A Commentator/Competitors Opinion on the New Level 4 Enders

Hey so I’ve been seeing a lot of buzz about the new level 4 enders that were shown off recently. I voiced my concerns on twitter, but someone recommended that I talk about them here as well.

The short version: I can’t think of a single positive way the new level 4 enders positively effect my experience as a player, commentator, or spectator. The change in camera angle and black screen is jarring on the eyes, and is disorienting enough to make the following situation feel rushed and confusing. Because the screen turns black, it’s easy to forget exactly where you are on screen and the snapback to the original camera then puts you back into where you usually were before. The problem is that during the ender animation before, you could assess the situation and make a choice on what you’re doing next. Now you sort of lose that in favor of a cinematic that I think is supposed to be for spectators, but spectators lose out on the ability to see what’s happening too!

As someone who can’t remember the last time they were upset about something new coming to Killer Instinct, this ender change is significant enough to put a damper on a lot of my hype heading into season 3.

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@Sajam I for the most part agree. It looks kinda weird. I don’t want to say I hate them…But it’s kinda…I don’t know. My biggest gripes: The black background and the music suddenly stopping.

Maybe if they get rid off the darkness it will get better?

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I have to agree with this. I wasn’t sure how to express what I didn’t like about it, but I think Sajam has gotten the idea down pretty clearly.

I understand the desire for making the level 4 enders seem more cinematic and appealing, but I am not sure that this blackout and rapid camera swaps was the best choice.

I’m not sure how others may feel about this suggestion, as it would also affect gameplay in a way, but I would have enjoyed the “extreme slow down” effect that you could achieve in KIGold which makes each individual hit feel so much more impactful. If this applied only to level 4 enders, it would be a slowdown of just a few frames whenever these enders took place, it would make each blow feel that much more powerful, and it would feel rewarding and monumental that it happened without breaking away from the action (slowdown may objectively make the gap between ender and resumed action longer, but it subjectively feels more connected since background doesnt disappear and camera doesn’t fly around, reminding you you’re outside and getting moved about).

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Oh thank god people are finally seeing how insanely janky the new enders are. I am all up for change but I am not up for anything that just looks low quality and overall doesn’t help the game improve. I wish they would see how hard this will impact KI. This over anything that has ever been added to the game that people have found negative is pretty much 100 times more destructive to the game. I’ve voiced my opinion on multiple threads, written both thoughts on why it’s bad and some that are just emotional out lashes but for the love of god listen to your own pro players MS/IG. You may not listen to us commoners but these guys are the ones who are pretty much selling the game for you and have supported the game since day 1.

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Keep in mind that this effect is WIP. Things are subject to change and I’m sure if it becomes a problem we’ll get a fix.

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yup, loose hella options and timing. dude i got 1 frame projectile juggles down to a science. if I need to track an opponents decent for a juggle don’t obscure my view. after all, season 3 is all about juggles right? well IG just kinda crapped on all that. besides it looks like crap.

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I don’t know why…but its weird to read @Infilament and @Sajam concerns about the level 4 enders.

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I’m new to KI but how often will people encounter lvl 4 enders? Would it be that frequent to cause issues in the match itself?

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On most matches, maybe 3-4 times?

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I play to destroy my opponent. that KV meter get filled as close to 100 as I can get it. try almost every combo.

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Some of Sajam’s concerns might remain unadressed even if they improve the general aesthetics of the cinematic. For example, the disorientation problem. Maybe the entire concept of these black-out enders should be scrapped.

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Well, I think that, even if you got a single one per match, but you knew it caused you trouble (disorientation) on follow-up, would that not make you rethink whether to do it or not?

If so, then the devs’ decision to create this cool new special effect to incentivize and make Lvl 4 enders more exciting may end up making players dread Lvl 4 enders and disincentivizing their use.

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Smoother camera angles and better screen transitions can change that. TBH I’d be fine if we just got the background and the camera didn’t change at all.

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yup

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I’m with @Sajam on this one. Main reason I don’t like the effect is that it doesn’t agree with my eyes. I’d be alright with adding new effects if they were more subtle and less jumpy, but overall I’m unimpressed.

Hopefully they’ll be adjusted in a big way. Smoother camera, more subtle effects, letting the awesome music play unabated…

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Like completely removed or re worked.

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Hmmmm I’ve been looking at other fighting game footage that do special camera angles and I’m thinking the transition to a black background is the biggest culprit in why people are being off put by the new enders.

If anything I guess the best way to handle this is to try it out after its released then voice our concerns with having first hand experience with it.

And with EVO coming up they have to listen if it becomes a big detriment to competitive play.

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Voicing my opinion against the inclusion of these new L4 ender cinematics.

They just distract entirely too much from the flow of the fight.

There is so much variety in the design of your characters that, in my humble opinion, I believe this universal camera work detracts from the feel of their uniqueness.

Killer Instinct S3 looks like it’s going to be the fastest, most fun fighting game on the market by removing knockdowns on combo breakers. Don’t take us out of the fight for some ultra pretty, yet seemingly half baked cutscene - the game looks pretty enough with the all new lighting that appears to have taken such an incredible amount of work to make possible. Let us have that and leave the rest alone.

Thank you for listening. I sincerely wish you reconsider.

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A lot of people don’t like the camera, and say that it is Jarring, and distracts from gameplay. I can see where you all are coming from. I agree. They do have camera angles we are not used to. But the only thing I really can say is that this is a work in progress. That Gif of Jago’s Level 4 Endokuken Ender?

Taken from a low quality stream, and run through a Gif maker. It will not look as good looking at it from a stream, or a Gif. I understand a lot of people are upset, but seeing things on stream, and seeing things in person are two totally different things.

Like seeing this Tusk Gif, with not such a harsh angle as Jago’s:

This actually doesn’t look bad, even going from a low quality stream, squeezed into a Gif, IMO.

Imagine if this had polish added to it. These have potential, I just feel like they need to tweak certain things to make it easier on everyone. Easier on eyes, or whatever may be the cause, I’m sure with a bit of tweaking and maybe different camera angles, this can be amazing, and turn out to be the hypest Season of KI we have seen yet!

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A problem I forgot to mention that also exists is that the camera angle shift no longer hides when hits of the enders aren’t actually connecting with opponents. Check out Tusk’s foot be completely wide on Fulgore there. It’s just another issue that’s avoided by keeping the current enders which already look so amazing, and don’t detract form fluidity of gameplay.

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