How can i improve beyond defender?

Lots of good advice in here, I'm liking it.

In an effort to help people understand po's point, I'll give a simple example:
When you just get out of a long dojo session and highlight Ranked Match, do you take a long breath? Crack your fingers? Pump yourself up a bit? Say to yourself "alright, let's do this!" or some other little mini-ritual before entering the mode? These are the things that need to be addressed. When you break it down, Dojo, License, Ranked, Room, Arcade, Local Vs and Player matches are all the same thing: Using your character to play out what you've learned or what you're learning.

In a more direct response to Superspacehero's initial post, I have to suggest taking time to learn the other characters. Not just take them through command training, but learn them almost to the point of your main character(s). Check their forums, learn their combos and setups, learn their throw breaks, and get on an intimate level with how YOU would play them. I'm sure we can all relate to the relief we feel when we find ourselves playing against someone who uses one of "your" characters and goes for the obvious stuff all day. "Oh, another Wolf? I got this..." Then the Wolf player goes for shoulder charge from poking range and you guard it (because you were looking for it), and punish it with a guaranteed throw attempt (because you already know it's a nasty -15 on guard), and go back to watching for it. Many, MANY players get into bad habits like these, and if you don't know the character, you are very likely to be getting hammered by someone just "running program."

On a personal note, I know that some characters are simply a turn-off to consider playing (Brad was a big turn off for me). As a suggestion to those who have the packs for it, I highly recommend simply making a cool looking character edit for that character. I can't tell you how much this helps you "connect" with the character and will make you actually want to play them a bit. I now have a pretty suave-looking Brad edit, which I actually still play from time-to-time, and I now know that his P,P,P,P,6 (from ducking) string that used to eat me alive is H,H,M,exH, and I can use a reversal on the Mid, or vanilla duck the last P and punish with Akira's FC3P+K for big time punishment

 

Im sure one would get quite better learning all the characters,as well as learning their frame disadvanges, but it would take som while to memoriz everything,especially frame disadvantages at block..


There has been a study that some people are just better gamers,which would explain why some people stay hunters even after playing 2000 matches,or a certain person i know who was the number one in quake,and then procceded to make millions in poker(some people who just get best at everything),or fuudo who have won tournaments in booth street fighter and virtua fighter:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/21/study-shows-that-better-gamers-have-bigger-brains-are-better-le/

This may not be fun,but i myself always remain top 7% or something despite how many hours i put in. I hope that im wrong though...

 

The brain has only so much power. One might be really gifted in one area, but you bet ya they lost something somewhere else. Nobody has the best of everything, most adult learn this along the path to reaching maturity. I mean really man?

 

But i linked to a scientific researsc stating that some people are just better gamers because they are better learners:

"Study shows that better gamers have bigger brains, are better learners too"

Your skill level may be an equation of: time spent practicing,brains and other factors,but brains are still a factor...

Despite these facts,i think you may overcome this to some extent if you always try to learn,see patterns and try to understand how you can circumvent that low punch etc...

 

I can't even remember how long I was in defender rankings, I got past it within 10 minutes spamming with Jeffry. WITH JEFFRY. SPAM --> JEFFRY.

You use Jacky? EZ flipkicky's to warrior rankings from what I've seen of the competition.

Use some if you're feeling fancy. You might notice some of your opponents bending their legs to block the but by then it's too late because it's online lag! Happy ranking. ~

 

Being a better learner just means you learn faster. I think you're looking for an excuse to not put in the work it requires to be good or better than those with natural ability.

You can link all the articles you want man, I could also link articles that will say the complete opposite. In science you can almost always find at least one article that will back you up, if you can find a large body of evidence, you can still sometimes find a large body going against it. Just cuz it's in an article dosen't make it correct cuz every study is flawed in one or another way.

This kinda thing is actually within the realm of the work I'm studying at a graduate level that's why I keep chiming in that you're wrong basically. Don't be your own worst enemy.

 

Ok,im now going up between guardian(almost to warrior) to defender,however im mostly playing sentinels to destroyer, and actually winning 60% of the matches.

Ive actually found a formula on how to get good at this game.

First you need to get a grasp of the fundamentals and frames,disadvantages. Then you need to analyse the guys tactics.

If the guy is doing slow attacks/risky attacks, you do fast attacks, such as elbow,low punch. You need to adapt as well if your opponent is reading this.

If the guy is blocking much,you do throws. etc.

Learn all the mix ups of your characther,how to be creative and unpredictable, all max combos, Then try to learn the tactics of other players and their strings.

If you meet someone that owns you,watch the replay and try to understand why he won,doing this will give you a deeper understanding of the game, and figuring out a counter plan, and improve your adaptability next time you see a player playing that same tactic.

Also watch some high level play, in order to see how you can be creative with your player.

Get some time in the dojo,and figure out optimal setups. For instance, doing low punch will give you 5+advantage. Then you can either do 16frame attack, or throw,with 50% percentage of hitting either of those...like doing chess,and memorize different setups.

learn all technicalities as well, as evade guard, etc

 

Im assassin now ^^. In retrospective, i would say that ive improved this much mainly because 90% of the time i play better ranked players and try to figure out the logic behind why i lose,and how to overcome that strategy,constantly analysing,as well as letting loose,trying new things, not being afraid to lose.

As well as watching top jacky players, and mimmic the moves they use...