More minute VF4 details

There's a short article about some new gameplay details on VF4 that was discovered during play test going on in Japan. Here's the URL I'm referring to:

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/story.cfm?sid=2495>http://</A>

It's interesting to note that the input commands for jumping now requires one to press P+K instead of inputting the usual joystick movements. I figure there can only be one type of jump inputting only button commands, so it looks to me that either the high jump or the short hop has been removed from VF4 combat system. I suspect, and prefer, that the short hop is kept and the high jump is omitted, but it could be the other way around as well. Perhaps I'm reading too much into this assuming that one of the styles of jumps have been eliminated. But I really don't know how Sega would be able to successfully implement two types of jumps while pressing the same buttons and not include any required joystick movements to go along. I guess holding down the buttons for a relatively longer period of time to jump higher could be a possible alternative, but would this scheme work well for a fast-paced, twitch-based fighting game that requires mainly quick button presses like VF4? I don't think it could. Oh well... we'll see, I suppose.

And the issue of 12 characters being initially selectable for VF4 concerns me. If Lee Fei has been added, then someone that was previously in VF3 might not be included for VF4. Maybe Taka is the victim, since these aren't any other characters I know of that I hasn't been shown in any VF4 movies or pics I've seen so far. We'll know more about this soon enough. And what is meant by "initially" anyway? Is Sega doing the time release process which reveales characters that won't be available for use at the start? Or maybe this is what Sega had in mind for Taka if he actually turns out to be the one that's left out from the list of characters that are available to play with from the beginning? Nevertheless, I didn't like this time release process back when Namco first done it for the Tekken series, and I certainly don't like this idea now.

And finally, here's a couple of new images of VF4 from Magic Box:




Kruza






<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Kruza on 04/09/01 04:12 PM (server time).</FONT></P>

 

I keep saying to myself that I really should just wait for it to come out and play it before I make any judgements, but all I find myself able and wanting to _scream_ is: VF2 + FV + Tekken series = VF4, derivative mass market SHIT.

Yu's lost it. He should be flogged.

 

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

I keep saying to myself that I really should just wait for it to come out and play it before I make any judgements, but all I find myself able and wanting to _scream_ is: VF2 + FV + Tekken series = VF4, derivative mass market SHIT.

<hr></blockquote>


Sadly... I feel a similar inner conflict and overall feel the same way.

I love VF and I like FV, Tekken, and DoA (1 and 2)... But I've always felt VF as pure... hmmm.... we'll wait and see.... but still, what I'm hearing so far is not making that great of an impression on me...

-Chanchai

 

Just want to note that the given article has slightly different info compared to the bit from Gaming Age via Magic Box, which explains why the jumping has been changed:

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://cgi.gaming-age.com/gaming/news/news.pl?y=2001&m=4&nid=9-45.db>http://</A>

The reason you need to hit both buttons to jump is because the joystick now moves the character into and out of the screen. Double tapping the joystick in any direction does an evasion move in that direction. There's no mention of how crouching is handled. Sounds similar to the system from the Tobal PSX game, which had the same 3D joystick movement and required a button press for a short jump.

Also mentions the three-button quick recovery, which is a Tekken 3 idea.

 

Kruza, check out Shota's thread from somewhere below; it also has a few more gameplay system notes. The general assumption in Japan seems to be that Taka and the new female character are not ready for testing.

Quck recovery is not a Tekken 3 innovation.

 

Yeah man, I'm with you...what's with the Tekken influence all of a sudden. For god sakes, anything but that. Double tap sidestep...ughh...but I'll wait and see.

Though the recovery thing I kinda like. Reminds me of Rival Schools. Certainly is more realistic than falling to the ground.

--------------
Formerly known as Fogira Four

 

I was the only cynic, rememeber this. Everyone was a disbeliever, I kept saying Sega is going mass market with this one cause of business reasons...Yu Suzuki or not. He needs a job after all....and hes been with sega forever, he doesnt want to see sega go out of business, so all his titiles will be as mass market as possible to draw in the dollars...

CrewNYC

Lets wait till the game comes out to see if im right....

 

You have incredible vision, Andy If only we all could...

<font color=white> Llanfair the prized <font color=green>cabbage</font color=green></font color=white>

 

andy _always_ has an incredible vision. usually letting us know after the fact.

 

I think, vf4 will be a compromise game actually..maybe not the mass market crap we are anticipating...but I don't think its going to be as complex initially as vf3

"Victory can be anticipated, but not assured" Sun-Tzu

 

I know it's probably too soon to tell, but what's going to be the deal with the backgrounds? Will Sega really get rid of the 3D arenas from VF3 and force us back into crappy boxes? I was hoping that the arenas featured in the VF4 videos were not going to fully resemble the final version. But now that the game is being playtested in Japan, it would seem that flat, caged arenas are the order of the day. I can't imagine how anyone would consider this an innovation; if anything, it's a definite step back. Soul Calibur featured different, oddly-shaped arenas, while DOA2 went for multi-tiered environments. I don't want to play another fighting game in another flat square, cage or no cage. Sigh. You just gotta love knowing that this game is being dumbed down for the American audience. The last thing I want to see is Sega shamelessly pandering to the same crowd who thinks that George W. Bush is smart, "Dude, Where's my Car?" is a good film, and Tomb Raider and Deer Hunter are great videogames.

We are not living in serious times.

Daniel Thomas

 

Andy, VF3 was supposed to be "mass market" as well. I think you will find that creating a game that is accessible to beginners is the goal of many developers, not just those belonging to a company desperate to improve their bottom line.

 

Re: Movement system

Strange, I immediately assumed that crouching would be implemented by simply pulling and holding down on the joystick. Evading wouldn't kick in unless you press the joystick down twice in succession, so I don't see a problem using this particular joystick input in order to crouch. Maybe I'm overlooking something here...

As for crouch dashing, I think Hyun hit the nail right on the head when he mentioned the Dragon Punch joystick motion (f,d,d/f), or some motion very similar to this one at another site. Obviously d/f,d/f can't be used to crouch dash for VF4, since performing this motion will cause the character to evade instead. So the logical alternative would be to implement a DP-like joystick motion. Then again, the required input for jumping was radically changed, so who knows what will happen here? Man, the suspense is killing me too.

And I'll simply add "no comment" to the quick ground recovery feature... hehe.

Kruza
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Kruza on 04/09/01 11:55 PM (server time).</FONT></P>

 

Re: Movement system

Is this basically the big fuck you to all jacky playerse and counter-characters.

"Victory can be anticipated, but not assured" Sun-Tzu

 

Re: Movement system

um..
am i alone in wondering what the _fuck_ this freak is talking about?

 

"Kruza, check out Shota's thread from somewhere below; it also has a few more gameplay system
notes. The general assumption in Japan seems to be that Taka and the new female character are not
ready for testing."

Okay, I read it. It seems that I assumed a little too much about the time release deal. sta783's post eases my feelings somewhat about this situation.


" Quck recovery is not a Tekken 3 innovation."

Yeah, I know. This gameplay element was introduced in Fighting Vipers. I don't think I mentioned anything about quick recovery in my initial post, though.

Kruza

 

How will P+K affect gameplay?

I have another question. Now that the P+K command will be used to jump, what will happen to all the VF3 moves that used P+K? Since there will also be one less button to work with, I can't help but think that some moves will be cut from the final game. There just isn't going to be enough room to contain all the moves, counters, etc. from VF3 while also adding new moves. Something's gotta give.

But since VF4 is being playtested, I'm sure these questions could be answered. And why isn't there more videos on the Internet yet?

DT