How long did it take Leffen to get good? And other stupid questions.

[Shadow Light Master]

I've been playing Melee casually for years. I'm good, for a person who doesn't wavedash or L-cancel. So that is to say, I'm not very good at all. I'm basically my own training partner, so I decided to look up some guides here, and found a nice one about practicing combos on CPUs because they don't DI on certain levels.

There was also a cool video I saw going into the basics about those techniques...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vckV2MJgBzo

I don't know what it doesn't cover, but I'm going to use that as my Bible for a while. I've also decided to start using Netplay daily until I get the maximum possible ranking, I guess. I noticed Hungrybox is on there, maybe I can fight and beat him someday?

It's just that, so late into Melee's life, I have to wonder if it's possible to become one of the best. I decided to maybe set aside 2 years of my life, and just play Melee nonstop, maybe even paying people to train me. If I'm not mistaken, Leffen rose to fame the fastest out of any of the gods, right?

I just wonder how many years I should put in before thinking, "well, I probably have no potential" or "I'm probably not going to get better than this." Also, I'm 22. From what I understand, all the gods are around my age. I'm kind of worried that if their fingers are giving out, I'm going to be "too old" around the same age they are. Is this possible?

 

[EPsilon933]

Becoming a top player is very very difficult. Don't put too much of a cost on yourself for such an uncertain goal. Have you ever played against a god? I don't think you know how good good players are

 

[Shadow Light Master]

Becoming a top player is very very difficult. Don't put too much of a cost on yourself for such an uncertain goal. Have you ever played against a god? I don't think you know how good good players are

Honestly, I don't. I watch top videos regularly and I have a hard time following what the hell is happening.

I've been considering watching them half speed to help myself understand.

 

[GhettoNinja]

I've been playing Melee casually for years. I'm good, for a person who doesn't wavedash or L-cancel. So that is to say, I'm not very good at all. I'm basically my own training partner, so I decided to look up some guides here, and found a nice one about practicing combos on CPUs because they don't DI on certain levels.

There was also a cool video I saw going into the basics about those techniques...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vckV2MJgBzo

I don't know what it doesn't cover, but I'm going to use that as my Bible for a while. I've also decided to start using Netplay daily until I get the maximum possible ranking, I guess. I noticed Hungrybox is on there, maybe I can fight and beat him someday?

It's just that, so late into Melee's life, I have to wonder if it's possible to become one of the best. I decided to maybe set aside 2 years of my life, and just play Melee nonstop, maybe even paying people to train me. If I'm not mistaken, Leffen rose to fame the fastest out of any of the gods, right?

I just wonder how many years I should put in before thinking, "well, I probably have no potential" or "I'm probably not going to get better than this." Also, I'm 22. From what I understand, all the gods are around my age. I'm kind of worried that if their fingers are giving out, I'm going to be "too old" around the same age they are. Is this possible?

So I think the important thing is to have stretch goals. For example wining winning locals at least once in the next 3-4 months or something. Then regionals and Nationals. PPMD's training method might be best for you if you don't have a lot of people to play with. Also I think its important to play to win. Now this means you're gonna have to pick a character you can play for 7+ hours a day and still think(I want to practice this and this and this) for example Leffen originally mained Yoshi and did pretty well with him. Your goal at home should be amassing a large amount of tech skill, combos, kill set ups, etc. At locals you're gonna want to focusing on the mental aspect of the game. Also you're gonna want to go to as many tourneys as physically possible early on. Serious practice is the best practice.

 

[Wreckarooni]

It all depends on:

1) How intelligent you are
2) How creative you are
3) How much top level experience you get
4) How nervous you get playing on stream and in tourney
5) Your reaction time
6) Your instincts
7) How nervous you get playing people who have a superior reputation
8) Where you live and how good those local/regional players are

You have to also realize that the amount of time you put in does ACTUALLY matter and it's compounding. Sure you can put in 2 rookie years, but then there are pros out there that have already put in 10+ years and NOW they have 12+ years. And you can bet that their 2 years are filled with top level experience at majors / nationals and exponentially more useful practice and knowledge.

IMO you'd have to be borderline genius at Melee or extremely inventive and creative to start beating top players only after 2 years. After 2 years 98% of people who pick up this game seriously would be lucky just to finally start understanding how to incorporate Advanced Techs without being clumsy, awkward, or trivial about it.

 

[20YY SS | Saiblade]

After 2 years 98% of people who pick up this game seriously would be lucky just to finally start understanding how to incorporate Advanced Techs without being clumsy, awkward, or trivial about it.

That's just wrong lol, I've been playing for less than a year and I already do all that ****, I did within a few months. I do it super naturally too. My locals do as well.

 

[Wreckarooni]

That's just wrong lol, I've been playing for less than a year and I already do all that ****, I did within a few months. I do it super naturally too. My locals do as well.

Cool, congrats to you and your locals. I would love to watch any streams or VODs of them if possible.

I'm guessing we have radically different definitions and scopes of advanced tech: Shield dropping, wall teching, amsah teching, platform teching, survival DI, SDI/ASDI, powershielding.....and even basic things like having meaningful movement with platforms, dash dancing, and wavedashing not just to wavedash.

I seriously doubt you or any of your locals are anywhere close to the pros that have been playing to 10+ years. If they are then they need to go to nationals so they don't waste their talent and speed at which they learn.

 

[zero sum]

to be honest, if you live in a good region, practice constantly and effectively, and put in the effort, getting to top 100 or 75 probably isn't completely unreasonable. but all things considered it's unlikely. you'd probably need 3–4 years of practice at bare minimum to be anything even close to top level.

best way to start out is by learning basic tech and playing the game with someone better than you. both of these things will help you with understanding what's going on in videos. read all the popular improvement guides you can too. try to learn why you get hit and learn to adapt what your opponent is doing. take this with a grain of salt, though, since i haven't been playing that long

 

[Shadow Light Master]

Top 100 would be really respectable. Although man, it scares me how much better Leffen was than Chillin, despite him being a top ranked player!

Anyway, it seems there are a ton of fudge factors that just put this all up in the air. I suppose all I can really do is try my best!