Virtua Fighter's Directors and Producers , This is why........

More or less the game directors set the content and direction for the game. Producers can be involved (especially when deciding what to cut out to save costs in order to deliver the game on time and on budget) Its no wonder the feature set of Virtua Fighter has constantly changed. Have they ever had the same game director twice Has Virtua Fighter ever had the same Director and Producer team as a previous version Yea AM2 studio has always been involved and some of the same programmers, designers etc. But the content and feature decisions are made by the directors and producers. And they've changed almost every time with each new version.


Virtua Fighter 4 had a trainable AI and Kumite mode. In Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution, trainable AI is gone, and Kumite mode is gone. Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution had Quest Mode and Virtua Fighter 5 has Quest mode. (Hmmm at least there is some overlap with the directors and producers of VF4EVO and VF5). Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown Drops Quest Mode, Drops the Event Square, Drops Single Player Profiles. Daichi Katagiri and Makoto Osaki clearly had a different vision for the game(What were they thinking). Now we have Miyamoto, YoMomotani, and Seiji Aoki, they've (so far) dropped Single Player content from the game altogether, and their immediate focus is on Online play. And under their direction we now had Judgment/Tekken Style Hit Sparks.

Yu Suzuki has really not been involved in the content decisions since VF4. Its no wonder that VF has been relegated to a niche fighting game and we have such a relatively small player base. From the looks of things there has been very little continuity in the game director and game producer positions. In a sense the game concept starts over every time it gets a new set of Directors and Producers. It seems each set of Directors and Producers has their own vision for the game and wants to put their own signature on it


Virtua Fighter 4
Directors; Yu Suzuki, Tori Ikebuchi

Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution

Director: Noryuki shimoda
Producer: Hiroshi Kataoka


Virtua Fighter 5

Director: Yoshihiro Tsusuku
Producer: Noriyui Shimoda

Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown

directors Daichi Katagiri, Makoto Osaki
Producer: Hiroshi Kataoka


Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown

Directors: Tsubasa Miyamoto, YoMomotani
Producer: Seiji Aoki


Seiji Aoki, Miyamoto, YoMomotani say they're going to make Virtua Fighter e-sports The "Definitive" version of Virtua Fighter. https://world-technews.com/2021/05/31/remaking-a-legend-playstation-blog/ So far Chief Producer Seiji Aoki idea of "Definitive version" is coming up very short

Yea I like the new online modes. But couldn't they have just ported Virtua Fighter 5 and added
the new online modes We would have a totally killer game. I dunno maybe that's the plan for VF6 (If we get a VF6)

 

Good read. But yeah, the sad thing is when a new director takes over a sequel, and he changes alot of things, and says let's nerf everything, or let's remove a feature that people like.

I think that is why there are alot of fans out there, who want Yu Suzuki back as lead director. But I don't know what to think here. Yu hasn't worked on a VF game in a long time. If he is involved in VF6, hopefully he still has the secret skills, he had years ago.

 

Yea, I think we're stuck with Seiji Aoki and Miyamoto and RGG Studios. I dunno if RGG is going to totally take it over from AM2 but Aoki and RGG are getting the publicity at the moment and at least appear to be the front men.

RGG produces Yakuza and Judgment. And Red, Yellow, Blue etc the HIt Sparks in Judgment are very similar to what we now have in Virtua Fighter Ultimate Showdown.
So who knows what RGG's vision of creating excitement during a fight sequence is. We see what they've done in Judgment with Yagami's Tiger and Crane styles and all of the Hit Sparks and goofy fighting shenanigans that are in that game

Maybe Aoki, Miyamoto and RGG believe that Hit Sparks is modernizing the game, and that online only modes are the future of fight games, but if that's the case they're dead wrong: Here are some example of games that represent the future of 3D fighting games. And all of these games have a very strong Single Player Mode. One of the key elements in all three games is the feel of realistic representation of the martial arts. There is no floating. There is no Juggling. There are no launchers. However, 2 of the games do have hit flashes

 

"There is no floating. There is no Juggling. There are no launchers"

I would add there is no VF also, those are other types of games. I really don't understand why are you keeping comparing VF to them?
VF is on the same floor of Tekken/DOA/Soul Calibur and so far so on.
EA UFC is a sport "simulator" like FIFA/NHL/NFL .
Sleeping Dogs (and games like this) is not an Arcade VS Fighting game like VF, or Tekken.

 

Agreed!!!! Agreed!!!! AGREED!!!!!

VF is not like UFC , Sleeping Dogs, Absolver, etc. But VF is also different than Tekken, DOA, SC. VF is unique. Is has far more realism than Tekken, DOA, SF etc. But its not as realistic as a simulator like UFC, or Absolver. Its somewhere in the middle. Its neither one or the other. That is part of the reason why we have such a niche and small community. VF is not Arcade and Fantasy enough to appeal to the Tekken fans, but its too Arcade and Fantasy based to appeal to the Combat Sport simulator folks.


But its my opinion (which obviously many folks disagree with) that in order for VF to really move forward and grow beyond our small niche community it needs to pick a side. In 2021, 2022, 2023,etc it can no longer remain neutral.

It should either go completely Arcade in the direction of Tekken, DOA, SF. GG, MK etc and add all of the things that make those games so successful. Or it should embrace its realism and go in the direction of Absolver, SIFU, and the UFC games and drop its Arcade aspects.


Yes, Yes, YES I agree with you that if it did this it would not be the VF that we all know and love. But I believe it would be the VF that Yu Suzuki was aiming for. He built as much realism in the game as was technologically possible at the time. Back when VF came out ( it was a simulation for all intentional purposes) that ran on an arcade machine.

https://www.interactive.org/special_awards/details.asp?idSpecialAwards=4
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtua_Fighter

TBH, RGG by adding Red, Purple, Blue, Yellow and White Hit Sparks has already started the transition of VF from what we're used to, into something else. I just think VF will never satisfy the Tekken, SF, GG community unless RGG goes a lot further with the Arcade mechanics, That means adding more and bigger Hit Sparks, Hit Flashes, Meters, Comeback mechanics, Flying, longer combos, more wall carries, etc. And if they do that, the game will no longer be VF. But it will be more successful and more popular.


In my opinion if we're going to redefine the game, I would rather see it go down the road of more realism and more simulation. The market is 10 times bigger. Instead of 10's of thousands of regular players you get into millions of copies sold and 100,000's of regular players.

The reason I chose VF as my main over Tekken and DOA was its no nonsense realism. That is true for many many folks who play VF. If VF has to change, (And it does have to change in order to survive) I would rather play a more realistic VF that is different from the VF I know and love, than a more Arcade Fantasy based VF that is different from the VF I know and love

If there is a VF6 it will not be like the VF we are playing today The question is, will it be more Arcade and Fantasy based or will it be more realistic and simulation based

The realism and simulation crowd which is much bigger than the Arcade Fighter crowd would welcome a new casual martial arts simulation. It would sell millions of copies and get the immediate support of a massive martial arts community that is into video games. Make no mistake about it, a lot of hard core combat simulator gamers are going to play SIFU when it drops in February , even though SIFU is not a sports game. Because this crowd like martial arts simulators of all kinds.


@Zaibatsu I agree with you. What I'm talking about would not be VF as we now know it. IMO it would be a better VF. I think it would be the VF that Yu Suzuki would have made if technology was available back then. But obviously this is just my own very personal opinion I do respect if others feel differently

 

No, I'm not agree with you.

First of all, 2D FGG and 3D FGG shouldn't be mixed, it's like mixing a Rally race with a F1 race.

Secondly, I don't find VF far more realistic than tekken (maybe than DOA, but this is a easy win ... I'm joking, don't be offended DOA fans, I like it too).

Where is all this realism in VF that tekken doesn't have?

Animations? Maybe 15 years ago, but not at the moment. Animations are better in Tekken than in this VF5US.
Jugles? Both games float the opponent, have ground buonce, wall bounce.
In VF you are invicible on wake up or you can't be hit on the ground (apart a very specific move), in tekken you can: which of two is more "realistic"?

Luckly game mechanics are different and both excel in what they do.
In tekken you can find some "funny character" like Kuma, or something more exotic like always has been, but take a character like Lidia (I indicate her just because she is the newest) and tell me that her animation are not realistc, and you won't like to have a character with that move set in VF.

I don't want to make a "war" between VF and Tekken, VF is an awesome game, but I don't think It's special, and all this "Aura" of the most DIFFICULT FGG GAME EVER maybe had hurted more than not the success of this franchise.

 

Good points! I respect where you coming from. As far a character model movement realism is concerned, you are correct But I'm talking about concept and martial art realism of the game overall.

For example:

Alisa - robot girl that can take her head off and use it as a bomb and has
Chainsaws for arms that cut the other characters and Jetpacks and rocket boosts across the stage

Devil Jin - Grows Wings and can have Lasers come out of his eyes

Eliza - Isn't she a vampire? What about her martial art

Jack-7 - He's like a transformer/truck/robot/something what martial art is that that
he uses. Don't his arms sometimes extend halfway cross the stage?

Gigas - What is kind-a like genetically engineered human/cyborg his moveset???

Kuma, Panda Fighting Bears Muay Thai/Karate/Kung Fu vs Bears

Kazumi - Doesn't she have a Tiger that appears and disappears to help her fight

Noctis - Doesn't he use a sword to slice and dice his opponents in a hand to hand fight

In this respect you cannot compare the realism between VF and Tekken. Tekken is simply more Zany, and Whacky, and Fantasy based. Yes the actual character animations of both VF and Tekken are comparable as far as realism goes. But the Fighting techniques, concepts, characters, and martial arts in Tekken are far far more fantasy based.

Yes they both have a totally different mechanic. Although VF has Juggles and Floating Tekken has far more. So many things lead to launch in Tekken . Juggles in Tekken can go from one side of the stage to wall carry, then break through floor or wall for more combo damage. Tekken takes Juggling . Floating and Bouncing far far beyond anything that VF does. @Zaibatsu Don't get me wrong I play Tekken. I own all the Tekken's that have been made. I main Lei Wulong, Feng Wei, and Leroy. So I'm very familiar with the game. However, Virtua Fighter has superior game mechanics, and superior balance and a more realistic presentation over all.

Because Virtua Fighter does not have an in game story mode. It does not have in game character story beginnings and endings. Virtua Fighter stages are basic rings, very clean and simple graphics. This gives VF a different kind of realism. VF 5 has an Announcer. This gives VF a different kind of realism. VF5FS single player modes include a License Mode and Sparring Mode, compared to Tekken 7 Treasure Battle Mode , even this gives VF a different kind of realism.

Although some Moves in VF for some of the characters are a little suspicious all of the characters fighting styles are based in real martial arts. Clearly this is not the case for Tekken I'm not quite sure what Lucky Chloe is doing

The less Floating, Bouncing, and Juggling, the more realistic the martial arts look. Virtua Fighter has less floating, bouncing, and juggling, therefore a match just looks more realistic.

Now that RGG has added Purple, Blue, Yellow & Red Hit Sparks to VF5US, VF5US fights look less realistic than VF5FS. But Tekken has far more Hit Sparks, explosions, whirlwinds, smoke, and flashes than VF5US. So VF5US martial arts looks more realistic than Tekken's.

Most player who prefer VF over Tekken, do so because overall VF feels and looks more realistic than Tekken. And from a visual point of view, if VF was to replace floating animations with stagger, stumble animations, VF would look a lot closer to the UFC games that it does to Tekken.

That's why I'm saying to increase and dramatically grow the player base for Virtua Fighter, all RGG would need to do is replace the floating animations with stagger and stumble animations (no fighting mechanic change) only animation change.

But do see you points.

 

Being someone, who plays all four fighting games, both online and offline, for over 2 decades from since I was small, I disagree. Virtua Fighter gameplay wise, cannot fully be put, in the same category, as those other games. It is in a category, that the other 3d fighting games, still haven't caught up to. And if it is on the same floor as those other games, then unfortunately, sega is partially to blame for that.

 

I sorta still think VF5 and it's expansions animate much better than the latest Tekken.

But yes I agree, we can't realistically expect the game to compete with Tekken 10 and the others.

Yes I love VF5 US, yest I think it's a terrific game that will age gracefully, but we seriously need VF6.