Arcade sticks guide

[DaiDensetsu]

Hi everyone, I'll put a guide showing how to solve the common problems using an arcade stick and how to use special techniques...etc

Stick mastery road is endless as the combinations are unlimited and you may look for some examples like Sako or Desk as being true Arcade stick masters. You don't have to be like them, you can have your own way and you can be proficient with what you need only.

 

Direction and buttons notations:

I'll use numeric for directions and SF normals for buttons

789    
456    lp  mp  hp
123    lk  mk  hk

 

 

What grip should I use?

Different hand sizes and physics matters, and personal preference plays a role also so there is no certain grip for the stick. If you are comfortable with a grip or if you like a certain grip, choose those (The comfortable one will be easier for you and the one you like will push you to the limit even if its hard). Try going to each direction with your grip and do clockwise/counterclockwise full circles to check your grip. You can use any grip with practice, so if you really like a certain grip but feel its hard, stick with it and keep practicing.

 

How many fingers should I use?

Actually its depending on the game and if the game is not demanding, one finger actually is more than enough. However, additional fingers will help you. So, again, its all about your preference and the game you are playing. For singular presses, you can use one finger or more to divide the buttons. For multiple presses, you must use multiple fingers.

You can use whatever fingers you want but the most common one for singular presses is the Index, Middle and Ring are for mediums and heavies usually and thumb for lower parts(lk,mk usually). Little finger is not common but can be used if you are ok with it.

Examples:

Single finger:  hitting the six buttons for non-demanding games

Two fingers:  To divide the buttons (ex:lights and mediums for index and heavies for the other finger) and for multiple presses (ex:lp+mp)

Three fingers: To divide the buttons (lights,mediums,heavies for seperate fingers) and for multiple presses(ex:lp+mp+lk)

 

Multiple presses examples:

(lp+mp+hp): Index+Middle+Ring

(lp+hp): Index+Ring

(lp+hk): Index+Little

(lp+lk): Index+Thumb

(lp+mk): Index+Thumb

(lk+mp):Middle+Thumb

(mp+mk): Index+Middle

(mp+hk): Middle+Ring

(lk+lp+mp): Thumb+Index+Middle

(lp+mp+lk+mk): make your fingers close to each other and press by the whole fingers not only the tip

 

How should I press the buttons?

Pressing the buttons should be swift and not hard. Hard pressing will not give you any advantage while swift one will give you more time and you will utilize this time (combos,reactions...etc). Practice hitting the buttons swiftly instead of hitting hard or wasting time on unnecessary delay. You will get faster with time but keep in your mind to be as swift as possible.

This is an example for Sako hands (very advanced but will give you an idea):

 

Hovering your hand:

Many players put their hand on the empty area of the controller and just move little to press with their fingers. Thats not wrong, but hovering your hands and moving your hand in the air while it seems tiring specially when you are not used to it (Like the way done by Sako in the previous video) will give you more time and that will improve your reactions and make your button presses and sequences faster.

 

Double Tapping:

A special technique used to minimize input drops. Start with middle then index in the singular motion (may be tiring at the beginning until you get used to it). For a succesful fastest double tap you get one frame gap only between the two inputs (ex: lp,1 frame gap,lp). Keep practicing to make it faster and this is a video showing how to do it.

 

I can't double tap lp:

A common problem for double tapping. Know and keep in your mind the location of the lp button, then start at a higher point when starting to press so you don't hit other buttons.

 

Piano:

Not used much but still a special technique used previously for minimizing some combo drops or for certain inputs (like SF4 chun-li). You press successive buttons with different fingers just like the piano. It needs long time to master the different combinations and its not used much nowadays so mostly it will be skipped.

 

Holding:

Holding a button can be required for some games/characters. Its very easy to do but need practice if you want to use other buttons. Usually Little and Thumb are used to hold while hitting the other buttons with the other three fingers.

 

 

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Now we will talk about Directions and how they frustrate players, I'll try to cover common problems as much as possible. Note that most of those barriers like "I can't do it" or "I'm not fast" are usually just mental illusions and you just need to practice to do them.

 

Directions:

Try to imagine the square-gate or any other type as buttons that you must hit by moving the stick. So if you do 236lp you get a hadouken, you are hitting 2>3>6>lp. Its never a true circle so dont decieve your mind by that. Focus on getting motions right first then speed up little by litte. Don't rush things because the stick (specially square-gate) is sensitive and an error can be very costly. Remember also that you must press buttons after completing the motion.

 

Charging:

Moves that require charge are not hard at all in stick but you may get mistimings and not do a complete charge/drop the charge. So focus on the point that you start charging. For fast charging you need to start charging at the moment you start the previous move (jump,attack...etc).

 example: 1(charge)>7lk(Flash Kick)>1(immediately after 7lk press). So you go from 7>1 very fast. You may not be very fast at the beginning and drop the charge but do a special practice by going up/down, left/right. Start slowly, then speed up little by little. Also focus to get the full charge because sometimes its only your timing mistake.

 

I can't do a Hadouken:

Maybe you are very slow or you drop some directions. If you are slow, don't worry, just keep doing it right and it will speed up. But if you drop some directions:

23 instead of 236: You are not going up enough, try doing  2369 to eliminate the error of not getting 6 and fixing it with time

36 instead of 236: You are not starting from the usual starting point, try doing 1236

26 instead of 236:You are moving diagonally without hitting the direction, remember that I said think about them as buttons, Focus on hitting 3

 

26 and 236 general problem:

In some games like GG, you have do a crouching normal then chaining it with a forward normal. To not get mixed with a hadouken motion,  Try doing this 2>5(neutral)>6 instead of going directly.

 

I can't do a dp:

Same concept as hadouken, but you mostly don't do it as it should be, try doing 623 and holding 3 so it not go anywhere else and mess with your input.

23 instead of 623: Focus on hitting 6 first

63 instead of 623: try doing 6123 to eliminate the error

62 instead of 623: Focus on ending it with 3(your holding point)

 

I can't do something (supers...etc) on one side but I can do it on the other one:

Doing it on one side is way better than not doing it at all. Try to learn from and imitate your working side. Don't forget that its an illusion saying you can't do, just do it slowly and practice until you speed up. It might be frustrating but be patient and you can overcome it. Mostly you are not doing it in a match because you are not calm and want to do it as fast as possible which is mostly not necessary.

 

I can't do circular motion (command grab usually):

You are not doing a full circle, you are only hitting 6 or 7 directions (depending on the game). So you start from 6 or 4 and hit the following directions until you reach 7 or 9 for 6 directions and 8 for 7 directions (632147[8] or 412369[8]). Practice by warming up as mentioned in the beginning by doing full circular motions, this both ensure you are hitting all the possible directions and make you practice the motion itself.

 

I'm confident with my execution but moves not showing:

Your execution is perfect but the problem is something else (most probably timing)

 

I can't dash/airdash ..etc but I'm sure of my input:

Directions are like buttons but you must hit and hold in the correct timing to make it come out. Dash(66) is usually fast and Instant airdash for example (96) in games like GG needs specific timing, you hold 9 very shortly then hit and hold 6.

 

I can't do Instant air stuff:

Usually instant air is just adding 9 or 8 after completing the motion. Simple talk but needs practice and don't forget timing is the main problem (button press and jump).

so for example 2369, you can do it correctly but if you hit the attacking button early you will get grounded version 236, if you delayed it slightly, you will get the aerial one. If you delayed it too much, you will get a higher aerial version.

Its all about hitting 9 or 8, if you can't hit those directions, practice hitting all the directions and doing circular motions..etc

 

My super 236236/214214 is not fast enough and I can't get it by cancelling a normal:

For some demanding games, you must or have option to cancel the normal to a super very fastly. However, you think you are slow while you probably not. Its because of being a tiny area and you are traversing it repeatedly. If you are confident with your speed add some extra input like "2361236". Alternatively, you can physically move your hand and enclose the quarter circle stick area so it be like a little circle "2365", and after that you can do two fast mini-circles and get the super.

 

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So generally directions are simple on paper but just need practice and practice, and don't let your mind fool you by saying you are slow or can't do certain stuff because you actually can overcome those.

To overcome any situation:

1- If you are missing any direction, try hitting one or more adjacent direction to ensure hitting it and eleminating the error eventually.

2- Try to hold the final direction briefly so you don't mess your input.

3- For complicated motions, break them down and practice the parts first. 4123641236 can be acheived more easily if you mastered the single 41236.

4 - Sometimes, you must focus on the direction so you don't miss it instead of adding adjacent inputs.

5 - Sometimes its not your motion problem, timing and button pressing timing ...etc may be the problem

6 - Go for the longer way to ensure the shorter one or even make it faster if you are still slow (example:41236 instead of 236, even some top players do this technique)

7 - Remember that most of the barriers are only illusions that you can get rid of by being patient and practicing.

8 - Practice simple stuff, you may not miss 236 but why not improving it.

9 - Practice different combination of movements even if not practical. It will make your movement more smooth and precise.

10 - No need to be very fast and miss if you have time to do it slower. Try to do things slowly then go faster little by little.