VOOT
 


... STRATEGY

 
 
VOOT BASICS
 
 
 

Character Analysis
Ah, and finally, a few words about each character from yours truly...
 
 
VOOT VR Angelan
Angelan
With a wonderful arsenal of homing attacks, great air maneuverability and awesome Virtual Armor for a light robot, Angelan has "keep away" stamped all over her. However, Angelan ain't that bad at close range; her Close Combat attacks have good range, and she has some very tricky Close Combat attacks (like her Ice Stalagmites and her Vampire Wand). However, engage in Close Combat, and you risk great damage; her V. Armor might be high, but Angelan's actual armor is low. Angelan's a good character, with a variety of great homing attacks and some good defensive options (i.e., Ice Shields).
 
 
Apharmd-B
Great speed and good armor, but so-so long-range weaponry; Apharmd-B's key to victory is Close Combat. His Tongfers are the most feared Close Combat weapon in VOOT, which makes it even harder to close in on opponents. Thank god for Dashing Close Combat attacks; they've saved Apharmd-B. Aph-B's tactics revolve around stunning, knocking down or freezing targets to get in a Dashing Close Combat slice, so he's recommended for intermediate to advanced players.
VOOT VR Apharmd-B
 
 
VOOT VR Apharmd-S
Apharmd-S
Apharmd-S is considered the "bastard" version by some Virtual On purists, but he has good speed, better armor than Aph-B and better long-range weaponry. Has a great gift of long-range weaponry, but loses those powerful Tongfers and gets a survival knife. Yeah, great. Aph-S is still decent at Close Combat, though his dagger's a bit short on reach; also, while he has improved long-range capabilities, his Right Weapon can run out very quickly. Aph-S is a combination of Apharmd-B and Belgdor from Virtual On; a decent character, and a bit easier to use than Apharmd-B.
 
 
Bal-Bados
Okay--right from the get-go, this guy's not only for advanced players, but advanced players that have too much time on their hands; try to delve into Bal Bados, and it'll be weeks before we see you again. Has a monstrously large assortment of attacks, tricks and tactics. I've seen him used two ways: (A) as a tactical juggernaut, always setting up satellites at the proper angles and knowing exactly when to use specific moves, and B) as a mine abuser. Route B's probably the easiest route; you don't have to worry about aiming Bal Bados's mines, you just fire a lot of them. This tactic certainly gets the job done, but it's not as fun as trapping your pitiful opponent in a laser pyramid trap, in which you can rain Ring Laser hell from afar while laughing a monstrous, Kefka-like howl...uh, where was I? Oh yeah, Bal Bados is strictly for advanced users.
VOOT VR Bal-Bados
 
 
VOOT VR Cypher
Cypher
The master of air combat--Cypher's an extremely dangerous opponent in the hands of a master. Might have the worst ratings in armor, and suffers from a lack of a "kick-ass weapon" (with exception to his S.L.C.), but Cypher makes up for it with his incredible speed, unmatched maneuverability in the air and mixture of weaponry that, when used in conjunction with each other, makes Cypher extremely annoying. Cypher has two abilities that no other Virtuaroid possesses: the ability to fire two weapons while in the air, and an Air Dashing Close Combat Attack (Right Weapon). To take full advantage of both, Cypher players must master air movement, especially Air Dashing while low to the ground (also known as Super Low-Altitude Dashing). Best reserved for intermediate players.
 
 
Dordray
I personally regard Dordray players as the most challenging. While not very fast, Dordray has the highest V. Armor rating, so forget about long-distance provocation, because most Right Weapon attacks will bounce off of him. Dordray's weaponry is an eclectic mix of flame shots, homing launched arm parts and "charging attacks." His charging attacks are probably the most lethal; not only do they deal massive damage, but they enable Dordray to either close in on enemies or escape opponents very quickly. Close Combat ain't great for Dordray, but he's the only Virtuaroid I'm aware of with an awesome throw attack (Right Turbo + Center Weapon in Close Combat range); Dordray's suggested for intermediate players.
VOOT VR Dordray
 
 
VOOT VR Fei-Yen Kn
Fei-Yen Kn
Ah... Fei-Yen Kn might sport a new tutu, but she's far from cute. Fei-Yen Kn's been given upgrades in both her regular Hand Beam (Right Weapon) and Heart Beam (Center Weapon); because of these changes, she's actually good before she changes into Hyper Mode. And when she's in Hyper Mode, her increased speed and power make her big trouble. The addition of Dashing Close Combat Attacks has made Fei-Yen Kn even more dangerous; her dashing speed and decent melee-ranged weapon make her a Dashing CC threat. Fei-Yen Kn is great for beginner players that want someone real fast.
 
 
Grys-Vok
O.K., we're talking Explosives Central here. Grys-Vok, with a huge arsenal of explosive, incendiary and homing weaponry, makes him second to Bal Bados in terms of the ability to swarm an enemy with a weapon payload that would scare China. He's a bit slow, and his armor could be better for a big robot, but his assortment of missiles, bombs and ICBMs more than make up for his speed. There's nothing quite like seeing a sortie of missiles, "Macross"-style, streak toward an unlucky target... Sadly, he blows at Close Combat; his puny arms have no range. He's a fun beginning to intermediate character.
VOOT VR Grys-Vok
 
 
VOOT VR Raiden
Raiden
With a name like Raiden, you know you're going to be facing a monster... Raiden might be best known for his twin laser beams that are death to almost any Virtuaroid, but in VOOT, he's been given a wide variety of weaponry with various effects. Raiden's armor is as tough as ever, and he still is as slow as ever. You really can't go wrong with Raiden. I recommend him to first-time players; his armor gives them a good chance to survive the first few rounds, and his slow speed won't make anyone dizzy anytime soon.
 
 
Specineff
O.K., so what's one of the new robots in VOOT going to look like? Oh, he's going to be very skinny--he moves like he's skating, and has a long rifle-like weapon that doubles as a hockey stick. Oh, and he's supposed to look like Death? But we already have Claude Lemieux?!? All right, so I laughed out loud when I heard about Specineff... And boy, did I cry when I got smacked down the first time I played against Specineff. He might be next in line behind Cypher when it comes to the worst armor in the game, but he has phenomenal dashing speed. Moreover, his Right Weapon is extremely reliable, his floating energy orbs are a pain in the arse and his Scythe Energy Wave does great damage. Include his ability to disable weapons for a good ten seconds, and in the hands of a great player, Specineff can arguably be the best character in the game.
VOOT VR Specineff
 
 
VOOT VR Temjin
Temjin
Like Shaft, Temjin's still the man--er, Virtuaroid. There's nothing spectacular about him... He's the all-around guy that does everything pretty well; he can be an aggressive Close Combat assailant (with better range than Aph-B's Tongfers), and he can handle long-distance exchanges with ease. Temjin's only weakness is his lack of a knockout weapon, one that delivers a huge, damaging blow to his enemies. True, his Surfing Ram can deliver awesome damage, but it's a high-risk maneuver. Still, Temjin's the choice character for everyone, beginner to advanced levels.
 
 
Whew... Finally, I've come to the conclusion of this VOOT Basics Guide. And trust me, I've barely touched on anything; there's so much to learn in this game and so much time to be wasted mastering the skills...and in the end, it really is worth it. Again, I'm not the ultimate pro, so you're bound to come across something not mentioned here, or perhaps even a mistake that I overlooked. If you do have any comments or questions, please feel free to e-mail me at [email protected]. Now, happy VOOTing!
- Dangohead