Consistently Bodied Online

[7heTexanRebel]

I've enjoyed playing Blazblue since CT, and it was what got me playing fighting games in the first place. I started off having issues even doing the inputs for specials but now I can block and combo pretty well. Nobody I know IRL wants to play me in BB anymore because of the skill gap. So now I'm having a really hard time getting better since none of the matches I play online are even remotely close. I think I've won 6 entire matches since the US release of CP despite playing several hundred games.

 

My neutral game is just awful and playing the CPU is less than helpful considering they'll just 1F input a super on reaction to a fullscreen 5A. I can usually hitconfirm into a combo or end with a safe move on block if I can actually get a hit in but I just cant react to 90% of the stuff people do online. (only time i manage to tech grabs, for instance, is if I happen to be trying to grab them at the same time they go for one)

 

How am I supposed to get better? Is the answer to just get bodied more and learn that way? Cuz my blocking is certainly better, I just cant actually get any pressure going to set up some damage of my own.

[StylisH]

I've enjoyed playing Blazblue since CT, and it was what got me playing fighting games in the first place. I started off having issues even doing the inputs for specials but now I can block and combo pretty well. Nobody I know IRL wants to play me in BB anymore because of the skill gap. So now I'm having a really hard time getting better since none of the matches I play online are even remotely close. I think I've won 6 entire matches since the US release of CP despite playing several hundred games.

 

My neutral game is just awful and playing the CPU is less than helpful considering they'll just 1F input a super on reaction to a fullscreen 5A. I can usually hitconfirm into a combo or end with a safe move on block if I can actually get a hit in but I just cant react to 90% of the stuff people do online. (only time i manage to tech grabs, for instance, is if I happen to be trying to grab them at the same time they go for one)

 

How am I supposed to get better? Is the answer to just get bodied more and learn that way? Cuz my blocking is certainly better, I just cant actually get any pressure going to set up some damage of my own.

Do you currently have a sparring partner, or do you just play randoms online?

[BloodWolF]

You say that you've played hundreds of matches online. Are you taking some time after a set to watch the replays? If you're finding that you're not getting better, critiquing your own play is always an option. Look at your matches and see how you could have avoided being put into certain situation or identify strings or situations where you're having trouble blocking. If you find something like that, you can focus in a certain part of your play and work on it specifically. Spend a day really trying to react and AA some jump-ins if you find that you keep getting hit by them. Playing a lot of rounds and practicing is the best way to learn, but you have to be in the right mindset and use that time as productively as possible.

[7heTexanRebel]

No I don't have a sparring partner, just playing randoms.

 

Yeah, never thought about watching the replays. Off the top of my head it seems like most of the times I get hit it's from trying to get in and just getting out-prioritized or trying to reversal unsuccessfully/

[Airk]

Welp, if those are the problems you have identified, the answers are:

 

A) Learn your spacing better.  You really CAN learn this fighting the CPU, because your attacks don't change.  Spend some time fighting the CPU at 100% and try to get a better feel for where your attacks go.  Then play against real people. A lot.

B) Stop trying to reversal so much. :P  Also, practice reversals in training mode so that you don't screw them up so much.

[crimsonstardust]

Well if your gonna be using the CPU to practice some stuff, beside what was mentioned I like to use the CPU to see if I can use new combos I'm learning in an actual match or see if I can convert of stray hits without thinking to hard about it. But I also find the CPU not a good way to practice fighting people cause as you mention they do some ridiculous stuff, and I would like to also add that they don't do optimal stuff and I've had a lot of times where they try to pink throw me...

Don't be afraid to post your matches to get some critique, the idea does seem scary at first but it helps to have your match looked at by another person cause it can be hard to watch yourself objectively and it helps to see what others have to say.

[StylisH]

Well if your gonna be using the CPU to practice some stuff, beside what was mentioned I like to use the CPU to see if I can use new combos I'm learning in an actual match or see if I can convert of stray hits without thinking to hard about it. But I also find the CPU not a good way to practice fighting people cause as you mention they do some ridiculous stuff, and I would like to also add that they don't do optimal stuff and I've had a lot of times where they try to pink throw me...

Don't be afraid to post your matches to get some critique, the idea does seem scary at first but it helps to have your match looked at by another person cause it can be hard to watch yourself objectively and it helps to see what others have to say.

A good way to practice hit confirm is to go to training mode and set the dummy to random block

[Airk]

A good way to practice hit confirm is to go to training mode and set the dummy to random block

 

This is OKAY, but it's not really THAT good because the dummy isn't moving around or anything, so all you're doing is looking at whether you hit, rather than whether you hit in a constantly changing environment.  Still, if you can't hitconfirm on a random dummy, you won't be able to do it under pressure either, so I guess it's a good first step.

[D.R.F.]

And you can always ask someone on dl to play rounds with you, always happy to help someone out in a fighter

[StylisH]

This is OKAY, but it's not really THAT good because the dummy isn't moving around or anything, so all you're doing is looking at whether you hit, rather than whether you hit in a constantly changing environment.  Still, if you can't hitconfirm on a random dummy, you won't be able to do it under pressure either, so I guess it's a good first step.

I don't know his comfort level, which is why I suggested that. Basic, yes, but nothing wrong with going simple to start.

[7heTexanRebel]

So I watched a bunch of my replays and noticed a couple things:

• I drop combos online that I usually have no problem doing
• I do blockstrings on hit
• I try to do combos on block
• I have terrible oki

Overall it seems like my defense isn't as much of a problem (most of the time I block way more of their stuff than they do mine), it's when I try to get offensive I cant hitconfirm into damage or safely pressure them. 

As for uploading replays I'll have to get a capture card unless I want to record trashy quality videos of the TV with my phone.

 

I don't know his comfort level, which is why I suggested that. Basic, yes, but nothing wrong with going simple to start.

90% of the time vs the CPU I seem to get CH's because they're constantly attacking and hardly ever block (especially if they've got a DP). I tried setting the CPU on random block and I think I've found my problem... I'm going to need A LOT of practice at this, even with 3-4 hits/blocks I'm still autopiloting into whatever random thing my hands feel like doing. 

 

Thanks guys, pretty sure lack of hitconfirm-ability was my main weakness.

[D.R.F.]

Thats good that most of your problems is on offense. That is actually the easier part to correct. Training mode and a hype theme song, along with some combo and setup videos will do you fine

[crimsonstardust]

Well the thing about hitting combos online is that this can vary the timing from practicing in training room, personally for me I have a harder time hitting combos online cause I play with people offline, basically your gonna have to figure out how to adjust the timing but easier said then done really. 

 

Now for the block and combos part you mentioned, that's gonna be you having visually see that you are hitting them and change your button inputs to match that, some times if your muscle memory is a little too good it can work against you so it helps to be aware as you hit them to make mental checks if you are hitting them. Sometimes your not gonna be hitting that optimal 4.5k combo like you do in training mode and you have to be aware that you may have to work with what you got at the moment and have those big combos ready when you go for the punishes or made that right read.

 

I don't know why people think its such a bad think to record matches with a phone camera or something, if that's all you have then use that, not everyone is gonna have a capture card to use, and your main focus isn't to pump out content but to get feedback for your game play.

[D.R.F.]

About the phone thing, people are anal about quality