Uber Noob, with a few queries...

[Konnor]

Hi All,

New MKX player here. The last time I played MK was MK3 on the super Nintendo so I have some catching up to do! Initial impressions of the game are that it looks stunning and is very deep, which I’m a little daunted by.

Anyway, I was hoping someone might be able to answer my noobish questions to put me on the right path.

• When you see for example ‘DB1’ (down, back, square on my PS4) in the moves list in-game, do you press 1 after you have pressed back or at the same time? I’ve noticed some notations say DB+1 and some say DB1. Both might result in the move being executed but which is technically correct and more reliable?

• Similar to the above, when you see down, back or down, forward, or forward, down, should you ‘roll’ your left thumb in a quarter circle or register individual inputs for each command? (Can you tell I’ve not played a fighter for a while?!)

• I’m sure the only answer to this will be practice, but is there anyway to improve the feeling and memory for moves that require a directional command after you have pressed a punch or kick button? For example, Jax’s downward dash punch feels so unnatural to execute regardless of how many times I practice it.

• I’m struggling with combo memory beyond about 4 inputs. While I’m learning I have the moves written down in front of me, however after I start the combo my brain focuses on the action on screen and I forget where my fingers are and where I’m at in the combo. This often leads to button bashing and dropping the combo. Combo’s that give you some thinking time, e.g. with a grab definitely help at the moment, but I’m getting a little frustrated not being able to execute things like run’s in the middle of combo’s or juggles where I need to input the next command at a certain point when they are falling, even though I know what I should be doing. The only way I’ve been able to work on this is to almost ignore what’s happening on screen and focus on the button commands.

I’ve only had the game a week but I hope technique will come with practice. At the moment I’m a little frustrated that I can sit down with a notepad and attempt to work on some 20% - 30% combo’s with a single character for a few hours and not nail them down. I then start to feel the salt rise up in me!

Any other tips for best way to learn would be much appreciated!

Many thanks,

 

[Eldriken]

Hi All,

New MKX player here. The last time I played MK was MK3 on the super Nintendo so I have some catching up to do! Initial impressions of the game are that it looks stunning and is very deep, which I’m a little daunted by.

Anyway, I was hoping someone might be able to answer my noobish questions to put me on the right path.

• When you see for example ‘DB1’ (down, back, square on my PS4) in the moves list in-game, do you press 1 after you have pressed back or at the same time? I’ve noticed some notations say DB+1 and some say DB1. Both might result in the move being executed but which is technically correct and more reliable?

• Similar to the above, when you see down, back or down, forward, or forward, down, should you ‘roll’ your left thumb in a quarter circle or register individual inputs for each command? (Can you tell I’ve not played a fighter for a while?!)

• I’m sure the only answer to this will be practice, but is there anyway to improve the feeling and memory for moves that require a directional command after you have pressed a punch or kick button? For example, Jax’s downward dash punch feels so unnatural to execute regardless of how many times I practice it.

• I’m struggling with combo memory beyond about 4 inputs. While I’m learning I have the moves written down in front of me, however after I start the combo my brain focuses on the action on screen and I forget where my fingers are and where I’m at in the combo. This often leads to button bashing and dropping the combo. Combo’s that give you some thinking time, e.g. with a grab definitely help at the moment, but I’m getting a little frustrated not being able to execute things like run’s in the middle of combo’s or juggles where I need to input the next command at a certain point when they are falling, even though I know what I should be doing. The only way I’ve been able to work on this is to almost ignore what’s happening on screen and focus on the button commands.

I’ve only had the game a week but I hope technique will come with practice. At the moment I’m a little frustrated that I can sit down with a notepad and attempt to work on some 20% - 30% combo’s with a single character for a few hours and not nail them down. I then start to feel the salt rise up in me!

Any other tips for best way to learn would be much appreciated!

Many thanks,

Using "DB1" or "DB+1" is fine. Some folks just have a different way of posting inputs than others. I believe that you can press back and 1 at the same time or press 1 after back and it will work all the same. Without trying it myself right now, I can't tell you how I do it myself. lol

Do what works for you. Rolling my thumbs seems to make it easier for me, but it may not work that well for someone else.

For the third and fourth bullet points: Just keep working on it. You have to develop the muscle memory. Develop the muscle memory for the layout of your inputs if you haven't already (D-pad and button facings), look at the combos you've written down and act like you're inputting them, but not actually hitting the buttons at first. Just do it a few times so while you're memorizing the input in your head, you're also making your hands do the motions. I've come to realize that by doing this, it's kinda like making my hands and brain work in tandem with that specific input and it becomes muscle memory a lot quicker.

Once you get a combo's input down to where you KNOW it by heart and can input it easily enough, start practicing it until you can do it 10/10 times without dropping it. Once you do that, move on to another one and so forth.

 

[countrypistol]

Hi All,

New MKX player here. The last time I played MK was MK3 on the super Nintendo so I have some catching up to do! Initial impressions of the game are that it looks stunning and is very deep, which I’m a little daunted by.

Anyway, I was hoping someone might be able to answer my noobish questions to put me on the right path.

• When you see for example ‘DB1’ (down, back, square on my PS4) in the moves list in-game, do you press 1 after you have pressed back or at the same time? I’ve noticed some notations say DB+1 and some say DB1. Both might result in the move being executed but which is technically correct and more reliable?

• Similar to the above, when you see down, back or down, forward, or forward, down, should you ‘roll’ your left thumb in a quarter circle or register individual inputs for each command? (Can you tell I’ve not played a fighter for a while?!)

• I’m sure the only answer to this will be practice, but is there anyway to improve the feeling and memory for moves that require a directional command after you have pressed a punch or kick button? For example, Jax’s downward dash punch feels so unnatural to execute regardless of how many times I practice it.

• I’m struggling with combo memory beyond about 4 inputs. While I’m learning I have the moves written down in front of me, however after I start the combo my brain focuses on the action on screen and I forget where my fingers are and where I’m at in the combo. This often leads to button bashing and dropping the combo. Combo’s that give you some thinking time, e.g. with a grab definitely help at the moment, but I’m getting a little frustrated not being able to execute things like run’s in the middle of combo’s or juggles where I need to input the next command at a certain point when they are falling, even though I know what I should be doing. The only way I’ve been able to work on this is to almost ignore what’s happening on screen and focus on the button commands.

I’ve only had the game a week but I hope technique will come with practice. At the moment I’m a little frustrated that I can sit down with a notepad and attempt to work on some 20% - 30% combo’s with a single character for a few hours and not nail them down. I then start to feel the salt rise up in me!

Any other tips for best way to learn would be much appreciated!

Many thanks,

1) You can do either within a short time frame. Personally I aim for f+1 as opposed to f then 1, but if you do it quickly enough either will work.

2) If you're on pad, aim press individual buttons instead of rolling for now. Rolling is prone to errors in the beginning as your thumb will be very uncoordinated. You might not believe this to be the case, but what you'll come to realise is that other more casual games actually have very little in the way of execution, and that you'll have to undo years of bad habits.

3) Yes, practice. The issue you will find is that depending on the amount of time you have to play, a simple combo may require days, maybe even weeks of practice, until you are can do it more than 50% of the time. Jax is also one of the most execution heavy characters in the game, and not a great character to start off with. You would probably be better off with Cyber Kano, who has very easy combos and tools (many of which are safe and easy to understand) just until you get a handle on how to play.

4) Start slow and practice. Fighting games require muscle memory and that takes time. I recently switched characters and it's taken me almost 3 months to develop enough muscle memory for all of my standard BnB's mid screen and in the corner. That's hundreds of hours of practice time, and they're by no means the most optimal combos for said character, and I've been playing the game since launch day.

What you'll come to realise is that MKX is not a casual game. It requires a huge investment of time and effort, for what seems like very little reward at times. However, as the months go by (and I mean months), things will fall into place and suddenly you'll realise that the stupid shit that kept beating you is no longer a problem, and that you've actually been making progress all along. It's a that moment that the game becomes really fun.

If you haven't already, go into controller settings, switch your r1 and l1 to r2 and l2 respectively, and turn negative edge, input short cuts and alternative controls to off. That should help in the long run.

 

[Tony at Home]

Hi All,

New MKX player here. The last time I played MK was MK3 on the super Nintendo so I have some catching up to do! Initial impressions of the game are that it looks stunning and is very deep, which I’m a little daunted by.

Anyway, I was hoping someone might be able to answer my noobish questions to put me on the right path.

• When you see for example ‘DB1’ (down, back, square on my PS4) in the moves list in-game, do you press 1 after you have pressed back or at the same time? I’ve noticed some notations say DB+1 and some say DB1. Both might result in the move being executed but which is technically correct and more reliable?

Pressing at the last button+direction at the same time is generally more reliable

• Similar to the above, when you see down, back or down, forward, or forward, down, should you ‘roll’ your left thumb in a quarter circle or register individual inputs for each command? (Can you tell I’ve not played a fighter for a while?!)

You should roll the quarter circle instead of opting to 'tap it in'

• I’m struggling with combo memory beyond about 4 inputs. While I’m learning I have the moves written down in front of me, however after I start the combo my brain focuses on the action on screen and I forget where my fingers are and where I’m at in the combo. This often leads to button bashing and dropping the combo. Combo’s that give you some thinking time, e.g. with a grab definitely help at the moment, but I’m getting a little frustrated not being able to execute things like run’s in the middle of combo’s or juggles where I need to input the next command at a certain point when they are falling, even though I know what I should be doing. The only way I’ve been able to work on this is to almost ignore what’s happening on screen and focus on the button commands.

So you will start remembering combos as arbitrary lists of button presses.

But eventually you'll start to become so familiar with how each of your individual moves and strings look, that remembering a combo is simply knowing what the combo looks like in motion, and then putting together those individual pieces to form the whole. EBasically it will go form something like:
b14 xx ms4, 12, run, 124
to
"Overhead elbow string, into my carthweel kick, that bounces them up, juggle with two punches, then run and catch them with my punch-into knee knockdown."

It partially helps that controls are mainly mapped to each individual limb (1 is front arm, 2 is back arm, 3 is front leg, 4 is back leg). You won't realize it but your brain will start to recognize combos that way.


As for mid combo runs

Buffer your inputs for your run in early. Let's say you have a combo where you juggle your opponent with a two punch combo, "12" and then need to run right after. You should not be beginning your run inputs after the animation of 12, but during the animation. Sepcifically, by the time that final '2' punch animation is done, you should have already the ->, -> inputs of the run in, so all you have to do is hit blk and the run is triggered. The input system only cares that your final input of the run comes at a time when doing a run is valid, it doesn't care if the previous inputs were doing during a move you cannot cancel run from. This is generally called buffering.

Combos that give you "time to think" are definitely good for this reason.

The best place to practice buffering your run is probably Cassies' combo. She does her flipkick and then needs to run a long way to juggle the opponent. Practice doing most of your run inputs while she is still in her flipkick animation, and hitting blk just as run is available. The run is nice and long and gives you time to think and remember what you need to do next as well.

• I’m sure the only answer to this will be practice, but is there anyway to improve the feeling and memory for moves that require a directional command after you have pressed a punch or kick button? For example, Jax’s downward dash punch feels so unnatural to execute regardless of how many times I practice it.

With the downard dash, since an input bug fix, you can now start holding 'down' a bit earlier, rather than as Jax is literally in the middle of his dash punch. Not sure if this will help against it feeling awkward for you though.

I’ve only had the game a week but I hope technique will come with practice. At the moment I’m a little frustrated that I can sit down with a notepad and attempt to work on some 20% - 30% combo’s with a single character for a few hours and not nail them down. I then start to feel the salt rise up in me!

Any other tips for best way to learn would be much appreciated!

Many thanks,

Something to keep in mind, combos give you two rewards.
1. Damage
2. A knockdown, or reset

High damage is good, but a consistent combo is better. Definitely keep practicing getting optimal damage, but remember you will find yourself defeated less often -and less frustrated- if you do easier combos that you know you can finish, and thus give you that knockdown that allows you to rush up and have another swing at them. The last thing you want to do is combos you drop all the time, and your opponent tech rolls and rushes you while your character is swinging at air.

 

[Syzoth]

I'd recommend not rolling your finger but instead tapping it in. I do and I dont have that "that's not what I wanted" moment my friends have when they roll their finger and accidentally jump or something.

 

[Konnor]

Thanks for all the responses. Good advice.

I have made some headway on some of the trickier combos but still have a huge amount to learn. Think I'm going to stick with Jax for the time being due to the time investment I have already made. Getting absolutely whooped online though, just rushed down and/or opponent has better zoning. Will need to do some research into how best handle that.