shtkn

there's a tournament on the 20th if you'd like to come out and see the socal scene. http://www.dustloop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8350

ok stop making these "if you..." posts unless you've got something intelligent to say that hasn't been said already. We don't need 4 people saying "play tager if you like grapplers"

Hitboxes for an explanation of hitboxes and what they affect, see this very well made guide: http://www.eventhubs.com/guides/2009/sep/18/guide-understanding-hit-boxes-street-fighter/ you can also search youtube for "street fighter hitbox" or "fighting game hitbox" and see what you come up with. In addition to this BlazBlue also has the following mechanics: Credit goes to tianyuan2k4 and his site http://s1.zetaboards.com/blazblue/index/ for writing this stuff up. Go and check their system guide, it's very detailed and well written. Clashes: Though it does not happen often, when both players attack at the same time and the moves line up with each other they'll clash. There's a purple spark animation and both attacks will be negated. You can cancel to normal or special moves during this period but not jumping or dashing. If the clashed move has mulitiple hits, the latter attacks will come out. copied from zetaboards Attack Attributes: Attacks have different classes: Head, Body and Foot. This creates more possiblities of interactions of different moves. For example, some characters' → + A has head attribute invincibility, which is guaranteed to beat most jump attacks that only have head attribute, but it can easily lose to standing jabs that have both head and body attribute. Another example would be Jin → + B, which has foot attribute invincibility. Since crouching jabs generally have foot attribute only, those attack always lose to Jin's → + B. Furthermore, there is the difference between attack and projectile attribute. Head, body and foot are considered to be attack attribute by default. While projectiles definitely has the projectile attribute, some other attacks, such as Jin's standing D or Noel's crouching C, have this property as well. These type of attacks lose to moves that is invulnerable against projectiles attribute. copied from zetaboards Priority The Priority of an attack is a combination of the hitboxes, the speed of the attack, the timing of your attacks, the position of you and your opponent, and what attack the opponent is doing. This is why it's so hard to define an attack as high priority sometimes... because it's dependent on the situation. Examples: Consider Jin's j.C in BBCS2. From looking at these images, you can see that this move hits far in front of jin while keeping himself far behind the sword, but offers no protection from above or below. This makes it a wonderful tool to hit opponents who are directly in front of and far away from him, but horrible for enemes taht approach from other angles. Thus we can say jin's j.C has great priority when the opponent is in the area of space in front of jin. the fact that this attack is fairly fast given the range and can be easily used to start combos make it jin's prime air-to-air tool. Canceling A Cancel is a basic concept that means to skip (cancel) the animation of one move and immediately startup another. A simple example would be Jin hitting an opponent with his standing C and immediately doing an ice car as the first attack hits the opponent. Notice that Jin doesn't do the recovery animations of his standing C and instead goes directly into his ice car. You are CANCELLING the standing C into a special move. This is a 'special cancel'. A 'jump cancel' would mean doing a jump as the first move is still active. There are A LOT of different types of cancels (special, jump, gatling/revolver, kara, FD/ barrier, RC, FRC, etc). Each is different, and each has its use. Some are easy to do, some are hard. for special and jump cancels, you generally need to touch the opponent with the first move (hit or block) to cancel into the second move. Some moves can only be canceled on hit. gatlings and revolver is the names to denote that some normal moves cancel into other normals. No 2 characters are the same in this regard, experiment and see what you can get away with! This is the basic building block of combos and block strings in GG and BB. kara cancel is a term meaning to cancel the startup of one move into another. This is different from special and jump cancel because you don't want the first attack to hit the opponent at all! Ex: ragna can kara cancel his standing B into a throw to gain more range on the throw. The first attack moves him forward a bit, but you cancel the attack into a throw so you gain more range! Chun Li does this all the time in 3S. Of course this means the throw comes out a bit later than if you just did a throw, but generally not by that much, and the usefulness of it is clear; now you can throw from longer ranges! Variations of kara cancel exist and sometimes are given their own names due to how specific/notable the cancel is (see Roll Cancel in CVS2). These cancels are harder to do than special and jump cancels; you generally just need to do one immediately after the other, so keep practicing. RC: a rapid cancel (or roman cancel from guilty gear) is canceling one attack into... nothing! Meaning you're free to do anyhting you want afterwards. This allows for more freeform combos, blockstrings, escapes (dragon punch > RC > escape!), crossups, baits, tick throws, etc. to balance the power of these cancels, they cost a lot of meter (50%). In guilty gear, you can not RC projectile moves at all, while in blazblue you can once the projectile hits the opponent. There are a few moves that can not be RCed no matter what, but they are rare. you perform a RC by hitting the 3 attack buttons that aren't D/Dust. FRC: A guilty gear specific mechanic that cancels into anything/nothing, costs only 25%, and can only be done in a specific small timeframe of the attack. These are fairly hard, and will require practice to get down consistently in a match. Unlike RCs, you don't need to have this move touch the opponent to FRC so you can FRC projectiles or attacks taht whiff. To see if a move has a FRC, go to training mode and set it to display inputs. If when you do a move the input bar flashes blue, then the move has a frc point. You need to hit any 3 attacks (other than dust) when the bar turns white (the input bar flashes white for a moment like lightning, then fades away with in blue). Frame Advantage This is a bit technical, but in simple terms, imagine blocking an opponent's attack, and then trying to do something as soon as you are finished blocking. Your opponent recovers from his attack and tried to do something too. Who would begin performing their action first? That depends on how long you're stuck blocking (also known as block stun), and how fast the opponent recovers from their attack. In frame data for each attack, there's a number that tells you how many frames sooner or later you can act in relation to your opponent. That's Frame Advantage! You can also calculate it out for yourself, just figure out how many frames you are in block stun, and how long your opponent's recovery is, and calculate the difference. Ex: a move with +3 means you can act 3 frames sooner than your opponent after you finish your attack. A move with +/- 0 means you and you opponent can move at the same time afterwards. A move with -5 means your opponent can move 5 frames before you can. Of course this doesn't tell the whole story, some moves might give you a lot of frame advantage, but they're very slow to start up, or another move might give you a frame disadvantage, but the move pushes the 2 of you far away enough that they can't capitalize on it. So what does this have to do with anything? At a simple level, you use this to beat mashers by doing a fast move after doing an attack with frame advantage. The masher will try to attack as soon as they're done blocking the attack with frame advantage, but they will get counter hitted because your fast move will always come out faster (since you're at frame advantage). Of course this is simplifying things a lot, but that's the basic idea. Once they learn to not mash after a move with frame advantage, you can use that time to instead do a mixup or throw or something else. Meaty Attacks all moves have their frame advantage measured by making them blocking the move at the earliest moment possible. What if we were able to make them block a move at the end of the attack's active frames? then you'd recover sooner and possibly even be at frame advantage when you normally wouldn't be. With this frame advantage, you can do combos you normally couldn't do or create setups that normally wouldn't work. A pretty good video example is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCapuhsOMcg#t=04m21s i recommend the entire video series if you're not familiar with the basics of fighting games. WIP

i should practice this game...

really? HS slayer all day? how do you get away with that? and unless those 2ish hits are like... 2D > orb > combos, i don't see how you can do that much damage.

well... you do realize that the japanese don't post every match video up and sometimes they post stuff BECAUSE they buck the trend, not reinforce it

i disagree... i find slayer to be either even or 4-6 (disadvantage). the match to me is basically play perfect for a long time and win... mess up once and you lose.

i don't think that qualifies as a reset... if you want to make CS matchup threads go for it. BUT MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOMETHING INTELLIGENT TO SAY IN THE FIRST POST. if by the time console release comes out we don't have all matchups covered, i'll just make a thread for each matchup (since we really need it by then)

RUNNING A TOURNAMENT 1. Find a Venue. Announce it Well in Advance Self explanatory. Make sure your venue can hold your anticipated number of entrants. If your venue costs you money, don't be afraid to charge a venue fee (just keep it reasonable!). You can make an announcement in the Tournaments/Events section of dustloop, also don't forget shoryuken.com's event section either. 2. Consider Running multiple games to raise attendance A lot of tournaments have multiple games, see if it's appropriate for your area. Gague interest by asking around. 3. Post the Rules Singles? Doubles? 2v2? Waseda Format? Pokemon Format? EX Characters? Banned stages? Up to you. If you're not familiar with a game, ask someone who's into it for advice on a ruleset. Typically these are the rules used by most western tournaments (but change if something doesn't work for you!): * default round settings (ex: default round time, default starting life, default rounds to win a match, etc) * 2/3 matches, Double Elimination Bracket. 3/5 for Semifinals and Grand Finals. * No EX Characters/ Unlimited Characters/ Boss characters * Typically, all entrants in a tournament put money into a tournament pot and the top 3 finishers get the winnings. First place gets 70%, 2nd gets 20% and 3rd gets 10%. If it's a fairly small tournament, payout is either to the top 2 finishers: 80%, 20% or everything goes to 1st place. * In-game button macros are ok, but no hardware macros. No turbo button, no programmable controllers. You can use a controller that has those features, but you can't use those features. * Loser of a match can change character. Winner must stay with their previous pick. * Both players can pick select new characters when they start. EX: Player A uses Sol vs Player B, but can use Ky vs Player C. * Players can request a 'blind select'; both players write their char selection on a piece of paper before going to the character select screen. This is used to avoid deadlocks where players won't select a character before the other guy picks. * No wireless controllers to save on setup time. * Accidental pause = you lose the round or redo if your opponent is feeling generous. * Tournament director can DQ (disqualify) someone if they're holding up the tournament too long (by not being there for their match) Japanese tournaments are normally: * Single Elimination Bracket * Single Match for all fights * Can not change characters throughout the entire tournament 4. Know How to Run a Bracket As a first resource: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=tournament+maker&aq=f&aqi=g6&aql=&oq= Running a bracket can be very tiring. You will have people not be there when their match is going on, and you will need to call or find them, and as the day drags on, you may get run ragged. Ask for help if you need it! 5. Ask For Help With Equipment Again, community effort. Be sure to label everyone's consoles, tvs, sticks, etc so there's no confusion at the end of the day when everyone's tried, packing up, and don't remember where stuff is. 6. You WILL be Running Behind Schedule Tournaments almost always fall behind schedule due to people not showing up on time and unforseen circumstances slowing things down. You will need to compensate for this somehow. Try and schedule things a bit longer than you think necessary or schedule flexible things between tournaments like a food break or something. 7. Let Entrants Know When They are Supposed to be Playing get their phone numbers when they sign up. This is used to call them when it's their turn in the tournament and you can't find them. Have a whiteboard and write down names of people who have a match coming up/cant find them to show to everyone. Have them come to the tournament directors since you probably can't remember everyone's faces if this is the first time you've met them. 8. Try and Have an Area for Casuals, But Know Where Your Priorities Lie Tournaments are a great time to play people who probably drove further than usuaul to come and compete. Make it worth their time and give them the opprotunity to play games vs people they don't normally fight. However, make sure that you have enough setups to run the tournament effeciently before you put stuff to the side for casuals... you're here for a tournament first (and you can have casuals after the tournament's over)! WIP

Finding/Running a Gathering 1. Search your area! Don't reinvent the wheel Search the Match Finder section of Dustloop Also search shoryuken's regional threads If you don't see a place for your area, you might need to start it up. Make sure you widen your search area enough (at least cities an hour or two away) before you give up and start your own thread. If the gathering is too full, then you guys may need to split up, but that's another discussion for another topic... the first step is to get people to show up and play! 2. Set a Location! For most people, this will be their house/apartment. For others, this may be a rec. room, an arcade, a LAN center, or something even more exotic. Wherever you host, be sure to give directions and be prepared to give directions over the phone. Be sure to mention start/end times, conditions(no loud noises after midnight or something, shoes off in asian house), etc. 3. Equipment! If you get a handful of people showing up, multiple setups would help everyone play/learn faster. Don't be afraid to ask for help bringing equipment. This is a community, everyone chip in! An abbreviated checklist for equipment: 1. TVs 2. consoles 3. sticks/pads (though i think most people have the common sense to know that you won't have enough for everyone, be sure to mention it otherwise they'll most likely forget) 4. power strips to plugs those electronics into 5. tables and chairs 4. Have a Way to Contact Them And Be Reachable! Have a regular form of communication between everyone (typically, these forums) so everyone can keep up to date with events. Help arrange carpools to save gas! Post up your phone number or some way that someone en route to your gathering can get in contact with you/someone you trust for assistance. Trust me, even if you post the address and the times, people will call you since they will get lost or forget to get directions. Be prepared to be the point man and help them get to the gathering or execute a plan B in case things go wrong (your venue is becomes unavailable or someone bringing equipment can't make it). 5. Security If you're not familiar with most of the people showing up, you may be worried that someone will steal stuff. This is a valid concern, and unfortunately, there's not bulletproof way to solve this problem. The only advice I can offer is to keep an eye on your stuff and if something goes missing, stop the gathering, make an announcement, and ask for help looking around. If you want to step out for a bit to grab a bite to eat or something, be sure that someone you trust is there to make sure stuff doesn't get swiped. 6. Get to Know People! Bond! Go out together to eat! Watch match vids together, talk about common interests, ask each other about how/why you did that move in the match, watch a movie, etc. This is not only a training ground, it's a social setting. 7. Make it a Regular Event! People get better the more they play/learn. In order to facilitate this, try to have these gatherings on a regular schedule (twice a month, once a month, once a week, whatever).

One tactic that I experimented with recently is the idea of doing a reset off a 2D. So for example, 5C > 6C > 2D, run up 6A > combo as they break out of the ice. Is the damage worth the risk? that's a bit iffy... i don't know, i'm just messing around. similarily, 2D, run up 2B (whiff), throw. 2D run under them for a crossup. I didn't try 2D jump in mixup, but i guess that's worth experimenting with later. I was also experimenting with 2D into 6D, which obviously doesn't combo but breaks primer and leaves you at great frame advantage to continue a rushdown. what's everyone's thoughts on sacrificing the guaranteed damage off a 2D for mixup/gurad primer breaking?

do 956 on top of that air dashes have a minimum height they ahve to be off the ground so if you do it too fast, then it wont work. Of course if you do it too slow, then you're too high off you won't be at the right height for certain setups. practice and learn the timing to do it as low to the ground as possible.

please post only if you have something important to say/ask. Don't turn this into a banal conversation

then you should ahve bought the mook.... do you not understand the purpose of this thread?

he said he'd give them to those involved with translating, not so you could fill up your "blazblue collection" folder

do a dash after doing a dash cancelable move. for example: 5D > 66 there's your dash cancel. jin's 5D and 6C are dash cancelable. You must make sure the move touches the opponent in order to do a dash cancel.

Quite frankly, any advice we give doesn't mean anything to hands-on experience when it comes to picking a character to use. We COULD tell you what character you should play based on your personality/playstyle, but that would like picking your clothes for you... what matters is YOU need to figure out what you want and what you are comfortable with.

This thread gets made every two weeks, so I'll save you guys the trouble and make one for you. Guilty Gear button Layout (for XX, #R, Slash, and AC) = punch, = kick, = slash, = heavy slash, = dust, = nothing BlazBlue button layout Type A: Type B: :n: = A, = B, etc, = nothing In the arcades, you pick either one of the configurations before you pick your character. In CS there is also an easy mode option, but no one who plays seriously uses it. Persona button layout: for all games, the taunt/respect doesn't have a real defined location, since it varies depending on what type of arcade cabinet you play on. So people who play on consoles with an arcade stick just put taunt/respect anywhere or don't even assign it to a button if they know they don't ever want to press it on accident. General advice: 1. go into training mode and practice combos, setups, moving around (running, instant air dashing, super jumping, etc) 2. if you're having problems doing certain things (like say performing a motion), then set training mode to show your inputs (trust me it's there) and look at what you're doing wrong. Then practice doing the motion correctly. 3. PRACTICE. PLAY OTHER PEOPLE. DON'T GIVE UP Buying a Joystick: http://www.dustloop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3428 shoryuken.com also has a lot of resources involving stick buying/building/modding. Holding a Joystick: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsME37GrqjY this isn't an definitive guide, it just shows some common ways people hold joysticks. Find (or develop) a way to grip the joystick that's comfortable and usable for you.

COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF TERMS ON THE WIKI http://www.dustloop.com/wiki/index.php?title=Notation Some simple ones: WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN? 789 456 123 look at a numpad on a keyobard. Each number represents a direction so 6 is right and 8 is straight up. 5 would be neutral (not moving in any direction). 236A would be a street fighter styled fireball motion and pressing the A button. WHAT'S A FRAME? a frame is the smallest unit of time in a fighting game. Most fighting games run at 60 frames per second, so instead of using terms like 0.0125 seconds, we just say 1 frame. For example an attack that starts up in 12 frames means it will be active in 0.2 seconds. WHAT ARE ALL THE ABBREVIATIONS/ LINGO? read the conventions link. Here are a few common ones: CH = counter hit j = while jumping so j.2C = while jumping, press down + C black beat/ blue beat = a combo that the opponent could have escaped out of if they had teched hit confirm = a technique of only doing the rest of a combo if the first hit actually hits the opponent. Some of these can be quite hard. whiff = an attack that completely misses the opponent. Imagine your attack hitting only the air. cancel = performing a second attack while the first attack is still happening thereby canceling the animation of the first attack. There are very many types of cancels, and they are all used for various things. link = a combo where you must wait for the first attack to recover completely before doing the second attack. Links typically take some time to do consistently, so keep on practicing! gatling = revolver action = normal attacks that cancel into one another. mixup = having the opportunity to attack the opponent in 2 or more ways at once without giving the opponent much time to react (high/low/crossup/throw). crossup = jumping over the opponent and hitting them just as the opponent's character turns around. This is useful as it's difficult to block and stops the opponent from doing DPs (because their inputs will be reversed when you cross them up). tiger knee = the act of doing an air attack very low to the ground. Comes from the command for Sagat's Tiger Knee attack in Street Fighter 2. EX: doing Jin's j.236C by pressing 2369C. chicken block = jumping into the air and blocking rather than standing on teh ground and being forced to guess a high-low mixup. MORE ABBREVIATIONS DP = dragon punch. Refers to attacks whose utility is similar Ryu's dragon punch from street fighter. This does not mean that the motion to perform the move needs to be the same. SRK = shoryuken = dragon punch FD = faultless defense = barrier block. A type of blocking where you negate chip damage and increase pushback at the cost of meter. IB = instant block. Blocking just before an attack strikes you makes you flash white, recover faster, etc. FC = fatal counter. Blazblue specific mechanic for making all subsequent attacks in a combo deal more hitstun IK = instant kill. Guilty Gear specific mechanic for instant killing an opponent. Mostly for show. OCV = one character victory. Used in team battles where one player defeats the entire opposing team.

This topic gets made like every 2 weeks, so I'm making it now save everyone the trouble. GENERAL ADVICE FOR PICKING A MAIN: 1. watch videos of good players using a character, see if the general gameplan they use is what you want to do. 2. look up combos for the character, and try them out in training mode. 3. play with the character yourself, see if you like using him/her/it.

i'm sure render would be willing to help out (with jin frame data at the very least), i'll IM him and see what he says.

i think i can make it to this... anyone need a partner?

i'll just leave this locked... move any discussion to the discussion thread. updated with some new combos

nice stuff ice cube. i'll add it to teh combo thread also of note, does anyone notice that j.B now seems to hit enemies a lot higher now? also i think crossups with j.B are a bit harder to do now imo.

this seems like an interesting topic... maybe yeknom should write a "guide to GG footsies" to illustrate his point?