I'm frustrated with my lack of skill

[Bluekirby2]

I'm just frustrated with how bad I am.

Like whenever I see a Smash tournament, I think "Wow, I wanna play a few rounds now!", but because I have nobody to play against locally, I end up playing on FG. And while I've noticed that there aren't as many annoying players on FG, there is still some lag, which throws off my performance and/or I come across somebody actually much better than me.

It's just frustrating for me. I really want to improve, and I would do anything to do so, but no matter how much I try, I just don't. It doesn't help that lately I find myself getting angry at the smallest things.

 

[Sünta]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Local and online are almost different games due to the slightest of input lag. It sometimes rewards the people with super defensive and/or spammy playstyles. I have sort of the same problem, but when I play other smash games (mostly pm) I get better at sm4sh after a few rounds of being horrible (because mechanics). This works for me, you can try it but I hope you find a solution, whatever it is.

 

[CCTANK93]

Hey it's ok. I don't think online play really says anything about your overall skill level. I mostly play my 3DS online but I like to play my Wii U offline. It's like when I play the Wii U online, all the skill I have goes out the window. I play terribly on Wii U online but I play like a pro when it's local play. Lag can be a huge game changer for everyone. Inputs that should have been there end up missing because of a delay. It might also help to try and find someone here on the forums to spar with. It'd be a lot less frustrating. Don't sweat it too much, I'm more than sure you're better than you think you are.

 

[Duck SMASH!]

Visit Anther's Ladder.
Strike up some friendlies.
Challenge strong players there. It doesn't matter if you win or lose.
The goal should be to improve. If you ask them for advice on how you're playing hopefully they can help point out bad habits and ways for you to optimize your play.
Take notes too. Review your neutral game, your punish options, your option coverage, your recovery mixups, and match up information.
It's way too much for you to remember off the top of your head and you will stress yourself out trying to do all this while adapting to your opponent in a game as well.
Take it slow. Little by little. You can get better at this game. You will improve.

 

[Pale Tuna]

This is me assuming you are a student.. Why not try to start a Smash Bros Night at school? I know many colleges have small groups of people who play in a rented room within the campus. Even my military base has one of these. Or, maybe try and look for one. You can make friends by going to these events and easily have someone to play with locally.

 

[Dokokashira]

If competitive play is frustrating you, take a little break and don't take it as seriously. Go on For Fun and play an items free-for-all. Play as Kirby and mess around with copy abilities. Play with custom specials and equipment. Get a friend and play teams against the CPU. Play the single-player mode! Smash is supposed to be fun before it's competitive. If you're not having fun playing competitively, play solely for fun!

If you want to have some fun battles, feel free to message me.

 

[Quarium]

Online should not bother you as much haha, I tend to have problems online at times but after someone beats my main, then I choose goddamn Ganondorf(Who is like my 8th character or something) and destroy them with him I remember that online isn't really a sign of much or that most players that manage to beat me are rarely actually good/not exploiting online to cover their weaknesses and bad habits.

As for in general, I reccomend not taking things too seriously and keeping your goals simple and in check during a game.

I need to recover stage control.
Space my aerials.
Poke and bait.
etc.

Keep things simple, take things with ease and with as much peace of mind as you can and you will certainly see yourself improving and not raging as much.

 

[Naulis]

I'm really feeling it, but you really can't let your online play get you down too much. Like everyone else says there's always the delay and lag factor. Hell the only practice I get is on FG on my 3DS. But over time iv'e been able to translate what I learn on the 3DS to Wii U local play. As for not having anyone to play with, you could always try to reach out to friends and other people and try to get a Smash group together, make some new friends that way too.

 

[CrazyPerson]

Online is in a lot of ways a different game... stuff that shouldn't work does and stuff that shouldn't work doesn't because of the slightest input/screen lag.

Something I have noticed about online play... is how much better other people are to adapting to it than me... it's hard to explain but...

I think that is a skill that probably takes some effort to develop... and until somebody invents a completely lag free internet (won't happen as as soon as it gets better more demanding stuff will be made) that will be a part of every game played online.

It is frustrating not to find people to play against... My local scene looks fun but it isn't local enough... (meaning the events happen a decent drive away and I can't be burning that fuel and wearing and tearin the car every week for it.) I hope you have better luck than me.

 

[Alice Margatroid]

Skill is a habit, not a choice. As such, I would advise against beating yourself up over how bad you think you are. Your mindset is very critical to your performance.

Concerning your particular situation, what I would personally do is:

-Save replays of you losing, analyze the plays that made you lose and what you should've done instead. I say losses over wins because sometimes a win is due to your opponent messing up which you cannot control, however most losses are almost always due to your own error. This is especially important when you face players who you believe to be way above your skill level.

-Watch high-level games which feature your preferred characters. Analyze the combos and strategies the winning players use and try to adapt them into your own playstyle, do it enough times and it'll become second nature.

-Make good use of the training mode, most players seem to completely ignore this feature altogether but it can be extremely helpful when trying to improve. Yes the input lag in online play might throw you off slightly but you'll soon find it's effects are severely weakened when your skill starts to rise.


Lastly, just play. Ignore whatever doubts you have and just keep practicing, I have no doubt that eventually you'll start to see results.

 

[AmericanSaikyo]

I'm not sure of your situation locally, but honestly getting gold at any fighting game will help you with smash. If there is no local smash scene maybe see if there is a street fighter one. Learning footsies, combos and just the flow of battle will help you tremendously.

 

[GooberGaming]

I'm just frustrated with how bad I am.

Like whenever I see a Smash tournament, I think "Wow, I wanna play a few rounds now!", but because I have nobody to play against locally, I end up playing on FG. And while I've noticed that there aren't as many annoying players on FG, there is still some lag, which throws off my performance and/or I come across somebody actually much better than me.

It's just frustrating for me. I really want to improve, and I would do anything to do so, but no matter how much I try, I just don't. It doesn't help that lately I find myself getting angry at the smallest things.

Your skill level will improve overtime.

Heck, it took me awhile to learn basic fundamentals and win consistently in this game. If you ever come across a match where your heavily effected by lag, I wouldn't put much thought into it if you lose. Lag effects everyone, just move on to another opponent and try to find someone that does not effect your input lag as much and STICK with them. I'll honestly find someone who isn't laggy and I'll play as many matches as possible because it provides myself an opportunity to have a fun match!

IF you happen to run across someone who is clearly better then you, stick around for another match and try to analyze what didn't work in the last match, and try to find strategies that work. For me, I'll re-think my approach options and start to avoid being predictable(Which I have a poor habit of doing at times....).

 

[TJTheRager]

I feel where you're coming from though. You feel like Vegeta up until the later (half?) of the Cell Saga...it's just seems impossible to become that super Saiyan and become even stronger. Dude, just keep playing (especially with different types of players) and you'll improve trust me...I've got a buddy who's first Smash game was Smash 4 and he bodies me pretty consistently....and I've been playing since the N64 days >_____________>

 

[Rinku リンク]

Honestly my theory is that you only have about 55% of your potential when you play online. The rest is lost due to lag and input delay so don't take it so hard on yourself.

 

[Simperheve]

I almost never play FG anymore because the lack of consistency is absolutely terrible. If you wanna get better, go to some friendlies near you. I don't have either luxury right now so I just practice against LVL 9 CPUs. If you can pull off a combo or punish on one of those, it'll probably work on a human player.

 

[febLey]

I was in the same boat, but i've discovered Anther's Ladder for myself.

Just play some friendlies, there are many players that'll give you some helpful advices.

https://www.smashladder.com/

 

[evmaxy54]

I almost never play FG anymore because the lack of consistency is absolutely terrible. If you wanna get better, go to some friendlies near you. I don't have either luxury right now so I just practice against LVL 9 CPUs. If you can pull off a combo or punish on one of those, it'll probably work on a human player.

Lol no Lvl 9s are ****e for practice. Can't learn to make reads because they PS most ****, they barely DI anything & are exploitable as ****

 

[Adamas]

I'm just frustrated with how bad I am.

Like whenever I see a Smash tournament, I think "Wow, I wanna play a few rounds now!", but because I have nobody to play against locally, I end up playing on FG. And while I've noticed that there aren't as many annoying players on FG, there is still some lag, which throws off my performance and/or I come across somebody actually much better than me.

It's just frustrating for me. I really want to improve, and I would do anything to do so, but no matter how much I try, I just don't. It doesn't help that lately I find myself getting angry at the smallest things.

I know the feeling. Try to find someone that is at your skill level (preferably a touch above yours), and just play a bunch of matches with them. That's the way that I got better. If you'd like a training partner, I wouldn't mind being one.

 

[ArikadoSD]

Where do you live/what region?

 

[TheFlyingCule]

I would recommend checking out Anther's ladder if you are in need of people to play against. Generally I get less lag so it helps a lot. As for your Local problem, I cant really comment on your situation, but if you haven't already, look for things like facebook groups and stuff like that regarding Smash in your region, that's how I found my area. Hopefully this helps, sorry if I didn't

 

[LunarWingCloud]

I'm more frustrated that I'm in the boring "gray" area. I'm too good for my more casual friends, and not good enough for any more serious players.

 

[Gregory2590]

Same exact problem as OP. No attendable scenes in my area nor do I have the ability to start one up, and I tend to lose to dumb things. Smashladder didn't do much good for me either since it's just the same problems as I had with FG except i'm facing better players. Videos didn't do too much good either. Sure you can go "it's just wifi, don't take it so hard" given most if not all of my matches had online interference(teching not registering, shielding after dashes having a delay, etc), but I have no idea where to draw the line between "wifi" and "git gud" in my performance. I tried taking a break a few times, but nothing really changed at all. Tried taking it easy by playing casually(items etc.) but I stopped finding that fun back in Melee.

I guess what i'm annoyed about is that despite me playing Smash for so many years, it's a bit infuriating that I'm not making any progress at all with so many "limitations".

 

[Foxus]

Same exact problem as OP. No attendable scenes in my area nor do I have the ability to start one up, and I tend to lose to dumb things. Smashladder didn't do much good for me either since it's just the same problems as I had with FG except i'm facing better players. Videos didn't do too much good either. Sure you can go "it's just wifi, don't take it so hard" given most if not all of my matches had online interference(teching not registering, shielding after dashes having a delay, etc), but I have no idea where to draw the line between "wifi" and "git gud" in my performance. I tried taking a break a few times, but nothing really changed at all. Tried taking it easy by playing casually(items etc.) but I stopped finding that fun back in Melee.

I guess what i'm annoyed about is that despite me playing Smash for so many years, it's a bit infuriating that I'm not making any progress at all with so many "limitations".

Heh, I say kudos to you for even going into FG. I have enough problems in FF. As I say, there isn't a time when Smash doesn't piss me off. I'm still waiting for the day I actually have fun with it.

My situation is the same. I've played Smash since the day it first came out, and there's nothing really to show for it. You have to understand people who use the terms ,"salt," "git gud," "rekt," (I'm sure there's others) are mentally below you. Whether you win or lose, you should be able to refrain from degrading yourself. Often online, I'll use, "GG" as a way to say, "Good Game." Problem is some misinterpret that from the immature saying.

A loss, in any case, can be detrimental to ones confidence, so while there could be a amount of truth to, "its just wii, don't take it so hard," the implications of losing a match can still be harsh, especially if you are in my case, where you are losing time and time again. Gaming is a hands on learning experience, so while watching videos can be helpful, it will simply be irrelevant if you can't put it to work while its still fresh.

That's why smashing with sometime, and getting feedback in real time is the best way to go at it.

 

[Bobert]

I'm more frustrated that I'm in the boring "gray" area. I'm too good for my more casual friends, and not good enough for any more serious players.

I know that feeling.