After the Dust Settles: KoF XIII

[Sh0ryu_Repp4]

Hi everyone! Repp4 here! It's been a LONG TIME since i've been on DC but recently i finished an article that i had been working on for a bit. Entitled "After The Dust Settles" it examines why so many non-Capcom games get pushed aside and fade into obscurity while the Capcom games remain King of the Hill. The first entry deals with my favorite non-Capcom fighter, The King of Fighters XIII.

The article is a bit long winded but i would really appreciate some feedback from you guys as i really want to know what the actual KoF players think.

Thanks in advance!

(EDIT) Ok apparentely SRK and DC won't let me make a post with more than 20,000 characters... -___-

So instead i've provided a link to a different forum i frequent that did let me post it. Sorry for the inconvienience nbut i hope you guys still give it a look and let me know what you think! Thanks again!

http://yugiohforums.com/showthread.php?t=88085

[Mr Bakaboy]

Personally the space between 2000 - 2008 did have some good games. Capcom vs SNK 2, King of Fighters 2002, Tekken 5 DR, and Samurai Shodown 5 SP (to name a few) were all titles that were highly loved in the fighting community. The problem is the mainstream market was so bored with what was already there and more interested in the newer genres like first person shooter and the problem with the 2D fighting game graphics had not really updated since Street Fighter III and went backwards after that really hurt the industry.

The online fighting community was growing by leaps and bounds with older titles that fans went back to when their local arcades dried up and they never really got a chance to play anybody. SFIII3rd, CVS2, SSFIIT, KOF '02, '98 got more attention cause people could now play each other worldwide. Even though the online was mostly crap in the beginning. Capcom noticed a perfect storm coming. They had the foresight to release Street Fighter IV with characters everybody knew with promised new 2.5 HD graphics that the casual gamer wanted to see. This all caused the explosion. Not SFIV suddenly coming out and everybody swooned cause of SFIV.

I also agree that compared to other games the backgrounds in XIII are less involved but comparing EVO '09 where SFIV  Finals was Daigo vs Wong. Repetitive Ha Do Kens vs Balrog's charges was not really entertaining for the casual gamer. Evo '12 the KOF XIII finals Mad_KOF vs. B.A.L.A. was MASSIVELY entertaining. It had the big combos yes, but Mad_KOF did not really use combos as heavily as B.A.L.A. Any person I ever talked to about that fight found it a blast to watch, and it caused a surge in popularity for XIII immediately after.

KOF XIII is insanely entertaining watching high level fights because of the suspense. Anything can go off in a moments notice. It's been proven that the insane combos are not the only thing that entertains the fans. To me it's a good thing you never see the fighters in XIII stagnant. It's keeps the crowd on their toes rather then relaxing when a defensive match breaks out in other games and characters look for openings. XIII gives many mechanics to make your own openings EX jumps, roll evasions, running, CD attacks are all there to make sure the game progresses faster then most games keeping the spectator more engaged.

Just an FYI the fighting game system doomed the online. It's too sensitive to allow any kind of lag. No matter what they could do it was a losing battle to make a decent online for that game. Blame it on making the arcade game 1st then worrying about online.

Last just remember that Playmore is a small company. from what we hear they are working on something new, but before KOF XIII they were close to bankruptcy.  For them to make new content for a game that is 2d which takes a hell of a lot more time then Capcom's 2.5D let alone having a lot less workers to work with and less funds is massively harder then when Capcom churns out new content right away. New outfits are easy on a 3d model. on 2D not so much. What I thought they could do was put in XII stages and music along with older titles music as DLC but it never happened.

Those are my critiques. Mostly though I found it entertaining. Thanks for sharing.

[thec0re3]

I agree with a lot of the points you made but the biggest point I agree with is the update. I really don't see them doing much along the lines of tweaking the characters but I do think we need more characters. Historically King of Fighters would bring out a new game every year but that has of course changed due to the companies complications and overall change to the games new makeover. 

I definitely think if they can ever get their next game off the ground and make sure they get the net code straight that more people will take up the banner for KOF.  I believe the biggest thing that Capcom fighting games have going for it is that they do update the game constantly. It keeps it fresh and encourages people to come back and find out what changes they've made.

[desmond_kof]

I'm going to be honest.

I read it.

I wasn't feeling it.

I thought this was the best paragraph though:

"Dear Players: Now this is where you come in. What can we as players do to help the game we love (and again I assume if you’re reading this that you love King of Fighters) thrive and succeed? Well the first and most obvious answer is PLAY IT! I will go so far as to say almost every city, and certainly every state, has some form of fighting game community. It may be a long drive form where you specifically live but I can guarantee it’s there. Personally I thought I was alone in South Florida and then I found out that a huge lively scene was a mere 20 minute drive away from my house. If you look for it you will find it. Anyway once you have located your scene bring King of Fighters 13 with you. If there aren’t enough 360s/PS3s to go around for your copy of King of Fighters 13 bring your own. Just having it there might get people interested. There might even be some people there who already like King of Fighters but haven’t played it much. The point is to just get it out there and play it. Even if you recruit a small number of people it’s still more than you had before. Which was just you."