Seeking General Improvement

[RedmanSSBM]

I've been trying to practice a whole lot with a few characters as of recent. I'm still playing as Link and Young Link, but now I've added Ganon to the mix. What I'm struggling with is breaking habits that are causing me to lose matches. I know I've tried a lot of different ways to practice on my own, but it comes down to what's going on in my mind when I'm playing an actual match.
When I'm practicing a technique, and I do it over and over and over again to make sure I do it, I for some reason, don't end up using it 9 times out of 10 when I get into the heat of the battle. Know what I mean? It's frustrating. It's really a pain for me.
I'm trying hard to implement wavedashing into my play style, but I only do it for maybe a few seconds and then I just focus on trying to land hits more than the advanced techniques that I probably SHOULD be doing to help me do better.
I also find myself not l-canceling correctly. It's hard to do when you don't always know when you'll be landing on a platform and you miss the l-cancel. I hate missing my l-cancel because it leaves me open, I get punished, and then I panic and I end up missing my tech as well.
I know I can do a lot of cool advanced moves with my characters (except Ganon because I've only recently picked him up). But I'm just having trouble implementing them into my play style where I'm in the heat of the battle.
I feel like I'm missing something crucial at the same time as well. I know that there are certain moves that can come out much faster than others, I just don't know which ones and what order exactly. I want to get better, I know it's a long road ahead with me playing low tiers, but it's what I enjoy the most. I just want to work out these kinks so I can feel better about myself and probably improve my skills vastly.
I don't know if it's a mindset I need to have, if I need to look at professional players play my characters and try to adapt more of their style, or if it's something else.

 

[rjgbadger]

sounds liike you just need to play MORE buddy.

never play without your head in the game. carefully observe every interaction, and what you and your opponent tend to do in other, similar interactions. If its a matter of losing l cancels and wavedashes in stuff, just keep implementing them more and more in match until its second nature.

don't focus on winning so much as improving. obviously, if your opponent is SIGNIFICANTLY better than you, you won't be beating them for a while, but you'll get there if you act intelligently and observe your mistakes, and can correct those mistakes within a reasonable amount of time

also, record your matches if you can. one of the best ways to improve your game is to watch how embarrassingly bad you play and try to embarrass yourself less and less each match you play+watch. for some people(like myself) keeping a notebook can help if you cannot remember all the things you should practice in the heat of battle

 

[t3h Icy]

It's common for a lot of people to be nervous while they're playing matches. You might be training hard on the side and learning to be technical and consistent, but you can't emulate the nerves and intensity real matches produce. The main reason is because something is actually on the line during matches (pride, money, progression through a tournament, etc), whereas in training, it doesn't matter if you make mistakes.

Also, it could just be too much going on in your mind during a game. You should try to reach a point where you can perform everything technically sound without needing to actively think about (do it subconsciously). The technical skill required never changes, the mechanics and moves never changes, it's what the opponent is doing and how you're choosing to react that is dynamic, which is what ~100% of your brain power should be focused on. Practice L-Canceling, SHFFLing, and the other advanced techniques until you no longer have to concentrate on them to perform them.

Basically, just play more. A character swap would also help you out in the long run, but since you're not yet at the point where it's limiting you, that's not important. Tons of players have started as mid-low tiers for whatever their reasons are and most of them eventually pick up one of the best characters, so don't feel like you've personally failed if you do change your main(s).

Also, since you live in NC, you probably aren't too far from Dr. PeePee, who is not only one of the best in the world, but he's also incredibly intelligent about explaining the game.

 

[RedmanSSBM]

sounds liike you just need to play MORE buddy.

never play without your head in the game. carefully observe every interaction, and what you and your opponent tend to do in other, similar interactions. If its a matter of losing l cancels and wavedashes in stuff, just keep implementing them more and more in match until its second nature.

don't focus on winning so much as improving. obviously, if your opponent is SIGNIFICANTLY better than you, you won't be beating them for a while, but you'll get there if you act intelligently and observe your mistakes, and can correct those mistakes within a reasonable amount of time

also, record your matches if you can. one of the best ways to improve your game is to watch how embarrassingly bad you play and try to embarrass yourself less and less each match you play+watch. for some people(like myself) keeping a notebook can help if you cannot remember all the things you should practice in the heat of battle

I understand that I need to play more to improve. The problem is I can't consistently play with other people at least weekly and I don't want whatever skills that I currently have to deteriorate. I've recorded a few friendly matches and I've looked back at them to see the mistakes I've made. If you want, I can upload them tonight so that they can be viewed.

It's common for a lot of people to be nervous while they're playing matches. You might be training hard on the side and learning to be technical and consistent, but you can't emulate the nerves and intensity real matches produce. The main reason is because something is actually on the line during matches (pride, money, progression through a tournament, etc), whereas in training, it doesn't matter if you make mistakes.

Also, it could just be too much going on in your mind during a game. You should try to reach a point where you can perform everything technically sound without needing to actively think about (do it subconsciously). The technical skill required never changes, the mechanics and moves never changes, it's what the opponent is doing and how you're choosing to react that is dynamic, which is what ~100% of your brain power should be focused on. Practice L-Canceling, SHFFLing, and the other advanced techniques until you no longer have to concentrate on them to perform them.

Basically, just play more. A character swap would also help you out in the long run, but since you're not yet at the point where it's limiting you, that's not important. Tons of players have started as mid-low tiers for whatever their reasons are and most of them eventually pick up one of the best characters, so don't feel like you've personally failed if you do change your main(s).

Also, since you live in NC, you probably aren't too far from Dr. PeePee, who is not only one of the best in the world, but he's also incredibly intelligent about explaining the game.

The thing about practicing L-canceling and SHFFLing for me is that I need to do it when actually hitting an opponent. If i try to practice l-canceling and SHFLLing in just the air, the timing will be off and so then I get into this bad habit of l-canceling too early. Doing so when hitting the opponent causes a bit of lag when I'm attacking, therefore i have to time my l-cancels a little later. Practicing that isn't too easy. I've heard I can do a starman trick or use a controller and set a handicap on it so that I can practice that way, but then again, I've also been advised against that.

I actually have interacted with Dr. PeePee quite a bit and I do agree that he's very knowledgeable with the game. I have also tried contacting him on this matter.

__

Also, I remember that at the last tournament I went to, I saw that people were listening to music during a tournament match. I sometimes am more focused with music because the rhythm helps me keep a pace and I guess helps me concentrate more? Idk, I'm thinking of listening to music while practicing.

Edit: Words

 

[rjgbadger]

if you can't play with somebody all the time, then switch to 64 smash. you can play online on PC with players of all different skill levels across the country, and IMO it helps your melee game in terms of understanding your opponent's intentions and reacting to them(although the tech required for each game are a little different)

 

[RedmanSSBM]

if you can't play with somebody all the time, then switch to 64 smash. you can play online on PC with players of all different skill levels across the country, and IMO it helps your melee game in terms of understanding your opponent's intentions and reacting to them(although the tech required for each game are a little different)

Sorry man but even though that sounds like a good idea, I'm really not going to waste my time playing a game that I don't want to play. On the other hand, I know that Melee online with Dolphin Emulator is a thing that's being worked on in the forums, and I would like to try it out. I would just need a better computer that can run it and a USB adapter for my gamecube controller.

 

[rjgbadger]

give 64 a try before you say you don't want to play it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10Jcy4Ln5l4

 

[RedmanSSBM]

give 64 a try before you say you don't want to play it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10Jcy4Ln5l4

No really. No thanks. I have absolutely no interest in Smash 64 and I never will. I like Melee a lot and I'll be playing that for as long as I can.

 

[rjgbadger]

LOL, okay dude i understand, but did you SEE those shield breaks?! Mmmm

if you really want to play people more often then, looks like you gotta play online, which i hear still isn't that great, (haven't tried it yet) or travel to where the good players are. Icy said it earlier, if you live in NC you are reasonable distance from DrPeePee, who would probably overload you with so much information that you'd end up melting because you couldn't absorb it all

 

[RedmanSSBM]

LOL, okay dude i understand, but did you SEE those shield breaks?! Mmmm

if you really want to play people more often then, looks like you gotta play online, which i hear still isn't that great, (haven't tried it yet) or travel to where the good players are. Icy said it earlier, if you live in NC you are reasonable distance from DrPeePee, who would probably overload you with so much information that you'd end up melting because you couldn't absorb it all

I live in Charlotte, NC and there's definitely a good few people here that I can play with. Maybe not every other day, but bi-weekly and even some tournaments as far as Rocky Mount that I've been to before. I've met Dr. PeePee before and yes, he does have a lot to say about the game and he's great at giving advise. I asked him how to help with the problem as well and he told me to watch video of players who use the same characters as me and to observe how the opponent reacts to what move the player does.

I like that idea and I'm gonna try it. As for Melee online, I will definitely give it a shot once I build myself a PC hopefully in the next month.

For local friendlies, I have gotten together with some friends and played and recorded a few matches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEb4tZ73Qlw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGobbTUXQJI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slYmF7dwzhs
I played as the green Young Link and Link in these matches.

We can get together occasionally but not too often because they have work and other things they may be busy with. Personally, I'd love it if I could go and live in Greensboro, but that's not really an option for me especially since I'm going to UNCC this fall. Which, by the way, has several smashers there that do have smash fests weekly. I'm very much looking forward to this fall.

 

[Tero.]

didnt read, but you'll never find improvement on the boards.
search the game and/or your head