DOA6 New Gameplay Mechanics Revealed

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Try to keep an open mind as the footage is an early build of Dead or Alive 6, and we are slowly piecing the mechanics together the best we can with the information we have available to us. DOA6 will be available for us to play at EVO this year so observation is clearly welcomed by Team NINJA.

At 3:30 PM Pacific Time a stream from IGN is expected to help us make some sense of today's Famitsu interview with Shimbori that revealed several new mechanics to the DOA formula. Most developers copy and paste the predecessor, but the sixth installment of our game will have plenty of new mechanics, coupled with the elements we loved most from DOA5LR. Let's take a quick peep at what's new:

Critical Bursts, Power Blows and Power Launchers are gone!

When it came to the hand to hand combat, with no environmental damage in the picture, the critical bursts felt like a really special part of DOA. Hopefully this new system will blow our minds. How do you feel about this change?

New Mechanic: Side Attack

The side-step will not be taken out, but replaced with something else. You must release and follow up with the new Special button (H+P+K) which is detailed to some degree in the Famitsu Interview. The S button will be conducive to several new mechanics in the game. You can attack while avoiding a straight hit, but it always forces you to commit, so there is risk for the person side-stepping. A successful hit at close range will result in major damage. The stage will also be dependent on how damage is dealt. Seems like timing will mean everything.

New Mechanic: Break Gauge

If you watched the trailer, you may have noticed an additional bar under the HP. That's the break gauge and it fills up as you deal damage according to the Japanese translation of the interview. It also accumulates or freezes depending on your success with hold game duing the fight. When the bar fills up you will have access to "Break Hold" and "Break Blow." How they handle the holds will probably be one of the more complex topics of this new Break Gauge mechanic.

New System: Fatal Rush/ Auto Combo ( S, S, S, S )

Pressing that Special button continuously is an activity all characters can trigger.... the first hit will initiate a Fatal Stun, which puts the opponent in an unprotected state, and the normal hold can not be performed. If your gauge bar is filled you can use "Break Blow" on the last hit. Another interesting tidbit of information is that this auto combo will not cost from the break gauge, thankfully these moves are expected to be highly unsafe on block and are not invincible.

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New System: Break Blow ( + S )

As mentioned this works by filling up the break gauge and spending it all. This is the special cinematic punch that breaks the face of your opponent and is also confirmed by Shimbori to tear clothes. This can beat high and medium attacks, and can even break throws! A technique Shimbori calls the "invincible attack." This move can also be incorporated with an air juggle and the environment. Though it's a strong move, Break Holds can beat it, and lows can too.

New System: Break Hold ( + S )

It sounds like this mechanic will let you hold anything from any stage! This could be absolutely wonderful for dealing with people that love spamming the same moves over and over. This will make even the fastest characters think twice. You move behind the opponent, and do damage to them as you do it, hopefully they are all unique animations for all characters.

Famitsu was able to let us in on a lot of new information this early on, so to me this game will have little chance of delay and will be changing our lives in 2019. Sometime after the IGN stream I will edit this story with new details of the mechanics and also include a new write-up pertaining to the returning characters and how they will play differently from their DOA5 counterparts.

Please look no further than FSD for high quality content, tournament write-ups, news updates and an active forum that has been the most trusted source for DOA competitive play. Let's get hype!

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More than likely the options are going to be 3 way hold or 4 way hold. I'm just not a fan of that. The hold system needs to be standardized and honestly the way it was in 5 was fine. 4 way hold with advanced holds that gave more damage potential.

Also, the option is just going to cause all kinds of problems within the community and confusion for newer players.

I agree 5 handled Holds really well.

Only the ones who don't feel obligated to go through the tutorial which will probably explain the difference. Also did I misunderstand? Are we getting the option to choose between Break Holding and standard Holding? Or do we have to have both at the same time.

 

I agree 5 handled Holds really well.

Only the ones who don't feel obligated to go through the tutorial which will probably explain the difference. Also did I misunderstand? Are we getting the option to choose between Break Holding and standard Holding? Or do we have to have both at the same time.

Break hold and standard holds are two different mechanics. Defensive holds are still there. The 4 way option implies the current system of splitting the mid kick and punch. They haven't shown anything else other than that it is an option to change. I'm simply assuming they will give the option to choose between 4 and 3 way since dimensions they played with the 3 way hold (which I absolutely hated).

Break hold is just a hold that catches anything and burns a full meter bar.

 

Break hold and standard holds are two different mechanics. Defensive holds are still there. The 4 way option implies the current system of splitting the mid kick and punch. They haven't shown anything else other than that it is an option to change. I'm simply assuming they will give the option to choose between 4 and 3 way since dimensions they played with the 3 way hold (which I absolutely hated).

Break hold is just a hold that catches anything and burns a full meter bar.

Thank you for clarifying. Then why would you agree to anything but 4-way and just save your meter for the scrubs that have to rely on auto combo/break blow and just RIP them with proper gameplay.

 

Break hold reek of being useless long with sideattacks. I don't know why they exist. It reminds me of the useless powerlanuchers were to a point no one every used.

 

This game would've been sick if they just made Critical Bursts use all of the meter, and didn't have Break Blows that dealt 40% of your HP and goes through EVERYTHING (but lows).

I can deal with Break Holds, Side Attacks (I do like these) and SSSS strings because both do no damage and are basically there for flash options. I'd also be fine with Break Blows if they weren't downright busted in the game's current state. There is TOO LITTLE RISK FOR THE HIGH ASS REWARD.

Being able to do 3-way holds will be an offline thing/lobby option anyway in order to let people have fun with the game without making them spend multiple hours learning the fundamentals and how to hold. This isn't anything to worry about.

The okizeme looks ass. We need to see a bit more at EVO in order to fully determine this, but it's honestly looking like NOTHING hits on the ground (Apart from that one instance where Ryu did 7K) and that sucks.

BRING BACK SIDESTEPS AND MAKE THEM WORK. WE DON'T NEED SIDESTEP ATTACKS (From them), JUST THE ACTION ITSELF. Listen TN. Make them dash cancellable, and they will be more tactically used instead of just thrown out and constantly stuffed.

How do you make a game to target an e-sports crowd, and then you make the game dumber than it already is? That's jokesss

 

Break hold reek of being useless long with sideattacks. I don't know why they exist. It reminds me of the useless powerlanuchers were to a point no one every used.

I don't think the side attacks will be useless. It was one of the few reliable things I had with Hitomi in DoA4. It sucks they will all just be blow backs, but defensively they will still be useful, just less rewarding that a well timed SS in 5 that grants a stun.

 

I don't think the side attacks will be useless. It was one of the few reliable things I had with Hitomi in DoA4. It sucks they will all just be blow backs, but defensively they will still be useful, just less rewarding that a well timed SS in 5 that grants a stun.

You may be right.

 

Sorry guys... I cursed you all by requesting the inclusion of Side Attacks in a thread from 2017.

5. Bring Character's attacks back in a new way:
In DOA3 and 4, a lot of characters had moves with a motion, which sidestepped the opponent's attack, and countered them. Some of these moves actually put enemies off-axis when performed. As / is now an option for sidestepping, these moves aren't possible to bring back like that. So it would be easier to include them as their own attacks with different buttons. These moves were quite viable. Just make em unsafe (Over -7) when blocked. I know Tina got hers, so why not the rest xD

 

Sorry guys... I cursed you all by requesting the inclusion of Side Attacks in a thread from 2017.

lol, ya Hitomi's 88/22 side step attack would swing all the way behind you and launch you for a small juggle. Outside of the beginning of the match though it was pretty unreliable though. Hitomi's SS in vanilla 5 was fantastic though. You had to look at if you were in open or close stance, but it used to be her high spinning kick that flipped you around. If you did it in the correct stance you got a guaranteed BT stun combo into a launcher AND the kick was safe. Of course as soon as I showed it off the damn thing got changed to a mid kick lol.

Side note, any good mechanics I find in doa6 with Hitomi I'm keeping to myself dammit. Every time I found a strong tool that shit got removed or nerfed in 5 lmao.

 

lol, ya Hitomi's 88/22 side step attack would swing all the way behind you and launch you for a small juggle. Outside of the beginning of the match though it was pretty unreliable though. Hitomi's SS in vanilla 5 was fantastic though. You had to look at if you were in open or close stance, but it used to be her high spinning kick that flipped you around. If you did it in the correct stance you got a guaranteed BT stun combo into a launcher AND the kick was safe. Of course as soon as I showed it off the damn thing got changed to a mid kick lol.

Side note, any good mechanics I find in doa6 with Hitomi I'm keeping to myself dammit. Every time I found a strong tool that shit got removed or nerfed in 5 lmao.

Bruhhh I keep all the Zack tech to myself lmao, this is why he's not nerfed yet. But at the same time, there isn't much for them to nerf on Zack's side as he already lacks certain tools and doesn't really have abusable strats xD

 

Bruhhh I keep all the Zack tech to myself lmao, this is why he's not nerfed yet. But at the same time, there isn't much for them to nerf on Zack's side as he already lacks certain tools and doesn't really have abusable strats xD

Pffft those kick strings are pretty damn abusable =P

 

Pffft those kick strings are pretty damn abusable =P

You right, but that's because of the mind games you can pull with em. They're kinda shit on NH because they're like -12 unfinished but what even hits regularly in DOA. Game's a stun fest xD

 

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After giving it some careful thought I agree

I think Launch grabs in particular can be a good use for Offensive Holds with some characters. *Bass's belly flop would be a good sabaki. Those would be some cool little additions. And than as I mentioned earlier having OH's throw escapable at a given window unless that character is heavy or grappler. ( I just feel like OH's are so good because it is a nice tool to prevent careless mashing or any randomly thrown counters)

*One thing DoA4 had that was pretty great was stats on character usage. I definitely think that is a good simple idea to implement as it pushes character variety & pushes the meta in a way that allows the players to find balances to the game thus exposing any marginally unfair exploits.




One reason I think it makes spacing/ footsies more difficult than necessary is because the opponent doesn't incur a stun penalty for an incorrect/mistimed counter (except while already stunned) or for letting go of their block. I take back what I said earlier this is specifically the biggest problem that needs to be addressed. Next to that would be wall mechanics; have some moves wall-splat & be stagger-escapable like in DoA4 (with the bonus that if your opponent does not stagger escape in time; the combo can be extended) & have some moves wall-bounce for a combo like in DoA5









Critical bursts using all the meter is a pretty great idea; that should seriously be considered. And than yeah have SS be dash-cancellable & give the option of a blow-back. (For breakable objects & environment all that good stuff.)

Please no thank you... No more CBs at all >.>

 

Because DOA1 through Dimensions didn't have it, it became a thing in DOA5 when the VFs came which made sense because VF was helping advise TN with gameplay and such. I'm just saying that even without a sidestep its not like DOA will suffer, especially if they have a side attack as a way to compensate

That doesn't mean anything, Akuma never had a SS attack in Tekken yet they gave him one to compensate for the 3D movement. In fact he never stepped in his life period because of his origin as a 2D fighter. Someone stepping Akuma's fireball probably still leaves him mindblown till this day.

Sidesteps are what makes 3D fighters traditional. DOA didn't have sidesteps in the past because DOA tried to do their own thing (which they should just stop period) and absorb the wonders of the basics of basic when it comes to a 3D fighter. To see it gone just makes shit shallow. Obviously everyone will hop on the new DOA train but to defend this or just tolerate it because everyone is on board of the hype train is just hilarious. Now to step you are forced to attack which is probably unsafe, which is a read that can cost you rounds because you tried to play smart, see how silly that sounds? lol.

Overall, it's too early to judge for the conclusion for the game so maybe it'll be a game that'll blow everyone's mind, but they should of left neutral steps in there for some deep level shit and make it more evasive to avoid those moves that retrack. Stepping a move that gives the opponent +2 on block but -19 on step whiff with huge recovery and then punishing it after is like putting wine on the glass.

 

That doesn't mean anything, Akuma never had a SS attack in Tekken yet they gave him one to compensate for the 3D movement. In fact he never stepped in his life period because of his origin as a 2D fighter. Someone stepping Akuma's fireball probably still leaves him mindblown till this day.

Sidesteps are what makes 3D fighters traditional. DOA didn't have sidesteps in the past because DOA tried to do their own thing (which they should just stop period) and absorb the wonders of the basics of basic when it comes to a 3D fighter. To see it gone just makes shit shallow. Obviously everyone will hop on the new DOA train but to defend this or just tolerate it because everyone is on board of the hype train is just hilarious. Now to step you are forced to attack which is probably unsafe, which is a read that can cost you rounds because you tried to play smart, see how silly that sounds? lol.

Overall, it's too early to judge for the conclusion for the game so maybe it'll be a game that'll blow everyone's mind, but they should of left neutral steps in there for some deep level shit and make it more evasive to avoid those moves that retrack. Stepping a move that gives the opponent +2 on block but -19 on step whiff and then punishing it after is like putting wine on the glass.

I'm still optimistic for this game but there are definitely some red flags being thrown up. I would like to know their logic behind the forced side step attack when the reward for doing it in it's supposed primary intention is a single hit with a knock back that forces a reset? I thought the point of stepping in most 3D fighters was to open them up into a multi piece chicken dinner, not resetting. Break Hold is just a reset as well so presumably they're trying to put more emphasis on the neutral. But then they add Fatal Rush which, from what we're reading and I'm hoping they're just wording it wrong, the only way out is through Break Hold that consumes your entire meter. So if they're adding meter management to the meta and Fatal Rush doesn't just not consume meter but builds it, and the only way out is BH... Doesn't that mean they're utterly punishing you for defending yourself against it? Once you get out of it with BH, which is once again a reset and not your advantage, all they have to do is get you back in FR and you're forced to eat the whole thing and probably the Break Blow tacked on at the end.

Granted I know the defense for FR as a mechanic is that they all start high so it's supposedly easy to read and punish, and I'm sure it's unsafe on block, but you can't punish a player for using the only mechanic they're allowing you to use to get out of it by rewarding offense with a guaranteed full combo and payoff if they catch you with it soon after. I (And a few others) was under the assumption that you could just low hold out and punish, but if it's inescapable and locks you down so that your only option is BH then why are these two mechanics even here beyond forcing players to use this new thing TN is trying. They should be encouraging you to try these new mechanics not forcing it down your throat lmao

 

Do you guys think that Fatal Rush should require a full meter before use? @Rojikku mentioned that suggestion on stream earlier this week, because of the fact that Break Hold--the only way to stop Fatal Rush (outside of throw punishing)--requires full meter.

 

Do you guys think that Fatal Rush should require a full meter before use? @Rojikku mentioned that suggestion on stream earlier this week, because of the fact that Break Hold--the only way to stop Fatal Rush (outside of throw punishing)--requires full meter.

Make it require full meter to initiate and then make every strike whether against block or hitting take away a bit of meter and remove the BH only escape mechanic and just make it an auto combo for new players which is what it should have been to begin with.

 

Do you guys think that Fatal Rush should require a full meter before use? @Rojikku mentioned that suggestion on stream earlier this week, because of the fact that Break Hold--the only way to stop Fatal Rush (outside of throw punishing)--requires full meter.

I don't think it should require meter. Casual gamers wouldn't be using the S button if it didn't do anything without meter. I'm thinking Team Ninja wants them to just use that move and have cool stuff happen. Casual gamers generally just mash buttons and don't block so the S button allowing them to do combos, super, and holds kind of works for them.

I don't think fatal rush is bad. If you get hit with the first of attack of a fatal rush then it's pretty much acting like a launcher to an air juggle where you can't hold out of it. It's just easier for casual gamers to do. DragonBall FighterZ, Blazblue Tag Battle, Marvel vs Capcom Infinite all have a button that the player can mash to do combos and the opponent can't escape. Although they still have a chance of escaping in DOA6 with breaker holds.

 

I don't think it should require meter. Casual gamers wouldn't be using the S button if it didn't do anything without meter. I'm thinking Team Ninja wants them to just use that move and have cool stuff happen. Casual gamers generally just mash buttons and don't block so the S button allowing them to do combos, super, and holds kind of works for them.

I don't think fatal rush is bad. If you get hit with the first of attack of a fatal rush then it's pretty much acting like a launcher to an air juggle where you can't hold out of it. It's just easier for casual gamers to do. DragonBall FighterZ, Blazblue Tag Battle, Marvel vs Capcom Infinite all have a button that the player can mash to do combos and the opponent can't escape. Although they still have a chance of escaping in DOA6 with breaker holds.

When you put it like that it makes a bit of sense. Fair point.