Fighting games and taunt buttons .

[krazykidd]

No surprise here , everyone know that certain fighting games have taunt buttons . Thankfully not all of them do . I personally see them as intergrated troll buttons . I for one never use mine because it's unsportsmanlike ( is that one word?) . But when i play online , i constantly run into people that like to taunt . This is even worst in games that allow you to taunt AFTER the match is over (*cough*UMVC3*cough*).

So my question is : why do developpers include a taunt button in their games? Why add something so unsportmanlike into a competitve game?

Bonus question : How do you feel about taunting in competitive videogames ( this includes Teebagging) ? And do you ever taunt your opponent , either during or after a match?

 

[piinyouri]

A lot of competitive and even some casual fighting game players are some of the worst trash talking, deriding, horrible human beings to play with, so a taunt button doesn't seem out of place to me at all.

They're comparable to the worse half of FPS players.

 

[IllumInaTIma]

Because taunts are kinda fun. I don't really mind if someone taunts me, I feel satisfied if I can get away with taunt myself. Plus, considering limitations fighting genre imposes, taunts are excellent little characterization tools. In Dead or Alive 5 every character taunt tells something about a character. Ayane is arrogant so she dismissively laughs "Hmph, idiot", Christie is a true definition of femme fatale so she teasingly says "Come over here", Kokoro is young and gentle so she awkwardly says "I'm sorry". Also, taunts are as much of a technique as sidestepping or juggling. Make your foe enraged and lose focus. PLUS, sometimes taunt ACTUALLY is a battle technique, for example in Tekken Miguel's taunt suddenly transitions to a freaking one hit kill.

 

[Altorin]

I taunt after almost every soul calibur match - my fingers just jump to the a+b combo and hammer it.

I never really considered anyone getting bothered by it

knowing that you do just sort of makes me want to do it more, because that's just silly.

 

[Razentsu]

I only taunt if I'm being taunted, and that's only if I enable taunts in the first place. I strip myself of the ability to taunt so that I cannot accidentally taunt when I am playing. I have in several occasions accidentally taunted because of finger slips. Accidental taunts usually mean I miss an opportunity to hit my opponent, or I leave myself vulnerable and get punished. Taunt buttons are pretty useless.

Still, I don't mind that they exist. It's fun sometimes to see what the characters do when they taunt. Taunts give fighting game characters a little extra personality.

 

[madwarper]

I don't know how other games do it, but the taunts in SSB leave the character vulnerable for a few seconds until the animation completes. So, if my opponent wants to leave themself open to an attack, let them.

However, if you feel agitated that you are losing and they're making fun of you, you should try to... You know... Not lose.
Get better and win.

 

[-Seraph-]

I think devs just include it for the fun of it in spite of how some people will see it as "un-sportsman like".

I just find it to be a waste of a button honestly. I always un-map the taunt button and replace it with something useful if need be. I don't want to accidentally taunt in the middle of a fight if things get crazy. Though I'm not really gonna be annoyed if someone does it to me really; I'll just roll my eyes maybe and maybe try and beat them extra hard next round/fight.

 

[TehCookie]

I find them fun and adds more skill to it, since if you taunt at the wrong time you leave yourself open for a counterattack. After a match it's mildly annoying since it's not an extra challenge as a player and the loser can't do anything about it. However I find that better than taunting IRL or over a microphone.

 

[Zhukov]

Well, I don't play fighting games, but I do use taunts in Smite (third-person MOBA).

I taunt or laugh at enemies when they miss shots. Given how unstable the average MOBA player is, it can be pretty effective. Some of them will get pissed off and charge me, which can be used to lure them into a bad position. I've had people get annoyed enough to tower dive me. Then I stun, root or pull them and bam, easy kill.

Also, when playing a well built tank it can be just plain funny to stand and laugh at someone as they fruitlessly try to chip away at me... while I call my team over for an easy gank.

 

[daveman247]

Can't speak for fighting games but teabagging in an FPS/ whatever is all in good fun. Or in Tf2 there IS an actual taunt button which is always fun to use. Its sort of a release, epspecially if I have finally dealt with a troublesome player. Sure some get mad, but whatever, its a game Maybe it'll make them slip up or maybe it will make them try harder.

 

[Username Redacted]

I'll only taunt of t-bag my opponent if they did it first because I'm mature like that. -_-

I have no idea why developers waste their time on something so superfluous as taunts.

About the only time taunting or t-bagging bugs me is if the person did not deserve the win, i.e. lag attack during my game winning combo and they kill me instead. Don't taunt you didn't earn shit. The internet smiled upon you and gifted you a win.

 

[The Wykydtron]

God no, a thousand times no. There is literally no point in putting into the game apart from giving people a "I feel like being a prick" button.

Fucking mind games now? Is that the new word for being a prick? You people disgust me. Regardless of your "good" excuses, winning a game is apparently more important than being a decent human being now.

/random high horse rant

I would half agree with them as characterisation tools but the thing is, stuff like BlazBlue and Persona 4 Arena (especially P4A) have them taunt or say something witty on wins regardless (which is the bomb, by the way) so that's not really an excuse.

I'm just sick to death of some prick post match taunting because he picked Swag Team #024 or because he has a shitty connection and picked Hulk and Sentinel GG!

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

In Street Fighter 3: Third Strike. All the taunts give a tangible benefit and serve a purpose. I prefer this method of taunts.

 

[Soxafloppin]

In Mortal Kombat Shao Kahn has a taunt move, which regenerates health some how.

I actually think its pretty cool because before he was playable he would be in providing commentary in the form of "EXCELLENT" or "PATHETIC" but I'm glad its exclusive to him. Someone like Raiden or Kung Lao taughting mid fight would be out of character.

I also like them in Super Smash Bros because they are generally fan service.

 

[Mister K]

Usefulness of a taunt really depends on the game. Someone mentioned 3rd Strike with it's taunt buffs. Also, in the upcoming JoJo's Bizarre Adventure fg taunts are used to, for example, gain super meter, or make an enemy lose some of it. Those kinds of taunts I like.

Taunts can also be useful if you are playing against an opponent with weak self-discipline. If a person is getting pissed by his or her enemy's actions of such kind and starts acting like an idiot, then why NOT use it? That's only his or her fault for being mad about a piece of animation made by a digital puppet.

But, doing so at, for example, EVO, is not only low class action, but is also useless (MUDA MUDA MUDA!!!), because guys that play there are professional players and will not get enraged by it.

But, to tell the truth, I never use them (3rd strike and JoJo aside), because it's disrespectful.

 

[Summerstorm]

As i played a lot of games with Dan in Street Fighter: YAY, Taunt button. I like you. (Dan ist also the only character who can burn his "Super-Meter" on a Super-Taunt Combo.)

Why not? It is an in-character way for you to taunt your opponent without being insulting oder unwittingly cruel or such. You can taunt someone who repetively throws easy to dodge crap at you. (Makes him better too... IF he learns)

I've got no problems with taunting.

 

[gigastar]

Taunts exist in fighting games so stuff like this can take place.

 

[FieryTrainwreck]

A lot of competitive and even some casual fighting game players are some of the worst trash talking, deriding, horrible human beings to play with, so a taunt button doesn't seem out of place to me at all.

They're comparable to the worse half of FPS players.

I can't second this hard enough. I think I played SF4 online exactly one time. Was repeatedly paired up with someone much, much better than me. He proceeded to destroy me 5-6 matches in a row. Then he took the time to send me an insulting message that was quite a bit longer than it had any reason to be.

I didn't hold my knees and cry. It didn't ruin my day. It was hilarious thinking that someone took such pride in defeating a clearly overmatched opponent.