Free Step Dodge

Well if we ever bump into each other in 5lr, you can always prove to everyone why I am moving in slow motion. XD

Why people shit on the sidestep in 5? Because it ain't just autopilot and has to be used for like the last hit of a string in certain situations? That you need to have the read for the sidestep to work? OMG the universe is collapsing!

My issue w/ 5's Sidestep stems from comparing it to Tekken's & even Soul Caliburs. 5's wasn't rewarding to me. I couldn't sidewalk nor sidestep predictable non-tracking strings as it'll just automatically re-track which rewarded a rushdown-type playstyle, especially as a i9 vs i11's.

It defeated the purpose as I felt "mind as well just block the whole thing" but also considering how people free-cancel & stuff, it still wasn't rewarding. I felt the sidestep was the only defensive option in 5 that wasn't rewarding at all.

But with 6, I didn't want it to knockdown or even have invincibility frames, which added to the "anything can change the tide of the battle." Especially with the knockdown as someone would do a negative string but because SS was that much of an assistance, even w/o properly reading anything, they would do it and you get knockdown to the environment for a potential death combo.

But with the patches, the SS, although still w/ the invincibility frames, you still got grabbed out of it (with more damage I might add), fatal rushed, & if you had no meter, hit w/ non-tracking strings yet again which showed that the problems still existed. The sidestep is the one major issue I have w/ DOA from 5:lr to now. I can't compare 3 or 4 as I didn't play those seriously at all.

@T..J. Bernard Yeah 5's neutral step system is not that great which is the same as 6's neutral step system and why everyone prefers to rely on the SSA, though it's tolerable to say the least. Lots of characters can get away with murder just by the step system itself being abysmal. Characters don't exactly go off axis which is a bit of a shame. If DOA could get a good freestep at the least.

Free step dodge (lol) was a cool thing back then. I kinda thought with 5, they wanted the strings to be held at the beginning where it starts the same. This coming from someone who plays VF in which, I've literally sidestepped and waited for my opponent to ring themselves out lol I don't play DoA expecting it to act like another 3D game in terms of that though. I could be here all day bitchin if that was the case

It just seems kinda funny/off to want more defense options in a game that was designed with the intent of beating predictable patterns. Hold is the defense option beyond block. If you see a move start up, you already had room to hold it. Of course depending on the MU, it seems like it's the only thing to do. Which is rough.

If the frames weren't so far apart with the jabs and jailstrings to boot, it wouldn't be on your mind in the same capacity. You'd then be able to interrupt start ups with faster moves in neutral. Offensive Hold was made with that in mind but then you have someone like LF who has it and go, "Did she need that?' Power dynamic would change if ONLY big chars had OHs.

I'm not saying I want more defensive options for DOA. I'm saying in comparison from DOA5:LR to DOA 6, the defensive options I had in 5 were much more fleshed out than 6. But the weakest defensive option that was in 5 to me was the sidestep as that was the least rewarding between stagger, fuzzy, holding block, hold, etc.

Like in 5, I can go a whole set w/ seeing the sidestep maybe 4-5 times out of 20+ matches, unless your character has a special SS, ie Bayman, Christie, Hayate, etc. Also I have to consider that even though yes the point of the defensive aspect is to beat predictable patterns, it's also considered to think of times when an option is best used.

Especially in 5. For example, I don't want to hold very much against Alpha as she has many things offensively that can put me in a dire situation. Also, environment plays a factor as well. Holding in a neutral open setting isn't as rewarding as holding against a breakable table that leads to a guaranteed setup for big boy damage.

The option to stagger is important to distinguish between guaranteed stuff & non-guarantees for a potential punish. Fuzzying so that if someone's late to a throw, I'm not getting thrown much that also gets me back to offense. Etc.

Compare those to the Sidestep option and with the risk of potentially still getting stunned for a read, tracked for a more messed up situation, or even thrown out of it and from there I feel it's the weakest defensive option in the game.

But with 6, the problem is that rather than it being used as an option for if I'm seeing a non-tracking string, etc, it was used as a bailout tool that knocks down for potential big boy damage. Which adds to what I was saying that 6 I felt was too easy to turn to an autopilot rushdown player as there wasn't much punishment for that style.

You trying to run some matches in 5?

Yeah I'll run a few. I'm down to run sets & learn more. I'll hop on tomorrow. PSN: Conditioner15

Scatch that. My ISP interrupted my net despite FCC demands of keeping people Connected. I had talked to them to get an extension to 6/30 and the only thing on is my phone service which their numbers don't get me a live person, just sends me to pay the bill automatically.

All good. Just let me know whenever you're down to play.