This is the first and last post i’ll make in this thread, because my original post in the MWC thread is my real feelings on the issue. I’ll just reiterate some points.
-EVO has used 5 different versions of ST in a row, starting in 2k4 and ending this year. Every year, it was somehow NKI who was involved in the supposed testing of the game to find out if it was valid to play at EVO…and then in the inevitable tearing down of the game post-EVO, after everyone complains.
-I have no idea how NKI became the official collective voice of all console ST players, but apparently somehow he did, and EVO does whatever he says. It seems that there is a bandwagon attitude of if NKI says it’s what’s best, it’s what’s best, and we should trust him to make sound judgements. I disagree for reasons you will see below. Also, I do know that NKI is one of the best Chun-Lis in the world, and I do know that he can play every character, but his knowledge of each individual fighter is probably lacking say, compared to a pro in that area. In order to get a real opinion on what version of a game is best, we should be polling the best overall, and not just someone who plays Chun 90% of the time. It doesn’t make sense.
-Despite NKI’s involvement every year, the version of ST used at EVO is shot down immediately afterwards and we go back to square one.
-No console version of ST is arcade perfect, and none ever will be. In other games like MvC2, CvS2, and 3s, there are differences in the console port. However, unlike with ST, the community has collectively said “fuck it, we know there are differences but we don’t want to play games. Let’s setting on THIS version for competitive play, PERIOD, end of story. If people don’t like it, don’t come to the tournament.” However, with ST it seems that certain parties (not just NKI but he is certainly one of them) are so obsessed with getting an arcade-perfect experience, we end up jumping around to a different version of ST every year. This is very bad in multiple ways:
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Equipment cost. So far, ST has been on DC, PS1, AE on PS2, CCC2 on PS2, and now we’re back to DC. Not only do you need to own both systems, but you need to own sticks that work with both, and/or converters with minimal input lag (most of which are no longer manufactured). Dreamcasts are no longer easy items to get, and to keep them working can be a nightmare. Also keeping in mind that most ST players haven’t played the DC version since EVO 2k4, until NKI announced it was good with dipswitch changes, and the whole bandwagon thing happened again. He must be right!
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Standard version of the game. Because we’ve jumped around from version to version over the years, it is next to impossible to actually practice for one of these events. I mean, in 2004 you had a version where the hitboxes were all wrong, in 2005 the same, in 2006 it wasn’t even the same game, last year we had slowdown and input lag issues. I don’t know about you, but I’m getting tired of a new set of problems to adjust to on a yearly basis. If people would just say “fuck it, we’re using the DC/PS2/whatever version from now on, and that’s that, PERIOD, end of story” then we would actually be able to PRACTICE and adapt to the differences in that version. But that’s never been possible thanks to people like NKI, who ever EVO are playtesting the shit out of the games and telling us how imperative it is that we no longer use that version. Well guess what - here we are in 2008, STHD is being delayed, and we’re back to square fucking one. Holy shit.
Now, we’re going to use a version of ST that is on a console that’s hard to get, will have input lag because of converters, and requires that you get a dipswitch save state on your memory card. I’m sorry, but I just don’t know that many people that still own DC on ST, let alone have that fucking save state. Practice will be nearly impossible for the vast majority of gamers who got interested in ST last year because of CCC2 - it just totally blows my mind that we’re moving backwards instead of forwards here. You can probably count on record low attendance for ST this year, not only because Toyota backed out of sponsorship, but because people are just starting to say “fuck it, I give up, ST will be fucked no matter what we do, so why bother.” This is just a BAD BUSINESS DECISION. The vast majority of ST players had been playing CCC2 and are used to that version.
Now, if you want my opinion on what we should do? For 2008, we are fucked. Since STHD is delayed (and it will pretty much be adopted as the successor to ST as long as there aren’t huge glitches in the game), we are forced into the same situation as always: new version of a game that nobody is used to. EVO once again decided to go with what NKI (and a few other people) have said, and we’re now going back to DC with this new godsent Dipswitch feature. Oh Halleluia praise the ST gods! Dipswitch savestate has come to save us!
…yeah right. I GUARANTEE that after EVO, we will hear the same complaints as always: something is wrong with this version, it isn’t arcade perfect, let’s nitpick it to fucking death and convince the legions of non-pro players that they should go eat elephant feces before booting it up. Now THAT’S productive.
Anyone reading this right now - Do you want to stop this cycle of bullshit? Okay, then please listen to me: When STHD is released, as long as there is not some insanely annoying or broken glitch that makes the game unplayable…please, PLEASE do not listen to the same handful of nitpicking, unsatisfiable people who have torn apart every console version of ST we’ve tried. As both a pro player and a gamer, I know how extremely fucking frustrating it is to be forced to play something different every year, just to be told that what you just played is shit as well. Fuck it. Just put your fingers in your ears and stop listening to these stubborn assholes. STHD IS the new ST, period, end of story, game fucking over.
And now back to GTAIV…
