Where do I begin? (Help me! thread)

[LOMK1990]

I know it is very, VERY late for me to be attempting to enter the competitive smash scene, but I would really like your help. I have no idea where to start. I have only recently become interested in the higher level gameplay of this game, and I am sad to say so (this late). I would really appreciate any help, big or small, from anyone here.

I have no idea where to begin. What should I learn first? I have taken an incredibly simple approach so far. I have just been trying to short hop, L-cancel, and wavedash consistently in Training Mode. I'd like to gain at least some small degree of tech skill before entering a local tournament (for practice + experience), but I do not know how to start learning or what to learn next.

I know most of the terms. I have been reading a bunch of competitive terms on smashwiki, and I understand all the simple stuff. I do not know what order to go in to learn all these techniques, and I believe the wiki is missing more than a few techniques... I read the guide on this website about DI (but I should probably re-read it). Again, I only know the simple stuff but not how to practice it.

I wish I could organize my ideas a little better and add more, but I don't want to make this long at all. Quite simply put (or tl;dr): Where do I start learning from no smash experience to learn some tech skill?

Another thing... If you are explaining something involving an aerial or smash, please tell me if I should use the c-stick or not. I don't understand the different situations when either should be used. Thanks!



Might edit for organization/better explanation of my situation later.

edit 1: Also, to make this easier (because I know a lot of situations are character-specific), I'll pick the cliche Falco as my main.

 

[-ShadowPhoenix-]

Step 1: Pick a main (a high tier character is strongly recommended)

Step 2: Practice L-canceling with your main

Step 3: Learn to wavedash consistently and begin focusing on spacing and all that good stuff.

Step 4: Find people at your skill level to practice with

Step 5: Practice every single day for the rest of your life

 

[LOMK1990]

So... when do I use the c-stick, and when do I use direction+A?

Also, to make this easier (because I know a lot of situations are character-specific), I'll pick the cliche Falco as my main.

 

[-ShadowPhoenix-]

It depends on the person...
theres no right or wrong...

personally i use the c-stick for everything...

it makes your moves come out faster and at high level play theres no need to charge smash attacks

 

[LOMK1990]

It depends on the person...
theres no right or wrong...

personally i use the c-stick for everything...

it makes your moves come out faster and at high level play theres no need to charge smash attacks

So for aerials too? And do most players claw or just move one finger ridiculously fast?

Also, can someone explain oos to me? I know it means out of shield. I see the acronym often, but I have no idea how it is used. lol

 

[Ch3s]

Oos is doing something directly out of your shield, which really is only grabbing or jumping
The ability to jump allows you to wd out of shield because it starts with a jump, and usmash oos using up on the control stick and a. For falco, common oos options are shine and grab mostly.

 

[Zodiac]

Ok... first and foremost practice mind games.. Then tech skill. then whatever else. but those two come first in that order.

 

[Bones0]

I gonna have to disagree. The most efficient way would be to at least get down basic SHFFLing, dashdancing, WDing tech skill. You can't practice mind games if you can't even hit people, and you really don't want to develop your mindgames around inferior movement techniques anyway.

I recommend just going through the Advanced How to Play videos, and doing your best to get each technique down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n4s5yB7ZkE

As far as entering tournaments, don't feel too pressured to waste your money getting destroyed. If you are at a level where you can't SHFFL you aren't going to learn much from tournament matches because you'll just get trounced. You're better off just going to Smashfests or playing friendlies at tournaments. Make sure you check your local area's regional forum for Smashfest and tournament postings.

Last, but not least, it's never too late to start playing Melee! I'm not going to lie, it will definitely take a lot of time and effort to start catching up to the metagame, but you'll progress faster than you think if you keep active in the community and ask for advice often. Melee may be 9 years old, but it won't take you 9 years to catch up. ^_^

 

[LOMK1990]

Thank you very much, every one. I have been practicing for a couple hours now. Going to get back on it after a good night's rest. Thanks again.

 

[CableCho57]

Dude it's DEFINITELY not to late.
welcome to the smash community! Not to mention the better part of the community (melee son!)

the best advice I can give you is to find local players near you.

The best way to learn from other people is playing them in person and just playing as much as possible, asking questions and for tips along the way

good luck!

 

[P.C. Jona]

pick fox

learn to short hop nair l cancel and repeat

then learn to short hop nair l cancel shine short hop out of the shine into nair again

then practice wave dashing

wave landing on platforms

wavedashing out of sheild


just pracitce

and even when something seems like its impossible

keep going for it

i remember i used to think wavedashing out of sheild was impossible

now i do it all day

also learn to upsmash out of sheild

 

[rhan]

@ShadwPhoenx: Step one should be finding people in your community that play. Most states have one legit SSBM community in it.

Except for maybe WV, MI.

But more urban areas should have some gamers in it.

But yeah once you find some pretty good players. They should be the ones to teach you how to really play this game

All the advice in this thread is legit.

 

[FoxLisk]

don't listen to the guy who told you to learn mindgames first. as countless pros have said countless times, there's no excuse for not having your tech skill down. you want to practice short hopping, l cancelling, timings of different l cancels (you'll end up donig things like full hop dair onto a platform plenty of times, so learn those timings too), wave dashing, waveshining, etc. once you have some fundamental tech skill down, watch some falco v fox videos and try to emulate them on a lvl 1 fox. always try to play faster.

you want to learn 'mindgames' as a way to manipulate your opponent so you can land the first hit and start a combo, you don't want to learn them as a crutch for weak tech skill.

 

[Geist]

Well work on a heirarchy of tech skill, start from the most basic stuff. People don't consider CCing, Dashdancing, basic DI etc tech skill often, but the basics are by far more important to get down then learning how to waveshine.

 

[CloneHat]

Do not practice in training mode!

The c stick will not work. Plug in a second controller with rumble off or use the Name Entry Glitch to practice tech skill.

Good luck to you!

 

[LOMK1990]

Thanks, every one. Two questions that still hasn't been answered directly or fully: When should I use the c-stick, and when should I use direction+A? Are you guys saying I should just always use the c-stick for any smash or any aerial?

Thanks again.

 

[Sim]

You can get used to using the c-stick for every smash/aerial, but I couldn't. It's a simple matter of what's natural to you.

Keep in mind that the up air can't be done easily with the control stick. It will most probably cause you to double jump a few frames before the uair comes out, and thus fall instead of whatever motion you were in. Dair makes you fast-fall with the control stick I believe.

So, in short, I use the control stick for smashes, fairs and bairs. I use the c-stick for instant smashes, dairs and uairs.

> [c-stick] makes your moves come out faster and at high level play theres no need to charge smash attacks

I don't agree with this. I've seen it used numerous times with solid mindgames, especially fox's Usmash. It can wreck a floaty much earlier when charged.

 

[FoxLisk]

basically use whatever's comfortable for you. most people find c-sticking everything to be the easiest way to use the moves they want accurately, but some people use the controls tick for everything. some people even use z.

and yeah there are plenty of times when you charge smash attacks, but

a) there's no reason to not just use the control stick+A for only those occasions and

b) you can charge smash attacks with c-stick+z

oh also it's probably easier to JC usmash with the control stick. i find it easier, anyway.

 

[Acryte]

A is useful depending on your character. Like if you are falcon for example I find it easier for going from knee to knee like soft into justice using A button because its an easy transition into it from Y. Same with any jump cancelled upsmashes and stuff, the rest of the time C-stick is preferable. Its way more consistent for timing stuff perfectly because you can buffer it, but at the same time, it also allows you to keep momentum in the air, like jumping forward and bairing behind you or jumping backwards and fairing, etc. Also, I use A sometimes when doing things that require quick upairs like OoS like pika etc. as ganon if I am quickly jumping into an up air, there is a requisite time it takes to move your thumb from the jump to the c-stick so I prefer to leave my thumb in the same place and upair with A if it needs to come out quickly. Then again upair from OoS is also great with C-stick because you can jump out of shield pressing up and then don't have to worry about even using your second jump when sticking the up air. just depends on what feels right to you, sometimes its a mixed bag but if you notice your hand positions or the buttons you are using tend to be inconsistent at a tech, maybe you should see if there are other hand configurations that will yield you more consistent results.

 

[LOMK1990]

A is useful depending on your character. Like if you are falcon for example I find it easier for going from knee to knee like soft into justice using A button because its an easy transition into it from Y. Same with any jump cancelled upsmashes and stuff, the rest of the time C-stick is preferable. Its way more consistent for timing stuff perfectly because you can buffer it, but at the same time, it also allows you to keep momentum in the air, like jumping forward and bairing behind you or jumping backwards and fairing, etc. Also, I use A sometimes when doing things that require quick upairs like OoS like pika etc. as ganon if I am quickly jumping into an up air, there is a requisite time it takes to move your thumb from the jump to the c-stick so I prefer to leave my thumb in the same place and upair with A if it needs to come out quickly. Then again upair from OoS is also great with C-stick because you can jump out of shield pressing up and then don't have to worry about even using your second jump when sticking the up air. just depends on what feels right to you, sometimes its a mixed bag but if you notice your hand positions or the buttons you are using tend to be inconsistent at a tech, maybe you should see if there are other hand configurations that will yield you more consistent results.

Are you the OOT glitch-finder Acryte?

 

[-ShadowPhoenix-]

@ShadwPhoenx: Step one should be finding people in your community that play. Most states have one legit SSBM community in it.
.

It depends on the player.
I only suggested he put in some practice before playing with other members of the community so he wouldnt get ***** every single match.
that discourages alot of newcomers from continuing in their journey as a smasher

 

[Teczer0]

Try visiting this thread to give you a headstart on things you should practice, etc:

http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=230020