Are CPU reaction times different in different game modes?

I've been playing this month's side quest and I've gotten a lot of path A. I don't care, it's random, but it's given me the opportunity to fight the same champs over and over.

I'm going to focus specifically on Sabertooth and Anti-venom here. With Hulkbuster I cannot successfully SP2 into block against the wall into a heavy chain. The defender is up and hitting me in the face consistently before the heavy launches.

I was curious, so I did these same character matchups in practice mode. I was now consistently able to get the heavy off in time (though it occasionally whiffed from getting pushed away from the wall).

What is the likely cause this discrepancy? Obviously there's a human element to this but I don't think that's it. Are the defenders actually faster in "harder" content? Do more node interactions create the potential for processing lag and what I perceive to be a faster defender is actually dropped frames? Is it something else entirely?

Comments

Usagicassidy

100% they play different in different game modes.

Like in Conqueror or Proven Event Quests, they'll dash forward or backwards much less often, they'll hold the Heavy for longer before they use it, they're less likely to quick block, etc.

Mofugger

I am sure that the programmed actions are different in the different levels of difficulty, and that makes sense.

But if reaction times really are different, and different from what we as players are capable of, that feels like a fairness issue rather than a difficulty issue

Terminatrix

JLordVileJ

In lower arenas its actually hard to play cuz the defenders just stand there and I get scared

World Eater

This happens with a few other champs. Guillotine 2099 and both Storms come to mind. I’m guessing there are others that have super quick recovery time after getting knocked down, I just can’t remember who they are.

o_o

This happens with a few other champs. Guillotine 2099 and both Storms come to mind. I’m guessing there are others that have super quick recovery time after getting knocked down, I just can’t remember who they are.

Shocker. His recovery time, especially after throwing specials, is astonishingly short. But only when he's a defender

Mofugger

That's why I went into practice mode. I thought maybe it was just champs with fast recovery. But then I should've had the same experience in practice mode and I didn't.

The recovery in SQ seemed faster...for practical purposes it WAS faster, and I'd like to understand why.

Dirty_Dozz

100% they play different in different game modes.

Like in Conqueror or Proven Event Quests, they'll dash forward or backwards much less often, they'll hold the Heavy for longer before they use it, they're less likely to quick block, etc.

The "holding heavy for longer" thing gets on my nerves, especially regarding Champs like Spidey2099. Once he gains resistance ups (or whatever they're called), the way to make him lose them is by hitting him while he's charging a heavy. Problem is, he only charges the heavy for 0.0183 seconds before throwing it, making it impossible to hit him

Obviously it's not a big issue overall, but it's dumb that you can't even take advantage of a mechanic.

JLordVileJ

Something I've noticed is when I am in certain areas of the game, the defender just hold heavy and i get so scared cuz I can't dash cuz they're holding it for bare time