Bill307

Posted some important info on Twitter. Basically, if you're doing a blockstring like 2A 2B 2C and your 2A or 2B gets shielded, you've already input 2B or 2C BUT you can override that input with D/specials/supers/assists, e.g. you can shield them back on reaction to being shielded. There are input priorities for what you cancel into after you get shielded: it's not necessarily the first thing that you input! I posted all this info in a chain of tweets starting here: https://twitter.com/Bill307_ca/status/678971882142629888 Tangentially, when you try to jump-cancel an attack after it's shielded, the input priority and the start-up of your jump depend on whether your attack is normally jump-cancellable. E.g. a 6f move will hit you out of the air if your attack is normally jc-able, but it will hit you grounded otherwise.

From what I've seen, they're definitely not bad! They're definitely not the only good assists for the character, either. If you're uncertain who to pick, I think the recommendations will be very useful. As you get more exp. with the character, you may then decide another assist fills a role / enables a combo / etc. that you want over the recommended ones.

That is one quick snipe. I probably did take too long aiming. Have you tried crouching under the beam and then rolling only when the crosshairs are about to shoot you? I did some tests and you can roll out of crouch without standing up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4sPF_45c6E With more tests, I realized shielding is a very bad option, and not just because you can (apparently) be sniped before you can roll. If they're standing and blocking/shielding Dragon, thanks to the slowdown, it's actually quite easy to react to whatever they do and shoot them after. At least rolling out of crouch forces them to guess when you're going to roll. As for characters who can't crouch under Dragon, they might have to resort to one of the other options you listed. Ouka has an option that may always work, at the cost of 2 meters: she can avoid ground teching, wake-up roll, and C+E after the roll ends to escape. If you try to delay your setup to prevent this, she can probably escape with level 3 or just by super-jumping and rolling (I didn't bother to test the delayed setup).

Why don't you just shield and roll before you get shot? Like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZXDzf4K9Rc It's not a 100% guaranteed escape -- he could bait the roll and shoot you after (assuming you can't roll again immediately, even though you can block) -- but it's definitely a viable option. Edit: on a different topic, here's the origin of Ouka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kACAGtNxo-4 Gothic Lolita Fighting Sequence

Just so people know, you can escape this setup -- and most Ein level 3 setups like this -- by shielding the laser beam (if necessary) and then rolling when Ein tries to snipe you. The snipe is a projectile so it can't hit you while you're rolling. Note that you cannot shield Ein's level 3: you must roll it! Both ground and air rolls (5D/JD) are completely projectile invincible until you can block again. You can test this by shielding during a long assist and rolling: you'll be able to block again even in the middle of the bugs / lasers. An exception to this is the zombies: they're not projectiles so they'll hit you out of your roll. I did some testing just now and Ein may in fact have a legit level 3 setup with the zombies. If you get stuck in the zombies, you can't just shield because her level 3 will hit you even while you're shielding zombies, and you can't roll because you'll get hit and her level 3 can hit you while the zombies are trampling you. Your escape options are basically: a) Shield, then use a move (e.g. your own C+E or level 3?) with enough invincibility to escape. b) Intentionally roll into the zombies, get hit, and hope that Ein misses her shot. Best thing to do is to avoid getting stuck on the ground in the zombies at all costs. If you fall on them and shield, at least you can probably air roll safely.

Note: these damage #s are vs Ein. It seems that Al takes ~700 more damage from these combos than Ein, even though her hurtbox is slightly smaller. I'm working on a Google Doc for these combos: it'll have revised damage #s vs Al.

If you just use Angela by herself, she deals different damage each time. It is literally random damage. Some characters (Saya, iirc) even have combos into her that randomly drop if none of the first few random lasers hit the opponent. The random element is so big that the damage from Angela combos can vary by about +/- 500 dmg. Sometimes the same combo will deal 13k or 14k.

I noticed Ein's JP Wiki page doesn't have any high-damage combos with damage assists, so I made some up using the Dragon (giant laser) and Angela (mech lasers) assists. I haven't done much testing with her throw combos yet, so they're missing from this list. Note: Angela deals random damage. To guarantee it hits and to maximize damage, you want to use Angela only when the opponent is in, near, or flying towards the corner.

lol yes, everyone hammered this point in to me at last night's casuals. At least I checked whether Anri was really holding an Uzi before writing "Uzi Bullets" (she's not)! Spreadsheet updated. As for the image... eh. :P Last night we had an 8-hour stream of Nitroplus Blasterz, mostly featuring Sonico, Ouka, Saya, and Ein (also a bit of Al, Ethica, and Ruili). http://www.twitch.tv/bill307/v/29463324 Some highlights: http://www.twitch.tv/bill307/v/29463324?t=9m55s - We tried to lag the game as much as possible with assists and Ethica's level 3, lol. http://www.twitch.tv/bill307/v/29578026 - Bugged intro screen graphics. http://www.twitch.tv/bill307/v/29463324?t=8h37m37s - Sonico 10k damage combo (he shouldn't have had enough meter for the level 2 at the end).

I made a Nitroplus Blasterz Assists Cheat Sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PbFk4goS6-gteElFd-dplnsy6ERDiD-ZEJ32oseKnts/edit?usp=sharin Picture: https://twitter.com/Bill307_ca/status/675467635505635328

I made a Rouna combos and resets video: https://www.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgeWwSEM4_o I played Rikir and asked him what he thinks of the Misty-Rouna matchup. He thinks it's 4-6 but I still think it's at least 3.5-6.5 or better for Rouna: I just keep dropping mixups 'cause of the input interpreter. :P Speaking of which, I found out you can actually input specials too fast. Based on the training mode input display, 26 does not give you 236 and 6314 does not give you 63214. -_-

So it seems like Misty can't cross you up on oki if you fast stand. :P rip Misty. I discovered another threat from her, though: do NOT get hit air-to-air by her jB or you'll lose half your life, lol.

Streaming Blade Arcus casuals again. New people are here this time. We'll have some Sonia, Urayukihime, Melty, Isaac, Rick, Rouna, maybe Misty and Ryuga, and maybe Fenrir/Sakuya if I feel like abusing top tiers! http://www.twitch.tv/bill307

Perhaps there are certain companies that seem unable to avoid having a terrible characater ;), but if you look at AH3LM, there were top-tiers and bottom-tiers but even the worst characters could be threats: they weren't terrible.

While I have yet to acquire the game (I'm finishing a Blade Arcus video first; disc is en route), I would be surprised if any character flat-out sucks: I expect them all to be fun and strong enough to compete vs anyone. Good to hear people's (mostly nadakai's ^^) impressions of the new characters fit this pattern.

Ehhhh... I haven't seen / played vs Rosie much, but Hime seems like the only top-tier who might struggle to open someone up or deal significant chip damage. I haven't played with/against her enough to know how easy it is to block things like tk.632B+C overhead or to avoid losing a lot of life to chip from 236C. Still, I think some of the lower tiers have the same trouble making a comeback once they get in. Sakuya and chip damage, man... I'm guessing you might main her ('cause Orie) and maybe didn't mean to include her as one of those chars, but for others' benefit, let me just say: the pressure + chip damage she can do with 236A and 236[C] is craaazy. At some ranges, some of the lower tiers can't even do anything after a blocked 236A except block another 236A or two (or gamble on an invincible move or a 5B+C), not to mention all her other options. Misty in particular can get wrecked by just these tools. Sakuya's 214x overhead, while punishable on block without meter or assist, has the nice feature that it blows up crouch-techs in a game where frame traps do NOT punish well-timed crouch-techs (we finally tested this: crouch-teching with frame-trap rhythm is very hard to punish). Rage has long range lows and overheads: 6B and especially 236B+C~A are both long range overheads. He moves pretty slowly but I do not like my chances cornered vs a Rage who mixes-up 236B+C~A and 236B+C~C (haven't tested if this is rhythm-blockable on reaction to the EX flash, tho). As for Misty, Rikir right now has basically his own personal Wiki / Google Doc of info he's been writing on her (instead of studying harder for his exams, lol t.t). He's tested a LOT of stuff and suffered through a LOT of games vs better characters. The character is terrible: - Orbs take way too long to set at neutral, and they're her only neutral tool aside from a good assist like Hime. Once she loses the orbs from her last special/super, she may not get the opportunity to set any more. - If she gets a combo with orbs on the field, they can actually break her combo because they cause air reset on air hit. - Her 6B overhead whiffs against some characters crouching and is punishable on hit. Every other character I've seen (Rouna, Fenrir, Sakuya, Ryuga... maybe not Melty) can 6A+C or 4A+C cancel their overhead to combo from it or make it safe; Misty cannot. Unless she has an orb on top of you, spends 2 support bars, or is about to KO you, her 6B is unusable. (Maybe in some matchups she can hit with just the tip and be safe.) We couldn't do a late meaty with it, either: despite its animation, it seems to have only a few active frames. - Her normals are pretty bad. 2B seems like her only decent poke. In at least some matchups, she has no grounded anti-air aside from parasol super. - Her damage is low, especially if she can't combo into parasol super. Good things about Misty: - 236C cancels into orb explosion super pretty quickly, so she does have a tool to punish characters at long range. - Parasol super hurts a lot on counter-hit. At one point, we realized the rounds Rikir was winning were generally the rounds where he landed 2 raw or counter-hit parasol supers, lol. - She can potentially set up cross-ups with her orbs for oki. I haven't seen Rikir do this much, but if someone can turn Misty into a vortex character with ambiguous orb cross-ups, that might raise her to C-tier in that list. She'd still be worse than Rouna in every other way (maybe on-par damage-wise), though. I wouldn't say Misty is Altina-tier, although I've never actually seen that char TBH. But her matchups vs top-tiers are probably 7-3s or 8-2s (this game's balance is comparable to SF3:3s :P ). Rouna might even be 7-3 vs Misty: the matchup is a cakewalk. Her only threats are 6B in specific situations and wake-up parasol super. At neutral, you have total control. She can't anti-air you without guessing when you'll IAD and you can even jump j2A to fake IAD. If she sets an orb, it's so slow that you can usually punish her with airdash jC (even from 3/4 of the screen!) or 236x~B. If she jumps, you can hit her air-to-air with jB jC into a proper combo ender (knockdown, super, or air reset). You also have j2B+C to whiff-punish her if you're jumping around. Again, if someone finds a strong vortex for Misty then she can actually be a threat. Until then, I rate her as garbage. =P Edit: You can use it like Arcana Heart's 4D in blockstrings to punish slow moves, but it doesn't really do anything vs long range pokes. In fact, it makes the pokes better on block, e.g. Urayukihime can do 236B (even Misty can punish this on block if it's not spaced right!) then 4A+C and do another 236B to catch them trying to punish you. I suppose you COULD walk into someones range to bait their poke, then guess with 4A+C to make it whiff and, if you're close enough, whiff punish... but it doesn't really seem much better than just walking back and forth, AND you're spending 1 meter and making a somewhat risky guess. It'd be a really flashy way to close out a round or a match, at least.

Ah, I was wondering if there was something like this, thanks! ... Wow, it even has frame data. :O Still, for newer players, it'd help to just give them a short list of a few easy combos. Replacing the special move names from the Wiki with their motions would also help.

By the end of this weekend, I'd like to make a list (and hopefully a video) of simple, day-1 combos for each member of the cast. Does anyone know any simple combos or can link to video timestamps or Wiki pages of them? I'm thinking 1 or 2 bnbs and maybe combos from midscreen ground and air throws -- people can figure out the rest on their own. :P E.g. for Ein, I'm planning to write: - 2A 2B 2C 623C 623A+B jA jB djB djE dj6D djE - 2A 2B 2E 214C jB djB djE dj6D djE I forget what her simple midscreen throw combos are. For other chars, If I don't have any combo examples to work from, I'll just make something up: it'll be a true day-1 combo then, haha. All of the characters look interesting and fun so I'll probably end up learning simple combos for each one, anyway.

Since there weren't any balance changes from arcade to console, afaik, we already know what the balance is like: it's terrible! What I like about Blade Arcus: - As a Rouna player, personally, I like the system mechanics (except for the fact that they allow grounded infinites). With some tweaking, I think they have great potential. - I think it's really cool that you can customize the voices; I encourage everyone to make Ryuga yell like a maniac whenever he wins and to make Fenrir sound like Bruce Lee. (Tournaments should enforce default voices for all the specials and supers, though: some reactions can depend on them.) I'm indifferent about the animations and "physics", although they definitely look silly at times. E.g. knock Altina down on her back/side: her "lying down" pose makes no sense, lol. What I strongly dislike about Blade Arcus: - The awful input interpreter. Part of the issue is that it's unusually strict, e.g. 3214 does not give you 63214, 6236 gives you 236 and not 623 (at least for Rouna), and you need to press the button almost immediately after the motion. But the biggest issue by far is the way it buffers inputs. Here's a test: whiff a move, then try to buffer a 2C so it happens immediately after, like 5A (whiff) 2C. But don't hold down: tap down, i.e. 5A (whiff) 2C~5. In any other fighting game, this would consistently give you 2C. In Blade Arcus, if timed correctly, you get 5C instead: the game buffers the C input but does NOT remember the direction you held when you pressed C: it seems to use whichever direction you're holding when the move actually comes out. This is a big problem when you try to do e.g. 2C 63214C or 2C 22C in a combo: naturally you want to tap down to input 2C and then start the special move input. In any other FG, this works; in Blade Arcus, you need to hold down [2] until your 2C starts, THEN input your next move. And because the cancel windows on most moves are really short, sometimes you'll miss your 63214C or 22C because you didn't do it fast enough -- but you can't do it as fast as possible because of the messed-up input buffer! I really hate this game's input interpreter. - The character balance. It sucks. The arcade version -- even the latest one -- has a reputation for having large gaps between the tiers and the console version is basically the same. Basically, most of the cast seems to lack proper tools to fight vs the top tiers (SS: Rage, Sakuya, Roselinde; S: Fenrir, Urayukihime). Consider this: Rouna, an A-tier, has an airdash, an air projectile, a command run, and good resets/mixups. The Rage matchup is still a struggle: it makes my character feel like a low-tier. Now consider that most characters -- B-tier and below -- have none of these tools. I have no idea what they can do vs Rage. Here's a good example of a character lacking proper tools: Melty has item drops, but they don't reach all the way across the stage. In fact, her farthest item drop has less reach than Rage's and Urayukihime's pokes! Another example: Isaac has setplay without any mixups (no overheads). Another example: Misty has no ground anti-air (except umbrella super): she has to hit jump-ins air-to-air. But she has no air normal that hits above or in front of her: they're all angled down for some reason. Super aside, it's basically impossible for her to anti-air Fenrir. If he does jB just before the apex of his jump arc, the 1st hit is almost a rising jB -- which makes it very difficult to air-to-air it -- and the 2nd hit still comes down low enough to hit crouching opponents. If Fenrir does super-jump jC, again just before the apex of his jump arc, it has a disjointed hitbox that's active for most of his fall. Misty has no way to hit this move air-to-air at all. Rouna is another character with no anti-air and thus no way to consistently beat Fenrir's jump-ins. Every other character I can anti-air with jB jC into a nice combo, but Fenrir can press jB so early that it always wins air-to-air unless I take a guess with a rising jB at the right time. I imagine Fenrir can jump in on other characters with impunity, too. Basically, if you play a character that's A-tier or better, you can enjoy this game. I happen to enjoy using Rouna a lot, and Fenrir and Sakuya are fun to mess around with. But if your character is B-tier or worse, you will probably enjoy this game until you fight a competent top-tier, then realize your character's tools are seriously lacking and probably stop playing. To put it another way, Rouna (A-tier) feels like a low-tier character to me compared to the top-tiers: the B-tier characters seem significantly worse than the low-tiers of other games like UNIEL and Arcana. If you know Rikir, the UNIEL Chaos player, he believes Chaos (garbage tier) is still far better in UNIEL than Misty is in Blade Arcus, and I agree.

Streaming some Blade Arcus casuals (Ryuga, Rouna, Fenrir, Sonia probably) before Nitroplus Blasterz comes out. http://www.twitch.tv/bill307

Ouka looks crazy: Mech missiles, Hime pillars, PTX flames / Peach down-smash, Bison Ultra 1, a counter, and lots of other cool attacks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lmlRuETRpc&feature=youtu.be&t=324 Also, here's a good game between an Ouka and a Mora: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORVY91FgrVM&feature=youtu.be&t=421

I'd like to test whether 1A+B after blocking a 2A causes 1A to come out once you leave blockstun, in which case you'd get counter-hit by a frame trap. The throw tech window seems relatively small, too.

A friend asked me if there's a system mechanics doc for this game. I didn't know of any, so I made one. It's mostly based on playing and testing stuff in training mode. I haven't watched much game footage, so there might be some character-specific exceptions that are different from what I wrote, but it's probably accurate. https://docs.google.com/document/d/12kVQoVmrSwWdWb6HDe9Uegd0aKeZp721B5tVRg0_HTU/edit?usp=sharing

At the time, Ethica was considered undisputed top-tier. (source: Hami when he came to the UK for Revo) In general, Examu has done a great job of nerfing overpowered stuff in this game, imo. Most (or all?) of the silly high-damage combos have been removed over time, such as Ein's ability to loop her command grab into itself using assist cancels and burst/blast cancel. (This seemed impossible in the console version that was at Revo.) Odds are, if you've seen a video of a ridiculous combo in the past, it's probably going to be impossible in the console version. Relatedly, we had an 8-man exhibition at Revo (Nov. 6) for Nitroplus Blasterz. I was on commentary and tried to explain as many of the game mechanics as possible during the matches. http://www.twitch.tv/nthgenmedia/v/25628544?t=5h04m45s The matches are also up on NthGenMedia's YouTube channel, although they're not in order and the players aren't labelled. https://www.youtube.com/user/NthGenMedia/videos Lastly, we didn't figure this out until Sunday, and I'm not sure if anyone mentioned it here, but Sonico's level 3 makes the opponent unable to block: they must use shield instead. If Sonico gets hit, then the effect disappears. It also disappears after a period of time.

Looks like they're going to stream footage of Super Sonico at TGS...? English stream with Sp00ky and Farpenoodle: http://www.twitch.tv/madcatz JP stream: http://www.twitch.tv/madcatzjp They showed an infographic showing (I believe) there will be crossplay between the PS3 and PS4 versions. Edit: seems like there wasn't any real gameplay footage after all, just a short clip of Sonico with a bunch of cats and an assist. :/