Experimental Match Rules

Experimental Match Rules

Hello, all Champions!

Since we're all just having fun in Dark Matches at the moment, I decided to put together some experimental rules to test out. These aren't planned to become official league rules anytime and participation in testing them out is, of course, voluntary. I just want to try something out that I think could lead to more interesting and fun matches for new and old players.

Everyone just wants to have fun here, and there are some nasty habits people have that lead to anger, especially in new players (like spamming). Also, part of what makes this game get less interesting over time, is how limited you are in using certain moves. With so many moves being spam reversible (as in you can just mash R2 and you'll reverse it every time, example: chain grapples), I decided it was time to try and see if we can make up for the game's shortcomings in the game play department.

Here are the rules I wrote up. I encourage everyone in the league to try them out. While it may seem like these rules lower your in-game options, that is actually quite the opposite. Several types of moves (like chain grapples and diving attacks vs standing opponent attacks) actually become MORE useful with these rules. Give it a try, please, and let me know what you think. I have included a short description of why each rule is proposed along with the rule itself.

Rules to Test

1. No running strikes or grapples unless you first bounce off the ropes. The only exception to this is when your opponent is in the corner.

See yuh later, run spam! Rule #1 is set to eliminate the most annoying aspect of competitive SvR 2011 play without using some kind of subjective or overly vague rule like "No Spamming" that will just lead to more arguments.

2. No reversing chain grapples.

WHAT? Yes. Ask yourself, when was the last time you got hit by a Chain Grapple? Never. So many people spam the crap out of R2 when they are in a Chain Grapple, and it will reverse a Chain Grapple follow up every time. None of the league veterans even bother using Chain Grapples because it is almost impossible NOT to reverse it. This rule was created to make them useful again. Keep in mind that reversing Strong Strikes from a Chain Grapple and other moves is still legal. This rule only applies for Grapples from a Chain Grapple.

Also, I was considering changing this slightly to include "...unless you have Tech of 70 or more," to give Technical a purpose within competitive play. Try out both and let me know what you think!

3. No reversing special minigames until after being hit at least 3 time.

Same as above, no one bothers with the mini-games because they are so easy to reverse. What's the point of dragging your opponent all the way to the corner for the chop mini-game if they can reverse it 100% of the time? There is no point, not without this rule.

4. No fast roll recovery, only slow recovery.

To clarify, this rules means that you cannot hold any directional buttons when you get up from the ground. If you are holding a direction button and pressing other buttons when you're grounded, you will fast roll recover. This rule makes it so you must slowly recover instead. This will make more sense when you read #5

5. No lifting up your opponent from the ground to the groggy state

WHAT!!?? Yeah, rule #2 and #4 will rarely come into play if people are always lifting each other up to do groggy grapples as they currently do. This rule is set to change that and to make people less reliant on groggy grapples, leading to more diverse matches. If you want to hit your opponent when they get up, you will have to time it instead of simply picking them up. This also makes it a little easier for your opponent to counter (with a gut kick, for example). I'm in favor of closer matches, so that's why I want to try out this rule.

6. No running to avoid attacks

It's really lame when people do this. Aaron Webb and Sobaan do it NONSTOP and it really just ruins the game for the others involved.

7. No taunting outside the ring

Like #6, this one is just lame. If I had designed SvR, I would have made it so you don't get any momentum meter when you taunt outside. It doesn't make any sense and it usually just ruins the match.

8. Only original finishing moves. The only exception to this is submission moves.

Honestly, this should've been a rule when the league started.


I want to see more moves! Don't you guys? So...with all these rules to experiment with, this gives everyone a lot of room to improve their play and their move sets! You should have around 24 moves in your Chain Grapple menu (including Submissions and Strikes) that you didn't give two shits about until now!

I am very eager to try out these rules, so if you want to give them a go, just let me know!