Apples and Oranges, especially the way things are now.
Only a fool would think that because he’s good at a one type of game (2D/3D), he can easily walk in and be as successful in the other.
2D vs 3D is a kind of pointless aregument, but I would like to point out that several SC characters (Astaroth, Mitserugi, Yoshimitsu, Tira and The Apprentice, may be more but I’ve slept since I last played it lol) have some proper jumpy moves (well flying in Yohi’s case) which might count as using the Y axis.
Namco killed the series when they made 3 exclusive to PS2.
I firmly believe that.
Soul Calibur makes me want to vomit.
In theory the game is a shining example of fighting game mechanics.
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a simply and intuitive rock/paper/scissor style between horizontal attacks/vertical attacks/movement avoidance (sidestepping, ducking/jumping)
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one of the few games that actually feels like a 3D game. Take Tekken for instance, yes there is side stepping to avoid incoming attacks, but all you’re really doing is shifting the combat to a new 2D axis, it’s no different than a dodge or roll in the KOF series- just another way to avoid an attack. In theory, the SC series has much more movement than other 3D Fighters with it’s 8 way run.
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a 3D game with a greater emphasis on range. 2D fighters are all about range and zoning, some characters can be a threat from the other side of the stage. In traditional 3D fighters, while range does play part, it’s limited to the length of a characters limbs, with a smattering of lunging attacks designed to just get the fighter back into hand-to-hand range. In SC, the weapons offer much more diversity in ranges. zoning and keep away can often feel like a 2D fighter in some match-ups.
However, while this all sounds good in theory, in actual practice, alot of this is ruined by poor design. In SC4, some vertical attacks track amazingly too well, if a horizontal beats a sidestep and loses to a crouch, but a vertical attack beats a crouch AND beats a side step too, why do any other option?
Also, the idea behind guard impacts in the first SC was to give the defending player a chance to punish, seeing as almost 90% of a fighters move were safe on block. As the series progressed, characters lost alot of safe moves, and move cancels, making it harder for them form an effective mix-up. the resulting style of play was a very safe poking game. SC4 tried to fix this reliance on blocking to punish instead of Gaurd impact to punish by forcing players to use Guard impacts to avoid getting a critical finsh.So you still have unsafe moves that are easier to just block and punish, but instead you are forced to GI, and enter the non guaranteed game of post-GI options, instead of getting free damage off a block.
Like I said, in theory, soul calibur would be my perfect traditional 3D fighter just based off of the mechanics. Instead it does alot of thing counter-intuitive to it’s own ruleset that feels like the current developers don’t quite understand what made the series great in the first place.
It fell after Soul Calibur 2 and has been going downhill ever since.
Fatal Fury: X, Y, Z.
KOF: Maximum Impact: X, Y, Z.
Just in case you forgot. :wgrin:
The costume stuff is okay, playing dress up with characters is okay. But having the items do buffs/have special attributes was kind of pointless. No competition is going to be a “special versus” competition, that’d be such bullshit. I like Soul Calibur enough though, used to play II all the time and now I got IV. It’s fun. Don’t see what makes it such epic fail trash; I fail to see what has some people all riled up.
this is the primary reason i didnt play 3… wasnt going to buy a ps2 for one game.
console exclusives from 3rd party developers is stupid… talk about sucking sony/microsofts dick.
-dime
the legend shall never die!
^ It will if NAMCO keeps this up and makes each sequel they make crappier in some way.
The series is definitely waning. I mean, that new PSP game was announced…and did anyone even care? There’s so many other great fighters coming this year, who actually is gonna get hyped about SoulCal on PSP?:wonder:
Soul Calibur is poor game.
Bottom line its not a good fighter. It has wayyy to much pick up and play value which leaves for room for nothing more then the entertainment of watching your girlfriend beat your friends with her eyes closed.
The entire soul calibur franchise is garbage.
sigh…how long did you play them for? maybe a couple hours tops with your girlfriend? wait scratch that…by yourself?
How is it bad?
Juggle system. Counter hit system. 8 way run system. High mid low system. Vertical and Horizontal attack system. Luanchers. Just frame attacks.
Plenty of shit that ain’t pick up and play.
I don’t get the point of porting SC4 to the PSP. Well, it’s like SC4’s version of BR or something right? And supposedly it’s watered down too or some shit.
But on the fucking PSP? Wtf. Who plays fighters seriously on a handheld?
If you guys wanna see how this game can be good, go on YouTube and look for Korea Free Game SC4 or Hong Kong SC4. These guys have really taken SC4 to a higher level. If you have a decent knowledge of the game then you will appreciate the insane mindgames and technical skills these players have.
example:
[media=youtube]riztbAdITUQ[/media]
Kura (Kilik) vs Cube (Mitsu) - Korea Free Game SC4
[media=youtube]2Wnr7iCfY1E[/media]
Hong Kong SC4 January 2009 Highlights
Just browse through the YouTube channels of TheKura0611 and KnightSpirit84 for some awesome SC4 vids.
P.S. to the OP…Astaroth is hell of good in SC4, I don’t know what you’re talking about. He is definitely one of the best characters in the game as far as tiers go anyway.
First off, no. While HK is decent at the game they are not the best. Sorry to take away the common fantasy that Asia > USA in all games.
Astaroth is ok, but he is definitely not one of the top characters in the game. He simply does not have the tools to be a S tier character. He of course can win, but he is NOT top tier.
For the earlier comments about poor game design and tracking moves. Some vertical attacks track a certain direction. Even then most vertical attacks (hell even a large amount of horizontal attacks) can be stepped in this game. The problem is that the old style of step guard is much less effective in sc4. Now in order to step some of the more ‘tracking’ moves you must fully commit to a step. This means tapping 8 or 2 (up or down) and not hitting guard. The better you time it, the more successful your step will be. Each character has a different type of step so it will be easier or harder depending on step speed and step distance.
With that out of the way let me quickly move onto the tournament scene.
SC4 still has a successful tournament scene that maybe some of the people on SRK simply aren’t aware of. Tournaments are run all across the country on a weekly basis, and we even have our own nationals series which happens to be a week after evo. We have already had our regional qualifiers with the top 4 of each region being seeded and the 1st place winners getting a free flight to Denver for the tournament. Not only this, but we have international competition making their way to Evo and our Nationals to compete with us. I know that France is sending some of their top players to Evo for instance.
It’s not like our community is dead, we just don’t post much on SRK because we have our own dedicated and active board at www.8wayrun.com
I’m a member there too.
My user is Esura and I main Xianghua. I be in the Java chat alot.
I’m a member there too, and an old-school GI member. SC4’s current scene is very quiet in comparison to what it used to be.