I can't make any combo

[kal3jdoskop]

So, I finally started with this part of Street Fighter (well, it's been a long time, last time I've played in SF Alpha 2 on Windows). I've launched the training mode, and I've chosen Bison. But I can't perform any combo! They look quite simple (for example backward, forward + punch /or backward, forward + kick). I've tried with other characters, but there is excactly the same thing - I can't perform any combo. I made accidentaly combo with Bison, but to be honest - I've got no idea, why this worked once. I thought that my problem was connected with the meter at the bottom of the screen, but even filling it is not doing any change.

[Tuhnu]

Do you mean you can't execute his special moves? Bison is a "charge" character, meaning you have to charge his moves by holding a direction. For example: to do his scissor kicks, you have to hold back for ~2 seconds, then press forward + any kick. Light kick goes the shortest distance but is safest, heavy kick goes furthest but is easy to punish if blocked.

His stomp moves are done by holding down (or down-back/down-forward) and then up + punch/kick.

You can charge both backwards and downwards by holding down-back. If you let go of the charge for even 1 frame, it will be gone and you'll have to charge it again.

[kal3jdoskop]

Yes, I mean special moves. But anyway - it works! Thanks for clarifying this issue, I've got one more question - I've noticed that plenty of characters have some strange zigzag/patterns in case of their special moves (for example Cammy has lots of it, and even Bison has the last special move with this strange symbol, resembling the "Z" letter). I've tried to perform this, but I have no idea, how I should complete these strange "move patterns".

[Tuhnu]

That's the shoryuken motion: forward, down, down-forward (basically forward down forward) and you can also do it by holding down and pressing forward twice, then pressing punch/kick.

edit: And when it comes to the charge ultras, you charge the first input (back or down-back usually) and then do the motion. Bison's ultras would be "charge back, forward, back, forward + all kicks/all punches). I usually screw the charge ultras by trying to do them too quickly, so be careful with that! ^^ Have fun!

[nO_d3N1AL]

You know someone is new to fighting games when they think a special move is a combo. Anyways yes, I had trouble with charge characters when I first started, but now Honda is my main! Charge characters typically tend to play a more patient game; - hence why their moves have to be charged.

[kal3jdoskop]

Originally posted by nO_d3N1AL:

You know someone is new to fighting games when they think a special move is a combo. Anyways yes, I had trouble with charge characters when I first started, but now Honda is my main! Charge characters typically tend to play a more patient game; - hence why their moves have to be charged.

Well, I'm not new in this genre, but old-fashioned :) I began with such titles as Mortal Kombat 2 and Street Fighter 2 and as far as I remember, the "hidden moves" (in these times you had to figure these moves on your own, or find them in magazines (internet was rather rare thing)), launched with some combinations of keys, were called "combo" (in Poland we called them "kombos", which was in fact the travesty of english "combo").

Anyway, thanks Tuhnu for explanations, I still have troubles with some more "advanced" moving combinations (in my opinion they would much easier to perform, if they would be showed as the combinations of arrows, but even if I know how to perform them, it's still, well, quite hard. In elder beat'em'up games it was much easier for me. But I've managed to use about 3 of them in case of Bison and 3 in case of Chun-Li, so it's not bad for the beginning, I can start play with CPU with some chances for victory :)

[nO_d3N1AL]

Originally posted by kal3jdoskop:

Originally posted by nO_d3N1AL:

You know someone is new to fighting games when they think a special move is a combo. Anyways yes, I had trouble with charge characters when I first started, but now Honda is my main! Charge characters typically tend to play a more patient game; - hence why their moves have to be charged.

Well, I'm not new in this genre, but old-fashioned :) I began with such titles as Mortal Kombat 2 and Street Fighter 2 and as far as I remember, the "hidden moves" (in these times you had to figure these moves on your own, or find them in magazines (internet was rather rare thing)), launched with some combinations of keys, were called "combo" (in Poland we called them "kombos", which was in fact the travesty of english "combo").

Anyway, thanks Tuhnu for explanations, I still have troubles with some more "advanced" moving combinations (in my opinion they would much easier to perform, if they would be showed as the combinations of arrows, but even if I know how to perform them, it's still, well, quite hard. In elder beat'em'up games it was much easier for me. But I've managed to use about 3 of them in case of Bison and 3 in case of Chun-Li, so it's not bad for the beginning, I can start play with CPU with some chances for victory :)

Ah ok thanks for the history lesson. This was my first fighting game so I didn't know moves were hidden in older games. Anyways, to answer your question, you could use eventhubs.com to see the arrow keys motion if you're ever confused.

[Tuhnu]

Glad I could help! Practice makes perfect and especially so with fighting games, GL HF!

nO_d3N1AL also had a good point in using eventhubs as a source for info and I'll throw in these two links for the shoryuken forums and wiki. You'll find just about everything you could possibly need from these:

Shoryuken forums (now Ultra but there's still plenty of stuff you can use):
http://forums.shoryuken.com/categories/ultra-street-fighter-iv

Shoryuken wiki (frame data, move inputs and the like):
http://wiki.shoryuken.com/Super_Street_Fighter_IV_AE