VF5 XBOX 360 FAQ

VF5 XBOX 360 FAQ
This FAQ is meant to help players with their Xbox 360 version of Virtua Fighter 5. It supports answers to the most frequently asked questions by newcomers providing you with links to important topics of your interest. With the help of this FAQ beginners as well as advanced Virtua Fighter players get to know facts and issues that are not self-explanatory.

General Questions
Is it worth buying the 360 version of VF if you already own the PS3 one?
This is surely a question of everyone's standpoint here. The real big additions of the 360 version over the PS3 are only that it's Revision C, supports a VS-online mode, and features some more items (as well as supports memory card for saving your character, and a slighly improved Dojo mode). If that it's worth for you buying a 360, an Arcade Stick that works with your 360, and a Xbox Live Gold account (for online play), then here you go.

Is the AI any better now?
In comparison to the AI of the PS3 version, the Xbox port comes with a much more advanced A.I. Regarding the Quest mode AI on Expert setting Myke said:

The AI comes with simulated playing styles which are impressive, and to which you have to adapt quickly in order to win the match. As well, the AI makes excellent use of moves, stances, Defensive and Offensive Movements, or even "taunt you with multiple crouch dashes" according to Myke (VF.com admin).

About the additional items in version C: Is there anything known yet?
SEGA-AM2 has promised a whole ton of new items for the characters, as well as downloadable contents (DLC). SEGA released the first downloadable Item Pack #1 featuring 3 items per char that you can access via Xbox Live Marketplace for 300 MS points. The other Item Packs, no. #1 and #2, with 2 items for each character are also available now for the price of 200 MS points. The contents of the item packs can be viewed here (thanks to Akai). Until now the Item Packs don't feature any Version C items, only late Version B ones. This could be a subject to change though.

Memory Card Issues
I wonder how to use an Xbox 360 Memory Card for being mobile with my characters (for tournaments, etc.)?
Please have a look at the step-by-step instructions over here.

Controller Issues
It is said that the Xbox 360 controller, especially the digital pad, sucks. What can I do, in order to enjoy VF5 on the 360 without this disturbing factor?
There are many possibilities here: get an Arcade stick (available by Hori for the 360); get a modified Arcade stick of your choice for the 360 (customized by certain members, visit the Joystick subforum), or even get a 3rd party pad (certain pad players reported that the D-pad is better for some of them, such as MadCatz).

As I'm a pad player, is there any way to fix the 360's D-Pad, so that it works correctly and recognizes the given inputs correctly?
Yes, in order to fix the pad, you'd only have to sandpaper the area around the pad, so that it has enough place when getting pushed down. Here is a guide: Ufighter's 360 Pad Fix.

Online Play
Apropos online play: how good is it actually?
We still don't know how they did it, but it's works surprisingly well with the capabilities to perform all the techniques (sabakis, reversals, hit-throws, fuzzy guard, etc.) that you can perform offline. Even the lag compensation for intercontinental matches is more than good.

How do I know when an online match will have a supreme connection?
There are icons indicating the expected connection status in the top right corner of every match contestant that you want to engage. Grass green stands for the best ping and guarantees lag-less playing.

Every time I join an online match, my controls are totally messed up. What has gone wrong?!
As you are on the 2P side now, you use your 2P controls now. Please adjust your second player controls in the Options menu of Virtua Fighter 5, so that it matches your 1P controls for online play.

Upon joining an online match I often get the message "Unable to join session."
This can have four reasons:

1. Someone was faster than you joining this session, and therefore, you cannot join it as it is already full.
2. The NAT settings of the host is not correctly set (and therefore accepts no incoming transfers). He/she would have to check his settings in the connection dialog of the Xbox Live screen.
3. The session that you wanted to join is already full but the host hasn't started the match yet with the result that it is still listed as available session.
4. Rarely though, the server (where you register you match upon creating a session) didn't update the session list fast enough, so that certain sessions get lost, and remain as ghost sessions. This also seems to happen to other Xbox Live games at times (such as Rainbow Six: Vegas).

I have trouble hosting online matches in general over Xbox Live. My mates seem not to be able to join my session.
The reason for this are most likely incorrect router settings. You have to forward certain ports for the Xbox Live service to work properly. Please do the "Test Connection check" in your Xbox Game Settings Menu. As well, check out which ports should be forwarded by your router: Xbox 360: Port settings for Xbox Live.

Is it possible rematch my friend online?
Yes, but only in Player Matches, and on an invite-basis only. Open a private player match, and invite a mate, and you can rematch as often as you want with him. The reason why you cannot rematch in Ranked Match is because then you could help each other to rank up. No Xbox Live game supports more than one Ranked Match with the same party.

Gameplay Help
As much as I love Virtua Fighter, I cannot really get into the fighting system due to its difficulty. Where can I read about the fighting engine, and all the techniques in a understandable way?
There are three online guides (from Beginner, over Novice, to Advanced Player) offering a good start for your research:

• IGN reworked their PS3 VF5 Guide offering the reader very basic explanations of the fighting engine and its characters; a good place to begin reading with. However, be aware that the recommended combos won't work, in most cases, against higher tier players (who know how to stand up properly): IGN VF5 Guide (Xbox 360).
• Strider has composed a great guide for Virtua Fighter newcomers and advanced players (with videos, and gameplay tips for most characters) on MyCheats.com: Virtua Fighter 5 SuperGuide.
• VFwiki, featured by VF.com, features an in-detail description of the fighting mechanics of VF5. It misses several strategy and combo guides for certain characters, though: VFwiki.
• Last but not least, the Dojo Sub-Forum features articles about every character, and VF technique by the members of VF.com.

I'm overwhelmed by all the technical abbreviations that occur in the available FAQs or in every forum post here on VFDC.com. Is there any online glossary for beginners available?
In order to clear things up have a good look at this VF5wiki Glossary.

I found out that there is an official strategy guide by BradyGames for Virtua Fighter 5 available. Is it worth a purchase?
The BradyGames VF5 guide (Amazon Link) is a great, profound work by Adam Deats, Joe Epstein, and David "Srider" Zau describing the bits and pieces of Virtua Fighter 5. It covers the PS3 (version B), as well as the updated Xbox 360 edition (version C), and features:

• Glossary
• Basics (Basic movements, Dashing, OM, DM, and much more)
• Advanced concepts (Frames, guard canceling, counterhits, throw clashing, and much more)
• Specific character guides (movelist w/o frame-specific comments, tactics, important throw escapes, and much more)
• Quest Mode (Arcade Halls with their rivals, quest items)
• Xbox 360 Achievements (secret ones, as well)

I'd like to watch videos of good VF5 matches. Is there any good place to go?
Plague's VF5 YouTube channel offers a wide array of good matches (about 200) featuring well-known VFarians, carefully recorded and updated regularly. The videos offered there is the PS3 version of the game; however, it is still rewarding to watch them, as gameplay-wise not a whole lot has changed from revision B to C: Plague's VF5 YouTube Video Channel

Goodies
Balloon trick: In Quest mode is there any possibility to gain items faster other than by buying or winning them in tournaments? What about the balloon trick?
It is advised to always play the Quest mode with the Balloon trick in mind, so that you can gain all the tons of items for your character much faster. Here is how to do it:

• It all depends on your Win/Loss ratio. If the last digit of your W/L ratio ends on the same number (e.g. W: 133 L: 13 or W: 27 L: 7, and so forth), and you return to the Quest mode map, a floating balloon may spawn allowing you to have 9 consequent Item Battles in a row if you enter the Arcade with the Balloon above. There are reports of certain users that found specific numbers to have a higher chance of triggering the Balloon effect: 1, 3, or 7.
• When the balloon is right above the Arcade of your choice (pay attention to the shadow of the balloon), enter it and stay there. Now join any Arcade machine of your choice in the Arcade hall.
• The result: the next 9 matches will all be Item Battles! You can repeat this as often as you like by abusing the manual save function of VF5.
• Disable the automatic save function right one match before your ratio hits the said digits (W:122 L:23). Exit and save manually. Play one more match, and check if the Balloon got spawned. If it didn't then reload your save game, do this one fight again, and see whether the balloon spawned now. Loop this.

Is there a trick to activate the Classic Genesis SEGA Chime?
Hold down the B button after the first time the SEGA logo shows up and you will hear the famous "SEGA" chime from the Genesis, Mega Drive days.

Another option would be, instead of waiting to see the entire intro to go to the Sega logo, to hit the Start button once and wait for the logo to come up quicker. Thanks to Shag for this hint!


If you notice any mistakes in the FAQ, or if you want to add something, please leave me a private message.
~ Leonard McCoy

 

Thanks

 

"This means that someone was faster than you joining this session. Therefore, you cannot join it as it is already full. This is no game bug."

-

Just yesterday I was trying to do quick matches. I was saw a shun player and immediately clicked A, but I was unable to the join match. Okay, that happens.

I went to quick match immediately, saw the exact same player and was still unable to join the match. I tried again for the third time, failed, 4th, failed and then on the 5th attempt he was gone (so someone finally got in).

 

I also think that this happens because the servers (where you register you match) do not respond fast enough as an open match gets filled up with a player in less than 20 seconds.

If you got any other topics for the FAQ, shoot.

 

I wanted to know a bit more about the AI. On hard and expert level do the higher ranks use exact recovery and use wakeups against you? Does it cheat or force you to play in a particular way?

 

What do you mean by cheat? Reading your input before actually waiting for the on-screen rendering of your input movements? If yes, then the AI always did that.

Updated the FAQ a tad.

 

I think the unable to join session message may also have something to do with NAT settings where some people cannot connect to others. Just like in other games where some people simply can't join a match if a particulat person is hosting, while other can.

It happens far too frequently to just just be about someone else joining before you.

 

Added this possibility. Though, if this was the case, no one complained about others not being able to join his session yet.

 

It can be selective. i.e some can join others can't. This was the case with some of my friends on gears, a friend of mine couldnt host because then another friend couldnt get in. Others could get in fine.

then again if this was the case then the proble should also be present with other games. hmmm. Perhaps sega will comment on it.

 

Added the Balloon trick and advises for beginner players to the FAQ.

 

Good call; added it to the online help section of the FAQ.

 

Custom soundtracks worth with this, right? Like I can plug my iPod into the Xbox and play music over the game? Is that a feature of the 360 shell and not a game-specific one?

 

It is a generic Xbox 360 feature. When playing any game of your choice, you can listen to your own music: whatever you have on your portable device, or ripped onto your Xbox.

 

Dont forgot for mp3 players they must be able to play through their usb port. Which the ipod can...I think.

Have to get a new mp3 player, mines ancient and you can't play through the usb port

 

You have to connect your MP3 player to the 360 via USB. Then your player serves in the same way as a HDD or portable USB stick.

 

Well that's the only way you can connect an mp3 player isn't it?

Also, you still have to set it to play through the usb port if you don't want to transfer music onto the hard drive (it says so somewhere on the xbox site). Mine doesn't do that. My 360 knows something is connected but when I try to use it my 360 says "no".

 

is yours an ipod?

I know the ipod uses some weird ass way of storing files so it can't be read except by special programs, and can't be read as a portable hdd with proper filenames, basically

 

i have a few possible FAQs:

how many items are available total per person?

are there only emerald and diamond items?

what are the chances of getting a diamond item?

how many rivals are there per quest arcade?

which players in quest are based on true player data?

 

Go for it, man. Your work will likely be appreciated.

There's info in here to get you started on your item FAQ and what-not.