How are Smashers able to know what to do is most situations?

[TheUnknownMartin]

Yes, a weird question, probably something everyone knows.

I've been playing on Anther's Ladder and FG for a while. Everytime I lose, I usually save the replay just to check my mistakes. Even so, why is it that I cannot learn and know what to do? Why do I repeat the same things over and over? Even if I switch styles from aggressive to defensive, it seems they also have a Plan b,c,d ect. What should I do to improve? How can someone improve and learn from their mistakes? Do I just suck at the game as a whole?

Also, it also feels like everything I do, someone knows it. Down-Throw, Up Air, dodged (pretty obvious right), so I instead jump baiting the airdodge, but it's like they already know. Even if they think they've baited me (such me running in for a fair as they've just landed, usual response is a shield), it's like they know I'm predicting a shield, thus punishing my jump, grab, or whatever. Even my ledge options they know. (This is all stated mostly at the beginning of the match, BEFORE they know what I'll do/my habits).

Lastly, I think I've been getting worst at the game as time passes. Am I trying to hard to learn/to do certain moves/setups/combos that it effects my playstyle?

If you guys are able to help, it'll be greatly appreciated. Though I have a feeling the response is to GIT GUD or Just Do It.

 

[Cyn]

The only way you get better is with time and practice. Are you saying that you have not improved whatsoever? I doubt it.

 

[TheUnknownMartin]

The only way you get better is with time and practice. Are you saying that you have not improved whatsoever? I doubt it.

The thing is, I don't know. I haven't been doing too well in my matches (both Anther's Ladder, Tourneys, and FG). Of coarse, you can argue that some people are just better, which yes, make sense.

The thing is, I think I've been the same level as I was a month ago. Sure I learned better techniques as of now, but I think that those techniques are really doing me a favor.

Not to mention that I STILL can't get my habits off! Like always rolling towards the enemy, teching to the right place (<), predictable dodges/follow ups (down throw up-air), predictable edge guarding (ESPECIALLY THAT), smashing too often, resting (the move) too often, getting anxious for a kill, ect. I also am just racking up damage most of the time, but can't go for the kill.

 

[Cyn]

Not to mention that I STILL can't get my habits off! Like always rolling towards the enemy, teching to the right place (<), predictable dodges/follow ups (down throw up-air), predictable edge guarding (ESPECIALLY THAT), smashing too often, resting (the move) too often, getting anxious for a kill, ect. I also am just racking up damage most of the time, but can't go for the kill.

Habits are tough to break. Just work on breaking them and once you do keep practicing at it. I know it is hard to do things that you do naturally while playing, but again, practice at it. Make those bad habits your focus.

 

[Foxus]

A part of your original post reminds me of something I read once that "The more someone plays a game, the worse they seem to game" and its kind of weird. I'd think the more you played, the better you'd get. If it makes you feel better dude, I struggle in FF with items even, even though items have saved my ass before. I can sympathize, I do a ton of rolling myself, mainly just trying to stay up with the enemy. I'm still trying to become less predictable even after playing 6-7 years of Brawl.

Someone can say "Git Gud" or another one of those cringy slangs, but they're so abstract and not thought out, you gotta take em with a gain of salt.

 

[Wintropy]

Experienced players can read their opponent before the opponent even moves, just based on what options are available and the probability of the option being used. At its core, Smash is just a series of variables: when you understand what a player can do in a certain context and how to best react to it, the variables can be easily read and exploited.

 

[M15t3R E]

Old habits die hard. Players might be picking up on your bad habits and therefore know when you tend to be aggressive or defensive, and they know their character well enough to respond to it instinctively. I agree with the above poster to make your bad habits your focus. Start by learning more about your own character by any means necessary and that way you can learn what you can do in almost any circumstances, so that way good habits can replace the stubborn bad habits.

 

[Rhydon65]

Well, here's my advice. When it comes to Smash, or just about any game, you can't just suddenly get better after one session or reading about some techniques. A lot of the learning is latent, meaning that you're developing your skills and adapting without even realizing that you're doing it. This makes it difficult and frustrating to keep track of how good you're becoming, but there isn't anything you can do about that. Just keep practicing and you'll get better, there are no strings attached to that.

You should always remember that an expert in anything always started out as a beginner.

 

[TheUnknownMartin]

I guess I should also mention I started playing competitively around April in Smash as a whole. (In brawl, I wouldn't say I played seriously, though I did play on a tournament basis, then came PM, than Melee, then the original.) Here we are in Smash 4, the game I take to a competitive point of view. Might that also be a reason? Lack of experience?

 

[ChaikaBestGirl]

Analysis, nothing else really to it

 

[KirbCider]

I've been playing on Anther's Ladder and FG for a while. Everytime I lose, I usually save the replay just to check my mistakes. Even so, why is it that I cannot learn and know what to do? Why do I repeat the same things over and over? Even if I switch styles from aggressive to defensive, it seems they also have a Plan b,c,d ect. What should I do to improve? How can someone improve and learn from their mistakes? Do I just suck at the game as a whole?

To put it simply, there's a lot of players that have a certain pattern. Everyone has one, and once your opponent picks up on yours it becomes very easy for them to exploit it. A good example of this would probably be my habit of relying on my air game too much.

I've played as Kirby and King Dedede a lot. Enough to where I've actually developed a play-style focused on air attacks and combos. That play-style, or rather habit I should say carried to all of my other characters I tend to play as. It's not necessarily a bad thing cause I do fairly well in the air and it doesn't mess me up too much at all; however, once my opponent figures it out I'm as good as done for. Air attacks can be easily punished by shielding and if I do not change my tactics I get royally roasted.

There's been some opponents on For Glory who knew right off the bat how to punish my air game. Those matches are always extremely tough for me and forces me to play differently, forces me to think, and even forces me to get very defensive. There's also the fact there's a lot of people who normally play some characters exactly the same, which makes it easier to guess their moves.

Also, it also feels like everything I do, someone knows it. Down-Throw, Up Air, dodged (pretty obvious right), so I instead jump baiting the airdodge, but it's like they already know. Even if they think they've baited me (such me running in for a fair as they've just landed, usual response is a shield), it's like they know I'm predicting a shield, thus punishing my jump, grab, or whatever. Even my ledge options they know. (This is all stated mostly at the beginning of the match, BEFORE they know what I'll do/my habits).

On top of people having certain patterns there's a lot of players who know how to predict, or "Read" their opponents. To be honest your guess is as good as mine on how they do it. I find it impossible myself but do try my best. Most of it comes from a lot of experience and knowing how certain characters work really well. There's a lot of people who know the exact frame data as well as everything else about certain characters. It astounds me and I honestly feel like I'll never get the hang of it myself.

But in any case, don't feel bad about it. Practice makes perfect. Nobody can get worse at something, only improve. It can be frustrating and believe me, I've had my own doubts several times about my own skill. You just have to keep trying.

My advice would be trying to find some sort of habit/pattern in your opponent. Is there something they rely on too much or end up doing too often? For example, some moves can have quite a bit of end lag and if you notice your opponent using said moves often then find a way to make them use it, then exploit the end lag of it. Everyone has some sort of weakness. Find it and use it.

 

[Evello]

I used to feel similarly, but I came to realize the difference just comes down to a combination of practice and luck. Once you've practiced your character enough, you rarely need to focus on execution any more. And the more you fight other characters, the more you instinctively recall all their attacks rather than trying to gauge what abilities they have mid-match. That frees up your brain for lots of other things like noticing patterns and predicting mixups. It's a skill just like any other, so start practicing it with obvious reads on punishable players/characters. Work your way up, and try to focus on predicting your opponent just like you might practice shield-grabbing, short hopping, or any other technique.

As for the luck side of things, after you've played 1000's of matches you start to realize that in a given situation most characters have only a handful of reasonable actions. Assuming a logical opponent, you can randomly cover one of these options and be right a good portion of the time. To the opponent, you look psychic, but that's just because they're not noticing the 2/3 times you guess wrong and don't punish them.

 

[Super Ocebe]

Mangekyo Sharingan!

 

[Purin a.k.a. José]

A big part on getting good at Smash 4 comes from reading. Maybe your opponent is figuring out your playstyle before you figure its.... It all leads to changing it mid-battle, and doing the unimaginable to the opponent; by unimaginable, I meant something that couldn't be read at all since he was trying to figure out how are your patterns.

 

[GenNyan]

On top of people having certain patterns there's a lot of players who know how to predict, or "Read" their opponents. To be honest your guess is as good as mine on how they do it. I find it impossible myself but do try my best. Most of it comes from a lot of experience and knowing how certain characters work really well. There's a lot of people who know the exact frame data as well as everything else about certain characters. It astounds me and I honestly feel like I'll never get the hang of it myself.

My advice would be trying to find some sort of habit/pattern in your opponent. Is there something they rely on too much or end up doing too often? For example, some moves can have quite a bit of end lag and if you notice your opponent using said moves often then find a way to make them use it, then exploit the end lag of it. Everyone has some sort of weakness. Find it and use it.

You basically answered yourself on how to read people. Its not some fancy clairvoyance or superpower. Just observe. Every time you knock him to the ground, you see him roll in. Next time you knock him to the ground, stand one roll length away and charge a smash attack or get in position to punish.

Lastly, I think I've been getting worst at the game as time passes. Am I trying to hard to learn/to do certain moves/setups/combos that it effects my playstyle?

Have you been practicing regularly? As long as you play consistently, you won't deteriorate. You might have hit a plateau. It happens to everybody at some point. On the other hand, you might be getting better, without realizing it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMfFTLacx2c&index=2&list=PL32VvbzXtv1Z5JqXR_gNCtUZI5h7TfOGR (Starting at ~1:47)

Zhu and Cactus Outline the "4 stages of competence," which basically means you are improving because as you learn more about the game, you learn more about how bad you are.

 

[Zaabrey]

I learned a while back to not solely rely on watching my losses through replays, and instead just keep fighting because eventually, I'm going to do something different next time. And it's never usually planned or thought out.

 

[Prycorie]

One piece of advice I've heard and got to work on is to definitely stay on your toes while you play. Many of us habitually play in auto-pilot, but it's best if you don't. Think one step, or even two steps ahead of what you're presently doing.
I.E. if you go for an attack how will you follow up if it lands? And what will you do if it doesn't?

It's also best if you try to watch your opponent while playing, and pick up on their habits while mixing up your own. Some things to watch out for are: what they do when they land; what they do to recover from ledge; how they tech; when they roll / spot dodge / airdodge
Stuff like that is typically how players read one another. There are many other things to cover as well!
Practice against (good) players as much as you can of course. If you have a local scene go out and compete!

Hope this helps your journey on becoming a better Smash player. I'm still working on it, but these thought processes have aided me

 

[TheUnknownMartin]

Thank you guys for all your feedback, support, tips, ect. I'll be sure to keep on going.

 

[CanadianMegaMan]

Another mind game that is fun to play is to let them get used to you not punishing them for something easy to punish and then whip out a punish for a kill shot when they think they're safe to do what they're doing.