Ok, time for some Smash lessons Goggles. I was saving this for an approximated 250 page long book/essay on Smash that I am in the process of writing, but I'll share a piece of a certain chapter with you right now since I'm in the mood.
Let me explain why Neil and I could come back whenever we wanted to and win. This concept is something you have never understood and you may not ever understand that which is ok, however it is annoying when you try to pretend like you know.
Smash is unique because it features different levels of skill. You know this. What you don't understand is that, in addition to reaching certain levels of skill, people's playstyles have a certain structure, that affects their skill level, and either compliments it or detracts from it.
Let's say there are 10 tiers of Smash, and M2K is 10. ADHD can beat M2K and Ally, so many people think he's on their level. But, ADHD doesn't place nearly as consistently as Ally and M2K. Why?
Because although he's very very good, his deep understanding of Smash, it's fundamentals, mindgames, and pure player vs player interaction is not as good as either of those two. That's what Smash is REALLY about, and that's why David Sirlin's articles don't apply to Smash. Because Smash is unique in that it can give you the ILLUSION of being better than you think you are. You can win vs. a good player, maybe two good players, and therefore your logic will be, "I'm good because I beat X player."
The only problem is, most of the time it doesn't matter who you beat, as much as how did it happen. You have to look very closely at what's going on in the match. This is something you are absolutely blind to, from what I've gathered from playing with you over the years. It reflects so much in your playstyle you don't even know, and that's not even a diss.
Idk what it is, but the way you study the game is not person vs person, it's trick vs trick, character vs character. Those are things that you need to know, but you build your gameplay around them, which may make your tower of skill seem high, but you will get picked apart by the players who have taken the time to TRULY understand what Smash is all about.
Another thing that will be evidence of this, if you don't change your gameplay, is inconsistencies. This is why a lot of players are inconsistent, in Brawl and or Melee. I mean, there are other reasons for inconsistencies as well...Tech skill, controllers, effort exerted, etc etc...But, if those don't exist, this is the main explanation.
Remember that match last tourney at RIT, your Falco vs my Snake on FD? You won that match, congrats...But, the problem lies in the fact that you were SATISFIED with that win. That, in your head, is a legitimate win. That's what I call a "temporary win," because 80% of that match was lasering, then side B'ing when I got close...Then, mix up jab spamming, rolling and dodging until I was at kill percent, then spam Dsmash or Usmash or Fsmash.
That **** can get you a win, I'm not saying it can't. But, you're taking shortcuts. In all honesty, if you really want to be as good at this game as you say, and I feel like you do, you'd be better off losing and using more solid strategies, that may be harder to implement at the time, but will be more long term rewarding in the long run. That's how consistent pros get to be consistent pros. You're doomed to mediocrity if you keep playing how you play.
And the thing is, it's easy to take shortcuts in Smash. 95-99% of Smashers do it. If you have a very Smash tuned mind, and you've taken the time to learn how to get inside of people's heads while watching their videos and/or their playing IRL, you can begin to see this.
An example? Nick Riddle vs Ally. He beat Ally the first match, ***** him. However, when I watched those videos, I knew...I knew for a fact that Ally was going to come back and win. Because Nick Riddle wasn't winning because he was genuinely outsmarting Ally, and outplaying him. It was more Ally's errors that were causing his loss. See how it turned around once Ally started fixing the problems?
And that's not to say Nick Riddle isn't good. From watching him, I think he's an incredible player. But, the skill level he is at, even if he is above everyone else besides M2k, Ally, and a few others...Is not built fundamentally solid enough to actually be able to best the cream of the crop. I think it's very impressive that he's as good as he is, much better than most other Brawl players. But, I think he'd be better off placing lower at these MLG events, taking more time and unfortunately experiencing more frustration, in order to be able to beat M2K and Ally, when he reaches that skill level through different methods and strategies.
And, I mean, there are exceptions to this rule. I mean, he can beat pretty much most every other player, which is impressive. But watch and see...Eventually, when the Brawl metagame advances further, and players who are currently focusing on the fundamentally solid gameplay that I am speaking about, he will start to place lower and lower and lower...Until, maybe, he realizes what is happening and fixes his playstyle.
Now, back to how this relates to our current situation. Neil has that genuinely GOOD Smash skill that I am talking about. The invaluable, timeless skill. And I say timeless in every sense of the word. You know who else has it? Ken, that's why despite what everyone said when he retired, when he came back and swore he would win Evo, he did it. That's why he could come back right now, learn about the recent developments in the Melee metagame, and be on top again, right up there with Mang0.
I also have this, and I spent about 2 years developing it, which is why I lost for 2 straight years, sometimes to people I could have beaten if I would have taken the easy way out...Shieldgrabbing when I had the chance, instead of rolling away or doing something else. Instead of just hitting them off the stage and getting an easy edgeguard, I spent lots of time practicing perfect tippers. Yes, it means I lose a lot, because practicing that stuff takes time and effort and frustration.
But, now that I'm in California, and the only controller I can use decently is one that doesn't have an X button, meaning I CAN'T EVEN WAVEDASH...I can still keep up with, and even beat a lot of very good players here that would wipe out the rest of our entire region. Because I've taken the time to learn deeper aspects of the game, while they just practice Uthrow Uair over and over.
This is also what's going to separate me from being the best player, when I reach that point, and being close to the best, like Jman and other players, who are so close to that point of being the world's best, but will always lose to the world's best. Maybe he will not be able to figure it out.
This is what also separates Mango from M2K. They are both at approximately the same skill level, but M2K has developed his style around lots of tricks and gimps. High, high level tricks that will beat anyone under his skill level. But, now that there's someone at his skill level, Mango and even Armada, and they've built their overall gameplay stronger than M2K's, he loses to them. Also partly due to Brawl, but that's on a different note.
Anyways, 95% of the time when a player is the best for a long period of time, (And I'll have you know I didn't just win a "few" tournaments, I won 11 in a row fool.) there will always be people like you who judge the situation from a very shallow perspective. Of course you wouldn't think Neil and I could come back and win. You can't see it. This **** is invisible to you. But, that doesn't mean it's not there.
Also, immediately it might be harder for me or Neil to win because I have witnessed that not only have people gotten better, but Cura and San have both tightened up their gameplay in the regards that I'm talking about.
I beat Cura at a Syracuse tournament, and then he came back and pretty much demolished me. My gameplay hadn't changed from the previous set. But, not only was he on a higher skill level than me, but his core gameplay had developed quite nicely. Same with San.
Cura lost a lot initially, but now he's pretty consistently ****.
I still personally believe though, that I can come back if I train and take the game seriously at any point. I believe I can catch up and develop higher skill than the top players now, and because I've developed my gameplay the way I have, I won't have to worry about getting genuinely outplayed.
That's a personal belief though and they can feel free to prove me wrong if and when I do decide to come back.
But yeah, all that being said, I hope you can see why I have never been worried about playing you, I'm still not worried, and I never will be.
Double post? Time to infract.
