allshort17
Smash Ace
Link to original post: [drupal=5363]Smash revival part 18: How do I get better?[/drupal]
Previous blog
This is a common question that I see many newer players ask. It's not wrong. However, I get annoyed when I see it because they already know the answer. In fact, all players know the answer to this. Images and thoughts of repeating technically skill or long nights of focusing about reading your opponent may come to mind, but it's not as complicated as one would think.
I'll give you the answer you are all waiting for at the end, but I need to clear up a few misconceptions first. A popular one I hear is that playing a new, and often times better, character makes you a better player. Playing a better character makes you a more efficient player, not better. Ever wonder why when someone plays a new character, they look very awkward playing them even though what they are doing may work? It's because the skills they accumulated from their past experiences are being transferred over to the new character. Being a Dedede main, no matter who I pick, much of my style will be based around grabs. A majority of the time that is the option I pick with Dedede, so in a new environment of course I going to choose the option I'm most comfortable with. However, at no point did I gain a new set of skills switching. My skills just gave me different rewards. If I use my grabbing skill while playing IC's, obvious I get a bigger reward. I went from a grab that can range from a tech chase to an infinite reliant on specific stipulations to a 0 to death on anyone. Switching to a more rewarding character is always the more efficient choice. You can't be mad when people switch, they're just getting the most out of their talents and playtime.
Another one is that sometimes when you practice, you can actually get worse at times. You can never, ever, get worse when you practice, you just get better at the wrong things. If someone is trained to DI into moves because they were told that is the correct response, then when they play they will slowly improve at DI'ing inward. Any player would know that won't always be the answer, but if you practice it you will get better at it, even if the situation doesn't call for it.
I didn't figure this one out until recently, but you always get better if you practice, but the rate at which you get better is determined by how long you practice. I've been reading a book called Outliers by the same author, Malcom Gladwell, who made the book Blink that I recommended everyone get in my last blog. It's about why people reach the top of whatever they pursue. He talks about people ranging from Bill Gates to The Beatles. But, the topic that struck my the most is the 10,000 hour rule. It simply stated that in order to reach the mastery level of something, you must practice that craft for 10,000 hours. Easy enough, right? 10,000 hours isn't a lot of time since you feel as though you spend a lot of time playing. Well, here's a chart showing how many years it takes to reach the mastery level with X number of hours per week:
Now for what you all have been waiting for. The long, anticipated moment. This is the full proof plan to reach top level status, the status that only a select few players such as M2K, Ally, and ESAM have reached. Here it is:
No one ever said I was concise.
Previous blog
This is a common question that I see many newer players ask. It's not wrong. However, I get annoyed when I see it because they already know the answer. In fact, all players know the answer to this. Images and thoughts of repeating technically skill or long nights of focusing about reading your opponent may come to mind, but it's not as complicated as one would think.
I'll give you the answer you are all waiting for at the end, but I need to clear up a few misconceptions first. A popular one I hear is that playing a new, and often times better, character makes you a better player. Playing a better character makes you a more efficient player, not better. Ever wonder why when someone plays a new character, they look very awkward playing them even though what they are doing may work? It's because the skills they accumulated from their past experiences are being transferred over to the new character. Being a Dedede main, no matter who I pick, much of my style will be based around grabs. A majority of the time that is the option I pick with Dedede, so in a new environment of course I going to choose the option I'm most comfortable with. However, at no point did I gain a new set of skills switching. My skills just gave me different rewards. If I use my grabbing skill while playing IC's, obvious I get a bigger reward. I went from a grab that can range from a tech chase to an infinite reliant on specific stipulations to a 0 to death on anyone. Switching to a more rewarding character is always the more efficient choice. You can't be mad when people switch, they're just getting the most out of their talents and playtime.
Another one is that sometimes when you practice, you can actually get worse at times. You can never, ever, get worse when you practice, you just get better at the wrong things. If someone is trained to DI into moves because they were told that is the correct response, then when they play they will slowly improve at DI'ing inward. Any player would know that won't always be the answer, but if you practice it you will get better at it, even if the situation doesn't call for it.
I didn't figure this one out until recently, but you always get better if you practice, but the rate at which you get better is determined by how long you practice. I've been reading a book called Outliers by the same author, Malcom Gladwell, who made the book Blink that I recommended everyone get in my last blog. It's about why people reach the top of whatever they pursue. He talks about people ranging from Bill Gates to The Beatles. But, the topic that struck my the most is the 10,000 hour rule. It simply stated that in order to reach the mastery level of something, you must practice that craft for 10,000 hours. Easy enough, right? 10,000 hours isn't a lot of time since you feel as though you spend a lot of time playing. Well, here's a chart showing how many years it takes to reach the mastery level with X number of hours per week:
Hours per week
*1
*7
*14
*21
*28
*40
*60
*168
Anyone can be a pro at the game, but realistically it takes a large amount of time to do so. Don't get excited when you see you can be a master in a year if you practice 168 hours a week. That literally means you play every minute for an entire 1.1 years without any sleep or breaks. Please do not try to do it. People die from that type of thing. Also realize that although 60 hours a week is doable, that means you practice for a little under 9 hours a day which is near impossible to do for 3.2 years. See how even if you practice only one hour a week, you can still reach the master level? Although I don't believe that anyone will live to be 192 years old anytime soon, any amount of practice will get you closer to your goal.Do not let this discourage you from practicing. I have a theory that no one has played Brawl for 10000 hours, even the top players. The top players are just the ones closest to it. Some, like M2K, have been playing smash at a high competitive level for years. So, all the time he has from Melee still carries on. Also, just playing video games can make you better. But, you're skills don't specifically go into smash. Other activities can help improve your playing, such as team sports, chess, and psychology training, which is why some people seem oddly good at the game even though they don't directly practice a lot. This is why it is important to go to many tournaments ans smashfests. You can only get good at playing people in an offline setting fast if you play offline a lot.[/b[ Wifi and offline are two different beasts, even if they are closely related. Playing on one will make you better at the other, but they are enough differences that almost make both of them completely different things.Years
*1
192.5
*7
27.5
*14
13.7
*21
9.2
*28
6.9
*40
4.8
*60
3.2
*168
1.1
Now for what you all have been waiting for. The long, anticipated moment. This is the full proof plan to reach top level status, the status that only a select few players such as M2K, Ally, and ESAM have reached. Here it is:
*Find a problem.
*Decide what outcome you want.
*Find an answer.
*Practice answer
*Repeat
Yep. It's that simple. It was nothing you couldn't just figure out. The only reason top level players are at the level they are at is because they did this cycle more than you and more effectively than you. So, why do so many players fret and struggle with getting better? It's just a matter of being stuck on one of the steps. This brings me to my last point: You can only achieve so much by yourself. When you run into a problem, it's because you scope is too narrow to see the answer, or even to find the problem. So, you need someone with another scope looking a different point to help you locate it. Even if their scope is narrower than yours or very close, the fact that they are in a different place that you means they will see different things than you. Thus, the more people you talk, watch, and play against the better you get. There really isn't much new information to learn in life. The things you hear the most are often the truest. Sayings like "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," and "The grass is greener on the other side," wouldn't have been around so long if they didn't solve many of the problems in life. So, you just need people to help you see the concepts that you already know from a different view point in order for you to understand it. Also, there will always be another way to look at something. So, exploration a key to becoming great. In order to let players openly unlock their exploration, I want to create a group call Smash revival: ask a question, get a answer. I want a place where:*Decide what outcome you want.
*Find an answer.
*Practice answer
*Repeat
*Questions can be posted openly for a community to see.
*The questions don't go away in a short period of time.
*People can instantly share ideas. This will allow for live video critiques, conversations during wifi matches, and discussions about topics.
*It's easy to come and go while knowing your question will still be answered.
I wanted to use the AiB chat rooms, but they don't fit the second need. So, I will be holding this over Skype. Anyone is free to join the conversation, regardless of skill or age. Just PM me your Skype name or post it in the blog. If you want to add me, mine is still allshort17. I want to be great at the game, so I encourage you to join my in my endeavors and enter the chat! Thanks for reading!*The questions don't go away in a short period of time.
*People can instantly share ideas. This will allow for live video critiques, conversations during wifi matches, and discussions about topics.
*It's easy to come and go while knowing your question will still be answered.
No one ever said I was concise.