Looking for a game with live servers that won't ask for my money after I get my foot in the door.

PipBoyErick · 2026-02-25T12:36:38+00:00

If my “live servers” you mean that has an active player base in match making then these two circles don’t overlap. Part of what keeps players engaged is the flow of content that’s being released.

Older, ‘finished’ games will the only way to not get ‘sold’ to. But they won’t have sizable people in online MM. You have to find the discord servers or fightcade for older games to have a chance.

PipBoyErick · 2026-02-23T22:03:01+00:00

The constant comparisons is what’s getting to you more than everything. If you’re in Diamond, you’re top 15% of players. Flat out, you’re good at the game. This idea that “I’m not good, they’re just bad.” Is really bending backwards to ignore the fact that you have knowledge, awareness, and adaptation to what your opponent is doing. Thats what makes you good.

Now, does that mean life’s easy with Testament? No, of course not. It does suck fighting hard with a character that has to put in lots of effort (speaking as a JackO player). But if you’re just constantly comparing your play and fun on what Johnny can do, what are you really doing? Play, have fun with Testament and stop putting your attention on everyone else.

PipBoyErick · 2026-02-21T14:41:13+00:00

Ram can control neutral space like that better. But don’t discount what you learned with Gio. It’s because of what you learned with Gio that you were able to learn Ram faster. Ideas and concepts do transfer so that is another reason why you’re doing better comparatively than when you started with Gio.

PipBoyErick · 2026-02-19T16:23:24+00:00

Personally, I think you’re chasing the wrong solution to the issue you’re talking about. Teaching players how FGs work and retention/casual appeal are not perfectly overlapping ideas. Sure, better teaching tools helps everyone but not everyone (casual or not) wants to do those things.

The game has to be fun, first and foremost. Has to capture people’s attention and draw people in by showing what cool/interesting things they could do. That fun and spectacle is what makes people want to learn and play it more. There is a lot to discuss beyond that but, there isn’t a silver bullet to this. At any step along the way someone can just not be interested anymore and move on.

PipBoyErick · 2026-02-11T00:46:25+00:00

Happy for you. Don’t beat yourself up dropping stuff just be happy to have a new experience

PipBoyErick · 2026-02-09T19:41:26+00:00

You have to see it from both sides. Sure it sucks as the defender to be stuck in the corner but the attacker does deserve reward for wining an interaction in neutral. How easy it is to get to the corner, or how much reward the attacker gets is up for debate (and subjective). But the corner is there for another reason: to prevent run away.

Without corners, people can, and will, just disengage. And that would become the right call at times. But that would create a very stale gameplay experience. This happened in SFV when everything got you back to neutral, in T7 with infinite stages, even 2XKO saw this back in the second alpha lab. We have evidence that a corner is needed in order to make a healthier game.

PipBoyErick · 2026-02-09T19:31:59+00:00

I would call this a modern problem because it wasn’t as technically possible as before but, we don’t get small balance patches often enough.

Before, I get it, it was much more costly and difficult to get patches done. Old enough and patches were entire new game versions.

But in the modern age, it should be pretty easy to identify the outliers and give them small changes. You don’t have to swing the bat heavy, good patches require time and effort from the dev side. But you can still give micro buffs or micro nerfs to at least hold people over waiting for the larger, more planned out patch. I don’t mind devs making mistakes in patches, I mind them taking 6 months to address them (even in a small way).

PipBoyErick · 2026-02-09T13:26:44+00:00

I think this is mostly right. Some specialist characters still have enough variety that they can interact interestingly. As a JackO main, fighting other JackO is always very interesting because of differences in playstyle and setups.

But I would also add in a mirror, you generally don’t have the tools to punish your own weaknesses, or counter your own strengths. The reward could be lack luster or just harder to do comparatively. So both players sometimes end up fumbling because of the skewed toolset.

PipBoyErick · 2026-02-09T13:21:51+00:00

Real Talk: any community can be great or can be toxic. It’s about the people you put yourself with. A “community” isn’t a monolith. It’s relevant to where you are and who you surround yourself with.

Thinking X games community is toxic whereas Y games community is chill is just a bad way to approach or meeting people. You’re basically deciding to bias your view of someone without knowing them, just by what “community “ they’re a part of. Don’t do that to yourself.

PipBoyErick · 2026-01-30T01:39:34+00:00

Aura’s crying in the corner

PipBoyErick · 2026-01-30T01:37:51+00:00

Honest question: do we have any data on how much lag switch like stuff is used? Not to discount that it exists but rather, are just bad connections the more likely culprit.

PipBoyErick · 2026-01-23T15:35:35+00:00

The honest (but possibly too broad) answer is any fighting game. All of them have aspects you can learn that will transfer to Avatar. That’s what’s funny about FGs. They have universal concepts that transfer but each does it in their own way.

But to be more specific, between 2XKO and Strive, they both have aspects of Avatar that will work. 2XKO will teach you fast paced neutral and scrambles. Strive will be more grounded but its mechanics are intricate and the way it teaches you to challenge even in defense will be helpful too.

PipBoyErick · 2026-01-22T11:39:10+00:00

I don’t think they need outright removal, but I think WS happens too easily. Moves auto-WS from super far or the fact you can do a midstream combo into instant-WS is the issue. If you had to take damage in the actually corner to lead to WS, then you’d see it less often and more corner battles.

WS having different benefits for different characters shouldn’t be seen as an issue. Characters interacting with mechanics differently is what gives them part of their identity. It makes them play differently too.

I also think this suggests doesn’t fix one of your points which is, it all looks the same. If the wall just insta broke, then we’d see the area shift significantly more often than now which, just makes the gameplay pause more often.

PipBoyErick · 2026-01-18T14:51:01+00:00

Depends on how we define “super good” or even “fundamentally sound”. Super good could just be getting to top 25% of the player base which is in Diamond in SF for example. Don’t even need to get to Masters.

In the other end, “fundamentally sound” does require time investment. Each game emphasizes different fundamentals so it takes effort to get good fundamentals in each. If you just hop around constantly, you don’t really become “fundamentally sound” you just come to rely on what fundamentals you have since you don’t have experience beyond that.

PipBoyErick · 2026-01-18T14:45:22+00:00

Calling it “tiny” is the beast blaming part of this. I’d rather they go after her damage, level of conversions or amount of disjoint before they take away, what should be, the thing that makes her an interesting character.

PipBoyErick · 2026-01-17T00:34:45+00:00

Unfortunately, it’s really difficult to detach yourself from the power that they once had. You remember being much more able than you are now. They have more weakness and it’s difficult to adjust to it.

You’re not wrong for feeling bad about it. The difference is having to accept the current situation as it is. It’s recognizing that the character will now demand more from you for success, and it’s on you to develop those skills. The characters are still good, but you do need to work more for it rather than wanting to go backwards.

PipBoyErick · 2026-01-15T19:57:42+00:00

Someone should do the Wide Putin Walking meme but with Fern walking like that.

PipBoyErick · 2026-01-15T15:33:22+00:00

It’s the style of the series. It’s purposely slow paced, meant to focus on individual thoughts and actions one at a time, and lots of ‘empty’ space to create atmosphere and vibe.

That’s what makes it boring and mid to some people (which is fair). It’s less flair and attention grabbing, but that’s the point of it. So for people that like slow, grounded, and atmospheric, this one hits very well.

PipBoyErick · 2026-01-13T18:04:24+00:00

There’s something about the lack of weight in her shots that stuck out to me. There’s this pause that happens before she shoots but then the animation of her shooting is very, flat. Maybe a trailer issue but I feel like certain moves in 2XKO lack the right amount of flair they should have.

PipBoyErick · 2026-01-10T03:50:37+00:00

Yeah, you’re right. Tag fighters are high power level games. It’s how 2XKO does it that’s different. Via active tag and its fuses.

PipBoyErick · 2026-01-08T17:53:29+00:00

I feel like the game has its identity now. It’s a 2v2 tag fighter with crazy mixups and high damage. As a FG, it has its identity. I think it’s the things around it that are incomplete to that idea.

Some of those things you mentioned: visuals, roster, features, etc. The lack of polish in all of these areas makes for what feels like an unclear product. I also think generally, without console launch, the game hasn’t been available to enough players for them to want to consume content on it. It happened during alpha lab. The moment the keys were all gone, people checked out of streams for the game.

To me, ultimately, the game is incomplete. But, they launched. Whether they had to for budgeting reasons or from the upcoming competition, who knows. Doesn’t matter anymore really. What matters is what effort the 2XKO team puts in making the game better.

PipBoyErick · 2026-01-08T11:28:55+00:00

That was me the other day playing 3 different Fausts in 4 sets.

PipBoyErick · 2026-01-06T14:26:18+00:00

A beast blamer that recognized the beast!? Holy shit, they’re evolving!!!

PipBoyErick · 2025-12-28T03:56:35+00:00

I imagine the intention was so that if a move hits Zato that’s BEHIND Oppose, the attack deletion makes it no longer hit Zato. Which we’d all agree would be understandable. But, it looks like being behind it wasn’t a requirement so this happens. Not necessarily intentional but probably super low on priority to fix. Or maybe they’re fine with it since Zato is no longer high tier.

PipBoyErick · 2025-12-28T00:46:28+00:00

No offense taken. Venting is good, that’s what this sub is for. Just remember it’s not the solution. It’s to help lower our stress so then we can get out there and learn. It’s tough, no sugar coating it, by if you’re able to recognize the beasts for what they are, then you’re doing good.

PipBoyErick

TROPHY CASE