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The MK11 New Meta and Gameplay Info Thread

CrimsonShadow

Administrator and Community Engineer
Administrator
So if you have info on the new meta, gameplay characteristics, and traits of the new system, post em here. As well as tweets, videos, etc.

Disclaimer: This is early build info, some of which is subject to change

MOVEMENT:
I'm going to start it with some info from LI Joe courtesy of @Juggs:

Dashes seem severely nerfed, walking seems like the main method of movement, running is out.


METER:
There's an offense and defensive meter bar, two bars apiece. Meter recharges automatically on a timer. There is no more first-hit meter bonus since bars are full at the start. Enhanced specials use the offensive bar, wakeup attacks and air escape use the defensive bar.

*The meters will refill at different rates depending on the move that you spent the meter on (faster or slower)


ARMOR:
Characters rely much less on armored special moves -- corner interactibles can still be meter-burned for armor, fatal blows have armor


FLAWLESS BLOCK:
Negates chip damage, and can allow punishes of moves that would otherwise be safe (if Augmented for a bar of offense+defense)
Requires extremely tight timing (3 frames)
Can be done on successive hits of strings only if there's a big enough gap (courtesy of 16 Bit's commentary)


FATAL BLOW:
Armored (after a few frames delay on startup), can be done once per match, recharges on a timer if blocked or whiffed, becomes available when 30% lifebar is left


KRUSHING BLOWS:
Each character has around 5-6 different krushing blows (they're specific to the move that initiates them) which are basically better versions of the base attack. Each one has different activate requirements to trigger (such as counter-hitting one type of move with another, etc) AND each specific krushing blow type can only be done once per match (not per round, per match). They also have different properties when you land them. Example: It looks like if you counter someone with Baraka's uppercut it launches for a full combo! (@Gamer68)


Can also require being a specific distance away from the opponent (Derek, UK reveal stream)

There's an option to change these so that you manually trigger them with a button press as well, rather than triggering automatically when the conditions are met:



WAKEUP:
Here's some info on the wakeup options from @KingHippo:

a) up + 2 for a wake up anti air (this move has no invincibility frames)
b) up + 3 for an invincible attack (this attack can be thrown) (@Pakman)


COMBO BREAKERS:
Combo breakers are out, replaced with an Injustice 2-style air escape (costs 2 defense bars, has armor):


SHORT HOP:
(Video) Short hop attacks hit overhead, splat, and are generally very punishable on block


MISCELLANEOUS:
-Directional throw teching is back
-Low pokes can be cancelled into specials (although they do not combo)
-NJP does not launch
-Gravity has been adjusted to be heavier, meaning less extended juggles
-Variations are in
-Brutalities are in

-----------------------------------------
Here are the reveal streams for anybody who missed them:
US: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/365399356
EU: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/365398259 (Starts with US preshow)
 
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Peter Quill

You’re No Fun
The combat seems much slower than either MKX or MK9. I haven’t been able to get a good grasp on what exactly the different uses of the defense vs offensive bars are, but I’m definitely intrigued. I’m glad this isn’t a copy/paste job like Injustice 2 was.
 

CrimsonShadow

Administrator and Community Engineer
Administrator
The combat seems much slower than either MKX or MK9. I haven’t been able to get a good grasp on what exactly the different uses of the defense vs offensive bars are, but I’m definitely intrigued. I’m glad this isn’t a copy/paste job like Injustice 2 was.
Yeah, I don't know if there's some mechanics we're not privy to yet for closing the gap, but this seems like the slowest MK since MK2. Drastically different pace than either MKX or MK9.
 

TackyHaddock

Salty Mashers Krew
Was obviously a small sample size of those matches we saw, but seemed that the characters were doing a smaller range of moves and doing them over and over. Felt both slow and repetitive from a viewer's perspective, I fear that it could get boring to watch very quickly and this will make the e-sports aspect of this game a quickly dying light like Inj2 was.
 

Gamer68

Fujin!
Character overviews so far:
  • Scorpion has a lot of long range normals, and obviously he has his teleport so he has good mobility.
  • Sub-Zero has a lot of offense apparently.
  • Sonya Blade has short range but a lot of mix-ups.
  • Raiden seems to be footsie character. Can easily punish with his superman, can teleport, and use lighting specials to keep the opponent out if he wants. But isn't really good a pressure, just punishing and zoning.
  • Baraka seems to be a balanced character, he even has surprisingly good zoning.
  • Skarlet is a zoner/footsie character, similar to Raiden in some ways but more of an emphasis on zoning instead of punishes maybe.
  • Geras is a grappler, has a grab where he picks you up and runs with you before slamming you into the ground. Apparently if he is able to run you into the corner he gets bonus damage.
More on Krushing Blows: Each character has around 5-6 different ones which are basically better versions of the base attack. Each one has different activate requirements AND each one can only be done once per match (not per round, per match). They also have different properties when you land them. Example: It looks like if you counter someone with Baraka's uppercut it launches for a full combo!

Fatal Blows are basically supermoves and they are tied to health: when you drop to 30% you can use it. It's this game's revenge mechanic.

Super Meter has been split into two different bars: Offense and Defense. Offensive to buff attacks in neutral, combos, etc. Defense for wake-ups and such.

ICE CLONE IS GONE.
 
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Pakman

Lawless Victory!
1) There is no combo breaker

2) All characters have access to 2 universal wake up options:
a) up + 2 for a wake up anti air (this move has no invincibility frames)
b) up + 3 for an invincible roll (this attack can be thrown, however)

3) You start off with 2 bars for both attack and defence gauges. Ex moves deplete the attack gauge and the above mentioned wake up options deplete the defence gauge. Both of these gauges recharge over time.

4) Fatal blows are available when you reach 30% health. They recharge on whiff and block. However, if it connects it cannot be used again that match.

5) The game seems more neutral heavy as pokes can be cancelled into specials and apparently combos are kept short deliberately
 
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babalook

Noob
pretty sure I heard the commentators say that D1's can combo into specials and that Raiden's hover can be canceled but costs some "stamina".
 

Gamer68

Fujin!
16bit said Geras has a move where he can rewind time even if he whiffs an attack. So you can whiff a command grab but rewind time and correct your mistake.

Also I'm assuming that custom loadouts can be used competitively? Seems to be that way.
 

Zaccel

Noob
Timer-based meters is an unusual but ambitious decision. It prevents strong offense on block from being overcentralized (since that was better at building bar), devotes a specific resource to defensive options, and removes combo breakers to better emphasize other meter options. Cooldown resources are easily-accessed from a layman's viewpoint, and reward caution and patience.

I also like that, given the time-travel shenanigans, a timer-based meter makes perfect sense.

EDIT: A timer probably makes balancing EX moves and stuff easier too, since now you only have to balance it relative to a universal cooldown, not based on a character's meter-building ability, projectiles in neutral, etc. etc.
 

Gamer68

Fujin!
Footsie character, very good range on normals.
Splash Damage has more keep away projectiles and moves
O negative has teleport, and more rushdown options
She is also a status character can buff herself or debuff others with certain moves(i assume other variations).

According to 16bit.
Updated my post.
 

OzzFoxx

Hardcore gaming poser.
16bit said Geras has a move where he can rewind time even if he whiffs an attack. So you can whiff a command grab but rewind time and correct your mistake.

Also I'm assuming that custom loadouts can be used competitively? Seems to be that way.
My initial thought was that the default (or "provided") variations would be competitive, but the custom variations would likely not be. I guess that'll be left up to organizers.
 

TackyHaddock

Salty Mashers Krew
Guys, I don't think its safe to start calling people zoners and footside characters yet, not when you can change half of their movelist before the match.
The (apparent) lack of mobility leads to that conclusion, the lack of run in particular. If there any characters with moves like reptile's dash in MKX or Kabal's nomad dash, seems they will have significant advantage to those that can otherwise only walk or jump
 

MrWarMachine

Jacqui/D'Vorah 2020
I like that they decided to slow this game down a bit. Hopefully some characters get to rush in but I think it's good that not everyone moves at a 1,000 mph.

The changes to defense are interesting, and the Krushing Blow system is intriguing, but people said the same about SF: V and the crush counters before they came out. Flawless Block is also very intriguing because apparently, you can flawlessly block multiple hits if timed properly.

I think everyone looks great too, though it;s weird that they finally got an Asian dude to voice Scorpion but didn't do the same for Sub-Zero, despite making both of them look way more Asian.