Blocking and reaction time

[badplayer]

Hello! This is my first post on the forum, so I hope I didn't do anything wrong...

(TL;DR: jump to the numbered questions)

So, I recently discovered all this enormous amount of theory about fighting video games, and now I'm trying to use this to become better at MKX. I spent a few weeks reading some MKX forums, but I still have some questions. Currently, the "Normal" difficulty is too easy for me, but "hard" is too hard. And I don't play online - for reasons that are off-topic.

I read people on forums saying that the best strategy for beating the AI is by punishment. It seems that in order to punish I need to block first. I read that the best strategy is to block ducking, then react to overheads and throws because they are slower than those D1/D3 attacks. So I went to training mode, set the AI to very hard and tried to just block, but I failed miserably. To me, it was really really hard to actually react to overheads (where "react" means: release the down button), and only a few of the Special overheads were actually reactable. I didn't even got the point where I could think about reacting to a throw. So I started wondering: do I just suck, or am I trying to do it the wrong way? And how good is it humanly possible to get? So, numbered questions:

1 - Is it really humanly possible to react to all those overhead attacks? Can you guys do this? How often? 100% of the times?

2 - How many frames do you guys think is the threshold between "humans can react" and "impossible to react"?

3 - What is your strategy for blocking? Block ducking then react to the overheads and throws? Just guess? Not block at all?

4 - Are you guys able to set the AI to very hard (or just hard) and then just keep blocking their attacks for a long time without ever being hit? (pick someone with an "average" number of frames for the overhead)

5 - Is blocking even worth it against the AI? Or should I try to mostly mash faster attacks instead of blocking?

6 - Based on all that, do you guys have any advice that I could use to get better?

Today's invasion fight against Takeda was super frustrating again... I know most of the difficulty is because of the armor, but even after removing his armor I just got brutally spanked...

Thanks for your help!

 

[CrimsonShadow]

Yeah, that was probably bad advice. The AI plays by its own rules, which aren't necessarily that helpful for learning to play fighting games. If anything you'll need to mix them up and attack in various ways (high, low, jumping attacks, throws, armor etc.) rather than just waiting to block everything they do. You're not going to be able to react to a lot of the combo starters in this game.

You will need to mix up blocking and offense, but in order to understand that you'll have to start learning about frames. If you search around TYM, there are some posts about what frames signify, what "negative" and "plus" mean, and what "punishable" is.

And then the Invasion boss plays by completely different rules still. That's just staying alive, running away and cherrypicking individual hits until the super armor is gone.

 

[learis1]

I've heard it said that the threshold for being able to block a mixup is 20 frames (1/3 of a second). For many it is worse, for a select few it may be better. Something like Mileena's overhead which is over 30 frames startup can be reacted to. Something like Reptile's overhead cannot. Sometimes it's not about reacting as much as it is discovering your opponent's patterns.

 

[imaginarypuppets]

If you just block, be good at tech'ing throws or else the AI will just throw you a lot (unless you don't care). The best way, IMO to get better at blocking (especially things you can't always react to) is to just get better at recognizing other characters' combo strings and making the best reads you can.

 

[Snaaaake]

As someone mentioned above, it is humanly impossible for the vast majority of people to react to anything that has 20 or less startup frames. If you feel like the AI is going to attack, try using armored moves(they work wonders especially on wakeup) and backdashes (doesn't always work but it's an option) more often. Also use parries if your character has them. But don't just stand there blocking all day, it's hopeless and will you get hit eventually.

Also, if you want to get better, it really helps if you pay a bit more attention to frame data. For instance, Shinnok AI even on very hard loves using its projectile right under your nose, but you can get a full combo if you block it/jump it. Learn these things and your game will improve a lot. It will help you understand when to start your own offense after blocking something.

 

[RoboCop]

Yeah, the AI isn't good to practice on except for combo execution. Half of reacting is making a good read on your opponent, and since reads are mental, you simply can't practice them against the AI.

In order to practice punishing, you'll want to go into practice mode and set your opponent to reversal with one of their specials. This will set them to auto-block. Hit them with a safe attack, block their reversal, and try to punish. If you are fast enough then your attack will connect; if not then they will block your punish and reversal again.

By practicing tight punishes (such as punishing a -9 move with a 6 or 7 frame starter), you'll quickly get better at punishing in general.

 

[Gravelands]

If you don't play online, then obviously playing with the AI is going to be fine, don't listen to everyone telling you to avoid the AI. If you have some friends that you play with regularly, then yes, AI will do nothing but cripple you, but otherwise, there's literally no other way for you to play except with AI.

You said that you'd failed miserably, and you're supposed to at first. The idea is to get visually used to what strings look like so you know what your options are during and after the string. Reptile's F412 string, for example, hits mid-OH-mid, meaning you can literally just stand and block the full string. Obviously he can follow up with a low hitting slide (in which case you'd have to block low), but the idea is to get used to common starter strings so you know what to deal with.

Another thing you'll wanna practice on are Reversals - Tom Brady has an excellent MKX mechanic guide at the top of this forum (Strategy Zone) that explains what a reversal is and how to do it - after the last hit of X string, if you fire off a special move (or a normal attack), it'll come out the first frame that it's able to come out. This doesn't mean you should apply reversals to every string, as obviously some strings are safe on block and you can get punished if you utilize a special reversal after it, but it does give you even more options for reaction.

 

[3Lifts]

Try this: http://www.teyah.net/MilliaBlocker_v0.3.swf

 

[Farpafraf]

1) Some overheads can not be reacted especially on a match.

2) Probably depends on how many options you have to consider, I'll explain myself: if you only had to press the button "block" every time you saw something your reaction time could probably be as high as 12-16 frames, if you have to recognize a move then react in two different ways based on what move it is (overhead low) the reaction time will probably skyrocket to semething like 20-25 (it also depends on how easy an animation is to see).

3) Depends on what character your opponent is using: against some characters (cough Kenshi cough) you have no reason to block high but if for istance I'm playing against Takede I will always block high from the distance to avoid being hit by his overhead and react to his kunai that is way slower, in some cases you can only guess but usually one option is more dangerous than another if you're playing against D'Vorah her 14f F22 OH can lead to 32% combos but her B1 is way harder to connect and has less range (so from a mid distance you might want to block high more often but not always since she can always use her D4 poke).

4) I don't use the A.I that way but it sounds like a good idea: if I were to pick a character to practice my block I would set Takeda (SR) on hard.

5) The A.I on very hard cheats, if you want to beat it you'll have to "cheat" as well: mixups are useless against a very hard A.I since it will always block your overheads and lows, tech your throws and outpoke you, that's the reason why you have to abuse moves against which it doesn't behave well such as the ones with a big hitbox but small hurt box (like D'Vorah' F22 or neutral jump 1/2) or pojectiles.
Playing against the A.I will not tech you how to play against a real opponent by the way.

6) Find a human player.

 

[STK]

How to deal with someone doing multiple d1 jabs. Like 5 in a row

 

[SaltShaker]

How to deal with someone doing multiple d1 jabs. Like 5 in a row

Block one D1, poke after block to get advantage, full combo them if they're still mashing D1.

 

[STK]

Like d1 back then go a string? Example i block a d1 i d1 back The stick out Jacqui f12.

 

[SaltShaker]

Like d1 back then go a string? Example i block a d1 i d1 back The stick out Jacqui f12.

Yea if you land it.

Check your characters hit advantage on your D1, D3, and D4.

For example, say if your D3 is +12 on hit, and you have a 14 frame low combo starting string. If you're playing someone who will constantly mash D1 5x in a row you can block a D1, hit them with your +12 D3, and then go straight into your combo string. Since you're at +12 from the hit they'll be combo'd if they mash D1 again.

Vice versa, if you are hit with a D1 that puts him at +12, then you are at disadvantage so if you try to D3 you will be hit with another D1.

Block it first, poke him back, and then blow him up for mashing until he either stops or you keep winning.

 

[STK]

Yea if you land it.

Check your characters hit advantage on your D1, D3, and D4.

For example, say if your D3 is +12 on hit, and you have a 14 frame low combo starting string. If you're playing someone who will constantly mash D1 5x in a row you can block a D1, hit them with your +12 D3, and then go straight into your combo string. Since you're at +12 from the hit they'll be combo'd if they mash D1 again.

Vice versa, if you are hit with a D1 that puts him at +12, then you are at disadvantage so if you try to D3 you will be hit with another D1.

Block it first, poke him back, and then blow him up for mashing until he either stops or you keep winning.

yea i see it now. I feel like a dummy asking that question. It must have been an online thing. smh

 

[SaltShaker]

yea i see it now. I feel like a dummy asking that question. It must have been an online thing. smh

No doubt man. We all are still learning the game.

 

[YoloRoll1stHit]

I can react to block johnny's 15 frame overhead, but i can't react to block sonya's 13 frame overhead. I think this is my limitation to react mixup blocking