KoF XIII isn't *that* hard

[@johnlyone6407]

Came for the Guilty Gear, stayed to become a better fighting game player Seriously hope you get more recognition man

[@Moqlnkn]

That would be nice, but I have a degree, so I'll be fine either way. The more support I get on videos and streams, the more I can do them.

[@Moqlnkn]

@JulianRock software engineering, specializing in game design

[@leonun]

@@Moqlnkn NICE!

[@andygonzalez8503]

This is what made "buffering" 66C/66B in UNICLR easier for me. I learned you can just 66 prior to landing on the ground in UNICLR and holding down either B or C and you'll get the dash normal out as soon as you land. Very important for Wagner and Yuzu routes for example but the fundamentals i learned from here! Awesome vid!

[@joshuabernardo4305]

The whole "merging motions" portion blew my mind. Knowing that the executions can be buffered, or done with little regards to timing, combos are a lot more approachable. There are many fighting games. I feel this one caters to combo, and special move, junkies. Lol

[@Moqlnkn]

The whole concept of drive cancels incentivises doing a lot of complex motions very quickly. I like it.

[@cmk5498]

The buffer system in kof not really known outside of these games by the general FGC when KoF15 comes out you and Juicebox have to make sure to mention this system each time you have a video so it’s much more clear

[@Moqlnkn]

i plan to make a lot of videos on KoF 15, whenever it decides to exist.

[@primemetroid4427]

@@Moqlnkn I came to your vid from a comment on a beginner KOF15 vid so I’m looking forward to your 15 vids as a newbie. Only played a bit of SF casually as a kid so I can do inputs. Smash reminded me KOF exist so was waiting to see and KOF 15 with rollback, it’s art style, fast paced combat and characters has made me pull the trigger on a tradition fighter. Sounds like I’m not the only newbie trying KOF either which is awesome.

[@TempestDacine]

Yeah there are some legit hard combos but this game is insanely generous with inputs and buffers.

[@SaznizamSazmee]

Great video on fighting games mechanics! I like how much you’ve changed since your old kof videos. Keep up content like this and you’re going to get more subs and help a lot more ppl get into (and stay into) fighting games like me!

[@JarlSwagDog]

wow i didn't know about the backdash air special shortcuts thanks this will really help improve my mai /robert

[@NaCl_AQ]

Thank you for sharing these hidden mechanics!! You made this game 100x cooler instantly with this video. I might finally be able to do these trials. You are God's gift to humanity!!!

[@Moqlnkn]

Do Leona and Duo Lon trials, they're easy. Not really. Trials in this game are usually not designed to be practical, and are instead actual trials, like challenges that are meant to be either difficult or unique.

[@chronology556]

You deserve more exposure.

[@Moqlnkn]

I need it, too, I'm WAY too pale.

[@chronology556]

@@Moqlnkn I’m half Filipino and white, not a big deal haha.

[@acemaneuvers7575]

KOF13 was actually the first fighting game I bought. I didn't realize how much of this stuff didn't translate to other fighters. Backdash aerials, holding charges for Ash combos, cross cut supers. I should go back and try to clear more trials. I only ever finished Terry and Takuma.

[@QuixoticNeutral]

This combined with the Dandy J tutorial offers a pretty complete crash course to KoF.

[@SalimOfShadow]

You explained yourself very well, nice job...Keep it up!

[@Moqlnkn]

i try to

[@keithsimpson2685]

Some KOF trials are more "input puzzles" where you have to think about the buffer and they become easy to do. Well I mean Rising X Power Geyser is never gonna be "easy" for me but I can get it pretty reliably.

[@WarriorV8]

Love the series

[@RED-wu5km]

incredible video once again moq, cant believe im finding this so late. just recently got into this game again and picking up all the hidden tech and demystifying this game has been a lot of fun, this video is certainly a big help

[@Moqlnkn]

KoF 15 is basically the same, with only a few exceptions.

[@RED-wu5km]

@@Moqlnkn im holding off on KOF15 for now because i heard that netplay on pc takes forever to match make, i have no friends who play the game so i dont really wanna spend 60 dollars for training mode sim. im having a lot of fun learning hd mode combos and really enjoy the sprite work in kof13 as well

[@Moqlnkn]

@@RED-wu5km I have no idea why matchmaking is being made into a big deal. The matchmaking exists. Only certain people have problems with it. And, more importantly, the game has rollback. I'd rather play only lobby matches (which don't use matchmaing) but have rollback, than to play KoF 13 on ranked mode, which does not have rollback at all and nobody plays it online. It's not even comparable, actually. 15 is just a better experience, in terms of the netcode and the size of the playerbase.

[@KevWasHere1995]

This is a really good video. I didn't know about any of these shortcuts at all and always just brute forced it because of muscles memory of other games. Gonna try these out later.

[@jayvessel444]

Awesome video, haven't played kof for a few years but I've been wanting to start up again.

[@neurololz]

Super informative, thanks for this!

[@KoylTrane]

Where were you 8 years ago to tell me that, man.

[@Moqlnkn]

I was 15, so... grade school. I think Juicebox was streaming back then, so you could have asked him in his chat if you ever saw him playing.

[@KoylTrane]

@@Moqlnkn i just remembered that I didn't speak english 8 years ago LMAO

[@klasnikof]

hey man THANKS ALOT! I have been playing the trails for like five years, did not know about this!

[@Moqlnkn]

yep thats why i make 'em

[@TempestDacine]

Respect the dedication

[@gbt2009]

Imagine if the game itself explained these to the players instead of a "hold back for block, yay finished" dog shit tutorials. Hope they step up their in-game explanations in XV.

[@Moqlnkn]

@@gbt2009 I don't think in-depth tutorials are necessary at all. In fact, it's fun to learn how the mechanics work in a game through experience instead of reading text. Even if the tutorial tells me something, I'm going to go into training mode, test it to make sure it's true, test for other things the mechanic does, test how it interacts with other mechanics, and draw my own conclusions from my own findings. I think, that way, it's less likely that I'll find myself believing something in the future that isn't actually true. I think it also builds diversity among the playerbase. I think it adds to the skills the game rewards players for having, namely the ability to find things out for themselves. At the bottom end of the spectrum, the game is less boring to learn, and, at the top end of the spectrum, nothing changes at all because the top end will know everything about the game mechanically, anyway. Having better tutorials just speeds up the process of going from the bottom to the top. Having bad tutorials can slow the process down compared to not having a tutorial, or even bar the player from passing a certain knowledge barrier by feeding them false information. If a company isn't capable of spending a lot of time and resources into a very, very good tutorial, then it's potentially better to not have one at all, and I honestly think those resources, at this stage, are better spent on making the game not look horribly ugly compared to the upcoming Guilty Gear and Melty Blood games. If I had to make a fighting game, I would make one of two tutorials, depending on the investment I have. If it's a low investment, I would make a very simple tutorial that tells the players HOW to do things, and what things are possible, not what those things are or how they interact with each other, not including things that happen when you press any button or hold any direction by itself. This is what KoF XIII does, although the tutorial is incomplete. This sets the player up with all the basic knowledge they need to start experimenting with the game's mechanics. If I had a bigger investment, then I would create a second tutorial mode that goes much deeper; however, I would wait until the game has been played for a long time by very good players, see how they play the game, and base the tutorial around that, updating it if the "meta" evolves. I may even poll the players themselves. It's dangerous to make a tutorial without doing this because then I may add content that isn't helpful, or omit content that is essential.

[@gbt2009]

@@Moqlnkn I'm not expecting them to show every single mechaninc interactions in every single situations but it's important for the playerbase to KNOW that they are there. "Discovery" of it can still be in the game without you having to memorize it by doing it 20 times in some mode. What you're talking about is eerily similar to Harada and many other developers opinion on frame data until recently. It was purposely left out of Tekken because he believed it would make the game much less played by players because they'd "discovey everything" if you gave them the frame data. XIII tutorial isn't even close to hinting at possibilities, it's literally the most basic, "Switch to pistol to not reload" kind of shit that's completely useless beyond the bare minimum. Even besides a good tutorial, there should be a good glossary (literally no cost is involved for some in-game text) that explain the unique mechanics especially if it's tied to the trials like these where you know the player is going in-depth with the game. In 2021, if you have to look up some video with 200 views to understand LET ALONE FIND OUT about an important mechanic in your game, in my opinion you deserve to be a discord game with no online population.

[@CloneHat]

This is crazy helpful. Had my suspicions when Kula trial 4(?) wanted me to cancel first hit of DP into double QCB super. Too bad the normal links can't be buffered though. Hope they're not required for BnBs

[@naotecurto]

Fantastic video. I need to try those again. I played KOF 13 for fun with friends but never delved too deep because even BnBs seemed impossible to me. I am one of those SF players you mentioned...

[@chronology556]

I transitioned from SF to KOF seamlessly (and it’s way more fun and better character design), just gotta read up on all these shortcuts, way to input things like instant throws, he didn’t cover. The neutral is similar to another game I used to play Smash Melee.

[@naotecurto]

@@chronology556 wow, what a bold comparison. Can you elaborate? Smash and kof look so different. I am just asking for clarification, I really don't know what you meant.

[@chronology556]

@@naotecurto rolls are in Smash. Run is in Smash. You just auto face each other in a real FG. They both have short hops. Running and throwing is essential in both games. You jump around a lot putting normal attacks out. I don’t see what’s so different, you just can move to platforms and shit in Smash and have the edge guarding element. The neutral looks very similar, of course technical skill and mechanics like DI are very different.

[@naotecurto]

@@chronology556 thanks for the reply. Might need to buy a switch then.

[@chronology556]

@@naotecurto the main difference maker in the neutral is throws are not 1 frame startup in Smash. But shield grab is the noob killer. So shield is quite powerful in Smash. KOF has alternate Guard to prevent throws, but it has a weakness to a well timed low or overhead. Origin of Smash started with Sakurai beating the shit out of people in the Arcade in KOF’95. So he wanted a party game to give everyone a chance to win at a fighting game.

[@MadCafe-zr7jr]

great video, I've been playing kof for years and just found out about this

[@abfloorr]

Great vid. I wish you would have mentioned that the game needs you to meet certain criteria for motion inputs. All inputs other than quarter circles can be void of their diagonal inputs. Quarter circles have to have a 2 3 and 6. But a DP can be just 6 2 6, a half circle can JUST be 624/426.

[@zakki9491]

I just got into KOF because of 13 and for me the trials are really fun to figure out even though i play on analog pad like the masochist I am. Ashs trials felt easier than i thought but thats prolly cuz ive been doing charge motions and walk booms forever in SF, just in KOF13 the buffer is so big and the charge frames needed are so low that im surprised how much time i have for some stuff. Tho analog pad does make it hard to do some of those dp into hadouken cancels, so the up forward thing made it way easier. Definetly playing KOF15 with how fun this franchise is.

[@__aythami]

Really useful video, ty for the enlightenment. Keep it up!

[@ayoubyash7468]

Does this apply to older Kof like 98-99-2000-2002, because i've found them very strict compared to XIII ? Max mode combos in 2002 are really hard to confirm because of the manual Run.

[@Moqlnkn]

Almost everything in this video applies to older KoF games, except the HD mode stuff.

[@necrofon4047]

Thanks a lot, it really helps making those seemengly impossible trials. Any plans on making tutorials to the rest of characters?

[@Moqlnkn]

There are many tutorials on the channel already, from a long time ago.

[@Moqlnkn]

As far as new ones, maybe. If the game gets rollback, definitely.

[@necrofon4047]

@@Moqlnkn Yeah, i know, i've already seen some of them, but i was hoping for a Ash and/or Saiki one. I doubt it will get rollback, but let's have hope

[@blasarcemarino2303]

there's one you didn't mention (prolly because some other games has it too) and it's doing, for example, rising tackle into power geyser, since it's pretty hard to do a flash kick into that super. however, you can do: D, DB, B, UB, U+P, D, DF, F+P. Other than that, really good video, keep up the good work :D

[@jed949]

How tight is the timing because i cant even get kyo's 1st trial right. Kof 13 feels so different

[@Moqlnkn]

Normal Kyo, Trial 1? Light kicks into a special move? The only tricky thing I can think of is that you have to perform the special move on time, so it's better to be early than late.

[@KrAceZ]

So this game *doesn't* have Negative Edge but it *does* have insane buffers (like I haven't seen buffers this generous outside of Smash 4/Ultimate)

[@Moqlnkn]

There is no buffer for normals, but the buffer for specials is massive. You not only are allowed to input the motions super early, and to combine several motions, but can also press the button extremely early and have the move still come out. The key difference compared to the massive buffers of, say, Dark Souls 1 and 3, is that you can choose to not do the buffered move by releasing the button, and you can choose to cancel the buffered input motion by changing which direction you're holding on the stick. So not only is it a big buffer on certain moves, but having the buffer lined up in the game's memory doesn't lock you into doing a move you meant to do two seconds ago, resulting in your death by getting hit, rolling too early because you tried to roll the first hit, and then getting hit again by an attack that punishes your buffered roll. If you couldn't tell, I don't like Dark Souls.

[@NotmyRealname847]

Yeah I struggled through a lot of the combo trials back in the day using what I knew from Street Fighter 4 and UMvC3, and found them extremely difficult. I could never understand how the pros could be so consistent to the point where they hardly ever drop anything. Once you learn the button hold trick though, the execution becomes much more consistent - I will say though that it does take a while to work KoF's combo system into the muscle memory. By the way, title for hardest fighting game trials definitely belongs to the little known "Koihime Enbo Ryo RaiRai".

[@peterramos5128]

Any shortcuts fot vices combos like mayhem into overkill super?

[@Moqlnkn]

@@peterramos5128 I don't know move names, so I will assume you mean 214P 236P j1236982P. The shortcut is to delay the super and button hold. The timing is a bit later than it feels like it should be.

[@peterramos5128]

@@Moqlnkn yes the air grab super

[@miguelr246]

12:29 What's the other way you didn't mention?

[@Moqlnkn]

charge db > uf P > K This one is more precise on the timing, and harder for me, but might be easier if your left hand is holding you back.

[@homurayurisquad1423]

about the cross cut. it seems like you still have to guess if the hit will crossup on wakeup. Makes me want to try this game again and see if i can do some trials

[@Moqlnkn]

If you button hold, and you guess wrong on the direction, your character blocks.

[@homurayurisquad1423]

@@Moqlnkn thx i finally got around to trying a few things from this vid. 4414 took some practice to tk 214 motions. I found with the shen combo you showed, its easiest to do a 360 and you can stop inbetween motions to make sure you hit 2a. the 2b helps buffer so you wont jump. i cant seem to do walk forward 236 with 2369 and it often still dped or super jumped but i couldnt do it. I'm not sure if its only during combos.

[@Moqlnkn]

​@@homurayurisquad1423 What combo are you trying to do, exactly? All of these input tricks are constantly active in the game's code, but usually not useful outside of combos.

[@homurayurisquad1423]

@@Moqlnkn i've only tried the short shen combo you showed. and it seems a lot easier to do now, i havent tried the longer ones yet since it was a short try a few things session. it seems like it takes a bit to get used to a lot of stuff. tking to not get dp in the elizabeth combo you showed, might help preventing dps in another game i play, for one character whose easy to accidental dp during her rekkas. I wanted to try learning liz in the past but she always seemed super hard in 13, but usable in 15

[@HarmlessRain]

Bless you!

[@donchan9359]

Bless you

[@Moqlnkn]

There were a record amount of sneezes sniffles and snivels in this that I had to edit out. Sneezes Sniffles and Snivels is my favorite Guy Fieri television show, by the way.

[@rezanugraha2335]

I know i kinda late 2 years lmao 😅😅😅 but, there is also 1 trick you may forgot to mention, the second motion input for QCF, HCB and QCB, HCF super motion basically QCF, HCB = QCF, QCF, B QCB, HCF = QCB, QCB, F i know it might kinda look like harder or weirder, but it helps me a lot when doing the EX Iori rekka cancel and Kyo Air Supers (QCB, QCB, UF + P)

[@rezanugraha2335]

@@heony5668 Kyo trial, i believe 9 or maybe 10 where he had to do air super after qcf+D

[@gi1bert139]

Do you play skull girls ?

[@Moqlnkn]

not recently, but you can find my very old guide to skullgirls through my website

[@gi1bert139]

@@Moqlnkn you know your stuff man. Good work

[@azrael9561]

Dood I can actually enjoy this game now, came from a reddit post.

[@Lucaskpp7]

its posible to do all that in keyboad?

[@Moqlnkn]

Depends on the keyboard. Some keyboards make it impossible to press more than three keys at once, which makes certain things more difficult and annoying.

[@felipegermano5815]

How is anyone supposed to know that though?

[@Moqlnkn]

By finding out on accident. By watching videos like this one. By trying things out. There is the argument to be made that a game should teach you about things like this. Fighting games from this era didn't have very good tutorials.

[@imtilde]

@@Moqlnkn there's an argument to be made against hand holding though, I haven't played KOF outside of childhood but when I figured out (on my own) that I could "utilize" previous qcf for canceling a qcf special into a 2xqcf super (in sf) it was mind blowing and felt great, also opened up many concepts about the input systems for me. I still remember that moment and it wouldn't have been nearly as interesting to be spoonfed that information. Moreover, it incentivizes community efforts in finding and sharing information/tricks and whatnot, which is a great thing!

[@Moqlnkn]

@@imtilde Depends on why you're playing the game. If you want to play and do well, vs experiment and learn new mechanics, for example. That's two types of fun, and only one of them tends to last forever - playing opponents and trying to beat their particular strategy.

[@Rath-p3n]

Bro how it’s so hard on controller I wish you could tell me a tutorial how on controller cause I’m playing it on switch

[@Moqlnkn]

This game was designed to be played on an arcade-style joystick. The one I use is the Qanba Obsidian. But you CAN play it on anything.

[@jed949]

Btw perfect timing

[@madthrasher88]

Its not that hard but the netplay is. Rollback when to make netplay easier, SNK?

[@MadCafe-zr7jr]

11:40 XDDD

[@whoknowsplan4916]

Good video but I didnt understand some things

[@Moqlnkn]

Keep asking questions here, in my discord, or during my live streams, and I'll try to answer with what you need to know.

[@druffyspinkilingus6121]

I am watching this and thinking it would make things easier for me. I can't do cancels in the first place XD Edit: Actually I can't even do combos

[@Moqlnkn]

If you can perform a special attack, you can perform a special cancel. Simply press an attack button, then input the special as or before the attack hits, and hold the button down. The easiest example is pressing Heavy Punch + Heavy Kick to get your character's standing Blowback attack, and then canceling into a Special from that.

[@druffyspinkilingus6121]

@@Moqlnkn Alright so I need to work on moving my fingers a lot quicker. I struggle to do a punch then immediately put in the command for a special move. My fingers just don't move fast enough. Thanks for the help. I need to practice a hell of a lot more before i work on cancels.

[@Moqlnkn]

@@druffyspinkilingus6121 Practice doing a rekka special, things that make you do several motions in a row. Duo Lon has one.

[@mtchillin4163]

It really isn’t that hard

[@xTheReapersSpawn]

Ah... they should just remove buffers and make everything frame perfect.