Replay Overview: "Turn-about Ring-out edition," -- SSF4AE2012, SCV

Super Street Fighter 4 AE2012
More matches added to the AE2012 Online Tourney replay playlist. Props to DemonEyesLeo and Kazou-8492 for busting through intercontinental latency!

Soul Calibur V
You've been given a fighting stick to carve your own path! It's everything I wanted addressed with SC4, different and better netcode, and more armour pieces have been added to this game. I would feel wrong demanding more, but I hope they add more stages as DLC in the future. In short I'm loving this game!

Eienhikaru(Saber-Seigfried) vs taniguti_1986 (kobasan-Pyrrha) Ranked Match

This was my 2nd or 3rd match online and already the players are making some crazy stuff! I think this is what I look forward to the most is what everyone will come up with in the Create-a-Character. The striped underwear, and freakish horse legs! You cannot unsee!
I don't know if he was specifically going for the Prinny penguin look or not, but props to taniguti_1986 you've set my expectations high for hopefully more "wtf-ness," to come in SCV ranked!

ARCEO-59(custom-Pyrrha) vs Eienhikaru(Arisu Pld-Seigfried) Ranked Match

We come to the break where fighting CPU characters to farm armour parts, and fighting real opponents are two different monsters. This lesson is to remind me that there are those who go for ring out wins because it's highly efficient, and increases sodium content to dangerous levels. That embedded mixup with Pyrrha at ~0:30 was unexpected, and ARCEO-59 wastes no time in abusing it and my blind-spot for it, and the later one that switches to low/high at ~0:57. Overall if I have something to improve on, is to adopt some close-in tech with Seigfried. His potential for distance control is a major crutch for me, and this match is proof.

ARCEO-59(custom-Pyrrha) vs Eienhikaru(Arisu Pld-Seigfried) Ranked Match

Being able to run it back is so gratifying because you've learned what you have to watch out for, and what you can exploit. I've picked up on his mixups, and know that he prefers to go for Ring Outs. What helped me this time around was matching his pressure and going after the same objective. Something to hit the lab with is that stab at ~0:51, it looked like it was coming in low but still got me, I need to know if it hits high, or I was slow on my guard. The Armour Break/KO at ~1:03 is so dramatic and badass, nothing says "STATUS: TOLD!" quite like it. I see that happen a great deal, not even as a Siegfried main so I can't help but think that's on purpose. Freaking awesome.

IrishEdge(Ezio Auditore) vs Eienhikaru(custom-Leixia) Ranked Match

As a Xianhua main it's natural I would want to play Leixia as well, however I'm still getting used to the fact she's not a 100% clone of Xianghua. I don't know if it's story-based but she's not nearly as fluidly played as Xianhua. She lacks a great deal of the ambiguous spinning moves it seems, or I'm just not finding them yet. This match also makes me wonder how much I "like," instant ultra mechanic in SC5. There doesn't seem to be any penalty for just throwing them out, nor any way to interrupt them. I was expecting at least a trade at ~2:36. Nope, not today.
Overall I need to transition better between Siegfried and Leixia. Again Sieg's distance control is a crutch to me, this whole match had me feeling unsafe the whole time, even at my normally comfortable mid-range. I don't have a good feel for her approach or striking range right now and should get worked on before I'm serious enough to take her back into ranked matches.

Replay Overview, "21 Days Too Long" : SSF4AE, KOF13, BB:CS2

Super Street Fighter 4 AE2012
As the title states it's been exactly 21 days since I've played any AE2012. The time apart's been good for some brushing up on Marvel and getting reacquainted with Blazblue. What it hasn't been good for is letting the rust settle in again.

XxSitHappensxX(Chun-Li White) vs Eienhikaru(Chun-Li Red) 02-04-2012 Ranked Match

Seriously, no joke. My first day back on ranked AE and I fight another Chun Li user. Considering the sluggishness in my play, and disappointing punishes, what I really need to be mindful of is my mid-air game. At ~0:39 and ~2:30 I'm doing empty jump ins to gain some ground and I'm not expecting him to meet me up there and blow me up. SitHappens is also a different Chun-Li player than me. I feel like I'm a "safer," version reliant on mid-long spacing , where he's willing to bait things out for Chun's 4.MK > Tenshokyaku string, and EX Spinning Bird Kicks. The Tenshokyaku string is flashy, but severely punishable like you see in the second round. I feel like I might be too conservative with my EX meter after re-watching this. Also, I need to repractice my Ultra conversions, those big whiffs were not lag, that was all rust.

Eienhikaru(Sakura) vs DemonEyesLeo(Adon) 02-04-2012 Player Match

Played some sets with DemonEyesLeo as well. Mad props to his B-Ranked Adon, as you can see my Chun-Li isn't even that high! As with the SitHappens matchup my ultra conversion at ~1:47 is non-existent here. This one looks like it was too early. I'm beginning to understand why DemonEyesLeo's rank is higher because  his spacing with Adon was very smart, and mixups are different than other Adons I've seen online who rely solely on Rising Jaguar priorty, and throw baits.

King of Fighters XIII

Aozaki_Kyo(Kensou, Kula, Kyo EX) vs Eienhikaru(Kula, King, Mai) 02-01-2010 Ranked Match

One of the first few games I've had on KoF13 since the new netcode patch has been out. It's improved a great deal. Now I really have no excuse to not be putting more time on KoF. This is posted more for suna_19's enjoyment, who is also a Kensou user. I was really disappointed with this match only because  Aozaki_Kyo had a sick customization of Kula. His choices in coloring made her look exactly like C.C. from Code Geass. But I wasn't able beat his first, or second character to see it.

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift 2

Eienhikaru(Litchi) vs mr_nagooyen(Arakune) 01-31-2012 Ranked Match

So the new version of BB:CS2 is coming out in 11 days, and I've been running into more less-than-50th-level players a lot recently. This is my third match with mr_nagooyen in as many sessions. Arakune's are an uncommon character so I don't quite know the matchup. I feel like I get tripped up on where Arakune is most times and I'm lost on his priority. In this match I can't help but get myself cursed and just destroyed in the process. The turnaround is dramatic at ~1:.36 where I have nearly 90% life and just lose it all during his curse spam. I have to resort to mashing out a Tsubame Gaeshi just to break the momentum.

Eienhikaru(Litchi) vs KoopaDoopa(Litchi) 02-01-2012 Ranked Match

Let's play a game of "Is it conversion, or is it legit?" The first one starts at ~1:02 with a 6.A > Hatsu > Chun then dashes into a 5.B, 6.C cancel etc. It's too bad I didn't get to fight him again. I'd call legit if he did it 2 more times. The conversion is beautiful don't get me wrong, but I shy away from situational / improv tech.
The next full combo starts at ~1:10 and extends through 1:19. This I feel is legit/reproducible because I've seen similar setups occur, I'm just shocked at how the links are made with the staff being sent and brought back. I got lucky that his Daisharin started at 2 (straight down) instead of 1 (his angled left). This match makes me sad that my Litchi has plateau'ed for so long without any new tech. There's so much I don't fully know with her, and yet she's my only good character in BB.

Eienhikaru(Litchi) vs Judgemastar(Hakumen) 02-02-2012 Ranked Match

Hakumen has become my 2nd least favorite matchup for a number of reasons. Primarily for longer range pokes, and the ability to counter within valid blockstrings. The corner control from ~1:03 to ~1:17 was infuriating for me. The second j.C from him at 1:16 to keep me back there was particularly rage-inducing for me. That 14 seconds of game time was an eternity.
I'm actually a bit confused as to why his counters at ~0:51 and ~2:13 didn't take, the ones after my Itsuu.B. Those look valid and I've been further away and gotten blown up like that before. I got stupid lucky at ~2:38 that I didn't input an A when he dropped his DD counter like that. I honestly couldn't tell you if I messed up my inputs or was expecting him to try and counter.
My last and final beef with Hakumen is his DD counter. Recently in an unposted replay, a Hakumen caught me with a DD counter, and I had enough time to cram down on my 1 and Barrier Block to feel safe. NOPE! That Hakumen cut right through it for a killing stroke. Spoilers - the same thing happens here, but I'm freaking BEHIND HIM. Hide the hitbox much? Rage!! I'm starting to think Hakumen is more trollish of a character than Hazama.

Eienhikaru(Litchi) vs Yukito-chan(Rachel) 02-02-2012 Ranked Match

Matches against Rachel make me feel like the slowest learner in the class at times. One of my frequent opponents SBRS-Bulange has used her as a main, but it's still not enough for me to turn a lot of these winning matches. Overall my sloppiness in this match is bordering unremarkable. I am uncertain how a dash suddenly turned into a Daisharin. Where you see nothing happen for a good 2 seconds is me going "WTF, I didn't do that!" I commend the close, inward-drive where he pulls me in and drops Baden-Baden Lily at ~2:02. It may not be new but I've been seeing more of that same maneuver lately.

Yukito-chan's defense at ~1:48 through ~1:58 is astounding, or maybe he just had me with a genius download. Either way that level of reading your opponent, and patience is a key aspect to fighting games, and I can respect that level of skill. I hope that later games do not try and take away the potential for defense in favor of forcing people to rush in *cough*Marvel*cough*
I've heard similar sentiments on WakeUpSRK regarding Soul Calibur V's changes where normal parries are now gone and Gaurd Impact eats meter. What's replaced parrying is the Just Guard. (besides that video by Aris I haven't been able to draw out my full opinion on it, more on that after I get SCV!)
I'm saddened by that prospect because that changes the "3-Dness" of the game to keep the players in close quarters and facing each other. Under the old parry systems you could force a player to either side and change your footing, like in actual sword fighting! IMO Gaurd Impacts, and Just Impacts were rare enough that it couldn't have been abused.

Pics or it didn't happen!

Shoutouts to Lord Omlette , who demanded proof of a recent tweet of mine. Also found and posted a couple of other gems while I was digging around the inbox, and in BB:CS2 this week.

The Bang Player:

http://imgur.com/wvzfG
I'd fought this particular player a few times and what makes this significant is he had a ranked level of 66, but PSN was matching us to character levels instead. I'd fought his Tager and won 2 matches, and  took another match against his Bang. He rage quit on the Bang match and sent this bit of encouragement to me.

The Hazama Player:

http://imgur.com/6LaIQ
Nothing terribly spectacular about the match that generated this. What I think is funny is I don't know how effective "I let you win," is if you're not gonna run it back. Plus I feel that no one should attitude in ranked match. My only reply is: "Thanks for the points!"

Numerology:

http://imgur.com/UsMxH
Take note of the number of player matches! (-.- ) |,,|

Replays from Blazblue coming this later this weekend as I near the end of my path to a player rank of 50, and probably my last network related trophy I need until BBCS: Extend comes out!