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Kyrie Page · 2y

Favorite universal mechanic from fighting game you adore?

Throw teching, fuck SF2. Hmm. I wrote an article about CvS2's ratio system, so that's a boring answer. Let's talk Dragon Ball FighterZ.

My favorite system mechanic in DBFZ autocombo-only normals, which afaik were first used in Persona 4 Arena. The idea is simple- certain normals cannot be used manually, and only appear as part of an autocombo. Now, why is this good? Because it's a road to the big leagues for newbies.

Take a look at the autocombos from Guilty Gear Xrd's Stylish Mode. You hit buttons, fancy shit happens. In theory it's good for newbies. In reality, it's a trap. It's like learning a bad running form- it not only limits you, but it creates bad habits you have to work to remove. It's a dead end- there is no way to translate Stylish Mode execution skill into higher level play.

Now, if autocombos have unique moves, and some of them are quite good... well, look at that. Now you have a road to more advanced skill! The time you spent learning to fight with autocombos wasn't worthless- it'll take some work to translate, but it will serve you in your future! It's just a good idea.

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