Thoughts were racing through my head for about twelve hours now. Questions were surfacing that I had no answers to, and the further I deluged myself into my research on this god-forsaken game, the further I came from uncovering some sort of answer to the common question, "Why aren't I winning tournaments?". It kept recurring, and I was unable to find a conclusion, which left my head in disarray. I decided that I wanted an answer, and I wanted it now.
I paced my room, searched on smashboards, for any glaring contradiction that would bring me closer to some invisible answer. Some magical answer that would tell me how to win! Of course, nothing came up. But I wasn't done. I decided that I would ask somebody, who at one point, I was actually better than. This person then rose to a level that I can't even comprehend. I had an interview with Fiction. It was this interview that lead me to a breakthrough in terms of Smash. It's something that I had wish I heard earlier, and I decided to share with you what he said, as well as my analysis on the matter. I began with a simple question, just to break the ice.
Sky` (10:33:34 PM): Who did you main First?
Fiction (10:33:57 PM): well, when the game came out i quickly realized that metaknight was my best lol
Fiction (10:34:04 PM): it was so much easier with him than the other characters
Fiction (10:34:16 PM): then my friend tried gw and was able to beat me so i took up gw
Fiction (10:34:25 PM): i went to a couple tourneys with gw and got *****
Fiction (10:34:47 PM): i went through a short phase where i mained mario
Fiction (10:34:50 PM): and then captain falcon
Fiction (10:35:01 PM): and then i wasnt really sure who i mained i just played some random characters
Fiction (10:35:05 PM): then one day i picked up wario
Fiction (10:35:16 PM): he worked so well for me that i played my friends with him for one day
Fiction (10:35:27 PM): and entered a tournament and did better with him than i had ever done with GW
Fiction (10:35:37 PM): even though i didnt make it out of pools because i lost to romeos ddd
Fiction (10:35:43 PM): from that point on until now i have mained wario
This was the beginning of something big, I figured. The fact of the matter is, that even the professionals had their character malfunctions as well. Maining people like Mario and Captain falcon? Obviously those are not viable for tournament play. But what I'd really like to press upon, is the fact that in the beginning of it all, he Mained MK, and switched. He switched because he got beaten by a GaW. Eventually, he found Wario because he liked the feel of him. He says that it "Works for him." He took up MK because he felt like he was the best with him. Look at who you main, right now. It at this point, disregard tiers for a second. Do you really enjoy playing your character? Does he/she work for you?Or are you playing him/her for a specific reason? If you don't like your character, you're going to end up not doing well in any regard. You won't have the will power to get good. There will be times when you lose, and though it sounds odd, if you don't like your character, you'll get frustrated with him/her, and your performance will drop. It's very important to choose a character that you deeply enjoy playing, otherwise, you'll never be able to reach a peak of professional gameplay.
I continued with a question that surfaces people's head when one loses to a counter pick character.
Sky` (10:36:03 PM): Have you ever considered in any regard, of dropping Wario for a high Tier?
Fiction (10:36:26 PM): wario IS a high tier
Fiction (10:36:29 PM): ive found that when
Fiction (10:36:37 PM): a character who is considered a higher tier than wario
Fiction (10:36:48 PM): runs into an obstacle such as a bad matchup or a bad stage
Fiction (10:36:58 PM): they have difficulty getting around it.
Fiction (10:37:11 PM): with wario there are so many options and so many different ways to play him
Fiction (10:37:27 PM): that ive never even thought about ever dropping him for a high tier
Fiction (10:37:30 PM): ever
I thought about this for a while, and I just kind of... got disappointed. I thought about my situation, and replaced my character with his. The fact of the matter is, I main Peach, a D tier character. It's not the same as Wario, who is a B tier character. Capable of winning tournaments, that stops at the B tier, Maybe a little bit of C. But I didn't feel like stopping there. It was clear, that if I mained somebody from the D tier or below, winning tournaments was simply wishful thinking. But that's not to say that one cannot excel far with a character from my tier, or below. I've seen people beat the greatest of players with characters like Pokemon Trainer, or even Link! So then I came to a conclusion, that many have failed to accept. If your character lives in the region of D tier and below, You can't do it alone. No matter how many times I try to convey this to other people, they insist that their character is amazing. This is what I call, the Anime Effect.
"If I practice and train hard enough, Oni-chan, I'll make it to the top! Despite the odds against me, I'll make it to first and prove everybody wrong! You'll see!"
They're cartoons for a reason. Fictional stories that are just that, fictional. In the real world, one must accept limits for what they are, and it is only when you can accept said limits, that you can start opening yourself up to the high level of competitive play. So though this may sound contradictory to my first paragraph, I will stay this statement: If you are longing to win tournaments, and your Main is in the D category, you are going to need to find a character in the B (Some of C) or above to cover your bad matchups reasonably. Though this sounds obvious, some fail to accept the fact, or realize it completely. Though my Main currently resides in D tier, I've picked up a C tier sub. This is because Kirby can subsist on the stages which Peach can't (Rainbow Cruise.. >_<), and he can also demolish the characters which gives peach a lot of trouble. (Falco. =/). This team, I strongly believe is viable to win a regional, given my skill level is up to that level, but all that takes, is training. What about you? Who do you main? Do you really think that they can do it alone? Don't second guess yourself. Think about it. And if you run to MK, heed this warning. Though he is still the best, his Metagame is being exploited every day. The hatred of MK has brought the community to rectify his being, and each day we are one step closer to shutting down n00by MKs. So, the road to be a good MK is a long and unrewarding one, as well as Lonely.
This next one is probably the most important in my opinion. It's the one part of the interview that gave me a vantage point that I'd never seen before.
Sky` (10:38:25 PM): Now, it's a fact that you rose to power, as in, you became very famous, very quickly. Not only that, but you were able to win a regional, taking out big names, like DSF, Lee Puff, among others. How do you think you accomplished these feats?
Fiction (10:38:57 PM): I think i slowly got better from getting ***** at tourneys
Fiction (10:39:05 PM): to slowly getting better from hours of wifi practice in my free time
Fiction (10:39:13 PM): i had actually practiced only wifi
Fiction (10:39:22 PM): before getting 5th at a races tournament
Fiction (10:39:27 PM): which was my first high placing
Fiction (10:39:42 PM): it took me a long time to get past that as i kept placing 5th or 7th at most tourneys
Fiction (10:39:54 PM): then one day i was contacted from a guy named
Fiction (10:39:56 PM): gameophile
Fiction (10:40:05 PM): who said he went to csun and that he wanted to come over and smash
Fiction (10:40:11 PM): and if he could bring a few friends
Fiction (10:40:16 PM): i asked my parents, they said yes
Fiction (10:40:26 PM): and the next day he came over, happening to bring along a friend
Fiction (10:40:35 PM): named larry
Fiction (10:40:36 PM): aka DEHF
Fiction (10:40:57 PM): they came over some times after that
Fiction (10:41:05 PM): usually on weekends
Fiction (10:41:14 PM): sometimes they would bring other people and sometimes
Fiction (10:41:20 PM): just one of them would come over to practice
Fiction (10:41:41 PM): after a few weeks
Fiction (10:41:52 PM): the ucla tournament happened
Fiction (10:41:59 PM): i was playing better and took futile to 3rd game in dittos
Fiction (10:42:08 PM): and i placed 5th
Fiction (10:42:13 PM): after a few more weeks
Fiction (10:42:17 PM): was the first SCSA
Fiction (10:42:22 PM): where i placed 4th
Fiction (10:42:25 PM): my highest placing to date
Fiction (10:42:32 PM): at that tournament i lost to larry
Fiction (10:42:34 PM): as well as
Fiction (10:42:35 PM): SK92
Fiction (10:42:39 PM): ..2 falcos
Fiction (10:42:48 PM): i vowed that it would never happen again
Fiction (10:42:58 PM): i learned the matchup to death by practicing with larry
Fiction (10:43:03 PM): intensely afterwards for the next couple weeks
Fiction (10:43:09 PM): i changed my tag from
Fiction (10:43:12 PM): FICTN to 0_o
Fiction (10:43:17 PM): and my color from red to brown wario
Fiction (10:43:28 PM): so people would know i wasnt going to settle for 4th anymore
Fiction (10:43:48 PM): i think i went to one tournament the week after SCSA
Fiction (10:43:52 PM): and it was the next races
Fiction (10:44:00 PM): i had a horrible headache the whole day and didnt play well
Fiction (10:44:03 PM): but thats besides the point
Fiction (10:44:10 PM): the tourney after that was wintergamefest
Fiction (10:44:16 PM): and i was all practiced up with larry
Fiction (10:44:26 PM): i had learned the matchup for falco as well as i possibly could
Fiction (10:44:41 PM): ironically i ended up in the same situation as at the first SCSA
Fiction (10:44:46 PM): playing SK92 after he had beaten
Fiction (10:44:51 PM): TKD
Fiction (10:44:56 PM): after i won that match
Fiction (10:45:00 PM): it dawned on me
Fiction (10:45:06 PM): i....could actually win
Fiction (10:45:17 PM): i gave it my all and managed to win wintergamefest
Fiction (10:45:23 PM): which was the first money i had ever won in a tournament
There are many things here that sparked my eye, and made me reconsider many doubts I had. I'd like everybody to pay close attention to the changes that Fiction made. He changed his tag, as well as his Wario Color. This is a form of reconstruction. It's this form of tangible change that helped him get the confidence he needed in order to apply all of his skill to the situation at hand. He made this change stand for something, not just a mindless switch. It said, "I'm not going to settle for these placings anymore. I'm not going to lose to these Falco's anymore." I believe this is very very important. See, it's one thing to train and practice and all that jazz, but if you don't have any physical change, it doesn't have the same effect, and you won't be able to shine.
The best way I can relate this to something that people could understand, would be Dragon Ball Z. Each stage of Super Sayian, the characters would physically change. From having golden hair, to really golden hair, to no eye brows, to monkey. Each physical change symbolized a level of power far greater than the last. Fiction decided that this change would be like him going up to a new level. The old Fiction was gone. The new Fiction, with a new tag, and a new color was here to stay. In DBZ, if there was never a physical difference betwixt the powers at hand, not only would the anime get stale quickly, but it would hinder the perception of power. Though that might seem advantageous, it's hard to continue doing what you're doing, if there aren't any physical results. I guess another thing, would be weight loss. If you were to work out every day for a year, eating healthy, but you stayed the same physical shape, wouldn't that discourage you? You need that physical change, if even a pound, to keep your self going to that gym. Rewarding yourself with a tag change, and a Color switch, is good when you feel like you've deserved it.
Moving on. Fiction also mentioned that he trained with Larry/DEHF, to nail that falco matchup, so that there would be no mistaking it next time, that he would win. The fact of the matter is, save for one character, no character has perfect matchups. People are going to counterpick you, and it's going to suck. You have the option of countering their counterpick, or learning the matchup, which is completely possible. (Note, again, this is for Viable tournament characters. Btier and up.) But it's more than just playing against that character, It's about playing with that character as well. Pick up the character that you have trouble with for about five games. Try to mimic what top level players do with them, and see where it gets you. When you are able to sit down, and actually practice like that, you'll learn those characters limitations, as well as their flaws.
And finally, a line that really got to me, was:
"It dawned on me... I... could actually win."
It's this confidence boost, when beating somebody good, that gets you over that hill. There are many smashers now that are just thinking that they can't do anything, and that you just aren't getting better, and you're never going to go above and beyond anything from where you are now. The remedy for this syndrome, is beating somebody you know you could never beat before. It sounds... difficult, but in a game where one can get paid thousands of dollars, one would expect this to be difficult. But that's the fun in competivity!
This links directly into my next question that I asked Fiction. This question was something that I had been thinking about heavily, after witnessing some people play this game for so long, but never broke the median of, "average".
Sky` (10:46:09 PM): Alright. Do you think that anybody has the potential to win tournaments? Or is it given to some people among others?
Fiction (10:46:25 PM): I can't really answer that
Fiction (10:46:38 PM): i know some people who have played smash for years and have never been good at it
Fiction (10:46:49 PM): and there are some people who pick it up
Fiction (10:46:52 PM): very quickly
Fiction (10:47:11 PM): so i would say that some people have more talent in the area of having fast reaction time
Fiction (10:47:14 PM): or reading peoples moves
Fiction (10:47:18 PM): but
Fiction (10:47:26 PM): idk maybe its like a math class
Fiction (10:47:32 PM): where some people dont even have to try and get As
Fiction (10:47:36 PM): and some people have to really work for it
Fiction (10:47:39 PM): but they can get the same grades
Fiction (10:47:48 PM): something just has to click and it takes longer
Fiction (10:47:49 PM): than others
Fiction (10:48:01 PM): thats how i see it but i cant say im entirely sure on the concept lol
I couldn't have said it better myself. This is exactly what Smash is like, a Math class. Some people just pick up the game, and are amazing. Some people have to struggle in order to reach the top. But everybody has that potential to get to the top. It's the means of how you make it there that really matter. It's how you are reaching the top. This is a short little paragraph, but it's just to dawn on the idea that anybody can do it, but due to the law of averages, some people have to work harder than others. It's all a matter of how bad you want it, how bad you want to make it to first, how bad you want to excel in this game.
This question I asked, though I know the answer. I wanted an opinion from somebody who has won a regional before, in order to make my opinion concrete.
Sky` (10:49:06 PM): This might sound redundant, But do you believe that any Character (within reason...) can do it alone? EX: Do you think that Olimar can Win a tournament alone? or Peach? Characters that subsist in the middle tier environment. And in terms of doing it alone, I mean, Winning regionals.
Fiction (10:49:39 PM): i think that the tier list in brawl
Fiction (10:49:45 PM): is far less concrete than lets say
Fiction (10:49:47 PM): the tier list in melee
Fiction (10:50:00 PM): in melee if you are playing a really low tier character
Fiction (10:50:09 PM): you generally cannot combo or kill very easily or well
Fiction (10:50:19 PM): compared to other chars who completely **** you
Fiction (10:50:26 PM): in brawl its mostly about matchups
Fiction (10:50:39 PM): although there is a general trend in characters who arent as good and characters who are
Fiction (10:50:44 PM): so its not tierless or anything
Fiction (10:50:55 PM): i think that a character with
Fiction (10:51:03 PM): decent matchups
Fiction (10:51:10 PM): can win as long as theres nothing unwinnable
Fiction (10:51:12 PM): that they cant work around
Fiction (10:51:17 PM): (like olimar)
Fiction (10:51:22 PM): he can make it though because he doesnt get say
Fiction (10:51:26 PM): 0-deathed by ddd
Fiction (10:51:27 PM): every time
This surprised me. This was wonderfully said, and I don't think many others could have said it better. A character with decent matchups can win as long as there is nothing unwinnable. This sounds like a contradiction to what I said earlier about D tiers and such, but lets go back and think about it. Just because I'm experienced with her, I'll use my current Main, Peach. She is D tier. Many people think that she can overcome every obstacle, and that she has no matchups that are completely un winnable. But I disagree. Metaknight on Rainbow Cruise, Is un winnable. Edrees, currently ranked number one Peach in the Country agrees with me as well, and switched to Ness on Rainbow Cruise. With ness, in tournament, Edrees was able to beat Sean, (Norcal's Number 1 MK.) as Ness, At Rainbow Cruise. Peach has un-winnable match-ups on certain stages. And high level players, are going to capitalize on that. Allow me to present this example which I used the other day in a previous thread.
This last question was general advice to those striving to make it on the top. I asked him for it, he delivered.
Sky` (10:52:54 PM): Alright. For my last question. Do you have any advice you can give to anybody trying to reach the top? Is there anything you might be doing that others should start paying attention to?
Fiction (10:53:13 PM): hmm
Fiction (10:53:26 PM): all i would say is to pay attention to your matchups
Fiction (10:53:33 PM): you cannot simply learn your character well
Fiction (10:53:45 PM): you have to learn all the other characters well too
Fiction (10:53:59 PM): maybe take them into training mode and test out their maneuverability or moveset
Fiction (10:54:07 PM): or play against your friend using that character once or tiwce
Fiction (10:54:09 PM): twice*
Fiction (10:54:19 PM): find out their limits and their weaknesses so that when you fight them with your character
Fiction (10:54:25 PM): you will know what it feels like from their perspective
Fiction (10:54:36 PM): the only other thing is not to really watch your character
Fiction (10:54:48 PM): try to watch mainly your opponent and see what they are doing
Fiction (10:55:03 PM): and know your character well enough that you can see them out of the corner of your eye
Fiction (10:55:05 PM): and still not mess up
Fiction (10:55:11 PM): its like typing
Fiction (10:55:17 PM): when you are looking at the keyboard
Fiction (10:55:22 PM): you can see what u are doing
Fiction (10:55:31 PM): but you cant see when you make mistakes
Fiction (10:55:36 PM): but if you are watching the screen
Fiction (10:55:40 PM): and typing by muscle memory
Fiction (10:55:44 PM): its much easier to type well
Fiction (10:55:49 PM): thats pretty much all i got lol
Sky` (10:56:57 PM): Wait.
Sky` (10:56:59 PM): What's your real name?
Fiction (10:57:08 PM): lol
Fiction (10:57:11 PM): whats ur
Sky` (10:57:11 PM): Fiction it is.
Fiction (10:57:13 PM): :O
Fiction (10:57:14 PM): lol
Sky` (10:57:16 PM): (EDITED OUT).
Fiction (10:57:18 PM): cool
Sky` (10:57:20 PM): Call me Sky, or I'll cut you.
Fiction (10:57:20 PM): sky it is
As we can clearly see, it's more about just learning your character. Sean is an advocate of this principle. Sean knows the whole cast, front and back, and it's because of that, that he excels in random dittos, as well as tournament play. There is no character out there that can surprise him. Fiction has the same principle, there is no character that he's going to see, and be surprised at what the character can do, because he has that basic knowledge of each character. Enough for him to know the characters limits, and maneuverability. His Keyboard metaphor was genius. It's true. One needs to know his or her character by heart, as well as read the opponent like a book, all while committing things like DI and teching to Muscle memory and reflexes. When you've got those things logged away in your subconscious, you can spend more conscious time analyzing your opponent. Then you can get to work on the complexities of DI ( Perpendicular to the trajectory of the attack. <3) Smash DI, and momentum reduction. Things like that, that really matter.
In this interview I've uncovered many things, that I wanted to share with the public. It's up to you to read this whole thing or not. It's a lot to take in, and it's a long read, but I strongly believe that this is going to help many people break those barriers that they were struggling with, and it should be a boost to those already on that high level, that need that extra push to start placing first. Thanks for reading. =]
tl;dr: Practice makes perfect.
Give your self tangible rewards for getting better. Try changing your tag and your color of your character. See what happens.
Don't kid your self. If your character is D tier or below, you're not going to win by yourself. Pick up a sub that's B tier or above to help your bad match-ups.
Learn the whole cast, so that nothing surprises you in tournament when that time comes.
Good luck.
I paced my room, searched on smashboards, for any glaring contradiction that would bring me closer to some invisible answer. Some magical answer that would tell me how to win! Of course, nothing came up. But I wasn't done. I decided that I would ask somebody, who at one point, I was actually better than. This person then rose to a level that I can't even comprehend. I had an interview with Fiction. It was this interview that lead me to a breakthrough in terms of Smash. It's something that I had wish I heard earlier, and I decided to share with you what he said, as well as my analysis on the matter. I began with a simple question, just to break the ice.
Sky` (10:33:34 PM): Who did you main First?
Fiction (10:33:57 PM): well, when the game came out i quickly realized that metaknight was my best lol
Fiction (10:34:04 PM): it was so much easier with him than the other characters
Fiction (10:34:16 PM): then my friend tried gw and was able to beat me so i took up gw
Fiction (10:34:25 PM): i went to a couple tourneys with gw and got *****
Fiction (10:34:47 PM): i went through a short phase where i mained mario
Fiction (10:34:50 PM): and then captain falcon
Fiction (10:35:01 PM): and then i wasnt really sure who i mained i just played some random characters
Fiction (10:35:05 PM): then one day i picked up wario
Fiction (10:35:16 PM): he worked so well for me that i played my friends with him for one day
Fiction (10:35:27 PM): and entered a tournament and did better with him than i had ever done with GW
Fiction (10:35:37 PM): even though i didnt make it out of pools because i lost to romeos ddd
Fiction (10:35:43 PM): from that point on until now i have mained wario
This was the beginning of something big, I figured. The fact of the matter is, that even the professionals had their character malfunctions as well. Maining people like Mario and Captain falcon? Obviously those are not viable for tournament play. But what I'd really like to press upon, is the fact that in the beginning of it all, he Mained MK, and switched. He switched because he got beaten by a GaW. Eventually, he found Wario because he liked the feel of him. He says that it "Works for him." He took up MK because he felt like he was the best with him. Look at who you main, right now. It at this point, disregard tiers for a second. Do you really enjoy playing your character? Does he/she work for you?Or are you playing him/her for a specific reason? If you don't like your character, you're going to end up not doing well in any regard. You won't have the will power to get good. There will be times when you lose, and though it sounds odd, if you don't like your character, you'll get frustrated with him/her, and your performance will drop. It's very important to choose a character that you deeply enjoy playing, otherwise, you'll never be able to reach a peak of professional gameplay.
I continued with a question that surfaces people's head when one loses to a counter pick character.
Sky` (10:36:03 PM): Have you ever considered in any regard, of dropping Wario for a high Tier?
Fiction (10:36:26 PM): wario IS a high tier
Fiction (10:36:29 PM): ive found that when
Fiction (10:36:37 PM): a character who is considered a higher tier than wario
Fiction (10:36:48 PM): runs into an obstacle such as a bad matchup or a bad stage
Fiction (10:36:58 PM): they have difficulty getting around it.
Fiction (10:37:11 PM): with wario there are so many options and so many different ways to play him
Fiction (10:37:27 PM): that ive never even thought about ever dropping him for a high tier
Fiction (10:37:30 PM): ever
I thought about this for a while, and I just kind of... got disappointed. I thought about my situation, and replaced my character with his. The fact of the matter is, I main Peach, a D tier character. It's not the same as Wario, who is a B tier character. Capable of winning tournaments, that stops at the B tier, Maybe a little bit of C. But I didn't feel like stopping there. It was clear, that if I mained somebody from the D tier or below, winning tournaments was simply wishful thinking. But that's not to say that one cannot excel far with a character from my tier, or below. I've seen people beat the greatest of players with characters like Pokemon Trainer, or even Link! So then I came to a conclusion, that many have failed to accept. If your character lives in the region of D tier and below, You can't do it alone. No matter how many times I try to convey this to other people, they insist that their character is amazing. This is what I call, the Anime Effect.
"If I practice and train hard enough, Oni-chan, I'll make it to the top! Despite the odds against me, I'll make it to first and prove everybody wrong! You'll see!"
They're cartoons for a reason. Fictional stories that are just that, fictional. In the real world, one must accept limits for what they are, and it is only when you can accept said limits, that you can start opening yourself up to the high level of competitive play. So though this may sound contradictory to my first paragraph, I will stay this statement: If you are longing to win tournaments, and your Main is in the D category, you are going to need to find a character in the B (Some of C) or above to cover your bad matchups reasonably. Though this sounds obvious, some fail to accept the fact, or realize it completely. Though my Main currently resides in D tier, I've picked up a C tier sub. This is because Kirby can subsist on the stages which Peach can't (Rainbow Cruise.. >_<), and he can also demolish the characters which gives peach a lot of trouble. (Falco. =/). This team, I strongly believe is viable to win a regional, given my skill level is up to that level, but all that takes, is training. What about you? Who do you main? Do you really think that they can do it alone? Don't second guess yourself. Think about it. And if you run to MK, heed this warning. Though he is still the best, his Metagame is being exploited every day. The hatred of MK has brought the community to rectify his being, and each day we are one step closer to shutting down n00by MKs. So, the road to be a good MK is a long and unrewarding one, as well as Lonely.
This next one is probably the most important in my opinion. It's the one part of the interview that gave me a vantage point that I'd never seen before.
Sky` (10:38:25 PM): Now, it's a fact that you rose to power, as in, you became very famous, very quickly. Not only that, but you were able to win a regional, taking out big names, like DSF, Lee Puff, among others. How do you think you accomplished these feats?
Fiction (10:38:57 PM): I think i slowly got better from getting ***** at tourneys
Fiction (10:39:05 PM): to slowly getting better from hours of wifi practice in my free time
Fiction (10:39:13 PM): i had actually practiced only wifi
Fiction (10:39:22 PM): before getting 5th at a races tournament
Fiction (10:39:27 PM): which was my first high placing
Fiction (10:39:42 PM): it took me a long time to get past that as i kept placing 5th or 7th at most tourneys
Fiction (10:39:54 PM): then one day i was contacted from a guy named
Fiction (10:39:56 PM): gameophile
Fiction (10:40:05 PM): who said he went to csun and that he wanted to come over and smash
Fiction (10:40:11 PM): and if he could bring a few friends
Fiction (10:40:16 PM): i asked my parents, they said yes
Fiction (10:40:26 PM): and the next day he came over, happening to bring along a friend
Fiction (10:40:35 PM): named larry
Fiction (10:40:36 PM): aka DEHF
Fiction (10:40:57 PM): they came over some times after that
Fiction (10:41:05 PM): usually on weekends
Fiction (10:41:14 PM): sometimes they would bring other people and sometimes
Fiction (10:41:20 PM): just one of them would come over to practice
Fiction (10:41:41 PM): after a few weeks
Fiction (10:41:52 PM): the ucla tournament happened
Fiction (10:41:59 PM): i was playing better and took futile to 3rd game in dittos
Fiction (10:42:08 PM): and i placed 5th
Fiction (10:42:13 PM): after a few more weeks
Fiction (10:42:17 PM): was the first SCSA
Fiction (10:42:22 PM): where i placed 4th
Fiction (10:42:25 PM): my highest placing to date
Fiction (10:42:32 PM): at that tournament i lost to larry
Fiction (10:42:34 PM): as well as
Fiction (10:42:35 PM): SK92
Fiction (10:42:39 PM): ..2 falcos
Fiction (10:42:48 PM): i vowed that it would never happen again
Fiction (10:42:58 PM): i learned the matchup to death by practicing with larry
Fiction (10:43:03 PM): intensely afterwards for the next couple weeks
Fiction (10:43:09 PM): i changed my tag from
Fiction (10:43:12 PM): FICTN to 0_o
Fiction (10:43:17 PM): and my color from red to brown wario
Fiction (10:43:28 PM): so people would know i wasnt going to settle for 4th anymore
Fiction (10:43:48 PM): i think i went to one tournament the week after SCSA
Fiction (10:43:52 PM): and it was the next races
Fiction (10:44:00 PM): i had a horrible headache the whole day and didnt play well
Fiction (10:44:03 PM): but thats besides the point
Fiction (10:44:10 PM): the tourney after that was wintergamefest
Fiction (10:44:16 PM): and i was all practiced up with larry
Fiction (10:44:26 PM): i had learned the matchup for falco as well as i possibly could
Fiction (10:44:41 PM): ironically i ended up in the same situation as at the first SCSA
Fiction (10:44:46 PM): playing SK92 after he had beaten
Fiction (10:44:51 PM): TKD
Fiction (10:44:56 PM): after i won that match
Fiction (10:45:00 PM): it dawned on me
Fiction (10:45:06 PM): i....could actually win
Fiction (10:45:17 PM): i gave it my all and managed to win wintergamefest
Fiction (10:45:23 PM): which was the first money i had ever won in a tournament
There are many things here that sparked my eye, and made me reconsider many doubts I had. I'd like everybody to pay close attention to the changes that Fiction made. He changed his tag, as well as his Wario Color. This is a form of reconstruction. It's this form of tangible change that helped him get the confidence he needed in order to apply all of his skill to the situation at hand. He made this change stand for something, not just a mindless switch. It said, "I'm not going to settle for these placings anymore. I'm not going to lose to these Falco's anymore." I believe this is very very important. See, it's one thing to train and practice and all that jazz, but if you don't have any physical change, it doesn't have the same effect, and you won't be able to shine.
The best way I can relate this to something that people could understand, would be Dragon Ball Z. Each stage of Super Sayian, the characters would physically change. From having golden hair, to really golden hair, to no eye brows, to monkey. Each physical change symbolized a level of power far greater than the last. Fiction decided that this change would be like him going up to a new level. The old Fiction was gone. The new Fiction, with a new tag, and a new color was here to stay. In DBZ, if there was never a physical difference betwixt the powers at hand, not only would the anime get stale quickly, but it would hinder the perception of power. Though that might seem advantageous, it's hard to continue doing what you're doing, if there aren't any physical results. I guess another thing, would be weight loss. If you were to work out every day for a year, eating healthy, but you stayed the same physical shape, wouldn't that discourage you? You need that physical change, if even a pound, to keep your self going to that gym. Rewarding yourself with a tag change, and a Color switch, is good when you feel like you've deserved it.
Moving on. Fiction also mentioned that he trained with Larry/DEHF, to nail that falco matchup, so that there would be no mistaking it next time, that he would win. The fact of the matter is, save for one character, no character has perfect matchups. People are going to counterpick you, and it's going to suck. You have the option of countering their counterpick, or learning the matchup, which is completely possible. (Note, again, this is for Viable tournament characters. Btier and up.) But it's more than just playing against that character, It's about playing with that character as well. Pick up the character that you have trouble with for about five games. Try to mimic what top level players do with them, and see where it gets you. When you are able to sit down, and actually practice like that, you'll learn those characters limitations, as well as their flaws.
And finally, a line that really got to me, was:
"It dawned on me... I... could actually win."
It's this confidence boost, when beating somebody good, that gets you over that hill. There are many smashers now that are just thinking that they can't do anything, and that you just aren't getting better, and you're never going to go above and beyond anything from where you are now. The remedy for this syndrome, is beating somebody you know you could never beat before. It sounds... difficult, but in a game where one can get paid thousands of dollars, one would expect this to be difficult. But that's the fun in competivity!
This links directly into my next question that I asked Fiction. This question was something that I had been thinking about heavily, after witnessing some people play this game for so long, but never broke the median of, "average".
Sky` (10:46:09 PM): Alright. Do you think that anybody has the potential to win tournaments? Or is it given to some people among others?
Fiction (10:46:25 PM): I can't really answer that
Fiction (10:46:38 PM): i know some people who have played smash for years and have never been good at it
Fiction (10:46:49 PM): and there are some people who pick it up
Fiction (10:46:52 PM): very quickly
Fiction (10:47:11 PM): so i would say that some people have more talent in the area of having fast reaction time
Fiction (10:47:14 PM): or reading peoples moves
Fiction (10:47:18 PM): but
Fiction (10:47:26 PM): idk maybe its like a math class
Fiction (10:47:32 PM): where some people dont even have to try and get As
Fiction (10:47:36 PM): and some people have to really work for it
Fiction (10:47:39 PM): but they can get the same grades
Fiction (10:47:48 PM): something just has to click and it takes longer
Fiction (10:47:49 PM): than others
Fiction (10:48:01 PM): thats how i see it but i cant say im entirely sure on the concept lol
I couldn't have said it better myself. This is exactly what Smash is like, a Math class. Some people just pick up the game, and are amazing. Some people have to struggle in order to reach the top. But everybody has that potential to get to the top. It's the means of how you make it there that really matter. It's how you are reaching the top. This is a short little paragraph, but it's just to dawn on the idea that anybody can do it, but due to the law of averages, some people have to work harder than others. It's all a matter of how bad you want it, how bad you want to make it to first, how bad you want to excel in this game.
This question I asked, though I know the answer. I wanted an opinion from somebody who has won a regional before, in order to make my opinion concrete.
Sky` (10:49:06 PM): This might sound redundant, But do you believe that any Character (within reason...) can do it alone? EX: Do you think that Olimar can Win a tournament alone? or Peach? Characters that subsist in the middle tier environment. And in terms of doing it alone, I mean, Winning regionals.
Fiction (10:49:39 PM): i think that the tier list in brawl
Fiction (10:49:45 PM): is far less concrete than lets say
Fiction (10:49:47 PM): the tier list in melee
Fiction (10:50:00 PM): in melee if you are playing a really low tier character
Fiction (10:50:09 PM): you generally cannot combo or kill very easily or well
Fiction (10:50:19 PM): compared to other chars who completely **** you
Fiction (10:50:26 PM): in brawl its mostly about matchups
Fiction (10:50:39 PM): although there is a general trend in characters who arent as good and characters who are
Fiction (10:50:44 PM): so its not tierless or anything
Fiction (10:50:55 PM): i think that a character with
Fiction (10:51:03 PM): decent matchups
Fiction (10:51:10 PM): can win as long as theres nothing unwinnable
Fiction (10:51:12 PM): that they cant work around
Fiction (10:51:17 PM): (like olimar)
Fiction (10:51:22 PM): he can make it though because he doesnt get say
Fiction (10:51:26 PM): 0-deathed by ddd
Fiction (10:51:27 PM): every time
This surprised me. This was wonderfully said, and I don't think many others could have said it better. A character with decent matchups can win as long as there is nothing unwinnable. This sounds like a contradiction to what I said earlier about D tiers and such, but lets go back and think about it. Just because I'm experienced with her, I'll use my current Main, Peach. She is D tier. Many people think that she can overcome every obstacle, and that she has no matchups that are completely un winnable. But I disagree. Metaknight on Rainbow Cruise, Is un winnable. Edrees, currently ranked number one Peach in the Country agrees with me as well, and switched to Ness on Rainbow Cruise. With ness, in tournament, Edrees was able to beat Sean, (Norcal's Number 1 MK.) as Ness, At Rainbow Cruise. Peach has un-winnable match-ups on certain stages. And high level players, are going to capitalize on that. Allow me to present this example which I used the other day in a previous thread.
Clearly, after digging up some logic, Peach does have some unwinnable matches. The tier list is there for a reason. =]. I've accepted my characters flaws, and picked a character that can mend her flaws, so that with her and Kirby, I can really shine in tournaments. Remember. Brawl is a game that subsists on the Matchup. It's mainly about Matchups. If you get 0-deathed by a character, then you're not going to win a tournament, unless you pick up some sort of Sub to eliminate that threat. It's a Dog-eat-dog world.
This last question was general advice to those striving to make it on the top. I asked him for it, he delivered.
Sky` (10:52:54 PM): Alright. For my last question. Do you have any advice you can give to anybody trying to reach the top? Is there anything you might be doing that others should start paying attention to?
Fiction (10:53:13 PM): hmm
Fiction (10:53:26 PM): all i would say is to pay attention to your matchups
Fiction (10:53:33 PM): you cannot simply learn your character well
Fiction (10:53:45 PM): you have to learn all the other characters well too
Fiction (10:53:59 PM): maybe take them into training mode and test out their maneuverability or moveset
Fiction (10:54:07 PM): or play against your friend using that character once or tiwce
Fiction (10:54:09 PM): twice*
Fiction (10:54:19 PM): find out their limits and their weaknesses so that when you fight them with your character
Fiction (10:54:25 PM): you will know what it feels like from their perspective
Fiction (10:54:36 PM): the only other thing is not to really watch your character
Fiction (10:54:48 PM): try to watch mainly your opponent and see what they are doing
Fiction (10:55:03 PM): and know your character well enough that you can see them out of the corner of your eye
Fiction (10:55:05 PM): and still not mess up
Fiction (10:55:11 PM): its like typing
Fiction (10:55:17 PM): when you are looking at the keyboard
Fiction (10:55:22 PM): you can see what u are doing
Fiction (10:55:31 PM): but you cant see when you make mistakes
Fiction (10:55:36 PM): but if you are watching the screen
Fiction (10:55:40 PM): and typing by muscle memory
Fiction (10:55:44 PM): its much easier to type well
Fiction (10:55:49 PM): thats pretty much all i got lol
Sky` (10:56:57 PM): Wait.
Sky` (10:56:59 PM): What's your real name?
Fiction (10:57:08 PM): lol
Fiction (10:57:11 PM): whats ur
Sky` (10:57:11 PM): Fiction it is.
Fiction (10:57:13 PM): :O
Fiction (10:57:14 PM): lol
Sky` (10:57:16 PM): (EDITED OUT).
Fiction (10:57:18 PM): cool
Sky` (10:57:20 PM): Call me Sky, or I'll cut you.
Fiction (10:57:20 PM): sky it is
As we can clearly see, it's more about just learning your character. Sean is an advocate of this principle. Sean knows the whole cast, front and back, and it's because of that, that he excels in random dittos, as well as tournament play. There is no character out there that can surprise him. Fiction has the same principle, there is no character that he's going to see, and be surprised at what the character can do, because he has that basic knowledge of each character. Enough for him to know the characters limits, and maneuverability. His Keyboard metaphor was genius. It's true. One needs to know his or her character by heart, as well as read the opponent like a book, all while committing things like DI and teching to Muscle memory and reflexes. When you've got those things logged away in your subconscious, you can spend more conscious time analyzing your opponent. Then you can get to work on the complexities of DI ( Perpendicular to the trajectory of the attack. <3) Smash DI, and momentum reduction. Things like that, that really matter.
In this interview I've uncovered many things, that I wanted to share with the public. It's up to you to read this whole thing or not. It's a lot to take in, and it's a long read, but I strongly believe that this is going to help many people break those barriers that they were struggling with, and it should be a boost to those already on that high level, that need that extra push to start placing first. Thanks for reading. =]
tl;dr: Practice makes perfect.
Give your self tangible rewards for getting better. Try changing your tag and your color of your character. See what happens.
Don't kid your self. If your character is D tier or below, you're not going to win by yourself. Pick up a sub that's B tier or above to help your bad match-ups.
Learn the whole cast, so that nothing surprises you in tournament when that time comes.
Good luck.
