Another tutorial has been uploaded to the Avoiding the Puddle YouTube channel. In his latest video, Aris explains the importance of frame data and shows how to use those numbers to your advantage. Also, head over to the Avoiding the Puddle web site for more videos and articles regarding Tekken.
Check out the tutorial after the jump!
Aris from Avoiding the Puddle has uploaded another installment of his Tekken Tag Tournament 2 tutorial series. His latest video teaches you how to properly use Tag Crash. Make sure to check out his other videos on defense, button buffering, and more on his YouTube channel.
Check out the tutorial after the jump!
New York's own Dieminion recently put up his thoughts regarding his trip to Japan and Super Battle Opera 2012 on the official Brokentier website. Earlier this year, he qualified to represent the American team with EG PR Balrog and Razer Latif.
Dieminion is frank about his experience in the tournament and mentions some of the problems that the competitors ran into this year. But the most interesting topics he discusses are the differences between the American and Japanese fighting game scenes and how it effects the decision making in play.
When you compare our scenes, Japan being the arcade casual scene and America being the console competitive scene, you can see differences in our styles of gameplay and why we play the way we do. Japan's arcade scene doesn't allow for long term thinking and figuring things out because you have to play with everything on the line. You're spending money to play and if you lose, that's it, similar to the past arcade culture of America. The only difference now is that they have learned the game to the point where only winning counts now. They have to put everything on the line and play with their HEART and less with their brain. A lot less thinking is involved in Japanese play it seems, it's mostly bold moves one after the other which makes it look as if they are just going in or playing random. Maybe they feel like they have to play with no regrets. Constant courageous play make for a higher chance of 'miracles' to happen in matches, which is what we see often when we watch Japanese matches.
It's always interesting to get a player's insight on strategy, especially from someone who can adapt and overcome adversity such as Dieminion. You can check out the rest of the article here on Brokentier's official website.
Unlike many team-based fighting games, Tekken Tag Tournament 2's solo mode is so powerful that some competitors are wondering if it should be banned from tournament play.
Aris from Avoiding the Puddle has a new tutorial video to show you how to deal with solo mode opponents using a team. He goes over why solo mode characters are so strong and shows you how to build and play your team against one.
Remember to subscribe to Avoiding the Puddle's YouTube channel!
Check out the video after the jump!
In the final episode of Retro Assist Me!, Maximilian wraps up the series with a break down of the original Marvel vs. Capcom. Check out Max and Doctor Doom as they go over bread and butter combos, secret character codes and more. Don't forget to subscribe to Maximilian's YouTube channel!
Follow the jump for the video!
One of the most important attributes of a good fighting game player is their ability to make proper use of a game's training mode. Aris from Avoiding the Puddle returns with a tutorial to help you get to that level so you can get the most out of Tekken Tag Tournament 2's practice mode. Also, if you've missed Avoiding the Puddle's previous tutorials, check out all of their guides here.
Follow the jump for the video!
If you're a fan of Street Fighter 3: Third Strike, chances are you are pretty good at parrying. Well, Tekken has its own parrying mechanic and Aris from Avoiding the Puddle is here with his most recent tutorial to explain everything. Remember to subscribe to their YouTube channel!
Watch the video after the jump!
Are you a Tekken neophyte? Still confused by the dozens of throws, stuns, and even moves you have to memorize to just defend in the game?
Aris from Avoiding the Puddle is here to help you break out of that rut with two fresh tutorials to improve your defense. The first video covers throw breaks and theory -- throws breaks being a very common problem among beginners. The second video teaches you how to break out of double over and nosebleed stuns.
Keep in mind that 3-D fighting games require a different set of skills than what you maybe used to in 2-D fighting games. Unlike most 2-D fighting games where it is generally obvious when a move ends, it is important to watch each character's animation in a 3-D fighter to know when and how to attack and punish. Precise and fluid movement is also a requirement.
Hit the jump and learn more about Tekken with Avoiding the Puddle!
Avoiding the Puddle returns with another tutorial from Aris. This time he goes over raw tags, the risks involved and how to minimize those risks if the point character is forced to switch.
Remember to subscribe to the Avoiding the Puddle YouTube channel and watch the video after the jump!
Aris from Avoiding the Puddle just put up a tutorial explaining Tekken Tag Tournament 2's rage and tag crash system mechanics. He analyzes each mechanic thoroughly, breaking down everything from the basics to how the rage system and tag crash mechanic interact with each other. Watch the video after the jump!
SoCal's most famous commentators in the fighting game community, UltraDavid and Jchensor, have now begun their premier broadcast of their collaboration stream!
They will be taking a look at various tactics in fighting games and other topics.
Check out the video after the jump! Also follow them on Twitter (@UltraChenTV)!
If you've been wanting to start learning how to punch people in the face with Dudley in Super Street Fighter 4: AE, you're in luck! Shintroy has put together an excellent beginner tutorial for the character, covering topics such as Hit-Confirms, Anti-Airs, Pokes, and Ultra and Super Combos. What is even better is that this tutorial has a menu system which takes you to the specific video for the topic you are interested in seeing at the time. It's very nice and informative and the music selection should get you motivated, even though I think Dudley likely listens to smooth Jazz or Classical myself. Anyway, check it out.
The newest Level Up Your Game video podcast is here! In Episode 5 of the series, they talk about Asuka Kazama and have special guest Charles "Insomnotek" Kim on the show, an expert in the character, to talk about all aspects of the character.
Check it out after the jump, Tekken 6 fans!
Vesper Arcade has put together the next few episodes in their Super Street Fighter 4 tutorial series. These next episodes deal with Armor Cancelling and Super Jump Cancelling.
If you are unfamiliar with these terms, check out these tutorials.
Videos after the jump!
;)
Super Street Fighter IV drops in less than twenty-four hours. Some of you lucky readers may already have the game. As you count down the hours to the retail release, what's your plan? How do you envision the hours after you get home and break that plastic seal? If you're anything like most tournament players, the first thing you're going to do is play mad scientist and hit the lab. Once you pick that new character, or learn your old character's new tricks, you're going to spend the rest of that time in Training Mode committing all that goodness to muscle memory. Good plan, but is that all there is to this game?
For sometime now I've wanted to have a series of strategy articles on iPlayWinner, but to be honest I can never really come up with anything to write about! I know this sounds ridiculous since I go to some form of Street Fighter tournament on a weekly basis, but sometimes it's hard to put your own play style into words.
So instead of just typing away and hoping people read what I write, I figured it would be a better idea to get our community involved and see what's on players minds. If you're following us on Twitter (@iplaywinner) we will now be taking questions about strategy, tournaments and really anything fighting game related. We will be answering those questions here on the site as frequently as possible so send them over and I'll do my best to get them answered.
To send us a question just tweet: @iplaywinner [your question goes here]
A lot of the questions will be answered by me, but I'll also try to bring in other players to help respond to the questions as well. Also, don't be afraid to disagree with us! One of the best ways to learn via text is debating techniques and strategies so we all can possibly learn from each other.
Anyway, enough rambling, here are a couple good questions that were sent over just in the past day or so. If you don't see your question, don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you.
Thanks to @SpeedBrkr for the tagline, by the way.
@Man_Griffin
I feel I've hit a plateau,I practice frequently and play constantly yet I dont feel I'm getting better. Any advice?
I think one thing to really look at here is what do do you use as a measurement for improvement? Is it the amount of wins you come away with while playing online or your current rank in Championship Mode? If so, know that online isn't the best way to see if you're getting better because so many variables go into online play. Everything from varied skill levels and lag will have an affect on your perception of current skill level.
Even with local casual play sometimes it can be hard to tell if you're really improving. Sometimes you will get away with stuff because the other guy is testing new strategies or you'll end up losing because maybe they have been playing all day and are just a bit more warmed up than you.
Personally, I don't use online or casual play as a way to measure my own skill -- only tournament matches and results. Tournaments will really put everything you have worked for to the test. So if you see that you continue to do better in tournament each time or keep playing better against stronger opponents each time then you are on the right track.
Xaaz and Jav1ts put together a great video demonstrating the many ways certain characters can punish Dhalsim's Jump Fierce on hit, from max range. Anyone who has played a competent Dhalsim knows this is one of the more annoying moves in his arsenal, so if you happen to play Balrog, Cammy, Gen, Chun Li or Seth this video should help you out a lot.
From the SRK thread:
The purpose of the video was to show that Dhalsim is actually punishable by certain characters at certain distances so it's not really necessary to show every possible punish. My aim was to inspire new ideas so that everyone can do better in the Dhalsim matchup which for many people can be very frustrating. Good luck finding more punishes with your main character.
Source: #capcom, SRK
;)
This past week FilipinoChamp stopped by HAUNTS HQ for some matches and I was able to get in some much needed practice vs Dhalsim. For those of you who don't know, with his top 8 placement at West Coast Warzone and coming off his recent win against UTJ & Bryant the Tyrant at Bar Fights 2, FilipinoChamp is currently ranked as one of the top 3 Dhalsims in the country. He is also a self proclaimed "Sagat killer" having beat most of the top Sagats in the country at some point.
The Dhalsim vs Sagat match is certainly an unorthodox match up which can give Sagat serious problems if he is not familiar with how to handle it. Even though 'Sim takes a lot of damage, being able to get in to do that damage and keep him locked down can prove to be a difficult task if the Dhalsim player is on point.
I recorded many of the matches here and decided to post them up and break down what was going through my mind, what I learned during these sets and also what I assume Ryan was trying to accomplish during the match as well. Although I won maybe 2-3 matches out of 10, you'll see most of the rounds come down to the wire with a minor misstep on my end that costs me the round/match. You'll see there is a lot of experimentation going on as well with these being casual matches -- many of the better strategies start to solidify later on in the set. Hopefully some of you will benefit from the beating I took and learn a couple things about this odd match up as well.
Here are the videos with match up notes below:
Although I usually have few opportunities to apply close range pressure vs Dhalsim, once I'm in there I am at an advantage. 'Sim has some solid pokes/normal moves, a teleport and a back dash to give himself some breathing room, but over all once I'm in, even one Tiger Uppercut or EX Tiger Shot combo will typically put me in the lead. There are many ways to counter Dhalsim's options when he gets in close or tries to evade: well timed Kara Tiger Uppercuts will stop back dashes, standing medium punch will stop close range teleports (need to punish these more myself), and one throw into the corner will put the round in your favor.
As I mentioned, getting in takes some work. Dashing in after he blocks a Tiger Shot then FAing through any follow up limbs will work, and Kara Tiger Shots can help Sagat gain ground as well. You can Tiger Knee over Yoga Fire but the timing is a bit different than Tiger Kneeing over other projectiles in the game since Yoga Fire moves slower than say a fireball.
Once you have him in the corner, Tiger Shot pressure is usually your best option. If you are point blank and start an EX Tiger Shot combo, if he blocks it you can follow up with a crouching jab with no risk of a counter attack to continue your pressure. Watch out for slides in that is one way 'Sim can slowly push Sagat back out. Tiger Knees in the corner do not work as well against 'Sim compared to other characters due to his small hit box and the fact that he can slide under them, but a well timed meaty Tiger Knee can be a good way to start a pressure string.
Generally speaking, at mid range you will see that Dhalsim has a ton of options to stop Sagat from advancing, giving him the advantage from this range. He can stop Tiger Shots with a fierce, use Yoga Fire to set up teleport cross ups and Jump Fierce to punish Tiger Shots as well. Fighting from this range is not recommended for Sagat, and once you are in the corner with Dhalsim advancing to mid range you will see how bad it can get. From this position there isn't a whole lot you can do out side of some random upper cuts or waiting for a mistake. If he already has an Ultra, in many cases the round is over once you are in the corner fighting from mid range, as you'll see in the videos I posted.
Jumping in is typically a bad idea as well, even though it's hard to resist the urge to land a jump in combo from mid-range. Sim has a ton of anti-air options, and maybe 1/5 times you attempt to jump in will you even connect with your attack. It may be a good idea to test the 'Sim players anti airing ability once the round starts, but once you see they can hit you on reaction its best to just back out to full screen and restart the projectile war.
With two stocks of EX meter you can safely Kara Uppercut from mid range to gain some ground and even land a counter hit and follow up with an Ultra, but this is in no way a strategy you can use through out the entire match.
Also, one area where Sagat has an advantage from mid screen is when 'Sim jumps in from mid range and throws out a move such as a fierce, you can FA through it and start an offense and even follow up with a F+RH from the right distance. Uppercut can also be a good option but beware of 'Sim baiting uppercuts with a teleport.
From full screen I feel Sagat has a slight advantage due to the speed of his Tiger Shots, the ability to Kara Tiger Shot and EX Tiger Shot which will do a nice chunk of damage and also send 'Sim closer to the corner. You will most likely spend most of the match at this range and inflict as much damage as possible through Tiger Shots until you have the opportunity to move in.
Beware that even from full screen 'Sim can catch Sagat throwing a Tiger Shot and start a combo. You can feint Tiger Shots with a standing jab or crouching Fierce to counter this strategy.
A well timed crouching jab will stop many of his attacks, and you can of course cancel that into a Tiger Shot to apply more pressure. Be careful when throwing our normal moves though, in that a couple mistimed moves will cost you a nice chunk of life.
I feel at the end of the day this is a 5-5 match up with maybe a slight advantage for Sagat due to his damage output. As you see, a good 'Sim can really give Sagat a lot of problems due to his ability to keep Sagat at full screen and also completely shut down most of his options once he has him in the corner.
...or am I completely out of my mind and just have no idea how to fight 'Sim? Is this all solid advice or the blind leading the blind? Sound off in the comments and let me know!
haunts
Parts 4 and 5 of the same set.
I came across these vids today. They are made by NeoRussell. He has made some really nice strategy/tutorial vids on various topics for various games. One example of this is his two-vid series on Anti-Projectile strategies. It gives basic strategies for every character in the game. These videos are geared more towards beginning players but some intermediate players may find a surprise in there.
If you want to see more of his vids visit NeoRussell's website at: http://www.neorussell.com
Also you can see vids at his YouTube channel located at: http://www.youtube.com/user/Ne0Russell
So, you're new to the scene? You're on that Street Fighter IV hype with everyone else? Then please keep reading. There are a few things I'd like to address.
Hopefully after you've finished reading all this, you'll know what it means to be part of the competitive fighting game scene.
Choosing a Character
The tricky part about writing on this topic is that it always leads into the tier discussion. Really, the target audience I'm writing to are people like this. My response to the thread is on the first page. To summarize, you must ask yourself the question Ryu is always asking himself.
Why do I fight?
The answer is on you. Think about it in your downtime and try out the whole cast. Do your research and see what every character is capable of, as well as their general gameplan. Which style of play suits you best? If you've tried all of this and still can't come to a decision, keep playing. I'll admit this is a natural process for many, but in the end, we all have our reasons.
"Some people play to win and others play to play."
While we're on the topic of characters, let's talk counter-picking. Sure, it's a fine strategy and it's normal to see in both online and tournament play. It's actually considered as part of the American school of thought in competitive Street Fighter goes since our tournament standard is typically best two out of three games. But there won't always be the opportunity to counter-pick, so it is wise to root yourself in one character and know them inside-out. Lastly, doing random select is unheard of in high-level tournament play (unless it's the theme of a particular tournament, of course). Everyone tends to try to play their best in tournaments since you’re playing for keeps.
Personally, my stance on tiers and counter-picking goes somewhat against the grain. If Alex Valle and Kuni Funada don't believe in tiers, then that's good enough for me.
I respect anyone that goes straight to their character on the selection screen every time by giving them my best in return. I actually think that counter-picking isn't too far away from ability insecurity, but that's another discussion.
If it's in you to pick a character based on their tier placement, don't let me stop you. The same goes for counter-picking. Everyone has their own ego and it really shows in the fighting game community. Whenever you play against someone, you’re playing a completely unique entity. What I mean by this is that no one plays Sagat the same exact way that haunts does. Or no one plays the same Sagat as Mago. If you’re a Sagat player, no one plays him exactly like you. All players have their own unique playstyle and thought process.
Tournaments and Competing
Just as everyone has their own playstyle, everyone has their own belief on how to approach a tournament. Some players try to play as much as they can right up until the tournament starts. Some players read guides and study match footage videos in preparation. Some players believe it’s best to take a vacation before a big tourney.
Even Daigo has his own idea of how to think of them.
