PS2 happens to be the most arcade-friendly hardware out right now. It gets more arcade ports than anything, and is the ONLY hardware that can properly support resolution modes of old (15khz) and new (31khz) games. Of course it can't support Model2's 22khz output, but nothing else can either, really.
You can't say the PS2 hardware is crap because a bad port or emulation. Sega Ages VF2 is bad because of the PS2 hardware? No. Just play Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution (and it's VF 10th anniversary bonus mode) to see what i'm talking about.
I put a good amount of time into this today. Here's a few observations. -For those that don't have VF.net, for 100 yen, you can edit your data on a VF.net terminal, assuming it's provided at that game center. You can't buy items on these terminals though. -After shodan, rank is slight affected matches in groups of 3. Shodan thru 2-dan, 3-dan thru 6-dan, 7-dan thru 9-dan, etc. The most points are awarded/subtracted by fighting someon on the same level though. -A 3rd costume type is awarded at the rank Shodan -The new evasive attacks are basically up-up or down-down + all three buttons like before, but then either P or K following. -Brad is now stupid strong... maybe the toughest I have heard, whereas he sucked before. -Game can be played on a normal Net City terminal in 480p, but obviously doesn't look near as good.
There's no such thing as tiers in VF at least up to VF4 FT. Anyway SOA has apparently announced the game for PS3 which will be out Spring 07 though I've no idea if they're planning to release the arcade version as well. I haven't seen VF5 gameplay videos yet though I remember reading somewhere that the new evasive attack is similar to Lion's(?). Anyone playing the game and notice changes made to Aoi and Sarah?
Tiers: While VF is about as tierless as it gets, there are many scrub-friendly characters, that have obvious edges even in high level play. Google the word キャラ勝ち and I'm sure something VF-related will pop up. I don't play Sarah, but here's the Aoi changes that I've noticed: Forward P+KP is now high->mid (was mid-mid) Forward PP is now mid->high (was mid-mid) rise->P+K command is now slightly different. Has an extra (optional) P on the end, which is a high elbow. It knocks down on hit, and has as guaranteed down+KPK combo. Forward Forward K is a mid-level kick, kind of like Lion's (same command). It floats, and guaranttees the down+KPK combo Back K is high, and behaves a lot like Lion's same move. Forward Back P+K is a new double-handed attack. Nothing too amazing. She has a new throw. Forward back P+G. If the player doesn't ukemi, the down+KPK combo comes into play. The main weakening factor is the elbows, but her other new additions are really good. The new evasive move I guess looks like Lion & Shun's evade, but doesn't behave like it really. I belive the kick (which is usually a knee) stuns on counter. The punch just gives a few extra frames. This is only after a day's playing though, so take that w/ a grain of salt. From what little I've played (I'm up to 2-dan...almsot 3-dan) Kage is the hardest for me to adapt to playing. He has all sorts of new, tricky (and strong) shit from his stance (forgot the name). Some of them crumble on hit, and as usual, they have excellent distance. A true bastard.
As stated earlier, in a kikizo with am2 members on vf5, they stated that there would be no arcade release in the west.
Thanks GaijinPunch on the info. Now that her forward P+K is nerfed, I guess I can still rely on forward P for poking. As for throws, she was already one of the best throwers in the game though I heard the execution speed for all throws for all characters except Wolf and Jeff are slowed down in VF5. As for the no arcade release, that's rather disappointing though I guess that's no surprise since the earlier VF series is sadly not doing well outside Japan.
VF actually does well in Korea and I believe China as well. It's the west where it sucks, unfortunately. I did not notice anything different about throw speeds. A little asking around would probably yield a very quick answer though. the thing I'm most disappointed with this time is that when the match is over, the loser's card is ejected. Before, it was unlocked. I've wasted at least 700 yen on forgetting the card is ejected, and playing the default character (El Blaze). Finally, I think I'm glad I'm not living here right now. I love the VF series -- it's the only fighitng game I like. The thing is, it's just too fucking expensive to play competitively. I've probably dropped some 4000 yen in just two days.
Virtua Fighter 3 has never received the proper console treatment it deserved, though I strongly believe that AM2 wasn't spending its time doing nothing for all those months working on a Saturn edition when it could have instead produced the mother of all Dreamcast conversions (so to speak). For a launch title, VF3 pushed the Model 3 board so much that Sega was forced to create a more powerful update of the hardware for later games - and don't think for a second that means the Model 3 was underpowered! If anything, VF3 was way ahead of its time, and hopefully in the future sequels will see its unique features - such as undulation terrain topography and, of course, Taka Arashi - reintroduced, because in my opinion the series is going quite stale by taking such huge backwards steps. Actually, what is really new in VF5 apart from the new characters and higher resolution? New series producer Hiroshi Kataoka had better think of something different for the next installment (providing there is going to be one at all) or he might as well pack up and let Yu Suzuki back into AM2 with some fresh ideas...
Ummm..... New in 4 other than characters: -new dodge system -sabaki -new counter engine (FT) -VF.net -- the coolest thing to happen to arcade games since their inception New in 5, other than characters and resolution (and of course, moves) -New cancelling system -- some moves cancel out others -Offensive Dodging -Replays on VF terminals (even replays from other game centers) The only thing we're really missing from 3 is the terrain, and Taka. I think the heavyweights in the game are boring, and the terrain... whatever. Doesn't really work w/ the system I don't think. Yeah... VF is only a HUGE, massive fucking cash cow.
That's why I can't imagine any new and exciting features appearing in Virtua Fighter series ever again. Sega is playing it as safe as they can. Of course one might say that if it's not broken, don't fix it. That's true, but at some point you would expect something new. And I don't mean the sharper graphics. I love Virtua Fighter and I love Virtua Fighter 5. It's one hell of a game and it looks unreal on the HD screen. But that doesn't change the fact that walls are probably the only big change since the start of the series. Change that stayed. I don't think we'll ever be seeing breakable walls and falls like in Dead or Alive. I don't think the terrain will ever come back, since it makes the game unpredictable. You can't possibly learn every angle with that many moves. Sharper looks, more moves, minor tweaks and a new character every now and then that's all I expect from Virtua Fighter nowdays, and that's enough for me to really like it. But sometimes I wish there was more. With Tecmo you can always expect some kickass new features in their button mashing DoA. With Sega you are completly sure that you won't be seeing anything radically new. Oh, and I don't like the muddy water on Eileen's stage. The physics look like a cheap Java applet from '97. Where are the particle effects? I wanted realistic water for once. Nope. Didn't get it.
Well, Street Fighter seems to be making plenty of cash, and hasn't had anything fresh in it for well over a decade. Yes, and I listed those things. Can you name any other fighting game that has done something new and revolutionary in one of it's sequels? Knew I forgot something. There were breakable walls in 4, and now there are breakable walls that take multiple hits. Also more variation in wall size.
Right, VF4 did have breakable walls, but what I meant was something more of DoA proportions. And what game brought something new? Well, I hate to mention it again, but Dead or Alive would have to be the one. Sure Virtua Fighter is a completly different game with a complex fighting system. It's not your big breasted - looking good - huge falls - massive effects game. But come on, can't we get just a little bit more? Are walls really the limit of Sega's creativity when it comes to this title? every friggin' game has walls now. Tekken has walls, Soul Calibur has walls, Dead or Alive has walls. I have to tell you, it's not easy to satisfy me with more walls nowdays. Don't get me wrong. Just like I said before, I love Virtua Fighter and it's the best 3D fighting game ever made. I play it, I love it. It's just that with Virtua Fighter 5 on a new kickass hardware I kind of expected something... I don't know. It's nothing specific. Just some cool feature. Something that would make you go "Whoa! That's new!" ... And I don't mean the graphics, which of course are yet again, best you can find in a fighting game right now. I guess I'm just whining a bit about something I didn't get but I don't even know what that something should be. I just know that it's not there. You know what I mean?
Boucing tits and blank expressions. Edge made a funny remark in the latest issue (in an article regarding female representation in games): "DoA Ultimate lets women spend the whole game centre stage, but keeps them lifeless enough to make their role as eye-candy largely unsettling. Pretty but vacant is the rule of thumb."
Previously mentioned walls and crazy falls. It may be just special effects for the most part, but it sure was impressive, especially in Dead or Alive 3. Arenas had huge sections, which looked amazing. Yea, I know. DoA wasn't the first fighting game to use walls, but it would have to be the first one where it actually worked and looked nice. Battle Arena Toshinden 4 had walls, but since the whole system was crap, walls were crap too. Last Bronx used small fences you could jump on, which would probably do you more damage than good while playing against a half decent oponent. I don't care about bouncing tits in DoA. I really liked the stages though. In all of them starting DoA 3 [and maybe the Model 2 version of the 1st game].
Well, not to 1-up you or anything but I listed a few things which added quite a bit more to the gameplay. The Sabaki system alone added in VF4 has more effect on gameplay than destructable walls or cliffs.
I know. But you're missing my point. The Virtua Fighter fighting mechanics are brilliant. They are. And the game is the most complex fighting title you can find. But with the release of Virtua Fighter 5 i was kind of hoping for something new in terms of special effects. Sure the backgrounds look great. Stunning even. But looking at DoA 3 and 4 and how the falls are done... Anyways, I feel that another reply will be more of the same, bouncing the ball back. All I meant was: Virtua Fighter 5 is all that Virtua Fighter 4 was and more. In both terms of gameplay and graphics. I just wish they would come up with something new. Something that adds a bit of the "wow" factor. Like the falls and multi section arenas of DoA 2, 3 and 4. I'm not saying that is what should be added. I just wish I could feel the same way about Virtua Fighter 5 as I felt when I first saw DoA 3 arenas. Other than that, the game is great. No doubt about it. I guess I just got used to VF sequels that tweak the mechanics a bit and boost the graphics. And that's pretty much it. And I wanted something more.
