Concerns about "fixed" variations

[theotherguy]

So assuming that you can choose a loadout of specials, how is that going to play out any different from people choosing the best MKX variation?

Once it's it's figured out special 1/3/6 are the best damaging/most combo potential, then everyone starts using that combination for that character. It effectively becomes a default variation.

The rest become useless apart from the random player who decides to mix it up with 2/5/6.

So you go back to having 1 good loadout, 1 meh loadout and one useless one... sound familiar?

But you can still say the "custom variation is great" because you still get the option to use it even though it doesn't accomplish anything more than what a pre-defined variation did, except that it might be slightly different to what the dev's may have setup.

While I think it might be interesting to see how it would play out, i think logically between balancing and selection/countering during tournaments it won't work out well.

 

[Kroaken]

Haven't got to read them all yet but the point is, if the moves are too cheap or busted for ranked play (geras time ability was mentioned) then NRS, imo, can quit trying to be cute with moves like that and just give us moves that can be balanced. And if THAT too is off the table, then don't even bother with custom variations and the marketing as such. Just give us actual variations like in MKX. Sure, some were weaker than others, but they had a theme and thought put into them. If it were to launch they way it is now, it isn't custom variations for all intents and purposes. They're just lying to themselves.

Edit: To be fair, I'm not taking into account people who enjoy the casual stuff like gear stats on in injustice2. It just doesnt interest me, personally.You guys are set either way.

 

[ismael4790]

Custom variations in competitive play is a stupid idea. Nrs had problems to balance three variations in mkx, and now you want them to balance dozens of combinations for each character? Dude, please...

Three fixed variations for competitive is the way to go. And including three variations is already a risky and stubborn move by nrs considering what happened with mkx. I think few people expected more than two variations for mk11. We will see if they can handle it this time.

 

[Trustful_Whale]

Custom variations won't ever be allowed in official tournaments. Fighting games are not smogon or some run of the mill trading card game.

Not with that attitude...

 

[Eji1700]

We'll still have preset variations if the custom one doesn't turn out well.

And they will be less tested and that could be an issue. Again there is not unlimited dev time.

I'm all for them trying this. i think it can be done, but I think it's perfectly reasonable if they come out and say "this is too much" and that they don't want to risk it. Well balanced games rarely just "happen". Hell even the classic examples of a game accidentally being great like melee or MvC2 still have tons of intent put into them. It would make sense for them to not want to risk blowing their launch meta completely to hell because there's just too many variables and then having to play variant catchup.