A way to boost interest in VF

I'm a full fledged VF nut for more than 10 years. First got hooked playing with Pai in VF3, then gradually moved on to Akira in VF4. It saddens me that a lot of other people want to play those easier, more flashy, cheap games like Tekken and Soul Calibur. I've always felt that VF had the best balance of any fighter that has ever existed, but the "casual" gamer can't get behind it cuz it's too difficult is such a lame excuse for laziness and wanting everything to be easy.

So i've been obsessing over a way to make VF more widely accepted by the masses. As I feel deep in my soul that nearly everyone would love this game if they just bothered to really give it a chance. So here's my solution:

A widely publicized Virtua Fighter Tournament boasting a 5 figure prize. (e.g. $20,000) NOt controllers, not brand new gadgets. I'm talking CASH MONEY.

I seriously think that with enough publicity this could boost interest in VF over %200.

Theres a good chance that this could easily become a reality. (Company I work for might attempt to pursue this very thing. But I want to ensure that this will be a good endeavor.)

Do you honestly think it would work?

Ken

 

If a company can come up with a 5 or even 4-figure prize, I'll be there. Good luck!

 

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Muramasa said:

Do you honestly think it would work?

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I don't know exactly what you mean by this. I pretty sure if you hold a VF tournament with an entry fee of $0 to $20 and you offer a first prize of $20,000 that people will probably show up.

If by "work" you mean "make money for the organizers (the company you work for)," - well - you've entered another realm. Things will get far more complicated. Post what your company wants out of this tournament - recognition, income, exposure, maybe a window to sell their products to participants in attempts to cover the prize money. I think clarity is very important to finding the answer you want.

 

Maybe your company want to talk to Sega of America about Launching the Final Tuned arcades games and VF.net to America and publicize via this large cash prized tournament. This is what every company even in Japan usually do to generate interest and to promote new products. If you get the official sanction of Sega along with an exciting "new" game, I think it's an easier idea to pitch.

 

SRider:

That sounds like a cool idea. Although the Final Tuned and VF.net application might not work this late in the game, but perhaps when VF5 drops they'd be willing to do that.

In the meantime, I think Sega might get behind me on a cash-prized VF Tourney. I think they are hesitant only due to lack of apparent interest even given the critical acclaim it always gets.

 

Make it easier to learn for beginners.

Tell them which characters are easy to use, post the easy to do moves of these easy characters. Complete with some video demos.

And explain the system. Throws can't be blocked but can be ducked but can't interrupt attacks, etc. etc.

That will boost interest in VF faster than an expensive tournament.

When i first played vf3 ( the first vf game i played) i couldn't even block, because i didn't know there was a block button.

 

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Make it easier to learn for beginners.

Tell them which characters are easy to use, post the easy to do moves of these easy characters. Complete with some video demos.

And explain the system. Throws can't be blocked but can be ducked but can't interrupt attacks, etc. etc.


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No disrespect, but you do realize that you've described the Evo training mode, right?

 

Unfortunately, i've never played vf4 evo, and i've never played vf on console. I've only played vf3 and vf4 regular on arcade.

Does Evo have a training mode in the arcade version?

In other games like soul caliber for instance , some beginners can immediately do some easy cool looking moves, and that is what attracts beginners.

In vf its harder to discover cool looking moves by button mashing. Even with lei fei, even if you can pull off a few moves, you can't remember how you did it.

 

There's a good training mode in EVO. It teaches you the basics of the games, the terms and good combos with which to start play the game. There's also Challenge mode which allows you to test your skills from guarding to throw escapes.

Of course these modes don't make you master but I think it's enough to boost interest in EVO and make you play it more and more and even forces you to learn more.

 

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InspectorTrue said:


Does Evo have a training mode in the arcade version?



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I have played VF4 on arcade and there is no training mode in it. Don't know about Evo though as I have yet to find an Evo arcade machine.

 

There is no training mode in the arcade versions of VF.

 

Oh yeah! Sorry, mates. There certainly isn't (how the hell I'd know?). I mixed up some things. I meant EVO console game... /versus/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

To the original poster.

This is not the first time this idea has been brought up. This has been the endeavour of many for a long long time. I have personally had discussions with Sega of America (keep in mind that Sega of Japan doesn't recognize that VFers in North America exist) with hope that they would back a tournament. I think, to date, the only VF tournament that was "backed" by Sega was a VF3 tourney in 1997 where the prizes were sent from Sega of America. I'd like to point out that the prizes turned out to be Sonic Tshirts. Fucking Sonic Tshirts.

As much as I'd like to believe that a 4 or 5 figure tournament would increase VF playership in North America, it won't. You say that you estimate an increase in VF by 200%. Ok, awesome. So, from the scant 80 players that are keen on competitive VF in all of North America, we'll increase that number to 240. Look out Tekken.

I applaud your thinking. But it's just no longer an option to promote the game which is long past its peak for any iteration of VF4. Trust me.

cheers.
Llanfair

 

the unfortunate truth right now is that console gaming type stuff can't really be touched outside of places where it's all arcade shit and here is my explanation (believe me, I have been thinking about this stuff for a grip):
America gaming wise is dominated by what right now? answer: computer gaming (the CPL, QuakeCon, etc.) Computers are far more accesible to the masses than are consoles because even among the consoles, there's a divide, there's those that prefer one for the games, ones that prefer the controller, ones that are just born and bred "american gamers" (G4, Madden, GTA, etc.) PC games are accesible to everyone because everyone with a different reason still has the same PC (unless you got a mac or are running linux and those are reserved for more so professional specialists in a specific comp field). The divide kinda breaks down like this in America - PS2 > Xbox > Gamecube and even with that, it's not like the PS2 is THE game system that people would hope but here's where it gets interesting GTA > sports > action / adventure > fighting > shmups (bear in mind that I'm talking sales). From there you get further division in fighting games in that capcom > namco > sega (bear in mind, reiteration, ONLY SALES, in fact I think quality of product is the other way around) and no I will not include anything Midway does as a fighting game but that's personal stuff. The sad truth is that since Sega acquired Sammy, VF (as far as america is concerned) isn't even tops in it's company being that GGXX > VF4.

With these divisions, the console popularity of a game like VF is doomed in the states. It can still thrive in a place like Japan because they are mainly arcade gaming and with such features as VF.net, a HUGE competition base, and Sega's watchful eye and helping hand, they pretty much are setup to be there. If we were still an arcade based country, I believe we'd get more success in VF, but they only think of internet gaming right now (I wouldn't blame Sega for pulling out of America in general just like Sammy's pres had suggested when he said he should concentrate only on arcade) and while we would like to see any one thing strive, the general divide in console stuff that is inherant will surely mean that there won't be any one striving in that field until something catches EVERYONES eye in such a way that it is the best thing and that is unquestioned and people don't just want to make excuses as towards why they don't play it (it's too deep, it's slow, the characters are boring, and every other misconception about the game that anyone has every had, trust it, we've all heard it before).

DO NOT GET ME WRONG, I love this game, this is my heart, it's the only game I will say is good as far as fighting games go, it's what made me get serious about games and get to a level I didn't know there was before. This is my honest to God feeling about the game (and American gaming in general) after a LOT of thought.

 

a tournament would never work because it would only be of interest to those who think they possess tournament level skills (e.g. people who already play vf). in order to expand the fan base you need to cater to people who do not play vf.

if you've got that kind of money and want to expand the fan base, you have to go about it differently:

1) put some more machines in places where people will play them.

2) have a nationwide campaign (maybe some guy that drives around in a van with a ps2 and a tv) that gives money to anyone who can complete training mode and tactics advice for any character. have the guy sit in the van for about a week at any location and offer a pretty good amount of money (like 200 - 300 bucks) to anyone who can do it in front of the guy. people can only participate once obviously. i think if you gave people a week, most people would try to learn enough about vf to be able to complete basic and tactics training for 200 bucks.

3) if you really want to hold a tournament, instead of offering a large single cash prize, break that prize up so that newbie players can also get a piece of it. say top 1000 players get a small cash prize and top player gets 1000 bucks. or something like that. again, you need to cater to the non-vf playing community. if you set up the tournament this way, you might be able to get some tekken players to come aboard.

 

Someone plz close this stupid moronic of a thread!

 

Look, its not some magical mystery how tournaments get so big in japan and they dont here. You ready.... ARCADES ARE POPULAR IN JAPAN.

If there were half as many people at the arcades seriously playing VF, than the following would be huge. Look how fucking big Soul Calibur 2 got. You could throw all the money sega has at a VF tourney. If no one plays the game, nothing is going to happen. Sure Sega helps the tourneys in Japan, but the guys who put all thoughs tourneys together are Not cooperate sega employees. There everyday people like you and me. But the real reason, like I stated before, is the strong Arcade prescence. I think all VF fans should take a trip to japan once in there life. Sort of like a muslim pilgramege. It will truly open your eyes as to why VF in the states BLOWS!!!!!

 

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Akebono_FL said:

Look, its not some magical mystery how tournaments get so big in japan and they dont here. You ready.... ARCADES ARE POPULAR IN JAPAN.

!

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Arcades are almost as popular in Korea, but the popularity of VF in Korea can be a no match to that in Japan. A very weak arcade scene here is certainly a factor for VF's unpopularity, but it's not a major deciding factor.

 

I think people shouldn't underestimate what a good tourney means for a game.

Here in Sweden right now it's the Nordic Championship for Tekken 5. Lots and lots of players from the fightingcommunity (soulcalibour to ssbm) are playing Tekken right now cause of it (nice things to win aswell) and they have over 1000 players who will now qualify at 10 places starting with tomorrow. The boost of intrest for Tekken cause of this has been enormous.

/KiwE

 

I have a theory I have been throwing around in my head. Instead of just having a five figure tournament for Virtua Fighter, why not try to bring in those 'cheap fighters' with a 3D tournament. It's not hard to cross barriers in 3D. Look at Ryan Hart. Placed high in Tekken 5 and Tekken Tag in this year's evo and if there was a VF4:Evo this year, you'd bet he'd place high in that too. Point being instead of trying to be excluviley Virtua Fighter 4, but instead be inclusive to Namco's 3D fighters. Perhaps in the form of a prize for the player who does best in all tournaments. Perhaps this could be a way to generate buzz for Virtua Fighter competitivley.