It's not a gimmick, it's a way to improve match ups.

Improving match-ups by simply adding one or two moves? Please elaborate.

I could understand maybe Quan Chi's defense mechanisms or Kotal kahns totems, but thats just a few examples, but that still doesn't mean they couldn't have found a way to squash some things into one big moveset.

Like for Raiden's variation where his basic attacks are charged, couldn't they have made a move where he temporarily charges his basic attacks? Or a for grandmaster variation for Subby, just simply be able to throw the damn ice clone, why does that need its own variation?

Gimmick? Sure I would agree with that statement if the system is revealed as completely imbalanced and if NRS tossed it aside after MKX like the option to tag team from MK2011.

It's not a gimmick.

Create a fatality/fighter was a gimmick.

Oh that was terrible...

Well for me it was. I like it when characters have depth and creativity and that sort of killed it.

Had they invested the time and effort as well as not be on the brick of bankruptcy, I'm sure it would have been really awesome.

Unfortunately, they decided to toy with fate and tried to deliver something new into a game that was already planned to be disastrous from the start.

I TRIED to like it... I mean I'll put in some effort to like something I don't like but it's too hard to pretend to like that mess.

KAF would of been great if they had a larger variety of finishing moves

Or just moves that were more unique to the characters...

Yeah life is gimmick

Yeah it's MKX's gimmick. It's a new take on gameplay. If it sticks around, it's not a gimmick. But if it flops then yeah it was a gimmick.

A question for those who have actually played the game at an event: Did you notice if variations ONLY change special moves? Or do they also change things like normals, basic combo strings (the ones found in the characters' move list), and character movement speed?

I can see why NRS made the variations. It's something new (and, from interviews, it's said that Ed is big on novelty with each MK title), and it allows more flavor and mileage per character. If several different members of the team have different ideas for moves or designs for a character, they can implement them.

For those that say "why not have all the movesets combined?" Think about how many moves some of the characters have between variations.

Let's look at Quan Chi:

- Skull Toss (also done in air)
- Ground Rune (may have different range inputs like in MK9)
- Telestomp (may be adjusted by direction for potential fakeouts, like MK9)
- Trance
- Purple DoT Spell Circle
- Red Increased Block Damage Spell Circle
- Green One-Hit Armor Spell Circle
- Portal Grab
- Portal Throw
- Portal Kick
- Summon Bat
- Bat Bites
- Bat Fireball
- Low Bat Trip

That's 14 special moves. Now try developing a movelist made up of that AND a healthy swath of melee combos with no inputs overlapping and no unintended negative edge. And try balancing that massive toolkit against a full roster of other characters with just as many moves.

That's a bit unwieldy for a single character in a single stance/style. Zatanna from Injustice has 15 separate special moves (only counting one type of teleport), and 6 of them are in her hat stance. The variations allow the team to get more mileage per character, while still making them playable (and testable!) without much difficulty.

This.
Everybody hasn't played the game yet. The community as a whole cannot yet determine whether or not the Variation concept is a fail.

I think the variation system is legit it gives the person different abilities to add with there combos.

Same goes to those who think the new characters are already punching bags. We don't even know why they're here, only extremely vague descriptions and intros are all we're going on.

We can't judge something when we haven't played it. Not that many gets this.

Also, I agree with Jadedreign about those who would rather have everything combined in one. There were like, maybe three characters in 2011 that had over five specials... I couldn't remember all of their specials in one sitting. I rather have everything be split up than dealing with fourteen different specials.

I agree its legit from everything ive seen. Though no matter what ppl ITS A GIMMICK..... It being a good gimmick that works for the better or not is the question..... Idk if itll make it actually better than having just one moveset, but three variatuons flat and simple adds a shit load more matchups and that isnt a bad thing. From what i can tell its only a change in some special moves you have with each variation. However your chars norms and few specials will be apart of every variation. Its not three totally different movesets, its more subtle just changing some special moves which does enough to create different play styles with the variations and adds matchups. There is gonna be hundreds of matchups so for this to work it just has to be balanced.

"Being a gimmick" implies a sort of two-dimensional shallow but flashy mechanic when Variations look to be very meticulous and subject to some pretty intense balancing. So no, I wouldn't call it a gimmick.

I look at Variations as an experiment more than anything. Like how X-Rays were in MK9. If Variations are positively received, they'll probably return for future installments. If not, they'll get shoved under the rug and probably never return.

I like the idea of Variations though. Being able to play characters differently and diversify match-ups is a great idea to me.

Something as simple as adding plus frames on a blocked combo chain can completely change a match-up.

If the special move functions differently than those in another variation, then it alters the style of play. That's why they have to be delegated to different variations.


Squashing those moves into a unified set would have meant nerfing them. The original idea was to allow unique specials moves and strategies to be viable without breaking the characters. What's the point of combining all of Sub's variations if he can't whiff punish as well with cryomancer? Or perhaps defend as well with unbreakable? Variations allows players to choose a toolset that is most optimal for them based on their own style.

Think of it this way: MK9 sub essentially has all his main tools, and the end product is a character with great defense and mediocre offense. If I want to play Sub optimally in MK9, I can't rushdown 24/7. Variations allow for people to use Sub-Zero in a more offensive capacity if they want to. This style of diversity simply isn't possible without variations.

I would rather have all three in one like the 3D games.

I believe that most people will learn one variation and stick with it.

To Temp: While I commend your attempt to educate the simpletons on FG basic concepts and design, I believe that your words are wasted on these boards. Come to TYM, where an education like yours will be appreciated!

That's the one bummer about this forum is that half the community on here knows nothing about fighting games. I always go to TYM for gameplay discussions but MKO is great for story related topics

Say "hi" next time you're over at TYM. The name's "Swindle" over there.

TYM is great and actually gives me hope that MK(X) will be taken serious by the FGC

TYM, it's the only way to fly. I just come by here to get *excited for MKX with my friends IceBaby and jaime!!!!