What makes a good fighting game ...

[HyperVoiceActing]

I've been on something of a fighting game binge as of late. Not only playing MUGEN and MvC3 but staying up to date on details about upcoming fighters like SFxT. But something that kinda bothers me is that while some games get some things right, they get some things REALLY wrong (not gonna name names but you probably know what I mean)

What I'm getting at is what do you guys think would make a good fighting game? I've been pondering a lot of things as far as features and modes and I wanted to share those thoughts and maybe see what you guys think about this issue.

OFFLINE MODE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:
*Story Mode to have good and interesting narrative
*Arcade Mode with good character intros and endings
*Training Mode that helps newcomers get into the game
*Mission Mode with character unique missions
*Watch Mode (watching CPU chars battle)
*Rigged Matches (win a match under certain conditions)
*Co-Op in both Arcade Mode and regular matches
*In-game store to buy unlockable characters, concept art, and tracks

ONLINE MODE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:
*Good netcode
*Good connectivity
*Emblems to show whether someone has good connectivity
*Spectator mode
*Betting while spectating matches
*Tournament Mode
*Online Rigged Matches
*Topple The King Mode (Fight your way up to the top position and defend your spot)

So what say you my fellow gamers?

[ExeLord]

Yeah, if you talking about those aspects - yes, pretty much it. I'm agreeing with need of all that stuff. But I'd entered for On-line Mode one more point - no paid stuff that give advantages - costumes, taunts, different fx, new music, etc. are good and cool, but if someone have character, moveset, buffs that you can't use it sucks.
Other important thing - some mechanism to break out of infinites. Be it ability to break it after certain hits(Skull Girls) or running out of stamina (MK), or forcefull break of combo after certain hits, or ability to swich characters with few seconds of immunity, or other way - doesn't matter every way is better then having potential to never lend a hit.

[HyperVoiceActing]

The stamia idea sounds interesting. Care to explain in detail how that would work?

Also would you say if a fighting game has a story mode, would it be redundant or whatever to have an Arcade Mode as well?

[BigJ]

Besides what you said:

-Combos
-As much balance as possible
-Palette Editor (Like CvS2)
-Being able to break out of combos by using a bit of your special meter (Like Mega Crash in TvC)

[Silva-silva]

The stamia idea sounds interesting. Care to explain in detail how that would work?

Also would you say if a fighting game has a story mode, would it be redundant or whatever to have an Arcade Mode as well?

No, play soul calibur 5 and you'll see what I mean. Not all the characters could have been featured in the story and the ones that didnt have enough depth to there role.. so yeah arcaade mode with story endings.

And for the gaurd also play sc5, youed have a stamina bar (kinda like the stun meter in sf3) and when it gets full the next hit (only heavy hitting attacks sc5) breaks your gaurd.

[SanjiSasuke]

Arcade/Story Mode separation is shown in MK as well. Very different, actually.

[DEMONKAI]

Yeh the story mode and arcade mode should be clearly different like how those Last GGX games were. Different in a dramatic way should say.

As far as DLC chars go..ever since the whole MVC3 bit and knowing those chars shuma & Jill were already on the disc but just locked soured my taste on the idea having DLC chars to "buy". Im oldschool and proud of it. i have no problem putting my skills to the test in trying to beat a fighting game without losing or beating a game under certain conditions like finish off 8 chars with a super etc etc to unlock a certain character. Win 10 matches straight or when that particular character you are using hidden Rival pops up you have defeat him or her without losing or beat them with a super. sh*t like that. some folks cry about that but those are the kind of fighting games i grew up on. I loved doing that in SF3 3rd stike on DC unlocking Akuma Or Facing Shin M bison in SFA3. I rather face a challenge of a hidden character to beat and unlock than having to buy them since they are already on the Disc. Example: Iori Original flames is already unlockable i KOF 13 under certain conditions met (which isnt hard at all) but then again hes buyable as  DLC which i feel is a waste of money.

To me unlocking chars by playing and not by purchase makes it fun and a good replay value. Some fighting games just are good to play human folks and some are just lame to play human folks online because of the netcode and just enjoyable to play against the CPU at times. Then theres fighting games where both modes are on point.

The DLC mania is out of hand now with fighting games. especially since we all know now that most of the time those locked features are ALREADY on the disc and you are spending an extra 10 or 5 bucks just to have it.

- great Netcode
-A good number of characters to choose from
-Watch mode either online versus or Cpu Vs Cpu
-Great CPU AI (not cheap but a challenge)
-Unlockable characters through play and not purchase. If there is a DLC char to buy let it be a true unlock thats not on
Disc and its all Memory. Lets face it folks we all unlocked tons of characters in tekken or other games at some point way before XBL & PSN came about and we never had to spend a dime just to get em.

-Combos and speed is a must
-Less bugs as possible
-Graphics have to be on point
-A great number of moves and a nice number of supers for each character
-A practice mode
- A decent Options mode. Can turn off the time or certain conditions that others may not want on. Example. SF X T should have an option to have the Gem feature off for casual play perhaps.

-You can record matches and replay them online as an option
-A great story mode and a cool Arcade mode with a huge difference. Both have unlockable features after beaten
&
Lastly, a hot soundtrack. Some Folks may not think so but good music supports a game a lot and it adds to the atmosphere just like
the stages you are fighting on.

[Space (DCL)]

*ahem*...i think you may have forgotten...

(click to show/hide)

Survival Mode

[BigJ]

*ahem*...i think you may have forgotten...

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Survival Mode

Hey, you're right!

[DEMONKAI]

*ahem*...i think you may have forgotten...

(click to show/hide)

Survival Mode

ah true true^^

[HyperVoiceActing]

*ahem*...i think you may have forgotten...

(click to show/hide)

Survival Mode

How could I have forgotten that.

Also I think some people got confused with something I said, I never mentioned DLC. When I said store to buy chars, I meant in-game store, like MK9 had

[SanjiSasuke]

I haven't played a game with survival in a long while...


I really do miss unlocking characters. DK got it, dead on. Spending literally 24 hours straight unlocking characters in Tekken. At least MK had you unlock two characters. I think the only 2 games that had me unlock a good number of characters in the last few years are SSBB and SFIV. In games where everybody is there, it is sort of good being able to use them right off, but it is fun having to push yourself to crush Seth with every single character, even the ones you are terrible with.

[Slivern]

At this point IMT could make its own fighting game . This time though you'd probably use a different engine that isn't MUGEN.

[Tha Lando ( Le CROM )]

well what do i think what would make a good fighting game? dependfs on what kind of fighting game it is.  I am a long standing fighting gamer, its pretty much all i ever buy. .  I play both 2D and 3d fighting games. in a 2D game, yeah pretty much what everyone has listed can work long as its balanced enough to make it a decent fighter. plus, HR man, these days i need HR for my money.

Now we get to 3D fighters. i think the best fighting games that has presented themselves for 3D are Virtua Fighter 5 and DOA4 ( with DOA5 on the come up) .  A cool combination using both games mechanics in a single game would be the best 3D game made ever. I like bare knuckle brawlers with realistic move sets based on real martial arts  as well as SC games .  With everyone having different wants and needs for their fighting game experience to get that fighting thrill will always differ .

All round in all fighting games i would want and look for are:
beautiful stages
Good graphics
responsive controls
nice soundtrack that fits the stages and flow of the fights
Hit sounds
Story mode with a cool storyline or plot
a verstile and robust create a character feature
great movesets
counters
flashy fx in some fighting games
nice combo chaining ( soley in 2D fighters)
Good online presentation and connection
nice size character roster ( depending on the game)
 

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OH and sexy girls! must have sexy girls!

[Acey]

Any game needs to be an experience. The user needs to feel like they're going from point A to point Z in their capabilities and in the story. In developing Portal 2 the designers at Value stated, "we wanted to make it just difficult enough that you feel smart when you finish the level." and it's the exact same with fighting games, you want a good match but one that you can win.

[G.P.O.A - GatlingPunchRalf]

I think the most important part of a fighting game is making each character drastically different from each other. For example, "Shoto-clones" are going to make for bland gameplay. If you have too many characters who are too similar, people are going to just stick to characters that are similar instead of finding that one play style that fits them. Garou did a wonderful job with that. None of the characters shared anything similar as far as gameplay went, and each one made you play differently and modify your style when you switch to someone else.
(Also, I'm a radical, so I believe that projectiles are vastly unnecessary, so they should be few and far between or extremely easy to dodge [IE Devil Jin's lasers].)

[novasod]

Fighing games should be about skill. They should also be enjoyable, yes, but they should also make you feel like you have to know what you're doing. A large part of the reason I don't like the MvC series is because it's far too crazy, and with easy-peaser Chain-to-Launcher-to-Ender combo's that every character, and every player, can do very easily. At least in games such Rival Schools, you can't chain into a Launcher, and have to use it on it's own.

However, a game can go too far to the other spectrum. SFIII:3S required such  a level of skill that there's an enormous skill gap, and it can take so long to even get to a half-decent level. My stance is that while fighting games should require skill, and knowing what you're doing, they still need to be enjoyable, and making a game that that's too skillfull, as in it requires such dedication that you can't have much of a life, is just detrimental to enjoyability. There needs to be a middle ground, and I think games such as SF and KoF provide that excellently.