From: robrod@buengf.bu.edu
Newsgroups: alt.games.sf2,rec.games.video.arcade
Subject: SF2 CE Ticks
Date: 16 Apr 92 00:18:32 GMT
Followup-To: alt.games.sf2
Distribution: usa
Organization: College of Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
Originator: robrod@buengf.bu.edu


     When EGM announced that the new SF2 CE would permit no ticks I felt
very satisfied.  Ticks are cheap, they make fights not depend on fighting
skills but in some mechanical procedures, and make the game no fun.
In the original SF2 I didn't use them.  I played mainly Guile and
Zangief but I never did the sonic boom/throw, jab/throw, 
standing short/throw, or tap/SPD.  In fact, once I got the SPD I would
move away until the opponent was about to get up; still, I must say
that of all the people I played from all over the world, I've won
more times than I've lost (No flames please, I'm making a point).

     However, my happiness soon came to an end when I found out ticking
is as big a part of SF2 CE as it was for the original (if not worse).
In SF2 I solved the problem by playing opponents that liked to tick
in order to find counter-moves.  Now I find myself doing the same thing.
It is very frustrating at the begining.  Anyway, here is a list of
the major ticking or cheap moves I've observed so far in SF2 CE:

     Ken and Ryu can still tap/throw very effectively.  Masters at that
ticks get countered one out of every 10 times; at most.
They can also jump with the roundhouse, trying to hit the opponent's neck,
short when the land, and throw with very little chance of getting
countered.  Most annoing, however, is when they tap (fast short) right
in your face and as soon as you block or get hit, they throw.  They can
also fireball you in the corner from a close distance (alsmost touching
your character) and throw if they see you block crouching or Dragon punch if
they see you block standing.

    Dhalsim can do the perpetual strong/nuggie.  Dhalsim masters here can 
practically do it as long as they want; excellent timing!  Although
it's very difficult to learn, you can do it until the opponent dies.
If you are playing Guile you will not be able to razor kick
once you get nuggied once.  When Dhalsim has you in the corner he can
fireball/sweep if you block standing or fireball/nuggie if you block
crouching.

    Chun Li can practically come in for the throw every time after she
lands from a forward kick attack (not the head tap); this is provided
you land close enough to the opponent.  She can also hit with a 
crouching forward kick, hear if you are hitting the buttons violently
to prepare to counter-throw, and rounhouse sweep.  If you are not hitting
the buttons she can just come in for the throw.  Some people do this
and it's very hard to counter.  These people have great reflexes and
even greater hearing.  She can also throw about half an inch before
landing from the air.  I consider this so cheap.  Many times I get ready
to hit her out of the air using roundhouse, and end up getting thrown
before my attack reaches her.  Also, if she's winning and you are in
the corner she can start her 1000 foot attack so that any attack of
your part will get immediately hit.  You remain encarcerated until the
end of the round.  It's not that hard considering it's so easy to get
that attack now.

    As someone mentioned before Guile can sonic boom you when you are in
the corner and sweep if you block standing and throw if you block
crouching.  There seems to be a delay when you swith buttons while in
close-range attacks.  This makes the previous tap/throw moves from SF2, not
possible.

    When Honda throws you in the corner and immediately starts the 1000
slap attack and moves the joystick towards you as you block, he hits
a maximum of 12 times!  Huge energy drain!  Not necessarily a cheap move
but makes Bison Torpedo's damage look like nothing.

    If Zangief has you in the corner he can perpetually forward/SPD.  The
landing does NOT push Zangief too far away when both characters are in
the corner.  You must master the walking-forwards-SPD in order to do it
without getting countered.

    When Vega is winning he can keep jumping off walls, avoiding you,
until the end of the round.  Very cheap.  Also, when he jumps with 
forwards, it's very hard to counter the follow-up throw; generally
possible thou.  But if he doesn't hear those buttons being pressed when
you block he'll come right in for the throw with no fear of getting
countered.  If he does hear them, he can just sweep.

    Need I mention Bison?  Just one word:  Cheesepeedo.  He can also
jump while forward kicking very early, so you block when you see his
big foot comming, only to be thrown right away after you reallize his
kick ends right before it's going to hit you (in fact never hitting you).
Finnally when he cheesepeedo's using strong (middle) punch, HE has
priority for the throw and will end up throwing EVERY opponent most of
the time, no matter what technique of counter-throw he might be using.
The best defense is to jump straight up and land with the roudhouse.

   I have not seen effective cheap moves from Blanka, Sagat, or Balrog
although some may exist.

   All the moves that require hearing the opponent's buttons also involve
some use of periferal vision.  I've even seen a guy turn around and look
at the opponent's joystick every time he made an offensive move.  These 
things are really cheap.  I know everyone can fight in whatever manner they
want, but this forces people to stop looking at the game as a 
battle of characters in which you control the actions of a chosen hero,
and start looking at it as a series of mechanical and inter-personal
procedures you perform in order to play a little longer.  In other
words, it makes the game no fun for everyone.  Soon enough you have a
select group of so called masters who monopolize the machine by the
means of these moves and anyone who "dares" intrude upon "THEIR"
machines must be punished.
Newsgroups: alt.games.sf2