Fact: Namco isn't afraid to perform radical surgery on Soul Calibur's core mechanics from one iteration of the game to the next.
This is perhaps most evident with additions like SC4's implementation of the soul gauge, but it's equally present in the ongoing metamorphosis of the guard impact system, the overall speed of the games, and the considerable retooling of characters such as Nightmare, Ivy, and Talim.
Even the bewilderingly venerated SC2 was a jarring departure from its predecessor; the "streamlined" guard impacts, guard break changes, and the addition of larger stages--not to mention walls--certainly demanded a period of acclimation.
Some people insist that change and growth are natural, even positive phenomena, but don't be fooled: change is the single worst thing in the world, ever.
Think about it. One minute sitting in your darkened basement decked out in a velour tracksuit, rocking back and forth with your knees hugged tightly to your chest while watching low-quality VHS tapes of Ronald Reagan's greatest speeches and worrying over the metaphysical certainty of a Soviet invasion is the model of sensible patriotism. Then a little time passes, change rears its ugly head, and all of a sudden people call me strange for all that. I mean you. Hypothetically.
As I already mentioned, the perils of change apply just as much to our beloved games as to Cold War politics, and given Namco's track record I think we need to brace ourselves. In fact, Daishi already fired the opening volley on his Twitter feed when he announced a characteristically extreme retooling of several cherished mechanics. Frankly, I recommend panic and despair. If you absolutely insist upon being reasonable human beings, however. . .
The Serenity Prayer
The amount of influence we can exert over the system changes in SC5 is minor, but it does exist. We have far more control, however, over our reactions to changes as they are proposed.
What this means in practical terms is choosing optimism or pessimism, strategy or chaos, and while the former remains generally an open question, choosing strategy is ironclad policy here at Hate Speech. When confronted with proposed system changes or new mechanics, we obviously begin evaluating them in relation to what we already know, prompting four major questions:
Is this familiar?
We're all used to things operating in a particular way, and departures can be unsettling. The mere shock of the new can be enough to prompt a visceral negative reaction, which is why this is a piss-poor metric for evaluating anything.
Is this good?
Pretend for a moment, if necessary, that you're coming to competitive Soul Calibur for the first time. Without the bias and baggage of what you already know, examine the mechanic on its own merits and decide whether it contributes to a richer gameplay experience.
Is this better than what it's replacing?
Now we compare. Does the new mechanic objectively make the game more interesting than the old one?
How might this affect me?
Will play to your strengths? Will it necessitate the development of different habits or skills?
By way of example, let's take the new GI (4A+B+K, repels all attacks, costs meter). Is it familiar? Vaguely, at best. Is it good? Well, a GI mechanic adds depth to the fighting experience, so let's call that a yes. Is it better than what it's replacing? This is the tricky part. While the input is simplified, it costs meter, meaning it becomes part of a much larger meter management metagame that we only partially understand. Being able to bait an opponent into wasting meter on a whiffed GI--a likely scenario, given the simplified command will make people more inclined to attempt them--might be incredibly strong. Poorly implemented, however, this mechanic is a large step back. How will it affect me? Personally, I'll have to spend time unlearning some muscle memory and also experimenting with ways I can really turn this thing to my advantage. This will require thought.
When thinking your way through these changes it's important to retain an aggressive mindset. Be aggressively inquisitive, aggressively critical, and above all aggressively confident. Be like Mick, another renowned player. The man has an almost pugilistic faith in himself. When some of the earliest SC5 videos were released, he shared some of his thoughts on Pyrrha, which can essentially be boiled down to, "she might be a real problem for people." What's important here is that he saw a potentially strong character and immediately imagined himself using her to crush some skulls, not the other way around.
This sort of strategic thinking will ultimately pay dividends when the game is released; you should already have in mind several lines of experimentation to pursue. Just as importantly, well-reasoned discussion strikes me as having a far greater chance of actually influencing Namco. A compelling case for why mechanic X is superior to its replacement might actually sway somebody.
Homework:
Let's break this thing down. Given what we've been told (and seen) about SC5, pretend you have the game in your hands and have developed a reasonable mastery of these new mechanics. Rather than focusing on how they screw this or that character/playstyle, let's make a list of how these things might be used to the advantage of an intelligent player. How do they make you stronger? Alternatively, what's a change being discussed that is clearly inferior to the mechanic it's replacing? You call it.
This is perhaps most evident with additions like SC4's implementation of the soul gauge, but it's equally present in the ongoing metamorphosis of the guard impact system, the overall speed of the games, and the considerable retooling of characters such as Nightmare, Ivy, and Talim.
Even the bewilderingly venerated SC2 was a jarring departure from its predecessor; the "streamlined" guard impacts, guard break changes, and the addition of larger stages--not to mention walls--certainly demanded a period of acclimation.
Some people insist that change and growth are natural, even positive phenomena, but don't be fooled: change is the single worst thing in the world, ever.
Think about it. One minute sitting in your darkened basement decked out in a velour tracksuit, rocking back and forth with your knees hugged tightly to your chest while watching low-quality VHS tapes of Ronald Reagan's greatest speeches and worrying over the metaphysical certainty of a Soviet invasion is the model of sensible patriotism. Then a little time passes, change rears its ugly head, and all of a sudden people call me strange for all that. I mean you. Hypothetically.
Exhibit A: Ice Cube
As I already mentioned, the perils of change apply just as much to our beloved games as to Cold War politics, and given Namco's track record I think we need to brace ourselves. In fact, Daishi already fired the opening volley on his Twitter feed when he announced a characteristically extreme retooling of several cherished mechanics. Frankly, I recommend panic and despair. If you absolutely insist upon being reasonable human beings, however. . .
The Serenity Prayer
The amount of influence we can exert over the system changes in SC5 is minor, but it does exist. We have far more control, however, over our reactions to changes as they are proposed.
What this means in practical terms is choosing optimism or pessimism, strategy or chaos, and while the former remains generally an open question, choosing strategy is ironclad policy here at Hate Speech. When confronted with proposed system changes or new mechanics, we obviously begin evaluating them in relation to what we already know, prompting four major questions:
Is this familiar?
We're all used to things operating in a particular way, and departures can be unsettling. The mere shock of the new can be enough to prompt a visceral negative reaction, which is why this is a piss-poor metric for evaluating anything.
Is this good?
Pretend for a moment, if necessary, that you're coming to competitive Soul Calibur for the first time. Without the bias and baggage of what you already know, examine the mechanic on its own merits and decide whether it contributes to a richer gameplay experience.
Is this better than what it's replacing?
Now we compare. Does the new mechanic objectively make the game more interesting than the old one?
How might this affect me?
Will play to your strengths? Will it necessitate the development of different habits or skills?
By way of example, let's take the new GI (4A+B+K, repels all attacks, costs meter). Is it familiar? Vaguely, at best. Is it good? Well, a GI mechanic adds depth to the fighting experience, so let's call that a yes. Is it better than what it's replacing? This is the tricky part. While the input is simplified, it costs meter, meaning it becomes part of a much larger meter management metagame that we only partially understand. Being able to bait an opponent into wasting meter on a whiffed GI--a likely scenario, given the simplified command will make people more inclined to attempt them--might be incredibly strong. Poorly implemented, however, this mechanic is a large step back. How will it affect me? Personally, I'll have to spend time unlearning some muscle memory and also experimenting with ways I can really turn this thing to my advantage. This will require thought.
I know, it hurts.
When thinking your way through these changes it's important to retain an aggressive mindset. Be aggressively inquisitive, aggressively critical, and above all aggressively confident. Be like Mick, another renowned player. The man has an almost pugilistic faith in himself. When some of the earliest SC5 videos were released, he shared some of his thoughts on Pyrrha, which can essentially be boiled down to, "she might be a real problem for people." What's important here is that he saw a potentially strong character and immediately imagined himself using her to crush some skulls, not the other way around.
This sort of strategic thinking will ultimately pay dividends when the game is released; you should already have in mind several lines of experimentation to pursue. Just as importantly, well-reasoned discussion strikes me as having a far greater chance of actually influencing Namco. A compelling case for why mechanic X is superior to its replacement might actually sway somebody.
Or we could keep doing this.
Homework:
Let's break this thing down. Given what we've been told (and seen) about SC5, pretend you have the game in your hands and have developed a reasonable mastery of these new mechanics. Rather than focusing on how they screw this or that character/playstyle, let's make a list of how these things might be used to the advantage of an intelligent player. How do they make you stronger? Alternatively, what's a change being discussed that is clearly inferior to the mechanic it's replacing? You call it.
