What Does MKX Benefit From Having A Block Button?

[Johnny San]

Genuinely asking.

From what I can tell, every traditional Mortal Kombat has had a block button. The way I look at it, a game has a mechanic for the sole reason of having some benefit to gameplay. However when I put my mind to it, I can't even think of a reason as to what a block button actually does for gameplay (aside from eliminating cross-ups and such). Couldn't these game's be playable with a Back-to-Block system? In my head, I don't see how any existing mechanics are changed by this system. My initial thoughts even led me to believe that the games would actually benefit from that system since more game mechanics are being introduced. However, I don't see my myself as an "expert" when it comes to Mortal Kombat fighting game mechanics (or even general fighting game mechanics) so I'm most likely thinking about this from the wrong angle.

Can anyone more knowledgeable then myself shed some light on this? What does MKX benefit from having a block button?

Note: Not really discussing the meta. Just the mechanics.

 

[Groove Heaven]

In MK9 it was really good because of how dashes and dash cancelling worked. I agree in that I don't really see a point to it in a game where you can't cancel dashes, it kind of just takes the cross-up element away.

I dunno, it's just kind of a paradigm of the series. I'm also curious if anyone else knows a way it enhances MKs gameplay.

 

[imblackjames]

Genuinely asking.

From what I can tell, every traditional Mortal Kombat has had a block button. The way I look at it, a game has a mechanic for the sole reason of having some benefit to gameplay. However when I put my mind to it, I can't even think of a reason as to what a block button actually does for gameplay (aside from eliminating cross-ups and such). Couldn't these game's be playable with a Back-to-Block system? In my head, I don't see how any existing mechanics are changed by this system. My initial thoughts even led me to believe that the games would actually benefit from that system since more game mechanics are being introduced. However, I don't see my myself as an "expert" when it comes to Mortal Kombat fighting game mechanics (or even general fighting game mechanics) so I'm most likely thinking about this from the wrong angle.

Can anyone more knowledgeable then myself shed some light on this? What does MKX benefit from having a block button?

The has already been talked about alot the skinny is that s block button is something that helps separates mk from pretty much every other fighting game

It also makes it so you don't have to worry add much about cross ups/overs

 

[Swindle]

Honestly, the block button is there just to keep the MK community in the basement.

 

[Johnny San]

In MK9 it was really good because of how dashes and dash cancelling worked.

That's actually one of the first things that came to mind. However, I feel that all that truly does is lower the skill ceiling to executing those moves.

Maybe doing those cancels would be extremely impractical (impossible?) with a back-to-block system so maybe that just be one reason as to how a block button benefits gameplay.

 

[TotteryManx]

Im pretty sure the block button only remains for nostalgia. People loved to say it was because of teleporting, but I belive Scorpion in Injustice disproved that. Taking away crossups is lame, but Im use to it. SC is one of my favs and it has a guard button.

 

[xenogorgeous]

1.help regarding buffering some moves
2. with back to block, sometimes, you can make a minor mistake in a split second, and put a wrong direction in d-pad, not blocking, while pushing and holding a button, you 100% confirm that command to the game

 

[IceNinja]

Having a block button in MK allows you to move your character backwards at all times, with back to block when your opponent throws out an attack your char. cant move backwards. The move sets of MK char. have been created with a block button in mind, with out it a lot of their moves would be OP, why do you think Scorpion was so OP in Injustice when he first came out. There still are cross-ups in MK, new MK players often have a hard time dealing with them even with a block button. I love SF and play the heck out of it as well and I don't want a block button in SF just as much as i don't want back to block in MK. It makes for very different games. I don't want them all the same.

 

[STB Shujinkydink]

Cause MK is aweeesssooommmmeee

 

[Matix218]

Having a block button in MK allows you to move your character backwards at all times, with back to block when your opponent throws out an attack your char. cant move backwards. The move sets of MK char. have been created with a block button in mind, with out it a lot of their moves would be OP, why do you think Scorpion was so OP in Injustice when he first came out. There still are cross-ups in MK, new MK players often have a hard time dealing with them even with a block button. I love SF and play the heck out of it as well and I don't want a block button in SF just as much as i don't want back to block in MK. It makes for very different games. I don't want them all the same.

/thread

This sums it up

 

[MKF30]

The Block button is in MK for blocking... plus can move around better and block faster.

I like the block button.

 

[Johnny San]

Having a block button in MK allows you to move your character backwards at all times

Seems like one definite attribute.

 

[Doombawkz]

To have the block button forces safer play. In most other games, you can be risky if you feel like the opponent cannot respond, either by forcing a cross-up or a fake cross-up. I.E. Sonicfox's bat uppercut cross-ups, which otherwise are massively unsafe, are made viable due to the difficulty in blocking.

Instead, in MK, the pressure is put on the attacker to ensure their pressure is safe. You can't just elbow charge and hope it connects because it might cross-up. This is what I feel, at least, where as in other games the defender is paying for allowing their opponent in, in this one the attacker is forced to play in a way that makes for smarter approaches.

Keeps people honest, and opens up the window for a more diverse cast where in other games it might not be possible to do the same because it would be too taxing on directional blocks.

 

[Johnny San]

To have the block button forces safer play.

So would you say a block button makes people fight more "creatively" given that their are less "viable" tools to use or am I stretching your points?

 

[Doombawkz]

So would you say a block button makes people fight more "creatively" given that their are less "viable" tools to use or am I stretching your points?

Not exactly, the first part is kind of right. It forces people to work new optimal ways to maintain pressure when the ability to cross-up an opponent isn't available. However, to say there are less viable tools is a bit of a misnomer of the whole thing. Rather, there are fewer situations where certain tools can be used. They are still viable, they still have a place and time where they fit best, however it takes a keen eye to see where such things fit in, and a keen mind to figure ways to utilize them.

Anyone can say an unsafe move is unviable, but its the player that gives it viability.

 

[Johnny San]

Not exactly, the first part is kind of right. It forces people to work new optimal ways to maintain pressure when the ability to cross-up an opponent isn't available. However, to say there are less viable tools is a bit of a misnomer of the whole thing. Rather, there are fewer situations where certain tools can be used. They are still viable, they still have a place and time where they fit best, however it takes a keen eye to see where such things fit in, and a keen mind to figure ways to utilize them.

Anyone can say an unsafe move is unviable, but its the player that gives it viability.

So then excluding the word viable would make sense, yes?

 

[xInfra Deadx]

It takes out the guess work when it comes to crossups.

 

[Doombawkz]

So then excluding the word viable would make sense, yes?

I suppose so. I guess the easiest way to say it is it makes the attackers play smarter, rather than forcing the defenders to do so.
Its further accented by the breaker system, since every 2 bars lets you shatter a combo, aggressive players have another thing to play around.

 

[Levaranoia]

Because moves like smokes ex teleport exist.

 

[xxsledgrenxx]

Genuinely asking.

From what I can tell, every traditional Mortal Kombat has had a block button. The way I look at it, a game has a mechanic for the sole reason of having some benefit to gameplay. However when I put my mind to it, I can't even think of a reason as to what a block button actually does for gameplay (aside from eliminating cross-ups and such). Couldn't these game's be playable with a Back-to-Block system? In my head, I don't see how any existing mechanics are changed by this system. My initial thoughts even led me to believe that the games would actually benefit from that system since more game mechanics are being introduced. However, I don't see my myself as an "expert" when it comes to Mortal Kombat fighting game mechanics (or even general fighting game mechanics) so I'm most likely thinking about this from the wrong angle.

Can anyone more knowledgeable then myself shed some light on this? What does MKX benefit from having a block button?

*identity

 

[Eji1700]

I'd say it just allows for different design space. In having a block button you design moves in a different way. You're allowed to have extremely dirty cross ups as they're easy to deal with (mostly the teleports), while needing to develop a slightly different emphasis on high/low/throw, and most importantly to MK, shit tons of chip. It's not that you couldn't do back to block, or that block button is somehow superior, but to me it's just a different style, sorta like if you design a game with universal air dashing like GG, or around a team mechanic like MvC.

 

[STRYKIE]

Having a block button in MK allows you to move your character backwards at all times, with back to block when your opponent throws out an attack your char. cant move backwards. The move sets of MK char. have been created with a block button in mind, with out it a lot of their moves would be OP, why do you think Scorpion was so OP in Injustice when he first came out. There still are cross-ups in MK, new MK players often have a hard time dealing with them even with a block button. I love SF and play the heck out of it as well and I don't want a block button in SF just as much as i don't want back to block in MK. It makes for very different games. I don't want them all the same.

Juuuuuust for the record, you do realize that this conclusion was made literally 2 weeks after he was released right? And was mostly spearheaded by UsedForGlue? A great player mind you, but a serial culprit of convoluted theories. I mean, he's already attempting to draw up in-depth conclusions about Reptile in MKX from the stream shown last fucking Thursday.

 

[VenomX-90]

It just feels right, I mean what if Street Fighter had a block button instead of just pressing back? it wouldn't feel right, b/c we grew up with that in our brains and gottten used to it.

 

[KiD INsAnitY]

Cause It's MK n MK is the shit...Boom 'nough said.

 

[Johnny San]

Just for the record, some people are pointing out that a block button exists because of moves that would seem to be "overpowered" or "nonsensical" in a back-to-block system. I feel that stuff like skill-ceilings and such shouldn't be factors as to why a block button exists.