finally understanding how to use akira

so when using akira i have to buffer alot of his moves then? am i right?
im pretty excited, cause i know in about a month or 2 i'll probably be using akira alot in quest mode but as of now i plan to keep on practicing his moves especially the difficult ones. i can do most of akira's moves but even though i can do this move:
++ I've done it like 20 times already but i just can't pull it off everytime i try, maybe like 2 out of every 20 attempts ......and yes my thumb does hurt form trying to do it over and over again but yea any advice ?? or is it just really gonna take time.. i mean were you expert akira players just like this when you guys first started learning how to use akira? or did u guys get it right away.. but yea any advice would really be helpful... also the following moves im kinda confused on how to time it right:



+(release after one frame)

im having trouble on how to time my moves with akira so yea plz help me out guys.. thanx in advance

 

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X_itz_raphael_X said:

so when using akira i have to buffer alot of his moves then? am i right?
im pretty excited, cause i know in about a month or 2 i'll probably be using akira alot in quest mode but as of now i plan to keep on practicing his moves especially the difficult ones. i can do most of akira's moves but even though i can do this move:
++ I've done it like 20 times already but i just can't pull it off everytime i try, maybe like 2 out of every 20 attempts ......and yes my thumb does hurt form trying to do it over and over again but yea any advice ?? or is it just really gonna take time.. i mean were you expert akira players just like this when you guys first started learning how to use akira? or did u guys get it right away.. but yea any advice would really be helpful... also the following moves im kinda confused on how to time it right:



+(release after one frame)

im having trouble on how to time my moves with akira so yea plz help me out guys.. thanx in advance

[/ QUOTE ]

you may want to invest in a joystick, makes things alot easier imo especially the multiple button commands

: is basically a just frame, you have to input the second exactly when the first connects

as for + release G, it's just timing. You'll just have to practice on this one.

 

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Day67 said:

[ QUOTE ]
X_itz_raphael_X said:

so when using akira i have to buffer alot of his moves then? am i right?
im pretty excited, cause i know in about a month or 2 i'll probably be using akira alot in quest mode but as of now i plan to keep on practicing his moves especially the difficult ones. i can do most of akira's moves but even though i can do this move:
++ I've done it like 20 times already but i just can't pull it off everytime i try, maybe like 2 out of every 20 attempts ......and yes my thumb does hurt form trying to do it over and over again but yea any advice ?? or is it just really gonna take time.. i mean were you expert akira players just like this when you guys first started learning how to use akira? or did u guys get it right away.. but yea any advice would really be helpful... also the following moves im kinda confused on how to time it right:



+(release after one frame)

im having trouble on how to time my moves with akira so yea plz help me out guys.. thanx in advance

[/ QUOTE ]

you may want to invest in a joystick, makes things alot easier imo especially the multiple button commands

: is basically a just frame, you have to input the second exactly when the first connects

as for + release G, it's just timing. You'll just have to practice on this one.

[/ QUOTE ]

ok thanx , uhhm about the joystick, as much as possible i don't want to use a joystick cause i know that it is possible to be really good with akira without the use of an arcade stick(though i am about to get one) but yea i guess i just needa practice more

 

It depends on your definition of "really good". I'm about as good as you can be on a pad and my Akira is quite poor compared to alot of stick users. He requires way too many directional inputs that have to be fast and accurate for it to be practical to play him the way he's meant to be played at a "good" level on a pad.

If you're serious about VF and want to see how good you really can be without anything holding you back then you should get a stick before you get too comfortable with the pad. The only reason I haven't converted yet (aside from being a cheap skate) is the fear that I wont be as good on a stick and that in turn I wont be able to return to the level I'm at on the pad.

Summary: get a stick.

 

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Elite said:

It depends on your definition of "really good". I'm about as good as you can be on a pad and my Akira is quite poor compared to alot of stick users. He requires way too many directional inputs that have to be fast and accurate for it to be practical to play him the way he's meant to be played at a "good" level on a pad.

If you're serious about VF and want to see how good you really can be without anything holding you back then you should get a stick before you get too comfortable with the pad. The only reason I haven't converted yet (aside from being a cheap skate) is the fear that I wont be as good on a stick and that in turn I wont be able to return to the level I'm at on the pad.

Summary: get a stick.

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Well said. not to mention if you're interested in any kind of competition you'll have to get used to the stick (as VF cabinets don't have PS jacks like the T5 machines) at least not that I know of.
Raphael, its good that you're getting a stick but be sure to do your research before you buy the stick.. there are a lot of crap sticks out there you don't want to buy. Take a look through the "choosing a stick for...." thread in the console section and it will give you a good idea which sticks are good etc.

 

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Elite said:

The only reason I haven't converted yet (aside from being a cheap skate) is the fear that I wont be as good on a stick and that in turn I wont be able to return to the level I'm at on the pad.



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I had the same fear when I bought my stick. I started out with stick and was pathetic at first. At first the inputs of many moves, especially his knee, was very easy and comfortable to input. The only trouble I had was doing moves that recquired a lot of button mashin as I would sometimes mingle my fingers and screw up the combo's. When I had to incorporate DLC I messed up quite often on it. On the other hand I found that moves which recquired crouch buffering were much easier to perform.

Then my stick broke and I had to get back on pad, I still am now since I can't find a good stick. And to tell you the truth it's not that difficult to get your pad skills back. All you have to do is play for about a week's worth and you should get your pad skills back. That's about how long it took me. And since then I have been playing with pad and have become substantially good with AK. I am now able to perform yoho, p, yoho, dblplm on PA and AO with ease. When I started I could barely do yoho, p, shldr, dblplm on lightweights on Counter hit!

So the bottom line is that if you become good with Akira with pad and then you switch over to stick then backt to pad, it dosen't take much to get back the groove. And now I am in dire need of some competition because all the people I used to play don't play anymore.

 

I'm a pad user as well because I'm too cheap to get a stick. But after spending plenty of time in practice mode, I can pull off most of his combos fairly reliably though I tend to screw up from time to time. The only move that I have trouble incorporating into combos is the dragon lance combo (ie +++). I have a lot of trouble doing this move even when not in combos. For some dumb reason I oftentimes end up doing the dodge to the side after the first two hits which is what I don't want to do. I guess that's one downside of the pad but this is the only move that I have trouble using in combos because I have a lot of difficulty doing the move to begin with. Any other helpful hints or advice?

 

Hitting diags with pad is quite difficult with the original Sony-PS2 pads. I had the same problem and I bought a controller with an 8-way D-pad so that DLC was no problem anymore. Maybe it helps u too.

 

I can do the diagonal part easily it's just the last hit that gives me the most trouble. Somehow I'm pretting either up or down while trying to pull off the last move in the sequence. <.<

 

What I suggest you do to improve your DLC input is to try to do the move in order. First to the + a couple of times, then do and repeat it a couple of times so that you get the feel for it, then do the complete set. IMO you need to do the last part a bit faster than the other previous ones. You have to enter the first two moves with calmness and then input the last part fast. Go in training mode, preferably command training and lock the move and do it over and over like around 20 times. And then take a break because I guarantee you that playing with Akira a lot and practicing his moves does get your hands and fingers tired.

Another suggestion that I would give to you is to always go do command training before you start playing arcade or quest mode. This does two things; it helps to warm you up and it improves yuor memory of your characters' moves. And also, if you have trouble performing his combos go to tactics and advice once in a while and perform the combos to help keep them in memory.

Also I would greatly suggest that you go and buy a stick. This will deffinitely help you become better at VF and it is the true way to play VF since it was made to be played like that. And it is the best way to perform Akira's knee (+, release after one frame). To try and do knee with the ps2 controller settings is incredibly difficult with begginers and it will get you very tired and break your focus. The best and easy way to perform this move.

And the best way to become good at VF is to play more and practice more. And also see if you can play against live people. Playing in Quest mode is ok, but it's not the best way to learn VF; you will not get the best benefit.

Also keep your lookout for videos here on VFDC in the media section. There are vids from Japan and other parts of the world. It's very interesting to see how other people play and you can also learn new and better techniques, I know I did.

So keep on practicing and that will lead you to do better in VF ;P

 

Thanks for the advice. Someday I'll get a stick. But yeah, after a while my fingers get exhausted especially after playing Akira for so long. As for the DLC, I noticed that there's a specific rhythm for the first two hits which I can do fairly reliably. I'll just practice getting the last command so I can perform it with more consistency.

I live in southern California and I'd like to play against other players one day but unfortunately none of my nearby friends play this game but me. /versus/images/graemlins/frown.gif It would be nice to get some competition. I just started playing Evo this past spring so I'm behind with the competitive scene but I'd like to gain experience.

As for match videos, I have plenty of those and I'm always looking for new ones. /versus/images/graemlins/wink.gif Those vids are what led me to start playing Akira. Though my very first character was Jacky. lol