Newbie into KOF questions

[davedarkotv]

Ok, I'm not even sure if this is the right place to post a question like this (never posted on steam so I don't really know where I should ask xD), but I really need some "help".

I've never really been into fighting games but for some reason I'm loving this one... even tho I'm getting destroyed online and I'm having a hard time offline even at difficulty level one.

I've never played a kof game before so I don't really know the mechanics, I studied the moves of my 3 favourite characters so far (vanessa, the fire punch guy and the black cop counter-block specialist in a suit and suspenders guy), but online I have 0 chances vs most people (Vanessa is the only one that I can land a good punch with, but that's it)

I read on the omniscent internet about dream-something, glowy-max super cancel-combos and stuff like this but I haven't found a real tutorial/guide yet...
Can you explain me the basics to get basic combos and to do the dodgy cancel move thingie, or could you give me some site or videos that explain these topics?
Thanks!

[simon]

http://dreamcancel.com/wiki/index.php?title=King_of_Fighters_2K2UM

[Vanscot]

Adding to mobman:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=kof+2002+master+class

[Emilkof]

The important thing for beginners is to learn how to block. I feel like almost no one makes an attempt to block, they are too busy frantically hitting some C/D button the moment there is even a one frame opening...please learn how to block, you will learn many things as a result of this, such as when there is an opening(if you're observant) and what attacks hit high/low or are unblockable.

[davedarkotv]

I already checked out the deamcancel wiki but tbh I didn't understand much, I need a visual demonstration more than an explanation, there are the masterclass videos tho (on the wiki as well), so thank you.
And yeah I guess I just have to keep playing to understand when it's the right moment to block and when to strike :)

[Rokkit]

important thing too is not to throw out low strong kicks. It's not like in street fighter where you can just block afterwards usually. Most animations take so long that it's pretty much a guaranted hit if you miss.

[Faiyez]

You can throw out low strong kicks for a quick knockdown and some breathing space. Just try not to be too predictable.

[КРАСИВАЯ ЛЕНОЧКА]

http://tieba.baidu.com/p/3614044859 EX Yashiro
http://tieba.baidu.com/p/3585527928 Athena
http://tieba.baidu.com/p/3612658942 Goenitz
http://tieba.baidu.com/p/3588603727 Maxima
http://tieba.baidu.com/p/3588019541 EX Takuma
http://tieba.baidu.com/p/3597828582 Ralf
http://tieba.baidu.com/p/3592940025 Kula
http://tieba.baidu.com/p/3597068812 Bao
http://tieba.baidu.com/p/3591747487 Shingo
http://tieba.baidu.com/p/3584492788 Heidern
http://tieba.baidu.com/p/3590954621 Whip
http://tieba.baidu.com/p/3583294249 Robert

Those are my tutorials, you may use website translator to read

[Shui]

Originally posted by Castor Troy:

important thing too is not to throw out low strong kicks. It's not like in street fighter where you can just block afterwards usually. Most animations take so long that it's pretty much a guaranted hit if you miss.

This is unless you're lucky enough to have someone who can cancel their crouching strong kick into something. Some projectile users can do this. I think Kensou was one of the characters who can do this, for example. I know Athena can as well in some years, but pretty sure they removed that ability for 2002?

But if you can cancel to a projectile this can usually protect you against people who get overly aggressive on blocking and try to attack off a block. They'll eat the projectile before their move can come out.

[uraizen]

Since we're asking for help, is there any footage of any competitive May Lees out there? I know you're supposed to utilize her hero stance cancel a lot, but I don't know any good hit confirms or normals.

[Shui]

May Lee's tough. I don't know anything that utilizes the switching personally. I just know a few basic things that can be done and normal and a few that can be done in hero as if they were two seperate things

If you play people who like to aggressively attack off of blocks, remember that b+K during her chains can go into her counter. close standing D I think hits twice which gives a good cancel window that you can even SDM from.

in Hero Mode, her Chop Fist is super cancelable which might be useful to getting to her DM since she'll be airborne from the special. Alternatively, you can cancel to it from a jumping A like with most aerial supers.

It seems to me that Hero Mode has trouble applying low pressure and regular has trouble applying overhead pressure which I guess is why you're suppose to swap around a lot to keep the pressure on. Though at least regular is better at overheads than Hero is at lows. Regular is just far better at low hits than high ones.

[Emilkof]

Originally posted by uraizen:

Since we're asking for help, is there any footage of any competitive May Lees out there? I know you're supposed to utilize her hero stance cancel a lot, but I don't know any good hit confirms or normals.

The best players are the Japanese, so I'd look up Nishinippori Versus sets on youtube. I can't recall the specific May Lee players but I suggest looking up those sets and just skimming through for May Lee players, I remember there were some.

To be honest I'd recommend just watching everything from Nishinippori, you will learn a lot.

[uraizen]

Originally posted by Emilkof:

Originally posted by uraizen:

Since we're asking for help, is there any footage of any competitive May Lees out there? I know you're supposed to utilize her hero stance cancel a lot, but I don't know any good hit confirms or normals.

The best players are the Japanese, so I'd look up Nishinippori Versus sets on youtube. I can't recall the specific May Lee players but I suggest looking up those sets and just skimming through for May Lee players, I remember there were some.

To be honest I'd recommend just watching everything from Nishinippori, you will learn a lot.

I saw three; one that got beat bad and two that one. She's very meter hungry, so I had my team order wrong to begin with. Now I kind of have an idea of what buttons are good and her meta game. I was ready to lose 1000 times trying to figure her out. Thanks.

EDIT: No Angels yet, but I do with K's shirt would catch fire.

[Emilkof]

i wouldn't say she's meter hungry. What matches made you think she was?

I'd say she is better in the first slot...since she is a high pressure frametrap character, she benefits from the opponent not having meter to escape with CD counter and guard roll.

[uraizen]

Originally posted by Emilkof:

i wouldn't say she's meter hungry. What matches made you think she was?

I'd say she is better in the first slot...since she is a high pressure frametrap character, she benefits from the opponent not having meter to escape with CD counter and guard roll.

No reversal in regular mode, so she needs to waste a bar to escape. They seemed pretty keen on using her overhead super canceled into her hero form with a special to super follow-up. Otherwise it was a quick poke into hero form or her 236C special canceled into her hero form.

I was also looking for a hit confirm starting from a low that doesn't require a max cancel to continue. I did see her hero mode's f+A stop a fireball, so that was cool.

EDIT: My mindset is probably in the wrong place. I'm primarily a BlazBlue player and the KoF games are my favorite ground based fighters alongside UNIEL.

[[CPC]Zerger]

Hi Dave, here is your new bible:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye3KVgI1LvU

Watch it over and over again ;)

I also have a newb question: Are the boss characters (like Geese) superior to normal characters or is the game enough balanced to mix-up teams with bosses ?