Newbie roadmap?

[Lienhart]

Hello, I've lurked around here since GGX2 and have always loved fighting games....but I suck at them.

I've kinda grown up with the "button mash" mentality and am currently trying to break out of it but I have no clue where to even start to go from "button mashing n00b" to someone who knows how to actually play.

How would I begin to improve my gameplay? My awareness of match consists of "murder the opponent by mashing" and not paying attention to even my own life bar or super meter. I picked up BBCSX today, did all the tutorials and am doing Noel's challenge mode now. I wish to main Noel because I used to practice her combos in CT (too bad they completely changed her :@).

Combos aside, what mind of mindset or gameplay mechanics should I focus on first? I realize that I have very little (or none) defensive skills. Should I start by letting a computer bash on me for hours and just attempt to block everything?

Thanks!

[Konflyk]

1. Learn the combos with out having to mash them out.

2. If you want to learn how to block either;

A. Be a nerd and read frame data for hours, or

B. Get match experience and see what moves are + or - on block(punishable or not) and what you should be using to punish with by playing other people. CPUs do stupid shit in this game still(at least they burst now)

You'll just have to be patient and learn how to break bad habits, as mashing against someone who knows what they're doing will fish for good CH's

Also I believe this thread belongs in "Beginner Mode"

[Gramas]

learn how proration works or you will stuck with "WTF??why they are teching...this combo is so easy that I can't have dropped it"

[Lienhart]

Well, I just spent 5 hours trying to do Noel's challenge modes and am ready to rip my hair out.

Is there a character easier to learn? I realize I could just D-A-B-C-236D my entire way with Noel but it feels....kinda stupid doing that. Who is the easiest character to start the game with? Plus the combo thread in Noel's character boards don't state which are her BnB =(

[kotokot]

play ragna, he is easy and have awesome pokes. Noel have too good reward for mashing D.

[BURI]

Well, I just spent 5 hours trying to do Noel's challenge modes and am ready to rip my hair out.

Is there a character easier to learn? I realize I could just D-A-B-C-236D my entire way with Noel but it feels....kinda stupid doing that. Who is the easiest character to start the game with? Plus the combo thread in Noel's character boards don't state which are her BnB =(

If your goal is to learn to stop mashing, you really should drop Noel. The temptation of mashing D will be too strong!

I believe either Ragna or one of the slower characters would be good to practice.

A good training might be to play Hazama. Even though he is not THAT easy to get, he's absolutely "anti-mashing", as in you have to pay attention to what you are doing and press buttons sparingly, or you'll start doing stupid stuff including standing around canceling your snakes all day.

I subbed him in CS1 and found out the ratio of difficulty/reward was amazing, not sure about CSEX now.

[EdWORLD]

Also, if challenge mode's combos are too difficult, try to create your own simplified versions of the combos in challenge mode. It's better to sacrifice some damage so you can do a combo that you won't drop. The 22B to the C on knockdown with Noel can be difficult for some players just starting, so see if you can just omit it altogether from the combo and see how it goes.

If your goal is to learn to stop mashing, you really should drop Noel. The temptation of mashing D will be too strong!

I believe either Ragna or one of the slower characters would be good to practice.

A good training might be to play Hazama. Even though he is not THAT easy to get, he's absolutely "anti-mashing", as in you have to pay attention to what you are doing and press buttons sparingly, or you'll start doing stupid stuff including standing around canceling your snakes all day.

I subbed him in CS1 and found out the ratio of difficulty/reward was amazing, not sure about CSEX now.

[W4RP1G]

If your goal is to learn to stop mashing, you really should drop Noel. The temptation of mashing D will be too strong!

I believe either Ragna or one of the slower characters would be good to practice.

A good training might be to play Hazama. Even though he is not THAT easy to get, he's absolutely "anti-mashing", as in you have to pay attention to what you are doing and press buttons sparingly, or you'll start doing stupid stuff including standing around canceling your snakes all day.

I subbed him in CS1 and found out the ratio of difficulty/reward was amazing, not sure about CSEX now.

This. I have the same problem when I jump into a new fighting game, so i usually play the slowest character. This forces me to think before I act and also allows me to observe how others use the faster characters.

Also, go into training mode with the character you want, and find some sort of strategy or combo that might be useful and memorize it. The combo may or may not be effective against real opponents, but it will force you to learn something other than mashing. Once you get past the button mashing thing, you can delve deeper into the game mechanics and really understand how things work.

[Lienhart]

Also, if challenge mode's combos are too difficult, try to create your own simplified versions of the combos in challenge mode. It's better to sacrifice some damage so you can do a combo that you won't drop. The 22B to the C on knockdown with Noel can be difficult for some players just starting, so see if you can just omit it altogether from the combo and see how it goes.

The problem isn't the 22B -> 6C, it's the timing on the 6C after 236A. Don't know when I'm supposed to 66C after 236A. But haven't had much time to practice lately because riding season started <_<

[MagitekElite]

The problem isn't the 22B -> 6C, it's the timing on the 6C after 236A. Don't know when I'm supposed to 66C after 236A. But haven't had much time to practice lately because riding season started <_<

Dash immediately after the Pptic Barrel lands.

[Remius]

You can mash all you want...if it works. Use the knowedge you get from what people get hit by to your advantage when you learn new stuff.

However, generally people stop mashing for 2 reasons: 1) you're getting blown up for it or 2) you realize the amount of damage potential you're pissing away by doing it.

I don't think Noel is a terrible character for mash rehab, she just gets away with it more than anyone else aside from...well, maybe Ragna, if you know how.

At least, it USED to feel like Noel was a character that was fun to use once you learned to really use her and not mash her drive moves. But lately, pretty much anything you get off her drive leads to ridiculous damage, so the incentive is gone. Although in CS2 her midscreen damage off random bullshit got nuked.

The problem isn't the 22B -> 6C, it's the timing on the 6C after 236A. Don't know when I'm supposed to 66C after 236A. But haven't had much time to practice lately because riding season started <_<

Well luckly her Silencer loop was heavily nerfed (as in, wont go past like 1 rep) so you dont have to use it too often. But the absolute biggest part of Noel's Silencer combos are spacing. If you're too close, it'll wiff, and if you're too far, you probably wont be able to pick up the combo with another 6C.

Edit:

Oh, after the optic barrel? That's pretty easy. You'll just need to dash > 6C.

You need to get the timing for buffering the dash so you dont clusterfuck your fingers with inputs to get it to happen right. After a while it gets pretty easy. Once you get it down, im pretty positive you wont have any issue dropping anything after optic barrel again.

Edited March 8, 2012 by Remius

[Lienhart]

Dash immediately after the Pptic Barrel lands.

So you can cancel the animation after it's successful hit someone?

[Sinfire Titan]

A rather mash-friendly character is Lambda, as you can get through most casual gameplay with just her basic Drive combo. Her more advanced combos come with time after you get her Drive combo down. Just don't expect her basic tricks to get you through a pro match. They'll read you like a book.

If you are trying to break your mashing habits, I'd have to second the Hazama suggestion (and throw Bang into the mix, as his Challenges can be rather demanding). Hakumen is also rather tricky to play as, but the urge to spam his Drive is overwhelming at times.

Finally, a word of advice: Challenge Mode is little more than basic training for the character you are using, and several Challenges are horribly impractical (basically anything involving 100 Heat). While it is good to learn the Challenges try not to rely on most of the ones beyond #6, and don't spam them as much as possible (pro players will punish you the instant they see an opening).

[Tong]

Challenge mode is horrible imo lol. Teaches wrongly how to combo because most of them are harder and unoptimized versions.

Edited March 11, 2012 by Tong

[Akita]

(noob speaking)

Challenge get's you used to input. Yes, it's impractical but many of the combos you see are derived, I feel, from Challenge mode. You also get inspiration from them anyway. In terms of getting away from button mashing, I think this is the cure.

However, timing wise, I really think fighting against Lv 100 comp is the best way... I mean, fighting against people is not the same as Computer, but you still get the general idea to what to look out for, your timing of moves, what moves are actually vulnerable, and blocking strings (basic). I mean sure, I practiced at times with Arakune, having full curse meter, and having it NEVER run out (yea, that's not fun). It's DEFINITELY impractical, but I do get the hint of how the pro Arakune does their scary scary combo -and how to run away, slip through (not really, but I have beaten the comp 2 out of 10 times).

[Narroo]

Personally, Ragna's 4B challenge in Regular CS I can't do. I've tried it over hundred times, and I'm not sure that's hyperbole either, perhaps far more. I CAN'T get that Inferno Divider to connect!

This is a problem I always have with all fighting games; I can spend hours in training or challenge mode trying to do a combo, and never get it, even if it's supposed to be really easy. The ONLY person I've ever been able to learn any combos with is Lamda. I can do her sword summoner archtype; DDDDDDD-Crescent Slash! And sort've do a corner combo that consists of CCCCCCC-Cavalier-CCCCCCCC-Cavalier-CCCCCCC-Cavalier-Backdash.

Going by that, have any suggestions on what kind of combos I might be good at? (Those D's seem to be more about visual timing, unlike most other combos.)

[xSigeX]

Its not really a dash cancel, its more of a dash link. Hopefully you've got it locked down by now.