Question Mortal Kombat Stage Picking Ruleset

[NB Semi Evil Ryu]

What world are you living in?

Risa.

(Please see for reference)

 

[trustinme]

there should be no stage counter picking. every match should be played on Courtyard

but why should the monks have all the fun? what are the rest of the background characters going to do on their lunch break now?

 

[astronout]

Shang Tsung's Gardens - 1.22
The Graveyard - 1.22
Wastelands - 1.23
Shang Tsung's Throne Room - 1.24

The Courtyard - 1.33

I understand that Courtyard is the default stage in cases where either player suffers from colorblindness, however, that is not enough of a reason to warrant it being the default stage in tournament play. On Somberness's scaling from 1 - 1.5, Courtyard happens to be one of the larger stages, championing a mark of 1.33. Instead, any of the stages that I have listed above it would be better fit.

Random stages would be an inefficient means of resolving stage counterpicking as the odds of getting a stage that is known to either disrupt or lag gameplay is relatively high, consequently retarding the pace of matches.

 

[NRF CharlieMurphy]

I don't see why people are so against stage counterpicking. It's pretty fair because both players have the opportunity to counterpick if they lose a match. Going with a random stage doesn't make things any better imo.

Plus if you go with a random stage you'll have to deal with getting banned stages and having to go back to the select screen which just takes up time. I think the way it's done now is completely perfect: Both players agree on the first stage or go random, and the loser can counterpick from that point on. If people actually want to change this though it should probably be done in the Outworld remonstrate.

FrothyOmen kind of brought up something interesting. Being able to use the colorblind excuse to always go to the Courtyard would be kind of dumb...are there other stages that could also be included for people who are colorblind?

its not fair though... because the higher person the on bracket has an advantage....

plus... stages shouldn't be any type of factor.....
there are CLEARLY defined medium stages.... how hard is it to just use them? Not at all.

 

[Tolkeen]

http://perfectlegend.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/mortal-kombat-stage-picking-ruleset/

I feel like this is a big issue in our competitive community and I think it needs a second look or at least should have a discussion.

Ok really this needs to be changed. Please read my article!

Using "RANDOM" stage select in MK after a loss, doesn't always randomize the stage. I did this at ufgt8 against 16bit, didn't check to see what the stage actually changed to, and ended up back in goro's lair. Which wasn't a problem size wise, but aesthetically, one of my least favorite stages. It's unfair that I wanted a change of scenery and ended up in the same dark hole I was in before the switch.

 

[Big Pampering]

characters like kabal and kenshi benefit most from this and kenshi and kabal are already the best in the game.

 

[FrothyOmen]

I didn't even know you could select a random stage once you got to the stage select screen #fray.

Perfect Legend, in your post, you don't mention anything about how the top seed is allowed to pick the stage of the first match. Would you also want to remove that? As it is now, the higher ranked player automatically gets first choice in stage pick. The loser, therefore, has at most 2 opportunities to counterpick (in a ft3) or at most 1 chance in a ft2. Seems a bit ridiculous to me to take away that option from the losing player.

At any rate, I can just see this getting ridiculous where matches have to start 5 minutes late because player land on 10 banned stages in a row. Doesn't sound like an effective use of tournament time.

Wait, what? Top seed has the choice of either player 1 or stage

 

[Death]

I agree PL. No counter stage picking. Just let it be random.

 

[ForeverKing]

I kind of like the rules at Frosty Faustings. The loser is allowed to counter-pick stage, or counter-pick character, but IS NOT ALLOWED TO PICK BOTH. You cannot counter-pick stage AND character if you lose.

In my opinion, all matches should just be played on Courtyard Day because that is the clearest stage with no enviornmental factors getting in your way or messing up your game. Also Gaystation 3 (PS3) has levels that lag offline, Courtyard Day with the No Blood code enabled probably reduces lag the best

 

[DownfouralitY]

Seriously, I counter pick stages online lol yeah.. I'm bad.

Should be looked into

 

[Death]

Its worst when players are picking their super powered character and even when thats not enough to win they have to resort to stage picking. smh

 

[NKZero]

I agree with PL's point 100%. Like in other fighters, the stage here (especially in a game where the stage size has an effect) should be randomly determined. When you lose and go back to character select, you look at the pre-determined new stage. If you don't like it...tough luck. Nobody should ever have stage advantage at any point in a match.

 

[FrothyOmen]

Its worst when players are picking their super powered character and even when thats not enough to win they have to resort to stage picking. smh

Fuck honor. Play to win or don't waste your time competing.

 

[Death]

Fuck honor. Play to win or don't waste your time competing.

I play Sonya, I have no honor lol

 

[FrothyOmen]

I play Sonya, I have no honor lol

You still have honor until you convince a TO you're colorblind just so you don't have to play kabal on rooftop day.

Compared to a lot of shit in this game sonya isn't even all that braindead

 

[Seapeople]

its not fair though... because the higher person the on bracket has an advantage....

That's true, I completely forgot about that lol. But if the other player has the higher seed I guess they kind of earned the first stage pick.
I don't know....I'd probably like it better if the first stage was just agreed on by both players or selected randomly, but I understand where they're coming from based on the higher seed.

 

[EGP_Shoryuken]

We all know that this is one of the only games who gives player 1 the advantage in trades. I think its only fair to let player 2 pick what stage he wants to fight on. If I'm playing against a kabal as sub on player 2 side and I was to get rooftop day in random select, then that would make the match even more one sided than it already is. Its only fair that if player 1 is already going into the match with an unfair advantage, that you let player 2 even things out a bit by at least picking the stage. If player 1 loses then he should have the options of switching seats and repeating the process. Basically you have the choice of 1st player advantage or what stage you want to fight on, but not both and not by luck either. As soon as you sit down in your seat your options should be clear.

 

[Briyen]

just go random or a medium stage, only choices a player can make!

my favorite will always be shang's throne room, the colors are so vibrant on that stage !

 

[Eddy Wang]

random select should be the new issue, no one picks stages

 

[AssassiN]

I understand and agree, my vote would go to a medium stage like Courtyard.
Have a range of medium stages set up so there is enough choice of scenery.

I know that over here we don't really care for stages and always go for Courtyard or any other medium stage.

 

[Zoidberg747]

First match, you select random stage (if random ends up being a banned stage: immediately go to Courtyard Day). After first match (and other matches, if applicable), if losing player wants a new stage: random stage again (if random ends up being a banned stage: immediately go to Courtyard Day).

This is best

 

[EGP_Shoryuken]

Everyone keeps bringing up mid size stages as if that would even things out and ignore that fact that player 1 already has an advantage no matter what.

 

[LEGEND]

We all know that this is one of the only games who gives player 1 the advantage in trades. I think its only fair to let player 2 pick what stage he wants to fight on. If I'm playing against a kabal as sub on player 2 side and I was to get rooftop day in random select, then that would make the match even more one sided than it already is. Its only fair that if player 1 is already going into the match with an unfair advantage, that you let player 2 even things out a bit by at least picking the stage. If player 1 loses then he should have the options of switching seats and repeating the process. Basically you have the choice of 1 player advantage or what stage you want to fight on, but not both and not by luck either.

This

 

[Dizzy]

Everyone keeps bringing up mid size stages as if that would even things out and ignore that fact that player 1 already has an advantage no matter what.

Just because player 1 advantage exists doesn't mean we can just ignore the whole stage rule. Player 1 advantage is something completely seperate from this topic and should have no place in this discussion. In fact, in some matches having the stage to select is more important than player 1.

I think it should either be:
1) Random every time, loser is allowed to re-random
or
2) 1st match is random, loser is allowed to pick stage OR character but not both (if character is switched, then stage is random again)

I prefer #2 but almost all games that have differences in stages use #1.

Player 1 advantage we have no control over, its just how it is. Rock, Paper, Scissors or coin toss and whoever gets it gets it.

MLG rules are completely dumb on this and likely wont change but we can atleast have sensible rules for community run events and EVO.

 

[EGP_Shoryuken]

Just because player 1 advantage exists doesn't mean we can just ignore the whole stage rule. Player 1 advantage is something completely seperate from this topic and should have no place in this discussion. In fact, in some matches having the stage to select is more important than player 1.

If we're talking about how stages favor a character, then why is it ok to ignore how player 1 has an advantage going into the match?

Player 1 advantage we have no control over, its just how it is. Rock, Paper, Scissors or coin toss and whoever gets it gets it.

I don't think luck should have anything to do with who ends up with the most unfair advantage. As soon as you sit down in your seat the choices you have should be clear, and you shouldn't sit there praying that you get lucky. Just because a game has broken stuff to it doesn't mean the community can't take matters into their own hands and try to even things out. Like I said, it shouldn't be left to chance and you shouldn't have to wait to lose a match to have the choice of evening things out. Player 1 advantage is a fact, stage advantage is a fact, you can't ignore neither of those facts. players should have their choice of what they prefer and not both.