How is sfv for a newbie?

[Exphio]

I'm new to the fighting genre in general. The only fighters I've played are injustice and smash Bros. I was wondering if sfv is newbie friendly with features or tutorials to help teach fighting basics, so I don't need to go online and immediately be wiped off the face of the earth? XD

Also, how complex is sfv,?I'm worried that the game may be a little too complex for me but I keep finding myself back and looking at this game because it looks interesting and fun. It's just the fear of a ridiculous learning curve that's making me question the decision.

[Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce]

I can answer as a newbie.
I bought the game day one, played a bit of sf4 and kof 13, and sf2 when i was younger, but never improved, nor played more than 50hours.

This game is very easy for combos, you'll do most of things by an hour, maybe not Karn trial 6 :p
But apart from the combo part, it's hard. Too hard i think.
There's a lot of things to learn, frame data, neutral ♥♥♥♥, okizem etc and in a game when the mind game is strong, you'll need to read your opponent, and it's quite hard for a beginner, and it's harder when you don't get why you're loosing.

So after 380hours i'm stuck silver. Well, with s2 i dropped to ultra bronze.
But thank god, the community is "pretty' cool so people tend to help, or at least got a lot of help here.

There's a little bit of tutorial so you'll get an idea, but that's not enough, but no worry matchmaking will match you only with rookies/bronzes so it's ok.
I'd advise you to try it, it's really fun, but like all e-sport oriented games, you'll have to learn.
Dont' expect to be Daigo in two days.

Hope i helped ;)

[DOFR]

It is harder than MK/Injustice, but easier than niche Japanese titles (mechanical skill wise)

[IITWLLII -ES-]

If you have already played Smash Bros and Injustice you're not a complete newbie and won't be smashed in online fights as hard as complete newbies.

There are quite a few demonstrations / tutorials / challenges in-game.
Additionally there are A LOT of tutorials on YouTube.

Complex depends from the point of view, you'll always be learning something new, I've ~400 hours and still learn new stuff, especailly since Season 2 update had so many adjustments.
Each new character adds to the amount of matchups you need to know to succeed at competitive levels.

If you are just having fun, you don't really have to worry that much and play casual mode until you are comfortable enough to learn more, after completing the tutorials for your favorite character.

Don't try to learn everything at once, like everything in life the step by step method works best in most situations. Play with people at your skill level, don't jump into ranked matches immediately.

Here are some examples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st5CUkIHIM0&list=PLdoYSYt-_agNyTieQanGzDnj6-Duww5l7&index=13
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZN9-geD0Yg&list=PLdoYSYt-_agNyTieQanGzDnj6-Duww5l7&index=12

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AomsfS_8cT8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbsxbVmTp7g

[mercureXI]

Originally posted by DOFR:

It is harder than MK/Injustice, but easier than niche Japanese titles (mechanical skill wise)

Definitely easier than Guilty Gear or BlazBlue titles, and if you played NRS titles before, especially Injustice (back to block), you should be fine I guess.

Just keep in mind that this game launched last February, and most people online have more experience than you have.

So better practice a bit first before jumping in the ring, and watch at least ONE good character guide on youtube (and I'm not talking about combos, more like, frame traps, setups, good pokes to use, anti-airs, etc).

[Codester]

Originally posted by Noobyman:

I can answer as a newbie.
I bought the game day one, played a bit of sf4 and kof 13, and sf2 when i was younger, but never improved, nor played more than 50hours.

This game is very easy for combos, you'll do most of things by an hour, maybe not Karn trial 6 :p
But apart from the combo part, it's hard. Too hard i think.
There's a lot of things to learn, frame data, neutral ♥♥♥♥, okizem etc and in a game when the mind game is strong, you'll need to read your opponent, and it's quite hard for a beginner, and it's harder when you don't get why you're loosing.

So after 380hours i'm stuck silver. Well, with s2 i dropped to ultra bronze.
But thank god, the community is "pretty' cool so people tend to help, or at least got a lot of help here.

There's a little bit of tutorial so you'll get an idea, but that's not enough, but no worry matchmaking will match you only with rookies/bronzes so it's ok.
I'd advise you to try it, it's really fun, but like all e-sport oriented games, you'll have to learn.
Dont' expect to be Daigo in two days.

Hope i helped ;)

I would hate to loose. I enjoy being tight.

[Brandon]

Originally posted by Exphio:

so I don't need to go online and immediately be wiped off the face of the earth? XD

That's going to happen, so expect it. It's a game that does require dedication and effort to win against anyone who isn't completely new to fighters.

[McDuders]

I'd say this is a really good intermediate game. There are other games here on Steam that have extremely high level players like Skullgirls and GG, but if you're willing to learn a few things then this game honestly isn't that bad, especially since the ranked mode will match you with players of similar skill. Since it's the most popular fighting game around right now, you might as well get into it now because people are only going to get a lot better.

[Gaxkang]

If you stay in the Bronze league area (or Rookie if one prefers) the online can be handled better.

Higher than that that you will run into more and more of the game's gimmicks, which can be arcane.

Watch out for lag as well.

SFV is more accessible than other games in some ways but it can also be unintuitive once you go past real casual play.
But it's easier to grasp thsn I'd say MKX's game play, you know, beyond casual play.

Tutorial wise, the game doesn't really do anything...you gotta go to Youtube or Shoryuken or so forth. And then you gotta practice, try to practice on online folk and also make any adjustments or an idea of such for online fights if well timings differ.

[sbkMulletMan]

Once you get the hang of link-combo timing, and learning what's cancelable for your characters, as well as not falling into habits of recklessly doing things that are unsafe on block and/or whiff, you'll pick up the general grasp of SFV very quickly.

SF4 was much more difficult for newcomers, and even that game was not even close to something like King of Fighters when it comes to a high skill floor.

As for fighting other people beyond the basics, you're going to need to leave your ego at the door, just with any other fighter, because you learn and improve through harsh losses. But basics first, then the rough stuff!

[LockM]

At basic level SFV is VERY easy, combos are easy, moves are easy to execute.

The hard part is everything else which is basically CORE fighting game play, things suchs as:
-Hitconfirming(from 2 lights xx special, a medium/heavy and then deciding to link another attack on hit. Not that hard tbh)
-Neutral game(arguably most important skill in SF, at basic level is somply pressing normal attack in neutral, but the complexity starts from there where it becomes a game of conditioning and reading your opponent and their timing, focusing heavy on using buttons but still be prepared to anti air etc)
-Post knockdown pressure(in USFIV it was much easier, in SFV you have different knockdow timings intentionally, as well as moves with short active frames, it becomes tough to keep up pressure after a knockdown if you havent practiced that scenario in training. So you will get hit by people who do wakeup buttons constantly uless you actually ahve direct counters for it)
-Unfamiliarity with moves being either positive or negative(not even punishable), as well where gaps are between pressure. This comes with experience.
-Throw teching is very important in SF, you can't react to throws but have to look for other ques such has patterns, walking forward after a normal, etc

In short, combos are EASY in SFV, you can do it without much effort. Hard part is everything else as in how to control the neutral game, how to defend yourself, how to apply pressure and open people up. But htat basically goes for almost any fighting game.

Ingame in SFV there is NOTHING that teaches you how to actually play the game, there are a few demonstrations which you cna watch that go over basic features such as V-Trigger, V-Reversals, Blocking. But SFV doesnt have any exercises to help you with these unfortunately. It neither has an online training with which you can take it slowly wiht a buddy. All the info is basically up on SF reddit, SRK forum, Youtube.

[Stationary Traveller]

The game is not very complex or technically demanding, most situations can only have 2 or 3 possible outcomes at best and the base mechanics can be learned in a day. I don't think though the tutorials will teach you everything you need to know - if you want in-depth tutorials about fighting games in general, Xrd, Skullgirls or KI are much better suited for that.
Expect anyway to have horrible losing streaks at the beginning. It still takes a few months of training before being able to win consistently.

[Stationary Traveller]

^ see, if even the guy above with zero competitive experience in fighting games can learn how to play this game without even touching it you can do it too :)

[Jackie Daytona]

Originally posted by Exphio:

I'm new to the fighting genre in general.

Hi.

Originally posted by Exphio:

The only fighters I've played are injustice and smash Bros. I was wondering if sfv is newbie friendly with features or tutorials to help teach fighting basics, so I don't need to go online and immediately be wiped off the face of the earth? XD

• SFV is easier compared to Injustice.
  
• SFV is much harder in comparison with Smash.
  
• SFV's tutorial teaches only basic button commands.
  
• If you are not an expert at playing fighting games, you will lose neary every online match. If you can't accept this, you shouldn't play any fighting game.

Originally posted by Exphio:

Also, how complex is sfv,? ... It's just the fear of a ridiculous learning curve that's making me question the decision.

The learning curve, is in fact, ridiculous. Without investing thousands of hours in playing SFV, you'll never be any good. Never. Never ever.

You can't "just play" SFV. It's not a game. It's a competition. It's something you must work very hard at, and it won't neccessarily payoff. Even when it does, any improvement made will be incremental.

Want to win? Be prepared to spend the next 5 - 6 years training-up in SFV. Sound good? You've found the right game. Sound bad? Run away. Quickly.

[DOFR]

Originally posted by Arnold J. Rimmer:

Originally posted by Exphio:

I'm new to the fighting genre in general.

Originally posted by Exphio:

• If you are not an expert at playing fighting games, you will lose neary every online match. If you can't accept this, you shouldn't play any fighting game.

Originally posted by Exphio:

Also, how complex is sfv,? ... It's just the fear of a ridiculous learning curve that's making me question the decision.

The learning curve, is in fact, ridiculous. Without investing thousands of hours in playing SFV, you'll never be any good. Never. Never ever.

You can't "just play" SFV. It's not a game. It's a competition. It's something you must work very hard at, and it won't neccessarily payoff. Even when it does, any improvement made will be incremental.

Want to win? Be prepared to spend the next 5 - 6 years training-up in SFV. Sound good? You've found the right game. Sound bad? Run away. Quickly.

WTF is that reply? You make SF seem like some sort of a surgeon career path, where weak have no place.

[McDuders]

Originally posted by Arnold J. Rimmer:

The learning curve, is in fact, ridiculous. Without investing thousands of hours in playing SFV, you'll never be any good. Never. Never ever.

You can't "just play" SFV. It's not a game. It's a competition. It's something you must work very hard at, and it won't neccessarily payoff. Even when it does, any improvement made will be incremental.

Want to win? Be prepared to spend the next 5 - 6 years training-up in SFV. Sound good? You've found the right game. Sound bad? Run away. Quickly.

First of all, that's not really true. It's not nearly as bad as people make it out to be. Sure there's a bunch more stuff to learn, but that's only for extremely high level competition.

Second, that's the least welcoming thing to say to a person who wants to play this game. It's not work playing Street Fighter unless you're competing for high stakes and money. There's a reason why I choose to play fighting games rather than other games.

And 5-6 years? The game's not even been out for a year. Grow up.