Using the Command Lists

Sorry if this has been explored a million times before but being rather new to VF5, I wanted to know what the pertinent information on a command guide would be for a beginner. I've looked around the forum and noticed that a lot of people recommend to "start with the basics" but I'm noticing that the application is much harder than the lessons themselves. For example, I know what an ETEG is and can do one (if poorly still) but knowing when and where to use it, in relation to my and my opponent's command list still somewhat escapes me. I guess what I'm trying to ask is, what's the most important information on a character's command list that will assist you in really applying learned techniques?

In relation to this, in what order should you learn moves and their properties? Should you first limit yourself to a rather small, self-imposed command list and try and add a couple of moves (and all their related combos and qualities) each day? I ask all of this because I notice that no matter how or much of my time is spent in the dojo, when I go online I sort of just lose my cool and mash on buttons (very bad, I know).

Thanks in advance to who lend a helping hand. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

My advice:

Learn your charactars max damage combos. Practice til you can do them in dojo. Play quest till you can do them in quest agianst non live comp. Play player onlined till you can do them on live comp. then go to ranked.

You'll build your offense around your max damage combos. Traps and deeper understanding will come naturally, but can be greatly accelerated by looking at the data you mentioned. But get your hands around it first, then sink your teeth into it. Trying to learn all the intracies first thing would be overkill, if even possible.

Play people who use your charactar, and steal every technique that is effective. Save replays.

 

my advice: use lei fei. as apparently all u have to do to get mastet rank is mash buttons. lol
but seriously i'd ad this.
1. find a quick executing, decent powered low striking move to finish rounds in a crunch.
2. Find a strong move that have priority over recovery attacks, get the timing down good and use it.
3. Dont obliviously stand within range of rising attacks. u want to rush in and punish/throw whiffed recovery. Also use ur recovery crushing move to keep opponents from using rising and thtow iopponents after they stand with no attack.

 

Thanks for the replies thus far!

I've switched to concentrating on working out the combos one at a time and so far so good. Some I'm finding incredibly difficult with a controller (but unfortunately must bear that nuisance a while) and others I can't seem to remember while in a match. I also make it painfully obvious to the opponent what I'm trying to do. Good thing it's stupid AI. But the joy of dealing some decent damage, coupled with the knowledge that all things come with time, gives me a very satisfied feeling.

@social_ruin I under stand your first and third suggestions (though I foolishly fall prey to FAR too many rising attacks). I'm not sure I understand the second though. So, someone else has missed their attack and I suddenly have initiative and therefore make said heavy attack? Is there a certain number of frames under which I should be looking for this attack to resolve?
I'm using El Blaze if that helps any.

 

the top 10 moves threads are extremely helpful, and have the added important benefit that you don't have to review the command list. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

i'll add, however, that just glancing at the command list you can usually identify:

offense at a relatively cheap cost:
1. highlight commands with the fewest startup frames; the down side is linearity

offense and defense at a relatively cheap cost:
2. highlight commands with circular attack properties (regardless of frames)
3. highlight moves with evasive properties that shift you into the foreground/background as you perform the move (sort of a built-in dm if you will) but these don't jump out in the command list, so you'll have to dojo the command list
4. highlight commands with defensive properties - reversal, sabaki, inashi commands

defense at a relatively cheap cost:
5. the good old dm move

 

I agree with most of your advice, but I have to disagree with this one. The built-in evade moves usually have extremely strict timing requirements, and require a good amount of character match-up knowledge to get any effective use out of them. I personally love these types of attacks, and use them constantly, but even I get owned a lot because they tend to be extremely risky... very slow, and a lot of disadvantage on block. They're a very bad place for a beginner to start. (Also, I think a lot of characters don't even have moves with this property)

Reversals and inashis are also similarly much riskier than they look, and a beginner is going to have a lot more trouble learning the general game if they overuse these attacks without mastering the core system first.