Welcome to Week 8 of Learning Anime Fighters (AF). This is an ongoing blog about me picking up anime fighters and also learning a leverless controller and brand new arcade stick.
This blog is done chronologically so follow along as we explore Anime Fighters and more.
Monday
- So it was teased last blog but this week we can discuss it in full. We got a brand new stick baby!! As you can clearly see it is a Qanba Drone 2. I mainly brought this because I need a 'cheaper' stick but I want PS5 compatibility (which most games are played on now) without breaking the bank. I see myself buying a PS5 eventually (because Xbox isn't making any moves) so it can be used on that too.
- This new stick (tentatively called Eclipse) is already doing wonders. It is named Eclipse because it arrived on the day of the solar eclipse (4/8) and I actually saw it in person.
- Eclipse is already paying dividends. Sure I was making head room with my old Marvel vs Capcom 3 Hori Stick but I have been doing better with the Qanba. Byakayu's expert combos are now 8/13 and I think I finally understand how he works.
Tuesday
- Mostly a Tainted Grail Conquest night. Doing much better progression-wise until I screwed up during the second boss battle. Still enjoying it and I feel once I've beaten it at least once, I'll put up a full length RAVE for it.
- Londrekia is finally done. I had 2 combos which refused to work but after getting Eclipse, I was able to get both done after a couple tries. I started Londy's trials back in Week 3 when I was getting frustrated with his delay 2C, into 214[A] (The [] meaning hold the button in UNI2 terms) this combo refused to be completed until tonight.
- Smaller success as well, completed a trial for Orie and Carmine.
- Maybe it is not a placebo effect. I do recall my Hori stick which I was using being extra sensitive and causing my cursor to move much faster, down especially. I do not have that issue with Eclipse? More research needed perhaps?
Wednesday
- Making small progress again but completing 2 Eltnum trials which once felt impossible is a good feeling. Also I should know by now when the game says 'delay' it means DELAY it lol.
- On that note; Eltnum is now 12/14 expert trials. Soo close.
- Eltnum? More like Eltdone (I do not know if this joke has diminishing returns). She definitely has some complexity to her, especially with her Force Function aka FF aka B+C cancel and her 2B into 22B combos. Now I think about it, if the Hori's issue was down inputs, could that have interfered with it? I really like her character design but I do not see myself maining her as a starter character because she is pretty taxing on the mental stack.
- As promised in our previous blog, I started playing Story mode; first up; Melty Blood: Type Lumina. I have actually never did any story content for MB so Story week should start here.
- I settled on Noel as my first character, I like how easy she is to pick up and since my other main Kaguya is a warrior nun, it would be nice synergy.
- MBTL's story mode is cute, a lot of interactions, the ending being only one picture is on brand too. French Bread seems to favor those for endings (UNI2 has one picture endings as well).
Thursday
- Break night; I did even look at my Steam Deck I was so tired lol.
Friday
- Continuing Story mode week; I played BBTAG specifically UNI2's chapter. Turns it out its only part of a bigger story so I need to do all the other ones too. The games difficulty is not hard so I can probably do it when I get some time. Maybe chapter a day in the new week.
- BBTAG continues to surprise how easy it is to pick up. If you want to get into anime fighters it is a good entry point. However it will not prepare you for the complexities of some of the games. I heard BlazBlue is much more complex and UNI2 as I've found out is similar.
- Doing more research, I can confirmed my Hori Xbox360 stick does have a very sensitive down input. I can especially see it when I go to menus. Thankfully Eclipse does not have those issues and it'll be my main controller going forward.
- Bought Slay the Spire. I mentioned in my previous PIT STOP about the Triple I Initiative that I was considering buying it again. It is a good game to play when I am resting my wrist and I just LOVE the game. Nice to have it on a more portable console too.
- Speaking of wrist, its time to discuss my current issue.
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| Yes that's Kaguya as my wallpaper lol |
- Thankfully the finger issues is not as bad. For awhile pressing down hard with my ring handed ring finger hurt a bit but that has gradually gone away. My wrist does hurt when I push down on it through, hence the brace. It helps and I wear it occasionally but not all the time. Most of the time I am fine but when I feel it, I am not ashamed to slap it on. I feel once I am not always doing combo trials and not constantly doing hard motions and pressing down hard to do the charge attacks my pain will lessen even more.
- Back on track, since I completed Eltnum's combo trials I decided I'll use her in Story mode. Boy was it hilarious. She is like the Deadpool of UNI with her constant 4th wall breaks. Beating the game with her also unlocked an achievement which was nice.
Saturday
- Hilda? More like Hildone (this is the last time I'll use this joke I promise). The infamous double plinking 5-12 is completed and I actually had to change how I held my stick to get it. It was some finger gymnastics for sure. For awhile Hilda's trials look insurmountable but we have conquer them. Now Carmine on the other hand.
- Finally got Mika's 5-9. I was delaying the 2B too long. I have to time it with the [C] hit. When I did it without it the the hit stun decay was too much. Thank goodness for the ability to slow the combo trials down to 30% speed to help me see where I was messing up.
- Revisited the advance tutorials tips and again there is too much 'wall of text' instead of giving you a chance to practice the concept or at least show a video of it. I feel if they add either of those options it would be a much better training tool.
- Speaking of tight timing, Orie's 623A needs to be done at the perfect timing so she can juggle after it. I finally got it done for one and now I just need to do her anti-air one.
- Orie's last trial that stumped me had a frame kill 2A, perfect height for her 236[B] and the perfect timing mentioned above. Once it all clicked, we got it and Orie is done.
- Most of Orie's combos were not that hard with the exception of the last 3. Those took me awhile before finally getting it. As a character, she is interesting but I do not see myself maining her.
- Completed 2 combos trials in one day? Feeling good.
- Eclipse is doing very well, my only issue is it is kind of light compared to my other sticks I've own. I did some trials in KOF XV and the stick was flying off my lap during some movements. Might look into adding a steel plate to the bottom to weigh it down a bit.
- Akatsuki's 5-6 or any of his combos that relies on a aerial 6[C] is so weird to me. When I step away from it I can do it during my first couple tries (and I did hence 5-6 being completed now) but if I mess it up and I keep trying it I will eventually get jumping C instead, no charged 6C.
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| I have beef with this move. |
- Subsequently trying it again for the last of 2 combos I am stuck on and it will not come out. Jumping C only. So frustrating because I do not know what I am doing wrong.
Sunday
- Break night.
WHAT'S NEXT
Eclipse, my next stick, really made this week enjoyable. Completing Eltnum, Hilda and Orie's trials this week was a definite highlight. I can also say this is the first week I did not feel as much strain on my finger or wrist which might be due to more breaks, my new brace or just me not dedicating as much hours to these combo trials.
However not resting on my laurels, I have a couple goals for the new week. I aim to complete the all chapters in BBTAG story mode, start Granblue story mode and beat DNF Duel with a new character too (probably Monk). This week we are diving into the deep end with some of the hardest combo trials yet in UNI2 starting with Seth.
We also have a UNI2 tournament coming up on May 5th at Arcade Legacy and since I have a PS5 stick I will actually sign up and play in it this time. It is almost time to leave the lab and see how much I've really learned.
AV
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