Rocky Thomas Pierce
@rthomaspierce.bsky.social
Fighting Games and Super-Heroes
Champion Design @ Kabam, thoughts and opinions are my own
Champion Design @ Kabam, thoughts and opinions are my own
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
We’re deeply honored that HADES II is in the running for Game of the Year and more at #TheGameAwards tonight, especially since we’re in the company of such an amazing group of wildly different and beautiful games.
Congratulations to all our fellow nominees — we salute you!! 🙏👏
Congratulations to all our fellow nominees — we salute you!! 🙏👏
December 11, 2025 at 3:51 PM
We’re deeply honored that HADES II is in the running for Game of the Year and more at #TheGameAwards tonight, especially since we’re in the company of such an amazing group of wildly different and beautiful games.
Congratulations to all our fellow nominees — we salute you!! 🙏👏
Congratulations to all our fellow nominees — we salute you!! 🙏👏
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
leon’s back, baby
December 9, 2025 at 5:49 PM
leon’s back, baby
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
Katsuhiro Harada to leave Bandai Namco at end of the year
December 8, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Katsuhiro Harada to leave Bandai Namco at end of the year
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
🔵 Post blue art? It's all Sin!
December 6, 2025 at 10:17 PM
🔵 Post blue art? It's all Sin!
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
This is such a powerful image
November 8, 2023 at 5:16 PM
This is such a powerful image
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
💪"Head of the Kum family, Haehyun... Let us fight fair."💪
Join us in wishing a very Happy Birthday to Kum Haehyun!
#GuiltyGear
Join us in wishing a very Happy Birthday to Kum Haehyun!
#GuiltyGear
December 5, 2025 at 6:59 PM
💪"Head of the Kum family, Haehyun... Let us fight fair."💪
Join us in wishing a very Happy Birthday to Kum Haehyun!
#GuiltyGear
Join us in wishing a very Happy Birthday to Kum Haehyun!
#GuiltyGear
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
I wrote a proposed GDC talk about my views on this but never got to give it. Id like to turn it into a youtube video or something someday.
November 25, 2025 at 3:18 AM
I wrote a proposed GDC talk about my views on this but never got to give it. Id like to turn it into a youtube video or something someday.
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
I believe that if a design team pursues balance, in the traditional meaning of the word, the game will end up with less variety, less fun, and lower retention.
Reducing frustrators and enabling a lot of thoughtful player expression and fantasy fulfillment are the ways you achieve those goals.
Reducing frustrators and enabling a lot of thoughtful player expression and fantasy fulfillment are the ways you achieve those goals.
November 25, 2025 at 3:17 AM
I believe that if a design team pursues balance, in the traditional meaning of the word, the game will end up with less variety, less fun, and lower retention.
Reducing frustrators and enabling a lot of thoughtful player expression and fantasy fulfillment are the ways you achieve those goals.
Reducing frustrators and enabling a lot of thoughtful player expression and fantasy fulfillment are the ways you achieve those goals.
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
While it's true you can't fully trust player opinions on balance for this reason, devs in charge of game tuning must also realize that data lies too.
Balance isnt real. Only the perception of balance is. It's all vibes. Balance isnt a viable OR desirable goal. You want fun, variety, and retention.
Balance isnt real. Only the perception of balance is. It's all vibes. Balance isnt a viable OR desirable goal. You want fun, variety, and retention.
One of the producers on Guilty Gear Strive said it was basically impossible to source player feedback on balance changes online because nobody had original opinions and would just parrot what the most popular content creators said and so they had to rely on data and I think about that every day.
November 25, 2025 at 3:14 AM
While it's true you can't fully trust player opinions on balance for this reason, devs in charge of game tuning must also realize that data lies too.
Balance isnt real. Only the perception of balance is. It's all vibes. Balance isnt a viable OR desirable goal. You want fun, variety, and retention.
Balance isnt real. Only the perception of balance is. It's all vibes. Balance isnt a viable OR desirable goal. You want fun, variety, and retention.
Real
November 21 2000, Sin & Punishment debuted on the N64 in Japan!
In a GIT GUD moment, Panel de Pon creator Hitoshi Yamagami directed the game for Nintendo...
When he expressed concerns about difficulty, Treasure responded that he shouldn't be supervising the game if he wasn't good enough to play it!
In a GIT GUD moment, Panel de Pon creator Hitoshi Yamagami directed the game for Nintendo...
When he expressed concerns about difficulty, Treasure responded that he shouldn't be supervising the game if he wasn't good enough to play it!
November 21, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Real
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMhI... WE'RE LIVE!
Toonami Abridged | Sailor Moon (PART 1)
YouTube video by TeamFourStar
www.youtube.com
November 19, 2025 at 9:32 PM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMhI... WE'RE LIVE!
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
incredible that for big companies, this is gonna be considered the 'uncompromising take'
November 17, 2025 at 7:25 PM
incredible that for big companies, this is gonna be considered the 'uncompromising take'
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
You can disagree and argue as much as you like but the point of evaluating something scientifically is that not every statement should be given equal credence because evidence matters
JD Vance: "Science as practiced in its best form is that if you disagree with it, then you ought to criticize it and you ought to argue against it."
November 13, 2025 at 7:36 PM
You can disagree and argue as much as you like but the point of evaluating something scientifically is that not every statement should be given equal credence because evidence matters
Hahaha
Beat Rivals by like a month?
Beat Rivals by like a month?
November 12, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Hahaha
Beat Rivals by like a month?
Beat Rivals by like a month?
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
Tomorrow on UltraChen
[email protected] @tuboware.bsky.social & i have a heartwarming Tuesday Show reunion... IN PERSON??
-how's everybody been goin
-we talk about the latest important bsky controversy we're all talking about it's important & it'll be important to talk about
breaking news
[email protected] @tuboware.bsky.social & i have a heartwarming Tuesday Show reunion... IN PERSON??
-how's everybody been goin
-we talk about the latest important bsky controversy we're all talking about it's important & it'll be important to talk about
breaking news
Hey so I know I don't nearly have the following on here that I did on Twitter and such when I was active in the FGC, but I used to be on a little live podcast called The Tuesday Show with @jchensor.bsky.social and @ultradavid.bsky.social. You should tune into that show tomorrow night. No reason.
November 11, 2025 at 3:23 AM
Tomorrow on UltraChen
[email protected] @tuboware.bsky.social & i have a heartwarming Tuesday Show reunion... IN PERSON??
-how's everybody been goin
-we talk about the latest important bsky controversy we're all talking about it's important & it'll be important to talk about
breaking news
[email protected] @tuboware.bsky.social & i have a heartwarming Tuesday Show reunion... IN PERSON??
-how's everybody been goin
-we talk about the latest important bsky controversy we're all talking about it's important & it'll be important to talk about
breaking news
Dear fighting game devs (sparked by 2xko but universally applicable)
PLEASE
Let me reduce the frequency of character quips/barks/guds in sound options
I can't be the only person who finds "facethewindfacethewindthewindthewind" annoying. I don't notice this as much in other games but come on.
PLEASE
Let me reduce the frequency of character quips/barks/guds in sound options
I can't be the only person who finds "facethewindfacethewindthewindthewind" annoying. I don't notice this as much in other games but come on.
November 4, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Dear fighting game devs (sparked by 2xko but universally applicable)
PLEASE
Let me reduce the frequency of character quips/barks/guds in sound options
I can't be the only person who finds "facethewindfacethewindthewindthewind" annoying. I don't notice this as much in other games but come on.
PLEASE
Let me reduce the frequency of character quips/barks/guds in sound options
I can't be the only person who finds "facethewindfacethewindthewindthewind" annoying. I don't notice this as much in other games but come on.
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
FROM MASHER TO MASTER 2 IS OUT!
If you want to get into fighting games but don't know where to begin, this book will guide your journey.
Featuring art by @koh.money and a foreword by Gerald Lee of Core-A Gaming!
patrickmiller.itch.io/from-masher-...
If you want to get into fighting games but don't know where to begin, this book will guide your journey.
Featuring art by @koh.money and a foreword by Gerald Lee of Core-A Gaming!
patrickmiller.itch.io/from-masher-...
November 3, 2025 at 7:33 PM
FROM MASHER TO MASTER 2 IS OUT!
If you want to get into fighting games but don't know where to begin, this book will guide your journey.
Featuring art by @koh.money and a foreword by Gerald Lee of Core-A Gaming!
patrickmiller.itch.io/from-masher-...
If you want to get into fighting games but don't know where to begin, this book will guide your journey.
Featuring art by @koh.money and a foreword by Gerald Lee of Core-A Gaming!
patrickmiller.itch.io/from-masher-...
Mandatory Risk
Major player actions ALWAYS come with a component of risk, and it is up to the player to either accept or mitigate it to reap the associated reward
My preference for risk comes from being a Roy main in Melee back in the day, and is reflected in all the MCOC characters I've worked on
Major player actions ALWAYS come with a component of risk, and it is up to the player to either accept or mitigate it to reap the associated reward
My preference for risk comes from being a Roy main in Melee back in the day, and is reflected in all the MCOC characters I've worked on
October 22, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Mandatory Risk
Major player actions ALWAYS come with a component of risk, and it is up to the player to either accept or mitigate it to reap the associated reward
My preference for risk comes from being a Roy main in Melee back in the day, and is reflected in all the MCOC characters I've worked on
Major player actions ALWAYS come with a component of risk, and it is up to the player to either accept or mitigate it to reap the associated reward
My preference for risk comes from being a Roy main in Melee back in the day, and is reflected in all the MCOC characters I've worked on
Franken-Castle!
He was a treat to work on, and a character I've been pitching for MCOC twice as long as I've worked on MCOC.
I adored the Franken-Castle run by @remender.bsky.social and co. back in the day, and I declared a hard DIBS as soon as I saw him on the roadmap ha
youtu.be/M4tAofCQDcY?...
He was a treat to work on, and a character I've been pitching for MCOC twice as long as I've worked on MCOC.
I adored the Franken-Castle run by @remender.bsky.social and co. back in the day, and I declared a hard DIBS as soon as I saw him on the roadmap ha
youtu.be/M4tAofCQDcY?...
October 12, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Franken-Castle!
He was a treat to work on, and a character I've been pitching for MCOC twice as long as I've worked on MCOC.
I adored the Franken-Castle run by @remender.bsky.social and co. back in the day, and I declared a hard DIBS as soon as I saw him on the roadmap ha
youtu.be/M4tAofCQDcY?...
He was a treat to work on, and a character I've been pitching for MCOC twice as long as I've worked on MCOC.
I adored the Franken-Castle run by @remender.bsky.social and co. back in the day, and I declared a hard DIBS as soon as I saw him on the roadmap ha
youtu.be/M4tAofCQDcY?...
Genuinely shocked by this, and also funny how this game seems to get a little something every year despit everyone thinking it's done. It's had more "final" things than Futurama.
Now I don't wanna be greedy ... but Beat Gohan too please? Maybe a little Orange Piccolo?
Please no Gomah though ha
Now I don't wanna be greedy ... but Beat Gohan too please? Maybe a little Orange Piccolo?
Please no Gomah though ha
Dragon Ball FighterZ reveals Goku (SS4, Daima) as new DLC character https://nintendoeverything.com/dragon-ball-fighterz-reveals-goku-ss4-daima-as-new-dlc-character/
October 11, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Genuinely shocked by this, and also funny how this game seems to get a little something every year despit everyone thinking it's done. It's had more "final" things than Futurama.
Now I don't wanna be greedy ... but Beat Gohan too please? Maybe a little Orange Piccolo?
Please no Gomah though ha
Now I don't wanna be greedy ... but Beat Gohan too please? Maybe a little Orange Piccolo?
Please no Gomah though ha
Reposted by Rocky Thomas Pierce
October 9, 2025 at 3:40 AM