Serious question about Button panel layout/configuration

Current Fighting Games Mortal Kombat
1

EDIT: My question was answered, but I still want to keep my original post for posterity’s sake. Now the real question is whether or not I’m getting the new panels.

Personally I think I’m going with this layout on a regular TE layout:
FP BLK BP
FK TAG BK

I don’t currently have to money to buy the MK panels for the TE but can potentially afford the game. If it becomes a necessity, I may eventually get them.

What are you guy’s thought on this layout with a regular TE layout? It seems pretty functional, right?

ORIGINAL POST:
First off, I am going to use this part of the clip for reference: [media=youtube]quDkaq_2QS4#t=1m12s[/media]

WARNING: REALLY LONG

TL;DR: MK9 nine seems to be a 7 or 8 button game. Should I still play on a MK or default TE layout?

Also for the record, I have only played a bit of UMK3 on the Xbox 360. (Both on the traditional MK layout stick and the 360 pad. And no I have not used the TE stick with 8 button layout)

Alright now that we got the introductory stuff out of the way.

I’ve noticed that MK may end up being an 8 button game (realistically 7 button). While this is by no means a bad thing, a serious question about hardware arises.

The tradional MK layout only has 6 buttons available.

There are 5 function that you cannot go without in the game on the basic level. Previously it was High/Low Punches/Kicks (one of each) and block. Now it’s Front/Back Punches/Kicks and block. So far so good.

However this is where it gets tricky. The remaining 3 functions are throw, tag, and flip stance. However on the Tradional MK layout there is only room for one more (the run button).

Throw seems like the most logical one to map. It seems the most practical to have as I’m sure it will be related to combos and possibly even teching throws.

Now Tag is only important if you’re playing the Tag Mode, so this button is a serious hit or miss depending on how you play.

However, this may become more important if you want to call partner as an assist attack or with a tag-in attack. These actions may require you to press a specific combination of buttons. If you don’t have it mapped, you’re pretty much screwed.

Also if it wasn’t clear, you won’t be able to throw if you map the tag button.

Now finally, there’s the flip stance button. Now I haven’t even played a build of this game so I’m not sure how important it will be. All I know is that you literally flip stances (left or right foot front). At this point, this seems purely aesthetic, but who knows.

So now the question arises: Is getting a stick with the traditional MK layout even a good idea?

This isn’t even a fanboy/troll question. This isn’t even about whether or not to get American or Japanese parts. This is a question of layout.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not happy about trying to use the default TE layout. Even with the 8 buttons provided on a TE stick, there is no elegant way to map all the buttons. At least not for MK.

I currently own 2 TE sticks with the 8 button layout and am personally hyped for Mortal Kombat. I take my hardware and peripherals seriously and invested a lot into them. I was hyped about Mortal Kombat as well, but this button configuration thing killed a bit of my hype.

I was hoping anyone that knew a little more about this game could help me with this question of layout.

TL;DR: MK9 nine seems to be a 7 or 8 button game. Should I still play on a MK or default TE layout?

2

It doesn’t require 8 buttons, and I highly doubt that anybody playing this game with a stick will use more than 6. Throws and stance switches can be done by pressing a combination of buttons. Like SSF4, the default configuration is more than 6 buttons, but in that game you can do throws, focus attacks, etc by pressing a combination of buttons.

If you’re using a stick with a standard 6-button layout, the setup most similar to the traditional MK setup goes like this:

HP BLK HK
LP TAG LK

3

That’s good to hear. I personally thought that it was it’s own button because you was an actual function you map. If that certainly is the case, than I suppose I can rest easy about getting a new panel for the TE.

Just out of curiosity, do you know what button combos and/or have proof of this? I’m just curious as to how it will be implemented.

Yeah, this is the layout I had in mind if I didn’t get the new panel for my TE. I’m hoping that I can consistently press the block button.

4

The game is 5 buttons: left punch, right punch, left kick, right kick, and block. There is a 6th tag button for tag matches.

5

Yeah, as I stated before, I did not realize that the ability to map Throw and Stance Flip were shortcuts.

Also do you know what the button combinations are for both of them (moreso throw)?

6

Does anyone actually have proof Tag/Stance can be mapped to a combination of buttons and thus make the game playable on a 6 button stick or are we all just guessing here.

7

As for Flip Stance, you’ll need it to perform X-Ray moves. Flip Stance + Block activates X-ray

8

I don’t have a video or anything, but just now I did throw with both fronts (front punch and front kick) and flip stance with both kicks.

If you really don’t believe me I can post a youtube video or something, but I really don’t feel like it.

9

No that’s cool, thanks for the confirmation.

Can the buttons be re-arranged in the demo so it’s playable on a 6 button stick i.e punches on LP/LK, kicks on HP/HK and block on MP or MK?

10

Yes but its a little weird for people used to Capcom games (or MBAA for that matter). Under options you go to “Controller” and there is a menu where you select a preset slot. For that slot you go through and set the individual buttons (in what is thankfully a menu similar to HDR’s button config, not SF4’s). Then before you select your character, you press square and a menu comes up where you select one of the presets. You can’t change your button config midmatch that I can find, nor can you change it from the character select screen beyond selecting a preset.

Edit: I forgot to say that if you don’t select a preset when selecting your character you get the default button configuration.

Also its interesting to note that the movelist in the pause menu does NOT include special moves, but it does include auto combos (or whatever you call them). Thankfully the movelists of the characters are the same or similar to umk3 (or mk2 in Johnny Cage’s case).

11

Thanks. I’ve just thought to myself, the official MK stick only has 6 face buttons so it must work.

12

I hope most of the game functions can be done manually as my controller preference only has 6 buttons. sports SNES pad

13

Didn’t know you had to pick your control setup at character select. Good to know. Kind of a weird way to do it, though…

The move list does have special moves if you hit X (I believe it even says “(X) Special Moves/Fatalities” beneath the list). That gives you specials, EX moves (all seem to be the same motion, same button + BLK), and Fatalities.

14

There is a list of special moves, you just have to hit X on the basic move list screen. It also lists one fatality and stage fatality.

15

Now I need to consider whether or not I’m getting the new panels.

Personally I think I’m going with this layout on a regular TE layout:
FP BLK BP
FK TAG BK

I don’t currently have to money to buy the MK panels for the TE but can potentially afford the game. If it becomes a necessity, I may eventually get them.

What are you guy’s thought on this layout with a regular TE layout? It seems pretty functional, right?

16

Tweet from ed boon

17

So that means X-Ray moves are both kicks and block. Seems simple enough.

18

thank god

19

Yah just noticed the second movelist page… lol I can read I swear!

As for EX moves… did anyone else notice that the computer doesn’t seem to use them? I’m playing on expert and they still aren’t showing up.

Oh how Capcom controls us… If you want to remain true to the spirit of original MK you should go with this instead:
BP BLK BK
FP TAG FK
But I guess since this will never be an arcade game you should do what is easiest for you.

It looks like even the creator is assuming that everyone will use a Capcom style layout.

20

Yeah the only reason I slightly modified the layout was due to how the controls are on the button configuration screen. As you stated, even the creators is assuming the Capcom-esque styled layout.

Regardless of which I use, it will take getting used to. Since it’s not actually High and low. I’m going to be confused as hell when I try to do uppercuts and sweeps.

Oh well, I’ll be learning how to play this game to begin with anyways.