Thank you for that. Yes I agree that’s probably the case.
Again I do understand the balancing problems. I just know there are generally ways around them. ^.^
this thread sucks.
Dude you suck at fighting games if this is new to you. These guys are being nice. Please shut the fuck up about how you hate backwards blocking.
Ok, you might not realize this, but button blocking would actually change the game in a very distinct way, even with the suggestions. And before I move on, I don’t think people really rag on 3-D fighters, it’s just that they are a different animal that must be treated in a completely different way. (for example, very few 3-d fighters involve jumping to any serious degree, and you will rarely see a projectile based fighter in a 3-d game) It’s just prefrence, neither 2-d or 3-d are truly “better” but they have mechanics that only work in their domain.
also, there literally are not enough buttons to do that in this game. Skullgirls is a 6 button game (designed for fightsticks) so everything can be done with only six buttons. Pads (controllers) have the convenience of having more buttons (which is why you are able to macro lb lt to any button combo you like). Adding a button for blocking would raise that number to 7, and the game was just not built that way. (hell, most fighters are specifically designed to be played with no more than 6 buttons. I’m quite sure games like blazblue and soulcal only play with 4)
the reason people are saying that you are “new to fighting games” is pretty much because back blocking has been a core mechanic of most (but not all) 2-d fighting games since the age of street fighter, and many of the biggest 2-d fighting franchises took heavy advantage of this. So being uncomfortable with it is like being uncomfortable with a dragon punch. It’s unique to this type of fighter and almost critical to know.
Anyway, onto why a block button would change the game. As you said, a block button would make blocking a very definitive and deliberate thing. And that’s ok in some games. But those games have a very distinct pace. Soul calibur is a VERY slow game, and games like smash have a lott of space to move about, allowing you much more time to react and thing. In the time someone does a move in soulcalibur, you could get 3 out in a game like skullgirls. This pacing is what makes having a button a bad thing. In a back-block game, you can quickly decide if you want to go on the defensive, and blocking in reaction to something is very easy, because you just shift your thumb (or grip). having a button makes reactionary blocking a much difficult endeavor. It’d be like trying to use light punch to stuff your opponent’s attack. Also, in most 2-d fighting games, walking away from your opponent is an inherently defensive maneuver. It is rare to walk away from an opponent with some other intention, and crouching (which immobilizes you) is a VERY distinct sign of blocking. It means you have committed to it (as it prevents you from reacting to throws easily).
It’s kinda difficult for me to explain, but forcing players to use a button to block, especially in such a fast paced game like skullgirls, would change the way the game is played, it would (assuming there was no easy autoblocking or whatever) nerf the action and make everything much more risky, as you’d always have to be entirely dedicated to it. You mention back blocking is less “impactful” and, well, that’s not a bad thing. being able to quickly move in and out of blockstate is important to defense and mobility.
And, onto mix-ups. I’m not entirely sure* how *you want your block button to work, exactly, other than making block a more difficult and risky act, but it might close off options. you mention using throws as a means to bypass blocks. that’s all well and good, but it limits options. it make the person on offense highly predictable. if the only good way to stop a person who is blocking is with throw, you immediately negate all options the attacker has, because the defense will now know exactly what’s coming and what to do about it.
in all, and I mean no offense by this, maybe the game just isn’t for you. As a gamer, you should show willingness to be flexible, and learn the rules of the game an abide by them. occasionaly, if you don’t like a rule, you can just dance around it and enjoy the game anyway. You’ll lose something, but you still get to play. However, this is a core mechanic that has existed for ages, and is as prevalent as using the “A” button to jump in platformers. being unable to accept this game mechanic will hinder your ability to enjoy the game, because it is so prevalent. It is completely ok to not like back blocking, but when you have generation after generation of fighters that employs this mechanic, you’re going to have a tough time convincing people that some other way is really better.
It’s funny that you mention that because I had that EXACT circumstance in my post, but I took it out because I didn’t want to sound like I was being condescending >< . It’s a redundant approach to that idea. So at this point we’re discussing a blend of personal preference and trying to implement this mechanic in a game like this. Also, yes, Pad players is referring to players who use the normal console controllers. It’s not a negative thing, it’s just to differentiate from arcade sticks.
In other fighting games? Perhaps, but not in SG. As I said, there are not enough buttons. It’s a 6 button fighter with lp+lk throw, tags, and assists. Having any further combinations would just create an artificial and unnecessary level of difficulty to the gameplay. I know I definitely wouldn’t be able to do it since I use a 6-button stick. I can say with the utmost of confidence that a blocking mechanic like this would not fly in this game. There are definitely other reasons I’m sure I’m missing, conflicts with the current way alot of the mechanics operate I’m sure.
I don’t have much else to say on the topic of implementation of such an idea in a fighting game… it works for MK? You can still be mobile as well by back/forward dashing out, that will override proximity blocking. I don’t feel like directional blocking is flawed, so I can’t really discuss the topic much further. I’ll be bowing out from here. I highly recommend just working with it for awhile, you might end warming up to it. Ya never know. Take care, sir.
All of your points are very fair Inxplotch and I appreciate the time you took to write out your post. I feel it was well thought out and geared towards the conversation. I don’t mean to come off in some of the ways I have, but it seems like a lot of people are reading the post and not taking away from it what I put.
I don’t think I have anything left to say as a response. I feel like most everyone has voiced their opinions and we should leave it at that.
I don’t mind being flexible in a game, don’t get me wrong. I have played games with just about every style of controls you can think of. That doesn’t mean I have to agree with the way things are set up. I will (and have) continue to play. I just won’t take it past casual (not that people really care :P) I can beat the tutorial and game a dozen times and it doesn’t really make the mechanic any better. It just means I am better at the mechanic. Do you see what I am trying to say? Hashing my way through Ridiculous isn’t the problem. Most characters have a lot of evasive moves instead of blocking. Honestly the game isn’t all that hard. As for the speed? Yes it’s faster then most games, but I don’t think it’s THAT much different. The game is slow enough to read your opponent well enough. There are no surprises. It just means you have to be quicker about thinking.
Again I appreciate your time and thoughts. I personally don’t have anything else to say on the matter. So thank you all for your input.
Ha! Rusty, do you play on the 360? You and I seem to think the same way. I imagine a game between us would be wild. We basically were posting the same things at the same time.
PS3, but its good to hear you are eager to play dispute disagreements with the blocking! Keep at it!
~Shakes fist at~ Damn PS3 users. (Just givin ya shit :P) The only game I’ve ever put down (After less then 2 hours) because of poor game play/controls/any reason was Castlevania X Chronicles. ~shudders~
If it’s simply a feeling, play more and get used to a new feeling. Done.
Hell no, you’re not blowing anybody’s mind.
What exactly is the point of walking back without the auto-block? So that if you happen to get hit while walking back, you’ll eat the hit? Great strategy there…
You still move backward with the auto-guard there or not. What “playstyle” are you talking about? The only way this even makes sense is if you could stop blocking to run backward at the same speed as running forward, which this game does not allow and for good reason. So for SG, your above statement makes zero sense.
And no, this game does not have many “evasive maneuvers” at all.
You’re saying that “It’s obvious someone is blocking”, I don’t get this. If you keep holding back, yes. But when does one do that? Just standing around, completely unmoving while I hold down a block button wouldn’t be any less obvious. Proximity Block (You go into block animation even when outside the range of an opponents attack as long as you aren’t miles away) ensures you don’t always walk backwards. Blocking on the opponents wakeup (to bait out reversals) is done very shortly before they can move again, avoiding the issue of walking backwards (okay, you probably take 2 steps back if they don’t reversal). . If blocking during forward walks was possible, zoning would suck, standing pokes would become useless and whatnot.
Can you please give a specific example of a case where blocking by holding back is “bad” while button blocking would be useful without ruining the entire game?
Apart from back dashing which behaves in essentially that exact manner (which is why I avoid it).
This thread’s seriously gotten out of hand. Button blocking won’t happen, and as much as I don’t want to take a side here it’s not a very good idea for Skullgirls, either. Just like the Versus and GG series that came before it, the idea is to always be moving forward and playing offensively.
I don’t think you know as much about fighting games as you claim to, I’m sorry. I’m trying to be as non-offensive as I can here, but your posts are riddled with nothing but untruths and claims that you and your friends are “very good at fighters” (I’m paraphrasing here, not quoting.)
If you don’t like back blocking, don’t play Skullgirls. It’s really that simple. Skullgirls was made with the intention of attracting Guilty Gear/Blazblue/Marvel players, and you’re obviously more of a DoA/SC/Tekken/MK type.
? How is this thread still active I was expecting it to be locked instantly tbh. Laughable
I actually wouldn’t mind if this thread was locked. I posted Friday night that I got my answer and was done with the conversation. Every post afterwords is troll or people not reading the conversation we all had before had. It was my fault for replying to them in the first place, I am sorry. I couldn’t find a button to lock my own thread is this possible?
Then just leave the thread alone and stop replying. It is obvious people here will not convince you and vice versa haha!. You made it clear you don’t plan on playing the game because of how you feel about blocking so let us just leave it at that.
Smartest thing I’ve heard alllllllll day!
Go play mk!
psn {popnlocker} tweet me {@13thpower}
The post most resembling a troll post here is your opening post, buddy.
Holding back or down back is a common mechanic for 2D fighters. Been that way for a long time, save for the MK series. You just gotta get used to it, and in the long run it’s much easier to react/block attacks by going a direction away instead of pressing a block.
Just found this thread. You don’t even know, this conversation is so boss.
I just want y’all to know, I kill at fighting games.
…what’s a pad player again?
That’s not a player that plays on pad, is it?