Question about leaning a "anime fighter"

[Droogy]

ok gonna level with everybody here I am a complete scrub when it comes to anime fighters. I dunno if thats even the correct terminology cause I've heard it almost as a derogatory term for fighters like GG and P4A. I do not know anything about the scene and unless you count skullgirls (which going by the forum it seems not) I've never even tried seriously to learn a "anime style" fighter. I've played GG years ago and had BlazBlue continuum shift extend for a time but never got into it enough to wanna learn it. But I played the original P4 last summer (and loved it almost more than any game I have ever played) and I'm playing Persona 3 now and I own P4A so...I think its about time. 

I'm a casual to above average played in a few games my best (according to online leaderboards because I don't live close enough to any tournaments) are Injustice and Virtua Fighter 5. That said I'm a decent Street Fighter player when I put my mind to learning the game. So safe to say I'm relatively diverse when it comes to my fighting game knowledge but I am just absolutely ignorant of this side of things so I humbly ask a few questions as they pertain to me wanting to learn

1: What games should I pick up as a beginning game and what would you suggest as a way to learn these games? 
2 :Should I just wait for P4 ultramix before I start trying to learn it seriously given that the online is probably dead on 360? 
3: I am a stick player so would you suggest grabbing a PS3 fighstick so I can play it when it comes out or is the ps3 pad decent for fighters in your opinion?

 

[D.R.F.]

1. You should learn this game like any other. Begin with movement, then learn the normals and specials of the character you will be playing, and then defense/bnbs/tech.

2. P4A is a fine game to start off with, as long as you understand there will be changes in the new game.

3. Play with what you feel comfortable with. Pad is perfectly fine for p4A (and any fighter honestly) but if you want to keep playing on a stick because you are more comfortable then by all means buy a ps3 stick.

The hardest parts about airdash games are usually getting used to the higher tempo and advanced air movement, but if you played vf5 to any competent level you will be fine in this sort of pacing (coming from someone whos first fighter taken seriously was virtua fighter)

[Droogy]

Thank you for your response, Follow up question.

OK so lets say i've started learning P4A and I've gotten the basics (I just found the Ultrachen episode from when it was released about mechanics for example) is there enough of a online scene either online or on this forum so I can at least sort of learn the game before ultramix?

[Elochai]

I think P4U has enough life on PSN at present. I haven't played the 360 version since I lost Live a while ago, so I can't really say for that version. People here are usually willing to play if you just ask (in the P4U netplay thread). I'd also like to offer my own answers to your OP:

1. Play whichever game you want to learn/take seriously. I don't really believe in learning x to learn y; while fundamentals and things like that carry over from game to game (or character to character), there're mutually exclusive things as well. Just play what you want.

 

2. I agree here, P4U is a great starting point if you want to play Ultimax.

 

3. This is preference, so use whatever you want. I would recommend stick if it's comfortable to you though.

 

Btw, have you checked the match finder thread? Perhaps there's a scene near you that you're not aware of.

[Droogy]

Sadly the closest large tournament scene to me is in Tenn. and the closest sustained small one is about a hour away. I live in one of those small towns where everyone knows everyone so yea. That said I will be living in japan for almost 6 months starting in august so....who knows I may learn the game while I'm there!

[heavymetalmixer]

1. BB or P4U are great games to get into Airdashers, mostly P4U.

 

2. It's true that P4U2 is coming in some months, but is better to have some experience in the first game, so you can adapt better to the new one, and possibly choose a character before is released (unless you only want a P4U2 exclusive character).

 

3. For me is better the D-Pad, but you already have long way playing with stick, so go for the PS3 stick.

[mixedmethods]

There aren't any complex motions in P4A or P4AU -- just quarter-circles and double quarter-circles. I switched from pad to joystick when I decided to get serious about FGs and haven't felt tempted to go back to the pad. Personally, I'd say to continue using a stick if that's what you're most comfortable with; that being said, the biggest problem I've had with P4A is finding an optimal button layout. BB's layout works perfectly with the game's commands... P4A is something you'll have to feel out for yourself. (Or it just felt strange to me after internalising BB's Light-Medium-Heavy-Drive arrangement.) I've heard several players say that Yukiko becomes difficult to play at a high level off the pad, but I can't offer any first-hand knowledge on that issue.

I've had P4A for almost a year but only started taking FGs seriously in the past few months. As far as Ultimax goes, the commands are essentially unchanged (BD is your DP, still quarter-circle commands, etc.), but everyone's getting a few tweaks. Nothing you learn now will hurt you later, as the fundamentals -- air dashing, OSing grabs, etc. -- aren't changing. Everyone's going to be feeling out Shadow Berserk mode once Ultimax actually arrives, so now is as good a time as any to see if you click with anyone from the original cast and develop good habits.

As an aside: status effects are a huge part of P4A, but since you've played the RPGs, you shouldn't be too thrown by them. Shock, freeze, charm, fear -- they all make an appearance, so watch out!

[Elochai]

I think the default button layout for P4U works extremely well for it; everything is organized. A/C are at the top so you can easily do evasive action, just as B/D are at the bottom so you can easily DP. I suppose it might be kind of jarring if you're switching between BB & P4U, though I never really had a problem with it (and I play GG too). If it means anything, I use the default layout on stick for any game I play.

[D.R.F.]

I personally hate p4's layout. I personally dont like going up and down on the buttons and avoid it if I can, but that is what preference is for

[mixedmethods]

Eh, I use the default layout for P4A as well, but that's more force of habit and lack of a better idea. With ABC/D or BCD/A, I can rest my hand on the stick without missing a button and BB's dual and triple inputs are no problem. I haven't found a comfortable/secure way to place my hand for P4A, and the BB options don't quite work, as with BD, AC, CD, AB, ABC and ABD in play, something goes awry if I don't stick to the P4A default. It's not an awful setup, but it's not as intuitive as BB's options. How quickly you adapt probably varies by person and by stick -- I use a Hori RAP N3 SA, and sometimes I wish my hands could be modded.

[StylisH]

You are not a scrub. A scrub is a player who believes he is better than what he actually is.