From: rxc9885@cs.rit.edu (Robert X Costello)
Newsgroups: alt.games.sf2
Subject: Re: Capcom f*cks up TCE
Date: 15 Apr 92 13:12:47 GMT
Distribution: alt
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

In article <GRIGSBY.92Apr14165301@occs.cs.oberlin.edu> grigsby@occs.cs.oberlin.edu (Spiral Death Trap) writes:

I don't consider myself a Blanka master, but even the best players groan when
I pick him on TCE. (I can't play him on II for some reason) 

>
>1) Some characters have combos which, if the first hit happens, the rest are
>*guaranteed* to happen with proper timing.  Examples:

Although Blanka doesn't have great combos, he can dish out some major damage
VERY quickly.  He can also do a roundhouse foot sweep to hit someone before
they land.

>2) Some characters, if they knock the opponent down, get further damage
>_guaranteed_, with no possibility of avoidance.  Examples:

Blanka has electicity.  This move is extremely fast and does a good amount
of damage.  It sounds like you don't use it enough.  This is the main reason
why I can't play Blanka in II, I never played him before TCE, and I am used
to the response time in TCE.

>3) Throw priority does exist.  Try, for instance, throwing Bison after
>blocking his torpedo.  I am a poor Ken and can do this about 30% of the time.
>I am a much better Blanka and can bite about 5% of the time -- I've stopped
>trying since unless the person is clueless it never works.  This makes 
>characters with lower throw priority (or execution delay, or whatever) 
>almost useless, since throws are the ONLY thing that will damage a low-
>blocking player besides jump attacks (I'm not counting the tick of damage
>from missiles), except for the next case.

I am not sure what is happening here.  I have NO problems with Blanka's
bite.  In fact, last time I played Blanka was against a VERY GOOD Vega
player and was CONSISTENTLY beating him to the throw. (Right Jim!)  As for
Bison players, I tend to get a better percentage of throwing if I pull away
from Bison.  Another interesting trick is to charge for the ball as you are
blocking the flame.  Since most Bison players go for the throw after they will
get creamed by it.

>4) Some characters have invincible moves and range attacks, and some don't.  
>This only makes a difference when a character without them plays a character
>with them.  Examples:

Blanka probably has one of the BEST range attacks.  The ball has TREMENDOUS
speed, and if used correctly is hard to react to.  If you have a Guile 
player sitting in the far corner try this:  Charge for the ball making it
very obvious that you are doing so.  Now do a jab ball at the person.  As
as you hit the button to start the ball, start recharhing the ball.  If the
person starts jabbing (works against all players) right before you enter jab
range hit jab repeatidly.  You will stop infront of them with electricity
blaring.  Since they were TRYING to jab you, they weren't defending.  Subtract
about an inch of thier health.  If they look like they are going to try a razor
kick/dragon punch.  You can do two things.  Right before you enter thier attack
range hit jab to stop and then IMMEDIATLY start a fierce ball.  This is what
I call the CHANGE UP and really causes people to miss time their move.  You're
other choice to just stop.  If they are anxious players they will probably do
the move anyway, and you earn a free attack.  I tend to use the spinning ball
a lot (too much on Chun Li players) and really mix it up.  Most players
now just play it safe and defend it.

>A final question:  is it possible *AT ALL* for Blanka to bite a crouch-
>defending person?  Every time I try it I just get a fierce, and get smacked
>for my trouble.  This means that anyone playing Blanka can simply defend
>at the right times and take NO damage from ANYTHING AT ALL except a little
>tick from the cannonball.  Add to this the fact that good players can shake
>off the bite within microseconds, and you're fucked!  Blanka becomes great at
>killing mid-level players, but becomes totally useless when facing an 
>expert of just about anything besides Chun Li, Honda, Vega, and maybe Dhalsim.
>(I don't know about Balrog or Sagat since no one plays them here.)

Like I said before, I have had NO problems using Blanka's bite.  I am not sure
what I am doing different, and it is hard to explain how I do it.  Being a 
decent Guile player, throw has become a mere reflex.  Next time I'll try to
pay attention to what I am doing.

>I'd like to be proved wrong, especially on the last, but right now I'm being
>forced to learn Ken due to these circumstances -- everyone here plays either
>him, Bison, Guile, or Chun Li (the exception -- the guy was Delaware state 
>champion, and I believe it -- he consistently thrashes my Blanka, who is a 
>great anti-Chun character, but a reasonably good Bison will still kill him.)
>Any wizards with counter-strategies (or Blanka ticks) should feel free to
>help the world.  (No fierce-strong/crouching forward suggestions either unless
>you can prove it to be unblockable.)

I don't think there are actually many unblockable moves.  Although getting
"stuck" in jab-jab-jab-etc may seem unblockable, you do get pushed away from
the person and jabs do little damage.  If someone tries to jab you while you
stand up, go for the bite, I don't think I have failed to win this yet.  As
a Guile player, I always loved players who wiggled the joystick when I have 
them stunned.  It makes the fierce-fierce-razor just that much easier.  If
I am stunned, I'll just take the hit and defend the rest, EVERYTIME.

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Robert Costello           | 010001000100110101010011010001000100110101010011
rxc9885@cs.rit.edu        |           Digitally Mastered Software
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