It's official: SLOTS HAVE NO PURPOSE IN KASUAL/LOCAL MODES AND SHOULD BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY

[Head_Baboon]

I have the game now, and what I've thought was going to be the case ever since they dumped the customisation for competitive game modes, has been confirmed: THE SLOT BASED RESTRICTIONS HAVE NO PURPOSE IN THE GAME WHATSOEVER, AND ONLY SERVE TO GIMP BOTH THE FUN FACTOR AND CHARACTER POTENTIAL IN THE LOCAL PvP AND KASUAL MODES THE SYSTEM APPLIES TO. Here's why:

1. Character abilities have inherent flags that stop certain specials being equipped simultaneously (often illogically implemented so) which supersede the already restrictive 3-slot limits. In and of itself, this renders the slot assignments pointless and nothing but a remnant of a failed balancing mechanic, that NRS threw out weeks ago (in exchange for MKX-like variations for competitive play). Moreover, many abilities even REPLACE others be default.

2. The 3-slot limit causes some severe limitations in character customisation, and which have no logical reason to exist:

• CETRION cannot equip more than one of her rather tame AoE abilities (which cost x2 slots and x2 defensive meter stock to use, BTW! lol), and even her water / freeze ability overlaps with other moves.
• SHAO KAHN's trademark taunts are not equipped by default (and which are all but a novelty ATM, seeing as they have over 2 SECONDS recovery! ), same as his shadow priest hammer buff -- wasting two slots on what the king cheese sorcerer should have by default. His Seeking Hammer also overlaps with his anti-air spear... for some unknown reason . So, no one will use this character's taunts, and not only because they must be equipped, but also because his SPEAR ABILITIES (the horizontal version of which also removes his hallmark shoulder charge ) are far more useful for damage output and overall character efficacy.

3. The 3-slot limit results in most characters having one or at most two builds that are viable (even in casual play, where people still play to be competitive), which makes mockery of Boon's "playing the characters as you want" claim, as well as staying far too close to the vacuous developer presets prescribed for tournament play.

4. Any "infinites" that might arise from removing slot limitations could easily be addressed via the introduction of more "overlapping" restrictions -- example: if Cetrion's boulder AoE results in and infinite corner juggle, they could simply disallow its use together with whatever other special move is used in that infinite combo. That's to say, "infinites" is no excuse. This would be FAR easier to implement than having to outright balance issues -- they could just check a parameter flag and the offending ability would be locked out from being equipped with another, in the same way the system works now.

5. Slot restrictions do NOT apply to tournament / ranked modes, in one way or the other. This means that the game's fundamental balance, and in the only game modes it matters, cannot be affected, no matter how the game balance changes in other game modes. Also, removing slot restrictions would have the added boon of further differentiating the competitive and casual game modes from one another, as should NRS should strive for in a fighting game that is trying to cater to pros and casuals alike.

Having played the game for 30 hours+ now, I can see that my worst fears regarding these customisation restrictions have been realised, and the otherwise great potential of the this system is gimped by a poorly conceived balancing tool which isn't even being used for its fundamental purpose. If NRS leave MK11 as is, and players can never equip abilities as they potentially could (and want to), then MK11 will feel like "Injustice Kombat", and even more than the many borrowed assets and ill suited ideas the game already has imply.

 

[Samsara]

The system has its merits and its flaws. It's clear their vision wasnt ironed out by the time launch rolled around.

Problem is NRS is trying to have their cake and eat it too in MK11. That's why the system feels so restrictive and unwieldy.

Tournament players will take whatever NRS gives them because they'll just do whatever they need to win. And that's fair. Boring for everyone else though.

 

[Head_Baboon]

Tournament players will take whatever NRS gives them because they'll just do whatever they need to win. And that's fair. Boring for everyone else though.

Yes. And that's why I highlighted the obvious fact that the restrictions are only for casual modes as is, and would not affect tournament play in any way.

I (and I bet most others) don't really care about tournament play. We might watch Evo or something (and probably only for the first time the game appears), but most play to have fun. There is no reason for the slots to remain in their current for or at all, because they only hurt non-tournament players and do nothing for the balance of the gameplay. And as is confirmed, the abilities already have inherent overlapping restrictions, as well as the number of slots they occupy. So, why do they need to be limited to only a maximum of 3 and in addition to these rules?

I really hope NRS don't 'forget' about refining this aspect of the game, above all, because their prioritising will inevitably go like:

1. Game promotion
2. Tournament balance
3. DLC creation / promotion
4. GOTY / "Komplete" editions (literally already data-minded)
5. Injustice 3 (which they've probably already begun work on)...

Which means that they'll likely leave any changes to the game's core systems until last, if at all, and dependant on player requests / complaints.

 

[ATIWAB]

The three-slot limit makes sense just for functionality/input reasons and making sure nothing gets crazy out-of-hand with cancel options and balance problems. Having to learn every single special cancel for the entire roster with EVERY special available to them would be a bit too much.

That being said, I think the tournament variation system is fucking stupid and needs to go. It's a lazy way for NRS to avoid having to balance potentially strong setups that they couldn't be bothered to thoroughly play test, which is why some of the variations intentionally have abilities tacked on with such garbage synergy.

Noob Saibot without Sickle Snag is severely gimped compared to his potential, but neither tournament variation has it.

Forcing Jax to choose between Ripped and Burning Hammer is terrible design, he's much more effective when he has both since Amp'd Ripped finishes with a launcher that you can combo end with FF D1 S2 Burning Hammer.

Etc., etc.

At this rate it's just extra customization for the sake of being able to say "LOOK AT ALL OUR CUSTOMIZATION* [*not usable in any mode people really care about]."

 

[Head_Baboon]

^ Again, I'm only speaking for the NON-TOURNAMENT SIDE OF THE GAME... Which will account for most of the game's replayablity and longevity (once the tournament hype dies down).


As for the input overlapping issues, the same qualifier applies as for any issue regarding balance or any "craziness" that may arise: any ability that is seen to break balance too much, can simply have the overlap flag applied to it and the abilities that it is seen to be suspect when used together with.

In my mind, and as I immediately felt would be the case after they retreated on tournament customization, the system severely and unnecessarily restricts a core functionality that they sold the game on, and for a purpose that no longer exists (to balance competitive gameplay). It's almost as dirty a half-truth as the "no loot boxes" or "no RNG" or "everything can be obtained through gameplay" that NRS made...

 

[DDustiNN]

This doesn’t sound very “official” to me.

The slot/conflict system is a great way to keep things balanced and avoid super overpowered characters, while still allowing people to customize their play style.

I always hated “variations” because they always felt like gimped versions of a character. And logically, they just don’t make sense. I just want to have all the moves a character knows how to do.

But I actually like what they did in MK11. I like being able to customize each character to play the way I prefer, and not be forced into having moves I don’t like or won’t use.

 

[ATIWAB]

^ Again, I'm only speaking for the NON-TOURNAMENT SIDE OF THE GAME... Which will account for most of the game's replayablity and longevity (once the tournament hype dies down).

I know what you're addressing, even when you underline it, and like I said -- I don't agree it's a good idea. The only thing that needs to be changed about ability slots is allowing all combinations of abilities in competitive play, but the slot idea in and of itself is fine.

 

[Head_Baboon]

^ As an OPTION, however, surely you can concede that it would do no harm... Right? As would, say, an OPTION for allowing augments to be used in local PvP / casual modes, make no difference to anyone but those who'd like to use the system (and perhaps have a greater incentive to grind for these trinkets)... No?

I'm not saying the slot system needs to be forced on any mode or anyone. I'd never advocate for anything to imposed on players, unlike how others imposed the dropping of the new amplify inputs without even trying them out first. I'm not into fascistic game designs. Everything I outlined was only implied as an OPTION. The more options games have to customise players' experiences, the greater the diversity will be and, unarguably, the better it will be for the product's longevity. Had MKX allowed for the mixing and matching of its variations' abilities, I bet many would still be playing today...