I got a couple of grapple ideas for UFC 4, that i want to share. Before I start - English is not my first language, so sometimes I may try to explain in many words something that have one-word definition.
1.More distinctive early/normal/late denials. This part is main core of my ideas. If current situation does not have special scenario for early or late denial (for example fighter does not have reversal for early denial) early denial should give big GA for defender (you were ready for opponent move and used less time and strength to defend). Late denial in that situation should drain stamina from defender. Your opponent started his move already and you used pure power to take him back. This part of first suggestion may already be implemented, I never experimented to be sure. But main is to give more scenarios for early and late denial.
2.Split takedown defense into standing defence (R2+down) and sprawling defence (R2+L2+down). Scenarios for standing defence could be:
• Early: jump from his way (standard one, if defender have no special skills. More stamina drain for attacker, no for defender); catch for the knee (like current fast knockdown catch, it will need thai clinch skills)
• Normal: just shove off for standard animation (I think we already have this one, some stamina drain for defender, bigger for attacker). Double underhooks reversal could become scenario for good clinch fighters.
• Late: running takedown. I really don’t know how to name it properly. This is the one when attacker catches you, but you try to back off to not to fall. All three scenarios should be present base on stats and stamina: you will back off till the cage and enter current cage takedown position,
defender finally shoves off attacker
and attacker takes down after few steps
.
Scenarios for sprawl defence:
• Early: jump your legs back as standard one (same as standing, more stamina drain for attacker, no for defender); current takedown reversals for skilled fighters. This way we will see these animations more often.
• Normal: struggle and sprawl (same as standing, some stamina drain for defender, bigger for attacker)
• Late: struggle with some steps back and sprawl or cage takedown position if cage is close. Same stamina drain for both fighters.
Standing defence is risky, but lets you to keep both you and your opponent on feet if your fighter is a striker or in dominant clinch position for guys with good clinch. Sprawl gives you more chances not to be taken down. And is it really so free to stand up from DOM sprawl position as in game? I am more stand up guy myself, so can some wrestle or bjj trained person say can SUB sprawl fighter catch leg, when DOM fighter tries to stand up? If yes, this reversal could be added to game. Even as only pre-deniable. So stand up guys would have more reasons to try standing takedown defence.
3. Transitions based submission. Take away minigame and use animations for current gates in more skillful way. My idea is to make submission positions a bit different from others by adding tug-of-war mechanic. After one fighter makes transition into submission position somewhere on screen appears new bar. That bar shows how deep submission is. Every submission should have its own bar filling speed that is modified by current stamina and skills difference. Bar starts half filled and if it reaches end of attacker then he wins; if it reaches end of defender submission is broken. In that position both fighter has at least 2 directions for Right stick: “light” and “heavy”. Light transition makes you try to do a little move. Low stamina cost, but pulls bar for x% on your side. Heavy transition will pull bar for your side if successful and different scenarios on denial timing. For example, more stamina cost on early denial. Nothing on normal denial and successful light transition on late denial. Time you need to fill transition is based on current bar position, so deeper transition already is – harder it is to just pull your hand (for example) from enemy’s clutches. And heavy transition should be deniable even after wrong direction, but with stamina penalty. Besides this two directions skilled fighters can have extra transition directions. Attacker, for example may have transition to better variant of current submission (current gate animations), so bar will start to fill faster. Or transition into another submission if his current bar situation is bad and new submission will reset it to center. Plus, attacker can have transitions into non submission positions. BJJ fighters can scare opponent with submission only to transition into better position. Defenders can get transitions back to lower variants of submission if appropriate and slams that can be high risk-high reward system. If opponent denied it, you just threw ton of stamina for nothing: opp prepared for slam and damage was low. But successful slam can be a ton of damage to head and/or body. Oh and one or both fighters, depending on position, can throw strikes into opponent. Blinking head or body health during submission should give huge advantage for transitions.
4. Add submission transitions into reversal game. With submissions becoming closer to rest of the ground game they can become reversals. Early arm trap can transition into armbar, early denial of SUB sprawl standing up can become guillotine that we already have as special denial. We don’t need special denials because submission will be part of ground game, not separate mini game.
5. More damage on ground strikes+ground sways. With more block damage for changing strikes. This way we will get realistic damage on ground and balance it with more ways for SUB fighter to live through. With current damage stiking when in submission will be high risk – low reward. You would be better just holding on denials.
Before latest patch I thought about lowering stamina regain in submission and remapping leg catch on different buttons, but it already was adressed. So what do you guys think of my ideas?