I like taking the Alex Valle approach:
He doesn't go online searching for combos, or looking at how other people play the character initially. Instead, he tries to learn the character in his own way, and try to perfect, so he has his own style. Then later on he may look at some combos or setups and intergrate it into his game. I feel when I do that I remember the characters tools a lot better.
As to what I try to learn first when I play a fighting game I feel these steps are
almost universal (for me at least):
1)
Movement/Spacing (whiff punishing is universal in practically every fighting game. You get people to whiff with good movement which leads to damage.)
2)
Punishes (which move for the respective character is their best move to punish with. Some games also have universal punishes like tekken "twin pistons")
3)
Combos (this is to get high or max damage for punishes. I usually try to create my own/ then later on see what everyone else is doing)
4)
Poking game (need to see how the games poking game works out. For example tekken has standing 1's and fast mids for the best pokes, for mk it was quick and long range low pokes and down jabs)
4)
Setups and Gimmicks (pretty much the last part I look at)
When it comes to learning a
new character I usually take these steps:
1)
Movement (dash speed, walk speed, jump speed/arc)
2)
Moves:
- Fastest move
- Longest Range move
- Moves plus on block
- Punishable moves (move that can be punish if your opponent blocks them)
- Highest damaging move
- Launcher
- Best jump in attack
3)
Combos/Corner Combos
4)
Setups/Gimmicks
5)
Other (just frame moves/etc)
Yep, that's how I break it down. Still free though, but I learn best this way. (also I'm a visual learner)
frame data helped me out quite a bit as well
