Street Fighter IV (Old Wiki Page)

Notation

Joystick Notation

• F - Forward - Tilt stick forward/towards the opponent. (X-axis)
• B - Backward/Back - Tilt stick backward/away from the opponent. (X-axis)
• U - Up - Tilt stick upwards. (Y-axis)
• D - Down - Tilt stick downwards. (Y-axis)
• QCF - Quarter circle forward/Hadouken/Fireball - Tilt stick downwards, then to downwards and forward, then forward.
• QCB - Quarter circle backward - Tilt stick downwards, then to downwards and backward, then backward.
• HCF - Half circle forward - Tilt stick backwards, then to downwards and backward, then to downward, then to downwards and forward, then forward.
• HCB - Half circle backward - Tilt stick forwards, then to downwards and forward, then to downward, then to downwards and backward, then backward.
• DP - Dragon punch - Tilt stick forwards, then to downward, then to downward and forward.
• 360/FC - Full circle - Complete a full rotation of the stick.
• 720 - N/A - Complete a 720 degree rotation of the stick.
• Charge - Hold a tilt - Hold the stick in either B or D (Depending) then move to F or U respectively.

X-axis functions can be used interchangeably with Y-axis functions and vice versa. X-axis functions cannot be used in conjunction with another X-axis function and vice versa.

SFIV accepts shortcuts for some of these motions:

• DP - can be performed as DF,D,DF; in other words tap the stick into the lower corner twice. Also DF,D,DB,D,DF,D,DB; in other words wiggle the stick from one lower corner to the other and back. Useful when you are guarding low, or when you are being crossed up.
• 360 - can be performed as F,DF,D,DB,B,UB or B,DB,D,DF,F,UF. In other words, a 225 degree rotation ending in up and back or up and forward. Reduces the chance of jumping.

Six Button Notation

• Jab - weak punch
• Strong - medium punch
• Fierce - fierce punch
• P - any punch
• PPP or 3P - all three punches simultaneously

• Short - weak kick
• Forward - medium kick
• Roundhouse (RH) - fierce kick
• K = any kick
• KKK or 3K - all three kicks simultaneously

--NKI 14:42, 7 January 2007 (UTC)

Descriptors

State Modifiers

• st. - The following move should be performed in the standing position (neutral in the Y-axis). i.e. st.Fierce, perform a Fierce whilst standing.
• cr. - The following move should be performed in the crouched position (held down in the Y-axis). i.e. cr.Fierce, perform a Fierce whilst crouching.
• j. - The following move should be performed in the "in the air" position (After having held up in the Y-axis). i.e. j.Fierce, perform a Fierce whilst in the air.

Game Mechanics

Focus / Saving Attacks

Basic Operation

Hold MP + MK at the same time to start “charging” a Focus Attack.

Focus attacks can broadly be separated into three “levels,” which correlate to how long the player charges a focus attack up for.

• LEVEL 1

If you time this correctly, this can be used to “bypass” one hit of another move, otherwise it has no effect other than making your character start a focus animation.

Note that you can only absorb one hit, so if Ken did his Fierce shoryuken, although Ryu would absorb the first hit, the second and third hits would hit him as normal. This is not like 3S where you can parry multiple hits of a move.

The time taken to “Focus absorb” a move, means “fishing” for a Focus Attack is not really do-able. So players who would go “Parry hunting” in 3S won’ be able to do that here.

It appears as if you can Focus through a low or high attack.

Focus attacks cannot be done in the air.

A focus attack that absorbs a hit actually costs you some life. However, the life you lose is greyed out and can be regained again, provided you don’t lose get hit. As soon as you are hit, you cannot regain any more life.

You can be thrown out of a focus attack.

You still build your Revenge gauge when “absorbing” a hit.

• LEVEL 2

After the initial press of the MP + MK buttons, you can keep holding the buttons down. As you do so, your character will keep “charging” up his or her Focus Attack.

You can let go of the two buttons at any time to perform a “Focus Attack.” The longer you held the buttons down, the more damage is done. You can combo into the Focus Attack with some characters, for example Crimson Viper.

• LEVEL 3

After a certain amount of time, you cannot charge the Focus Attack anymore, it will simply be released by it’s own accord. When it does so, an “ink” effect is applied to the screen:

This attack is unblockable, does good damage and sends your opponent into a “crumpled” state. You can be thrown or hit out of a Level 3 Focus attack, early on in it’s animation, although you become invulnerable at a certain point, when your character starts glowing white.

Crumpled State

In this state, an opponent is helpless. You get a free hit on them, which can be comboed into. However, the crumpled state is quite strange, the opponent is not as easy to combo as if they were stunned. You only have a finite time to hit the opponent when they are crumpled.

It’s typically best to unleash your Ultra Combo if you have it when you crumple your opponent because it’s guaranteed.

During crumple state, there are two stages the opponent goes through before falling to the ground. The first stage is a very vulnerable one... the opponent can be hit with nearly anything (like if the opponent was just standing there).

However, if you are too late, the opponent will fall, and you will lose the ability to hit them with a full combo. I believe you can only hit them once, and they will drop afterwards. Thus, the reason why it is recommended to dash after seeing a Focus Attack connect successfully. Your window of opportunity to combo shrinks dramatically if you do not dash forward... not only because of timing but because of distance.

Focus Cancelling

Some special and normal attacks can be “Focus Cancelled” by pressing and holding the MP + MK buttons as a special or normal move connects. This can be used to combo a special attack into a focus attack with some characters.

However, you can then take this one stage further by dashing forwards or backwards when holding the two MP + MK buttons. Doing so costs two stocks (50%) of your Super meter.

Dash Cancelling a Focus Attack has NO cost.

Dashing

Dashing is performed by tapping the stick forward twice or backward twice. Backward dash has limited invincibility frames, even if backdashing in the corner. Forward dash speed, backward dash speed, and the invincibility / airborne frames for backdashing vary by character:

character	forward dash	backdash	invincible	grounded	airborne	distance
abel	16	25	1~8		9~18	short
akuma	18	25	1~8	9	10~18	normal
blanka	21	26	1~8		9~19	long
boxer	18	24	1~8		9~17	long
c.viper	19	27	1~8		9~17	long
chun	15	22	1~8		9~18	long
claw	20	22	1~8	9	10~19	long
dhalsim	32	29	1~8	9	10~18	long
dictator	17	25	1~8		9~17	normal
fuerte	16	19	1~7		8~12	short
guile	19	26	1~8		9~19	normal
honda	19	27	1~8	9	10~18	normal
ken	18	27	1~8			short
rufus	20	27	1~8	9	10~25	normal
ryu	18	27	1~8	9	10~18	short
sagat	18	29	1~8		9~23	normal
zangief	26	26	1~8		9~16	short

Because level 1 focus attacks have the same stun regardless of hit, guard, or character, forward dash speed also determines how much disadvantage you have after dash canceling a focus attack. For instance, chun has +1, abel and fuerte neutral, dictator -1, everyone else increasing disadvantage.

Revenge Gauge

As your character receives damage his or her Revenge gauge will rise. Once it gets beyond the white line on the circular gauge, you are able to perform your character’s Ultra Combo (usually performed by performing the super motion but using all three punches or kicks.

Even after your Ultra meter rises past the white line, it will still charge. This effects how much damage an Ultra Combo does. If your Ultra is at max, and you land it, it will do *huge* damage.

EX Specials

Completing a special motion by pressing two punch buttons or two kick buttons instead of one changes the properties of the move, and uses up 1 stock (25%) of your super meter.

Armor Moves and Armor Breaking Moves

Some moves in the game grant "armour" to your character. For example Zangief's EX Bear Grab can absorb one hit. Focus Attacks also grant armour if timed correctly.

However, some moves in the game are also considered to be "Armour-Breaking." That is to say that any armour will be negated by the move in question. For example, Blanka can negate Dhalsim's focus attack with a Blanka Ball.

The Characters

• Dhalsim
• E. Honda
• Blanka
• Zangief
• Chun-Li
• Guile
• Ryu
• Ken
• M. Bison (Dictator)
• Sagat
• Vega (Claw)
• Balrog (Boxer)
• Abel
• C. Viper
• Rufus
• El Fuerte
• Akuma

Tiers

Street Fighter IV