[MENTION=4771]Dreadlash[/MENTION]: Alright, since no one else is answering and I feel like helping out: (orange words are other terms that might need to be later explained)
string: A string is a set of normals used either to combo,
chip or
trap. For example: 1, 1 is a combo string. D1, D1, D3 doesn't combo but can be a
blockstring or a
frame trap. Some characters have "
jail strings" basically meaning opponent is trapped in hit/blockstun and has to keep blocking or compromise (jump, press a button to escape). Any succession of normals is a string.
safe/ unsafe + on block: All attacks do a certain amount of
hitstun /
blockstun. An attack that has
frame advantage on hit/block basically means you recover faster than your opponent so you are able to act before they do. +0 and up are completely safe on block because you are able to block at the same time as your opponent is able to respond with an attack. That being said -5 on block is still safe if you consider the fact that the fastest attack in the game has 6
start up frames. This means even if you have -5 disadvantage, opponent cannot punish you quick enough because you'll recover 1 frame before their attack's hitbox becomes active (so you can still block).
to punish / be punished / punishable: Err.. not sure how to make this any more clear to be honest. Punishing is what the word means: making the opponent pay for his mistakes (for example a
whiffed or blocked special move). If you block a move that's like -10 on block for example and you have a special or normal that has only 8
start up frames, it means you are able to punish it before they are able to block.
launchers: It's a move that makes the opponent go up in the air in a juggle state. Neutral jump punch is a universal launcher. Kung Lao's spin is another example of launcher. Another word used for this is "Pop up".
hit box: Hit box and hittable box are invisible boxes used to detect collision in fighting games.
ex:
The red boxes are hit boxes. When these red box come in contact with a green box, it means there is a hit.
The green boxes are hittable boxes. Those are the vulnerable places where you can be hit.
zoning: A defensive
playstyle revolving around the use of projectiles and other defensive/counter specials to control space and flow of a match. The best zoning characters have either very fast and effective projectiles (Noob's shadow clones) or "capture" type projectiles (sub-zero's ice blast, reptile's force balls).
otg / off the ground: When a special that can be done in the air is done as low to the ground as possible. Others slang terms for this are "tiger knee" and "instant".
mixups: Someone who is too predictable isn't mixing up enough. For example, if you always try to go for an uppercut after a certain
block string, then all your opponent has to do is crouch to avoid your uppercut and punish it. But if you "mix it up" a little, for example by sometimes doing a low attack, an overhead or a throw instead of an uppercut from time to time, then you become harder to read. So simply put, "mixing up" is alternating your attacks to be more unpredictable.
cross up: It's when you change sides by either jumping over your opponent or using a special that makes you cross to the other side (ex: Reptile's elbow dash).
wakeup: When you're getting up after getting knocked down. This is the "wake up" phase where you can
roll,
stay grounded or go for a
wake up attack.
pressure: When you stay in your opponent's face giving them no air to breathe or no place to go.
Jail strings and
blockstrings apply pressure. The more the opponent is pressured, the more they want to get out. So that's often when they'll make mistakes or compromise (whiff a special or make an unsafe jump).
matchup: Characters can have advantage and disadvantage vs other characters. So when someone says for example that the Shang Tsung vs Cyber-Sub Zero matchup is 2-8. It means that if two same skilled players fight using those characters, CSZ has 80% chance of winning over Shang. 5-5 matchups can go either way because no character has advantage over the other.
overhead: Any attack that hits from above and needs to be blocked standing. If you crouch block, an overhead can still hit you. Another term for overhead is Medium attacks.
negative edge: Using the release of buttons to execute special moves. The game reads each input twice (when you press and when you release a button). Negative edge occurs when you release a button. What happens is that releasing a button sends a "copy of that input" into the buffer (so it stores it in memory).
Examples of negative edge use:
-With Ermac, force push is B, F, 1. But negative edge allows you to do 1, B, F instead. When you release it, the "1" input is stored for a short while so when you do B, F right after it the game remembers you previously pressed 1 and thinks you want to do Ermac's force push.
-With Mileena, doing B3, F, F or F3, F will chain B3/F3 to a teleport kick. So in other words you don't have to press 3 again since it's already in memory.
window: Any kind of gap or temporary state. 5 frame window means you have 5 frames to act before the window of opportunity closes.
juggles: When you hit opponent while he's in the air. So basically any combo that keeps the opponent airborne is a juggle.
50/50: It means you have to guess. For example if you try to mix up your opponent with overhead and low, opponent has to guess if he needs to block standing or crouching. That's a 50/50 guessing game. Note that throws in MK9 are also a 50/50 since you have to guess wether to tech with 1/3 or 2/4.
