Streaming using NLE on Niconico

Stream setup using NLE on Niconico

Objective
Recreate the stream environment I had before using NLE instead of XSplit

VAC line 1
Set as default playback device
read by NLE as Stereo Mix
Handles delayed PVR audio and Yeti mic
I can't hear this audio, for stream only
Microphone (Yeti)
playback to VAC line 1 via Windows Mixer
VAC line 2
read by NLE as a microphone
Bouyomichan is set to play on this device
playback to my headphones "Speakers (Yeti)"
Audio Repeater
use when Windows "Listen to device" isn't working
Microphone (Sound Card)
direct feed of game audio, no delay
playback to my headphones "Speakers (Yeti)"

Japan trip 2013, Day 1

This may be the beginning of a boring and probably way too wordy chronicling of my Japan trip.

I flew Delta and i fucked up for my onboard meal, I knew better and should have picked chicken over beef but man I wanted it and I was let down. Other than that, my flight was great 'cause it was only like 10.5 hours nonstop and I arrived 40 minutes early meaning I didn't really have to wait to take the Keisei Skyliner from Narita to Tokyo. I was in and out.

I used screenshots of Google Maps directions that I had looked up earlier to fill in the gap of time where I didn't have data and compared GPS to screenshot w/ route to get to my hotel. It was easy. I had my data SIM shipped to my hotel instead of the airport because I was afraid of potential flight delays and not being able to pick up my SIM 'cause they close at 8pm in the airport. Narita had free Wi-Fi anyways so that was good.

My room is hella nice. I'm glad I paid the extra money to get my own room. Your own AC and I didn't expect it but they toiletries they supply are legit, the body wash and shampoo are legit, they have a fridge, I knew they had a microwave which is one of the reasons I picked this place (yes so I can cook oatmeal for breakfast everyday) but wow A FRIDGE!!! wasn't expecting a fridge, hype.

yo the toiletries are so surprisingly legit that I'm taking a picture of them... 

The shower was glorious but I went outside for 5 minutes and I was gross again. It's literally a sauna outside.

Anyways so I activated data on my phone and started getting on the fly directions everywhere and Jesus how did I get around Japan last time without a smartphone+data 'cause man Google Maps is SO USEFUL

i met up with James Xie at PLUCK as planned but thk and his lady was nowhere to be seen and hadn't heard from him in almost an hour so we ate without them. This is where I'm bad and should have taken pictures. I got the Black Set and ordered the Black Curry (their spiciest), the Pork Karma? (awesome), and the ground beef and eggplant curry. Everything in this country tastes so fresh, god damn it's amazing. thk eventually shows up right after we finish so I eat again and this time I get the special of the day and their green curry. Oh god the lamb curry was so awesome and the green curry was rich and wasn't overly sweet at all, in fact it wasn't even really sweet so I was very pleasantly surprised!

After that Xie showed us around Akiba a bit, we parted ways with thk and his lady, they went to check out this huge looking mall and I can't remember exactly what it's called right now. Xie showed me HEY and Club Sega Akiba. I'd been to them before but didn't know that they were so frequented at night time. 

I mostly spent the rest of the night playing EXVSFB at Club Sega Akiba on their beginner shuffle setups. Heavyarms is really different, ESPECIALLY with the nerfs he got the other week... I might just spend the trip playing Turn-X since it's shuffle and Heavyarms is hella different now. I played a little Melty too but man I'm ass at Melty now.

anyways I think that's everything important. other random detail: it only takes one express train from the airport to my hotel. I think I did pretty good with the hotel considering that I booked to Narita on accident (lol was shooting for Haneda... whatever)

Stream setup for Shiren 4+ on niconico

New developments
   what Bouyomichan outputs to can be controlled!
      which means all audio latency issues are fixed!
      I get to play and hear the game w/o any lag
      stream gets the delayed audio and video w/o any desync issues
   XSplit can now game capture from the PVR capture module

VAC line 1
   read by XSplit as Stereo Mix
   Default playback device (I can't hear this)
   Handles laggy PVR audio and filtered TeamSpeak
VAC line 2
   read by XSplit as a mic
   handles Bouyomichan via Windows 7 mixer or Audio Repeater
   plays back to my headset (analog out)
TeamSpeak instance #1 (Voice Detect)
   filters my voice from any potential background noise and echo
   playback and capture both set to headset (digital in/out)
TeamSpeak instance #2 (Mic muted)
   plays back to VAC line 1 so the stream can hear me and TeamSpeak
   mic is muted so capture setting doesn't matter
Audio Repeater
   for use when Windows "Listen to device" isn't working

Direct feed of game audio
   I don't get how I can hear this but whatever it works

All major audio problems are now fixed but I've introduced a new problem but it's not a big issue...

since I'm not listening to the Default playback device, I can't listen to Youtube or any videos when I'm streaming

Jam confirmed to be strong in GGAC+R?

Ogawa recently tweeted that he thinks Jam is the strongest character in +R because she has no weaknesses, her offense, defense, meter gain, corner carry and 'damage cost performance' are all really strong. Her corner game is also really scary and is stronger than Faust's. Then he goes on to mention that there's room for countermeasures and Eddie tech hasn't fully evolved yet.

https://twitter.com/ogawaeddie/status/239759634368430081

En: That's great that Ogawa wrote Jam is strong and all but... he doesn't explain exactly why or how... as expected of Ogawa

https://twitter.com/en_ootsuru/status/239942428239478785

(Koichi then En gives the lowdown)

Koichi: so once Jam has gotten one FB charge, both her offense and defense get stronger in one go. Being able to use charged axe kick at any moment now instead of just having to use it as a follow up gives her a really fast overhead, she already has a really strong low game, and she can start a damaging combo from her charged 623k too. If you get hit by anything, it'll become a corner combo thanks to having a charged flying kick. And of course, after getting hit by any one of those, she'll finish her combo with an SB charge and she'll have all those options back.

https://twitter.com/koichinko/status/239954499391860737

Jam's +R changes for anyone who's unfamiliar with them
22D: is now faster than a normal charge and gives her one of each card

236D, 623D, 214D: can now input charged specials with the D button and at anytime, don't need to follow up a special anymore

Unrelated to the tweets but some more of her +R changes
6H: no longer throw invul, ground bounces on air hit, special cancellable on hit or block now, GB decreased from +20 to +10

6H~H: can now be cancelled into 22s and any charged special, has more pushback on block

5K: proration increased from 90% to 80%

3H: new move, it's her old 6H from before Accent Core, landing recovery increased from 6f to 8f

FB Puffball: doesn't wallstick on hit, just knocks down now, is cancellable to charges on hit or block, untech time is 28F

2H: untech time decreased from 25F to 22F, floats less on hit now

There are more changes but these are the most significant.

ニコニコ stream setup version 2

Reconfig'd since the audio lag is noticeable when it's a fighter

VAC line 1
   Default playback device - compatible w/ Stereo Mix (digital audio isn't)
   picks up any impossible to designate audio e.g. Bouyomi, YouTube
   gets picked up by XSplit automatically "Stereo Mix"
   plays back to my USB headset via the Windows 7 mixer
   both the stream and I can hear this line
VAC line 2
   audio meant only for the stream gets dumped here
   is listening to the PS3 (via mic jack + audio repeater + 1000ms)
   does not playback to anything via the Windows 7 Mixer!
Audio Repeater 1
   feeds raw PS3 audio via RCA and delays by 1000ms to keep it in sync
   plays back to VAC line 2 so only the stream hears it
ArcSoft Capture Module
   outputs PS3 video & audio from the PVR to the desktop
   muted since my headset directly connects to the TV so it'd lag and echo
TeamSpeak instance #1 (Voice Activation Detection)
   records and filters my voice to reduce background noise and echo
   playback and capture are both set to my USB headset
TeamSpeak instance #2 (Microphone muted)
   plays back to VAC line 2 so the stream can hear me and TeamSpeak
   mic is muted so capture setting doesn't matter

Jam vs. Slayer matchup notes

This matchup is somewhat disadvantageous for Jam as her pokes don't do well against Slayer's and Slayer has an easy time stuffing Jam's pokes and his damage output is high.

TL;DR and personal opinions

always get a card and be greedy with your corner knockdowns
don't try to match him in footsies and don't jump in
don't rely on your priority, Slayer is the god of priority
attacking by surprise and having a big bag of tricks is good
as long as Slayer can read you, there is a good chance that you will die

Neutral game

Our checks (f.S, 2D, 2S) do poorly so don't try to match him in footsies
Keep your distance, run around, use surprise attacks, punish his mistakes

cards are key for making the most of any opportunity you get
fortunately Slayer's mobility is limited
look for openings but stay wary of mappa, DOT, etc.

avoiding high risk situations is key
reading your opponent's habits is also important

any 236s~ can be countered w/ dandy steps on reaction if he's good
be conservative with senri and S puffball or don't use them at all

Close range

Slayer can easily mix up his gatlings with high/low/dash
when Slayer tries to 6k, you can react w/ 6p if he's close, f.S if he's far
although Jam can parry, he can also feint his 6k so just hitting him is safer
attacking pre-emptively when he wants to dash is valid

if you can do all of this, the close range battle should become easier
if you have a read, you can 6p when he starts pressure w/ 5k
but Slayer can easily just use 2k as well and you can die for this

Middle range

the distance is the tip of Slayer's 5k or 2h
this is an extremely bad range for us, not fighting here is key
the only thing Jam can really do here is j9 asap gekirin or hj rising gekirin
stay at the range where 5k won't touch you and observe passively

Long range

Slayer can react to any 236s~ option w/ pile bunker or crosswise heel
the moment FB Hyappo sparks, he can just react w/ D-step cross~
if he pile bunkers you can puffball, FB, normal, or senri
in the case that you somehow 236s on accident, you can use 236p and FD

Ground vs. ground

in any case stay patient and tread carefully, don't rush it
try to build meter at long range w/ movement, lure him into doing stuff
charge a card if you see an opening to do so
if you see an opening, dash and challenge him
not being repetitive and attacking by surprise is also key
if you somehow get in, mix him up quickly, don't give him time to think

challenging Slayer with dash 2d is a basic approach
it'll generally beat anything that isn't 2d or 2h, 5k is case-by-case?
against 2h you can use gekirin (anyway you want)
but it has to be a read, it'll lose to 5p 6p 2s etc
you could also use FB Puffball against 2h

if Slayer tries to iad j.H, parry it
if you can't, stay at a range where he can't do that

Ground vs. air

the only answer Jam has to j.H is usually parry
you should be able to parry any obvious j.H approaches
if he's right above you, j.S is valid

Air vs. air

Slayer isn't going to jump but if he does, it's probably an air throw attempt so pre-emptive jK or jP may be good

Jumping at Slayer

Jam doesn't have anything that beats 6p or 2s
jumping in is usually not smart
you could try to mess w/ his anti-air timing with gekirin or j.2k
but it's not something you should try to do regularly

FB Puffball

it's risky but the return is good, use it at your own discretion
it can lose to 6p, pile bunker, or crosswise heel
beating 2h w/ FB Pufball is usually off a read and done pre-emptively
so if you read wrong it can lose to 6p, pile, etc
you're better off just not using this at long range

when you're getting pressured

think about escaping with jump FD
you'll need to FD to create distance first though
when he's too far to 5k is when you can jump but he has options
anti-mash or anti-jump: mappa, 2h, 6h
going in for more pressure: dash, mappa feint, 6h
choosing to wait and see what you'll do is also an option

trying to mash out can lead to bad times but if you want to try...
use 2d, gekirin, or FB Puffball. parry or 6p his 6h.

Slayer's okizeme options

Dandy step high/low: "it's late" (downwards smash) or 2k
6k, 2k, throw, dash (crossup)

Slayer's wakeup options

mostly going to be dandy step, backdash, etc.
instead of going for high/low, attacking left/right is better

Jam vs. Axl matchup notes

Neutral game

 

Keep in mind that Axl's pokes can lead to high damage
Know Axl's distances, use safer options, punish any big openings
Use feints to create openings and slip through his pokes

Openings

Observing Axl's actions is standard as his f.S will beat most options
Getting space first and then playing accordingly is safe
High return option is to buffer parries and dash
If you parry 5h, 5p, or rensen, you can get a combo
countering 5p w/ 6p senri is a high risk/return option if you wanna gamble

 

Long range

Space w/ puffballs to CH his 5p and 2s
5p and 2s are strong anti-airs and discouraging them is good
When he starts trying to shutdown 236s~ w/ 2p and 2h, we can IAD
if he tries to rensen after we block his 2p, parry it and FB Puff or dash
after blocking 2h, be wary of 6h, parry it on reaction if you can
Dash in whenever he whiffs something but observe him carefully
Gekirin is weak against his 2s, be careful
if he misreads an IAD and whiffs a 5h, punish w/ FB Puffball
getting a card from afar is relatively safe
something like IAD j.S is the most that can really happen
you can easily mix up your S puffballs w/ charging a card instead
using 236s 236p against Axl's 2p or 2h may be valid too

Middle range

 

Axl's 3p is really strong and beats most of our options
It knocks down on ground CH which shuts down our 2s
Get out or get closer, staying there is no good

Close range

 

Stick with small moves, keep him honest w/ 2k and 6p
warning: 6h is only +1 on IB and is a good time for him to dp
if Axl gets away w/ FD, start over as midrange is seriously bad
using FD to get out against Axl is safe
respect Axl's 5k, you can lose 50% for trying to mash
however if it's after something like 6h, 6p > f.S > tk ryuujin is valid
parry is useful but 3p goes into 2d which starts the pain train
memorize Axl's gatlings, stay honest and FD when he gatlings into 2D
if you parry rensen and he has no meter, punish w/ FB Puff or phoenix super
if he has meter to FRC it, you can either guess what's next or try to get out
if you want to disrespect, use 623k. juicy if you have a card.
623k will encourage Axl to use 2k, making his pressure easier to escape

Okizeme

 

Axl has two dps which are either upper or lower body invul
switching between lows or buffering a parry and throwing is recommended

dealing with Axl's Okizeme

 

his primary options are 2k or throw
be especially wary of getting thrown in the corner
if you read 2k, 236236h is valid
FRC makes it extremely low risk + high return (70% damage)
parry his 6h on reaction, his j.S can be parried as well

Other notes

 

instill the fear of FB Puffball to create mindgames
against his counters you can use 236s~k, 236s~p, 236p, j.H, etc
there are several ways to counter FB Puffball so don't rely on it too much
you can dash under 5p to some degree and use 6p or 6h against it

GGAC wakeup timings

Face down knockdowns happen when you knock them while they're grounded and is the case with most sweeps and sweep-like specials.

Face up knockdowns happen when you knock them down while they're airborne, when you hit them with special moves that knock them away, and when you throw them (ground and air).

Jam corner okizeme

Gacho style 
xx dash 2h(1) > 236s delay 236p j44

j.214k hits them from outside the corner (double crossup)
j.D hits them from inside the corner (crossup)

Execution tips
xx dash 2h(1) is techable if they're too high
dashing in deep before doing the 2h(1) can help
there is a significant delay between 236s and 236p
when they get pushed by the 236s can be used as a visual cue


Gacho style ver.2
xx dash 2h(1) > 236s~p iabd

j.236p brings you back outside the corner
... land asap 5k for the low, FRC j.H for the high
j.214k and j.D will both hit from inside the corner

Differences
no need to delay 236s~p so this version is easier to time
works better on short characters?
j.214k won't re-crossup so FB Puffballing them back in the corner is ideal
hj.214k should be a valid re-crossup on some characters


Kazu style
xx FB Hyappo > Senri > 236s delay 236p or 236s~p

new type of Gacho developed by Kazu
works well if they are too high or too low for regular Gacho
gives you time to adjust e.g. ABA takes forever to get up
Senri ender is easier than dash 2h(1) untechable ender
it's very stable and practical but always costs 25% meter

Jam vs. Eddie matchup notes

This matchup is 4.0 ~ 5.0 for Jam
It's basically a bad matchup but if you are able to counter Eddie's options e.g. parry mawaru(1), the matchup should become close to even

Neutral game

• Cannot be too assertive about attacking

Carefully observing and attacking their openings should be the basic gameplan

• Single-hit attacks will normally get stuffed

Make them block a series of attacks or else you'll be in for pain
Use 6P or 2S to force an opening if desired

• Keep as close as you can

Letting Eddie have space can mean constantly getting harrassed by drills
Stay away if little Eddie is summoned

• Immediately charge a card if a drill fails to hit you

Mid-distance
This is the distance where you should be wary of drills or FB drill
Be extra cautious of FB drill

Long distance
Charge a card, etc.

FB Hyappo
Can only be used off of reads, get a card first for insurance

Aerial attacks
Linear approaches can all be countered on reaction by 2h (shark)
If you don't take them by surprise you'll die
safer approaches e.g. airdash FD etc are valid


Countermeasures vs. Eddie's okizeme

Parry if they try to okizeme w/ mawaru(1) - this is juicy!
Most Eddies will choose to pressure w/ nobiru or Eddie's gatlings
... Try not to do anything crazy or stupid right here

Spit unblockable
Is a high→low unblockable, is blockable if they mess up obviously
The spit has proration so just eating it crouching is an option
mitigating damage via reversal backdash is an option...
... but if you're in the corner they can still follow up
Phoenix super might be good? needs testing, could hit if Eddie comes close

Nobiru
can be parried but they can mess w/ the timing so it's risky
it's less risky to just block and then try to parry what's coming next

Normals
it's mostly going to be 5k or 2p
623k will beat 5k and 2p can be parried


Countermeasures vs. mawaru

Parrying the first hit
Eddie can be punished regardless of his position
mastering this will make the matchup much easier

Block mawaru(1), backdash asap vs. mawaru(2)
dependent on Eddie's position
can't backdash if mawaru(1) was blocked at the end of its active frames

IB mawaru(1), 5P~
dependent on Eddie's position again
again, won't work if it's around the end of mawaru(1)'s active frames

IB mawaru(2), backdash
can dodge 6k and if he uses normals you'll end up blocking instead

parry or slashback mawaru(2)
it's still a guessing game if you succeed

block mawaru, parry 6k
should only be used if you have the read and want damage
you can also use 623k or phoenix super instead of parry



Countermeasures vs. nobiru

can be blocked in the air w/o FD

the hitbox is pretty long and has a diagonal orientation (like Raou's 214s)

the startup is fast which makes this move impossible to react to

can be baited w/ dash fd, punish w/ 2k afterwards

trying to randomly kill little Eddie w/ 2k is reckless
you may just randomly find yourself eating a counterhit instead

can lure them into using nobiru w/ dash inertia jump etc and then block it

... can backdash after blocking to make their followups whiff

... wasting time by forcing nobirus with dash inertia jump is valid

if blocked from high up in the air, getting out moves before landing is possible e.g. gekirin, j.h, j.2k

How I stream Dragon’s Dogma on ニコニコ

Requirements
   Stream has to be able to hear me, the game, TeamSpeak, etc
   I need to hear dictated comments, TeamSpeak, and the game w/o delay

Problems
   Bouyomi is necessary for games that require constant attention
      PVR and Bouyomi are both locked to the default playback device
      I don't want to listen to the game audio through the PVR because it lags
   Mic has unwanted background noise
      It's only noticeable on stream due to how XSplit constantly transmits
      normally I run a second instance of TeamSpeak (Linux) to filter it out
      but I need Bouyomi so my headset needs to be plugged into Windows 

Hardware
Windows 7 computer
   stream station
Linux computer
   not necessary anymore, currently using as a Twitch.tv monitor
   used to be TeamSpeak instance #1 but I need Bouyomi-chan
Hauppauge HD PVR
   captures PS3 video and audio (720p component, RCA)
SteelSeries Siberia V2 headset
   Takes and mixes TV audio via 3.5mm and computer audio via USB
Powered splitter
   outputs PS3 audio to my TV which outputs to my headset
   outputs PS3 audio to Win7 via RCA to something fat to 3.5mm

Audio Sources and Settings
VAC line 1
   Default playback device - the stream and I both hear this
   picks up Bouyomi and any other impossible to designate audio e.g. YouTube
   gets picked up by XSplit automatically "Stereo Mix"
   plays back to my USB headset via the Windows 7 mixer
VAC line 2
   audio meant only for the stream gets dumped here
   is listening to TeamSpeak #2 directly (anyone who's talking including me)
   is listening to the PS3 (via the mic jack and Windows 7 mixer)
   does not playback to anything via the Windows 7 Mixer!
raw PS3 RCA audio to mic jack
   the powered splitter supplies the raw audio w/o any lag
   plays back to VAC line 2 via the Windows 7 mixer, volume is set to 1%
TeamSpeak instance #1 (Voice Activation Detection)
   records myself and plays back others like a normal instance
   playback and capture are both set to my USB headset
TeamSpeak instance #2 (Microphone muted)
   plays back myself and everyone else on TeamSpeak
   playback is set to VAC line 2 for the stream
   mic is muted so capture setting doesn't matter
ArcSoft Capture Module
   outputs PS3 video & audio from the PVR to the desktop
   muted since the PVR audio lags and the USB headset can get a direct feed
(*) Problems to test and fix?
   PS3 audio is being captured directly now so the game audio may be ahead of the video?
   There shouldn't be any echos or reverb now, will find out next stream

Other Software
Anko-chan
   Comment viewer, handles kotehan,
   warns when stream is about to end, etc.
Bouyomi-chan
   reads stuff out loud so I don't have to check my monitor
Flash Comment Generator
   overlays comments via Anko-chan to XSplit for archival purposes

Introducing Shiren 5

After my initial post about fighting games, I started to lose interest and motivation right away (lol surprise /sarcasm) and instead of talking about fighting games when I wish I could be playing them, I found other things to waste my time on. So since a couple of my friends have been streaming on NicoNico, I decided to stream as well so I could practice my Japanese and play Shiren 5 at the same time. If you want to watch, you can join my community here. Due to the time difference between America and Japan. I generally play really late at night or really early in the morning. If there’s enough interest or if I have feel motivated enough, I’ll start writing about Shiren 5 instead.

I will briefly introduce Shiren and roguelikes and try to go over anything that’s super important. Since this is probably going to be pretty long as the game is very different now, I’ll just write about the two new biggest features which are the Day/Night system and Point Shop system and save the other new features and my criticism and comments for another time. Since I plunged straight in without doing any research whatsoever, it took me about 12 hours of playtime and talking with people on NicoNico to learn everything that was needed to properly play the game. If you don’t get something, just ask in the comments.

For those of you who don’t know what Shiren is, it’s “Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer,” which is Japan’s roguelike series, and its most well-known incarnation is probably Shiren 2 which came out on the SNES in ‘95 and was ported to the DS in ‘06. There’s also Shiren 3 for the Wii and both the games I just mentioned have English localizations. And for those of you who don’t know what a roguelike is, it’s a turn-based RPG where the dungeons are mostly randomly generated and you typically lose all your levels and items when you die. The enjoyment comes from the sense of adventure since no run is ever the same as another one and there’s always something new to learn.

Now the first and most important feature I want to talk about is the Point Card system which was ironically the last feature I found out about. The Point Card system is a system that allows you to accumulate currency that cannot be lost upon death and is separate from the usual currency which are Gitans. You can accumulate points by stepping on Point Traps which aren’t actually traps since they don’t do anything bad to you but they will appear as traps on the map and unlike real traps, they are completely visible right off the bat. To accumulate points, you must be in possession of a Point Card and it must not be in a pot. If you lose your Point Card, it will cost 1000 gitans to replace it.

You can exchange your points through the Point Shop for useful key items such as the “Once Again Herb”, “Holding Pot [5]”, and the “Melding Pot.” The “Once Again Herb” is a herb that, upon death, allows you to revive with full HP or escape back to town with everything you’re holding. For those who don’t know what a “Holding Pot [5]” is, it’s a pot that can carry up to five items which is key as inventory space in Shiren is extremely limited. If you don’t have pots, you won’t be able to hold very much. The “Melding Pot” is a pot that allows you to combine similar items into one item which lets you stack upgrades or abilities on your armor or you can combine magic wands to combine all their charges together. So by using points, you can effectively keep all your items upon death and keep making your weapon and shield stronger until your equipment is strong enough to handle the more difficult dungeons.

Next is the day and night system which was was introduced in Shiren 4 and was part of the game right from the start but in Shiren 5, you have to clear three mini-dungeons before you will get to encounter it. If you’ve played any other Shirens before, then that’s the daytime experience, and the gameplay is mostly the same. But when it becomes nighttime, the game completely changes. For starters, you practically can’t see anything without a torch and if you don’t have a torch, you are probably screwed because you won’t be able to find the staircase to the next floor unless you stand right next to it and you won’t even be able to read a scroll.

But you will mostly be screwed because all the monsters become incredibly strong at night and from my experience, they will most likely kill you in just one hit or maybe cast some incredibly obnoxious spell and you’ll die anyways. However, just like you, they won’t be able to see very well either! Unfortunately that also means monster will start attacking other monsters and whenever a monster kills anything in Shiren, it WILL level up, even if it only killed a little girl. When a monster levels up in Shiren, it doesn’t just level up in stats but also in appearance which pretty means it just evolved into a stronger monster like a Pikachu becoming a Raichu so it really just gained like 10 levels and it’s usual ability got even more stupid.

Also not only will the monsters literally evolve off of killing each other and will do rather fatal amounts of damage to you, but your physical attacks will do practically nothing to them. However what you can do is cast spells! Shiren can learn spells now! However he can only have up to like ten spells and once you use one, you can't use it agaun until the next floor. I haven’t advanced far enough to know if you’ll be able to hold more spells later on, but for the hard part of the story adventure, it seems that you’re limited to ten spells per floor.

All of this means that unlike daytime, you won’t want to farm and go around killing every monster for exp and searching every nook and cranny for items. Instead, you will want to advance through the dungeon as quickly as possible. You may also run into the problem of possibly advancing through the dungeon too quickly and finding yourself underleveled or undergeared as the monsters will gradually get stronger and harder...

An Introductory Post

Due to the current situation and circumstances in my regional area, the primary focus of this blog will be fighting games. For those who don't know me, allow me to briefly introduce myself. My name is Alex Yau but I'm known in most online communities as dakanya and I've been playing Melty Blood and Guilty Gear in the San Francisco Bay Area for a couple years now. For starters, I will be writing a short series of articles to help dissolve some common misconceptions people might have when trying to learn fighting games. After this, I will be moving on to document my own experiences and growth.

As I've been a relatively niche fighting gamer for sometime, I've come to realize that most players simply do not care enough or do not put in the proper time or energy required to truly become a stronger player. However, it is not entirely their fault. I've witnessed many people claim that they're hungry and want to become stronger and some have truly struggled to do so. But to become stronger at fighting games, there are many factors needed and to be honest, unless you live in certain pockets of the world, you probably do not live in the proper environment to grow stronger. The only solution to this is to create the proper environment yourself.

Obviously besides needing access to the game, you need people to play with. What if you have people to play against but you can only play once every so often?  Here we already have the first problem. Maybe you only get to play once a month? As a result, maybe you aren't feeling motivated enough to practice on your own or study videos? When I started out with Melty Blood Act Cadenza, I was fortunate enough to have netplay so I just grinded almost everyday and that's how I learned. But during my training for the 2010 EVO tournament for Melty Blood Actress Again, I realized how much harder it is when you can't play as much as you want. Unless you have an amazing amount of raw natural talent, you're going to have to be extremely goal-oriented. When you only get to play every so often and you actually want to get stronger, you need to actively make goals and achieve them.

When I mean goal-oriented, I don't mean some abstract undefined goals like losing less games, get hit less, block more, mash less. I'm talking about goals like the moment they whiff a poke, I'm going to either punish it with my own or dash in and start pressuring them, I'm going to train my opponent to respect this blockstring, I'm going to sit right outside their effective range, etc. Obviously general things like getting hit less and losing less games are what you want to achieve but those goals are intangible. You might be thinking about it but how much are you really thinking about it? Drilling thoughts like "if I mash less and block more I'll lose less games" are meaningless and are empty thoughts. Think about exactly how you are going to lose less games, recognize your mistakes, and improve on what you could be doing better.

Thanks to the current level of technology today, you can also learn by engaging in discussions over the internet and watching match videos online. However, many players are often looking for the wrong things or overlook the subtle things that happen. Learning combos and mixups are important but what’s more important is to analyze the neutral game and to understand the reasoning behind every decision made. What’s the point of being able to run them over once you get in if you can never get in? For example, something fairly subtle is dashing forward a little before instant air dashing. Your opponent may react to your ground dash and try to stop you with a low and you’ll be able to get in with your instant air dash! You’ll even be able to get in from farther away than you normally would. When you watch a match video, don’t just look for combos and mixups, break down and analyze the neutral game as well.

As this has become quite long already, I'll stop here for now. I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to write about next but I have a few ideas. As an afterword, I’d like to clarify that even though I can be considered to be someone who has risen to a competent skill level, I would not call myself "good" and I must honestly admit that like others, I'm guilty of being lazy and I've never truly given it my all. I've simply been blessed with some good teachers and I've put in more than others to be considered above average for my regional area, but never enough to reach the top. However, you don’t have to necessarily be a top player to understand how to play and I hope I can motivate others to find it in themselves to truly seek strength.