I was just wondering what the general rule on using macros available via the in-game button config menus (ex. 3x punch/kick) in tournaments is? Is it consistently allowed or not allowed, or does it vary from tournament to tournament?
I ask because I’m having a custom stick built and at the moment I’m using a TE, so I’m used to and currently prefer having the 3x punch/kick commands bound to separate buttons. Will I be pretty safe having it made with 8 buttons, or should I play it safe and learn to play with 6?
there’s nothing against it as far as most tournaments are concerned, but if you play on an arcade cabinet at any point, your fingers will feel out of place not having those macros there. my advice has always been to disable the 2 odd buttons and use them to mess with opponents you are playing shoulder to shoulder with if you think they may be reacting to the fact that they hear you hitting buttons at times.
nothing but positives for 6-button play, but not a necessity.
Banning 3xP/K bindings used to be pretty common before the SF4 generation. It’s getting rarer and rarer now though. It’s not that rare to see other bindings still banned though (focus/throw).
I just experienced the awkwardness of having to not use macros at a tourney i went to, because they were on cabs that only had the 6 button setups. The poster who said that you will feel very awkward not having them there is not playing around. My fingers felt absolutely retarded.
Yeah, people in my community who’ve played on an arcade cab after getting used to 8 buttons could not do get accustomed to the arcade controls even though we were at a big tourney. It’s a pretty big difference, so I’d personally recommend getting used to the 6 buttons (over time at least). However, most tournies don’t and shouldn’t ban button macros BUILT INTO THE GAME. Not saying that anybody should use them, but the option should always be there.
That’s not really a good reason honestly. There is all sorts of stuff that’s “BUILT INTO THE GAME!!1!” that been tourney banned, often for good reason.
Only things that should be banned that are explicitly built into a game are things that are broken, whether or intentionally or not. It doesn’t take “skill” to use lp + lk to throw instead of just one button. And crouch teching with a throw button won’t make you any better at teching throws unless you have a deformed hand.
It does take more “skill” to push two buttons perfectly in time than one because humans fuck up (see: marvel), and eliminating execution fuck ups is part of fighting games.
But yeah, macros used to be banned but there’s too many pad players now who use them, so the tide turned.
Have it made with 8 buttons, but learn to play with 6. Heaven forbid you play a game where some menus or whatever require all 8 buttons. Besides no tournament would ban an 8 button stick when the TE, HRAP, and all other mainstream ones are 8 buttons.
Funny thing: even people way on the “fighting games are not about execution” side of the fence can be against arcade stick macros because while we can all disagree about design and what we think the game should be, once you’ve commited to actually playing that game being on equal terms and playing the game with the buttons it was designed for regardless of whatever stupid shit is in there comes first.
Note HDR’s lack of macros.
There’s actually a few cheesy things you can do with them, like having an extra button to mash EX Legs with, either for the sake of avoiding accidentally pressing MP+MK and canceling into a focus attack in certain combos or to get a higher button press rate. If I was really serious and wanted to be a douche playing SFIV I would play Chun Li with two 3K buttons. There’s a ton of ifs in that sentence though.
I honestly never thought about being so used to the 3xP/3xK macro buttons that it would screw me up on an arcade cabinet, but now I’m worried. I use those macro buttons exclusively for Ultras. Doh!!
