Keep Your Eyes on the Opponent

[Myztek]

Every moment you divert your attention to your own character, or some random thought for that matter, you're giving your opponent the advantage. Generally speaking, the only thing that has the potential to be 100% unpredictable is the character you're playing against. This is why it's important to center your concentration on the actions of your opponent. If you don't, you can be caught off guard very easily against a fast opponent.

Benefits of keeping your eyes on the opponent:
- You'll stop throwing out attacks that serve no purpose and get you punished. If you're actually looking at your target, you'll know when to swing and what to swing with.
- You'll learn matchups more quickly, because habits, openings, and what works will become more obvious.
- The game can seem slower. When you don't have to watch what you're doing on top of what your opponent is doing, it's much easier to react to things.
- You'll still do amazing things. Assuming you have excellent control of your character, you may surprise yourself with some of the things you do.


It's important that I expand upon the last benefit I listed. To be able to focus solely on your opponent, you have to know your own character inside and out. Otherwise, your attention will be divided. Your character should be an extension of yourself, and you should be able to control your character without second-guessing yourself.

 

[KirbyKaze]

This thread is dumb.

Autopilot all day.

 

[Myztek]

This thread is dumb.

Autopilot all day.

Blindfold money match? :D

For players like you, I'm sure this advice may seem obvious. But it's not to everyone.

 

[SuperMatt]

i feel like this is the secret key to winning and i try to do it everytime but its so hard

 

[Myztek]

i feel like this is the secret key to winning and i try to do it everytime but its so hard

Describe what's difficult about it.

Also, it probably is one of the most important things you can do.

 

[EPsilon933]

You're controlling you. You always know where you are and what you're doing. No need to see where you are and what you're doing if you already know

 

[Varist]

The topic is a wholly self-explanatory kind of thing.
i don't know what i'm meant to discuss in this thread :x

 

[SuperMatt]

you kind of have to watch yourself to know when you can waveland, fwd B, other things, etc. but you have to watch them at the same time

you have to train your eyes is all i guess

 

[CloneHat]

It's like looking at the conductor: your music is just a reference.

 

[VGmasta]

Though it is extremely important to watch your opponent, taking your eyes off of your own character can cause fatal errors though. Airdodging near the edge into a Self Destruct as a result of failed waveland usually happens when I look away from my own character too much.

 

[Pengie]

Though it is extremely important to watch your opponent, taking your eyes off of your own character can cause fatal errors though. Airdodging near the edge into a Self Destruct as a result of failed waveland usually happens when I look away from my own character too much.

That's why you gotta work on your control and be confident in your control of your character.

I think one of the biggest benefits of keeping your eyes on the opponents character as opposed to your own is that reacting to things becomes easier, especially if you can get a good read of what your opponent likes to do when both of you are in a neutral situation (e.g. Fox vs. Doc: Fox is DDing and the Doc likes to Full jump pill a lot so as soon as you see Doc squat down to jump run under him and Up Smash to kill).

 

[MasterShake]

Why not just...look at both? I don't recall ever having trouble keeping track of what me and my opponent are doing at the same time.

 

[Strong Badam]

i look at the timer and do moves based on how much time is left

 

[KirbyKaze]

Looking at your opponent is important for the information it feeds you regarding their habits. Subtle things can indicate when they're trying to be crafty (and in what way), or how stubborn their defense is. It's usually easy to tell when someone's trying to crush you, but I feel that watching them is absolutely necessary if you're to glean any sort of analysis of their defensive behaviors.

I feel the more you run defense, the less necessary this skill is.

 

[Dark Hart]

Yea I Look at both too, mostly the opponent, but I can't just not look at my character lol

 

[the_CAM_factor]

i tend to look at my character when powershielding and wave landing the majority of the time. not sure if this a bad habit or not

 

[Hydro_Smasher]

looking at the oppenant is definately the best option and keeps my consistant in making wise choices, since I know where I am, even when I do a SICK combo on someone, I only look at the oppenant, since my hand movements tell me what the combo looked like even though I'm doing it lol.

plus, if Im watching the oppenant, then im most likely visible just outside of him, and that is enuogh for me to understand, thanks to the way the camera system works

i can always watch my combo later after im done recording

 

[Cyrain]

Looking at your opponent is important for the information it feeds you regarding their habits. Subtle things can indicate when they're trying to be crafty (and in what way), or how stubborn their defense is. It's usually easy to tell when someone's trying to crush you, but I feel that watching them is absolutely necessary if you're to glean any sort of analysis of their defensive behaviors.

I feel the more you run defense, the less necessary this skill is.

I feel like I must be the only high level melee player that makes no conscious effort to watch and analyze things like my opponent's defensive behaviors/stubbornness. Surely I take some of it in subconsciously and adjust my style accordingly, but I never pick it apart in my head. Maybe I'm just lazy or maybe I just suck. I dunno.

 

[Cactuar]

...

I didn't realize it was 2007.

...

 

[TheZhuKeeper]

...

I didn't realize it was 2007.

...

I'd keep my eyes on my opponent if it was you.

^_____________________________________^

 

[Myztek]

@Cactuar

I don't always make threads because I feel like its something new. Some people need a reminder, and some people just really don't think about things so plainly.

 

[Gaggy Rogers]

@Cactuar

I don't always make threads because I feel like its something new. Some people need a reminder, and some people just really don't think about things so plainly.

Indeed. Obviously, I'm new to melee and it never really occurred to me that I should do this.

 

[Ryucloud]

recently when i focus on my eyes on my opponent the screen gets brighter like morning sun can some on explain this

 

[GhllieShdeKnife]

Gaggy Rogers omg !!!!!!
thats hilarious

 

[hectohertz]

recently when i focus on my eyes on my opponent the screen gets brighter like morning sun can some on explain this

it's probably because you're fake



but watching your opponent is mad important, i actually unfocus my eyes when techchasing. I look at the opponent, just focus on a plane behind the screen so everything's blurrier. it makes my reaction times faster. curious if anyone else does this too

 

[KirbyKaze]

necrobump yayhuz

anyways, serious reply (to counter my semi-troll reply)

I mostly pay attention to either my opponent or the space between they and I. Which one kind of depends on MU and the opponent's playstyle though.

 

[Kink-Link5]

Now that I think about it I never look at my own character unless I'm in a doubles match just to make sure I don't accidentally follow the wrong person.

It doesn't seem to serve me well when I transition from playing Melee to any other fighting game that have attacks spawn on your character (Arcana Heart ).

 

[Tee ay eye]

I feel the more you run defense, the less necessary this skill is.

I've actually been focusing on this when I played in the past week or two. I sorta felt that being able to closely watch and read/react to your opponent is an absolute must when you're trying to push or approach them, whereas it's much easier to defend accordingly without paying an awful lot of attention (although it probably helps in more specific circumstances) when they're the ones attacking you.

 

[KirbyKaze]

Wait, you mean I already made a serious post in this thread? safgkagk

 

[zZz]

Thank you for this post Myztek, I found your advice helpful

 

[Lawrencelot]

I followed this advice quite some time ago, and that was the exact time when I changed from a bad player to a decent player.

 

[Fuss]

I'd rather watch my Marth swagg out.

 

[Fregadero]

I was having trouble with this last month. Try practicing basic movement and attack patterns without actually watching the screen.

I had a tv next to my computer and would pay attention to the other screen while keeping melee in my peripheral vision. If you really get the basics you should be able to move around and hit the techs without dying. Then when I tryed watching my opponent it wasnt hard.

 

[Tee ay eye]

I'd rather watch my Marth swagg out.

I have also had this problem.

 

[Kink-Link5]

Don't do this when using Peach's down B, just saying :V

 

[KrIsP!]

Don't do this when using Peach's down B, just saying :V

Why is that marth running away when I'm on my last stock?