Clearing up some Myths about VF4 on PS2

Hi guys,

I posted this in another thread as well, but here it is as a separate thread too.

I thought I should post a follow-up here regarding the PS2 version of VF4. Whilst I have spoken to some fans who say they are not bothered about the graphics in the conversion as long as the gameplay is perfect, I know there are many VF fans (myself included) who want everything perfect. I want to reaffirm that VF4 on PS2 looks exactly like the arcade version.

Here are some points:

1) The two screens that were posted on IGN and other sites were assumed to be PS2 screens because they came from Access PR's (SOA's PR company) FTP space, in a folder specifically labeled VF4 PS2. However, historically speaking, Access PR and the majority of the press they work with, couldn't give a toss which version the screens are from. But the fact that they are difficult to identify which version they're from is a testament to the quality of the conversion. If the same shot was indeed posted months ago (and is therefore an arcade shot) then cool, however it may well be PS2 as a) the gymnasium stage has been completely finished in the PS2 version, b) it looks just like the arcade version, and funnily enough so does the home conversion in question. Therefore the origin of these shots is largely irrelevant, especially considering the following points.

2) I have played a lot of VF4, on various screen displays. I have played on the MEGALO 50" projection display, the versus city SVGA, and a versus city variant with a blurrier didplay than VGA. VF4 arcade itself looks slightly different depending on the display its played on. It is only natural that, depending on the sort of a) display and/or b) grab method being used, the PS2 screens will look slightly different. In the case of the screens discussed in point 1, there is firstly the issue of JPEG lossiness to take into account, and secondly the nature of the grab (could have been aux-based as opposed to dump-based).

3) At TGS, the display was a large multi-monitor display which is never ideal to show screens, but the 'jaggies' some have mentioned from that version (originally revealed in our shots the day before the show started) are equally prominent in the arcade versus city VGA monitor display. Do not worry about these, the aliasing is fine and the jaggies (as with all PS2 games) vary in prominence depending on the type of display you are using.

4) I have played VF4 arcade a lot and seen VF4 PS2 on several occasions now, and I've seen actual PS2 fights take place on VF4, all real-time etc. I am telling you that there is nothing to worry about, if there was I would notice. The texturing is perfect, the level of polygonal detail is perfect, the lighting is perfect, the effects (such as the water underneath the wooden platforms on Shun's Cave level) are perfect, everything is simply glorious. The only exception to this I have noticed so far is...

5) The PS2 stages revealed so far are Akira (Gym), Lei Fei (Temple), Vanessa (Harbor), Shun (Cave) and Wolf (Arena). On the latter of these, one of the most impressive features of the arcade version is not in the PS2 version YET - the crowd outside the ring. This crowd, as most of you will know from any version of arcade VF4 including test version (only difference in final is that Sega logo in ring is replaced by VF.net logo) is spectacular in terms of unique movements of all people in the crowd, smoothness and detail of all the people. This is probably going to involve a tricky bit of programming algorithm to get successfully on PS2, which I have little doubt will make it into the game with a bit of effort. From the quality of the visuals so far, to the range of features in this version, it is clear that a LOT of effort is being put into the conversion so I see no reason why the crowd will not be in there perfectly, just as everything else is.

It is just that there is a lot of BS going around about the PS2 version, when people who've seen and reported on the PS2 version (I and several others who will not even have played VF4 arcade as much as me) have all said the same thing: it's perfect. Let me get rid of all these rumors to those who care the most (the people on this board) as there is NOTHING to worry about and you're all in for a treat on Jan 31 2002.

Finally as a resource, here are some links with a lot of VF4 PS2 info / screens / movies.

Pre-TGS Exclusive: Virtua Fighter 4 on PS2
http://www.gamerweb.com/content/tgs101101_02.html

TGS: VF4 PS2 Update (Lots of Info)
http://www.gamerweb.com/content/tgs101101_07.html

VF4 PS2: 8 Movies, 10 screens, more info
http://www.gamerweb.net/movies_tgs_sega.html#vf4ps2

Hope this has been of interest.


Adam Doree
GamerWeb.com

 

Golly gee, sounds just like stuff certain people said about Dreamcast VF3 a couple of years ago.

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"A chem bla deshembla blurr fuh bli fouzh"

 

Gameplay over graphics al the way aby .
That said if Aoi lost her psycho look in her eyes on S2 ill be raising some hell next time I meet Yu .

 

Gameplay over graphics al the way aby .
That said if Aoi lost her psycho look in her eyes on PS2 ill be raising some hell next time I meet Yu .

 

Well. The DC and Saturn versions of the VF series fucked up the gameplay almost as badly as the graphics, even though people initially thought they were fine (it _is_ harder to notice).

Home versions always fucking suck in one way or another, and I'll bet money the PS2 version will be tweaked in some ways. And then of course we'll have raving jackasses argue that they're really features, not bugs.

--
"A chem bla deshembla blurr fuh bli fouzh"

 

The biggest issue in my mind is that we're probably just getting Version B for the PS2 translation...and if VF3 is any guide, we could expect Versions C, D, and so on, and what of the PS2 version then?

 

I dunno, I have a feeling for the time being Ver. B is the final.

I'm not saying they won't make a tb style update, but I think in terms of VF4 Ver B is final.

If there is another update (ver C) they'll have plenty of time to implement the changes before Jan 31, right?

Something also tells me that the PS2 version won't be the only version we see.

Spotlite

 

Saturn VF was unplayable IMO, DC VF was quite playable. I'd hardly call it a PoS. Probably cuz I don't have an arcade board at home. PS2 is much more reasonable of a traslation from Naomi than Model3 was to DC. I have confidence in PS2vf4. be glad it's coming out so soon already.

> Well. The DC and Saturn versions of the VF series fucked up the gameplay almost as badly as the graphics, even though people initially thought they were fine (it _is_ harder to notice).

Home versions always fucking suck in one way or another, and I'll bet money the PS2 version will be tweaked in some ways. And then of course we'll have raving jackasses argue that they're really features, not bugs.

 

I think we should hold our tounges until we see it more clearly and get the chance to play the conversion in its finished form.

Adio.

 

If AM2 do release more versions, with a little luck they will provide downloadable upgrades via the PS2 Hard Drive. Just like Team Ninja will be doing for the US when an improved version of DOA3 comes to Japan after the US release.

Adio.

 

Personally, I find it very hard to believe that sega will manage a good conversion of the poly detail and lighting evident in VF4. I wont even mention the texture detail. Tekken 4 looks nowhere near as good as VF4, and neither does TTT.
Beyond that, the game will be subject to the PS2's lame video output. It won't have VGA support, or HDTV support.
Nothing ive seen on the PS2 so far *really* impresses me. Vf4 *really* impresses me. Im not expecting it to be perfect at all.

 

PS2 can produce more polygons than Naomi2 (70-20 million compared to 10 million). Lighting and especially texture are my concerns, everything else (frame rate and extra options) seems to be coming on nicely. Only time will tell how well the PS2 will handle VF4, so lets give it the benefit of the doubt for now and be content that AM2 are handling the conversion.

Adio.

 

In DC VF3tb its harder to do combo that required the bounce of the ground.

In VF2, float combo are easier to do than arcade.

As far as Naomi 2 and PS2 are concerned, both have roughly equal computation power. The amount of RAM is roughly the same as well. The big difference would be mainly from VGA output and non-VGA output.

Yu-san even stated he would like to do DC VF4, if it weren't for the exclusivity deal. AM2 probably can pull off a good port of VF4 on DC.

But it doesn't matter too much this times around, the arcade board seems pretty affordable.

 

True true, it was once mentioned to me that there were so many changes in Ver. B that Ver. B is practically already a TB-type of update.

My thoughts are to consider how VF4 was supposed to be launched in August, but because Sega wanted to release at the same time as T4, Ver. A came out in June. Ver. B wasn't released until August/September...this leads me to believe that had Sega stuck to its original release date Ver. B would have been the first version released. In that context, Ver. A would've practically been another beta test version.

Either way, my feelings towards the PS2 version are neutral. I'll get it anyway, arcade perfect or no. And if I end up in NYC working full time, I'll probably get the latest arcade version anyway and update as new revisions come along.

 

Er... ver.A was launched in Japan on Aug 1, ver.B was launched on Aug 21 based on player feedback after three weeks. T4 was released early to go head to head with VF4, not the other way round, IIRC.

 

Didn't VF4 Ver. A have a limited release in several arcades in June (or at least July)? I know the test version was released in April.

 

Uh, no. That was a test version. There were several test versions through June and July. I can't be bothered to look up the exact dates, though. But Rev A did not come out in June, that's for sure.

--
"I know I say the word 'fuck' a lot, and I'd apologize, but; I don't give a shit." - Lewis Black