SoulCast Episode #3: Hates

[Signia]

I feel like very few people have any perspective on how the game can potentially be played, since for some reason few people are making use of Just Guard. I'm not sure what this "rock em sock em robots" thing is all about, but I'm not bothered by the backdash nerf. In fact, going back to it at the World Finals, playing IFB, Toilet, and Keev in some unpatched matches, I couldn't stand how braindead easy it was to space safely.

Anyway, about JG... using it a lot will destroy attempts to attack predictably (immediately out of hit/blockstun). Discouraging continuous attacks then opens up your movement. If they're not attacking right away at advantage, they're not catching step or back step.

 

[xiang]

It has a lot to do with an old-school mentality of being able to move safely. Now, any sort of movement is a heavy risk. JG is very useful, and I agree that we have yet to see anyone use it to its full potential, but JG still has its own risks associated with it. That being said, the overall pace at which players exchange attacks is a lot faster in SCV than in a lot of other games because of this, which is where the "rock em sock em robots" expression comes into play.

Even if JG becomes more prominent, you're not going to see people moving around more, you're just going to see people delay their attacks slighly, or grab more, or aim at a different section of the body, or anything other than moving. It's a different concept than what some players are used to, especially Tekken players to which we were momentarily referring.

 

[Dr. Hates]

Xiang basically has the right of it. When I'm critical of elements within the new system, people generally retort with something in the vein of balance. I actually don't feel as though I'm qualified to comment in terms of balance because the game is still so very new.

I am, however, qualified to comment on what I personally find to be a fun play experience. This system could be the most balanced thing ever in existence, but, at least thus far, I have more fun in a position-heavy game than I do in a jG-heavy game, and really that's all it comes down to. It's hardly empirical, but I don't think that subjective notions of fun should be excluded from discussion of a game. ;)

 

[Xeph]

I feel like very few people have any perspective on how the game can potentially be played, since for some reason few people are making use of Just Guard. I'm not sure what this "rock em sock em robots" thing is all about, but I'm not bothered by the backdash nerf.

It's hard to believe nerfing movement (to -20) doesn't cripple your former play style/habits. I for one was impacted heavily by this for the first week or so. Hell, I'm still breaking "bad habits" in my movement, and adjusting to how I go about spacing or ring positioning. I'm also finding I'm reduced, a lot of the time, to sit and guard. That would explain the, "Rock 'em sock 'em robot-type play."

As Xiang mentioned, a lot of players are so accustomed to safe movement, and building a play style around pre-patch type movement. I never played any Soul Calibur on a competitive level until SCIV (Where movement was safe) and, as mentioned above, am still adjusting to this new game. I can't even imagine how hard it is to transfer over for the veterans, considering they have 10+ years of "bad habits" to break down.

However, this community hubs the best of the best; it's only a matter of time until this community exposes how to play this game. Remember, this game is very new still.

Anyway, about JG... using it a lot will destroy attempts to attack predictably (immediately out of hit/blockstun). Discouraging continuous attacks then opens up your movement. If they're not attacking right away at advantage, they're not catching step or back step.

Problem with this is it's pure theory. Baiting/predicting JG is just as effective as JGing. Point is, movement in the past was safe and now it's not. JGing has little correlation to how to move post-patch.

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I am, however, qualified to comment on what I personally find to be a fun play experience. This system could be the most balanced thing ever in existence, but, at least thus far, I have more fun in a position-heavy game than I do in a jG-heavy game, and really that's all it comes down to. It's hardly empirical, but I don't think that subjective notions of fun should be excluded from discussion of a game. ;)

Not being able to move/position myself compared to pre-patch does take a little fun out of the game. We've talked about this in person via NCR, and you hit the nail on the head with your explanation of post patch movement. Basically, it's now better to guard than to implement strategic movement. Not being able to explore the wonders of movement/ring position/whiff baiting/or just simply not standing still, is boring and, "quite Frankly, not Soul Calibur."

however, this being said, I enjoy my step/backdash-killers actually working. I think it adds depth in it's own way, where now it takes more thought on how to go about moving. The problem is the nerf towards movement was too incredible. -20 is too great of a nerf, and that needs to be fixed.

 

[xiang]

It'll be interesting to see if Namco actually takes that back and makes back and forward movement more safe in another patch considering that (AFAIK) no one mentioned any problems about movement being too safe pre-patch, so what was their impetus to nerf it in the first place? I think they'll keep it as it is because so many new players enjoy the mashing style that such movement nerfs make possible (and make good, in certain circumstances), while competitive players will just see it as a constant in-your-face guessing game.