Option to select rounds in 1vs1 matches

[Huesoman]

I liked the way it was before in solo matches, I mean rounds instead of downs. I read some arguments in favor of downs, like it allows the solo matches act like the team matches, it speeds up the solo matches, etc. So I'm not asking for rounds to replace the downs format, just to add the option to choose rounds or downs when fighting solo matches (1 vs 1) in VS mode. That's all, the option to select downs or rounds in solo matches. I'm not asking to get rid of downs, just to be clear.

EDIT: I read this in the new patch notes:

"- Setting “Teams Number of Rounds” to more than 1-out-of-1 will use rounds instead of the downs used during a solo team vs solo team match."

So I was thinking the rounds format came back, and after playing today I realized there are rounds indeed, but after each round the winner's health bar doesn't replenish as in a traditional round-format fight. So even if it says "rounds" on paper it works as "downs" for any practical purpose.

The thing with the down format is that in practice it works like a one round fight (a one round with a big health bar divided in sections); while in the round format is like restarting a fight until someone win 2 out of 3. You can argue that in such a case just restarting the down-format fight will grant your wish; but obviously there are some little differences like lenght of matches, etc.

So I think giving the option to us the players to choose the traditional rounds format (ar least for offline or non ranked online matches) would be an amazing addition. Plus the thing I'm requesting was in initially in the game, so implementing it wouldn't be hard at all imo. Again, I'm not asking to replace the downs format, just asking to add the possibility to choose between downs and rounds when playing solo matches. Thanks very much in advance if you get to reimplement this feature in the future. Btw, Eliza is incredible fun and has the most pretty looking palettes :D.

 

[Huesoman]

Pre patch or no patches or SDE. Solos after a match would reset in the next round. Full health. Both 1 meter. I don't know why that was changed tho because it was cool.

Could you help me with this (my english comprehension is not too good):

- Setting “Teams Number of Rounds” to more than 1-out-of-1 will use rounds instead of the downs used during a solo team vs solo team match."

It means rounds are back or it is a different thing? The "solo team" part confuse me.

 

[Huesoman]

Skullgirls is a very fast game. You can set it to that in options but it's only for Arcade or story mode. I don't think it should have rounds like that online.

A could agree if you mean ranked matches, but if that not the case (offline for example) and people (like me) want to play with rounds instead of downs just for the sake of it, then I don't see any problem, more options the better.

 

[Huesoman]

OP updated... and shameless bump.

 

[ProtagonistHero]

Don't you kind of get the same effect as having rounds by just setting the number of rounds to 1 and saying "Play Again"? You fight until somebody runs out of health, then positioning, health, and super meter reset like the start of a new round. Repeat as necessary.

I usually think the same thing when people complain about not being able to fight CPU opponents in Versus mode since you can now just improvise the training mode options to fight computer controlled opponents in actual match conditions.

I mean, you can already do it. The functionality is there, it's just not very pretty because the game doesn't keep track of wins for you and it doesn't have the cute little icons by the health bars. Sorry if this comes across as rude, but this is one of the things that I think doesn't need any time or energy put into implementing when you can already get something that works exactly like it. At least, not right now.

 

[Huesoman]

Don't you kind of get the same effect as having rounds by just setting the number of rounds to 1 and saying "Play Again"? You fight until somebody runs out of health, then positioning, health, and super meter reset like the start of a new round. Repeat as necessary.

I usually think the same thing when people complain about not being able to fight CPU opponents in Versus mode since you can now just improvise the training mode options to fight computer controlled opponents in actual match conditions.

I mean, you can already do it. The functionality is there, it's just not very pretty because the game doesn't keep track of wins for you and it doesn't have the cute little icons by the health bars. Sorry if this comes across as rude, but this is one of the things that I think doesn't need any time or energy put into implementing when you can already get something that works exactly like it. At least, not right now.

If you read the OP carefully you will find that I already addressed your post. Here:
"You can argue that in such a case just restarting the down-format fight will grant your wish; but obviously there are some little differences like lenght of matches, etc."
Now, about "doesn't need any time or energy put into implementing..." I also addressed this in the OP. Here:
"...the thing I'm requesting was in initially in the game, so implementing it wouldn't be hard at all imo"
To be honest it is true it isn't a priority right now, because the new chars, stages, etc. But it would be great to have that feature again, instead of replaying 2 times the same long round. Anyway is just a request/suggestion, not that I will knock Mike's door while holding a protest banner .

 

[Mike_Z]

1v1 -> Downs (fall over, get up, no life refill for the winner) because it keeps the game faster, and it means a 1v1 game is only 99 seconds long no matter what instead of up to 3 x 99 seconds long. It is also more similar to a team game in that teams don't restart with full health and 99sec each time any character dies.
Teams (1v2/1v3/2v2/2v3/3v3) -> Rounds, if you set it to more than 1-KO-to-win in Options because having your assists jump up and leave when you lose all your life is weird. That's the only reason teams is still rounds, and it is not a default setting.

This is not changing. Rounds has a number of downsides, all of which make the game a lot slower.

Even from the perspective of the losing player, it may not feel like it but you actually have MORE of a chance to come back after losing your first healthbar in Downs, because the total health deficit is lower.

 

[Huesoman]

1v1 -> Downs...This is not changing. Rounds has a number of downsides...

If you read the OP carefully you will notice I didn't suggest that "downs" should be CHANGED to "rounds", what I request/suggest is to add the option to select between downs and rounds; I mean to have rounds alongside downs, not to get rid of downs. I don't have any issue at all with tournaments using the downs format, I even wrote (about the rounds feature): "at least for offline or (and) non ranked online matches". You said it would make the game a lot slower, in that case I suggest to increase the damage factor to compensate it, it could be by 25% or whatever you consider would fit the proper lenght of the fight, the timer could be set to 60s each round also.

To be clear, this is just a one time request, I thought that after creating the thread maybe others would share my solicitude, but having my concern reaching you is good enough :). I don't have plans to push this any further, I will not make a campaign, sending emails, twits, etc. It is just that some days ago I downloaded Eliza for the ps3 version, replay the tutorials again, play some matches with my brothers and thought of some features/changes I would like. To my luck, I found there was a request section in the forum so told to myself: "why not?". I should have made just one thread for all my requests because I had 4 but seing it would be too much I only made 2 threads.

Btw, please let me take this time to name the other ideas:
- make Big Band's "free form" a command normal (fwd+mp or back+mp) when you want to get the trumpet notes; and make it a straight "mp" press when you want it to combo during his normal chain.
- make Valentine's "flew shot" a "double tap" instead of a "hold". I suggest this because sometimes when I want a simple "dead cross" I get a flew shot instead. Another solution could be to increase the number of frames required to hold the button in order to get the flew shot. Really, it's hard to get the dead cross after charging the "vital hazard".

Finally, just to tell you that the game is pretty fun, Cerebella is one of the best fighting game characters I ever played, don't like Double, Fukua was a great unexpected addition, I voted for Eliza, Squigly is hard to play as, and waiting for Robofortune. Greetings from Peru.

 

[Muro]

I even wrote (about the rounds feature): "at least for offline or (and) non ranked online matches".

Non-ranked online = lobbies. As someone who regularly finds himself in lobbies, I'm pretty pleased that the new format changed 1v1 matches from taking up to 3x99 ticks into max 1x99. All players start their match in a lobby at the same time and waiting ten minutes for a game because solos were goofing around was never fun.

 

[Mike_Z]

If you read the OP carefully you will notice I didn't suggest that "downs" should be CHANGED to "rounds", what I request/suggest is to add the option to select between downs and rounds; I mean to have rounds alongside downs, not to get rid of downs. I don't have any issue at all with tournaments using the downs format, I even wrote (about the rounds feature): "at least for offline or (and) non ranked online matches".

That's worse, adding it as an option. Then you get people who say "Well I play with ROUNDS, and so does my buddy, so why is rounds not the default? I want tournaments to use rounds!" And you end up dividing the community on what to use, as with any option that really affects gameplay. This has happened enough in the past with options like game speed that I KNOW it would happen.

You said it would make the game a lot slower, in that case I suggest to increase the damage factor to compensate it, it could be by 25% or whatever you consider would fit the proper lenght of the fight, the timer could be set to 60s each round also.

Changing the damage doesn't shorten matches in cases where the timer is important, like runaway or zoning. It also drastically affects balance.
99/60/30 timer is already an option. And 3x60 is still > 99.

Btw, please let me take this time to name the other ideas:
- make Big Band's "free form" a command normal (fwd+mp or back+mp) when you want to get the trumpet notes; and make it a straight "mp" press when you want it to combo during his normal chain.

Already tried it, liked it a lot less than hold-MP-for-notes. It's much easier to get F/B+MP accidentally than it is to get [MP] for 25f. It's one of the reasons beginners find BB/GG hard to play, even if they don't realize it.

- make Valentine's "flew shot" a "double tap" instead of a "hold". I suggest this because sometimes when I want a simple "dead cross" I get a flew shot instead. Another solution could be to increase the number of frames required to hold the button in order to get the flew shot. Really, it's hard to get the dead cross after charging the "vital hazard".

Double-tap in 7f is difficult for lots of people, more difficult than holding it down. I can try it in the Beta but I bet I already know what will be said.
Increasing the hold time would mean Flew Shot startup would have to be longer, so that's out.

Greetings from Peru.

I have some Peruvian friends, Inca Kola is seriously good!

 

[Huesoman]

That's worse, adding it as an option. Then you get people who say "Well I play with ROUNDS, and so does my buddy, so why is rounds not the default? I want tournaments to use rounds!" And you end up dividing the community on what to use, as with any option that really affects gameplay. This has happened enough in the past with options like game speed that I KNOW it would happen.

I knew it, you're concern about the tournament scene, the community. I know you're a very competitive player and a lot of your work seems to target the competitive players, you introduce the hold "start" to pause just for the sake of the community, same with the constant balance updates, the new driver for ps3 sticks, etc. And I'm sure that 1% of skullgirls players appreciate that , but I'm talking in behalf of the 99% of casuals (like me) that always get the attention of major gaming developers and publishers and are accustomed to VIP treatement .

Jokes aside, I for one prefer the classic "1vs1" "2 out of 3 rounds" match a lot more than the other options (even knowing the game was designed based on mvc2 playstyle), and thought (and still think) it would be a great addition to the game. I mean there are a lot of people that aren't into the tournament scene, and well sometimes I read that we the casuals just play about a couple of weeks and then move to the new toy in stores, but that isn't true, we may dedicate least time to play and less effort to learn the game but still play it and enjoy it for months even years. So I would like you to reconsider your stance on this, there must be a way to avoid this casual-competitive conflict (I mean to avoid the introduction of the rounds feature for the sake of the competitive community); one that comes to my mind is just enforce the 1v1 downs format for tourneys, same way different communities enforce the diverse rules they apply to tournaments, I mean I'm sure the community could find an agreement without the need to wipe out the feature from the game itself.

Anyways, the balance issue you mentioned caught me off guard, I didn't imagine changing the damage level would affect the balance in such a way, I could say "it doesn't matter we are casuals" but that isn't true, I wouldn't like playing a game were some chars are too superiors to others, balance concern us all (competitve and casuals) alike.

Well, I think this is all, I would appreciate you make the effort to introduce the format without altering the balance or opening a crack in the competitive community, but maybe it is too much what I'm asking you, so I will let it go now and wait for a miracle :´(.

Finally, thanks for the reply, I can live with the "free form" being a hold instead of a command, but something needs to be done with the "flew shot", really, maybe it is because you and the community have quick fingers or play on sticks, but I for one use a pad and isn't weird at all to get a flew shot instead of a dead cross, the frame window is too narrow, I know it could be that way because the animation window demands it, and maybe the double tap request isn't a solution at all, but I find it somekind of troublesome, and I really wonder why is that anybody else bring this issue to light, maybe it is just that I'm too slow, in that case the solution is to leave it as it is now. Last thing, yeeeeessssssss, Inca Kola es muy rica, and I recommend you (if you get to visit Peru somday) to buy "La Iberica" chocolates, son muy buenos, te van a gustar :D. That's all I think, continue the good job you're doing and make your mission to get the rights for Darkstalkers IV, bye.

 

[Mike_Z]

Damage affects balance a lot because every game is balanced around damage the way it is. For example, 1.25x damage in MvC2 makes Tron's Lunch Rush do over 60% damage instead of 35%, because of the way it works with minimum scaling. Or Chun's SAII in Third Strike doing 50%, etc.

You make a decent point since I can enforce it in Tournament Mode, but I'd also have to enforce it online. There really isn't a good solution to "I set Downs, you set Rounds, we want to play online" especially in lobbies with 3+ people, and I don't want to sync another variable across the network. So even if I added the option it would only be for local...

 

[Huesoman]

...So even if I added the option it would only be for local...

DEAL! I take it, make it offline local only . Anyway, I really appreciate your answers and feedback, I understand the scaling issue now; and whatever you choose to do I'm sure you will do it with the best intentions in mind. So thanks again and good luck in your endeavours!

 

[Broken Loose]

DEAL! I take it, make it offline local only .

I like how a hypothetical "if" means that he's obviously offering to do this thing that he doesn't like.

 

[Mike_Z]

I like how a hypothetical "if" means that he's obviously offering to do this thing that he doesn't like.

I dislike it much less if I can enforce it in tournament mode and online, honestly, but it's at the very bottom of the list. :^)

 

[Lem]

I dislike it much less if I can enforce it in tournament mode and online, honestly, but it's at the very bottom of the list. :^)

Hey hey speaking of lists;

Where is the 'salty runback rematch' option, in QuickMatch, that you were thinking of trying, placed on the list?