Teaching someone how to play fighting games

Newbie Saikyo Dojo
1

I’ve recently bought UMVC3, and me and my brother Sam would play versus together. He would play on simple, and would wreck my shit as I played on normal. After awhile, he stopped playing, so I had to go online to fight other players.

Recently, about after I hit my 100th Ranked Win match (with about 120 losses), Sam started getting interested in the game again. I helped him out, and he completed some missions for characters (usually stopped at mission 6 or 7). I tried showing him how to react to things (Like I’d tell him to shoryuken me if I jumped in or something) but he did not care, he would in all honesty, smash buttons.

After a bit I started playing him, both on the Normal setting. I may have done a bad job at playing fairly, as I won most battles (Level 4 Wesker wrecked me everytime). I would keep getting him to play me, hopefully he’ll get it that he needs to guess my moves and react to them. I don’t think he ever did so.

I must of done badly because he told me that I “single handly ruined this game for him”, which made me feel quite terrible. I don’t think he’ll ever play with me again.
Tuesday I will be getting a fight stick, and SSF4:AE for the Xbox 360. I was going to try and get both of us to play frequently togehter, so we both become good. I don’t want to turn him away from fighting games, since he mostly only plays FPS and RTS nowadays.

How can I get him to think and not just hit buttons? This can apply to UMVC3 and SSF4, either one, but I’d like to boost his spirits a little without letting him win games (he always knows when I start doing so).

2

Some people just don’t want to put in time in a game, fighting games has one of the steepest learning curve in the gaming genres.

They want to pick up a controller, mash some buttons, have fun and go back what they were doing.

3
  1. beat down on him so much so he eventually remembers
  2. remind him EVERY time he does something unsafe.
  3. Break things down into small steps on training mode, run “drills” with him.
  4. explain (but not go into detail about frame advantage, character states, (when it’s possible /not possible to block etc…)
    5. GET SKULLGIRLS THIS WEDNESDAY FOR $15 AND GET HIM TO USE THE TUTORIAL MODE =p

I’m only half joking about the last one. seriously, it’s supposedly a crash course, and most likely will be the best way to get anybody to understand any fighting game.

Honestly, it’s tough sometimes explaining it, like slayer said. most people don’t want to put the time into getting good. that’s why SFxTekken originally wanted to sell pay to win DLC gems until the backlash came. and UMvC3 is tough to get people interested in the technicalities because it’s s flashy, and everyone wants to land a random combo/super/TAC/THC/A1/A2 and no one wants to “just block”

You can only run drills with them if they really are, and are already devoted/interested. or else they’ll just get bored of the technicalities… Again, Skullgirls tutorial!, from what i’ve seen it’s like running drills, except. you don’t need another person walking you though the technicalities. and they can do it on their own, as a refresher/practice. It’s specifically designed to getting people who aren’t fighting game fans into the game. Because right now two major communities into the game are: Fighting game fans, and Fans of Alex Ahad’s work. (who obviously don’t understand fighting game strategy)

Seriously, consider it. you coming from UMvC3 will probably like it since it’s similar to MvC2 gameplay. I’ve heard very few people who’ve played the game say bad things about it, and it’s only $15.

/edit: NO SERIOUSLY, I’m so hype about it. GET THE DAMN GAME.

// end shoving skullgirls down your throat =)

Another thing you can do, if your friend doesn’t take it as an insult, is ask them how they feel about a handicap. I’m sure there’s a damage handicap in the game, as well you can play cross-handed, and single handed (if you’re using an arcade stick). Actually UMvC3 is pretty simple to with one hand compared to some other games in my experience. You’ll naturally make “newbie” mistakes that he’ll (hopefully) see and punish. And you’ll be working on a new way to show off to other randoms =p

Don’t forget to continue playing “normal” games once and a while so he can see what “proper” play is like in the game and he realizes he might be emulating bad habits when facing you when you play with one hand.(that’s one advantage of a damage handicap, if the skill difference isn’t too big, you can play mostly normally and not worry about them picking up bad habits that you normally wouldn’t do.

4

Yikes, I don’t think that’ll go over so well. He’s my older brother, and would probably kick my ass because I’d be “Showboating” about being better then him.
There is a handicap, but it won’t help much if he doesn’t play on equal terms. How can I get him to stop just hitting buttons is really what I need right now. He just slams buttons (mostly the S button) trying to do stuff. I was however suprised, that he was able to perform crossups with Wesker (and not by accident, I hope).

5

Some people just don’t want to learn. Sometimes, that can include family too, unfortunately.

6

I don’t know if you were looking to get Street Fighter x Tekken, but it provides one of the biggest incentives for new players to practice and get better at the game: 2 player local co-op against online opponents. The problem is you can only find it on the PS3 version. :frowning:

7

how about just don’t cram fighting games down your brothers throat like this idiot above me is trying to cram skullgirls down yours. he obviously isn’t as interested as you are in fighting games

8

trying to get someone to learn fighting games, esp if they show little interest in actually hearing/practicing theory is mostly a battle you cant win unfortunately. times ive tried getting people into games have failed. you cant totally smash them to pieces, but then if they catch on to you going easy on them (which i say is near impossible to strike a balance) it can give them a false sense of progress when they actually arent really improving much at all.

9

I understand that, but my brother likes fighting games. He wanted UMVC3 when it was announced but forgot about it. We’ve played Pseudo-Fighters alot in our childhood (SSBM, SSBB, DBZ). I’d just like him to get better so he doesn’t feel bad and that we both can enjoy playing eachother.

10

I guess if you played FPS together he would beat you easily. Unfortunately split screen has been abandoned in FPS. only in net cafes is it possible.

being an older brother makes it more difficult to endure the beatings. I felt bad when my younger bro beat me at other games very soundly. My brother lacks in most fighters except Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure where he can beat me a few times. While I was away he played the game on the Dreamcast. We played some Soulcalibour there too.

better try to teach the game to him instead of playing VS. Show him the advanced stuff you know so it can be easier. Give him advice which character to select. Only when he is able to apply that should you play together and I am sure he will be a much better competitor

11

^ We’d co-oop in Halo 1-3 through our life, it was crazy fun.
It makes sense, I guess, he is older, and watching me beat him is probably painful. So I guess I’ll hold out on VS. Mode for awhile, and help him learn combos and stuff.
The problem I don’t see though is that in SSB, I’d lose alot, and so would he. He wouldn’t get mad though. Why is it different here?

12

SSB is meant for fun

I too played with my brother Mario Tennis when Nintendo 64 emulation was popular and we couldnt bring ourselves to get mad with such a game. Not so with Virtua Tennis 2 on Dreamcast though.

13

If he really wants to get better he doesn’t need you pushing him. I used to play lots of fighting games with my brother like the DBZ budokai games, Battle Arena Toshinden, but I know he isn’t interested in grinding out combos in training mode or going to tournaments.

14

You make a good point. If he wanted to get better, he wouldn’t need me. I’ve been seeing it like riding a bike at a young age, you want to learn how to, but you need someone to teach you.
I’m not gonna push him, but atleast help him when he’s struggling, I suppose.

15

You also do not need to do advanced stuff if he can not do them, this would be unfair. Especially if you consider buying SSF4. As you play more and he’ll improve, you can raise your level as well. Only if he wants to improve and does not abandon the game out of frustration or boredom

16

“Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder but nobody wants to lift no heavy ass weights”
~Ronnie Coleman

Exactly this.

17

Well, I got SSF4 today (and fucking gamestop didn’t give me arcade version even though it said so right on the box ; - ; and me and my brother started playing. He picked Zangief and started dominating me nonstop, and is now doing his 2nd run of Arcade mode. I think its got his attention. Now all I have to do is learn too!

18

Just play…the real key to genuine fun improvement at these levels is finding a sparring partner near your level to play with all the time so you can learn together.

19

This. No other 2d fighter get’s it as right as Skullgirls does.

20

The main thing to remember when teaching someone is that you have to understand their motives. If someone wants to play a game to have fun, you have to create a fun experience for them. Fun for some people might be constantly perfecting themselves, so beating the tar out of them might indeed be a good motivator. Fun might be just to win, watch the pretty colors of special moves, or spend time with someone they care about.

While I understand that you don’t want to let someone win, you have to keep in mind that being completely dominated in a game probably isn’t very fun for most people. It will make the game seem overwhelming and scary. Sure there are those people who will take it as a challenge and focus up, but most people will probably lose interest. Sure you might have learned by getting beat down, but that might not motivate everyone. And if it’s not motivating your student you need to change your approach if you don’t want them to get frustrated and give up.

Now before someone goes and tells I’m being too touchy feely with this hear me out. When you learned math did your teacher start tossing long division and algebra at you right off the start? Sure there are a lot of people who still hate doing math to do this day, but if you want someone to develop a passion for something you have to exercise a bit of patience and empathy. Try and remember what it was like to know nothing and put yourself in the student’s shoes.

One idea is to try and focus on playing with your student rather than against them. A good way to do this I’ve found is let them go into training mode with you and spar. Life bars might go down, but no one loses. When you hit them a few times with a move, let them know how they might counter it next time. Make your time together something they learn from instead of something they walk away from feeling like a loser.

Now obviously things get a bit more cut throat in a more competitive environment and that’s ok. Hopefully by the time they get to a more competitive place they’ll have developed a love for the game and that in and of itself will motivate them to keep trying.

The main part of being a good teacher is getting a student passionate about something and letting them teach themselves. If you’re callous and stubborn in your approach all it’s going to do is make them associate the game with hostile and negative feelings, and it’s really difficult to get rid of that once it sets in. It’s a big responsibility, as there are people all over who still can’t stand a particular subject simply because of a bad experience with a teacher. But it sounds like he has an interest in the game, so all isn’t lost. Just let him figure out what he likes and go from there.