GamePlay for Dummies!! (((Current Focus:: COMPONENTS & DEFINITIONS ::)))
0
posted11/11/2010 06:20 AM (UTC)by
Avatar
ThePredator151
Avatar
About Me
The Ultimate Mortal Kombat Experience
- Lead Graphic Designer - Mortal Kombat Online -


:G-play

:Story

:F-Design

:Cutout

:Get Sig

:Raiden

:Fans [1] [2]

:#LegendaryArts

Member Since
05/29/2006 11:42 PM (UTC)
I've been thinking about this for about a year, and I think I'm FINALLY ready to make this thread. haha I know...I know there are alot of "n00bs" around here....especially concerning gameplay components and just, regular jargen.
Some of us STILL don't understand the difference between what we think "Mk's Style" is, and "Modern Day Fighting Game Components" that make a game "good". Something I see challenged all the time, and that spark flames....when it's just a misunderstanding. Style concerns MK's theme and mood /// /// Essentials concern things you CAN or CAN'T do in the fight.

======

SO, I wanna start with the definitions of things. Reasons for why people say MK lacks terribly in the Gameplay department....

What should happen, is people who KNOW what the hell their talking about will come here, and give us all a good lesson in lamens terms....Give a term or a component, and the definition of it. I will record these by constantly editing this first post.

After that, hopefully we'll get a more solid group of individuals who can talk about gameplay coherently. And we can use this thread for that, as well as ideas later.

But first, the terminology is essential in order to understand what people are talking about in a conversation about gameplay. Common questions like: What's a "dial a combo", what's the difference between that, and a "string combo"? What's a "oki game"? What's the importance of Animation and Frames?.....That sort of thing should happen for starters in here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So I'll start.(NOTE: Correction is absolutely encouraged. I don't have a single problem about "looking like a n00b" about any of this stuff, cuz I'm here to curb....the learning curve with this thread. It took me too long,.....too many arguments with more knowledgeable people to understand only some of the stuff I currently know. I'll take all the shots if necessary, cuz I still don't know it all either.

And please...do feel free to let me know when we have everything in the subject focus[["definitions" for right now]]. So, when we're done with components & definitions...we can move to the next elements of gameplay and gameplay discussion. [[what's possible or not, 2D vs 3D, more than one fighting style or stance, weapons use, projectiles....ect]])


=============Components & Definitions=================

1. Chain Combo//Dial-a-Combo: A combo that is pre-determined by the programmers of the game. What they do is, script the buttons to perform a certain way, and only in succession with another, following command. It is so that EVERY-SINGLE-TIME you want to perform a combo, it HAS to be input a specific way, and it always performs the same exact way everytime.

: Remember his combos from MK3-T? The reason why you do, is because there is nothing else you can do with his combos, besides was has been pre-determined by the programming. You can't mix things up, maybe throw a unique type of projectile within the combo itself. You have to push in the same command, the same way, everytime in order to see his combos happen at all. This was fine for 2D, but is a "Flaw" in MK's 3D fighting games.



2. String Combo: A combo that let's you decide your next move within a combo, according to what is possible on the move list of a character. "Create a Combo" while fighting, essentially. It can, but does not have to ever perform the same exact way everytime you want to accomplish a combo in the game.

There is no example in MK, because it has always been the dail-a-combos. Strings should/could be used in MK's 3D fighting games, WITHOUT jeopardizing MK's Style and Theme



3. Oki: a.k.a. okizeme, a.k.a. wakeup. When a player is on the ground, oki is what can be done at that point. Choosing to stay on the ground, rolling, getting up with an attack, attacking a grounded opponent, etc. is all oki. -TonyTheTiger-

Have you ever wanted more things to do while on the ground? Combos even? Ever wondered what it would be like, if you could fight an entire match from the ground? Have you ever wanted to fight like that swift leg fighter in the old martial arts movies(guy in the light brown suit or Jackie Chan whenever he is knocked down and needs to get back up)?

Monkey or Capoeria styles have alot to do with rolling around on the ground, and attacking from crouched positions. In MkA you can be knocked down, and kick or punch on the way back to standing up.......Well, that IS "Oki, Okizeme, or Wake-Up game".


4. Frame: 1/60th of a second when the game runs at 60 frames per second (fps). The game counts everything in terms of frames. So a jab, for example, may be 10 frames between the initial command and the impact. So executing that jab takes 1/6th of a second. -TonyTheTiger-

This Animation vs This animation with half the frames in it. YES, this is a fake I made. So the movements are not at all true, and some of the sprites are edited. These are just an example for this thread to show a frames importance in animation.

5. Infinite: A glitch of sorts that allows you to continue repeating the same combo over and over without the opponent being able to stop you, until finally they die.-SubMan799-

6. "Parry: is a offensive - defensive(active defense) maneuver often associated with Fencing(a martial art style with swords) , and is defined as Deflecting or warding off. Or altogether evading, or avoiding an attack.

In that video, look closely for the multiple times that those guys' blades slide off of on another's...OR, note 2:13sec, the reaction of the younger guy. Right after the samurai flips dirt up to try and distract him for a strike. He sort of lifts his leg up, to AVOID being stabbed. And at the same time, watch the reaction of the samurai. After he makes his mistake in that same instance, he guards himself by jumping back, and putting his sword up, to AVOID receiving punishment for his mistake.

In order to stay alive and not be stabbed, this video has parries all throughout it from beginning to end. Every time their blades slide off of one another...ect

Please Note, that parries are not exclusive to weapon fighting. The vid just shows over and over how parries should be performed in a fight.


7. 50/50: A 50/50 in the case of any fighting game, is the ability to mix your opponent up after you've knocked them down with either a Mid attack that hits your opponent even if they duck and block, or hit them with a sweep or throw that can hurt them if they are standing and blocking.

In most fighting games, you are given the proper tools to defend against this thus, subjecting your opponent to a 50/50 guessing game as to wether you will hit them with a high, mid or low wake up attack. MKA added the wake up and parry features which resolved many of the problems faced with MKD's game-play, though there still are some lame cases of 50/50's (i.e. the KAK knock down sweep that you cannot wake up from).

So in short, the MKD 50/50 which most of us complained about went as follows:

Take Smoke vs. anyone for example. Smoke knocks you down with b+1 to plant you on on the ground. You cannot move or attack once you are knocked down. Smoke now has the freedom to stand directly over you and hit you with either a mid attack (b+1 again if you duck), or he could throw you if you stand, setting you up for a juggle combo that ends with that same b+1 attack that plants you on the ground. Now the whole 50/50 guessing game starts all over again. You could do nothing to stop this, which made MKD matches very one-sided -mastermalone-


8. Launcher: A move that tosses the opponent into the air giving the potential for juggle damage. -TonyTheTiger-

9. Juggle: A strike or series of strikes that keeps the opponent airborne after a launcher. -TonyTheTiger-

















room to update....












=============Other Helpful Threads=====================

These are excellent threads that are relevant, and that helped motivate this thread. However, we are focusing on the basics of these following threads for the time being:

MK7 Gameplay Design Plan TonyTheTiger's thread..

TTT's thread has alot of the stuff I want in the first post of this thread. So what I'll do is, bring most of those things over here....over time, and try to elaborate on a few things as I understand them. We'll see if I can't just get him in here to help out though. Since he's still active on the boards, It's not necessary that I speak for him. I just want to make sure that even the "dummies" can read these things with a basic understanding.

MK Gameplay Primer + MKDA's & MKD's failed fighting system written for everyone to understand in one post. HDTran's thread..
==========================================================

We are not on possibilities and ideas yet, so Please try to stay on topic until the thread title changes. "One thing at a time"...so to speak, although I won't regulate this thread very strictly. It's just a measure of organization.

So anyway, if you don't know something, ask what it is so long as it pertains to gameplay. And what I want is hopefully, someone will give up a term and a definition for the term. One post could take care of it all, or it can be an "ask and you shall receive" sort of thing.

I'll try to answer as much stuff as I can...
Avatar
MoodyShooter
Avatar
About Me

Dedicated, hopeless...Li Mei fan.

03/23/2008 06:17 PM (UTC)
0
I approve.
Avatar
outworld222
03/23/2008 06:21 PM (UTC)
0
Not this againsad
Avatar
Sub-Zero_7th
03/23/2008 10:09 PM (UTC)
0
Cool thread Pred. I don't know how much I can contribute to it, but I'll see what I can do. I too approve of this thread.
Avatar
Shinnox
03/23/2008 10:21 PM (UTC)
0
outworld222 Wrote:
Not this againsad


yes, to hell with gameplay! lets all talk about noob.com and crappy fatalities!
Avatar
outworld222
03/23/2008 10:39 PM (UTC)
0
scorpio Wrote:
outworld222 Wrote:
Not this againsad


yes, to hell with gameplay! lets all talk about noob.com and crappy fatalities!


Ah shut up.
Avatar
ThePredator151
Avatar
About Me
The Ultimate Mortal Kombat Experience
- Lead Graphic Designer - Mortal Kombat Online -


:G-play

:Story

:F-Design

:Cutout

:Get Sig

:Raiden

:Fans [1] [2]

:#LegendaryArts

03/24/2008 12:08 AM (UTC)
0
Question?: What is a frame, and why is it important to me? How does it effect Mk's Style of fighting?


Answer:

a.)::: Frame - 1/60th of a second when the game runs at 60 frames per second (fps). The game counts everything in terms of frames. So a jab, for example, may be 10 frames between the initial command and the impact. So executing that jab takes 1/6th of a second. -TonyTheTiger-

b.)::: It is important because it has to do do with a series of components when you are fighting some one on, or offline.

When you throw a jab, how likely is it that your opponent is able to block the jab? Frames can determine this, by telling us how quick a jab should be in the first place. Should be quick, snappy, right? Frames tells us how "SAFE" it is throw the punch, and how safe it is to "RECOVER" from, without being "PUNISHED" for throwing that punch.

Same for kicking, blocking, parrying and anything else where you need to be able to push a button on your controller, and get a reaction from your character on the screen.

This also is extremely well tied to......

Animation:

Click here to watch...(GIF//File size: 317.43 kilobytes. Linked for people with dial-up internet connection)

If the animation is not well done, frames count more in a fight because, you have more to do with less to work with. More commands you want to push on the controller, with less opportunity to actually have a chance to connect, and hit your opponent. Less opportunity given to you, by the programmers of the game, to win the fight.

Which then, turns into "TURTLING"//"BAITING" matches, and makes you compensate or improvise. You have to get good with "TIMING" things as a negative consequence, instead of, as a free will....in other words.

--------------------

The fact is that, the human eye can only catch so many frames of animation. BUT, the brain catches everything....which in turn, allows us to react off of what we retain in memory (a move list) rather than what we see with the eye (animation).

See what I mean?

Humans react on impulses, and that reaction is based on what we've been trained to do in a situation. Well, playing a video game, that "training" is how well we memorize inputs on the controller. We don't look at the controller after playing the game a while and learning the moves....we just react. We just defend, or assault on impulse.

If the animation is not complete, or has FRAMES taken out of it. "GLITCH"...or "POTHOLE"...or "HUGE WINDOW in a PARRY"...or "INFINITE COMBO"....or "FAULTY CAMERA MANEUVERS"...ect ect ect.

This is that same animation as earlier in this post, but with half the frames in it. You can see the difference. Some things move waay faster than they should, and I HAD to slow other parts down even further, in order for you to be able to "SEE THEM COMING".

Same thing you'd need to be able to SEE when someone is trying to attack you in the fight. So that you can react accordingly.

---------

c.)::: Lastly, as far as MK's style, in this sense Animation only effects MK's cosmetics, or aesthetics (good visuals). How clothes, water, rocks, dust, blood, sweat, jelly, bruises ect...and other symbolic properties move around.

So the "Style" of MK will not be jeopardized if what I mention here is paid attention to. In fact, I'd think those things would become better as a result. Because clothes won't "jump", or "get stuck" in any motion anywhere.

========================================================
Any questions? I covered quite a bit with this post, so i know there is something in there, that someone doesn't fully understand. Note the capitalized words in this post.

Anyone else wanna add anything?
Avatar
Shinnox
03/24/2008 01:00 AM (UTC)
0
outworld222 Wrote:
scorpio Wrote:
outworld222 Wrote:
Not this againsad


yes, to hell with gameplay! lets all talk about noob.com and crappy fatalities!


Ah shut up.


go jump off a cliff you douche.





anyway, i pretty much agree. i know this really isnt a "what do you want in mk8" thread, but one thing that is a must is to make the game patchable. they can do all they can to make the game as solid as possible..but infs, bugs, etc will always be found. and once it is, they can simply release a patch to fix it, rather then let online play go to hell much like it did in deception and armageddon. to me, this should be very high on the priority list.

i really didn't like the way they did their parry style. the parry window was just a little bit too large imo..and there should have been a larger cooldown period between parries to prevent parry spam. they should also test it more throughly to make sure some moves can or cant be ..as in mka, there were a lot of moves that shouldn't have been parryable, but were..and some that were, and shouldn't have been.

throw escapes are a must as well. this would help eliminate free throws...although if they did the patch thing, they could just fix it all together, lol.
Avatar
ThePredator151
Avatar
About Me
The Ultimate Mortal Kombat Experience
- Lead Graphic Designer - Mortal Kombat Online -


:G-play

:Story

:F-Design

:Cutout

:Get Sig

:Raiden

:Fans [1] [2]

:#LegendaryArts

03/24/2008 04:37 PM (UTC)
0
Alright, gotta stop the pre-flame stuff here guys...

scorpio Wrote:


Okay, good stuff Scorpio. You mentioned a few elements I'd like you (or anybody) to explain for everyone who comes in this thread in the future.

1. What's a Patch? What effect does it have on the game? When do patches become important? ect..

2. What are Bugs, Glitches, Infinites, Windows...ect? What's the difference between them, and how do you tell the difference?

3. What's a Parry? What do you mean by a "cool down period"?

4. Can you explain Throw Escapes and Free Throws?

Some of this stuff is obvious for us, some of it is not...but to explain an experience is to allow people the chance to understand the fault in what's happening while they're playing the game.

And again, it's open to answer by anyone.
Avatar
SubMan799
03/25/2008 02:57 AM (UTC)
0
This thread wins. You should also add a definition for infinites/loops. I'll give it a shot I guess

Infinite: A glitch of sorts that allows you to continue repeating the same combo over and over without the opponent being able to stop you, until finally they die. To date there are about ten trillion of these in the last three MK titles.

meh
Avatar
skillz
03/25/2008 10:26 AM (UTC)
0
Who you calling a noob?!furious

hehe, jus joking. Nice Thread man. I am pretty much a noob when it comes to technical terms and such. And in depth gameplay.

Got a question;

Aren't the well known juggle combos's, like Scorpion's MK2 jump kick/ teleport/spear combo, also String Combo's. Or is this a classification on its own?
Avatar
ThePredator151
Avatar
About Me
The Ultimate Mortal Kombat Experience
- Lead Graphic Designer - Mortal Kombat Online -


:G-play

:Story

:F-Design

:Cutout

:Get Sig

:Raiden

:Fans [1] [2]

:#LegendaryArts

03/26/2008 12:16 PM (UTC)
0
skillz Wrote:
Got a question;

Aren't the well known juggle combos's, like Scorpion's MK2 jump kick/ teleport/spear combo, also String Combo's. Or is this a classification on its own?


If I remember that right, it's an infinite. Because there is little to nothing you can do to stop the continuation of that combo until you are dead.

====

I will clarify a "Parry" now:

A "Parry", is a offensive - defensive(active defense) maneuver often associated with Fencing(a martial art style with swords) , and is defined as Deflecting or warding off. Or altogether evading, or avoiding an attack.

In that video, look closely for the multiple times that those guys' blades slide off of on another's...OR, note 2:13sec, the reaction of the younger guy. Right after the samurai flips dirt up to try and distract him for a strike. He sort of lifts his leg up, to AVOID being stabbed. And at the same time, watch the reaction of the samurai. After he makes his mistake in that same instance, he guards himself by jumping back, and putting his sword up, to AVOID receiving punishment for his mistake.

In order to stay alive and not be stabbed, this video has parries all throughout it from beginning to end. Every time their blades slide off of one another...ect

Please Note, that parries are not exclusive to weapon fighting. The vid just shows over and over how parries should be performed in a fight.
Avatar
FLSTYLE
Avatar
About Me

FLStyle Personal Twitteromegaasylum.com Updates Twitter Omega Asylum - Home of FLStyle - Video Game and Media Blog

03/26/2008 01:28 PM (UTC)
0
I went and found two gaming parry videos for the current topic. Boon + Co would benefit lots from them.

First one is the legendary Ken VS Chun-Li video in SF3

Click

Second is a low-parry combo video using Tekken 5.

Click ... Click again?!

Avatar
ThePredator151
Avatar
About Me
The Ultimate Mortal Kombat Experience
- Lead Graphic Designer - Mortal Kombat Online -


:G-play

:Story

:F-Design

:Cutout

:Get Sig

:Raiden

:Fans [1] [2]

:#LegendaryArts

03/26/2008 02:13 PM (UTC)
0
FLSTYLE Wrote:
I went and found two gaming parry videos for the current topic. Boon + Co would benefit lots from them.

First one is the legendary Ken VS Chun-Li video in SF3

Click

Second is a low-parry combo video using Tekken 5.

Click ... Click again?!



Something seems to be wrong with the links...I looked at them, and the HTML is right...so I don't know what the hell is wrong with it. Lol

The URL's work though...so Good stuff man:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVck_Isw88w


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjwN_bqf8Uw

And another game with obvious parry's in them:

Fight Night Round 3 Parry(24sec // 54sec //1:05 sec // 1:25sec)
Avatar
skillz
03/26/2008 03:54 PM (UTC)
0
w
ThePredator151 Wrote:
skillz Wrote:
Got a question;

Aren't the well known juggle combos's, like Scorpion's MK2 jump kick/ teleport/spear combo, also String Combo's. Or is this a classification on its own?


If I remember that right, it's an infinite. Because there is little to nothing you can do to stop the continuation of that combo until you are dead.


Owk, I dunno if it is a infinite, I believe some people can pull it off. But I only know a three hit combo.

That parry video of Ken vs Chun Li is nice

people are going wild on that, would be awsome if MK got somethin like that..especially if the gameplay got some speed to it.



Avatar
ThePredator151
Avatar
About Me
The Ultimate Mortal Kombat Experience
- Lead Graphic Designer - Mortal Kombat Online -


:G-play

:Story

:F-Design

:Cutout

:Get Sig

:Raiden

:Fans [1] [2]

:#LegendaryArts

03/29/2008 03:02 PM (UTC)
0
Here's a good question:

Can somebody Explain what a "50/50" is?

Avatar
SubMan799
03/29/2008 05:42 PM (UTC)
0
I'm not sure but isn't a 50/50 how when you begin a combo, you can easily switch from a high attack to a low one, thus gicing the enemy a 50/50 chance of blocking it?

I'm 50/50 on this
Avatar
reptile88
03/29/2008 07:41 PM (UTC)
0
Approved.This kind of threads are worth the time it takes to read them,seriously....

...Sticky?
Avatar
Desolate_One
04/01/2008 12:27 PM (UTC)
0
reptile88 Wrote:
Approved.This kind of threads are worth the time it takes to read them,seriously....

...Sticky?


Agreed its very rare that i read a thread if it has tons of shit to read in the first post, but I love threads like these. I'm noticing a trend though, it seems Pred is always the one with great threads. You really should look into designing games if your not already, you seem to have good technical knowledge and great concept idea's.
I think it would be cool if they implemented a way to control standing still dodges, like in Fight Nights when you sway with the right stick, I think this would add a great way to avoid projectiles and cut down on making it such a projectile focused engine. Another thing that I believe is essential would be a little more realism, what I mean is you shouldn’t be able to block weapons or projectiles when unarmed, its just ridiculous, this would also add some depth to the swaying dodges if that was included. I also wouldn’t mind seeing an 8-way run gameplay mechanic like in Soul Caliber added aswell. I’m sure you could explain the 8-way run to people who don’t know what it is.
Avatar
mastermalone
Avatar
About Me

-XB Live gamertag: I AM YOURDEATH -(PS2 Tag: MASTRMAL)

04/01/2008 02:24 PM (UTC)
0
ThePredator151 Wrote:
Here's a good question:

Can somebody Explain what a "50/50" is?



With pleasure,

A 50/50 in the case of any fighting game, is the ability to mix your opponent up after you've knocked them down with either a Mid attack that hits your opponent even if they duck and block, or hit them with a sweep or throw that can hurt them if they are standing and blocking.

In most fighting games, you are given the proper tools to defend against this thus, subjecting your opponent to a 50/50 guessing game as to wether you will hit them with a high, mid or low wake up attack. MKA added the wake up and parry features which resolved many of the problems faced with MKD's game-play, though there still are some lame cases of 50/50's (i.e. the KAK knock down sweep that you cannot wake up from).

So in short, the MKD 50/50 which most of us complained about went as follows:

Take Smoke vs. anyone for example. Smoke knocks you down with b+1 to plant you on on the ground. You cannot move or attack once you are knocked down. Smoke now has the freedom to stand directly over you and hit you with either a mid attack (b+1 again if you duck), or he could throw you if you stand, setting you up for a juggle combo that ends with that same b+1 attack that plants you on the ground. Now the whole 50/50 guessing game starts all over again. You could do nothing to stop this, which made MKD matches very one-sided



Do you see why I chose to go to E3 in order to get some resolution for MKA's game-play?


Peace


Avatar
deadpools
11/07/2010 12:25 AM (UTC)
0
So basically string combos are the same as inconclusive combos right?confused
Avatar
GhostDragon
Avatar
About Me

Ghostdragon - Fan Submission Director ghostdragon@mortalkombatonline.com
Mortal Kombat Online - The Ultimate Mortal Kombat Experience
http://www.mortalkombatonline.com

"Tis true my form is something odd, But blaming me is blaming God. Could I create myself anew, I would not fail in pleasing you. If I could reach from pole to pole, Or grasp the ocean with a span, I would be measured by the soul, The mind's the standard of the man."
-Isaac Watts
11/11/2010 06:20 AM (UTC)
0
deadpools Wrote:
So basically string combos are the same as inconclusive combos right?confused


Please refrain from posting to threads that are older than three months from the last post. And please read through the Community Faq as well.


Ghostdragon
Pages: 1
Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
© 1998-2024 Shadow Knight Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Read our Privacy Policy.
Mortal Kombat, the dragon logo and all character names are trademarks and copyright of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.