As a kid I demolished all of my friends at fighting games in the 90’s. I was the best. I stopped playing for about a decade until SF4 came out. I played for a few months with Guile and did good enough by just spamming Sonic Booms and still destroyed my friends. I didn’t bother to learn anything. I didn’t know there was anything TO learn. I thought the game manual had all the information I needed. I thought a Focus Attack was an unrealistic thing to utilize in a real match and it was only for the best players on earth.
Now, I’ve been playing USF4 for 4 months and I’m godawful. I cannot believe that players with low PP are busting out DP > FADC > Ultra on me like it’s nothing. It’s a miracle if I can pull that off in training mode. I now realize that I’m a beginner and that jump-in HK > crouching HK doesn’t work anymore. Just because you can do a FB or DP doesn’t mean you’re not a beginner. This is the lesson I’m struggling to believe and accept. I’ve watched several videos and read some pieces and I still have very little understanding of what an option-select or a safe jump (etc) is. I’m hoping this site will be my savior.
Welcome to the Shoryuken, and welcome to the light my friend, one of the best decision you have ever made. Seems like you’re finally stepping outside the casual zone, and seeing what it’s like to be a true competitive player. Usually casuals are the type of people who think they’re good at a game because they can beat it on the “hardest difficulty” then when they go online on whatever game it maybe, they get destroyed, or realize how average they are. lol’
Okay now that you’ve gone through the “awakening”, you need to find a main, and hit the lab. Here’s a tip, don’t try to binge study, and force to much information in one session, you’ll just end up confusing yourself. So basically you should approach learning fighting games methodically, and try to break it into sections.
Another thing that helps is staying focused on one character. You mentioned Guile, now you hang out in the Guile subforum, talk to everyone you can about Guile strategies, and continue playing. Realizing that you’re not the best is the first step, but don’t let that discourage you. Stay dedicated and you’ll be great in no time.
Thanks. I did think I was the man because I can beat SFII on 7 stars. I’ve always heard that beginners should use Ryu, but again, I thought I was the man, not a beginner. I fooled around with Decapre, Bison, and Evil Ryu with limited success. Now I’m trying to build a solid foundation of understanding the game and I’m playing Ryu. He just seems to be a solid, straight forward character. I’ll decide on a main later, but for now I think Ryu is the character to learn the game with.
There’s no true “beginner character.” Certain characters have a different bar for entry, but it depends on preference. Ryu (a ‘Shotokan’ or ‘shoto’ for short) has a basic moveset that is friendly to someone who is just trying to build up fundamentals, but you can choose whomever you feel. If you can play with a charge character (like Decapre, whose moves you have to ‘charge’), and they feel comfortable, play them.
Or play Ryu, whichever works.
Also, ask around for people to train with. Ultra has a training mode that goes online, and I’m sure you can find someone who will sit down and train with you. I’d do it, but I’m barely experienced enough.
man… I def know what youre saying. this was me when ultra came out. I mean… I knew I was trash but didn’t even know there were SO MANY people who knew the game and I did not. lol
Thanks again everyone. Everything I’ve ever read or watched indicates that Ryu is good for beginners. I was doing kinda good (800-1100PP) with Decapre, but I realized that most of my wins were against people who didn’t know to block the other side of a Break > Air Throw. Advanced players didn’t fall for this. I feel Ryu has grounded me and will teach me how to play better, not just use gimmicks to beat lesser players.
Used to beat all my friends and family as a kid, and we played most days. Even as a 10-12 year old kid I could beat my fair share of people at the different arcades around town.
But then I went to my first SF4 tourney… These people were infinitely better than me. I was still playing the game like it was SF2 (and in many ways I still do). I use focus maybe 1 in 10 fights. lol.
It’s just part of growing up I think. I have more responsibilities and don’t place “being the best” as a priority. Now if it is just me and my cousins (who I always played against growing up) winning THAT is really my biggest motivation for continuing to practice and still be probably in the bottom 75% of people who play this game.
But if you do want to compete in tournaments you have A LOT of work ahead of you, but SRK is the place to learn what you will need.
Good luck, and don’t feel like you have to be the best/compete in tournaments to have fun playing street fighter.
Hey we should play on xbox live sometime. It sounds like we are a similiar skill level.
I have Arcade Edition, Super Turbo HD remix and SFXT
XBL handle: Drizzt240
Definitely, I could have written this statement myself. I’ve probably been playing SFIV for about as long as you have but I also played a tonne of the original street fighter and street fighter 2 back in the day, but sort of lost interest in fighting games when they started leaning on combos and flashy special moves. I still lose as many matches online as I win, some times I will win about 15 games in a row, sometimes I lose 20 in row. Don’t get hung up on the flashy combos though, you will find plenty of people that practice the shoto DP FADC in to ultra but have surprisingly little knowledge on the basics such as knowing NOT to jump in (especially when someone is sitting on an ultra and super bars) and basic positioning and spacing.
There are two kinds of people: Those who have a brain and those who don’t. If you try to treat someone who doesn’t think the same as you’d a pro or a beginner who thinks you’re just going to stumble headfirst into rampant stupidity time and time again and feel like you’re a goddamn idiot.
Let the opponent demonstrate he has a brain, then act accordingly.
I was largely the same, I demolished all my friends with Akuma throughout every SF game, there was a few of us that played a lot, and if I picked Akuma I won, simple as that. Then SF came around and with it solid online play - I could show the world how awesome my Akuma was… oh wait, I got bodied by everyone… Didn’t play online again until last year when I decided to learn the game ‘properly’
Its a long road you’ve started, but definitely well worth it.
I see your points. I’ve been pretty neutral in the beginning of a match just so I can get a feel for what will and won’t work. And I’ve realized that for the most part PP is crap.
This is my game plan, but as a beginner, it doesn’t take a brain to beat me. I’m still suspect to some of the more gimmicky moves in the game. I’m slowly, slowly learning.
This is my game plan too. I’m trying hard to not to jump in, even though that’s all I’m thinking about. I don’t mash out wake up SRK’s because I know it’s bad practice, even though it would work sometimes.
I’m not playing Ranked until 2015, just Endless. It’ll save me frustration and I’ll learn some match-ups. I still need to see A LOT of the other characters attacks and what they look like, how to punish, etc. Looking forward to the long road because this game is a lot of fun when you make a breakthrough.