allshort17
Smash Ace
Link to original post: [drupal=4408]The Basis of Fighting Games[/drupal]
To start, this is not a blog talking about the secrets of fighting game, but explaining the concrete ideas which most everything in fighting games can be broken down into.
My last blog was titled "The Basics" where I ask what are the basic things I need to know to have a solid foundation in SSBB. I also learn that it is easier to capitalize on your strengths than fretting over your weakness. However, I didn't know what I was good at. I thought about my spacing, mindgames, ect. Then, a revelation hit me in the head saying "This is it!" So, I broke fighting games in to 5 main parts:
1. Game knowledge- The ability to learn, retain, and apply information on a game's system or set values as I think of it.
2. Reaction time- The time it takes to respond to a short term stimulus, like whiffing an attack.
3. Psychology- The ability to read and manipulate your opponent's mind and emotions while keeping your positive and concealed.
4. Adaptation- The ability to realize and respond to situations and habits that you and your opponent quickly. This happens over a longer period of time the simple reaction time.
5. Technical skill or tech skill for short- The ability to perform physical actions.
I then realized that everything about fighting games revolved around these concepts. Character selection, game selection, playstyle, anything. I know people may think, "But, mindgames and spacing are very important concepts in fighters. Why are they not on this list?" They are important, but they are just sub-categories of the concepts above. Mindgames are only know your options (game knowledge) and pick one that is more obscure in order to make your opponent nervous or confused (Psychology.) Spacing is just knowing the optimal range of you and your opponents attacks (game knowledge.) I believe that any other concepts can be broken down into any of these.
But, how can this help? Let's look at selecting a character. If you have good understanding of game knowledge, then the character with lots of situation quirks because you will remember them and will be able to abuse them. If you have good reaction time, pick the person with highly damaging punishes but has to capitalize on brief moments of vulnerability. If you have a good understanding of Psychology, then you can pick the rushdown character who has to know how to pressure and scare an opponent with lots of attacks. If you can adapt well, pick the person that has multiple styles they can do. And if you have good technical skills, you can pick the character with high damaging combos that require amazing precision. These concept are pretty much what all fighting games are.
Now, I realized I have reaction time like a dead can, but can easily retain game knowledge. So, most of my time now goes into learn everything I can about SSBB because it is easier to most to get the most out of this then anything else. I also learned I takes more energy to try to improve on something I'm naturally bad at than someone I'm good at. It is possible to make your weak point strong, but it take an amazing amount of energy. I can work years to improve my bad reaction by milliseconds or I could just realize I'm naturally smart and work on that. Look at professional players. Justin Wong has god-like reaction time and Daigo and freakishly good understanding of psychology.
Everything in fighting games can be link back to these and understand them I believe can help the person stuck at a plateau, the beginner at competitive games, the advanced player, anyone. Tell me your ideas about this. Any flaws or things the need to be cleared up, added, or taken out. Thanks!
To start, this is not a blog talking about the secrets of fighting game, but explaining the concrete ideas which most everything in fighting games can be broken down into.
My last blog was titled "The Basics" where I ask what are the basic things I need to know to have a solid foundation in SSBB. I also learn that it is easier to capitalize on your strengths than fretting over your weakness. However, I didn't know what I was good at. I thought about my spacing, mindgames, ect. Then, a revelation hit me in the head saying "This is it!" So, I broke fighting games in to 5 main parts:
1. Game knowledge- The ability to learn, retain, and apply information on a game's system or set values as I think of it.
2. Reaction time- The time it takes to respond to a short term stimulus, like whiffing an attack.
3. Psychology- The ability to read and manipulate your opponent's mind and emotions while keeping your positive and concealed.
4. Adaptation- The ability to realize and respond to situations and habits that you and your opponent quickly. This happens over a longer period of time the simple reaction time.
5. Technical skill or tech skill for short- The ability to perform physical actions.
I then realized that everything about fighting games revolved around these concepts. Character selection, game selection, playstyle, anything. I know people may think, "But, mindgames and spacing are very important concepts in fighters. Why are they not on this list?" They are important, but they are just sub-categories of the concepts above. Mindgames are only know your options (game knowledge) and pick one that is more obscure in order to make your opponent nervous or confused (Psychology.) Spacing is just knowing the optimal range of you and your opponents attacks (game knowledge.) I believe that any other concepts can be broken down into any of these.
But, how can this help? Let's look at selecting a character. If you have good understanding of game knowledge, then the character with lots of situation quirks because you will remember them and will be able to abuse them. If you have good reaction time, pick the person with highly damaging punishes but has to capitalize on brief moments of vulnerability. If you have a good understanding of Psychology, then you can pick the rushdown character who has to know how to pressure and scare an opponent with lots of attacks. If you can adapt well, pick the person that has multiple styles they can do. And if you have good technical skills, you can pick the character with high damaging combos that require amazing precision. These concept are pretty much what all fighting games are.
Now, I realized I have reaction time like a dead can, but can easily retain game knowledge. So, most of my time now goes into learn everything I can about SSBB because it is easier to most to get the most out of this then anything else. I also learned I takes more energy to try to improve on something I'm naturally bad at than someone I'm good at. It is possible to make your weak point strong, but it take an amazing amount of energy. I can work years to improve my bad reaction by milliseconds or I could just realize I'm naturally smart and work on that. Look at professional players. Justin Wong has god-like reaction time and Daigo and freakishly good understanding of psychology.
Everything in fighting games can be link back to these and understand them I believe can help the person stuck at a plateau, the beginner at competitive games, the advanced player, anyone. Tell me your ideas about this. Any flaws or things the need to be cleared up, added, or taken out. Thanks!