What's a loyalist to do?

[Tony at Home]

Fuck this scrubby "loyalist" mentality and learn to play whatever gives you the most advantage in a given matchup, regardless of character.

Too many timws I've watched people counterpick after losing their first round on stream, only to see them lose the next match by an even larger gap.

There's levels of expertise to be reached with every character that can only be achieved when you stick with that character. And this is often more effective than having a "counter-pick utility belt"

Its not like pokemon: "Nightwing, come back! Sinestro, I choose YOU!"

 

[d3v]

Too many timws I've watched people counterpick after losing their first round on stream, only to see them lose the next match by an even larger gap.

There's levels of expertise to be reached with every character that can only be achieved when you stick with that character. And this is often more effective than having a "counter-pick utility belt"

Its not like pokemon: "Nightwing, come back! Sinestro, I choose YOU!"

But if you're dedicated enough, you can learn more than a couple of characters, enough that you can counterpick even at the highest levels (non MK example but, Infiltration vs. PR Balrog at Evo 2013 anyone).

 

[GGA Fill Pops]

they dont cheat on there girls with whores.

 

[9_Lives]

I play only unbreakable sub. So I can listen to Indestructible and enjoy myself.

 

[itsdaveyj]

As someone who is a bit of a character loyalist in all the games I play... I'm THRILLED about the character variations. In theory, it will allow us to potentially choose a different stance to overcome counter-picks while sticking with our favorite characters. So instead of having to counter-pick with a different character you can just choose a different stance. And from what I can surmise, it is just your special moves that change so while it will be different it shouldn't feel overwhelming like you are learning 3 different characters.

 

[EGGXI]

I think I'm going to be a variation loyalist, but not a character loyalist.

I'm going to play variation 3 of any of the characters only.

 

[aldazo]

I would prefer you could select what special moves to mix for your char before the fight as in Chaos Code, but this variation thing still sounds good, it will be a loyalist's dream come true.

 

[Oogalord]

I'll play the character variant with the most rushdown/mixup potential. Also, the Sub Zero that can throw his clone. I mean are you fucking kidding me?

I actually learned to play alot of characters in MK9. I mained Freddy and subbed CZ but I can play Noob, Baraka, Quan Chi, Cage, Scorpion, Sub Zero, Nightwolf, Ermac, Liu Kang, Sheeva and a really half-assed Kung Lao. Every other fighting game I play, I stick to one or two or three characters. I just dig the character design in MK, and I become a "loyalist" at least casually to alot of characters.

After what they did with Bane I'm hyped to play characters like Torra/Ferra. But I'm definitely gonna play Noob, Baraka, Quan Chi and Reptile; it's likely that at least a few of them will make it in.

 

[Swindle]

The only ( immediate, but probably minor) problem I foresee with the variations is this: Players may focus WAY too much on counter-picking variations instead of seriously and deeply learning each variation's full potential. For example, one may just automatically pick the "SpecOps" variation of Cassie to gain the obvious zoning/spacing tools in a given match, without fully exploring the potential that "Hollywood" Cassie may have against that same opponent. Whereas when you only have one version of a fighter (that you are character-loyal to), you would just grind away finding every conceivable option they had in their toolset in a certain match-up, instead of blindly counter picking based on the obvious. Any thoughts?

 

[itsdaveyj]

The only ( immediate, but probably minor) problem I foresee with the variations is this: Players may focus WAY too much on counter-picking variations instead of seriously and deeply learning each variation's full potential. For example, one may just automatically pick the "SpecOps" variation of Cassie to gain the obvious zoning/spacing tools in a given match, without fully exploring the potential that "Hollywood" Cassie may have against that same opponent. Whereas when you only have one version of a fighter (that you are character-loyal to), you would just grind away finding every conceivable option they had in their toolset in a certain match-up, instead of blindly counter picking based on the obvious. Any thoughts?

I see that being an issue in the short-term but not so much in the long-term. As people fool around with the variations in other matchups the mind gets working and thinks about applying things you never thought of before to different matchups. Besides, if you blind-pick variations in the first round you will probably inevitably get matchup experience with all sorts of mixtures of variations.