Hi all early adopters,

I was just wondering whether or not people feel this game could be okay for people like myself new to fighting games? I haven't played a fighting game since vanilla Street Fighter 4 seven years ago. At the time I didn't have a job and had no disposable income. Sadly I sucked at the game, couldn't take it online and didn't have any friends to play with. I tried and tried the arcade mode but kinda sucked.

I left fighting games then until I started visiting GB a few years ago. Jeff and Jason have gotten me really interested in fighting games now, and, I live in Japan. Here in the arcades there are tonnes of fighting games, and it sucks to not be able to throw a few hundred yen in and enjoy them. Since Street Fighter can be found in nearly any arcade, it always seemed like the game to learn to play.

Additionally, I now have a job and some disposable income -- to cut a long question short; is it worth it to get a Fight Stick? I was looking around and the best seller on Amazon here is this Hori Real Arcade Pro. V Hayabusa.

I normally wouldn't be willing to spend the equivalent $115/£80, but it would let me play any fighting games on PC/PS4 properly, so, if this would be the thing that made these games click a little more easily for me, I'd be willing to consider it.

Thanks for any opinions and help, and I hope you guys all enjoy the game.

A fightstick is quite the investment when you are not already into fighting games. If you can afford to drop that money on a stick go for it, who am I to tell you how to spend your money. You could get a cheap stick and if you like it upgrade the parts, thats what I did with my first stick. Now I have 4 sticks, cause new consoles come out and I wanna play old Dreamcast games with a stick too.

Do you know any friends who own a stick? There are plenty of players from all skill-levels that play on a pad. That's not to say that you won't like a stick more, but it can be a big investment. If you want a sort of "starter stick" I'd recommend the MadCatz Fightstick Alpha oh wait nevermind why is it so fucking expensive in Japan it's like $150 there? It's only $80 here.

Well anyways, I'd really try to find a way to get your hands on a stick and see if it feels right to you before you commit the big bucks. There's nothing wrong with playing pad, especially with the generally streamlined and simplified inputs in SFV.

While it's a potentially good game for beginners based on community size and core game design, the lack of features and overall polish at launch in the peripheral stuff outside of ranked and VS might make it less fun if you aren't just interested in the grind of getting online and losing a bunch to start. On the other hand, people are going to be dumping a wealth of beginner tutorials and the like on YouTube over the coming weeks so if you're willing to dig for it, there's no better game out there to really learn how fighting games tick.

If you have more in-depth questions you can also always pop over to the dedicated fighting game thread, there are a bunch of us and we love to work with new players and try to get them into the scene. Maybe once lobbies work (hotfix tonight fingers crossed) you might even be able to find someone to play sets with you and talk about the way you're playing.

http://www.giantbomb.com/forums/general-discussion-30/fighting-games-general-ex-plus-a-lupe-fiasco-beats-1790649/

You really don't need a stick and if you're not used to playing with one, make the game even harder to figure out. It's really just a holdover from people playing fighting games in the arcade.

This is probably the best street fighter had ever been fo new players because everything is really easy to do. It's still a massive undertaking to get to a spot where you can even hope to win 50% of your games. You're really going to have to make Street Fighter the game that you play and put in the time every day.

@starvinggamer: Thanks for the advice. Sadly as you saw, non-Japanese sticks tend to cost more in Japan. I've always looked at sticks in store, and Hori is everywhere here -- I wasn't aware that Madcatz even offered "real" sticks until yesterday when I started googling about sticks. Being from the UK the Hori stick seems super cheap to me here anyhow. Problem is, it's still a fair chunk of my wages regardless.

Sadly I don't actually know anyone who owns a fight stick. The only time I've tried using sticks is when I've spent some money in arcades to mess around on P4 Ultimax, or once to play Street Fighter IV. It feels super fun though.

Seeing how much is 'missing' definitely turned it from a "must buy" to a "eh? Does this mean I'm not welcome?" kinda feeling. I always assumed I was supposed to play the story mode first, not a few months later. I like the idea of stuff to keep me coming back though. With SFV having a small roster I was hoping it'd give me a chance to actually start to recognize characters and movesets etc.

I'd love to join you all online; my biggest fear has always been a toxic community. I've always heard mixed things about fighting games online in that regard. Being in Japan do you think my ping might stop me being able to play with you guys?

@giromindtricks Sadly I can't find any cheaper sticks on Amazon other than a really cheap mini one :(

I would say that this game is fairly intimidating if you are playing more experienced players because of how much damage can be dealt at a time, however that combined with the increased input leniency(how well timed your combos need to be) makes it also fairly accessible to a newer player in my opinion. The is not many options in game to teach you but plenty of resources are putting out guides for getting into Street Fighter right now, in particular I like a lot of the stuff Gootecks has been doing. SFV also has a pretty robust stat tracking and replay system built in so it offers both you and others a chance to understand what you are doing right/wrong and to see what others are doing.

It will take likely a lot of time and practice though. I really got into Street Fighter a year and half ago and have played pretty consistently since and I would say I am only beginning to really understand how to play. Don't be afraid to play way better players, you will likely get crushed pretty often but as long as you can start to figure out why you are losing then it is worth it.

Thinking that a fightstick is better for fighting games is a super common misconception. It really just comes down to preference. Lots of the pros use sticks because they started in the arcades, and thus that is what they learned on and are used to. There are many younger pros, and some older, who use a varieties of gamepads though. SnakeEyes who is one of the best Zangief players uses a fightpad(a controller that is still a gamepad but has extra face buttons and a different style dpad), Luffy who is a previous EVO winner uses a Playstation 1 pad, and Smug who is likely the world's best Dudley player and dominated Xbox Live used a 360 controller.

If you are able to try out a stick for an extended period of time, borrowing from a friend or going to an arcade a few times, it could really help you make a decision. I own a fightstick and prefer to play with a dualshock 4 just out of comfort as I grew up playing console games so I don't have to worry about familiarity with the controller when playing.

@hunkulese said:

I dunno, stuff like pianoing inputs are legitimate reasons for preferring stick to controller. It's not a necessity but I don't think it's blind nostalgia either. Definitely wouldn't recommend dropping the cash for a stick right off the bat.

Since you live in Japan, one reason to learn a fight stick is that you have to if you want to play in arcades. (I know some cabinets let you plug in stuff like controllers but that is a hassle)

I feel there is a bit of a learning curve, and a lot of people say its preference. But its used by a lot of people for a reason.

@atwa: This was totally the main drive behind wanting a stick for me. Going over to people's houses isn't very common here, so I rarely socialize "inside". Going to the arcade is super easy though - Street Fighter is probably the one game that literally any arcade has right now. May even be able to throw down with a few randoms too. (Also why I was looking at the full sized sticks and not the mini sticks.

@zella I really wish I could just borrow a stick - would make things much easier. I suppose in the meantime I should just buy the game and see how it feels. I know that you're saying a lot of people use the 6 button pads, but realistically is a PS4 controller gonna be a little difficult? I understand practice makes perfect but, anything that'd make the practice a little more smooth would be great.

On a PS4 controller, would people generally use the D-Pad or the Analogue Stick?

A stick isn't going to make anything easier if you're not already used to it. In fact, it'll be quite the opposite.

I already invested in learning how to use it with SF4 and it's my preference now but there were a few weeks/months of frustration adjusting to it. I also made the decision to get the stick after playing the game for a while, I definitely would not recommend spending a load of money on it if there's a chance you'll play the game for a few weeks and be done with it.

Some of the advanced execution stuff (which made owning a stick worthwhile) such as plinking, pianoing isn't even useful anymore in the new game. The only exception is double tapping (which I never do anyway).

TL;DR - only get a stick if you find yourself invested in the game and have also had the chance to be hands on with a stick and find it to be your preference, the old reasons for using an arcade stick no longer apply.

@feive_vz: The good thing about fighting games (in my experience) is that very few people actually chat. Since it's 1v1, there's no real need to have a mic set up for teamwork or anything like that. Also it means no one is on your team, which seems to be where 99% of the verbal abuse comes from in most other multiplayer games. Occasionally you might get a players who sends you an angry message after losing, but since the game uses a fighter ID and is cross-play between Steam and PSN, I don't actually know if there is even a way to message other people.

All that said, the fighting game community is overall really positive and welcoming of newcomers, and we have our own little community set up here. I don't know what the lag situation would be for you vs other duders, but this game seems to have really solid netcode.

I feel like a stick may make me want to play for longer because (and this is likely because I'm a scrub) the dpad is hurting my thumb! I know I have a lot of wasted inputs and that's likely the cause, I also use the middle of my thumb for some reason, likely a hold over from most games only occasionally using the dpad.

@starvinggamer: Thanks for all the help and input. Is there a PS4 community or something I should join to be able to play with fellow duders? I played for a spell last night and lost every round, but I'm not too disheartened yet! Albeit, some of those matches I couldn't even really move much. I'm following some video tutorials online about learning the game/theory and doing my best only to use Ryu (although I desperately want to use Chun Li and just enjoy her more).

@brotherbran The D-Pad burn is really Brother. D:

@feive_vz: Well, lobbies are still pretty bust right now so we haven't put any effort into making a FGC-specific thing yet on PSN. There is a general GB community there but I have never used it so I don't know how active it is. Also with cross-platform play a lot of people are on PC. Once things settle down with their servers we'll probably try to get some sort of fight-night thing going.

If you're in Japan, Hori used to make fairly cheap plastic fight sticks. You may be able to get a PS3 one pretty cheap, or they may have some PS4 models now. That way you can at least get used to a stick without spending a lot, then upgrade to a better one once you get the feel for it and decide it's what you want.

Amazon has Hori 360 sticks for around $60-70, which is worth investigating as a starter stick if you're playing on the PC. Hell, I'm tempted to pick one up just so I have a stick for guests so I can force them to play with me.

I'm playing with a ds4 right now but plan on picking up a hori fight commander soon. No way i'm spending 100's of bux for one type of game. I don't know but i feel like this one is a bit less confusing than 4, i couldn't get the ex counter shit down for nothing in that game(at least with a gamepad maybe I could do better with a fight stick). I won a match online but didn't play anymore because i like to go out on top lol.

The problem i've always had with street fighter is having to use the shoulder buttons, even back on super nintendo. I just need a gamepad with 6 face buttons so i can play it like i play tekken (fingers on the face buttons).

I bought a Venom arcade stick (PS4) for this and MK. After getting it found out that apparently its crap? I'm one of those who can't play with a pad for long times until my hands cramp so I don't mind the crap "reviews". Over here in Finland Hori was sort of out of question, all stores said those were out of stock and had a waiting time of about a month.

On SF5 itself.. I have won whopping one online game! The game is fun tho - last fight games I've played were the last Soul Calibur and DoA. Before those probably SF2 or MK2 on Amiga..

I laid out big money (read: about $150) for a Quanba Q4 last spring and it might be the best investment I've ever made. If you think you're going to spend a lot of time in SFV (or really in any fighting game) it's worth shelling out for a high-quality stick if you can afford it--particularly if you find pads get uncomfortable (or you just hate having to use shoulder buttons for heavy attacks).

I think I just popped the achievement for winning 10 ranked matches in SFV last night. Or maybe 10 online matches at all? I get my ass handed to me a lot in SFV.

@feive_vz: My PS3 stick isn't compatible with my PC currently, so I have to make do with a DS3, and the d-pad is a little rough on my thumb. It's certainly playable with a pad though, so I'd wait and see if you enjoy the game before splashing out on a nice stick (sticks are real nice though).

@edmundus: Wait, how does a PS3 stick not work but a PS3 pad does?

@starvinggamer: It seems the early Madcatz SFIV sticks don't work on PC if you don't have the right USB chipset (currently my PC detects the stick as a connected device but that's it), so I'm ordering a PCI card that will hopefully fix that. I use xinput wrapper to have regular PS3 controllers detected as 360, so no issues there.

I'll say, as someone who might be a bit late to the party and as a PS4 pad user, Street Fighter has never been easier to control. The three frame links and exclusion of archaic inputs (outside of full circle; I still suck at those) make it really easy for me to do things I've never been able to do before. Now, that may be specific to me, as I'd transitioned from using an OG 360 pad in SF4 to the PS4 directional pad (which is MILES better), but the actual execution of moves feels a lot simpler than before; simpler to the point where I'd say you'd be fine learning on a PS4 pad.

Also, full disclaimer: I've never owned a stick. I don't know, maybe it really is a godsend. But, I'm prone to believe the opposite. Look at NucklDu (PS2 pad); look at Snake Eyez (Madcatz Fightpad); look at PIE SMUG (X360 pad; that's ridiculous to me). With the laxer mechanics, it's becoming increasingly apparent to me that device choice is preference, not necessity.

It's definitely as good a time as any to get in. Street Fighter V is fairly friendly in terms of what it asks of you, and everyone is pretty new to the game right now so while there are certainly big skill divides from the top to the bottom there are also going to be way more players fighting in the lower-tier levels. UltraChenTV (on Twitch/YT) started the first episode of their SF V season of First Attack last night, well worth checking those out as they come along if you're fairly new to the series (or even if you're a veteran, honestly). Great show going from the basics of your mindset and philosophy through to core fundamentals and character specifics.

As someone who has been using pad all my life and right through SF IV, this is the main reason I kinda want to make the (monetary and time) investment in a stick now. Plus they look cool.

@y2ken: I say go for it dude. I took the plunge last year and while it took some initial getting used to (particularly as I was used to pad inputs) once I made the adjustment I can't imagine going back. Then again I still can't pull off Zangeif's CA so I mean, it's not going to necessarily make life easier, just way cooler.

I figure I'll ask in here. How in the world do you get out of a corner? For some reason I keep getting matched (in casual) against some level 300-400 people. I know that doesn't necessarily mean talent, but it means long play time. Every time someone gets me in a corner I can't get out. I can't block, I can't jump, nothing. I just get instantly comboed to death!

Just came across these videos earlier today. Really good info for beginners. Explains a lot of basic concepts and terms.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st5CUkIHIM0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZN9-geD0Yg

@sniper26: I don't know why you wouldn't be able to just block unless you aren't identifying which attacks hit overhead and which hit low, or if they're going for wake up throws. You can try using your V Reversal to stop their momentum. It's not a fail safe, but it could give you some breathing room to mount your own attack and fight your way out of the corner.

Hm. I feel like I have been doing that. Probably execution error! One of the few things I love about this game. I feel as though when I lose it isn't anything unfair, just me not executing and the other player just being better. Kind of a nice change.

Also: Is there a downside to doing ranked? I haven't touched it yet because I am not very good at all. Should I just keep doing casual?

@sniper26: I would advise doing ranked over casual as you're more likely to get matched up against people of your own skill level. Like you've experienced, casual can be totally random and you could get matched up with someone way better than you. You don't have any points to lose so just go into ranked.

Alright cool. So I guess i'll do ranked. I honestly don't care too much about my rank. Just wanted to make sure it wasn't going to hurt me.

@feive_vz: Regarding the fight stick answer, I have two questions for you: how long do you plan on sticking with this and are you okay with losing a LOT?

If the answer to either of those is "not very long/not across multiple games" and "no," then nah. stick with a controller.

I've been playing Street Fighter IV since it was...well, since it was Street Fighter IV and I STILL don't have a fight stick despite also buying Guilty Gear Xrd and MKX as well as Persona 4: Arena. Don't get a fight stick unless you're looking at being truly competitive, even if you HAVE the disposable income.

Which leads into my other question: you're gonna have to accept losing. A lot. I don't say this to be a jerk or to cast aspersions at you specifically, but I see a lot of complaints on forums about how often people lose and if you're just starting out? You're gonna win well under 50% of your matches, overall. Which is fine. You learn by losing, just don't give up cause eventually you get to that 50%, and then if you REALLY invest the time in, you pass it.

Thanks for all of the feedback in here. It was really helpful, but in the end I just went ahead and bought the stick. My partner wanted to play with me and I only had one PS4 pad as it was, and so the stick just kept sticking out in my mind.

@y2ken Thanks for the channel suggestions. I've found some gold on YouTube, but I'll give these a shot too :)

@ford_dent Yeah; getting a high quality one definitely feels right. I've only won one ranked match and one casual, but I'm slowly getting better. Learning from the mistakes!

@undeadpool It's super impressive you've managed to resist the stick this long duder! Your willpower is far greater than mine. I'm happy (enough) with losing a lot -- I'm no where near 50% though. I'm somewhere around 1/15-20 lol. That's fine though.

I've been reading a lot of tutorials and beginner guides that all say to start with Ryu. Enjoyed using Ryu until now, but I sure can't wait to 'graduate' and move onto other characters.

Other folks starting out might find this helpful: Shoryuken.com's Fighting Game Primer

Found it tonight when looking for a super basic introduction to combos. The combo chapter gets into the different types, combo notation, and a bunch of other stuff. Seems like it could pretty useful!