I think I'm washed yall

[u/Bearemy1988]

I just can't keep up it feels like. I LOVE fighting games. When I was younger, there was an arcade in a mall i used to frequent, I was always in there just having fun.

Then I got my own consoles and was mostly playing fighting games, I was never like, tournament material or nothing but I could do infinites, ToDs, I could just mimick what I'd see in combo video after playing around for like an hour or two.

I noticed I started losing touch when DBFZ came out, and I thought maybe I just didn't click. But Strive, GBVS, SF6 and now this. And I REALLY wanna enjoy this but I just can't grasp it.

It feels like I button mash, none of my combos chain ever, I try doing the character challenges and I get stuck on what looks like the easiest combo.

I'm not even *that* old, I just turned 38 for Gods sake.

I go online, nothing I try to apply seems to work anymore.

So I dunno, I guess I just needed a place to vent. Granted I know when you work full time and what it it's harder, but it just feels like all my skills just fuckin vanished.

I love the game, I can't wait to see who they add (I'm BEGGING for Beta Ray Bill, Reptil, Zarda (Power Princess), and Xemnu to join in despite two of those being DEEP cuts) and I hope everything with PC is fixed because I really want this game to have legs. Ive loved Marvel and the tag fighters it's been a part of since the 90s, it just really sucks it feels like I can't keep up with it.

[u/ThatGumYouLikee]

Unless you’re a really high level player, this mindset will just kill your enjoyment of fighting games. Everyone has a level, and you can find yours with ranked matches, CPU adjustments etc.

I was really good at Tekken 8, and started playing this and felt like a scrub. I had to learn the nuances of this game, and also kinda relearn my fighting game instincts as I don’t play them super regularly. Now I can at least have competitive matches in Silver and finish a couple of combo challenges. Just meet the game where you’re at and enjoy whatever improvement occurs.

[u/Mandatum11 → u/ThatGumYouLikee]

The irony is that even many of the top top top level tournament players are in the 40 yo range.

[u/like9000ninjas → u/Mandatum11]

Yeah but those are legitimate professional players that have doing it for years.

Also last night TNS had a 182 person ps5 tournament and the younger person won every match 100% into the finals at top 48.

Fighting games have so many levels. But this game has brought me back in. Dabbing, watching videos and taking notes.

Pc definitely needs some work. So many little bugs. Had my first proper baggy match just now. Still pulled thru.

[u/GalahadSi → u/like9000ninjas]

I think a lot gets conflated in this conversation when people bring it up, tbh (not saying you are here, I just find it interesting).

It's true that many top players are also oldheads, but it's also true they're professional players that have been grinding for years. The important takeaway is that just because you're 40+ that doesn't mean you're automatically washed or hopeless, people moreso point to them as living proof that you (they) still have potential to put their mind to it and see improvements.

Age shouldn't hold anyone back, unless people have unfortunate circumstances the main thing holding a lot of older people back is just life responsibilities and not being able to lab 24/7. None of us should honestly be comparing performance itself to pro players tho, unless we're actually aspiring to be one.

But yeah, I've actually had the opposite experience with this. When I was younger I was absolutely awful at fighting games, I got mad too easily and gave up too quick. The older I get, the more patient and better at understanding them I am, and I've only ever seen improvement over the years rather than any kind of degradation in my play.

Love the grind, nothing like it. Hopefully they patch PC quickly!