May Arcadia VF5 FS Info

- The release window for the game will be sometime in April although it’s not known when exactly in the month it will be. My bet is that it will show up during the third week of the month, just before Golden Week. Also, and this is only my opinion, but if Sega doesn’t announce a console version soon, the franchise is beyond saving outside of Japan and really risks losing any sort of popularity it had overseas.

- Apparently the bound system will be reworked so that you can no longer bound a character more than once. This is a big issue in Final Showdown since wall combos hurt a lot because every character can bound their opponent at least twice, leading to combos that can potentially take off more than 50%. Now if people try to throw in a second bound attack, they won’t spring up like usual, but stay much closer to the ground.

- All characters will be tweaked to improve character balance. Sega showed off a promotional video detailing some of the changes that will be made, and the one example they gave in the magazine was already shown in the video (Lion’s low kick out of stance crumpling).

- The subscription-based VF.net service will also receive some upgrades. The match videos that subscribers can create — you can see many examples on this site — will have additional info displayed if you turn on the frame data display. You’ll now see if attacks hit on counterhit and if you can tech roll after attacks. This should help a lot of people to work on their timing getting out of tough-to-tech-roll combos.

Also, here is the top 10 for this month according to Arcadia. I should, once again, warn that I don’t believe that this list is really accurate since it’s based on sample data, but it should give you an idea of the popularity of certain games right now. If you are wondering, SSF4 AE debuted at #2, but has been dropping every month. Final Showdown also debuted at #2 last summer before dropping down to as low as #5 before settling at #2 once again this month. Tekken 6 basically went between second and fourth during that period.

1. Gundam Extreme Versus (276.8 points)
2. Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown (259.4 points)
3. Tekken 6 Bloodline Rebellion (241.5 points)
4. Super Street Fighter 4 AE (197.3 points)
5. Melty Blood AA Current Code (111.5 points)
6. Blazblue CSII (92.7 points)
7. Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo (79.1 points)
8. Street Fighter III 3rd Strike (70.5 points)
9. Arcana Heart 3 (68.7 points)
10. Gundam vs. Gundam NEXT (65.3 points)

 

Thx Reno for the translation, fantastic work as usual, really appreciate your hard work.

 

Cheers for the info Reno

 

thanks for that info, you wouldn't happen to know if that video of the changes is uploaded somewhere, would you?

 

Right here!

 

Thanks for the info and pic Reno I just hope Sega announces a console version very soon.

 

Oh my if only on console it would have to be the last game i'll buy.

 

Even though I´m quite sure that there won´t be a console release, I can`t prevent myself from hoping that there will be a one anyway...
However, thx for the infomations Reno.

 

Thanks a lot for those details. I'm really glad that the multiple bounce combos will get eliminated, a lot of that info is encouraging.

Do you think there's been an increase in VF's popularity in Japan according to what you've seen? That's quite a jump in Arcadia's ranking, even higher than Tekken for the moment.

 

By using the word "bound," is it to be understood in terms of the hit effect by the same name in Tekken where the feet spring up? Or is it being used here to describe all of the hit effects that can be used to extend combos?

 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Also, and this is only my opinion, but if Sega doesn’t announce a console version soon, the franchise is beyond saving outside of Japan and really risks losing any sort of popularity it had overseas.
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Thanks for the info, and the reality check. The thread about a "vs" title saving VF really made me think: how can we even consider that there's a single vf "Scene" anymore, that's united between players globally, when people outside of Japan aren't even paying the same game? One could argue that VF4 FT is closer to Vanilla 5 than Vanilla 5 is to FS. If they want the game to stay alive at all they need to address players outside of Japan, otherwise future versions will probably fall on deaf ears.

Listed at #2, are there a lot of people playing in arcades in your area?

 

All the hit effects really Libertine.

JP players call it bound in both games.

 

Awesome stuff as usual Reno! Even if the info isn't accurate from Arcadia it's nice to see VF5FS up so high~

 

Thanks Jide.

 

Thanks for the info reno. I would like to put my hands on that arcadia altought i don't read japanese.
Honestly i don't care anymore if sega is going to do something about a console's release of vf5fs... i'm trying to build a vf5 community here in my town (actually is a community for blaz bluez cs but they are enjoyng vf too so why not?).
Unless i have people to play online and offline i'm good with that. But of course a new whole game will give some fresh air to attract new players, that won't hurt.

 

I played a lot of VF:FS when I was in Japan the last two weeks and really enjoyed it. At quieter arcades that had it, I rarely played against human opponents, but that was true of the other fighting games as well.

The nearest arcade to me had 3 VF:FS machines with a VF TV and subscription touch screen, 3 Tekken and only 1 Street Fighter, whereas in a busier part of town there was far more competitive play for Virtua Fighter - I believe the chart.

It's true that they need a new console release for a wider player base to ever care about Virtua Fighter, but it doesn't mean you can't get people to play.

I host monthly Virtua Fighter tournaments as part of a larger BYO free for all fighting event and we get solid numbers, built up slowly over time.

If VF:FS is not announced this year, though, there will be no reason to keep pushing it along.

 

No info on Dural? Maybe she won't be playable...

 

Thanks for the information, Reno!

I'm really liking those new costume options, and it's great to hear that they're only going to allow one bound in combos now; I always thought the second bound was a bit excessive.

And wow, FS is possibly at #2? Glad to see that!

 

Poking around VF.net a bit, I've come to some conclusions about more additions for version A...

- Match replays are currently only available in WMV format at 416×234 resolution, but VF.net made a slight change so that this option is displayed with a radio button, meaning that once the new version goes live, you should be able to choose between different resolutions and file formats. Maybe something like 720P and flv or avi or something like that. Youtube really screws with the encoding on VF match vids so maybe Sega will try to rectify that with the new version.

- There's an announcement that the disciple point ranking (where you play single player mode to "train" your CPU ghost) is being reopened, meaning that the new version will probably appear near the middle or end of the month like I was speculating. Usually when this point ranking is closed, it signals the coming of a new version since Sega wants to finalize things. The fact that it's reopening means it won't be coming as soon as people may think.

- This isn't related to VF.net, but looking at Eileen and Sarah's costume leads me to believe that there may be another costume type available once the new version hits. None of Eileen's costumes really match this new china dress outfit... same with Sarah's midriff-bearing outfit. I could be wrong though but who knows.