Ultra Street Fighter IV

[JLM]

Is practising counter hit combos in training mode as easy as setting the dummy to mashing a button? Or is there something else I should do? If Cody is all about maximum damage, I should probably learn to spot a counter hit as I don't check the screen for the pop-up at all

Training mode has a "counter hit" setting. You can switch it to "on" if you just want to grind out your counter hit combos, but the more useful option is to put it on "random" and then you can specifically practise reacting to the text pop up. I did a bit of a training exercise with Cammy where I'd walk up to the dummy and do a crouching fierce, then ultra if I saw "counter hit" pop up and do nothing if it didn't. I'm used to looking for it when I do Cody's towards + MP now at least. If I see counter hit I'll try for ultra 2 or a hard hitting combo, and if I don't I'll try to link cr.lk instead. I still trick myself and twitch sometimes if there's an awkward trade though, as it can look very much like a counter hit and it's more likely to make me react than the text pop up.

Practising that has also improved my Dudley game immeasurably, because if you're not turning at least the majority of counter hits into significant damage then you won't win with him.

[ah]

Someone get online and fight me, I need to get back in shape!

[JLM]

Also re: the Ibuki questions, it depends which move you mean as she has a few different ones that are a bit command grab-esque.

Her grab ultra (Ultra 1) is not blockable but you can jump out of it after the flash as long as you weren't already doing something else.

Her raida:

Is always blockable but it does beat focus attacks.

Her neckbreaker is always blockable (and very punishable) but you must block it low. A very common thing to get hit by against Ibuki before you know this is when they do a normal cancelled into neckbreaker and you block the normal but then get grabbed by the neckbreaker anyway because you're standing up. This still happens when you've played the game to death, but hopefully slightly less frequently.

Against Zangief, don't worry about his lariat making fireballs pass through. You're not really trying to hit people with fireballs, they're just an annoying thing for people to deal with. If he's doing lariat through your fireball then he's not gaining ground on you, and that's good news against Gief. His spinning pile driver (SPD) is really fast and has stupidly long range but you can jump out of it. If you predict a grab attempt you can neutral jump and then hit him with a full combo. Don't just hold up on the controller the whole time against Gief because a good Gief will make you pay for it, but the more you fight him the more you'll spot when people want to go for SPD and you can make better reads to avoid being grabbed.

Lariat is fantastic anti-air and will indeed win or trade against Ryu every time if the Gief player does it right. The answer to this is as Ryu is to not jump in on Gief. Ryu's job is to make Gief's life difficult in this match, and jumping in on him and trying to rush him down is playing right into Gief's hands. Even if he misses the lariat or has to block your jump in, you still end up sitting right inside SPD range and it's you that's in the bad situation rather than him.

A common way to get grabbed against Gief is if he blocks a jump in and then you press another button but end up eating SPD instead. This is because Gief players will often mash SPD or Ultra when under pressure because you have to be absolutely airtight with your attacks or his grab will blow straight through them. Again, don't try to attack Gief like you would other characters and you won't fall into this trap.

There are different strategies you need to employ against many other characters in the game, but against a grappler in particular you need a completely different mindset and you have to accept that there are certain things you simply can't do against him that you would in other matches. The trade off is that he's only effective at certain ranges whereas Ryu has at least one or two options wherever he is on screen.

As Ryu against Gief you want to wear him down and frustrate him.

Fireball at max distance, use crouching MK when he's closer, then use cr. fierce, dragon punch or standing roundhouse to anti-air when he jumps. Occasional EX fireballs are also frustrating for Gief because he'll quite often be walking forward or trying to focus dash through things and this will knock him down. Try to stay away from the corner. If he lariats through a fireball then move forward a little bit. Stay mobile and also stay active. A common mistake people make is to run away from Gief, when what you really want to do is stay juuust outside of his effective ranges and then prod him to death as he tries to get closer.

It's not easy at first. When the game first came out and when you're a new player Zangief seems like the best character in the game, but wth time and experience you'll start to see that he has some pretty big weaknesses.

[hughes]

Pos's's to both joffo and jlm but have one of these too

Played some endless after dinner there, still got beat both up and down but felt like I learned a lot, also I think it's important to practise the execution of even basic attacks when you're "in the shit" as doing a dragon punch in cosy old training mode is very different when someone is pressuring you here, there and everywhere.

[sith]

JLM and Alistarr, there is a SF tournament in Manchester on the 28th September with the SFO guys helping out!

You guys going?

If anyone from afar fancies it I could probably let you crash at mine!

[ah]

I've only been to one tournament before and that was at the peak of my career, whereas I am officially the worst at this game now, but I'm trying to remember how to play again in time for the SFO on 01/09/2013 so I guess if that doesn't scare me off competing forever then I could be convinced to attend the Manchester one as well! Are there details somewhere?

Also I think JLM's new housemate might read rllmuk because it took them about five minutes to identify that he had disabled the wifi and then take steps to fix it.

[JLM]

Details be here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ManchesterBattleArena/

[mayor_mike_haggar]

I don't think I can make this wednesday, but I like camel's idea of going back to HOG again soon. I think I'm going to start playing street fighter again.

[ah]

Tonight I got mauled 3-10 by a bad Akuma, did okay (2-4) against a good Zangief, and beat a solid but out-of-practice Ryu 21-2.

I can't stop thinking about that Akuma.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Training mode has a "counter hit" setting. You can switch it to "on" if you just want to grind out your counter hit combos, but the more useful option is to put it on "random" and then you can specifically practise reacting to the text pop up. I did a bit of a training exercise with Cammy where I'd walk up to the dummy and do a crouching fierce, then ultra if I saw "counter hit" pop up and do nothing if it didn't. I'm used to looking for it when I do Cody's towards + MP now at least. If I see counter hit I'll try for ultra 2 or a hard hitting combo, and if I don't I'll try to link cr.lk instead. I still trick myself and twitch sometimes if there's an awkward trade though, as it can look very much like a counter hit and it's more likely to make me react than the text pop up.Practising that has also improved my Dudley game immeasurably, because if you're not turning at least the majority of counter hits into significant damage then you won't win with him.

I have played this game for literally hundreds of hours, how is this brand new information to me. I'll get cracking on that, then.

[joeplus]

I'm up for Wednesday, 7.30 sounds do-able. Should be fun!

[hegg]

I'm up for Wednesday, 7.30 sounds do-able. Should be fun!

Sweet. So at the very least it's me, you and Camel.

Donut, you in? Any other London folk?

[Lyrical Donut]

I might have to skip it, probably won't know until Wednesday daytime. I'll put my name down for HoG, though.

[hegg]

[freezycold]

I'm going

[blipwoo]

Anyone up for some Monday fighter right now?

[hegg]

I'm going

Oh of course. Excellent.

I'll be doing my best to get there for 7:30. Wonder what kind of tournament they're putting on...I worry that they'll have a little trouble if they get 50-70 people along wanting to take part. We shall see.

[blipwoo]

going on now if anyone's up for some endless:)

[freezycold]

Oh of course. Excellent.

I'll be doing my best to get there for 7:30. Wonder what kind of tournament they're putting on...I worry that they'll have a little trouble if they get 50-70 people along wanting to take part. We shall see.

The last Smash Bros one was pretty well organised.

[joeplus]

Guys. Guys.

I just found out that there is a dedicated gaming pub called Meltdown literally ten minutes away from my work that has fighting game Wednesdays. Amazing, right?

Well, I am conflicted. Here's the facebook page, with some stuff about VF and Injustice and Street Fighter a bit, but there's also this BBC video that's full of awkward Starcraft things and an embarrassing quote about women.

Either way, I'm gonna go along and check it out sooner rather than later, in case it shuts down or something. I fully applaud the venture. Has anyone else been to this place?

Edit: not tomorrow obv, I'm still up for Gamerdisco. Freezycold, do you think they'll have multiple setups? See you there!

[Camel]

My mate is staying slap bang next to that pub this week (he can see it out of his window) and says it looks like its a 'headset gaming' place. Fighting game Wednesdays sound good though.

I spent this afternoon with the guys at Retro Game Base in Streatham which is a retro game shop with a few arcade cabs (including a SF2 can with dodgy sticks). They're opening an arcade bar soon. I hope they get some fighting games in there.

[joeplus]

I spent this afternoon with the guys at Retro Game Base in Streatham which is a retro game shop with a few arcade cabs (including a SF2 can with dodgy sticks).

You mean Streatham where I live?

Oh god it's like fighting games are trying to find me. This is like Settlers of Catan all over again.

[Camel]

It's on Streatham High Road. I wouldn't get too excited though, the only fighting game is that dodgy SF cab.

[joeplus]

I'm a bit excited because I didn't know about the shop at all (I don't do the retro gaming thing, I can just about afford my 360 and a new game once in a while). If they're trying to get something interesting going, I'd be happy to help. I read the Guardian at the weekend and it's all about community organic herb gardens, when there are more important things in life.

[imp]

I would like to formally announce that myself, choo and even the elusive Uzi(on) will be in attendance at tomorrow's festivities. Prepare for screeching.

[Plopboy]

Your are actually going to meet each other in real life, are you mad?

[Camel]

What time are you getting there, plopboy?

[Plopboy]

If only I could I need to clean my basket ball

[freezycold]

It's usually one system projected on to a wall.

[hegg]

I would like to formally announce that myself, choo and even the elusive Uzi(on) will be in attendance at tomorrow's festivities. Prepare for screeching.

Rumble!!