Like I was saying earlier; that new system looks out of this world! LOVING the way you can turn defence into attack, adding the ability to dash-cancel out of those Focus attacks is a stroke of genius.
I went down to another NeoEmpire run Tournament on the weekend. They had tournaments to send players to Evo2008 in Vegas as well as having playable versions of Street Fighter IV, SCIV and a new build of HD RMX.
Impressions of the event posted here, tried to post it here but the thumbnail codes is wrecked and I can't sort it out. Too many pics and work to go back and rehost anywhere else where the code will work. Papercut?
Street Fighter IV Impressions! (sorry about the large pics, but it's these or none. :/)
I am now fully converted to the fact that Street Fighter IV will not be shit! I had my doubts about it for months based on screens, characters and early videos, but the last couple of months it really looked like it was all coming togeather.
After playing it, all I want to do is get the chance to play it over and over again and learn a new Street Fighter with everyone else and have next to none catch up period!
General Gameplay Impressions
The game feels alot more slower paced then 3rd Strike. It has elements of 3rd Strike in it such as dashing, 2 button throws, EX moves etc, but overall the game feels alot more closer to Super Turbo. That maybe because 3/4s of the Super Turbo cast are in there, but just executing moves and the general flow of matches felt more at home with Super Turbo play.
I was poking or trying to zone characters with distancing with my character's abilities and the opponent's weakneses exactly like in ST. I tried to do some 3rd Strike rush down but I was getting punished pretty badly when someone would retaliate against me once they blocked. Scared me into playing it safe as I didn't want to get off'd the machine and have to stand in line again.
Characters also had a lot more animation or spent longer getting up or during certain throw animations. Guile's suplex move for example, as soon as it hit on the old games you would be readying yourself with a series of follow up attacks.
But the animation for the suplex was long and it threw me off my normal rythem when I was playing with him. This isn't a bad thing, was just different to what I was used to. After a while I just decided to play it safe and unleash a slow sonic boom into them as they got up.
Throwing is done via LP+LK like in 3rd Strike, and I was basically trying to play this game with Ryu as I would 3rd Strike. Dashing in, pokes and skanking into a throw, but connecting the throw was'nt as gauranteed as in 3rd Strike. I was talking to someone else and they said that theres a timer which doesn't allow you to throw for a certain period if you've missed or thrown an opponent. Not sure how true this statment was, but...
Yup, I couldn't do Dhalsim's slide and throw trap at all! It worked the first time and then when I tried it again I got Super'd in the mouth for my troubles! The throw didn't connect.
As with Super Turbo, alot of the inputs and the commands for Supers and Cancelling seemed alot more
stricter and harder to do. I couldn't do a short, short super with Ryu regardless of how many times I tried to dash in and force one out! Infact, I don't even think I managed to link a super on the end of a single normal attack while I was there. ;\/ I think that might be my shitness though. ;/
The "Focus Attack", AKA "Saving Attack"
The Focus Attack was a mystery to me for almost all of the times I played it. Few matches in I realised that the longer you hold the saving attack buttons (MP+MK), the more it powers up. At first I was just tapping the buttons and when the opponent hit my Focus Attack animation, my character would hit them but without them crumpling into a heap at all. Played some more and I just held the buttons and fluked a hit on someone where they crumpled. I did this a few times but as it's a new thing, it was such a surprise to land one that when it happens I thought...
I was playing this player who was using El Fuerte and he murdered my Guile with some focus attacks. When he hit with one, as Guile hunched over in pain, he would do a move which would launch my character from my crumpled state and then follow up with an EX mid air throw. Similar to Alex's d,df,f +K throw. This did some crazy damage. I tried to do Guile's Super when I landed it, but I was too slow to pull of the execution.
It felt a bit random and dangerous to use in a match unlike say parries where you could possibly be at advantage 90% of the time if you landed a succesfull one and reacted and executed a move on time. The Focus Attack is easier to do, but catching someone and punishing after it is alot harder. More extended play can only see if this worth doing.
I also don't think you need any bars or meters to succesfully pull off a Focus attack though. I saw some people absorbing multiple fireballs with a quick execution of the Focus Attack, so I'm not sure. Maybe the unblockable attack and the crumple animation attack only kick in when you've got some meter.
Super Moves and Ultra Moves
The other thing added into SFIV was the powered up Supers called Ultras. These moves are executed by doing the Super Motion and hitting all 3 attack buttons corresponding to the move. The camera will zoom up and give you a more cinematic look at the move. All of the ones I saw were really impressive and deadly when they hit. But they were not unstoppable.
If you got hit with a super or ultra while reeling from a normal attack, you were fucked just like in ST and 3rd Strike. But things like Ryu's Ultra fireball could be jumped over easily if you didn't want to take the block damage, Guile's flash kick got pwnt by a falling M Bison's glowy fist and I managed to burn Balrog boxer to a crisp with Dhalsim when I decided to risk an Ultra Motion during the last barrage of his punching attacks! I was laughing when it hit, I thought I was dead for realz! XD The way it zoomed up on Dhalsim and all you could see was in the corner of the screen was Balrog's angry head slowly advancing. Pwnt!
Character Impressions
The characters I used on the day were...
Dhalsim: I deffo couldn't play him like I do in Super Turbo, but as this was my first character I used on this game, it's also where I made most of my mistakes. Stupidly I was so hesitant playing as Dhalsim I kept holding back on the stick as I was pressing one of the punch or kick buttons, this made Dhalsim's long range attacks not come out. So I basically fucked up using Dhalsim the way I was supposed to!
When I got destroyed for doing this, I decided to go all out with rapid mid air drill attack which on ST I would spam a few times to put the fear of GOD into anyone deciding to try throw or get some close attacks on the Simster. This kinda worked, but the other character would recoil a bit too far after blocking a drill, so when I went for skanky short slide into throw, Dhalsim would come up short and get punched in the nose!
Decided to leg it and keep them at a distance with fireballs but it was too late. Got in an ace Ultra as described above, but it didn't do enough damage for me to win the match. Got head butted by Balrog and it was all over.
Verdict: I fucked up, want to use him again.
Guile: Very easy to play like how you normally would. Harrassign people with cr.Mk and Sonic booms when you are close, and his throw was easy to get in when you dashed in with him. Guile with a dash! XD The other ace thing that I did with Guile was dash\walk INSIDE the sonic boom. So as someone was jumping or running back, I would be inside the sonic boom trying do decide whether to take to the air or wait for the Sonic Boom to hit and decide what to do when it does.
Sonic Boom and Flash Kick zoning was still effective. Only thing that threw me off was the amount of time Guile spent doing his throw.
Verdict: Guile, still a bastard.
Ryu: As you would expect, easy to use, alot of his old combos and pressure tactics were still in. I just went full out with Ryu, trying to chip away at damage using his EX fireball or rushing in and unleashing his EX Hurricane Kick.
His Ultra Move looks great. Zooms up on him as his charges the fireball, lots of stuff whizzing into the hadoken before it's unleashed. Hits multiple times if blocked or not.
As the line to play was so long, and it was winner stays on, these were the characters I used. I played against various other characters and saw them being played. The most powerfull characters at the event seemed to be E.Honda, Blanka and Vega (Claw).
E Honda was just as crazy as he is in Super Turbo. His head butt does mad damage, and his 360 throw caught me out multiple times when I blocked an aerial attack. His Super would also rape tons of life off you.
Vega claw had some insane reach and damage on him too. I saw someone just rip the other player apart close range by ducking and hitting MP, as well as some kind of barrage of attacks too.
El Fuerte though was fucking dangerous! I got off'd by an El Fuerte player and he really does seem dangerous. Most of his moves start with a running dash, similar probably to how Guy in SFZ3 or Maki in CVS2. From this he could do running cross ups, slides and high throws.
The craziest thing about El Fuerte was his Ultra and Super. I saw the same guy land a Super and a Super almost immedidtley after eachother! As soon as the opponent was knocked down, when they were getting up he would activate it. El Fuerte would jump towards them really quickly and catch them as they stood up. People in line were shouting "TEEEF!"
Didn't see no one be succesfull with Sagat though. I think his fireball spamming and Crouching Low Punch days are over!
I saw one player using Rufus, I was about to but the machines were going to get switched off so I ran back to Guile. What I did hear in line that loads of people think Rufus "How could they put that guy in a Street Fighter game? He looks so stupid!"
and with that...Rufus will be one of my mains when this comes out officially.
It was also this video that I saw the other day which made me really stop and think..."Shit, this really does look good!"
Rufus supplying the CHICKAN for my ORO'S CHICKAN DANCE. (When I execute it, which is once in a blue moon these days. )
As said in the news thread. The screens do this game no justice. The goofy faces and poses on their own look rediculous, but when it's all in motion, you can understand that they have tried to make the characters big, bold and colourfull enough so it harks back to the older games, and it really is quite stunning to look at. The cabinets and screens they were being played on just made everything look that much better.
I really hope Capcom promote the crap out of this game, and I really hope it becomes a hit. They are playing it safe going with the SFII characters but after the reception of the 3rd Strike cast and years before it was fully accepted properly, I'm not surprised.
I love Street Fighter, it's easily one of my favourite series in gaming. Although...this really has a lot to live up to for me to give up 3rd Strike for it. But first impressions of it are really good.
It's different enough not to bore veterans and entice new players who found 3rd Strike to hard to play. But there is deffo the chance of players taking it to a further level within the gameplay system with practice I bet, just like the other games.
Not only is the man BEAST, he still has some of the old school stuff regarding his SPD. The reach on the thing if executed is still massive, you can scam one at the end of a banishing fist (glowy hand move) whethere it's blocked or missed and the best one...you can use the saving attack and tag one on at the end of it!
I'm also guessing that you can get some extra reach on the distance of that saving attack if needs be by dashing during the move. Will no doubt be a surprise for anyone already weary of Gief's dangeerous SPD throw capture range.
Thanks a lot for all the impressions man - everyone I've spoken to about SF4 has told me it's class, proper can't wait to play it myself.
Love the Zangief in that vid, it's proper sick the way you can play the game almost like Super Turbo and then layer all the new tricks on top of what you already know.
Nice one for the matches on SSF2 HD - THAT game is SO bought as soon as possible!
Also that mauling I gave you on Calibur; don't feel bad - it's natural.
Finally dragged myself over to Capcom and had some games on this, honestly it's fucking brilliant!
On my first go every fear I had before of this game smelling like the EX series was laid to rest, it feels great - infact it feels just like Super Turbo. It's fast and dynamic, everything connects just as it should do in a 2D beat em up and it's damn SOLID. I haven't got to grips with the new system yet, I see that the (first few frames?) of the Focus Attack (mp+mk) act as a parry for a single hit and I was told the last frames do the same thing too. Didn't exploit the way you can hold the buttons down to make the attack unblockable, but I do understand the way that the opponent can parry the unblockable attack if you try to connect it while he's getting up.
Only played with Guile, he's GRIME. One next brer there from France who I've heard of online was there too and he was DISGUSTING with Zangief, who himself is now even more of a monster than before!
The game is running on the Taito Type-X hardware and is just a PC inside a cab (you can even install new games/revisions) via memory stick). This best come out soon - it's really laid the foundations for a sick new series of games. I bet by the time SF4 gets revised to the equivalent of SF3 3rd Strike it will be the stuff dreams are made of.
Should be easier to see how the new system works watching this one. You can cancel specials with Focus, then cancel Focus with a dash - this is how they're stinging together such crazy combos when the stagger occurs.
- Parrying is now the opening frame( of the "Focus Attack" (MP+MK)
- The "Focus Attack" can be charged up by holding (MP+MK), this ultimately makes it unblockable with stagger properties.
- "Focus Attack" can be cancelled with dash (44 or 66), this is how the players execute the little "fake-outs".
- EX Specials can also be cancelled with dash, notice the cancelled EX Dragon into Super Dragon finish? GHETTO!!!
Not too long to wait until this comes out in the home, I just wish we had a scene here
Now I know sod all about fighting games of course, but I've read that the 'dash cancelling' displayed in these vids is the business. It's very exciting & looks like it should be a top notch scrapper
Been trying to suss which version - PS3 gets me high grade stick, 360 gets me decent online stuff (maybe). Then there is the PS3 box set with HD movie... hmm.
I'm not yet decided but I'll most likely go for the PS3 version as it'll give me an excuse to buy another stick (plus I want the anime Blu-ray which comes with the Japanese PS3 version). I know the online stuff on the 360 is meant to be better but I find with the machine it's such a confusing, cumbersome chore to setup and play matches that I don't bother with it.
I'm not yet decided but I'll most likely go for the PS3 version as it'll give me an excuse to buy another stick (plus I want the anime Blu-ray which comes with the Japanese PS3 version).
I'm edging that way too for the high grade, think thats the way I'll go
All I have for the PS3 is the awful Hori FS3, it's bizarre because the stick itself is fine but there's something very strange going on with the input signals. I swear down what this thing is sending is not what you're inputting, it's fine for playing shoot em ups (or anything which doesn't involve many inputs simultaniously) but it makes me want to throw it out of the window when playing SF2HD or VF5.
I picked up one of those for a tenner at gamestation, I haven't really used it though. I'll give it a shot when SF4 comes round see if it acts up. The Hori RAPS is still stupidly expensive isn't it - looks like there is a SF4 specific one coming out too.
The VF4 stick did well with a USB adaptor, or at least one of the two USB adaptors I bought. No good for SF4 though.
I ditched all my PS2 stuff ages ago as I was getting sick of having arcade sticks taking over my room. It's still the same though...even after my "clearout" I have have 8 sticks sitting in my yard, I just can't bring myself to ditch Dreamcast sticks - I even have an original (from the GOOD batch of Japanese ones) one that's still absolutely mint in the plastic!*
I even "need" to get hold of Wii sticks for Tatsunoko vs Capcom T_T
*MINE!!!! Dont any of you even think about asking!
I'll be there for the 360 version - will also be trying out one of the pads that are being released as well. Despite being made by Mad Catz, initial reports are meant to be good.
I can't use arcade sticks any more without getting major hand & wrist cramps
I thought the intial combos were all right, but then he started busting all the focus attack cancels...DIRTY. Love the final strike of his Ultra.
360 all the way for me. For one I sold my PS3 as the piece of shit kept pissing me off cos I had NOTHING which interested me to play on it and if the net code on HD Remix is anything to go by, fuck it. Don't know how they can get it right on one system and then mess it up on the other. GG Caps!
Hopefully the limited editions with the anime are region free, afaik, all Capcom stuff on 360 (PS3 obv) has been region free.
Silence your tongue! Father Guile is The Light shining through The Darkness of your scrubbery.
Proper cannot wait for this, if you're on 360 only that makes me want to get hold of that version aswell. I can't wait to start training up with all these new tricks, Guile is still The Man - but this time I want to make The 'Gief my primary character.
Guile is filthy,but thats because there is another tier of damage above him, the Dhalsim! Hopefully...if this game sticks to Super Turbo LAW, My Dhalsim will bring all the pwn to your yard! lol It's one of my favourite matches against Guile is he is at such a disadvantage. He can throw the boom, BUT INDIAN MAN DON'T GIVE A FUCK! He takes the damage of the boom and hits under it. ^_^
But...from my brief play of SFIV with Dhalsim and reading about on SRK, it seems as though he won't be as effective as he was in ST and RMX. Damn.
Check out this team match - nowt that special about it (other than confirming what a beast Balrog is), but the Dhalsim fight at the very end is interesting - it's a fire/keep away for the most part, up until the very end when there are some fire/teleport combos that look quick & vicious.
Zangief cutting through the scrubbery with his Heroness!
The first round in this vid illustrates why I'm such anm epic fail at fighting games; Gief goes down to about half energy without getting a hit in, but the player stays calm & does his stuff - if it were me playing, that would be the point that the fear would set in & I'd donk it up good & proper.
That's definetly what sets players apart. Being able to keep your cool in that situation I reckon is an innate ability rather than something you can learn, I can't do it.
There's this one guy I know who I've known ever since Art of Fighting came out, he's able to do it, infact the worst possible situation you can be in is when you've got him down to minimal life. With one player with lots of life agressively wanting to end the match quickly against an icy cool player with minimal life, my money's always on the iceman!
GEOFF, THAT DHALSIM AND BALROG FIGHT IS AWESOME! LOL, looks like I was off, Dhalsim was being played there more or less like in ST. Plus he HUSTLED him with that unblockable fireball\teleport thing. That will be rinsed. lololol
Not long to go! Capcom pulling out all the stops for the SFIV hype train at the moment, check out these sticks! Tournament Edition is highly modable and his easy connectors to swap out buttons and sticks, and is deep enough for almost any variety stick you need.
Also...they've actually made a decent training mode in this too. No need to continually run back into menus and scroll through move lists, just press Back. Also, it brings back one of the things about SF EX series i loved, the challenge modes.
lol at Dan going through Art of Fighting Big Fireball motion. It's prolly no Dojo training, but going off what Seth is saying it will be more robust then just a simple list of special moves.
Dan, Dhalsim and Gief. Watch the damage come from this team of freaks!
Trying to scope out that blu-ray set, videogamesplus seems to be the best bet at the moment, you'd pay a serious mark up for a jpn/asian copy sent two weeks earlier.
I've just this second decided to buy the game. The last time I looked at it I was taking the piss out of the shit 3D visuals, from what I remember.
360 version for me.
Where is best for purchasement? It's been fucking years since I've got up off my MMO arse and bought a game from the internet. I want a fancy stick like you lot.
I don't need to know any of the new system, 'force move charge attack or whatever' bullshit... just give me somewhere I can give my credit card number to and I'll catch up on all that once I'm in the game.
Seriously, if this game is at best 'good' it's all I need in between work and gym. You can't beat being welcomed home to the Capcom logo each evening. It's been a while.
And Jassi; obviously taking early advantage by playing this in arcades so that he can be teh big bulleh. What a complete CROOK.
Ah man, reading this thread and knowing the game is just weeks away is like taking 1000mg of pure liquid ecstacy and injecting it straight into my central nervous system in the back of my neck. I'm literally sat rocking in my chair in excitement. I'm glad I've not let the hype get to me until nao!!
I've just this second decided to buy the game. The last time I looked at it I was taking the piss out of the shit 3D visuals, from what I remember.
360 version for me.
Where is best for purchasement? It's been fucking years since I've got up off my MMO arse and bought a game from the internet. I want a fancy stick like you lot.
I don't need to know any of the new system, 'force move charge attack or whatever' bullshit... just give me somewhere I can give my credit card number to and I'll catch up on all that once I'm in the game.
Seriously, if this game is at best 'good' it's all I need in between work and gym. You can't beat being welcomed home to the Capcom logo each evening. It's been a while.
And Jassi; obviously taking early advantage by playing this in arcades so that he can be teh big bulleh. What a complete CROOK.
Ah man, reading this thread and knowing the game is just weeks away is like taking 1000mg of pure liquid ecstacy and injecting it straight into my central nervous system in the back of my neck. I'm literally sat rocking in my chair in excitement. I'm glad I've not let the hype get to me until nao!!
MAN UP. GET HD RMX, throw every other 360 game in the bin.
*tehtumbelweed* Thought I was gonna get to hear some classic Metro City/Mad Gear tunage then as well.
Speaking of which, I'm hearing more and more SFIV music as the hours progress. Some decent stuff, apart from the singing on the intro music, but then again I hated the Berserk intro for a while too. I just hope we can turn off that announcer.
Just goes to show you can turn anything AWSUMz by adding Ronald!!!
______________________________________________________________________________ When's 'Wii Carlton' coming out?
I'm not too fond of the new SF4 music, maybe it will grow on me. I did hear some remixes of some of the old classic music though, it's in the sound test menu of the arcade game so maybe it will be included.
I think you can turn the announcer off too, he sounds weird but he's so part of the SF4 vibe - learn to like him!
Not feeling the intro tune either, hopefully it will be different on the Japanese version; like that vocal track on got on the Japanese DMC4 bosses was better than the whole game.
Operators here have missed out on a whole year's worth of takings, I can understand places out in the sticks not bothering but even here in Central London there isn't a single machine.
You don't need any sort of custom cabinet (although they are really nice), it doesn't run on expensive hardware and it this area especially it would be a licence to print money.
I bet a few cabs appear after the game's home release, then the idiots will declare the arcade game a "failure" due to low take (as players will most likely have a better screen, stick and buttons at home).
Troc needs to finally die taking the rest of Family Leisure's grotty sites with it, I'm sick of seeing them.
So there are more dates after the home release than before?
Just another nail in the arcade coffin over here surely; if they can't be arsed to put out premium product like SFIV, what else is there (except for recycled HotD2 with broken guns, Outrun with non-working pedals, Star Wars Arcade with broken light sabre......)
Its nuts! The amount of people pre-ordering that stick that uses the arcade parts shows that there is still that need for an arcade experience. Makes me sad that I can't afford that stick tbh, let alone get to play this in an actual arcade.
______________________________________________________________________________ When's 'Wii Carlton' coming out?
It isn't clear how many of those sticks are available though, only that they've sold out on most pre-orders... unless Mad Katz have said how many the UK are getting?
Having said that a lot of casual 360 owners I know are genuinely excited about SFIV and plan to buy along with an arcade stick (although there is no way they'd pay more than the Hori went for).
Its nuts! The amount of people pre-ordering that stick that uses the arcade parts shows that there is still that need for an arcade experience. Makes me sad that I can't afford that stick tbh, let alone get to play this in an actual arcade.
Arcade operators in this country are like characters from Little Britain, they exist in their own little world. Everyone and his mum can see the hype surrounding SFIV, but expecting these idiots to actually be on the ball is asking FAR too much.
Making money from coin ops is so fucking EASY! The reason why things died so badly here is because the operators waste time, money and floorspace on absolute shit. They have no idea what a decent game is nor do they know how to promote said game if they actually end up getting it.
I think I saw them all at ATEI... a hilarious band of generic looking sales types, suited and booted... that very show and the makeup and dissemination of the information and the floor space ratios are a perfect model of what's happened in the UK.
I've not pre-ordered yet, and that might be because I know, 2 weeks after release it'll go Sega Rally and be £20. Mind you I should support these guys.
Any truth in the rumour that Troc are getting 2 cabs this weekend? Saw a picof the stick held next to the arcade and its made me want it even more. I get by fine with my Hori tbh so probably best if I never go near those parts, ignorance being bliss and all that *eats a rare stake* ______________________________________________________________________________ When's 'Wii Carlton' coming out?
Like I was saying earlier; that new system looks out of this world! LOVING the way you can turn defence into attack, adding the ability to dash-cancel out of those Focus attacks is a stroke of genius.
________________________________
I went down to another NeoEmpire run Tournament on the weekend. They had tournaments to send players to Evo2008 in Vegas as well as having playable versions of Street Fighter IV, SCIV and a new build of HD RMX.
Impressions of the event posted here, tried to post it here but the thumbnail codes is wrecked and I can't sort it out. Too many pics and work to go back and rehost anywhere else where the code will work.
Papercut?
Battle of Destiny 2008: http://www.greenhillzone.co.uk/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=11067&view=findpost&p=219753
Street Fighter IV Impressions! (sorry about the large pics, but it's these or none. :/)
I am now fully converted to the fact that Street Fighter IV will not be shit! I had my doubts about it for months based on screens, characters and early videos, but the last couple of months it really looked like it was all coming togeather.
After playing it, all I want to do is get the chance to play it over and over again and learn a new Street Fighter with everyone else and have next to none catch up period!
General Gameplay Impressions
The game feels alot more slower paced then 3rd Strike. It has elements of 3rd Strike in it such as dashing, 2 button throws, EX moves etc, but overall the game feels alot more closer to Super Turbo. That maybe because 3/4s of the Super Turbo cast are in there, but just executing moves and the general flow of matches felt more at home with Super Turbo play.
I was poking or trying to zone characters with distancing with my character's abilities and the opponent's weakneses exactly like in ST. I tried to do some 3rd Strike rush down but I was getting punished pretty badly when someone would retaliate against me once they blocked. Scared me into playing it safe as I didn't want to get off'd the machine and have to stand in line again.
Characters also had a lot more animation or spent longer getting up or during certain throw animations. Guile's suplex move for example, as soon as it hit on the old games you would be readying yourself with a series of follow up attacks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK7vWDbMB7c
But the animation for the suplex was long and it threw me off my normal rythem when I was playing with him. This isn't a bad thing, was just different to what I was used to. After a while I just decided to play it safe and unleash a slow sonic boom into them as they got up.
Throwing is done via LP+LK like in 3rd Strike, and I was basically trying to play this game with Ryu as I would 3rd Strike. Dashing in, pokes and skanking into a throw, but connecting the throw was'nt as gauranteed as in 3rd Strike. I was talking to someone else and they said that theres a timer which doesn't allow you to throw for a certain period if you've missed or thrown an opponent. Not sure how true this statment was, but...
Yup, I couldn't do Dhalsim's slide and throw trap at all! It worked the first time and then when I tried it again I got Super'd in the mouth for my troubles! The throw didn't connect.
As with Super Turbo, alot of the inputs and the commands for Supers and Cancelling seemed alot more
stricter and harder to do. I couldn't do a short, short super with Ryu regardless of how many times I tried to dash in and force one out! Infact, I don't even think I managed to link a super on the end of a single normal attack while I was there. ;\/ I think that might be my shitness though. ;/
The "Focus Attack", AKA "Saving Attack"
The Focus Attack was a mystery to me for almost all of the times I played it. Few matches in I realised that the longer you hold the saving attack buttons (MP+MK), the more it powers up. At first I was just tapping the buttons and when the opponent hit my Focus Attack animation, my character would hit them but without them crumpling into a heap at all. Played some more and I just held the buttons and fluked a hit on someone where they crumpled. I did this a few times but as it's a new thing, it was such a surprise to land one that when it happens I thought...
"Oh...SHIT! Ermm, combo HIM, COMBO HIM...fuck it, sweep! lol"
I was playing this player who was using El Fuerte and he murdered my Guile with some focus attacks. When he hit with one, as Guile hunched over in pain, he would do a move which would launch my character from my crumpled state and then follow up with an EX mid air throw. Similar to Alex's d,df,f +K throw. This did some crazy damage. I tried to do Guile's Super when I landed it, but I was too slow to pull of the execution.
It felt a bit random and dangerous to use in a match unlike say parries where you could possibly be at advantage 90% of the time if you landed a succesfull one and reacted and executed a move on time. The Focus Attack is easier to do, but catching someone and punishing after it is alot harder. More extended play can only see if this worth doing.
I also don't think you need any bars or meters to succesfully pull off a Focus attack though. I saw some people absorbing multiple fireballs with a quick execution of the Focus Attack, so I'm not sure. Maybe the unblockable attack and the crumple animation attack only kick in when you've got some meter.
Super Moves and Ultra Moves
The other thing added into SFIV was the powered up Supers called Ultras. These moves are executed by doing the Super Motion and hitting all 3 attack buttons corresponding to the move. The camera will zoom up and give you a more cinematic look at the move. All of the ones I saw were really impressive and deadly when they hit. But they were not unstoppable.
If you got hit with a super or ultra while reeling from a normal attack, you were fucked just like in ST and 3rd Strike. But things like Ryu's Ultra fireball could be jumped over easily if you didn't want to take the block damage, Guile's flash kick got pwnt by a falling M Bison's glowy fist and I managed to burn Balrog boxer to a crisp with Dhalsim when I decided to risk an Ultra Motion during the last barrage of his punching attacks! I was laughing when it hit, I thought I was dead for realz! XD The way it zoomed up on Dhalsim and all you could see was in the corner of the screen was Balrog's angry head slowly advancing. Pwnt!
Character Impressions
The characters I used on the day were...
Dhalsim: I deffo couldn't play him like I do in Super Turbo, but as this was my first character I used on this game, it's also where I made most of my mistakes. Stupidly I was so hesitant playing as Dhalsim I kept holding back on the stick as I was pressing one of the punch or kick buttons, this made Dhalsim's long range attacks not come out. So I basically fucked up using Dhalsim the way I was supposed to!
When I got destroyed for doing this, I decided to go all out with rapid mid air drill attack which on ST I would spam a few times to put the fear of GOD into anyone deciding to try throw or get some close attacks on the Simster. This kinda worked, but the other character would recoil a bit too far after blocking a drill, so when I went for skanky short slide into throw, Dhalsim would come up short and get punched in the nose!
Decided to leg it and keep them at a distance with fireballs but it was too late. Got in an ace Ultra as described above, but it didn't do enough damage for me to win the match. Got head butted by Balrog and it was all over.
Verdict: I fucked up, want to use him again.
Guile: Very easy to play like how you normally would. Harrassign people with cr.Mk and Sonic booms when you are close, and his throw was easy to get in when you dashed in with him. Guile with a dash! XD The other ace thing that I did with Guile was dash\walk INSIDE the sonic boom. So as someone was jumping or running back, I would be inside the sonic boom trying do decide whether to take to the air or wait for the Sonic Boom to hit and decide what to do when it does.
Sonic Boom and Flash Kick zoning was still effective. Only thing that threw me off was the amount of time Guile spent doing his throw.
Verdict: Guile, still a bastard.
Ryu: As you would expect, easy to use, alot of his old combos and pressure tactics were still in. I just went full out with Ryu, trying to chip away at damage using his EX fireball or rushing in and unleashing his EX Hurricane Kick.
His Ultra Move looks great. Zooms up on him as his charges the fireball, lots of stuff whizzing into the hadoken before it's unleashed. Hits multiple times if blocked or not.
Verdict: It's Ryu! ^_^
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_AOezqMYUQ
Other Characters
As the line to play was so long, and it was winner stays on, these were the characters I used. I played against various other characters and saw them being played. The most powerfull characters at the event seemed to be E.Honda, Blanka and Vega (Claw).
E Honda was just as crazy as he is in Super Turbo. His head butt does mad damage, and his 360 throw caught me out multiple times when I blocked an aerial attack. His Super would also rape tons of life off you.
Vega claw had some insane reach and damage on him too. I saw someone just rip the other player apart close range by ducking and hitting MP, as well as some kind of barrage of attacks too.
El Fuerte though was fucking dangerous! I got off'd by an El Fuerte player and he really does seem dangerous. Most of his moves start with a running dash, similar probably to how Guy in SFZ3 or Maki in CVS2. From this he could do running cross ups, slides and high throws.
The craziest thing about El Fuerte was his Ultra and Super. I saw the same guy land a Super and a Super almost immedidtley after eachother! As soon as the opponent was knocked down, when they were getting up he would activate it. El Fuerte would jump towards them really quickly and catch them as they stood up. People in line were shouting "TEEEF!"
Didn't see no one be succesfull with Sagat though. I think his fireball spamming and Crouching Low Punch days are over!
I saw one player using Rufus, I was about to but the machines were going to get switched off so I ran back to Guile. What I did hear in line that loads of people think Rufus "How could they put that guy in a Street Fighter game? He looks so stupid!"
and with that...Rufus will be one of my mains when this comes out officially.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h87j2Ge9m4g
LOOK AT THE SIZE OF BOTH OF THEM!
It was also this video that I saw the other day which made me really stop and think..."Shit, this really does look good!"
Rufus supplying the CHICKAN for my ORO'S CHICKAN DANCE. (When I execute it, which is once in a blue moon these days.
)
As said in the news thread. The screens do this game no justice. The goofy faces and poses on their own look rediculous, but when it's all in motion, you can understand that they have tried to make the characters big, bold and colourfull enough so it harks back to the older games, and it really is quite stunning to look at. The cabinets and screens they were being played on just made everything look that much better.
I really hope Capcom promote the crap out of this game, and I really hope it becomes a hit. They are playing it safe going with the SFII characters but after the reception of the 3rd Strike cast and years before it was fully accepted properly, I'm not surprised.
I love Street Fighter, it's easily one of my favourite series in gaming. Although...this really has a lot to live up to for me to give up 3rd Strike for it. But first impressions of it are really good.
It's different enough not to bore veterans and entice new players who found 3rd Strike to hard to play. But there is deffo the chance of players taking it to a further level within the gameplay system with practice I bet, just like the other games.
So yeah, in a nutshell, it was good innit. :/
Look how awesome Gief still is in this game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbpozbvsiTg&NR=1
Not only is the man BEAST, he still has some of the old school stuff regarding his SPD. The reach on the thing if executed is still massive, you can scam one at the end of a banishing fist (glowy hand move) whethere it's blocked or missed and the best one...you can use the saving attack and tag one on at the end of it!
I'm also guessing that you can get some extra reach on the distance of that saving attack if needs be by dashing during the move. Will no doubt be a surprise for anyone already weary of Gief's dangeerous SPD throw capture range.
Thanks a lot for all the impressions man - everyone I've spoken to about SF4 has told me it's class, proper can't wait to play it myself.
Love the Zangief in that vid, it's proper sick the way you can play the game almost like Super Turbo and then layer all the new tricks on top of what you already know.
Nice one for the matches on SSF2 HD - THAT game is SO bought as soon as possible!
Also that mauling I gave you on Calibur; don't feel bad - it's natural.
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Finally dragged myself over to Capcom and had some games on this, honestly it's fucking brilliant!
On my first go every fear I had before of this game smelling like the EX series was laid to rest, it feels great - infact it feels just like Super Turbo. It's fast and dynamic, everything connects just as it should do in a 2D beat em up and it's damn SOLID. I haven't got to grips with the new system yet, I see that the (first few frames?) of the Focus Attack (mp+mk) act as a parry for a single hit and I was told the last frames do the same thing too. Didn't exploit the way you can hold the buttons down to make the attack unblockable, but I do understand the way that the opponent can parry the unblockable attack if you try to connect it while he's getting up.
Only played with Guile, he's GRIME. One next brer there from France who I've heard of online was there too and he was DISGUSTING with Zangief, who himself is now even more of a monster than before!
The game is running on the Taito Type-X hardware and is just a PC inside a cab (you can even install new games/revisions) via memory stick). This best come out soon - it's really laid the foundations for a sick new series of games. I bet by the time SF4 gets revised to the equivalent of SF3 3rd Strike it will be the stuff dreams are made of.
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There's a couple of good vids on YouTube at last - this game is so mint! ^^
Abel VS Sagat
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRwOt3IKMEc&fmt=18
Abel VS Gouki
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=zh49GZhtzGA&fmt=18
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Excellent - nice to see some good quality vids at last instead of blur-o-vision.
Looking good indeed - there's no chance I'll get to try this out in an arcade, so here's hoping that console versions come quickly
A good Ryu vs Ken here;
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=piCFKpEdieg&fmt=18
Should be easier to see how the new system works watching this one. You can cancel specials with Focus, then cancel Focus with a dash - this is how they're stinging together such crazy combos when the stagger occurs.
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Right - this is The One, they do the works here. If you want to see how sweet the new system is watch this match;
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=vjv7OG_kAkw&fmt=18
- Parrying is now the opening frame(
of the "Focus Attack" (MP+MK)
- The "Focus Attack" can be charged up by holding (MP+MK), this ultimately makes it unblockable with stagger properties.
- "Focus Attack" can be cancelled with dash (44 or 66), this is how the players execute the little "fake-outs".
- EX Specials can also be cancelled with dash, notice the cancelled EX Dragon into Super Dragon finish? GHETTO!!!
Not too long to wait until this comes out in the home, I just wish we had a scene here
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There are a couple of long-ish vids here -
http://blog.livedoor.jp/game_sakura/
Now I know sod all about fighting games of course, but I've read that the 'dash cancelling' displayed in these vids is the business. It's very exciting & looks like it should be a top notch scrapper
I feel weak...I can't blow up anymore today...
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=uZKwKWEBzTU&fmt=18
When her theme kicked in - my head popped...
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Just one month to go!
Can everyone here please pre-order SF4, get a stick and get stuck in!
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Been trying to suss which version - PS3 gets me high grade stick, 360 gets me decent online stuff (maybe). Then there is the PS3 box set with HD movie... hmm.
Which are you going for?
I'm not yet decided but I'll most likely go for the PS3 version as it'll give me an excuse to buy another stick (plus I want the anime Blu-ray which comes with the Japanese PS3 version). I know the online stuff on the 360 is meant to be better but I find with the machine it's such a confusing, cumbersome chore to setup and play matches that I don't bother with it.
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Can everyone here please pre-order SF4, get a stick and get stuck in!
It's a convincing argument.
I've only got a stick for the 360... online is totally irrelevant.
Zing! to online! in your face online, I totaly zinged you.
I'm not yet decided but I'll most likely go for the PS3 version as it'll give me an excuse to buy another stick (plus I want the anime Blu-ray which comes with the Japanese PS3 version).
I'm edging that way too for the high grade, think thats the way I'll go
All I have for the PS3 is the awful Hori FS3, it's bizarre because the stick itself is fine but there's something very strange going on with the input signals. I swear down what this thing is sending is not what you're inputting, it's fine for playing shoot em ups (or anything which doesn't involve many inputs simultaniously) but it makes me want to throw it out of the window when playing SF2HD or VF5.
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I picked up one of those for a tenner at gamestation, I haven't really used it though. I'll give it a shot when SF4 comes round see if it acts up. The Hori RAPS is still stupidly expensive isn't it - looks like there is a SF4 specific one coming out too.
The VF4 stick did well with a USB adaptor, or at least one of the two USB adaptors I bought. No good for SF4 though.
I ditched all my PS2 stuff ages ago as I was getting sick of having arcade sticks taking over my room. It's still the same though...even after my "clearout" I have have 8 sticks sitting in my yard, I just can't bring myself to ditch Dreamcast sticks - I even have an original (from the GOOD batch of Japanese ones) one that's still absolutely mint in the plastic!*
I even "need" to get hold of Wii sticks for Tatsunoko vs Capcom T_T
*MINE!!!! Dont any of you even think about asking!
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I'll be there for the 360 version - will also be trying out one of the pads that are being released as well. Despite being made by Mad Catz, initial reports are meant to be good.
I can't use arcade sticks any more without getting major hand & wrist cramps
GUILE IS FILTHY!!!!
I thought the intial combos were all right, but then he started busting all the focus attack cancels...DIRTY. Love the final strike of his Ultra.
360 all the way for me. For one I sold my PS3 as the piece of shit kept pissing me off cos I had NOTHING which interested me to play on it and if the net code on HD Remix is anything to go by, fuck it. Don't know how they can get it right on one system and then mess it up on the other. GG Caps!
Hopefully the limited editions with the anime are region free, afaik, all Capcom stuff on 360 (PS3 obv) has been region free.
GUILE IS FILTHY!!!!
Silence your tongue! Father Guile is The Light shining through The Darkness of your scrubbery.
Proper cannot wait for this, if you're on 360 only that makes me want to get hold of that version aswell. I can't wait to start training up with all these new tricks, Guile is still The Man - but this time I want to make The 'Gief my primary character.
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Guile is filthy,but thats because there is another tier of damage above him, the Dhalsim! Hopefully...if this game sticks to Super Turbo LAW, My Dhalsim will bring all the pwn to your yard! lol It's one of my favourite matches against Guile is he is at such a disadvantage. He can throw the boom, BUT INDIAN MAN DON'T GIVE A FUCK! He takes the damage of the boom and hits under it. ^_^
But...from my brief play of SFIV with Dhalsim and reading about on SRK, it seems as though he won't be as effective as he was in ST and RMX. Damn.
No bother...I'll run to RUFUS for haxx.
Check out this team match - nowt that special about it (other than confirming what a beast Balrog is), but the Dhalsim fight at the very end is interesting - it's a fire/keep away for the most part, up until the very end when there are some fire/teleport combos that look quick & vicious.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KBNmLSBGbaw
Bruv if you want to watch some good matches, check out this channel;
http://jp.youtube.com/user/HardEdgeOfficial
No Americans chatting shit or screaming their heads off over fuck-all, some sick Jojo and Blazblue on there too.
It's always a pleasure watching Gouki get mauled by Zangles;
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=oA9t7x9VA9U&feature=channel_page&fmt=18
Zangief cutting through the scrubbery with his Heroness!
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Thanks for that, will investigate that channel.
It's always a pleasure watching Gouki get mauled by Zangles;
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=oA9t7x9VA9U&feature=channel_page&fmt=18
Zangief cutting through the scrubbery with his Heroness!
The first round in this vid illustrates why I'm such anm epic fail at fighting games; Gief goes down to about half energy without getting a hit in, but the player stays calm & does his stuff - if it were me playing, that would be the point that the fear would set in & I'd donk it up good & proper.
That's definetly what sets players apart. Being able to keep your cool in that situation I reckon is an innate ability rather than something you can learn, I can't do it.
There's this one guy I know who I've known ever since Art of Fighting came out, he's able to do it, infact the worst possible situation you can be in is when you've got him down to minimal life. With one player with lots of life agressively wanting to end the match quickly against an icy cool player with minimal life, my money's always on the iceman!
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GEOFF, THAT DHALSIM AND BALROG FIGHT IS AWESOME! LOL, looks like I was off, Dhalsim was being played there more or less like in ST. Plus he HUSTLED him with that unblockable fireball\teleport thing. That will be rinsed. lololol
Not long to go! Capcom pulling out all the stops for the SFIV hype train at the moment, check out these sticks! Tournament Edition is highly modable and his easy connectors to swap out buttons and sticks, and is deep enough for almost any variety stick you need.
http://ces.gamespot.com/video.html?sid=6202965
Also...they've actually made a decent training mode in this too. No need to continually run back into menus and scroll through move lists, just press Back.
Also, it brings back one of the things about SF EX series i loved, the challenge modes.
http://ces.gamespot.com/video.html?sid=6203002
lol at Dan going through Art of Fighting Big Fireball motion. It's prolly no Dojo training, but going off what Seth is saying it will be more robust then just a simple list of special moves.
Dan, Dhalsim and Gief. Watch the damage come from this team of freaks!
Trying to scope out that blu-ray set, videogamesplus seems to be the best bet at the moment, you'd pay a serious mark up for a jpn/asian copy sent two weeks earlier.
Exchange rate sucks, Britain fails.
Ultra moves:
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/44357.html
Slowly becoming psyched.
Entirely psyched
Training mode!
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/88675-Street-Fighter-IV-Trial-Mode-to-Teach-and-Challenge-Alike
I've just this second decided to buy the game. The last time I looked at it I was taking the piss out of the shit 3D visuals, from what I remember.
360 version for me.
Where is best for purchasement? It's been fucking years since I've got up off my MMO arse and bought a game from the internet. I want a fancy stick like you lot.
I don't need to know any of the new system, 'force move charge attack or whatever' bullshit... just give me somewhere I can give my credit card number to and I'll catch up on all that once I'm in the game.
Seriously, if this game is at best 'good' it's all I need in between work and gym. You can't beat being welcomed home to the Capcom logo each evening. It's been a while.
And Jassi; obviously taking early advantage by playing this in arcades so that he can be teh big bulleh. What a complete CROOK.
Ah man, reading this thread and knowing the game is just weeks away is like taking 1000mg of pure liquid ecstacy and injecting it straight into my central nervous system in the back of my neck. I'm literally sat rocking in my chair in excitement. I'm glad I've not let the hype get to me until nao!!
Hopefully it'll be at ATEI... probably in a dusty corner somewhere next to an electronic roulette darts prize machine.
I've just this second decided to buy the game. The last time I looked at it I was taking the piss out of the shit 3D visuals, from what I remember.
360 version for me.
Where is best for purchasement? It's been fucking years since I've got up off my MMO arse and bought a game from the internet. I want a fancy stick like you lot.
I don't need to know any of the new system, 'force move charge attack or whatever' bullshit... just give me somewhere I can give my credit card number to and I'll catch up on all that once I'm in the game.
Seriously, if this game is at best 'good' it's all I need in between work and gym. You can't beat being welcomed home to the Capcom logo each evening. It's been a while.
And Jassi; obviously taking early advantage by playing this in arcades so that he can be teh big bulleh. What a complete CROOK.
Ah man, reading this thread and knowing the game is just weeks away is like taking 1000mg of pure liquid ecstacy and injecting it straight into my central nervous system in the back of my neck. I'm literally sat rocking in my chair in excitement. I'm glad I've not let the hype get to me until nao!!
MAN UP. GET HD RMX, throw every other 360 game in the bin.
MMOs...I should slap you!
MMOs...I should slap you!
Nah man, the PvP in WoW is (or was) Godly... The most satisfying player vs. player experience since SF2.
Look up some HQ vids of Drakedog and Vurtne to see what I'm on about.
FFS... £150 for a game + stick seems a bit much, that's a lot of food...
Make that £155 with a preowned VF5 thrown in and it justifies it a bit more, it also justifies me keeping the 360.
I might sell a guitar I was going to replace this year anyway, then buy new guitar towards Xmas. Sounds like a plan!
I'll preorder from my Gamestation next door, I'll be able to pick up the game once they get their deliveries too so bonuses all around.
OMG!
Check out this new clip of the next SFIV arcade revision! Guy and Cody are back in it!!!
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=b2BFKNyfHiE
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OMG!
Check out this new clip of the next SFIV arcade revision! Guy and Cody are back in it!!!
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=b2BFKNyfHiE
*tehtumbelweed* Thought I was gonna get to hear some classic Metro City/Mad Gear tunage then as well.
Speaking of which, I'm hearing more and more SFIV music as the hours progress. Some decent stuff, apart from the singing on the intro music, but then again I hated the Berserk intro for a while too. I just hope we can turn off that announcer.
Just goes to show you can turn anything AWSUMz by adding Ronald!!!
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When's 'Wii Carlton' coming out?
Just goes to show you can turn anything AWSUMz by adding Ronald!!!
This is so true!
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=RBXTU0RxzoA
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=VEZTgyKD7mo&feature=related
I'm not too fond of the new SF4 music, maybe it will grow on me. I did hear some remixes of some of the old classic music though, it's in the sound test menu of the arcade game so maybe it will be included.
I think you can turn the announcer off too, he sounds weird but he's so part of the SF4 vibe - learn to like him!
Not feeling the intro tune either, hopefully it will be different on the Japanese version; like that vocal track on got on the Japanese DMC4 bosses was better than the whole game.
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SFIV arcade for one weekend in Feb:
http://kotaku.com/5141602/street-fighter-iv-arcade-cabinets-touring-britain-next-month
I just don't get it.
Utterly ridiculous and pointless.
Operators here have missed out on a whole year's worth of takings, I can understand places out in the sticks not bothering but even here in Central London there isn't a single machine.
You don't need any sort of custom cabinet (although they are really nice), it doesn't run on expensive hardware and it this area especially it would be a licence to print money.
I bet a few cabs appear after the game's home release, then the idiots will declare the arcade game a "failure" due to low take (as players will most likely have a better screen, stick and buttons at home).
Troc needs to finally die taking the rest of Family Leisure's grotty sites with it, I'm sick of seeing them.
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So there are more dates after the home release than before?
Just another nail in the arcade coffin over here surely; if they can't be arsed to put out premium product like SFIV, what else is there (except for recycled HotD2 with broken guns, Outrun with non-working pedals, Star Wars Arcade with broken light sabre......)
Its nuts! The amount of people pre-ordering that stick that uses the arcade parts shows that there is still that need for an arcade experience. Makes me sad that I can't afford that stick tbh, let alone get to play this in an actual arcade.
______________________________________________________________________________
When's 'Wii Carlton' coming out?
It isn't clear how many of those sticks are available though, only that they've sold out on most pre-orders... unless Mad Katz have said how many the UK are getting?
Having said that a lot of casual 360 owners I know are genuinely excited about SFIV and plan to buy along with an arcade stick (although there is no way they'd pay more than the Hori went for).
Its nuts! The amount of people pre-ordering that stick that uses the arcade parts shows that there is still that need for an arcade experience. Makes me sad that I can't afford that stick tbh, let alone get to play this in an actual arcade.
Arcade operators in this country are like characters from Little Britain, they exist in their own little world. Everyone and his mum can see the hype surrounding SFIV, but expecting these idiots to actually be on the ball is asking FAR too much.
Making money from coin ops is so fucking EASY! The reason why things died so badly here is because the operators waste time, money and floorspace on absolute shit. They have no idea what a decent game is nor do they know how to promote said game if they actually end up getting it.
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I think I saw them all at ATEI... a hilarious band of generic looking sales types, suited and booted... that very show and the makeup and dissemination of the information and the floor space ratios are a perfect model of what's happened in the UK.
I've not pre-ordered yet, and that might be because I know, 2 weeks after release it'll go Sega Rally and be £20. Mind you I should support these guys.
Any truth in the rumour that Troc are getting 2 cabs this weekend? Saw a picof the stick held next to the arcade and its made me want it even more. I get by fine with my Hori tbh so probably best if I never go near those parts, ignorance being bliss and all that *eats a rare stake* ______________________________________________________________________________
When's 'Wii Carlton' coming out?
Cool vid of Seth Killian from Capcom playing SFIV one handed - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXW0bQvdZlg
I just can't take the hype for this game much longer. Need to get a stick though :/