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Friends who sandbag?

Couth

Smash Rookie
Joined
Feb 26, 2014
Messages
17
There are these two guys at my school who are really good at Melee so they started a club for it. They are really nice, but I feel that they sandbag way too hard on me. I mean, I understand that they have to let the new kids win a little to keep interest, but I have already shown my interest in the game and my willingness to learn. I feel that if I try to learn against them doing stupid stuff, I'm not gonna learn as well as if they had just 4 stocked me. Is it wrong for me to think this? What are your thoughts on sandbagging?
 

KirbyKaze

Smash Legend
Joined
Nov 18, 2007
Messages
17,679
Location
Spiral Mountain
If all I do is death combo you consecutively 4 times and we have 4 combat exchanges per match, I assure you that you won't learn much.
 

SAUS

Smash Ace
Joined
Aug 20, 2008
Messages
866
Location
Ottawa
If all I do is death combo you consecutively 4 times and we have 4 combat exchanges per match, I assure you that you won't learn much.
Now I feel bad lol

I prefer to help people learn by giving them some tips when they play people closer to their skill level. Playing against them many times in a row probably doesn't help them learn.
 

Couth

Smash Rookie
Joined
Feb 26, 2014
Messages
17
If all I do is death combo you consecutively 4 times and we have 4 combat exchanges per match, I assure you that you won't learn much.
That's very true, but I feel if they are pretty much GIVING me a tipper, then that's a waste of time. I didn't learn anything other than that they are nice people for trying to let me win. So should I ask them to stop sandbagging or should I just go with it and gradually learn that way?
 

KirbyKaze

Smash Legend
Joined
Nov 18, 2007
Messages
17,679
Location
Spiral Mountain
When I play newer players who want to learn, if I'm teaching them then I turn my combo meter down to minimal (or non-existent) but instead focus entirely on hitting them with my openers and avoiding their attacks. By placing this emphasis on footing, I force them to treat every hit as important because they're losing to incremental damage. This also gives them more opportunities on a stock to actually engage me. And if I'm feeling REALLY generous I try to recreate the situations they're struggling most with (which isn't usually too difficult) so they can play against it until they start to understand it.
 

Zhea

Smash Ace
Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
962
Location
San Antonio Texas
Are they sandbagging you? Friendlies are some of the best places to practice/experiment and good players are usually trying to work on something specific whenever they get the chance. They could be trying stuff out on you because you react better then a CPU, but it isn't difficult to try what they want. Likewise a lot of good players will do what KirbyKaze does to try and drill the basics of spacing and mind games into new players heads(Most new players are tech heads and will improve on that on their own time).

Lastly, I admit, for a long part of my career I had a poor opinion of sandbagging and even today I look down upon it. However, when you reach a certain level of mastery, playing people a league or 2 below you is boring. It's not challenging, and you stop having fun with the game, which sucks. Some people enjoy teaching and fight the boredom with that. Other's bring out their secondary characters and refine dull edges with them in an attempt to get something out of the session for themselves. Other's still will do goofy reckless **** while trying to amuse themselves.

Bottom line, it's definitely a blow to your pride when someone is sandbagging you, but at the end of the day we play this game, compete at this game, obsess over this game, because it is fun. Do you really want your friends to not have fun for the sake of your pride?
 

Couth

Smash Rookie
Joined
Feb 26, 2014
Messages
17
Wow I never thought of it that way. That's gives me a whole different perspective on it. I know they have the best intentions, I guess it was just my ego that was taking a blow. In the end they are trying to make me better and now that I was able to take a step back and look at the situation, you guys are all right. Thanks guys!
 

ShrieK1295

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Dec 26, 2009
Messages
371
Tell them not to sandbag. If they still seem to be sandbagging, they are probably just working on new stuff/experimenting to make it interesting and useful practice for themselves. I don't think it's a difficult situation really
 

Sal

Smash Rookie
Joined
Mar 3, 2014
Messages
20
Location
Sandefjord, Norway
Never sandbag. Ever. Always prove your dominance and superiority.

No, but seriously, you can just tell them to play seriously, as that is what you'll most likely learn from. But hey, go home and practice against frame perfect bots and go slowly beat them. Then they won't sandbag anymore.
 
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