Intro and Overview: [Updated 4/5/12]
[details=Spoiler]Taking a break from practicing for Texas Showdown tomorrow, decided i’d post some of my practice exercises, tips, and suggestions for people who may be having trouble figuring out what or how to practice to get better.
Mind you, I’m no guru or pro at this or any game – but learning to do new things is one of my specialties, so I figured I’d offer some suggestions that help me grind my way through some of the more monotonous elements of learning a new skill. One thing I’ve definitely learned that the more of a grind you’re dealing with, the more you need to turn the process into a game or personal challenge, so these exercises should be considered part of the competitive challenge of beating others: If you can’t beat yourself, you can’t beat anyone.
I’d love if some folks jump on board and offer suggestions, as I think this is the kind of community project that’ll help motivate people to keep powering through the lab![/details]
Useful Tools and Articles: [Updated 4/5/12]
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6 Psychological Tips to Level Up Your Game Faster
- I’ll be using the term “chunk” a lot in this thread, reading this article and the follow up will help you understand that concept a little better.
more to come
General Tips: [Updated: 4/5/12]
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1.** In-Game Music is a No-No. **
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[]Why? Repetitive music is a concentration breaker. When a song loops enough times, you start to become aware of how long it will be before the loop will restart. With time, when listening to in-game music, you become naturally aware of how much time has passed purely based on the music’s pattern. If you have problems concentrating while practicing combos, muting the TV and playing some of your own music (or even in complete silence) can help lessen your awareness of time and help you concentrate through the monotony of practicing links.
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2. Take Periodic Breaks
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[]Why? Rome wasn’t built in a day. Music like studying for a test, learning combos/links or developing new technology takes a little while to sink in. Remember to take periodic breaks so that your mind has a moment to sort out all of the information you’re trying to store within it.
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4. Relax
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[]Why? Practicing while tense or uncomfortable will stress out your body and mind; ultimately making it harder for you to absorb and process information. This can manifest in a lot of different ways that are detrimental to your progress and development, such as improperly memorizing the timing of a link or being unable to even preform something after hours of practice! Don’t let yourself get frustrated, remember to maintain good and comfortable posture, and take a deep breath when you fail that link for the 50th time and want to throw your stick at the TV.
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3. Don’t Give Up!
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[]Why? Difficulty is the world’s way of saying its terrified of your awesomeness, pain is just weakness leaving the body. Diligent practice is well worth it, and every difficult link or combo you master will put you on step closer to winning EVO – or just owning your friends so you can talk smack all day.
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More to come[/details]
Execution Exercises:
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:qcf: + Attack
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:qcb: + Attack
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:hcf: + Attack
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:hcb: + Attack
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:dp: + Attack
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:fcf: + Attack
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:fcb: + Attack
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Hit Confirm practice exercises: [Updated 4/5/12]
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What is a Hit Confirm? A hit confirm is a sequence of safe attacks (typically links) which, when mastered, can be used to visually confirm that your offensive is successful. Visually confirming that you connected with your safe attacks allows you the option of continuing with a powerful combo which would otherwise be unsafe when blocked. Using hit confirms allows you to avoid using moves which will leave you vulnerable to punishment. The reckless use of unsafe moves is chief among the bad habits for newer players.
Walk The Dog
- Dummy Settings: Auto-Block, Standing,
- What you need: A hit confirm chunk (2-4 hits), A move that crosses up (optional)
- The Exercise: Starting from anywhere, practice your hit confirm combo (without follow up) walking towards the edge of the the stage. When you hit the farthest point, cross up (or jump over) the dummy and repeat the process all the way to the far side of the stage. A single lap of this exercise is traveling from one corner to the opposite corner, then back again. Remember to relax between laps so that you don’t become too tense as you go through your repetitions.
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How it Helps: One problem I’ve always had practicing things in fighting games is that I would only feel comfortable doing things on a cornered opponent. Obviously, unless you’re playing against someone who has no idea what they’re doing, you’re not always going to be fighting people who are cornered. This exercise allows you experience your hit confirm across the entire field of play. Additionally, as you move from one side of the stage to the other, you develop a feel for the timing of your link and learn to focus on successfully completing the link itself.
**- Who this is for: **Players who cannot consistently preform a hit confirm link. - **Primary Goals: **(Success = Full Hit Confirm Link connects)
Beginner Level: 5 Laps @ 50% Success
Intermediate Level: 10 Laps @ 80% Success
Expert Level: 15 Laps @ 90% Success
Master Level: 20 Laps @ 100% Success
Seeing-Eye Dog
- Dummy Settings: Auto-Block, Standing
- **What you need: **A hit confirm chunk (2-4 hits), A move that crosses up (optional), Attack Data set to “On”
- The Exercise: Note the damage your hit confirm does when successfully completed. Seeing-eye Dog is basically a modification of Walk The Dog. Starting from anywhere, practice your hit confirm (without follow up), walking towards the edge of the stage. While preforming this do not look at the characters on the screen. Instead, focus on the attack data box, confirming that your’ve completed your hit confirm link based on the data displayed in the box. A single lap is traveling from one corner, to the opposite and back again.
- How it helps: Primarily, hit confirm links aren’t about what happens after the first hit/miss – the subsequent hits are just used to add to the time you have to think about whether or not you can continue into your combo. The sequence as a whole needs to become so ingrained in your execution that there is no question as to whether or not the hits after the first connect. This exercise helps tighten your awareness of the timing of the link over the look of it on screen. A hit confirm link is, arguably, ONE move made of a sequence of inputs you should master using effectively to minimize your mistakes.
**- Who this is for: **Players who need to further test how well ingrained their hit confirm execution is. - **Primary Goals: **(Success = Full Hit Confirm Link connects)
Beginner Level: 5 Laps @ 50% Success
Intermediate Level: 10 Laps @ 80% Success
Expert Level: 15 Laps @ 90% Success
Master Level: 20 Laps @ 100% Success
Follow The Leader:
**- Dummy Settings: **Random Block, Standing
**- What You Need: **A hit confirm chunk (2-4) + follow up, a move that crosses up (optional), an alternative move.
- The Exercise: Preform your hit confirm link, watching the response of the dummy. If the sequence hits, preform your follow up. If it does not, either preform your appropriate alternative move or stop the combo and restart your hit confirm link. Repeat until you reach the corner, preform a cross up (or jump over the dummy) and repeat the process until you reach the far corner. A lap is going from one corner to the other, and then back again.
- How it helps: Here you learn awareness and how to actually CONFIRM your hit confirm. Teaching yourself how to respond to whether or not your hit confirm link is successful will help you properly capitalize on potential damage and avoid costly mistakes.
**- Who this is for: **Players who need to learn to hit confirm properly and follow up a hit or bail out/reset on a miss.
- **Primary Goals: **(Success = Full Hit Confirm Link connects)
Beginner Level: 5 Laps @ 50% Success
Intermediate Level: 10 Laps @ 80% Success
Expert Level: 15 Laps @ 90% Success
Master Level: 20 Laps @ 100% Success
Combo Exercises:
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work in progress
Switch Cancel Exercises:
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work in progress
Synergy Exercises
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work in progress
Character Specific Exercises:
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work in progress
Work in Progress, obviously. I’ll expand on this as often as possible. Please post exercises and suggestions for helping people improve!