo, I have trouble performing the super after the normals. For example, with Makoto it’d be (cr.lp~ cr.lp~cr.lk~light hayate), but the light hayate doesn’t come out after the previous normals. Any advice on what I’m doing wrong?

Now, I’m a noob, so what I say might be wrong, but I think you’re supposed to cancel it. So the L. Hayate is supposed to be activated during the cr.LKs active frames.

Just to clarify, Hayate is not a super, it’s a special.

You have to cancel cr.lk xx lp hayate. Basically right after you do a cr.lk, you quickly input the motions for a hayate. You want to do it pretty fast in order to cancel it, as opposed to linking, which requires deliberate timing. cr.lp~cr.lp~cr.lk are all links, so you can do them slowly, but the cancel is quick.

Ah Thanks, I have no problem with the links, it was just the whole cancelling part. I’m still a fuzzy at it though, but that’s nothing a couple of practice sessions won’t fix. Thanks.

Continuing from what other posters wrote, I believe there are two possible reasons.
1) What the others said, your not doing the hayate fast enough.

2) Your not actually ‘linking’ your normals properly. To ‘link’, as described, requires precise timing,
so if you press ‘lp, lp, mp’ in quick succession your not linking but rather, i don’t know spamming? :stuck_out_tongue: (Can’t think of another word - sorry)

To link requires timing, so your lp, lp, mp require some rhythm to them, some steady pace.
However you are only required to ‘link’ the last 2 normals, so lp, lp can be spammed, but then you must space the mp out to successfully perform the hayate cancel.

(I think a good example would be Zangiefs - cr.lp, cr.lp, cr.lp, cr.lp Ex GreenHand. Trial - Although I don’t think you need to do as many cr.lp’s)
2 cr.lp should suffice, you can try doing to really fast and trying to do a special and then space them out. (With any character I guess :stuck_out_tongue:

PS: I’m very experienced at the game so my advice should be sound, However I don’t play Makoto so my Combo / Link examples are likely wrong.

Good Luck, Get back to me if it works or not.

And after my long text wall aswell :stuck_out_tongue:

(Black-Toof I just watched a couple of your vids…your Gouken is beast). Anyway for one thing, I guess I should have said I have “little” problems with links. But your advice is still helpful. I think that was the reason I was having such a hard was the fact I wasn’t linking my normals properly. Also I wasn’t doing the Hayate fast enough. After a little practicing the hayate came out more frequently and it wasn’t being blocked. What’s really funny is I was going to ask you guys “what are option-selects?” I could never grasp the concept of it. But it seems Black-toof already has a vid on it :slight_smile: And with that you all pretty much assisted me enough for me to at least know what I need to work on, seriously this was very helpful. Thanks!