Lau is Dead?

Though Lau's martial arts technique is manufactured, I do not
believe his art to be a boring, repetitive cycle. Also, I am
fascinated by Lau Chan's VF4 storyline; he's blackhearted, and
yet not entirely evil, sort of like the pulp character the Shadow,
with all of his machinations.

This said, I have made it to 3rd Dan with Lau, but am disturbed
by this "incurable illness" he's been given. I do NOT relish the
idea of his style being melded onto Pai, storywise. My question is
this: Is Lau Chan truly going to die? Which would mean I am
trying to learn a lame-duck character...a character without a future, which is
like emulating a film noir "hero" who is due for a nasty death by
the movie's end. I hate to say it's a waste of time to perfect Lau within
this VF4 universe, but I'd rather know this unique, highly-stylish character is
not due for oblivion.

If Lau Chan appears in Evolution, is this "illness" storyline resolved?
Or is this merely a preparation for the removal of Lau and Shun, two "old"
men for the freak Goh and Burns?

 

all characters are in evo.
As for the storyline, I'm fairly sure sega doesn't give a shit about it and doesn't really need to make accomodations in advance for the removal of a character. Ukyo's had tuberculosis for years in the samurai shodown series, and could still kick ass even while coughing up blood.

Taka meanwhile was removed without a whisper from Sega. So I guess there's not much point in worrying about it.

For what it's worth, I enjoy playing lau, but I still think he's fairly dull. He's sliiightly less dull with each new game though, and hopefully in Evo he'll be downright fascinating.

 

Being a Lau enthusiast can be hard to do, especially if you're
only playing within Kumite. The Superknife is fairly useless
against higher ranking Dans, is always blocked, and the CPU
always punishes sweeps with high knees, and with Lau's
EXTREMELY slow sweep, I eat plenty of that action. Every damn
time.

All this to say that Lau is a powerful fighter WITH the most
well-rounded history of any character in VF; I'd even say
Lau's a lynchpin for the whole works, storywise. Still, if Lau
is to survive the purge I keep thinking is coming, he'll HAVE
to develop his style. Lau doesn't need the high kicks...his
style is hand technique-driven; he needs hand-technique parries,
at least one reversal. Seriously.

If this is a realistic fighting game, then Lau should develop as a realistic fighter would, and
find a way to stop the blows raining on his no-parry body.

 

heh you're crazy, wanting lau to get a reversal.


Actually a reversal would be fine, but honestly they're not that powerful. A reversal is pretty much never the most damaging option you have vs. an attack, unless you're akira. However there are times when a reversal will work and something else... a knee, an elbow, etc... wouldn't.

It's not like lau is underpowered, and I've seen him ranked as number one before from a japanese mag, so lau doesn't really need new tools. Maybe a style change would be nice for him though.

Anyway, no need to worry, VF5 isn't anywhere near the horizon as far as I know, and with the release of evo lau's around for at least another year prolly.

 

Well that is good news; I suppose now I can stop blaming my bad
Lau play on a "subconscious" distancing from a character heading
for the guillotine.

You're right on about the dull part of Lau, after a time. His style
dictates linear dullness like no other; his throws are cool as a moose
but I'm having trouble getting those off.

As an alternative I play Shun and have just started into Lei
a bit. I don't think Lau would be so repetitious against human
competition, but against the CPU (and I think this is the case
with Shun as well) there's a sameness that can lead to apathy.
Unless you're the one getting your clock cleaned by the same CPU
character over and over, which leads to a flurry of "goddamn sonbitch"s.
I'd LOVE to play against humans, especially human JACKY's, since I wouldn't
necessarily have to worry about the f'ing AUTO-PARRY.

I'm curious as to who the best professional Lau player is, since this is a
Lau thread. And is he/she a classic Lau, savage go-juggler-type, or a systematic
waiting-poking Lau who throws, or a combination?

 

I think.. was it baiagu? That has a good lau ... try http://baiagu.gooside.com..
Sasukino Lau is an excellent player with a high percentage... but despite his nickname all I ever see him play is wolf.
www.magoja.com showcases good lau playing also, I think his win percentage is up there.

Finally, we know kyasao plays lau, but there's no videos of him in action. I remember thinking he was around 80% with 2 or 3000 games.

The best lau players I've seen throw intelligently and use lots of the u+K hopkick to go into the damaging hopkick combos. They also rely on the safer and less risky combo starters, even though they require interrupts... like D/F+P, or the second hit of P,b+P, or the occasional b,f+P in situations like after a stagger. They don't throw out lots of b,b+P and d/f+PK's. Tho b,b+P is reasonably safe it seems.

 

of coz...he's a wolf player..
where else susukinowolf is a lau player.

confusing in the begining..but u'll get used to it.

 

Great description of the best Laus. I've yet to see how an
excellent Lau should be played, and it helps to have some
idea of his potential. I mean, I HAD an idea, but no clear indicator that
Lau CAN be played intelligently. He's a brute force, but I think his
very demeanor, his overall presentation as a prideful, arrogant nobleman,
demands intelligence from the player. If only I could
implement the theory...

 

Lau is a demon. Plain and simple.

 

Hmm, just a random n00b poping round for a comment... Storywise (and yea as said before storys dont count for jack in VF, but if they did...) Lei Fei should absorb Lau's moves :/ I know that sounds idiotic/insane, etc. but Lei Fei's little story think says "... But as Lei Fei prepares for the Tournament, his thoughts are not to destroy Koen-Ken, but to make its legendary power his own...". I'd be interested to see what happens in VF5 (if it is ever made). Either way if you like some of Lau's moves, but not his entire style (o_0) chances are they're gonna be in VF5...

EDIT: Ouch, this post is hyper-old... oh well atleast I've posted something

 

i agree it feels like Lau is so linear and there's kinda only one way to play him (offensively) so he needs some type of defensive tactic. I like how some of his moves have evasive properties so maybe just giving him more moves like that would be cool (kinda like shun) or even give him an inashi of some sort? But what i would really like to see is another guard crusher for him, not as slow as his two handed one though. Something quick that doesn't do good damage but disrupts/staggers out of a guard so you can use his ++ more.

 

They'd have to take a way a LOT of Lau's crap to warrant giving him an Inashi or other defensive move. While he's totally offensive, he does have a number of options after a quick step back, which is psuedo offensive.

 

ya but i wish he had like a cooler guard break or something, like kage when he boxes your ears, thats just cool /versus/images/graemlins/wink.gif if Lau just gave you some quick strike from the side or something it would be nice.

 

Bah - one is enough. Lau's new stance has offered him quite an improvement he didn't need. He's even got more double-fisted stuff which can't be reversed by anyone but Aoi, a cancellable charge attack, and the non-throw-counterable .

I know what you mean though - I still think he's pretty high on the boring chart.

 

Stylish & Dramatic

[ QUOTE ]
he's pretty high on the boring chart.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lau has, hands down, the best screams in the game. Here at Koen-Ken 225 we work endlessly perfecting these screams and the movements they sound off in controlled situations & occasionally have been forced to employ them for actual, real life ass-whuppin applications. They are quite effective and everyone who has had the opportunity to behold our techniques and live has called them both stylish & dramatic...and we do not nearly approximate the beauty that is Lau's utter mastery of Koen-Ken. Stylish & dramatic. YAAHHHHHHHH!!! See?

 

Re: Stylish & Dramatic

Not too big on his screams. I go for Lei Fei, or for a bit more subtle approach, Kage.

 

Re: Stylish & Dramatic

i dont have Evo and i haven't played it yet so i know nothing about lau's new stance, sounds really good though.is it still part of koen-ken or is he learning other styles too?

 

Re: Stylish & Dramatic

I read on the VF4 evo official website that Koen-Ken is a combination of the tiger and the hummingbird stance. I think that Sega should focus more on his Kokei stance by giving him more powerful non-linear attacks, and give him more defensive and set-up moves, and maybe a useful move equivilant to Kage's Ten Foot Toss.

 

Re: Stylish & Dramatic

um Lau already rules adding all that would require rebalancing and rethinking his entire character