Virtua Fighter 5 Location Test in Japan Information and News

Sega have updated the VF5 page with character portraits for all the characters (except the new girl).

The dates for the location test was announced as well on the website. It will go from 11/26 to 11/27 at Club Sega Shinjuku Nishi Guchi store. Check out the new faces of the characters now at
http://www.virtuafighter.jp/

The following are updates from various Japanese BBS from the location test.

The dodging system has been revampled, now there is a big difference between successful and failed evades.

Throws seem to be slower now.

Low punch is dependent on foot position.

You can now dash forward diagonally.

There is a rank meter of sort.

The game remains to only use 3 buttons. It's still possible to play it similar to VF4.

The game runs in widescreen, and the differences in the character's sizes are now very noticeable.\


System

New Update 11/27/05

Testing reveals that throws are now 13~14 frames. For example, after Jeffry's is guarded, it is possible to avoid a throw by . (Adam is laughing right now)

This effectively eliminates the nitaku game between mid and throw, and throwing after counter hit is now duckable, thus more emphasis will be placed upon guaranteed counters. (More like VF3...)

The new diagonal dash movement can be executed by every character in the game. With the right timing, it seems to be able to evade attacks, and seemingly able to get out of nitaku situations even in disadvantaged situation. But since throws have a bit of a suction effect, how effective this technique is is still up for debate.

As seen in the private show video, new stumbling animations have been added for situations when your character is hit from the side. It is possible to dash to the side of your opponent when you have gained a large advantage to start a combo this way. Some speculate that with this new system, stumble throws will be more dangerous cause of this combo threat.


Interesting tidbit - as reported earlier after the Sega Private Show. Word from the many people at attendance suggest the possibility of online play between stores for VF5. At the location test, the game screen shows another icon besides the vf.net connection icon. The words displayed, as reported by Reno, says "In Store" in kanji. Does this mean that VF5 will be online capable? This of course follows suit with the latest Sega arcade offerings like Quest of D, Sengoku Taisen, all of which offers online play inbetween store.


New Update 11/28/05

VF5 is now a true 3d fighter, meaning that it's possible to attack from the front, back, sides each with unique possibilities.

The new diagonal dashes can be used to get to the opponent's sides, or even behind them, during staggers or possibly large advantages.

The stages now have a new type with shorter fences around the edge of the ring. Making it possible to ring out with certain knockdown moves.

The disadvantages of most blocked moves stayed the same from FT for now. Since the throws are slower, alot of the previously throwable moves are now uncounterable.

Most of the floats have been lowered, making damaging combos less possible.

It seems that for alot of the characters, their useful moves differs much more depending on foot position as compared to FT.

Movement speed differs between characters now depending on their sizes.

Concerning the lp's, alot of reports are now saying that it differs depending whether you executed it from standing or from crouching, as theorized by Reno.

The range of standing P and the range of throws seems to have been shortened, possibly making them less effective.


Ranking

A new rank meter have been added. Now you will know exactly when you can rank up. The meter will increase or decrease after each match, when the meter decreases completely, a ranking match will occur for your character. There will be text showing things such as "Rank up if you win" as before above the meter.

Items

Each character will have Type A or Type B custume from the start. (1P or 2P costume) Each player can specify one of the costumes as main and another as support costume. When the same type of costumes are selected by both players, the winner from the previous match gets to keep his or her main type, so the challenging players will not be able to select the same type when the match starts and will be forced to use the support type. Type C and Type D can be obtained by fulfilling certain requirements.

As said before and by reports from Shou and Reno, the number of items equippable have been drastically increased. However, a new item point system have been adopted. Each item equipped will add up to a point total which each player can not exceed. This point total will differ between each player with respect to requirements as yet unknown. The speculation is that higher ranked players will be able to equip more items than lower ranked players, making their characters much more unique and flashy.

VF.TV

The VF.TV screen will display info like the following picture



It features live match viewing and live commentary. It will also include prerecorded programs like the developer's interview shown during the location test; and like any tv channel, it will show commercials for upcoming Sega games, maybe even other things.

Character Specific

Last Updated 11/28/05

Akira

Shrm, on normal hit and crouch hit now staggers similar to goh's shrm.

+ now launches. It's possible to get ->yoho->dblpm afterwards.

New move +,. Mid to high punch class.

You can no longer get the normal combos after P. No more ->dblpm.

New move, , similar to Feng Wei's move of the same command in T5.

Jacky

From is a new high kick follow up, you can no longer do the low kick followup

+ is a new throw, guaranteed a small down attack (soccer kick).

Kage

JM + no longer crumples.

Jeffry

New string that can be delayed, and launches on third hit, which is mid.

New + move, that is a big kick attack.

is now similar to Akira's, possibly knocks down only on red counter.

now looks like a big attack, not throwable it seems.

+, if you are slow in inputting by hit checking for wall stagger, you can not hit the combo. It has been weakend from FT.

->+ has been weakened.

Lion

New + attack. Similar to Pai's + and Lei Fei's +, it's a big kick type attack that leaves Lion back turned.

New , new mid crescent into high kick attack.

Vanessa

You can change the stance before the match.

New in offensive one hit attack.

It's harder to see which stance Vanessa is in now.

Lei Fei

New stance executed by from ++ stance. It looks like Shun's stance where he lays on the ground.

You can execute , , or + from there.
is an attack where he rises up suddently and hits with his body. Knocks down on normal hit and staggers on guard.
is a low trip kick similar to Shun's.
+ is a head spring double kick that launches really high on hit.

There is a new topless costume for Lei Fei.

Goh

Forward roll is now ++, so his Basara is now ++. (More like Akira /versus/images/graemlins/smile.gif)

There is a new follow up attack from that is similar to Lau's + from FT. Or you can imagine Jacky's after Goh's

Brad

New axis shifting high attack +.

Aoi and Sarah

So far, the only thing I see people commenting about these two is the fact that Aoi now shows her stomach in one of her costumes, and Sarah shows her panties with one of her constumes.

Sarah gets a new throw that causes stagger.



Wolf

can only be combo'ed with red counter.

He and El Blaze now both have new moves that can only be executed from the ropes/walls of the ring. So maybe they are weakened in stages without walls? It's also easier to ringout now in VF5, so no worries really.

Lau

Aside from an attack similar to that causes a head crumple, nothing has changed for Lau besides getting older.

Pai

Alot of the motions have changed for Pai, and she doesn't seem like such an abare character now.

Shun

Shun now can drink more due to the longer time between rounds, and he is alot older.

 

Re: Virtua Fighter 5 Location Test in Japan starts Tomorrow (12.26.05)

Looks like the rumours were true then!!
I hope people capture some footage

 

Re: Virtua Fighter 5 Location Test in Japan starts Tomorrow (12.26.05)

Those pix are Gorgeous !!! OMfG!!!

btw testing avatar mukakak!!

 

Re: Virtua Fighter 5 Location Test in Japan starts Tomorrow (12.26.05)

wtf! is it me or does Lion now kind of looks like Chibita? Seriously, look closely! Vanessa looks super sexy! Lau new look is nice. Jeffry on the other hand looks absolutely ridiculous. Is Jacky a super saiyan now? lol that hair!

 

Re: Virtua Fighter 5 Location Test in Japan starts Tomorrow (12.26.05)

Sarah...mmmm....

And Lau looks great--probably the only character that looks really different in 5.

 

Re: Virtua Fighter 5 Location Test in Japan starts Tomorrow (12.26.05)

wtf! i think jeffry looks cool with nice and improved Nappy Hair Technology®/TM

he looks mean and scary and thas good! /versus/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

Re: Virtua Fighter 5 Location Test in Japan starts Tomorrow (12.26.05)

:: Palms 2 the air ::

Van looks freakin gorgeous! All chars look redesigned now and not like stereotypes. Hell even Jeff looks cool now and like a REAL person. It is a good day to die captain!

/KiwE

 

Re: Virtua Fighter 5 Location Test in Japan starts Tomorrow (12.26.05)

finally lei looks a bit more evil, but still a long way to go, hes supposed to be a bad guy . . . .

Aoi looks like a japanese whore
Akira looks like he has time to do his hair before fighting
El Blaze too early to tell
Goh paler skinner and even bigger shoulders wtf
Brad looks like a metrosexual fag
Jackys got the japanese hairdo
Jeffry looks like he ate one mean burrito
Kage same old kage
Lau looks ready to take someone to his grave
Lion = chibita longer hair
Pai looks like a highschool dork
Sarah, hopefully they're keeping this look rather than that paris hylton look from the earlie preview
Shun is not dead yet?
Vanessa starting to look like Beyonce -nice
Wolf loves to bleach his hair too

just a quick cynical look at the characters, as far as I can tell, most characters turned metro and girls got some nice plastic surgery.

 

Re: Virtua Fighter 5 Location Test in Japan starts Tomorrow (12.26.05)

those pics look great.

 

Re: Virtua Fighter 5 Location Test in Japan starts Tomorrow (12.26.05)

hmmmmmmmmmm

 

Re: Virtua Fighter 5 Location Test in Japan starts Tomorrow (12.26.05)

UPDATE from dark10x at the Gaming-Age board. I apologize if you were going to post your info here.

Lucky bastard got to see VF5...his thoughts:


"Man, they wouldn't let me take pictures or videos. Perhaps I should have just done it without asking and go until they told me to stop, but no, I wanted to be polite. There were tons of staffers around, though, so I doubt I could have gotten much. Perhaps Reno could get something later. /versus/images/graemlins/wink.gif

...but holy crap, the game looks absolutely stunning. The image quality was crystal clear (and AF appeared to be in), the animation and models were incredible, and the backgrounds and lighting were the best I've seen in a fighter. I think it looks quite a bit nicer than DOA4 and most of that comes straight down to the godly lighting. They had a "VFTV" station set up for people to watch (who weren't playing), but all of the cabinets and the VFTV station used nice looking HD displays (with a Sega logo). Very nice arcade units indeed. Everybody was gathered in a big ass line to play with a questionnaire at the end. I didn't particularly wish to jump in myself as I suck at the game.

They had this setup very near the VF4 Final Tuned machines and it made the difference even more pronounced. In person, I'd say the jump from VF4 to VF5 almost felt larger than VF3 to VF4. The resolution and lighting make for such a massive leap forward. The screens do not do this justice. VF4 looked downright crusty in comparison. "

 

Re: Virtua Fighter 5 Location Test in Japan starts Tomorrow (12.26.05)

amazing what hair gel can do for a game

 

Re: Virtua Fighter 5 Location Test in Japan starts Tomorrow (12.26.05)

I think his hair is just oily. I mean you've all seen Shang's hair...

 

My man on the inside Reno, who is reporting live from Club Sega in Nishi Shinjuku, just gave me this update:

"holy shit its good "

-Alex

 

I just got back from FOUR HOURS of VF5. Hoooly crap, this game BLOWS AWAY ANY X360 GAME. My god, it easily surpasses anything else I've seen IMO. DOA4 what? Tekken 5 what? The king has returned, suffice to say. To talk about the graphics a bit... it could be because the display was a high res monitor. It could be because Lindbergh is a fucking beast of a machine, but AM2 somehow made a game that looks better than any other game out there. I would dare say that it looks JUST AS GOOD as MGS4's demo. The lighting in the game is absolutely crazy, and the details on the models are incredible.

Here's the details that matter.

In the game, everyone has the normal evade that's done in VF4. However, everyone now has a sway step... kind of. Basically, you press u/f or d/f and P+K+G and you'll sway to one side of your opponent. This allows you to avoid attacks but it also works well after you've staggered an opponent and you want to set them up for a ring out or a wall combo. People who play Lion will adapt to this easily since he already had this command in VF4. I guess AM2 liked it so much that they incorporated it into every character.

Most of what's in VF4 is in VF5. You still have the struggles and all that. However VF.net isn't as expansive as it is in VF4: Final Tuned -- this is expected since the game is still in testing. Right now they just have basic win/loss, ranking and costumes... but I expect it to have everything that Final Tuned does and more. One cool thing is that with VF.tv is that it actually shows the last ten matches of each player. So if you had 4 wins and 6 losses, it'll show that information. Any way, I got on a tangent there... there are some interesting changes that where made...

Low jabs are changed somehow. This is a long shot, but this is my theory.... if you press d+P while standing, your rear hand will do the low jab, effectively cutting down the range and speed of it. However, pressing d+P while crouching will give you the old fashioned low jab that has alot of speed and range. However, I could be wrong on this. I noticed that Wolf players only did the new jab, while I noticed Goh and some of the female characters did the fast, ordinary jab. I have no idea how they implemented this, so dont ask. I'm sure most of the Japanese players will know how this worked out. Maybe it's just a simple thing so that characters with slow jabs (the big guys) have the slower jab animation and the fast characters have the regular one. Who knows.

I didn't get to play El Blaze -- Sega required you to get a VF.net card to play -- but from the matches I saw he seems incomplete right now. His Lucha style is activated by pressing P+K+G... then you can run away or towards your opponent, as well as faking them out. Blaze will basically run until he hits the end of the arena. He has quiet a few moves out of this stance, like a flying body splash and a dropkick. It seemed that most people weren't getting a lot of wins with him though, since everyone was beasting with the old characters.

Throws are now a little slower now, or maybe it's just me. Instead of VF4's intantaneous throws, there's now some animation before they connect, making it a little easier to escape them.

Customization looks fucking SWEET. We're talking about replacing entire pieces of clothing rather than changing the base colour and all. One Goh player I saw replaced his traditional judo gi with a white leather heavy coat (think Neo from Matrix Reloaded, but white) and then brown leather pants, and topped it off with a char face mask. It looked HOT.

VF.tv is the same as Tekken Live in Japan but it's MUCH more fleshed out. They have player power rankings like in Tekken Live, but they give you a lot more information about the players, as well as a good view of what items the player has equipped. The match replays are fucking fantastic. Not only are they great quality wise, but they also include running commentary!

I heard the game will be released officially in April... i can't fucking wait! and I am SO going back there tomorrow!

 

I now want to sleep with Vanessa

 

Thanks rob

 

whatever i find on irc ill post /versus/images/graemlins/cool.gif
edited for content:

<Shou> yah so vf5
<Shou> totally different
<Shou> looks the same
<Shou> but it aint
<tellure> what's the biggest change?
<Shou> throws
<Shou> slow, small range
<Shou> 2 types of evades
<Shou> movement as players knew is nerfed
<Shou> +it
<Shou> in a way, closer to vf3
<Shou> but with 4's concepts
<Shou> vftv is funny
<tellure> interesting
<tellure> do you like it?
<Shou> cant say, dont understand it enough
<Shou> i am trying to figure out what the nitaku has turned into
<Shou> it's funny b/c so much works from 4
<Shou> but the basics dont
<ogizz> http://www.kobayan.jp/location_test/images/vf5/vf5-02l.jpg
<ogizz> vf5 card
<SuprGoldn> so everybody has moves like that that dodge and attack at the same time
<Opti0_o> thats gonna effect movement game alot
<Shou> um
<Shou> it is a different game y0 lol
<Opti0_o> so it is slower?
<Shou> yah
<Shou> like vf3
<Opti0_o> good
<Shou> throw is ineffective
<SuprGoldn> so in what ways is it different from 4?
<Shou> i will be there at open tomorrow
<Opti0_o> the screens look sick
<Shou> no more nitaku
<SuprGoldn> if all of the combos and setups are the same
<Opti0_o> ? no more nitaku? wtf
<Shou> throw comes out at 11 frames or slower
<Shou> that is a fact
<SuprGoldn> damn
<Shou> we tested it
<SuprGoldn> did you play as el blaze?
<Shou> lots of stuff works from 4
<Shou> all of the combos
<Shou> setups
<Shou> better throws have longer execution i suspect
<Shou> akiras 46pg launches super high now
<Shou> like 46pg yoho p dbl palm
<SuprGoldn> damn
<Opti0_o> lol
<Jide> lol
<Opti0_o> is the monkey girl a monkey girl?
<Jide> wtf?!?!
<Shou> monkey girl wasnt playble
<Shou> akira also has some new double hit mid
<Shou> only 1 guy was playing him, and he is a monster in ft so
<Shou> magnum and high kick were there so we saw some broken jeff stuff
<Shou> he has a new ppp string
<Shou> launches
<Shou> pppis mid
<Opti0_o> nice
<Shou> also some new variations
<SuprGoldn> so any other changes besides the slower throws?
<Shou> brad is way cooloer now
<Shou> deeper voice
<Jide> what about lion ?
<Shou> evade sucks ass
<SuprGoldn> didn't jacky's nuts drop too?
<Opti0_o> really?
<Shou> new evade could be good
<Shou> i am testing some stuff with it tomorrow
<Shou> nah jacky is the same
<Opti0_o> does it works like shuns and lions from 4?
<Shou> they have these ultra gay intros on vftv
<Shou> lion has this new jumping kick that staggers the opponent and he goes back turned
<Shou> nah just ga poses
<Shou> gay
<Shou> everyone is reanimated
<Shou> very well done
<SuprGoldn> flat stage?
<Shou> jeff is huge
<Opti0_o> oh yeah stages
<Shou> like marduk sized
<Shou> lion is small
<Opti0_o> fuck that!!! thats big
<Opti0_o> steroids man
<Shou> stages are flat but some have half walls
<Shou> kage's 3p will knock you right out
<SuprGoldn> fuckers been putting on weight since vf3
<Shou> that sucked ass
<SuprGoldn> damn...
<Opti0_o> no wall stages?
<Shou> i was playing minami kage
<SuprGoldn> what else did they change about kage?
<Shou> got hit by 3p, auto ringout
<Opti0_o> wow teefed lol
<Shou> kage has a new stance
<Shou> like taki's
<Shou> exactly the same actually
<SuprGoldn> did he lose jumanji?
<Jide> what about goh shou
<Shou> no
<Shou> 2p goh looks like michael jackson!!!!
<Shou> lol
<Opti0_o> ?
<Shou> red shiny shirt
<Opti0_o> white and feminine?
<Shou> gloves
<trag> then he should be unbalanced vs the new char. looks like a little boy!
<SuprGoldn> what changes did they make to your girl?
<Shou> dc has even shorter range, even lower float
<Opti0_o> yeah what about the white hoe?
<Shou> who
<Opti0_o> Gwoood
<Shou> sarah?
<Shou> serpent also lower float
<SuprGoldn> shes your girl right? /versus/images/graemlins/smile.gif
<Shou> her normal pg got changed
<Shou> old pg is now 64pg
<Shou> a big wtf
<SuprGoldn> so the DC got nerfed huh?
<Shou> again
<SuprGoldn> did you notice more crumple combos like that one akira dbplm combo on the demo video?
<Shou> the only new moves on her list was the normal throw change
<Shou> no
<Shou> the top guys were playing to kill
<SuprGoldn> haha
<Shou> so hard to test things out
<Shou> only 2 rounds
<Opti0_o> lol animals!
<Shou> think about this queue
<Shou> minami kage, magnum, itoshun, me, a really good akira, high kick, dave
<SuprGoldn> what did they change for shun?
<Opti0_o> lol allow the testing, let's get it on!
<Shou> drinking apparently moves him a bit forward
<Shou> he can drink more inbetween rounds
<Opti0_o> chowan?
<Shou> dunno
<SuprGoldn> low kick? /versus/images/graemlins/smile.gif
<Jide> haha 1/60 will sort that out opti
<SuprGoldn> and does kage still have his DPoD combo?
<SuprGoldn> from ft?
<Shou> didnt see anyone do it
<Jide> lion have any new throws ?
<Shou> there wasnt really a movelist
<Shou> you had to guess
<Opti0_o> what about aoi?
<Shou> only saw one person play aoi
<Shou> she has some new fast double mid
<Jide> 11 frames is still pretty quick
<SuprGoldn> so the graphics are improved quite a bit, there are stages with half height walls, and throws come out slower... any other significant changes?
<Shou> slow man
<Shou> p throw is not a legit strat anymore
<Opti0_o> and you said the range was more tighter like vf 3
<Opti0_o> you have to be more in for a throw
<Shou> d00d the game is different, i have no idea how to force a 50/50 guess right now
<Shou> stepping is nerfed too
<Opti0_o> no akira funkiness?
<Opti0_o> just 44's and 66's? lol
<Shou> nope
<Shou> i have ideas though
<Shou> we will see tomorrow
<SuprGoldn> guess its hard to say after just one day
<Shou> we will make movies tomorrow too
<Opti0_o> ok nice one
<SuprGoldn> what did the japanese peeps think about it?
<Shou> they are unsure
<SuprGoldn> any big complaints? or just wait and see
<Jide> its hard to say after a day
<Opti0_o> wonder how much the cabs are gonna cost, they look expensive
<Jide> did they slow it down due to technology
<Jide> i wonder
<Opti0_o> nah doubt it
<Shou> no way
<Shou> the game is sooooo smooth
<Opti0_o> sounds like the sytem changed, vfft is slower after all
<Shou> slower than ft
<Jide> what about movement and stuff
<Shou> NERFED
<Shou> 2p costumes are cool
<Shou> 2p sarah is a slut
<Shou> kage looks cool
<Jide> what is lions 2p outfit
<Shou> havent seen it
<Jide> bring back puffer jacket and timbs
<Shou> kage looks like his vf4 2p version but with red highlights
<Shou> there are so many items
<Shou> like 8 different parts
<SuprGoldn> were they selling cards?
<Shou> yah
<SuprGoldn> 500 en?
<Shou> yup
<Shou> test use only
<Shou> anyhow, vf5 is gonna be hard to play well
<Shou> like vf3

YESSSSS! /versus/images/graemlins/cool.gif

<Srider> i also read like alot of moves don't float on normal hit anymore
<Srider> only counter
<Shou> they float
<Shou> but low
<Shou> like wolf new
<Shou> er knee
<Shou> you have to watch the counter hit
<Srider> that's cool
<Shou> you can only combo on large MC
<Srider> do different characters have different throw speeds?
<Shou> no, everyone is slow
<Shou> p throw aint legit anymore
<Srider> do you escape like tekken now? or still eteg type of thing?
<Shou> huh
<Srider> like, can you escape on reaction?
<Shou> too slow
<Shou> have to use the ne evade
<Shou> new
<ogizz> like shou said
<ogizz> kage got new stance
<ogizz> looks like takis
<ogizz> u go 4p+k+g
<ogizz> kage goes to that stance

kage "move list" for now:
http://www.nikujaga.fromc.jp/VF5kage.html

 

1up.com has a video of the Xbox launch party. At the end the 1up guy states a rumor that VF5 is PS3 exclusive

http://1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3145947

 

yeah i heard about the exclusive from someone as well (like maddy stated on another post) its supposedly finalized that it is indeed exclusive to ps3, that and all the new sega arcade games coming soon