A small suggestion, and one that I’m sure is going to have a split among the KI community’s interest.
I would like to see the following steps when entering a Ranked League match:
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Select Multiplayer
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Select Ranked League
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Select Search For Match - the character select screen is displayed.
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Select your character, costume, and color.
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Select your preferred stage and music (or random for both/either) and then hit “Start Search.”
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When a suitable opponent is found, I will see the Versus loading screen, both our characters and Gamertags, and the person who is assigned as P1 has their selected stage and music assigned for the fight.
I think this would be useful to avoid counter-picks, would avoid the problems that games like Guilty Gear Xrd and SFV have when pre-selecting a character, but would give you a simple chance to change your character as long as you click “Return to Ranked Menu” and not “Continue,” which would search for another match with your already-selected character.
The way the game is now, because someone can see who my last played character is, there is an opportunity to counterpick me, although there is no guarantee I’ll be playing that character again, of course. But I’d like matchmaking better if there was no character select metagaming, and I just got the opponent and character that I was given. We already have SOME element of hidden character select, considering you don’t see your opponent moving around on the select screen, why not take it a step further?
In no way would I expect this to be the case in Exhibition; that should remain just the same as it is now. But I think this could make a decent change for Ranked games.
What do you think? Please vote and/or comment below!
- Yes, I would like to pre-select my character in Ranked Leagues!
- No, I want to keep the simultaneous character select in Ranked Leagues!
- Something else (please comment below!)
@Infilament, @TempusChaoti, @TheKeits I would especially love your input, if you have the time or any interest one way or the other.
I get that, however do that for exhibition. Ranked is more of competition. I feel like to many options defeated the purpose of playing in that mode. Having optionse is good, I just feel thread they shouldn’t be in a controlled environment like ranked because ppl are playing for points.
Do you feel that the visible “previously played” and possible counterpick are inherently important to Ranked play, then? Personally, I feel the exact opposite, in that I should learn my ranked characters well enough that I can be confident I will win against whoever I get thrown up against, or whichever character they’re playing.
We already don’t get to choose our opponent when playing Ranked (as it should be) so I think having to commit to a character before seeing your opponent is an evolution of what we already have.
I had this idea while watching Maximilian play Guilty Gear, and he mentioned that he liked the way the system worked, except for how clunky it was to go back to the full main menu to change your chosen character. I figured this way would still keep things streamlined, and let you choose your character every time you enter Ranked.
Counterpicks aren’t a thing because you are making a guess on who they LAST PLAYED. Since the current UI doesn’t let you see the character your opponent picks in real time I don’t think that’s an issue.
Yes and no. I see the benefits. However,you should have a choice. You can choose it before matching up or do the normal character select.
In the case of someone who plays a single character in Ranked (like me 
), there is definitely a counter-pick element because the Last Played will always be the character I’m going to play. I’m part of a very small niche of players, I’m sure, but ever since the playercard adjustment which displays the last played character, I have had matches which felt suspiciously like a counterpick.
For example a level 50 Jago switching to their level 20 Kan-Ra or Fulgore when they see Thunder on my last played, for example.
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I understand. However I see a lot more from what you’re suggestion has than just a dimple UI change.
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Yeah, I’m suggesting a change which goes a little further than UI, and maybe I should have stated that in the main post better - I just feel like I would have an immense feeling of enjoyment from seeing the Ranked matching work this way.
I had the idea after watching Maximilian play guilty Gear and SFV, and I like how in those games you have to commit to your character before hand. To me, it’s smooth, and feels modern.
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I’m not in favor of a system like that. I actually kind of like the character selection meta, if you will. Counter-picking is a legitimate strategy to my mind, so I don’t really feel like I’m getting unfairly punished or anything if the opponent does decide to counter-pick me. The current system also lets you play around a bit, since if I’m up against a silver or gold or see someone trying to level up a particular character I also have the option to now pick a secondary or tertiary character instead of my main.
There are certainly downsides to how much info the player cards reveal (in S1 I actually had to change my profile taunt, as I couldn’t get a match in Exhibition with a Sadira one), but on the whole I don’t mind them as they are now. All that counter-picking actually helped me a lot in my bad MU’s 
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My personal opinion for Ranked, you shouldn’t be able to see who your opponent used in the last match.
It should show the player card with their player level, chosen background, icon, and taunt message.
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I’m against the idea because I don’t like the SFV system after trying it. This is especially brutal if you’re in a room with another person and trading off on ranked games.
The main reason it would not be good in the context you described it is because sometimes you have a change of heart on the character select screen when you see a name. Like oh, this guy is a gold player and maybe not very good, I’ll pick one of my weak characters against him for practice. Or oh, I’m playing against Rico, better go with my main even though I said I was gonna mess around tonight.
If you want to avoid counterpicks, then I think a better suggestion would be to simply hide that aspect of the player card on ranked during character select (but not on the results screen).
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Uve got my first like @CStyles45 that’s something very smart u said there.
And I think it should be like that too.
But anyway it doesn’t work for you cause we all know u play aganos LMFAO 
and tho we all know u like to break any light and medium. (Because of twitch analysis 
) then it’s so simple with u best counter pick Maya or riptor 
And the rest that’s just the tactics 
Ho yeah GG’S 
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I prefer the MKX system. I can see exactly who they pick, what skin, what variation…its all live and happening right in front of me. Just as if we were sitting next to each other at a tournament or standing next to each other at the arcade.
Id rather not hide or guess. there have been many times in KI I chose a different character than my main thinking they were gonna do the same and they didnt. For instance last night I was fighting a guy in Exhibition and after loosing 2 straight he went to character select…I figured he was going to pick a new character so I did the same, and took it a step further I picked my worst character to give him a chance to beat me. He picked the same character as before…and he did this 5 times in a row! I fell for it every time… lol I didnt understand why… either he was baiting me to switch so he could win, or he thought a new color would make him better IDK
I know this idea is for Ranked…but Im just saying… I prefer it all happening live… no guessing no hiding. Lets play KI!
I appreciate the suggestion because it could improve load times, and usually when I play ranked I already know what I’m going to pick beforehand. Having said that, it does take away a lot of flexibility from people. I do often pick a different character if I get paired up with a much lower tiered player, or if I fight the same guy three fights in a row - if I won the last two I will usually pick a new character just because the idea that the guy has to lose three in a row because of bad matching doesn’t seem right.
From personal experience, I’ve been on the losing side of repeat matchups, and never had someone dial anything back like this. I’ve also tried selecting an unfamiliar character when fighting a Silver as a Killer, and ended up getting rocked and teabagged by someone who is clearly supposed to be in Gold or Killer and is playing their main.
I certainly appreciate the sentiment, but for me getting into Ranked matches has become “pick my strongest” every time, regardless of the opponent. Exhibition is for fun and a fair, enjoyable experience between the two players. Ranked is certainly supposed to be full of fun and respect, but it’s also competitive enough that I won’t pull my punches anymore.
Maybe I have a different view on Ranked than a lot of our community, but I never saw anyone go easy on me in Ranked games, before OR after Leagues was implemented. I’ve lost to players like Bass and LCD, and never felt like they weren’t giving it their all - as I feel it should be in Ranked.
I’ve stated a few times that I’d like to see some changes to the way the system determines a fair matchup, and maybe if those happen at some point down the line I won’t feel the same way.
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Like one of the posters mentioned above, I’ve played numerous matches where it feels “suspiciously like a counterpick”. I don’t agree that counterpciking is a legitimate strategy - just because you don’t happen to know that the other character hs a move that can utterly obliterate the defensive strategies of the first, doesn’t mean I should have to suffer for it. By that I mean that it shouldn’t show the last played character.
I’m actually in favour of seeing who people’ve picked (if they pick random, don’t say until the vs screen loads as it is currently). It’d be good to have that there - even if a player counterpicks it’ll be more obvious and you can factor that in.
Interesting suggestion though.