Psych Researcher here; What should i concentrate on trying to research fighting game wise?

[AtlasM]

So, almost a college grad. Then, masters. I've done a large amount of researching, and how it's done and why, and tbh it's...pretty easy. Alot of article finding, first hand responses, numerics, etc. Gets old after awhile but helps you find logistics to questions not answered.

It had me thinking of what i would research in a fighting game sense, as i have had some interning experience with that with Marvel Studios and MVC talks behind the scenes. To start, i'd like to post some here. But i'd definitely want some ideas.

So go ahead and shoot me some, and i'll start off with that. It can be anything. Interest of a character, what is a fair microtransaction in a fighting game, how newcomers socially feel getting into a new scene, anything.

So far, a few recommended to me by some friends have been;

Ease of use in fighting games, non-intrests of guest characters, and giving up on fighting games.

Shoot me anything!

 

[Mandolore1123]

So, almost a college grad. Then, masters. I've done a large amount of researching, and how it's done and why, and tbh it's...pretty easy. Alot of article finding, first hand responses, numerics, etc. Gets old after awhile but helps you find logistics to questions not answered.

It had me thinking of what i would research in a fighting game sense, as i have had some interning experience with that with Marvel Studios and MVC talks behind the scenes. To start, i'd like to post some here. But i'd definitely want some ideas.

So go ahead and shoot me some, and i'll start off with that. It can be anything. Interest of a character, what is a fair microtransaction in a fighting game, how newcomers socially feel getting into a new scene, anything.

So far, a few recommended to me by some friends have been;

Ease of use in fighting games, non-intrests of guest characters, and giving up on fighting games.

Shoot me anything!

What are the factors that help people to want to continue playing fighting games through the initial period where you have to endure a lot of losses/mistakes/failures while trying to learn the basics?

 

[Juggs]

If it’s psychology related, perhaps the type of mindset it requires to put yourself into a position where you can even begin getting better at fighting games. I wrote an article on here way back in 2011 that briefly discusses this topic. Not sure if it’d help of if this is even a topic you’d want to work on, but I’ll link the article just in case: https://testyourmight.com/threads/tips-on-becoming-a-better-player-part-1-how-losing-helps-you-get-better.3674/#post-78558

Aside from that, would need more specific information of what you’re trying to research. There’s a TON of different ways you can approach research when it comes to fighting games. I suppose that’s your issue? You’re trying to narrow it down since there’s so many different angles you can take?

 

[Marlow]

I'm always curious how much people like/dislike a fighting game depends not only on the game itself, but on other external factors. For example, I know a lot of people really like MK9 or MKX compared to MK11/MK1. But is that because those were actually "better" games? Or is it because for a lot people those were their first experience in the FGC, or they were a younger age and had more time to play and get good, or had less serious stuff going on in their life. Or are factors like social media also affecting how we interact and view media?


My guess is that it overlaps with views on nostalgia. I think Fighting Games are an interesting way to examine this, because objectively fighting games are better nowadays. The graphics are better, there's more content, more features, and the overall craftmanship is much better, as well as having the ability to patch games. So why are games getting better made, but for older members they're mostly less popular?

 

[M2Dave]

So why are games getting better made, but for older members they're mostly less popular?

"Less popular" in what way? I have no data on the specific demographics, but fighting games have been gradually growing if you remove COVID from the equation. Games like Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and Guilty Gear Strive are selling very well and showing record-breaking numbers at offline as well as online tournaments.

If you are referring to Mortal Kombat and players of my age group (i.e., 35-40), the year is 2012 no more when I used to live in my mom's basement and play Mortal Kombat 9 six+ hours a day. Unless your names happen to be Daigo, Knee, or Tokido, playing fighting games competitively is unaffordable and unsustainable.

I also believe that NRS fighting games have lost their way. In my humble opinion, Mortal Kombat 11 was unplayable and unwatchable. At least Mortal Kombat 1 is watchable. Injustice 2 played too slowly. I fell in love with Mortal Kombat 9 because of the character archetypes, the high power levels, and the unique meta. None of these aspects exist in a modern NRS fighting game.

 

[Juxtapose]

Or are factors like social media also affecting how we interact and view media?

I firmly believe this is a factor not just for fighting games, but all genre of games and for things well beyond games (not just media).

Critical thinking is in heavy, heavy decline.

 

[Marlow]

"Less popular" in what way?

In the way that every time a new game comes out, there's always a population of players who loudly decry the new game. Not exclusive to NRS, this happens with a lot of games.

I also believe that NRS fighting games have lost their way. In my humble opinion, Mortal Kombat 11 was unplayable and unwatchable. At least Mortal Kombat 1 is watchable. Injustice 2 played too slowly. I fell in love with Mortal Kombat 9 because of the character archetypes, the high power levels, and the unique meta. None of these aspects exist in a modern NRS fighting game.

This is basically what I'm talking about. I think those aspects, while not the same as MK9, do exist in MK11 and MK1. Has NRS actually lost it's way, or is the difference more with you (or the individual player)? Put another way, how much of it is that NRS has changed and lost it's way, and how much of it is that you're not the same person you were when you first started playing and experiencing MK?

 

[Marlow]

This isn't to excuse NRS or say that they can't make a bad product. Or to say that criticism isn't valid, or that someone can't have an opinion on something subjective like the quality of a video game, movie, music, whatever. Just wondering why this kind of thing seems to happen.

For example, I was crazy about baseball back in 2006, and for a long time after. Now, I'm just not a current fan of the game. Has the game of baseball changed, or have I changed?

 

[Mikemetroid]

Only NRS knows what NRS knows, no amount of research will be able to tell you what they are actually thinking, short of working for the company and signing an NDA, everything will be up for interpretation. If I was in your shoes, I would be researching around the culture of FGs and how it directly effects the growth of the scene. Is it good online? Is it the fact that more than 60% of the people who play get bodied 0-2/1-2? etc etc

 

[M2Dave]

This is basically what I'm talking about. I think those aspects, while not the same as MK9, do exist in MK11 and MK1.

No, they do not.

There is a reason why zoning has become significantly weaker, why the ice clone has been substantially normalized, why mid command throws require resources, why high mobility characters have a plethora of disadvantages, etc.

Players, tournament and casual alike, albeit primarily the latter, have complained about such character archetypes, and consequently the variation and kameo systems were designed and implemented.

Is little Johnny struggling against zoning in rank? No worries! Choose Sub Zero as your kameo and ignore every projectile for five seconds.

To answer your implicit question, I have not changed. NRS fighting games have. I have been playing fighting games long enough to know what I like and dislike.

 

[Marlow]

To answer your implicit question, I have not changed. NRS fighting games have. I have been playing fighting games long enough to know what I like and dislike.

You don't think you've changed from your late teens/early twenties to your late 30's? Even if you yourself haven't changed, you wouldn't say the external factors around you (your living situation, career/education situation, economic status, responsibilities, state of the world, technology) have changed? And if those changed, you don't think those can impact how you perceive the quality of a product, or how you enjoy a product?

 

[Juxtapose]

Has the game of baseball changed, or have I changed?

I'd say it's you and your life priorities, responsibilities, and interests have changed.

None of us are the same person we were a decade ago. Humans are not stagnant like that, for a host of reasons pro and contra.

 

[M2Dave]

You don't think you've changed from your late teens/early twenties to your late 30's? Even if you yourself haven't changed, you wouldn't say the external factors around you (your living situation, career/education situation, economic status, responsibilities, state of the world, technology) have changed? And if those changed, you don't think those can impact how you perceive the quality of a product, or how you enjoy a product?

I have changed in multiple ways, none of which affect what I enjoy in a fighting game.

I like character archetypes that are clearly defined, very strong character power levels, individuality over universality, buffs over nerfs, etc. (i.e., all the things that NRS is fleeing from nowadays).

 

[kantboy2]

What is the correlation between personality types and fighting game archetypes.

Always been interested in that.

 

[Arqwart]

What is the correlation between personality types and fighting game archetypes.

Always been interested in that.

Just as important: what's with the gays all flocking to thousands-year-old princesses and queens?

Jokes aside, I think the personality <-> character archetype correlation is an interesting one as well. It's not always the most consistent so there's definitely room for drilling down on what may or may not actually be linkage between the two.

 

[Felipe_Gewehr]

Just as important: what's with the gays all flocking to thousands-year-old princesses and queens?

Jokes aside, I think the personality <-> character archetype correlation is an interesting one as well. It's not always the most consistent so there's definitely room for drilling down on what may or may not actually be linkage between the two.

You dont be coming for ma mama Sindel OKUUUURRR???

Nah but for real, this thread brings up a lot of very interesting questions, I'm enjoying it immensely.

 

[CrimsonShadow]

I think digging into the psychology of what allows people to become dominant players would be interesting. Their motivations, mental state, any unique traits or attitudes, and how it affects their life outside of gaming.

 

[Marlow]

I think digging into the psychology of what allows people to become dominant players would be interesting. Their motivations, mental state, any unique traits or attitudes, and how it affects their life outside of gaming.

Relatedly there’s a book called Peak, by Anders Ericcson (spelling might be off) that’s about how people become excellent at things. More behavioral economics approach though.

 

[CrimsonShadow]

Relatedly there’s a book called Peak, by Anders Ericcson (spelling might be off) that’s about how people become excellent at things. More behavioral economics approach though.

Sounds like a good read.. Will definitely check it out

 

[Marlow]

One other idea, likely really hard to do but could be interesting:

I wonder if there's a way to measure the "Mental Stack" that players encounter during fighting games, the execution penalty it imposes, and how much the penalty is in different environments or settings. For example, some combos a player might have a 95% success rate in practice mode. Move them to an in game match against the computer, it might drop to 90%. Move to online in ranked, it might drop to 85% (could be lag, could be pressure of online). Move to an in person tournament, could drop some more. Does playing in Pools matter vs top 8? How much consistency is there player to player?

Just hypothetical numbers, but you could look at things like Anti-airs, reactions to overheads, combo execution, stuff like that. The hard part would be that you'd need to find a good sample of players willing to participate in the study, and you'd need to watch and rely on human judgement to go over footage to calculate these things. You'd probably also need to set up controls, like having the players participating all using the same character, agree to use the same anti-air, and the same combo. So a lot of complications to go through.

But if you could pull it off, it'd be pretty interesting.

 

[LEGEND]

One other idea, likely really hard to do but could be interesting:

I wonder if there's a way to measure the "Mental Stack" that players encounter during fighting games, the execution penalty it imposes, and how much the penalty is in different environments or settings. For example, some combos a player might have a 95% success rate in practice mode. Move them to an in game match against the computer, it might drop to 90%. Move to online in ranked, it might drop to 85% (could be lag, could be pressure of online). Move to an in person tournament, could drop some more. Does playing in Pools matter vs top 8? How much consistency is there player to player?

Just hypothetical numbers, but you could look at things like Anti-airs, reactions to overheads, combo execution, stuff like that. The hard part would be that you'd need to find a good sample of players willing to participate in the study, and you'd need to watch and rely on human judgement to go over footage to calculate these things. You'd probably also need to set up controls, like having the players participating all using the same character, agree to use the same anti-air, and the same combo. So a lot of complications to go through.

But if you could pull it off, it'd be pretty interesting.

great suggestions.

measuring the delay in reaction time while under various layers of mental stack seems the most doable and most interesting to me personally.

 

[REYTHEGREAT]

I did a paper in college and I was researching to see if there was a link between playing video games and violence.

 

[Juggs]

I did a paper in college and I was researching to see if there was a link between playing video games and violence.

I did a research paper on this exact topic in my psych class in college as well. I got an A+ and he (my prof) said he never saw someone come up with the same conclusion and reasoning that I did. I loved that class, wish I still had that paper

 

[kabelfritz]

why can fighting games trigger anger and toxic impulses so hard and why do people give in to it?

take that question with a grain of salt

 

[Juxtapose]

I did a research paper on this exact topic in my psych class in college as well. I got an A+ and he (my prof) said he never saw someone come up with the same conclusion and reasoning that I did. I loved that class, wish I still had that paper

Very cool. What did you find?