SFLIU Frequently Asked Questions (& Answers!)
=============================================

By Brian Chan (chanav@sfu.ca)
Version 1.02
Last revision:  January 16, 1994
Updated for SFLIU V2.00 release


Q:  Can I write to the author?
A:  Yes you can!  And here are the E-mail addresses of the author and his
    dearest assistant. ;) Comments, suggestions, requests, or even a word
    from you are very welcomed!  Hey, your letter will probably be the only
    reward me and Derek will ever get so feel free to write to us!

    Derek Liu (Lancer) - deliu@unixg.ubc.ca
    Brian Chan         - chanav@sfu.ca

Q:  When's the next version of SFLIU coming out, and what can we expect?
A:  The next version of SFLIU will probably be SFLIU 2.10.  Hopefully Vega
    should be completed by then.  Possibly even more game graphics will be
    added and edited, and maybe the postponed "Super" version will be
    released then.

Q:  Some of the backgrounds look really smudged or are off in color, is Derek
    going to change them or what?
A:  Not if you don't write to us telling us which background do you think is
    poor in quality and which one's not.  We didn't have time to fine tune the
    backgrounds but if there's enough requests you'll see some improved
    backgrounds in V2.10.

Q:  I've looked into the KEY file and noticed that there are many moves
    starting with a number followed by an "U", should I edit them so we can
    use the move?
A:  Hey certainly not!  Those moves are reserved for the computer's use only,
    you mess around with that the EXE file will notice the changes then
    format your hard drive!  Actually the game will just act weirdly if you
    change that, our advice is: NEVER DO IT.

Q:  Why is the computer so stupid?  The game isn't much of a challenge.
A:  SF196.EXE merely does normal moves and the special moves (specified in the
    KEY file) at random.  To get the most fun out of the game, try increasing
    the computer's Offensive and Defensive strength to about 3/4 full, and
    yours around 1/4.  And don't just sit there throwing fireballs all day at
    the opposite side of the screen, get in the computer's face!  Practice
    your combos!  (And maybe the computer will land one too!) :)

    Note that in SFLIU the computer has a bit of AI, where you'll see the
    computer landing combos on you from time to time.  That's our slightest
    effort to make the game more fun. Also note that in version 2.00 the
    computer slams less than the alpha version.

Q:  Why can't Ryu/Ken/Chun Li do Cyclone/SBK in the air?
A:  SF2IBM has a number of problems regarding the ability to perform special
    moves in the air.  Firstly, it cannot detect where the ground is, or where
    in the jump that the CK/SBK was called.  Therefore, we cannot program a
    proper CK/SBK without having Ken/Ryu/Chun Li "float" back to earth, or
    disappear below the ground.  Secondly, continual use of moves in the air
    has the potential to hang the game by having Ken/Ryu/Chun Li go higher and
    higher, off the screen.  Thirdly, there is a bug in the .EXE that involves
    interrupting sequences "reprogramming" other sequences.  Therefore, we
    tried to keep interrupting to a minimum-just the moves that are able to be
    interrupted in the arcade.  Fourthly, if we did do moves in the air, it
    wouldn't exactly match the arcade anyways.  In HF, an aerial CK/SBK has no
    ascending motion, while in SF2IBM it would.

    Note that in SFLIU 2.00, the computer can now do it though :)

Q:  Why is there a file called "HYP-#SET.COM" and what does it do?
A:  It turns on the Number Lock.  A while back, Derek and I were annoyed at
    having our number lock turned off by SF2IBM, so we came up with HYP-#SET.
    If you prefer having your Number Lock off, just edit it out of the batch
    files "SF2.BAT" or delete the "HYP-#SET.COM" file.

Q:  Why isn't there charging built into the game?
A:  Charging IS in fact built into SF2IBM, but it doesn't add anything to the
    gameplay.  You cannot jump and charge, so Guile wouldn't be able to do any
    combos.  The charge time is too long, longer that Guile's jump time, so
    Guile still wouldn't be able to do combos! :(  A single keystroke would
    erase the charge, so one cannot punch and charge at the same time.

    Note that charging is used on Balrog's level 3 charge and on Andy's
    killing move.

Q:  How do I Cyclone Kick over a fireball?  The game always makes me block.
A:  "Timing", in the arcade sense, is not needed to perform special moves in
    SF2IBM.  The game merely detects a series of keystrokes within a certain
    time "window".  If it matches a special move, then that special move is
    performed.  Try pressing "down", release, then press "back", release, then
    finally hit a kick button.  Ryu/Ken should still do a CK, despite the fact
    that the keystrokes were not "consecutive".  Of course, this doesn't apply
    to Sonic Booms or Yoga Fires.  And also keep in mind that only Ryu is
    invincible on the way up, and that you cannot CK over a slow fireball
    unless you're getting up.  This method also applies to going through
    projectiles with the jab Sumo Head Butt.

Q:  Why doesn't a jumping short last throughout the whole jump?
A:  To avoid having an attack hitting twice.  There are no "hit flags" in
    SF2IBM, where once an attack has hit, it is incapable of hitting again, so
    we had to cut the duration of the attack.

Q:  Why do some combos still redizzy?
A:  The internal dizzy meter works a bit differently than the arcade.  When
    dizzy in the arcade, one's dizzy meter should be set on empty to make a
    re-dizzy extremely unlikely, if not impossible.  Besides, in SF2IBM, the
    dizzy meter is extremely crude.  In SFLIU, the "big" combos might redizzy,
    such as the Fierce/Fierce/DP combos.  However, there's not much we can do
    about that, since the dizzying power of all attacks were already lowered
    as much as possible.

Q:  Why is it that if I throw a fireball close up, and my opponent blocks, his
    blocking time is shorter than my fireball delay time?  Then he combos me
    back.  This isn't MK, y'know!
A:  In the arcade, different actions cause different blocking time.  For
    example, the "block stun" time of blocking a fireball is exactly the same
    as the fireball delay.  The block stun caused by a jab will be shorter
    than the block stun caused by a fierce.  However, in SF2IBM, there is only
    one blocking time.  We had to shorten it to allow blocking a high attack
    immediately followed by a low attack.  Unfortunately, that brought in the
    MK factor.  :(

Q:  Why does Blanka's roll go through the opponent?
A:  The .EXE cannot interrupt the rolling motion when it detects a collision.
    Going through the opponent is due to the small invulnerable time during
    the "slide back" motion after being hit.  The same thing happens when
    two Kens do a fierce DP -- they pass through each other, due to the
    invulnerability.  The .EXE will not make them slow down and "collide",
    like the arcade.

Q:  Why can't I do moves if my opponent is holding down too many of his keys?
A:  The .EXE doesn't handle keyboard conflicts rather well.  Try using the
    default key mapping given with SFLIU.  If anyone finds a less conflicting
    configuration, please tell us.

Q:  Why doesn't the close range attacks work if my opponent is directly above
    me?
A:  I guess the .EXE only calls up the close range attacks when the opponent
    is on the ground.

Q:  Why are the interruptable moves still able to be interrupted when I
    haven't hit my opponent?
A:  SF2IBM 1.90's interrupt feature makes no distinction between previously
    hitting or missing your opponent.  Besides, it is possible in the arcade
    to interrupt without a previous hit (although it is nowhere near as easy
    as SFLIU!)
