Is VF5 a striking, throwing, or balanced game.

I have a friend, I got him to join this board. His name on this board is nWo, but he never actually posted anything. (He's just not that type of person to hang around on boards, thus why a good training mode should have been crucial).

Anyways, he's been getting whooped by me at first with Vanessa, then with Kage, and now, he's been getting whooped even more by Akira.

He likes Wolf, but claims that, This game doesn't do justice to Wolf, because it's too difficult to grab. Strikers rule in Virtua Fighter. Especially, when you combine good rising attacks, with the duck punch. He's claiming, that the low throw should be able to beat the duck punch, or else it's useless. He somehow thinks that, since he like throwing, he should be able to play most with throws.

Now I'm telling him, that you can throw alot in the game. I often throw him on average 2 times per game. Now, he can't really expect to get off 3, 4 5 throws per game like he would like the game to allow him. Because, big throws like the giant swing, Jackhammer, KS, F5, Pedigree would then become too broken. If he expect to be able to throw with that regularity, then there wouldn't be 100, 80, 75, or 70 damaged throws, and everything would be lowered to allow that many throws per game.

He has a big problem with /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/d.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif like no other. Basically saying that, it's fast, interrupts, hard to counter, and worse of all, it leads to other moves and tactics. He describes it as, like running the ball and then doing playaction later on. Desptite having that big beatdown move with wolf, that eats duck punch and allows comboes, he is just not convince that it is enough. Nothing is worse for him, to be A. interrupted by duck punch, and B. having little life and Losing by the duck punch.

I'm trying to convince him to use this thread to discuss the matter with more people than the ones that we play with, and chances are, you'll get people, more familar with the system and people better than we are and able to elaborate better. If you don't see him respond within the next few hours, same goes for me, that is because we have work.

Anyways, he claims VF is 90-10 Striking to Throwing ratio. What do you guys thing. Second, he thinks duck punch kills the game, what do you guys think. Thanks in advance. Discuss away.

 

When two good players are playing, throw/strike ratio will be very close to 50/50.

Depending on the habit of your opponent, that ratio will change. If he's having a hard time throwing you, it means he is neglecting his mids. As wolf, he should go for things like screwhook/knee/toe kick stunner etc. to discourage you from spamming 2P.

The gist of it is simple. If you are hit out of your throw or clashes, it means you are not attacking enough. If you are getting moves evades or blocked, it means you are not throwing enough.

When the ratio is not 50/50, and you are having a problem mixing your throw/attacks, it means either you are not adjusting to your opponent, or that your opponent is doing the same thing over and over.

One of you two should adjust depending on what is happening unless you guys are both robots.

 

Agreed with Srider. I play Goh, who is a grappler, and I definitely don't feel as if I'm at a major disadvantage against a striker. I also play Akira, and never feel that if I go against a grappler, I'm done for.

/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/d.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif can be abusive, but it's definitely not the be-all and end-all strategy. In fact, overuse of it caused me to learn to NOT use it as much, since my opponents would learn how to beat it regularly.

There's alot of good players on these boards, and I'm sure that your friend can have a decent discussion with them, and perhaps his perspective will change. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

Both Srider and WrathX make great points.

Make sure you and your friend understand the basic VF5 throw/attack-dodge/block, advantage/disadvantage, turn-taking system and how to watch what happens when, and just after, you do something.

I did not understand the above for years and my game suffered so horribly. Now that I'm beginning to grasp it, I understand a little more about when I should throw/attack/etc. I get MC'd a LOT less and if it does happen, I usually know why.

I think once you both get the idea, the game will become more understandable and fun.

 

Tell him if he wants to throw he needs to give you a reason to block.

You know Wolf has /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/d.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif as well.

 

Ahh, and one more thing that may help change the perspective and ratio... once you start utilizing evades more, that'll dramatically change gameplay versus strikers. Granted, some moves cannot be evaded, however if you know that your opponent is going to throw a /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/d.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif after your attack, evade! If you know your opponent is going to do a ranged or dashing attack, anticipate and evade!

Once you start doing that, you'll be able to capitalize on side throws, and negate some strikes, which will definitely change the ratio of 90/10. It'll take time to learn, but once you do, it'll open up a whole new dimension to the game. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

Oh yeah, Wolf successfully predicting a /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/d.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif = Shining Wizard for 60pts!

Once your friend learns that - watch out. You'll think twice before using low punch forever after.

 

Are you implying that the risk / reward ratio for throws vs strikes is almost identical? This would in turn imply that it doesn't really matter which option you choose in a given situation where you have the opportunity. . .

I was always under the impression that the thing that seperates VF from literal rock-paper-scissors is that the risk / reward ratio of different options is different, otherwise the game is strategically pointless . . .