Arcana Heart guide (Almost done)

[Aion]

Basic Info



Arcana Heart?:

(Play-Asia description)
Arcana Heart is a 2D fighting game developed by Examu (formerly Yuki Enterprise). The game features an original all-female cast, and after choosing a character the player then chooses an "elemental-alignment" (Arcana) which determines the character's special moves.

The console version of Arcana Heart allows people to swith between the "original" and "full" versions of the game, while also giving the option to pit "original" version characters against their "full" version counterparts. In addition to this, there is a Gallery Mode and Story Mode, complete with voiceovers.

Arcana Heart and Arcana Heart Full, which is tournament standard?:
So as you know, there are two version of the game, but Full will definitely be the standard. It's more balanced, it's the most recent, and it's the current standard so far; therefor there is every reason to stick to Full. More info on things like system changes will be posted further on.

Menu Translation:
http://forums.shoryuken.com/showpost...postcount=2642 (thanks to Zakuta)


Cast:


Aino Heart


Tsuzura Saki


Tokinomiya Kamui


Konoha


Mei-Fang


Kasuga Maori


Lilica Felchenerow


Daidohji Kira


Liesolette Achenbach


Yasazumi Yoriko


Fiona Mayfield

Official Arcana Heart site:

http://www.aqi.co.jp/product/arcana/index.html

You can click on the 'Character' section on the menu to view each characters profile as well as a voice profile of their respective voice actors! (click on the oval icon with a mic)

Notation:

We use the numerical notation for Arcana Heart, it may seem confusing at first, but it works once you get used to it. Think of it this way:

7 8 9

4 5 6

1 2 3

'5' is neutral and all the other numbers represent the octagonal directions of a joystick. It's easier to understand if you have a number pad. Thus '8' is to jump and '2' to crouch and so on.

Arcana Heart's buttons are labeled similarly to most SNK games, using the ABCD set-up, so:

A = Light
B = Mid
C = Strong
D = Homing Button

Also...

Backdash (44)- These all have invincible frames, but they may vary depending on the character

Forward Hop (66)- You can't run conventionally, but instead you can hop forward to close in on your opponent

Forward Airdash (66 while airborne)- Much like new generation games these days, Arcana also features an air dash system

Backward Airdash (44 while airborne)- These tend to travel a shorter distance than forward airdashes

Instant Airdash (866 or 844)- Abbreviated to IAD. This is just a faster way to airdash directly from the ground

Double Jump- Yes, these are also present in the game

Super Jump (28)- So are these...

Throw (A+D)- Although they have a slightly large break window, most allow you to follow up with a combo

Alternate Throw (6A+D)- These carry the advantage of having smaller break windows, but they cannot be followed up by a combo

Air Block- Present, but some moves cannot be blocked while in the air


Links:
SRK Arcana Heart thread, it's awesome
Guardcrush.net forums, probably the only English Arcana Heart website (you need to register to see anything)
Guardcrush's Arcana Heart wiki, damn useful
I want wallpapers and stuff! Well click here (thanks to Ryza for finding it)
Videos, now! Don't yell, click here


Up next: The Homing Button; Arcana's; system differences; character guides etc.

Also, props to HeartNana of SRK for helpfully posting most of the info you read here in a convenient single post. Obviously I can't avoid posting the same info, but his post made a good template; I just put things into my own words and added some touches here and there.

[Aion]

Arcana Heart guide continued


Homing gauge:
Each character has 3 blocks at the bottom of the screen (above the Super bar) which represent the homing gauges. Everytime you use a homing attack, one of these blocks will disappear. They all eventually refill themselves, but there are different effects to these.

First of all, if you use a Homing Cancel (HC) or a Guard Cancel (GC) (these are explained further on), one of your bars gets crossed out, meaning that it will take longer than usual for your bar to recover.

However, if you use the gauge for movement or teching; the bar is not crossed out and thus recovers alot quicker. However, for both former and latter examples, it should be noted that if you use a Homing Cancel during a combo, your gauge won't start recovering until the combo is over.

Another way to FULLY replenish all three bars immediately is to activate your Arcana (more on that later); however you can only activate Arcana's once per round.

Homing Button (D):

Homing Cancel (HC)- A homing cancel allows you to cancel the recovery of moves. This means that they are very useful for combos, and are also useful for turning unsafe moves into safe ones. Using this takes one block off your homing gauge.

Guard Cancel (GC)- While guarding/blocking, you can press the D button to cancel out of your blockstun. You can do this either forward (GC6), or back (GC4). Canceling forward makes you charge ahead while creating an orange shield that clashes with all ensuing attacks(this depends on the Arcana,, info on this will be updated); while canceling backwards makes your character jump backward (thus avoiding lows), but if this is not jump canceled, your character will then dash forward automatically.

Movement- Something fun but useful. Utilizing the D button allows for further movement capabilities. By hlding down the D button while your opponent is on the other end of the screen, you will fly towards them. By holding down 6 and then pressing D, you will dash along the ground forwards; and holding down 4 and pressing D will make your character jump backwards and then dash forward (so it's like 4GC).

Arcana's- The D button is also used for Arcana's, and this will be explained below.



Arcana's

What are they?
Arcana's are the formerly discussed "elemental-alignments" that each character must choose before beginning each match. They are a very large part of this game, and you can choose whichever one you feel comfortable with.

What do they do?

• Arcana's give you different movelists and character properties.
• An example of an Arcana exclusive move would be Lang-Gong's (Fire Arcana) fireball
• An example of special properties would be Tempestas' (Wind Arcana) triple jump and double airdashes
• They give you different overdrives/specials
• They have their own unique Arcana Summons--activated by pressing A+B+C

Arcana Summons

• Activate by pressing A+B+C
• It acts as a burst, getting you out of most attacks
• Each Arcana has it's own unique summon, and it's own unique affect to accompany it. It changes the whole scenery of the stage into something much prettier too. =]
• While in this mode, your super bar will be constantly drained, and once it reaches 0 the effect will end
• By pressing 236A+B+C you can summon the actual Arcana itself for a special overdrive, this can only be done during the Arcana activation

A list of what each Arcana activation does is found here: http://forums.shoryuken.com/showpost...7&postcount=89

Originally Posted by HeartNana

The ones i know:
Poison - Adds poison to the opp if they get hit
Fire - Adds a fire shield that hits the opponent if you use D in the air
Love - You can use 236236D as many times as you want without it wasting meter.
Lightning - You get clashing added to your D in the air dashes
Plant - Life regen
Earth - Super armor, but can't block
Wind - 4 jumps and 3 air dashes
Water - Stops chip damage
Time - Stops the round clock
Steel - Increases your offense and your defense by a LOT.

And no idea about Gier, if anything (thanks XAQshinor for the help)

List of Arcana's and what they do(click the pictures):




Love Arcana Partineas


Electricity Arcana Bhanri


Time Arcana Anutpuda


Wood Arcana Moriomoto


Earth Arcana Otsuchi


Fire Arcana Lang-Gong


Wind Arcana Tempestas


Dark Arcana Gier


Evil Arcana Dieu Mort


Water Arcana Niptra

Steel Arcana Orochalekos


((Up next, character specifics; Original to Full system changes; info on clashes, and more advanced info as we know it))

[Aion]

(((Info...Pending)))

[Aion]

Just some quick links to the Arcana Heart character wikipedia.
























I will be constantly keeping you notified on updates to the character wiki's (when it was last updated, and a short description of what was updated), just check under each characters picture. Don't forget, you can contribute to them as well.