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Fighting Game & Character Terminology (Read 609880 times)

Started by Die Giant Monster, April 23, 2003, 08:52:15 pm
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Die Giant Monster

Fighting Game & Character Terminology
#1  April 23, 2003, 08:52:15 pm
I have a great and many questions about the terminology used to describe game functions, characters, and moves.  I also have a sundry number of smaller questions I'd like some input/answers on.

This message will help me address such questions, get answers, and if other have similar questions, help those individuals as well.  I hope that people will contribute to this thread and use it as reference, if possible.

Please excuse any redundancies.  I want to know as much as possible, and if I overlap at any point and time, I'll update the body of this text.



Button Configurations
I know that there are Capcom and SNK style button configurations.  Anyone ever encounter variant (but still standard to a game or a combination of game) type of Button Configurations?

EDIT:
Sammy (Guilty Gear):
4 button configuration
Punch
Kick
Weak Slash
Hard Slash

SNK (King of Fighters, Garou: MotW):
4 button configuration
Weak Punch
Hard Punch
Weak Kick
Hard Kick

Capcom (Street Fighter, X-Men, Dark Stalkers)
6 button configuration
Weak Punch
Medium Punch
Hard Punch
Weak Punch
Medium Punch
Hard Punch



Types of Moves
Moves are typically broken down in three categories:
Normal Attacks - Normal attacks are activated by pressing a button or by pressing a button and a direction.
Special Attacks - Special attacks are activated by a combination of directions and by pressing a button or a series of buttons.
Super Attacks- Super attacks are activated by a complicated combination of directions and by pressing buttons.  These attacks also take away from the Power Bar


-ISMs, Grooves, and Styles

An -ISM, a Groove, or Style are all different ways of describing fundamentally same thing.

Styles
From what I know, a "style" of gameplay describes what game-type of playing style the character emulates.  

EDIT:
Chain combos, alpha counters, aerial raves are things that can make up the style of a fighting game.

A Combo is a series of moves that, when used in combination, effect a desired result.

A Chain Combos is a loose combo featured in the Marvel Vs series where you could combo most normals into each other creating a unique chain.
A Chain Combo is also a weaker attack that links to a stronger attack used in combination.  
Normally, SNK chains are usually very restrictive where as Capcom chains are not.

An Aerial Rave is an air combination where the opponent is launched into the air, allowing the attacker combo opportunities.  This type of attack is common to the Marvel VS series.

An Alpha Counter (named such from Street Fighter Alpha) is a reversal move activated during a block.  In Street Fighter Alpha, this occurs when the defender presses forward after blocking and uses the same strength punch and kick.  The defender's character will then counter the opponent's attack with an attack of his own, taking away a portion of his Power Bar.



But what makes one style different from another?  (i.e. What specificly  makes a SFII style different from a M:CotA style, or an Alpha style, or an SFIII style, or a CvS style?).  Which games are these "styles" associated with?

Grooves
What, precisely, are Grooves-- and what makes one Groove different from another?  Which games are they associated with?

EDIT:
Grooves are different Styles within the framework of the same game.

-ISMs
An -ISM is a different mode for a character.  Each -ISM changes the way the character plays-- adding new attacks, offering different power bar management and different damage values, while also disabling things like air blocking or recovery.

What, precicely, are ISMs-- and what makes one -ISM different from another?  Which games are they associated with?



Types
What, precisely, are Types-- and what makes one Type different from another?  Which games are they associated with?



Variant Characters
Are there other offical kinds of "variant" characters ("evil" kinds, or "gold" kinds, or "cyber" kinds), and which games are they associated with?

Guilty Gear has Gold, Ex, and Sp character variants.



If you think I've missed anything in this thread, feel free to add.

Thank you to Keitaro and Messatsu ichi san for contributing to this post so far.  If I could give you both Karma, I would.  :-[



QUESTION[/i]:
Are there more facets to styles than chain combos, alpha counters, and air raves?
Are there more variants available?
What do the GGX variable modes have as an advantage/disadvantage (i.e. what distingusihes them from the normal mode)?
Last Edit: May 03, 2004, 05:41:51 pm by Loona
Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology used in MUGEN
#2  April 23, 2003, 09:09:56 pm
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Style has to do with what is standard for every character in a game.  Chain combos, alpha counters, aerial raves are things that can make up the style of a fighting game.  Essentially grooves are different styles since they have different options to select.

Guilty Gear/Sammy is typically 4 button(punch, kick, weak/hard slash)
KOF,Garou/SNK is typically 4 button(differs by game but are configured in a row, usually weak/hard punch and weak/hard kick)
Street Fighter/Capcom is typically 6 button(weak/medium/fierce punch, weak/medium/fierce kick)


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Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology used in MUGEN
#3  April 24, 2003, 01:25:12 am
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Chain combos: weak attack to strong attack,  punch -> kick combos
Aerial raves: air combos
Alpha Counter: in SFA, when you're blocking an attack, press fwd+same strngth p+k. There's a brief pause and then your character will counter the opponent's attack.

-ISMs: -ISMs are like different modes for the character, where each -ISM changes the way he plays, by giving him new attacks, different power bar management, different damage values, disabling things like air blocking or recovery, etc. At least that's the way it is in SFA3.
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Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology used in MUGEN
#4  April 24, 2003, 02:43:23 am
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Ism = Grooves = Style

Moves are typically broken down in three categories
Normal attacks: activated by button presses or by a button and a direction
Special attacks: activated by a combination of directions and button(s)
Super attacks: complicated combination of directions and buttons and take away from the power bar

SNK normal chains are usually really restrictive where Capcom chains are loose.

An aerial rave is a launcher combo common to the Marvel VS series.  Opponent launched into the air making for combo opportunities.

An alpha counter is a reversal move activated during a block that counters an opponents move and taking away a portion of the power bar.

Chain combos are loose combos featured in the Marvel Vs series where you could combo most normals into each other creating a unique chain.

The only game that I can think of that has variant characters is Guilty Gear (every character has a gold, ex, and sp mode).


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Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology used in MUGEN
#5  April 24, 2003, 06:43:49 am
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Uhh, I think this goes in the General Discussion section.
Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology used in MUGEN
#6  April 25, 2003, 10:14:46 pm
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Dunno whether this applies to all Capcom games, but for SF and a few others there's:

Weak Punch - Jab
Medium Punch - Strong
Strong Punch - Fierce

Weak Kick - Short
Medium Kick - Forward
Strong Kick - Roundhouse

Not that it would matter. *shrugs*
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Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology used in MUGEN
#7  April 30, 2003, 03:25:43 pm
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How about Tech Hits, Advancing Guard, Fatalities, Combo Breakers,
Just Defended?

The first ones where first in X-MvsSF (I think...?), and consist of reducing the damage of a throw done to you by pressing the same commands the throw was made with. World Heroes 2 had a "Throw Reversion", where you could actually throw the other char by performing this command as you were thrown. And some SNK games allowed you to reduce damge this way, though it was not called a "Tech hit".
Tech hits then became a sort of "Just Defended" moves, also.

Advancing guard is blocking and pushing the other char away wile doing so. It was first seen in X-MvsSF.

If you don't know what a Fatality is, you've probably been living under a rock for the last ten years. It's a death blow, made popular by MK in 1992. But MK wasn't the first game to have Death Blows, considering many older PC games.

Combo Breakers where introduced by Killer Instinct, and many Mugen chars have them... they stop your combo with a knockdown blow, or a special hit that stops you from continuing (MB-02 teleports behind you if your combo reaches 5 hits, and I think that would stil be a Combo breaker...).

"Just Defended" is what first started in SFA 3 (1998) as "Advanced Guard". Blocking in the last moment to reduce and the blocking time, reduce the amount of energy taken and give your time to counter the hit if you are fast enough. In GMotW (1999) "Just Defending" even increased the amount of energy you had.

That's about all I can think of so far.... will probably add more here later!
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Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology used in MUGEN
#8  April 30, 2003, 06:59:22 pm
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You can reduce block damage in some* Capcom games by mashing while you block.  Stupid feature if you ask me.


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Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology
#9  May 03, 2004, 07:44:30 pm
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Direction + attacks are commonly called Command moves, I think. It can add some variety when used wisely.
About combos, there was the "Textbook combo" in Justice Gakuen serie : any light attack->any heavy attack->any command move->any special move, sometimes -> super move. But it's rather specific to 3D games since some moves might hardly chain because of timing, physical restrictions...
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Last Edit: May 03, 2004, 07:51:17 pm by Byakko
Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology
#10  May 03, 2004, 07:51:52 pm
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grooves are fighting styles and special bars that are used in capcom vs snk 1 and 2.

In CvS 1, there are only two kinds of grooves: Capcom and SNK

In CvS 2, however, there are 6 kinds of grooves: C. A. P. for capcom and S. N. K. for SNK groups

C grooves: Street fighter alpha's A-ism
A grooves: mix of SFA's V-ism and SF Ex2 plus's Excel
P grooves: Street Fighter 3
S grooves: KOF 95
N grooves: KOf 98 (i think ??)
K grooves: Samurai Shodown

EDIT: Just clarifying your post a bit - KFM
It seems that you have misconcepted me...
Last Edit: June 08, 2004, 10:47:53 pm by Kung Fu Man
Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology
#11  May 03, 2004, 07:55:05 pm
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Groove = Ism anyway...
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Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology
#12  May 05, 2004, 12:19:22 pm
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Don't forget SNK's Samurai Showdown series had a different button setup:
Light Slash
Med Slash
Hard Slash
Kick

And Last Blade had a different button setup:
Light Slash
Hard Slash
Kick
Parry

Also SNK uses combination of buttons for certain features
Light punch + Light Kick = Roll (Later Kof)
B + Light punch + Light Kick = Backwards Roll (Later Kof)
(Input these while blocking to do an "escape dodge", it costs a super)

Light Punch + Light Kick = Dodge (Early KOF)
(You could follow these up with a dodge attack but pressing punch after)

Hard Punch + Hard Kick = Knockdown attack (KOF)
(Can be done in the air too, and while blocking, that costs a super)

I'm not totally sure about these...
Overhead Attack (Samurai Showdown & Garou)
Combo Starter (Samurai Showdown 4)
T.O.P Attack (Garou)
Power Slash (Last Blade)
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Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology
#13  May 05, 2004, 01:11:15 pm
Combo Terms:

Buffers:

Buffering, also known as "2-in-1's" is the most basic combo type, and it is the ability to cancel a normal move into a special or super move. It has been around for a very long time, and pretty much every modern 2D fighter has it.

To perform a buffer, you must first make some sort of contact with the opponent with your "bufferable" normal move. Upon making contact, you perform the special command while your opponent is still in the hitshake. (And as JJWE noted, this isn't true for certain games, such as KOF. You are able to cancel the special move even if your normal attack is whiffing.)

Chains:

Chaining is the ability to cancel a normal move to another normal move. It's one of the easiest possible ways to perform combos, and are what makes a character "button mashing" friendly.

There are different types of chains --

1. One type is known as the "Rapid Fire Weak" type, and only allows the weak punches/kicks to be able to chain into each other, simply by repeatedly pressing WP or WK.

2. Another commonly used chain type is the VS chain, which follows the sequence:

Weak --> Medium --> Strong
Punch --> Kick

In other words, if you have a 6 button setup, you can chain any of your punches to kicks of equal or greater strength, or kicks to punches of greater strength only. You may also perform "punch to punch" or "kick to kick" chains following the same weak to strong sequence.

3. Fixed Chains: Also known as "Dial Ups", these are chains that can follow only a particular sequence. Games such as Mortal Kombat 3 were based on this combo system.

4. Typing: -- (Term used for 3D fighting games. To be added...)

5. Strings: -- (Term used for 3D fighting games. To be added...)

Links:

A link is a sequence that is performed without any chaining or buffering. Basically, how a link works is that the first attack's animation has ended before the opponent has recovered, and allows you to follow it up with a 2nd attack. This relies much on timing, and are one of the most difficult combo types.

Jump-Ins: Many players tend to start their combos with a Jump-In. It's basically a jump attack that you perform on a grounded opponent that is low enough that when you land, you can hit the opponent yet again to continue the combo.

Cross Ups: -- (Sub type under Jump-Ins. To be added...)

OTGs: Meaning "Off the ground", is a combo type most widely used in the VS games. It's the ability to hit a downed-opponent off the ground, (usually after a combo) allowing you to perform another combo, which is typically an aerial rave.

Super Cancels -- (To be added...)

Juggles: -- (To be added...)

Floats: -- (Sub type under Juggles; term used for 3D fighting games. To be added...)
 
Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology
#14  May 05, 2004, 06:31:00 pm
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MK 2d games buttons.
HP High Punch
HK High Kick
LP Low Punch
LK Low Lick
+
B Block
R Run
-----

Variant Characters,
Kof, "Orochi", Iori, Leona, Yashiro, Chris, Shermie
Iori and Leona, could be also called Insane or Berserk (they are in there in their Riot of the Blood state), but usually are called Orochi
 
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Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology
#15  May 07, 2004, 04:07:14 pm
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Don't forget SNK's Samurai Showdown series had a different button setup:

Samurai Shodown also had the setup of Light Slash, Medium Slash, Light Kick, Medium Kick. Then A + B for Hard Slash and C + D for Hard Kick.

AJC

Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology
#16  May 07, 2004, 07:59:55 pm
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Guard crush/break: the act of breaking one's guard by (normally) constantly blocking attacks untill the guard gauge drains completely first game i seen this in was SFA3 also in the Capcom vs SNK games and SvC:MOTM and SvC:Chaos


guard crush attack: a attack that is completely unblockable in most normal circmstances
Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology
#17  June 12, 2004, 09:22:13 pm
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Quote
Advancing guard is blocking and pushing the other char away wile doing so. It was first seen in X-MvsSF.
nope darkstalkers the year 1994
x-men versus sf 1996.
in darkstalker you have to rapidly push the buttons while guarding. ;)
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Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology
#18  June 12, 2004, 09:38:12 pm
Guard crush/break: the act of breaking one's guard by (normally) constantly blocking attacks untill the guard gauge drains completely first game i seen this in was SFA3 also in the Capcom vs SNK games and SvC:MOTM and SvC:Chaos


guard crush attack: a attack that is completely unblockable in most normal circmstances

Guard crush has been introduced earlier (it was already present in KOF'96)

Morda

Re:Fighting Game & Character Terminology
#19  June 12, 2004, 10:00:42 pm
WeaponLord (1995) had guard crush and parries.
Re: Fighting Game & Character Terminology
#20  September 30, 2004, 07:27:48 pm
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IN CVS 2 The SNK Groves Were:

S - Original KOF Power Gauge System (Charge up the Bar using ABC, Lowering it with BC, Dodge Command Instead of Evasive Roll, Unlimited DM's and SDM's when Life was under 25%) It was Later Called Extra (Starting in 1997 If I'm not Mistaking)

N - Actual KOF Power Gauge System (Bar Charged Up with Attacks like Capcom's Games, Evasive Roll Unlimited DM'S and SDM's When You Pressed a certain Sequence -BC If I'm not mistaken- It had a certain Limit of time, In KOF '98 Also The power Bar Reduced a Bit after defeat, Making it Faster to Fullfill it and Added an Extra "Power Bomb") Originally Called Advanced (In same '97)

K - Rage Power Gauge System (SSIV Mode In this It was a little Power up for the Player when the bar was full, I used it a few times so I don't know very much of it I guess It allowed Ilimited DM and SDM When the gauge was full of Rage)


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