Virtual On:Operation Moongate ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ VR Bal-Bas-Bow Guide/FAQ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Copyright ? VR Apharmd Guide/Faq David Tan Y.K. 2003 By David Tan Y.K. (Siphon_Mage@hotmail.com) Version 1.0 Note: I am apparently trying my best to really master the game perfectly and if you have any advice and such, don't hesitate to drop a line to my email address (^above), and we can discuss, thank you. This guide will be updated from time to time. This Guide/FAQ is done by me alone with the help of some other friends of mine. It should suffice that only this guide/faq may be found ONLY at sites which are authorised and have been given permission to host it. Using this faq on any sites without MY acknowledgement will be found guilty of violating copyright law, and legal pursuits will be on your tail. Reproduction/ alteration and the distributing of my guide/faq without my consent will cause serious legal actions be taken against you. The use of this guide for your own personal use is allowed while the reproduction of this guide/FAQ to obtain monetary means and credit are prohibited. Thank you for listening to all these crap...but it's necessary This Guide/FAQ can only be found at: Http://www.gamefaqs.com Http://dlh.net (Inform me if you use my Guide/FAQ at your site) (Note: for those who want to use this guide/FAQ on their sites, please inform me first before you do that. I expect you to be at a decent intellectual level as in, if you use my Guide/FAQ, you SHALL post it at your own forum and inform me, I do not want to go through the hassle just to get my guide/FAQ published at your site. This is your benefit, and you have to take the initiative in both informing me and updating it at your own site, thank you. If you can't understand that, you are the most pathetic parody of humanity.....thank you-__- REMEMBER, JUST USE IT AT YOUR SITE IF YOU WANT, BUT GIVE DUE CREDIT, AND SEND ME AN EMAIL REGARDING THAT, DON'T ASK ME GO TO YOUR SITE TO CARRY OUT THE ARRANGEMENTS. I have to Highlight on that because some game companies DO NOT know how to read.....) For those who want to published my FAQ/Guide on their site: 1). inform me via email about your site addy. 2). Publish it at your own site. ===================================================================================== Updates: 27/3/04 (Version 0.1) Currently starting my Guide/FAQ, typed out the disclaimers and so forth, with some information about the virtuaroid itself. 28/3/04 (Version 0.3) Finishing with the weapons section soon enough. Writing Guide/FAQ are easy man, this is my third so far and the next virtuaroid I do would most probably be Dorkas. 29/3/04 (Version 0.41) Starting on the list which states the weaknesses/neutrals/advantages of BBB against the comp. Starting on Temjin. Quite busy today, can't do much. :( 30/3/04 (Version 0.5) Damn, progress is so slow for both my belgdor guide/FAQ (which is up.) and my BBB Guide/FAQ. I did my Apharmd Guide/FAQ so fast though,lol. Did almost halfway across the "Against the Computer" section for BBB. 31/3/04 (Version 1.0) Everything is done, I should be starting on my Dorkas Guide/FAQ soon enough. :) ===================================================================================== ~~~~~Table Of Contents~~~~~~~ 1). Introduction 2). Weapons 3). Against the Computer 4). Against Human Players 5). Tips 6). Credits ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hmmm.....enough of those disclaimers and sorts above, anyways, back on track on the Guide/F.A.Q. If any of your beliefs or opinions differ from mine and you want to clarify, just drop me a mail and I expect your words to be at a more matured level and not about whining and crap. Thank You. As Virtual On is an old game, there can be lots of different ways and opinions to look at it, thus causing misunderstanding between players. I am by no far a professional player and am trying my best to help players, not to flaunt nor exalt my own skill. 1). Introduction Bal-Bas-Bow (or BBB for short) is an experimental virtuaroid. Though it is somewhat unique, few people can really master BBB in voom as it does not have many advantages against other opponents. VR Body Data: Height: 20.2m Body weight: 9.48t Full-armed weight: 17.3t Generator output capacity: 5480kw Overview:BAL-BAS-BOW is called a prototype Virtuaroid as an origin of all the VRs. At present, the test machine of BAL-BAS-BOW is still under development, based on the prototype. The current BAL-BAS-BOW, the 11th experimental machine, does not well conform to the V converter, and the generator output is not stabilized, either. This effects the moving performance badly, resulting in much inferior performance comparing to other VRs developed after this. However, it has some original characteristics and performance as shown in each armament. Although it is an experimental VR, it has some battling ability comparative to the currently used VRs. It means that this type of VR has a good potential, implying that it may occupy a significant position as the 2nd generation Virtuaroid when it is put into practical use in the future. 2). Weapons ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Left Weapon: Floating Mines (F-Mines for short) Standing F-Mines: Shoots one floating mine forward, short freeze time if you keep tapping trigger for more F-Mines, not quite reliable. Walking F-Mines: Same as Standing F-Mines except for the fact that you walk this time. Crouching F-Mines: Crouches and shoots 3 F-Mines Forward-Dash F-Mines: Shoots 4 F-Mines which are clustered together and split up later to hit the opponent. Back-Dash F-Mines: Nothing happen........ Jumping F-Mines: By far the best of all the F-Mines variation. Not only is it useful as it launches out 4 F-Mines(which is the same by the side-dash variation) but it is also useful as using it as a jumping attack is an advantage as BBB has more advantage in the air than on the ground doing side-dashes variation. Side-Dash F-Mines: Prior to all the F-Mines variation except that of the jumping variation, this method can be considered good, but the jumping version is better, as BBB lacks the speed needed. F-Mines in Close-Combat: As you know, using the right arm of BBB in close combat yields the beam claw formation, as for the left hand, instead of the beam claw formation ,the "fire flame" as the game designers called it is launched out in close combat as the beam claw formation is not stabilized and not working smoothly. Advantage of the fire flame that it is launch out faster than that of the beam claw, but the trade off is the damage. As for CC activation range, both are the same. The Floating Mines are a very good weapon to use against both newbies and veteran players as not only the damage it dealt out is quite severe(in great multitudes) and besides that the homing ability excels very well against opponents. F-Mines could also be used as a barrier to block off incoming fire from enemy and thus it serves it's purpose as both an offensive and a defensive weapon. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Center Weapon: Hand-Bit Standing Hand-Bit: BBB launches out both of his arms which flys to the enemy and shoots out "bullets" at the opponent. Walking Hand-Bit: Same as above except for the fact that he stops down everything and do a standing Hang-Bit. Crouching Hand-Bit: Many people asked how do you do the variation of the Hand-Bit where floating mines are launched and crouching Hand-Bit is the answer. I guess you have to press the triggers precisely or sometimes you don't get it. 8 F-Mines are launched in this style. Forward-Dash Hand-Bit: Same as walking/standing Hand-Bit. Back-Dash Hand-Bit: Ring lasers are shot out this time. Jumping Hand-Bit: Laser are shot out this time, the most powerful out of the four variations. Side-Dash Hand-Bit: Same as standing/walking/forward-dash Hand Bit. Hand-Bit in Close-Combat: Nothing Happens Hand-Bits are not only effective in tracking down enemy and dealing them damage, they are good for harassing enemy. The best hand-bit variations are the jumping ones were lasers are shot out. Impressively powerful and quick fast to the enemy. The normal variation where "bullets" are shot out are more homing and used to harass enemy effectively. The tradeback is that you have no more limbs to use floating mines/ring lasers when you use hand-bits. Using F-Mines prior to using Hand-Bits are more effective as the F-mines take time to go to the enemy, thus when the hand-bits are launch, floating mines + hand-bits makes it harder for the opponent to prevail. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Right Weapon: Ring Laser Standing Ring Laser: The Ring Laser is a powerful attack which is effective sometimes as it is used in great multitudes. "Focus fire" shots of ring lasers such as holding the ring laser trigger yields great damage and the freeze time is relatively short. But due to that, the weapon gauge is toned down and the weapon is easily used up. Recharging time is average. Walking Ring Laser: Same thing as standing but this time you move. (Duh!) Crouching Ring Laser: BBB crouches and launch a stream of ring lasers upward angled. As it is upward angled, it is used to hit jumping enemies. Forward-Dash Ring Laser: BBB dashes forward and shoots a stream of ring lasers. Back-Dash Ring Laser: BBB back-dashes and shoots a stream of ring lasers, unreliable same as the forward-dash variation. Jumping Ring Laser: Shoots out 4 ring lasers, 2 are angled toward the right and the other 2 are angled towards the left. Unreliable if enemy is standing straight in front of you. Side-Dash Ring Laser: Shoots 3 streams of multiple ring lasers, by far the best of them all (unless compared to focus fire variation.) There is little gaps between them and most likely the enemy will be hit. Damaging as well as there are a multitude of them. Ring Laser in Close-Combat: BBB uses the beam claw to attack the opponent. Slow, but powerful. the fire flame yields lesser damage but trade back for faster attack speed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3). Against the Computer Bal-Bas-Bow is good against Dorkas, Belgdor, Apharmd, Raiden, Z-Gradt Bal-Bas-Bow is bad against Temjin, Viper II, Fei-Yen, Jaguarandi Bal-Bas-Bow is neutral against Bal-Bas-Bow, (All these are my opinion, so that do not mean necessarily it is correct.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Against Temjin As Temjin is the first virtuaroid you battle, he should be a piece of cake. Just use any weapon variation and you should be able to defeat him. If you are fighting him at the "very hard" difficulty, you should do more aerial attacks but as well as moving around the air to avoid getting hit. Ground movement is not a good idea as you excels over temjin in aerial combat. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Against Viper II Viper II is easy as well if you fight him in easier difficulties(same as temjin.) He can run, but he can't hide from your floating-mines. Just avoid his homing beam(which is a killer!) and you should be ok. Just stand in-between his 7-way missile fire as well and that would be ok. Ring laser can also be used to nullify some of his attacks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Against Dorkas Dorkas is easy on one hand if he do not force you and trap you into his phalanx-hammer combo. His hammer is dangerous so as well as his phalanx, but all means dodge all of his weapons as possible as they are very damaging. But since you have a higher ground speed(Even though it ain't reliable enough) and the 2nd best aerial movement(compared to Viper II) you can just play hard-to -get with him and he should die. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Against Belgdor Belgdor is slightly faster than Dorkas and that spells more problems with you. Either than playing aerial/hard-to-get/dodging abilities you should do fine, and different dash irrelevantly as homing missiles are very homing(Same as homing beam and heart beam or Viper 11 and Fei-Yen respectively.) Jump-cancels should work out against him and besides that don't try to get knock- downed. His napalm nullifies your attack and that should serve as a reminder. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Against Bal-Bas-Bow May the best player wins. (Duh!) Just make sure that YOU are the better player of BBB instead of the AI. The AI tends to be smart by doing a jump attack when you almost always happen to hit him. (I hate that.) But don't forget that you know how to jump cancel to go against that. If the opponent sends a wave of f-mines, than you should send a wave of f-mines to counter them. Send a wave of ring lasers to counter his ring lasers. Easy enough? Know when to use the Hand-Bit for extra damage. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Against Apharmd Apharmd, no matter how much he try to force you to death, you can easily evade his wrath! If he wants to inflict severe damage, he have to come right up close, that's why I rather you do not go close to him in this case. Just do flying attacks from afar and if he throws a bomb, jump up and do aerial attacks as most probably some of your attacks will not be nullified by his bomb. Shot gun is not so good use in pestering you, so you should be able to take it out with ring lasers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Against Fei-Yen Fei-Yen is one sort of a legend to you. Not only she dodges most of your projectiles, her attacks somehow always connect with you. I usually defeat her in the weirdest of weird ways, such as using nothing but jumping f-mines variation with the help of hand-bit once in a while. Anyways, just make full use of the BEST of the different variations and you should do fine. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Against Raiden Raiden is still one pathetic loser when used by the AI, just don't get his by his lasers and you'll do fine. As deathtrap has lots of hiding areas, his bazooka won't hit much if you hide behind them. Using the laser variation of the Hand-Bit will net you an easy kill as he is so stupid sometimes that he can't even dodge that. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Against Z-gradt Are you kidding now? BBB is the ULTIMATE Z-GRATD KILLER,MUAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Just dodge his lasers and you should be doing fine. Before he transform, just distance yourself from him and use lots of F-Mines and when he is transforming do a jump Hand-Bit for laser version. So when his in golden form, he will both be hit by your hand-bit and your floating-mines. Besides that, a jumping hand-bit variation does around HALF-LIFE DAMAGE TO HIM :). So he's practically killed in a single transformation if you hit him hard enough in his gray form. This is just so easy. :) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Against Jaguarandi Z-gradt is easy enough and Jaguarandi is seriously tough. Not only he out-dash you in land speed, his "Grand boom" literally destroys you in the air. (Grand Boom is the technique in which he launches a floating mines which splits into projectiles which hits you.) I'll try to think of some ways to defeat Jaguarandi besides those methods. As far as possible, try to avoid the penalty stage, BBB really have a great disadvantage. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4). Against Human Players Just look at how the AI uses BBB and your skill using BBB and that you should know that there is a great difference between you and the AI. Not only they jump at the right time, they dash- cancel quite accurately and always force the enemy with ring lasers/hand-bit/f-mines. Make sure that you add in jump-cancels as well(which the comp don't use) and you'll be on your way to victory with BBB. But I doubt few people use BBB as it seriously suck,lol. But anyways its for those who want to take up the challenge(like me,lol) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5). Tips -Use jump attacks during freeze time when they try to attack you with forward dash attacks. -Use Hand-Bit which shoots out "bullets" for harassing shots, and for the laser variation, that is used to heavily damage the enemy. -Use Ring laser/f-mines to nullify enemy attacks. -I suppose dash-cancels/jump-cancels can be used to improve your battle situation. -Try not to stay land-bound but stay air-bound for the better. -Doing dashing attacks on ground are not recommended. (That's all for now in the tips section. It'll be updated.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 6). Credits -To myself for making this guide -To all who read this guide and learn from the information stored in here. -To Lance_Taliesin/Grim_Frostfire (AKA. Grysvok on Gamefaqs) for being my best friend. -To Eizaz Azhar, the very good guy who helped me weeks after weeks to sort out my FAQ/Guide -My mum for letting me play VO -CJAYC for some guy who host a game site called Gamefaqs