Vega's Training Diary

[Vega]

I thought I'd start one of these just to remember all the tings I learn that I have to work on in each session that I have. I wanted a concrete place to put this down and since the forums already has a section for it I figured, "Might as well".

I just played my very first set of online games with @Idontevenknow, who is a beginner like me, using Fukua, the first character that I've decided to work on. I picked someone around my skill level because while I know that I'll learn from people that are better than me, I really don't want to be bodied and also want to have some fun while learning. We played about 11 games and I would say that while he is better than me, we're close enough in skill level that I know that I have a chance if I play really well. For example, out of those 11 game I only won one of them because I was on the top of my game, but most of the other 10 losses were not completely one sided, with us being close and me slipping up near the very end.

Some things that I learned in these matches:

• I need to learn a BnB. While I know small combos like the standard LP, MP, HP or LK, MK, HK combos I don't know any decently long combos. When I won or got really close to winning, it was because I played very carefully and slowly racked up damage. Then near the end, my opponent would get me into a BnB of his own, taking all my health resulting in a loss. I realized that if I had a BnB, I could have capitalized more on my hits and it would have probably resulted in more even win-loss ratio and more even games overall.
• Learn my blockbusters and how to effectively incorporate them. After a loss, I would often look up at my tension bar and see that I had two levels of it while my opponent didn't even have a full level left. I then realized that I often forgot to use my blockbusters simply because I didn't remember all of them or the commands for them. Even when I started to remember some of them, I often didn't use them effectively or know how to incorporate them into my play. I was losing a lot of damage by simply not remembering these highly damaging moves.
• Learn more ways to approach. While my opponent didn't capitalize on it, I realized that I repeated the same approach over and over again and became very predictable (like I do a lot in Smash 4). I would often jump in and lead with a j.HK into some standard c. or s. light, medum, heavy combo. I need to find other ways to vary up my approach to not become so predictable.
• Watch what the opponent is doing. On a similar note to the point above, I would often find myself jumping in to start my predictable combo only to find myself being counter-hit because my opponent had already jumped and started an attack before I even jumped. I was blind to what the opponent was doing and only was concerned with initiating my own plan.
• Remember to outtake. As a single-character player right now, I know that i can outtake against a multi-character opponent to regain some of my own red health. My opponent was using a two character team of Ms. Fortune and Cerebella and even though I remembered I could do this, I wasn't comfortable enough with the controls to be able to perform outtakes on cue. I need to work on this execution in training mode so when the time comes I can perform it.

And for the slightly distant future:

• Learn another character and how to effectively incorporate assists and tag ins. One of the things I was impressed about with my opponent is that he incorporated tag ins into his combos pretty well. While I don't want to do this immediately, I want to eventually incorporate another character and then learn how to use a team effectively.

I'd rather not just list things I didn't do well so I also want to list some of the things I thought went pretty well.

• Playing patiently. Of the times I won or was close to winning, I noticed that the reason I was doing well, even without knowing a BnB, was that I played patiently and didn't rush in. I took my time and blocked my opponents attacks while choosing the right times to go in. When I landed a hit, I was able to get a combo off but since I didn't know a BnB yet I didn't overstay my welcome. I got in my hits and then backed off slightly to continue my mix-up. Continuing this play, I was slowly able to wear down my opponent without taking too much damage or getting caught up in a BnB.
• Punishing. One thing my opponent didn't seem to care about much was hit confirming. Often, he would go through a short standard combo and leave himself wide open to be punished. As we played more games, I became more patient and waited out this small combo to find a spot to punish - normally at the end of a heavy attack.

I think that's all I have to say, but it sure is a lot. I still have a lot to learn since I've only had the game for a few days now, and that was readily apparent in the first online matches I did. I'm glad I was able to realize some of my problems, but also that I was able to realize that there were concepts that I was applying well. With this written record I'll have a good reference when I hop into training mode next time!

 

[Meow-Professor]

I need to learn a BnB. While I know small combos like the standard LP, MP, HP or LK, MK, HK combos I don't know any decently long combos. When I won or got really close to winning, it was because I played very carefully and slowly racked up damage. Then near the end, my opponent would get me into a BnB of his own, taking all my health resulting in a loss. I realized that if I had a BnB, I could have capitalized more on my hits and it would have probably resulted in more even win-loss ratio and more even games overall.

Check out these two threads if you want to find a BnB.
This is the combo thread for Fukua, and this is a BnB compendium that covers all characters. If you don't want to sort through the combos, I'll copy-paste her Midscreen BnB listed on the BnB compendium, here:
c.lk, c.mp, c.hp xx H Forever a Clone,
otg c.mp, c.hp xx M Forever a Clone,
jump, j.hk,
s.mk, s.hp,
j.mk, j.hp, j.hk,
s.lkx2, c.mk, c.hp xx H Platonic Drillationship xx The Drill of My Dreams.

Here's a beginner version.
c.lk, s.mk, s.hp,
j.hk,
s.mk, s.hp,
j.hp, j.hk,
c.lk, s.hp,
j.mp, j.hk,
s.lp, s.lk, c.mk, c.hp xx H Platonic Drillationship xx The Drill of My Dreams.

Learn my blockbusters and how to effectively incorporate them. After a loss, I would often look up at my tension bar and see that I had two levels of it while my opponent didn't even have a full level left. I then realized that I often forgot to use my blockbusters simply because I didn't remember all of them or the commands for them. Even when I started to remember some of them, I often didn't use them effectively or know how to incorporate them into my play. I was losing a lot of damage by simply not remembering these highly damaging moves.

Blockbusters have a lot of uses, but don't use them simply because they do more damage. Don't punish with them or use them in a situation where you could have gotten a combo instead.
Usually, they're used to add more damage at the end of a combo. They're also used as reversals, since lots of them have invincible startup.

Go into training mode and just repeat the command for them over and over. It'll help you remember the commands for them.

Blown Kiss (QCF + PP, 1 meter) is used to help her zoning game. It's also a good pressure tool. In the air, there are three different versions to this that all hit at different angles. I believe it is neutral on block?
The Drill of My Dreams (QCF + KK, 1 meter) is used at the end of her combos for more damage, due to how many hits it has (less hits do more damage early in a combo, multi-hit moves do more towards the end of the combo). Can be used as an anti-air.
Best Friends Forever (QCB + KK, 1 meter) can be comboed off of, so it is pretty useful. It also has a very long period of invincibility.

Then you have supers that cost more than 1 meter; Twice Shy (QCB + PP, 3 meter) is a great finisher with a decent amount of range, and it can be comboed off of if you have your OTG, IIRC, and Head Over Heels (Full Circle + Grab), a command grab that gives you a 200% multiplier on whatever moves follow.

Learn more ways to approach. While my opponent didn't capitalize on it, I realized that I repeated the same approach over and over again and became very predictable (like I do a lot in Smash 4). I would often jump in and lead with a j.HK into some standard c. or s. light, medum, heavy combo. I need to find other ways to vary up my approach to not become so predictable.

Ground approach is something that is very difficult to learn. Try poking your opponent with the different versions of shadows, or harassing them with some projectiles.
C.HP can be a useful poke, and you can cancel into LP Love Dart to make it safe.

 

[Vega]

Wow! Thanks for all the information Meow-Professor! :D

Blockbusters have a lot of uses, but don't use them simply because they do more damage. Don't punish with them or use them in a situation where you could have gotten a combo instead.
Usually, they're used to add more damage at the end of a combo. They're also used as reversals, since lots of them have invincible startup.

Yeah, I sorta get this. I didn't want to use them at random just for damage. I just noticed that I was wasting a potential resource by not really remembering how to execute them or not knowing how to incorporate them into a combo.

 

[Vega]

Wow. I haven't posted to this in a while because of school, but I'm looking to get back into Skullgirls again and actually try to improve. I just played a few matches with @Skodial and then played a few matches with some randoms in a beginner lobby.

Things to note:

• While I have gotten better at the execution of my specials because I've been practicing them I still need a bit more practice. I still have to think about the execution and sometimes fail to pull off the move I want in the heat of battle.
• Don't attack when I should be blocking. I have a habit of just pressing buttons, which often leads to me getting hit.
• I NEED TO PRACTICE SOME BNBs! I noticed this soooo much in my last few games. Most of the time I could find areas to punish, but when I did I only punished with the small combo that my fingers just press: c.lk,c.mk,c.hk. I know that I could get so much more damage off of these moments if I just learned one BnB. I've been avoiding it because of this weird timing in Fukua's basic BnB after you come back to the ground from j.hk and need to perform s.mk. There seems to be a small window to do this and I just can't seem to get it.

These are just the major things that stood out to me. I know there are plenty of other problems, but these were the most glaring to me.

 

[Skodial]

I had a lot of fun playing some matches over the weekend. It's really nice to find people of similar skill level. What has been a big help to me lately are three things:

1. Friends I've made here who have let me train with them. The people who are willing to help are wonderful individuals and have great advice. They understand your skill level, so the advice isn't overwhelming.

2. Learning my first combo
(W/ Val; LP+LK to grab, c.LK, c.MK, c.HP, jump, j.HP, QCF+K, OCF+KK). This is simpler than most of the usual beginner combos, but it's one I can do with over 50% consistency.

3. A lot of time in the training room with the speed turned down...even turn off all blocking. That way, all the pressure is gone.

4. Consistently blocking correctly, then performing a grab. Again, this took me a lot of practice to get right against the AI

I'm ignoring a lot of other great advice and tips, but this is where I have started. I have to break things way down like this, but this works for me. Hopefully sometime soon we could play together, and help each other.