Melee Player Looking to Expand my Fighting Game Knowledge

[SoySauSe]

Hi there. I am a Smash player. I play all of them, but I mostly play Melee because, well, it's the best. I have GGXXAC+ for the Wii, and would like to learn how it works. I feel like it has a very steep learning curve. There seems to be fifty kind of blocks, there a bunch of different cancels, and every character has different inputs. It is, obviously, very different from Smash. I would like to learn how to get relatively good at this game. Anywhere I can find the bare basics? Thank you.

EDIT: Also, what's up with palette switches? Anywhere I can see them for each character?

Edited February 7, 2014 by SoySauSe

[Celerity]

You can find most basic info within the stickies in this section and the Guilty Gear section of the forums. This one in particular might be what you're looking for:

http://www.dustloop.com/forums/showthread.php?372-Gameplay-FAQ-READ-BEFORE-POSTING

Further info on the game's mechanics, as well as character info and all character palettes can be found on the wiki. This page illustrates the differences between each type of blocking in Guilty Gear:

http://www.dustloop.com/wiki/index.php?title=Defense_%28GGACR%29

[SoySauSe]

Okay, cool. Question. How do I do the [4]6S? I hold back, then do forward and slash? I can't get it to work. I don't understand the timing for holding back and then snapping to forward.

[TheRealBobMan]

For convenience, here's the wiki (you can also link to it from the top of the page, right next to where it says "forum", and look up other fighting games):

http://www.dustloop.com/wiki/index.php?title=Guilty_Gear:_Accent_Core

The system mechanics are detailed in there, and there's frame data for the characters if you know enough to care about such a thing already.

How detailed is your background knowledge in Smash? Do you enter tournaments? What other fighting games do you play, if any?

Then there are character specific forums you can look up for advice on what's important to learn first for each character, combo routes, etc.

You should feel somewhat comfortable with mobility since GGAC is an "airdasher", which is a nickname for the modern fighting games that have air mobility. SF4 does not have the same air mobility options, for comparison (no double jump, no air dashing). Doing combos is quite different since in Smash you have to read DI and link whatever you can together, whereas GG lets you chain moves together. It's honestly a lot easier to learn at the most basic level. That said, linking a bunch of moves together just because you can isn't always the best idea because of the way damage scaling works. I could hit you with a super and do 150 damage, or combo 3 jabs into the super and do 130 damage. If you've played Street Fighter you might be used to linking a bunch of jabs into a super for big damage, but that's not optimum in this game.

Don't worry too much about the different kinds of blocks when you start out. Just know that you have Faultless Defense, which prevents chip damage and pushes the attacker away at the cost of meter, and Dead Angles which let you attack out of block stun (like upB out of shield) at the cost of meter. The other things are really important to learn once you get above beginner play, but you'll get better faster if you learn other skills first.

[SoySauSe]

I enter tournaments. I know a lot about Smash. I understand all the mechanics and frame data and DI and such.

[D.R.F.]

That's great your already a step ahead. Learning the simple stuff should be quick.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

[Celerity]

Okay, cool. Question. How do I do the [4]6S? I hold back, then do forward and slash? I can't get it to work. I don't understand the timing for holding back and then snapping to forward.

It's just like a charge move like a Guile Sonic Boom. There's no trick to it; if it's not coming out then you're not charging long enough.

[TheRealBobMan]

Not sure if it's different for other characters, but I know that at least with May it's 30 frames to charge.

As far as cancels go, you can spend meter to make an uppercut safe, or cancel a projectile's start-up to that you can advance behind it, as some of the basic uses. It gives you the option to be really free form with how you play.

[SoySauSe]

Thanks! I get it now.

What inputs does every character share?

[Jagd]

You said you're playing on the Wii, so I'd like to warn you that this is gonna suck if you're using a Gamecube controller. If you can't get the game on 360, PS3 or PS2, try getting a Gamecube-PS2 adapter or some kind of Wii stick.

This video is a great introduction for beginners.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I83GsQGg6U

In the beginning, learn system mechanics, learn some basic combos and strategies for your character, and focus on neutral game (footsies, zoning, rushdown, keepaway) and good okizeme and getting out of others' okizeme.

Next, get good at Force Roman Cancels and focus really hard on not being predictable. A lot of new people struggle with fighters because they use the techniques people say and get demolished anyway because their tactics are basic and obvious. Nearly everything in Guilty Gear can be beaten if they know its coming. You should already be good at this from Melee so that's great for you.

You can already block, but now try to get really good at blocking. In most games, including GG, high attacks are usually slow and few and far between. So, most of the time you wanna block low and watch out for highs. You just gotta practice this, no one can really give you any help with it.

[SoySauSe]

I have a 360 that I might buy it on when I get more money.