I've been a gamer for a long time. I'm in my early-to-mid 20's and have been a 'hardcore' gamer for going on 14 or 15 years now. One thing that's always puzzled me is the inability by my fellow gamers to appreciate the growth of a certain franchise, and instead demand that it be a carbon copy of the previous installment.
It seems like this generally only happens on a massive scale, except I'm guessing people only whine in the millions when huge franchises such as the Final Fantasies and the Halos are being worked on.
Take, for example, Street Fighter IV. It's been 10 years since the last proper Street Fighter game and I'm thrilled they're finally picking it up again. I'm also thrilled about the new art style the game has taken on. The 2D gameplay is staying in tact while they're branching out and making the 3D character models. The characters and backgrounds are colourful and vibrant, which I'm very happy about. And the new style isn't immediately striking as being either Japanese or Western-influenced; instead, it's something new!
Now, I fully comprehend the fear some people have while a new game of their favourite series is being produced, that is, the fear that it will suck. What I don't understand is why do people, the minute they spot a change, go absolutely apeshit and demand that the characters look more anime-inspired and less muscular. Or that they make it in 2D. Or that they reduce the size of the characters' hands and feet.
Then again, I'm not saying it's bad to dislike the new art style. But disliking it simply because it doesn't look like it did before is a bit narrow-minded.
Seriously, there are 20+ years worth of amazing 2-dimensional Street Fighter games to fall back on if this one doesn't work out. Doing the same thing over and over again isn't interesting. There's nothing wrong with growing and exploring new territory.
What I'm trying to say here is that people need to relax and approach the new Street Fighter (and any new series installment, for that matter) with an open mind, and try not to judge it until you've played it. Making crazy demands for sameness perpetuates a stagnant atmosphere that I don't believe is conducive to anything but boredom.
Personally, I'm very much looking forward to playing Street Fighter IV. Capcom has more than proven their worth as a company that's capable of making great fighting games, so I'm content to leave it in their hands to do as they please.
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Well said.
It will be very interesting. There have been plenty of Capcom fighting games, but not a solid TRUE SF based game in a while, and I really haven't played III all that much to make that definitive one way or another. The fact that the original 8 are back is a nice touch, even the overall feel of the screenshots we've seen scream of that game that took all of our change in the early 90's.
The changes in their character models isn't all that big a deal . It's seeing them in motion that will help ding out any dents within your opinion if you have any doubts. If not, it's understandable. Being a comic book fan, I get excited or irritated if a new artist is set to debut on a particular comic I'm reading. Sometimes they hit the mark, sometimes I hope they die.
It's just how things go, I suppose.
Good read, I think the problem with big established franchises like this, is so many hardcore fans spend alot of time imagining what their dream sequel would be, and get disappointed when it's something different.
Am I making any sense?
Probably not.
Re: angusm
You're definitely making sense, and that's something I've considered too. Because of the large time gap, I think it can only hurt more when a franchise dear to your heart comes out like crap (in my opinion, Soulcalibur 3 was an enormous let-down).
But there's a level-headedness one should keep when approaching these things that I think for one reason or another, many people seem to sidestep.
Arc System Works (Guilty Gear Series) have proven that 2D fighting game can still compete (and alive) in this 3D whoring era, along with awesome gameplay, and now (Arc System Works) they produced a new IP 2D fighter, Blazblue in HD and still 2D.
i don't see why capcom abandoned the 2D sprites, i loved SFIII very much, one of the reason beside the gameplay is the beauty of the 2D sprites animation, and i don't buy the 'new teritory' bullshit capcom spouted. it's still ugly.
and i still don't understand your statement "Doing the same thing over and over again isn't interesting" if the statement refers to the visuals....... i don't buy it, they still can do much more with 2D sprites, if you can see the amazing visual jump from SFII -> SFAlpha -> SFIII, the animations the sprites the details, honestly i wanted to see Capcom doing HD SF4 in 2D, it would be awesomely sick.
but whatever... it's not that Capcom would change it because of my bitching, i won't go near SF4 with it's ugly 3D shit, no way.
@ bluki:
I'm not saying 2D isn't a viable option. I love 2D games, and I especially love the previous Street Fighters (Alpha 3 and 3rd Strike are two of my all-time favourite games, and are absolutely beautiful).
What I'm asking is why villify the game before you've given it a fair shake?
And my point about doing the same thing over and over again-let's say Mario never made the jump to 3D. I'm not saying it should have made the jump just because 3D is better than 2D, and that Mario is only better because it did -- what I'm saying is that look at the wonderful thing that happened when they took a chance and did put him in 3D.
Growth and experimentation are good experiences. Of course there can always be missteps (take New Super Mario Bros. for example.. I found that game to be quite boring. But I didn't know that until I got my hands on a copy and played it for a while.)
I'm all for giving SF4 a chance, but I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum, feeling that SF4 is already looking like an updated carbon copy of SF2 just with different mechanics.
Let's see, so far from what we've seen, we have the original 8: Same costumes, apparently the same movesets, that same street you fight Chun Li on... What? Capcom can't even be bother to make even the slightest changes to the character designs?
Until I see a full roster with lots of unique characters beyond the 8, this looks like SF2.5 to me.
@rooo: i see what you meant, but in this case they just replace the 2D sprites with 3D models, other than that, they keep the 2D 'feel' and mechanics, so it can be done in either visual techniques, they didn't fully make this SF entry to be a fully 3D fighting game like Tekken, DOA, or VF using the advantage of shifting plane when the characters fight, i don't think the 3D will makes any revolutionary gameplay jump like mario did back then.
but we'll see then, until the final product out, i'll remain skeptic.
rooo:
Interesting read. I could make a blog rebutal but I'll pass for now. Your what...23 yrs old..give or take..right? Chances are that while your a fan of Street Fighter you didn't grow up with it like most older fans did. The older fans that scrutinized each version that came down the pike with the precision of a brain surgeon perfroming an operation.
While most people tend to think that Yes, Street Fighter is a cashcow for Capcom, it was/is a series that has always tried to refine it's gameplay through each iteration. From Street Fighter 2, through the Alpha Series to finally the nigh perfection of Third Strike's fighting engine. The only thing we fans had to worry about was the tweaks to the fighting mechanic.
Now with this new 3-D reimagining what I fear most is not the looks of it. It's nice looking. But how will this affect the core fighting engine. Will this 3-D makeover hinder the response time to the movesets?? Will it still continue to be as quick as before..as balanced? This new engine could possibly compromise these things. Or simplify them altogether.
In your statement of them doing things "over and over" you have just encapsulated years of Capcom refining their 2-D fighting mechanics. And now because we're Next-Gen Capcom throws that aside to start anew another engine. Forgive me if my faith is not as strong as yours. I'll check it out but I fear for the final product.
And as a fan...an enthusiast of the Street Fighter Series I feel like I can voice my opinion of it. Street Fighter should 2-D. Capcom has lost an opportunity to continue the Franchise in 2-D. Street Fighter is Not Virtua Fighter..which I love. It isn't Soul Caliber. They are 3-D games. Street Fighter isn't. Unless they're going to add something to table regarding 3-D..what's the point??..aside from garnering attention from their new graphics by bedazzling newbies and making them jump onboard.
I don't begrudge your opinion or faith in Capcom as "narrow minded" because I don't agree with you. I would argue that you would be reciprocal, for those of us who think otherwise.
@Y0j1mb0:
I actually did grow up anticipating every new Street Fighter II release. Yup I'm 23 and I've been playing the game(s) heavily since 1992 when I was 7 years old. The only game I haven't played in the series is the first Street Fighter. (Unfortunately I did play Street Fighter 2010, ugh) (And when the new SF II Turbo HD Remix comes out we should exchange gamertags so we can mabye play a few rounds online or something?)
And I share some of your concerns. I mean, my biggest thought on the new one is that maybe it won't be as precise due to the simple fact they're choosing 3D over 2D (since with 2D sprites it's a lot easier to see things like hitboxes or frames or whatnot). But I haven't played the game yet, and I'm willing to bet Capcom knows what they're doing.
And my statement about doing things over and over seems to keep getting misinterpreted heheh. I'll try and restate it. I don't doubt for a second that another 2D Street Fighter would be awesome. But without trying something new, we won't know what could have, or very possibly shouldn't have, been. If it turns out the new game is ballsnot, well then I would hope for Street Fighter V they go right back to the beautiful 2D they're known and loved for.
Having concerns about the new game is fine. I just think being so quick to shun it for trying something new is jumping the gun a tad. (and I realize not everybody out there is against it, but all I've seen since they released the first screenshots is negativity towards the game.)
I don't necessarily agree that the series should be 2D just because it always has been. I mean, it's done 2D very, very well, but a new perspective doesn't have to have a point. It's looked a certain way for 2 decades, let it change it's clothes for a game and see how they fit.
My main, overarching point here is just to give things a chance, because it really seems that very few people are willing to do that.
@Y0j1mb0 :
I have played every version of Street Fighter in the arcades. Have played almost all home versions- I even have SF2:CE for the PCE/TGFX. I have been in tournaments. So, I have some history with Street Fighter.
I am confident that SFIV will turn out well. Why? Capcom knows that a people don't want a full 3D SF. The gameplay will be 2D, with some 3D tweaks thrown in for show- such as a quick side-step towards the camera instead of a block, twisting the camera around when an SPD is performed, etc. Times when neither user can affect what's going to happen. A lot of people fear a return of EX. It isn't going to happen.
Keep this in mind: CAPCOM is still the best fighting game developer on the planet, and this is their premiere title. You can bet your ass that this game will be forged in the Japanese arcades well before it hits the US. Those players never forgot how to play SF, and will certainly give massive amounts of feedback to Capcom before the final game is released.
I see it like this: I like Street Fighter- the good(SF), the bad (SSF), and the ugly(SFEX).
I am looking forward to the game, for sure. As for Y0jimb0, he should know better than to challenge your Street Fighter hardcoritude. To him, I say this: the boy loves the game and the series.
And you will always have all the dozens of Capcom fighting games that have come out in the past fifteen years - making a new engine doesn't make the old games unplayable or irrelevant. It's about time they tried something new. Speaking of which, I know the game is early, but I do hope it has more than just a few extra characters... it does seem like a 3D remake of 2.