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Scar Asks: Do u feel MK11 should have variations?

Did variations idea work?

  • No! Explain.

    Votes: 81 51.9%
  • Yes! Explain.

    Votes: 75 48.1%

  • Total voters
    156

Eddy Wang

Skarlet scientist
@FCP/EMP SCAR asked on his twitter: Now that MKX is over a year old n EVO just passed, Do u feel MK11 should have variations? Did variations idea work?


I'm sharing the same question here, because would like to now what's TYM take on this.

I'm still half divided about it, the variation system was a good breath of fresh hair of trying out the same character in 3 forms, which was pretty good, but also IMO balancing wise its feels pretty damn harder, and there are variations i can't help to think the outcome wasn't well though out, they just don't get good unless a mass overhaul on their mechanics is made.

That's one thing, the other one is, i personally would like characters with full movesets and instead of a roster with 72 or so variations, 72 characters could've been better competitive wise.

So my final vote is no.
 

Meep8345

Noob
Varaitions are a great concept but they didn't do too well in mkx because most characters have one varaition that makes the others useless. That or one varaition gets completely outshined by the others like with hat trick Lao. It'll take a lot of creativity to make the varaition system to where all 3 give something unique and useful equally. So I think only having two would make it a lot better and easier to make them equalish. So yeah but instead only two per character.
 

Osagri

Fear the blade of Osh-Tekk
I think there should be variation system in mk11. They just need to make it much better and polished. Like after over a year and there are still variations that rly lack. No variation should be over the top. Example Kano. There is rly no reason to play other variations coz cutthroat is so much better. Maybe cyber in 1 MU but that's it. And i believe that that they can do it much better in second try. And if necessary make it two instead of three variations
 

Johnny Based Cage

The Shangest of Tsungs
Hell no. You can't slap a command grab or two on a variation that shares 95% of a moveset with two other variations that don't have command grabs and call that shit a grappler. They had such wonderfully distinguished character archetypes in Injustice and then phoned it in with MKX.
 

NSR

Also known as Futuretime23
Ignoring the balance issues (which is also another factor as to why variations really didn't work out too well for MKX), conceptually, there are characters who you can tell NRS had a blast with and made them really stand out (Kenshi, Shinnok, Scorpion come to mind) but then there are characters where they clearly had no clue what to do (Reptile is the absolute worst offender in this regard)
Personally, the idea of variations could work...but it shouldn't be 3. It shouldn't be one is offensive based, another is defensive, and final one is both offensive and defensive based. You run into a balance risk where one variation ends up dominating the other 2 (as has happened with MKX, Grandmaster SZ to my understanding beats his other two variations, as an example)
It should be 2, having one that's offensive based, and another one that's defensive based. Obviously, let the character have some universal zoning/offensive moves between both.
As it stands, I'm mixed. I think variations are a neat concept, but the execution leaves something to be desired. If they do 2, I think it will be easier to balance as well to make variations for each character.
Otherwise, they should stick to having no variations.
 

Tanno

The Fantasy is the Reality of the Mind
I would love to have the whole character with all the variations' special skills, but I don't think it would cope well. You would have to sacrifice some of the special skills to make the whole characters, so I like the variations.

IMO, the variations have their own fighting philosophy. In Sub Zero's case, the GM is the balanced one, while the Cryo and Unbreakable are the offensive and the defensive ones, respectively.

However, I want MKXI to have ALL the characters from the WHOLE MK series, including Fujin and Noob Saibot.
 

SOLEdier

IHideBehindIceClones
If variations were to be included lets just have two instead of 3 to make it more easy on them and give more options and attributes to the characters instead of having to spread them apart.
 

Tanno

The Fantasy is the Reality of the Mind
If variations were to be included lets just have two instead of 3 to make it more easy on them and give more options and attributes to the characters instead of having to spread them apart.
It would need to have ALL their special skills in all the inputs.
 
The variation system adds a lot of depth to the game. For example Jacqui. All her variations are viable and provide difderent gameplay.

Would single characters be bloated with moves? Imagine a hybrid of all 3 of Kotal Khans variations. Dear god.

If having single characters means bloated moveset and less characters, I vote no.

If single characters means more characters and controlled movesets for each characters, I vote yes.
 

Eddy Wang

Skarlet scientist
The variation system adds a lot of depth to the game. For example Jacqui. All her variations are viable and provide difderent gameplay.

Would single characters be bloated with moves? Imagine a hybrid of all 3 of Kotal Khans variations. Dear god.

If having single characters means bloated moveset and less characters, I vote no.

If single characters means more characters and controlled movesets for each characters, I vote yes.
Kotal has this move set because he was built with the variation system in mind, it doesn't mean they will merge all his tools into one if the variation system is gone in future NRS games.
 
Kotal has this move set because he was built with the variation system in mind, it doesn't mean they will merge all his tools into one if the variation system is gone in future NRS games.

Would your predict those movesets would be canned? Tossed away? Or would be used for additional characters? I feel like the variation system allows more ideas to be attempted. Even if some are labeled as "weak" to the competitive community.
 

Jynks

some heroes are born, some made, some wondrous
I think the variation system is the single best idea in the entirety of MKx.

Most characters have at least 2 fully competitive variants and some have all three totally worth it. Some people claim that the variance system is a failure but I think they are just dead wrong. For example YOU may only use 1 variation, but all variations are getting played by the player base. Even in highlevel finals you see multi-variations of the same character. For example a while back I forget which major we have all three Tekada Variations in top 16. You often see players who are specialist switching from one variation to another to cover a bad match up.. etc etc.

So I do not think there can be anyone claiming that the variation system is not a success. Dose that mean it is 100% perfect... no. I think there is room for improvement but in general I believe that it would be a real failure of NRS to abandon such a great system so quickly.

It is worth noting that the "variation" system has been around in MK for a long time. Was it Deception that had all the weapon stances and stuff.. that is kinda the same idea in a way.

What I would like is actually customisable character abilities. I thought Injustice2 was going to be that but now we know that the entire hear system is just a complete waste of time. Everyone will be using "variation-less" tournament mode so the entire gear system will never actually be used.

Even so what I think would be cool would be a talent tree like you see in an mmo, where you have say 50 points you can spend in a tree of 200 points or w/e. So each player can devise a "build" for the character that may have different moves or effects and stuff. It is hard to explain but if anyone has played a MMO like GuildWars2 then you know what I mean.

TL;DR - Yes the variation system is awesome and should be kept, but that doesn't mean it has to come back exactly the same. I would hope some evolution should happen between games but the core idea of what it is, is very very good.

But lets hope MKx has a lot of life left in it!!
 

Saltea Moonspell

"Mind Over Matter" I dont mind, and X dont matter
If not Hattrick variation I would never make it. It was hard to provide fair balance. We all knew, suspect...
In next game they may do better job.
 

Slymind

Noob
Yes, even if they decide to reduce the number to 2 variations per character to make them more unique.

Are some of the variations outclassed? yes, and that was a given from the get go. Nontheless imo, it gave the characters much more flavor, and there are characters there that have 3 variations that can be useful even if one of them is more niche. Variations are cool, and i'd hope that become a staple to the series, unless they come up with something new.
 

ismael4790

Stay focused or get Caged
The idea was nice but it has been a disaster. I doubt nrs guys, while making the game, were thinking that in the majority of cases one variation would end up nullifying the other two.

Imo they should stick with whole characters, or two variations at most, as long has they can handle their balance.
 

coolwhip

Noob
Most characters have at least 2 interesting variations. The problem is it's pretty hard to create 3 interesting, unique variations for each character AND give you a reason to play all 3. Meanwhile, 2 variations wouldn't be enough to justify the variation system.