Some CvS2 Beginner Questions

[GoKe]

Hi, I've been reading a lot of information online, about CVS2 and frame data, etc... But, everything seems different when I try to play the game on my Xbox...

I've been learning with Ryu and Ken, and it seems that a lot of people use the c.shortx2 xx S. Hadouken, but I can't seem to pull it off at all... Does the frame advantage make that combo easier to pull off? I can't freaking do it at all...

The only high damage combos I can do are j.hk (or j.hp), c.hp xx hadouken... it seems to do more damage than a lot of the other weaker attack strings, so what's the point of using the longer, weaker strings?

Right now the only combos I can start up are jump-ins, and I can still get away with them because none of my friends are good at CvS2 at all... I've seen many videos of high level playing, but I still don't understand the poking concepts and how to do cross-ups (the hit box seems so small! should I use j.hk or j.mk?).

I guess I'm so noobish that I only really use hk and hp most of the time... I mean, if I hit, I can usually cancel into something, and it does pretty big damage... Linking the weaker attacks just seem so unnessesary!?

Thanks in advance... I know that my questions are very basic and un-enlightened, but these problems have been bothering me for a long time now... I don't know any arcades around where I live (Miami, FL), nor do I know any good players at my school or around my area. I want to get better, but I just don't know how to do it...

[Shin Ace]

For Ryu, try c.lk, c.lp, c.mk xx shinkuu. It'll connect at any range and the forward gives you more time to cancel. short short super is a fast cancel and requires a little bit of practice.

For ken, replace shinkuu with qcbx2 + k.

The point of using the other strings is that very few good players will give you the chance to jump in their faces. So you do cross-up instead. I've seen japanese players abuse j.hk, c.lp, c.hp xx shinkuu. The extra jab is just there for extra damage. One of ryu's most damaging combos is j.hp, s.hp xx hk hurricane kick. 3 hits, all fierce. Normally done on a dizzy opponent when you have no super meter.

for cross-up with ken, mk. For ryu, mk. His roundhouse crossup is only done on fat crouching characters, so forget about it.

The problem with fierce combos is that if you mess up, you're vulnerable. With ken, I often do crossup with mk, s.hp xx funky kick. On block or hit, it's really good.

I'm outtie.

edit: I'm back. And I win a lot of matches by just snuffing people. They jump, I anti-air with a one hitter. If they whiff, I punish with sweep. They roll, I do a meaty attack or throw. I only use combos when it's safe. And in cvs2, it's usually not safe. Poke strings are where it's at.

[Nick T.]

The point to using the weaker strings is dependent on whats going on in the match. If you can't land a stronger attack, what else are you going to do if you want to land a combo besides set it up?
The quicker attacks can also be used to set things up. But thats a whole other topic which is way too long to type and explain.
But the basic idea is to fake the other person out. There are numerous ways of setting this up depending on the character you have and which character you're going against.

[caliagent#3]

snip

Weaker attacks are used for hit confirmations, longer combos, mixups etc. My suggestion is to take your time and just keep playing. If you have an arcade around you, you should go there and watch other people play, and possibly ask them questions as it's easier for them to show you and explain things in person.