Support NeoGAF

[Ravage]

F2P model fits well with MP games, especially if you are not the top dog in the genre. With correct implementation, it helps maintain a healthy community size which adds value for all paying customers.

Anyway good to see more f2p games on the PS3, i myself have sunk more than 100 hours into Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation so far.

some more info from the interview:

-Ein is based on DOA2 but have new moves. Users from DOA2 will not have any problem using him from the beginning.
-Jacky and Momiji are both made to be easy to use.
-with free version, you will be able to fight against all the characters
-they are planning promotions where they will have a certain character unlock for free for few days for people to try out. If they like that character, they can go buy that character.
-the full package user will not be able to tell if you are playing from free version.
-there is no limitations for free version like "you can play XX number of games per day." sort of thing.
-the free version is for PS3 only at this moment. They are working hard to get it on Xbox360 as well, but they cannot promise it will come.

Pretty generous of them. I was expecting at least 3 of the 4 playable characters to be males tbh.

 

[K.Sabot]

It wouldn't make any sense if you couldn't fight against them.

 

[raven777]

The most ideal way would have been when you start you can pick 4 characters of your choice to use as the 4 usable characters. But this is too good to be true.

 

[Hoya Destroyer]

They're making new stags too, right?
I wonder what they'll cost?

 

[mullet2000]

Huh. You know this is a pretty interesting model for fighting games. I mean, inevitably i'm not going to use a ton of the characters in any given fighting game.

I feel like a model like this would work really well if, say, I could test out any character in practice mode to see if I like them enough to buy them or not.

The most ideal way would have been when you start you can pick 4 characters of your choice to use as the 4 usable characters. But this is too good to be true.

They're probably worried that most people only like 4 or less characters enough to buy them to begin with, so people wouldn't spend any money after picking their starting four.

I'd like if it was this way too but I totally see why they don't do it.

 

[Elixist]

Sounds like they're taking a pseudo-LoL approach to this, which I think is smart. The demo for the Vita version was a good one.

indeed, ive been wondering when fighting games would do this cool. new characters every month or so would be really fresh.

 

[McSpidey]

I wonder if they will use patch "balancing" to "gently push" people into buying characters..

 

[The Faceless Master]

The most ideal way would have been when you start you can pick 4 characters of your choice to use as the 4 usable characters. But this is too good to be true.

hahah if they did that i would be like ... Tina. Lisa. Mila. Ein. DONE!

 

[HawthorneKitty]

indeed, ive been wondering when fighting games would do this cool. new characters every month or so would be really fresh.

How much would you be willing to pay?
Keep in mind that it cost Skullgirls $150,000 per character, which is apparently "significantly" lower than a fighting game such as DoA.

 

[Barakov]

It's definitely an interesting strategy. I'll definitely just pick up the full version because I want everything from the get go. While I like seeing companies do this as an option, it would really irk me if this was the only way to get the game.

 

[Izayoi]

F2P is the way of the future. Great to see more developers experimenting with it.

 

[FluxWaveZ]

How much would you be willing to pay?
Keep in mind that it cost Skullgirls $150,000 per character, which is apparently "significantly" lower than a fighting game such as DoA.

Is that right? Didn't pay close attention to the whole Skullgirls debacle, but I would have thought 3D models would be cheaper than sprite work.

Going with a fighting game model of 4-7 initial characters with new characters added periodically, I'd be willing to pay $5-7 per additional character.

 

[InfiniDragon]

Ein finally has new moves.

it'shappening.gif

 

[raven777]

Huh. You know this is a pretty interesting model for fighting games. I mean, inevitably i'm not going to use a ton of the characters in any given fighting game.

I feel like a model like this would work really well if, say, I could test out any character in practice mode to see if I like them enough to buy them or not.

you probably can't use other characters in practice mode. But they said they will do promotions for the other characters. they said it would be something like weekly bases(I am guessing. its not confirmed to be weekly) where the first week Tina will be unlocked so you can try her out in practice mode and online fights and if you like her, you can buy her when the promotion period is over.

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

I worry that as more fighting games adopt this, I start to realize that I wish they all had only female characters.

Actually strike that. I'd realize that I only play as female characters in fighting games.

 

[mullet2000]

you probably can't use other characters in practice mode. But they said they will do promotions for the other characters. they said it would be something like weekly bases(I am guessing. its not confirmed to be weekly) where the first week Tina will be unlocked so you can try her out in practice mode and online fights and if you like her, you can buy her when the promotion period is over.

That's fine too, I guess.

Just as long as they aren't making people blindly buy characters at all times.

 

[yurinka]

Sounds great.Hopefully does a great job and other people like Capcom or Namco start to implement this approach.

 

[Giolon]

So, for 10700 yen, you can have the entire game that would have cost at most 8000 yen, but more realistically will be available for purchase second hand for substantially less within a few weeks.

 

[Hours Left]

Well, this is a novel approach.

Leon trailer next please.

 

[DR2K]

So, for 10700 yen, you can have the entire game that would have cost at most 8000 yen, but more realistically will be available for purchase second hand for substantially less within a few weeks.

You can spend a few hundred yen for you favorite character or nothing for a base one and play the full game sans story.

Luckily you don't have to buy all the content(unless you really want to use characters you never really use) or have the option of buying it all via regular retail.

 

[AAK]

This is a really REALLY cool development.

So if you bought DOA5 originally, all you have to do is get the free version of DOA5U and you automatically get everything you had from the original + DLC you bought + all the offline/online extra modes and just have to purchase the new characters/story mode/stages?

That's really cool of TN to do so.

 

[akaoni]

I worry that as more fighting games adopt this, I start to realize that I wish they all had only female characters.

Actually strike that. I'd realize that I only play as female characters in fighting games.

---

I need to elaborate on what I stated before about it being similar to a MOBA. I want it to be similar to a MOBA in terms of entry with it being a simple case of ponying up for the full package. What we don't don't need is nickle-and-diming F2P where we end up paying more than we would have with a standard model. I can imagine Capcom scheming already.

Plus introducing characters like a MOBA is a serious no-go, it's just not the least bit feasible. We already have DLC characters/disc based updated versions which is the closest you'll get to that type of thing.

 

[ryuzaki57]

Sign me up if this comes to Vita. Btw, can we have a 400y Momiji DLC for the original DOA5? I don't want to have to DL a F2P game to play as her.

 

[abstract alien]

That is a really sweet idea. Definitely one way to get people into your product. Seems like this would be great for smaller fighters as well.

 

[Hours Left]

This is a really REALLY cool development.

So if you bought DOA5 originally, all you have to do is get the free version of DOA5U and you automatically get everything you had from the original + DLC you bought + all the offline/online extra modes and just have to purchase the new characters/story mode/stages?

That's really cool of TN to do so.

Do you get to keep your characters?

 

[DR2K]

This is a really REALLY cool development.

So if you bought DOA5 originally, all you have to do is get the free version of DOA5U and you automatically get everything you had from the original + DLC you bought + all the offline/online extra modes and just have to purchase the new characters/story mode/stages?

That's really cool of TN to do so.

No you don't get the original characters, just all the DLC you bought(costumes) and all the unlocked stuff(character unlocks, in game costume unlocks) in the retail game.

Free version nets you the 4 ninjas and all the multiplayer modes with access to everything(stages, online, offline modes, etc.), but story(1500 yen). Each additional character is 400 yen. They will be doing character trials for you to try characters out for a limited time.

I think this is how it goes.

 

[Shinta]

I'm honestly surprised Sega didn't do this first. Not a bad idea at all.

 

[GamerJM]

Interesting policy, but I really hope that if this catches on that it doesn't kill retail for fighting games. I like buying games retail period, and I like to mess around with usually every character in a game's roster but I'm afraid that it would cost more in the long run to buy every character individually.

Otherwise this is a great idea, and that's really a more minor concern.

 

[Mesharey]

New costume for Ayane (from NG3:RE)
http://www.famitsu.com/images/000/034/229/51a8c3ac193dd.html

New CB effect (if there's a way to active it without the other effects :/)
http://www.famitsu.com/images/000/034/229/51a8c3ac934ed.html

I'm using the mobile now, so I couldn't upload the images only.

 

[Squire]

New costume for Ayane (from NG3:RE)
http://www.famitsu.com/images/000/034/229/51a8c3ac193dd.html

New CB effect (if there's a way to active it without the other effects :/)
http://www.famitsu.com/images/000/034/229/51a8c3ac934ed.html

I'm using the mobile now, so I couldn't upload the images only.

Yes! I was hoping they'd as the RE outfits.

 

[sleepykyo]

The most ideal way would have been when you start you can pick 4 characters of your choice to use as the 4 usable characters. But this is too good to be true.

But then no one would ever buy a character.

Really surprised Capcom is getting beat to the punch. Then again, KT is rolling it out on the PS3. Capcom really should try converting AE or possibly Darkstalkers (if those AE arcade licenses are too much to risk losing) to f2p on all platforms.

I worry that as more fighting games adopt this, I start to realize that I wish they all had only female characters.

Actually strike that. I'd realize that I only play as female characters in fighting games.

Well the Capcom poll showed that Japanese gamers love blonds and Idolmaster 1 dlc on the 360 was a beast. So Tina would be gold if they can apply it to the 360 as well.

 

[Shinta]

I hope Momiji gets the white costume in the middle. It's from Sigma 2.

 

[DR2K]

I hope Momiji gets the white costume in the middle. It's from Sigma 2.

I'm sure since they share the same engine, they're all practically guaranteed.

 

[Pooya]

well, you can just wait a couple of months and buy the package version for 1500yen used

 

[Seraphis Cain]

Reading over the stuff from the interview again, I'd say the fact that they're trying to get this on the 360 as well almost guarantees it's going to be released in the west. If it were going to stay Japan-only they probably wouldn't even bother trying.

 

[raven777]

I hope Momiji gets the white costume in the middle. It's from Sigma 2.

I want the one on the very left and right.

 

[Teknopathetic]

I actually really like this model, at least conceptually. Especially since it has potential to work well on PC.

 

[MrCookiepants]

Very smart of Tecmo Koei. 3D fighters have been struggling recently. This could revitalize the community.

 

[louie]

Is that Ein wearing sunglasses on the select screen?

 

[akaoni]

I actually really like this model, at least conceptually. Especially since it has potential to work well on PC.

What do you mean by that?

On a similar note; I would kill for some Steamworks DoA etc, GFWL is the reason I avoid them on PC. Maybe next-gen.

 

[Teknopathetic]

"What do you mean by that?"


Multiplayer focused games have a better chance at maintaining a decent community on PC when they're F2P. Especially if they're relatively niche.

 

[thesuperfunk]

Hope this comes to the EU ... haven't spent any quality time with DOA since the Dreamcast

 

[BadWolf]

Very interesting idea, hope they do it outside of Japan as well.

 

[Loona]

I've been hoping the LoL model would get used by fighting games, nice to see DoA taking the bold step - I'm probably getting the free version then Mila (da best) and Momiji (curious to see how her gameplay adapts between genres); not sure about Tine since I love her gameplay but the aesthetics are embarassing, unless there's a brunette skin for old times' sake.

I wonder how different (and Youtube-proof) the story mode is - it would be nice if this time every character actually got a playable role in it (last time Christie, Lisa and the unlockables didn't), as it would be a nice limited way to sample everyone's gameplay.


Now that the floodgates are open, can't wait to see when/if SNKP gives this model a try... Imagine KoF2K2UM's cast feeling dwarfed thanks to this system...

 

[louie]

Yes! I was hoping they'd as the RE outfits.

I haven't played Hayabusa in years, so can anyone tell me what the h+p+k move is? Also this image confirms they haven't changed the stun system at all, and that you can still only CB on the 4th hit.

 

[xyzls]

Agree that they should not be making Kasumi Ayane Ryu the free to play characters. I don't want to be fighting only 3 characters online everyday. They should be using the opportunity to promote some variety.

 

[sleepykyo]

Agree that they should not be making Kasumi Ayane Ryu the free to play characters. I don't want to be fighting only 3 characters online everyday. They should be using the opportunity to promote some variety.

They are though. Other characters will be free for a few days. The assumption being that once players find their favorites, they'll buy them to keep playing them.

 

[Dantis]

I only play as Kasumi, so I don't even need to buy this!

But I will do anyway. Also totally expected to see the Razor's Edge outfits after Christie's new costume (Which is a modified version of Momiji's RE outfit).

 

[Thomasorus]

Nice Team Ninja. Now a PC version please ? :3

 

[Leona Lewis]

DOA5+ demo should've worked the same way. It was so full-featured that I think lots of people decided they didn't need the full game

(Not so funny anymore when you look at the game's sales, though. It was a perfect port and deserved the world, honestly...)