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Why do I suck no matter how much I play

Izucc64

Smash Rookie
Joined
Jan 2, 2019
Messages
3
Location
Low GSP hell
Ive been playin smash and games similar to smash ever since I played brawl and ever since then I kept up with the games and put hundreds of hours in each one but in smash ultimate no matter how much I play I can’t seem to get good it’s not that Ionoy play the game a little bit each day I usually play the game for at least ten hours but I still can’t beat random people online that my friends can easily beat I’ve alrea Learned the basics like DI, and SDI put I still can’t ,Anaheim to actually get good at the game. Does anyone feel the same way?
 

MalanoMan

Smash Journeyman
Writing Team
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
318
Location
New Jersey
Switch FC
SW-0183_3775_0422
You don't suck man, you just haven't put it all together yet. Those hundreds of hours of experience are extremely valuable. Ultimate hasn't even been out for a month so you have to give yourself some more time to get used to the game.

Assuming this is your first time on this site. You've come to the right place if you're looking to improve. I see you're an IC main. Head over to the IC Ultimate character page and read up about how they work in Ultimate. I'll be damned if you went into that forum and didnt learn a single thing. Some people on this site are chock full of good info.

Also, its important to realize that you really have to put in a concentrated effort in order to get better at the game. Gotta come up with a goal, make a plan to achieve that goal, then try your best to do it.
 

MG_3989

Smash Lord
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Messages
1,130
Location
New Jersey
Switch FC
SW-8397-3391-6411
Ok, so I’m not the best player but I think I’m well above average. It wasn’t always like that though. In Brawl I had one friend that would just beat me 50 times in a row and I didn’t understand why. I knew all the moves and the tech but I couldn’t put it together. What I was missing is watching and learning my opponents habits and how they reacted to me and reacting to that. I wasn’t playing against my friend I was just playing if that makes sense while he read me like a book. Making reads is more important than any tech or combos you’ll ever learn. Now we match up about 50/50

I see this is the main problem with a lot of new players. They get comfortable with their character and hit a plateau because they’re not focusing on or reading their opponents and they’re getting punished for it. I don’t know your playstyle but I can almost assure you you’re doing this if you’re not improving. At first it’s hard and it seems too fast but eventually the game slows down and it all clicks
 

Nagol

Smash Cadet
Joined
Aug 11, 2014
Messages
48
Location
Mass
NNID
NagolNLR
3DS FC
1693-3794-6353
I see this is the main problem with a lot of new players. They get comfortable with their character and hit a plateau because they’re not focusing on or reading their opponents and they’re getting punished for it. I don’t know your playstyle but I can almost assure you you’re doing this if you’re not improving. At first it’s hard and it seems too fast but eventually the game slows down and it all clicks
Everything he said +understanding your opponents options. It's great to know what options your opponent has and to either cut off certain options or force them into other options. This can also lead into Conditioning where by constantly blocking or predicting a certain options you force your opponent into making a constant option choice to avoid getting hit.
 

Luigifan18

Smash Master
Joined
Feb 19, 2015
Messages
3,134
Switch FC
SW-5577-0969-0868
Everything he said +understanding your opponents options. It's great to know what options your opponent has and to either cut off certain options or force them into other options. This can also lead into Conditioning where by constantly blocking or predicting a certain options you force your opponent into making a constant option choice to avoid getting hit.
And the corollary — once your opponent is conditioned, punish them relentlessly and decisively.
 

NathanD

Smash Rookie
Joined
Jan 2, 2019
Messages
16
Maybe you need to spend more time reflecting and less time playing. It's probably an attitude (mindset) thing. If your sole goal for now is to get to be an amazing player why would you get distracted by beating people? Your lucky if you are in situations that you are losing if you really want to get better. If you just want to win a lot of easy games for pride in your friend group maybe think hard about which character could do that for you?
 

MG_3989

Smash Lord
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Messages
1,130
Location
New Jersey
Switch FC
SW-8397-3391-6411
Also I forgot to say this in my first post, save all your matches and rewatch and analyze them! See what you did wrong and got punished for and see what you did right. Every pro does this and I’m so happy it’s an option to save literally every full game you play in Ultimate. Take advantage of it
 

FishkeeperTimmay!

Smash Ace
Joined
Mar 12, 2006
Messages
673
Location
Pembroke, Ontario, Canada
If you want to seriously get better, keep a journal for notes. Take notes after each game/set. Record stages, characters and try to remember how you died and how you took stocks. Over time, you can analyze patterns. Notice bad habit that you can minimize. Realize good habits that can be build on. Ask your opponent questions when they are willing (assuming offline matches). You can't get better if you don't know what you are doing wrong (or right).
 

Dunharrow

Smash Cadet
Joined
Dec 28, 2018
Messages
26
There was a great video series Day9 used to do about starcraft gameplay. Even though thats a strategy game the points still matter. With regards to your play. One thing you can do is every game focus on one aspect of your play. Whether its (hold the middle of the stage) or (edge guard) or (block his attacks)

Whatever it is you decide to do, win or lose do that thing. You might lose a bunch doing it but by perfecting aspects of your gameplay you will be able to become stronger overall. By practicing each piece you will work toward a more complete whole. Theres always more you can do to improve your game.

One thing i like to do with a particularly tough match up is to actually play the character im struggling against. The best way to know what your opponent will try to do is to experience it yourself. If you cant figure out how to get out of a chrom combo try doing one yourself, see how others react to you. The more you pay attention to your opponent the more you might learn from them.


Keep in mind too that online play isnt exactly a fair judge. Most of the time people will get one win and leave, theres rarely time to study the habits of your opponent and react to those. But if you practice and study you might find a lot of success. keep at it friend, youll get there.
 

Crystanium

Smash Hero
Joined
Apr 28, 2008
Messages
5,921
Location
California
It doesn't matter entirely on how many hours you put in SSBU. What matters is the quality of your performance.

1. Change your attitude.
A demoralized mindset or a mindset that leads you to believe you're a failure will hinder you. You've already lost against yourself. Accept defeat and try again. Learn from your mistakes. Consider every opponent you encounter as a potential threat, otherwise you might go easy and lose as a result. However, don't let this be a stressor. Simply understand that it's better to get a feel for who you're dealing with.

2. Focus on using proper strategies and tools.
What if you use a smash attack against your opponent who is barely at 30%? That would be a bad idea because your opponent isn't even close to killing. Use attacks that are quick and effective. Need a ranged, safe attack? Go for a forward tilt. Is your opponent too close? Try a grab or jab. Is your opponent far? Move in and try staying in the center of the stage. This gives you stage control. Is your opponent recovering low? Try a down aerial or perhaps a neutral special to send some ice downward. (You use Ice Climbers from the looks of it.)

3. Observe your opponent.
If you keep looking at your own character, you're going to miss seeing what your opponent is up to. If you're not confident looking at your opponent while playing, learn to develop a sense of your surroundings, as well as the direction you're facing without looking at your own character. Think of this like typing on a keyboard. Sure, you could look at the keys, but typing without looking at them is much faster and more effective. You should watch your opponent at all times. How many jumps has your opponent used? If your opponent was hit or thrown off-stage, he or she only has one jump (except for characters with extra mid-air jumps) and an up special (unless you're Jigglypuff).

Every time your opponent is hit or thrown in the air, more often than not, he or she will only have one mid-air jump. If he or she uses that, you'll better succeed at hitting him or her. Also observe how your opponent returns from the ledge. In SSBU, getting up onto the stage isn't safe like it was in previous games. Rolling, jumping, or using a get-up attack are the better options. Does your opponent always roll up? Watch where he or she rolls and where that roll ends. Stand at that distance or wait for your opponent to roll and go for the attack. Does your opponent always use a get-up attack? Shield the attack. Does he or she always jump? Try using a neutral air or an aerial attack that has good range.

4. Have fun.
Have fun. That's all.
 
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LIL ELF

Best Smasher in North Pole
Joined
Dec 16, 2018
Messages
102
Location
North Pole
Switch FC
SW-6612-9831-3124
You just need to griiiiiind that freaking online play and trust me it will come naturally.
 

KuroYami

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Mar 7, 2007
Messages
151
Location
Dallas,TX
It takes time. Nobody started off pro. They all had to work to get there. Remember it’s all about how you practice. Add me. I’m willing to give as much advice as I can
 

Oprah.Windfury

Smash Rookie
Joined
Jan 3, 2019
Messages
1
Location
Chicago, IL
It'd be helpful if you listed off how exactly you practice.

With Ultimate coming out, I got the opportunity to see a lot of my friends who have never tried Smash play it for the first time, and I find that a lot of them know how to move their character around after a couple games but are still really bad. I think their issues are fundamental to any fighting game - they don't really think about what they're doing or what their opponent is doing. They'll apply the same game plan all the time in neutral, and not realize that they're being extremely predictable.

Understand what your character excels at. Once you do that, then look at what your opponent wants to do in response to that. Understand the matchup. It might be a move that you normally never use that changes the matchup for you. Once you are able to move your character exactly how you want to, the game breaks down into outsmarting your opponent.
 
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