I've been trying to be in competitive smash, and I already feel like giving up.

[AnchorTea]

My win streak is literally at 20%. Ever since that tournament I attended to last Saturday, i've been constantly failing. I reached semi-finals in the tournament, but I only got lucky. It always seem like i'm unable to approach the opponent, and he/she always beats the living crap out of me.

Sometimes I wonder why I even try...

 

[TheBurningBadger]

Do you need help practicing?

 

[SphericalCrusher]

Hey man, don't get down on yourself. Above all else, this is a game and it's meant for you to have fun... so make sure you are doing that as well. I'm no pro player, but I would recommend trying each character and find the one that you ENJOY playing and also are good with. From there, just practice on bots, working out your rhythm and moves/defensive play, etc. After that, it's just practice practice practice. If you have an Amiibo, they are pretty good to train with if you don't want to hop online or don't have someone local. CPUs can only take you so far obviously... but Amiibos do better than standard AI. Also, I would recommend saving replays for some close matches or matches you lose often - you can watch it to see what you do wrong (or have someone else watch it). If you ever want to practice, hit me up. I'm SphericalCrusher on Nintendo network. I also stream Smash often at Twitch.tv/SphericalCrusher Good luck and have fun!

EDIT: And on the note about approaching - it all depends on the character. Learn to approach them differently. Make sure to shield often as well. Practice the moves in training or on bots and then take it online.

 

[Pyr]

Reaching semifinals of a tournament is anything but luck. Sure, luck might get you a win here or there, but you EARNED that. Remember that.

Just keep practicing. You'll get there. If that 20% is from online, stop playing online. It's **** and will only teach you bad habits. Most tournaments worth their salt will be offline, anyway.

 

[TheBurningBadger]

^ what he said

 

[ninrok]

As someone that's also new to Competitive Smash (but not FGs in general), the worst thing you can do is beat yourself up. Not saying to give yourself excuses, but being too down on yourself or overlooking things you did right can be just as detrimental as being too cocky.

SphericalCrusher already covered it really, but it bears repeating: have fun first and foremost, especially at the early stages. Focus on learning, don't worry much about the win percentage. It will improve with practice, time, and experience.

 

[Rad]

I think I won my first game at my second tournament.

 

[LiamMail]

i know how you feel, I reckon I'm at a decent level at the game but my win streak is 11%...

 

[Luco]

The love of playing smash for me far outweighs anything else. If you have something that drives you to love playing the game and love what it's all about, then you'll continue playing and naturally get better; and in that case there's nothing to worry about. Getting to semi-finals is pretty exciting, and if nothing else it means you got a lot of competitive exposure that you'll once again, naturally turn into part of the learning experience.

When I started playing competitively I had points where I felt like i'd never get better, but in those moments I had a breather, sometimes took a break from the game for a little while and then over time my mind would have thought out more stuff and i'd have become better, and if you have a good training partner then you get better quicker than anyone can ever imagine.

Basically what i'm trying to say is, no matter how bleak it looks now, you're under-estimating how quickly you can turn it all around. Give yourself a chance, have a break if you needed and once you get back to it you'll be better than ever and feel like it too.

 

[digiholic]

There are four stages to learning.

Unconscious Incompetence - When someone is bad at something but doesn't know it yet
Conscious Incompetence - When someone is bad at something and knows it
Conscious Competence - When someone is good at something while focusing on it
Unconscious Competence - When someone is good at something all the time

Sounds to me like you're making that segue into Conscious Competence. Keep that focus up and you'll start going places. I've noticed with a lot of games, you tend to really suck right before you start being awesome. It's that moment when you know what you should be doing, but your stupid hands can't keep up. Just keep at it and eventually your hands will get as smart as your head.

 

[JC Ralls]

Nobody can just win an advanced tournament without tons of practise. Players like Mew2king have put 10,000+ plus hours into Melee and the current top Smash 4 players have already put hundreds if not thousands of hours into the game already. It's all about experience; losing in tournaments is good. Eventually the nerves will become more controllable and your ability to read your opponent's movements will get better. But you have to be in it to have fun or you'll be salty too much to the point where you're not enjoying yourself anymore.

 

[XeroHour]

I played a bit of Brawl competitively, it's supposed to be fun so have fun with it. I didn't take it too seriously and mostly just enjoyed tournaments and stuff. The key is finding a character you like to play.

 

[Prawn]

Dude I played brawl for years competitively and have been putting in maximum work on this game and I'm still bad. It's so hard to "get good" and beat really competent players. Don't focus on win rates, just play and learn and improve your game

You got it

 

[unsung-unit2291]

Ill give you the advice that got me to the next level when I had the same feelings you do now.

Focus on playing the player. Stop trying to do what works for the matchup, focus on what works on the person youre playing.

Learning how to bait, mindgame, and remain unpredictable at all times seems to be the hurdle people struggle to get over once they understand the intricies of their mains, there matchups, and ATs. No amount of tech drilling, homework, and knowledge of guarenteed followups can get you there if you cant bait shield grabs, air dodges, and remain fresh with your recoveries.

Even online play can't fully imitate this with sparatic lag and lack of a social aspect. Show up to irl events, get your ass handed to you, ask them what they caught you doing too much, and reflect upon it.

You got this.

 

[XeroHour]

Once I learned to play the player and not the character, the whole game slowed down for me. Though, it does also help to know what all the characters are capable of.

 

[Shack]

Online is garbage, I wouldn't compare your skill to your FG win rate. Also try other characters, maybe you are just not very good with the current ones you use. Also you should post videos or something because right now we have no idea why you are losing so much.

 

[Nyhte]

A 20% winrate isn't anything to boast about but don't be Piglet

 

[LightLV]

First off, consider your choice of character.

Second, you're having trouble approaching? Well, that sounds like your main issue -- stop approaching. It doesn't matter who you're using. Even if they spam projectiles and you have none. The mentality of rushdown in this game is self-defeating, defensive options are too good. Knowing when to stop and just idly do nothing for a while makes a world of difference in this game, because it breaks the pace of the person you're trying to break through.

Third, stop playing online, it sucks. This is true for every fighting game, really dumb **** gets a free pass on netplay, but it counts triple for this game. You will get away with banging your face on buttons.


EDIT:

Oh, i don't mean to say "dont rush down", i'm saying that when it doesnt work in this game, it just really really doesn't work. If your opponent has written down all your approach options and is basically shutting you down on reaction, it's really time to have some pace breaking mixups in how you approach.

 

[XeroHour]

I play rushdown and I don't really have an issue approaching usually. The netcode is fine in Smash. Though, it's always better to play offline with friends because there is standard internet lag online that is unavoidable. Playing any fighter online can be fun, but they are ALWAYS better to play offline.

 

[CHOMPY]

I know the story I'm about to give out isn't Smash, but I had a similar situation to what you are in right now.

When I first started to learn to play Pokemon TCG, I came to the league with a starter deck. I got paired up agaist a deck that I felt should've won at the time, but ultimately wound up losing the match. It was my Typhlosion against his Steelix. Back then, I was thinking to myself "why did I lose to that deck", and I found out its because of lack of player experience, knowledge of the deck, and knowing the rules. After that, I lost a ton of matches from various of different reasons to a point when I wanted to give up. Then a guy came up to me and started to teach me how to build a good competitive deck as well as giving me some really good pointers on how to play the game. Fortunately, I was open minded, so I took any advice I can get to get better. From there on, I just got better and better.

Don't give up. Learn from your mistakes, and you'll get better overtime. I know its not easy. It may not take a day, or month, but you'll get there eventually.

 

[Dantarion]

Congrats. You have hit the wall.

This is what happens when you stop playing with just your friends on the same skill level as you and branch out. The top players are way better than other players. And you are not a top player. There are hundreds of unknown players that will consistantly get top 32 at majors, but never make it into top 8. That is because there is a GIANT skill gap when it comes to competitive play.

You need to level up to get over that gap, by taking the game seriously and figuring out why these people are better, and learning from people that beat you.

 

[KAOSN00B]

Man i hear you. I was in that rut for 3 years when i started. And im only getting decent at this series around now. And im still no where near the level my community is. But just have fun with it. Dont worry about winning. However never give up on yourself. Smash is a tough game sometimes and your not alone. If you ever want practice and maybe some feedback just hit me up. Ill try my best to help

 

[adlp]

dont play FG mode. but if you cave in and do it anyway because you start to care about your win %, just make a new name entry and play under that because it starts everything over

 

[Teran]

Come on now, how can you expect to just waltz in and be the man against players who have up to a decade or more of experience?

Just be patient with your development (it's hard I know)

 

[One Tilt]

Focus on the solution, not the problem. It's all a matter of perspective-- once you can turn 'why aren't I winning' to the all-consuming thought of 'I will get better', that makes a world of difference. That was the main turning point for me in Pokemon-- where I stopped beating myself up for what happened and eventually started learning to focus on why it happened. Only just reaching the point where I can apply that in smash, of course, but it was really eye-opening to see the skill gap firsthand and then to recognize that, rather than mechanical, the distance was mostly a matter of experience.

Either way, the best solution is just to play, play, and play some more. If you play, and your thoughts are on how to improve, you will get better. Try keeping around some old replays to remind you of that fact-- the more you can cringe at mistakes that you wouldn't make today, the better you are by now. The only benchmark that matters is yourself so long as you dedicate yourself to improvement. The weight of extensive practice behind your play will trivialize any other problems if you just keep adding to it.

Try setting a minimum practice time for each day. Ideally, a few hours rather than one or less. Nothing matters but improvement relative to yourself. If you lost to a Spamus or Flowchart Link last week, then beat them today? If you couldn't touch a half-decent Little Mac at all until you finally take some wins off one today? If you just learned a new combo? If you found some new property or hitbox on a move? No matter how trivial it may seem, just focus on what you're doing better first... Progress is progress, and you can never do anything but improve by practicing.

Hope I was closer to 'encouraging' than 'rambling schitzophrenic', there, at least. ^^"

 

[XeroHour]

Come on now, how can you expect to just waltz in and be the man against players who have up to a decade or more of experience?

Just be patient with your development (it's hard I know)

^That

You have to learn to lose before you can learn to win.

 

[kyxsune]

Just keep practicing. You'll get there. If that 20% is from online, stop playing online. .

I agree with most of what you said, but this is just untrue. Practicing online is a great way to see more varied playstyles and to learn the sacred art of reading and punishing...granted I tend not experience lag online in 1v1s but nonetheless.

 

[BSP]

My win streak is literally at 20%. Ever since that tournament I attended to last Saturday, i've been constantly failing. I reached semi-finals in the tournament, but I only got lucky. It always seem like i'm unable to approach the opponent, and he/she always beats the living crap out of me.

Sometimes I wonder why I even try...

First of all, don't give up. I played Brawl seriously for 4+ years and I still think I only got to "ok" level at that game.

Your low win streak doesn't matter. What matters is what you're taking from your losses. Are you trying to figure out why you're losing? That's the first step to getting better.

I recommend saving replays of yourself and getting others from the boards of the characters you use to give you advice. They will most likely see flaws that you can't see yourself and will have suggestions for you.

Watch yourself play and see where you make mistakes and when/where you get hit, and think about why you got hit and/or what you could have done differently in that situation to avoid taking a hit.

I would also recommend watching top players of your character to see what they do in their matches.

The most important thing is to not give up though. Getting good takes time, effort, and dedication, and it definitely doesn't come easily.

 

[Hippieslayer]

Lol OP you crybaby, couldnt care less

 

[XeroHour]

Lol OP you crybaby, couldnt care less

And yet, here you are.

 

[Hippieslayer]

Of course I am, how was I supposed to know it was all pointless whining before I entered the thread and reap the OP?

Tell me it isn't true anyway. There are plenty of people out there trying to better their playing who do not resort to pointless whining like the OP here. If you feel you have to make a thread just to vent about the fact that you aren't performing at the level you want to then you've got a unjustified sense of entitlement, simple as that.

Besides me not caring about the OP failing at Smash doesn't mean I don't care to tell the OP he's a narcissistic whiner. I don't mind doing that, even if it means eating infractions. Because the truth is the person who needs to get infracted here is the OP, and everyone knows that, why do you feel the need to act nicely towards this guy with his Elliot-Rodger-logic?

 

[LightLV]

Of course I am, how was I supposed to know it was all pointless whining before I entered the thread and reap the OP?

Tell me it isn't true anyway. There are plenty of people out there trying to better their playing who do not resort to pointless whining like the OP here. If you feel you have to make a thread just to vent about the fact that you aren't performing at the level you want to then you've got a unjustified sense of entitlement, simple as that.

or, OR, OOOOOOR he found a place called "smashboards", that just so happens to be a forum, and decided to host a discussion about it?

Besides me not caring about the OP failing at Smash doesn't mean I don't care to tell the OP he's a narcissistic whiner. I don't mind doing that, even if it means eating infractions. Because the truth is the person who needs to get infracted here is the OP, and everyone knows that, why do you feel the need to act nicely towards this guy with his Elliot-Rodger-logic?

It sounds like the narcissist here is you bro. People get salty sometimes. Salty people need to vent, and most of the time, venting makes it better!

Would he be better to just swallow his salty emotions and deal with it in his own salty, salt like solitude?

No, because then he'd probably sound alot like you. And no one would like him!

 

[Hippieslayer]

If he wanted to host a discussion he would have asked for tips.

How does whining about not being good enough belong in the competitive forum? It seems like there would be better sections where you could do that. I was under the impression that there was some sort of standard here in the competitive smash subforum. But perhaps I was wrong about that.

Sure his thread isn't a big a deal, or even a deal at all. But if more people started doing this it would really suck.

Just look at the way he ends his op with "Sometimes I wonder why I even try..." like some great injustice has befallen him. If you want to get good you ditch that kind of attitude and keep at it.

 

[AnchorTea]

If he wanted to host a discussion he would have asked for tips.

How does whining about not being good enough belong in the competitive forum? It seems like there would be better sections where you could do that. I was under the impression that there was some sort of standard here in the competitive smash subforum. But perhaps I was wrong about that.

Sure his thread isn't a big a deal, or even a deal at all. But if more people started doing this it would really suck.

Just look at the way he ends his op with "Sometimes I wonder why I even try..." like some great injustice has befallen him. If you want to get good you ditch that kind of attitude and keep at it.

I actually made this discussion mainly for answers on how to improve without directly asking it you troll.

 

[Hippieslayer]

Yeah that's easy to say now lol! In any case the only way that's certain to make you better is to regularly play against people who are good. They should be at your level or above you. You really need to find people like that to regularly practice against IRL. That's the number 1 prio.

If you keep on doing the same fail over and over again switch characters, at least for a while. If you have a ways to go you don't need to worry about sticking to a main, and in any case its good to try out many different characters and you can always go back to the same char later on.

Other than that, watch tons of tournament videos of top players, tons. Let it all sink in, both on a conscious and subconscious level. You should notice some things that they are doing which you are not, which lets them cover more options. You know the youtube channels right? CLASH Tournaments, Tourney Locator, VGBootcamp etc

Then once you know how the pro's do it start watching replays of your own games. Take notice of everything you do wrong, every time you fail at spacing or whatever. Work on whatever weaknesses appear. If you fail make sure you know what you did wrong exactly, otherwise you'll repeat the same mistake.

Always play with a dispassionate calm and analytic mindset, spend as much time thinking about what your opponent is doing as you spend thinking about what you are doing. This is very important, and it's hard to pull of if you keep getting caught up in your own emotions thinking you're going to fail or whatever. Zen mentality man. Most top players do this to some degree, there are exceptions though, like Will. He seems to be able to function as a player while pissed and frustrated. Most can't do that however.

It's also hard to be able to read your opponent if you don't know exactly what you are doing, you need to be able to pick the right options instinctively so that you have your working memory freed up in order that you may use it to analyze your opponent and garner all sorts of reads.

That's why you gotta practice til perfect. Also don't expect to notice progress quickly, you'll see it over time when you look back and think about how you used to play, but don't get caught up thinking you aren't improving because you don't notice it in the now, no one does.

Anyways those are some things.

 

[dguy6789]

You're way ahead of yourself. Be patient, play a lot, and follow the advice that veterans give you.

If you see someone with a join date of 2013 or 2014 who has never been to a tourney before, take their advice with a grain of salt because they don't know anything about the game or how to get good at it.

Being very conservative, it will take well over a year of diligently going to tourneys and practicing a ton to become anything in the Smash scene.

 

[Hippieslayer]

Oh and one more thing, don't try to be original. You can do that later when you're good. For now just copy the pros. Do what they do.

 

[AnchorTea]

You're way ahead of yourself. Be patient, play a lot, and follow the advice that veterans give you.

If you see someone with a join date of 2013 or 2014 who has never been to a tourney before, take their advice with a grain of salt because they don't know anything about the game or how to get good at it.

Being very conservative, it will take well over a year of diligently going to tourneys and practicing a ton to become anything in the Smash scene.

Thank you...

 

[Pyr]

You're way ahead of yourself. Be patient, play a lot, and follow the advice that veterans give you.

If you see someone with a join date of 2013 or 2014 who has never been to a tourney before, take their advice with a grain of salt because they don't know anything about the game or how to get good at it.

Being very conservative, it will take well over a year of diligently going to tourneys and practicing a ton to become anything in the Smash scene.

Just saying: Join date doesn't have a strict correlation to skill level. Though the tournament comment has merit, one cannot judge by join date alone. Mine's what it is because my gamertag changed, so I made a new profile to reflect it. Just one example of how it's misleading.

 

[AnchorTea]

You're way ahead of yourself. Be patient, play a lot, and follow the advice that veterans give you.

If you see someone with a join date of 2013 or 2014 who has never been to a tourney before, take their advice with a grain of salt because they don't know anything about the game or how to get good at it.

Being very conservative, it will take well over a year of diligently going to tourneys and practicing a ton to become anything in the Smash scene.

Well thats another problem...

I get that it takes a very long time to even get well-known in competitive smash, but it honestly feels like I NEVER improve...