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Where to get started in mkx?

Hello, I have just bought the game on pc, and I know way more than your average beginner does about the game. Though, because I know so much about the game I'm lost as to where to put in the correct use of my time. This is what I have so far: (without lab time put in)

1) My main/secondary character
2) Research into a few combos (I.e. low starter, overheard starter, punish combo, and air trade)
3) pro level study material to learn from

That is all I have gotten so far. I also know that I need to research footsies, setups, spacing, conversions, ect. But besides those how should I start. Like, should I just get some muscle memory, and go straight into matching. So I can just grind out game knowledge, or what else could I do? In fighting games I have a hard time because I know too much about the game I get into so I end up sand bagging and never learn real world shit. I just don't wanna make that mistake again for this game.
 

DDutchguy

Stand 4'ing airplanes out of the sky
Play good players, extremely important. If you mostly play in ranked like me you'll learn bad habits that are hard to get rid of.
 

Dankster Morgan

It is better this way
This is the first FG I put any real time into also. I'm not amazing but I'm definitely above average. The biggest thing that helped me was playing with the same character until you fully understand the ins and outs of them and every other aspect of the game will kind of fall in line. Iv tried everyone and only like one character. I'd recommend trying everyone because it's hard to tell who will fit your wants in a character just from a glance.
 

Cashual

PSN: Cansuela
I don't understand this post at all. So, you've watched high level play, and read about the game, so now you know too much about the inner workings of the game to actually play it? What do you mean about with fighting games you know too much and end up sandbagging instead of real world shit?

You start in the same place everyone should start....just play dude. Practice mode and get your execution going. Set the dummy to jump forward and work aa's and conversions. Set the dummy to randomly block attacks or strings and armor reversal and work on hit confirming instead of what so many do - just committing to unsafe specials or cancels on block.

Watch high level play of your character and get a feel for the general game plan for the character. Play the AI and work on specific things like maybe say I'm going to tech every throw attempt. Or say, I'm going to optimally punish this telephone every time or whatever.

Go into player matches online and play a bunch of people. Get frustrated by mixups and not knowing how to block something or punish something and hit the lab and figure it out.

I typed all this shit and could've just said "actually play the game". All the theory fighting you've done prior to actually playing is totally meaningless. I sort of get the feeling that you're somehow acting that because you "know" the game you're above a typical beginner, but that's silly. And, judging by your OP, you're already way over thinking it. Just play and have fun, it will come together.
 

Numbskull727

happiness is a warm gun
Try playing some player matches and after a good set you should capture a video and watch it. You've seen pros play the characters you like, but how are you playing them? This might help you notice you are being to predictable or maybe you can pick out what you can approve on, after that hit the lab and grind it out. Play good players and never be afraid to lose!
 

Tanno

The Fantasy is the Reality of the Mind
Practice as much as you want with your main character mostly, then go to the ranked matches to get used to these main characters you play. Consider the scrubs in the ranked matches being your living boxing sacks. Once you are sure that you have gotten used to these main characters, go find any better than you player and play some sets with him. Playing with the better than you players helps you to get used to the opponent characters' MUs.

Note that you'll have to see which move is a risky or safe one. Practice a lot with the safe moves, and include the risky ones only in the kombos that you deem easy.

Good luck.
 

Mortalevil

"You cannot win." - Sub-Zero
Start with someone with simple, easy to learn combos but has something difficult about them such as special cancels or running in a combo to help you learn different techniques rather than the specific character. I recommend Sub Zero. His combos are easy, his run speed is fast and he's a great character that can be used well online when it's lagging.

Go into Player Match and grind it out with someone at the same level as you or slightly worse. It's good to find someone equal because you can learn where you make mistakes (with sub-zero your first mistake guaranteed will be waking up with Slide or Icy Slide and getting a full punish) but also where you're good.
 

colby4898

Special Forces Sonya Up-player
The most imporant thing is playing the characters you find the most fun. There's no point being a 'loyalist' if you're not enjoying that character. There's only 2 characters I play that no matter how much I use them they don't get boring (SF Sonya, Sorcerer Quan Chi). If you're not enjoying the game then there's no point playing it
 

Vslayer

Juiced Moose On The Loose
Lead Moderator
Just like everyone said, try characters until you find one you feel comfortable with. Get to know them inside out, know all their basic combos then go in the lab to test out some long combos and find yourself a few. Figure out your character's game plan. I also battle the AI in practice mode. Start on medium and work your way up. I fight them on very hard against MU's I suck at (like Kano), to figure out what to punish with.

Also if you want to play online, do it for fun, not to win, because you'll get sloppy.
 
Start with someone with simple, easy to learn combos but has something difficult about them such as special cancels or running in a combo to help you learn different techniques rather than the specific character. I recommend Sub Zero. His combos are easy, his run speed is fast and he's a great character that can be used well online when it's lagging.

Go into Player Match and grind it out with someone at the same level as you or slightly worse. It's good to find someone equal because you can learn where you make mistakes (with sub-zero your first mistake guaranteed will be waking up with Slide or Icy Slide and getting a full punish) but also where you're good.
Well put, this is exactly what I have done
 
Just like everyone said, try characters until you find one you feel comfortable with. Get to know them inside out, know all their basic combos then go in the lab to test out some long combos and find yourself a few. Figure out your character's game plan. I also battle the AI in practice mode. Start on medium and work your way up. I fight them on very hard against MU's I suck at (like Kano), to figure out what to punish with.

Also if you want to play online, do it for fun, not to win, because you'll get sloppy.
Nicely written, outstanding advise, I did exactly what you described and what mortalevil said, and now iam really having fun and have really learned the application of frame data
 
The CPU is extremely different from online players, I don't find it to be a reliable practice partner.
Please advise me, should I be playing a well rounded fighting style, which means I should learn to play CPU both practice and single fight, as well as online ranked, as well as offline with a friend sitting next to me and online matches with players I have met. Any advise would be much appreciated, if playing all of those modes is good for making me a proper player I will do it.
 

DDutchguy

Stand 4'ing airplanes out of the sky
Please advise me, should I be playing a well rounded fighting style, which means I should learn to play CPU both practice and single fight, as well as online ranked, as well as offline with a friend sitting next to me and online matches with players I have met. Any advise would be much appreciated, if playing all of those modes is good for making me a proper player I will do it.
Look at it this way:

- Fight the CPU if you want to get better at fighting the CPU.
- Fight other players if you want to get better at fighting human players.

The CPU requires very different strategies when compared to human players, most notably because at higher difficulties, the CPU reads your inputs and does actions accordingly. In a player vs player match, you both have to make decisions in the game without knowing what the other will do, which differentiates it from a CPU fight.

If you want to get better at player vs player, look at the forums here on TYM and learn things like combos, general game plan and see what sort of tech you can find. You can do these things in practice mode (or 'the lab' as it is often called). Remember not to only focus on a few combos, but learn to convert any touch into as much damage as you can. Knowing only one specific combo that you will rarely hit in an actual match does very little for you.

If you have further questions, send me a message and I'll help you out. If you're on Xbox One or PC you can also add me if you want. Tag is DDutchguy.
 

Vslayer

Juiced Moose On The Loose
Lead Moderator
I find that fighting the AI helps my reaction time to punish and convert into a combo. That and to figure out a certain MU's different strings. But yeah, other than that, there is no point in fighting AI's too much.
 

Shaikhuzzaman

magicmeerkatman
Hello, I have just bought the game on pc, and I know way more than your average beginner does about the game. Though, because I know so much about the game I'm lost as to where to put in the correct use of my time. This is what I have so far: (without lab time put in)

1) My main/secondary character
2) Research into a few combos (I.e. low starter, overheard starter, punish combo, and air trade)
3) pro level study material to learn from

That is all I have gotten so far. I also know that I need to research footsies, setups, spacing, conversions, ect. But besides those how should I start. Like, should I just get some muscle memory, and go straight into matching. So I can just grind out game knowledge, or what else could I do? In fighting games I have a hard time because I know too much about the game I get into so I end up sand bagging and never learn real world shit. I just don't wanna make that mistake again for this game.
Hit random select, spend a few hours in practice, find good players you cannot beat, keep playing them. After your comfortable using your character start labbing other characters along with your character so you know what they can do and what you can do about it
 
Learn your character's MU.
Ver, very true, if you are not well versed with other characters frame data for safe vs unsafe moves, you can Have all the nice punish kombos you want, but if you don't know the match up you will get nailed, this is my first game ever, and I have been playing since it came out in April 2015 and iam now just starting to get a nice grasp, started small and now building up my foundation and I figure you nice folks on this forum are outstanding players and really understand that this game will take years to become proficient