What’s in the book?

One of the reasons it’s hard to learn how to play fighting games is because there isn’t really a set curriculum or lesson plan. The Primer is basically my way of doing that, and I spend most of the book teaching you how to play a specific character in a specific game: Ryu in Super Street Fighter II Turbo. Street Fighter II Ryu is the Adam of fighting games; learn how to play him, and you’ll learn a set of basic skills that you can adapt to any other fighting game. Here’s a chapter listing:
1.Why You Should Learn How To Play Street Fighter
2.Everything You Need to Know About Fighting Games
3.Beginner Execution
4.Simplifying Street Fighter
5.Intro to Combos
6.Eleven Tips for Not Sucking at Street Fighter
7.Don’t Want No Scrubs
8.Introducing Street Fighter IV
9.The Warrior’s Path

http://shoryuken.com/2014/07/07/learn-how-to-play-fighting-games-with-our-free-beginners-guide-ebook/

Thanks lugum, but unless my opponent has a jewel on his head that blinks right before he throws a punch, I'm hopeless, even with that book. :P

Nice Punch Out Reference ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=his5_QwGpPE#t=429

I suck at fighting games. After skimming the first chapter, I'm confident that there is no way in hell that I'll become any good at it.

To be goodt at fighting game, you need to be good at fighting game. I'm not good at fighting game XD

I usually just press a whole bunch of buttons and figure out how to play fighting games that way. :P

Sounds pretty interesting :-)
But sometimes just mashing all buttons is a lot of fun :D

Thanks lugum, nice material! The title of the book is so hilarious because it's true!

I remember the day when I bring my PS3 to my friend's house, all people there mashing the button so badly they quickly become tired (especially the girls), but it was so much fun, laughter, and dirty words :))

Not all people really want or have a will to dedicate time and effort to learn fighting games, moreover to be competitive player, but learn one or two things about the 'how it works' actually make casual player happy. You know, when you tell the people how to execute some moves, even simple combos, or how to properly defend can makes you win (some people don't even know push back arrow make your char take a defense state!) they feel better about themselves and in fact makes the game more interesting.

I hope your book will help many new players to achieve that thing :)

I am not sure, if the moves are all the same as in Street Fighter 2, but gog, has Street Fighter 2 Alpha and the characters are there, especially Ryu which the book is talking about a lot

http://www.gog.com/game/street_fighter_alpha_2

The last fighting game I played was Mortal Kombat IV. It wasn't long before I realised there were certain moves with which you could stunlock your AI opponent for an easy win.

Yes. I had noticed that, but all reviews seem to point out that this is an inferior port, so not sure how good it would be to cut my teeth on that one.