Well we’ll probably find out what that tradeoff is this Thursday. I guess.
details on March 1st apparently.
Well that keeps you talking, which is my main goal, but to set expectations, we are working on 3 stages for Season 3.
You’ve got that flip flopped. 
Value is in the eye of the beholder. I say this because I work for Microsoft. We are building this stuff for you, but not everyone values the same things equally. I can’t tell you one way or the other of how to feel.
If this work were happening, I think we would probably have already told you about it to buffer some of the shock of the news we dropped last Friday.
Key word is potentially, but I alluded to it before… Thursday is the event itself. The news still needs to be collected & written. Don’t expect news as the event is happening.
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Fair enough. Thanks for the clarification. Now I’m really curious what’s going to be shown. I just kind of assumed that we’d see “wrecked Kan Ra’s stage” for Gargos and stuff like that, or shadow versions of stages.
Now that I know that’s definitely not happening, I’ll be really curious to see how many new characters there will be and where they’ll actually fit. I believe that you guys are doing stuff that you think we’ll like (otherwise, why do it, right?) so that alone makes me trust MS/IG.
Now if only the anticipation and the not knowing weren’t driving me up a wall! lol
I won’t deny that this news truly saddens me and a majority of my forum members. But, I understand why they did it. I never saw Killer Instinct as a AAA game, even if they are funded by Microsoft. It never gave me that impression, not that it is a bad thing but am I wrong for it? I love KI but I will admit that compared to a AAA title it is lacking. Nonetheless, it is a phenomenal fighting game.
That said, I saw sacrifices coming, I truly did - never knew which sacrifices but to an extent had an idea that some things would replace others by either time or funds. So here we are with 3 stages only for the entirety of Season 3 and two of them we already saw. It sounds awful, I get it but it shouldn’t be a reason to freak out. I have a keen eye for art especially since my girlfriend is an Art Major and I am constantly being sucked into the world of artists and whatnot. So I see the depth of new lighting and improved graphics, I also see the details in remastering like the statues and stairs in Kan-Ra’s stage. I don’t speak for all members of the forum by any means, but it truly feels like a new stage even if I have seen it before. Now, it would be even better if sound was touched up and refined as well but that is remastering the game and not just an overhaul to graphics but I digress.
So, the question is, why? Why the heck only 3 stages for an entire season? We know it had to make room for something greater so it has to be something truly outstanding, but with that statement alone, we can already expect disappointment. No matter how big, losing 3 stages and waiting a while for the news builds up an excessive amount of anticipation. I just hope that @rukizzel had good reason to let us out of the loop for since the post.
Anyway, I feel like I’m everywhere in this post, I just wanted to post some thoughts mainly. My feeling is mixed, of course I dislike only having three stages but if it is done to make room for something greater, which I believe is truly greater considering how devoted IG has been with KI thus far.
What do you think could be that something greater? Are you referring to the stage relighting, or something else? Just wondering if you could clarify.
I hear ya on the mixed feelings though, man. No question. People still trying to digest the news and what it means, myself included. Three stages sounds like a sacrifice, but I really get the feeling that the “trade off” that people seem to be hoping for and expecting is mainly the stage relighting.
I see a lot of people (not you, but others) saying stuff like “I hope whatever we get, the trade off is worth it” like there’s this big huge secret they’re keeping under wraps; a secret that can be revealed and the devs can say “here is the awesome thing you’re getting instead of eight stages.” Something that has nothing to do with the relighting. I just don’t see that happening, and I envision a lot of people feeling like they’re owed something when this big secret doesn’t come to fruition.
The way they described it, the lighting seemed like a pretty massive undertaking, so rather than add more stages when there were already so many to begin with, they decided to put that time, that money, and those resources toward the lighting to make what we have look amazing and just from the pictures I’ve seen, I’d say they’re crushing it in the best possible way.
I mean, if @rukizzel wants to swoop in and throw out a tease like “you’re going to love what we traded new arenas for and it has nothing to do with the relighting” then I’ll absolutely stand corrected. I just think that people expecting a big reveal, specifically as it pertains to the 3 stage trade-off, are actively setting themselves up for a major letdown.
Is that not what someone on the team said? I mean what Rukizzel said, I could’ve sworn he said it was done for the better of KI? I may have taken it as getting something else instead of the graphical overhaul especially with the hint of big news. I could be wrong here or have misinterpreted.
I sort of feel that way, a “trade-off” I’m not saying I find it being owed to me, nor will I be upset if the graphical overhaul is the only major change. I love it already, I just feel like that was the impression left by @rukizzel, again I could be wrong but I could’ve sworn I read news would be coming that helps us understand the decision of only three stages.
I can’t say much now because the game isn’t out, sure three stages isn’t by any means good news, but i’m not going to freak out for something that we haven’t even played yet. But even then, the game will already feel new to me considering the balancing for every character.
I think Rukari said something to the affect of the main reason why the article about the lighting being posted was so we could see why were only getting three stages. Sort of do it all in one shot (as I interpret it). Then Adam said something to the affect of “once you see what we’ve got in store, it’ll all be worth it” or something along those lines, and I think that led some people to believe that there was a trade off, and that because we don’t get 8 stages, we’re getting all of this other awesome stuff instead.
Maybe I’m completely off here, and if I’m totally misquoting either of them, then my sincerest apologies, but I just don’t get the impression that we’re getting less arenas because we’re getting the relighting AND something awesome and secret on top of that.
If there’s something else, then great, but I’m not getting my hopes up and I honestly don’t think that’s what their intention was when they were talking about it back when the story dropped, but again, that’s just my interpretation.
There are multiple trade offs. Lighting is one of them, and there’s still other stuff in store, too.
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Thanks (again) for clarifying man! I think I just assumed that the “other stuff” was general season 3 stuff and not additional things you guys were specifically able to do because there are less stages. Bad assumption on my part. 
Sorry @oTigerSpirit! Didn’t mean to mislead ya!
Aha! Now we know. Well then the anticipation is rightly warranted. Character balances, lighting… and something more. In that case, I don’t mind only having three stages, I have faith in the team - they haven’t let me down yet.
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Sounds good to me!!
I had been pinning my hopes on different cycles of previous stages but now we know that’s not happening either.
I’m truly disappointed now. If we get other characters they’re gonna be homeless and that doesn’t sit well with me at all. I don’t think any trade off to me justifies that.
What’s the Point of everyone having their own theme without a home based for it. We have new potential ki lore characters who are gonna be nomads, maybe that’s the point of them. Maybe characters who come through and cause destruction.
Think I know how people who always wanted ultimates feel.
I hope season 3 is gonna be a lot cheaper because it’s not gonna be worth full price.
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My question is, will the new characters have no stage or will they share a stage with the previous cast members? This is something I’ve been pondering since this announcement.
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They confirmed that the new characters won’t stage share with previous and won’t have a s3 stage either
You haven’t even heard the trade-off and you are already slandering their name, that is utterly unfair. It would be more reasonable to wait and see what’s in store before being incredibly negative about the situation. Also, “What’s the Point of everyone having their own theme without a home based for it.” Some people like myself genuinely enjoy the music outside of the game and maybe we might see a fully rendered 3d model with a theme and dynamic stage art. We don’t know but I still want to hear a 2016 version of Tusk and Gargos.
I understand the frustration but so many members make it seem like the devs did it to antagonize us or be cruel. They love it just as much as us, they form this game around our input and in a poll, graphical overhaul was highly demanded. Their will be trade-offs for the lack of stages so why not wait and see before forming an opinion? We already know everyone is upset but to go as say Season 3 is failing or lame or disappointing that a bit dramatic.
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not quite confirmed.
Excuse me I haven’t slandered anyone so please watch what you say.
It’s my opinon, I’m just stating it rationally. When it’s revealed it may be a worth it trade off for you but not necessarily others.
I love the soundtrack I listen to it everyday but I think it goes hand in hand with their stage.
I never stated it’ll fail so please don’t put words in my mouth.
I haven’t had a go at the Devs either I usually defend them, I’m not privy to their decisons as neither are you.
Everyone see things differently but you put it that I’m having a go at them
So you are looking over the shoulder of a pair of @TempusChaoti s and a lawyer while they type in order to make sure they don’t say too little?
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Ill admit that I was a little disappointed upon hearing the thing about only 3 stages too. Normally I wouldn’t care, but the stages in this game are just so ■■■■ beautiful that I would love to see what else the team can make. They have really done an amazing job with the ones we have so far, and will look even prettier with the new lighting based on what I have seen so far.
I can’t remember where but I read that somebody from IG said that they focused on some other stuff instead of new stages and that the trade off will be worth it, in which case I believe them. So far everything in this game is phenomenal, and I doubt they would focus on other stuff if it wasn’t going to be worth it in the end.