What does matter in a MUGEN character?

[c001357]

An attempt at clearing up some misconceptions in how characters are rated.

Balance. I define a balanced fighting game as a game with distinct characters, with more or less equal chances of winning, based on detailed analysis. From this, we can see that balance in MUGEN is only possible in closed games.
For characters to be named "broken, cheap, overpowered", there must be a standard*, and even then it is debatable.

Accuracy is the perfect emulation of a character's data from the original game it is from. While this is appreciated and encouraged, the coder can be given liberties.

Sounds and graphics are the least important parts of a character.

How a character plays is in its coding. Therefore, apparent flaws such as infinites, difficulty of execution, etc. are not violations of balance or accuracy, but coding errors.

*and no, its not kung fu man

[O Ilusionista]

Balance - Mugen isn't about balance, is about different styles. So, some chars could be unbalanced when facing some chars, but not when facing other chars on the same style. But, for sure, the creator can't not make a "all loose" progamation just for fun.

Accuracy is where the the creator have MOST of the liberty. He isn't obligated to do a FULL STRAIGHT CONVERSION, in every aspect. Personally, I hate that kind of conversions.

Sounds and graphics are the least important parts of a character

I do not agree. Graphics have a important role on a character. But, sure, you can't take a crap char and put OMFG graphics and think that is good...because its not. On this example, you can put almost EVERY DBZ CHAR, with 2 or 3 exceptions.

[AceWonder20]

Sounds and graphics are the least important parts of a character.

How can u say that when u just said accuracy was important.  A char cant be accurate to the game its from if it doesnt have the sounds and graphics it has in that game.  And accuracy isnt really important.  Some chars are original.  Plus chars need sounds.  A char is incomplete without sounds.

[O Ilusionista]

A char is incomplete without sounds.

Sounds or voices? I had saw some wondeful chars...which doesn't have voices

[AceWonder20]

Sounds or voices? I had saw some wondeful chars...which doesn't have voices

Sounds like punch, kick, and projectile sounds.  U dont need voices all the time.

[O Ilusionista]

Sounds like punch, kick, and projectile sounds.

now I agree.

[Acey]

Sounds and graphics are the least important parts of a character.

Wow, that is a huge misstatement in my book. I guess a 3 sprite abomination doesn't matter as long as he plays well... 

[MirageAtoli]

Trying to create objective criteria, for something subjectively based seems counter-intuitive, even though taste is also a sociological phenomena.

Regardless of what labels are being applied, the end-user has to decide what he likes based on his preferences.

Wow, that is a huge misstatement in my book. I guess a 3 sprite abomination doesn't matter as long as he plays well... 

It shouldn't be the main feature of gameplay. I like Team Ninja's philosophy where everyone wants to play a great game, but don't want to play as characters that aren't pleasing to look at.

[c001357]

Trying to create objective criteria, for something subjectively based seems counter-intuitive, even though taste is also a sociological phenomena.

This is why I assigned coding to be the main factor in a character.

[MirageAtoli]

This is why I assigned coding to be the main factor in a character.

Assigning something as a main factor is pointless, if done for the sake of neglecting another facet of gameplay.

The most important feature of any type of game, I would argue is a sensitivity to gameplay and creating a user-experience. Appearance is important, but video-games are interactive in the sense that they are being played.

Both the behavioral and visceral components of gameplay are important, and I'm not sure if they should be separated or discussed separately.

[DARKTALBAIN]

An attempt at clearing up some misconceptions in how characters are rated.

Balance. I define a balanced fighting game as a game with distinct characters, with more or less equal chances of winning, based on detailed analysis. From this, we can see that balance in MUGEN is only possible in closed games.
For characters to be named "broken, cheap, overpowered", there must be a standard*, and even then it is debatable.

I don't believe balance is important . Like O' said mugen is such a mix . One character could be totally balanced , but when fighting another certain character he will look totally unbalanced . The only thing I do not like are characters like the Pacifier , or some of the DBZ characters that are just totally unbeatable . That's not fun to me 

Accuracy is the perfect emulation of a character's data from the original game it is from. While this is appreciated and encouraged, the coder can be given liberties.

I like accuracy to a point , but with added moves & improvements

Sounds and graphics are the least important parts of a character.

I love the voices of the characters & announcers . When I have my buddies over to play mugen we all like to yell out battle cries with our characters . Finaaaaaaaaaal Justice !!! 

Once again I am into the graphics & animations . There are characters that play well but look terrible . I really just can't use them . Like that stick guy character . he's coded well , but he's a stick figure   

How a character plays is in its coding. Therefore, apparent flaws such as infinites, difficulty of execution, etc. are not violations of balance or accuracy, but coding errors.

To sum it up if someone is trying to make a good character , everything is important .

BTW , Hi KFM . 

[JDubbs]

whether or not they can fight an if it will be interesting 90% of the time when they are in battle. also if the moves are entertaining to watch and/or effective

[SPOOKY77]

If something had to be missing I would guess it needed to be sounds 

[c001357]

Assigning something as a main factor is pointless, if done for the sake of neglecting another facet of gameplay.

The most important feature of any type of game, I would argue is a sensitivity to gameplay and creating a user-experience. Appearance is important, but video-games are interactive in the sense that they are being played.

Both the behavioral and visceral components of gameplay are important, and I'm not sure if they should be separated or discussed separately.

Gameplay is a stupid word. "theyre going to gunshoot me in the back but i dont care down with big brother"

[MirageAtoli]

Gameplay is a stupid word.

Howso?

"theyre going to gunshoot me in the back but i dont care down with big brother"

You lost me here. Care to elaborate.

[.:K.I.N.G:.]

i think its much more simple than that, imo it's about how actually good the character plays, looks and sounds.

mugen is a free style so it isn't about accuracy,
accuracy is when you make something according to a specific game play style made before, which means copying or simulating a specific game play, accuracy is only good when are making a full game and not when you are just adding characters to screenpacks.
same goes for balance, this is for full games as well.

graphic and sound alone don't make a good character, i mean you can add graphics or change sparks for the badly made character and still it wont make any difference.

as for bugs and coding errors they can be corrected and updated so these don't make a bad character.
you may find bugs by spending time playing with the characters and encountering errors and flaws.

i mean as soon as you dl the character and try it out you'll know if it's any good or just sucks, it shows and you wont go searching for inaccuracy or bugs to know this.

[DARKTALBAIN]

i think its much more simple than that, imo it's about how actually good the character plays, looks and sounds.

i mean as soon as you dl the character and try it out you'll know if it's any good or just sucks, it shows and you wont go searching for inaccuracy or bugs to know this.

So true , I think the answer to all this is JUST MAKE COOL SH*T !   

[shootYr.]

So true , I think the answer to all this is JUST MAKE COOL SH*T !   

But Then Again The Question Becomes, "What Is Cool SH*T?"

[O Ilusionista]

Gameplay is a stupid word. "theyre going to gunshoot me in the back but i dont care down with big brother"

Oh really, so could you explain it more to us?

I know that you're here to help...but please: do not follow that so-called-mugen-elite-of-the-world-that-are-old-retired-guys-now style. On the past, I saw many creators flammed just because their chars have "errors" here and there.

For example, I was flammed many times about my superjump code, because "it doesn't allow you to change your direction on the air". That is bulls***, because DO let you change the direction on the air.

The most funny thing is: is the SAME code of an old retired (and well known and friend of they) creator. BUT he wans't flamme, just me.

Why? Because:

1 - I'm a "f**k brazillian", and some retards think that we have animals running on the streets, we all live on jungles like Tarzan, eating bananas. And we brazilians doesn't know crap about codes and everything we do are crap.

the main reasons to that ideas are:

a) some old stupid kids, on the past, had stolen a lot of content. But, if ONE guy does crap, EVERY COUNTRY must pay....really fair. As MugenBR moderator (now Admin), I've kicked, if I'm not wrong, 30 or more kids from the forum. Why we must pay for those guys?

b) some "creators" loved to make that CRAP DBZ chars...all overpowered, bad coded, with terrible sprites...but their creator thinks that they are THE MOST BEST CHAR EVA!. This is why I hate DBZ chars...almost 98% of them are PURE CRAP.

2) We can do anything right, because we all are monkeys dudes. On Mugen Wiki http://www.mugen-wiki.org you will see some style of "gameplay". There are a style called "brazillian MVC", that is "broken, because everything cancels in everything". Come one, if we like that way, you don't need to calls it "broken". Its just our way to see it.

3) ENVY of some of us to be BETTER than they. You can take MEE and Fighter Factory for example: MEE was a good tool to make mugen stuff, but Fighter Factory is way better and complete now. BUT some people still resist to use it, saying that is "brazilian bulls***". I had saw this even on this forum...even more on "other" foruns...

What drives their really crazy is that we got somethings and improve it. Some examples:

- Mugen tools (fighter factory)
- Mugen stages (I was one of the first guy to make play with some "do not change it" values of the stages)
- Martial Arts (the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is more complex and flexible).

Even the first ariplane was made by a Brazilian guy (Santos Dumont), and it was already proved (SD done it in 1901, publically, while the others done it in 1903). But some contries insist in tell the oposite (check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Santos-Dumont)

*takes a breath*

After that, I just that you provid some solid info before say something is "stupid". Stupid for WHO? Where?

Just because 10 people believes in one thing, it won't be the truth. I often say "there isn't a Universal Truth. The only Universal Truth is that there ins't a Universal Truth".

Keep it in mind.

[c001357]

You lost me here. Care to elaborate.

Do you bookread? Foodeat?

[MirageAtoli]

Do you bookread? Foodeat?

Wait. Is that a reference to 1984? That's just a pure semantics issue then.

There has to be a reward given on an incentive-based reward system.

A good game has to create an experience worth playing that envelopes your senses and takes all of this concentration. If a game can create an environment where you are no longer paying attention to minor flaws and graphics (and possibly your surrounding) because you have to punch the bad guys before your lifebar is decreased by 5 pixels and 5 hit points.

If a game isn't rewarding, why play it.

Just because 10 people believes in one thing, it won't be the truth. I often say "there isn't a Universal Truth. The only Universal Truth is that there ins't a Universal Truth".

And there tend not to be absolutes.

almost 98% of them are PURE CRAP.

So then, according to someone's own person truth, it is okay to like these type of characters?

[c001357]

So then, according to someone's own person truth, it is okay to like these type of characters?

Yes, because "like" is a personal feeling. This is why we have "guilty pleasures".

[O Ilusionista]

So then, according to someone's own person truth, it is okay to like these type of characters?

Everyone do what its think that is right. Like I say : nobody pay my bills, so I do what I am think that is right, what I WANT to.