True 2v2 tournaments possibly viable?

Not talking about scramble mode where all 4 characters are on screen at once.

The game supports the ability for 2 players to play on the same team each controlling one character with control swapping between players when their character is tagged in or out. This opens the possibility for 2v2 matches.

What I find most interesting about this concept is the fact it forces you to work with a teammate and allows for one player to analyze things and view the match a spectator for a moment when they aren’t actively playing. Not only does this completely change how mind games work (thanks to the partner relationship and having two different players with different play styles) but you also have to work with your teammate to recognize your teammates patterns and actions so you can know when they are going to tag you in.

Obviously the standard 1v1 gameplay that the game was designed for is going to be the main stage for any tournament. But do you guys think that true two on two tournaments could be a viable option? Both from a gameplay perspective, but also from a tournament running perspective (twice the button checks, ect ect.)

Does this game allow for 2v1? It could become the tournament standard for each individual entry to decide whether to include one person or two though I think two does have one concrete advantage (the cross rush move or whatever has two humans at once instead of a human and a terrible AI) though it’s probably not so overwhelming that one guy by himself wouldn’t be viable. That could be pretty fun since the work that team synergy would require would be a real disadvantage to teams of two (dropping character switch combos sounds all too easy) but on the other hand teams of two would allow for two pure character specialists and could also allow for the kind of playstyle mix-up that a single person simply can’t do. You also have the fact that it’s rare for two players of truly equal skill to meet so it’s always a question of whether the better one would do better by entering alone and just dropping the lesser one, and I suspect thinking like that would actually lead to a good mix of single and double entries which can’t do anything but help the scene. I doubt things like button checks are a serious problem since you can just tag back and forth during the button check; it wouldn’t add much time at all.

I can say from my experience with smash that doubles is awesome. Being able to play with a partner and coordinate strategies as you try to beat other teams is a great social experience, and honestly even though singles has always been the main event most smash players I ever talked to said they had more fun with doubles. I’m not sure even scramble mode should be instantly written off; if these modes are well implemented (which we will only know when SFxT drops), they could allow for some really interesting yet serious competition.

Watching videos of scramble it looks far too hectic and strategy wise nearly non-existent. If the levels allowed for more space to separate players than I could see it being less of a gimmick but I can’t see any actual competitive qualities for the game mode as it is.

The game does allow for 2v1. As a matter of fact, one of the things that was discussed on a recent stream was the fact that you can’t even filter out 2v1 1v1 or 2v2 when match making online and you don’t even get to know if the person you are playing against is in fact 2 players. Of course they wrote off this fact is not being an issue since the person with 2 players is supposedly at a disadvantage (which I suppose except for cross rush mode and the mind games factor is true) but I found it still really a stupid decision not to allow you to filter out 2v2 or 1v1 or 2v1 matches online.

As for finding players of equal skill, I think that is totally possible in this community. Perhaps not at mid level non-serious tournaments but then at that point you both are trying to improve and it also isn’t as much at stake. But at high level play I can totally see stuff like Daigo + Mago together. And who doesn’t want to see “team excellent adventures” having Mike Ross and gootecks on the same team in a match (esp given the almost directly opposing playstyles that the two players have)

I mean, the SBO qualifiers were all 2v2 matches for SF4 so finding equal skill players isn’t as much of an issue. (this is why I stated “true” 2v2 since there is already 2v2 tournaments)

sounds like something you might see at weekly/fortnightly ranbats to switch things up a bit but I doubt it will ever be a proper tourny @ any major.

It’d be cool as a side tournament at EVO don’t you think?

2v2 would be pretty dope to see and I don’t see anything stopping it from being legit either.

Scramble on the other hand is just there for shits and giggles and should stay in that fun-only zone.

I have INCREDIBLY fond memories of playing 2v2 DOA2: HC casuals with friends on a multi-tapped ps2, so the 4p tag mode is one of the bigger reasons I’m getting hyped about this game. I would love to see it get tournament spots.

Like beesuit says, what would stop it from happening aside from lack of interest? I mean, maybe the game is awful and we quickly forget it’s existence, but if the game is as good as we hope it is and the standard 2-player VS mode gets tournament nods, then what justifiable reason is there to NOT have pairs tournaments as well?

problem is that most ps3s on the market have only 2 usb ports (with 360s having three), thus making impossible to play with 4 wired controllers on the same setup

While that is a good point, it isn’t ENTIRELY true.
The new xboxs all have 5 usb ports. And the old PS3s (20gb/60gb/80gb) all have 4usb ports.

That said you are correct about the old xboxs (which aren’t made anymore) and all of the new ps3 slim version only have 2 usb ports.

HOWEVER

USB Hubs are 100% compatible with the PS3 and Xbox 360 (all versions) and are extremely cheap (between 5$-30$ for a 4port usb hub depending on if you want to get a powered hub or not (given that joysticks don’t have a battery storage system or anything that really uses much power I can’t imagine the need for a powered hub though.)******

having co-op is one of the main reasons im hyped for this game. but ive been wondering the same thing as having a buddy on your team will make Cross Assault so much more stronger than having the computer control them. perhaps it will make it too good?

Actually Mr WIZZARD himself said on Wakeup SRK, that the format for SFxT is yet to be determined… As far as if it is 2v2 or not… He even went on to say how cool it would be to watch Alex V. and John Choi (did not really get the team but oh well… They both play Ryu right?) on a team and how cool it would be to mic them and hear Alex tell John to activate pandor mode so he could take out the both of them…

I do not see how this is not going to be a staple… All you need is multi usb hubs and you are straight… Just do not run this game on XBOX at all for any reason at tourneys… I mean do they run any game with mad DLC on XBOX at tournies at all??

There really is not a bigger draw to this game right now… The abality to have a coach and a player at all times of a match… Times like this would make for great TV/Streams… Justin telling Noel how to play during match and it not actually be “cheating.”

This type of mode being serious will be soooo cool as well… Something to really enjoy/appreciate on streams.

no I heard it explained like this: you control both characters and control switches from character to character when your joystick hits the neutral position.

Why haven’t MK9 tournaments done this?

thats how it was in the earlier builds but it got changed to having the Ai control your team mate. i don’t know if its been changed again since then

i think because the game isnt balanced around tag matches. theres things like %100 combos in that mode.
whilst sfxt is built as a tag game. aside from cross assault not much of the gameplay will change in two player teams

That is absolutely retarded.

yeah i wish they would put it back to how it was

@ OP

I hope they do 2v2 tournaments, even if it’s on the side. It would be very cool to see how people work together and coordinate their combos. 2 people means twice as many possibilities for mistakes which could make matches all the more exciting. Especially if a team has extremely good synergy (i am talking about the players themselves) and doesn’t end up making any mistakes.

It’d be like watching those 2 player Ikaruga replays I’ve seen over XBL. That shit is like a dance, straight poetry in motion. Anyone whose played the game and then watched those top ranked re-plays knows what I am talking about. My jaw is on the floor the whole time.

The game is actually programmed for it, you can have 2 v 2 with a player controlling each character.

The point isn’t that one player could probably do it better because you only have one character on the screen at once and the co-ordination would be better, but by having a second player you need to work together, communicate and you can just randomly tag in your ally. Really it will all depend on how well the tag system is implemented, a poor tagging system, or one that’s really easy to punish (or tagging feeling unnecessary like TvC) would kill it.

The tagging system is going to be pretty core to the game, there are A LOT of ways to tag a character in.
Launcher (HP+HK) automatically tags in a teammate if it connects.
Cross rush (a sort of auto combo into launcher perforemed by inputing Light medium heavy heavy with either kicks or punches) tags in a teammate after the launcher connects.
Raw tag MP+MK (obviously) all taggng types give the character leaving invincibility but the character coming in is vulnerable.
Cross art tag (QCF + MP MK) the double super move where the point character performs a super attack and then throws the enemy to his partner who performs their own super art. After the 2nd super art is finished the partner is left tagged in.
switch canceling (pressing mp+mk during a combo) basically works like an FADC allowing you to continue a combo at the cost of 1bar of meter
Pandora mode (down down mp+mk) the character who activates pandora mode is the one who dies to power up the partner on the sidelines so this would tag in your partner in effect.

These are the only ones that change who the main fighter is and who is the partner. But Cross Assault (the mode where you bring in your partner to fight at the same time as the main character) would be controlled by your teammate, however doing a cross assault does NOT tag in your teammate, after cross assault finishes the partner goes back to the sidelines instead of becoming the lead fighter.