I Suck, Any Recommendations? (Please Read First Post!)

[The Fail Tracer]

Well, I've been playing Melee ever since 2003 (January, I think), and I only found out about ATs in 2007. Ever since then, I've been trying very hard to master these techniques so I can be good at Melee. The first AT that I learned and was able to perform at any time was WaveDashing. However, I still cannot find out when and where to properly use the technique, and I've ended up just using it for something to do while I'm waiting for an opponent to respawn. I realize this is hurting my competitive play.

Anyways, I've recently learned more ATs from watching advanced "How To Play" videos on Youtube. Such as JC Grabbing, JC Up-Smashing, Chaingrabbing, WaveDashing out of the shield, Up-Bing out of the shield, Up-Smashing out of the shield, L Canceling, short hopping, SHFFL, Reverse Aerial B, DIing, Teching, and Dash Dancing. Unlike WaveDashing, I know where and when to properly perform these.

But here is the worst problem: I've never played a competitive person in my life, let alone gone to any tournaments. I realize that I most likely won't get any better if I don't play any good people, but I live in Pennsylvania, the most primitive (Let alone uncompetitive in Smash) state in the whole entire world. I would go to a tournament, but knowing how horribly primitive (and Halo fanboy-infested) Pennsylvania is, I wouldn't find a single tournament in Pennsylvania in years. Also, my parents/grandparents don't have enough time to drive me so far away from here just to go to a tournament.

So, knowing that I have no chance of possibly playing anybody competitive, what could I do?

Look, here's how much I suck: I can't beat two level nines on a team, and usually can't even beat one level nine! Now, I know people say that you shouldn't ever play level nines, but I don't really know about that, considering that people who are good at the game play them all the time. I really want to be good, so I try very hard to beat level nines. Please tell me why it is considered bad to play them.

Please help! Any advice will be EXTREMELY appreciated! Thanks in advance!

(My main is Foxy, if that helps)

 

[Plazma]

Well the reason people don't recommend playing level 9's is because the computer doesn't fight like a person. They can be predictable and don't adapt to the situation, which can lead you to developing bad habbits to beat them such as repeatedly spamming a certain move you know they will fall for, and if you try this on a real person you will get owned. Don't feel bad I can't beat two lvl 9's on a team either. Practicing against lvl 9s is okay up until a certain point. Once you can pretty much 3 stock a lvl 9 every time then you should find a real person to play against. I recommend introducing one of your friends to the game and hope that they pick it up. If not you can always host a tournament in your state and post it on smashboards. Some people may show up from out of state, dedicated smashers will travel very far for tournaments. Even if you don't host a tourney you could always just have a smashfest for say 5 hours or something. If you have a big enough house you can hold it there or always call up a place or something. That is all I can tell you

 

[soap]

dawg, pittsburgh has got plenty of cats, check the regional zones, atlantic north boards

 

[victra♥]

Unless you live in Saskatchewan, there will always be competitive players around. Check out the Regional Zones and try to find a community around you. If all else fails, get your friends into it.

 

[Zodiac]

Yea, wavedashing you'll just suddenly know how to use during a match, thats when I really started using it right, I was playing friendlies at this enormus tournament and all the sudden I just wavedashed on reaction, ever since then I've been able to use it effectively during tournaments and friendlies.

 

[Falco (MOP)]

Unless you live in Saskatchewan, there will always be competitive players around. Check out the Regional Zones and try to find a community around you. If all else fails, get your friends into it.

Or you live in Vermont.

--The MOP

 

[The Fail Tracer]

Well the reason people don't recommend playing level 9's is because the computer doesn't fight like a person. They can be predictable and don't adapt to the situation, which can lead you to developing bad habbits to beat them such as repeatedly spamming a certain move you know they will fall for, and if you try this on a real person you will get owned.

Oh, okay. That's understandable. Thanks.

If not you can always host a tournament in your state and post it on smashboards. Some people may show up from out of state, dedicated smashers will travel very far for tournaments.

That's a great idea! I never thought of that for some reason... I don't know if I could do it, but I might try.

Unless you live in Saskatchewan, there will always be competitive players around. Check out the Regional Zones and try to find a community around you. If all else fails, get your friends into it.

Oh, okay, I didn't notice that section. I checked it, and I'm happy to know now that there are competitive players here! I might check there every once in a while, to see if there's anything going on here, then. Thanks!

Yea, wavedashing you'll just suddenly know how to use during a match, thats when I really started using it right, I was playing friendlies at this enormus tournament and all the sudden I just wavedashed on reaction, ever since then I've been able to use it effectively during tournaments and friendlies.

Oh, all right. I thought it was something you just had to practice with for a long time. Thanks.


Thank you, everyone, for your great advice!

 

[NeBz]

I'm on the same boat here. I literally have to beg and pay my brother to play Melee with me. No one else would play with me. D:

 

[Ja]

As far as learning the AT go I would say don't overdo it. You really don't improve that much by practicing an AT for hours straight. I would only spend 5-10mins on each AT / day. If you practice smart, you should be competent in all the offensive ATs in 3 weeks maximum. By the way, get in the habit of shielding with one button and WDing with the other.

ONLY PRACTICE ON LVL 1s! This is extremely important, lvl 9 cpus play nothing like a person, really they're the exact opposite, dumb with very good reflexes. This only encourages bad habits.

As far as when to use ATs, just think about it. Would using one put you in a better position then not using one? If so then use it. The only AT that you should always do is Lcancel.

Ultimately to improve you need to play people better than yourself and get *****. However, watching youtube videos can help. If you decide to watch youtube vidoes it is important that you don't just imitate the pros, you understand which mistakes are being made, how they are being punished, and why player X won.

Remember at all times to think!

 

[victra♥]

ONLY PRACTICE ON LVL 1s! This is extremely important, lvl 9 cpus play nothing like a person, really they're the exact opposite, dumb with very good reflexes. This only encourages bad habits.

This is an extremely important point. TAKE NOTE OF IT!

 

[CunningKitsune]

Sly Fox, a certain link in my sig wants to meet you. As well, until you can find some higher-level opponents, I suggest some summer reading (read: the link in my sig) as well as daily practice on level 1 CPUs of the tournament-viable characters on tournament-legal stages on no-time Melee; I suggest a minimum of half an hour of this each and every day, and over time, you will see results.

 

[Vro]

Kitsune is garbage. Practice 1 hour a day, everyday.

 

[jugfingers]

Unless you live in Saskatchewan, there will always be competitive players around. Check out the Regional Zones and try to find a community around you. If all else fails, get your friends into it.

at least theres plenty of Saskatoon berries though right.





Sly Fox I recommend harvesting whatever wild berry grows nearest to you and eat a bowl on an empty stomach before you practice. fo real .

 

[victra♥]

Oh, I suggest you don't play Brawl unless you want to slow down your reflexes.

 

[The Fail Tracer]

^

About that, I've been playing playing Brawl a lot less nowadays. Ironically, ever since I made that topic (which was kind of n00bish, sorry about that), I haven't played Brawl since then. I'm starting to prefer Melee a lot more.

HOORAY!

Edit - 100 posts! Smash Journeyman! DOUBLE HOORAY!

 

[dudutsai]

I went to Pennsylvania on college visits this week

and the whole time I was pretty much just looking around for smashers

cause Pennsylvania has some awesome smashers.

 

[The Fail Tracer]

I went to Pennsylvania on college visits this week

and the whole time I was pretty much just looking around for smashers

cause Pennsylvania has some awesome smashers.

Oh, man! I wish I could have seen you then!


...All right, thanks for your help again, everybody! But, I have two more questions , I hope you don't mind.

1. I have HUGE trouble chaingrabbing CPUs. However, I can do it to my friends with no problem at all (On the rare occasions that they actually play with me). Are CPUs just normally hard to chaingrab, or is it just me? If it's just me, then how do I get it right?

2. At tourneys, do people make fun of other people who are bad at the game? On that note, do they also make fun of younger people? (I'm fourteen.) I don't really think they're like that at all, I'm just making sure, is all.

 

[captain smashie01]

Oh, man! I wish I could have seen you then!


...All right, thanks for your help again, everybody! But, I have two more questions , I hope you don't mind.

1. I have HUGE trouble chaingrabbing CPUs. However, I can do it to my friends with no problem at all (On the rare occasions that they actually play with me). Are CPUs just normally hard to chaingrab, or is it just me? If it's just me, then how do I get it right?

2. At tourneys, do people make fun of other people who are bad at the game? On that note, do they also make fun of younger people? (I'm fourteen.) I don't really think they're like that at all, I'm just making sure, is all.

level 9's have superhuman frame-perfect reflexes and are very good at escaping combos etc. I mean, just try combing a lev9 luigi ferchrissake

smashers are generally nice in real life

 

[captain smashie01]

ps. for some reason falcon's stomp ***** level 9 spacies. they just don't understand it

 

[Grand Mango]

Or you live in Vermont.

--The MOP

I'm in Vermont.

You calling me bad at smash?

I heaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar a money match calling!!

 

[victra♥]

2. At tourneys, do people make fun of other people who are bad at the game? On that note, do they also make fun of younger people? (I'm fourteen.) I don't really think they're like that at all, I'm just making sure, is all.

Us Canadians are pretty nice in real life. Not so sure about them American folk.

 

[JrdnS]

i dont know if you know this but another way to use wavedashing is to edgehog. it is more effective and faster than a backwards shorthop. or if you main ice climbers or luigi.

and who are you trying to chaingrab with?

 

[Popertop]

Oh, man! I wish I could have seen you then!


...All right, thanks for your help again, everybody! But, I have two more questions , I hope you don't mind.

1. I have HUGE trouble chaingrabbing CPUs. However, I can do it to my friends with no problem at all (On the rare occasions that they actually play with me). Are CPUs just normally hard to chaingrab, or is it just me? If it's just me, then how do I get it right?

2. At tourneys, do people make fun of other people who are bad at the game? On that note, do they also make fun of younger people? (I'm fourteen.) I don't really think they're like that at all, I'm just making sure, is all.

1. Chaingrabbing is largely predicting/watching where they DI and grabbing them again before they can hit the ground or act again. Your friends might now know how to get out of it, but generally you shouldn't practice anything on a CPU.

2. I've found that most competitive communities are glad to find another player interested in getting into the competitive scene. They'll be eager to help you and better the community. Just get yourself out there. Attend some smashfests to kinda get the competitive vibe. And don't expect to win at first. You will have many, many horrible losses, don't get discouraged though. Stay positive. Also, read this.

http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=176650

 

[Leech]

I practice on lvl 1s all the time.. trust me its much better because then you can practice all of the techs much better like.. dash dancing, edgehog, etc. i say that fighting nines are bad because they are idiots.. honestly.. they are idiots, but most of the time they are good. regardless of how stupid they are, and how many moves they run into.. they do not play like a normal human does. at least since i have seen so far..

If your having trouble picking out a character or only have 1 main and want another..
Pick from Speed/weak, All-Around, and Slow/strong. I'd say speed owns.. especially if you practice enough!

 

[GI Josh]

What I did was watch a ton of different pro matches (Like now my view count on Youtube is like 3,300) After you've seen how they play against each other, the techniques and mindgames just come to you.(At least they did for me)

 

[Ben Riigen]

If you have young relatives, teach them the game, have them put it on their christmas (or hannukah or watever) list. Then ,if they get it, they'll play and get good. Then when they come over have a smashfest. Thats how I train and I'm actually pretty good.

 

[~~FMF~~]

one
ive done lots of combos on lv9s that never work on friends or at tournaments. then after i play lv9s and i go against someone competitive it fells like there moving two times faster then i am mentaly and in the game
two
if you havent been introduced to waveshining yet you should check it out it consist of a shine-shine jump cancel-then a wave dash. but it cant be done to all characters its best against link and peach.