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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From what I've seen, the damage from a raw fatal combo looks on-par with something like a strong 2-in-1. So while it looks really flashy, it's not all that effective on its own unless something has been set up with it. At the same time, I'm told fatal rush is quite unsafe.

The real problem right now is the break blow. It's effectively acting like a sort of super-sabaki that beats highs, mids, and even throws while doing around 40% when it lands. That...... needs to be addressed. I don't think anyone wants the meta to devolve into doing low attacks the entire round because you're scared of the super.

Zack would be top tier in that meta. LOL!

 

From what I've seen, the damage from a raw fatal combo looks on-par with something like a strong 2-in-1. So while it looks really flashy, it's not all that effective on its own unless something has been set up with it. At the same time, I'm told fatal rush is quite unsafe.

The real problem right now is the break blow. It's effectively acting like a sort of super-sabaki that beats highs, mids, and even throws while doing around 40% when it lands. That...... needs to be addressed. I don't think anyone wants the meta to devolve into doing low attacks the entire round because you're scared of the super.

Ya, I get TN wants the special attacks to have more purpose, but perhaps it being a sabaki is a bit much? Especially since there's a meter hold as well. I'd choose the blow over the hold every time since the blow has a sabaki, but I suppose that depends on how much you can pull off from the back turn on the hold.

I think it also comes down to how fast the meter builds. I hope the pace it builds in the footage we saw was just for the demo and it wont actually build that quickly.

 

In my opinion, I think Shimbori went the wrong way with it. Having an anti-everything button with seemingly zero frame hold activation for every character is just a bit much.

Similarly, the system in T7 with armor is also, imo, bad because you have to treat every character the same way.

The best system I saw so far was the one out of SC5 where every characters special had a different function, but was an incredibly powerful asset. And aside from Nightmare and Dampy, they all took time to activate so if you had frame advantage you could potentially stuff them.

Hopefully its not too late to change this, but I feel they need to make the functionality more character specific and special. Give Bass a super grapple with a hit of armor. Give Eliot a long range, unblockable lunge that tracks but could be held with the unholdable property. Give leon a massive shoulder tackle that acts like a guard crush on block. Give Hayabusa his damn fireball back! The good one that he used in the DOA 4 ending to shoot down the drones. Make it a combo finisher, or something you could use to punish a whiff at range because of generous activation time.

Stuff like that. Basically, give everyone a "special" attack that's actually "special". Not just, "Here's an anti-everything button."

I know Shimbori is trying to take inspiration from some sumo game kids play over there, but that doesn't mean its going to mesh correctly with rock paper scissors, which is the basis for the core of the fighter to begin with. What he had was a decent idea, but it needs to evolve here. It's far too simplistic.

 

Movement should never be balanced against any kind of triangle combat system. It should always be considered a separate entity, and the combat system afterwards comes as a consequence of using it the right or wrong way.

 

Honestly I'm surprised Side-Stepping is still around because their is an argument that it also unbalances the Triangle System by taking away from traditional throw punishes & counters making learning the neutral a little less necessary.

In what way? SS loses to throws every time, so I'm not sure where you're coming from with that.

 

If

In what way? SS loses to throws every time, so I'm not sure where you're coming from with that.

I'm not sure they will now if the player is forced to commit to a strike that happens immediately. The SS is basically being replaced.

While I think that Break Blows are strong, they can be reversed with a Break Hold, and lows can be reversed that way as well.

 

If


I'm not sure they will now if the player is forced to commit to a strike that happens immediately. The SS is basically being replaced.

While I think that Break Blows are strong, they can be reversed with a Break Hold, and lows can be reversed that way as well.

The new SS has a wind animation start up. From whats been told it seems to suggest that it has pretty strict timing else you get knocked out of it. They all seem to be blow backs now to, so its not like you get a deep stun setup out of it.

 

My own two cents, in case TN is reading this thread and looking at feedback:

I think the system sounds terrible. I play DOA because I want to play DOA. When you make a feature that essentially circumvents the fundamentals of the game, you're no longer playing that game. This is what happens whenever Ninja Gaiden forces players to use the bow, and why many players loathe those segments. In DOA, I like having the ability to hold my opponent's attack if I properly anticipate the exact attack. That's part of the reason I play Ryu. He doesn't have a magic duck button that beats 99% of options in the game (no, ongyoin parry does not count), but if I perfectly read my opponent, I like to do so using unique techniques exclusive to my character (izuna holds) but that don't circumvent the game's core mechanics. By making a new, core move that can't be held, it's essentially saying: "Good luck playing DOA. We want you to play a phone game with a DOA skin on top."

It sounds awful, and I think most of the player base agrees. I know that player feedback was a big part of DOA5's development, so I hope they listen here.

 

Well if you go to EVO you can try it for yourself! You might even be able to articulate your opinions to people working the event.

 

Is it possible DoA6 can't use some of the DoA5 Mechanics for legal reasons.... like maybe Sega owns the Side Step System...

I know it sounds stupid but I need you guys to tell me that... the voices in my head can't be trusted.

 

If Sega owns the side step system, we've all been violating the law for years.

 

From what I've seen, the damage from a raw fatal combo looks on-par with something like a strong 2-in-1. So while it looks really flashy, it's not all that effective on its own unless something has been set up with it. At the same time, I'm told fatal rush is quite unsafe.

The real problem right now is the break blow. It's effectively acting like a sort of super-sabaki that beats highs, mids, and even throws while doing around 40% when it lands. That...... needs to be addressed. I don't think anyone wants the meta to devolve into doing low attacks the entire round because you're scared of the super.

that is just what I wanna say
6S seems too powerful right now ，and I think BreakGauge shouldn't be remained to next round

 

Yeah that's not why. They probably removed it since its not much of a DOA mechanic, it's more a VF type mechanic but DOA could have it if they wanted to. Side steps imo were never great in DOA to begin with since strings could retrack when you ss and you still get blown up. Plus most characters side step follow ups were meh or garbage and basically reused attacks.

Plus some characters didn't even need a sidestep. Rachel and Marie Rose both have their special side steps and Marie Rose's minuet has long been regarded as obnoxious already.

 

Yeah that's not why. They probably removed it since its not much of a DOA mechanic, it's more a VF type mechanic but DOA could have it if they wanted to. Side steps imo were never great in DOA to begin with since strings could retrack when you ss and you still get blown up. Plus most characters side step follow ups were meh or garbage and basically reused attacks.

Plus some characters didn't even need a sidestep. Rachel and Marie Rose both have their special side steps and Marie Rose's minuet has long been regarded as obnoxious already.

Tekken and SC have a sidestep. It's not a "VF Mechanic." WE need one.

 

Tekken and SC have a sidestep. It's not a "VF Mechanic." WE need one.

You misread. I know other games have it but it's more a VF thing than DOA thing.

We don't really need it, DOA1-4 didn't have sidesteps. Plus DOA6 has that new side attack mechanic anyway

 

Yeah that's not why. They probably removed it since its not much of a DOA mechanic, it's more a VF type mechanic but DOA could have it if they wanted to. Side steps imo were never great in DOA to begin with since strings could retrack when you ss and you still get blown up. Plus most characters side step follow ups were meh or garbage and basically reused attacks.

Plus some characters didn't even need a sidestep. Rachel and Marie Rose both have their special side steps and Marie Rose's minuet has long been regarded as obnoxious already.

It's the most basic of basic 3D fighting game mechanics. Frankly, the game needs it, and it needs to avoid stuff. I'm just tired of fighting that war. Team Ninja doesn't like it in their game and I don't like arguing about it. Been doing it for more than a decade now.

With 5, they had the chance to fix it, but they limited it too much because they didn't like it when people used it effectively in testing. This time around because it was so limited in 5 they scrapped it completely and opted for a much older system of SS attacks instead. Oh well.

 

Yeah that's not why. They probably removed it since its not much of a DOA mechanic, it's more a VF type mechanic but DOA could have it if they wanted to. Side steps imo were never great in DOA to begin with since strings could retrack when you ss and you still get blown up. Plus most characters side step follow ups were meh or garbage and basically reused attacks.

Plus some characters didn't even need a sidestep. Rachel and Marie Rose both have their special side steps and Marie Rose's minuet has long been regarded as obnoxious already.

Eh, DoA has always had some form of side step (FSD). The SS they have in 6 right now kind of reminds me of SS attacks from 3 and 4.

Rikuto has the right of it though. We need a proper SS and 5 was close to being what we needed. Its a shame to see it replaced with an older design.

 

If freestepping works like in previous titles where you can avoid linear attacks by just freestepping out of the way, i'm fine with Sidestep being gone honestly.

About the Special Button.

Fatal Rush - My least favorite inclusion. If you land the first hit, you get all the other 3, it deals terrible damage, but it causes wall splat which in itself gives you a mixup, my biggest problem is that this can't be held by normal holds, even if it is super unsafe on block and is really not worth to do because of the bad damage, i feel that not being holdable is a bit too much, make it holdable and you'll have something that only beginners will use and will not affect the game in any other shape. It seems you can't mix between fatal rush strikes and other normal strikes either.

Break Blow - I'm not too found of this, do they work while you're in critical stun? Because if it can only be done mid combo or during neutral, i'm somewhat fine with that.

Break Hold - It doesn't seem like a big option, it leaves the oponent backturned, but it doesn't do much damage and even with the backturned oponent it doesn't seem to really give you a real advantage, it seems you don't have guaranteed followups.

Sidestep Attack - I honestly like this one, if freestepping works like i want to work, this could be a neat thing to add to the game.

Those mechanics, i feel weird about them, because outside of the Sidestep attack, all of them feel like they would be really good and easy options, which is a problem, or options that aren't going to be used at all at high level play, which is not good either.

 

I do not like these changes at all.
I can live with the no CB’s, PL’s and PB’s. Even though I rely a lot on CB’s, PB’s and PL’s I can adjust to that, but no sidestep? Really TN, Really? I don’t like the idea of them taking my choice away wether to attack after a side step or not. I want to choose freely if I want to attack during a sidestep or not. I don’t get why they had this amazing idea of removing it when the side step system was perfectly fine in this game. I love change, I really do, but I wonder how this will work with moves that are supposed to track.

The super meter is also something that’s very disappointing to me, I don’t really see DOA as a game where supermeters belong. I like the breakblow but I hate the fact that it’s basically an invincible attack that can you not be beat by lows and the special hold. Talking about holds I really do not see the use of regular holds anymore now they’ve introduced the S hold.

The auto combo is probably the thing I hate the most about 6. DOA is already a game that’s easy to pick up for new players and is fun to learn. so why add a special button that they can just mash. This gives them more reason to not learn the game at all. Why would casual players even put effort into improving when they can just spam the auto combo. It might not be all that useful and unsafe but it’s still one of the most stupidest things I’ve heard. It’s so easy to do combo’s in DOA already so why they added a auto combo goes beyond me.

They’re removing all the good things and replace them with something shitty. Removing tag mode is also something that’s stupid, I understand they want to focus on fighting but that doesn’t mean tag can’t be a part of it. Tag in 5 is broken but they could’ve balanced it in 6. I’m glad Shimbori said that the game is 10% done because I hope they’ll listen to the feedback and change it back to the way how LR is played minus the CB’s, PB’s and PL’s. The S button is a good idea but not for DOA.

 

The catch is . . .Offensive Holds essentially contain the same properties as Side-Steps & their was a lot less of that in DoA5. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm sure not even the grapplers had any . . & well I thought every character had one because it is a part of the game

Huh?? Offensive holds are just throws with hold properties and yes all the grapplers have at least one.