Learn How To Make Reads With DireOnFire

[Pakichu Noriwa]

One of my online friends was telling me about reads. And while I think I may have been doing it subconsciously, the video is definitely an eye opener.

 

[Mera Mera]

I'm in the camp that can read, but can't punish, particularly online.

Nothing in the world is more frustrating than making a perfect read, setting up a punish, and then you get the timing all wrong.

There's also the issue where you know exactly whats coming, but you don't know enough about all the character options to exploit it.

This isn't mentioned in the video but...
I feel in order to incorporate conditioning, you need to actually be playing players who are good enough to learn your patterns to begin with.

There's a couple things that could be going wrong if you are not getting your read:
*Note: I'm a Melee / PM player so my examples are based off those games, but the concepts should transfer.

I reference burst range a bit in my response. For a good understanding on what burst range is, watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfBuAo_Bfvw
(I also recommend his second video)

1) Your positioning when you get the read prevents a direct punish.

In this case remember that if your read is that they will do something that has end lag, you can force them into a closer space than comfortable (your burst range) which is an ideal situation for a bait. Sometimes your read only gets you a new opportunity for a read. Don't over commit (know when you can and can't get there in time).

2) You don't have the proper plan.

In game thinking should be focused on observation and plan choosing. Plan testing is great for learning, but plan formulating is typically best done outside a match. I'll give an example: You see Captain Falcon full hop, and you know he will come down with a dair (hoping to hit your shield). You still shield and fail to punish the read, or maybe you do a short hop aerial and get hit first.

Often times, if you do not have a plan you will do a default plan you have for that more generalized type of situation. Outside of a match you could think on the situation and realize that the dair has start up, and he wants the move to hit my shield (to be safe), so if you go to him high by full hopping and aerialing, your move will hit him before his dair comes out. You can later optimize this tactic by realizing that you are able to outrange his faster moves coming at him from certain angles and choosing an appropriate move (character dependent on what said moves/angles are, but generally up air from under suffices).

3) You rely on reaction despite the read.

This is a common one. Reaction is often favored simply because it's a safety net to prevent you from committing an incorrect action. Sometimes reacting to punish a read suffices, but it's important to know when this is actually possible, and when, instead, you will need to be proactive in order to punish (punish w/o reaction to the guessed action, in other words).

A simple example is reading when both characters are in each other's burst range and you have a slight frame advantage (e.g. a tech chase were you can get close but can't quite directly punish the tech roll). Lets say that you know in this situation that the person always attacks, and for whatever reason you are hesitant to use run up shield to beat this. You dash away to dodge the predicted tilt/smash/aerial, but you don't dash back in until reacting to their actual option choice. However, the attack they chose had punishable end lag, but not from your current distance. In this situation you would have had to preemptively dash back in, knowing about when the presumed attack should be done and punish. In this situation it could also be the case that you are choosing too slow of an attack.

I'll note that in this situation, it could be the case that reacting would be sufficient but your plan was not. Consider all your options. In this case it could be that dash attack may have been appropriate, because the jump squat + aerial start up and the grab start up were just too slow to allow you to punish in time.

_______

As for the comments on how you need a good player who watches your actions:

It's true that conditioning will be less effective (though I doubt entirely simply because they'll likely adapt a little on an unconscious level, as they ARE being hit).

That said, reads themselves still exist against these players. It is generally easier because they have a worse mix up game, but it can harder because they are choosing atypical actions that you may not have an appropriate plan for and/or you have insufficient practice countering the tactic.

A common example is a more skilled player losing to turtling (sheilding and rolling constantly), losing to an opponent who constantly dash attacks you, or losing to an opponent who constantly shield grabs. These things may work against a player who is generally speaking more skilled, simply because they do not have the appropriate plan to deal with the given tactic.


A bit of a tangent but:
Many people get mad when they get hit by a worse player's "incorrect" option choice. Ego often gets in the way of learning. If this happens to you, remember that you losing a situation shows where you need to improve, and an opponent who spams a tactic is a great opportunity to learn.

Something I read from PPMD (not word-for-word, just the jist):
Playing to learn, and playing to have fun are good reasons to play smash. A strong desire to win is good, but as a goal it can be detrimental.

Often people get upset when they lose because showing their dominance was their goal in the match. Even top players cannot do this consistently against everyone (particularly against other top players). You don't want your enjoyment of the game to be so fragile, especially if you're out to learn and improve as well, since it very easily leads to doing what you know rather than actively trying and working on new things.

 

[Project Crysis]

Great Video a lot of true stuff was said. Reads are what make the game mentally intense so breaking it down for newer players is always a good idea

 

[Ifrit_Smash]

this was really helpful!

 

[DubstepRoom]

This is very useful, I will be using that Mega Man downsmash tech

 

[Rapidkirby3k]

As a Smash player who also watches tournaments through various YouTube channels, I thought of improving my reads that are lukewarm. After all, I learn everyday and it's all in the mental reflexes.

This great video featured is very informative and quite useful. =)

 

[DraculaSb]

Take a look
In a book
Reading MaNg000000000000

 

[Sarah Everett]

I don't think you quite understand how reads work lol. You don't learn "all the reads", you just read.

But you have to learn how to read first...right?

 

[l_wan]

Love it :D

 

[Crimson Ace]

Great video! I learned some stuff, which is great. Thanks.