Questions for leverless controller users

[Chaser82]

1. Which movement style do you use?
Do you play in a WASD-style (middle finger for up) or a Hitbox-style (thumb for up)? I just got a Cosmox R16 a few days ago. It supports both and I tried both but I can't decide which one to commit to for muscle memory. WASD feels much more natural to my brain, because I used to play on keyboard in the past. But the Hitbox-style has obvious advantages - like making hopkicks from crouch faster for punishing -15 lows etc. I'd love to hear some solid arguments from experienced players to help me decide.

2. How do you press multi-button inputs?
Do you hit things like 1+2 or 2+3 with two fingers, or do you use extra buttons? I can get by without dedicated buttons, kinda - I don't really like to use them for easy 2 key combos. But sometimes my timing is off, and I end up pressing 1 before 1+2 etc, leading to missinputs and losing the round. Should I just work on synchronizing double finger input, is it possible at all to achieve perfection? Or would it be better to focus on hitting the extra buttons with my ring and pinky fingers?

3. Firmware-related question
If anyone here uses a controller with similar firmware, how do you get pins A3 and A4 to work in-game? I assigned them in the web configurator on the buttons that used to mimic other buttons, but the game doesn't recognize them. Is there some special way to set it up in Steam Input or something? I couldn’t find any info online.

[Giganx]

I'm pretty new to leverless as well.

I use the thumb for up mainly because it's the default, and it took a long time for that to feel natural. Once I got used to it it was faster and easier to do diagonal inputs consistently, so I'd suggest just getting used to hitbox setup.

I bound 1+2 and 3+4 to extra keys. I main Steve and, the 1+2 especially, if you don't hit them EXACTLY at the same time you get different inputs. The fact that it's two different fingers for those inputs makes it easier to misalign them. 1+3 and 2+4 seem to be more forgiving, and the fact that you'd just rest one finger on both buttons for that input makes it easier to not misalign the buttons.

And the leverless controller i use works natively so it didn't have any configuration issues. Can't comment there.

[Boss]

WASD because I'm used to it, but I can see the thumb being used for up without too much difficulty. For Tekken I dont think it matters, but for something like Guilty Gear I think thumb is better, if for no other reason than that there's a high jump that you do by pressing down then up quickly.

I use binds for 1+2, 3+4, and a grab (for parry), it's simply quicker and easier, plus a button for Heat (dedicated), because if you try the double input sometimes you might have the wrong move come out. I'd change the macros depending on the character.

[C1REX]

This is the only fighting game I know where binding buttons is practically mandatory. Especially for 1+2 as it’s needed for throw breaks as well.
Even pros bind this button: leverless, sticks and gamepads.

Because of this I switched from an arcade stick to a gamepad for this game. Other fighting games have normally working double inputs and no need to bind them. I really don’t like using more than 4 buttons on a stick/leverless.

[Chaser82]

Thanks for replies! I'm leaning towards thumb for up, almost got it already. But in clutch moments or after side switch my brain still tries to fallback to WASD.. Will practice for another few days.

[Tshask]

I've got the same controller as you.

I use WSAD because it feels natural, though I noticed it's harder to do hopkick from crouch compared to what I'm used to on a pad, so the hitbox set up might be better.

I have 2+3 assigned to the button next to WSAD, so I can activate heat and Xiaoyu's unblockable with just my pinky.

Some button combinations I input manually, but I still have bindings set up (1+2, 3+4, etc). So if I see myself consistently messing up, I start using the bindings.

[=\[P]/=]

1. WASD-style , has no problem launch punish with hopkick, thanks to input buffer in block stun

2. multi-button inputs --> extra buttons, for less misinput chance

i use Haute board b16
the size fit my hands very well, and very compact to carry around :D
and its firmware allow freedom key bind customization

[Tshask]

Originally posted by =\P/=:

1. WASD-style , has no problem launch punish with hopkick, thanks to input buffer in block stun

What about ducking and launching highs? I noticed I struggle sometimes with fast highs, where you have to do a very brief duck into immediate hopkick.

[=\[P]/=]

Originally posted by Tshask:

Originally posted by =\P/=:

1. WASD-style , has no problem launch punish with hopkick, thanks to input buffer in block stun

What about ducking and launching highs? I noticed I struggle sometimes with fast highs, where you have to do a very brief duck into immediate hopkick.

i've tested in lab with shaheen

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the setup
========
- set the cpu to do consecutive 2 Jab
- i need to block the first Jab (that put me into -1)
- i need to flash duck the second
- this is important, I MUST launch the CPU with the "Punish" indicator light up, not counter, not grey text

========
the test
========
- 1st method, place my point and middle finger on up and down button
- 2nd method, use my middle finger quick tab between down and up
- 3rd method, screw the hop kick!!! i'll do WS2 !!!


========
the result
========
1. -1st method : risk of misinput the down>up into down+up
depends on the controller opposite direction priority setting
1.1 if i set to "last button win" the character do hopkick too early and got float by the second jab
1.2 if i set to "go neutral" the character do sidestep
1.3 if i det to "ignore the last button" the character keep sitting

2. more success than the first method, since its less likely to misinput
the input timing in the left of the screen say my up come out lower than the first method

3. super easy, success most among 3 method

========
the verdict
========
1. its fast, yes, but to launch a jab (which should be the fastest recover time for high attack, correct me if i'm wrong) you don't need to do down>up that fast
the risk of misinput doesn't worth it

2. doable, success rate is ok

3. the best, if you has 16f WS move, you don't need a hopkick if you can confirm the whiff

========
my thought
========
depends on character,
i prefer the 3rd method if your WS launcher has the same risk as the hopkick, in case of your read on the jab is wrong
but in case of Shaheen (the character i tested with), his WS2 is launch punishable, so the 2nd method it better for him



========
bonus
========
tested the first method on shaheen's guard breaks, it turned out to be sooo easy

i mean, when i wanna use it in neutral, the move is 18f, can't use as a punisher against a whiffed jab, the cpu duck after jab and the guard break whiff instead

[Chaser82]

So after 5 days of practice mode I decided it was time to go against real opponents. I played QM for a few hours and it went much better than I expected. There are still moments of brain freeze when I do something stupid, but overall it's been fine. I think by the end of next week I'll be almost fluent with the leverless and fully back to my normal level of play.