KaneTaker

kent3388

so I assume you are not a capcom fan, huh? SAD REALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

freespeech

I've already told you 2 friggin times and i'm telling you again, i merely think that: "Those screens are a way too small and compression level is too high, to do any judging on the overall detail quality.".
Which means that this game probably looks even better, than one could tell from those lossy shots! <_<
If you still don't get it, then follow the suggestion from my previous reply.

neojam

frozenfox13

jinpei05

PsycheDiver

It's times like these when I hate Capcom. Even if there was considerable resistance to making another SF, then I still would have preferred a 2D SFIV on LIVE or PSN or even WiiWare that continued what SFIII started. I would love to see Fei Long, Dudley, Yun, Dee-Jay, Blanka and the entire SF/SF:Alpha cast with evolved SFIII play mechanics and HD graphics, better animations, evolved designs. Capcom isn't a small developer that's hurting for money. They could have done it and the legions of SF fans the world over would eat it up. Since a lot of younger gamers just simply weren't around in the old arcade days...they could have experienced a real SF sequel with the entire cast, instead of rehash that is SSFII: HD on LIVE or the tragedy that is SFIV.

It's a shame really. Capcom is just being lazy. I watched the 1up interview with Ono and he said he took parrying out of SFIV because it made SFIII too defensive and too hard for noObs to play it. Am I the only one that's sick of hearing this nonsense of "It's too hard for new gamers to play..." Let's face it. when SFII first dropped, some people in my area stayed away from Ryu and Ken because Foward Down Forward and a punch button was too hard to get off in a pinch. That is until they saw a guy in the arcades one day that kicked the ass of anyone that played him using Ken with dragon punch combos and fireball traps. Guess what the fanbase did...learned how to throw a damn dragon punch. Why take out a great play mechanic because you're afraid that it's too hard to learn?

This isn't a casual series. It never was. Parrying should have become a standard from then on in 2D fighting games. Watching someone with 5% health parry an entire Super Art and come back to win the match is a thing of beauty. But Capcom doesn't think so. Gamers have proven time and again that they will learn a play mechanic if it works regardless of how meticulous it may be. Look at the Virtua Fighter series. Some of the techniques in that game require pin point timing under pressure and damn if gamers aren't learning them to great effect.

Just to stay on topic....KoFXII - looks good, I'd buy it

SFIV - looks bad - will stay on the rack.

Striderhayasa - Phillyyakk on PSN and Live.

"@lv1shinobi: I disagree that Capcom took a risk. Actually I believe it's the exact opposite. This isn't the first 3D Street Fighter so where is the risk there? All of the original characters are back and the game doesn't even take place after Street Fighter 3. From the videos I've seen, many of the old combos and some of the old tactics are still present in SFIV...combos and tactics that we've used since the early 90s."

Indeed, right on the mother fucking head. When pressed, Capcom themselves even stated last year that the main reason for using 3d character models is they claimed it would help make development easier, throwing in most of the old cast seems sort of a logical move, and since the older characters, in terms of how they play and what they do, are essentially done, and have been done for 2 decades, make it even easier to piece together IV. One would think that since they are making things easy on themselves, they would include every character Capcom has at their disposal. I mean, they had a vote on their blog to decide the fate of the likes of FIE LONG, Necro, the Mexican wrestler with big titties no one has ever used, ever, and even some Alpha die-hards can't even remember her damn name (Mika, if you wanted to know) and finally, bad ass characters like Dudley and Sakura.

This, plus the above mentioned info, leads me to the suspect that Capcom aren't just trying to get on your good side by letting you vote for whatever extra fighter they feel like throwing in, but whatever team is creating this, are just being plain fucking lazy, or , if it hasn't hit you knuckle heads yet, something is up, which most certainly seems that.

According to SFIV's wikipedia page, Yoshinori Ono was the one who wanted to start work on another Street Fighter game, and it is hinted that he was met with considerable resistance when he pitched this idea to that asshole Inafune. Has anyone ever thought this over as in, when they finally green lighted a new SF, Inafune said, "well sure Ono, but your sure as hell not getting a heck of a lot of support! In fact, your on a TIMER as of... NOW", and also, according to the wiki write up, this is Ono's first SF project.

Think it over for a bit, maybe it will all start to make sense, or maybe you'll just point out the weird character proportions, or tell me how SNK invented God. Cause your a FUCKING IDIOT.

But with that in mind, we sure as HELL aren't getting the best Street Fighter game that could have been possibly made.

Bando

smackthenun

smackthenun

neojam

If, in fact identically timed animations seem different, I guess brains just fill in the missing frames of 2D animation differently than computer interpolates them from the keyframes in 3D, but that should be adjustable with correct easing. Or just drop the FPS to match if that's the only concern. :-P Damn, got me so interested that I probably end up spending tomorrow doing tests on the subject. >_<

ara

At least post the Jason Vs. Daigo match if your going Ken vs. Chun :p not that... thing, even though everyone and their goldfish has seen the match and it's highlight a billion times by now, so I'm posting it anyway.

+ Watch video

And just for posting that scrubby Chun vs. Ken match, I get a FREEBIE!

+ Watch video

Q MA BOIII!!1! vs Chun!

And ANOTHER freebie, because this match is just freaking AWESOME!

+ Watch video

As for Blaze blue, WHY AN EVEN WORSE ANNOUNCER!? Just keep using the original guy from the XX series, we don't need a change in that department! Come on now. Also, Every BB character so far is based on a past GG character, wonder if that "little girl" who brawls with a pair of giant pistols is a, you know, the Admiral also might know, I guess we'll see soon enough. At least when you activate a super, it starts up with that, you know, that sound the GhostBuster's proton packs make when they charge up, so HELL YEA to that!

Bando

EvoWest SF3 Chun-Li & Ken

+ Watch video

If all you care about it 1080p then BlazBlue, KOF XII and SF2HD Remix have that so far. Look at BlazBlue it has great graphics/presentation, it's very appealing to the eye. This is the same team that was doing the Guilty Gear series.

BlazBlue

+ Watch video

GameNutt

I see no risk with SFIV. The original characters still look the same even. There's no evolution in the designs of the original characters at all. Not even in STreet Fighter 3 (Ryu Ken Chun Li). Capcom is one of the companies that wrote the book on "playing it safe" releases. The few exceptions to that were the VS. series of fighting games that really brought something new and fresh to the genre.

Striderhayasa - Phillyyakk on PSN and Live.

I personally like the new SFIV art direction, it's great, but I'm way more exited about someone bringing gorgeous 2D in full HD. It's something almost unthinkable in todays gaming business. It's impossible to say how either of those games plays before one can test them, but both seem more than promising, though I've always been far bigger fan of SNK games. I hope this proves to be success and we'll see Last Blade getting same treatment.

ara

Not everyone likes the new direction, but you can never make everyone happy. While I am looking forward to KOF XII, I can't help but feel that they are playing it safe. All SNK is doing is bringing it's longtime fans back for another round. This time it's just prettier and has a few more changes than previous games. They even play Kyo's crappy theme in the teaser which is somehow, still in midi form. It's pure fanservice.

lv1shinobi

No i have not played SF4, but as a character animator that has done both 2D pencil & paper 3D Maya & Studio Max. No matter how hard you try you will never be able to capture the charm and feel that 2D has. A simple observation look at the way they jump, they tend be more floaty [www.gametrailers.com] 3D fighting games have never really added a jump attack for this reason. In games like Vitua Fighter/Tekken/DOA & Soul Calibur jumping is only encouraged to do the extra hit after you knock your opponent down. In the SF games, jump attacks are part of the strategy that's how you setup some combos. Yeah you can alway add or take frames away but it will never have the feel that 2D has. SFEX series sucked balls and that was one of the reasons.

Street Fighter III 3rd Strike came out in 1999. In between 99-08 Capcom should have done more research and made the next SF mind-blowing, but they chose other. At least we get SF2HD Remix...

I'm praising SNK, ArcSystems and Atlus for being true to themselves and the fans. I do hope that this new KOF comes close to either 98, 02 or XI. That's the draw back about the KOF series it's always hit or mis. But there's always the dream of a Garou 2 :)

GameNutt

So taking a different art direction isn't at all comparable to redrawing the graphics? Sounds pretty similar to me. At the end of the day SF4 is STILL a 2D fighting game. It obviously isn't a real 3D fighter so I don't see where you're trying to go with your argument that it stands out from other 3D fighters.

Thats like me saying that Dracula X on the PSP was a total reinvention of the game because they re-did everything in 3D (even though the gameplay was almost exactly the same). So far, I don't recall having seen any videos that really showcase the new gameplay additions in SF4. I think that's why people are scratching their heads wondering why HD Remix and SF4 are being developed concurrently.

henhowc

Yeah dude. They still really don't look like anything special.

@jinpei05:

And yeah, I ate some carrots and these screen shots still look like shit.

TK423

EX3

+ Watch video

VF5

+ Watch video

SF4

+ Watch video

Which animation and visual style does SF4 most closely match? Before you answer "well its not the same type of gameplay" I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the way one move/motion flows into the next. If you're trying to impress people with graphics in order to make up for your self-admitted noobed-down gameplay, then do it right and at least dress it up a little more like the latest in the Tekken and Virtua Fighter series. I'm not trying to crap all over Capcom but it seems like anyone with an anti-SF4 opinion gets shouted down around here and it seems to me like there's nothing wrong with *not* liking how SF4 is looking, and the comparison to EX3 seems perfectly legitimate to me.

UltraMagnus

ara

I think SNK fans have waited a long time for something this big to happen to KoF. KOFMI was big but meh to me and didn't seem like their best effort to keep up with the times. It kinda reminds me of when Capcom vs. SNK was announced--omg I thought the earth stopped spinning.

I love all the little touches and lighting on these sprites. The background art is sooo beautiful too. I think their 2D to 3D to 2D process will be much more appreciated when better resolution screens and longer gameplay vids pop up.

SFIV is absolutely gorgeous too, just in a different way, although I still need to personally get used to the direction they're going. And about stereotyping fluidity with 2D vs. 3D--it really is just a matter of how people handle animation and blending everything together so that it is pleasing visually. Try comparing the stiff animation in 3D Mortal Kombat games (and dare I say KOFMI games, SFEX games, and anything you did in Fighter Maker games) to more fluid 2D fighters like Melty Blood, SFIII, or Garou. The VS craze of 2D fighters masked less frames of animation with flashier special effects as well.

With SSBB coming out recently, you can also see that even within the 3D realm less technical capability doesn't necessarily mean unappealing visuals as long as you have the artistic direction (and, in SSBB's case, lots and lots of explosions) to back it up when compared to other "next gen" fighting games (read: HD res and more processing power). I'm sure a good amount of passersby will be drawn in by SSBB more than something like VF5, for example, unless you are someone who heavily values photo-realism and things like soft shadows, self-shadowing, realistic clothing movement, and hi-res textures. I consider Brawl more like a party game than a fighting game so I'm not sure if that is a fair comparison, but the point still stands. You can go and compare Tekken and Soul Edge/Calibur and DoA too for all I care. If anything, I think both Capcom and SNK set out equally in different ways to shake people from their obsessions of the current "who can cram more polygons than the other" fad, so I don't see why any animosity has to exist between backers of SFIV and KOFXII. =\

Oh, to the Duck King people, did anyone mention Kushnood Butt yet?

branny

Mav

Throw a stone into the West Coast's b-boy scene and you'll know what I mean.

Karoshi

pandafresh

xanavi

Tizlor

TheCleaningGuy is no longer (that) disappointed with DMC4

I want Iori back.

Tequila_Snakke

Nex Antonius

I am unbearably excited for this game. It looks good. Real good.

@neojam: Really? You don't think a simple shot-for-shot comparison to previous KOF games shows that it looks better? I suggest seeing an eye doctor.

@TK423: Same to you. Try carrots. The vitamin A should help.

@wana10: I'm just glad we get both of Terry's outfits.

@GameNutt: How can you claim SFIV is glorified EX when you haven't even played it? Or maybe you have. If so, where did you play it? Otherwise, you need to STFU.

This is yet another must-buy for this year's bumper crop of awesome fighters, including SFIV, Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD REMIX, Soul Calibur IV, Tekken 6, and hopefully more.

"RISING TACKLE!!!"

jinpei05

@GameNutt, henhowc: ""SFIV is just a glorified version of SF EX series" I firmly believe this."

How so? Aside from both being done in 3D, I can't see anything else that makes SFIV a 'glorified version of SFEX.' Hell, they don't play the same way, people! Open your fucking eyes and cut the crap already.

Ruglia

DTJAAAAM

Wolfers

Sorwah

Holy baby einstein jesus, these screens are glorious!

x999x

neojam

The Fatass of Kickassness

I can't say I think the game will be great, either, as I was hoping SFIV would reinvent the 2D fighter rather than rehash it.

StillLee

Demonbird

It's not just the higher resolution and superior shading, but even the musculature of the characters, the pyrotechnic effects...nothing new if you've played GG.

Then again, the fact that GG is abandoning it's trademark 2D quality for some stupid 3D diversion and some kind of junior version of GG in BlueBlaze, I suppose it's okay for other fighting games to follow suit, even if Guilty Gear Reload# is ultimately still king in my heart.

HEAVEN OR HELL indeed...

Byakko

[kotaku.com]

That isn't quality?

[kotaku.com]

That lacks soul?

They're trying to get the game looking like a moving painting, and if you ask me, they're succeeding. And to tell you the truth, looking at the art style of both games, I'd MUCH rather take SFIV... if it was based off of visuals alone, that is.

If it was based off of gameplay... again, SF. Heh heh. (I mean, I hear so many people talking about SF's gameplay getting old... where have you been for the last, erm, five or six King of Fighter games?)

Seriously, I see so many people whining about how much extra effort this takes over making a game in 3d, but here's the thing - how much does the effort matter if the final product comes out looking almost the same thing as the ones before it (but in widescreen!)? 'Cuz that's what I'm seeing here. Now, it's still gonna be a great game, and I love this series, but I don't see why so many people are seeing these screenshots and dropping loads, 'cuz I've seen scenes just like these in prior renditions to the game. SFIV, on the other hand, definately looks fresh, new, and if you ask me, it's new art style takes more effort than the hand-drawn graphics of this game, especially when you factor in the fact that, according to quite a few hands-ons with the game, they've managed to get their 3D product playing EXACTLY like Street Fighter Alpha 2, which many consider to be the epitome of the _2D_ fighting genre, myself included.

The Fatass of Kickassness

[kotaku.com]

Just curious, really its both things is what I thought.

DaiMacculate

UltraMagnus

There is no technical limitation for 3D not to be as personal as 2D. It's not about the tools, it's about the artist, and when it comes to games, it's about the Art Director. Sure, it's very easy to end up looking same as everyone else with 3D as you are provided with the same mathematical algorithms as they are, but personality can be reached, and it's not even hard if you are actually looking for it.

ara

Kyle81

I just wish that SNK would put just as much care in the their voice talents as they do the with art and game-play.

"Are you okay?" "Burn knuckle!" "Crack shoot!" "Hey, come on. Come on!" "Okay!" These lines were badly voiced and stupidly named in 1994, and what's worse is they sound just as bad now in 2007!

Why is it so hard to get English speaking talents to voice characters who call out their attacks in English--heck, I'd settle for Japanese, as I find it weird for any person to call out the names of his/her attacks before executing them.

American_N_Japan

Karoshi

Anyway, what about Seth? Or Mr. Big?

Karoshi

DaiMacculate

Now, as others have said, the Minute SNK wants to put this level of effort into Garou 2, a new Fatal Fury Game, or a new Last Blade I will be all over it sight unseen....gods help them if any of those games were to somehow suck though, it would be the very last straw with me ;)

I can't say its discouraging to look at these screens though, whether I enjoy playing it or not I look forward to seeing it in motion at least.

DaiMacculate

Personally I wish Street Fighter IV was a 2D masterpiece like KoFXII. There is still a level of personality that lush 2D sprites bring to gaming that 3D can't quite recreate. Capcom has disappointed me with Street Fighter IV. It should have been 2D. Good To see SNK hasn't forgotten the beauty of 2D art. I'm sorry but another Super Street Fighter rehash is not going to cut it either. Jeez How many remakes of that game do we need? Super Street Fighter II: Hyper Turbo Championship HD Edition now with extra cheese.

SNK...looks like it's just me and you this year. Capcom...get out...you're fired!

Striderhayasa - Phillyyakk on PSN and Live.

DorkimusPrime

excel_excel

schizogony

Wyld

Wyld

Replica23

@burningranger01: How does capcom fail? Capcom have brought StreetFighter into the next gen with their graphics....this KOF game still looks last gen to me, hand drawn graphics or not.

Shin-Kaiser

estarriol

Vaanelo

turk128

Hand-drawn 2D graphics WILL NEVER DIE!!!

(fuck... at least I HOPE SO)

Nowadays, I somehow less and less care about this HYPER-REALISTIC 3D Stuff, cuz it just doesn't give me the "WOW!" factor... With 2D graphics I still get it, though...

It's strange, but I simply don't want everything to look ÜBER-REAL (like in real life). If I wanted to see ÜBER-REALISTIC TREES, I'd rather go out for a walk or something.

Am I the only one who kinda thinks like that?

Mlata

ara

ahmeng

Demaar

Disney 2D animation--still some of the smoothest on the planet, even comparing their oldest films--runs at a grand total of 24 frames per second, in terms of actually animating the characters (IE not the panning). Most anime runs closer to 15-18. Most 2D games run somewhere around 12-15.

This looks like it's at least 18 frames a second, aside from the impacts. That's really smooth for a 2D game. It also means that they have to spend more time creating all the new animations for the characters than Capcom with SF4 (which I intend to play in arcades or buy). So the framerates and animation in the new KOF is frankly a much bigger leap visually than SF4. Also, the game is liable to be much more expensive in terms of pure development, because 2D artists paid by the hour are much more expensive than 3D artists.

Not by pay, mind you, but by the time they have to invest in the animations.

thecactusman17

TheFinalMario

abhakam

"SFIV is just a glorified version of SF EX series" I firmly believe this.

When we see something that is animated in 2D/hand drawn we tend to appreciate it more. I just hope that they got the animators that worked on Garou: MOTW to animate this new KOF. Garou is the closest SNK came to reaching the quality of animation that Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike held. Just compare the Chun-Li/Hugo animation to any 2D fighter and you will see a huge difference in quality. One thing for sure 2008 will be a big year for fighting games.

GameNutt

Spartan1308™

"I wouldn't reccommend King of Fighters. Ever seen "Duck King"?"

Duck King is awesome, you shush :p

@Furious_Liver:

"To be fair, he's really, really damn hard to use. Actually...I don't know how thats helping. XD"

Shit... yea... them QCs and DWMs... those are impossible to pull off *raszzberry*

@dmitsuki:

Western boxing isn't a "real style"? Do you actually fight? One of the best fighters on the freaking earth was Ali, wonder what he trained in, no, not boxing, and he wasn't black either, he was fucking maroon. And oh yea, lets not mention how boxing was one of the most highly praised methods of fighting by none other then Bruce Lee himself, because it ISN'T a "real style".

Wait, WHAT!?! This is an vidja game we talkin bout? well LOL all around then!

Bando

k_dash

I've seen all of the videos. I just don't like the direction they've taken with the art. I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one that thinks that everyone in the game looks like a muscle-bound freak. It takes more than goofy facial expressions to win me over. ;)

With all the information that's been released about both HD Remix and SF4, doesn't it make you kind of wonder why SF4 is even being made? So far SF4 looks like a vastly improved SF EX and it looks and sounds like it plays like SF2 w/ EX specials.

henhowc

Yin

Spartan1308™

ArgentAngel

pendruo

Not sayin KoF is bad as it is, but it is arguably made on a small budget - just imagine what they'd do on a bigger budget...throw in better marketing, and you'd finally have mass market acceptance of arguably the finest fighting series around...

zany_ninja

ArgentAngel

Grinman

@Ruglia: Athena, she changes clothes every game. At least I think it's her.
Please tell me what's so innovative in SFIV that isn't new graphics? And KOF has new stuff. The new gameplay mechanics were listed in the last post about it.

Yin

pendruo

Who's the girl in [kotaku.com] ?

Ruglia

Other than that, sounds like a great game for KOF hardcore fans! too unfriendly for begginers and too common for casual gamer-fighter

DLNO-001

-Probably- one of the most ignorant things I've read at this site lol.

Also, only reason people are comparing SFIV and this is cause they are fighters and have been regarded as rivals, but it's apples and oranges.

KrsJin

Actually, Iori has his Orochi powers stolen by Ash after KOFXI so if they actually follow the story, Iori should have no powers and be on level with Shingo (or is it Kensou? It's late), who, last I saw, can now randomly create Orochi-like flame, which should be impossible. It'd be awesome if Iori had to train with him for a game.

At least, I remember that being the case...

EggmaniMN

[www.gametrailers.com]

[www.gametrailers.com]

Spartan1308™

Kotaku staff! Please get SNK Playmore to send you guys hi-res screenshots, stat!

BPMο

Speaking of empowering black characters, anyone remember Team USA though? hehe

henhowc

so beautiful.

man, along with blazblue it's going to be a great year for fighting games.

The_Antihippy

I can't even touch another Kyo if he doesn't have the same moveset as in Neo Geo Battle Coliseum. So fun to use there. D:

FP Furious_Liver, lacks independence

"What?! 27? Weren't they on 13 last week?!"

When you can't keep track of game or album compilation numbers, you're past your prime.

Hate to see mine go at 19.

Forcepowered

GexX2

wana10

TheCleaningGuy is no longer (that) disappointed with DMC4

D Mitsuki

symphony_of_the_night

on topic: damn these look nice, can't wait to see more of it in motion.

wana10

[cache.kotaku.com]

That looks like shit huh?

Oh.. what about this one?:

[www.famitsu.com]

noisome07

D Mitsuki

TK423

KaneTaker

KaneTaker

D Mitsuki

Figroti

Kprimed

burningranger01