Get Questions? Well here's some answers!

FAQ

Q: Is there frame data?
A: Not officially, but members of the community have been working on wikis and similar documentation to share with others. I want to make sure any frame data information presented in-game is 100% accurate, so for now, I’ve chosen to not include any. I’d rather give no information than incorrect information. Additionally, since the game will be updated quite a bit over early access, these numbers will need to be updated as well, so I want to make sure I have a management system implemented to properly illustrate changes. I do want to make a variety of hit and block sparks that illustrate if an attack is safe or unsafe in addition to frame data as well.

Q: What game engine and networking solution do MerFight utilize?
A: MerFight is built in Unity 3D and utilizes Photon PUN with Photon Cloud for its rollback networking. It is NOT using Ultimate Fighting Game Engine or GGPO. I am more comfortable with Photon products than GGPO, and if there is a console port, I find the support from Exit Games will be better. With the current networking setup, MerFight has 8 player lobbies, online ranked with best 3 out of 5, and quick online matches.

Q: What fighting games are similar?
A: NONE! Just kidding. It depends. Some people say it feels a bit like KoF since there are 4 main buttons. Some people say it feels like Street Fighter EX or Fighting EX Layer due to the way super moves cancel into one another. And there’s definitely some influence from my previous game, Battle High.

Q: Can I turn off the lenient input?
A: Right now, no. One of MerFight's goals is to provide both as a way to help players who may struggle with traditional inputs get into the game more quickly. There are some input adjustments that will be looked into to prevent some of the accidental inputs that the more lenient system causes though.

Q: What changes can be expected over the course of Early Access and how long will MerFight be in EA?
A: The goal is to do an official release for MerFight early 2023. During this time, the game will be updated in the following ways:

  • Character balancing – damage, startup, cooldown, hitspheres, etc.
  • VFX and SFX
  • Finish, optimize, and maybe redo some the environments (There will be at least 13 at final release)
  • Update the SFX
  • Implement all VO
  • Story mode
  • Branching story mode with multiple endings (NOT cinematic story; a simpler visual-novel-esque one.)
  • Improved AI
  • Rewards for Arcade and more achievements
  • All challenge combos
The following are things I’d LIKE to do, but cannot promise.
  • Implement more characters (I’d love to launch officially with 16, but these may come after the official release in 2023.)
  • Mini Games, bosses, and new modes
  • More alternate costumes, colors
  • Localization
  • Steam Workshop and modding tools
Post EA launch, I will be looking into adding both free and purchasable DLC content.

Q: Will there be Linux and Mac versions? What about consoles?
A: As of right now, there is only the Windows, 64-bit version. Due to Mac signing issues, it is unlikely I will do a mac port any time soon, and Linux has a lot of its own issues. I would like to eventually do console ports, but this will most likely not be until after the EA period has ended.

Q: My input device doesn’t work? What gives?
Here is a list of known, supported devices. If your input device doesn’t work, even after performing the unknown device check, please email support@mattrifiedgames.com with as much information regarding your input device, operating system, and more. XInput devices and those that work like an Xbox 360 or Xbox One controller tend to work best. PS4 and even PS5 should work; PS3 needs a special driver most likely.

Q: How many buttons do you need to map on your controller?
A: Only 4 buttons are necessary, although you can set a few other macros as well instead of relying on button combinations. The buttons are LP, LK, HP, and HK.

Q: What kind of offensive mechanics are there?
A: Although each fighter has their own unique tools, there are some universal abilities to consider:
  • Grab: LP + LK
  • Universal Overhead: HP + HK
  • Pop Cancel: As long as you have 1 pop bubble, Forward + Forward (66), Back + Back (44), Up + Up (88), or when in the air, Down + Down (22) will cancel whatever you are doing for the cost of 1 pop bubble. You cannot pop cancel when being hit, blocking, throwing, being thrown, or when performing super attacks though.
Q: What kind of defensive mechanics are there?
A: Similarly, there are universal defensive mechanics as well
  • Quick Recovery: Forward, Backward, or Up (Maybe Down?) to get up when getting knocked down (unless it's a hard knockdown)
  • Guard Pop: As long as you have at least one pop bubble, press HP + HK during blockstun to cancel out of it. Pressing either forward or backward will cause you to cancel into a roll.
  • Reversal: Some special moves can be performed when on the ground, causing you to gain 4 frames of invulnerability and waking up with the special move.
Q: Are there priorities for when two attacks trade? A: Yes. There is only normal -> throw -> special throw -> super throw priority. If two throws of the same priority collide, it randomly chooses a winner.

Q: What’s the meter that fills beneath the combo counter?
A: This is the Wipeout meter. When landing consecutive attacks, it fills; once 100% full, the player being hit will “wipeout” and no longer be able to be hit. At the same time, they will no longer be able to use any ground-based recovery techniques such as quick recovery or reversal.

A: Is there damage scaling?
Q: Yes. There is damage scaling. The calculations may change over the course of Early Access, but the color of the combo counter indicates the amount of scaling. When the numbers are white and blue, there is not scaling. As the scaling increases with each hit, the colors gradually change dark purple and orange. Also, note, scaling is increased more quickly by landing the same attack within the same combo. For example, Assuming LP and LK do the same amount of damage, LP, LP, LP will do less damage than say LP, LP, LK because the scaling will be lower in the second combo.

Q: Are all of the stages underwater?
A: No. The game does NOT take underwater, not exactly anyway. There’s deeper lore involved, but in summary, the merfolk USED to live underwater, but after an apocalyptic event of sorts, they lost their tails, swim bladders, and were forced to live on land.

Q: Why Merfolk?
A: Because I like Merfolk, and I wanted to make a game with non-human characters. Blame Rikuo/Aulbath from Darkstalklers.