How to teach fighting games to new players?

[Zork]

As of late I've been trying to get more of my friends and family members into playing fighting games. I tried a similar thing last summer with two of my friends and kind of succeeded and failed at the same time. One of them wasn't all that great at first but he ended up surpassing the other who had a little bit of natural skill going in, and he's become a Street Fighter fan since. The one that had natural skill didn't practice any, only plays when we're all together and just plays one character (Ryu) and does an old school turtling strategy that I semi-taught him. It seems he's not as interested even though he was at first. I'm assuming it's because we don't have enough people playing but who knows.

I've always thought my teaching methods were pretty good but I'm looking to expand my lessions and other things, just for the sake of making the people I know better and more interested. Please share your experiences and teaching strategies.

Note: I'm asking for help specifically with Street Fighter because it's seen as a gateway to me. Once you know how to play that, you can pretty much play any other fighting game ever made in my opinion.

[racketboy]

Check this out:
http://www.racketboy.com/retro/2006/12/ ... s-for.html

This will teach you lots of good stuff for Street Fighter 2

[Zork]

I forgot about that, thanks! Anyone else with advice for teaching new people is welcome to step up.

[metaleggman]

I'd like to know, considering I've wanted to learn for a while. Other than SCII on cube, I haven't really liked fighters all that much, but that's cuz I suck...cool article btw racket.

[Pullmyfinger]

I remember trying to teach a friends 12 year old brother play SFIII3s since he is young his obvious choice was the joystick, he could hardly pull off any special moves but he was able to parry shinku hadoukens on the third try, it was almost scary

[Zork]

I'll say it's easier to parry crap with a joystick, at least in my opinion.

[Pullmyfinger]

well, I meant the thumbstick on a regular DC controller, I've never found a thumbpad useful for a fighting game

[Zork]

I actually have been able to perform on the same level with either. I've never been able to see why one person thinks the other is better just completely.

[legendaryx]

Im I big fighting fan and I think yo should start first by learn the basic layout of the controls then defense. You can throw fireballs all day and button mash. If you cant block why play! Then Charge moves ( ex. Guile's Sonic Boom- Hold <= for a 2 count then => and P). They are easy to remember and if you learn to block first it should be no prob pullin them off. Then go into Quarter circle moves ( Ryu's Fireball). The thing people always says is, press down, foward +p. I say slide your thumb (or motion on joystick) down, down+forward, forward+p. I think it makes more sense because thats the way to really do the move. After learning that every other move should be no problem. I taught my brother and many others this way. Now they can hang or beat me.

[Zork]

Im I big fighting fan and I think yo should start first by learn the basic layout of the controls then defense. You can throw fireballs all day and button mash. If you cant block why play! Then Charge moves ( ex. Guile's Sonic Boom- Hold <= for a 2 count then => and P). They are easy to remember and if you learn to block first it should be no prob pullin them off. Then go into Quarter circle moves ( Ryu's Fireball). The thing people always says is, press down, foward +p. I say slide your thumb (or motion on joystick) down, down+forward, forward+p. I think it makes more sense because thats the way to really do the move. After learning that every other move should be no problem. I taught my brother and many others this way. Now they can hang or beat me.

Great advice, because for some odd reason when we finally get down to playing, they'll try and do some basic moves and they'll always end up jumping or something, I suppose I should slow the pace down a bit.