What Does MKX Benefit From Having A Block Button?

[BillStickers]

It heavily depends on the character, jump attack used, etc. But a lot of the times, changing the timing by a hair can alter the timing on an ambiguous crossup enough to not even crossup at all. To the point where it actually is pretty much luck. And that's not including the fact that characters may be able to use different jump attacks to give a crossup or not.

Sometimes it's difficult to get a crossup that ambiguous, sometimes it's not. Either way, it is one of the advantages (and disadvantages) of b2b games. It's not better or worse, though, just different, really.

how could a mechanic that introduces randomness ever be considered "better"?

 

[BillStickers]

A cross up will always go to the opposite side. You simply press the opposite direction every time. Thats not 50/50. The name in on itself signifies one direction.

Cross up = Other side.

It is also spaced depended. I've never heard anyone complain about cross up in any game [except on this forum of course].

please learn how to read adjectives.

 

[ChaosTheory]

I like that it's 100% it's own decision and commitment. It doesn't coincide with any other function (movement).

A lot of examples, but one that always jumps to my mind...

You're backing away from an opponent expecting a particular move to come out and you plan on whiff punishing. The move comes out like you thought, but you misjudged the distance and get hit by the move. Because of a dedicated block button, you didn't block it "just in case" you were in its range. You made a judgment call and were wrong, so you ate it.

So ripple effect... you might commit to blocking (stop moving) earlier next time. The opponent is now able to close ground on you because of a threat in your head which then opens more doors for him.

It's one specific example, but there's a bunch of stuff like that which I enjoy. It's a freedom to me.

 

[AnaboliChris]

please learn how to read adjectives.

Please go play variety of fighting games so I can take you seriously. Until then I'm just going to ignore your babbling.

 

[Juggs]

A cross up will always go to the opposite side. You simply press the opposite direction every time. Thats not 50/50. The name in on itself signifies one direction.

Cross up = Other side.

It is also spaced depended. I've never heard anyone complain about cross up in any game [except on this forum of course].

An ambiguous cross-up is a setup that takes advantage of the b2b mechanic. You seem to not understand what an ambiguous cross-up is and I'm getting tired of typing "ambiguous". An ambiguous cross-up doesn't always cross you up, that's the point. It sometimes looks like you will be crossed up but instead the opponent hits in front of you, meaning you get hit because you expected it to cross-up.

 

[Scoot Magee]

The main differences with a block button imo are:

1.The ability to advance and block at a much faster rate.
2. The ability to move freely while attacks are being thrown on screen.
3. Crossups go out the window but with games like MK where block damage is huge crossups aren't really needed to open people up.
4. The ability to buffer moves without telegraphing what you're doing or throwing out a normal to cover the buffer.

There's a lot of small things that can be mentioned also but I think these are some of the big reasons a block button sets itself apart from using back to block.

 

[AnaboliChris]

An ambiguous cross-up is a setup that takes advantage of the b2b mechanic. You seem to not understand what an ambiguous cross-up is and I'm getting tired of typing "ambiguous". An ambiguous cross-up doesn't always cross you up, that's the point. It sometimes looks like you will be crossed up but instead the opponent hits in front of you, meaning you get hit because you expected it to cross-up.

Refer to my posts in the previous pages, I've addressed how to handle ambiguous cross-ups. I've played various fighting games at tournament settings including Injustice, not once did ambiguous cross-ups concern me.

What may be ambiguous to you may not by ambiguous to everyone else.

 

[THTB]

how could a mechanic that introduces randomness ever be considered "better"?

Crossups are simply an added offensive option. If done right, ambiguous crossups will not be as rampant. There's also different things that work naturally with b2b, such as proximity blocking.

 

[AnaboliChris]

I keep forgetting that this is the same forum that were complaining about pre-patch Scorpion in Injustice.

 

[Juggs]

Refer to my posts in the previous pages, I've addressed how to handle ambiguous cross-ups. I've played various fighting games at tournament settings including Injustice, not once did ambiguous cross-ups concern me.

What may be ambiguous to you may not by ambiguous to everyone else.

Your solution is: just don't get put into that situation. Why didn't I think of that?

 

[AnaboliChris]

Having a 50/50 chance of blocking correctly on a crossup only matters if you're on the ground which you shouldn't be.

Amen. Time to hit the lab and improve on those neutral game, spacing, and footsies ladies.

 

[Johnny San]

While back-to-block opens up potential variables nonexistent with a block button, neither is inherently more beneficial to the game itself.

That's something that's cleared up for me reading the thread.

 

[Juggs]

Amen. Time to hit the lab and improve on those neutral game, spacing, and footsies ladies.

Too bad hard knockdowns are a thing. Stop playing Omega.

 

[AnaboliChris]

Too bad hard knockdowns are a thing. Stop playing Omega.

Not playing Omega. You should never assume. Not good for your health.

 

[Johnny San]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't a block button be easier to code in assembly?
Ed was one man coding the game, I think, so couldn't it have been simply easier to program?

Ed has also said that he watched and experienced the confusion of getting crossed up in SF, so he wanted
to avoid that confusion in Mortal Kombat.

Block button also increases the direcitonal input options for fatalities by being able to add the up direction.

Block button encourages aggressive play(theoretically) instead of encouraging people to constantly walk back. More aggressive play equals faster matches, which equals more matches, which equals more money. I say theoretically because MK1 and MK2 ended up still having turtling.

Block button also allowed them to handle throw prevention, which was another thing Ed has mentioned in terms of Street Fighter 2, and the "cheap" throws.

I also have to believe that a block button also made it easier to program the AI. Blocking reduces movement, and can be cross checked easier in the code(Is the button down or not). Less movement and a blocking opponent would allow the AI to go to work beating your ass and making you spend more quarters/tokens.

I've been looking for this kind of stuff. Nice read.

 

[Juggs]

You should never assume. Not good for your health.

Funny, that was my line. Not everyone here is ignorant to other fighters outside of MK, only like half... well maybe more, but not everyone.

 

[AnaboliChris]

Funny, that was my line. Not everyone here is ignorant to other fighters outside of MK, only like half... well maybe more, but not everyone.

Lol that line was forcefully ingrained into my brain for my profession...Ironically, my profession is in the medical/healthcare so I kind of live by it now. ::thumbsup

 

[Chaosphere]

It is also spaced depended. I've never heard anyone complain about cross up in any game [except on this forum of course].

That's because a lot of us grew up playing MK. Don't know why you're even bringing that up. Maybe check the tekken forums to see if they are or aren't big fans of back to block.

Anyways, did you play Injustice? My complaining of ambiguous jump in setups isn't because of the setups themselves, but because every character has like 10 ways to do it off of almost everything on hit. It's a game of 50/50 into 50/50 into 50/50 into 50/50 for almost every character. Pretty sure it was supposed to be that way, but I'm just tired of losing an entire game over literally 1 guess from almost every character. Just crazy. Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but it's how I feel at the moment. lol

 

[AnaboliChris]

That's because a lot of us grew up playing MK. Don't know why you're even bringing that up. Maybe check the tekken forums to see if they are or aren't big fans of back to block.

Anyways, did you play Injustice? My complaining of ambiguous jump in setups isn't because of the setups themselves, but because every character has like 10 ways to do it off of almost everything on hit. It's a game of 50/50 into 50/50 into 50/50 into 50/50 for almost every character. Pretty sure it was supposed to be that way, but I'm just tired of losing an entire game over literally 1 guess from almost every character. Just crazy. Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but it's how I feel at the moment. lol

Check previous pages. I grew up with MK as well. My first tournament was with MK3. Yes I played Injustice.

 

[Chaosphere]

Amen. Time to hit the lab and improve on those neutral game, spacing, and footsies ladies.

I'm almost convinced that you're P2W.

 

[Chaosphere]

Check previous pages. I grew up with MK as well. My first tournament was with MK3. Yes I played Injustice.

So you didn't acknowledge anything I said there.

 

[Saint Op Omen]

I think I'm just going to go with... It would be impossible to do a babality otherwise and the rest it just a cheap cover up...

 

[shaowebb]

I'm loving this thread. Truth told I only entered into MK9 after it was about dead because DC was getting a fighter and NRS was doing it. I'd seen EVO's for each MK9 and was always entertained but I went serious while becoming addicted to Tatsunoko vs Capcom streams when they announced MVC3.

In other words...I have hardly ever used a block button fighter. Much of the meta passed me by on MK9 and I only learned what I know later during IGAU. I've use B2B for almost every fighter I've ever played. Discussions like this one that break down the differences between block button crossups and B2B crossups, forward movement in block button environments vs B2B environments, and the focal points of players during stuff like the double teleport Spinal crossup were brought up using both systems to describe how the player would have to focus their attention are all great.

We need more threads like this on TYM. It breaks down basic meta, without condemning any system...it just points out what each kind of system emphasizes in play and what is and is not a thing in each system. More forums could use more open debate and meta discussions like this. It helps new players and folks like me who came into NRS stuff during B2B days and haven't gone into MK heavily till MKX a chance to adjust to the different mindset required to go into these games. Some of us only know what we know...many missed MK due to stuff like Marvel, SF4, and IGAU being their points of interest that brought them here. We're gonna get a lot of new faces here soon with MKX hitting stores so seeing threads like this is a good thing.

 

[AnaboliChris]

So you didn't acknowledge anything I said there.

I did. I cant disagree with how you feel towards a game.

 

[Chaosphere]

I did. I cant disagree with how you feel towards a game.

Well you implied that everyone on this site, or at least a good portion of people on this site are dumb for not being big fans of b2b. But... it's a mortal kombat website. I mean, wouldn't it be kind of dumb to go to a streetfighter forum and imply people are dumb or inadequate in some way because they prefer b2b over block button? So I was hoping you would either retract your statement or put forth an argument that refutes mine.