So youre saying that a Scorpion that just sits there in one spot and throws a spear every single time no matter if the opponent blocks, jumps past it, and then punishes, is not bad? You and I have a different definition of noob here.
I said it's not
entirely true. Meaning your generalizing it, it's not always a bad or negative thing.
I am an online player, since there really isnt an offline scene where I am. It can be determined with online play just as much as offline.
No, it can't. You can gauge someone's skill level trough online play, but you honestly just can't determine who's better via online play. Sorry, you just can't.
The netcode is seriously not as bad as some of you may think anymore.
It maybe got better, but it's still terrible in comparison to other games and especially offline. To deny that is delusional.
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Since, for some reason, you're acting childish and don't want to click on the thread, I'll post it here to make it simple for you.
How online affects your gameplay:
The negative aspects of online are the dreaded lag and delay. Lag is generally associated with the random visual skips, and slow downs you see while playing. Delay is when you have button delay between your inputs and when it actually happens on the screen. There's also button loss and frame delay online. Button loss is when the frame skips, causing your button input to be lost and forgotten. Frame delay is pretty much the same as button delay.
These two factors are the main reasons why online play is deemed unreliable in the fighting game community. Even if there's 1 frame of delay, that can cost you a match at high levels. I've heard some players say that online only negatively affects your execution. While it does negatively affect your execution, it also negatively affects your reaction, anticipation, mind games, strategy and basically everything high level.
Delay makes your reactions that of a debilitated turtle. When you need to do something on reaction, and there's button delay, you have to input it before you would need to normally. So in a lot of situations, you can't even react because it's impossible. But if you have good anticipation and adaption skills, you may be able to overcome the delay by not doing things on reaction. However, there's still lag. If you're anticipating a jump in, and a random lag spike hits, you're screwed. But the problem is, you can't dumb down your gameplay to 1 dimensional and expect to compete at high levels, and that's what online play forces you to do.
How online play can be useful:
Online can be useful in the right conditions. If you and your opponent both have great connections with each other, online can become useful. You can gain match-up knowledge, and just general practice. It's also a good place to meet new players in that respect. If you play offline just in your area, you won't be exposed to as many different play styles and character choices as you would by playing online. Since you'll be playing many different people from across the country, you'll get a diverse set of playstyles, character choices, and strategies. This is one distinct advantage online has over offline, and probably the only one (well aside from the convenience online offers).
Winning online:
When you play someone online, you have to realize, wins mean absolutely nothing. At least in the eyes of the competitive community. Now, this is mostly for fighting games, but it can apply to other genre's as well. If you beat me online, that doesn't make you the better player. Yes, a win is a win, but as far as who's better can only be determined in tournaments offline or when something is on the line. And the idea that "a win is a win" mostly doesn't even apply to online. Lopsided netplay conditions (they aren't always the same for both players) can dramatically change results.
If I beat X 10-0 online, a lot of people would assume I am the better player and the same outcome would happen offline or in a tournament or in whatever the given setting is. These people don't realize how different online play is from even offline casuals. It doesn't matter how many times you beat someone online, it doesn't correlate to anything. I understand it's hard to swallow for online only players. But you have to realize that true competition can't be forced through a broken, tiny straw and then say it's reliable. Don't say "Oh I beat this guy in a series online, I am obviously the better player". What your doing is deluding yourself and inflating your ego. When you play online, don't try to beat your opponent to say you're better, try to beat your opponent to improve your game. That is all you should be trying to do when playing online, even though it's not the best place to improve, it's the only thing you should be attempting to do.
Tournaments:
"People NEED to go to tournies and compete in a tournament setting. You MUST seek out formal matches in the form of tournaments. The best way to measure your progress is to measure your ability to win, but matches you play outside of formal competition, real as they may seem, are rarely a good measure of much. The strongest steel is forged in the hottest flame, and fiercest competitor is forged in the most serious battle. Casual play is often for “fun” but tournament play is for blood. Online matches are nothing compared to a tourny match and are only casuals.
In a tournament, even the same opponents you are used to facing may rise to a higher level of play. In a tournament, players tend to be more conservative. They also tend to find answers to tactics they have never answered before, because now they have to. They may cling to life in the game like the fate of Earth depends on it, whereas in casual play they freely give up a game in a position of disadvantage." ~ Sirlin
Playing in a tournament will improve your game. Being able to play great players in a situation where if you lose, you have no one to blame but yourself, will help you improve tremendously. An offline tournament is the pinnacle of fighting game competition. I improved my game more in two days playing offline and in a tournament, than I did playing 3 years online. If that doesn't put things into perspective, I don't know what will. It was like going into a hyperbolic time chamber. A tournament will force you to play your best. When you and your opponent are playing at your absolute best with no handicaps, that's when you can achieve a higher level of play. You can free your mind of frustrating lag spikes, button delay, and rage quitters. It's just you versus the guy sitting next to you, nothing else matters.
Aside from all the benefits from competing in a tournament, I promise it will be some of the most fun you'll ever have. The atmosphere at a tournament can't be matched, copied, or fathomed unless you experience it for yourself. The only way you can truly experience it, is being there. Streams that you watch are only about 10% of what you can experience at a tournament. The hype you get watching a stream is 100x more hype in person.
Being surrounded by competitive players for an entire weekend will improve your game, guaranteed.
There’s no question about it – you’ll walk away a better player. Even focusing solely on preliminary matches within your own entry pool, you’ll see things you’ve never seen before and face opponents you’ve never fought before. Every single victory will build your confidence and every loss will teach you something the hard way.
And yet, traveling outside your comfort zone to attend a major tournament will improve your online game as well. It all boils down to the level of competition you’re facing. The average player at Evo is more dedicated than the average player online. The average player at Evo makes a stronger effort to bring their A-game to the floor than the average player online. Combine these two factors and it becomes obvious why there’s nothing like the majors. ~ Sonichurricane
Online vs Offline/Tournaments in closing:
When you play someone online, there's nothing on the line. Sure there's your online reputation and maybe your record, but both are completely arbitrary. You have nothing truly on the line. In a tournament, you have everything on the line. Which would include but isn't limited to; your reputation, your money, the prize money, and ultimately your tournament life. All of which add pressure and expectations that online can never possibly do. When you play online, other than your self inflated ego, you have nothing to lose. There's no incentive to really try your absolute best, there just isn't. You might say "But Juggs, there's rankings online!". You have to realize, that your rank online is facetious. Rank online provides nothing but a false sense of importance, and it's a form of delusion. The moment you start taking your rank or record online seriously, or thinking that it's an accurate portrayal of anything, is the moment you digress into a modern day caveman.
Playing online is fine if you don't take it too seriously and just use it as a tool to get better. Don't put stock into your wins online, it will only hurt your gameplay in the long run. If you truly want to compete, go to a tournament. It's the only platform where you can prove that you're better than your opponent. Start going to locals, and save up to travel to the majors. I guarantee you that you won't regret it, and in the end, you'll be wondering why you haven't been playing offline all along.
