Mortal Kombat X Tournament Standard Concerns by Perfect Legend

[Perfect Legend]

The two tournament standards concerns that are discussed in this video pertain to both counter-picking (with the character variations) and also the stage interactables or "leveraging" as they are calling it in Mortal Kombat X. In this video are a few thoughts and concerns I have that I want to put out there and see if you all feel the same.

The game has a long way to come before we get our hands on it, but these are topics we should start discussing to prepare ourselves.

 

[NRF CharlieMurphy]

Anyone gots some cliff notes?

 

[SZSR]

Anyone gots some cliff notes?

Just watch the video, it's only 3 minutes long

 

[Scott The Scot]

Wonder if video format vlogs will one day be the normal thing for threads.

 

[CrimsonShadow]

I wonder though -- if people are just blind-picking variations, does that turn MK:X into a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors luck matchups and deemphasize the skill? In IGAU, an unfavorable stage pick could change matchups a lot. People blind-picking variations against each other seems like it'd be roulette if all of the variations are more or less usable.

While it's cool being able to have options, you don't want it to turn into a game of "Let's chase each other around with variations" or "let's both blind pick and then whoever ends up with the favorable/upper hand in variations wins".

 

[ColdBoreMK23]

Make it so that your variations are linked to a button press instead of highlighting it and picking it.

Like square would be Variation 1, Triangle Variation 2, and Circle variation 3.

And don't let it show up what button was pressed.

This could be for just offline 2 player matches or throw in a "Tournament 2 Player Versus mode" that adds that feature.


Just my brainstorming on the matter.

 

[Braindead]

Anyone gots some cliff notes?

I just watched the video. Here are my notes:
1- Showing off medals and trophies
2- He thinks people can change character variation between rounds
3- Waah interactables

My own opinion: All these aren't real issues. The only tournament issue that I see worth debating is character lock vs variation lock.

 

[Chuckychuck]

Keep it simple people

 

[Decay]

Make it so that your variations are linked to a button press instead of highlighting it and picking it.

Like square would be Variation 1, Triangle Variation 2, and Circle variation 3.

And don't let it show up what button was pressed.

This could be for just offline 2 player matches or throw in a "Tournament 2 Player Versus mode" that adds that feature.


Just my brainstorming on the matter.

I've made this point before and totally back it. It's a smart idea

 

[TarkatanDentist]

OP, I can see where you're coming from, but there are a few points you make that I disagree with:

* You assume that each variation will play hugely differently - we don't actually know that yet. It's too early to tell.
* I reckon that interactables will be considerably less overpowered here, given that it's been confirmed already that they'll be blockable.
* Seriously though, it's way too early to tell anything.

Also ColdBoreMK23's idea seems solid.

 

[RM Truth]

Can we actually wait for the game to come out before we worry about stuff like this?

 

[TomlulsBrady]

Kinda agree with carl worry on character variation leading to a counter pick fest.

 

[Eldriken]

Can we actually wait for the game to come out before we worry about stuff like this?

Beat me to it. But this.

We don't know fuck all about this game to start talking tournament standard stuff yet.

 

[xXstealthflameXx]

I think it'd be fine as the normal blind option where they don't know the character at all. I think letting them know the character but not the variation is like letting someone know that you're playing a male ninja but you don't know who. It's like half-assed. They either know or they don't. Too many mindgames would go on if it was visible character and hidden variation.

 

[Mst]

I think ppl should just see variations as Characters if the loser could switch his Chracter in the past for the second set he should be able to do it in MKX asweel doesnt matter if he just picks a other variation of his Chracter or picks a new one. For the Stage isssue im still a fan of a voting system where everyone can downvote a number of maps and the remaining maps will be played but this is most likely because i got a RTS background where this is the standard.

And i dont think there is way to pick Characters "blind" without putting a huge random factor into the game unless NRS thinks of something which works online and offline. Which lets you pick your Character + variation without the opponent seeing anything.

 

[Treadmill]

I just watched the video. Here are my notes:
1- Showing off medals and trophies
2- He thinks people can change character variation between rounds
3- Waah interactables

My own opinion: All these aren't real issues. The only tournament issue that I see worth debating is character lock vs variation lock.

1. No shit. That's what medals are for
2. Misspoke. He clearly meant between matches
3. Yeah interactables sucked in injustice

 

[Rickyraws]

How about both players finalize their character choices. Then a coin is flipped. You win, you get to pick your variation last. Or first if you so incline.

I doubt variations are hard counters to anything, but merely a variation that may or may not prove viable or even advantageous against otherwise bad/even match ups.

They flip coins in sports. They can flip coins in tournament.




However this is a more simple solution: Let just get our hands on the game first. Who knows, variations could be a game changer, or more irrelevant than Dean Cain.

 

[SonicBoomBrad]

I wonder though -- if people are just blind-picking variations, does that turn MK:X into a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors luck matchups and deemphasize the skill? In IGAU, an unfavorable stage pick could change matchups a lot. People blind-picking variations against each other seems like it'd be roulette if all of the variations are more or less usable.

While it's cool being able to have options, you don't want it to turn into a game of "Let's chase each other around with variations" or "let's both blind pick and then whoever ends up with the favorable/upper hand in variations wins".

Did it deemphasize skill in 3s? Does it deemphasize skill if you blind pick in injustice/mk9 and force someone to use their main? I don't think so at all.

 

[CrimsonShadow]

Does it deemphasize skill if you blind pick in injustice/mk9 and force someone to use their main? I don't think so at all.

I figure it's more likely for someone to be skilled with 3 variations of 1 character than it is for someone to be highly skilled with 3 entirely separate characters. Due to the overlap, it creates a different likelihood of counterpick vs. having to pick an entirely different character than your main, and I think that's part of what PL was getting at.

Also, there seems to be much more possiblity of switching between variations from match->match, given that it mainly changes up the special moves.

 

[SonicBoomBrad]

I figure it's more likely for someone to be skilled with 3 variations of 1 character than it is for someone to be highly skilled with 3 entirely separate characters. Due to the overlap, it creates a different likelihood of counterpick vs. having to pick an entirely different character than your main, and I think that's part of what PL was getting at.

Also, there seems to be much more possiblity of switching between variations from round->round, given that it mainly changes up the special moves.

But variations won't completely change a match up. If might make it easier/harder, but at the end of the day you're still fighting the same character. If a Ryu picks denjin to deal with someone who is really bad at parrying, but still is worse at neutral game, it shouldn't matter. There's too little information on variations to comment any deeper, but I doubt it will make that much of a difference.

I do agree with being able to blind pick them during a match by having them mapped out to buttons like KOF does for team order.

 

[Maasik]

I doubt variations are hard counters to anything, but merely a variation that may or may not prove viable or even advantageous against otherwise bad/even match ups.

I'm thinking along these lines as well. Of course we don't know for sure, but so far I think if Scorpion 6-4's Sub Zero.. that would imply Scorpion's best variation for all of Sub's possible options (variations) vs. Sub's worst variation for Scorpion's possible options. This meaning that if Scorp 6-4's Sub.. any variation possibilities between the two won't make it worse, but could potentially make it better (5.5-4.5 or even 5-5). Sort of similar to how Street Fighter's ultras are chosen, a player chooses their character but waits to pick their ultra until they see their opponent's character.

As for interactables, most being for movement and damaging ones being blockable.. could mean they won't be a huge issue in competitive play. Although this is something we'll have to see how it impacts gameplay first, so maybe leave interactables on until the community finds them to be too OP.

 

[eolson3]

How about both players finalize their character choices. Then a coin is flipped. You win, you get to pick your variation last. Or first if you so incline.

I doubt variations are hard counters to anything, but merely a variation that may or may not prove viable or even advantageous against otherwise bad/even match ups.

They flip coins in sports. They can flip coins in tournament.




However this is a more simple solution: Let just get our hands on the game first. Who knows, variations could be a game changer, or more irrelevant than Dean Cain.

That would be fine, if you don't let players BS their way back to the character select after the match is introduced. I've seen it a few times in MK9, and it is completely absurd to allow that.

E

 

[Mr Aquaman]

Or we could just play the game, also, why isn't this front paged?

 

[CrimsonShadow]

But variations won't completely change a match up. If might make it easier/harder, but at the end of the day you're still fighting the same character.

If you think about how dominant certain special moves were in MK9 though (Spirit/EX Spirit charge, Nomad Dash, iaGas Blast, Cartwheel/EX Cartwheel, etc. etc.) you'd have to think that changing special moves can definitely have drastic effects on a MU.

 

[TKB]

Why are we discussing tournament concerns for a game we know very little about? Give it time guys. Atleast wait until next year when it's a little closer to coming out...