Entry #2: An intro To Fighting Game Terminology

 

 

 Hello everyone Jose SG here👋,

As most people know, fighting games are a staple video game genre. They are also notoriously hard to get into, which leaves many fighting games that are only a few years old on life support. Since most fighting games are at their best when competing against someone else a self-perpetuating cycle is created.  Not enough players  =  No one wants to play. Before the pandemic there was a niche yet vocal community organizing local tournaments but now even those are struggling. Online tournaments are the fighting game community’s final lifeline, but they use a lot of terminology that could make it inaccessible for first time watchers. If you manage to survive this post, I hope you’ll check some fighting games out.

(Proof of credibility [PlayStation Hours Not Included])

 

Notation:

    Fighting game notation is simultaneously incredibly useless but also integral a fundamental aspect of learning a new fighting game. The nature of fighting games allows for incredibly varied gameplay/ controllers; in order to simplify the learning process the numpad/numeric notation is used. The notation is especially good when referencing special moves.

Special Moves:

    Special moves are the quintessential aspect of fighting games because there is nothing better than using a cool attack to hit your opponent. From laser beams to controlling shadows to blow up your opponent, every character has a distinct move set with a diverse list of special and super moves. 

Super Moves:

       Do you want a giant fireball that covers the entire screen? Spend meter and do a incredibly strong move

.

Meter:

    Most fighting games have a resource used to enhance special moves or use a super move. It is universally known as meter but the name can very between games.

Combos:

    A string of attacks and special moves in a certain sequence to pummel the opponent without an escape routes. The foundation and main selling point of fighting games. Most people will dedicate thousands of hours into optimizing combos. 

    

Okizeme:

    Generally shortened as Oki refers to the situation directly after a combo. Since most combos at the high level set up a difficult blocking situation for the opponent it is incredibly fun to watch and perform. If a character is specialized to setting up Oki situations they are referred to as a setplay character.

Archetypes:

    Every character is different but there are clear generalizations you can make about the individual characters specialties 

• Rushdown
• Incredibly aggressive, good movement, good mix up, often known as monkeys 
• Grappler
• Highly technical, slow, aggressive, grab/ throw oriented, often the worst characters  
• Zoner
• Projectile oriented, average speed, incredibly annoying
• Setplay
• Oki oriented
• Puppet
• Controls two characters instead of one, shares similarities to setplay characters, often hardest characters to play 
• Shoto
• Often the starter character, Jack of all trades

     DP:     

    The worst thing ever made. A defensive option, and offensive option, a combo starter. It does anything and everything. This is the first thing any new player should learn how to do and also learn how to punish. Is strong for only one reason frame data.

 Frame Data   
          

......    

    All in all if anything in this post sounded interesting to you check out fighting games the community is incredibly welcoming and the games are fun to learn with friends. 

Check them out or don’t it’s up to you I’m not the free time police.

That’s all folks.

-Jose SG-