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[blackadde]

And again, I personally would like nothing better than to see Capcom try something more akin to what Treasure has been doing for years, and Vanillaware has just brought out into the forefront again: segmented sprites.

It goes without saying that the classical, hand-drawn way of sprite drawing is probably the main thing that makes it so it's not as viable a solution today as it was yesteryear, when we didn't have a choice. Drawing that many frames of animation just takes too much time, and costs too much money. And I'm sure Capcom is not interested in giving up either for the sake of one game.

But with segmented sprites, you basically could stand to cut that type of work drastically, because then it would be more of a thing of "drawing" for each specific part of a model's body, instead of trying to draw the whole body per frame. Done correctly (again, see Treasure's stuff, and Odin Sphere), and it is a great look that creates a seamless presentation. And, truthfully, it doesn't even need to be in HD, as Odin Sphere and that new Vanillaware game for the Wii clearly demonstrate.

segmented sprites look and move exactly like what they are - cardboard cutouts. there's no weight or momentum to them because nothing squashes or stretches right. not to mention that complex actions that require foreshortening of the limbs require the arms/legs/body trunks to be redrawn again anyways. this is why the all the characters in the rumblefish looks so damn stiff.

the only way to imbue that sense of life and (above all things) weight is either properly hand-animated 2d sprites or hand-keyframed 3d models.

 

[sprsk]

Every time this issue comes up, I reference Battle Fantasia. The videos look like it may have done it, but I have no first-hand experience. At the very least I'd say it has come close, but that's just judging by internet vids. Any J-gaffers want to debunk this once and for all? Does BF, a 2D fighter with 3D models, handle like a traditional 2D fighter?

Edit: That last part read "...like a traditional 3d fighter?" but you knew what I meant, right?

It plays like a traditional 2D fighter in that the moves are similar to stuff in GG. Still doesn't feel right though.

Besides, the game is quite ugly compared to it's awesome 2D art.

 

[Jirotrom]

New interview from GT

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/26833.html

With some new info and a vid of SSFIIHD Remix

I think SF IV will still have 2-d based game play with a very styalized cell-shading. I think capcom wants to go an easier route than having to draw out all the sprites. It will be 3-d but will look and feel 2d.

 

[Lyte Edge]

There's only one arcade in my area with Battle Fantasia, and it's never got anyone playing it. They had the cab in the front of the arcade when it came out, expecting it to be a big deal, and people played it for like a week and then it just died. No one seems to talk about it either; I don't know what the rankings for it are, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear that the game bombed.

I still think that Battle Fantasia's simplicity would make for a perfect Xbox Live Arcade or PSN online game though.

It plays like a traditional 2D fighter in that the moves are similar to stuff in GG. Still doesn't feel right though.

Besides, the game is quite ugly compared to it's awesome 2D art.

This is true, but it does feel incredibly close, and shows that this type of game can definitely be done. I think a sequel to BF that addresses its issues could pretty much feel 100% like it was made with sprites if done right. I'm not big on all the character designs, but I do like their facial expressions and actions.

If Street Fighter 4 does end up going the polygon route, I hope they follow Maximum Impact in the character design area and offer alternative designs for any returning characters. It would be nice to see Ken (and especially) Ryu looking different for once.

 

[Dali]

I still think that Battle Fantasia's simplicity would make for a perfect Xbox Live Arcade or PSN online game though.

However they see fit to bring it to NA, so long as they bring it.

 

[sixteen-bit]

It could be the game is 2.5D

I mean in the trailer neither 3D Ken nor 3D Ryu deviate from the same z-plane.

 

[Ether_Snake]

Things that the trailer hinted at (could make a new thread on this but whatever, THIS IS A GUESS based on observations):


1- Game has new artistic direction using a mix of 3D with a 2D "feel"

2- When you execute a grab, the opponent can break away from it.

3- Dash feature.

4- Characters can hit each other at the same time.

5- The fight's dynamic changes as the combat progresses. Once the transition occurs, attacks become different in animations and "feel", and the strength of the attacks changes also (the way you end the fight is not the same as how you start the fight; don't expect to start a fight with an dragon punch and end it with a jab). Don't expect the old control scheme, think of it more in terms of "punch/kick/block/dodge" which will change in "feel" based on the dynamic of the combat which is affected by the fight's progress.

6- Environments react to this dynamic combat progress system.

 

[xir]

More of this and QTEs. Uh.

But, really, tell us if it's 2d or 3d please?

 

[GG-Duo]

what do you guys make of the "a new beginning" subtitle?

 

[GamerSoul]

I wonder if they're gonna release any more of those teasers. A Chun-Li VS Cammy one would be some tight ass shit.

 

[orioto]

I think the trailer is nothing if just a video done independently from the game, to hype it.

It seems weird to look at it, and to hope this "dramatic" feel is going to be translate into gameplay. It's the actual point of a video to make it more detailled, living and "directed"...

Even the brushe style they used. I think it send us a message that says : The game will be state of art, and kind of classy, in a snobbish gamer's point of view (positively i mean), more than it shows us any aspect of the game render.

i'm just speaking from some 15 years of videogames cg experience, that we all have !
But i can be wrong.

 

[GeneralIroh]

Things that the trailer hinted at (could make a new thread on this but whatever):


1- Game has new artistic direction using a mix of 3D with a 2D "feel"

2- When you execute a grab, the opponent can break away from it.

3- Dash feature.

4- Characters can hit each other at the same time.

5- The fight's dynamic changes as the combat progresses. Once the transition occurs, attacks become different in animations and "feel", and the strength of the attacks changes also (the way you end the fight is not the same as how you start the fight; don't expect to start a fight with an dragon punch and end it with a jab). Don't expect the old control scheme, think of it more in terms of "punch/kick/block/dodge" which will change in "feel" based on the dynamic of the combat which is affected by the fight's progress.

6- Environments react to this dynamic combat progress system.

Sounds like SF4 will be the OOT of Street Fighters. The battle system sounds very intriguing.

 

[Ether_Snake]

Sounds like SF4 will be the OOT of Street Fighters. The battle system sounds very intriguing.

Hey that's just a guess based on what goes on in the video But to me it looked like a Target Render, and the fact that only during the interview did the guy say that it gave a hint at the direction of the game if you carefully analyzed it, to me that means that officially this video was used internally as a pitch by the team to show the management where they were headed (they would put it on pause and say "here you can see how we intend to allow the player to break away from a grab" or "here you can see that after Ken blocks the kick, the dynamic of the fight changes as well as the environment and the music", etc.).

 

[Crayon Shinchan]

Sounds like SF4 will be the OOT of Street Fighters. The battle system sounds very intriguing.

That's just Ethersnake's speculation.

 

[jordan0386]

Hey that's just a guess based on what goes on in the video But to me it looked like a Target Render, and the fact that only during the interview did the guy say that it gave a hint at the direction of the game if you carefully analyzed it, to me that means that officially this video was used internally as a pitch by the team to show the management where they were headed (they would put it on pause and say "here you can see how we intend to allow the player to break away from a grab" or "here you can see that after Ken blocks the kick, the dynamic of the fight changes as well as the environment and the music", etc.).

Street Fighter:ICON

j/j