Is it even possible? There’s very, very little competition where I’m at. Besides watching match vids like it’s porn and practicing execution on the CPU, wtf can I do to get “better”?
You need the experience against better players AND a wider variety of players. You can train yourself watching videos of top players or playing the cpu all the time…but even if you’re excecution is perfect in training/against the cpu, when you play someone real for the first time in a situation that you’ve only seen and haven’t had to play through, you’ll more than likely not be able to handle it correctly. This game is all about muscle memory/reflex…unless you’re reactions are insane…but even then, a big part of playing CVS is about anticipation and reaction to things you have seen before or knew were coming.
So yeah, you need to find someway to get to the competition or bring the competition to you.
There’s an old thread about this (I think there’s a link to it in the “new to CvS2” thread), iirc popoblo posted some good stuff in there.
Playing against the CPU is good for practicing combos (doing combos against a “moving dummy,” making adjustments depending on range, punishing the CPU’s whiffed moves, etc) but other than that is a waste of time since the CPU in this game doesn’t like to block and it can’t fight against RCs.
The only way to get good in this game (and any fighting game for that matter) is to play against people who are good enough to find flaws in your game and exploit them, thus forcing you to step your game up.
.
Here in Kentucky there’s basically zero competition for CvS2, compared to that having a little competition isn’t so bad if you ask me.
I think otherwise, the more competition the better IMHO. with more competition there are “level’s” to attain to become better overall, I use to play every weekend with some friends I met on SRK to get better at CvS2. And I’ll tell ya, getting OCV’d 90% of the time sucked, but cause of them I got better and now I can manage to make games really close, but I usually lose. I still have room to “level up” playing against them and when EVO East comes around I got room to level up in casuals and to show people what I’ve learned from my last EVO East appearance. well thats enough ramble. 
–CMX
I think you misunderstood me. What I said is that I’m in a even worse situation than he is in terms of competition.
You’re right, the more competition the better.
I’ve only got one other person who can give me a run for my money here, he’s a K - Joe Blanka Sagat R2
Other than that, I’m stuck on arcade mode.
I’m trying to teach other people and get them to start playing more but…It just ain’t happening. :shake:
I C, sorry about that.
try hosting, helps to gather competition when there isn’t a usual place to gather.
its possible to get your execution better without competition buts its not likely you’ll become a high caliber player just by playing the computer.
For one, the computer doesn’t even do custom combos, mix ups, mind games, walk up grabs, block strings or any other tool that high caliber players use except for random super:woot:
Only thing i can say is hopefully you have a friend who likes the game as much as you do and you guys can make each other better but it probably won’t teach you how to adapt to different playing styles
fort myers fucking sucks, nobody plays the fuckin game, exept for Rick
I’ve got a question…
Why do you care about getting good, if you have no comp?
I’m not trying to be an ass. That’s a serious question. What makes you play?
A big part of it is probably that it’s the only fighter here, and fighters have always been my thing. CvS2 is the ONLY fighting game in arcades, and I’m one of those anal people who have to be good at everything I do.
Besides, I’m sure SOME comp will come along…Eventually. >.>;
i would say the following:
no competition, u improve the slowest playing cpu, and ur only good at execution on cpu. not much tricks u can learn that actually WORKS on real ppl. watching vids cannot help u improve fast enough because u might not get why top players do certain stuff, then u won’t learn. when u play someone who actually plays the game u get raped
with little competition, u can slowly understand certain moves can work on actual ppl. better execution and reaction against others. when u observe high level vids u can sometimes get why top players do certain moves, so u can use it to ur real life play.
u can always post up a question to see if we can help u, or read more faqs perhaps lol
Honestly, you’re not going to become especially good in that type of situation.
However, if you plan on sticking with the scene for the long-term, it does not hurt to start now! The posts on here from proven tournament players can be helpful, and so can match videos. Do not just watch matches like you would a football game; study them in detail, and pause frequently to ask yourself what you would do in each situation. Pay especially close attention to spacing and the ranges that particular players/characters are most successful at - this crucial element is lost on a lot of the kiddies, and took me quite a while to understand.
Travel to tournaments if possible, obviously. And when you go, try to get as many casual matches in as possible. Do not be afraid to lose, because it’s going to happen a lot…but you need a hell of a lot more experience than just tournament matches to get anywhere, and losses can be great experience if you remember why you lost. Success in this endeavor requires a thick skin and honest self-assessment.
I admire your attitude, as this is also why I tried to learn games without regular comp for many years - I love the games themselves, and I love self-improvement. Eventually, though, I realized that I wasn’t going to get where I wanted to in these games unless I moved, and video games are a rather shitty reason to move. Nowadays, I focus my efforts on games with netplay and Melty Blood (don’t particularly like it, but it’s the only game with quality real-life comp for me currently, and it has netplay also). You may well come to a similar point if you stick around long enough, or you may get lucky and find someone else dedicated to CvS2 - the latter is rather unlikely, though.
Long story short: As long as you find yourself improving, stick with it, but you may have a decision to make once you reach a plateau.
-Josh
Pretty much the responses I expected to get. Damn.
Well, I already watch TONS of match vids. There used to be some good comp here (One was a C - Vega, Blanka, Sagat, and another was a N - Cammy, Morrigan, Hibiki, both pretty good), and got my ass tossed around a few times by a high level player, so I’ve had SOME real experience.
I do try to get in a lot of casuals whenever I travel though. I can normally hold my own against most people that come by. I’m gonna take that as a good sign…Of course, they could just suck more then me.
Im glad to see this thread. And after reading what eveyone else has said I pretty much do what was said since I have little to no competiton where I am. What do I do though when people wont let me learn to get better and they end up being a jackass and saying you suck and shouldnt play and then after that dont continue to play you? Because I have had that problem with other games too. So my question is this. If I happen to come across better people with me that have the mentality as I said. How can I get better if I cant play better people? I know of course find diffrent people. But what if I cant though? Am I screwed? Because I do want to get better at fighting games.
I started out that way…certain “bullies” at SVGL used to pick on me.
I just kept playing and being humble about the losses…being proud that I kept getting progressively better each time. Eventually, I owned up most of them, and have beaten all of them convincingly several times each, even though they’re still better than I am.
Fact of the matter is that you’re stuck with the comp in your area whether they’re nice to you or not…unless you travel. But, the majority of the practice you’re going to get is gonna be in your area. Just keep playing and ignore them being assholes. Over time, assuming you improve, they will respect your skill and accept you. Whether they stop being assholes or not is dependent on them as human beings.
For the record, I ended up being friends with or at least considering all the assholes friends. Except for one…but I own him for free now.
XD
I remember when I first started playing (and there were other people actually playing the game…), there were these three dudes who would always talk a lot of trash after I lost to them. Actually, during the match too. Then I got better.
Took me a while to actually realize how BAD they were. One called me cheap for tick throwing. Another would call me cheap for breaking stock / raging / activating / dodging / parrying, and the last one just blamed the machine every time he lost. Which was…Well, every time.
Yet despite them being complete assholes…I want them back =[
I sympathize for your situation and the stories like it. You barely have any comp, and the comp you have access to are whiners/jackasses/scrubs! They attack you personally - put you down because they can’t deal with what you’re giving them in the game (cheap!). This scenario is all too common in casual settings.
Well, if you ever make it to the evo tourneys you’ll see that the better players, the ones who place or names you know, don’t ever act like that.
I don’t think there’s a good answer for you guys, other than moving to a hotspot for fighting games like norcal or japan. Are there any other places?
Right now I’m feeling pretty lucky to live next to MGL, and have SJSU as an option to feed the cvs need. :wgrin:
Thanks for the words of wisdom. I can tell you all this also the only real problem I have is learning how to deal with good pressure tactics aganist me. I dont get enough play aganist tactics like that. So how do I keep someone off me when they are using that tactic aganist me?
Mostly character dependent. Who are the characters you’re getting pressured by, and what are they doing?