I’m enjoying the discovery period that new fighting games always provide, but I was just wondering what folks thought about the lack of warning that X-rays provide.
In other games, a super flash forced people not to randomly toss them out, and it encourages people to wisely set up their high damage, trump cards.
In this game, they come out of no where, and they are very scary. Some are full screen teleports, some are grabs…etc. And, many seem to have fast startup and long range, considering the high damage potential. And, some seem really hard to punish.
I don’t mind there being no super flash. When I see someone who has full meter I’m usually on high alert and go on the defensive. Have have to be knowing guys like Scorpion and Smoke begin theirs by teleporting and Sonya beginning her with a rush combo with super armor will do that. There being no flash makes me paid more attention to my opponent’s meter management and do less risky stuff once they have it.
Play smart. Don’t form a habit of pushing buttons. Learn what your opponents X-ray can do. When I was scrubbing it out in story mode, I learned one thing: Don’t go around pushing buttons. I ate many X-Rays. In SF you can be extremely far away and all your opponent has is a FB that you can easily evade. This is not the case in MK. With many characters being able to attack even at great distances with a move that can close the gap, you have to be on point.
Most of the startups on X-Ray attacks are fairly obvious. Also, the super meter itself flashes on activation. imo That’s all the super flash that’s really needed.
Well, I’m not really saying that I don’t know how I’d deal with them. This is not my first MK game. Of course the answer is to “just be more defensive.”
My question is whether the lack of flash actually encourages the player to use them randomly. Of course you’re going to be more defensive when you see that your opponent has X-ray. But, you’re going to have to press a button eventually. And, some of these full screen, fast as hell, almost unpunishable X-rays like Noob’s are going to catch a lot of folks…regardless of how careful you are being. There really isn’t anything discouraging a player from just tossing it out on a whim, especially when they’re low on life.
This isn’t me saying “X-Ray’s are broken” or anything negative. It’s me questioning how NRS really wanted these used.
I know people go ape spit when they get hit by random ultras in SF4. How will people react to random X-rays, which seem less punishable and more difficult to see coming? Different game, yadda yadda, no crap. I know. But, still. Rage is universal.
Sindel’s is, like, already hitting you, lol. Gotta check out the frame data on some of these. I remember a thread last year that had an online reaction time tester. People’s average was like 12 frames or something. Not sure Woosh is enough…
Personally, I get hit by X-Rays more often when I’m disabled or when it’s performed off of a combo. When they’re used at random, they’re pretty fast, but usually just slow/obvious enough that I can anticipate, unless the X-Ray is being used specifically to punish something of mine (which is perfectly acceptable anyway). Because of this, I don’t see using them at random as being advisable, which should discourage itself.
In general I think a Super Flash would benefit the game. But all the X-rays have different properties, so there’s no need to make it universal to ALL X-rays. I think a Super Flash should be on some (but not all) X-rays. If it can be comboed into easily, give it a Super Flash…that’s my vote
I like the lack of super flash, I think it really meshes with the game’s pacing, and adding super freezes to make the game safer would do too much to alter the dynamic of MK9… even if they did add a super flash, I think they’d need to change the properties of a lot of moves anyways to maintain their role as punishment buttons. People are going to do random stuff regardless of whether it’s there or not anyways.
I think you’re being a little disingenous with the comment on risk too. Worst case scenario, you get punished and a quarter to half your life bar in a combo. Even best case scenario, a whiffed/blocked super leaves you meterless, which is a big deal with how good meter is in this game.
Adding a super flash = bye bye seeing Cage’s xray, ever.
I think it’s fine the way it is, a sound cue to help already does enough, as does a flashing super bar. The Xray moves take long enough - we don’t need a freeze to slow down the game some more.
I think it’s great that there is no flashing and little to no warning.
Why do I think this?
Because it’s similar to Vampire Savior in that aspect. No flash for any moves, EX or Super… you do it, it comes out and it either hits or misses and the game goes on.
Perfect.
The screen pausing and then being able to input commands after like in SF4 is bullshit. This system is much better imo.
This, Jax’s X-Ray is terrifying, not to mention just plain brutal. And it’s for this reason, like with all X-Rays, that I learn how and where to avoid them, not because of a super flash that hands me that info on a silver platter.
My main is Johnny Cage, if they add Super Flash i’ll never be able to do an x-ray again. Its really not that hard to predict one though, it sounds like a tornados coming and the opponent shimmers like a ghost on cocaine.
Friend of mine plays him alot… if he gets a knockdown or a good mix up situation… it’s SO SCARY
Alot of the other X-rays are just as scary, I like the mechanic alot since you need to have knowledge of your opponents character and there style to see that X-ray coming, the ones that are usable in combos seem much less damaging
