Breaking Down the Game

[Game Over]

Breaking Down the Game
A Training Suggestion for Aspiring Players







Our game, DOA4, has been out for quite a while now. Yet, as I look around, player knowledge and skill level in the game seems to be on a very uneven curve. There are a small percentage of players who stand out far from the bunch, but the rest of players seem to either

A) Be going about development the wrong way
B) Not put enough effort into developing
C) Not care
D) Be struggling on finding ways to develop

I can't help the "B" and "C" crowd, but I can try to contribute something to aid the "A" and "D" crowd. In this post, I will provide a basic rundown of a training method I feel will work well for an aspiring player to adopt. This is also a training method that I am personally putting to use in my own time.

Breaking down the game, IMO, is very much similar to learning a craft or mastering a hobby or acquiring a new skill, etc. It's about learning how things work, where things branch out, how components interact, etc. In the case of DOA4, there is

Learning the Components of the Game
Learning Fundamental Offensive and Defensive Skills
Learning a Character's MoveList
Learning the Properties of a Character's MoveList
Learning the Strengths and Weaknesses of a Character
Learning Ideal Strategies for a Character
Learning How a Character Matches Up Against Other Characters
Learning Other Characters
Learning How to Read Your Opponent
Learning How to Read Yourself

I will cover each of these subjects, starting with


Learning the Components of the Game

RULE #1: Start from scratch.

The basic components of DOA4 are attacks, counters, and throws. In the game, attacks beat throws, throws beat counters, counters beat attacks. This simple structure is referred to as the triangle system.

Attacks

• Attacks come in various forms of punches, kicks, knees, shoulder strikes, body strikes, headbutts, etc., according to the character being used. When an attack successfully hits the opponent, the attack will cause damage, and may also connect with STUN, LAUNCH, or KNOCKDOWN properties.
  
• STUN attacks inflict a stun status on the opponent, usually granting the player various amounts of frame advantage. Depending on the amount of frame advantage, the player can followup with an attack to extend the stun, an attack to launch the opponent, an attack to knockdown the opponent, or simply use the frame advantage to restrike the opponent before he/she can strike the player. Note that many stuns can SLOW-ESCAPED, speeding up the opponent's recovery from the stun.
  
• LAUNCH attacks are powerful moves which send the opponent into the air for a followup juggle, air-throw, untechable, wall-hit, etc. Some attacks will launch on normal hit, all will launch on counter hit and hi-counter hit, and will launch while the opponent is in a stun status. The opponent can do nothing while launched in the air.
  
• KNOCKDOWN attacks are moves that knock the opponent to the ground. On normal hit, counter hit, hi-counter hit, and during stun, the opponent will be knocked to the ground with a successful knockdown hit. Many knockdown attacks also have KNOCKBACK properties that send the opponent flying away from the player and into a wall if a wall is within range.

Counters

• Counters, simply, are moves designed to reverse an opponent's attack. There are counters for all 3 HIT LEVELS in the game, high, mid, and low, and mid counters are split for mid punches and mid kicks. Counters cause various amount of damage to the opponent, will sometimes have LAUNCH properties, and will occasionally grant frame advantage.
  
• Some characters also have parries or advanced counters that will grant frame advantage and/or deal slight or heavy damage to opponent.

Throws

• Throws, simply, are moves designed to grab the opponent and cause damage when the opponent is not attacking. Throws can go through the opponent's blocks and the opponent's counters. There are throws for standing or ducking opponents. Some throws, referred to as Offensive Holds (OHs), have the special property of being able to grab the opponent while he/she is attacking.

Learning Fundamental Offensive and Defensive Skills

RULE #2: Learn fundamentals or be beaten by fundamentals.

Fundamental Offense

Fundamental offense comprises offensive elements that are universal to mostly every character. This are things everyone should practice executing.

• STUN. Find moves that stun the opponent and practice using them.
  
• WORK THE STUN. Practice extending the stun, launching a stunned opponent, knocking down a stunned opponent. Practice alternating these things.
  
• LAUNCH. Practice launching the opponent in various situations. Preferably, keep this to situations where opponent is stunned or when you have frame advantage.
  
• JUGGLE. Practice various juggles when the opponent is launched in the air.
  
• GROUND GAME. Practice hitting the opponent with attacks while he/she is on the ground. Also practice following up on FORCED TECHUPS.
  
• CRUSH. Identify and practice using moves that crush attacks of a certain hit level. Some attacks crush high attacks. Some attacks crush low attacks. Some attacks crush attacks of multiple hit levels.
  
• TRIANGLE SYSTEM-ATTACK. Practice attacking the opponent when they try to throw you. Jab is easiest. Launch is preferred.
  
• TRIANGLE SYSTEM-THROW. Practice throwing the opponent when they try to counter you. Normal throw and quick command throw are easiest. Most damaging throw is preferred.

Fundamental Defense

Fundamental defense comprises defensive elements that are universal to mostly every character. This are things everyone should practice executing.

• BLOCK. Practice blocking attacks. High/Mid and Low. Most attacks give you frame advantage on block.
  
• SPACE. Practice spacing yourself from the opponent. Spacing baits the opponent to charge in or whiff an attack, allowing you to PUNISH.
  
• PUNISH. Practice punishing the opponent. Punish unsafe attacks on block. Punish whiffed attacks. Throws, jabs, quick mids, launchers, or knockdown attacks can be used to punish depending on character position/range and frame advantage. The ability to punish is VERY important and VERY underappreciated defensive skill.
  
• INTERRUPT. Practice interrupting slow string attacks, slow crush attacks, and slow launch attacks with jabs or quick mids of your own. Interrupting is also useful when the opponent whiffs an attack, you move in, and they try to attack again. Note that interrupting is a tricky defensive skill, and some characters are better at this than others.
  
• SLOW-ESCAPE. Practice slow-escaping out of stuns when the opponent stuns you. Toss away the counter crutch and make slow-escaping a main part of your defense.
  
• TRIANGLE SYSTEM-COUNTER. Practice countering the opponents attacks. Preferably, limit this to slow string attacks, sweeps, slow launchers, and charge attacks. DON'T SPAM COUNTER.
  
• TRIANGLE SYSTEM-THROW. Practice throwing the opponent when they try to OH you. Normal throw and quick command throws are easiest.

Learning a Character's MoveList

RULE #3: Become ONE with your character.

[Game Over]

+rep to first person to identify the "mysterious" quote.

[Awesmic]

So you're saying that if I apply all but Rule #8, I should no longer be a beginner?

It sounds like an ordeal, but I'll try.



Mysterious quote is from "The Last Dragon"?
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http://www.facebook.com/awesmic

[Game Over]

[Ronald McDonald]

Oh shoot, that means people are going to have to READ some strategy topics on here!

[Awesmic]

[Game Over]

[Awesmic]

[Shad]

This is a very helpful post. Nicely written and it was a rather enjoyable read due to the quotes. Nice work.

~Shad
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TiNa SuPReMaCy
I will never give up my dream...
Shad Armstrong

[Viper Excess]

Great post. It was very needed around here. Should help people that are struggling.
_________________
T.N.A. Tina reppin' --- Simply Ownin' co-leader

DOA3U/4.0 Petition/DOA Customization/DOA5 Ideas/DOA Character Ideas
It's never too late to support the series.

[Viper Excess]

[Young D]

Good Stuff Game Over
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[Game Over]

I don't know, Viper. I don't think specific examples are all that necessary here. This is a progressive guide to help people learn. I think that if someone is struggling identifying a character's strengths and weaknesses, it is only because their skill at analyzing move properties is not well developed enough. If you understand how the game works, and you know a character's moves, and you have a grip on the properties of those moves, you should be able to recognize where a character can excel at, with some thought, of course. It is why I said to reflect on previous training and think about the character at that point.

Like:


Strengths: A beast outside jab range, a monster with opponent near a wall, multiple attacks with range and strong knockback properties, low jab "resets" wall stun, 3 good launchers (1 ground bounce, great for explosive floors), high damage juggles, Dragon Kick unblockable and counter resistant

Weaknesses: Limited to pokes up close, limited crush ability, many unsafe mids, Dragon Kick easily punishes if whiffed (sometimes punishable on hit)



Strengths: Multiple good stun attacks, NIGHTMARISH ability to work the stun, BKO stance evades all highs, BKO Duck evades all highs and mids, can stun, launch, or throw from BKO, can stun, knockdown/back, or throw from BackTurned, can crush and launch with P+K, can setup a BKO throw loop against opponent with weak defense

Weaknesses: Lack of quick attacks up close, must mainly rely on crushes, evades, and stuns, weak juggles, most effective moves are mids, very few safe string attacks, BKO stance vulnerable to low throw/OH, her own OH is not very good


Strengths: Can crush and launch with a high or mid launcher, can launch from crouch with 236P, high and mid parries give frame advantage, fast mid that stuns, super launcher throw leads to high damage juggles, QCB-throw deals damage and gives frame advantage, strong ability to work the stun, charge-in 50/50 mixup with 66-throw OH and 66P stun/knockback, good range and keepout game, has best sidestep move in the game

Weaknesses: Many effective attacks are mids, predictable strings, vulnerable to high/mid punch parry, relies on 50/50s, tough getting-in on characters with better range like Jann Lee, Spartan, unsafe string-enders

[Kasumi Chan PMS]

Good stuff sir.
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PMS Clan

[Viper Excess]

Well, some strengths and weaknesses can be obvious, but many are not. Safety and move speeds can't be seen by the human eye, for example. Am I supposed to train my eyesight to spot this better?

Now, I'm not sure if the list is supposed to go in the order you mentioned, but I know for a fact that knowing how to spot as many strengths and weaknesses as you can isn't something that's already developed by that point. For example, would I know that Jann Lee's mids can compete with Kasumi and Christie's mids by pure sight? Would I know that Helena is actually slower than she looks? Would I know that Kokoro's juggles are good and that she's fast, but her launchers are the slow moves?

I know I'm being tight-fisted here, but all I'm suggesting is that by that point, Sparring Mode isn't the only way to analyze a character. More understanding of the game is needed that Sparring Mode alone just can't fully provide, to be able to spot additional strengths and weaknesses. People should eventually expect to look into additional resources then. That's all.

Btw, if I'm getting into something totally off-base, then it's my fault. Maybe I'm focusing on something that wasn't intended to be in your post. I may have misjudged the scope of your post then; but with a title and quotes like that, what can I say? Did I mess up the roll you were on? Heh.

EDIT: Yeah, I did, GO. I guess I tried too hard to troll (in a good way), damn. Sleep's finally coming to me then, so I'm out of here. Good stuff, again.
_________________
T.N.A. Tina reppin' --- Simply Ownin' co-leader

DOA3U/4.0 Petition/DOA Customization/DOA5 Ideas/DOA Character Ideas
It's never too late to support the series.

[Game Over]

Maybe you missed that I also said look up frame data to help get a more in-depth perspective at that stage as well.

[D Glock]

Good stuff indeed. Added to the front page side-bar.
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[Game Over]

[Ninja Taiden]

You forgot side stepping as miniscule as it is in DOA.
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[MDK] Don't EVER look back. . .

[Game Over]

[Ninja Taiden]

So I'm against the wall and Hayabusa is starting a teleport animation. Your saying instead of sidestepping I should guess as to if it is a throw or an attack?
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[MDK] Don't EVER look back. . .

[Game Over]

Sidewalking and sidestepping are two different things. 'Busa's Nin stance gives you a CHUNK of time to do with as you please. Sidewalking is useful against Nin stance, however, that is NOT sidestepping.

[Viv]

I can sidestep linear moves with ease. GG with the guide tho!
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Courtesy of Miss. NaughtyAssassin =)

[MDK]

[Game Over]

[HighGuy]

movement is key in doa 4 and should def be covered. it plays a huge roll in the flow and out come of every match.

other wise GS GO
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Time goes by, we can never stay the same. In the shades of hope, in Love Memory
Kiss me sweet, I'm sleeping in sorrow. All alone, to see you tomorrow. In my dream, I'm calling your name. You are, my love... my love... - " You Are My Love "