Patch 1.3.0 Overview

Thank you for playing Idol Showdown!

We have received more playtesting this first month than we had ever imagined. However, a result of this playtesting is that we have uncovered several systems issues and unintended character exploits.

The goal of this patch is to address the most disruptive character issues and establish system changes that can even the playing field across characters. This will help us establish a new baseline from which we can then build upon in subsequent patches.

Due to the nature of this patch, it will contain primarily nerfs to problematic moves and strategies. Although there are not many direct buffs to weaker characters, the system-wide changes in this patch are intended to benefit weaker characters.

Due to the amount of changes, we wanted to first evaluate the new meta before preemptively changing currently underutilized characters or moves. From that point onwards, we will have a firmer foundation which we can build upon.

General Changes

New Features and Mechanics

We discovered that the system mechanics we had were very skewed against certain characters and playstyles, with certain characters receiving more resources to work with then others. As a result many of these changes are intended to better balance resource-gain and provide all characters similar opportunities.

Although we expect there to still be variation across characters, it should be a lot closer than before.

New STAR Meter Changes

One core issue with character balance and gameplay revolved around STAR meter imbalance. There were two main issues with STAR meter gain that we are aiming to resolve.

In the previous version, we felt that STAR meter gain was overwhelmingly skewed towards the winning player, giving the losing player very little to play with.

In addition, STAR meter gain was too imbalanced between characters. Many characters with long combos such as Aki and Botan would gain many times more meter then other characters such as Coco. Since the characters with long combos also were some of the strongest characters in the game, this change has a slight balancing effect as well.

The new STAR meter will work as follows.

• Meter gain will now scale down as the combo goes on. Meter gain will be scaled by 0.9x per move in a combo, with a 0.2x minimum meter gain.
  
• Meter gain on taking damage and blocking will be significantly higher from before.
  
• After performing a STAR special move, meter gain will be reduced to 0.3x for 60 frames
  
• After performing a Super STAR special move, meter gain will be reduced to 0.3x for 120 frames
  
• After performing a Call-In, meter gain will be reduced to 0.3x for 300 frames
  
• After performing a Super chat cancel, meter gain will be reduced to 0.3x for 120 frames
  
• Dashing will no longer gain meter
  

New Superchat (SC) Meter Changes

The Superchat meter has a similar issue to STAR meter gain where the amount gained was too imbalanced between characters. In particular, the “Motion Input” superchat condition needed to be re-evaluated. These changes are also intended to better balance Superchat gain across characters.

In addition, we have rebalanced our Superchat conditions and added new conditions in order to encourage neutral play.

Finally, we added the ability to gain superchats from Burst in order to provide an alternate use for burst and provide opportunities for interesting decisions

The new Superchat values are as follows:

• Superchats gained from performing Motion Inputs can now vary between Special Moves.
  
• Overall, the average amount of SCs gained from motion inputs has been reduced. The average amount gained has been reduced (5 -> 3)
  
• Anti Air SCs increased 10 -> 15
  
• Counter Hit SCs increased 5 -> 10
  
• Punish SCs increased 5 -> 15
  
• Grab Break SCs increased 10 -> 15
  
• NEW SC condition for a successful Normal Throw 0 -> 5
  
• NEW landing a Burst on an opponent in neutral will give 2 full bars of SC meter (0 -> 60)
  
• NEW landing a Burst on an opponent who you are comboing will give 1 full bar of SC meter (0 -> 30)
  

In addition the following changes were made to the Superchat system.

• The Superchat banner will now have the money value reflect the actual amount of superchats gained.
  
• Idol Skills in general give more superchats than before.
  
• Counter Hits, Anti Air and Punish Superchat conditions no longer applies to Projectiles
  

Character HP Values

In order to provide our characters a more unique identity, we allowed characters to have different HP values.


The new Character HP values are as follows:

• Aki - 950
  
• Ayame - 950
  
• Botan - 1000
  
• Coco - 1100
  
• Fubuki - 1000
  
• Korone - 1050
  
• Sora - 1000
  
• Suisei - 1000
  

Other Gameplay Changes

• Instant Block will now reduce blockstun by 2 frames.
  
• When performing a Burst in midair, you will be unable to attack or block until you land on the ground.
  
• All bursts now have significantly more recovery 15f to 30f
  
• Getting hit during backdash and dash will no longer result in a counter hit.
  
• New “Reversal” Indicator when performing an action on the first possible frame after being knocked down.
  
• You can no longer be hit out of a grab tech.
  
• As a general change, invincible reversals that can be comboed off of will now have prorated damage.
  

Other New Features

• Adjusted Aki’s Voicelines.
  
• Adjusted Fubuki’s Voicelines.
  
• Adjusted Sora’s Voicelines.
  
• Stage preview videos re-enabled.
  
• A new Unlock pop up window will appear upon unlocking Cosplay 5 (winning 10 matches with the character in Local VS mode or Online)
  

General Gameplay Bugfixes

• Fixed Issue where performing a move on Reversal will not auto-orient towards the enemy position.
  
• You are now no longer able to summon Collabs during your opponent's grab animations. (Though you can still summon them during your own grab animations).
  
• You are now no longer able to summon Collabs during Superfreeze animations. The Collab will instead come out the moment the superfreeze stops.
  
• Fixed issue where characters were slightly above ground on round start.
  
• Fixed issue where you could perform air attacks on the ground if the attack was performed very low to the ground.
  
• Fixed issue where you could grab break with a negative edge input.
  
• Fixed issue where bursting a multi-hit attack could result in you being stuck in a hitstun state.
  
• Anti Air grabs no longer count as strikes for grab-strike priority. Meaning they no longer have grab invulnerability during active frames.
  
• Fixed issue where projectiles would allow you to bypass move cancel priority.
  
• Fixed Rollback issue that would occur on KO where the camera would remain zoomed in after a KO.
  
• Fixed issue where hits that “locked in '' your position (such as Crouching H’s) could interrupt moves with super armor.
  
• Adjusted Down Down Motion Input detection.
  

Other Bug Fixes

• The Mouse cursor will now disappear after 5 seconds of inactivity.
  
• Fixed settings option issue with Audio when clicking out of the window.
  
• Fixed issue where credits BGM sometimes wouldn’t play.
  
• Fixed issue with rebinding 1p and 2p controllers where delete binding and other keys would interfere with players binding.
  
• Fixed issue with controllers picking up the wrong binding if a controller gets disconnected.
  
• Fixed issue with UI sometimes showing improper controller for gamepad.
  
• Fixed issue with Loading Videos causing crash issues on certain computers.
  
• Fixed training mode reload bug where dummy record could cause player to reload in wrong position.
  
• Fixed issue where unlocking cosplay 5 through online matches would unlock cosplay 5 for every character instead of just for the played character.
  

Character Bug Fixes and Adjustments

Character Changes

Aki

Aki ended up being much more powerful than intended. Our current direction for her is to focus on her zoning strengths while toning down her other strengths. As such, we nerfed her approach, mixup, and pressure tools, and made her DDS a more cohesive part of her zoning gameplan. We also tweaked her other zoning tools to make more interesting zoning than what previously existed.

We would like to see how well these changes align with this new Aki playstyle, and evaluate her current power level.

• Crouching M - No longer jump cancellable.
  
• Crouching Forward M - Aki-Chopper- No longer jump cancellable, but is now special cancellable
  
• Jumping M - Reduced horizontal range. More landing recovery 3f -> 6f.
  
• Jumping Down M - Aki-Drill - Blockstun increased by 2 frames.
  
• All QCF Specials - Increased recovery from 20f -> 27f.
  
• All QCF Specials - Projectiles will now disappear upon contact with the opponent.
  
• QCF L - Good Boy - Adjust angle of projectile to be lower, making it worse at covering aerial approaches.
  
• QCF M - Bad Boy - Adjust angle of projectile to be higher and extended upwards hitbox, making the projectile better at covering aerial approaches. The projectile has also been slowed down.
  
• All Muki Specials - All Muki related moves will now have Muki disappear if Aki is hit.
  
• QCB M - Muki Pound! - Startup increased by 1 frame. Recovery increased by 6 frames, and chip damage reduced 20 -> 10.
  
• QCB M - Muki Pound! - New Effect, Aki will now knock the opponent towards her. This will mean Aki will sacrifice space upon hit/block. This is intended to make Aki need to more carefully consider when to summon Muki.
  
• All Teleport Specials - Startup increased 9f -> 14f.
  
• DDL/M/H - Elven Flash (all grounded variations) - Invincibility frames reduced 9f -> 2f.
  
• DD LHold - Elven Flash (all variations) - Recovery is now slower then the Tap variant by 5f.
  
• All Hold Variants of Teleport - All kicks will now have ‘head’ property. This would result in the kicks whiffing on characters who are performing their Down H attacks.
  
• All Hold Variants of Teleport - Visual Hitstop increased 20f -> 24f.
  
• Jumping S - Going Down - Invincibility Removed.
  
• Idol Skill - Hypnotic Hips - Now grants 5 superchats on use. Startup reduced 85f -> 45f.
  
• Idol Skill - Hypnotic Hips - New effect. Instead of granting the homing ability for the next Good Boy/Bad Boy projectile, it will now make all projectiles for the next 360f have the homing ability.
  

Ayame

Overall, Ayame is playing similarly to how we intended. However, we feel that she has some noticeable quality of life issues. As such, our focus for her is to give her some changes to reduce the amount of frustration while playing her.

• Hurtbox - Ayame’s hurtbox while being juggled will now the same as other characters
  
• Crouching H - Now Air unblockable and is ‘head invulnerable’, meaning it cannot be hit by most air attacks.
  
• All QCF Specials - Will now provide superchats for each motion input of the rekka. The amount given will decrease for each subsequent attack of the rekka. The exact amount given is different depending on the variant used.
  
• All QCF Specials - BUGFIX: resolved issue where you would continue the rekka when attempting to Superchat cancel into a different special move.
  
• QCFL - Asura’s Fury (close) - 2nd Hit will move Ayame forwards more, allowing her to more consistently connect the 2nd hit after the first hit. The third hit of the rekka will also move forwards less.
  
• QCFH - Rakshasa’s Wrath - The final hit of the mid ender will now have less recovery 38 -> 27.
  
• All QCB Specials - Oni Flip (far) - Flip arcs have been adjusted. Can now superchat cancel after landing on the ground.
  
• QCBL - Oni Flip (close) - Will now be more safe on block (-1f or -2f depending on spacing).
  
• Jumping Special - Heavenly Oni Flip- Increased Hitstun and increased size of downwards hitbox.
  
• DDH - Shin Demon Cutter - Now applies 50% damage proration on hit.
  
• Idol Skill - Karma and Shiranui - Now generates 10 Superchats on use.
  

Botan

Botan is meant to be a high risk/ high reward character. In the previous version of the game, we felt that Botan had no clear weaknesses. Her reward was really high, but her risk was not as high as we intended.

As such, we decided to increase the amount of risk on some of her most oppressive options which some other characters had little to no options to deal with. In addition, we decreased the reward on her Idol Skill which is used as her escape/reversal option.

• Standing M Followup - Recovery frames increased 18f -> 26f. Hitstun and blockstun also increased. (Hitstun: 22f -> 26f) (Blockstun 14f -> 24f)
  
• Jumping H - Increased Landing Recovery 4f -> 7f
  
• Jumping H - New Properties, will now only be a single hit instead of a multihit.
  
• Jumping Down H - Lead Curtain- Increased Landing Recovery 4f -> 10f, visual hitstop reduced.
  
• Universal Overhead -Hitstop adjusted to be -1 on block. (from +1)
  
• QCFL - Poi (high) - Now Limited to one L Grenade on screen at a time.
  
• QCFM - Poi (low) - Now Limited to one M Grenade on screen at a time.
  
• QCBL - Quickscope (low) - Low profile is now consistent with the Roll followup Low sniper (low profile begins on frame 4). Projectile now spawns further forwards.
  
• QCBM - Quickscope (high) - Will now whiff on crouching players outside of point blank range.
  
• Idol Skill - Trials Ascending - Startup Increased 2f -> 5f. Now gives 5 Superchats on execution.
  
• Idol Skill - Trials Ascending - The properties of the attack here changed. It will now be a hard knockdown on the final hit. This means you can no longer get a free follow up. However, her Idol Skill is now counted as “Special'' cancel priority. This means you can still spend Superchats to follow up from the attack.
  

Coco

We felt that Coco was not performing the way she should in the previous version of the game. In this update, we gave her some small quality of life updates. While we realize these changes seem very insignificant, we’re working on a Coco rework. This includes a new mechanic for her which will be released in the next major update. Thanks for your patience Tatsunoko.

• Standing M - Will now force stand on hit. Increased Hitstun (23f -> 26f) and Blockstun (16f -> 20f)
  
• QCFH - Essence of Advancing Assault: Dragon Drop - Removed Superfreeze frames
  
• Jumping Special - Dragon Glide- Can now be canceled starting at frame 20. Minimum Height added.
  

Fubuki

Aside from some extremely strong techniques, we’re mostly satisfied with how Fubuki worked in the previous version of the game. As such, we’re adjusting how her instant overhead works, and tuning some of her other moves to be easier to deal with for other characters.

• Standing M - Increased pushback on block
  
• Jumping H - Will now have a sourspot with weaker properties to the original hit. The Sourspot has the following properties: Reduced Damage (90 -> 60), no longer knocks opponents into the ground, no longer ground bounces, smaller hitbox that cannot cross up.
  
• Sweep - Now moves Fubuki forwards slightly
  
• SSR QCF L/M - Oruyanke - Now knocks opponents down instead of launching them up.
  
• QCF H - Kon-Cob - Now knocks opponent down on the second hit.
  
• All Jumping Special Variations - Aerial Blizzard- Decreased size of second hitbox, Reduced pushback on block
  
• Jumping Special - Aerial Blizzard - First hit of non lucky variation hitstun reduced from 60f -> 15f. Using only the first hit off of instant overhead now leaves Fubuki punishable on hit. Fubuki retains the ability to combo off of the instant overhead off of the lucky verison of this move
  
• SSR Jumping Special - Aerial Blizzard BUGFIX: Resolved issue with “blue hitstun” causing the opponent to be stuck if the move was interrupted.
  
• DDH - Shin Yukkuri Flip - Now applies 50% damage proration.
  
• Idol Skill - Burger Fox - Now grants 10 Superchats on use.
  

Korone

While we feel that Korone is not extremely strong in the previous version of the game, she did have strategies which were impossible to deal with for some characters.

In some matchups, Korone could get into range of her standing M and repeatedly use this move with little counter-play. We adjusted the properties of standing M to allow for counterplay. To balance out this change, we increased her reward on hit by reducing the scaling on her air chainsaw. We also gave the first part of her forward M target combo a lower cancel priority, opening up new conversions and combo routes.

• Standing M - Extended Hurtbox stays out for Slightly longer, Increased pushback on block.. Recovery increased by 2f. Blockstun increased by 1f (net advantage change is -1 from before)
  
• Crouching M - Increased range with adjusted animation, increased pushback on block.
  
• Sweep - Low profile now starts on frame 4 (instead of frame 1)
  
• Forward M - The first hit now has “M’ cancel priority.
  
• Jumping Special - DOOG from Above - Reduced the effects of Damage scaling (75% -> 85%)
  
• Jumping Special - DOOG from Above - Landing Recovery reduced 10f -> 7f. It is still minus but not as punishable
  
• DDH - Super Koro Punch 64- Now applies 75% damage proration
  
• Idol Skill - Doggy Dash - Now grants 10 Superchats on use.
  

Sora

Sora’s changes are mostly centered around increasing quality of life rather than balance, as we wanted to see how Sora was affected by the changes to other characters. We however, realized that Sora’s A-egis Reflector move was unintentionally causing trade situations that nullified the opponent’s offense, so we adjusted the move to be more interruptible. Sora also received a new special move that she can perform in the air to give her more flexibility.

• Standing H - Significantly increased range. Reduced knockback
  
• Crouching M - Increased horizontal range on both hits
  
• Sweep - Now combos into Re:Play mine detonation
  
• DDM - A-egis Reflector! - A-Chan will now appear later and go away upon Sora being hit
  
• New Aerial Special - Sky:Play - Sora will now be able to manually detonate her Mines while in mid air. Attempting to detonate mines in mid air with no mines out will result in a failure animation.
  
• Idol Skill - Rakka chan - Juggle trajectory adjusted for consistency. Recovery reduced to 20f. Range decreased. Initial hitbox removed
  

Suisei

Since Suisei’s current position is generally stable, we wanted to see how she was affected by changes to other characters and systems before making any major adjustments.

• Jumping Special - Stellar Slice- Now counts as a head attack and will whiff against 2H attacks. Added landing lag 0f -> 6f
  
• kyou mo kawaii
  

Collab changes

Risu

We feel that Risu was underperforming, so we let her run you over with her truck while you’re on the ground. We also buffed the consistency of her nuts.

• Off-Collab - Non-stop Nuts- Only Crouching H will send the nuts upwards
  
• STAR Call-In - Isekai Truck - Will now hit OTG
  

Marine

• Off-Collab - Hugging Pirate- Now starts from further behind.
  

Kiara

Kiara’s call-in was meant to be a combo tool, but the untechable time on the juggle was so low that it was hard to use it this way. The attack is now untechable, and has a larger window to follow up with juggles.

• STAR Call-In - Hinotori- Will now launch opponents much higher and can no longer be air-teched.
  

Kanata

• STAR Call-In -50kg Grip - Removed superfreeze frames