Crazy With The Beat: A Dee Jay Tech Journal for USF4

  Welcome to my Dee Jay tech journal, an ever-growing archive of tips, strats, hacks and tactics that I have developed over a decade-plus of playing this character in USF4 (long after most other players had already abandoned him). Keep in mind these journal entries are based on my personal experience with the game and may not gel with your own. In other words, your mileage may vary. This journal is not meant as the final statement on all things Dee Jay; rather, it is meant as a starting point for your own Dee Jay explorations and (with a little luck) to help you improve your own success with the character.  Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, here are a few quick housekeeping items before we delve into the truly juicy stuff: 1) I often switch back and forth between old and new button names in these articles, seemingly at random and for no apparent reason. For those who may get confused, here is how they match up to one another . . . Jab = Light Punch Strong = Medium Pun...

Based on my observations: 1. Playing the match from the wrong distances (particularly up close). 2. Walking forwards or backwards to navigate space (kills charge). 3. Throwing random moves with heavy risk and poor success rates (e.g., EX Sobat). 4. Wasting meter on poor options (e.g., EX Air Slasher in fireball wars). 5. Not saving meter for MUCH better long-term options. 6. Hitting too many goddamn buttons (in the hopes that something connects). 7. Either not being aware - or not making use of - Dee Jay's MANY heavy damage options. If you figure out ways to eliminate the above habits and replace them with better options, you'll automatically better your game by a shitload.  NOTE: Will present a few ways to do this in other posts. PDF Version of Post

Dee Jay's optimal range is actually just inside of his opponent's sweep range. From there, you can: pester with the Short Dread Kick (sailing over most low attacks, for example)  let fly hard-to-react-to Max Outs stuff jump ins with either normals or a charged Jack Knife whiff punish or counter hit many moves  jump poorly timed projectiles set up for future cross-up opportunities jump with the Short Knee Shot for a potential combo or to further press the attack (but not all the time!).  From slightly farther out, almost all of Dee Jay's tools lose their potency (no surprise, this is the range that good players will often try to keep you at, and one which you must make a concentrated effort to stay out of).  In addition, up close fighting is a general no-no because your offense/defense potential here without charge is poor and it inevitably sets you up for a "maul" situation from the opponent if you stay in that range for too long (see my later post he...