Help me - how do I apply things I learn to my playing?

[eveningninja]

So, I feel like no matter how many AT's I learn, and no matter how many matches I watch of very skilled Smash players playing and using great strategies/techniques, I can never apply those things to my own playing.

I'll watch a great Sheik player for example, string together great combos, and totally annihilate, and then I'll read about the AT's he used and I'll even go to Training mode, hammer them out, figure out how to do them, and keep running over them for a while, and think ~~ Okay I've totally got this now! I go into a real match with either a friend or an online For Glory, and pick Sheik, and try to start playing all awesomelike, and it honestly seems like I am not playing any different than before. It's as if I completely revert to not knowing or remembering anything I just learned from all that study. And if I try consciously try to use the new techniques I've just learned, it's as if I play even worse than I would if I just stuck to my old habits and played without using any AT's.

So, I have this problem of not being able to progress. Can anyone offer me some advice on how to get past this wall? Like advice on how to apply these things I've learned to become habit and be implemented into my actual playing.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ATH_]

A good thing to do would be to save replays of your losses, then looking at situations where you were punished by the opponent.

Sit and watch this scene a few times and try to think of what you could do that would be safe and also a good option in that situation versing that character. Sometimes you may find that using an AT will actually help, this is good for learning, as then you'll know what to do in that situation. Then, try and practice a good chunk of situations with friends!

Of course, this isn't the most efficient way of doing it. Some people prefer trial and error, some people prefer just being in the moment rather than being prepared. This is simply how I do it. It's understandable if someone disagrees.

 

[CURRY]

Lazy post, just going to link things~~
A great Brawl read, but it can be applicable to Smash 4 as well.
http://smashboards.com/threads/understanding-your-options-an-article-on-playing-smart.206225/
It's nice to look at the big picture every once in the while.
And ATs... read about that in the article. I used to be like you, and reading that article shook my whole mentality of playing Smash.
This is a nice read to the basics as well:
http://smashboards.com/threads/brickwalls-and-traps-the-keys-to-victory.183816/

 

[Raijinken]

From experience, theory and practice are wholly different.

By now, I know all of the advanced techniques in Project M, for instance. But it takes very deliberate thought on my part to execute them, something that doesn't come very quickly while actually playing. It's a bit easier in Smash4 since there aren't many (any?) technically demanding ATs to begin with (not that this is necessarily a bad thing).

But what I suggest is going into your match constantly thinking "I am going to do _____". For instance, "I am going to chase him and string together three fairs in a row" or "I am going to land an offstage Bouncing Fish" or whatever you've been practicing. And while it may be impractical, just keep going for it (mostly valid against friends so you can tell them what you're going for and, depending on their skill, they'll either be in awe, or can help you figure out why it isn't working). When I was learning to reliably pivot tilt, I played Little Mac and just kept dashing past my brother to set up for a pivot ftilt. When I was teaching friends how to pivot grab, I would make a point of almost solely using that Pivot Grab. Especially if it's something relatively basic like that, it can be interesting to play with friends and set that ability as an objective (for instance, a round of Captain Falcon with only the Knee, etc). Learning to apply it in a "real" match isn't as much of a leap from applying it solely, or in a silly match, as it is from practicing it on a static/walking/jumping CPU.

Basically, the only real practice is practice against a real target, no matter how you may have to rig or focus your thoughts on the technique. It'll come eventually, just be patient about it.

 

[Syde7]

From experience, theory and practice are wholly different.

By now, I know all of the advanced techniques in Project M, for instance. But it takes very deliberate thought on my part to execute them, something that doesn't come very quickly while actually playing. It's a bit easier in Smash4 since there aren't many (any?) technically demanding ATs to begin with (not that this is necessarily a bad thing).

But what I suggest is going into your match constantly thinking "I am going to do _____". For instance, "I am going to chase him and string together three fairs in a row" or "I am going to land an offstage Bouncing Fish" or whatever you've been practicing. And while it may be impractical, just keep going for it (mostly valid against friends so you can tell them what you're going for and, depending on their skill, they'll either be in awe, or can help you figure out why it isn't working). When I was learning to reliably pivot tilt, I played Little Mac and just kept dashing past my brother to set up for a pivot ftilt. When I was teaching friends how to pivot grab, I would make a point of almost solely using that Pivot Grab. Especially if it's something relatively basic like that, it can be interesting to play with friends and set that ability as an objective (for instance, a round of Captain Falcon with only the Knee, etc). Learning to apply it in a "real" match isn't as much of a leap from applying it solely, or in a silly match, as it is from practicing it on a static/walking/jumping CPU.

Basically, the only real practice is practice against a real target, no matter how you may have to rig or focus your thoughts on the technique. It'll come eventually, just be patient about it.

This, all the way. Its kind of like in athletics/other sports where you perform skill based drills in a controlled environment, then incorporate other drills you've learned into "micro-situations", and continue building upon them in more and more complex ways, under more and more pressure. Then, when its game time for real - the muscle memory is there, you've performed these under (similar) pressure, and everything becomes automatic.


However, this requires a lot of discipline, and setting your ego aside, especially if you're going to tournaments or playing online (basically anything less than a dedicated training partner who you can essentially set aside dedicated: "For learning purposes only" type matches) as that pride, that feeling/thought of: "I can't let them think I'm terrible!" has to be set aside. Because if you approach it in terms of learning one or two aspects at a time and center your practice gameplay around it, you will lose, badly, and repeatedly at first until you develop a complete set of tools (comprised of all the micro-situations you've mastered) to deal with the bulk of the real situations that develop in a game/match/set.

 

[option.iv]

Learning differs from person to person. I'd advise going to training mode, practicing the same move over and over and over. Then go online (or locals) and apply it. Maybe play emphasizing what you've just been practicing. Who cares if you win or lose. If you find yourself trying to desperately win and going back to your old habits, you're not doing it right. So basically shift your mindset from play to win, to play to learn. You may find marked improvement from losing streaks, moreso than panicking and squeezing out wins where you went back to your old self.

 

[KiteSC]

You usually don't try to learn everything at once. You take steps. One session you try to apply one AT that you learned until you become familiar with it. Then next session you try to apply another one that you learn along with what you learned from the last session. Then get familiar with using both. And keep this process going.

Its hard when you try to apply ALL the techniques from the lab into actual playing in one session. Take your time and you'll get there.