Training mode

Training mode (or practice mode, colloquially called the lab) is an offline mode in Tekken that gives players tools to experiment with the game's battle system in a controlled environment. This is used by players for self-improvement, in the form of, for example, improving combo execution through repetition, developing and testing unique tech setups, or investigating defensive options after a common situation in a match-up. It is vital tool to be familiar with in order to keep improving at Tekken.

Tekken 8

In Tekken 8, Training mode is an offline mode called Practice. It allows the selection of a side, character (for the player and their opponent) and stage before beginning a non-time limited round in the default start position based on the player's selections.

By default, the Left side is highlighted. For P1, Jin is highlighted by default, and for P2, that character is Kazuya. On stage selection, the random stage select is highlighted by default.

Practice Settings

Determines various properties of the game state specific to the player or opponent characters, as well as their behaviors.

Training Mode

Alters the available Practice Settings options that control the behavior of the opponent. These are grouped under three categories --

1. Offense (default): allows setting predetermined responses to situations to test out offensive sequences
2. Defense: allows setting up custom opponent sequences, typically to practice defending against them, or exploring defensive options
3. CPU: sets the opponent to be controlled by the AI in order to simulate gameplay

Offense

Opponent Actions

Sets the default behavior of the opponent.

Available values are --

• Standing (default): the opponent will stand without blocking or neutral guarding
• Standing Block: the opponent will stand block without neutral guarding
• Stand and Approach: the opponent will stand without blocking or neutral guarding, and will dash forward to approach the player while the distance between them is ≥ 2.00.
• Crouching: the opponent will simulate holding the down input
• Crouching Block: the opponent will simulate holding the down-back input
• Crouch and Follow: the opponent will crouch while the distance between the player and opponent is < 2.00, and will dash forward if not
• Block All: the opponent will automatically block all highs, mids and lows as appropriate. It will not be able to block unblockables or guard breaks.
• Random Block: similar to Block All, but with a random chance of not blocking an attack. Useful for training hit confirms/CH confirms.
• Jump: the opponent simulates holding the up input, and repeatedly neutral jumps
• Mimic: the opponent replicates the inputs made by the player
• Controller: allows connecting a second controller to take control of the opponent

Actions After a Hit or Block

As evident from the title, this setting alters the behavior of the opponent after an attack hits, or gets blocked.

Available values are --

• Standing
• Standing Block
• Stand and Approach
• Crouching
• Crouching Block
• Crouch and Follow
• Block All
• Random Block
• Jump
• Mimic
• Sidestep (Left): the opponent buffers an immediate SSL out of block/hit stun
• Sidestep (Right): the opponent buffers an immediate SSR out of block/hit stun
• Side Walk (Left): the opponent does a frame perfect SWL out of block/hit stun
• Side Walk (Right): the opponent does a frame perfect SWR out of block/hit stun
• Back Dash: the opponent does a frame perfect b,B out of block/hit stun
• Punish: the opponent performs a standing or crouching punishment technique (as appropriate) randomly chosen from the list of Punishment Settings
• Not Set (default): the opponent will continue doing the option chosen in Opponent Actions

Punishment Settings

Allows the player to set the punishment options from standing or crouching that the opponent will randomly choose from when Punish is chosen as the Action After a Hit or Block. The player can set up to 8 different standing and crouching punishment options, and set their action frequency (a higher frequency will lead to that option being chosen more often). The punishment option can be chosen from a curated list of moves, or recorded by the player.

The available values for each punishment option are --

• Select from Punishment List
• Record
• Not Set (default)

Ground Technique

Sets the tech roll option for the opponent.

Available options are --

• Side Ukemi (Left): the opponent tech rolls left i.e. they tap 1_2 or 3_4 to roll into the foreground or background depending on the direction they're facing, such that the resultant direction is to their left
• Side Ukemi (Right): same as above, but the opponent tech rolls such that the resultant direction is to their right
• Quick Recovery: the opponent simulates holding forward during the tech roll window to do a kip up
• Back Quick Roll: the opponent simulates holding back during the tech roll window to do a back roll
• Shuffle: the opponent randomly selects a Ground Technique to use
• Not Set (default): the opponent does not tech during the tech roll window and lapses to a grounded state

Wake Up

Sets the grounded wake-up option for the opponent.

Available options are --

• Stand Up (default): the opponent simulates holding up to quick stand
• Wake Up (Backward): the opponent simulates holding back to do a backward wakeup
• Front Roll: the opponent simulates holding forward to do a front roll
• Side Roll (Left): the opponent simulates inputting OTG.1 or OTG.d+1 as appropriate to make them ground roll to their left
• Side Roll (Right) same as above, but the opponent ground rolls to their right
• Wake-Up Mid Kick: the opponent uses OTG.4
• Wake-Up Low Kick: the opponent uses OTG.3
• Recovery Kick: the opponent uses OTG.d+3_d+4
• Spring Attack: the opponent uses OTG.3+4
• Shuffle: the opponent randomly selects a Wake Up option to use
• Not Set: the opponent does not use a wake up option and remains grounded

Defense

Allows players to record up to eight, 30 second long input sequences that the opponent will randomly choose from to execute repeatedly. Playback can be controlled with the <<Play>> (Select + B) and <<Stop>> (Select + B) inputs. The action frequency of each action can be altered to make them more likely to be selected or less.

The available values for each CPU Opponent Action 1-8 are --

• Select From Move List: select the input to be performed directly from the opponent character's movelist
• Record: manually record an input sequence up to 30s long. This puts you back into practice mode in control of the opponent's character, with the additional options of <<Start Recording>> (Select + B) and <<Block>> (Select + X) to toggle the behavior of the player character between Standing and Guard All, with all other options set to their defaults. Once a recording is started, you can input the sequence you want recorded until the 30s timer runs out or press <<Start>> to bring up a confirmation menu that allows you to confirm the recording, re-record the input, or exit without recording anything.
• Not Set (default)

Action Intervals

Sets the duration between successive input sequences.

The available values are --

• Short (default)
• Normal: the next sequence is performed with a delay of ~2s compared to Short
• Slow: the next sequence is performed with a delay of ~4s compared to Short
• Shuffle: the next sequence is performed with a randomly chosen delay of Short, Normal or Slow

CPU

Sets the opponent to be controlled by the CPU.

CPU Difficulty

The available values are --

• Easy
• Medium (default)
• Hard
• Very Hard
• Ultra Hard

Player Counter

Toggles the counterhit status of the player.

Available values are --

• Counter Hit: the first hit has a forced counter hit property, but subsequent hits that combo do not
• Multiple Counter Hits: every hit has a counter hit property
• Shuffle: randomly select between Counter Hit and Not Set
• Not Set (default): no forced counter hit property

Opponent Counter

Same as Player Counter, but for the opponent.

Player Rage

Toggles whether the player is in rage.

Available values are --

• Rage: activates rage at minimum possible rage art scaling
• Not Set (default): rage is not active

Opponent Rage

Similar to Player Rage, but for the opponent.

Player's Heat

Set the status of the Heat gauge for the player.

Available values are --

• Activate Heat: A full Heat gauge is activated (similar to landing a Heat Engager), and is reset to full and reactivated when it depletes.
• No Heat: Heat gauge is unavailable
• No Heat Limit (default): Heat gauge is available and can be activated as usual, and is reset to full (but not activated) when it depletes.
• Not Set: Heat gauge is available and can be activated as usual, but is remains unavailable when it depletes.

Opponent's Heat

Similar to Player's Heat, but for the opponent.

Player Throw Escapes

Control the throw break behavior of the player.

Available values are --

• Throw Escape: auto-throw break all breakable throws
• Not Set (default): no auto-throw breaks

Opponent Throw Escapes

Similar to Player Throw Escapes, but for the opponent.

Neutral Block

Available values are --

• Block (default)
• Don't Block

Input Delay Frames

Adjust the number of frames of input delay.

Available values are --

• Not Set (default)
• 1 Frame
• 2 Frames
• 3 Frames
• 4 Frames
• 5 Frames
• 6 Frames

Reset

Reset all Practice Settings to their default values.

Restart Settings

These settings control the restart position of the characters when <<Restart>> is input (Option + A).

Restart Position

Controls the restart position of the characters relative to the stage.

Available values are --

• Default 1 (default): the default position at round start, usually in the center of the chosen stage with no gimmicks activated
• Current Player Position: the restart position is the current position of the player, with the opponent reset to the default distance away at the same axis.
• Wall: the restart position is against a wall on the default level of the stage, with the opponent having their back to the wall, and the player facing them. The wall can change depending on whether the side selected was P1 or P2.
• Not Set: with this option, the <<Restart>> input is disabled.

Depending on the selected stage, other values may become available depending on the "levels" in the stage (e.g., Default 1, Default 2 etc.), and the stage hazards included (e.g. Floor Break, Balcony Break, Hard Wall Break etc.). The player is reset to a position "facing" the stage hazard i.e. in a position to trigger them, while the opponent is placed "against" it. The stage hazards themselves are also reset. Resetting to a Floor Break is usually equivalent to resetting to the default position of that stage level.

Player Direction

Determines the direction the player faces upon reset.

Available values are --

• Front (default): the player faces the opponent
• Left: the player is rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the default axis
• Right: the player is rotated 90 degrees counter clockwise from the default axis
• Back: the player is rotated 180 degrees from the default axis

Opponent Direction

Similar to Player Direction, but for the opponent.

Player Status

Determines the grounded status of the player.

Available values are --

• Standing (default): the player is standing
• Down (Face Up): the player is grounded in FU
• Down (Face Down): the player is grounded in FD

Opponent Status

Similar to Player Status, but for the opponent.

Switch Positions

This setting switches the player's position with the opponent after applying the Restart Position setting. This is useful for getting the player against the stage hazard with the opponent in a position to trigger it.

Available values are --

• Switch Position
• Don't Switch Position (default)

Status Record

Status Record is a feature that allows the player to "remember" a game state with the <<Remember>> input (R3 by default), and <<Reproduce>> it (L3 by default). This is useful to quickly examine options from a situation, since one could setup the situation, remember it, and reproduce it to examine different options, avoiding having to recreate the situation for each option. Another use case is when practicing combos, since it becomes easier to isolate individual parts of a combo to practice. One can execute the section of a combo prior to the one that needs practice, and remember the status, then recall it to repeatedly practice the next section alone.

A recall is generally faster than a restart, but the two are not equivalent. Specifically, a recall does not reset the playback of the opponent's recorded actions, meaning a recalled status that expects the opponent to follow a recorded set of inputs will not behave as expected, since the "tape" of the opponent's inputs is not locked to coincide with the moment of recall (unlike a restart).

Available values are --

• Use (default)
• Don't Use: disables the <<Remember>> input

Reset

Reset the Restart Settings to their default values.

Display Settings

These settings control the UI elements displayed on screen.

Command History

Displays a vertical column of the player inputs on the player's chosen side, alongside the frame counts for which the input was active for, with the topmost input being the newest, and the bottom-most input being the oldest.

Available values --

• Display
• Hide (default)

HUD

Controls the display of the topmost screen elements, including the timer, character icons, life and Heat gauges and offline player rank.

Available values --

• Display (default)
• Hide

Player Attack Info

Displays a constantly active UI panel on the player's chosen side, containing the following elements --

• Total Damage: the total damage inflicted on the opponent since the beginning of the practice session.
• Max Combo Damage: the maximum damage inflicted from a true combo on the opponent.
• Hit Properties: displays an icon for whether the previous move results in a spike, wall break, power crush, homing, attack throw or heat engager effect, and describes the hit level.
• Damage: the total damage inflicted by the previous move, along with the applicable scaling factor in percent. For e.g., if it displays 11 (70%), it means the previous move did 11 points of damage after a scaling factor of 70% was applied to the move's base damage (and rounded down).
• Recoverable Damage: the recoverable damage inflicted by the previous move and the scaling factor in percent. For e.g., if it displays 7 (70%), it means that 7 points, or 70% (rounded down) of the damage that the previous move ended up doing, was recoverable.
• Hit Effects: whether the previous move was a Clean Hit, Counterhit, punish or wall hit.

Available values --

• Display (default)
• Hide

Opponent Attack Info

The same UI panel as above, but from the opponent's POV.

Available values --

• Display
• Hide (default)

Player Frame Info

Displays the frame advantage of the player character in various ways. In the default setting, it displays a constantly active UI panel below the Player Attack Info containing the following details --

• Attack Startup Frames: the startup of the previous attack. For e.g., if it displays '16 (16-19)', the previous attack's startup is i16~19. This value lapses to '--- (0-0)' after a fixed amount of time.
• Frame Advantage: the player's frame advantage as a result of the previous move. For e.g., if it displays '+49 (-9)', the player is at a frame advantage of +49, with the opponent able to tech roll 9 frames before the player recovers. The opponent cannot tech roll, the value in brackets is '---'. This value lapses to '--- (---)' after a fixed amount of time.
• Status: the player's current status - Standing, Crouching, Airborne or Downed.
• Distance from Opponent: the player's current distance from the opponent, up to two decimal places.

With Simple Display, the UI panel is absent and the game instead denotes the frame advantage with a colored filter applied to the player character. When in the startup of an attack, it is colored white. When at a positive frame advantage, it is colored blue, and when negative, it is colored red.

With Show Frame Advantage, the UI panel is absent in favor of a small, constant UI element in the middle of the screen displaying the Frame Advantage.

Available values --

• Show Details (default)
• Simple Display
• Show Frame Advantage
• Hide

Opponent Frame Info

The same as the Player Frame Info, but from the opponent's POV.

Available values --

• Show Details
• Simple Display
• Show Frame Advantage
• Hide (default)

Hit Properties

Displays the hit level of the attack on screen as a color-coded splash element with the word High (red), Mid (yellow), Low (blue), S.Mid. (blue) or S.Low (blue).

Available values --

• Display (default)
• Hide

Reset

Resets all Display Settings to their default values.

Punishment Training

The punishment training menu is designed to allow the player to practice punishing the most common punishable moves of the opposing character, with their own chosen character. The AI cycles through a curated list of the opposing character's punishable moves, with the player expected to correctly block (or crouch block) the move and punish it. Upon a successful punish, a Great! message pops up and the AI moves on to the next move in the list.

The list of punishable moves that the opposing character will cycle through is displayed beforehand, and also offered is the ability to toggle whether a move will be included in the rotation or not. Also offered are two difficulty settings - Normal and Hard. Under Normal difficulty, the hit level and intended punisher are clearly telegraphed before the opponent performs the move, which is also telegraphed with a sound cue. Under Hard difficulty, only the hit level is briefly displayed before the opponent performs the move, with the player having to respond with an appropriate punishment technique.

Combo Challenges

Presents a list of combos of increasing damage and difficulty that the player is tasked with executing successfully. The player is awarded with a unique customization title upon successfully completing all the combo challenges for a character.

Move List

Brings up the character's movelist. This is grouped under two tabs - Main Techniques, that presents a curated selection of moves and sample combos, and describes their strategic use, and All Techniques, that presents the full movelist of the character and their properties.

Sample Combos

Brings up a list of sample combos for the player character. Each combo has its input, total damage, and estimated difficulty rating (from 1-5 stars) alongside, as well as notes associated with executing the combo (for e.g., dashing after a T! to execute the ender).

The combo categories include -

• Combos that use Heat Burst
• Combos from the character's common launchers from standing and croucing
• Combos that use Heat Dash

Restore All Default Settings

Restores the Practice Settings, Restart Settings and Display Settings to their default values.

Character Selection

Returns the player to the character selection menu with the previously selected characters for P1 and P2 respectively highlighted.

Stage Selection

Returns the player to the stage selection menu with the random stage select highlighted.

Quick Select

Brings up a stripped-down menu that allows the player to quickly configure the player side, character and stage selection in one go, and restart practice mode with the new settings.

Controller Setup

Brings up the binds menu to allow the player to alter their binds.