Im glad the top players are speaking up about custom variations

[Samsara]

Towards the end of this video, you can see Sonic Fox go over what he thinks strong players in MK11 are, but he also speaks about how making tiers wouldn't matter as much if custom variations were a factor in tournament play.

I think he has a good rationale for at least considering other moves for characters. I dont know, maybe I'm reading too much into it. Watch it yourself.

Comments start about 15 minutes in, but the set was a fun watch.

 

[Samsara]

The specific discussion regarding just the custom variations and characters starts at 19:50.

Previous discussions are about players themselves and Summit tournament.

 

[HeavyNorse]

All the more public people I've seen who have talked about this are all in agreement that custom variations shouldn't be locked out of competitive play. And I hope this means NRS will change their minds about it. Until then, I'm personally not going to touch Ranked or other modes where I can't use custom variations.

 

[f24]

I feel like it would be hell for a couple weeks dealing with all the different gimmicks that customs bring on, but ultimately it would make for a much more interesting and fun game - we would probably see people playing their favorites a lot more and not just the best characters.

 

[Samsara]

I feel like it would be hell for a couple weeks dealing with all the different gimmicks that customs bring on, but ultimately it would make for a much more interesting and fun game - we would probably see people playing their favorites a lot more and not just the best characters.

I think the initial mania would be exciting. Any measures we could take to avoid being stuck with these bare bones variations are welcome.

 

[MK9]

Go face a kabal with air mid and ground buzzsaws than tell me you want custom variations

 

[Vslayer]

I feel like it would be hell for a couple weeks dealing with all the different gimmicks that customs bring on, but ultimately it would make for a much more interesting and fun game - we would probably see people playing their favorites a lot more and not just the best characters.

Definitely, it would feel way less limiting than it is right now. I mean, I'm having fun with Cassie's Digital Soldier, but having shoulder charge instead of the useless flippin' out would give me so many more options for combos. Whether people like this idea or not, being able to personalize combos and play a character your way is way more fun than being locked down to what NRS wants you to play like.

 

[mastermalone]

Go face a kabal with air mid and ground buzzsaws than tell me you want custom variations

Simple fix, make the two moves incompatible. They are already handling this with the current custom variation system.

 

[trufenix]

None of these players need NRS' blessing to run a custom variations tournament. It can be done online, it can be done in someone's basement, it can be done as a side tournament a major, but like the kerfluffle that got us here, the fountainheads are placing the onus on NRS, blaming them for not psychically being aware that the entire community would 180 on one of MKX and I2's most controversial subjects, even though they made their vision clear day one. We are not gutting the Kombat Tour and re-jiggering the entire game and balancing strategy for some experimental pre-EVO scene vanity.

If custom variations is what people want, someone needs to run a tournament and show NRS how it can be done. Not just spout off about it on podcasts and youtube videos.

 

[DDustiNN]

All the more public people I've seen who have talked about this are all in agreement that custom variations shouldn't be locked out of competitive play. And I hope this means NRS will change their minds about it. Until then, I'm personally not going to touch Ranked or other modes where I can't use custom variations.

Yep same here.

 

[Invincibeast]

So I posted this in reply to a status update and feel its appropriate here:

Easy fixes that NRS could implement to address time concerns are making the moves available at the character select screen like assists in Capcom games. Just pick your loadout right before the match.
To address balance concerns there are two things that could be done. Moves already take X/3 slots available. If a certain combination of moves is found to be broken then they can either adjust how many slots the moves take up so that they cannot be used together, or just flat out have them 'conflict' like some moves already do.

And BOOM, custom variations work and make the game/characters more enjoyable for everyone

 

[Skylight1]

None of these players need NRS' blessing to run a custom variations tournament. It can be done online, it can be done in someone's basement, it can be done as a side tournament a major, but like the kerfluffle that got us here, the fountainheads are placing the onus on NRS, blaming them for not psychically being aware that the entire community would 180 on one of MKX and I2's most controversial subjects, even though they made their vision clear day one. We are not gutting the Kombat Tour and re-jiggering the entire game and balancing strategy for some experimental pre-EVO scene vanity.

If custom variations is what people want, someone needs to run a tournament and show NRS how it can be done. Not just spout off about it on podcasts and youtube videos.

Exactly. Don't just say about it. Be about it.

 

[Hellbringer]

Its just mindblowing how custom variations is not allowed in competitive. Who does this make a game and then dont allow 70% of all abilities to be used unless your not playing serious.
imagine a new fifa game but ur only allowed to play certain teams for balance sake lol

 

[Slymind]

None of these players need NRS' blessing to run a custom variations tournament. It can be done online, it can be done in someone's basement, it can be done as a side tournament a major, but like the kerfluffle that got us here, the fountainheads are placing the onus on NRS, blaming them for not psychically being aware that the entire community would 180 on one of MKX and I2's most controversial subjects, even though they made their vision clear day one. We are not gutting the Kombat Tour and re-jiggering the entire game and balancing strategy for some experimental pre-EVO scene vanity.

If custom variations is what people want, someone needs to run a tournament and show NRS how it can be done. Not just spout off about it on podcasts and youtube videos.

This. NRS makes the game, the rules of a community tournament should be defined by the community.

 

[getoverhere--->]

The variation system should've been like in mkx, or just no varations at all...hate this shit.

 

[CorneliusBrutus]

Simple fix, make the two moves incompatible. They are already handling this with the current custom variation system.

Yup. There's a lot of different levers you can push and pull to balance a specific loadout causing problems. Change the properties of the move itself, add incompatibility with moves that cause degenerate combinations, make a move cost more slots, etc.

 

[pure.Wasted]

None of these players need NRS' blessing to run a custom variations tournament. It can be done online, it can be done in someone's basement, it can be done as a side tournament a major, but like the kerfluffle that got us here, the fountainheads are placing the onus on NRS, blaming them for not psychically being aware that the entire community would 180 on one of MKX and I2's most controversial subjects, even though they made their vision clear day one. We are not gutting the Kombat Tour and re-jiggering the entire game and balancing strategy for some experimental pre-EVO scene vanity.

If custom variations is what people want, someone needs to run a tournament and show NRS how it can be done. Not just spout off about it on podcasts and youtube videos.

Uh... show NRS what, exactly? That it's possible to organize a tournament in Kasual mode?

What exactly do players have the power to prove, when all the extra moves' balance (or lack thereof) is set by NRS...? Nothing. The only thing you can possibly demonstrate is that custom variations aren't perfectly balanced now. Which shouldn't be news to anyone and doesn't get us anywhere.

 

[Skedar70]

I don't get what the issue is? Most people don't compete at tournaments. Most people just play casually so they are free to play with custom variations whenever they want.

I can see many issues with having custom variations and its easy to understand why NRS made this decision. First it would be a huge headache to balance I don't believe NRS could support the work. (Look at the article where they had 100 hour crunch times). Second it would take too long for everybody offline to get their builds before the match for all of the characters they believe they might use.

 

[NeonGroovyGator]

I haven't put much thought in the issue, but I'm in favor of anything that makes this game's tournament life longer than any other NRS game, and I trust the pros and the more knowleadgeable community members to make a decision about it and pressure NRS.

 

[The Gabriel]

Custom variations are a no-brainer for us and for NRS. Unfortunately NRS doesn't appear to have a brain...

 

[ItsYaBoi]

Good. Everybody needs to keep pushing for this and not shut up about it. Customs need to be a thing.

 

[Mint]

I personally don't want customs. I also hope they get rid of the variation system completely in the next game.

 

[Xelz]

It seems that NRS did an even better job with custom variations than they anticipated And that's a great problem to have. MK11 might be the most balanced NRS game at launch ever, and now (some) pro players feel custom variations could be tournament worthy.

NRS, you're a victim of your own success

 

[DarkSado]

NRS you did a great job of not adding costume variation in tournament mode =.

 

[FlowerFighter]

I completely disagree that custom variations should be in competitive play. How the hell are you supposed to practice against so many characters with so many possibilities on an effective level? When you go into a competitive round, you should know what your opponents move-list is and not have to be surprised or caught off guard by something that you weren't prepared for; some characters have a ton of custom variable moves they could put in. It creates another element that detracts from competitive play and leaves stuff to the wind. Better players could lose to worse players simply because they weren't prepared for some dumb variation or random variable thrown in.

Coupled with this, how would you possibly even balance that?