Not for lack of trying, mind you! It's just so damn technical and to make matters worse, it's forcing me to re-learn "old school" techniques that I've already over-written with the "new school" techniques, from Ultra Street Fighter IV, that I still haven't quite gotten the hang of yet. (I'm glaring at you FADC and you too, 1 frame link!!! *glaring with every bit of upset-ness I can muster*)
*Realises how often I will be typing Street Fighter* From now on, SF = Street Fighter. I'm lazy, you know this!
I have been playing SF for many, many years. I originally started playing SF2 in the early 90's (Around 1993)[Damn I'm old]. This was waaaay back, when the Super Nintendo was the best gaming platform in existence. A friend of mine (Most of my gaming stories have this phrase in them for some strange reason and I'm not sure if it's because I have the coolest gamer friends ever or if I just never seem to OWN the cool games *makes mental notes to analyse this for future use*), who just happened to be "Home Alone", had bought the system and game from a relative that owned an arcade and he invited me over to help him enjoy his new toy. He actually invited me over so he could kick my ass and brag to our acquaintances but little did he know that I had already memorized most of the traits needed to be a good SF player and many of the special move inputs as well. *Flashback begins here* A few weeks before his acquisition, I stumbled upon a gaming magazine that had all the tips and tricks needed and, as is customary, I absorbed the information and filed it away for reference or use later on. I used my inside info to win most of our matches especially since I blocked more of his attacks than he did mine (Rule #1 in SF = BLOCK). We played until my fingers were tired, sore, numb, blistered, bloodshot and/or some combination thereof. IT WAS AWESOME!!! *fondly reminisces*
About a year or so afterwards, while spending the Summer Vacation with my cousins I started playing Super SF2. At the time, they weren't really my cousins because I was young, knowledgeable and too smart for my own good. They're the children of my God-Mother, so in my (young, knowledgeable and too smart for my own good) mind they were my God-Siblings but they turned out to actually be my cousins since they were the children of my Mom's cousin (My second cousins). Young, knowledgeable and too smart for my own good me completely ignored that fact that my "God-siblings" had another parent (their father) and only considered their maternal relation to myself. *facepalm* SF2 was the latest iteration of the series and included: new characters, new special moves and new opportunities to kick ass and take names. Unfortunately, none of the knowledge I had accrued prior (tips and tricks and special moves included) was any help to me because my cousins could actually play and by play I mean do special moves on command. It was cool that I could recite the inputs used to do Zangief's Spinning Pile Driver or M.Bison's Scissors Kick (It's called Double Knee Press now but, as mentioned earlier, I'm OLD and set in my ways) but I wasn't as deft in ACTUALLY doing these things as my cousins were and I got enough losses to totally eliminate my playing of SF for the next few years.
I grew up a bit (both physically and mentally) and re-entered the SF world just around the time SF Alpha 3 and SF EX plus Alpha came out. I visited my local arcade, regularly, after school and even ditched class a few times to get my game on. I worked religiously, practicing how to do all the moves that I had saved in my head. I paid good money just to sit in Training Mode and do Dragon Punches over and over and over until I could do it on demand (albeit I could only do them on the left hand side of the screen. Once I switched sides it was a toss up. Sometimes they came out, other times... not so much). I later added the "half circle" and the "360" motions to my growing repertoire of finger movements (so what if I had to jump in order to do my 360 correctly. At least I could do it now). Eventually I got adept enough to actually pull off Combos, Special Cancels and Super Cancels (for SF EX plus Alpha) and my decision making and strategic skills blossomed as well (No more jumping in all the time). I got to the point where I was relatively good at the game in terms of basics, techniques and knowledge but I still struggled with my executions (getting the inputs right, so what I want to happen can happen e.g. when my opponent jumps in and I want to do a Dragon Punch but sometimes a Fireball come out or even worse, a Super Fireball) and I was also still considered a "One Sided Player". I was LEAGUES better at doing things when my character was on the left side (Player 1). More experienced and/or observant players noticed this flaw and used it to their advantage and my detriment.
I tested myself, after all my training, by entering into a SF EX plus Alpha Tournament. I played 2 sets. 1 set was to warm up ( I won all 3 matches) the other set was "for realsies" (I lost 2 to 1). I lost the match because the guy got to me. He started Trash-Talking after he won a match (He lost the first 4) and I let my nerves, my lack of confidence and (mostly) my pride and anger get the better of me. I got frustrated at myself for not winning and then got even more upset at myself for letting him get to me. My frustration began to loop back onto itself and it was all downhill from there.
(Internal conversation)
"I can't believe I lost to this guy and now he's acting like he's better than me." *prideful anger explodes which leads to errors in strategy and execution*
"S#!+... now I'm making mistakes because I'm upset" *gets more upset with myself for making mistakes*
"This stupid guy won't shut up and all he did was win a round" *pride takes over AGAIN and now my mind is filled with rage*
"Holy S#!+!!! I keep doing crap and he's still trash-talking!!! All he does is jump kick, sweep. Who the hell does that?!" * anger leads to even more errors in judgment*
"Jesus H. Christ!!! I lost and now stupid guy is celebrating" *imagines forcing the controller down his throat*
(External conversation)
"Good match. All the best to you." *shakes hand*
(Internal conversation)
"Runway, FASSY! You only beat me because you wouldn't shut up!!! I hate your guts!!! Also... you SUCK at SF" (Fassy - a colloquial, derogatory term used in that era. In today's vernacular it could be substituted with Noob or Scrub or Pleb but even those don't quite encompass the level of degradation that fassy connotes. Runway, fassy! would be considered taking the slur to the nth degree) Needless to say, my defeat made a lasting impression. I remember his name all too well and I have yet to enter another tournament (be it SF or anything of the kind) since. With the invention of T.A.G (The Persona), I have organized, set-up, commentated and judged recent tournaments but to actually enter, participate, contest a position? Nope, nope and nope! *whispers* This may change though as I have my eye on a local tournament that takes place at the end of this month. Wish me luck! *suggestive wink*
*Fast-forward to now* I'm still training as I write this. With the launching of SFV I have had to hit the books (and videos). I've developed a more in-depth mindset this time around. I already have the move lists and inputs down so my focus now it to learn the more technical aspects of the game and increase my proficiency in execution, scenario recognition, remaining calm and, most importantly, FUNDAMENTALS. (Yes. I am trying to improve all 4 things at the same time. Why? Because I'm old and time is of the essence)
 |
| My Mantra written by Xian (ignore his errors, English is HARD) |
Currently, most of my SF time is spent playing against the regulars at SSG. Of the 10 or so people that play I would place myself in the 6th position. Putting it another way, 5 regulars regularly regulate my wins. That is to say, they kick my ass convincingly! (No need for name calling... They know who they are)[The bastards] The "Feared 5" (F5) would win between 7 (On my best days) to 9 (On my worst) of every 10 matches they play against me. (Yes. "THEY play against ME." It's always them against me. I would be content sitting in my corner and practicing my timing and execution but nooo they always want to pick on poor, defenseless T.A.G so they can stroke their egos and increase their win tallies)[The bastards] There's 1 specific member of F5 (My NEMESIS) that has a penchant for my losses. He is always ready, willing and able to deliver a beating whenever we happen to meet up. His gimmicky and irregular play-style makes battling him a chore, at best, and he also makes it a point to switch characters whenever I finally adjust to him and squeeze out a win. (I know this is a mental attack, on his part, but it still irks me to no end.) I'm getting better at playing him with every bout we have and, eventually, with my continued training efforts, I will be victorious (In more games than he *fingers crossed*).
I have also ventured into the online ranking aspects of SFV. A feat which, until recently, would have never even crossed my mind. (You know how I feel about "online" and how I feel about losing. Imaging how I feel about losing online *shudders to think*) I've had a total of 7 online ranked matches with my Ryu. All of which I have won, consecutively (That's a 100% win ratio, in case you were wondering) *proud smile*. My Ryu is number 321481 on the Capcom Fight Network Leaderboards (at the time of writing this) and I plan to take it higher ASAP. I'm still ranked as a Rookie but that's because I haven't acquired enough points to move up the rankings yet. I would have to actually play for that to happen and with my busy schedule, lack of a PS4 and ingrained tendency to avoid losses. I don't get to actually play. Much. (That's not an excuse, it's an explanation *suggestive wink*)
To help in the FUNDAMENTALS training, I have also started using my new found secondary character. Urien! (I like playing with him. He fits my play-style and his normal are excellent. Only issue for me is he's a "charge character" and I'm more familiar with "Shotos") Learning a new character helps the process in a few ways.
1. I have to learn everything from scratch. (Not everything everything but you get my point)
2. It helps with my situational awareness. (I have to deal with familiar scenarios in a non-familiar way)
3. I have to preempt and predict a bit more. (Due to his charging aspect)
The journey is an arduous one. Fraught with peril and tribulations (and many many losses). However, it is one that I have chosen to undertake in an effort to make myself better (I'm all about "a better me"). I have my trainers, sparring partners, equipment, motivation material and, at the helm, my desire to improve. These will take me where I want to go and if they don't I'll just find something else that does. Until then, I plan to do my best.
Hopefully... "The answer lies in the heart of the battle!" (That's a Ryu quote, FYI!) [You know S#!+ is real when I start quoting video game characters]
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