Improving Match-ups

Hello, SRK! This will be my first post on this site, and I’m looking to expand my SSF4 networking with all of you today.

After spending countless hours reading all of your contributions to this site (which is great learning about different opinions about anything SSF4 from different players), I decided I’d like to reach out as well to the majority of you who just want to improve their game. Since the release of vanilla, I’ve dedicated a small portion of my life to the Street Fighter 4 series (shame on me…), and I’ve wanted to begin competing at a professional level. I currently reside in Michigan, and it’s very hard to assemble any kind of local gatherings considering the (S)SF4 scene around here doesn’t really exist. Needless to say, I have to settle for Ranked and Endless battles online.

During my ranked matches, I’m encountering more high-level players (3000+ PP) using specific characters that are generally not-so-favorable matches for me. I’ve been maining C. Viper for a couple months now, and Honda seems to give me the hardest time out of anyone else in the game. I used to have trouble with shotos, but after specifically running back games against some friends on live who main them and watching numerous replays of those battles that I’ve lost, I have a much easier time dealing with them (scrubs and vets alike :P). As of yesterday I’m at 3200+ PP, and I wanna keep climbing! Not that I’m a PP whore, and I do acknowledge that Online Ranked is only a small factor in determining your overall gaming caliber…but I have dropped from 3000 PP to 1900 PP in hours from having a hot-head and getting damn impatient. So yeah, that’s what really kicked my ass into gear in realizing that ‘Hey, scrub - time to switch up your boring old antics and learn some new shenanigans’.

After hours of testing out Viper-specific zoning tactics, Ultra set-ups, execution drills, optimizing combo damage in relation to scaling, I’ve improved drastically. Don’t get me wrong, I still need plenty of work though and I am FAR from even thinking about entering any EVO tourneys, but let’s get some matches in!

I play regularly on XBox Live with the gamertag FreddieAudio, and I welcome anyone to run some sessions with me to improve our game…or just to have a Dan good time, eh? Win or lose we could both learn something, and yes - I want to improve my match ups to damn near perfection!

So tell me - what do you do to improve your game?

Just met you on Live

Great post man. You echo my feelings on so many points. I too would like to get more serious and want some strong competition to get better. I don’t have a SSF4 scene out here either (CO) and don’t have any friends that have any drive to play other than casual (almost all are modern warfare addicts). Your Viper is great. Like I messaged you on Live, I would love to pick your brain to bring her up as my alt to Chun. I am sure with experienced help you could save me alot of time and frustration.
Hope to play you soon.