Would you welcome NPC fights on Story Mode back?

[JINNOCIDE]

I truly enjoyed the fact we could fight against the likes of Rain, Baraka and Sindel on MKX's Story Mode, but to my surprise, many people didn't due to the fact they were just MK9 assets.

I really liked it, but it might be because I don't really have a main so to fight anyone besides the roster made me smile.

So I want to know TYM's opinion. Would you like a few cameo surprises to punch or no NPC fights this time around?

 

[Pterodactyl]

Yes.

Them deciding against it was pretty stupid IMO unless I misunderstood them.

NPC fights like Rain and Baraka and Tanya(pre-DLC) in MKX were bullshit because they felt like teases for things we didn’t get to have but really wanted.

If these NPCs were instead, say, unimportant enemy types like generic Tarkatan’s, or generic Osh-Tekk warriors, or generic Shaolin monks, netherdemons, etc, it would be fine.

It’d allow to to pad out chapter and push characters along the path without them having to dedicate a job squad to continually get their asses beat over and over again.

It would also make the actual character fights more engaging. You smack a couple of Tarkatan warriors around easily, but then Baraka walks in with his dick swinging and his difficulty jacked up significantly higher than the hooligans you just fought and BOOM “wow Baraka’s is kicking my ass, he’s a really hard fight, really feels like he truly is the boss of these goons, no wonder Shao has him as a major general”.

Or you’re Skarlet or something and you’re rampaging through the sky temple wasting monks, and then Liu Kang pops out and your “oh shit” reaction is justified because he’s fighting with much more punishing AI and you have to actually think about how to defeat him.

 

[Sablicious]

I don't see the point of making "NPC's", unless they're playable incarnations are present. It's like having Sindel and Rain etc. in the last game, and then getting Barf Rum Chuck and Leatherfaeces as DLC -- a dastardly dick-tease for anyone who wanted the NPC's to be come playable. That, and it's a waste of development time for the "limited resources" (-Boon) that Warn-a-Brother (LMFAO!) have provided NRS with.

Having said that, if the NPC's are Tarkata / "Special Forces" fodder, or some obscure / new characters they're introducing into the franchise later (testing the waters with), that's fine.

 

[ImperatrixSindel]

Yes, I liked it!

That said, as a Sindel fan it was personally very frustrating to me that she never became playable, so I understand why they're nixing it. I'd still keep them anyway -- as an idea in general I think it's a good idea, and I'd rather have seen Sindel as an NPC than have had her not be in the game at al.

 

[Jhonnykiller45]

I'd rather not. Not because I necessarily disliked them, but people had some real misconceptions about those.
I'm completely 100% fine with non-fightable/cameo NPCs though

 

[Law Hero]

I don't mind story mode cameos, but fighting against characters (except bosses) that you can never play as can be very frustrating.

 

[zerosebaz]

I would love to have that back. It's a shame how the people demanding them to become playable ruined it for the rest of us.

It's really an example of how overflowing NRS with petitions and requests can have a negative effect.

 

[Lt. Boxy Angelman]

Absolutely.

 

[chrisisnice]

If they are either DLC or just released to play around in practice mode or something, I think it would be fine. Otherwise, it was a bit of a tease.

I thought that they should have just unlocked Sindel, Rain and Baraka to be playable as is (no variations / changes) as a part of the anniversary for free for the fans.

 

[pure.Wasted]

I enjoy the novelty of completely unexpected surprise fights, and I really dig that NRS went out of their way to give characters like Rain, Baraka, and Sindel cool roles in MKX even if they couldn't be made playable. Unfortunately other people find it more frustrating than cool, so... I understand why we don't get to have nice things anymore.

 

[Pizza]

Yes.

Them deciding against it was pretty stupid IMO unless I misunderstood them.

NPC fights like Rain and Baraka and Tanya(pre-DLC) in MKX were bullshit because they felt like teases for things we didn’t get to have but really wanted.

If these NPCs were instead, say, unimportant enemy types like generic Tarkatan’s, or generic Osh-Tekk warriors, or generic Shaolin monks, netherdemons, etc, it would be fine.

It’d allow to to pad out chapter and push characters along the path without them having to dedicate a job squad to continually get their asses beat over and over again.

It would also make the actual character fights more engaging. You smack a couple of Tarkatan warriors around easily, but then Baraka walks in with his dick swinging and his difficulty jacked up significantly higher than the hooligans you just fought and BOOM “wow Baraka’s is kicking my ass, he’s a really hard fight, really feels like he truly is the boss of these goons, no wonder Shao has him as a major general”.

Or you’re Skarlet or something and you’re rampaging through the sky temple wasting monks, and then Liu Kang pops out and your “oh shit” reaction is justified because he’s fighting with much more punishing AI and you have to actually think about how to defeat him.

This is how NPC fights should be handled

 

[ImperatrixSindel]

Yes.

Them deciding against it was pretty stupid IMO unless I misunderstood them.

NPC fights like Rain and Baraka and Tanya(pre-DLC) in MKX were bullshit because they felt like teases for things we didn’t get to have but really wanted.

If these NPCs were instead, say, unimportant enemy types like generic Tarkatan’s, or generic Osh-Tekk warriors, or generic Shaolin monks, netherdemons, etc, it would be fine.

It’d allow to to pad out chapter and push characters along the path without them having to dedicate a job squad to continually get their asses beat over and over again.

It would also make the actual character fights more engaging. You smack a couple of Tarkatan warriors around easily, but then Baraka walks in with his dick swinging and his difficulty jacked up significantly higher than the hooligans you just fought and BOOM “wow Baraka’s is kicking my ass, he’s a really hard fight, really feels like he truly is the boss of these goons, no wonder Shao has him as a major general”.

Or you’re Skarlet or something and you’re rampaging through the sky temple wasting monks, and then Liu Kang pops out and your “oh shit” reaction is justified because he’s fighting with much more punishing AI and you have to actually think about how to defeat him.

Yeah, I agree with this. Almost a Shaolin Monks feel where the actual characters are more like boss fights.

 

[Kroaken]

I like fighting against characters with names, even if they aren't playable. Just like everyone was saying "Nobody took someone else's roster spot; If they were going to put X character in the game, they would have."

I'd rather fight Cyrax and not get to ever choose him than not see him at all.

 

[BarakaTile]

No, that shit was the worst.

 

[Cassie Cyrus]

I don't want NPC fights, I do want NPC roles in the story mode, like Reptile this time and Mileena.

 

[Spinky]

Yes, but only if they're characters we would eventually get to play as. Or generic jobbers that nobody cares too much about either way. Don't want another Rain and Baraka situation.

But Ed is pretty against this after MKX, it seems. Proof: https://twitter.com/bcharred/status/731890500706435072

 

[EdenianWarrior]

Yes, but only if they're characters we would eventually get to play as. Or generic jobbers that nobody cares too much about either way. Don't want another Rain and Baraka situation.

But Ed is pretty against this after MKX, it seems. Proof: https://twitter.com/bcharred/status/731890500706435072

I looked through that thread and he was telling people to piss off and shut up lmaooo, they really got under his skin.

 

[Vslayer]

I don't know how I feel about this. I want to say yes because it was cool, but if human smoke is a non-playable NPC I may cry myself to sleep.

 

[BarakaTile]

I looked through that thread and he was telling people to piss off and shut up lmaooo, they really got under his skin.

Oh neat I'm still blocked.

 

[SaltShaker]

First reply nailed it, I voted yes, of course.

Ideally I would like to see generic NPCs for a few times before you fight a couple of characters in a chapter. That would tone down how many times you kick Baraka's ass in a story, and also make character power levels a bit more in line since you aren't short on characters to build on/around.

Having NPCs that don't become playable is also fine, because we are supposed to play and enjoy the story of MK. I find it cool to see the other characters pop up and see them in the story. However for some reason, people get offended as if the alternative is better.

Take MKX Fujin and Rain. "How dare they be in the story and not playable?!? The insult!". Ok well guess what? Now they won't be in the story or playable. Makes sense.

 

[BarakaTile]

Me personally, when you have Baraka show up in the story with a brand new look only to job in two flashbacks and then die, and you can't even play as the poor bastard? I'd rather they not be there in the story than have something like that. And then you have the second half of that debacle in the guise of Tarkatan Alien.

Rain and Sindel probably wouldn't be as vehemently demanded for MK11 if you didn't previously tease them as playable cameos/Invasion Bosses.

Porting in the no name Bronze Card Jobbers from the mobile game when you need unimportant bodies to beat up isn't a bad idea, lord knows characters like Reptile, Ermac, Baraka, Mileena and Kano could use a break from always having to lose to the Earthrealm Heroes.

 

[trufenix]

As awesome as it was, fans don't see cameos as tributes anymore, they see them as trolls. It's just not worth it.

 

[MadPropz101]

No, because if they're gonna bother making the NPC's then they might as well put them into the game.

 

[Rizz091]

I never minded it as long as it fits the narrative. It was just nice little icying on the cake and was used for the sake of the story. Not sure how offering less in the story mode so people don't feel "teased" is a good thing .

 

[EdenianWarrior]

Oh neat I'm still blocked.

He blocked you ? He’s acting sad and super unprofessional