I thought I was good, until I came here...

[MadeFromMetal]

I think Maximilian said it best, you just have to grind, playing the game against people is the only real way to get better. Even scrubs are good for practicing combo execution and wake up punishment against a moving (and mashing) target.

Now...what is the definition of a "Scrub"? I'm sure I'd be a scrub to a lot of players here...but I would call myself a Noob more than anything. Is a scrub basically just a button masher?

 

[zaf]

I'd appreciate that! I've been an Ermac fan since UMK3 and as of right now, it looks like I'll be maining him in MKX unless Smoke or Erron Black gets revealed, then he'll get the secondary spot. (Smoke is my all time favorite and Erron Black just looks too dope to not play.) But yeah, I'm all ears and all thumbs for whatever knowledge you wanna drop!

Just hit me up with a PM. Ask anything you wanna know.
You can always check the ermac subforum. Tons of info there ( although the main guide was never completed. Missing some match up write ups)

 

[Braindead]

The only thing MK9 AI is useful for, is helping you improve your reactions.

For example, if you want to improve your reactions against Raiden's teleport of KL's teleport, go to practice mode and set the AI to expert, and you can bet the AI will keep trying to teleport. That's about it. It can also help your anti-airing skills since the AI likes to jump a lot.

 

[MadeFromMetal]

The only thing MK9 AI is useful for, is helping you improve your reactions.

For example, if you want to improve your reactions against Raiden's teleport of KL's teleport, go to practice mode and set the AI to expert, and you can bet the AI will keep trying to teleport. That's about it. It can also help your anti-airing skills since the AI likes to jump a lot.

Good advice, thanks! I saw that someone earlier in the thread said that practice mode in MK9 wasn't all that good, what would make it better?

 

[MadeFromMetal]

Just hit me up with a PM. Ask anything you wanna know.
You can always check the ermac subforum. Tons of info there ( although the main guide was never completed. Missing some match up write ups)

I'll check it out and play a bit when I get off work. I'm sure the questions will come, then. Thanks!

 

[MKB]

Hey everyone,

I'm a long time fan of Mortal Kombat (MK on Sega Genesis) but I'm brand new to TYM and the greater Fighting Game Community as a whole. When MK9 came out, my friends and I would play all the time. I'd go home and spend hours in practice working on combos with my two mains, Smoke and Ermac. I thought all it took to be considered "good" was being able to hit combos for 40% damage and enraging my friends. I was WRONG.

Well, in the hype for MKX, I was checking out info online and came across TYM and immediately signed up. While I waited for my email confirmation to go through, I lurked and lurked and lurked some more and realized, I know next to nothing about fighting games in general. I had never heard the terms Zoner, Rushdown or Grappler, let alone things like footsies, BnB's, teching, or blockstrings. I watched a lot of tournament videos on YouTube and looked up a glossary on Shoryuken and I still struggle at times when I read some threads but I'll learn the terminology on my own eventually. However, what I won't learn entirely on my own is how to be a better player.

I've checked TYM, MKO, Shoryuken and TRMK but the last time anybody posted in a regional thread for my area was in August of 2014 for a Street Fighter get together on Shoryuken. I'm in Northern CA, but I don't have the time or money to drive 90 minutes south to Sacramento on a regular basis. Not only would I like to get better, but just being able to play against folks offline would be cool too. I hope to find a local scene and if one doesn't exist...I might start one.

Until then, I was hoping to get some tips on how to get better at my offline game. My connection isn't that good and results in a lot of lag and dropped games, so online isn't the most viable option. I was wondering, what do you guys do to practice on a regular basis? What should I be doing in Practice Mode or against the AI to better myself? Random question...say the top guys around here are rated a 10 and a complete noob is rated a 1. What would be the rating for the AI on expert? A 3 or 4?

Anyway, thanks for reading and I look forward to getting involved on TYM and in the entire scene a little more as well. Any help or resources is always appreciated and I'll see you all out there.

I live in Reno, NV. Not too far from you, plus I play the classic MKs more than the newer ones.

 

[zaf]

I'll check it out and play a bit when I get off work. I'm sure the questions will come, then. Thanks!

yea even if you do not necessarily have questions, if you just wanna talk about the character in general im always down

 

[CrimsonShadow]

@MadeFromMetal watching tournament footage definitely helps a ton with understanding terminology and game tactics. It's one thing to see something written on the forums, but when you see it play out in a real match, with the commentators calling it out as it happens, it goes a long way toward understanding things. You'll also see things which you can try out yourself.

If you have questions there are tons of people to ask -- but be sure to keep up with tournaments when they're on, as well as archived footage, as it'll advance you a lot faster.

 

[MadeFromMetal]

@MadeFromMetal watching tournament footage definitely helps a ton with understanding terminology and game tactics. It's one thing to see something written on the forums, but when you see it play out in a real match, with the commentators calling it out as it happens, it goes a long way toward understanding things. You'll also see things which you can try out yourself.

If you have questions there are tons of people to ask -- but be sure to keep up with tournaments when they're on, as well as archived footage, as it'll advance you a lot faster.

Honestly, that's been the biggest help. Especially when the commentators are actually calling the match and not spending time insulting each other or the participants. Some of those tournament vids on YouTube are unwatchable due to the commentators. I don't expect them to be Al Michaels or anything...but at least call the match at hand.

 

[Jaku2011]

Now...what is the definition of a "Scrub"? I'm sure I'd be a scrub to a lot of players here...but I would call myself a Noob more than anything. Is a scrub basically just a button masher?

Basically, injustice example could be guns only Deathstroke who wake up sword flips all day. Or batgirl cartwheeling all over the place (great whiff punishing practice) with random teleports sprinkled in for variety. Sorry I don't really have an Mk example since I didn't play 9 much.

 

[MadeFromMetal]

Basically, injustice example could be guns only Deathstroke who wake up sword flips all day. Or batgirl cartwheeling all over the place (great whiff punishing practice) with random teleports sprinkled in for variety. Sorry I don't really have an Mk example since I didn't play 9 much.

Haha! So basically me in Injustice. I never really got into Injustice. I play MK9 religiously because of the history and lore. I can only beat the ladder in IGAU with Scorpion, and that's only because he's similar to his MK9 version.

 

[Deepsealogic]

Hey Metal, I'm technically a noob here as well. In fact, this is my first post ever. I stalked the site for a long time just reading forums. Good to see some new folks like myself. Hit me up if your down for some mk9 on PS, Psn is hucklebub. I love to talk mk anything. Oh Yea, I play IGAU as well on ps4.

 

[MadeFromMetal]

Hey Metal, I'm technically a noob here as well. In fact, this is my first post ever. I stalked the site for a long time just reading forums. Good to see some new folks like myself. Hit me up if your down for some mk9 on PS, Psn is hucklebub. I love to talk mk anything. Oh Yea, I play IGAU as well on ps4.

Definitely! Will do.

 

[FinalBoss_FGC]

We all start somewhere!

Hell, I've been around this shit for a year and I'm still mediocre as shit haha

But welcome to TYM.
There are always top players willing and wanting to play with you. Don't be scared to ask anybody to play...sure, you may get beat pretty badly at first but they are extremely giving with information.

"There are two types of people in this world: Those who say they can and those who say they can't...they both are usually right"

 

[MadeFromMetal]

We all start somewhere!

Hell, I've been around this shit for a year and I'm still mediocre as shit haha

But welcome to TYM.
There are always top players willing and wanting to play with you. Don't be scared to ask anybody to play...sure, you may get beat pretty badly at first but they are extremely giving with information.

"There are two types of people in this world: Those who say they can and those who say they can't...they both are usually right"

I have no issues with getting beat. I welcome it, more than anything. I can't get any better if I only play people worse, right?