From Pad to Stick

[2D is Forever]

Basically I'm in the stick learning process , just wanted some hints and suggestions. Furthermore, when did most SRKers learn stick and how long did it take for you to get itdown and then how much longer to become better on stick then pad. Lastly, your reasons for switching.

So far I'm still sucky at stick and executing on it, and the reason I switch was because I hated plugging in my PS2 pad and having to switch to option and change the buttons especially on 3S when loser just passes the stick. Also, the better on pad I got the less respect I got...

[DietSoap]

The best suggestion I can give is to relax when learning stick and work you're way up. You are not gonna be as fast to react when you first start on stick, just accept that and work at it.

As for me, I've been a pad player for all my life until this year, and now playing pad (had to at a friends house) feels oddly... wrong. Seriously, I actually disliked stick for most of my life and thought it was overrated.

Also, it took me a bit over a month (like 6 weeks) to get about the same level of play on stick as I had on pad, and about 3-4 weeks after that to drop my bad pad habits and get better on stick.

Also, what stick are you planning to get?

[spudlyff8fan]

Yeah, I'm also starting the transition from pad to stick after years of the pad. It's not going too well. I'm mainly playing Garou, and I can't do Jae's BnB combo.

[KING]

Andrew, you need to learn the piano-key method, and understand how Negative Edge behaves. I'm sure someone else can better explain both better than I can.

When you do, you will execute tons better.

In addition, what I used to do was practice DP'ing continuously and non-stop from the very left of the fighting screen until I touched the other side on the right. Call it a kata, if you will. Hadokens are the same way, although I would try to execute them as fast as the previous one would hit the dummy. This was back in the day, but much of it still applies.




BTW, I grew up in the arcades; I started with SF2:WW. :wink:


It's really muscle-memory for me...I'm sure you'll eventually get to being comfortable using stick, given some time.

[Dark Geese]

Jump in a tourney too- like me though me and everyone knows I don't play stick force yourself to play with one in a tourney so you can make yourself confortable with it to a small degree.

Now give or take yes I'm at least 10-20 times better on a pad than a stick,

That couldnt be more evident in the difference between how I played at PZ in XI vs. anyone and then when we were at home playing the game- but I am gonna keep working to try and bridge the gap.


Like in a 3s tourney I really had to go back to basics, I can't play Yun on a stick, I can barely play Ken or Chun,just barely.. but it forces you to find other ways to win when you can't do shit and that's okay because give or take even for a stick user most of the times the sticks are not gonna be picture perfect all the time.

So it takes time, and I'm gonna keep on working at it..

[Bluehaze]

I would recommend playing those one two games that really got you serious about switching to stick and then just go into practice mode and practice combos that you considered to be easy/basic for yourself on pad. Practice the same moves/combos over and over until you have it down, then keep building up the consistancy everyday you can. Sometimes, even those basic combos will seem really hard, harder than one feels they should be, thus try even breaking those down into smaller parts, working on those, then adding them together.

Lastly, essential stick motions to try incorporating when making the switch are buffering and smooth rolling motions. Don't try to force it like DietSoap said, but relax (although you may feel just a bit tense anyways). And definitely don't forget to try your moves/combos that you have worked on in real play, as it can be completely different and really shows yourself which areas you are making progress in and which you are not...I cannot stress this last part enough.

I have played on pad for seventeen years (since childhood) before I decided I was serious enough to make the switch. It can be tough, but there are plenty of people who are or have been in the same boat as you on SRK, so just keep up the work and it will pay off :tup:

[KING]

*snip*you knew you were going to an arcade, so you should've practiced non-stop on stick until then...maybe the results could've been slightly different. it's all about practice...you don't practice, you aren't up to your potential.

[Mariodood]

Okay, well, it definitely takes a while to get used to being on a stick. First thing, are you talking about a japanese stick (little ball on top) or an american stick (looks like a bat)? If you're talking about a japanese stick, how I'd hold it is, index, middle and thumb fingers on the ball, and on the other hand, 3 fingers on the punch buttons, thumb on LK.

Just practice doing the hadoken and shoryuken motion a lot, and you'll get it down. I don't remember how long it took me to get used to a stick, but I'll say this: Not a long time. I'd say it was like 2-4 weeks to be able to do stuff that I could already do on a pad, and then from there on I got better. It helps to already have the motions down on the pad. Whatever you do, don't give up, and practice a lot. Also, one thing that helped me out was watching Thongboy's tutorial:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8zGCrif0wI

It has this nice little model of an arcade stick doing the motions, it really helped me out when I couldn't do super motions on my stick.

[NG1313]

Looking at this stick

http://www.lik-sang.com/image.php?category=317&products_id=7761&img=x360-doa4-joystick&show=2

I wonder what's preferred, as far as button design goes. The ones with a deeper center (than the edges), I imagine can be more accurate to work with. I can see my sweaty fingers easily slip around on these buttons on this DOA4 stick.

http://www.lik-sang.com/image.php?category=22&products_id=5079&img=hori-real-arcade-pro&show=1

This actually looks pretty nice.

[Dark Geese]

Well I have been playing on a stick on Fridays for a little bit of time Thai thats how I know I can't play Yun!!!! I gotta stick to bnb style Chun and bnb style Ken..

I knew that well in advance!!

And so it was narrowed down to basics Ken or basics Chun...

And I flipped between them both.

But I ain't giving up!!!! :tup:

[2D is Forever]

Cool, cool, good info for switching. Good to see I'm not the only one starting from pad to stick. I'm currently using a octagon lolly pop stick, with an American lay out for the Japaneses buttons. Most people I talked to said they were lucky if they could get an Octagon and he put on in there by default so I stuck with it. Did you guys learn American first or Jap style??

Real quick questions, do some of you think that movement is faster on pad then on stick, b/c a lot of top Tekken players play on pad, plus a few people I knew said it was easier to hit confirm on pad.

[Dark Geese]

It depends on what you are trying to do Andrew..talking to someone close *cough I wonder who?????* there are certain things you can do on a pad that is very difficult on a stick..hmmm I wonder what that could be Andrew (Keep your mouth shut!!!!!!!! :lol:)


And likewise for a stick there are certain motions like 360 and 720 that are easier to do and shortcuts for doing motions.

[Clear Sky]

Not getting respect for playing on pad? The people you play with are retarded.

It doesn't matter much on what device you use to play the games you play, if you can play to the ability that you desire on them. Honestly, the times where playing on stick matters is if things are much easier to do on them rather than pads. This is usually the case with games like MvC2, which require quick execution and a flexible button layout which simply is undeliverable on a DC pad, for most people. And also, knowing how to play on sticks are important if your competition/tourney scene has arcade play as the standard (though this is starting to die).

This is the reason why I probably will never bother to learn how to play Guilty Gear on a stick. The competitive scene is virtually all consoled-based since the arcade scene for the game here in North America is pretty much non-existant, and I have no problems with playing the game on the pad.

[Dark Geese]

I run into two problems playing on pad:

#1- Old schoolers to a large majority hate the new school. Point blank and simple.

#2- For tournies like Houston Regionals that are All Arcade and the newly named Shodown Championships for Texas Showdown 7 is for what we see gonna be All arcade, meaning for that opportunity to play KOFXI or play Issei or Hitler or Alex E or Alex Valle on console in 3s I won't get because its an all arcade.

Sure everyone wants to be at their best when they are at a tourney right??

I think the solution should be how they make their cabs..make it like the Tekken 5 machines...where you can plug in your own controller..CASE SOLVED!!!!!!!!!

Everyone is happy!!!!!!!!!

:lovin:

[MagnetiX]

I went from Pad to stick, to stick to pad. Now I just bought a MAS stick and waiting on it, so hopefully it will be a good ride to using stick again.

When I go to the arcade, it's a lot harder for me to do infinites or anything because i'm not used to stick yet, but hopefully getting this stick will change that.

[Dark Geese]

Yes this is good to know I aint the only "Pad Warrior" up in here..probably the most imfamous one though..:confused:

:rofl:

The sticks that I'm at least liking and knowing I can work with are Sanwas.

[nmbr1krush]

I've been off pad for 2 years. Practice is key and something I don't do often and don't like to do either. Thats why my execution sucks. It takes time to go from pad to stick. Do what KINGDOM siad. But I would never go back to pad. Never.

[N_paul]

I learned on a pad for a long time. I chose to move on to a stick so I could play at arcades, and it has in turn made my execution a lot better.

As for advice, I can give none other than practice and go with what's comfortable/works best.

[Shibuya]

When i played on pad i found it difficult sometimes to do quarter circe x2 moves....on stick i can do it......and the raging storm with geese from cvs2 on pad......forget it i could barely do it...on stick its easier.....stick is better once you get the hang of it.....only thing i like about the pad is that when im playing at home i sometimes lay down with the pad and play fighters.....now i gotta sit up with the stick :(

[Matt K.]

Basically I'm in the stick learning process , just wanted some hints and suggestions. Furthermore, when did most SRKers learn stick and how long did it take for you to get itdown and then how much longer to become better on stick then pad. Lastly, your reasons for switching.

So far I'm still sucky at stick and executing on it, and the reason I switch was because I hated plugging in my PS2 pad and having to switch to option and change the buttons especially on 3S when loser just passes the stick. Also, the better on pad I got the less respect I got...

Like many people in this thread have stated, it is all about personal preference. My brother plays way better on a pad than he does on a stick. I play better on a stick than I do a pad. There are several reasons for this:

1. I grew up in the Arcade area, when WW was the king of the arcade.

2. My brother grew up in the PSX era, when a good stick was hard to come by in the two bit town I lived in.

Like I had stated in the Daigo SF Pro (http://www.shoryuken.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121089) thread, it comes down to how you are comfortable playing. If you have invested a conciderable amount of time in learning the stick and are still having difficulty, it might be time to either leave the stick behind... or fully embrace the stick and leave your pad behind completely (forcing you to learn the stick through trail and error without having the crutch near by).

Many people will see the stick as the only pure way of playing a fighting game. In today's day and age, with the rise of consoles, that simply is not the case anymore. Unless you were playing in specific tournaments that require a stick, or use actual arcade cabinates, then I would not worry about your input meathod too much. Play with what is comfortable.

[Dark Geese]

Well he will be playing in tournies that require stick,

Around his area you got Planet Zero which is an All Arcade tourney, the next Texas Shodown for what I hear will be all arcade,

Any Regional for what I know in Dallas even will be all arcade, so it's like old school rules without a doubt.

Because I would stay with my pad that way every tourney I would know I gave my best, but I can't do that unless I go out of the state of Texas now to NEC or somewhere like that.

:sad:

[Sexperienced.]

Basically I'm in the stick learning process , just wanted some hints and suggestions. Furthermore, when did most SRKers learn stick and how long did it take for you to get itdown and then how much longer to become better on stick then pad. Lastly, your reasons for switching.

So far I'm still sucky at stick and executing on it, and the reason I switch was because I hated plugging in my PS2 pad and having to switch to option and change the buttons especially on 3S when loser just passes the stick. Also, the better on pad I got the less respect I got...

if you dont get to grips with using a stick within 3mins of your first try you're using the wrong type, its as simple as that. In reality you should prefer the stick over a pad almost instantly.

I'm a pad player, and I've only used 2 sticks in my life that I can honestly say I've prefered to use more than a pad.

[Demon Dash]

Only real advice anyone could give you is simply practice and don´t give up. I started using a stick maybe two years ago... I used American (X-Arcade) at first and I did kind of get used to it, although I was no where near as good then as I am now. I got my self an HRAP2 christmas gone and I found it hard transitioning. It took maybe two weeks to get the hang of holding the stick and locating buttons, although I was still not as good as I was on a pad. It took maybe a further month to get to a point where playing on a pad was obsolete, as my execution rose even better than it was before.

Certain things I found difficult, like target combos or Roman/Fake Roman Canceling, but after a while it became more than second nature... So yeah, it´s true that you WILL get to a point where pad is obsolete, you just have to realise this and keep going forward, not going backwards for the sake of losing some matches...

[Dark Geese]

I don't believe I will ever drop my pad completely because I want to be able to do both with ease, but I will keep playing with a stick to learn it.

[Gouki7]

I'm trying to make the transition as well. I'm trying to learn on a Hori Tekken 5 stick, but that damn square gate annoys the hell out of me. Any advice on how to use a square gate stick?

[Demon Dash]

I don't believe I will ever drop my pad completely because I want to be able to do both with ease, but I will keep playing with a stick to learn it.
You know you need to let go of a pad at some point right? You said it your self you wont be able to play at certain tournies... Just because you´re better with a pad now wont mean you´ll not be even better with a stick. It doesn´t matter if you lose some matches over a month or so, it doesn´t make you any less of a player. It just means once you´ve over come those bounderies you´ll be an even better player.

[Matt K.]

I don't believe I will ever drop my pad completely because I want to be able to do both with ease, but I will keep playing with a stick to learn it.

That is not easy for some people. Control in games is all about muscle memory, and it might just be easier for people to learn one or the other.

You know you need to let go of a pad at some point right? You said it your self you wont be able to play at certain tournies... Just because you´re better with a pad now wont mean you´ll not be even better with a stick. It doesn´t matter if you lose some matches over a month or so, it doesn´t make you any less of a player. It just means once you´ve over come those bounderies you´ll be an even better player.

I do not agree with that at all. If a tournament allows you to bring whatever input method you feel comfortable with, AND you can play on a competative level with a pad, why should you give the pad up? Just because one wants to use a pad (to use your words) doesn't make one any less of a player.

[Dark Geese]

I see what you are saying Demon Dash and I have had even my close friends putting all the pressure on the world for me to learn stick and saying how "I can't go back to pad"

I know I'll be able to go back to pad make no mistake about it.

It is what I am better with and I think its gonna take a while before I'm even remotely close with a stick to the level I am on a pad.

My whole mindset if I'm with a stick in a tourney vs. a pad is different..

With a pad I enter confident shooting for the top expecting to win, with a stick it's like "I'll be happy if I beat anyone."

Once again in our area and where 2d is forever is the big tournies are arcade now and days meaning we have to try and sacrifice our pad playing habits to learn stick if we want to play these other people.

:sad: :sad: :sad:

Do I like that?? Hell no.

I mean shit a part of my felt like entering 3s on a stick was a waste of my money because I couldnt give remotely my best with me being ultra-competitive but at the same time the other part felt it was a learning experience.

So I see where you are coming from Demon Dash I hear it all the time from people, but I side with what Matt K. is saying.

Is it fair? Nope. Arcade people can use their own sticks on console, but unless its Tekken we can't use our own pads on arcades- Giving us the short end of "the stick" lol so to speak,

[DeathScythe]

I started with SF2:WW as well. So pad was never an option since I had a cabinet right by my home. Every fighter I've played was always on stick seeing as how good ports on console were a rarity.

I'm one of the lucky few that can play on a pad and stick. GGXX was very easy to play on pad. Not until recently did I decide to play it on stick. Feels good. But that's a game that I prefer on pad. Especially Tekken due to the diagonals that one has to hit for certain moves.

BUT, it's definitely a matter of preference when using a Sanwa or a HAPP stick. I start on, obviously, a HAPP because I believe that was what SF2 cabs were using at the time. After many years of learning and playing I got used to it. I could play MvC1 perfectly on that. Not until this past summer I got a stick from Dreadedfist and start playing on a Sanwa LS32 square gate(which is so much better than a octagonal gate IMO). It took me about 5 hours to get used to it because the square gate is so small that your motions have to be precise because if not, then you'll hit any of the four corners. Hell, I even learned how to tick 360/720 on a Sanwa in two minutes. It just feels smoother now and I can't play on anything else anymore.

Usually to keep myself in the groove I just sit down with the stick and no game on at all. I start inputing SRK motions, 180s, FB motions. The works. Thats my method.

Hell, I learned how to RC on a ASCII DC pad and did on a stick immediately the next day. I don't know, I guess some of us have that ability to mimmick anything off a pad and execute on a stick and vice versa.

[lazeeya]

I'm trying to make the transition as well. I'm trying to learn on a Hori Tekken 5 stick, but that damn square gate annoys the hell out of me. Any advice on how to use a square gate stick?

DONT USE IT. LOL. why not just switch it to an octagonal one? sooo much better. stick and pad? ive used the pad and stick for years, never liked the damn pad, any kind of pad. stick is always better.

[Shibuya]

what kinda stick is the tekken 5 stick????

[DeathScythe]

what kinda stick is the tekken 5 stick????



Square gate. The buttons on it suck hard.

[Demon Dash]

Snip
Exactly my point... I used to be better with a pad; hell anyone who started with pads used to be better with them. When I first used a stick I sucked total ass, you wouldn´t believe how much. I couldn´t do the simplest things like strong, fierce, shippu with Ken in 3S. But now after using a stick for as long as I have I can do things now that would be impossible on a pad, like kara dragon or even Makoto´s %100 stun.

It just takes time, I know it´s intimidating knowing you´ll appear a worser player, but it´s for your own benefit. Once you get used to it the things that you couldn´t do become simple and the more advance stuff becomes possible.

[Dark Geese]

That is surely something I believe and that is yet another reason I am putting hard effort into trying to learn it.

[9999]

DONT USE IT. LOL. why not just switch it to an octagonal one? sooo much better. stick and pad? ive used the pad and stick for years, never liked the damn pad, any kind of pad. stick is always better.

Square gate is just as good as an octagonal one once you completly know what youre doing.

[Matt K.]

Exactly my point... I used to be better with a pad; hell anyone who started with pads used to be better with them. When I first used a stick I sucked total ass, you wouldn´t believe how much. I couldn´t do the simplest things like strong, fierce, shippu with Ken in 3S. But now after using a stick for as long as I have I can do things now that would be impossible on a pad, like kara dragon or even Makoto´s %100 stun.

It just takes time, I know it´s intimidating knowing you´ll appear a worser player, but it´s for your own benefit. Once you get used to it the things that you couldn´t do become simple and the more advance stuff becomes possible.

You missed the point of DG. If you play on a pad, and do not play on a stick, and you are just as good on a pad as you would be on a stick if you practice... why use the stick. There is no reason, other than a stick only tournament, to ever switch to a stick. If you have superior pad skills, equal to anyones stick skill, continue using the pad. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[jimmy1200]

got the t5 hori stick and its cool with me. i did my pad to stick transition about 2 or 3 months ago, and it was cool. i wasnt a stick retard to begin with, but i was far from being even intermediate with it. then after much much practice. i watched a few vids of that famous ttt player from korea, on wavedashing and shit. then watched a alpha 3 tourney video, and peeped how players were holding the sticks, and bam. about a week and a half after that, i was able to do electrics and wave dash, and even light dash, but light dash only on the 2p side. doing dragon punch motions, wave dash, and light dash motions take a little more finesse then on the 2p side. for some reason with the technique i use, and the technique i see most people use. when you tap forward with your thumb and then d/f with your middle finger, you for some reason will automatically do a dragon punch motion. its cool for character like devil jin, whos ewgf is not like kazuyas easy, f, /d/f+ 2. but takes more finesse on the 1p side to pull it off. i use the same finger technique on sf2 and i can pull my dragon punches off with ease, but the 1p takes more finesse. eventually like said, it becomes muscle memory and you just do it subconsciously. you should be relaxed and loose in your motions, but still quick. its a cliche statement, but being tense fucks your shit all up. some probably can, but forcing motions makes execution much harder.
t5 stick is good to me. im not anal about sticks though and have little experience with different ones. though even when i transition from t5 stick to arcade stick. i can feel the difference, but it doesnt really fuck me up. but i definitely understand where some people come from, when they say that the sticks fucked them up, and they could have did better on better sticks, or there own sticks. that shits for real. i just dont happen to have to much of a problem between the t5 arcade sticks around here, and the t5 hori stick.

[Dark Geese]

You missed the point of DG. If you play on a pad, and do not play on a stick, and you are just as good on a pad as you would be on a stick if you practice... why use the stick. There is no reason, other than a stick only tournament, to ever switch to a stick. If you have superior pad skills, equal to anyones stick skill, continue using the pad. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Yep that pretty much sums it up totally!!:wgrin:

[canada_street_team]

got the t5 hori stick and its cool with me. i did my pad to stick transition about 2 or 3 months ago, and it was cool. i wasnt a stick retard to begin with, but i was far from being even intermediate with it. then after much much practice. i watched a few vids of that famous ttt player from korea, on wavedashing and shit. then watched a alpha 3 tourney video, and peeped how players were holding the sticks, and bam. about a week and a half after that, i was able to do electrics and wave dash, and even light dash, but light dash only on the 2p side. doing dragon punch motions, wave dash, and light dash motions take a little more finesse then on the 2p side. for some reason with the technique i use, and the technique i see most people use. when you tap forward with your thumb and then d/f with your middle finger, you for some reason will automatically do a dragon punch motion. its cool for character like devil jin, whos ewgf is not like kazuyas easy, f, /d/f+ 2. but takes more finesse on the 1p side to pull it off. i use the same finger technique on sf2 and i can pull my dragon punches off with ease, but the 1p takes more finesse. eventually like said, it becomes muscle memory and you just do it subconsciously. you should be relaxed and loose in your motions, but still quick. its a cliche statement, but being tense fucks your shit all up. some probably can, but forcing motions makes execution much harder.
t5 stick is good to me. im not anal about sticks though and have little experience with different ones. though even when i transition from t5 stick to arcade stick. i can feel the difference, but it doesnt really fuck me up. but i definitely understand where some people come from, when they say that the sticks fucked them up, and they could have did better on better sticks, or there own sticks. that shits for real. i just dont happen to have to much of a problem between the t5 arcade sticks around here, and the t5 hori stick.

wave dash??? in what game:confused:

[Dark Geese]

Sounds like Tekken 5/TTT or any Tekken to me lol.

[spudlyff8fan]

Yeah, I have a feeling that if I had GG on the PC, I'd be better at the stick instantly.

[Demon Dash]

You missed the point of DG. If you play on a pad, and do not play on a stick, and you are just as good on a pad as you would be on a stick if you practice... why use the stick. There is no reason, other than a stick only tournament, to ever switch to a stick. If you have superior pad skills, equal to anyones stick skill, continue using the pad. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Because pads don´t have as sensetive buttons as sticks, nor an erganomically designed layout for the 4/5/6 button genre. Also you´re limited to console only gaming so that´ll be no playing in the arcades or arcade tournies.

[spudlyff8fan]

Because pads don´t have as sensetive buttons as sticks, nor an erganomically designed layout for the 4/5/6 button genre. Also you´re limited to console only gaming so that´ll be no playing in the arcades or arcade tournies.
Yeah, but you don't have to worry about arcades. They're like the female orgasm. A popular rumor that you shouldn't even bother trying for.

[Demon Dash]

Yeah, but you don't have to worry about arcades. They're like the female orgasm. A popular rumor that you shouldn't even bother trying for.
Correct me if I´m wrong but didn´t he say his local tournies are ran on arcade...? Go figure...

[Dark Geese]

Yes I did say that-hence the only reason I am learning stick,

But I aint gonna learn it just because the OG's don't like us or because some friends of mine find it a pain to switch the controls in 3s from Stick to controller..
:confused: :rolleyes: :arazz:

Thats just fucking lame-I am using the stick ONLY and ONLY just so I can play in Arcade tournies,

I don't care if by the logic "What top player uses pad?" :lol: :rofl: :rofl:

I don't give a fuck about that. I don't follow the book, I write my own book!!!!!!

I ain't no follower, I am a leader so fuck following the masses!!! I do what I do and what works for me!!!

People can love it or hate it! Thats like saying if someone won a major using a Ps2 pad playing 3s people would give him shit about it saying "Wtf you play on a pad??"

Thats BS. If someone wants to use a pad let them use the pad-its what they are best on. And give us some respect for actually trying to learn stick to play in arcade only tournies. As I see arcade only tournies are dying out so it seems like more stubborn-ness to move on which is why they hate us sooo much (OGs),

What so you're holier than us because you play on a stick?? Boo hoo..if I beat you using my pad then why does anything matter???

I run into this shit ALL THE TIME. And people tell me to play on a stick "Just to gain respect."

Fuck that! :annoy: Are you telling me I can't gain respect playing on a pad??

Bullshit I resent that!!! How come the top Tekken players play on pad then???

Hmmm got you OGs there!!! They win on pads..proof it doesnt matter if you are good enough period IT CAN BE DONE!!!!!
Because last time I checked Tekken was an arcade before it was a Playstation game JUST LIKE SF WW...

So I debunked that follow the leader BS right there!

[final_cut]

You know, I prefer to play on a stick. But honestly, I don't play as well on them. I'm still learning, but 3s isn't as easy for me to play with a stick, even though I quit using pads when I started making sticks a little under a year ago. For some reason tough, I do think its more fun to play on a stick, for whatever thats worth.

Also, it hasn't fucked with my 'pad game', so I don't think learning on a stick will really hurt you at all. It's always good to be well rounded. I'd say the biggest issue is whatever is more enjoyable to you.

[Dark Geese]

The truth!! Because I get the pressure to learn stick and not play on pad almost DAILY..

Everyday during gaming its like its taboo to play on my pad with my friends so yes pardon me for being just a tid bit adamant about this whole thing..

I mean shit for me guys all I hear are "Learn stick, learn stick"

And used to hear "Pad pussy" all you are is a "Pad pussy"

So the more I hear this shit the more it turns me AWAY from wanting to learn stick,

So I only learn it to play in any tourney, I've heard that shit so much that I am appalled at the thought of trying to fit in by dropping my pad, it has repulsed me moreso than anything else due to how much shit I get because I play on a pad.

Hence why I say I am probably the most notorious pad warrior in here, they make it seem like it's a SIN for me 2 play on a pad out here I'm FUCKING SERIOUS.

[spudlyff8fan]

Correct me if I´m wrong but didn´t he say his local tournies are ran on arcade...? Go figure...

If he said that, then I'm stupid and my post should be ignored.

[Atryu]

I'm trying to make the transition as well. I'm trying to learn on a Hori Tekken 5 stick, but that damn square gate annoys the hell out of me. Any advice on how to use a square gate stick?

Relax your left hand more, and put less stress/power in your mouvements.

I started on a 8Dir gate in the arcades in europe, but since I got used to a japanese 4Dir gate sanwa stick, I just refuse to play on anything else!

[DietSoap]

Wow DG, way to flip shit... I can understand, but damn. :sweat:

[DH020]

I was the same i was pad player since the day i started playing street fighter. People would say change to stick but i just ignored them, but the decided to change to stick last sept 2005.

it took while to adjust but just keep practising (especially in practise mode)

basics wasnt to hard to master but when you get down to speed set-ups like Akuma demon-set ups then you got to practise like hel (well i had too)

[Sexperienced.]

Because pads don´t have as sensetive buttons as sticks,

are serious? have you been to Troc or Goodge street?... you have to damn near kick the buttons to get some type of response.

[doujinshi_2001]

I like square gates. For me square gates > octagon gates. But I digress...I can play on anything...p360, competition, sanwa....whatever.

I made this switch from pad to stick like some odd years ago...wasn't hard for me since I was in the arcade like every fucking day...(and this was when I was 11-12 years old!)

[Demon Dash]

are serious? have you been to Troc or Goodge street?... you have to damn near kick the buttons to get some type of response.

Yeah but that´s Troc isn´t it, if he has his own stick it´s not going to be the same...

[Lebowsk1]

Anyone here besides me play "wineglass style" (palm up)? I find it works better for me, although it can mess up (bruise) the back of your hand as it's against the cabinet.

[Dark Geese]

basics wasnt to hard to master but when you get down to speed set-ups like Akuma demon-set ups then you got to practise like hel (well i had too)


Amen. I entered a 3s tourney this past weekend as I said and the basics were all I had to go on, I couldnt do shit!!!

So I am surely gonna have to work extra hard to get down combos and other thnigs like doing DPs on 2p side and stuff like I'm starting all over again..:sad:


Here see doujinshi Arcades are dead, and where 2d is forever is in Lubbock arcades are dead also there!!

[jimmy1200]

ive seen the wineglass style before. looks difficult, but if works for you, then bam, but it looks gay and overcomplicated.
i can execute faster and better on a stick. but its no easy task to do some of the more complex motions, and some not so complex motions on a stick, when first starting out. hell, even a while after you have first started out. like i said. even a dragon punch on the 1p side, can be somewhat of a task until you find your technique and drill it in your head a million times.

[Gouki7]

Square gate is just as good as an octagonal one once you completly know what youre doing.

Well i know what i'm doing move-wise, but i just can't get the fucking motions out most the time. how hard is it to switch it to an octagonal gate?

edit: nvm, saw atryu's post, i'll try his advice.

[Lebowsk1]

ive seen the wineglass style before. looks difficult, but if works for you, then bam, but it looks gay and overcomplicated.
Hah talking of gay and overcomplicated, I kept switching between the two styles today, like some kind of real-life Gen, trying to figure out which one worked better. Wouldnt have been so bad if I wasnt shouting out "switch... ORTHODOX!" and "switch... WINEGLASS!" each time. For my win pose I'd actually swirl a glass of the house red a bit and take a whiff of the bouqet.

But nah really, for those struggling to adapt to a stick, it's at least worth trying out the WG. Some of the movements do tend to involve virtually your entire arm though but at least you feel like you're really throwing everything into your specials and not just doing some fingerwork.

Also, I'd like to give a shout out here to the excellent Namco arcade stick for PS2, and the original Saturn pad. Those are the two controllers I'd choose, although for UK heads I have to say the sticks in Goodge Street are pretty damn smart right now (Alpha 3 especially, had no problems with them at all).

[2D is Forever]

Anybody here find it hard to switch from America to Jap sticks???

[woof]

i'm currently trying to play on both. it's fucking retarded, but very possible. the transition isn't drastic.
but for me it's going back and forth from jap to american because of randomass arcades [i use a jap stick]

but all i can say is stick is great, even if i'm still having execution problems. i tried playing on pad yesterday and i had no idea how the fuck i could use that thing because it felt stiff as hell.

[DeathScythe]

Anybody here find it hard to switch from America to Jap sticks???


Not at all. I went from a Happ stick to a Sanwa in under a year. Learned how to play on a Sanwa in 3 hours of play time. It's just a matter of not putting too much power into your motions.

[Sexperienced.]

I run into two problems playing on pad:

Sure everyone wants to be at their best when they are at a tourney right??

I think the solution should be how they make their cabs..make it like the Tekken 5 machines...where you can plug in your own controller..CASE SOLVED!!!!!!!!!

Everyone is happy!!!!!!!!!

:lovin:

exactly. but it depends on the amount of people asking for pad ports at tournies, do people even ask for pad ports at evo?

i'd like to see a pad vs stick (players) tournament.

[Dark Geese]

That would be interesting you know..I aint sure how many ask for pads though.

[rogueyoshi]

That would be interesting you know..I aint sure how many ask for pads though.
if its mvc2, pad players would win.

[Superking]

This is the reason why I probably will never bother to learn how to play Guilty Gear on a stick. The competitive scene is virtually all consoled-based since the arcade scene for the game here in North America is pretty much non-existant, and I have no problems with playing the game on the pad.

The funny thing is that I got serious with stick because of Guilty Gear XX. lol

Before then it was off again on again relationship with stick since my pad of choice was the Saturn pad for the Saturn. :D

[BornAgainCommunist]

if its mvc2, pad players would win.

why would they win?

[goodm0urning]

I played on a pad back in the 16-bit days, starting with World Warrior. In the 32-bit days, I played on the pad at first, but the PSX pad was awful for fighters. So I switched to the arcade stick, and also started playing in arcades a lot more. I haven't looked back since.

I remember playing SF EX+@ a lot, which helped prompt my decision to use a stick 100% of the time. For those of you who remember, the training mode had an awesome challenge menu which made you accomplish harder and harder tasks (for instance, mastering ridiculously long super-cancel combos). For a lot of that stuff, using the pad would have been murder on your thumbs, so I pretty much had to learn the stick in order to get through it. But as a bonus, the tasks really helped whip my stick skills into shape.

I guess my advice to learning the stick is the same as my advice for learning anything else in fighting games: start with the simple stuff and work your way up to the advanced stuff. Take it slow and strive for accuracy.

[valaris]

if its mvc2, pad players would win.

I find MvC2 to be much easier on stick than pad. And I just started on stick.

[Are_you_okay?!]

I didn't even know pads could be used in tourny's, shows how new I am. Well, that's a relief, I like using the pad and the stick feels odd to me, though I am going to learn it since I hate playing someone I know back and forth and get owned when I play on a stick (Like in Neowave at the local chuck E. cheese...don't ask).

[Pablo_the_Mex]

I can alternate between American and Japanese sticks with no problems.

Pad is too easy for some games, and useless for others. Qcfx2 and the dp motion is too easy on pad. I find tekken better on sticks. However, I find it hard to take people serious when they insist on using pads. Usually, it is people that missed out on the peak of the arcade scene so it is not just to hold it against these noobs who do not realize the true power and skill needed to master the sticks.

[F.Y.C.N.]

I played on a pad back in the 16-bit days, starting with World Warrior. In the 32-bit days, I played on the pad at first, but the PSX pad was awful for fighters.

i actually think that the OG PSX pads are perfect for fighters... if im playing on the PS2 i always bust out the old gray beast to go to work on'em...

truthfully pads aren't bad for fighters, in fact i find them to be more ergonomic than most sticks (Japanese sticks excluded)... since the d-pad is smaller than any square or octagon box a stick has, it requires less movement and creates a real ease in doing 720 motions and even more so with qcf motions.

i think what bugs people the most about d-pads is button placement... which i find a tad bit strange but then again maybe im the weird one here, i play default settings in SF AE which most people don't seem to enjoy so im already in a minority within a minority.

but whatever you find to be more comfortable and works to your play style is always what's best

[valaris]

(Like in Neowave at the local chuck E. cheese...don't ask).

:wow: Do you get prize tickets for playing it?

[tataki]

My 2 cents:

A great local player once told me "If you wanna learn to play stick, learn it on a totally new game".
Now I know what he meant...
Learning stick in a game you already play with a pad= frustration!
You get really pissed cuz you know this isn't your "real" level in the game, so after some losing you just take back the pad and proceed to kick ass.
But in a new game where you gotta learn everything from the start, you'll do almost as bad with a pad as you do with a stick anyways, so use that fact to give you motivation to play on the stick.
After some practicing with the stick you will try the same combos with the pad for the 1st time and it will feel so wierd, you will actually play better with the stick by now in that specific game, so now you can just keep playing that game!

Also, learning stick while your buddies still play on a pad= annoying. It's like you are handicapped and they aren't, but if everyone learn to play stick together or atleast need to deal with a totally new game then we all play like noobs anyways and it makes it MUCH less frustrating.

That's what HNK is for me now. It's the "stick learning game".

But that's not the only thing you can do: You can also take a game you play with a pad, and learn a totally new character. You will suck with that character with a pad anyways cuz you will need to get lots of new habits and lots of new combos to train on, so from that start learn that character with a stick.

The point of my whole post is that as long as you have an option to play better *now* (to plug in the pad you are so good with) it will be more frustrating to play on a stick. Once you disable that option of playing with the pad better (by playing a new game or a new character) then you have nothing to lose and the stick becomes AN EQUAL OPTION!

[Biolink]

I find MvC2 to be much easier on stick than pad. And I just started on stick.

Same.I'm drumming those assists out,rapidly.

[goodm0urning]

truthfully pads aren't bad for fighters, in fact i find them to be more ergonomic than most sticks (Japanese sticks excluded)... since the d-pad is smaller than any square or octagon box a stick has, it requires less movement and creates a real ease in doing 720 motions and even more so with qcf motions.I find the stick to be more ergonomic. Think of it like a lever: the more of the lever you have on your side of the pivot, the less force it requires to move whatever is at the other end. It might not seem like it takes a lot of force to move your thumb around a D-pad, but when you compare it to the amount of force it takes to move the stick with your entire wrist, pad players are actually pressing fairly hard.

Furthermore, moving your thumb in one direction requires a vastly different set of muscular movements than moving your thumb in the other direction, which generates a new set of problems. When your character flips from one side to the other, your muscle memory has to draw upon an entirely different set of movements in order to perform the reversed motions on the pad, in contrast with the comparatively small difference in muscle movements when doing the reversed motions on a stick. The stick, in terms of the muscles involved, is much more symmetrical.

I used to think the stick was horribly awkward, but after I learned to use it, I found it easier to use than the pad ever was.

(And on a personal note, I find that extensive use of the D-pad wears very roughly on the skin of my thumb. Playing as Zangief for hours on a pad is harsh. On a stick, not so much.)

i think what bugs people the most about d-pads is button placement... which i find a tad bit strange but then again maybe im the weird one here, i play default settings in SF AE which most people don't seem to enjoy so im already in a minority within a minority.Button placement is a factor, but it tends to be a game-specific issue. Games like Tekken and Soul Calibur are fine for the set-up on the PSX pad, but Capcom-style games (two rows of three buttons each) are just ruined by it.

but whatever you find to be more comfortable and works to your play style is always what's bestThis is true, up to a point. Fighting games, in my opinion, are best played in an arcade--and that's where a pad-only player will flounder. I occasionally go to the local arcade with my pad-only friends, and it sucks to watch them do significantly less than I know they're capable of, simply because they're not used to arcade-style controls.

[F.Y.C.N.]

stick, not so much.)

Button placement is a factor, but it tends to be a game-specific issue. Games like Tekken and Soul Calibur are fine for the set-up on the PSX pad, but Capcom-style games (two rows of three buttons each) are just ruined by it.


yeah i don't quite understand the beef with that... the R1 and R2 buttons aren't light years away from the face buttons... i think this comes into to play when people use their fingers as opposed to their thumb for the face buttons (which also doesn't make any sense to me) i use both thumbs and my right index finger for the fierce and RH buttons and it works great for me.

truthfully its not like i despise sticks, i love me some sanwa sticks. i just dont think there is a real need to ditch my PSX pad, since Evo is a console tourney and all and i play like 100% better with my pad. and its not like i cant play on my stick i just prefer the power of the pad.

[goodm0urning]

yeah i don't quite understand the beef with that... the R1 and R2 buttons aren't light years away from the face buttons... i think this comes into to play when people use their fingers as opposed to their thumb for the face buttons (which also doesn't make any sense to me) i use both thumbs and my right index finger for the fierce and RH buttons and it works great for me.I personally find both methods pretty awkward, due to the big differences in the motions it takes to make a button press (between a face button and a shoulder button). As far as Street Fighter goes, the classical "piano" method is the way to go, which is very difficult to use on the PSX pad.

truthfully its not like i despise sticks, i love me some sanwa sticks. i just dont think there is a real need to ditch my PSX pad, since Evo is a console tourney and all and i play like 100% better with my pad. and its not like i cant play on my stick i just prefer the power of the pad.More power to you. Truth be told, I think it's a sign of the times that less and less people are sticking with arcade sticks and more and more are using pads. For a long time, the fighting genre was one of the few genres that managed to retain supremacy at the arcade when consoles became mainstream, but nowadays even the fighting audience is migrating to consoles.

It used to be unthinkable that someone could prefer a pad over a stick when playing Street Fighter. These days, it's as commonplace as anything. I'm not exactly old, but I feel like it sometimes when I look at how much everything has changed since I got into it.

[JubeiNinja69]

the best way imo is to play ALL games with a stick. that way stick feels more natural to you like a pad, every time you play.

[UnknownEnemyZero]

I was kind of facing the reverse problem a few months ago. I hadn't owned a console in like a good 2 years, but my local arcade had MvC2 so I got to practice my stick there just about every week at least. Whenever I went to a friends house and started playing on controller, it was difficult cause I hadn't really gotten to play well with controllers to begin with, not to mention calling assists with L and R triggers..... :sad:

But I finally bought a Dreamcast to at least practice controller and got the hang of it, so I'm trying to get my stick and pad skills equal. Strangely I get more DP motions on stick than on controller. So it's all a matter of time.

[Iwantas Tick]

I think it's better to just learn to play on a stick. That way you can actually put up a fight when you take your game to the arcades.

[_Snake_]

Besides being able to play at the arcades, what are the advantages of using a stick? I went to my local laundromat yesterday to play Street Fighter II' Champion Edition. This was the first time in years that I used a stick. I found many things more difficult, such as playing Balrog. The only advantage I saw in using a stick was to do 360s, (Fierce) HHS/Electricity, and (Roundhouse) Lightning Kicks. Someone enlighten me :wonder:.

[catchafire]

Trust me, it's a lot better to play on a stick if you want to become "competitive." The only problem is when you play people who only use the pad, because you have to switch back and forth between pad and stick.

[kenny99208]

Is the T5 stick(US version) a good stick to learn on? Or should I mod it right away?

[Mizuki]

Is the T5 stick(US version) a good stick to learn on? Or should I mod it right away?

Wrong forum. Go to tech talk, go to the stickies read there. I told you what to do, mess up. Well...

[Humbag]

Is the T5 stick(US version) a good stick to learn on? Or should I mod it right away?

Ill answer your question.

I find the us t5 stick to be a very good stick outta the box. In fact, its my favorite stick currently.

Of course one of these days ill mod it though.:party:

[plasmakill]

T5 stick is really good outta the box. I use it for mame because my hrap lags with my usb converter.

[goodm0urning]

I recently spent an evening at a friend's house playing CvS2. There were no sticks, so I was stuck with a pad. I strained my fucking hand using Zangief. It's been sore for days and I reek of sports cream.

Really, use a stick.

[Bob Poundmax]

It took me a year to fully reach the level I had on a pad to a stick. My reason for learning stick is a bit stupid but I lost becuase I did'nt factor in that sticks are vastly different from pads. I remember the first time I played 3S I could'nt even do a 236 motion on a stick, so the moment I got home I bought a T5 stick and practiced for hours a day. Now I am finding out that stick play is actually helping my pad game because I now understand the motion's nature and now I feel confident I can play on anything.

[Darkside3024]

I'm switching from pad to stick because I can't EWGF for shit on a PS2 pad.

[Dingo]

I made the switch from pad to stick a few months back; I've mainly been playing 3S and would say that my skill with the stick is about equal with that of a pad. The main reason I switched is simply me wanting to play competitively and figured learning a stick would help given I was faced with having to play on an arcade cabinet. The only problem I seem to have is the stick moving around when I play; I have to sit in the floor with the stick on carpet and it doesn't get grip :lol:.

[OmNiExiZt]

How did you start out playing pad in the first place? When SF2 came out, it was stick or nothing. When it was finally released on PS2, I felt like shit trying to play it. I eventually adapted, but using the stick has always been the way to go.

*ONEZ*

[arstal]

Some people started with the SNES SF2's, and went from there...

I didn't start using a stick until three months ago- I've been a pad warrior for about 8 years outside of the arcade. I feel just fine on an arcade stick, but console sticks mess me up- even the expensive box jobbies I see and used a couple of times.

[BornAgainCommunist]

playing mvc2 now for a few years both pad and stick...

It takes alot of practice just to maintain skill level on pad...hours everyday. If I skip a few days, i lose it....... that said this is only with the ps2 pads which i personally think are shit. i have 6 jammed/broken ps2 pads on my floor from this year alone, and i do not mash. it sucks but it is fun. Of course if you are talking about a better qaulity pad like xbox 360 it is a different story.

Stick is more natural, i can go without practicing and somehow seem to get better.

[kof4life]

Having started with pads, it took me a while to get used to sticks. However, once I did, sticks felt so much more comfortable. They are designed with fighters in mind, so that makes sense.

[Biolink]

I try to play on my stick every now and again,but it is too tough.Right now at least on Xbox,I feel pretty comfortable with the pad in my hands.I can parry a tad bit more with my stick,but execution wise I think it will take an even longer time,just to get my execution at the same level with the stick.

I practice with a bit on the side,but it only feels comfortable playing Guilty Gear Accent Core,Hokuto No Ken,CvS2,and Marvel vs Capcom 2.It feels aight playing on KOF:XI,but it feels terrible playing any Street Fighter game.

[mepaphoros]

Yeah, but you don't have to worry about arcades. They're like the female orgasm. A popular rumor that you shouldn't even bother trying for.

Whoa, don't give up man!:xeye:

A little trick, (it's easier if their legs are in the air).

[Matt K.]

Learning a stick means leaving the pad behind completely. When frustration builds, do not reach for the pad, just step back and cool off, then get back to playing with the stick. Of course, this is easier said than done. I have almost always used a stick. Even back in my NES days, I used the NES Advantage (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b0/Nesadvantage.jpg) to play everything from Super Mario Bros. to Final Fantasy. For the SNES it was the Fighter Stick SN (http://www.retrogames.it/immagini/foto/snes/fighterstik.jpg). For the Playstation (One) it was the ASCII Arcade Stick (http://www.syntaxerror.nu/joy047.jpg) before I got my Namco Stick (http://www.pipitan.com/sb/img/img246_namco_stick.jpg). In fact, it wasn't until Sony came up with the Dual Shock Analog Controller that I stopped using a stick for every game I played, and started using a pad.

[Brandino]

Yah I've been a pad warrior pretty much my whole life (17 years) until like 2 months ago when I got my stick and my main problem with my stick happens to be a little of fustration because out of all the games I play (3S,MBAC,CvS2,GGXX) I only feel comfortable playing on stick is Guilty GearXX. When I first played that game on pad I couldn't do the most simple of things (overdrives were a pain for me), but when I got my stick I found myself playing 300% better than I were playing on a pad and it felt more natural, but thats it. Any of the other 3 games I play I feel a VERY BIG handicap on myself and find myself failing 412's, 623's, and have trouble doing 236x2/214x2's and my overall movement feels very crippled/restricted. I also practice everyday for a few hours (Mainly practice mode) and still have fair ammount of trouble :sad:. Whenever I play with friends I try not to go for the pad I practice on stick (Guilty Gear I don't have that case) but when I play 3S,MB,CvS2 I just end up going back to pad knowing I'm a hell of a lot better on pad and its really a bad habbit I need to stop :sweat:

[JubeiNinja69]

i practice on pad, american sticks and japanese sanwa and seimitsu sticks. so no matter where i go i'm prepared.

as that reminds me what about the transition from american sticks to jap sticks? right now american layout with competition stick and buttons is the one i'm most comfortable with. i can transition to seimitsu but sanwa is still a work in progress.

[Slide]

Playing fighters or arcade style games on a stick is much more intuitive, IMO.

Matter fact, from now on just play all of your games on a stick, even non-fighters(except FPS). Then go back to playing fighters on the stick, and it will feel much more natural.

You'll get to the point where you're playing a fighter on a pad and it won't even feel natural at all.

And do not learn how to play on a shitty stick like Shadowblades and Pelicans, those aren't good for anyone.

Get QUALITY and learn how to play on them.

[valaris]

Execution for me is a lot better on stick. With mad I tend to revert to mashing instead of precision which, of course, is a mistake.
I only recently picked up pad again because I've been travelling and playing CPS3 on the train/bus/plane.

[Kikosho]

Playing fighters or arcade style games on a stick is much more intuitive, IMO.

Matter fact, from now on just play all of your games on a stick, even non-fighters(except FPS). Then go back to playing fighters on the stick, and it will feel much more natural.

You'll get to the point where you're playing a fighter on a pad and it won't even feel natural at all.

And do not learn how to play on a shitty stick like Shadowblades and Pelicans, those aren't good for anyone.

Get QUALITY and learn how to play on them.

I don't know about that. I started on pad, learned stick pretty well, but pad always feels much more at home to me even though I can play both almost as well. It really just depends I think.

[Slide]

I don't know about that. I started on pad, learned stick pretty well, but pad always feels much more at home to me even though I can play both almost as well. It really just depends I think.

I guess you're right, maybe it really does just depend.

[LWK]

I find pads very easy to use in third strike.
Why don't I like em? Ever since my neo geo days, I've been entirely stick and not turning back. I will always prefer sanwa parts to anything US. I can use that to, but the Japanese style set up is IMO better and always will be.

I've had worse things in life tho. I even did some of bug vid footage for KOF Cyberfanatics on a pad, so it really depends on adjusting. I think we all could adjust to anything.

I have some bizarre rules for how I play, I am totally opposed to button mapping, I don't do it. If I play KOF 2002 on a pad and I want mid activation in max mode, I'd have to use my right hand fingers instead of my thumb, I don't prefer playing that way, but the better pad players all use that style.
As was said earlier, its all about practice.

I also won't use a pad, because I like to go to Arcade Infinity, and its not even possible to get casuals with random bad ass players, and AI houses some of these guys, imagine if I only used pad. That'd totally cripple that opportunity.

So as far as I am concerned, I am proficient with all things I could possibly use, meaning if I end up at frank n sons, I could play with a pad if it came down to it.

Is it my preference? Not really.

[n8archer_XI]

I've never used a stick; I feel most comfortable with a PS2-esque pad (MvC2 ftw!!!)