inputing the commands and timing:

This one is getting me a bit frustrated.

What's the methodology with the timing of inputting the commands in VF?

Was playing the game in Dojo mode, and practicing the commands. Some commands, like Akira's Standing knee, or his Stun Palm, Reverse Body Check, Double Palm requires you to input the commands pretty fast to pull them off, and it's even more difficult when using a console controller.

Well, when preforming these moves, especially the chain moves, do you input the commands before any action is preformed by the character, or on a hit by hit basis? I've tried both and failed.

 

Yeah some moves in this game can be very frustrating at first especially with Akira. For his 3-hit Stun Palm combo you'll need to input the Reverse Body Check motion before the Stun Palm hits.
Even though it says "on hit" you need to have completed the motion already to progress the chain. If you see the first hit THEN do the next input in the string, it won't come out.

For Akira's 1-frame knee, you'll need a lot of patience and practice. Just gotta get used to how your fingers hit K+G. Dojo mode will show you how close you are to the knee. Turning on the command info will show you how many frames you're holding buttons/directions.

When you turn on the input info, you'll see what you're pressing. You should see a green joystick and your buttons. When you press your buttons they should light up with colors: green for guard, blue for punch, and red for kick. When you press kick + guard together try to not let the guard button's color show up but make it so that the game still recognizes the G input (a white ring will show around the button(s) being pressed)

 

Cool tips.

But is this how inputting commands work in VF, you have to input the next move before the first one hits? Also, regarding speed, I'm a bit intimidated when looking at the demonstrations of using certain commands. Do you guys really input them that fast? Like at frame 3 or so?

 

yes. For the most part /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

What you're referring to is what we call "buffering", which is the act of doing the next input at the end of the current animation. A lot of fighting games use this technique, but VF makes it crucial. The reason its so important is for a lot of combos to work, all moves must execute at the first possible opportunity. This is much easier when you realize that if a command has multiple joystick motions, all of those can be completed before your current animation is done.

For instance: Akira's SPOD (stunning palm of doom). The command reads as /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/g.gif , (on hit)/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/b.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/df.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/g.gif , /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif. The "on hit" part is actually talking about the /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/df.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/g.gif. The /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/b.gif actually must be input BEFORE the hit. But the game will still recognize input that happens just before the current animation is finished. Its like how Akira players can jab then double palm immediately. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif,/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/df.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/df.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/b.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif . All the directionals in that command happen during the first punch animation.

By the way, in VF, if a direction is listed before a button, it is always assumed that they come at the same time. EG: /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif means to press forward and punch and kick all at the same time. We don't have to put the "+" between /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif and /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif when writing down combos because it is assumed.

Hope this helps!

 

Akira has to buffer everything, tis unfair /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif

 

so is /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif