I might have to get some SF4 practice in with ya’ll as well. I haven’t played any of you in that game in forever.
WAAAAAAAY off topic but it looks like we are getting a 4-player GAUNTLET: DARK LEGACY showcase cab in the next couple days. Say goodbye (or good riddance) to Super-Pac Man. I’m happy with the trade-off. How do you guys feel about G:DL? One of the few arcade games I know of that saves your progress.
Adam, any luck finding info on that 3s cd-rom disc? I have another guy who thinks he may know where to download it but I haven’t heard back yet.
Also and sort of back on topic, I just posted the September ranbat after party tournaments here - http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?p=7410450#post7410450
One of the better games to have on free play in my opinion. I am definitely going to play it. I didn’t know you were trying to find a 3s cd-rom. Does that work with a burned version??? If so, i’ll get to hunting.
Also, for you dayton chaps, would you want to set up a gamenight at AL this thursday? We all need to practice a lot for SB4 if we’re playing and I want to do it in a place with enough open space. I basically want to play casuals all night. I’m hungry, and it’s not for food.
However, we CAN order pizza or something and get into the arcade for the $4. I think we should take advantage of it. What does everyone think?
Thursday night at AL would be good for me, but I cannot commit to anything until I get my new work schedule when I go in at 9 today so… I withhold my commitment thus far.
@Jessie: Gauntlet? Hell yeah! I haven’t played Gauntlet in years, this is good news.
Edit: To be topical to the ongoing discussion, I want to come out and be honest for a moment. Being that I’m still pretty new to this game and have not put nearly enough hours into the game, I honestly still have trouble understanding some things, like links and I’m pretty much garbage at combos. This is in pretty much any game, where the extent of my combos is just a string of normals. I’m not great with cancels, either. It’s funny, I understand the lingo, I just don’t understand all of it, all the time. I want to get this stuff down and soon, because I don’t want to look like a complete joke at SB4. Even though it’s all about fun, I still want to improve, you know?
I can’t really meet on weeknights for awhile, only weekends.
Jesse: No luck tracking one down, but the Denjin guys just got back from Japan, so I’ll try asking them.
I don’t want to be harsh but unless you are a very good player with sakura you will not get very far in any tournament. I would say give up but derrick and keith both play sakura a little on the side, so you may want to talk to them. You have to put in a lot of practice to commit links to muscle memory and get timing down. You have to cross-train and learn more about other characters and find out what they can do so you can stop it.
Adam: I hate you for not being able to come. Will you be there on Sunday at least?
I don’t know if I can make the tourney or not, I need to get some cash together before then. Of course I am owed money, we’ll see if that ever (it won’t) comes through.
Links are kinda hard to understand, but think of it like this. Every combo has a specific timing, and in SF4 that timing usually starts slow, and speeds up. Example: Bison’s cross up Mk. crouch jab stand jab low forward xx (which means cancel) scissors. The first part of the combo is relatively slow, but when you get the low forward to cancel part, that is faster.
Balrog is probably the easiest character you can learn links with. Jab-jab-short xx headbutt is very simple and has a pretty slow rhythm to it.
@Ailerus: I should be able to make it to AL this Thursday evening. Are you trying to get enough people for their weekday special (I think it’s like bring 10 people and get in $5 each). What time were you thinking people should show up, and how many people are contemplating coming?
@Jesse: I haven’t played Gauntlet:DL since N64! That’s definitely something I’ll have to play; fond memories.
I’m down for this Thursday. I can spectate and I’m good at seeing where people mess up. Plus if someone brings their video camera I can record matches and you guys can look at the feedback.
Also I wanted to set a game nght up at my place (seeing as we have two couches and a love seat now) there are plenty of places to sit and of course I can cook dinner or we can order pizza.
So if you guys need somewhere to play after Thursday then by all means let me know.
Was trying to get something together for this Friday.
Please give me your thoughts and please let me know if I should try and set something up.
Now for my 2 cents!!
My strategey for Hakumen
Press C at the right moment. It never fails.
That is all.
I got Lab on thursday night so it might be a no go for me. I’m not going to SB4 (hell I never even been to SB) but I feel as if I need more practice as well. So far, my Tue, Fri, and Sat (after the Sat class) are pretty free (until I get a damn job). If any gaming is going down at AL or anywhere then I’m down. I’m down for SF4 online too so just add me on the PSN.
That pretty much sounds like Hakumen in a nutshell. I can make a Friday get together if one goes down.
Zach , I can tell you all you need to know not to mention. Ive played against some of the beter abels before. Like I play HAV ALOT. Me and him have long Abel vs Abel sessions and one of the best Abels in the east coast mind you hes much better than bustabust and juicebox. Not to mention I caught him taking so of the stuff I do , and of course I took some of the stuff he does. Wanna Watch an Abel? Shiro , HAV, or my Boy Icege. Put it like this , if there was a money match between Hav vs Busta or Juice. Id bet everything I had on Hav.
I watched your match against nash , I will have to say you got really LUCKY on alot of instances. For example , nash was not punishing you the right way because your links are not at tight as they are supposed to be. Like for example I dont know if you know but your eating free S.RH’s which can be beat by Abels jumping Jab. Zach You REALLLLY need to stop rolling so much , because half of the time its what opponents want you to do. Like if you watch that match , nash would just let you roll then jump back recover the distance you just gained and zone you once again. Then when you tried to use FK roll he would throw you away and put you back at a disadvantage… sometime just WAIT. I say this from playing alot of zangiefs where they make you have to wait for you chance to take the offense. But because in those instances where you would rush him down and he didnt know how to punish you right you kinda got off on a limb there.
Not I noticed in the second set around the middle of the second round you stop being so careless and just waited on nash which was good. But if you watch that first round , you were doing whatever you wanted to do and vs balrog… thats a no go , and im sure you realized you almost payed dearly for it.
But no , zach I still have not played your abel… anytime were at AL or anything , I ll make a note to have a session with you next time were around.
My Abel/Alex/Arakune : Strategum coming up next.
Would be down for Thursday and would be down for Gauntlet. I haven’t played that game in ages, kinda forgot it existed.
As for this strategy thingy-mc-doo. I’m Abel and as him I utilize a rather simplistic rush-down style. As I still have no stick, I can’t comfortable get a hold of all six buttons and sadly rely too heavily on my four face buttons of jab, short, fierce, and roundhouse. Because of that I rarely if ever properly utilize his FA nor can I use his f+mk to fp link. So it invariably becomes a lot of rolling to either gain ground or confuse. I used to jump tons until I played Quentin so luckily I’ve stopped doing that. The one crossup of his that I have ingrained in my mind muscle wise is j.mk, s.fp, COD high. And the only cr.hp reset mix up I even have to my name right now is cr.hp, light roll, cr.hp, light roll, TT. I went to the lab last night and might begin using cr.hp, light roll, cr.hp, wheel kick but we’ll see. I hate his reset because if anyone has a dp motion reversal they just sit there and mash it until I have to put them on the ground for the TT.
So tl;dr I roll too much and have jack committed to muscle memory.
Adam: I know, right?
Who else would be down for some games this Friday? Plus if you guys felt like it on Thusday after AL (well those of you who live close by, I doubt Cinci folks will want to drive to Dayton) you guys can come play at my place.
Lee has to work, but he wants to get as much practice in as possible.
So give me a count of who’s going to AL tomorrow
And give me a count of who would be down for games at my place on Friday.
Double post: Lee is off today so if anyone is free to play let me know. You’re welcome to come over. Just give me a text or a call If you’re free.
So other people should also say what they think considering as the person telling about themselves may not always know their problems but people playing them do.
Ok so for my shpiel…
Alex:
Favorite Moves:
s.Mk (Far and Close) - cr.RH - J.Fierce - s.Fierce - -> + Strong
As for alex , sometimes I try to care about being safe but at the same time he isnt a safe character. Does not have many options and as me and adam talk about all the time I just have to not care and do what the fuck I want with alex , while being prepared to parry at a moments notice.
Offense:
Most of the time I want people to stay in block situations which seems to be where I am my best at. I try to command grab at the fastest moment possible to beat out people dashing under me or on approach ( Jason saw this first hand the other day) , not to mention tick throws/kara-throws/ and throw baits considering thats all alex really has. Flash chops are morely used for getting spacing in a block situation or if it hits giving me an good Oki opportunity. Considering I have to keep the matches in my favor or else im in trouble. The Stomp is such a bad move but Ill use it when I think oh maybe I can punish them or keep them in block for a second. Slash elbow I use alot for punishing people trying to do something from midscreen considering how fast the move is , its great reactionary tool for punish situations and give me some gap closing space.
Defense:
As for defensive game , alex doesnt have really many defensive tools except for like far.s.mk and Maybe a well placed cr.hp -> air stampede to stop someone jumping in on me. But that whole situation here in lies that someone will not be ready to jump in and parry.
I would say his s.mp after a jump in parry is a good tool because you can get oki off of it or combo into EX air stampede for free damage and a completely different oki situation. His Jumping MK is pretty good for stopping air approach as long as your jumping back and doing which is what Alot of Alexs do. Even if you neutral jump the J.mk its better than jumping forward and doing J.Mk.
I just try to wait for my situations to reversal while being blocked considering alex doesnt really have a way to push off when hes defense and ive noticed. Alot of the character I play in fighters dont have a REALLY solid guaranteed tool to get people off when im in defense.
Other than that build stun , go for simple big damage and try to keep the advantage simple as that.
Abel:
Favorite Moves:
cr.LK - cr.LP - S.Strong -
Now As I always tell anyone , abel is not a solid enough character but thats what I get for not being a tier whore. Abel is a big gimmick considering he preys and dominates people who play like they are scared. Not to mention alot of abel players dont realize… you should not be using his specials as much as alot of them do. Me hav/busta/icege have talked about this before. Abel’s normals are the key with him.Because his pokes are the potential best thing about him , maybe a well placed TT here and there but the normals are the thing. Because his specials are all potentially unsafe in certain situations his normals/links are what give him his “advantage” in a Offensive or defensive situations. But your timing for links has to be damn near perfect. Not to mention his links all look the same but are not , sometimes I catch myself doing the wrong link because they are resemble each other.
Offense:
I bait and look for counter hit opportunities , thats just me because that way I can get free damage. I will also throw a random cr.lk because its one of abels fastest pokes and its funny Ill do it and you guys will think you can do something then I take the momentum. Crossups/Crossup baits? Its a 50/50 game here because abel can combo his combo from a crossup or from the front so its really a guessing game as to which one he will attempt. hell, what I will attempt. TT’s? I punish slow links/block strings with TT’s so you gotta make sure you shit is dead on , I have gained the ability to see when your links or anything are not tight as they should be. I may at some points run blind offense -> Mixup if I see your playing the defensive game , but see at that point I get to test the waters ; and potentially get hit by something small on purpose to put myself in a situation to take advantage on what your doing. EXCEPT vs Gief… I will never in my life run blind offense VS gief. This matchup is any and every abel players worst nightmare.
Defense:
Simple as it sounds defense. My favorite move is probabaly s.Strong. Considering its a straight forward punch that wins in an anti air situation and in a defensive situation when someone is rushing. Because is pretty bad being in a blocked/cornered situation roll is an option. BUT… Because people expect roll they will use moves/normals or situations to win over you roll so in this case neutral jump is my friend that way they have a potential chance to mess and for me to get a tick throw situation. BUT… EX roll is probabaly the easiest way to escpae but if you have no EX… better just hope they messup or you capitalize the correct way. Not to mention if abel is put in a full screen situation hes at disadvantage he has to at least be midscreen for matches to be in his " favor " but they can still go completely wrong considering how gimmicky everything he has is.
Arakune:
Favorite Moves:
2A - 6A - 5B - 6D - j.5B - J.2A - 2D
Offense :
Im very selective here , I choose to run my offense depending on the charcater i fighting against. Until I get the correct curse setup that I want. I dont just go all out offense when I get a curse like most arakunes do because at that point they are running blind offense and just mashing shit. But I always look for a certain situation after a curse like for example if you tech forwards after curse Ill dive cancel j.2a->J.2b->J.2c into whatever I feel like is the best mixup or situations. I also like to use 214 as an offensive escape to still stay in the offensinve mindset. Use alot of pokes to keep you in blockstun and proceed with a situational block string to guard snap situations
Not to mention using 9A to keep an offenseive pressure on considering almost almost all of arakunes moves can be dive cancelled into his teleport dash because of the horrible recovery and terrible priority alot of his moves have except for maybe J.5B , J.A , and J.2A and 5B… But I try to mixup with the the same type of mixup until the person Im playing catches on then Ill change up in something very obscure and out of the ordinary to thrw them off. Not to mention watching for them using normals or something so that I can get free 5B-> 5D bait into combo. You might complain about him being in the air lately… BUT see have you noticed everyone is learning to play the air game VERY well… so what does that tell you about arakune? He has no ground game but now that everyone is learning their air game much better… that will tell you something… even though he is in the air most of the time.
Defense:
LOL… Get a homing cloud… Sit on it… free curse… bell bug… Needle spikes… anti air and OH! Laser Super : ] heh heh…
But no seriously on defense I will ALWAYS hunt for counter hits and bait rush down.
Considering arakune is REALLY bad… if hes getting locked down. Its so hard to escape lock down with him because he has no “get off me moves” nor good ground normals. So Really I have to play a zoned defense to stop you from coming on me. If I fail at that on one hand guess what? Im in Dire trouble then I have to waste my burst to reset the situation and then because ara has shitty health. I can be hurt pretty bad if I make a mistake , drop a combo or get hit by something that I just cant handle getting hit by.
The most notorious one is kam , HE IS THE ONLY ONE. out of people in dayton i have played who has EVER realized part of my defensive strategy , not just realized it but knew what was coming and he KNOWS exactly how to punish me for it. Its funny because JIN can do that to arakune and thats why I hate Jins with a passion that burns in the fiery depths of hell… and because of kameron , Im taking a different defensive mindset into play with him. Ill probabaly run some changes on everyone else… but you will see me play defense different against jins or people who have quick instant supers that are for punish i.e ragna , and tao. Thats why Ive been trying to change it up.
On a side not… I really think… We need a GOOD Yun in 3S , a Akuma in SF4.
Akuma is one deadly ass mother fucker… in 4 omg… Im surprised hes not rated higher on the tier list.
How about you just come and get me Thursday / Friday
Im down for AL tomorrow amanda.
Aye nig I’m not Amanda FOOL!!!
So when are people thinking of going to AL tomorrow?