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casual players, what do you want in your fighting games?

H

Hutchie

Member
Given the outcry at a certain fighting game released this year and the numerous topics regarding this, i though it would be a good idea to see what casuals would want in terms of content and overall package (i.e. no of characters etc) and if you are anti re-releases. In respect of my background, im not a tournament level player but feel i am competitive (have no problems playing others in arcades or online) and have spent more money on fighting games than any other genre so i dont think i would classed as casual. I could literally live with the bare bones.

In terms of content im guessing that an arcade mode, substantial story mode are required but anything else that would guarantee your purchase? Is good online vital for you? Unlockables, or evrything unlocked at the start? Do you feel fighting games due to their nature should be cheaper than other games?

What about number of characters? Would say 16 completely individual characters be enough or would you seek over 20 with some who are similar?

I made this topic as there are fighting games that have been released this year with a lot more content than the certain heavily criticised game that havent sold as well so would like to hear your thoughts.

Mods- hadouken me if this is old or unnecessary
 
I'm the definition of a casual fighting fan.

I want a good tutorial, a challenge mode (do x combo kinda deal), an arcade mode, and good online. Everything else is whatever.
 
Proper tutorials, better ways to practice fighting, combos etc, maybe like mentioned above a challenge mode that allows you to practice things.

Most fighting games are completely impenetrable for anyone not already well versed in the genre.
 
Decent amount of single player modes, some to teach advanced mechanics, some to make for fun distractions

A competent and comprehensive tutorial

Offline and online tournament modes (separate, obviously)

Good netcode for online play
 
Accurate skill based matchmaking.
A challenge mode that teaches practical combos.
Drills that teach game mechanics.
 
I'm massively superficial in my fighting games. I want a character creator, I want unlocks for days, and maybe interesting character moment's before a fight starts.
 
Killer_Instinct_Logo.png

Fighting games should strive to have the breadth of content and tutorials as this game.
 
Single player content and a tutorial mode that actually makes fucking sense. These two reasons alone are why Netherrealm's games have been able to get some pretty respectable sales.
 
I am not sure how fighting games would go about simplifying the controls without alienating the hardcore crowd but that is what they need to do. Essentially they need their version of Overwatch. Simple and easy to play but hard to master.
 
I want a ton of single player content, like Smash Bros or Soul Calibur 2 levels of stuff. Just fights against the CPU with weird modifiers and maybe some unplayable boss characters (I still remember the big statue fights in SCII) .

I want a decent amount of balance for low level play. Just enough so that there isn't one piss easy to use character that dominates when nobody knows what they're doing. When patching the game, the devs should know that not everyone plays at a high level with all of the tools in a character's kit.

I want kick-ass online. Minimum lag and tons of options. I very rarely play people in-person, so having solid online is a must.

I want some kind of unlockables. Maybe not characters, but something. Skins, stages, icons, artwork, music, something to make me feel like I'm progressing when I play single player or get my ass kicked online.

If the roster is on the small side, I don't want any characters to have even remotely similar movesets. Make everyone unique, and then when the roster gets bigger through post-launch content, then you can add in the shotos and the space animals.

I want, if not easier inputs for specials and supers, an easy operation mode for SUPER casual players. I'll get good enough to do specials and supers, but a lot of people just want to do flashy stuff while getting drunk with their friends and won't play regularly.
 
Kill3r7 said:
I am not sure how fighting games would go about simplifying the controls without alienating the hardcore crowd but that is what they need to do. Essentially they need their version of Overwatch. Simple and easy to play but hard to master.
Click to expand...

Could we say that Smash is the Overwatch of fighting games?
 
Turn something like the ability mechanics of DOTA 2 into a 3D arena fighting game, with the dodging of Smash. I wanna think about combos and interactions, side-stepping and quick thinking, plus have the freedom to move around. Just keep it locked camera.
 
I don't like games big on parrying/reversing or super complex combos.

Gameplay-wise, SamSho 2 and SF2 are my favorite fighting games. They're more slow and deliberate than most today.

I also really prefer 2D sprite-based fighting games to 3D modeled fighters. They have more character and a different feel, I think.
 
More than 30 characters that I don't have to "earn" or pay for(I already paid $60, why should I pay more to get the rest of your unfinished game?), and pretty much everything Netherrealm and Arcsys are doing.
Not even joking. Just shamelessly copy them. They know what they're doing.
That means an entertaining lengthy story mode with an interesting storyline and decent cutscenes, extensive tutorials that are more than, "here's a bunch of button combinations, now do it." Actually teach people how to play the game.
Tons of FREE unlockables. Costumes/customization items, stages, music, artwork, etc. All free.
Something like World Tour Mode from SFA3 or Heroes & Heralds from UMvC3 where you can tweak gameplay by collecting modifiers.
Virtua Fighter 4's Quest Mode is also something id like to see again.
You know, fun stuff that keeps you playing.
 
Things that I like were mostly ones that were in Tekken 3 but there are some more that I personally want.

The plethora of mini games present there was amazing. The beat em up, bowling etc. SFV story mode where there are lots of scenes and tutorial like challenges that comes in levels where it gets harder and harder but not in a big way so you can transition and learn slowly but surely.
 
Hutchie said:
In terms of content im guessing that an arcade mode, substantial story mode are required
Click to expand...

I find story modes a bit silly, but yes, a challenging arcade mode is a must.

Hutchie said:
Is good online vital for you?
Click to expand...

No. I rarely play online.

Hutchie said:
Unlockables, or evrything unlocked at the start?
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Unlockables because 1) they keep me motivated and 2) I find it easier to learn the basics when there are fewer options available. I love Super Smash Bros, but it was really intimidating when I saw all those characters right from the start.

Hutchie said:
Do you feel fighting games due to their nature should be cheaper than other games?
Click to expand...

No.

Hutchie said:
What about number of characters? Would say 16 completely individual characters be enough or would you seek over 20 with some who are similar?
Click to expand...

16 characters is the sweet spot for me.
 
More of a focus on playing mind games, reading the opponent and getting in and out of attack range plus timing your blocks/attacks as opposed to performing combos...
 
More single player modes. Super Smash for Wii U is like the apex fighting game for casuals

Also don't need too many characters, even the original smash with 12 characters is still very fun to play. Very little to no dlc because personally I'm not paying for any dlc characters. I'm content with original cast in smash for wii u
 
Shortcuts for casual friendly players, allowing to do special move with one or two keys. Rival Schools let you used burning vigor attacks with LB/RB, Soul Blade, Tekken 3, had cool shortcuts too. I enjoyed mk9 more than mk 10 because i found special moves easier to perform.

A story mode. A practice mode. And an online multiplayer mode with little to no lag, a staff doing its job to prevent cheating of course. As i would ask for any game, as few dlc as possible.
 
Played the tekken series, soul calibur, virtua fighter series and naruto ultimate ninja storm series

I love the naruto games,but mostly because I really enjoyed the anime. Would love a re-release of storm 1-3 games on ps4 to replay the story. So yeah thats me as a casual

Altough were quite serious about competitve MP on ultimate ninja storm 2. I had a blast and I hold it as one of my favorit gamla ng experiences. Perhaps its an genre I actually enjoy, guess I should give SF5 a chance. Too bad I know nothing about the lore and series
 
Navid said:
More of a focus on playing mind games, reading the opponent and getting in and out of attack range plus timing your blocks/attacks as opposed to performing combos...
Click to expand...

This too, please. Learning combos usually demands lots of boring training sessions that make me feel like a machine.
 
Roxkis said:
Accurate skill based matchmaking.
A challenge mode that teaches practical combos.
Drills that teach game mechanics.
Click to expand...


Yup. Online matches always end up being a dlaughter because I can never learn all the moves... I fave up on fighting ganes a long time ago because of this..
 
fireflame said:
Shortcuts for casual friendly players, allowing to do special move with one or two keys. Rival Schools let you used burning vigor attacks with LB/RB, Soul Blade, Tekken 3, had cool shortcuts too. I enjoyed mk9 more than mk 10 because i found special moves easier to perform.

A story mode. A practice mode. And an online multiplayer mode with little to no lag, a staff doing its job to prevent cheating of course. As i would ask for any game, as few dlc as possible.
Click to expand...
The first bolded part is basically Rising Thunder. As for the other bolded point, you don't want long-term support for fighting games?
 
Orakio Rob said:
This too, please. Learning combos usually demands lots of boring training sessions that make me feel like a machine.
Click to expand...

SFV is not really combo intensive at all. You can get by without combos and just use normals to win matches, if you have good enough game sense.

Also, I wouldn't consider myself a casual fighting game player, but I need good netcode in a fighting game, otherwise I will barely play the game.
 
Personally, I'd like a fighting games with metas that are not contingent upon difficult to execute movesets. I know most of the FGC would disagree with me but when a game is built around difficult to master moves and combinations, which becoming proficient at are the core of the game, the barrier of entry to become decent walls off all but the most dedicated.

I believe games with simpler to execute combos and movesets can be made that are easy to pull off but difficult to time and master. It is frustrating to play a game and you know what you want to do, but didn't execute half-circle back then forward while holding light punch and jumping as soon as you push forward then letting go of LP but push DF and K, or timing on a special has to be so insanely precise you can't even do it in practice mode, etc.
 
I'd also like to see something like Bushido blade again, a slower, more measured and tactical kind of fighting game.
 
4-6 hours of fully voiced action packed cutscenes rendered with cutting edge realtime celshaded 3D, divided into anime episode like chapters.
 
MKX/L, Killer Instinct, and Smash Bros do it right. Great single player with excellent replay value. I don't do multiplayer so that's what I look for.
 
Cooperative simultaneous modes, so I can play With people inexperienced in the genre intead of Against them and make it less fun for one of us.
 
I'm a casual fighting game player to the max and the games I point to are always BlazBlue, the Naruto games and Guilty Gear.

Arcade Mode
A Story Mode that fells like effort was put into it
A robust tutorial to explain the systems and individual characters
(BlazBlue takes the cake here since they have the characters talking to you and interacting with other characters to keeps things fun and interesting)
Challenge Mode
A Couple extra modes that may be franchise specific
Online MP obviously
 
Pygrus said:
SFV is not really combo intensive at all. You can get by without combos and just use normals to win matches, if you have good enough game sense.
Click to expand...

I (regrettably) bought Street Fighter V and, after 33 frustrating hours, I can tell you that (at least for a casual like me) combos make a big difference online. I felt like I was playing Street Fighter II (I was pretty good at it) and my opponents were playing Street Fighter V, and my SFII skills were absolutely crushed every single time :(

It's not a problem for the single player modes, but they suck anyway :(
 
I am beyond casual, but enjoy them. The only one I got into was the Naruto Shippudden series on Gamecube. All characters had simple, similar inputs, with just enough variations to make them unique. Anyone felt "pick up and play" where you could do everything, but there was still a "master the character aspect" to the game.

I would love a game like this to come out, any theme, with online. Id be on that in a heartbeat. Loved going to local gameshops and busting the Itachis and 5 tail Narutos of the world with my Gaara!

I like SF, Tekken, Soul Caliber, etc., but Im simply not good enough, nor have the time and patience to get good enough. I actually got decent at the UFC games at one point (if those coubt) but the issue there is was that those were NOT pick up and play friendly. I didnt want friends taking a 2 hour workshop to get decent at all the systems at play, so the game quickly fell out of rotation.
 
$60 worth of PvE content. Subspace Emissary is my favorite feature across all versions of Smash. I loved it because it had actual levels with platforming and stuff in them, rather than just being a series of 1v1 Final Destination fights against AI fighters like other fighting games' story modes are. (You can already see at this point that fighting games just aren't for me. lol I'm willing to accept that.)
A good tutorial, which includes special training unique to each character that explains what's unique about them.
Cool looking characters. Bonus points for non-human characters, because those automatically look cooler to me.
The ability to do moves without having to enter the Konami Code's worth of button presses -- with frame-perfect timing -- per-move. (I know this is hyperbole, but this is the perception that I have.)
Unlockables that I unlock through playing the game rather than buying them would be nice for a change. (And I don't mean "as you play you unlock currency and then once you save a bajillion currency you can buy them with that," I mean "you beat X AI on hard/you beat 500 players online/you beat the story mode with X character, have a skin for that character". Props again to Smash Brothers and how you unlock its characters. Like that, but with skins and stuff too.)

After Smash Brothers, Killer Instinct is the closest to what I want, I suppose.
 
Orakio Rob said:
I (regrettably) bought Street Fighter V and, after 33 frustrating hours, I can tell you that (at least for a casual like me) combos make a big difference online. I felt like I was playing Street Fighter II (I was pretty good at it) and my opponents were playing Street Fighter V, and my SFII skills were absolutely crushed every single time :(

It's not a problem for the single player modes, but they suck anyway :(
Click to expand...

You didnt use combos when playing sfii? So are you saying that you want fighting games that are less combo dependant? If so i think you are going to struggle with that one
 
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