Akromaniac27
Ready to lose your head?
As a disclaimer, I don't expect any fuzzy feelings whatsoever. But I personally love DC THAT much, that I don't want INJ2 to become the mush MKX currently is. This isn't calling anyone out or putting anyone in the spot, but talking in general terms, in hopes of a great game to be released. Near all of the issues I referred to in the video on discontinuing purchasing NRS products were all practically fixed the same day, hence why I'm still here -__-
Preventing past mistakes. With INJ2 coming around the corner, there's bound to be tons of new players as well as older ones. While the feedback from top players sounds promising, I personally can't help but wonder whether its truly good news or bad news. Reason being, because these same players use/used top characters with absurd 50/50s and/or footsies and would not (for obvious reasons) suggest nerfs for said near broke tools. Tourney play is obviously where the money is at, and it makes all the sense in the world to lower your chances of getting a character you enjoy to use get nerfed as much as you can, but when you tier whore, and just jump from one character to the next depending on the status quo, it doesn't seem like they're the best choice for feedback, at least not to me. If you as a top player refuse to aide leveling up the community because it conflicts with personal drives, then I feel that their feedback on a games development should be taken with a grain of salt. Biasedness has never gotten anything started that would be deemed balanced and it most certainly won't miraculously change now.
When I talk about the top players and casual community, I'm referring to the divide between a player that is able to near freely ride the wave of MKX's current 50/50 play with little knowledge of FG basics, as opposed to a player that revolves around fundamentals such as baiting, whiff punishing, AA and trip guarding, to name a few. Now while several threads and character guides have been made to explain these FG concepts, top players as well as casuals aren't opposed to free 50/50s in this community. If a character lacks a 50/50 launcher, the ACTUAL response is that they DO need it and should get buffed. The major flaw in this is that 50/50s are not the SOLE way to open an opponent up. Kenshi in MK9 for example, as absurd as he was, was using mids/highs/overheads. Of course the character should have been normalized, but the point is that a character CAN get a lot done without needing to rely on 50/50s. MKXL's Mileena is another example of a character that has a strong mixup and stagger game that doesn't utilize 50/50s (on default). Does a strong neutral, stagger and mixup style make a character amazing? In most cases, yes, but what I'm trying to explain is that a character having access to all the above, as well as safe, meterless, launching 50/50s, makes them so much more ridiculous.
As a quick disclaimer, I do believe Piercing is in need of nerfs, such as a damage nerf, sai recovery to be increased (but not on block frame data), and a nerf on her JI1. The reason I'm mentioning this is because I genuinely feel that she doesn't need all that, the same way I strongly feel a huge chunk of the roster doesn't need the tools they currently have. Overall, the problem with the current roster is how 50/50 intensive it is along with these very same characters having amazing footsies and pokes. Too many players here, including most top players, overlook how amazing a free d4 is. Under 10f, neutral range, SAFE, low profiling, pushback on block, AND frame advantage on hit, is HUGE, and a lot of players don't seem to realize it. Having meterless methods to patch up gaps or unsafe normals/strings/specials is also HUGE, and borderline broke because it isn't meter intensive and it negates being able to even punish what should be punishable. Now don't throw in tele-sai mixup, because you can ALWAYS settle for a d2 at the bare minimum. I'm referring to Demo grenade pressure, Ice clone setups, Scorpion tele cancels, Swarm Puddle insurance, and so forth. The point I'm trying to make is that a player with FG experience can easily see how insane the game can become/is. The problem with this, is that many here do not, and its because, I believe, they're unaware of how good these tools in actuality are.
What I hope for, for the future of this community, is that top players will attempt to educate the community on FG basics, or else not give input on buffs for already top or solid mid characters, unless its to explain why the buffs are bad ideas. IF you're a top player, common knowledge is that solid characters should remain untouched whereas as bottom tier get risen up a bit, and the top get toned down. Not, lets just throw in 50/50s everywhere because I can't open up a player any other way. I put it this way because casuals and newcomers look up to top players for advice, MU knowledge and FG experience. So its only natural that they take a top player's word and soak it in. So instead of creating an army of 50/50, auto pilot reliant players, wouldn't it make sense to tell them where they're going wrong? And not telling them that if it isn't their turn the whole match, the character is bad/unviable/in need of fixes/etc.?
I started off in Smash and progressed into MK9, so a combo system was brand new to me. Along with frame data and overall FG basics. I just had a understanding from Smash that some moves I can or can't do and that some stuff was punishable. Getting into the NRS scene, I looked up to REO, Sonic, Chris G(though he didn't stay long), PerfectLegend, and most of the other top players in MK9's lifetime. It isn't to say that I outgrew the players at all, but upon having an understanding and fully learning the core of FG games over the years, it made me realize that some of what they expressed was very flawed or very biased. I delved into SCV, DOA, UMvC3, some more Smash, and some SF as well to further my understanding as well as to test how they all applied. So this is primarily why I feel the way I do about this community's input on buffs and nerfs. FG basics at its core, IS extensive if you're going about it the right way, and then each game's meta adds more layers to it. So that is the main reason why I feel like a lot of players here don't see the end result, due to lack of learning all of it (not being condescending at all, it took me like 4 years total to fully understand it all), as well as NRS games being the only FGs they play.
Rushdown characters don't NEED to be over +4. Zoners (actual zoners like Raven in INJ) don't NEED 50/50s. Footsie dominant characters as well, don't NEED 50/50s. Teleports shouldn't have a method to be made safe when it can grant a full combo on hit. Superior pokes should have some sort of penalty, such as being negative enough for an ACTUAL check. And the list can go on, but the main points I wanted to make are above.
Overall, lets try to NOT be the community that feels that without 50/50s, the character is dead. Without jailing pressure, there is no rushdown. Without 50/50 launchers, theres no way to open a player up. That because my superior footsie tool now makes it the opponent's turn, the character has no good tools ( BECAUSE it still isnt their turn).
Let's not be that face please.
Preventing past mistakes. With INJ2 coming around the corner, there's bound to be tons of new players as well as older ones. While the feedback from top players sounds promising, I personally can't help but wonder whether its truly good news or bad news. Reason being, because these same players use/used top characters with absurd 50/50s and/or footsies and would not (for obvious reasons) suggest nerfs for said near broke tools. Tourney play is obviously where the money is at, and it makes all the sense in the world to lower your chances of getting a character you enjoy to use get nerfed as much as you can, but when you tier whore, and just jump from one character to the next depending on the status quo, it doesn't seem like they're the best choice for feedback, at least not to me. If you as a top player refuse to aide leveling up the community because it conflicts with personal drives, then I feel that their feedback on a games development should be taken with a grain of salt. Biasedness has never gotten anything started that would be deemed balanced and it most certainly won't miraculously change now.
When I talk about the top players and casual community, I'm referring to the divide between a player that is able to near freely ride the wave of MKX's current 50/50 play with little knowledge of FG basics, as opposed to a player that revolves around fundamentals such as baiting, whiff punishing, AA and trip guarding, to name a few. Now while several threads and character guides have been made to explain these FG concepts, top players as well as casuals aren't opposed to free 50/50s in this community. If a character lacks a 50/50 launcher, the ACTUAL response is that they DO need it and should get buffed. The major flaw in this is that 50/50s are not the SOLE way to open an opponent up. Kenshi in MK9 for example, as absurd as he was, was using mids/highs/overheads. Of course the character should have been normalized, but the point is that a character CAN get a lot done without needing to rely on 50/50s. MKXL's Mileena is another example of a character that has a strong mixup and stagger game that doesn't utilize 50/50s (on default). Does a strong neutral, stagger and mixup style make a character amazing? In most cases, yes, but what I'm trying to explain is that a character having access to all the above, as well as safe, meterless, launching 50/50s, makes them so much more ridiculous.
As a quick disclaimer, I do believe Piercing is in need of nerfs, such as a damage nerf, sai recovery to be increased (but not on block frame data), and a nerf on her JI1. The reason I'm mentioning this is because I genuinely feel that she doesn't need all that, the same way I strongly feel a huge chunk of the roster doesn't need the tools they currently have. Overall, the problem with the current roster is how 50/50 intensive it is along with these very same characters having amazing footsies and pokes. Too many players here, including most top players, overlook how amazing a free d4 is. Under 10f, neutral range, SAFE, low profiling, pushback on block, AND frame advantage on hit, is HUGE, and a lot of players don't seem to realize it. Having meterless methods to patch up gaps or unsafe normals/strings/specials is also HUGE, and borderline broke because it isn't meter intensive and it negates being able to even punish what should be punishable. Now don't throw in tele-sai mixup, because you can ALWAYS settle for a d2 at the bare minimum. I'm referring to Demo grenade pressure, Ice clone setups, Scorpion tele cancels, Swarm Puddle insurance, and so forth. The point I'm trying to make is that a player with FG experience can easily see how insane the game can become/is. The problem with this, is that many here do not, and its because, I believe, they're unaware of how good these tools in actuality are.
What I hope for, for the future of this community, is that top players will attempt to educate the community on FG basics, or else not give input on buffs for already top or solid mid characters, unless its to explain why the buffs are bad ideas. IF you're a top player, common knowledge is that solid characters should remain untouched whereas as bottom tier get risen up a bit, and the top get toned down. Not, lets just throw in 50/50s everywhere because I can't open up a player any other way. I put it this way because casuals and newcomers look up to top players for advice, MU knowledge and FG experience. So its only natural that they take a top player's word and soak it in. So instead of creating an army of 50/50, auto pilot reliant players, wouldn't it make sense to tell them where they're going wrong? And not telling them that if it isn't their turn the whole match, the character is bad/unviable/in need of fixes/etc.?
I started off in Smash and progressed into MK9, so a combo system was brand new to me. Along with frame data and overall FG basics. I just had a understanding from Smash that some moves I can or can't do and that some stuff was punishable. Getting into the NRS scene, I looked up to REO, Sonic, Chris G(though he didn't stay long), PerfectLegend, and most of the other top players in MK9's lifetime. It isn't to say that I outgrew the players at all, but upon having an understanding and fully learning the core of FG games over the years, it made me realize that some of what they expressed was very flawed or very biased. I delved into SCV, DOA, UMvC3, some more Smash, and some SF as well to further my understanding as well as to test how they all applied. So this is primarily why I feel the way I do about this community's input on buffs and nerfs. FG basics at its core, IS extensive if you're going about it the right way, and then each game's meta adds more layers to it. So that is the main reason why I feel like a lot of players here don't see the end result, due to lack of learning all of it (not being condescending at all, it took me like 4 years total to fully understand it all), as well as NRS games being the only FGs they play.
Rushdown characters don't NEED to be over +4. Zoners (actual zoners like Raven in INJ) don't NEED 50/50s. Footsie dominant characters as well, don't NEED 50/50s. Teleports shouldn't have a method to be made safe when it can grant a full combo on hit. Superior pokes should have some sort of penalty, such as being negative enough for an ACTUAL check. And the list can go on, but the main points I wanted to make are above.
Overall, lets try to NOT be the community that feels that without 50/50s, the character is dead. Without jailing pressure, there is no rushdown. Without 50/50 launchers, theres no way to open a player up. That because my superior footsie tool now makes it the opponent's turn, the character has no good tools ( BECAUSE it still isnt their turn).
Let's not be that face please.
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