Community Why a Player Should Look Back At Their Matches

iHajinShinobi

Well-Known Member
Standard Donor
This has been an interesting year of DOA for me. Gained a lot of player recognition that I wasn't really expecting to, but it's a good thing. When I look back and really review every bit of footage of my play in DOA5U, I've really come a long way as not just an Ayane player, but a player in general. I used to be really sloppy in the beginning, and wasn't really aware of much as I thought either. Spacing was sloppy, I wouldn't whiff punish, I wouldn't capitalize much as I could, I was a pretty sloppy player, and my mindset was quite lousy.

I realized these things back in 2013, so my biggest concern was to learn and establish my fighting game fundamentals. I searched and found tons of articles and blogs by various street fighter players that are known nationally, and worldwide. I would read, study, and watch a ton of street fighter play; SFII series, Alpha II, SFIII series, and SF4 series.

All just to get the idea of what fundamentals really are. To know what conditioning, footsies, a neutral game, punishment, spacing, whiff punishment, to know what all of these things and other aspects really are. I would practice everything and try everything and just learn it all through tons of trial and error. I've done this all throughout the entire first half of this year and have gotten really proficient in it.

Playing people like Requiem and Prince Adon (and Emann the few times we have played) has taught me how to play against others using my mind more as a weapon. Some of the things they've done in sets in the past left me speechless until we had a discussion that made me understand their concepts and why they do it. They'll do things you don't necessarily see other players doing, and it's smart. Critical thinking ability is such a good trait.

Playing others like Requiem, Prince Adon, Ael, Tenryuga, Bushido, Emann, Master, Sweet Revenge, Hoodless, Shin Ryujin (the couple of times I have online), Shade Swifteye, CrazySteady and Mr.Wah (finally, was good playing that Bass) throughout the year has allowed me to refine my strengths and realize what my weaknesses are. Totally not the best player out there, but I'm sure as hell strong these days because of my experienced gained. And my Ayane is unlike any other.

My defense and fundamentals have kept me on par with a lot of other great players I've had the pleasure of playing in casuals and in tournament sets and I've given them a lot of trouble with that alone. I am not an easy player to read. I've been able to establish my fighting game fundamentals and refine them throughout the year, I'm proud of that. As most are already aware, I do not play at the usual pacing you see often in DOA. I have a lot of patience and other means of forcing you to commit and make mistakes once I have a clear read on you.

But there are two things I see that I need to improve on now; maintaining a much stronger offense and strengthening my reactions to certain situations. Doing so, I'll be whiff punishing even more than I already do and no one likes being smacked by a 4K or Drill kick for making mistakes. Maintaining a stronger offense will make "me" even more formidable than I already am (there is tons of Ayane tech I've shared lately, and even more I haven't even brought to light yet and it's going to fry people's brains once I start implementing it all).

I've been studying this game A LOT throughout the year, there is so much more I am aware of these days that I wasn't before. So many theories and concepts I've discussed with players like Requiem (seriously this guy is smart) Studying more than just basic frame data for the character roster. Strike and throw speeds, strike and throw recovery, studying hitboxes and hurtboxes more, frame data on each individual strike. Hit and block detection, strike behavior in stun threshold, etc.

I have such a thorough understanding of this game's ground game system these days, it's so easy to find set ups for a character. And I have too many with Ayane now. This game's ground game really is good, should have been figured out by everyone a long time ago (people saying it's nerfed in 5U is such a silly thing to say. It's exactly the same as it was in Vanilla, minus the braindead untechables that left that game so unexplored. And no, Helena was not the only character in that game with that kind of silliness).

This is such a great game and it really is balanced. There are no OP or broken BS in 5U, it's just people not knowing their match ups or not bothering to really flesh them out. People need to realize that asking yourself the question "Why is this character or specific situation beating me so much?" is a good question to ask, and that seeking out the answers will really make the difference. You really need to practice, train, play and learn a lot from your own matches in order to improve your play and yourself as a player.

I've done a ton of studying and lab work throughout the year. I have an even bigger understanding of my character choice these days, each strike individually, each string. I know exactly how much frame advantage I'm left at after after each single strike, each knockdown, after a force tech, in stun threshold, certain counter hits (well I have everything documented anyway. Most of the numbers are in my head but not all of it, yet).

I finally understand what Ayane really is now. It's just on me increasing my play more so I can put this character out there at an even higher level than I have.

So, I may not have won a tournament major "yet" this year, but I definitely will. Won 16+ tournament locals. Made top 2 and top 8 at every major I've attended and a top 16 at our supposed DOA EVO (I messed up really badly at D.I.D. but that's my own fault and no one else's, personal).

I learned A LOT this year as a player and I'm just going to keep moving forward and improve each day as I have been. I am growing player, but a strong one too. There isn't a single player I am afraid of in DOA and I am coming after everyone next year at the chances I get, offline. Both my mindset and mentality are much better, more positive, and more clear than they were before months ago.

In the meantime though, I will be training. The Hajinmon Representative will be ready.
 
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Omega Ayane

Aуαηє♡
Premium Donor
I'm so proud of you and in the short time I've known you, I've seen huge changes in your game play. Not to mention when ya beat my ass I get better every time. You really are the official DOA Nerd :p
:ayane::cool:
 

Malfury

Active Member
More Fighting Games 101, good stuff. I'm honestly surprised people who plan to play a game more seriously doesn't do this. Experience and leveling up your game (especially with others) makes a tremendous difference. Back in the days when I was playing people on ST on SNES and arcades, there was no "Practice Mode." You fought whoever came beside you and that's when you really learned and leveled up your game. And gaming communities and forums are a huge blessing too cause you can take all those grains of salt you get from each other and put it in your reserves and put it to good use.
 

Intelligent Alpha

Well-Known Member
Yeah, looking back, one can see huge differences between then and now! I couldn't believe the player I once was back then either and I'm still learning stuff.
 

ColonelColver

Well-Known Member
A bit of a story, but it explains why I completely agree. Back when I first starting 5U, I didn't know anything about the game, so I punished what looked unsafe. Not only that, I used to only throw punish with 4T, and with Eliot, that's an i10 throw. Now, I know that you need to punish with 6T, and I know what moves are safe, what are frame traps, and what I will need to rely on strike retaliation for, thanks to studying frame data. And I used to ALWAYS low counter out of anything and everything, but I learned how to slow escape, and proper defense. I also learned character specific tricks such as how to use my own character better, what you can do in certain situations. Of course, I still have a lot of improving to do, but from a year ago today, I've already come a long way. Thank you, friends, for helping me step my game up, and I won't let you guys down. I hope to continue improving with you all! :D
 

Force_of_Nature

Well-Known Member
Standard Donor
A bit of a story, but it explains why I completely agree. Back when I first starting 5U, I didn't know anything about the game, so I punished what looked unsafe. Not only that, I used to only throw punish with 4T, and with Eliot, that's an i10 throw. Now, I know that you need to punish with 6T, and I know what moves are safe, what are frame traps, and what I will need to rely on strike retaliation for, thanks to studying frame data. And I used to ALWAYS low counter out of anything and everything, but I learned how to slow escape, and proper defense. I also learned character specific tricks such as how to use my own character better, what you can do in certain situations. Of course, I still have a lot of improving to do, but from a year ago today, I've already come a long way. Thank you, friends, for helping me step my game up, and I won't let you guys down. I hope to continue improving with you all! :D
I hope that I have the opportunity to play you offline sometime. I have a decent amount of experience against Eliot, but I'm interested to see how I'd do against an Eliot expert.
 

ColonelColver

Well-Known Member
I hope that I have the opportunity to play you offline sometime. I have a decent amount of experience against Eliot, but I'm interested to see how I'd do against an Eliot expert.
Sure, if we ever do get the chance to play offline, I'd be more than happy to show you what I've got. I'm hardly an expert, but that won't stop me from doing the best I can!
 

Force_of_Nature

Well-Known Member
Standard Donor
Sure, if we ever do get the chance to play offline, I'd be more than happy to show you what I've got. I'm hardly an expert, but that won't stop me from doing the best I can!
Haha that's awesome dude. In the words of Eliot, "I'll defeat anyone!" :eliot:. Guess you can thank Xcal for the increased interest in the character lol.
 

Awesmic

Well-Known Member
Standard Donor
From the few times I tried, it's very difficult to look back on my matches without experiencing the negative. That's why I prefer keeping them out of sight and out of mind, because for me, with criticism always comes insults.

Unless I really trust someone, I seldom save my replays to share for the sake of improvement. And I don't trust a lot of people. The article was nonetheless riveting.
 
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