[Dead or Alive 5] online might be ok, but an online pass is not

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Everybody flee! The magazine scans are coming!

PunkBoy

Video of Zack v. Lei Fang. I don't even know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A7qaBBsjvs&feature=player_embedded

Godfather

Into the clown nose!

BOOM!

Warcry

PunkBoy wrote: »

Video of Zack v. Lei Fang. I don't even know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A7qaBBsjvs&feature=player_embedded

Holy christ that finale

Kristmas Kthulhu

What. I don't.

What.

Sorce

Oh boy.

Dragkonias

These stages look like they will be fun and frustrating at the same time.

I mean I'm sure they'll have a "neutral" stage but meh...where's the fun in that?

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So, tons of news today. I held back for selfish reasons, since I wanted to finish another rewrite of my article. It's at the stage where I think it makes sense and makes all the general points I wanted to make.

You can see it here, but it's on the long side and I never bother to put any pictures in because I'm super lazy.

Now for the actual news. Team Ninja promised, I believe, 12 characters and 5 or 6 stages at e3. This is what we got:

They're having a live stream of an e3 build tourney. Watch it here (IT IS CURRENTLY LIVE):

Of note is that they've responded to some community feedback and decided to bring back the 4-point hold system over the 3-point holds that were in the demo.

Here's the e3 trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVMVZJQ-m2k&feature=channel&list=UL

Here are the official character demos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BitDihDF5Ws&feature=channel&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDEIP-tiBkU&feature=channel&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvyWldmRO-s&feature=channel&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfyZX1lZJzI&feature=channel&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpXk-dqpvsQ&feature=channel&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSRmLzUxO88&feature=channel&list=UL

So that brings the official roster to:

Hayate
Ayane
Hayabusa
Christie
Tina
Lei-Fang
Zack
Bayman
Kokoro
Hitomi

Akira Yuki
Sarah Bryant

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More info about the e3 build.

As you can see from the videos, they've added a few static stages to offset the big, explodey set pieces they've been showing off so far. Nice flat surfaces with no exploding walls or elephants or whatever.

They've also made some fairly major changes to the mechanics since the alpha build. First, the power blows are now firmly in the realms of comeback mechanics. A player has to be below 50% health (their bar will start to flash red) in order to access the full power blow with the canned animation and quick time event.

On top of putting 4 point holds back in, they've also added a bunch of new stun states from which characters cannot hold, and added a punishment system for people who eat multiple stuns. After a certain amount of ground stuns in a row a player can use a critical burst, which will put their opponent into a very long stun state that they cannot get out of. It's actually long enough that you can hit a fully charged power blow for free.

Dragkonias

...Oh...so power blows look like they will actually be hittable.

Don't know how I feel about it being a comeback mechanic. Would have preferred it be tried to a meter or something.

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Apparently Bass is also in there, though I haven't seen him outside of a few screenshots.

Having looked over more of the changes made since the demo I kind of feel like an asshole for what I wrote. I should have at least finished it sooner. Oh well!

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More info leaking out.

Apparently one of the reasons they changed the power blow command, which is now character specific instead of a general f+p+k, was so that not only would it not conflict with the old tag command, but so that it would be usable in tag mode. There was some speculation that power blows might be disabled for tag mode, both because the command used to conflict with the tag command, but also because in the last couple of Dead or Alive games some basic attacks were changed in tag mode (in Dead or Alive 4, for example, the basic f+p throw was replaced with a tag throw whenever a partner was available).

The other issue is that the power blow was designed to work with interactive stages, while tag mode has traditionally been relegated to the flat, static stages. Maybe they've solved the ram problems, but just as likely they'll simply add more static stages. We've already seen at least 1 in the e3 build.

Tecmo has also announced the Japanese special edition, which includes the standard soundtrack and whatever, but also some posters. There's also pre-order and special edition exclusive "sexy swimsuit" costumes for the female characters.

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Well they've confirmed tag power blows. Both characters have to be able to do power blows (under 50% health). Hopefully there are some unique, character specific animations for them like there are for tag throws. It also means that there's a better chance they've figured out how to get tag battles onto the tiered stages, but I still think them adding non-tiered, static stages shows that they have not.

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Team Ninja is also talking about "casual" and "professional" modes as default options for the game.

Professional mode has no hitsparks and a traditional static camera. There are reports that it also changes some inputs or the buffering of some moves and holds, and that they may just be presets as the option to enable or disable the action camera and hitsparks are still available whether casual more or professional mode have been enabled.

And in a move that was so obvious I'm not sure why anyone's reporting it, Team Ninja is not adding Dead or Alive 4 style lobbies. The reason should be obvious to everyone: they're horrible black holes of lag and dropped inputs. They'll cut it back to a more standard lobby and hopefully have some decent netcode.

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Apparently I can only edit each post once. I should gather all my info and then make a single post instead of doing it in bursts like this. This will be the last for tonight.

They've gone back to the old style of 2 rising attacks. Dead or Alive 4 had 3 (low, mid, high), now there's just low and mid. Rising attacks are also less safe on block.

They've talked a bit more about the hyper-ling cinema story mode, which is the new trend in fighting games. It'll basically work like Soulcalibur 5 and Mortal Kombat 9's story modes, so that it isn't a different story for each character, but a single mode in which the player will switch between characters as the scenes change. They'll also be mixing some tutorial stuff in there, and we all know how that works out: "Tina! You're looking rusty! If you want to win your next match you'll have to prove to me that you've still got it! Do 5 normal throws or I'm locking you in your room!"

Twenty+ characters. "Roster isn't final yet."

LockedOnTarget

I see Tina still likes to touch herself after winning.

Girl really likes to fight.

Also, I am a sucker for blondes in cowboy hats. Be they real or digital.

Synthesis

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They've gone back to the old style of 2 rising attacks. Dead or Alive 4 had 3 (low, mid, high), now there's just low and mid. Rising attacks are also less safe on block.

I'm approaching this from a very pessimistic standpoint because of DOA3DS and NG3, but trying to put those aside, going back to two zones kind of disappoints me a little. Not game breaking, since I haven't had a chance to play it, but still...

LockedOnTarget

I thought DOA Dimensions was pretty damn good.

Synthesis

Aside from KOF on the GBA/SP, I don't have a lot to compare it to.

Compared to every other incarnation of DOA since DOA2, and particularly DOA3 and DOA4, it was an enormous disappointment. Boring stages, reusing FMV (and making it worse, hilariously enough), no four player support (at least, not when I played it).

It did look pretty good, to its credit. Maybe it was awesome by portable fighter standards.

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The high rising attacks were kind of dumb anyway and didn't do anything to address the core problems the games have. It's still a 3 point guessing game where 1 guess covers 2 possibilities. They seem to finally want to get away from "lolKEEPGUESSING" gameplay, which is what's always given Dead or Alive a bad reputation.

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Not a very surprising move, but Team Ninja has said there will be no dlc characters in doa5, on disc or downloadable.

But, yes, there will be as many dlc costumes as they can produce. It's going to be more important for them than ever before since there's no character customization.

Dragkonias

I don't mind DLC costumes. Heck, if they're reasonably priced, I look forward to them.

Synthesis

OXM included, for free, the Japanese costumes in DOA3 with their magazine way, way back.

I'm not that optimistic about Team Ninja not managing to fuck this up, but the idea of DLC costumes by itself is not necessarily bad.

Dragkonias

Hmm...I don't know it feels to me that as far as DoA5 goes the new guy is letting the fighting game department do their own thing for the most part. And most people who've played the most updated version at Evo were pretty cool with it.

I mean at worse we might get a crappy story mode but...eh...that's nothing new.

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Well, the Japanese special edition of the game already comes with a bunch of exclusive swimsuits. They're not above doing that sort of thing, and god knows they'll want to get that dlc money just like everyone else is.

LockedOnTarget

I am fine with DLC costumes as long as there's already a good variety on the disc.

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There's also that they said one of the reasons they're not doing full customization is that most of the costumes have unique, character and gameplay specific mechanics. For example, Hitomi's tank top costume will gradually become soaked with sweat as the fight goes on, and eventually transparent enough that you can see her bra underneath. They also get dirty and scuffed up. They want to show off as many new graphical gimmicks as they can. "Fighting entertainment" and all that.

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Famitsu has the first screens and info for the new character, Rig.



Teakwondo.

As an excuse to smuggle in a replay system they'll be adding the photography mode from the last few games back in. So players can take all the shots they want from all the angles they need. Because they're not selling it based on sex appeal this time.

WotanAnubis

What is Christie even wearing in those screenshots?

Are we sure this isn't just Beach Volleyball 3?

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That's less revealing than her default costume, so . . . ?

Kristmas Kthulhu

I dunno how much of the evolving costumes is purely meant to be titillation, but I'm a pretty big fan of the attention to detail that comes from characters looking dirtier and more haggard as fights go on. As long as it makes me actually think that I'm not fighting with dolls that show no signs of strain despite getting pummeled to hell, it's a huge plus for me.

I liked that MK9 attempted it, but the execution fell flat. If this succeeds where Mortal Kombat failed, I'll be very impressed.

WotanAnubis

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That's less revealing than her default costume, so . . . ?

I don't know what her default costume is going to be in 5, but before they at least had more of a dominatrix vibe to go along with Christie's personality.

This looks more like a negligee.

Razia

Eh....

Looks like a cocktail dress to me.

Razia

New gameplay featuring Rig.

Beat the shit out of each other over a Motorcycle.

Go out for drink afterwards.

Fighting games.

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In their next step to firmly distance Dead or Alive from exploitative t&a Team Ninja has announced the Sexy Costumes contest.

To begin with, and this is on top of the pre-order or special edition bikinis, Ayane and Kasumi get a pair of exclusive costumes that will ship as dlc bonuses in the first print run of the game. Fans can now vote on which of the other female characters will also get an exclusive "sexy costume." It's a Japanese contest so I won't bother to link it here, but you can google it if you want.

In other news, they're bringing one of the final builds to GVN Summer Jam this year. I usually go to Summer Jam and I've been tentatively planning for this year as well, even though my console is out of commission and I can't do much SC5 training. This is just icing, even though the game will be coming out a few weeks after Summer Jam.

LockedOnTarget

Man why are Ayane and Kasumi always treated as the main series sex symbols?

I'll take any of the others over those two.

Bah.

Anyway, Dimensions seemed like a clear indicator to me that they wouldn't really be dialing down the sex appeal. To be honest, I'm cool with that. Sexy is part of what makes DOA DOA to me.

I kind of wish every fighting game didn't try to be sexy though. Let DOA be the game with a bunch of T&A the way MK is the game with a bunch of gore.

And someone should make a beefcake fighting game. WWE doesn't count.

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The female fighters in Virtua Fighter are plain at best, but often really ugly.

Kristmas Kthulhu

Man, those bunny costumes aren't even sexy. They're just lazy.

LockedOnTarget

Call me when Bass gets a bunny costume.

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Finally get some in-game footage of Sarah and Rig.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFKylKW_BFU&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5vcw8KLELA&feature=channel&list=UL

Rig has definite shades of Tekken's Bob (the old one, not that fat guy), which is a stark change from Team Ninja's Itagaki-lead hate of all things Tekken.