Opinion: Where Do Fighting Games Go From Here?

BlackDragon37

BlackDragon37

[12] Conqueror
In this personal opinion piece, Japan-based journalist Nayan Ramachandran considers Capcom's challenges with making Street Fighter IV more approachable for casual gamers, and why fighting game enthusiasts often reject those accessibility efforts.

Thoughts and feelings on this article and in general?
 
Huh? This is under the assumption that SF4 is the end-all-be-all of fighting games. As well, I don't feel that SF4 is accessable to beginners based on the controls... I still cant understand why things like LK,LK,LK are just frames. To me, SF4 is accessable because of the flashiness; flashiness is enough to overcome a new players troubles with the engine and controls. If you ask me, Virtua Fighter 5 (no VF game before it) is extremely accessable to beginners based on controls; it has a large buffer system and doesn't rely heavily on just-frames early on. However; it doesn't have the "flash" that other games have. Because of this, people aren't willing to give it a chance.

The most noob-friendly game I've seen so far in Soulcalibur 2. It has an extremely long buffer window AND it lets you scrub buffer (AAAAAAAAAB will be read as AAB if it exists). Its one of the reasons why so many people consider SC a "masher-friendly" series. Because any masher can play the game and make it LOOK like they know what they are doing to other mashers; when they really don't. But as I said, if you ask me, Virtua Fighter 5 is still the end-all-be-all of fighting games today. It has balance, is easily accessible to noobs with the long buffer system, and DOESN'T have a scrub buffer system. Not to mention, having a deep end game.

But... it doesn't have flash... so no one plays.
 
I totally agree with you on VF5's flash issues, although even VF5 sacrificed (a little bit of) depth to appeal to the masses - VF purists still see VF4:E as the deepest VF game out so far. Although, the increase of flash in VF5R is what's got me so hyped on that game, despite the fact there's still some obvious work to be done on that aspect of the game.

But do understand why SF4 is seen as the be-all-end-all of fighting games. The SF series has the title of the first ever competitive 1-on-1 game (SF2), not forgetting the amount of time it took for a new SF game to come out after its predecessor (10 or so years[?]). It's not surprising that it's seen that way.
 
Why do you think SC4 became so combo oriented? It needed flash. The fact that a newbie can just pick up the game, sit down for 30 minutes and start dealing out huge damage and impressive "combos" made SC4 (especially online) what it is today.

Not saying that its good or bad, just different.
 
I think some people were just starting to get into VF5 because it was a friendlier game to them then the rest and it was finally getting some deserved publicity. Still it didn't set arcades ablaze like SFII, so it's obvious you know where everyone's going.
 
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