the problem you have (or had) was you were unable to set up throw punishment situations. if you recall i neither put much on your block to be at negative nor did i hold when you hit me with a poke because at that point i KNEW you weren't going start a combo because we had fought so many times, this caused your offensive to be practically nonexistent because you kept waiting for opportunities that weren't happening to attack. as a grappler you have to give someone a reason to hold in the first place meaning you have to hurt them with combos first. The worse you hurt them that way the easier it will be to get them to hold which is what your goal as grappler ultimately is going to be in this game.
I was, but here's why:
There was (then) an relentless barrage of strikes and I know where most people go when attacking alpha:
! They only go low, (If they go low) because their fingers hurt from mashing
too hard, too often! I feel embarassed to go around the stages neutral guarding for upwards to three or more rounds because the
button doesn't exist! That's fucking insane! This isn't about me not looking for opportunities; it's about my opponents being ignorant! The flipside is, you do get the throw-whores but only out of spite because they can't hit me! "Geez! That fight was annoying!" Yet, when I let my guard down, I'm annoyed! Do you see how this is working so far?
Secondly, I don't start of with combos because Alpha is too readable! I didn't say I never use combos or don't get them in, but due to her "transparency," I can't just be a combo-whore (unless I manage a Critical Blast and the only one "available" (rarely caught) is
. However, anything before
can be easily stopped.
I do mix-up! I do consider those as my combos which I can then get throws (due to frantic holding) of obviously or guard looking for unsafe stuff and throw that way.
But here is the key to my offense: it is SLOW! I play both sides slowly! What is wrong with doing such? Here, I have a fast character, but made her slow? How did I do it? I even tell players when facing alpha to slow the hell down; it makes beating her much, much easier - I said nothing about it happening faster. Which means I should clear this up: It is not easier to beat alpha! It "appears" that way because players believe they must play faster to beat her. This is why you see ninjas all the damn time and players bull-rushing like crazy with the roster. Lack of defense -- my ass! I understand this logic: Fast > Slow, of course! NOT! Who told players that lie?
Remember, that 3-0 comeback when I was down 0-2? Well, lookey-here! I think I'm onto something!
This is why players hate fighting me! I got called a turtle (not the first time). Now, how the fuck am I one when you have ample opportunity to ram my ass and be done with it? (And I fucked her up quite well without doing such! Ironic, much?) Yet, let me ram you and you do what you don't like me doing? Again, Logic failed that person! I keep hearing how playing that way will get you KO-ed! True, but "Is going in with guns blazing" always a good idea? Hell no! Yet, that is what being aggressive means to alot of people! (If you don't think before you speak, someone help you if the wrong thing comes out of your mouth!)
This is also why I hate mirrors (no offense, Hanji) Those alphas don't know when to "stfu!" (metaphorically speaking) KWIM? This is why players are scared and disrespect my alpha because she knows when to speak and when not to, but it's the when she doesn't that scares people because they have no idea what, more importantly how, she will say it! It is not her brutality (words) but the manner in which she goes about before and during the unleashing her brutality (tone). IOW, it's not what you say, but how you say it!
Too many people want her to just say shit; they don't care if she's rude or obnoxious! (Yet, regret holding and having a pimple BURST) I don't wanna play this way since too many (or few) already do! (And are too busy trying to make me fit that mold)
I'll ask again, if you're going to rush me, why shouldn't I defend myself? You'd wanna do that if I were rushing you, right? (And I don't rush that often or that hard)
Thirdly, I rely on the simple things! I used to play a HARD-ASS Keepaway game with 46 (
; I've found that 42 works well, too -
,
). And why? Cause people would rush me! That's what those moves are for!! But I've dailed that way down though I still use it! Then came mixing up, poking, throw punishment. But all the offense started and still starts from my defense! I'm acting defensively a little less now, but I'm always thinking defensively - using my offense in a defensive manner. Defensive players are easier to deal with if you are willing to understand how they play! As I said before, Rule #1 is being Patient Rule #2 is being Intelligent. These two go hand-in-hand. Ironically, this is how defensive players often deal with offensive players!
If anything, aggressive players teach patience!! This is how a "perceived" aggressive character became patient! But now, I have to become more aggressive? Wasn't this why the boss version was hated last game when ironically, players had to be patient to beat her (until they found out how to exploit it) Do players think I'm "boss-like?" I'll take that as a complement!
I get everything you're saying though - balance, but I have it! Why am I suddenly being pushed in the other direction?