SSF4 AE v2012 - Official Akuma Changes Discussion

just wondering, would it be better to stick with e.ryu to improve my ground game as opposed to akuma. I’m sure that is one of the areas where I’m just terrible, bad spacing and all that.

I’m just plain not seeing Evil Ryu having an advantage over Akuma. Akuma has more tools and options and is faster. I also feel Akuma’s poking, counterhit and overall ground game is better. I find Evil Ryu lacks decent methods to traverse ground and mount an offensive when he wants to - Akuma is able to get in almost any time he chooses to. Evil Ryu lacks decent mix-ups and when he scores a knockdown his options thereafter aren’t near as threatening as Akuma’s.

Thats not to say he’s significantly worse - he compares well and is a good character, I just feel that side by side Akuma edges him out in quite a few areas. Capcom retracting his c.hk buff was a bit of a shame for Akuma players considering the transition to him, but even so, given his relatively poor mix-ups from a knockdown he still wouldn’t have been a large threat once he had you on your back. When Akuma knocks you down, even in 2012, he still has a few options to test your defense and maintain offensive momentum.

I’m not one for theory fighter at all, and these are just the observations I’ve made so far. I feel as time goes on 2012 will pan out quite differently to AE and who knows what new approaches are used given the shuffle in many character’s abilities and viability. I suspect a few characters perhaps slept on might step up to the plate. Dudley for example seems stronger, Guy strikes me as quite decent and Honda’s re-buffs (lp headbutt) will definitely amp him up again.

In all though the playing field is looking much more level and no character seems to jut out as much as before. I still feel Yun and Fei are really strong though. Fei is an even match for Akuma in my opinion but Yun will remain a handful no doubt.

I play Guy as well. See the thing about him is that he is just one of those characters that requires matchup experience and knowledge. You will find many people losing to these “ass” characters because their matchup knowledge is so poor. When I play Guy i feel that i get people with so many gimmicks its retarded. I’ve started to do the same with Evil Ryu. Sure his mixup game is trash but he has gimmicky shit that works.Wakeup crossup ground tatsu? That shit works ALL the time.

He is such a satisfying character to use in the sense that you can make a comeback with one combo. I have done that so many times when I am about to lose. As akuma even if you start gaining momentum for a comeback, there is always the risk of screwing up the next mixup and getting randomly reversal’d and losing. With E.ryu, you land one combo and keep it going and you have the round because people simply don’t know about his gimmick resets.

I think E.ryu is just as challenging to use as Akuma but in just a different way, as Akuma you just need to know how to keep the vortex going effectively. As E.ryu you just need to know how to manage to land one full combo on them and that alone can win you the round. Well, atleast the way I play him, haha.

Regardless, its just more theory fighter and really my question was which character would help better my ground game. The way I play E.ryu and Akuma are literally identical. I just try to get into their face and make them eat combos, which is mainly why i will lose whenever it comes down to spacing and footsies.

Here is some footage of Eita’s Akuma in NSB Ver 2012 I’ve cut for the players:

Does anyone know what Zhi is talking about in this video of the beta version changes? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNazl21Xt_Y&feature=player_embedded#!
At 9:38 he says he thinks Akuma will be really good because his st.HK can hit crouching characters. Is he just referring to old Akuma or is talking about some kind of change they made back in the Alpha testing?
Personally my assumption when I heard him mention this is that he was talking about Akuma as he is now (in which case Zhi is kind of off a bit - sure it can hit crouching characters, but it’s character specific and if they block it and the second hit whiffs you can get LIT UP (aka I’ve been wary of using it in those matchups against good players)).
If they really did end up buffing his st.HK to catch crouching characters I’d be so happy- I wouldn’t even mind the fact that his forward throw and palm were messed with :slight_smile:

Firstly, legendary work. Thanks for this, I really appreciate it.

Secondly, this this out:

(17m, 42 secs)

Exploding heart in action on Deejay of all characters. Clearly Deejay is in the clear but I find the spacing and end result interesting. I’m curious if exploding heart remains viable on those characters with slower wake-up times perhaps?

He’s likely referring to the usual the characters it connects twice on. (Makoto, Guy, Abel, Sagat, etc etc)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFAklrjnTPY&feature=player_detailpage#t=1438s

For instance, during this round you see it whiff on Ibuki as per usual. No changes here so far as I can tell.

for people with the pc versions, there are some edited files that have the 2 frame increased recovery on forward throw, you can use it to test newer setups after forward throw. I made a thread on the akuma forum.

"Akuma
From EX Hyakkishu, it is now possible to perform an EX Zanku Hadoken.
Far standing Heavy Kick’s damage has been adjusted to 50 + 30 for a total of 80 damage, and when the second hit is blocked, Akuma is now at a -2 frame disadvantage."

Oh look, Gief can now SPD Akuma’s HK on block now.

Wow they are slowly dismantling this character one update at a time.

What the hell is the point of an EX FB from EX Demon Flip? You already waste one bar to do the EX flip, and at that point you have to be certain that you’ll land a dive kick or a throw (only time I would do it). Therefore, why waste* another* bar on EX Hadou? St. HK -2 on block? Its already context-sensitive and can be punished by certain characters.

Honestly, this game fucking sucks. SF4 was bearable but this is retarded. They need to announce SF5 and make it a hardcore fighter’s game.

lol some neckbeard tester hates Akuma. Good troll.

Ohhh now they’ve done it!!! What the FUCKKK is this?!?!? What kind of senseless buff is this? Why would I want to waste two meter on such a ridiculous possibility? And then the HK nerf! That move was the very DEFINITION of balanced.

Seriously Capcom, eat shit. I’ve had it with these people.

Oh Vanilla, how I miss thee. I won’t be using EX fb during flip, and I guess we’ll just have to poke with other shit besides fs.hk against Gief. But to also take another damage nerf, good lord.

Guess someone at Capcom really hates Gouki. Or is it Unity?
Or folks want Daigo going back to Ryu -_-’

So much for Apology Edition.

We can’t let them get away with this, this is MADNESS!! :annoy:
Is there anything we can do? Anywhere we can express our discontent with these ridiculous changes?

Ken’s looking better and better every week. Yet another buff, EX SRK is 200 damage now, wow. He and Akuma are switching tier spots from vanilla -> 2012 lol.

Can’t help but laugh at Capcom at this point lol

I’d take that -2 if far roundhouse if the thing would connect vs everyone now while crouching, but seriously add that -2 even when it is risky vs most of the cast?

Wow, just wow.

BUT, Look at the bright side:

  • EX Air fireball after an EX DEMON FLIP IS POSSIBLE NOW, Akuma is a meter building machine, we’ll be jumping around like flashing yellow monkeys throwing stuff in the screen :smiley:
  • +20 damage to U2

Akuma new S tier in v2012, hope they nerf his stamina from 850 to 700 because he’s too good right now.

Ryu’s cr.mk is back? Well at least there’s one shoto who’s getting some love.

Any chance EX DF -> EX FB only costs one bar? lol