I'm a newbie. Advice please!

I want to get better, I really do. I want to get past the 3rd guy on easy in arcade mode. I just don’t know where to start. I have never played a fighting game before. I literally am a blank canvas and researching is actually making it worse I feel. I have no idea what ex’s (beside gf’s) are? What’s a command throw? Why do I want to do a lp instead of lk because of the amount of frames?

I’m literally lost.

I guess I need advice on a good place to start. I tried training mode with Ryu I didnt leave the room until I was able to shoryuken (guessing its spelt the same as this site) and the dragon punch thing and spinning kick thing 10 times in a row without messing up, if I did I would start over. And from both directions! Still lost on easy… That small feet to some probably takes less than 2 minutes. It took me well over 2 hours I’ve never the down down forward and forward motion before.

Yea, I dont know what else to say other than I was thinking of getting a pad because maybe that will make it easier.

I’m learning on the ps3 normal pad currently and I find it easier to do somethings on the analog is this something I should stop doing? I switch between the pad/analog trying to figure out which works best. Bleh

Do as many of the trials as you can. It takes repetition and that will help you plenty.

I dunno how to answer your question about the pad/analog choice. Some players favor the d-pad, others favor the analog stick. Personally, I prefer the d-pad, but theres not really a “superior” option.

As for how to get better… the way I learned how to play was by doing long 1 on 1 sessions with someone patient who is willing to explain the mechanics of this game. This was also my first 2-D fighter, and it seemed to have worked out alright. There are some video tutorials out there, [media=youtube]HFTvXXoDNRA"[/media] being one of my favorites. I would say that they’re worth watching, but nothing is going to substitute for getting serious time against another human.

One thing you should probably be prepared for: When you’re trying to improve, you will get worse before you get better.

Pick any character that you like and then go to their character discussion board here.

Also you can find a lot of information here.

There are also a zillion videos on youtube that you can watch. Inside of the character discussion thread there are repositories with videos, tips and techniques.

Also just like RD BLade said running through the trials and getting the moves down is also incredibly helpful. I would recommend going through them many times. Also I go into training and will do the same move repeatedly until I can do it at least 12 times in a row without fail. It takes time dude and if your patient and diligent all of it will pay off.

It seems to me that you are completely oblivious (and I mean this in a very polite and friendly way) to this fighting game period!
-Read the instruction manual
You dont need to read online boards if you have the basics at your fingertips. Honestly, If you dont know what blocking low, focus attack, armor breaking, throw technical, or other terms are, you need to start small. The manual will help alot. When you get a little more versed in the game, you can venture a little further.
-Pick Ryu.
Despite what most people will tell you, he WILL help you learn exactly what Street Fighter mechanics are about, but by no means do you feel you have to stick with him.
My friendly advice would be to start with working on normals, learning what jabs/shorts mediums etc can be combo’d into another. Try different attack patterns and combo strings (lp lp lk hp etc).
Next you should learn to throw, and distances etc. Then learn what Focus attack does, and vary the level of your focus attack. Learn what moves knock your opponent down (roundhouse sweep, special moves, throws) Next try using the manual or move list and perform every special or unique move a player has at least 5 times. Work on your jumping back, jumping up, and jumping forward, and then add a normal to it (jumping attack). You should also learn how to block. As basic as it seems, there are people who I play who dont have any idea how to block incoming attacks.

This may seem very basic and monotous/boring, but if you really wanna get better like you say you do, you’ll do it for the long run.

None taken, trust me I’m throwing myself out there. I’d really like to learn how to play SSF4. Unfortunately I dont have many human people to play against in person (recently moved to a new state away from family and friends - thanks economy)

I have looked into possibly an easier fighting game to learn just to grasp some basic concepts as SSF4 from someone new to the entire series is like the pedigree of fighting games, a lot is assumed of the player prior to even picking up the controller.

I bought the game used that didnt come with a manual, I was debating picking up the strategy guide or would that be something to look at later as its more advanced from where I am?

Poptags08 said it best, I was really trying to figure out how to best convey what I was trying to say but he sums it up correctly.

It seems to me that you are completely oblivious (and I mean this in a very polite and friendly way) to this fighting game period! - Ding ding ding! :confused:

Where does that new place happen to be? You may want to consider introducing yourself on the regional matchmaking thread closest to your location, say “hey I’m totally new, I’d like some help learning”.

Keep doing moves intentionally and don’t start mashing buttons, you’ll probably lose more when you start out but it will make you much better than if don’t. Mashing buttons give people a false sense of skill because you can beat the computer like that without actually knowing what you are doing.

Makes sure everything you do is intentional, sometimes where your backed into a corner or down on life you may draw a blank at a crucial moment in the beginning but its a thousand times better than randomly mashing buttons when you get into that situation and hoping for the best.

Sorry if im jacking the thread but I din’t want to make another. Im also a newbie, I was wondering if anyone would face me on PSN, Fredric85 is the ID, im on now and I try to start up a good Chun Li but im really lost :frowning:

I think this is actually one of my many big problems currently, I’m trying NOT to mash buttons but what ends up happening is since I’m trying to think of every move to do it happens so slowly that even the computer is throwing me a whoopin on EASY!!

@Silver Rain 007 the new state is Massachusetts, I see that there is a group holding events (thank you I didn’t realize there was a regional thread on here, its maybe an hour away from me) every Tuesday and Friday i think, but in all reality I cant beat an easy computer it would just be quick and embarrassing. (That’s what she said) Had to sorry!

Don’t worry about losing to the computer. The computer is stupid but has retardedly good reflexes.

ano2bad I’m from MA, the weekly fight-nights at Game Underground are full of nice people who can help you as long as you explain your a complete noob, someone (probably luckyD) will help you out.

Every Tue + Fri.

Good luck!

-Idle

Yeah actually, fighting the CPU does not help you one bit. The CPU is programmed to respond almost perfectly to most situations it faces, so if you jump in, it will knock you out of the air, or if you throw a fireball, it will automatically jump to safety (on hardest at least). The truth is, if there is no offline community nearby to help, you’re gonna have to teach yourself how to play, but you’ll be better for it i promise.

You are gonna need to learn what the game offers, even in the mini-game bonus stages and training rooms. You can learn ALOT from just fighting in the training room.

For instance, you can teach yourself by:
-Going to the training room and fighting yourself (Set dummy to “record” and record 10 seconds of inputs. You may MASH when recording a dummy. Then go to playback and fight yourself). You can learn almost anything from blocking to combos to throw setups in training. This is your best friend in SSF4. You should spend more time in the training room than in arcade mode, seriously
-Going to the Bonus Barrel stage (once you unlock it) and practice reaction on your button pressing.
-Learn VERY BASIC combos to start out with, and then add to them (jumping forward hard kick, crouching hard kick comes to mind)
-Try different characters and learn every range of motion that the game uses.
-Go to the regional forum and make some friends of other new players. Add their Gamertags and get a microphone so you can talk to other people. This will speed up the process a bunch.

All in all, you’ll start to see differences daily. If you put in the time and effort, you will progress.

Of course a lot of people will have different opinions on how to start. I’d say pick Ryu almost every time. Feel free to check others out, but it’s easier to learn 1 at a time. Don’t read too much stuff here cause most of it is pretty advanced. Practice doing hadokens. If it’s not too much trouble, also try shoryukens and hurricane kicks, but honestly if they’re still pretty difficult for you, just focus on hadokens till you get that down. Hurricane kicks are basically the exact same, but in the other direction anyway. Learn how to throw (right against an opponent, press LP and LK together). Ignore EX moves, ultras, and definitely ignore combos for now. Focus on your normal moves, hadokens, throwing, blocking, hurricane kicks and shoryukens for now (in that order). Everyone starts somewhere, don’t try to take on the whole game at once. You might also want to try Ken sometimes because he’s very similar to Ryu.

Also anytime you’re close to an opponent you should either be blocking or attacking. Never just stand there waiting to get hit. Hadokens are great, but preferably at a long range.

Well that’s a relief I’m glad to hear that the computer just has super reflex’s because everything I did it would counter and anything it did was to fast for me to counter. It was on my mind so much so that I actually tested my reaction in ms lol! Ah good times…

Thanks for all the suggestions I know what I’ll be doing tonight! Ryu/training room here I come!

I’ll add it to my profile here but my PSN name is the same as my name here ano2bad, I do have a mic so if anyone wants to try out some crazy combo’s they’re not sure they could pull off vs even the cpu, hit me up! :nunchuck:

PS - I think I’ll pick up the strategy guide and read up on some of the basics as well since I don’t have the manual - unless its a really bad guide, the reviews seem to say its pretty introductory.

If you wanna add me we can play and I can give you some basic tips while we’re fighting. I’m not a pro but I’m probably well above your level and there are definitely things I could teach you.

Don’t bother with the strategy guide all the info and much more is availible online for free.

Just getting use to the game is good when you start. Just play enjoy it muck around, try out characters, and ultras. Start doing trials for a single character, maybe a few characters for fun. Take it easy, learn it slowly, rushing in will lead to information overload and frustration with this game when you’re brand new, it’s something that takes time. And start working on executing specials on demand.

All the sticky topics on the SRK forums are good for the Newbie dojo, SF4 and SSF4 boards. Character discussion boards are good, though more complicated, you need to digest this stuff slowly when you learn a new character imo. If you truly know you’re going to stick to this game, getting a Fighting Stick isn’t a bad idea, so you don’t need to relearn how to use your controller, takes like a month to fully get use to a stick, after learning from pad and get as good as you previously were.

Heres a video tutorial for ST, since all street fighter games after SF2 were based on this game(and most other fighters)… SF:4 is no different

Combo Explanations and Crossups etc…
[media=youtube]jCapuhsOMcg&feature=related"[/media]
Controlling Space
[media=youtube]OoILSEQL9jE&feature=related"[/media]

Stuff about throws no longer applies though and meaties are weak in SF4… man when games were more brutal… alright… I’ll stop my SSF4 hate fest long enough to tell you that vid tutorials are available in the stickies for SSF4… watch these two first to at least have somewhat of a grasp on what the hell the videos in the stickies are talking about… and heres a complementary Tomo video I like linking people to…
[media=youtube]6OEXzKk5gkQ[/media]

Having the strategy guide wont hurt. Sure, all the stuff can be found around the net, and the strategy guide only has limited information, but it’s still a cool little physical booklet to have at your fingertips to look up moves and stuff.

I recommend finding some close-by friends to get involved so that you can play/learn together in person.

I’m picking up some corona’s and limes on the way home and I’m gonna l2p ssf4 this weekend damnit! I tried to make a new psn account with ano2bad as my name but apparently its taken (really?) I dont like my current psn name YouDee (pronounced like saying the two letters U D)

I’ve got Kelter_Skelter as someone Im hopefully going to get a few games in with over the weekend, anyone else up for some games?

Thanks for all the advice everyone you’ve been great. I’ve been in the training mode the past few nights =D