Recently I keep seeing the topic of accessibility come up within the fighting game community. Players who are hardcore invested in the scene being turned off by the idea of simple mode control schemes, short cut input controls such as Street Fighter 4's, and lowering the threshold for things like teching throws.
Personally it seems like both a step in the right and the wrong direction. Yes fighting game developers definitely want to find ways to make their games which require a real degree of execution skill to be approachable and fun to newer and more casual players, but perhaps they are going at it the wrong way. I feel strongly that developers should always try to succeed in the best of both worlds. Marvel vs Capcom 3 includes a simple control scheme, but at the expense of being able to do everything someone using standard controls will have access to. I would have taken it a step further to just include an online mode specifically for simple control only match making and normal mode only.
A lot of us gamers do not want to see our games dumbed down to appeal for a new generation who just wants automatic rewards. The best example I could give is what if a game so skill, thought, and execution based as Starcraft 2 all of the sudden did build orders for you and all you had to worry about was moving units around. This would not only make the game a shell of its former self, but it would drastically cut into what makes the game so fun in the first place at a competitive level. To know you out played, out thought, and out executed your opponent is such a rewarding feeling and is the equal to winning say a Super Bowl in the NFL or a fighting heavy weight title in boxing.
Would boxing really be boxing anymore if one guy had simple mode "padded" armor on, or was allowed 5 free hits at the start of each round? When you think of it this way you see why this is such a no-no in the eyes of gamers who stick with fighting games throughout years. At the same time though we know we can't get fighting games if the developers can't make money from making them to merit sequels. It's a fine line they have to tread.
I'd also like to add there's more way to appeal to a casual gamer than simply letting them do easy mode combos or special moves. A lot of players now love seeing rewards in some form for their time spent with a game. Things like emblems, avatar pictures, titles, etc. Casual players are also more likely to trade a game in or stop playing it if the online component has issues, where the hardcore will complain but will ride it out. If more fighters could really fine tune net codes while making that carrot at the end of the stick really far out of reach with shiny unlocks then that'd help boost the games appeal in their minds. Couple that together with the idea of the simple mode controls having their own match making and we could maybe see a harmony of both hardcore and casual fighters really enjoying the same game with just a slight tweak in skill.
At the end of the day a game has to be fun to be enjoyed by gamers and hopefully developers won't sacrifice the hardcore gamers fun from skill for a few more sales from guys who won't stick with the game for even one-fifth of what the hardcore guy will.
Sound off on what you think in the comments below. Is there a way to come to a good co-existence? What is it and why ?
"Digital board games can be tons of fun, especially when they're cooperative. That's what's in store for Beacon Patrol from Assemble Entertainment. Based on the real-life board game by Torben Ratzlaff, Beacon Patrol has players work together to explore a map and create a network of coastal paths, all by placing tiles. It's a lot like Carcassonne and Kingdomino, but set on the high seas. The upcoming Steam version will support 4-player local co-op, and there's a single-player demo right now," says Co-Optimus.
Mario Kart World is some of the most fun you’ll have this year that offers a deep experience with the Switch 2’s launch.
Few games among the Nintendo Switch 2 launch line-up can match Cyberpunk 2077 in putting the system through its paces. It's a staple of our PC benchmarking suite for good reason: the open world design is a solid stressor for any CPU, while its effects-heavy battles challenge GPU resources as well. This Switch 2 release has clearly been a big undertaking for developer CD Projekt Red too, who produced the port in-house with unique optimisations for Switch 2's ARM-based architecture. It's also remarkably the Ultimate Edition of the game, with both the core adventure and the more taxing Phantom Liberty expansion bundled in - an extra portion that proved too demanding to justify a last-gen console release, and was instead restricted to PS5 and Series X/S, and yet here it is running on Switch 2.
To cut to the chase, Switch 2 offers a truly viable way to enjoy Cyberpunk, either in a portable format or docked under a TV. However, CDPR has shot for the stars in its ambition to include Phantom Liberty as well, and it's here that Switch 2 hits some technical limits - with frame-rates struggling as we explore its newer Dog Town region. Still, that aside, there's a lot to admire in the game's engineering for Nintendo's new console overall, and how competitive it is in comparison with other consoles.
I am happy for CDPR. Their hard work paid off because the Switch 2 version are always in the top 5 Switch 2 launch game sales.
This may be one of the weakest launch lineups Nintendo has ever had, with Mario Kart being the only first party game, but Cyberpunk 2077 will definitely give you tremendous value for your money.
One tip I can give people who have never played the game is to first read books from the cyberpunk subgenre. This will allow you to appreciate the story much better. If you find yourself asking which life path is the best to take at the start of the game, in this case it is Corpo, Streetkid, and Nomad. You likely don't know enough about the genre, and certain things will fly right over your head. While it is not mandatory, the game will be 10 times better if you read or listen to some books first.
Some books I have enjoyed in that genre are:
Cyber Dreams by Plum Parrot,
Stray Cat Strut by RavensDagger
Tower of Somnus by Cale Plamann
Mist Runner by Nicholas Searcy
If you can only read or listen to 1 book, then I recommend Cyber Dreams by Plum Parrot. It is the closest thing to Cyberpunk 2077.
DF are Nintendo's occasional bootlickers after that blatant Zelda games ad scandal.
Games like CP2077 are meant to be played on big console or powerful PC on a big screen.
Got to love how they're simp for full price purchase of 5-year-old game and still getting the worst version to play on.
I agree with your suggestions. I always thought I was pretty good at Street Fighter games, but with the new connectivity in the world I have been humbled countless times by players all over the world. If there were lobbies exclusively for different skill levels it would make online play much more enjoyable and allow for the player to have matches with people who are more of a match for them. It could be a progression, with players gaining access to the higher tiers as they win more while losing access to the lower tiers to prevent lopsided matches.
You discussed both issues that are causing me to rethink my purchase of MvC3. I have not played a fighter in a very long time, so I would very much appreciate it if the multiplayer community was divided based on skill. But I don't want the simple mode, either. I avoid using assists in games because they keep me from being as good as I could be. I do this in Gran Turismo 5; I turn off ALL assists and drive in manual.
You also talked about networking. Latency is the biggest reason I sometimes rage quit out of matches. It's not any fun to lose for reasons beyond my control. It just means repeated, pointless failures. I might get MvC3 when the price drops, but for now, I'm going to be cautious. I don't want to get raped due to bad connections or because I was matched up with a pro and his fight stick.
just pwn the easy mode opponents. theyre obviously using easy mode becuz they themselves dont kno how to play.