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Here is something more people tend to miss: The keys of a special input are always highly related to the move they perform.
In the same way for every character actually, which makes them a lot more intuitive and easy to remember.
The defend key is always the same, but the other 5 define what kind of move it is.
special inputs that contain the Attack button (D>A, D^A, DvA)
These are always very basic. Their only purpose being to attack the opponent.
That's right, you won't find a healing, teleporting, shielding, duplicating, disappearing, item creating or transforming move or anything special like that here on the original little fighters.
So try to keep it simple too.
special inputs that contain the Jump button (D>J, D^J, DvJ)
These moves are always a little more special than the attacking ones:
they do a lot more damage (Firens explosion)
or they inflict dance of pain (Rudolfs leap attack)
or they have a large area of effect (Woodys tiger dash)
or they aren't even used as an attack. (Freeze' ice sword)
These moves generally use more objects and energy effects than the attacking moves.
special inputs that contain the > (forward) button (D>A, D>J)
These are the only ones that allow you to change direction as your perform them, so you need to use them carefully. If the special move doesn't take advantage of this you might as well use a different input.
Either the move has a very strong sense of direction, like non chasing projectiles (simple ones are always on D>A) or a move with a crucial dvx.
But it could also be as important that the up and down keys can be used to control or aim this move and thus should not be included in the input so they don't interfere with that feature.
special inputs that contain the ^ (up) button (D^A, D^J)
These moves always have at least one of these properties: overhead/upward/releasing/outward/offensive.
Johns disk for example is an overhead object releasing move, Davis' dragon punch is an upward offensive move.
Woodys up teleport goes to the enemy: offensive. Johns up healing is for team mates: outward/releasing.
special inputs that contain the v (down) button (DvA, DvJ)
These moves always have at least one of these properties: ground/downward/creating/inward/defensive.
Compared to the dragon punch (D^A) the shrafe (DvA) for example is a lot more defensive: it repels projectiles during the whole special move and doesn't leave you in such a bad spot if you miss.
Woodys down teleport goes to a team mate: defensive. Johns down healing is for himself: inward.
None of these inputs should ever have your character launch himself upwards unless he does a pretty strong downward crouch first.
By the way: teleport and healing are examples for one special move being distributed over several inputs,
Rudolfs leap attack and Woodys flip kick are examples for basic moves (they don't use mana) on special inputs
and Louis' thunder punch is an example for a special move without special input.
>>When trying to keep the amount of special moves reasonable you only need to pay attention to the ones that use mana (which is crucial for the player to balance their use), no matter how and in how many different ways each one can be performed.
the ominous DJA
I haven't listed it before but it obviously goes into the two first categories (J&A).
That means this thing very well fits a simple attacking move (Henrys multi shot) and a special purpse move (Rudolfs transform).
Most of all it should usually not have any sense of direction (Julians mirror image makes an exception here).
And I would also suggest not to use it unless it's the only option left (like Henry having his two forward inputs already taken, while the up/down inputs would interfere with your multi shot aim).
Another reason why LF2 is great. This too is always done right.
In the same way for every character actually, which makes them a lot more intuitive and easy to remember.
The defend key is always the same, but the other 5 define what kind of move it is.
special inputs that contain the Attack button (D>A, D^A, DvA)
These are always very basic. Their only purpose being to attack the opponent.
That's right, you won't find a healing, teleporting, shielding, duplicating, disappearing, item creating or transforming move or anything special like that here on the original little fighters.
So try to keep it simple too.
special inputs that contain the Jump button (D>J, D^J, DvJ)
These moves are always a little more special than the attacking ones:
they do a lot more damage (Firens explosion)
or they inflict dance of pain (Rudolfs leap attack)
or they have a large area of effect (Woodys tiger dash)
or they aren't even used as an attack. (Freeze' ice sword)
These moves generally use more objects and energy effects than the attacking moves.
special inputs that contain the > (forward) button (D>A, D>J)
These are the only ones that allow you to change direction as your perform them, so you need to use them carefully. If the special move doesn't take advantage of this you might as well use a different input.
Either the move has a very strong sense of direction, like non chasing projectiles (simple ones are always on D>A) or a move with a crucial dvx.
But it could also be as important that the up and down keys can be used to control or aim this move and thus should not be included in the input so they don't interfere with that feature.
special inputs that contain the ^ (up) button (D^A, D^J)
These moves always have at least one of these properties: overhead/upward/releasing/outward/offensive.
Johns disk for example is an overhead object releasing move, Davis' dragon punch is an upward offensive move.
Woodys up teleport goes to the enemy: offensive. Johns up healing is for team mates: outward/releasing.
special inputs that contain the v (down) button (DvA, DvJ)
These moves always have at least one of these properties: ground/downward/creating/inward/defensive.
Compared to the dragon punch (D^A) the shrafe (DvA) for example is a lot more defensive: it repels projectiles during the whole special move and doesn't leave you in such a bad spot if you miss.
Woodys down teleport goes to a team mate: defensive. Johns down healing is for himself: inward.
None of these inputs should ever have your character launch himself upwards unless he does a pretty strong downward crouch first.
By the way: teleport and healing are examples for one special move being distributed over several inputs,
Rudolfs leap attack and Woodys flip kick are examples for basic moves (they don't use mana) on special inputs
and Louis' thunder punch is an example for a special move without special input.
>>When trying to keep the amount of special moves reasonable you only need to pay attention to the ones that use mana (which is crucial for the player to balance their use), no matter how and in how many different ways each one can be performed.
the ominous DJA
I haven't listed it before but it obviously goes into the two first categories (J&A).
That means this thing very well fits a simple attacking move (Henrys multi shot) and a special purpse move (Rudolfs transform).
Most of all it should usually not have any sense of direction (Julians mirror image makes an exception here).
And I would also suggest not to use it unless it's the only option left (like Henry having his two forward inputs already taken, while the up/down inputs would interfere with your multi shot aim).
Another reason why LF2 is great. This too is always done right.