Creepy gay Euro-vibe. Quit calling me cute.
How is it not safe to shoot at the president if you can get away with it?
K, this is mostly for HVB, but you should probably read this too, I guess:
Despite Shari’s glossing over it, proper spacing is one of the most crucially important factors in this (or virtually any) fighting game. What constitutes “proper spacing” depends entirely on your character, what you’re doing, who you’re fighting, and what projectiles (if any) are on the screen.
Certain characters, like Honda, Boxer, T.Hawk, and to a large extent Blanka, have dashing attacks that they can do from literally anywhere, at any strength, without fear of reprisal should the attack get blocked. (I emphasized that to reduce its invisibility for the inevitable two or three clueless readers. Actually, three or four, counting Shari.)
The ramifications of this are massive. For one thing, this means that they can use these moves not only as attacks, but as maneuvering tools as well – especially vs. characters who don’t throw anything. (You see this a lot with good Boxer players, who will boldly come in with repeated low rush punches because that character’s dashing attacks are extremely quick, and because they know that the opponent can’t do jack to retaliate if they’re blocked.)
Cammy is one of two characters (Fei Long being the other) who has a dashing attack that cannot be considered safe on block regardless of where she starts it. In fact, the distances at which she can perform the cannon drill safe on block are very restrictive, even with Sirlin’s changes to it in HDR. This is for a character who already has a tougher time getting close to her opponent than anyone except perhaps Zangief. (For obvious reasons, flying circus characters like Claw and Dictator have the least amount of trouble closing distances. Dictator and Claw players will defiantly cry that they do have trouble getting close to one or two characters, but they’ll say that because their egos are on the line. Another thing you’ll learn about Street Fighter is that certain types of people main certain characters.)
No one who has a safe-on-block rushing attack can just spam it all day long (Boxer comes close), but not having to fret oneself about taking damage if it’s blocked opens up a few choice doors (and allows one significant leeway and set-up opportunities in one’s game plan). I sometimes fool around with Honda, and no offense to our three or four great Honda players here but let me tell ya, after sweating it out with the English woman a time or two, it’s real nice to kick back, relax, and chuck myself all over the screen for free. (You know, unless I’m fighting RyuKen for the zillionth time.)
