Making the switch from Casual to Competative

[nightblade420]

like the title says I've been playing MK casually ever since UMK3 and actually avoided competitive game play. well I recently started to play a little more aggressively and found that the rush from actually playing to win, rather than just laying back and mostly getting my ass kicked, is just amazing. Like i said I never really attempted to play competitively before so i figured I'd just start with a few groups of friends( who take gaming WAY to seriously), then move on to local tourneys and eventually the big money tournaments. I figured that by doing it this way I will be able to get the slow introduction into dealing with a different atmosphere with me playing rather than watching. i normally put a few hours maybe 5-6 a day into the game after work and taking a break every now and then so roughly 25-30 a week is this a good start or is this insanely low for competitive training? Also when playing with my friend they will bitch about every little thing you do whether it be a grab or rush in with a character and hit them with a combo, on the other hand i use every weakness i know of to my advantage, which I've started to think is it unsportsmanlike or does it really not even matter as long as i get the win? Also any tips on handling the pressure of bigger games since some times i end up dropping combos or forgetting inputs completely when things start to get to crazy.

 

[TheW1tchDoctor]

You're playing quite enough. This isn't starcraft or anything, so you don't need to log 12 hours a day hahaha. As far as your friends, frankly, if youre switching to competative play, don't get used to having friends to play with unless they decide to jump onboard. I did it in SSBB and people just stopped playing it with me unless i was online. For MK9, i would say use online play as your training when you're not in the actual training room. If you're looking for ways NOT to drop the combos, then you gotta learn how to control your nerves. I actually wrote a page about it on the super smash brothers forum i used to visit, i'll go ahead and pull the link if i can.... annnnndd.... here http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=268137 It is in the context of super smash brothers, but the basic concept is easy to understand. Other than nerves, PRACTICE.

Go into the practice room with your main character, and do your combo set until you literally don't want to stare at the screen anymore. I am a kung lao main, and I've spent dozens of hours simply repeating my combos in the training room. The point is not that you can do it, the point is that you can do it without realizing you are. You ARE NOT ready to perform combos in a competative stressful environment, if you can't pull off your combos with absolutely bare minimal focus. When you're in a match, your total concentration should be centered on mind games with your opponent, not each individual button input for your character. I can't even tell you what my combos are unless i sit down and think about them, thats because in my mind, they've simply become "a move". When i gotta pull off an xray combo, i land the first hit, and the rest just happens. Thats how it needs to be in your head. Read my little article i posted, and spend a LOT of time in the training room. Thats the only way you will get your combos down to a near perfect level. Hope this helped!

 

[JHCRANE 14]

You're playing quite enough. This isn't starcraft or anything, so you don't need to log 12 hours a day hahaha. As far as your friends, frankly, if youre switching to competative play, don't get used to having friends to play with unless they decide to jump onboard. I did it in SSBB and people just stopped playing it with me unless i was online. For MK9, i would say use online play as your training when you're not in the actual training room. If you're looking for ways NOT to drop the combos, then you gotta learn how to control your nerves. I actually wrote a page about it on the super smash brothers forum i used to visit, i'll go ahead and pull the link if i can.... annnnndd.... here http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=268137 It is in the context of super smash brothers, but the basic concept is easy to understand. Other than nerves, PRACTICE.

Go into the practice room with your main character, and do your combo set until you literally don't want to stare at the screen anymore. I am a kung lao main, and I've spent dozens of hours simply repeating my combos in the training room. The point is not that you can do it, the point is that you can do it without realizing you are. You ARE NOT ready to perform combos in a competative stressful environment, if you can't pull off your combos with absolutely bare minimal focus. When you're in a match, your total concentration should be centered on mind games with your opponent, not each individual button input for your character. I can't even tell you what my combos are unless i sit down and think about them, thats because in my mind, they've simply become "a move". When i gotta pull off an xray combo, i land the first hit, and the rest just happens. Thats how it needs to be in your head. Read my little article i posted, and spend a LOT of time in the training room. Thats the only way you will get your combos down to a near perfect level. Hope this helped!

Very nice post you made. I will use this. Thanks.