What does Virtua Fighter need to sell in the west?

[Sharky]

Title says it all. The VF series is the best 3D fighter from a technical standpoint. No doubt about it... But it has never been the best sales wise.

What does Sega need to do to make the game more appealing to the western audience and perhaps even the Japanese these days.

In my opinion VF could benefit from these things.

- A practice mode that teaches players how to get good at the character they choose. Teaches you moves and how to use your character. Some what like the one in VF4 Evo.

- A deeper character customization mode... As much as I used to dislike the idea I think building your fighters look and feel has become an important part of 3D fighters these days (thanks Namco, you prick) I think they should expand the options found in VF5 and make it more robust.

- Story mode... Yep, story mode. While there is a story to each VF game it isn’t really represented in the game at all. I think this would bring in a lot of fresh new blood to the series. Kids want characters they can attach them selves too and nothing does that better then a bit of back story. I know when I watched this in VF3tb for the first time I really loved it, and still do. More of  this!
[youtube:1tklpdp3]8Fkoo7_PL4c[/youtube:1tklpdp3]

- More battle types... Team battle etc...

[Sega Uranus]

They should not have a character creator, but instead just improve their character designing mode. You can really do a lot, but of course there are always room for improvement. Also it would not hurt if you could dress up the characters like stuff from other IPs. It should not be too hard, give Akira Ryo's jacket, and there you go.

I also agree that there should be a story mode, but I would like it if it were set up to not be like arcade with videos, but instead an RPG mode of sorts. This could all be set through menus and work fine without upsetting the fans I think.

With that they really REALLY need to kick up the quality of the character stories. Jeffrey has been in every game because of a shark, Vanessa and Sarah lost their memories, holy shit, what is this crap? If you are going to do it all, do it at least half decent!

They absolutely NEED to design the future games to have addons in mind. I have never seen such a whiney SEGA fanbase in my life, saying stuff like just because SEGA never released Version D of VF5 that they should burn in Hell and none of their products should ever sell again. Seriously, an easy fix for this is just having addon support planned for the console releases from the start.

More females. I personally want them to make all of the characters look like 'fighters' again, and I think they can still do this while giving the girls slutty outfits. It will just change by the players tastes instead.

I think a 'Fighting Vipers' kind of gameplay mode where the players wear armor and can blast one another across the levels constantly would be recieved very well by everyone. It should be taken far less seriously than the main fighting, but given enough bulk for players to just use that and be satisfied.

Improve Quest mode to offer online options, and more online modes in general.

More features that can keep less hardcore fans for hours at a time. The RPG stuff I mentioned previously is good, but I think tons of unlockables for every little thing you can do will get players really interested in playing longer.

Better achievements that are more abundant and way easier to get.

More Sonic references I guess.

[MadeManG74]

I think that the main problem is the stigma of 'Virtua Fighter is for hXc Hardcore gamers and nobody else!11', when I used to play and love it when I was 10 years old. It's a game that's not that hard to pick up and learn and I think Sega needs to get that out there.

As you said, the training/practice mode is a good idea, not just the training mode from VF5 that lists the moves, but something that teaches you right from the most basics up.

As for Character Customisation, it's already the single most robust I can think of, the amount of costumes and accessories is very high as it is.

Finally, I agree with Story mode being included, if only because Quest Mode in VF5 could easily be made into 'Story mode' with some basic story interludes (even in text form, like Soul Caliber's Quest Mode) and might pick up a few extra buyers looking for single player depth.

One other thing I think Sega should do is try to get VF represented at the big Tournaments like EVO in Las Vegas and SBO in Japan. That would give the game huge exposure to the fighting game community in America, and I think that would transfer over to the casual scene as well. I know that SNK has already managed to reserve a spot in SBO for King of Fighters XIII so they obviously feel it's worth it, and i don't imagine it would be THAT hard, especially if Sega put some weight behind it.

[crackdude]

Personally I hate fighting games with stories.

For a fighting game to sell it must be heavily stylized and be over-the-top. I hate both as well, so Virtua Fighter is just right for me and many other people that think this way.

Everyone who likes playing a fighting game for gameplay also loves Virtua Fighter.

So I think VF is more of a niche thing really.. I would not want to destroy the game's soul for the benefit of marketability.

I agree with more females. And the kind of RPG mode thing, sounds fun.

I also think there should be an absurd amount of stuff to unlock. Like hats and sunglasses for the characters, background statues of Sega characters, sky color tones, loads of stuff.

[SOUP]

I agree with the extensive tutorial mode too.
Easy trophies/achievements would be a nice bonus too.

[Team Andromeda]

The practice mode in VF Evo is the best there is, I'm just amazed it was taken out of VF 5.

I think its too late to make VF sell inthe USA. SEGA lost out to Namco inthe Home and NAMCO were smart to use System 13 for the Arcades, which meant even my local Chippy could afford the Arcade board , That and the general decline of VS fighters mean its too late .


What I would like to see is a VF Remix II . Everything that went into the Saturn version , only now add in  stages from VF 3, FV II, hell even Out Run II and what not , More unLockables like Arabian Fight (and other AM#2 Arcade coin-ups)  Full VF.net options -users being able to download and upload clips Online Ranking modes ECT, U . Are the only way I can see VF selling a million copies or so.

[ROJM_old]

Title says it all. The VF series is the best 3D fighter from a technical standpoint. No doubt about it... But it has never been the best sales wise.

What does Sega need to do to make the game more appealing to the western audience and perhaps even the Japanese these days.

In my opinion VF could benefit from these things.

- A practice mode that teaches players how to get good at the character they choose. Teaches you moves and how to use your character. Some what like the one in VF4 Evo.

- A deeper character customization mode... As much as I used to dislike the idea I think building your fighters look and feel has become an important part of 3D fighters these days (thanks Namco, you prick) I think they should expand the options found in VF5 and make it more robust.

- Story mode... Yep, story mode. While there is a story to each VF game it isn’t really represented in the game at all. I think this would bring in a lot of fresh new blood to the series. Kids want characters they can attach them selves too and nothing does that better then a bit of back story. I know when I watched this in VF3tb for the first time I really loved it, and still do. More of  this!
[youtube:i9h6cakl]8Fkoo7_PL4c[/youtube:i9h6cakl]

- More battle types... Team battle etc...

Well for one thing when they marketed the last game it would help if the marketed it where people could see it. In the UK it was advertised in the cinemas and on small poster billboards. If they want big sales they need to put it out on market where everyone can see it and not for the gamers who are going to buy it anyway.

[MadeManG74]

Well for one thing when they marketed the last game it would help if the marketed it where people could see it. In the UK it was advertised in the cinemas and on small poster billboards. If they want big sales they need to put it out on market where everyone can see it and not for the gamers who are going to buy it anyway.

I'm surprised they had even that in the UK, all I saw in Australia was some ads on IGN.

Even so, I'm not sure how much advertising to the general public would help this particular game, it doesn't seem to be the sort of thing that people would buy on a whim. I think that they need to focus on fighting games fans (even casual ones who only play a bit of SFIV and Marvel or something). I think you have a point though that they need to look at the advertising for the series.

[Sharky]

Some good ideas!

I like the quest mode idea where it plays like an RPG but I don't think that is ever something they would do. I think a few CGI cutscenes between battles is as far as they would go unfortunitly.

Mademan is right, I agree Sega should be trying to get VF5 into all of these tauniments.


I agree Sega needs to advertise better, I hope when VF5:FS comes out they will give it some TV ads.

[George]

Basically what I hear here is become Tekken.

[Sharky]

Basically what I hear here is become Tekken.

Nobody has mentioned anything about making the combat easy for shit munchers.

[fluffymoochicken]

I don't know that a story would help VF that much. MvC2 practically has no story, but I still love to play it. I don't need to read Marvel comics to think that Colossus is fun to play, nor do I need a backstory for Ash Crimson and Bao (from KOF) to think they're really cool and interesting.

What I'm saying here is that the largest parts of the appeal for fighting games are the core gameplay, the characters, and the overall visual appeal. Those are the three things that should be focused on the most.

VF is fine in the graphics department. As for characters, I think that the various added fashion costumes can do a lot to remove the blandness from the character designs, so that players aren't stuck with Generic Karate Guy vs. Generic Ninja Guy. They need to feature them more prominently in future screenshots and advertisements.

The only problem is the gameplay itself. It's kind of a niche-only thing these days. The best thing that SEGA could hope for is to advertise the hell out of it and hope that it catches on, but I don't know that it would be pulling gamers away from games with 2D fighting mechanics very much.

[George]

Basically what I hear here is become Tekken.

Nobody has mentioned anything about making the combat easy for shit munchers.

U THINK PULLING OFF DEM JUNGLE COMBOS WITH A BEAR IS EASY!
lol

Talking about Tekken, they just announced Tekken 7. Your turn SEGA!

[Sharky]

Talking about Tekken, they just announced Tekken 7. Your turn SEGA!

You want Sega to announce Tekken 7 too? That would sure shit Namco up... ;p

[crackdude]