How did you climb up the pecking order?

[Spooky Skook]

So I'm just going to come out and say it; I'm a big baby. And not the cool kind of baby either...

Spoiler

Man just look at that bandana... D:

With all these type of personal 1 on 1 type games I never seem to make the effort to put myself out there and play other people. I've had the same experience playing pokemon too. I would make the effort to learn up on the meta, figure out good movesets and cores, but then I would never stop training pokemon because I was too afraid to go out there and battle with the ones I had. Now its starting to happen with smash in that I just keep fighting the CPU cause I feel I'm not good enough to fight other people. Picking up project m has been an awesome experience so far and I don't want to give up on it.

So!

My question to you guys is how did/do you guys climb the corporate smash ladder? How did you guys make the jump from CPUs to other people? (Or if you started with people, how did you gauge when it was time to start finding better people to play with?) What are some options for a two month old smasher like me to start getting my feet wet?

 

[9bit]

If the cost of going and fighting other people is relatively reasonable to you then just go and lose a bunch. Because you will lose a lot. But if you're a smart guy, which I think you might be, you'll get better as you do. There will probably never be a time when you think you're totally ready, just like with the Pokemon thing. But you will not get much better at this game by just playing CPUs. That is for sure.

TL;DR just go out and play people.

 

[PastLink]

It's okay to be nervous man, I get the feeling of not wanting to lose. I really do, and if you're shy i get not wanting to put yourself out there, some people are jerks, and some will criticize you unfairly even though you're just a beginner. You know what though? if you win, all you learn is "I did this right, this worked against him." if you lose, you learn a plethora more, you not only learn what works, but what doesn't escpecially if you play more than one person, you can look and say, "this trick didn't work on any of these guys, either it's really situational, or i should forget it." and over all, if there are jerks who put you down for being a beginner it's even more reason to play further.
now as for me, I'm not really afraid of walking up to people and asking them to play, i'm always looking for a challenge. but if you're nervous to do that, get the wifi version, ask some people on here for friend codes and fight with them. that'd be a good step forward my friend. hope this helped.

 

[ChristianStewarts#1fan]

If you assert your dominance then you will get the respect you deserve. Make sure everyone knows of your skill and challenge players of recognition. M2k amd others have done this

 

[Spooky Skook]

Thanks you guys for the quick responses! I've been playing Project M on dolphin this whole time, anyone know where to find netplay matches?

 

[arcticfox8]

There are plenty of people around here who use dolphin. I don't know where you'd ask them to play, but they're here. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful than that lol

 

[oats_]

We play on net play using irc, come idle at #dolphin-projectm @irc.rizon.net

Http://webchat.rizon.net

 

[TreK]

I played online until I was old enough for my parents to let me go to tourneys. I did not "dare" to go offline, I waited for it to be possible. But wifi is indeed a good preparation, so feel free to train there. Especially since the Dolphin netplay is a thousand times better than Brawl's wifi system.
When you do go to a tourney, you'll make friends in your region and it will be much easier to carpool to tournaments, have some offline practice, etc... You'll naturally climb the "ladder", simply because you'll have more quality practice time.

 

[MechWarriorNY]

For me, this wasn't just a thing for smash(I'm an FGC head as well).
I got known through hard work, acquired skill, and making people look like idiots when I outplay them like I plan to mentally, thought>action is a pain in my ass sometimes.

EDIT: The more profane version of butt is censored, we aren't damn 2-year olds SWF.

 

[lami]

Well, I'm still sitting pretty at the bottom of the pecking order. I try to go to JCaesar's smash fests every week, but getting 3 and 4 stocked consistently does take its toll on you. But, I just keep practicing alone and going to the smashfests and I slowly am getting better. I won't enter any tournies until I can win a few against the MD/VA regulars at JCaes'. But you just gotta keep at it. I love smash, and I can't wait to get awesome.

 

[Kankato]

Well, I'm still sitting pretty at the bottom of the pecking order. I try to go to JCaesar's smash fests every week, but getting 3 and 4 stocked consistently does take its toll on you. But, I just keep practicing alone and going to the smashfests and I slowly am getting better. I won't enter any tournies until I can win a few against the MD/VA regulars at JCaes'. But you just gotta keep at it. I love smash, and I can't wait to get awesome.

I found a group of Smashers in SoCal within walking distance of my dorm (no one of note attends, but they're all solid players) and I regularly get 3 stocked. It doesn't bother me too much, as these people make far fewer mistakes than I do and point out where I can improve. I have nowhere to go but up.

The easiest way to start climbing is to identify your own problems. If you struggle with consistency, work on improving yourself at your worst (sound paradoxical but it works). Techskill got you down? Practice tech outside and inside of matches until it's all subliminal. Spacing atrocious? Sit down and really look at all the spots your character covers. If you work on your flaws you'll become a very well-rounded player who has no real weaknesses.

 

[Run DMX]

I find that having the right mindset will build the foundation to massive improvement. I think there are numerous kinds you can have, but mine would be "I want my opponent to win, but I will do all I can to make sure they don't." I think this because if I were to lose, there must have been something I could have done differently and therefore have something to better myself with. If I win, I'm just as pleased.

 

[Terotrous]

Watch some Project M matches with good commentary (SAX, Apex, whatever), they'll explain some of the basics to you. Try to get to the point where when you watch a video, you understand what the players are doing even if you can't do it yourself. Then just play a lot of matches and continue watching videos and try to implement some of the stuff you see into your own play.

If you ever want to be really great you'll have to start challenging really strong players to some sets. Unfortunately this will probably force you to either go out to a tournament or be really diligent about finding good people to play against online. Make sure to talk about the matchup to people after they body you, they often have good advice.

Someday you might even get to body someone yourself!

 

[Drodeka]

Finding a group of smash players that gather within a 50 mile radius is possible to do at almost any given city/town/village/rock in the American country. You should definitely check the forum for your area.

 

[Kankato]

Speaking of videos, film yourself! Reviewing your matches is the strongest way to analyze your decision making, spacing, play style, etc.
You don't need capture cards or streaming hardware (though it's nice to have should you upload your match), just have a friend film it on their phone. The quality's nbd if you can tell what's going on.

 

[lami]

Speaking of videos, film yourself! Reviewing your matches is the strongest way to analyze your decision making, spacing, play style, etc.
You don't need capture cards or streaming hardware (though it's nice to have should you upload your match), just have a friend film it on their phone. The quality's nbd if you can tell what's going on.

this! watching matches you've played helps you figure out where your mistakes are (and how often you facepalm at yourself)

 

[Strong Badam]

I just found tournaments in my area (of which there were very few) and went to smashfests. It can be a scary social experience to suddenly be surrounded by a dozen or so new people that you've never met and play video games with them, but most people in the community are fairly cool. I had a friend to play with in my town as well but we were both absolutely trash at the game for like 6 months lol

 

[Spooky Skook]

this! watching matches you've played helps you figure out where your mistakes are (and how often you facepalm at yourself)

This is a really great idea! Since I'm running smash on my computer, I can just use FRAPS or another recording program and just let it run while on dolphin right? I don't know if there's some hidden voodoo magic that will screw up the netplay if I run a recorder while playing, so I want to make sure.

 

[lami]

This is a really great idea! Since I'm running smash on my computer, I can just use FRAPS or another recording program and just let it run while on dolphin right? I don't know if there's some hidden voodoo magic that will screw up the netplay if I run a recorder while playing, so I want to make sure.

I actually think that dolphin has some sort of on board recording software, but I haven't looked into it at all. May be worth a shot!

 

[Guilu]

Now its starting to happen with smash in that I just keep fighting the CPU cause I feel I'm not good enough to fight other people. Picking up project m has been an awesome experience so far and I don't want to give up on it.

You'll never be ready to fight other people if you only play the CPU. Well at least you never know when you will, because I've seen some who had never had any practice with real people wreck shop. So get out there and find the smashfests / tournaments, because the moment you should do it is right from the start, not "when you're ready".

I had a friend to play with in my town as well but we were both absolutely trash at the game for like 6 months lol

Well that's reassuring, seeing people who'd gotten further than me in a sixth of the time was a bit distressing

 

[Strong Badam]

It actually took me around 2 or 3 years before I got good. People advance at different rates.

 

[THK]

The process goes like this. Go. Fight. Lose. until you Go. Fight. Win.

CPU will give you a very short ceiling and you'll bump your head on it and no time. You won't be able to break it without playing other people and improving.

 

[Kaysick]

Just one day I said "screw it" and I found a local weekly tournament. Was the day before and I had a blast. I had no big reason for it other than me wanting to play Project M more than I could already. At the time, I was only able to play it with my friend but now that he's in college, I can get weekly practice. Here I am about 2 months later and I don't regret the decision one bit.

 

[Cold-Water Wash]

 

[MysteryRevengerson]

I know at the start out of me and all my friends I was always the most shy/quiet, so I never played as many friendlies at events as I have. Once you find a scene and become a part of it the rest comes to you pretty easily!

Still, even if you can just find one person to play against (I have one training partner and he plays just one character, haha) that you can be friends/hae a regular training buddy with it's a great start.

 

[Spooky Skook]

I know at the start out of me and all my friends I was always the most shy/quiet, so I never played as many friendlies at events as I have. Once you find a scene and become a part of it the rest comes to you pretty easily!

Still, even if you can just find one person to play against (I have one training partner and he plays just one character, haha) that you can be friends/hae a regular training buddy with it's a great start.

Being a bit of a shyguy myself, its nice to hear that doing friendlies gets easier the more you do it.

 

[Kaysick]

Being a bit of a shyguy myself, its nice to hear that doing friendlies gets easier the more you do it.

This is definitely true. I'm an overall shy person, even though I just got up and went to a tourney out of the blue. When you actually go, don't be afraid to ask to play friendlies if there isn't already 4 people. They should let you right on the setup.

 

[breez]

I didn't take a match off guy who taught mentored me in Melee/Project M for a little more than 6 months of playing. Not even by mistake - not one single match.

After a year in total of playing I'm preesickyo. If you're interested to learn and you love to play 95% of smashers will adopt you into their crew. Go play with people man!

 

[Ruin_BW]

So, I started playing Smash like 8 months ago, and went to a tournament within a week of starting. I got 3 stocked every match. Then I found out about JCaesar's fests (hi TS! Lol) so I went to those to try to get better. I got consistently beat, so I practiced more and more at home. Now I can take games off of players who used to be -way- better than me.

But basically every time I lose it makes me want to practice more and more.

 

[MechWarriorNY]

Whoever brought up watching your past matches, THIS.
Go over the tapes, to see what you did right(yo that mixup I did was GRIMY/that combo was legit), and wrong(I could've blocked/shielded that/not have been in that spot to get touched by it),
and what your opponent did right/wrong(how many openings did you fail to capitalize on again, scrub?).
Do it, and go over other people's tapes, too, if you play them a lot with little success. Make them regret their bad moves/stupid behaviors, with a stock/game lost for each time they do them.

 

[Drodeka]

For viewing your own matches, you can also just download the Replay safe codeset and view your replays.

 

[lami]

Whoever brought up watching your past matches, THIS.
Go over the tapes, to see what you did right(yo that mixup I did was GRIMY/that combo was legit), and wrong(I could've blocked/shielded that/not have been in that spot to get touched by it),
and what your opponent did right/wrong(how many openings did you fail to capitalize on again, scrub?).
Do it, and go over other people's tapes, too, if you play them a lot with little success. Make them regret their bad moves/stupid behaviors, with a stock/game lost for each time they do them.

props for using the word "grimy"

 

[MechWarriorNY]

props for using the word "grimy"

I would use something else, but there isn't much that conveys the idea of filthy(this one is good too, but I like both) mixups/setups better, or has as much immediate impact/gets understood as fast, it's VERY hard to misinterpret the word.
If there was something outright better overall, you know the drill.

 

[burntfish44]

Well, I'm still sitting pretty at the bottom of the pecking order. I try to go to JCaesar's smash fests every week, but getting 3 and 4 stocked consistently does take its toll on you. But, I just keep practicing alone and going to the smashfests and I slowly am getting better. I won't enter any tournies until I can win a few against the MD/VA regulars at JCaes'. But you just gotta keep at it. I love smash, and I can't wait to get awesome.

Id encourage you and everyone that knows they're gonna lose at tournaments to go to them anyways. The $15 (or w/e) is more than worth the practice with various people and amount you can learn. I played vs a guy(i think he won the melee section) for like an hour that consistently 3 stocked me and i think i won one game where he sd' d 3x.. but i learned a TON from playing vs him between his advice, the practice, and realizing what i needed to work on.

Another thing is tourney nerves, if you're great but get all nervous during 'ranked' matches, you won't do well, and just going to a couple/few small tourneys will get rid of that