Game plan?

[Radiance]

I've noticed until recently alot of my matches I play on auto pilot. Not just DOA. Normally when I play, I do "what feels right or stick to the book". It's gotten me pretty far, pass the online warriors, but doesn't work when it comes to true competitive players. Players who actually study the game, and go beyond training mode. I lose to these players all the time and stuck wondering what I'm doing wrong. It wasn't until @Tenryuga pointed me to a few articles (links will be below) that i've put more thought into my gameplay matches. I've started viewing more of my replays not only in DOA, but SF so I can learn better how to condition, and bait my opponents. I also watch to see where/what my flaws, tendencies, and opponent tendencies are; occasionally I watch random replays of high level players too see if I can get an idea of whats going on in their minds.

So how do you guys prepare when going into battle, what're gameplans to quickly figuring out your opponent before they figure out you?

http://kotaku.com/how-to-get-better-at-fighting-games-using-your-brain-1630498427
http://www.toptiertactics.com/13940/street-fighter-hitting-a-wall/#axzz3OQuKaj00

 

[tokiopewpew]

First question that comes to mind:

Players who actually study the game, and go beyond training mode.

Are you doing this as well, at least to a certain extend? Imo, the first thing you should do after losing a match is to figure out is why you lost it. Was it because you were too agressive or too passive? Was it because you got hit by an attack or follow-up you did not know about? Was it because your opponent used a special move, setup or character?

For these points, you can find a solution pretty easily by just jumping into the lab as well and checking out the characters abilities and frame data. Once you know about these things, you can go and check out what kind of anti-tools the character you play offers and try to use them next time. If you think you tend to go auto-pilot pretty fast, just try to stick to basic BnB's during the match and try to keep attention more to what your opponent does instead, until the certain setup or move you prepared for comes out. Then you try to apply your anticipation. It is very helpful if you really do not mind about if you lose or win while doing this. You should do this the other way around too. If your opponent uses a special move to prevent you from doing something, you should check out what you can use as alternative to get a similar effect or what you can do to prevent him from preventing you

If you notice that you rather lose matches because the opponent did exactly the opposite of what you expected from him instead of not knowing about his character, then you should think about why he did so. Obviously, your actions were either to predictable (see the linked thread below), or not forcing enough. Like why should your opponent hold a certain move (e.g. a critical burst or a low) if you did not prove him that is is better to do so? As long as he does not need to be afraid of it, there is not need to "follow" your wish. Btw, this is the same mindest you should have too.

Other than that, I would just answer: I just start the match, thinking "Alright, let's see what I can do" while trying to give the opponent like zero respect (something I noticed I did way too much in the past).

Your question also fit this topic pretty well, imo, so you might take a look there too if you did not yet.

I hope this is kind of an answer you expected to get, at least partially.

 

[DestructionBomb]

Radiance you could probably edit the title to draw people in. This is not bad.

 

[Nightpup]

All I ever really do is just play how I normally would. If they ever figure out my patterns, I make adjustments and start playing weirdly. If they don't, then I autopilot my way to victory.

 

[crapoZK]

How it usually goes.

Unpredictable 1st round. All up in your face.
Ultra Predictable 2nd round so that they will think I will be unpredictable, but will get hit by basic shit because they are overthinking things. Mix of both spacing and rushdown.
Mix it up 3rd round. Do unpredictable when they think I'm predictable, Predictable when shouldn't be. Bait all holds. Stun resets all day. Bait counter hits with 4K at mid range. Pokes and engages most of the way. Get alot of KDs for WUK holds and counters.

This usually changes though.

(I will go in detail later)

 

[One Green Flag]

I was called a "random" player while playing ranked because I just think of a combo that would work and do it. I guess that is something like the AutoPilot mode mentioned above. I have a few tools that would mix it up but just finding ways to play to Momiji's strengths during a match. I do find myself relying too much on wake up kicks out of habit, so I spend time trying to break that habit. I have noticed that after a little feedback, and a lot of time in practice mode that I have gotten so much better that I was for a long time. Now is just trying to improve to the next level. I suggest playing against someone in Lobby matches a lot, they can provide your tendencies and strategies that you wouldn't notice otherwise.

 

[Tenryuga]

I try to feel out my opponent then make a judgement call. For example if I start round one fight with a full string and my opponent gets counter hit by any part of that string I don't give them the benefit of the doubt. I automatically assume they are a disrespectful type of player that probably likes to crush at disadvantage so I go for whatever frame traps and delays I have more often and use a higher ratio of strikes than throws. I may be right I may be wrong but in my mind this is the most effective way for me to find out based on the data I gathered.

If I am playing an opponent that I believe is very conservative and safe I will seize initiative and try to find ways to break them. For example even though stuff like -4 is safe I will throw them anyway just to see if they are fuzzy guarding. And If they are fuzzy guarding then I will use lows or even low throw to indicate to them if they want to be safe vs me they have to outread me and can't just fuzzy guard and call it a day. If they free cancel at common points I will throw them for it on read though I keep this to the minimum due to the risks of being wrong.

Also its important not to give the other player too much credit. Sometimes you over think things and hang yourself. Always remember to play both the player AND the character. If a player is a masher then you don't need to focus so much vs their character; you play the MU vs the masher. If the player plays a MU by the textbook try something unorthodox that they would not expect from a person that's supposed to know the MU and see what happens. You ever wonder how there are things that will work on high level players but will never hit a scrub or a player of lower level? This is one of many reasons why.

Most important thing to remember though is not to play stupid. There is playing unorthodox and playing stupid. Many people cannot tell the difference between the two.

 

[Jyakotu]

My game plan is usually to end the match as quickly as possible while trying to play the match up as safe as possible. It really depends on what character I'm using and who I'm playing against.

 

[Russian-chiropractic19]

i look at their rank and their behavior before the match starts. based on the first exchanges i can generally ascertain what im going up against

newer players typically just mash forward and jab -> will likley let me get away with a lot of dumb stuff

more adept players try to psche you out at the beginning of the game but know some of their characters tools so they typically go for the same tricks, like Ayane keeps going for low punch -> some character knowledge is needed, punish accordingly

past that are the online warriors, and it can become difficult to predict what they will do-> caution is needed, priority is to stay safe

then you have the people who know what you're doing a lot better than you do in which case im fucked.

overtime they typically die or adapt to the upper level.

 

[Force_of_Nature]

Generally how I play when I'm playing someone for the first time is to play more on the defensive side to see how they'll try and mount an offense on me. Once I start picking up on patterns, I'll respond accordingly, and make them hesitate the next time they try to mount the same offense on me.

When I'm on the offensive, my playstyle consists of doing the same scrubby shit until it stops working, then I move onto the next scrubby shit until that stops working. The key is to note when it stops working then adapting accordingly. For extended sets, my playstyle involves a lot of player conditioning in the form of getting them used to seemingly repetitive and simplistic tactics, then using that against them.

 

[The 4th phase]

Generally how I play when I'm playing someone for the first time is to play more on the defensive side to see how they'll try and mount an offense on me. Once I start picking up on patterns, I'll respond accordingly, and make them hesitate the next time they try to mount the same offense on me.

When I'm on the offensive, my playstyle consists of doing the same scrubby shit until it stops working, then I move onto the next scrubby shit until that stops working. The key is to note when it stops working then adapting accordingly. For extended sets, my playstyle involves a lot of player conditioning in the form of getting them used to seemingly repetitive and simplistic tactics, then using that against them.

Good to know

Scrubby shit works XD

 

[Force_of_Nature]

Good to know

Scrubby shit works XD

Yes it does!

 

[The 4th phase]

Yes it does!

I won't feel bad anymore for doing scrubby shit XD

 

[Soaring Zero]

I can certainly relate to this. Sometimes I tend to just stick to the "by the book" stuff and most of the time it works. But whenever I go up against smarter players I get wrecked. Especially if they happen to play one of the characters I struggle against.