Switching from pad to stick - advice needed.

[Koozebanian Fazoob]

T5 is a Japanese style and that's how GG is.

[Syo]

T5 is a Japanese style and that's how GG is.

Oh really? Wow awesome that just saves me from worrying about modding my joystick, thank you.

[fragile]

I finally got myself a stick (a used namco stick till i'll get one from the store) and for some reason dps and combos and super buffers are easier from the 1p side and from the 2p i suck horrbily maybe it's the way i hold the stick?

[damian]

i play most 2d games on a mas stick w/ perfect 360s... but a game like gg is suited for a pad imo... mainly because of the ease of going back to neutral... instant blocking is easier... dashing into random neutral attacks is easier... the only real disadvantage is mashing out of dizzy/stagger...

[4r5]

Instead of giving you 10-hit Grand Viper, jap sticks will go back to neutral when you let go of the stick.

[tataki]

how many hours of practice did it take to get used to the stick for people here?

[Darkhonor90]

how many hours of practice did it take to get used to the stick for people here?

I don't have a stick per say but alot of people tell me it usually takes around 1-2months of playing to get fully used to it

[eA-Zaku]

Hey guys, I don't know if this is quite relevant, but I was watching an anime (Shakugan no Shana ) and one of the guys was playing at an arcade. He held the stick with his left hand, palm up.

IIRC, he cupped the ball between his thumb, index, and middle fingers much like a wine glass, with the stick coming up between his index and middle finger, and the fourth and pinky finger are just closed into a loose fist.

Looked pretty badass, but probably not very practical, as your hand is basically upside down.

How do you guys hold the stick? Assuming the round, gumball style Japanese ones.

Also, I'm interested in purchasing a stick along with whatever it is I'm going to do to play Slash, so I wanted to know if the stuff I read on this site is basically sound advice. I am liking the sound of Sanwa, but then I think the Hori Real Arcade Pro Stick is what I will get. Just to be ABSOLUTELY DAMN SURE:

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-m-70-5w3.html

Worth the purchase, right? (This is just closure for me, I've read what others have said and that's how I came to this decision. Just need confirmation before I purchase). And how much less sensitive are the stock buttons compared to Sanwa replacement buttons. Do the Sanwa buttons offer a big advantage (due to higher sensitivity -> faster and more fluid command inputs)?

Oh, yeah. Sorry in advance if posting links is forbidden. I just wanted to show the picture of what I have my eye on at the moment.

[4r5]

Use to play like that. Then it changed to the same exact thing but with my palm faced to the right. And now I switch inbetween the two as I play.

[Zoogstin]

I think holding you hand palm up negates your hand being good at putting inputs in one direction. So rather than being good at inputting in dragon punches and fireball to the left and sucking at inputting them to the right, you hand is neutral to both positions. I think thats why its done.

[ant12292]

Recently my Hori RAP just stopped working. I'll hit a button and nothing will happen and nothing will happen when I input a direction. Does anyone know what the problem might be?

[maxbenoit]

I just got my Hrap 1 today for christmas. I'm currently doing this with my palm facing to the right. I still got some adjusting to do as I suck ass and can't perform alot of my combos I could with pad. However, I managed to land several FRC's I couldn't manage on pad very easily on stick. I think in the long run, it'll help alot more. However, I've got a problem. My right hand starts to ache after about an hour or half of gameplay. I currently put my Hrap 1 in my lap and thus, my wrists are slightly pointed up while playing. I know well enough that this isn't good at all for my wrists (several cases of carpal tunnel have occurred in my family). What's the most comfortable for all of you to place your stick?

[4r5]

On my lap. Knees at right angles. Feet flat on the ground.

[rtl42]

Maybe your seat is too low to the ground (hence why your wrists are angled up)?

[IllogicalDreamr]

I just got my Hrap 1 today for christmas. I'm currently doing this with my palm facing to the right. I still got some adjusting to do as I suck ass and can't perform alot of my combos I could with pad. However, I managed to land several FRC's I couldn't manage on pad very easily on stick. I think in the long run, it'll help alot more.

However, I've got a problem. My right hand starts to ache after about an hour or half of gameplay. I currently put my Hrap 1 in my lap and thus, my wrists are slightly pointed up while playing. I know well enough that this isn't good at all for my wrists (several cases of carpal tunnel have occurred in my family). What's the most comfortable for all of you to place your stick?

I have a coffee table, so I just put it on there and play. But when I didn't have one, to make sure everything was straight when I was sitting down with it on my lap, I'd place books or something to rest my feet on so it evened everything out.

If your wrists are hurting, you should do some wrist stretches after playing for an hour or so anyways.

[maxbenoit]

I was taking buying a coffee table a consideration but my room is such a mess, I doubt that'll happen :P. I've been followin everyone's advice though and have been keepin my lap pretty straight. It's helping for the most part, thanks a bunch guys!

[Nephi_999]

well for me i'd hold the lever with my palm, gives me full control and doesn't stress out my hand very much, i currently have no idea what stick im using seeing how i got mine from a garage sale and it looks really messed up, luckily it plays like a dream, no problems with it at all and with the way i hold the lever i don't get cramps or pains in my hand, my brother on the other hand holds the lever completely covering it and holding it like a sword handle and says he doesn't see how i can play with only my palm on the lever. but the real problem for me was getting used to the button layout. it took me 4 weeks but i got used to it. messed up my punch, kick stuff alot got them confused the first 2 weeks. im looking to get a custom one made and ive already begun saving up money. otherwise ill just recover my current piece of junk with a few stickers or something. the way you transit from pad to stick all depends on how you feel with the stick your using, mine went smoothly because mine was comfy and smooth.

[Nanaki]

Ive been looking at starting up on a stick, in particular the Namco arcade stick. Is it worth my time or should I look for something else? Also, a question for pad users, do most of you use the analogue joystick on the PS2 pad or the D-pad? Ive always used the D-pad, which for me I think give me more control over my movement, but less reliabilty on specials, most especially DPs, Ive tried the analogue stick but dashing is very random, and I tend to accidentally stop guarding. Thanks for any feedback.

[4r5]

Namco Stick is fine. If I play pad, I play with the D-pad. I've never seen anyone good who plays on thumb stick.

[MacArthur Blunts]

There is one use for the thumbstick, half-circle motions are easy as hell on them.

[reaVer]

Ive been looking at starting up on a stick, in particular the Namco arcade stick. Is it worth my time or should I look for something else?

Also, a question for pad users, do most of you use the analogue joystick on the PS2 pad or the D-pad? Ive always used the D-pad, which for me I think give me more control over my movement, but less reliabilty on specials, most especially DPs, Ive tried the analogue stick but dashing is very random, and I tend to accidentally stop guarding.

Thanks for any feedback.

Didn't you used to live in the NL?:P Namco and HRAPs are good.

[Nanaki]

Didn't you used to live in the NL?:P Namco and HRAPs are good.

Must be a popular name. Though I know alot of people from NL.

[Necrosis]

I'm getting a HRAP2, but not for this game. I suck so bad at this on stick and don't play it often enough to make the transition. I play on the d-pad, DPs aren't a problem at all. I take an approach where I slightly exaggerate thumb movements, and this helps me actually get an accurate motion off. On a sidenote, I just realized I naturally played as it's been claimed the Japanese players do before even reading this thread. It was funny at the time.

[Calleidoscope]

Its very difficult to adapted switching D Pad To Stick T_T,need a lot practice

[tigerfist27]

I am thinking to pursase an arcade stick, since this topic is al about sticks. The thing is almost all the 2d fighting games i played was with a gamepad, and now i want to switch over to sticks. The decision came trough watching video matches of gg and HNK. i've read all the topics here but i am not still satisfied. here is why: What are the pro's and cons of using a stick in reference to a pad? I know coming out of a dizzy is more easy on the stick, i dont think that would be a good reason for buying a stick. What are the other pro's? What i found out is that people have difficulties in performing dragon punch moves (for me very important) And is it really true you will become better after a while playing with a stick,why is that so? And i have no experience in choosing what kind of stick i should use- Hori real arcade pro stick (japanese style) OR MAS super pro stick (american style)? Because here all my friends are adapted to pads and buying one means order one outside of europe-holland, so cant make i mistake otherwise i wasted money on a stick. Some good advise would be very welcome. And buy the way if 2 players both are very good but dont know each other played with each other , one uses a pad the other a stick who would most likely win the battle? Thanx in advance guys