Ermac: 6.5
Sektor: 5
Sub Zero: 4
Smoke: 2
Why am I not a top player?
Time: I don't have the kind of free time that I know I require to get to a pro level. Adult life, and the responsibility that comes with it, is upon me. And to be honest, I don't think I would like to spend that much time playing this one game or doing any one thing for that matter. Too much of any one thing is no fun for me.
Experience: This is the first time I am really making a concerted effort to learn and get better in any fighting game. A lot of what I am learning now is already ingrained in those who have been into fighting games for a long time.
Competition: I have only recently started to reach out to ppl in different regions to try and get some offline experience in. As long as my job continues to take me around to different cities, finding a solid group of ppl to play with will be a challenge. I mostly play online which is bogus as far as combo timing goes.
Combo Execution: I am actually quite capable when it comes to getting the feel for almost any combo down as long as I put enough practice into it. The only problem is when I am playing offline against someone who is pressuring me I tend to rush my inputs and end up on the wrong side of negative edge. Also, in general, when I am under pressure there is at least a 40% chance that I will sort of lock up. I think of the three different way I could punish my opponent and by the time I decide what I want to do the moment has passed me by. Other times I do a combination of all three things, and well... you can imagine what that looks like on screen.
Match Up Knowledge: I study my main characters to great length, but have yet to commit the whole rosters weaknesses to memory. This also ties into limited competitive experience. How can I punish or even poke out of a block string if I have no idea where the gaps are in it? This also ties into formulating strategies for each of my match ups. I have got to sit down and just take a look at each character and figure out their weaknesses and then sort of jot down my own living guide on what I can do with my main characters to exploit them. Until I do this, I will always be the guy who throws out my one or two setups in the hopes that my opponent lets go of block.
Bad Fundamentals: As I mentioned before, this is my first time diving into a fighting game to this extent so I know I suck at all of the following - Footsies, Making Reads, Spacing. To be honest I'm not even fully sure I know what all of them are. Just now getting used to the "footsie" range which is from what I've been told, damn near full screen, especially for a keep away character like Ermac. Correct me if I'm wrong but footsies is basically doing different things from the same given situation so that over time the opponent doesn't know what you will do next. This all comes down to a variety of setups which, once again, I have to sit down and brainstorm instead of just continue with the one or two patterns I have in my muscle memory. Making reads ties into match up knowledge as listed above.
Reaction time: My reaction time, especially when under pressure, is poop. Of all the problems I have with fundamentals, I believe that I have a way to fix this. The way I look at it, as long as I am unfamiliar with the entire cast I will continually be "suprised" by what my opponent is doing. So the way I see it, if I can just study up on all of my matchups I will in turn be more adept at making reads which will in turn alleviate the stress that is currently being put on my reaction time. Not sure if that made sense so I will put it this way. If I can read what my opponent will do, then I can be ready for it before it takes place.
Overall I just need to spend more time playing this game against as many ppl as I can. Really enjoyed this post by the way. From the outside looking in one might think that everyone across this message board is on par with the players seen at MLG and the like. Its nice to hear there are others facing many of the same challenges as me.
