How do you win at the game

I figured, as long as I'm trying super hard to improve, I may as well start a thread like this.
During fights I have no plan or strategy. Instead I throw attacks around and sometimes they connect.
I think this is a bad thing, given what I've heard when people talk about the game (force your opponent to make a mistake, and so on).
Part of the problem is I never played any fighting games seriously before this one so I'm still unsure how the overall mechanics work.

So I have the following questions:

-What the hell kind of strategy should I be using? How do I get my opponents to make mistakes that I can use? I have absolutely no idea
I dunno, what strategies do you use? I would like an example if possible because I have no idea what a strategy would even sound like

-There are a lot of different kinds of attacks and I use them basically at random.
Should I try to get close and hit with a fast, short range attack? Should I try to use something with more range but less speed? How do I choose? In what situations would different attacks be effective? And what do I do after landing a hit if there's no easy combo I can start?
Of course this changes a lot based on the character, so again, examples would help me a lot

-I instinctively use barrier guard every time I block, and almost never use regular block. I know that's bad, but why? (Besides running out of meter. That's never too much of a problem)
Apparently after blocking with barrier, you can't react as quickly and you're pushed farther back. In what kinds of situations would it be better to use a normal block? What's a good method to use for counterattacking after blocking?

I think that's it for now.
A lot of those questions will probably get answered through experience, but I'll take any advantage I can get.
...No way in hell I'm buying a stick though. I know that means I'll never be one of the best players, but I don't really care about being the best just yet.
If you want to give specific character advice, I use mostly Tao and Noel, though I'd like to be good with everyone...they are all awesome and that way I can hear the maximum amount of game dialogue y'see

If anyone else has questions like mine, you may as well post 'em here. This can be the general help thread

Play Win game

Play against Tres, win at game.

You win spacing and approaching oh and using broken people helps

Doom Dragon 103 wrote:You win spacing and approaching oh and using broken people helps

How I spacing and approaching

The second part's out though. I probably should use broken characters but that's not my style

Medusa wrote:

Doom Dragon 103 wrote:You win spacing and approaching oh and using broken people helps

How I spacing and approaching

The second part's out though. I probably should use broken characters but that's not my style

You space by spacing lol

Know the range of you moves and use that as your approach

Lets take Noel

btw numbers used directions on a number pad 6-forward 2 is down 5 is neutral blah blah

so Noels 6C has a hitbox in front of her, she spins her guns, so if you hit her guns Noel doesnt get it. Thats a disjointed hitbox. Her 6c range is short, but has that property. Now you can't combo using it unless they are in the air. So you chose between long combos or short safe ones

Her 6A pops them into the air and can be canceled into 6C for a long combo

So take that info I posted and apply it to your character

Know what cancels into what and when you can combo into moves, while keeping in mind the hit properties and range.

Its not essy to play at a professional level, but at a casual level this becomes second nature and you don't have to think much

Were is becomes complicated is knowing what attacks go through what attacks and anticipating your opponents action to try and counter them while providing yourself with a plan B if it goes wrong

This all goes back into positioning and knowing your range

Doom Dragon 103 wrote:Lets take Noel

That was actually the best possible example. I just so happen to main Noel

But I have the canceling part down, mostly.
My biggest problem is the range thing I guess...I suppose I just need to keep that in mind next time I'm fight.
Still not sure how to think about that though. For example I NEVER use 6a because I don't know when I should

Also you are the only person so far to give me legitimate advice so you get a billion points

Medusa wrote:

Doom Dragon 103 wrote:Lets take Noel

That was actually the best possible example. I just so happen to main Noel

But I have the canceling part down, mostly.
My biggest problem is the range thing I guess...I suppose I just need to keep that in mind next time I'm fight.
Still not sure how to think about that though. For example I NEVER use 6a because I don't know when I should

Also you are the only person so far to give me legitimate advice so you get a billion points

I main Noel too

if you want IM me at doomdragon103 or msn me at big_g103@hotmail.com so I can teach you things

Doom Dragon 103 wrote:I main Noel too

if you want IM me at doomdragon103 or msn me at big_g103@hotmail.com so I can teach you things

Awesome thx

I'll take you up on that if I feel I need some advice

I don't play it. That's how I win.

Giriko wrote:I don't play it. That's how I win.

No arguments here
I still believe I'd be much better off if I never started playing it

So GOOD JOB

Giriko wrote:I don't play it. That's how I win.

youre the biggest ''winner'' here.

fag

Alright I been training for a while. Here's where I'm at right now

-As Tao I've been dropping my drive loop combos sooner than usual. This is bad
I'm trying to compensate by using Cat Spirit Two to end them sooner.

-Having trouble doing Distortion Drives on the PS3 remote. I practiced them some and that helped a little bit, but this is still an issue

-As Noel I'm not able to do my one Noel combo anymore. Uh oh
Specifically, I can't do the Silencer part (22c). Not sure how to handle this one

I guess I need to do more combo practice. It's awful but I'll do what has to be done

On that subject I might need to look up high-level fight videos and the like. I hate watching these and I can't understand what goes on in them, but they might be helpful in ways I don't know about yet, so I'm going to try to work up the motivation to check these out.

Also: I want to get better with everyone in general.
Trouble is I can only use two people. And since I'm not that good, I have to use my best at all times if I want to have a chance of winning.
So how do I get better with more people

Also the control pad worries me cause I don't use it. It feels awkward and painful and I can't do quarter circles with it
But apparently it's a lot better than the control stick. Am I crippling myself because I'm not using the pad instead?

For now it's back to training for me. Ugh

This may help you, Cat.

http://www.dustloop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8082

I personally would never recommend using an analog stick over a D-pad. Analog sticks have absolutely obnoxious throw distances compared to the short press you have to do for a D-pad. Your movements have to be a lot more exaggerated to get your motions out, not to mention it's very hard to tell exactly where you're pushing that analog stick. You might think you're pressing forward, but you may in actuality be pressing Up+Forward which will make you jump instead of walk or dash. And there's the problem that shall always plague analog sticks of becoming off-center after extended use. As such, without even touching the controller, your character may be doing something you don't want them to do. Just go play Super Smash Brothers 64 or Melee at anybody's house and borrow their uncared for "friend" controllers; you'll just be frustrated playing with the analog stick.

Creeping Shadow wrote:

I personally would never recommend using an analog stick over a D-pad.

I am so angry/depressed right now you have no idea

Catbread wrote:

Doom Dragon 103 wrote:Lets take Noel

That was actually the best possible example. I just so happen to main Noel

But I have the canceling part down, mostly.
My biggest problem is the range thing I guess...I suppose I just need to keep that in mind next time I'm fight.
Still not sure how to think about that though. For example I NEVER use 6a because I don't know when I should

Also you are the only person so far to give me legitimate advice so you get a billion points

I try and give you legit advice all the time ;_;. Do you not read my posssttttssss?

Maka Lover Desu wrote:I try and give you legit advice all the time ;_;. Do you not read my posssttttssss?

I just meant in this thread specifically. Sry for misunderstanding

I am training now. It is so boring fffffff

Using the d-pad now. Interestingly enough, I could immediately do several of the combos I'd lost.
Of course quarter circles are a lot harder and distortions have gone from "tough to pull off" to "impossible"

Catbread wrote:

Maka Lover Desu wrote:I try and give you legit advice all the time ;_;. Do you not read my posssttttssss?

I just meant in this thread specifically. Sry for misunderstanding

I am training now. It is so boring fffffff

Using the d-pad now. Interestingly enough, I could immediately do several of the combos I'd lost.
Of course quarter circles are a lot harder and distortions have gone from "tough to pull off" to "impossible"

HOW? The D-pad is 5 million times easier than the stick. With the stick you have to go back directions when doing things like 623 or 421.

Murders wrote:HOW? The D-pad is 5 million times easier than the stick. With the stick you have to go back directions when doing things like 623 or 421.

It's probably just because I haven't used it before. I guess if it's that easy I'll get the hang of it before long