The Volleyball Launchers of MK9

Adjun

New member
O.k. so I've been playing the demo and trying out a lot of the advanced combos we've seen floating around the net.

Tyler Lantern's Advanced MK9 Combos

They are very fun to try and master and so far I've gotten pretty close to replicating most of them. One thing that has stuck out to me is the 'volleyball launchers' that characters use. Example is Scorpion and Sub-Zero's vertical hop-punch and Mileena's vertical hop kick. (For those who do not yet know, you must be next to the opponent, jump up vertically in the air and press the corresponding attack button quickly to perform these launcher moves) My question to you guys is this, what do you suppose the reasoning is for these moves to be executed this way? Why do you suppose the characters were not just given a launcher move that can be executed while standing?

Examples of the 'volleyball launchers'...

Mileena's Hop Kick
Sub-Zero's Hop Punch
Scorpion's Hop Punch
 
Tyler Lantern's Advanced MK9 Combos

My question to you guys is this, what do you suppose the reasoning is for these moves to be executed this way? Why do you suppose the characters were not just given a launcher move that can be executed while standing?

Those combos are crazy. Regarding launchers balance reasons. The jump punch launchers are going to be pretty much useless unless the player is stunned(a special used first, example subs freeze or Scorps dagger chain) and since you can't string the same special it limits the juggles. Although from what I'm seeing maybe a damage hard cap should be implemented..
 
Those combos are crazy. Regarding launchers balance reasons. The jump punch launchers are going to be pretty much useless unless the player is stunned(a special used first, example subs freeze or Scorps dagger chain) and since you can't string the same special it limits the juggles. Although from what I'm seeing maybe a damage hard cap should be implemented..

well, until now in subs and scorpions case. they (sJP) can be stringed into combos (unblockable) quite easy ..of course through iceballs and spears setups.

What I'm wondering about is, if they will change the "stun-time" ..I can't remember scorpions stun, after a successful spear, lasting as long as it does now.

Also, I don't mind the volleyball launchers ..they feel pretty good in the demo.
 
I could watch TylerLanterns combo video posted in the first post of this thread over and over, its just so insane. Not only is he doing crazy combos for the MK9 demo, but look at his combo collection for MK VS DC Universe. It looks like he has been doing this combo thing for a long time lol.


I know alot of people dont like MK VS DC Universe but if you watch that video, you will see this guy does combos people never even knew existed or could exist in that game.

Okay, back on topic! I really think it will be tough to do the UP+ATTACK vertical jump bounce/launcher without using Scorpions spear or Sub Zeros freeze or some kind of move stun move like that. It would work if you timed it perfect with your opponent jumping at you and you jump vertical and do it at the right time. I think Mileenas UP+O launcher will be alot easier to pull off in a real match instead of the vertical jump launcher. I liked it better in MK VS DC Universe where if you pressed UP+Triangle it would bounce/launch no matter if you jumped forward, backward, or straight up and if you pressed UP+Square you would do an air hit. It might be different in the final version of MK9 than it was in the demo, who knows really. I guess we will know for sure when the game is released on the 19th of April.
 
...My question to you guys is this, what do you suppose the reasoning is for these moves to be executed this way? Why do you suppose the characters were not just given a launcher move that can be executed while standing?
...

Short answer: it's to give that move a purpose.

Long answer: Generally speaking, there's no real reason to neutral jump attack in MK9; none of the moves in that particular jump state offer much in terms of damage or controlling of space (although neutral jump does help to avoid certain attacks without giving up your position). So NR gave those moves a pop-up/volleyball property.

It's a cool idea since you won't always be able to execute the move successfully on an opponent, but when you do you get a free juggle.

p.s; Some characters do have pop-up/volleyballs from standing, like scorpion's back+triangle.
 
I kinda wish that the uppercut was like it was in the older games, the ability to combo with the uppercut just seems broken to me. (among another things)
 
There is some sick combos in here I did the first one shown for Sub on my own before I saw this vid Im going to have to try the other ones for him they look intense!
 
the volleyball launcher may also work for (theoreticall):

-Cyrax's net
-Kabal's "flash" spin move
-Sonya's kiss special move
-Kitana's fan air special move (like in mk vs dc)
 
Last edited:
Short answer: it's to give that move a purpose.

Long answer: Generally speaking, there's no real reason to neutral jump attack in MK9; none of the moves in that particular jump state offer much in terms of damage or controlling of space (although neutral jump does help to avoid certain attacks without giving up your position). So NR gave those moves a pop-up/volleyball property.

It's a cool idea since you won't always be able to execute the move successfully on an opponent, but when you do you get a free juggle.

p.s; Some characters do have pop-up/volleyballs from standing, like scorpion's back+triangle.


I understand that in certain circumstances that the volleyball launchers will 'work'. But for Sub-Zero, it is his only way to launch a character in the air for a juggle. I guess my problem with them is style as well as substance. Stylistically is makes the fight look 'slapstick' as where a standing launcher would look AND feel more fluid. It's odd to have the flow of back and forth, forward and backward combat and in the middle do a 'little hop punch' so you can perform a juggle combo. Soul Calibur II had hop attacks but everyone had standing launchers. The hop attacks served as much purpose as any other move, you could hop over a low attack and counter with the attack while hopping. I don't know, it just kind breaks up the flow and style for me. Mileena's main launcher is her vertical hop kick and she has no stun like Sub and Scorp. So I see this really not flowing properly in real combat. :(
 
the volleyball launcher may also work for (theoreticall):

-Cyrax's net
-Kabal's "flash" spin move
-Sonya's kiss special move
-Kitana's fan air special move (like in mk vs dc)

Well, in theory, yes it would. But here is the problem. You can only perform the launchers by doing a vertical (straight up and down) jump. They do not work while jumping forward or backward. They also do not work if you jump 'too' high. They operate by 'hopping' or jumping up just a little bit then pressing the proper attack button. If they worked while jumping over attacks (jumping forward or backward) I would see them as absolutely functional and intelligent in design.
 
@Adjun

Well, from what I've played from the demo, Sub's lack of standing launcher is down to several things:

1) He has the ability to freeze his opponent's (mid-combo no less) allowing him to set up combos quite easily.

2) Character design/meta-game - so far, Sub's meta-game revolves around his ice clone (and general freezing shenanigans). He doesn't need a standing juggle to get any real damage, and his moves have a fair amount of start-up. But on the other hand, he hits like a truck, and his Triangle auto-combo has pretty decent range too.

3) Move set versatility - self explanatory

In a nut shell: Sub doesn't need a standing juggle. But he does need a move that has juggle properties, so the developers gave him neutral jump + punch.
 
Well, in theory, yes it would. But here is the problem. You can only perform the launchers by doing a vertical (straight up and down) jump. They do not work while jumping forward or backward. They also do not work if you jump 'too' high. They operate by 'hopping' or jumping up just a little bit then pressing the proper attack button. If they worked while jumping over attacks (jumping forward or backward) I would see them as absolutely functional and intelligent in design.

stop trippin friend....that's why there is DASHING FORWARD, and DASH CANCELLING. that's why volleyball pop ups make sense with these; without them, they're useless because characters will be turtles with no dashing.
 
stop trippin friend....that's why there is DASHING FORWARD, and DASH CANCELLING. that's why volleyball pop ups make sense with these; without them, they're useless because characters will be turtles with no dashing.


No clue how Dashing forward and Dash cancelling relate to the topic at hand nor my post you quoted.
 
adjun, you are right. the volleyball launchers are not good from a tactical standpoint. i watched check vs fusion on youtube and the thing about the launchers is that they cannot be disguised for certain characters (major problem). as you stated, if i play subzero or scorpion there is no way for me to launch my opponent without jumping in the air vertically. however, by doing so, (as shown in check vs fusion) the other player will almost always do a breaker. the game really should have a launcher button similar to mvc3 or wallbounces like sf3. obviously, mk9 has more gameplay than the launcher, but the launcher is pretty integral to some cool combos, and the fact that you have to jump vertically with some characters to do the vball launcher doesn't look good, and you will usually get a breaker anyway. i was talking to orbofuncreation in private message and this is what i sent him:

i made up some gameplay for a theoretical 2d mk game.

2.i also made some theoretical gameplay elements that might work. mostly they're inspired by ex moves and wall and ground bouncing from sf3 and mvc3 and mk9.

so, in sf you can use two punches or two kicks to do an enhanced ex move right. and in mk9 you can also do enhanced specials, and in mvc3 there is a launcher button.

so i thought, you could have the original button layout: High punch, Low punch, Block, High kick, and Low kick. and you could have (High punch+Low punch) perform enhanced normals and specials and (High Kick+Low Kick) could also work. so like, if you were sub zero and you did ice freeze motion+(High punch+Low Punch) you could do an enhanced freeze or something, and the only way to block it would be to have enough meter to counter it. (edit) you could also have an enhanced freeze be blockable without meter, but just do big chip like super moves in sf. normal freeze would still do no chip * i know mk9 already has enhanced specials.

i made up some theoretical combos too that would kinda be used like the launcher button in mvc3.

so like, Liu kang could do: enhanced flying kick(HK+LK) which could do a wall bounce, then standing punch, bicycle kick, fireball. the interesting thing is that with (HK+LK) you could keep LK down and release HK to charge bicycle kick throughout this whole combo.

Jax could do: (HK+LK) standing enhanced anti air kick wall bounce, release HK keep LK down, wave projectile with HK for juggle, release LK for ground pound when they hit the ground.

Reptile: reptile could jump in with a kind of target combo into (HP+LP) launcher, forceball, dash under, forceball, acid, jump kick, slide.

so the combos would still have an "mk" feel and you could do some the normal way, but you could have enhanced stuff for more skilled players.

you could still have breakers/counters and all of this could still use some kind of meter. i would just get rid of X-ray.

all mk9 has are enhanced specials, xray, and short target combos like: (ps3 buttons) square, square, back +triangle. there is some interesting juggling in mk9 9as shown by check), but it's nowhere near as good as even umk3. and i bet NRS nerfs the high damage combos that check found.

this match below is important because it is a precursor to how other pro players like check will play the game. i know it's the demo, but i have a feeling that other than damage scaling and meter building and a few frame changes that the demo will be exactly like the final game.

aesthetically, it really doesn't look good that the launcher must be preceded by a vertical jump, but who knows, maybe people will just get used to it.


Keep in mind, they have a lot of characters and they all have their own thought out moveset.

Scorpion's telepunch seems to be a big base for those juggles, and I have a feeling that gameplay's going to be pretty diverse for the full game... No one knows though.

Sub-Zero has a defensive moveset, if I remember right? Assuming things haven't changed, we can more or less consider juggling an 'offensive' gesture. Makes sense to me, Idk.
 
watching that mk vs dc video makes me appreciate mk2011 so much more

god i really didnt like that game....even tho i platinumed it
 
@Adjun

Well, from what I've played from the demo, Sub's lack of standing launcher is down to several things:

1) He has the ability to freeze his opponent's (mid-combo no less) allowing him to set up combos quite easily.

2) Character design/meta-game - so far, Sub's meta-game revolves around his ice clone (and general freezing shenanigans). He doesn't need a standing juggle to get any real damage, and his moves have a fair amount of start-up. But on the other hand, he hits like a truck, and his Triangle auto-combo has pretty decent range too.

3) Move set versatility - self explanatory

In a nut shell: Sub doesn't need a standing juggle. But he does need a move that has juggle properties, so the developers gave him neutral jump + punch.

this. because he can freeze mid air, he doesnt need a pop-up. but one would be useful.
also back+square - triangle , the second hit acts as a second pop up if they're in the air.
 
Top