Rage Meter Adds Balance to MK vs DC Universe

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

Jeff Greeson

Administrator
Staff member
<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/action/mortalkombat/news.html?sid=6196289&mode=previews&tag=top_stories;title;5">GameSpot</a> and <a href="http://kotaku.com/5039816/mk-vs-dc-hands-on-with-the-joker">Kotaku</a> both have reports on <a href="http://www.trmk.org/games/mortal_kombat_vs_dc_universe">Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe</a> from the floor of <b>Games Convention 08</b> in <b>Leipzig, Germany</b> that details <b>The Joker's</b> unique fighting strengths and weaknesses, along with the new <b>gameplay mechanic</b> unveiled at <b>GC 08</b>, the <b>Rage</b> meter. First off, <b>The Joker</b> has many comical weapons and attacks, including <b>exploding playing cards</b>, <b>short-fuse bombs</b> that can be thrown short or long that send your opponent flying towards or away respectively, a <b>joy buzzer</b> that electrocutes your opponent upon contact with your hand, a <b>spring-loaded boxing glove</b> that wallops the opponent, a <b>taunt move</b> that has <b>The Joker</b> prancing around in glee that build up the <b>Rage Meter</b> and a <b>bright green camouflaging smoke</b> that allows you to perform a random attack out of the cloud, including a <b>pistol whip</b>. <b>GameSpot</b> also had the opportunity to witness <b>The Joker's</b> fatality.
And though we haven't seen the full roster yet, we're willing to bet that the Joker's fatality is the best in the bunch. After pulling a pistol on his dazed opponent, he pulls the trigger and a flag with the word "BANG" appears out of the barrel. Just when you think that's it, the Joker pulls out a real pistol and splits his opponents' wig. It's shocking and funny the first time you see it...just what you want from an MK fatality.
Click to expand...
Also in the build at <b>Games Convention 08</b> was the debut of the all-new gameplay mechanic, the <b>Rage Meter</b>. It seems to harken back to the days of the <b>Aggressor meter</b> in <a href="http://www.trmk.org/games/mkt">Mortal Kombat Trilogy</a>.
Each character will have a rage meter, just underneath his or her health meter. You build your rage meter by taking and dealing damage or by blocking an opponent's strikes. As the meter fills up, you can use breaks to block an opponent's strikes. If you let the rage meter build up completely, however, you can enter rage mode (by pressing the shoulder buttons). Here, you'll have roughly six seconds to kick as much butt as you possibly can. Your attacks will be more powerful and, more importantly, unblockable. So, as long as you can make contact, you'll be pounding your foe into dust. Just watch out because his or her rage meter will be similarly building. As a result, you'll have to use your rage meter at the right moment (preferably to finish off your opponent). If you fail to do so, you might find yourself on the receiving end of a rage flurry.
Click to expand...
<b>UPDATE:</b> Here is a video of Creative Director <b>Ed Boon</b> describing <b>Rage Mode</b> and it's two part usage of being a combo <b>"Breaker"</b> and an <b>"Aggressor Mode"</b>.
<div align="center">
<embed id="mymovie2" width="432" height="362" flashvars="playerMode=embedded&movieAspect=4.3&flavor=EmbeddedPlayerVersion&skin=http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/cne_flash/production/media_player/proteus/one/skins/gamespot.png&paramsURI=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gamespot.com%2Fpages%2Fvideo_player%2Fxml.php%3Fid%3D6196574%26mode%3Dembedded%26width%3D432%26height%3D362" wmode="transparent" allowscriptaccess="always" quality="high" name="mymovie2" style="" src="http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/cne_flash/production/media_player/proteus/one/proteus2.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"/></div>
Definitely some interesting stuff coming out of <b>Games Convention 08</b>. Sounds like <b>The Joker</b> might be quite the pain to play against online with people who can master his attacks. The <b>Rage Meter</b> also brings another element of strategy to the table that may reward defensive tactics more than those who are constantly on the offensive. The <b>Rage Meter</b> was the last of the major announcements planned for <b>Games Convention 08</b>. The next opportunity for any major reveals is at the <b>Moscow Games</b> event in the next few days.
 
Last edited:
I like the idea. But that doesn't mean I don't hope that you can turn it off. If a new feature turns out to suck (like Smash Balls) isn't it always better to favor everyone and allow us to choose if we want to use it?

But still, be open-minded. You havn't even seen footage of it or anything. You don't even know if it's something that's going to happen every match or not.
 
Patrick McCarron said:
So quick to judge something you haven't played or even seen yet. I think it could be unique and add a nice new twist to the game.
Click to expand...

Glamador said:
I like the idea. But that doesn't mean I don't hope that you can turn it off. If a new feature turns out to suck (like Smash Balls) isn't it always better to favor everyone and allow us to choose if we want to use it?

But still, be open-minded. You havn't even seen footage of it or anything. You don't even know if it's something that's going to happen every match or not.
Click to expand...

Alright, alright.....I'll certainly try it, but right now, and considering I dislike the Aggressor Mode from MKT with a passion, I will certainly give it a shot.:-D
 
I think it'll be interesting and agree with Pat, it will definitely bring something new to the table. Besides, every fighter now has a "meter" of some kind lol if you notice, seems to be a trend of fighters now yet everyone in every fighter is different and unique from each other.
 
But I'm not sure if I like THIS meter. Unblockable AND unflinching? That's just not right. Make it one of the two. Otherwise it's just plain UNbalanced. If you can get RAGE every match it's just gonna become a race to the RAGE and then we've got Street Fighter...

Think about it. You get RAGE from attacking, getting hit, blocking hits, having your hits blocked, AND taunting. Then inevitably you go into RAGE mode, beat the tar out of your opponent, and then it's anyones game again regardless of skill. At first I thought you could interrupt the RAGE'd player by simply never letting up on your attacks but you basically can't do SHIT about a RAGE'd player. I don't like that at all. In those situations I basically put down my controller and say to myself "No point in pressing any more buttons until this shit is over with". I want to be in control of my game.
 
But it's only 6 seconds, people think now sure...that's "a lot of time" but if you think about it and are in mid battle...it's kind of not really, for one assuming you're good or at the very least "average" all you have to do is "turtle" or run away. And since the jumping ability is there in this game it can be done, I can see this being annoying for "slower" characters or perhaps characters without a teleport of some kind otherwise I don't see this being a big deal honeslty.

As for taunting, I have no worries in any fighter that has taunts you'll rarely see them pulled off because you'll be too busy fighting not to mention it's a huge risk if you do it in a very unwise situation. If I'm Superman and you taunt I'll just zap ya with my heat vision...if I'm sub, freeze ya and so on and so forth. Taunting should only be done in a safe situation, example. I'm sub or Supes and freeze you. Instead of hitting you I might "Taunt" know what I mean? In most cases especially online you won't be able to taunt up your meter, so that doesn't really concern me.

Dariou's TS was broken and unblockable in MKD, yet could be avoided and that move was always available to him. Apprentice is way too overpowering in SC4 and his force lightning is Unblockable, so you'll always find those "unblockable moves" this thing though you have to both "earn" and build up your meter, thus it'll be balanced.
 
Last edited:
Agressor mode wasn't really that awful. At the most I was indifferent to it, and most of the time it never even happened in the fight. I think it adds something now, and that's great. If it was the same game as before, you'd all shoot it out of the sky like you did with Armageddon.
 
Lets face it, a good player will never need to use it.

Its really just a noob tool.

("Its really just a Boon tool"... Ahem... Sorry. Lol... :-P )
 
Goraka said:
Agressor mode wasn't really that awful. At the most I was indifferent to it, and most of the time it never even happened in the fight. I think it adds something now, and that's great. If it was the same game as before, you'd all shoot it out of the sky like you did with Armageddon.
Click to expand...

The thing is, that it broke the game.

Ok, you block and block as your opponent attacks, building his aggressor. Finally he fills his aggressor meter up, and the damage you unleash, whether your blocking or not is outrageous.

First thing I do when I play MKT (which is hardly ever) is turn the aggressor mode off.
 
Last edited:
I just hope it takes way more than five or ten hits to build it up, otherwise it'll be totally unbalanced.
 
Yeah, most likely it'll take a while especially if two good players are playing one another. It won't be building up fast, plus like Tim said I also do hope there is an option to turn the Rage mode off if available.
 
Not exactly ^^, this will work a lot differently then MKT's aggressor meter. It'll build up similar but the way it works is a lot different.
 
I just want it balanced. I thought you'd at least be able to interrupt the other guy. But not only are attacks unblockable but you also don't flinch. That means once you get into RAGE mode you might as well just hold block and wait for the end. That's what it means really. And I HATE mechanics like that. I want to at least feel like I can save myself if I have enough skill.
 
You'll be able to use the meter "in parts"(if you don't want to fill it up totally) like Boon said as "breakers to break out of or get out of combos"

I think it'll be pretty balanced, I'm happy they're using it as a "defensive tool" as well for the player. The breakers I hated at times in MKD/MKA because once you ran out and some asswipe glitched you, you couldn't get out of a long, annoying combo at times....

I think this will be pretty balanced, we'll have to wait and see but it's looking good.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top