Auto Combos in Fighting Games

[Kalentan]

I know they can sometimes be a hot button topic in the community but I actually really like Auto Combos. For me it makes the act of getting in some basic hits feel good and in general make the whole fighting experience seem smoother. I like going from an Auto Combo in a larger more complex one.

(For those that may not know, Auto Combos are when you can Press the same button multiple times in a row (usually 3) and the game has you perform a combo.)

But I will also admit that I like auto combos as they can usually allow you to do some decent damage without having to fully commit to one of the larger combos.

Off the top of my head, Dragon Ball FigtherZ, Granblue Fantasy Versus, Power Rangers have it. Though there is more.

Wanted to see if Era tends to like them or wishes less games would use auto combos or the option or just not caring haha.

 

[TheInfinityGauntlet]

Auto combos are fine as long as they're not online

 

[Kalentan]

Auto combos are fine as long as they're not online

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Is there any games with auto combos that don't have them online?

 

[Spazerbeam]

As someone who likes playing fighting games but isn't exactly good at them, i like the auto combos. It allows me to selectively focus on doing Big Damage with normal combos or focus on spacing while doing auto combos.

 

[Video Games Are Dumb]

I think it boils down to the fact that some players will bounce immediately from any game that doesn't have auto combos. I very much enjoy the skill of a good combo, it's like learning musical scales, I adore it. But auto combos have brought in a new audience and should be respected for that.

So personally, I'll take something more complex. But I enjoy the atmosphere that an auto provides to new players. And I did enjoy Dragon Ball FighterZ as well.

 

[BoosterDuck]

Auto combos are good as long as experienced players gain an edge with manual combos.

 

[Korigama]

Off the top of my head, Dragon Ball FigtherZ, Granblue Fantasy Versus, and SoulCalibur VI have it. Though there is more.

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SCVI doesn't have autocombos (by this standard, every competing 8WR 3D fighter would also be considered to have autocombos).

 

[Cactuar]

I don't play fighting games with auto combos so I actually have no opinion on them. My suspicion is that auto combos are not optimized, so while you may be doing combos by mashing, you are not doing the optimal damage of someone performing manual combos. But again, I don't play those games mentioned in the OP.

 

[Greyline108]

I'm personally fine with them even though I don't use them. There's so much more to fighting games than just the execution, and if something like that helps my friends that have trouble with that part pick up the game and have a bit more fun with it, I'm all for it.

 

[Phoenixazure]

They work if the game is build around it IE BBTAG and Power Rangers BOTG. Not as as much of a fan, nor as effective I believe when it feels stapled on like with KOF XIV

 

[Jaded Alyx]

So long as they aren't the optimal route then I don't have much problem with them.

I don't play fighting games with auto combos so I actually have no opinion on them. My suspicion is that auto combos are not optimized, so while you may be doing combos by mashing, you are not doing the optimal damage of someone performing manual combos. But again, I don't play those games mentioned in the OP.

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Yep.

 

[Geist 6one7]

I'm good with autocombos as long as I can turn them off (KOF XIV) and they don't have normals exclusive to them (DBFZ).

 

[Kalentan]

SCVI doesn't have autocombos.

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Pretty sure it does at least for some characters. Cassandra totally has some.

 

[Glio]

I love auto combos because although I am not very good at playing I can feel and see something interesting. That pressing the same button several times simply repeat the same action is more boring.

 

[Bigkrev]

I'm fine with auto-combos, as long as they aren't just as good as actually learning combos. They encourage actually learning how to play the game- the movement, the blocking/defense, and the situational awareness of WHEN you are supposed to be attacking- before you sit down and start to memorize strings/inputs/etc.

 

[BurnKnuckle21]

I never use them but don't have a problem with them being in games for others. Usually they're short and/or sub-optimal which seems like a fair trade off.

 

[Korigama]

Pretty sure it does at least for some characters. Cassandra totally has some.

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I play Cassandra. There are no autocombos, nor do I know what you're referring to as such.

 

[toad02]

My first time with that was in DBFZ and I feel like they did a good job helping me to get into the game since they level the playfield a lot faster in these entry moments. I like the idea a lot. I think It's a much better way to introduce players to the game/genre than most of other attempts seen in the past.

 

[Astral Lovelace]

I'm not really sure why this is even contested. They are never optimal, manual combos are always the better choice, but it like, allows a person to play the game on a functional level *before* they've put in hours with the lab. It just makes the game feel good ya know?

 

[Kalentan]

I play Cassandra. There are no autocombos.

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You can literally press Triangle 4 times in a row for a full combo.

 

[demondance]

Autocombos are kind of annoying at times because simply pressing a button 2 times gets you a unique attack instead of the attack coming out twice. It's one of those accessibility things that ends up feeling less intuitive to me than one button = one attack.

 

[Spacejaws]

Pretty sure it does at least for some characters. Cassandra totally has some.

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I don't think they are auto combos. I play Sophitia and yea she has a AAA and BBB moves but those 3 moves are unique to that combo. Auto combos usually pull out moves you could do manually. Soulcalibur those 3 neutral horizontal or verticals aren't really auto combos. Just a really simple combo. In that regard you could say Tekken has auto combos too and Mortal Kombat 11 because they have a simple combo that uses the same button 3 times.

 

[Korigama]

You can literally press Triangle 4 times in a row for a full combo.

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Three times, and it's not an autocombo.

I don't think they are auto combos. I play Sophitia and yea she has a AAA and BBB moves but those 3 moves are unique to that combo. Auto combos usually pull out moves you could do manually. Soulcalibur those 3 neutral horizontal or verticals aren't really auto combos. Just a really simple combo. In that regard you could say Tekken has auto combos too and Mortal Kombat 11 because they have a simple combo that uses the same button 3 times.

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All of this.

 

[Kalentan]

Which is not an autocombo.

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Maybe we have a different definition of it? Auto combos from what I've seen is typically defined as a combo that you can do that is performed by pressing the same button over and over. It doesn't mean every combo in the game can be done automatically.

 

[Korigama]

Maybe we have a different definition of it? Auto combos from what I've seen is typically defined as a combo that you can do that is performed by pressing the same button over and over. It doesn't mean every combo in the game can be done automatically.

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What you're defining as an autocombo does not apply to games like Soul Calibur, Tekken, or Dead or Alive (barring 6's Fatal Rush mechanic).

 

[Deleted member 61909]

I think they're fine but certain limitations to auto combos should be applied. Being able to do auto combos on whiff like in DBFZ just seems out of control. I do like the idea of unique moves being locked in auto combo's.

 

[Kalentan]

What you're defining as an autocombo does not apply to games like Soul Calibur, Tekken, or Dead or Alive.

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Well then enlighten me. What is an auto combo since your clearly saying I don't know.

 

[ggdeku]

I think the "A-B-C/L-M-H" type systems like in Marvel 3 or Gatlings in Guilty Gear where you can go "P-K-S-HS" are better for new players.

Hammering one button feels like you aren't doing the right thing, just using a mechnic as an easy mode. Pressing the buttons in ascending order breaks down that barrier a bit and allows new players to feel like they are playing the game "properly" if that makes any sense.

 

[Deleted member 18379]

As someone who will forever be bad at fighting games but wishes to be good, auto combos do nothing for me. I actually dislike them.

 

[BeaconofTruth]

Auto combos are fine, proper combos are far too damaging n more valuable that auto combos just aren't enough to run offense with. Plus you can't open people up exclusively with auto combos.

The only thing they should never do is the tracking shit they do in dbfz. It blows up cross ups.

 

[Deleted member 61909]

Well then enlighten me. What is an auto combo since your clearly saying I don't know.

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strings and auto combos are separate. Which is what I feel they are coming from. Strings usually don't combo on hit unless from juggle, auto combos always combo from hit.

 

[Chief Malik]

Auto combos in games do horrible damage so you will always loose if you rely on it for anything except the computer.

 

[Iori Fuyusaka]

Well then enlighten me. What is an auto combo since your clearly saying I don't know.

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An auto combo is when you push the same button multiple times in a row and moves not actually mapped to that button come out in sequence.

 

[Uraizen]

So long as they aren't the optimal route then I don't have much problem with them.

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Agreed.

 

[Rommaz]

I like them in Granblue. I don't like them DBFZ. I'm impartial to them in BBTag and Uni

 

[Bigg]

Maybe not a popular opinion, but I like them. I think they're a good way to keep things simple while you're learning the game or learning a new character. Autocombos almost never do a ton of damage by themselves, so you need to learn more advanced setups/combos to actually improve. It gives players time to focus on learning strategy and mechanics before focusing on combo execution, which I think is pretty important.

I see a lot of people claim that autocombos make fighting games too easy or too simple but I just see them as a nice tutorial tool. You can't tell me games like CrossTag and GBVS don't have depth just because they have auto combos, and good luck getting anywhere competitively in DBFZ if you don't learn any regular combos.

 

[Deleted member 61909]

I like them in Granblue. I don't like them DBFZ. I'm impartial to them in BBTag and Uni

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Being able to do them off whiff in DBFZ is what really kills it for me in that game.

 

[Soupbones]

As long as they are penalized somehow compared to doing the combo with inputs, it's cool.

 

[Altairre]

An auto combo is when you push the same button multiple times in a row and moves not actually mapped to that button come out in sequence.

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Correct. Strings that just happen to be performed by hitting the same button multiple times are not auto-combos.

 

[Deleted member 13560]

I like them as long as they are a gateway into more optimized and/or skillful manual combos that have bigger payouts for becoming skilled.

 

[Kalentan]

An auto combo is when you push the same button multiple times in a row and moves not actually mapped to that button come out in sequence.

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I don't really see a difference?

In the end it's a combo that happens as a result of pressing the same button multiple times in a row.

It's not like in DBZF it's random what happens if you press Square 3 times.

 

[KayonXaikyre]

Maybe we have a different definition of it? Auto combos from what I've seen is typically defined as a combo that you can do that is performed by pressing the same button over and over. It doesn't mean every combo in the game can be done automatically.

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If you are newer to fighting games, you might think of auto combos differently (maybe you aren't but it seems like you're newer to them), but auto combos are typically combos that are done by pressing a simple input to preform moves that you normally wouldnt be able to do without more complex inputs. DBFZ has improved upon this concept since it was designed with them in mind, but games like persona 4 arena has one of the earlier versions of the auto combo which features pressing the same button and getting super moves and special moves. Dragon Ball Fighter Z medium combo also does this and does things like automatically super dash which are inputs that would normally not be possible without manually pressing those buttons. Guilty gear has a stylish mode that even kind of moves you around too. It's probably the most extreme version of the auto combo I've seen.

All of this is much different from Dead or Alive, Tekken, or Soul Calibur where there are button combinations for combos, but thats just the basis of the game. There are no combinations that take other moves with complex inputs and store them into simpler buttons. Those simple inputs are just intended normal combos that happen to use the same button.

Auto combos are fine as inadvertanly they act like command normals, however, they can limit the number of moves or force you to go down a certain combo chain to access certain moves so they have to be done correctly. That's the big down side to them. I'm okay with them if done right but am also fine without them to have more moves in general.

 

[Iori Fuyusaka]

I don't really see a difference?

In the end it's a combo that happens as a result of pressing the same button multiple times in a row.

It's not like in DBZF it's random what happens if you press Square 3 times.

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Autocombos could be performed manually with different inputs, if the user was so inclined.

 

[Spacejaws]

I think the "A-B-C/L-M-H" type systems like in Marvel 3 or Gatlings in Guilty Gear where you can go "P-K-S-HS" are better for new players.

Hammering one button feels like you aren't doing the right thing, just using a mechnic as an easy mode. Pressing the buttons in ascending order breaks down that barrier a bit and allows new players to feel like they are playing the game "properly" if that makes any sense.

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Yea this. I think for new players and as a recent new player myself trying to get better I feel the A,B,C system does prepare you more. You learn to move from button to button and maybe even timing. I think experienced players don't realise how something as small as this can be a challenge for newbies. Single button Autocombos kinda badly train you to hammer 1 button repeatedly. I still end up trying to stop myself mashing when practicing.

In all I think autocombos are cool and do wonders for people who are not as skilled to still enjoy the game and in turn better players have something to watch out for rather than just stomping over someone so maybe in the reverse it gives players more challenge against less experienced opponents?

 

[Korigama]

Well then enlighten me. What is an auto combo since your clearly saying I don't know.

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Basically the concept of what has been introduced to 2D and 2.5D fighters as of late, as with DBFZ's canned sequences where you get a combo by mashing L that starts on the ground and leads to a launcher and automatic Super Dash into air combo before a smash back to the ground, or the M combo that automatically ends with a Lv. 1 super if the play has meter. Either way, they're a form of mechanical simplification intended to ease in new players, and aren't suited to being used in their entirety during a serious match thanks to being far from optimal instead of partially before switching up inputs (i.e., other buttons, jump cancels, specials, or supers). Something like DoA6's Fatal Rush can be counted as an autocombo by these standards, but there is no universally applicable "mash to win" button for SCVI characters.

 

[Billy Awesomo]

Autocombos are trash, although I don't mind as long as you have the ability to turn them off. I understand why they are there but I still hate them. Lol

 

[spman2099]

People who get angry at auto-combo implementation are rather silly. They are never optimal and they are completely incapable of carrying a player. Also, it isn't like target combos are a HUGE step-up in technical execution, yet no one throws a fit when a character gets one of those.

 

[DanteMenethil]

I hate when games put exclusive moves behind auto combo

 

[Numb]

They are fine as long as going manual has an advantage and usually is

 

[sibarraz]

I think that people who complain against autocombos are bigfer scrubs than people who use them considering than most of the time they are not optimal on competitive play