OFC Salty Santa Posted August 10, 2012 Posted August 10, 2012 This is the first fighter of this type that I've tried to play seriously. I play SF predominately but this game really grabbed my eye. I ran through most of the characters challenges and settled on playing Aki. Got a couple combos down for each situation(midscreen, corner, counter, fatal counter) and started playing people. As I started to lose I boiled down why I was getting blown up to a couple reasons. 1. The Neutral Game I'm not sure how to transition from neutral to offense in this game. In SF it's all about using your pokes to keep the opponent defensive then move into your optimal range to apply pressure. However Aki's pokes are so short they get beat out before I can get into range. His Persona seems pretty bad apart from setting up a frametrap or LONG distance un-safe poking. Other characters seem to have safe ways to get in with great hitboxes that I can't stuff reliably compared to Aki. 2. Wakeup pressure After my combos I try to move in to get a meaty on their wakeup but I get counterhit instead because of ground teching. Is this game not meant to have that type of pressure or am I going about it the wrong way. I was going to post this in the aki board but I felt like this was more of a game-mechanics lack of understanding more than anything else. I really enjoy this game and I'm looking forward to getting better at it. Any advice is welcome.
kazukifafner Posted August 10, 2012 Posted August 10, 2012 You can definitely meaty with Aki's 2A/5B (5A sometimes whiffs crouching opponents), you just need to be right on top of them (which, unless you are in the corner, probably isn't going to be the case). Also, you need to mixup your wakeup pressure too. You can't just meaty, because a well-timed FA will go right through it every time. For neutral to offensive, especially Akihiko, you need to make good reads. Learning how to move about in the air along with ground is critical to transitioning as well (it is an "air-dasher" after all). Akihiko's normals have bad range, so you really have to get your spacing right and your reads solid in order to get in consistently.
Hecatom Posted August 10, 2012 Posted August 10, 2012 (edited) In general, the neutral game on this kind of fighting games is a combination of good reads and taking advantage of your own mobility options; depending on what side of the neutral game you are (aggressive/ defensive), for example if you are on the aggressive side, you want to mix the way that you are trying to get in, the more difficult you made to your opponent to read how you are going to approach him, the easier for you to screw him up. Try to not get "predictabo", mix air dashes with double jumps, running forward with your jumps, back dashes. Also don't limit yourself to just your normals, some specials can be used as part of your approach on the neutral game, try to fool your opponent with all your mobility options and fish for opportunities to land normals/specials and take advantage of the counter hit properties of your attacks your goal in general is to make them make a bad read and take advantage of their mistakes. As for the defensive side, i think (and i recall on i think) that you also need to take advantage of your mobility options, being a sitting duck can be really bad on this games because the pressure game can be very strong, sometimes is better to try to fish for the attacks of your opponent while moving and punish them according the situation. Like on sf try to know the properties of your attacks, and remember what you can do and what not based on the matchup (again like sf) dunno others, but i feel that those games share some basics with kof on how you need to approach the neutral game, so the Dandy J kof guide can be for handy to get some idea of how those games work. Edit Another thing that i forgot to add, due the amount of options present on these type of games, your goal is to be more on the pressure game than in the neutral game if your character excels at rushdown, and even the zoners usually would like to take the opportunity to set some pressure sometimes since they aren't helpless at close range. Not Saying that the neutral game is not important, but the less chances you give to your opponent to start their shit, the better. Edited August 10, 2012 by Hecatom
OFC Salty Santa Posted August 11, 2012 Author Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) I see what you all are saying as far as making good reads is concerned. A well placed 236C > 6A with aki is great for that when you're on the floor. I'm just going to go into practice mode and learn different approaches. I really appreciate the input. EDIT: I'm really having a problem keeping my momentum going. I'm doing better getting in on people but when I get a knockdown but I cant catch up to them while they are down without being unsafe on my end. If I try to dash up I have recovery frames at the end of my dash before I can attempt an attack where I'm able to be hit. His walkspeed is too slow to catch up after a knockdown as well. Ive tried using ducking to catch up but that's equally unsafe. Edited August 11, 2012 by OFC Salty Santa
kazukifafner Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 If you're really in need of some oki pressure as Akihiko, end your midscreen combos with sweep instead of corkscrew.
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