From: el27166@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (This Space for Rent)
Newsgroups: alt.games.sf2
Subject: The Art of Throwing -- The Theory Behind the Throw
Date: 7 Oct 92 19:07:59 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

In order to throw well, we must have some sort of understanding
about the throw.  We must understand fundamentals about range,
priority, etc.  I don't know the programming of SFII, but I've
developed a theory based on my experience with the game.  I
will list some aspects of the theory and how they apply.

1) There are two ranges for each character's throw.  A normal range
and an extended range.  Sometimes it seems that Ken, Ryu, or Chun Li
can throw for a very long range.  They're using the extended range.

The extended range throw needs to be "charged up".  By charging up,
I mean you can't hit any buttons for a certain amount of time.  If
you hit the button, your extended range is reduced down to your
normal throw range, which is very short (no farther than two blocked
Ryu jabs away).  Some characters charge up to this extended throw
range faster than others --- usually faster characters like Chun Li
or Vega.  Other characters have very short extended throw ranges
(like Sagat).

To try an extended range throw, try this:
Play Ryu and have your opponent play Ryu.  Jump in and hit the other
Ryu around the neck area with a roundhouse.  The opponent should be
tapping strong and holding the joystick in back defense while you are
walking in for the throw.  After hitting him with the roundhouse,
walk in a few steps and hit strong.  If done correctly, you should
throw the other Ryu even though he was "countering" your throw.
If you got thrown before you hit the button, then you hit the button
too late.  If you got thrown after you hit the button, you hit the
button too soon.  The timing for this is the same timing for your
opponent Ryu to recover from the block and get a roundhouse out.

So, in summary, jump in, hit low, walk in a few steps until you feel
that the other Ryu is about to get out of the stun of the block, then
hit strong.  I'm sure many of you have done this tick before.  But
now that you understand a bit more of how and why it worked, you can
concentrate on counter-throwing.

To counter the above tick:
What you need to do is charge up to YOUR extended range throw.  So
if you're playing the Ryu which is getting ticked, here's what you
need to do:

Stay in crouch.  Standing up only invites footsweeps.  There's no
reason to stand up since you can't counter-throw him until he gets
into range anyway.

Don't hit any buttons.  If you tried to do a roundhouse or dragon
punch or something, then you've committed yourself, and you won't
get in your counter-throw.  True, the dragon punch can come out
before the opponent can throw you, but the opponent can fake, let
you DP, and throw or combo you as you land.  

Learn the extent of your extended range.  As soon as your opponent
enters this range, pull the joystick to back defense and tap strong
twice quickly.  Tapping it twice just makes certain that you hit it
when you want, in case buttons are sticky.  If you tapped it twice
and stood up and did nothing, you did it too early.  If you got
thrown, then you did it too late.  If your opponent gets thrown,
then you've just counter-thrown!

This method also works well against ticks such as Guile's throw
after a sonic boom hit, or other ticks which hit you once and
then throw you from an extended range.

Countering jab, jab, throw ticks:
When you're opponent is near and doing jab, jab, throw techniques,
keep a few simple ideas in mind.

The opponent is at normal throw range since he ruined his charge
with his jabs.  If he does more than two jabs, he's going to have
to walk forward if he wants to throw you.  It's generally safe
to block all the rest if he does three jabs or more.

YOU'RE also at normal throw range, so you don't need to charge up
for the extended throw.  This means you can tap the buttons furiously,
if you like, and still get the throw off.  If you absolutely do
NOT want to be thrown, then you can block the first jab, then
stand up and try and counter-throw right away.  Of course, this
doesn't look cool when you get hit by four more jabs.

Listen to his jabs.  If he's going to throw, it's going to be after
the first or second jab.  Sometimes, he'll start out too far away
to do it after the second jab.  That means he'll have to walk in and
throw.  You can roundhouse sweep him if he does that.  But if they
start right next to you, and you don't know if they're going to throw
after the first, second, or not at all, listen to his tapping.  As
soon as he stops tapping that jab button, something different is
happening.  Whether it's a throw, dragon punch, or footsweep, pull
the joystick into back defense and start tapping your strong (or
whatever throw) button.  You're very likely to counter-throw
before they can get their throw, DP, or footsweep out because their
jab sweep was still retracting as you're hitting your button.  If
he never stops tapping the button, just sit in crouch and block.
Even if he kept tapping, but was tapping the STRONG button, he won't
throw because he needs to not tap any buttons for a short period before
he can throw.

Well, that's all that there really is to know.  If there are further
questions, post them.

End of Lesson 2 -- The Theory Behind the Throw

-- 
Eu-Ming Lee (aka CyberGeek)                      el27166@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu
"Nobody told me there'd be .sigs like these."
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