Virtua Fighter popularity... Relaunch?

Hi all Im new comer to the forums but not to virtua fighter was introduced back with vf2. I took a decent length break from all fighting games for awhile (from mvc2 until....current). Im finding virtua fighter which is a great game is still suffering (and by that I mean it simply does not enjoy the same level of popularity as its peers).

I believe a large part of this is because of the games history or initial lack there of. While most of us could care less about story and background depth (which they have indeed tried to improve)a lot of people do (especially casual gamers ie $$).

I believe what Virtua Fighter needs is a relaunch. Think BlazBlue only not as drastic. The fact that the title is up to 5 discourages some new players (honestly it does...sigh dont ask why). Also personally Virtua fighter was a ok name when it was on the cutting edge (which it still is but its far from the only 3d fighter now), and I seriously think a new name is in order.

Combine lets say a new name along with whatever normal updates they were planning along with a full backstory for the tournament. Veterans wouldnt be alienated because the core gameplay remains. However new players could file in and not feel so overwhelmed.

Well what are your thoughts?

What further brought this to mind was the petition on your main page to bring VF5R to consoles. I think this in addition would be a push in a good direction for sega.

 

Maybe SEGA should put a disclaimer on the box saying Disclaimer: previous knowledge of VF not required.

Concerning the relaunch, well, SEGA is apparently facing some financial difficulties ATM so i wouldn't hang on the edge of my seat if i were you /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif

 

I think more than a relaunch Sega need to implement a better tutorial to introduce beginners to VF5-R-6 whatever.

I think I am finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but that says more about me than VF itself. The game is deep and complex, any kind of tutorial would surely help.

 

Sounds like 10 years ago lol

 

They definitely need to do something. mannn.

 

I suggested this very same thing over at NeoGAF, using BlazBlue as my reasoning. I think both a relaunch, some simplified basic controls (ie movement) AND a tutorial are in order.

EDIT: Watching the whole Pride-Yakuza scandal and collapse, it made me think about how cool a game story would be if it focused on organized crime's underground and occasional mainstream fighting championships. So the Yakuza, the Triads, the Russian and Sicilian mobs, Jamaican/British Yardies, Mexican cartels and so on (all under changed names) ran these different fight leagues and would even cross over for high stakes gambling.

That way, you could still have cops, bodyguards, regular athletes, assassins, wrestlers and whoever you wanted in a non-tournament based, year round fight league. You could release a game every year or two. You could have "unsanctioned" fights in DOA style sprawling stages with no rounds or time limits, all the way up to official "ranked" matches in rings with ring outs and time limits. So flat/square/octagonal areas and unique/uneven stages could both be in the game and make sense.

 

"I think I am finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but that says more about me than VF itself. The game is deep and complex, any kind of tutorial would surely help."

Well put MAtteo, a better tutorial would help perhaps taking a page from the new sf4's challenge mode (but with an actual demo like tekkens practice to help understand the timing).

I think that combined with a name change would make a massive difference. I really do feel the name holds it back its too nostalgic even for my taste and doesnt reflect the true core of the game.


dapheenom: I think that would be an interesting backstory. It certainly would not hurt given this games current status. That and it still allows all of the characters to retain their current backstory while simply being intergrated into a new more refined machine.

 

I know this is crazy talk, but... does anyone feel strong ties to these characters? I mean, I've played Wolf off and on for years and couldn't care less if he was replaced as long as his style was in tact. Virtua Fighter characters just don't resonate the way that characters do from other games because other than a couple of lines in an instruction manual, there never have really been any stories. So all you're really left with is bland designs and terrible voicework.

I say scrap the whole story, keep the system (which is awesomesauce).

 

The characters are very dead. There are a few I would like to see stay on akira, jeff, shun, and eileen. Those aside... yea I wouldnt care if they got scraped. Even if they scraped the whole cast I would still play (like you said gameplay is key).

They really need to look at starting fresh and capturing a bigger audience. The problem is new gamers (younger) have no clue what VF is about. I think this year would be an ideal time to strike (impossible for sega I know) given the recent surge in interest in fighting games (caused by SF4, try finding a replacement joystick).

Spilling beans here is only a splash. Gotta find a better way to tell Sega.

 

Hoping to get the subject some more notice (not likely) I've reposted this along with a poll over at sega.

http://boards2.sega.com/sega_board/viewtopic.php?t=103271

 

To this extent (capturing young gamers etc), I know many of the diehards on here shoot down the idea everytime its suggested, but they need to have an in-depth create a character option/options. Simply changing outfits is not enough. Look, we advanced from only one model to having an alternate somewhere along the line in streetfighter and it was awesome, then fighting games let you actually change up outfits, but at this point, anything less then full on character custamization is simply not enough. Yes you can still compete as a fighting game, but your product differentiation is, hey look you can't do as much wiht our game.

I would say, of course, all movesets and strenghts would be static, for the sake of ease of conversion.

But if VF really wanted to be cutting edge, they could even let you mix and match movesets to a certain extent (i guess final tuned did this?). But at the very least, they need to beef up the character customization (if not full out create a fighter). Even bringing all the items i see from arcade machines would help a great deal. If there 20-30 new items to be won by playing online only matches, we'd see a suprisingly less dead xbox live function. I'd jump back on to win the third "cyclps" eye for lei fei, just as shun players would come back for the big head, long nose, glowing wine sacks, Jeffrey players would surely come out of the woodwork for....well any cool items, lol.

Another idea while i'm ranting. The emblems you can win in quest. I think it would be a quality idea to make those actual items you can put on your back: i.e. either shirt art or tattoo, is what i'm thinking, and hten you could edit its color. this would be cool, and make getting emblems something you might actually want to collect.

Just thoughts

 

I always thought the best way to customize movesets was to offer Tekken Tag style differences (ie Michelle-Julia, Jack-P.Jack) between movesets and you pick the one you want best. So for wrestler, you could pick technical (with a Sharpshooter, Crippler Crossface), pureso (Burning Hammer, Tiger Drivers, different kicks) or power (Spear, Jackhammer, Hansen's Clothesline). But everyone would have the Stunner, Rock Bottom, Pedigree and so on. This could also allow the developers to put in styles people keep asking for, but aren't different enough to include. It could even appease those unhappy with a current character's version of the style (ie Brad is really a Dutch Style kickboxer, not a Muay Thai guy)

Other examples could be:
Karate (Kyokushin, Shotokan, Hawaiian Kempo)
Jujutsu (Judo, Brazilian Juijitsu)
Pradal Serey (Muay Thai, Muay Boran, Dutch Kickboxing)
Military Arts (Sambo, Krav Maga, Marine Corps H2H)

It really just goes on and on.

 

Hmmm, why don't you guys just play a different game?

 

I always love that reply. I love to PLAY Virtua Fighter. Casuals are bored by it. If they don't do something to change that, the only option you'll have is to play the same old games or play something else too.

Change...BAD! RRRAARRGH!

 

You love VF but you practically want everything to be changed? And you don't care if all the characters go?

That sounds like real love to me.

 

Reading comprehension -1. I said I love to PLAY Virtua Fighter. I love the GAMEPLAY.

 

Hmmm, the scary amount of changes you guys are listing are mostly gameplay related.

Confused, ftw.

 

Love aint easy.

If growing the fanbase and seeing the core gameplay that belongs to Virtua Fighter become the highlight of competitive fighters means changing that much Im for it.

Just look at Evo's lineup for this year. The only 3d fighter is Soul Calibur (which I find too simple and repetitive). Sf4 took a complete leap back to oldschool and has caused a rather large stir. It shows there is room for more 3d fighters to take the competitive stage.

I love some VF characters shun, jeff, lau, eileen, goh... but sometimes change is needed to move forward. Would you rather see VF fade further and further away or take the main stage. Where is the closest VF5 arcade machine to you.... exactly.

edit: Gameplay changes? how does a new name and backstory affect gameplay or a better tutorial.

 

Wanting a more interesting story? A return of VF3 style stages for casual, unranked (hint-not arcade) matches? A fancier character edit combined with Final Tuned's move select? OK...

EDIT: I bet if forums were around back in the VF1-3 days, someone would be like: "Sidestepping, Staggers, Hit throws, Sabakis, Walls/Wall Throws, Character Edit... what is this?! It ain't Virtua Fighter!!! You must not *REALLY* love Virtua Fighter like *ME*."

 

I was thinking of the simplified controls and customisable move sets. That's a drastic change compared to "a more interesting story". So yah, mostly gameplay related.