Defining how to use statistics for fighting games
In my last article, I expressed why I think fighting games could use more statistics and how it would benefit the scene. That article received mixed responses. It feels like many people don’t understand fully how statistics work and how they can be implemented.
Many were scared at the idea of having statistics implemented in the fighting games broadcasts, they main reason for that fear being that they didn’t want to be overwhelmed with useless figures and numbers after each match. But that’s not the point of statistics at all. You never just throw statistics hoping some of them are useful. You use the numbers that are interesting, and leave the others on the side.
Of course, statistics are something we will have to learn to use. We’re not going to get it right, just like you don’t get things down perfectly the first time you play a new game or a new character. But really, when has that ever scared the FGC?
What could go wrong and how can we avoid it?
The main issue people seemed to have with using statistics in fighting games is that they thought most numbers just wouldn’t be useful. And here’s the thing: they’re absolutely right.
So how do we proceed? Well, when you collect data in sports or in esports, you have to be aware that most of it probably isn’t going to be useful in every match. The very idea behind it is to collect as much information as we can, and then see whether this information has any relevance. So no, there’s no point showing the viewers exactly how many times Daigo pressed each normal, but maybe it would be interesting to show how many sonic booms he threw in the last round of the series compared to how many he threw before, as a way to show how he shifted his playstyle and the tempo of the match.
Something to remember about is that statistics are a tool, a means to end, and not an end in themselves. You have to use statistics to support your point, not create a point because of them. If we keep that in mind, most of the mistakes involving overusing statistics shouldn’t happen.
Just how exactly could statistics help?
So what are the actual benefits of having statistics? Well, just like any good tool, you have to learn to use it, but once you do, it can be the most useful thing.
Just think about it, your favorite commentator, in the heat of the match, is getting blown away by the fact that a player is absolutely destroying his opponent’s neutral game. After the game, he gives you the number of crush counters the player hit in neutral, directly supporting his initial thought of the match. Or maybe he could even give you the number of times he opened his opponent up from neutral.
There are many ways statistics can be useful, and again, we as a community have to learn how to make them work for us, but these are just very basic ways stats could be used to create more compelling narratives, more interesting stories.
So yes, statistics can be misused. They can be used in a misleading way too. But would a chef give up on using knives because there’s a chance he might cut his finger? It’s not about whether statistics are useful or not, it’s about whether we’re willing to learn to use a new tool and accept that it’s not going to be easy straight away.
Someone also mentioned how statistics could provide newer players with a way of understanding how they character is played, just by looking at what type of moves they use, how they win matches, etc…
In the grand scheme of things, I don’t understand how the possible drawbacks of using statistics more in fighting games aren’t greatly overshadowed by even the very basic advantages they offer. Yes it would take time and effort, but is there anything in life that’s worth it and doesn’t take time and effort? The FGC more than any other community should be aware of that.
