Good melee player

[Slayrz Ave]

I am just wondering what is required to be a good melee player? I am thinking you just need fast hands and maybe half a brain. Am i right or are there other things you need to have to be a good player? It would be great to hear anybodys opinion. Thanks in advance

 

[Xyzz]

Would recommend a full brain over fast hands.

 

[EPsilon933]

Fighting games are heavily about making the right decisions. When you do an action, you're stuck doing that action for a certain amount of tumr. Certain actions counter and get countered by other certain actions. Ability helps you do more actions better

 

[Slayrz Ave]

Oh ok very interesting. So we have: timing, quick fingers, game knowledge, a group of friends to play/practise with.
Is that all you need to be good at melee or are there other things?

 

[AudioSilver]

Don't make mistakes.

 

[GenNyan]

Oh ok very interesting. So we have: timing, quick fingers, game knowledge, a group of friends to play/practise with.
Is that all you need to be good at melee or are there other things?

You don't need those things. Those are all things you get by playing the game and getting better. All you need is motivation.

Well, you also need a controller, and a TV or computer would certainly help.

 

[necroTaxonomist]

 

[Sutekh]

Fast hands are not something you're born with; speed is most definitely something that comes with practice. Everything that goes into being a good melee player comes with practice (speed, strategy, good decision making, accuracy, consistency). On a personal level, all you really need is time, motivation, and a desire to learn and improve. Play as much as you can with as many people as you can, especially people that are better than you. Improvement isn't inevitable without conscious effort, but if you absorbs as much information as possible and practice intelligently, you'll certainly be able to see yourself growing as a player.

 

[Slayrz Ave]

Ah yes motivation, that is a good point. Time and desire also. But what if these things are not enough and you still are not very good at the game. Maybe you just need a nice hair cut and a big D, both of which i lack so i will never know.
I just want to be able to do sick combos like westballz so people aren't so bored when im playing melee in the lounge

 

[The_Most_Effectual]

For the sake of avoiding thread spam, I'm not going to make a thread about finding a partner, and I figured this was probably the most appropriate thread to ask it on. I've got two questions: How can I get my friends more into Melee, and how can I find a playing partner if I can't get my friends to play with me?

I've got a few friends that are interested in Melee that each have their own GC and copy of Melee, but they aren't super invested, and I'm way better than them. They aren't devoted enough yet to sit down for two hours and learn how to wavedash, and I don't know how I can get them to or what I can do to tutor them and give them pointers to improve their game. My mom is legally blind and can't drive, so even though there are lots of tournaments in my area (there have been less and less as of late, but still some monthlies here and there), it's really difficult for me to get to them, so having a challenging partner that I can play with often is one of the only ways I will be able to get consistent practice with people. I have horrendous tournament nerves because I'm so unfamiliar with playing with people, so I freak out and doubt myself. My internet connection sucks, and whenever I try to download the Dolphin emulator, it doesn't work, so Netplay is out of the question. Basically, I just want to know how I can get my friends to be more interested and better at the game, and how I can find a partner if it won't work out with my friends.

EDIT: Also, I feel like I need to start setting some goals for myself to make sure that I'm maximizing my practice, rather than just trying to "get good." What would be some feasible goals that I could set? Like, I don't know how prestigious the Charlotte P.R. is, or how far I am from winning a local, but I think you guys definitely have a better scheme of things than me, so anything helps.

 

[Roukiske]

Would recommend a full brain over fast hands.

"very proud of this era i created where new players don't know how to shffl but they'll quad shine ur shield" - Hax$

Seriously If I could count the number of new players who can multishine and Falcons who moonwalk/shield drop every chance they get, but can't play neutral game therefore get 3 stocked, I could make a decent living from money matches.

 

[Massive]

Motivation, patience, creativity, and an ego that can withstand constant, repeated damage.

 

[ECHOnce]

Ah yes motivation, that is a good point. Time and desire also. But what if these things are not enough and you still are not very good at the game. Maybe you just need a nice hair cut and a big D, both of which i lack so i will never know.
I just want to be able to do sick combos like westballz so people aren't so bored when im playing melee in the lounge

Accept that you're not good yet, grind out tech for 20min a day (legitly, no beating up on CPUs until afterwards. Getting bored isn't an excuse), and then drive/bus/carpool out to your nearest local. If there's no convenient weeklies nearby, try find a monthly tournament in the area. Having a practice partner is incredibly helpful, but not necessary. Going to tournies is, if you want to improve at any half-decent speed; you'll meet many more players there that challenge you in different ways than just a single partner.

Don't give up and excuse yourself from getting good with claims that your reactions are too slow, or you'll never be able to get certain tech down because your fingers move too slowly. Those two things can be improved on with practice, even if it seems like forever. I used to have a well-below average reaction time, but upped much closer to average after a good two years. Month 2 after trying to play competitively (without any guidance lol...), I still couldn't wavedash or SHDFair with Marth. It all comes super slowly, but if you practice, it'll come naturally over time.

 

[Xyzz]

Yeah, the finger speed thing is so true... used to try to learn some techniques and was like "that's so hard, how can anybody do that" and stopped... couple of months later I got the same things down without even spending actual effort (:

 

[Sutekh]

For the sake of avoiding thread spam, I'm not going to make a thread about finding a partner, and I figured this was probably the most appropriate thread to ask it on. I've got two questions: How can I get my friends more into Melee, and how can I find a playing partner if I can't get my friends to play with me?

If you have any friends that are even somewhat interested in getting into Smash, I'd highly recommend having them watch The Smash Brother's documentary. I have 5 or 6 friends that have gotten really invested in competitive play after watching it, which has in turn made me a better player.

 

[St_Steady]

the number one thing that you need to be good in this game, to me, is definitely the raw dedication to get better. You need to be willing to study and practice and play a lot. You need to have friends who play and a scene in your area, you should also always have the drive in your mind to kick the persons ass next to you.

You also need to have fun.

 

[The_Most_Effectual]

If you have any friends that are even somewhat interested in getting into Smash, I'd highly recommend having them watch The Smash Brother's documentary. I have 5 or 6 friends that have gotten really invested in competitive play after watching it, which has in turn made me a better player.

Yeah, one of them has, but the others get turned off once they remember that it's four hours long. If I could just get them to watch the first ep, I know they'd watch the rest, but they're stubborn.

 

[Sutekh]

Yeah, one of them has, but the others get turned off once they remember that it's four hours long. If I could just get them to watch the first ep, I know they'd watch the rest, but they're stubborn.

They do have the episodes posted separately too. Four hours does seem like a long time, but they do have to remember it's not just a linear documentary, the four hour video is a compilation of all 9(?) episodes. Start em out slowly, lol. Show them some GRsmash top 10s too if they're interested. That's what really got me interested in the first place.

 

[Dandy_here]

Some people are just naturally good while others have to put in that much more work. You will get better the more you play. Being good is combining all the elements of the game and using your knowledge to put them to use.

 

[Effay]

How good you are at Melee is entirely based upon your movement and how you feel your character.

 

[ViVio]

Good melee players win melee tournaments and stuff

 

[SAUS]

How good you are at Melee is entirely based upon your movement and how you feel your character.

While that's extremely important, and possibly even required to advance other skills further, it is not the entirety of someone's skill at the game. You have to actually make good decisions to outplay people. Good ability to control your character is like a first stepping stone, but it is by no means everything there is to how good someone is at melee.

 

[Effay]

While that's extremely important, and possibly even required to advance other skills further, it is not the entirety of someone's skill at the game. You have to actually make good decisions to outplay people. Good ability to control your character is like a first stepping stone, but it is by no means everything there is to how good someone is at melee.

Before I respond to what you actually said, I wanted to say that I loved your Link play against The Moon at GOML. xD Anyways, in a game like Smash, how you feel your character and your movement is what makes you good. Skill isn't movement and character play, but character play and movement is skill.

 

[SAUS]

Before I respond to what you actually said, I wanted to say that I loved your Link play against The Moon at GOML. xD Anyways, in a game like Smash, how you feel your character and your movement is what makes you good. Skill isn't movement and character play, but character play and movement is skill.

Thanks

My only issue is that you made it sound like it is all there is.
"How good you are at Melee is entirely based upon your movement and how you feel your character."

"Anyways, in a game like Smash, how you feel your character and your movement is what makes you good."
I would still word this to say that these are things that can help make you good, but there is still more to improve on before you would be considered "good".