How do you play vs the CPU

[Itchell]

As a newer smasher trying to get better for tournament play, what level would you recommend playing the cpu at? and how? I've been playing only level 9's but I've read in some places that level 1's or 3's are beneficial. Also do you just try to out right kill them or work on specific skills in each match?

 

[Flippy Flippersen]

Computers have certain dumb things to them. Level 9 powershields pmuch any projectile frame perfectly grabs your shield and outside of that does nothing useful. (I think it jabs and fsmashes a lot) The best thing to do with computers is simply use them as a sandbag whilst you practice your movement your combos and whatever. Most people prefer level 1 or 3 (I swear it was 1 and 4 but whatev I don't keep track and use 20xx with random di anyway) cause they don't disrupt your practice. whereas level 9s will walk towards you angrily and jab you the moment they get close enough.

 

[Elyssa Xey Hexen]

I did something a bit odd when I first started playing. For myself, I simply picked up a character and played with competitive humans almost exclusively for some amount of time. It was infuriating to try to do this, but they were helpful enough to teach me what things I ought to try looking into. After that semester was done I pretty much played Melee against the CPU for 1-2 hours every few days or so doing stuff.

After returning from that summer I had a vast improvement in playing.

I think using the CPU effectively requires you to have a good idea of what competitive things to even try practicing in the first place and its hard to say anything I feel unless you had that exposure at least a little bit to other competitive players. It gives you valuable feed back about what really works and what does not against humans.

So, I would say to use the CPU effectively lv 1-3 are ideal to simply copy things you see from videos. You do not have to worry the distraction of getting beat up every few seconds because you fail. However, you sometimes want to ramp up to the lv7-9 because these CPUs will actively try to attack you. While not the same as a human, it attempts to replicate at least a little bit the distractions you will see in a match. This alteration between low and high lv CPU should help to mitigate CPU abusing habits.

Eventually, CPUs I feel are not the best practice and you need that combination of CPUs to test stuff and refine some things you lack when playing human. Though you still need that human support to give the proper feedback to use in your CPU play I feel.

What character are you even using?

 

[Itchell]

I either play a Fox or Marth, these are the characters I have the most success with. I sadly don't get to play with real people all too often (tho I'm learning alot of people in my area play). I find with 9's I'm limited to the amount of techniques I "can" and "cant" do, due to my skills or lack there off and the pressure the computer provides consistently.

Thank you tho, I'll surely be implementing those ideas next time I play!

 

[Archelon]

Don't play level 9s, play 1-3 because you can use them as a sandbag, but level 9 will make you develop bad habits.

 

[noboruplaysgames]

Generally I don't find playing CPUs help much. They don't think like humans so it's hard to benift. The only thing that is really benificial is practicing being consultant under pressure.

 

[ZafKiel]

I play Lv. 1 CPU's so I can feel good about myself and think that I can one day be good at Melee.

 

[EPsilon933]

I stopped practicing against CPUs in late 2010. For some reason, I felt like I'd actually get worse. Name entry glitching to play on an empty stage without an opponent has helped me practice technique. But that mostly worked with Fox for me and I play a techskillless Peach, so that ended up being useless for me. I could be a case example. Playing Street Fighter online has caused my biggest improvement in Melee by teaching me to make explicit predictions of my opponents' actions. I don't play it much anymore because (PSN) lag is too terrible to tolerate

 

[Strats]

I've actually started playing Project M level 9 CPUs, that's the closest thing to human that isn't my brother who uses Falco's F-smash almost exclusively

 

[-ACE-]

I often chaingrab level 1 cpu's to this day to practice regrabbing DI behind. But I play humans enough to never develop a habit.

http://youtu.be/SPhMQ2-2jfI

Lol

 

[hi im dennis]

sometimes playing against level 9 makes me want to rip my hair out because of how annoying their jabs are

 

[hunterlittle]

I play with level 3s during practice because they help you figure out new combos to learn and doing shield grabs and wave dashing and stuff like that. i recommend using level 3s. level 9s are just a pain in the ass to learn with cause they will just attack you

 

[Treedot]

When I practice tech skill, I just do a level 1. I would do an empty controller slot, but I want them to move and react at least a little bit so it's not stale, and they at least make an attempt at recovering so I can practice gimping and battles last longer

If I want to actually fight someone I do level 7 or 8, never 9. They're not human enough.

 

[hi im dennis]

I play with level 3s during practice because they help you figure out new combos to learn and doing shield grabs and wave dashing and stuff like that. i recommend using level 3s. level 9s are just a pain in the *** to learn with cause they will just attack you

yeah i hate when i get attacked

 

[Scurry059]

So I play level 9 CPU's to change up combos and movements. I play level 1 CPU's if I'm trying to nail down a single combo

 

[Ladder]

I play against lvl 1-7 20xx CPU's. They are great for chaingrab and combo/punish game practice and quite fun too

 

[Mastodon]

I don't play against CPU's.

 

[fiddlediddle123]

i always beat up level one cpu's to get my combos down

 

[Michelangelo]

I practice against lvl 1 and 3 20xx cpu's to practice my combo's and punish game, plug in a 2nd controller with handicap for L cancelling and (shield) pressure, single player glitch for movement and also netplay to play people and see if my practice has helped me improve my gameplay and what i should work on next time.

 

[Ladder]

I don't play against CPU's.

you don't practice combos?

 

[Deleted member]

You don't.

 

[Codey]

The 20xx bots are a lot better for practicing against, they tend to act slightly more human with their random di and techs. 20XX is very very very useful for single player practice. if you learn how to use it properly, it will be a powerful tool. There are threads about using 20xx correctly, so I won't go into that. But I really feel like I get something out of practicing my tech skill on lvl 4 CPUs. I practice mainly tech skill and combos. Sometimes you get bored and just go ape**** on the cpu, but that isn't what your main objective is. Practicing against CPUs like they are actual fights leads to bad habits which just exploit the way CPUs play. Going out to a tournament locally and even playing fun matches will give you an idea of what real people play like.
Edit: I went to a tournament within a month of getting into the competitive scene, no one cares if you come in last. My friend didn't even enter, he just came to play friendlies and watch. It was really beneficial to both of us.