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Learning A New Fighter; Interviews With Veterans

Rickyraws

Rickyraws

This mean you don't like me?
With guys like these, how can you not love this community?

@Pig Of The Hut @FOREVER KING @Slips @MITDJT @SonicFox5000 I hope to play you all and watch you all play come MKX. Love you guys. Fuck Scorpion. Lin Kuei 4lyfe.(™) I would literally let my son die before I would play that discount Skeletor in any video game or any entertainment medium for that matter. He's been in Injustice for years now and I still don't know his buttons. That's by choice. Never even bought him. Boy that was some record snow we got over in the Northeast huh? Sub Zero temperatures. What's that? No mention of Scorpion temperatures?
FUNNY THAT!





Poster child ass Kenshi son kidnapping ass MK9 menu screen winning ass Aerodactyl coming out of his palms in the original movie ass motherfucker...
 
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TopTierHarley

TopTierHarley

Kytinn King
Kokoko said:
This is a great thread. Very interesting. Thanks, guys!
Glad to see, that some high level players choose Ermac ;)
But I've a question. Did any of these veterans involve to testing MKX? I really hope.
Click to expand...
Well MIT and Fox are too young to test, the others I'm not sure.
 
NickDaGreek1983

NickDaGreek1983

Oh, my days !
Notice that Pro players are Pro players... They have no to minimum story mode interest.
Also, ForeverKing & PigOfTheHut give the shortest and most direct answers.
 
STB Sgt Reed

STB Sgt Reed

Online Warrior
If I had to pick a mentor... I want @Slips or @Pig Of The Hut

I'm going to actually use Slips little checklist when learning a character. lmao

I am most like Forever King with how he goes about training and since I don't have that natural talent... I'm gonna have to train hard.
 
STB Sgt Reed

STB Sgt Reed

Online Warrior
My scrub answers to the questions!

love this thread btw @Juggs


1. When approaching a new fighting game, what is the very first thing you do after you load the game? (Story mode, training mode, etc)

Tutorial just so I know kind of how the game will play. Then straight to story mode! Being a rpg fan, I loooooove a good story and nothing is as good as MK. lol

2. What aspects of the game do you try to learn first, and which ones do you feel are the most important early on? (General Fundamentals, execution, match-ups, etc)

What I try to learn first the basic moves of my character. If they have inputs that I don't like (u3, bf, dbf, etc), I will work on that until I can do it, if I can't... I'll choose another character that I was thinking of using and try out their basic moves.

3. What is your training process? (Ex. I find my characters best anti-airs, find their best pokes, etc)

Well, MK9 was my first fighting game, sooo... I didn't really have a training process. Going in to MKX, after seeing what things were important to good players in MK9, I am going to look for the best pokes and see which are the fastest and can be spaced the best. That seems like one of the most important aspects to me.

4. How many characters do you seriously try and learn within the first month of the games release?

Just 1. Maybe 2 if I really like a couple of characters. I will play with a ton though b/c I have a @MITDJT type thing going on where I like to play everyone. lmao

5. How do you go about determining which character(s) you want to main?

Backstory, Looks, and gameplay. If I don't like the way a character looks... I can't main them. lol

6. When first attempting to learn a new character, what process do you go through?

In MK9, I would bring up videos by tom brady or other top players and see how they use them in certain situations and like Slips said, would just copy their style. By the end of MK9, my Sub Zero was a combination of about four or five different sub zero players that I had stolen tactics from. lmao

7. Daily, about how much time do you spend in the lab compared to actually playing against a human opponent? And how much time do you spend playing the game overall a day?

3 hours or so... work takes up too much time. :(

8. If there was one thing you think people need to work on in the NRS community in regards to the game, what would that one thing be?

Not complaining as much as we should be trying to learn how to overcome what we're complaining about.

9. Which aspect of MKX are you most interested in? (Variations, run, the story, etc)

Honestly, the story mode... I wanna see what happens, dammit! And the variations scare me. The potential of having to deal with like 90 matchups in one game. I don't even...

10. Lastly, which character(s) are you looking to main

Cassie Cage (Hollywood, Spec Ops), Sub Zero (Unbreakble, Grandmaster), Raiden (Displacer), Johnny Cage (Stunt Double)
 
Juggs

Juggs

Lose without excuses
Lead Moderator
[Q
STB Sgt Reed said:
My scrub answers to the questions!

love this thread btw @Juggs


1. When approaching a new fighting game, what is the very first thing you do after you load the game? (Story mode, training mode, etc)

Tutorial just so I know kind of how the game will play. Then straight to story mode! Being a rpg fan, I loooooove a good story and nothing is as good as MK. lol

2. What aspects of the game do you try to learn first, and which ones do you feel are the most important early on? (General Fundamentals, execution, match-ups, etc)

What I try to learn first the basic moves of my character. If they have inputs that I don't like (u3, bf, dbf, etc), I will work on that until I can do it, if I can't... I'll choose another character that I was thinking of using and try out their basic moves.

3. What is your training process? (Ex. I find my characters best anti-airs, find their best pokes, etc)

Well, MK9 was my first fighting game, sooo... I didn't really have a training process. Going in to MKX, after seeing what things were important to good players in MK9, I am going to look for the best pokes and see which are the fastest and can be spaced the best. That seems like one of the most important aspects to me.

4. How many characters do you seriously try and learn within the first month of the games release?

Just 1. Maybe 2 if I really like a couple of characters. I will play with a ton though b/c I have a @MITDJT type thing going on where I like to play everyone. lmao

5. How do you go about determining which character(s) you want to main?

Backstory, Looks, and gameplay. If I don't like the way a character looks... I can't main them. lol

6. When first attempting to learn a new character, what process do you go through?

In MK9, I would bring up videos by tom brady or other top players and see how they use them in certain situations and like Slips said, would just copy their style. By the end of MK9, my Sub Zero was a combination of about four or five different sub zero players that I had stolen tactics from. lmao

7. Daily, about how much time do you spend in the lab compared to actually playing against a human opponent? And how much time do you spend playing the game overall a day?

3 hours or so... work takes up too much time. :(

8. If there was one thing you think people need to work on in the NRS community in regards to the game, what would that one thing be?

Not complaining as much as we should be trying to learn how to overcome what we're complaining about.

9. Which aspect of MKX are you most interested in? (Variations, run, the story, etc)

Honestly, the story mode... I wanna see what happens, dammit! And the variations scare me. The potential of having to deal with like 90 matchups in one game. I don't even...

10. Lastly, which character(s) are you looking to main

Cassie Cage (Hollywood, Spec Ops), Sub Zero (Unbreakble, Grandmaster), Raiden (Displacer), Johnny Cage (Stunt Double)
Click to expand...
Don't call yourself a scrub! A scrub doesn't realize they're a scrub, kinda like a crazy person. Thanks for the response mayne!
 
Zoidberg747

Zoidberg747

My blades will find your heart
1. When approaching a new fighting game, what is the very first thing you do after you load the game? (Story mode, training mode, etc)

Tutorial is always first. Usually story but this time around there are tournaments in my area a few days fater the game comes out, so I will be scrambling to find a main and be somewhat decent with them(i.e. hitting the lab).

2. What aspects of the game do you try to learn first, and which ones do you feel are the most important early on? (General Fundamentals, execution, match-ups, etc)

You always have to know the fundamentals of the game. Basic stuff like movement and how the combo system works, etc. More specifically, I look for how footsies work and how I can exploit that.

3. What is your training process? (Ex. I find my characters best anti-airs, find their best pokes, etc)

I usually post a lot of general threads on TYM, either in the game section or character section. It kind of motivates me to find things like the fundamental aspects of the game, properties of interactables, the properties of certain moves, how to punish certain moves etc.

4. How many characters do you seriously try and learn within the first month of the games release?

One. I sometime struggle to find it, but once I find a main I stick with them for a minimum of three months. If for some reason I decide that character isn't working for me, I move on.

5. How do you go about determining which character(s) you want to main?

Footsies. I look for characters that can control space, force whiffs, etc. Obviously a lot goes into that but characters with fast backdashes and/or fast walkspeeds are usually who I look at first, then if they can control space they are probably a good fit for me. I also look for characters within my execution level, because I don't have a lot of playing time and want to find a character whose BnB I can land consistently fairly quickly.

6. When first attempting to learn a new character, what process do you go through?

First thing I do is learn combos. My execution has never been the best so I want to make sure that I can make punishes count. I don't have a lot of time to play so I do not want to spend countless hours mastering my BnBs, i'd rather work on general strategies and fundamentals. Then I focus on my character's footsies and how I can get my opponents where I want them. After that I branch out to pokes, pressure, and the like.

7. Daily, about how much time do you spend in the lab compared to actually playing against a human opponent? And how much time do you spend playing the game overall a day?

At the beginning of the game most of the time I spend is in training mode. Now if I am at home at all that is usually what I will be in, since online has become less fun for me recently. As far as playing time goes, with my schedule it is always up in the air whether I can play at all. Ideally I would like to play 3-4 hours a day, but usually it is 1-2 if I am lucky.

8. If there was one thing you think people need to work on in the NRS community in regards to the game, what would that one thing be?

Open mindedness. People on this site tend to be subject to group polarization and hive mind, that is going with majority opinion and only trusting top players for information. People are also too quick to write characters/tech off as broken, useless, OP or trash tier. You have to exhaust all options before making those claims, something which practically no one does anymore.

9. Which aspect of MKX are you most interested in? (Variations, run, the story, etc)

Variations. Especially how the tournament rules will be handled. If done right the balance could be very good.

10. Lastly, which character(s) are you looking to main?

If Baraka isn't in I have no idea. Probably will look for the things I tend to look for and go from there. It could be anyone at this point, even characters I sort of hate (looking at you Sonya).
 
Youphemism

Youphemism

Gunslinger since pre patch (sh/out to The Farmer)
Here's my answers :) warning: very detailed lol.

1. When approaching a new fighting game, what is the very first thing you do after you load the game? (Story mode, training mode, etc)

VERY first thing is usually the tutorials if there are any so I can get a good understanding of the basic mechanics of the game - combo mechanics, blocking, the basics. If there's something like combo challenges I'll do a few of them too to get a feel for the characters and decide who I want to play. Then I'll do story because I like lore and stuff but I'll do it a chapter or character at a time, however the story of that game does it. I'll see what character I'll be using, quit and go into the lab with them, make a few basic combos then do their chapter. That way I can learn a little about the character at the same time as progressing through the story so I can get it done quicker and get stuck in to improving how I play the character(s) and playing/learning matchups/online.

2. What aspects of the game do you try to learn first, and which ones do you feel are the most important early on? (General Fundamentals, execution, match-ups, etc)

The first thing I learn are basic game mechanics. How to block, how to do combos and link moves. Then I start practicing basic bnbs. I'll go into the lab with a character I like and I look through all the characters moves, look at the ranges/hitboxes, the frame data. I'll decide what I think is useful then look at what launches, what connects after these launchers and I'll make up some combos that will do the job at the most basic level and allow the character to take advantage of their design (ie ending Cage combos with nutpunch to go into frametraps, ending Batman combos in trait cancel etc) while doing decent damage at the same time.
I think matchups are the last thing you should look at. To know how to handle matchups you need to know all your moves and the frame data and so on. The most important early on might be fundamentals but if you already play fighting games at an even averagely high level then you should already have fundamentals at the very least so I only think that's important if you've never played a fighting game (or at a high level) before.
The most important thing early on that would apply to everyone would probably be knowledge of your character. If you know your character inside out, their frame data, their hitboxes, their move properties, the best way to play them using those moves, then I reckon you should be able to do relatively well even if you don't know their matchup well yet. Execution is important too, can't be dropping combos now can we?

3. What is your training process? (Ex. I find my characters best anti-airs, find their best pokes, etc)

At the beginning of a game? Honestly I look through all of a characters moves and make combos first, I'll find launchers and other moves that do good damage with little scaling and put them together. I'll get some basic combos going so I have them in my arsenal then look at the hitboxes and ranges and frame data and properties so I can better understand the character. Basic gameplan and combos first then looking more into how moves work with each other. I think it's good to have a basis for the character first rather than just going into the best you can find straight away because you could be wrong and your time is wasted and you have to change up everything. Even today in MK9 and Injustice my regime stays relatively the same, but since I already know the characters ranges/hitboxes/frame data/etc I just practice bnbs then deviate into finding tech once doing the bnbs or slightly editing the bnbs a bit at a time sparks an idea in my head.

4. How many characters do you seriously try and learn within the first month of the games release?

Usually one or two. But I'll always end up messing about with everyone to an extent.

5. How do you go about determining which character(s) you want to main?

There's a few things that determine that, in no particular order:
1. Wind manipulating characters - If Fujin makes it into MKX he's getting insta-mained and I will be loyal to him no matter what.
2. Moveset aesthetic - If they have a lot of 'spinny' moves then I'll usually end up using them (which is why I play Batgirl (cartwheel) and Wonder Woman (DB3, B3, F3). Either that or if I just like their moveset in general I'll play them.
3. Sorcerers/telekinetics - If they use magic or telekinesis I'll probably like them, but then it usually comes down to moveset aesthetic as well as playstyle. Take Ermac for example, I liked him because he's a telekinetic but I dropped him because I didn't like the way he played nor his moves enough. But I like Kenshi and still play him now, his moveset aesthetic is cool and I'm fine with playing the way he's played optimally. Plus he has some swag combos that just stop me from ever wanting to leave the character lol. If Fujin isn't in I'll play Shinnok too.
4. Character archetype - If a character matches my preferred playstyle/archetype then I'll usually look to play them.
5. Personality - This is a rare one but I like Jacquis personality and that's why I plan on playing her :)

6. When first attempting to learn a new character, what process do you go through?

I look at all their moves, the ranges of them, what launches. Then if I've seen the character used before I'll practice the bnbs I've seen, otherwise I'll use the launchers/openers and other moves to try and come up with some bnbs that I can use. Then I'll practice those combos for maybe a few hours until it's impossible for me to drop them because they're so ingrained into my brain. Once I play the character more I'll find harder, more damaging combos and figure out their most optimal playstyle or how I want to play them.

7. Daily, about how much time do you spend in the lab compared to actually playing against a human opponent? And how much time do you spend playing the game overall a day?

Lol I spend WAY too much time in the lab but with my shitty internet and living an ocean away from some of the best players you can't blame me for not wanting to play online. If I'm not at university I can spend up to 10 hours in the lab a day, but if I am at uni that day then maybe about 4 hours. I mentioned earlier what I do in the lab, and my output is usually either creating new swag combos or finding tech if it's later in the game's life. I can get stuck on one piece of tech for days or weeks on end until I've finally gotten it down or I've acceptably tested it enough where I can say it definitely won't work. As for playing human opponents I tend not to because the online is terrible and I can rarely meet with my offline training partner as it is but if I need to practice some things then I'll go online for a little while. When my traning partner and I do meet we end up playing casuals for about 7ish hours.
Time spent playing the game overall a day? Days I'm not at university about 11 hours, days I am at university about 6 hours.

8. If there was one thing you think people need to work on in the NRS community in regards to the game, what would that one thing be?

Matchup knowledge. People just don't take advantage of or know every tool available to them and it costs them sometimes. Instead they whine for nerfs that aren't necessary because they don't understand the character. They need to learn every single option and listen to the people who play the characters, the people that have explored those options and know every hole and weakness, if they tell them how to beat their character. That way we could identify each characters weaknesses and it might even help optimise playstyles in certain matchups which would make for some exciting sets.

I think that all the character mains should come together and create collaborative matchup guides. This would outline their characters best options, what they excel at and the best way to deal with those options, as well as their weaknesses and how to take advantage of them. I mean what's better than hearing it from the people that know those characters the best right?

Although I completely agree with @Zoidberg747 and @STB Sgt Reed 's answers too, absolutely true.

9. Which aspect of MKX are you most interested in? (Variations, run, the story, etc)

Uhhhh story right now I guess. I like the variation idea too and can't wait to see how it will play out. As excited as I am to play the game the actual mechanics aren't the thing I'm most excited about. I'm still skeptical about running being FFBLK but we'll see how it affects the game once we play it.

10. Lastly, which character(s) are you looking to main?

If Fujin is in he will be my only main throughout the entirety of the game's life. Otherwise Shinnok, Jacqui, specifically Commando Kano since it looks like it'll fit well with the archetype I like to play and probably Kenshi look to be the character I want to play so far.
 
Juggs

Juggs

Lose without excuses
Lead Moderator
Several of my non FGC friends read this and the responses and it got them pumped to play MKX. Friends who actually dislike fighters got hyped reading about the training processes in particular.
 
Youphemism

Youphemism

Gunslinger since pre patch (sh/out to The Farmer)
Juggs said:
Several of my non FGC friends read this and the responses and it got them pumped to play MKX. Friends who actually dislike fighters got hyped reading about the training processes in particular.
Click to expand...
Awesome! Do you think a thread for the community's responses would be worth it too? Just to show how varied people's approaches to games can be? They probably won't get much exposure in the comments of this thread, but it's just an idea :)
 
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