What is the story of this game, anyways? I don’t think anything was said on that. You went into a description of the different mechanics of the characters, but said nothing about the story, which you dropped tidbits of in their descriptions. I would’ve done it the opposite way but that’s just me.
Best watch that video in HD where it’s 60 fps, that way some of the effects won’t be skipped and you won’t see invisible fireballs. I think Mike Z suggested something good in the comments section about it:
“If you make the effects 50% transparent every other frame, instead of invisible every other frame, you get basically the same visual effect without the possibility of them completely disappearing in lower framerate videos”
I don’t think I’ve ever seen you post something positive regarding people’s projects or ideas.
Anyway I actually like the new health bar. It shows how much damage is needed to kill the opponent in a really intuitive way. The only gripe with this system is because each hit does 1 stock of damage, chained light attack starters will take away more damage than 1 cr. MK xx special combo would. Also the developers have come up with some really cool and intuitive ideas that can be added to the fighting game genre, like the frame data counter hud right below the health bar for example. When this game comes out on steam greenlight, I’m definitely going to show my support and buy it.
That’s because most of the things that get posted on FGD don’t look good to me. If something actually looks good I will more than gladly give credit where it is due. Also this game gets a bonus star of pissing me off for stealing the Neo Geo Pocket art style but making a game that doesn’t play anything like any Neo Geo Pocket game and basically missing the point entirely for what the NGPC was trying to do and why it was such an amazing handheld. It doesn’t feel like an honest homage, it feels like a manipulative decision to get people more interested in the game.
As for all of those awesome things they’re “adding” to the genre, you should check out E’s Laf. Not only does it have a visual representation of frame data, it straight up gives you frame advantage next to the combo counter, has a bar that tells you when you’re in a jump capable state such as jump cancels or just normal jumping, and has one of the most in depth and complex training modes ever created. And that game is made by one dude.
I like how they’re willing to challenge really basic ideas in fighting games. I think it’s a pretty interesting solution. I’m a little worried how the absence of chip damage will work out. But it’s probably not a big deal, how they seem to have buffed throws quite a bit. If those aren’t easy to tech, it should be fine.
I can understand your frustration with them ‘using’ the NGPC style for something completely unlike the fighting games on that system though.
Also, #SNKPlaymore misses you! I’ve been wondering what you thought of these new system updates, but you’ve been gone for quite some time now.
My computer is still bunk and IRC on my phone is terrible. I’d stop by more if it was convenient.
Frankly though the issue I have with the health bars is that longer combos will always be better all the time because everything, at least now, does the same damage and is an equal threat. This inherently gives rush down combo characters an advantage. Also, characters with longer confirms are now double the threat because not only do they get more time to confirm their hits into damage, they get more damage off the top anyways. If things start doing more than one pip of damage to balance it out you start running into dangerous territory of something like a low risk poke/pressure move doing more damage than a high risk juggle move or DP. A dedicated pip healthbar leaves too wide of a variable for damage. Everything does 8% minimum, which is already high for say a jab compared to most games, but is also really low for things like a DP. With this damage system the risk/reward is already skewed since a successful DP anti air gives you just as much reward as an extremely safe poke. I see it having the KoFXIII problem of people not being afraid to jump because your AA does 25% the damage my jump in combo will do so who cares.
I just don’t see these healthbars being anything more than a gimmick at best and at worst it’s going to seriously affect character balance.
From what they’ve shown, and what they’ve previously talked about, I don’t think they’re going for anything that goes like this. I highly doubt we’ll see a character with a launcher.
As for jab jab jab special, that’ll only really happen if they screw up their frame data. In any case, all they need to do is make sure that you don’t get to continue a combo after a special.