@Daemos
I like the idea of Vega dealing with Cammy/Juri then leave to work as Chun’s boss, i thought it myself as a possibility too… specially because Vega essentially does same shit twice: harass Cammy, get bounced off by Juri.
I think the London one was enough.
BUT
Where i disagree is make Vega the barrier for Chun before the Moons Console
I thought it myself at Chun v Vega (being a SF2tAM thing, and SF2tAM is life) and ultimately i thought… no, Chun v FANG was the right thing to do.
First because Moons plan IS Fang
It think is fair have him being the guardian of his own creature… defeat Dr.Frankenstein, then destroy the monster
Secondary i like the martial arts imagery behind having these two chinese kung fu fighters end up having each other as rivals in theyr last SFV duel, they could have evoked a strong chinese movie vibe out of it.
Fighting Boss-Fang in a room full of poison will have been like these scenes where the straight martial artist have to fight a trickster martialist-“wizard” in his own den, at his conditions
This lead to 2 things
- Vega left Cammy/Juri after first clash and have no work for final part
- Rashid lose his Final Boss
I will add a 3rd:
- As you pointed Ken in ASF did’nt enough, specially in last part (aside of course friendly duel with clean mind Ryu)
Simple solution for first 2 can seem easy, make Vega killed Rashid’s female friend as the bloody psycho he is and Rashid can get revenge. Problem solved.
But i’m not sold into it.
Rashid is a noob, give him Fang as they did was ok because without added plot trick (the poison room) Fang is not that legendary treat to overcome.
But Vega is another thing, imho he deserve better than Rashid
Will give Ken to Vega, the two match up even, and in that way Ken have solid chance of spotlight, while Vega can have his Boss-gimmick fight duty done
Win or lose, benefit both chars legacy
Make him try to stop the Ken/Nash/Guile/Chun group, and Ken stay to confronting him, while Nash/Guile/Chun go on to face Bison
As for FANG i will like Vega to get special conditions Boss-fight, make him trap Ken in a cage to play at Vega-rules (like in nostalgia stage), with free cage climbing included of course
This left with only one of these previous problems still to cover, give a fucking job to Rashid
That’s where enter what i said before, they could have benefit one more villain even just as NPC
As said they could have used the red cape guy as a specific NPC character instead a category, he was menacing enough to look better than most dolls and anonymous enough for people to accept him as NPC-only
Or maybe even more unique, let red capes as they are and develop this
they even got most of it already done, just add an helmet
To make it SF challenge worthy could have been made like a mini survival, with Rashid having to fight a couple of soldiers (with no hp regeneration) before face him, and him having a bit stronger/more rich style with some minor psycho power.
Maybe even gave him the tonfa, instead waste it on the useless old cop joke fight
They could have made him ambitious af dreaming to become a Shada-King himself, and the one who kidnapped and killed Rashid’s friend… so personal motivation/revenge stay the same
As story function, he could have been somebody with control over a gate/elevator that bring to inner part of Shadaloo HQ, Rashid defeat him allowing the group to continue
PS: I seen you mentioned add some soldier fights as challenge to Gief.
Gief already did a lot in ASF, but i will have LOVED see Shadaloo throw at him THIS
i’m sure Gief will have loved destroy the cheap imitation done with monitor cyborgs data, showing that it lacked the most important thing, holy Muscle Power
“that was a nice imitation, HOWEVER”
Gief’s HOWEVER still give Abel nightmares LOL