Sophisticat

Yep, Haku has the advantage of having a fairly flexible playstyle because of counters. I tend to play rushdown myself. Except against Tager, who I lame out as much as possible.

I can feel the hype for MAD. Let's make it the best MTL tournament ever. ----- Also, what's this about brazzers? I know they're a MTL outfit and all, but this feels random. ._.; ----- And yes, count me down for MartiniBlue, but I can settle for BeerBlue as well.

I've tried it and the old Throw -> Renka(1) -> Enma [reversal] -> back j.2a -> etc. Doesn't work anymore. :'( ----- You can add a 5b after the hop 5a. You have to sj.2a in that case, though. Wouldn't it be better to simply do renka(1) right off the throw? You conserve meter. The offset is less carry, of course. ----- I also note a lack of hard-hitting combos. Going to have to rectify that! Btw, is midscreen [whatever] -> renka(1) -> Kishuu -> 2c -> hotaru -> IAD etc. still relevant? Also, [stuff] -> Enma -> j.2c -> 5c x2 -> etc. doesn't seem to work as well as I remember. Similarly, what about 5c x2/2c links? Those seem to have gone out of favour as well. ----- Much thanks for the vids, dioxide!

If you're that good, start up your own business!

Oh, forgot to add that the 6D -> IAD thing can be replicated with a simple sj.2c instead of IAD. The difference between the two has to do with hitboxes and spacing... will need a ton of testing to work out the wrinkles.

You can call 1-800-SuicideHelpLine to book a match. ----- Coming to MAD, Mac? :D

Dunno if it's character specific, though it is timing/spacing specific. ----- Moar reversal! [From corner] 3c CH -> 2b -> Renka(1) -> Kishuu [reverse] -> 6c -> Gurren -> 1x loop -> j.C Something like 4485 dmg, too lazy to check what it is with 5c -> 3c ender. ----- As for format, I don't really care myself. Sounds like a pain to go back and edit that. Not like it matters anyway since we'll forget about this thread one month down the line as usual. :P

Thanks! It's interesting that the system works despite how wrong it can potentially turn out. I hope they don't change too much when re-releasing GGAC on PSN so as not to upset this delicate balance.

With the j.B - j.2a gatling? Very likely hitbox positioning as mentioned. Aside from that, I just know it works. *Shrugs* I'll list up the Renka reversal stuff once I remember how to make those things works.

You mentioned it. It's bothering you. *Stares*

I don't always drink. But when I do, it's the salty tears of my crushed opponents.

Sweet! Good stuff Mac! Dunno if you're working on one, but we need Reversals! It's a time-honored tradition that we should include that section! Reversals j.B -> j.2a gatling seems especially good for this: [stuff] -> Enma -> j.2c -> 2c -> sj.B - j.2a -> AD j.B - j.2a [reversal occurs here] -> j.C I haven't tried all variations where it works for this gatling, but it's usually after an AD if you're too close to the hitbox, and j.B pushes them too high. Other stuff: [starter] -> Enma -> IAD j.2a [reversal] -> j.C [-> etc. if in corner] 6D -> IAD j.2c [reversal] -> 2c -> etc. ----- Note: I believe it's possible to combo non-CH Hotaru midscreen at all times with: Hotaru -> IAD j.C -> Gurren -> hop 5a/b/2c -> etc. The trick is in delaying the IAD and hitting the j.C as low as possible. The rest is cake.

Fair enough, I can agree with that. My question was more for the sake of training a top performer, though. Anything and everything counts then to get an edge. Rage when you win, and be the finest gentleman when you lose. Praise tough opponents, and especially congratulate newbies for besting you. Emphasize your losses, mistakes, and poor matches. Display your wins as outlier events. But above all, mean it. It's only a facade otherwise. Precisely.

> Sober people > Montreal I'm sorry, but your function cannot be processed. In retaliation, I suggest we form Team Squiggly and only use Arakune. Anytime someone gets cursed, gotta take a shot.

I probably won't be showing up today. Work's piling up and I just want to sleep, lol. What's up? Things not working out? Well, come on by Foonzo and let it out. Glad you liked MTL! It's an awesome city despite being a tad colder than Texas. We make up for it with heart and Tamashii. It's so big we had to contract the Russians for it.

I find this a fascinating discussion: that characters should interact so well that only style remains to difference the winners from the losers. This, I think, the ultimate level any fighting game would aspire to. To go a bit off-topic here... I'm unfortunately not all that well versed in GG, but if someone would illuminate me on why it's the kind of game it is, and why, in the end, only style would matter, it would be very appreciated! Also, what is implied by "style"? Does this mean I could play an offensive character mostly defensively and still win out in the end? Or is it something else?

I do think this current trend of FGs has peaked and is slowly going into a natural decline. It's been, what? 4 years since SFIV revived the genre? We've been seeing an increasing amount of fighters looking to catch some of the wave, and it won't be long until they turn to shit just to cash in. FGs aren't done, but I surmise we're going to see some lean times before it picks back up again... Or maybe it'll just charge ahead without stopping into E-sports. We'll see. Anyway, enough doom and gloom. MAD is the hypest thing since Tamashii, and we're going to make sure everyone enjoys themselves.

Ok, asking Q's, then (and I'll throw out there that I agree that Haku is easier to win with now. @Sg: he was B-Tier in CS1 and everyone else was dumber. ). This might be beyond the purview of this thread, but... 1) I've been interested in attempting to break down matches by statistical performance the same way other sports (such as Baseball) incorporate stats to improve or determine performance. Would you have a rough idea of what stats could be useful? For example: - Win/loss ratio (global) - W/L ratio per matchup - Efficient use of X move (did you get hit out of it/did it hit the other guy/did it whiff?/etc.) - # of combos (not) dropped. - Capacity to hit confirm. - [...] etc. 2) Similarly, I've been very interested in psychological risk/reward valuations as it pertains to fighters, and how can you improve your game by finding an optimal risk/reward profile for your particular style. So in a tournament setting, how would you evaluate your propensity towards taking risks? For example, do you play more cautiously in a live match, or do you attempt to bring your relaxed mindset in casual games as this may be more beneficial in the long run? (As opposed to simply using a style because it's mechanically superior, but might not be comfortable with) ----- The reason I ask these questions is because I believe current methods for practice and play in regards to performance are primitive. Much, much more could be done to analyze performance and bring FGs to a higher level if it ever hits the big-time in e-sports. There is the issue that these questions may in effect not apply to BB as much as a game like GG since BB is deemed too simple. Whatever. Btw, I'm not actually expecting a comprehensive answer or anything since these are complex questions, so your general thoughts alone would be plenty.

Haters gonna hate. I, for one, revel in my character finally getting some time in the spotlight. Keep the rage flowing. ----- But that said, I have to wonder: are these characters called "dumb" because they're high-/top-tier? Does this mean you have to be low-tier in order to be "smart"? What if everyone is on a level playing field, does this automatically make the whole cast dumb, or does the game suddenly become "smart"? And how does a top character get the spot without being "dumb"? Something doesn't feel right here since the tiers are just about the tightest they've ever been. Either most of the cast is "dumb", or there's a more fundamental problem with the game's mechanics. Or it's something else. Anyway, I think Hakumen forces smart on others since he's one of the few characters you can't autopilot against. In turn, the opponent has to be more creative and use more baiting and better spacing. So in the end, it could be argued Hakumens have to deal with the craftiest of all players! He may be mechanically dumb, but you certainly can't autopilot with him!

Hit up Nini and Kirby. I hear they know how to roll.

I think you should stick to the air as much as possible, imo. Treat it like vs'ing male Tao. On the ground, you're very vulnerable to unblockable mixup. It's a guessing game, and the Valk can easily fake you out. But in air, you can avoid w et al. by either barriering or with counters. You also have access to j.2c and j.B which will trade more often than not.

Sounds cool. I might have my own combos to contribute shortly as well.

So what's up with the combo thread? Any plans on making a new one for CSEX, or do we just overhaul this one?

Sweet, you can hit me up for matchup exp. I should start playing regularly again because stuff happened that was favourable for that. Anyway, yes, you will destroy Lambdas. You're forgetting the psych side of things. If you're capitalizing on opportunities while not letting him get a single hit in, it's frustrating for the Lambda. He starts making more mistakes or taking unnecessary risks. It's in the bag, yo. The good Lambs that won't fall for that and stick to their gameplan are rarer. Even then, having a tight defence and a good eye for poking holes in their strat will carry you pretty far. Definitely. I certainly didn't imply just sitting on your ass and waiting for stuff to happen; you have to take a proactive approach. It's just that when you see an opportunity, you have to take it, and so long as you can capitalize on these opportunities, you're golden. For example, you jumped in, and she does 2D, but it just barely whiffs. You have the opportunity here for a low IAD into j.B -> corner carry. That's the kind of stuff I meant. But those are the joys of top play, mon ami. It's about the mind games in the end.

Has Lambda been buffed? I played my Lambda buddy last night, and it seems she's a bit hard to deal with. That, or I haven't payed any good Lambdas recently. Ok, I won't deal with the technicals of the matchup here since I forgot them or something, so here's the general strategy in bulletpoints: - Figure out his pattern for throwing out swords, and cut them to gain some stars, or as an entry buffer. - Some obvious counter spots are on her ground saw, 6D, and that overhead special thingy. The counters are, respectively: 2D mash, 5D, and 6D/j.D. - Be patient, moreso than any other matchup. Only strike when the opportunity presents itself. You will lose otherwise. - Entry is not obvious. Your best bet is a slow advance with some quick (s)jump/kishuu/hop/IAD action at points. Push them to the corner. - Once in the corner, she can escape very quickly because of her fast dash and Cavaliers. Her air options are not as strong, so cover the ground game and catch air exit attempts. - j.B is gdlk for random midscreen CH/hit. Best way to capitalize on midscreen mistakes, imo. Always carry to the corner. Overall: This is a fairly merciless matchup for Haku. Either you play flawlessly, or Yandere girl's gonna cut you up. The best advice I can give here is to practice, practice, and practice again your matchup execution until it's second nature. Then you have to develop a Zen-like attitude to the match, and only take the opportunities that present themselves. Anything else is fatal. If you can have that kind of iron discipline, you will destroy 99% of Lambdas. Guaranteed. Difficulty: depends on your discipline. Patience is and always will be your best ally, and you are your own worst enemy. Mistakes will cost you. Matchup: Eh... Hard to say. I think it's fairly even since Haku obliterates her hp. 5-5, imo.