Holds are still far more useful than they are in every other fighting game, and completely universal.
When at least the former changes, they will have been nerfed enough to matter. Not before.
Maybe making them just more useful instead of far more useful be possible and viable if you couldn't delay strings for 25 years. Personally, those issues both need to be fixed at the same time if you ask me. But there are definitely other games that break the norm in strength of mechanic too. Like VF and their 85% of moves in game are sidestepping ratio, which is kind of hilarious.
Anyway, I think we've gotten pretty off topic, and it's time to get back on topic.
Anybody have anything that should be added or subtracted from the list? Does the competitive community approve?
Three things. . . .
1. This:
Those list you are constructing, AkNova7, great. Though because TN feels this way, you are doing it just to be doing it. Dragging out a discussion to an eye that is blind to it. Helps no one.
You're probably right, however, instead of whining to them about it, I'm trying to speak their language. Satisfied people = Money, and we'd be people looking to be satisfied who all came together to scold them at once. It's worth a shot, IMO.
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Current List Copy. Any changes necessary?
Requested Changelist: DOA5
1. The game requires more poke moves. While negative on block, or positive on block (preferably positive on block if the movement supports it,) the game needs more moves that are safe on punishment on block.
Solution: Either (ONE of the following options)
A) Add more moves to the game that are +0 to -4 on block, to encourage movement of some kind instead of just countering stuff.
B) Add poke moves to the game that are positive on block slightly (+1 - +2) to encourage landing pokes into offense instead of just string delays.
Since you introduced the Virtua Fighter characters into the game, this makes a lot of sense, because both options are used in Virtua Fighter, the difference would be that there are varying levels of punishment in DOA depending on how much of a risk one takes.
2. String Delay is, while an interesting mechanic, very hard to methodically deal with at any level. And while, at this point, it's hard to remove, part of the largest pain is the combination of string delay and free canceling together. Both these things take away from the potential of the game, and make it hard for a player to effectively play defense, regardless of having one of the best defensive moves of all time, the defensive counter.
Solution: Either (ONE of the following options)
A) Reduce the amount of time in general characters have to delay attacks, and make free canceling slower.
B) Adjust the frame data so if moves are delayed at all, they're unsafe on block, and make free canceling slower.
C) Adjust the frame data so if moves are delayed at all, they're negative on hit (so people can't follow up with anything else) and disallow stuns and combos from delayed moves (because with the window there is, it's almost impossible to react to these at a competitive level).
A) There are features in the demo that require the Right Analog Stick. Some arcade sticks do not have a Right Analog Stick, making these features difficult or impossible to use. Please provide other ways to access these features.
B) Some other fighting games require the use of specific buttons for various features (text chat in Soul Calibur 5 is done by pressing L1). Some arcade stick owners only have 6-button sticks, or remove the last two buttons from their 8-button sticks. This makes it difficult/impossible to use features like this. Please allow players to change the button config of options like this.
4. The Low Hold
The low hold is an anomaly, and one of the worst things to happen recently to DOA. The low hold is a move that holds low moves and dodges high moves, essentially a 0 frame 2 in one.
Solution: Either (ONE of the following options)
A) Have the character lean slightly forward, and extend their hands downward, both palms up, with the hand placement being around the knee. This would be considered a standing movement, because they're just barely still in level to be hit by highs.
B) Have the same low animation, but have it not be considered a tech crouch.
We prefer solution A), but, even though ugly, if it's impossible to change the animation at this point, B) would be a solid alternative.
Decrease the hitbox and remove stun from Wakeup kicks. All wakeup kicks should be unsafe or disadvantage on block. Refine ability to sidestep, duck, or hop over with the right moves. (IE: Making the wake-up mid kick side-steppable.)
It seems as though there's a delay in blocking low. When I try to block low, I get hit. When I try to counter low and I'm late, I get a block instead. If blocking low is not instant, that definitely needs to be changed.
7. (Bonus): The Stun System
While it is not practical to do at this time in the game development, possibly for a patch, or the next Dead or Alive game, assuming it is made, there has been massive support for a complete overhaul of the stun system. The fact that getting stuns is as easy as drawing counter-hits advocates a system where the entire game becomes very hard to use logic to defeat an enemy.
Our request is that for future iterations of DOA (not necessarily 5), the stun system gets reworked, so getting stuns is all about using the right moves, and countering in stuns is removed. To compensate for this, the juggleswould be reworked and adjusted in damage as necessary. What we want is a DOA where you can actually play somewhat of a traditional fighting game, but that the game can also be played in many, many ways.
Stunning on Counter-Blow/Hit regarding almost everything, having no presence on most normal hits, and being able to delay every string and cancel out of every string without warning, many things being very punishable on block, being able to hold out of stun combos, all these things make this game so very hard to play with any fundamentals. We don't want a game that is fundamental dominant, per say, but we'd at least like to every so often be able to use a fundamental or two to help fight the opponent.
Consider us well, Team Ninja.
- FreeStepDodge