A few months ago, Lenny and I wrote a tips article for GameConsole magazine (June 2010 issue) and I have been granted permission to post the text from it up here :) Hopefully it helps some new players out!
(I've also written a top 9 tips article for Tekken 6 for an upcoming issue - keep an eye out for it)
Also, please support the mag - it's a good local effort and only $4 an issue.
Improve Your Game - SSFIV 9 Top Tips
1) PLAY REAL PEOPLE
It may sound obvious, but to improve you need to play against real people. Playing against the CPU can give you bad habits, and only a real opponent can test your timing, mind games and reactions.
2) DON’T JUMP IN
The temptation of jumping into your opponent and unleashing a devastating combo is hard to resist. But more often than not, pro Street Fighter players are more than prepared to counter an overeager opponent's jump-in every time.
3) LEARN YOUR NORMALS
Special moves in all Street Fighter games can be powerful and momentum changing. However, every great World Warrior will tell you that the key to victory is knowing when and where to use your character's normal moves and memorising their speed, priority, and power.
4) DON’T USE RANDOM ULTRA/SUPER MOVES
Super and Ultra moves are powerful, but usually very punishable if you don't hit with them. Save them for combos and situations where they are guaranteed (e.g. as anti-air, or passing through an opponent’s projectile). Missing an ultra or super could mean losing the round, match, or â€" even worse â€" the tournament!
5) LEARN TO BLOCK
New players want to push buttons. When you are knocked down or cornered, it's almost always best to block. Be patient and wait until your opponent finally gives you an opening to poke your way out of the pressure.
6) LEARN TO THROW
Well-planned throws can open up your opponent’s defence and force them to make mistakes when they realise simply blocking isn't going to stop you anymore. You will also learn how an opponent is likely to use throws against you, allowing you to tech or even hit them out of their throw attempts.
7) THERE ARE NO CHEAP MOVES
Street Fighter masters can adapt to any situation. Weak players complain that the opponent is cheap instead of improving their game and overcoming a particular strategy. If you have found something that your opponent cannot counter, then it's a winning strategy! Abuse it and abuse it until your opponent wises up, and then move onto the next strategy!
8) LEARN FROM YOUR MATCHES
After every match analyse what went well and what went wrong. If you lost, ask yourself, “what
happened?†Did you jump in too much? Did you get cornered a lot? Maybe your opponent hit you over and over again with the same annoying move and you didn't predict or punish well.
Understand the negatives in your game and think hard about what you can do to try and change the outcome of your next match!
9) PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!
You can use ‘practice mode’ to perfect your move and combo execution. You can also learn how to counter moves that you have trouble dealing with in real games. Set the training dummy to ‘record’ and replicate the tactic or move that you were having difficulty with, replay it and then use your character to learn how to counter that tactic!
Yes this article was really well written and the tips are top tier. Everyone of decent level should read this. Nice work guys.
Nice nice
masons top nine tips for GH is my bible :P
Did you guys write these? Wow, awesome! I think it must be an 'old school' player thing that all of these tips are pretty much standard ways of thinking now. It's hard to comprehend being in the position of being new to Street Fighter and having to learn these things now.
Also the way of learning has changed a lot now due to the internet. With guides like those on Sonic Hurricane etc people now "read" how to play the game. Very interesting how times have changed.
Good stuff.
Beast Article Boyz...
My jump in's need to stop lolz
Quote from: [PF]CrazyMobius on October 31, 2010, 05:37:01 PM
Did you guys write these? Wow, awesome! I think it must be an 'old school' player thing that all of these tips are pretty much standard ways of thinking now. It's hard to comprehend being in the position of being new to Street Fighter and having to learn these things now.
Also the way of learning has changed a lot now due to the internet. With guides like those on Sonic Hurricane etc people now "read" how to play the game. Very interesting how times have changed.
Good stuff.
I agree with how its changed, I see it as being better than before, ppl discover new things in the game everyday. post it up on the net and bam!! every around the world learns, which gets players to a higher level faster than just figuring it out on there own say (In the arcade) for example. Also having (the Arcade) XBL and PSN at home we can practise combo's, timing n matchups etc... Pretty cool how times have changed. ;D
Fuck that i jump in atleast 30 times a match haha.
Nah you have to be more specific. You can jump in in heaps of different scenarios. Take Daigo vs Marn for instance. That nigga was jumping after every block string haha.
The average beginner doesnt know the difference between a safe jump, a safely timed empty jump, an unsafe empty jump, and a jumping hark kick.
Think they are dumbing it down a bit to target the never stop jumping online beginners lol.
LOL i know bro. I'm just being a smart arse cunt.
Read #2 again. Seems to cover it pretty well to me.
LOL yeah true Marn doesn't count as pro. He's a random ultra noob haha.
Hey if anyone can do one of these for KOF it would be appreciated. I have no idea how I should be approcahing the series in general.
Someone posted those 2 awesome KOF general tutorial vids somewhere. Theyre a really good place to start. Im sure someone remembers where and can help me out by posting the topic.
http://nzism.alphaism.com/forum/index.php/topic,409.msg8334.html#msg8334
search is your friend
Quote from: [PF]CrazyMobius on November 02, 2010, 02:53:09 PM
Hey if anyone can do one of these for KOF it would be appreciated. I have no idea how I should be approcahing the series in general.
We can do a KOF session at mine on Sunday or something if you want. I'm rusty as but I know all the fundamentals.
Quote from: geneterror on November 02, 2010, 03:39:37 PM
We can do a KOF session at mine on Sunday or something if you want. I'm rusty as but I know all the fundamentals.
Yeah sounds good. Will text you in weekend if free etc.
Thanks for links.
Quote from: fluxcore on November 02, 2010, 03:21:08 PM
http://nzism.alphaism.com/forum/index.php/topic,409.msg8334.html#msg8334
search is your friend
Yea but its that friend that you only ever really talk to when you absolutely have to, and you would much rather fob him off to someone with more patience than yourself.
Believe me, my patience wears very thin these days.
Quote from: Skullator on October 31, 2010, 09:53:58 PM
The average beginner doesnt know the difference between a safe jump, a safely timed empty jump, an unsafe empty jump, and a jumping hark kick.
Think they are dumbing it down a bit to target the never stop jumping online beginners lol.
I guess im pretty average tbh... I don't even know these ><
Quote from: fluxcore on November 03, 2010, 07:40:54 AM
Believe me, my patience wears very thin these days.
Its a good thing i keep testing it then. You know, to make sure its still there.
Quote from: zosla on November 03, 2010, 08:14:41 AM
I guess im pretty average tbh... I don't even know these ><
You do Andy, you just don't call them that or read posts about them that much probably haha, you learn by doing not reading, it's a way better way of discovering things.
- Empty jump meaning a jump where you push no buttons, good because block straight away on landing.
- Safe empty jump meaning jump where you push no buttons (Maybe to bait a reversal or something) and then land at such a time you COULD NEVER OF EVEN BEEN PUNISHED.
- Unsafe empty jumping meaning I jump in on you, push no buttons, and you HP DP me in the face :P
- Safe jump meaning after you knock down a character and do your Ryu jumping option selects (You know you cant be punished if you time it right and have options, so it's a safe jump)
- Jumping hard kick (Non empty jump) meaning your ryu jumps in at me and pushes a kick button, meaning you may land with recovery frames depending on the attack, or cross me up, change your characters hitbox shape, whatever.
number 2 im always tempted