You can play since day one and not be good. Many people play for ages and lack fundamentals, and view fighting games in the simplistic idea of punishing air actions and doing moves at the proper time. There is a huge broad base of players without poking/footsies also. There are those who don't read opponents based on their patternistic play and just play to the same music constantly.
Anyone who is truly good at fighting games can figure out what a persons weakness is, what they do that's a stupid risk, what they don't do. These people invent a style right on sight that can beat others who don't understand the same principles of spacing, poking, execution, prediction, when to take a risk, when to wait, when to bait, molding a opponent to literally be your mental slave based on their own failures. It is why people win tourneys and the strongest players have this ability and literally program others for failure they don't even realize its happening a lot of the time to, and that is where you get the whining and scrubbery. A lack of knowledge and a bruised intellect and ego.
3rd strike is one of the most beautiful games ever made as far as the design of adaption. To me, it is unmatched.
In FFS I use Terry and get lots of streaks, but my comp doesn't understand what I do, so it doesn't matter. A streak means something when you get it against really strong comp who's put in stupid time. For example, terry has a pressure loop that is really good against people who don't adapt to it quickly. Against someone with a sharp mind, that will work once or twice, then they will either guard it endlessly, or hit you right out of any opening that you make to keep it going. Then I must retire that strategy instantly, and reform my game to be what at its core base is the best thing it can be.
Good opponents are people who will figure you out and get you worked up by beating you down, then it is your gift to learn from these things, and rebuild a stronger game. To me its the same thing as how we adapt to sickness, when you learn certain lessons, they are learned. Anyone can develop this by putting in time and really thinking "how does my opponent view this situation"
For example, I had a 80+ streak against friends in KOF 2002 when I solely played that game, and built my game execution wise. At that time though, nobody I was playing directly was on that same level, since I had exposure with other stronger players in a different environment, so that streak doesn't mean anything really. It is a ego booster sure, but that doesn't dictate how good I am as a player.
The person who's beating you guys is probably doing so because he has adapted to patterns you have that you don't think about as deep as he does, and he's probably using tools to stop your one way directive mindset because he's noticed something. In the end he'll probably remain at that same level until the rest of you step it up and be patient enough to dissect him.
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