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CONTROLS

Dead or Alive 3 is played with directional inputs and a minimum of three different buttons, Free, Punch, and Kick. The default fight stick layout is as follows:

[Insert picture of directionals and button layout]

DIRECTIONALS

Dead or Alive 3 utilizes all eight directions of the directional-pad or either analog stick, and neutral. Graphically, a tap in a direction is indicated with a white or lit arrow. Textually, Num Pad notation is used with only the number representative of the direction. For circular and semi-circular motions, the diagonals are typically omitted textually. E.g. 41236 can be understood as 426.

[Insert picture of tapping direction and numpad]

In addition to tapping a direction, you may also be required to [i]hold[/i] a direction. Graphically, this is indicated with a black or unlit arrow. Textually, [i]hold[/i] directions are indicated with an underscore after the number, e.g. 6_ means "hold the forward direction". Normally, a single underscore is all that's necessary as most directions and buttons don't have a variance requirement most of the time. However, some attacks can vary their resulting move id between the inputs of tapping, holding for a brief moment, or holding until the move completes automatically while still holding. In the cases of requiring the button(s) to be held until automatic completion, it's referenced with a double underscore such as 6P__.

[The above comments about double underscore probably need to be moved to the Buttons section]

[Insert picture of holding direction and numpad]

BUTTONS

Dead or Alive 3 utilizes 3 unique buttons for attack command inputs. These buttons are as follows:

[Section :F: Free :P: Punch :K: Kick ]

Free (:F:)
The [i]Free[/i] button is used uniquely for Guarding, Defensive Holding, and Waking Up from a Downed state. Holding :F: will keep the player in a standing guard state that guards high and mid blockable attacks, but it will not guard low attacks. Holding :2_::F: will put the player in a crouching guard state that will guard low attacks, evade high attacks, and be vulnerable to mid attacks once the crouching state is active. Standing Guard doesn't have a start-up time, where-as Crouching guard takes 5 frames to transition to from Standing state [i]unless[/i] a low attack is being blocked.

Free Cancelling Strings
You can hit :F: to cancel your string attacks. For example, Jann Lee has a three hit string that is :P::2::P::K:. If you want to only do the first two hits, :P::2::P: and then follow it with a new string of a normal :K:, you can either wait for the string delay window of the :P::2::P: to expire, and then press :K:, or you can press :F: after the :P::2::P: and immediately follow it with :K:. So the entire input becomes :P::2::P::F::K:. You insure that no time is wasted between the :P::2::P: expiring, and the :K: starting.

Other Cancels
Pressing :F: is a universal way of cancelling out of a special stance and returning to neutral state. For example, Helena can cancel her Bokuho stance by pressing :F:, however she won't be able to instantly guard when she does so. This applies to most character stances, including Back-Turned stance which takes 5 frames to turn around before guarding is active.

Punch (:P:)
The [i]Punch[/i] button is used with various directions for attacks such as elbows, uppercuts, and various single arm attacks.

Kick (:K:)
The [i]Kick[/i] button is used with various directions for attacks such as sidekicks, low kicks, and kickflips.

Throw Macro (:F+P:)
All throws and throw escapes are performed by pressing the :F: and :P: buttons at the same time, displayed as a :F+P: input. There is a leniency window of 1 frame allowed between pressing either button before the other so :P::F: or :F::P: will also be accepted. Using the macro preceded with different directions can execute different throws. Simply hitting :F+P: will get a neutral standing simple throw, usually your character's least damaging but fastest standing throw, whereas throws with more complex inputs such as :426::F+P: yield more damage but also have more start-up frames.

Enter :F+P: to escape a neutral standing front-facing throw or an escapable [i]Combo Throw[/i]. Some [i]Combo Throws[/i] are inescapable

Strong Punch Macro (:P+K:)
Typically used with directions for powerful punch attacks such as body attacks, lunging attacks, or double-arm attacks. Use :P+K: with various directions to get a variety of powerful punch attacks.

Strong Kick Macro (:F+K:)
Typically used with directions for powerful kick attacks such as roundhouse, sweeps, and somersault attacks. 

Appeal Macro (:F+P+K:)
Used typically for Appeals (Taunts) and Tagging in or out in Tag Battle. If in Singles Battle, the macro will perform a single jab (:P:) that can't extend into any of the normal strings.

COMMAND INPUT

Consider the following example command inputs and how to interpret them:

Graphical Notation | Textual Notation | Description
:P::K: | PK | Press :P: and then press :K:
:6::P::K: | 6PK | Tap the forward direction :6: and press :P:, then press :K:
:P+K: | P+K | Press :P: and :K: together
:4::6::F+P: | 46F+P | Tap the backward direction :4:, then tap the forward direction :6:, and press :F: and :P: together.
:426::F+P: | 426F+P | Roll the stick or pad in a half circle direction along its edge from back to forward and press :F: and :P: together. Note that you do not have to return the stick to neutral between each direction, but instead move to each direction from each preceding direction.
:6_::K: | 6_K | While holding the forward direction :6_:, press :K:. Note that this is different from :6::K: which means [i]tap[/i] the stick forward and press :K:.
:2_::6::P: | 2_6P | While crouching, tap the forward direction :6:: and press :P: at the same time. In some cases, the :2_: notation will suggest a While Rising state, which will mean your character might be able to perform the move immediately after performing a move that leaves him or her in the crouching state. Also, in some cases the :2_: doesn't require you to go into crouching state at all and instead [i]hold[/i] the :2_: direction during recovery of an animation.

All commands are shown with respect to Player 1's default orientation. Swap the left and right directions for Player 2's default orientation.

THE INPUT BUFFER

Ordinarily, when you're just standing there and free to move (neutral state), the instant you press a button, something happens on screen. For example, if you press :P: your character will immediately punch.

But what about times when you aren't free to move, such as when you're guarding the opponent's attack, or you're recovering from your own attack? What happens to your button presses then? Are they ignored until you're free to move again? This is where the Input Buffer comes in.

[The size of the Input Buffer is 12 frames. In the diagrams, the listed 10 frame input buffer window should be listed as frame 12.]

During times when you're frozen and unable to move, any buttons you input will get placed into a buffer or queue. This is called the input buffer and it lasts for 12 frames.

[ Render Image example of 10 frame Input Buffer]

What this essentially means is that any buttons entered during the last 12 frames of your recovery will get executed the very first frame you're able to move. Let's look at two examples:

[Example 1: Enter during Input Buffer]

Let's say you just guarded an attack which put you into guard stun for a long time. Just before you're about to recover, and are free to move, you press :P:. Now provided you pressed :P: within the Input Buffer, then your character will successfully punch the very frame they recover. By using the Input Buffer this way, you're executing your punch attack as early as possible, with no frames wasted. Consider an example where you first waited, visually verifying that you'd recovered before you input :P:. This ends up wasting valuable frames before your punch even begins to execute.

Now consider the following:

[Example 2: Enter before Input Buffer]

This time, even though the :P: is entered during recovery, it's before the 12 frame input buffer. Since the input is too early, the punch does not get processed when you recover. Have you ever had one of those moments where you swore you pressed an attack button and nothing came out? Usually mid combo, or after guarding your opponent's attack? Chances are, your input was received too early!

With knowledge of the input buffer, you can input your commands ahead of time, especially when  you're doing something else, such that as soon as you recover, your input will be processed. This can help you speed up your play, and insure that your commands are executed as fast as possible.

GUARD BUFFERING
[Section about buffering attacks while guarding]

RECOVERY BUFFERING
[Section about buffering attacks during attack or guard recovery]
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