Menu
By:
Filters
What's new

New player, feeling overwhelmed, searching advice!

T

trivsel

Noob
Hello guys, first post here on test your might after getting rejected several times I finally got in touch with someone and got access to the forums, happy to be here. I know there are a lot of posts similar to this one but I thought I would post my own thread and find the answers that I am looking for, hoping I dont make anyone upset being a filthy casual.

I have 0 fighting game experience, except for a couple of hundred hours of MK9, I played it in the military with my roomies and had a blast.. but I never really learned anything about the game, I would find a combo on youtube with as much % dmg as possible and practice it untill I could execute it, I never really cared about tiers but I watched a lot of tournaments and it was a blast to watch. I picked up MKX about a week ago and I have had a lot of fun with it but I have yet to find a character to really devote some time in the practice room with. I have found myself enjoying cryomancer sub zero, but it almost feels silly not to play grandmaster as it feels like a much better variation.. but not as much fun. I want to play an agressive character, with good mixups and a lot of pressure. I have been lurking on these forums since release really just reading and enjoying great content, watching people figure out combos as soon as day 1, it is really impressive! However.. going in to a thread on a specific character and clicking that famous "BnB thread" feels so overwhelming to me.. getting anywhere from 15 to 30 combos in my face with a lot of fighting game terminology that I am just starting to really learn, basic stuff like what an NJP is and what footsies are. Finding out what is safe on block, learning about frames. and MOST of all doing combos that involve gimmicks such as run cancelling,it feels overwhelming and I am struggling to find a character that suits me. Queueing player vs player online is rarely a challenge at all, but when I enter KOTHs.. that is when I realize how terrible I am and that I am probably way below average. A huge problem I have online is how easy it is to just focus on the offensive, how hard it is to actually block strings and doing reverals rather then just beating my oponent to the ground and then rushing on top of him to make him guess and hope he doesnt do a wakeup.. and if I am the one being rushed down I get melted.

So I guess to sum it up. There is a lot to learn, and it feels overwhelming. I am having trouble finding my character or finding any players wlling to help me out. I am looking for advice on how to find a character, and how to approach taking this character into the lab and the transition from the lab to online play. I am sorry if this post is too casual or if the formating hurts your eyes. But I appreciate any help, advice and answers that I can get.
 
Last edited:
Israfel

Israfel

Designer for BxA
XB1 or PSN? I am about go on vacation but if your on XB1 I would be happy to jump online with you and work stuff out. Getting into this can be daunting at first but it gets easier. Great way to learn also is to find some players to get long sessions in with and learn through trial by fire.
 
T

trivsel

Noob
Israfel said:
XB1 or PSN? I am about go on vacation but if your on XB1 I would be happy to jump online with you and work stuff out. Getting into this can be daunting at first but it gets easier. Great way to learn also is to find some players to get long sessions in with and learn through trial by fire.
Click to expand...
Israfel said:
XB1 or PSN? I am about go on vacation but if your on XB1 I would be happy to jump online with you and work stuff out. Getting into this can be daunting at first but it gets easier. Great way to learn also is to find some players to get long sessions in with and learn through trial by fire.
Click to expand...
Oh I probably should have mentioned I am on PS4, but thank you so much for the offer.. I was really hoping for someone to be able to help me out this way.
 
Redux

Redux

Ex Phase
check out the links the guys above posted. This is my first fighter too and they helped me get a better grasp of the game. Now as for character selection I would say just try out ones that interest you and I think you'll eventually find a character that just feels right. Sometimes it may be how comfortable the inputs are or their strings etc. Find a tournament player and study the combos they use and strategy.

Also The character you describe is Erron Black so maybe try him out. His combos are not that bad imo and has great mix ups.
 
Saboteur-6

Saboteur-6

Filthy Casual
So the BnB's might look daunting at first but that's because A. Largely people putting up max damage impractical combos B. Outdated info as people were learning what combos into what.

It's not just about fishing for that one max damage combo as much as it is deciding how to incorporate it into a gameplan. For example, considering if you want to push for wall carry or if you want to leave yourself in an advantageous position off of hard knockdown for an opponent with weak/predictable wakeups.

Knowing practical max damage is important but being conscious of a gameplan is even more so.
 
Aqueous_Echo

Aqueous_Echo

Kombatant
I know you probably have no idea what any of this "tech talk" is but keep a few things in mind always:

1. fighting games DO require combos, but that is not the focal point.

2. Opening up your opponent with either mix ups (i.e. high/low - Overhead/low - low/Overhead) or creating a unique rythym by stopping pressure strings early and keeping your opponent uncomfortable eventually going into a full combo once you find their breaking point so to speak.

3. footsies is HARD to teach, but not unlearnable. Footsies is basically a bit mentioned in point 2 but also YOU reading your opponent when THEY'RE on offense and either poking with a down 3 or 4 and getting your self away OR poking with down 3 or 4 and going on your own offense.

Footsies is a very complicated thing to explain in text but once you find someone who can show you either by video or in training it'll make sense. It's like working on free throws in basketball. It's not high damage but it can make or break the match.
 
T

trivsel

Noob
SEV said:
This series of videos could possibly help you; I've never watched them personally but they're made by smart, successful players with the aim of helping people transition from casual to competitive play: http://testyourmight.com/threads/k-m-mkx-tutorial-series-episode-5-the-art-of-defense.51974/

Hopefully that helps.
Click to expand...
That series ended up helping me understand a lot more, whifing combos and hit confiming was something I didnt really understand. Thank you so much!

ColdBoreMK23 said:
Give Jax a whirl. Crazy corner pressure and good damage and decent mix ups.

Add me on PS4: IronLung6920
Click to expand...
Definetly will, thank you!

DavS13 said:
Hit me up on PS4 : DavS-130 we can get some games in and I can probably answer any questions you might have
Click to expand...
That sounds amazing, thanks!
 
iSuckAtFightingGames

iSuckAtFightingGames

Kombatant
Don't worry.. most new players are in the same boat.

These are my suggestions!

1) Controller
As you are starting out you are free to really pick your controller that you want to learn on as you have no previous experience. Now, MK is unusal for fighting games as it is kinda designed for gamepad, while most are expecting you to use a stick. You can use pad on any game, but even so the majority are designed for Stick. I would strongly suggest learning on a system that will allow you to play on all the games... not just NRS ones. So imo, you should learn on a stick. I mean your learngin anyway.. may as well learn on a stick. Otherwise the other option would be to just start with a Hitbox. A hitbox is kinda like a cross between a keyboard and a arcade stick. It is very unusual and takes a lot of relearning to use, but I think it is generally understood that it has the best ease of execution between all the inputs devices. This could be a great option to learn on as you can use it on all games and as you are starting there is no "relearning" to do. You can just jump in on hitbox
​
2) Some general tips
In MKx people focus on the wrong things. A lot of people are saying "go to youtube" but most youtube vids are horribly bad for beginners. There is a tendency for new players and scrubs to think that NRS games are all about memorizing combos. They arn't. Yes combos are needed eventually but what you really want to focus on is the normals (just pressing the button, with a single input.. like D4 (down+4) ) and the default strings. (Strings are the ones you find in the move list of 2-3 buttons). When you start playing .. these are what you should learn. You want the strings to be second nature as well as understanding the normals. Learning all the combos in the word will not really help you win games with out these fundamental ideas. Converting a suprise popup or poke or w/e into a combo is all about your string knowledge, and as you play you should start it find combos that come naturally as well. I think this is one of the biggest problems people have trying to learn a NRS game. They go to youtube and try and learn some crazy, usually impracticable combo and then have no way to get them to function in a actual match. Learn the strings and normals. Go into practice mode and keep an eye on the hit locations. A good place to start is to learn 1 over head string, one medium and one low that either has a hard knockdown or a cancel frames at the end. That is a great place to start.
​
3) Frame Data.. you do not need it when you start out.. kinda
Frame data is a tool that people use to get under the hood. Lab monsters like Tom Brady (possibly the most famous lab monster I know of) really require frame data to work out "tech" (Tech is technique / technology .. basically tactics) Anyway, for beginners you just shouldn't worry about this, imo. Just play organically for now. There is one exception. Each string in the move list has a "cancel frame" value. If this value is zero then it is IMPOSSIBLE to cancel that string into a special. The higher the number the easier it is to cancel. So while you are learnign your strings, make sure you do look at teh frame data and see if it is even possible to cancel into a special.. You might be doing everything right and the move is not coming out as it can no come out at all no mater what as the cancel frame are zero.. Otherwise forget about all the other stuff in there for a while.
​
4) Use the BLOCK button
This seams like a silly thing to mention by itself, but it isn't. Most beginners learn the game vs the AI and have the AI set to super easy. This is in some ways a good place to start, as it is much more fun than practice mode but still they stand there like a punching bag for you to test things one. Still one of the real problems with learnign this way is that you basically never need to use the block button... like ever. I would strongly recommed running the AI on much harder levels when you are starting out as you will need to use the block and this is a ESSENTIAL skill. Even if you can not beat the Ai. Set it to super hard or w/e... you might loose, but you are there to learn how to block.
​
5) You got a mate?
I'm not going to get into the entire Online vs Offline thing, but playing vs humans is a must. The AIs really suck and even if you own them on the hardest levels then you probably will not stand a chance vs people. Get online, but imo the best way is to have a mate who comes over, you drink some beers hang out chat and play together. If you have more then 2.. then that is best. Some of the most fun I have had in fighting games was 4 people all playing together taking turns and stuff. Learning is easiest when having fun. Still if you can not get people in the room, online is still worth playing. There are real issues with it but playing a human online is still better practice than a AI offline. Remember learn the normals, strings and simple BNB combos first.. and online is fine for that.
​
6) There are some good uTubes.
While most youtubes are useless are are more about the uTuber showing off, what is usually completely impractical and unusable combos. There are 3 that I would recommend.

Superman Sajam
This guys has done a great beginner series. Though I am not sure he has redone them for the patches, but still. They are extremely good. He has done one which goes into various systems of the game. "What is a Run Cancel and how to do it" or "How to disrupt armored wake ups". The vids in the "MKX System Series" are basically tech videos but of the very basic game mechanics. The other series "MKX Character Breakdowns" just show case each character and tell you all about them and how they function. These are great for new players to sorta get an idea of who they might want to play. Personally I puck who ever I think looks the coolest and has thew most meaty ouch looking moves.. but the breakdowns are still really good!
ahmz1404
There is a uTuber called "ahmz1404" who dose combos videos, but they are MUCH better than most you find on youtube. You will not see massive combos that do huge damage here. Instead you will get a bunch of easy BnB's for beginners. Practical stuff that you can actually use and learn and get better at. He even ramps the combos, as each combo in the vid is a kind of extension of a easier one before it. One of the great mistakes if someone gose to uTube and tries to learn some crazy 48% 1 meter combo that is a zillion imputs. Start slower. I mean if you picked up a guitar to learn it you wouldn't just bust out a complex song on day one would you.. you learn easy cords first. These imo are some of the best combo vids on youtube for beginners.
​
PNDKetchup
I thought this guy was just a commentator. Like I knew he was good at MK9.. but it wasn't until Evo that I realised how legit he and his brother were.. anyway.. he has a series called "From Casual to Competitive". Unfortunately he is to lazy to put them in a neat playlist! So you need to go to his chan and dig them out of the video list... try searching for "Competitive"
​
Well that is my advise for starting players.. have fun!


​
 
T

trivsel

Noob
iSuckAtFightingGames said:
Don't worry.. most new players are in the same boat.

These are my suggestions!

1) Controller
As you are starting out you are free to really pick your controller that you want to learn on as you have no previous experience. Now, MK is unusal for fighting games as it is kinda designed for gamepad, while most are expecting you to use a stick. You can use pad on any game, but even so the majority are designed for Stick. I would strongly suggest learning on a system that will allow you to play on all the games... not just NRS ones. So imo, you should learn on a stick. I mean your learngin anyway.. may as well learn on a stick. Otherwise the other option would be to just start with a Hitbox. A hitbox is kinda like a cross between a keyboard and a arcade stick. It is very unusual and takes a lot of relearning to use, but I think it is generally understood that it has the best ease of execution between all the inputs devices. This could be a great option to learn on as you can use it on all games and as you are starting there is no "relearning" to do. You can just jump in on hitbox
​
2) Some general tips
In MKx people focus on the wrong things. A lot of people are saying "go to youtube" but most youtube vids are horribly bad for beginners. There is a tendency for new players and scrubs to think that NRS games are all about memorizing combos. They arn't. Yes combos are needed eventually but what you really want to focus on is the normals (just pressing the button, with a single input.. like D4 (down+4) ) and the default strings. (Strings are the ones you find in the move list of 2-3 buttons). When you start playing .. these are what you should learn. You want the strings to be second nature as well as understanding the normals. Learning all the combos in the word will not really help you win games with out these fundamental ideas. Converting a suprise popup or poke or w/e into a combo is all about your string knowledge, and as you play you should start it find combos that come naturally as well. I think this is one of the biggest problems people have trying to learn a NRS game. They go to youtube and try and learn some crazy, usually impracticable combo and then have no way to get them to function in a actual match. Learn the strings and normals. Go into practice mode and keep an eye on the hit locations. A good place to start is to learn 1 over head string, one medium and one low that either has a hard knockdown or a cancel frames at the end. That is a great place to start.
​
3) Frame Data.. you do not need it when you start out.. kinda
Frame data is a tool that people use to get under the hood. Lab monsters like Tom Brady (possibly the most famous lab monster I know of) really require frame data to work out "tech" (Tech is technique / technology .. basically tactics) Anyway, for beginners you just shouldn't worry about this, imo. Just play organically for now. There is one exception. Each string in the move list has a "cancel frame" value. If this value is zero then it is IMPOSSIBLE to cancel that string into a special. The higher the number the easier it is to cancel. So while you are learnign your strings, make sure you do look at teh frame data and see if it is even possible to cancel into a special.. You might be doing everything right and the move is not coming out as it can no come out at all no mater what as the cancel frame are zero.. Otherwise forget about all the other stuff in there for a while.
​
4) Use the BLOCK button
This seams like a silly thing to mention by itself, but it isn't. Most beginners learn the game vs the AI and have the AI set to super easy. This is in some ways a good place to start, as it is much more fun than practice mode but still they stand there like a punching bag for you to test things one. Still one of the real problems with learnign this way is that you basically never need to use the block button... like ever. I would strongly recommed running the AI on much harder levels when you are starting out as you will need to use the block and this is a ESSENTIAL skill. Even if you can not beat the Ai. Set it to super hard or w/e... you might loose, but you are there to learn how to block.
​
5) You got a mate?
I'm not going to get into the entire Online vs Offline thing, but playing vs humans is a must. The AIs really suck and even if you own them on the hardest levels then you probably will not stand a chance vs people. Get online, but imo the best way is to have a mate who comes over, you drink some beers hang out chat and play together. If you have more then 2.. then that is best. Some of the most fun I have had in fighting games was 4 people all playing together taking turns and stuff. Learning is easiest when having fun. Still if you can not get people in the room, online is still worth playing. There are real issues with it but playing a human online is still better practice than a AI offline. Remember learn the normals, strings and simple BNB combos first.. and online is fine for that.
​
6) There are some good uTubes.
While most youtubes are useless are are more about the uTuber showing off, what is usually completely impractical and unusable combos. There are 3 that I would recommend.

Superman Sajam
This guys has done a great beginner series. Though I am not sure he has redone them for the patches, but still. They are extremely good. He has done one which goes into various systems of the game. "What is a Run Cancel and how to do it" or "How to disrupt armored wake ups". The vids in the "MKX System Series" are basically tech videos but of the very basic game mechanics. The other series "MKX Character Breakdowns" just show case each character and tell you all about them and how they function. These are great for new players to sorta get an idea of who they might want to play. Personally I puck who ever I think looks the coolest and has thew most meaty ouch looking moves.. but the breakdowns are still really good!
ahmz1404
There is a uTuber called "ahmz1404" who dose combos videos, but they are MUCH better than most you find on youtube. You will not see massive combos that do huge damage here. Instead you will get a bunch of easy BnB's for beginners. Practical stuff that you can actually use and learn and get better at. He even ramps the combos, as each combo in the vid is a kind of extension of a easier one before it. One of the great mistakes if someone gose to uTube and tries to learn some crazy 48% 1 meter combo that is a zillion imputs. Start slower. I mean if you picked up a guitar to learn it you wouldn't just bust out a complex song on day one would you.. you learn easy cords first. These imo are some of the best combo vids on youtube for beginners.
​
PNDKetchup
I thought this guy was just a commentator. Like I knew he was good at MK9.. but it wasn't until Evo that I realised how legit he and his brother were.. anyway.. he has a series called "From Casual to Competitive". Unfortunately he is to lazy to put them in a neat playlist! So you need to go to his chan and dig them out of the video list... try searching for "Competitive"
​
Well that is my advise for starting players.. have fun!


​
Click to expand...
Thank you for the amazing post.. a lot of information to suck in here. I have heard on streams and such that the gamepad is fine for MKX but I suppose a stick would be better if I do fall in love and will be looking to pick up another fighter. Framedata is complicated.. but I do understand what a safe combo and an unsafe combo is and that has actually helped me a lot, because I feel like I can just rule out any unsafe combos in my combo list and approaching a new character feels a lot more doable without learning unnecessary strings that I shouldnt be doing. I dont have any RLs who will be bothered to actually learn MKX which is a shame, so I am hoping to run into some nice people online. I will check out the youtube videos for sure, thank you again!

Also could you explain.. cancel frames? A hard knockdown is when the opponent is just on the ground and not in a juggle state, correct?
 
NoobHunter420

NoobHunter420

Scrub God Lord
As someone who got into fighters with injustice I can relate.
playing with people right above your skill level helped me a lot.
there were times that I lost 1-20 and I didn't care because I was always learning something new.
add me on psn: Mr_BAMFito
 
iSuckAtFightingGames

iSuckAtFightingGames

Kombatant
trivsel said:
Also could you explain.. cancel frames? A hard knockdown is when the opponent is just on the ground and not in a juggle state, correct?
Click to expand...
Ok... well for starters watch this video from the ones I linked...


Basically it works like this....

A "hard" knockdown is just a string or even a combo that ends in the opponent getting knocked to the ground. That is all it means. Usually these "knockdowns" in MKx are a little more plus on block and also add more damage than the strings that popup or vortex. A popup us a move that bounces them into the air for a chance to combo, and a vortex is a move that sorta holds them in place allowing you to get close and 50/50 on them. Quan's Trance is a classic vortex, but there are many other types. 50/50 is when your oponant is in a position where he has to guess if you are going to hit high / overhead or low. Basically there is a number of characters that have a lot of good strings they can choose from that are either or.. so it is a strait up guessing game.

Here are some screens from MKx. From a few different strings. The important part is the frame data on the right.




Ok so the above two moves "Low Rumble" and "Hard Knockback".. lets take a look at them...

The 1st thing we notice is that "Low Rumble" has zero cancel frames. What this means is that this string is not special cancelable. You have 0 frames (0 time basically) to input the special move and get it to come out. Meanwhile "Hard Knockback" has 22 cancel frames. This means that after you enter the string you have 22 frames (just think of it as time for now) you have 22 time to enter your special move and have it come out as a addition to the string. This is the entire mechanism this game uses for combos. A good example is subzero.. you all know that he can punch you or w/e and then with out you getting a chance (unless you break) you get a iceball in the face and get frozen. This is because he did a string and canceled the string into special move (ice ball).

When you are learning it is really important to remember to check if that move is even cancelable at all. As no matter how fast you are on your inputs you simple cna NEVER cancel if this value is 0. Likewise if it has a cancel of 9, and another string has one of 25, then it is much easier to cancel the one with 25 time. So higher number is better

Ok, lets keep looking at "Hard Knockback".

There is "Start up". This means how fast the move comes out. So this has a startup of 14 frames. That means and other oponant who has a move with less startup and hits the button at the same time as you will beat you and hit you first while your still moving to hit. Lower numbers are best.. and remember all the normals have this frame data as well.

This is all you really need to start, but lets do it as I am doing it.

Actually, now I think of it... I might just link you to this thread that has a lot more detail and information in it.
http://testyourmight.com/threads/how-to-read-understand-and-calculate-frame-data-in-mkx.49708/
 
Last edited:
Iceysparkz

Iceysparkz

Noob
iSuckAtFightingGames said:
Ok... well for starters watch this video from the ones I linked...


Basically it works like this....

A "hard" knockdown is just a string or even a combo that ends in the opponent getting knocked to the ground. That is all it means. Usually these "knockdowns" in MKx are a little more plus on block and also add more damage than the strings that popup or vortex. A popup us a move that bounces them into the air for a chance to combo, and a vortex is a move that sorta holds them in place allowing you to get close and 50/50 on them. Quan's Trance is a classic vortex, but there are many other types. 50/50 is when your oponant is in a position where he has to guess if you are going to hit high / overhead or low. Basically there is a number of characters that have a lot of good strings they can choose from that are either or.. so it is a strait up guessing game.

Here are some screens from MKx. From a few different strings. The important part is the frame data on the right.




Ok so the above two moves "Low Rumble" and "Hard Knockback".. lets take a look at them...

The 1st thing we notice is that "Low Rumble" has zero cancel frames. What this means is that this string is not special cancelable. You have 0 frames (0 time basically) to input the special move and get it to come out. Meanwhile "Hard Knockback" has 22 cancel frames. This means that after you enter the string you have 22 frames (just think of it as time for now) you have 22 time to enter your special move and have it come out as a addition to the string. This is the entire mechanism this game uses for combos. A good example is subzero.. you all know that he can punch you or w/e and then with out you getting a chance (unless you break) you get a iceball in the face and get frozen. This is because he did a string and canceled the string into special move (ice ball).

When you are learning it is really important to remember to check if that move is even cancelable at all. As no matter how fast you are on your inputs you simple cna NEVER cancel if this value is 0. Likewise if it has a cancel of 9, and another string has one of 25, then it is much easier to cancel the one with 25 time. So higher number is better

Ok, lets keep looking at "Hard Knockback".

There is "Start up". This means how fast the move comes out. So this has a startup of 14 frames. That means and other oponant who has a move with less startup and hits the button at the same time as you will beat you and hit you first while your still moving to hit. Lower numbers are best.. and remember all the normals have this frame data as well.

This is all you really need to start, but lets do it as I am doing it.

Actually, now I think of it... I might just link you to this thread that has a lot more detail and information in it.
http://testyourmight.com/threads/how-to-read-understand-and-calculate-frame-data-in-mkx.49708/
Click to expand...

Oh wow thank you for this!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.