VF3TB System Guide

System of VF3tb

Attack Levels

In VF3 there are three levels of attack: high, middle, and low. High attacks
can be blocked while standing and will whiff over crouching opponents. Attacks
that hit a crouching opponent but does not cause damage are still considered
high attacks. Any attack that will hit a crouching opponent and cause damage is
considered a middle attack and must also be guarded while standing. A middle
attack will still hit an opponent who stands but does not block. Low attacks
must be crouch guarded against (d+G) to block. Low attacks can also hit
crouching opponents who do not guard.

The Escape

Escaping is accomplished by pressing the E button (or the fourth and last
button, usually red in color). There are four directions one can utilize the E
button with: up, down, backwards and forwards. Pressing E forward and backward
(f+E or b+E) will induce a forward and backward dash respectively. Pressing u+E
will result in the character escaping into the screen, and d+E will have him or
her escape out the screen towards the player. Pressing E by itself will cause
the character to escape in the direction of his open side. It is absolutely
essential to learn how to use the E button in VF3. You can "cancel" an E by
buffering a move within the E animation.

When you escape from a distance, your character automatically escapes a further
distance forward on the x-axis though not necessarily on the z-axis (i.e.
escapes forward a lot but not to the side as much). E-ing from a distance is
still cancellable by any move within the animation.

Escaping attacks with E

Several moves require a specific direction to escape. Usually, the fastest
moves that "poke straight" can be escaped any way. Common moves that can be
escaped either way include: standing P, d+P, and elbow. Common moves that must
be escaped to the characters back side without harm include: sidekick and knee.
Although there are no common moves that must be escaped towards the open side,
most specialty moves do (for example, Kage's d+K+G and Akira's SDE - f,f,f+P).
Even pounces, stomps, and ground attacks sometimes require a specific direction
to escape.

Defeating Escape

Several "circular" moves can not be escaped with the E button, such as Lau's
K+G. However, circular moves are often characterized as high, slow executing
and slow recovering attacks. The damage is usually high.

The other method is quick dashing and throw. When quick dashing towards an
E-ing opponent the character automatically tracks the opponent, resulting in a
throw opportunity.

Escape Okiseme

In VF3 it is now possible to successfully escape a rising attack, high or low,
with the escape button. In theory, any form of rising attack is easily
escapable but some forms are much easier than others. For the "standard" lying
position - face up and feet towards your character - when your character is
facing left, one should escape into the screen. When facing right, one should
escape out of the screen for a successful okiseme. Precise timing is also
required. Although it is possible to escape the opposite direction as listed
above, it is almost impossible to execute successfully. When a successful
escape okiseme is performed your character ends up behind the opponent's
vulnerable back.

Other situations exist where an easy okiseme is possible. For opponents facing
up and feet away or facing down feet towards (this sounds complicated but with
experience these positions will be easy to recognize) a high rising attack is
easily escapable by dodging into the screen when facing left and dodging out
when facing right. This is because a high rising kick in these situations come
out "straight" like Akira's high rising kick (which can always be escaped with
the same method). If the rising attack is low, it is possible to escape with
the opposite direction but the timing is generally much more strict.

Many characters have special rising attacks when facing down and feet away that
could be also escaped. Kage for example, when rising high, could be escaped by
dodging out of the screen when facing left and into the screen when facing
right.

Several attacks have properties that can avoid rising attacks high or low. For
more details please refer to Techniques.

If you know the opponent will not rise with an attack, attack the opponent
immediately as he/she is rising.

Rolling on Ground

After being knocked down on the ground, aside from the usual rising attacks and
special pounce escapes (look in Techniques for more info) a character can opt
to roll away: forward, backward, into and out of the screen. Rolling is
accessed by pressing the direction you want to roll in repeatedly while on the
ground. Which way to roll often depends on differing circumstances and desired
positioning. When the opponent rolls forward he/she is vulnerable to low
attacks and middle attacks that hit quite low (for example, Kage's DP).

Jumping and Hopping

In VF2 jumping was simply executed by pressing u or u/f or u/b. This is not the
case in VF3 and "d" is required before pressing upwards. Thus a high jump can
be executed as d,U and a "hop" can be executed as d,u. Every character can jump
(even Taka in TB) and has a basic jumping attack. With the exception of Taka,
every character can d,U+K -> while descending+K. The execution time is roughly
fourteen frames, hits middle, and if the opponent fails to counter you while in
the air the descending kick if blocked is uncounterable. Each character possess
unique traits in addition to this basic high jump attack. Hops are less
uniform, differing from character to character.

Crouch Dashing and Modified Crouch Attacks/Throws

Simply crouching actually takes 11-12 frames to execute. A much faster way to
immediately recover low is to crouch dash, executed by d/f,D/F which can make
your character crouch by 8 frames. The trick is to be able to crouch dash fast
enough to offset the frame advantage: within 3 to 4 frames.

Several attacks must be executed by holding down, these types of moves often
begin with D,f+attack or D,b+attack. There are also crouch based throws, for
example, Taka's D,b+P+G throw. Although normally one would need to hold down
first before the b or f +P+G, the VF system allows this "holding lag" to be
bypassed with a crouch dash. Hence, Lion's D,f+P+G throw can also be executed
with CD,f+P+G. Similar moves, such as Kage's d,D/F+P are the same and can be
executed as CD+P.

AI Assumption

Another feature of VF3 is the AI. In an effort to make the game easier, Yu
Suzuki programmed it so a button masher, say, playing Pai who mashes on Ps and
then a K will get P,P,P,K canned combo even though he pressed P too many times.
The computer tries to guess what the Pai player is trying to do and does it for
her. This also applies to several other canned moves (for example, Kage's
P,P,P,K, Sarah's P,P,P,K, etc).

The only character with a punching-kick string who does not benefit from this
is Lau.

Reversals

It is possible to "reverse" attacks given the proper type of reverse. There are
high reverses, middle reverses, low reverses, and flipkick reversals, a new
feature to TB. These reverses always have a P+K command coupled with b, d/b, d,
and u/b respectively. However, these reverse do not always correspond with the
attack levels of the attack. For example, although Kage's u/f+K+G hits middle
it is reversed high. Usually, circular attacks, "big" attacks, two handed or
two feet attacks, and attacks that do not expose the ankle or wrist cannot be
reversed. u/b+P+K always reverses flipkick type attacks (which only Jacky,
Sarah, and Kage have) and nothing else, not even a move like Lion's u+K. This
new reversal was probably added so that players had a relatively strong single
attack that wasn't easily Triple Escaped.

These are the characters with reversals:

*  Akira has all four level reverses and can reverse punch, elbow, knee, and
   kick attacks including the flipkick.

*  Pai has upper and middle reverses
   (b+P+K and d/b+P+K) and can also reverse punch, elbow, knee,
   and kick attacks

*  Kage can only reverse upper punch attacks (b+P+K)

*  Wolf can reverse upper and middle kick attacks (b+P+K and d/b+P+K
   respectively)

*  Aoi has all four levels. Aoi is a special case since she can
   reverse circular attacks like her own d+K+G although she does not
   inflict damage and only pushes the opponent away.


These reversals have miss animations should no attack be forthcoming.

Special Reversals

Pai and Aoi share the honor of having unique reversals. Pai has f+P+K which
although does not cause direct damage but disorients the opponent causing
momentary vulnerability. Called the inashi, Pai often has a small but sure
window of opportunity to float the oponent with K or throw them. The inashi
however will not stop a canned combo (see below for more details on canned
combos). For example, if she tries to f+P+K a punching Kage, the first P may
seem to disorient him but his subsequent P,P will still continue and hit Pai
instead. Pai's inashi is effective against both high and several middle
attacks.

Aoi has a reversal that also does not take direct damage but pushes the
opponent behind her; it is more of a parry than a reversal. Her parry is
executed with b+P and is applicable to high attacks.

Both the inashi and parry have miss animations as well.

Pouncing and Angulation

Pouncing is executed by u+P or D,u+P for bigger damage. D,u+P (high pounce)
pounces are generally slower in execution than u+P but more in damage. When
there is angulation there are important factors to consider when going for a
pounce. If your character is on higher angulation (uANG), a high pounce will
result in more damage (approximately 1.25) but because the character is "in the
air" longer due to elevation there is more time for the opponent to escape. If
your character is on lower angulation (dANG) then the pounce is more probable
to connect since the time until contact is less but the damage is also usually
less.

Air Combos and Angulation

Angulation also effects combos to a very important degree. In general, air
combos that are going up slope are less likely to connect (since the opponent
is in the air for less time until he or she makes contact on the ground).
However, when going dANG the opponent is in the air longer and thus a bigger
combo will more likely connect. Some combos can only be down from uANG.

Attack Levels and Angulation

Angulation also plays a crucial part in attack levels. As a rule of thumb,
middle attacks are more likely to connect when executed from dANG than uANG.
Take this scenario for example: Lion vs Jacky. Lion is on uANG and did a d/b+K.
Jacky blocks it and could immediately retaliate with an elbow. However, if the
situation was reversed and Jacky was on uANG and just blocked Lion's d/b+K, a
counter elbow will completely whiff the crouching Lion. Thus, ANG must be
considered when choosing your attacks. (In the latter situation, Jacky could've
countered with a f,f+K). It is also more difficult to throw an opponent in
angulation differences since the range between two opponents is further.

Throwing

Throwing is an integral part of VF3 and must be used frequently. Normal throws
are all executed with P+G coupled with the appropriate directional commands.
These throws are classified as high attacks but can not interrupt during an
opponent's attack. The throw is instantaneous after the command is inputted.
However, there is a range requirement for throws. Most character's throwing
range is 1.5 but big guys like Wolf, Jeffry, and Taka have throw ranges of 1.6.
A throw will not connect if the opponent is in the middle of the execution
phase of a move. However, they can be thrown in the move's recovery phase (look
in countering for more details).

There are also low throws which are exactly the same except they throw
crouching opponents only and can be accessed with P+K+G and the appropriate
joystick commands.

Both throws have miss throw animations should a throw attempt be unsuccessful.

Reversing Throws

Being able to reverse throws is absolutely vital. The method to do so is to
input the last directional direction+P+G of the throw. So for example, if you
know Kage is trying to throw you with a b+P+G, the way to escape it would also
be b+P+G. If Jeffry is trying to Splash Mountain (d/f,d/f+P+G) then the escape
method is d/f+P+G. The only exceptions to this rule are half-circular throws,
like Wolf's Giant Swing. In that case, the first direction and the last
direction is inputted, i.e. b,f+P+G. To escape Lion's HCB+P+G, one would need
to input f,b+P+G. The important thing to remember about reversing throws is
that the command input must be put within ten frames.

When a throw is reversed the positioning of opponent and character are often
changed. Some situations give the character which reversed the throw a distinct
advantage.

Catch Throws

A catch throw is a quasi throw that is actually considered an attack, often
having it's own recovery time and execution time (normal throws are
instantaneous -> 1 frame). The catch throws in the game are:

*  Wolf's f,f+P+G, u/f+P+G and f+P+G multi-link series
*  Kage's u/f+P+G
*  Sarah's u/f+P+G
*  Taka's b,f+P+G
*  Akira's back throw P+G


Catch throws have a 10 frame "hit" window; that is, after a catch throw is
executed the opponent has 10 frames to react and counter. Because the catch
throw is considered an attack you cannot escape the throw once it makes
"contact". However, you can throw the opponent while he/she is executing a
catch throw. The catch throw will track escaping opponents but are considered
high attacks. Because catch throws are not normal throws per se, they can
interrupt attacks. For example, catch throws can interrupt an opponent who does
a P provided the timing and type of catch throw is correct.

Thus, for example, take this scenario: Kage has blocked Akira's high rising
attack. If Kage goes for a u/f+P+G and Akira attempts a throw reversal, Akira
will end up throwing Kage out of his catch throw. But if Kage pauses and waits
for Akira's miss throw animation then a catch throw executed immediately
afterwards is guaranteed to connect. If Akira triple escapes with a punch (see
Techniques for more information) then Kage's catch throw will intercept the
punch and execute.

Hit Throws

There also exists in the game specific types of throws only accessible after an
attack. Examples of this include:

*  Taka's elbow -> toss (f+P, b+P+G) and d/f+P -> f+P+G
*  Jeffry's b,d/f+P+K -> d+P+G or b+P+G
*  Jeffry's d+K -> d,d/f,f+P+G
*  Wolf's u/f+P -> f+P+G

Hit throws often require specific situations to be executable, usually the
preceding attack before the throw to hit as a counter.

Stumble Throws

Stumble throws causes the opponent to stumble and be vulnerable after executed
successfully. They are usually characterized by a b,d+P+G command and when the
opponent is hit while stumbling the attack is considered a counter. Thus, a
"float" attack such as Lau's d/f+P+K will cause the opponent to float
extroadinarily higher. Characteristically opponents are able to struggle out of
a stumble throw to avoid getting floated so that nothing is guaranteed. This
window however is quite small. Characters with stumble throws are Akira, Pai,
and Lau.

Surprise Exchange

This was a term first coined for Akira's b/d+P+G throw but has come to describe
any throw that causes the opponent to switch sides with their backs turned
without taking any damage. The characters with Surprise Exchanges are:

*  Akira's b/d+P+G
*  Kage's f+P+G
*  Jeffry's b/d+P+G
*  Lion's d/f+P+G
*  Pai's d/f+P+G and f+P+K+G


Multi-link Throws

Multi-link throws are simply throws that require more than one input to execute
and often consist of "parts" each escapable. The multi-link throws in the game
belong to:

*  Aoi's HCF and HCB +P+G series
*  Wolf's f+P+G series
*  Taka's f+P+G and b,f+P+G series
*  Jeffry's b,f+P+G series


Ê

Look in the characters' respective sections for more details.

Standing K Cancel

Throws by definition can not interrupt an attack; hence when an opponent does
an attack he or she is throw-invulnerable until the hit window of the move is
over. A trick to utilize this is the standing K cancel (K and then tap G). Your
character will retract the standing K in the middle of its animation, making
the opponent who is attempting a throw or a throw-reverse to whiff. However be
wary since in a double escape situation the K(G) animation usually ends before
the second throw-reverse is executed (look in Techniques for more information).

Stances

Another innovation of VF is the importance of stances between two characters.
Different stances results in different situations. There are two basic stances:
closed or open/eight.

The closed stance is when both opponents' legs are parallel to each other. The
default stance as a round opens is closed. For example: / / or \ \. The slash
represents an imaginarly line drawn from one foot to the other.

The open stance is when the opponents' legs are closer on one side and more
wider on the other. For example: / \ pr \ /. This stance is also called "Figure
Eight" due to it's similarity to the Chinese character "eight". I personally
prefer calling it the eight stance since "open" is the term I used to
differentiate escape direction (look in Lexicon for more details). In open
stance, it is more difficult to throw the opponent since the distance between
each character is further; this is exacerbated during angulation differences.
However, it's also easier to perform combos in the eight stance and some combos
are only possible in this stance. For example, for Jacky's P+K -> P -> flipkick
to connect it is much easier if in eight stance.

The Japanese have a different way of classifying stance, using "pole leg" as
the center of reference but I believe the explanation above is easier to
understand.

Changing Stance

There are several ways to change stance to benefit you. The easiest is to
simply take a step forward or backward (note: not dash) by pressing F or B. The
other is to utilize moves that change the stance of a character, for example, a
knee.

Block Animation

Several circular or half-circular moves now have block animations. When a
particular move is blocked, for example, Jacky's b,f+P+G, the move is not
executed in full and there is a special block animation. The result is usually
a longer recovery time; a stance change always occurs after a block animation.

Counter Attacking

Counter attacking occurs during an opponent's recovery time from a move. For
example, if Jacky performs a knee and Pai blocks it, there is a recovery time
where Jacky is vulnerable. Pai can take advantage of that vulnerable recovery
window and attack. Some attacks are "uncounterable" meaning the recovery window
is so small that it is impossible for the opponent to have a guaranteed
counter. Every character's normal standing punch is one example.

Differing Damage Levels

A character's health bar is measured is in "points". The default setting
against a CPU is 200 points of health and against other human opponents 250
points. Thus, damage from an attack is not proportional but always constant;
the only thing changing is the number of points of the health bar. The damage
often cited along a move is the default damage if the move was performed on an
opponent not doing anything. However, this is not to say that damage is always
constant and in fact is always changing. There is a total of five different
types of damage levels, but for the sake of simplicity only two types of
counters are classifed and discussed: major counter (as denoted by MC) and
minor counter (mC).

Minor counters occur when an opponent is attacked within his or her "recovery
time" after a move. For example, after Kage blocks Akira's b,f+P+K+E and
"counters" Akira with a P,K before Akira has fully recovered. The damage of a
minor counter is marked up by 25%, in other words, 1.25 times what it usually
is. Other situations where a minor counter occurs is during an opponent's
escape, miss throw animation, etc.

A major counter often occurs when an opponent is interrupted within his/her
attack execution. For example, say Lau is attempting to K+G Sarah but Sarah
interrupts with a flipkick before the K+G can connect. The resulting damage is
50% more than the default damage - 1.5 times what it is without the counter.

Opponents also float higher during counters. Some combos are only possible
after a counter hit.

Float Combo Damage

To guard against 100% combos or generally just combos that take too much damage
Sega made attacks that damage floating opponents take less life. The combo
floater will still take the original damage (i.e. 100% of what it is supposed
to take, whether counter or no). The second hit (or the first attack to strike
the floating opponent) takes only 75% of the damage, providing it is a
different move than the first. If it is the same move, then it will only take
50% damage. For example, when Wolf does a short shoulder, the first takes full
damage. However, if he does another short shoulder, the second short shoulder
will only take 50% damage. If he had gone for a knee instead then it would've
taken 75% damage of what the knee would've taken if it was not attacking a
floating opponent. The third hit (or second hit in the air) follows the same
rule: if it was the same move used before, it would only take 50% of its
original damage; if it was a different move then it would take 75% of the
original damage. However, after the first three hits of a combo all subsequent
hits, whether different or not only take 50% damage.

First Hit/Floater = 100% -> 2nd Hit 75%/50% -> 75%/50% -> 50% all hits after

What of ground combos such as Kage's u/f+K+G -> DP or Taka's D,f+P -> d+K you
may ask. They follow the same rule and usually only take 75% damage if
different from the "combo starter" or 50% if the same.

One type of attack that does not correspond to this rule, however, are pounces.
Pounces take 100% damage no matter how many hits there are in a combo. That is
why Wolf's short shoulder x2 plus pounce still takes half life.

Attack Recovering Positions

In VF2 this is a very important concept - moves recover in different positions,
high or low. Although this is much more uniform in VF3 it is still worth
noting. For example, when Lion does a b/f+K he recovers in a crouching
position. Blocking the low attack and immediately countering with a low throw
will be successful. However, not all low attack recover low, Akira's d+K for
example lets him recover high. Thus blocking Akira's d+K a normal high throw
should be used to counter. This concept also applies to several middle attacks
(i.e. some recover high and some recover low). Knowing which is vital to be
able to plan a proper counter-offensive.

Delayed Attacks

Several moves can be "delayed", these moves are "canned" combos, also called
strings. These moves are designed to flow into each other. For example, Lau's
d/f+K -> f+P -> b,f+P is a canned combo. Canned combos can be delayed by
pressing a button and pausing before going on to the next command. So in Lau's
case he can do d/f+K -> f+P quickly, then pause before doing the last b,f+P.
The effect is there is a delay before the last hit executes. This can be useful
in that the opponent may attempt to counter Lau after the first two hits only
to be stuffed by last palm. In this case we say the third hit is delayed. A
string of canned combos can be cancelled by pressing G. For example, after Lau
does P,P if he doesn't cancel no matter what direction input he presses if the
next button is P then a third P will come out in the string. To cancel, press
P,P and then G before attempting another move that involves P. This design
gives players a lot of control over their character's attacks.

There are several moves that usually will get a block animation if done usually
and guarded but does not receive the block animation if delayed. For example,
when Lion does an u+K,K normally if the first u+K gets guarded there will be a
block animation. But if Lion delays the second K then no block animation will
appear despite the first u+K being guarded and the second K will appear. Other
such types of moves also include:

*  Jacky's P+K,P
*  Sarah's u or u/f+K,P (flip, summersault)
*  Shun's P,P,d+K,K and (from lying down) K,P,d+K,K.


Rising attacks can also be delayed. Delaying rising attacks will also often
change the rising character's stance, negating some of the easy okiseme options
outlined above.

Ura-mawari and Stepping Across

Ura-mawari is a general term for whenever a character crosses to the back of
the opponent while he or she is on the ground and rises. The usual method for
doing this is to use a move which can "hop" over the downed opponent, for
example, Pai's u/f+K.

Another method more easily done in Team Battle is to simply dash over (or use a
dashing move) a rolling opponent and position oneself to end up behind the
rising opponent.

One last method is to trick the computer into thinking a character is on one
side when in fact he/she is on the other, causing an opponent's rising attack
to come up the wrong way. These situations are usually very specific. One
common example is after a Taka's P+G throw and then CD -> D,f+P. The D,f+P if
done right will cross over to the opponent on the ground; the computer things
Taka is on the other side and thus the opponent rises the wrong way. The easy
solution to these kind of tricks is to simply not rising with an attack or
delay the rising attack. These situations are easy to stop when recognized
early.

Struggling and Recovering

Any recovery time can be sped up in the game by struggling or recovering. This
is done by pressing all the buttons rapidly and making rotating the joystick
every direction. A modified version of recovering that is just as effective as
random button mashing and much safer is to tap G and then press it while going
crazy at the other buttons and rotating the joystick. This is to ensure that
your character does not do something else by accident but guards after
recovering.

Staggers and Freeze Stuns

Some middle attacks when they hit a crouching opponent will cause them to
stagger backwards. Elbows and sidekicks are common examples. During a stagger
the opponent's recovery time (the one being staggered) is much longer, allowing
the character a dash -> throw opportunity. Staggers are usually very
disadvantageous to the one being inflicted upon but can be struggled out of
safely.

Some other attacks also has special freezing properties after a counter.
Jeffry's d+P+K is one example and during a counter will cause a double-over
stun that leaves the opponent recovering low. The recovery time is also longer
in this case for the opponent but not as long as a stagger. However, this
situation leaves Jeffry at the advantage since he is able to dictate the flow
chart whereas the stunned opponent must anticipate and defend.

Walls

One Fighting Viper innovation that carried onto VF3 is the use of walls, though
VF3's walls are quite unlike any other game. "Walls" as talked about in this
section are those that cannot be jumped over, such as the high fence in Aoi's
snow stage. "Fences" such as those found in Kage's stage do not count.

Special types of combos can be done only with the wall since it prevents
opponents from floating out of reach. Special throws can also be executed only
with the wall. For example, Wolf's d/f+P+G throw against the wall animates as
Wolf slamming the opponent to the wall before body slamming him back to the
ground. In pTB, wall throws are unescapable. However this has been changed in
VF3 and wall throws can now be escaped.

Walls have a special property: the ability to prove "quasi-floats" (look in
Lexicon for more details). This is when the opponent kinda bounces off the wall
in slow motion. At this point, the opponent is very vulnerable and every attack
done to him/her while in this quasi-float will result in full damage or major
counter damage. Major damage can be done utilizing this property.

In pTB, only certain moves can knock opponents into this quasi-float. However,
in TB this was made much simpler and now pratically any move that knocked an
opponent down can produce this quasi-float.