Famitsu Inteviews Murayama and Egami

akai · Mar 28, 2012

Famitsu story previewing VF5FS for console! The article starts off with bits of information related to the Xbox 360 version including some background on Jean and Taka. More interesting was an interview of the console port team: Toru Murayama (Director, Left) and Yusaku Egami (Game Designer, Right). Both of them had previously worked on the Daytona USA port.

Update: Click on the news headline (or go to the second post of this topic) for Reno's translation/summary of the interview.

akai · Mar 28, 2012

Notes from the article:
- The game will feature up to 8 players in a player match
- As stated in the interview, they were going to have players collect items in offline modes, but it was omitted due to space, and now it's only for VS battle.

Interviewees: Murayama (M - director), Kojo (K - game designer)

Q: We'd like to hear what Final Showdown is all about
M: Basically it's a continuation of Virtua Fighter 5 with final balance changes implemented. For experienced players, this means that they'll be able to play the newest and final version of the arcade game at home, and for those who have yet to play the game, it's going to be a title that is going to feel like it had years and years of continual tweaks and adjustments to make it perfect.

Q: When did the port of the game start?
M: It started about during the latter half of our work on the port of Daytona USA (released Oct 26), when people who were available started working on it. The people who got on board early started working on it around May of last year. The real work started sometime in September of last year.

Q: Last summer it was announced that it would be available overseas, but was there an announcement for Japan?
M: We wanted to announce the game overseas in a timely manner, so that's why it was announced first. Because of that we couldn't announce it in Japan but that wasn't our intention. At Kakutou Shinseki IV was when we made our proper announcement for the console version in Japan.

Q: And this is going to be available as a download?
M: Yes, it's a continuation of the VF5 series. We can see in general how many we'd sell as a package, and as a downloadable title I think it's going to really change things.

Q: What's the difference between porting a packaged title and a downloadable title?
M: Definitely the amount of space we have. XBLA has a memory limit, so we couldn't include everything into the game. Because of our discoveries, we decided to sell the items as separate DLC.
K: Considering the price, we decided to go with allowing people to really just enjoy fighting against one another.

Q: I'm sure that you guys are already accustomed to porting arcade titles, so how was porting this game for you?
K: It was a relatively smooth process to check all of the designs and whatnot because we had the arcade division right beside us.
M: When we eventually started porting the game, the most important thing is whether it's the same as the arcade version. Checking Daytona USA with the arcade version was a real pain because we had to use the arcade cabinet, but this was a fairly recent title, so we we able to use the game's debug mode, so in that sense it went fairly smoothly. However, the volume was the real work for us.
K: Yeah, there are A LOT of items.

Q: So did you plan to include items?
M: At first that was the plan. That would've been a way to get players motivated to play.

Q: However, the items are extra DLC?
M: The minimum amount of items 1 character has is 600 pieces, and the largest being around 900. We're still trying to figure out how to sell the items, but I think we'll be able to offer a reasonable price to our users. At first we were thinking that maybe people would buy the game and then unlock items as they play, but for this game title there are items that are specialized for battle, and there's also a problem that even though users want to quickly fight, having to unlock items through offline play is totally different from the aim of this game.

For those who are interested the items, we figured that allowing people to buy the DLC and customize quickly was a good idea, but even if you don't you can still enjoy playing the game. Also, I think I should mention this first, but if you don't have the items purchased, then you won't be able to see those items even if your opponent has them equipped. (Reno's note: This means that DLC is NOT included in the final game, so it is a size issue due to XBLA.)

The second half of the interview, where they talk about the new License mode as well as arcade stick compatability and achivement unlocks will be in the March 30th issue of Famitsu Xbox 360 magazine. (Reno: I'm going to go buy it today)

Reno · Mar 28, 2012

I'll try to translate this for you guys on the weekend, shoot me a PM just to remind me

steelbaz · Mar 29, 2012

Good read, good news, thanks for posting this.

DWR · Mar 30, 2012

Really nice! Looking forward to the translation!

(Reno, can I re-translate it in italian from your english version for our community?)

Cla · Mar 30, 2012

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Due to size limit, items will be a DLC separate from the actual game.</div></div>LOL at them STILL using the "size limit" excuse for making all customization items DLC. LOL nope.

First off, I can promise you that the size of this game with all customization items will NOT exceed PSN's or XBLA's size limit. (PSN's limit is at least 12GB as we can see with the full Mass Effect 2 download. Some people are even saying that PSN apparently doesn't even have a size limit period. Still trying to find the exact limit for XBLA. Made a thread on GameSpot.)

Second off, even if their excuse was true, then there's no reason they can't release the game on disc instead.

Third off, I can also promise you that all the items WILL already be included with the game when you initially download it anyway (straight-out contradicting Sega's claim that they can't include the items because of "size limit"), because you have to already have the data so you can see other players using the items. So the "DLC" will actually just be unlock codes, just like the chars in Street Fighter x Tekken and the DLC content for Soulcalibur 5.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">at first, items were obtained by playing the game. Now you can just buy the items as DLC.</div></div>DOUBLE LOL. Seriously, you're gonna pretend that making us pay separate for items is some kind of new, cool feature meant to serve as a gift to us or something? If it was a DLC OPTION in ADDITION to the usual unlocking method of playing the game, then sure that would be cool. But do NOT pretend for even one second that you're doing something cool for us by making microtransactions the ONLY option for obtaining items.

Sad thing is, if Sega would just admit the truth, I might be ok with it and respect them for it. But nope, they have to lie to our face and still try to pretend they're doing us a favor. I make decent money and love VF too much to pass so I'm still gonna buy this game and all DLC for my chars, but damn am I still gonna be pissed at and lose A LOT of respect for Sega because of their lying. The only thing they can do to atone for this sin of a practice is to make the game itself free-to-play. That would actually be an epic way to make a big splash for VF. But we're dreaming if we really think Sega would ever do that. Hell, they couldn't even keep their promise that Sonic 4 Ep 1 was only going to be $5.

akai · Mar 30, 2012

Cla - You take my poor translations too serious . But if you really want to continue this type of discussion please continue doing it in your So it turns out Sega hates us afterall (renamed to be less sensationalized). And again, your third reason is clearly wrong (Read your own thread that you started before posting the same wrong information again).

steelbaz · Mar 30, 2012

Man people sure love to complain, just be glad we're getting the game...

VF2011 · Mar 30, 2012

I'm not sure about psn, but xbla definitely has a limit on their arcade games. That is why some games get released as games on demand, they are too big.

And sega wants this to be an arcade game since they get more exposure than the games on demand.

masang_lion · Mar 30, 2012

steelbaz said:

Man people sure love to complain, just be glad we're getting the game...
Click to expand...

*masang_lion Likes this post*

Reno · Mar 31, 2012

I've updated akai's post with my full translation, enjoy!

EmX · Mar 31, 2012

Cla - There is a 2GB limit for XBLA games, as the guy mentioned in your thread. The Games on Demand thing is different according to MS. They have a pretty stupid licensing model and retain a lot of control over the 360. Ugh, consoles.

Alstein · Mar 31, 2012

Question: will folks be able to get items via online battle, especially non-ranked battle?

As for the DLC- I hope they give us a buy all the DLC for one price option.

Mikiway · Mar 31, 2012

I'm ok with it but I hope not ALL items will be sold as a DLC, you know?

Some, lets say "rare" or "really-cool" items should be seen as a special reward that should be unlockable by meeting some conditions (some amount of gems/stones, for example)

Thanks for the translation anyway, waiting to read what's coming next.
M.

Edit: I'm sorry if it looks like I'm feeding the troll but-->

Cla said:

I can also promise you that all the items WILL already be included with the game when you initially download it anyway (straight-out contradicting Sega's claim that they can't include the items because of "size limit"), because you have to already have the data so you can see other players using the items.
Click to expand...

First, the interview says (and I do believe that the translation is correct) that ppl who didn't buy the items will not see the opponents items even if he has them equipped. So your theory doesn't work.
Second, it may be some typical english expression but: how come you can promise anything? You working for SEGA by chance?

Genesis · Mar 31, 2012

Mikiway said:

Some, lets say "rare" or "really-cool" items should be seen as a special reward that should be unlockable by meeting some conditions (some amount of gems/stones, for example)
Click to expand...

I've been thinking about that as well. No one has made any mention of it, but it seems to me that there should still be some items that require "high-rank" play in order to obtain. We'll see what happens in the end, but since the core gameplay remains intact either way, I'm not too terribly worried about it. Just a curiosity, is all.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Second, it may be some typical english expression but: how come you can promise anything? You working for SEGA by chance?</div></div>It's just arrogance that gives one a drive to be right all the time. As a result, the individual promises the beliefs in question, even if they fly in the face of immediately available facts. I gotta say, though, I love your attitude when responding to such rubbish.

BlackGeneral · Apr 2, 2012

Waiting patiently for the 2nd translation. Story sounds good so far.

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Famitsu Inteviews Murayama and Egami

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