Topic: New Capcom game to be showcased at Comic-Con

[Kieran]

I guess if I actually cared about fighting games I'd be pretty stoked.  Maybe.

[Bueno Excelente]

Funnily enough, I scarcely see fighting games with demos out nowadays. The last ones I can remember, were the demos for Virtua Fighter 5 and the beta for Street Fighter 2 HD. They should really put more demos out. Stuff like two available characters and one level for people to play in. It'd give us a chance to try out the feel of it.

[HokutoNoBen]

Funnily enough, I scarcely see fighting games with demos out nowadays. The last ones I can remember, were the demos for Virtua Fighter 5 and the beta for Street Fighter 2 HD. They should really put more demos out. Stuff like two available characters and one level for people to play in. It'd give us a chance to try out the feel of it.

It's basically because, unless it's a game like Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm or DBZ: Raging Blast, there's no real need for it. Making a demo for the sake of an impressionable demographic that largely consists of kids is fine in that case, because you want those kids to play the game. Such a thing can't be said for the likes of more "hardcore" fighting games, where the majority of the fan base expresses neither the need or desire for a demo. Just tell them when they can buy the full release. So, with that much in mind, the companies don't see the need spend the money and time to craft such a demo.

[Solar]

Well, the SNK fighters have demos, did that help them? (Honest question, any idea what NGBC sold?)

[Bueno Excelente]

It's basically because, unless it's a game like Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm or DBZ: Raging Blast, there's no real need for it. Making a demo for the sake of an impressionable demographic that largely consists of kids is fine in that case, because you want those kids to play the game. Such a thing can't be said for the likes of more "hardcore" fighting games, where the majority of the fan base expresses neither the need or desire for a demo. Just tell them when they can buy the full release. So, with that much in mind, the companies don't see the need spend the money and time to craft such a demo.

Why would the demo-playing demographic largely consist of kids? What's stopping most adults with a console to download a demo to a good fighter, so they can see it's decent?

[HokutoNoBen]

Why would the demo-playing demographic largely consist of kids? What's stopping most adults with a console to download a demo to a good fighter, so they can see it's decent?

Because that's what the numbers have shown. The more "Shounen"/kid-friendly a property is, the more likely the company will actually invest in putting out a demo. Otherwise, the likes of Capcom and Namco stand to save money by just relying on "in store kiosks" in Gamestops and their Japanese-equivalents to be optimal way to showcase a game.

[Bueno Excelente]

Because that's what the numbers have shown. The more "Shounen"/kid-friendly a property is, the more likely the company will actually invest in putting out a demo. Otherwise, the likes of Capcom and Namco stand to save money by just relying on "in store kiosks" in Gamestops and their Japanese-equivalents to be optimal way to showcase a game.

Is this Japan-centered? Because most PC games have demos nowadays. If not demos, betas, to showcase the engine before people play it on the actual game. Console games have quite alot of demos out too. I count alot of racing games, sports games, RTS... even a few simulators. What's wrong with putting out a fighting game demo? For example, all XBLA games are obligated to have a trial game available for download, with just a tiny bit of the game to show off before buying. It's a way to show people how the game is. It's not just for kids, most adults would like to try out a game before buying.

[HokutoNoBen]

Is this Japan-centered? Because most PC games have demos nowadays. If not demos, betas, to showcase the engine before people play it on the actual game. Console games have quite alot of demos out too. I count alot of racing games, sports games, RTS... even a few simulators. What's wrong with putting out a fighting game demo? For example, all XBLA games are obligated to have a trial game available for download, with just a tiny bit of the game to show off before buying. It's a way to show people how the game is. It's not just for kids, most adults would like to try out a game before buying.

It's not really a Japan-centered thing at all. It's more of a thing that the Fighting Game market is, again, quite a ways different from everything else. Capcom and Namco, the two "leaders" in the genre, know this much to be true. Furthermore, I believe the individual fall-outs that resulted from both HDR and MvC2's demos have only done more to showcase why there is such a reluctance to do such a thing. 

I mean, Capcom just put out a demo for Sengoku BASARA 3 on PSN a day or so ago. And that applies only in Japan, where it stands to benefit those fangirls and kids who want to try out the game before they buy the full game tomorrow/today. But unless I stand to be surprised, MvC3, for example, won't get such a demo. Thus far, they've been doing the exact same thing with the game as they did with SF4 years prior, where the game's progressive builds were passed along at live demonstrations/loke tests instead of thrown up on PSN/Live.

[Bueno Excelente]

It's not really a Japan-centered thing at all. It's more of a thing that the Fighting Game market is, again, quite a ways different from everything else. Capcom and Namco, the two "leaders" in the genre, know this much to be true. Furthermore, I believe the individual fall-outs that resulted from both HDR and MvC2's demos have only done more to showcase why there is such a reluctance to do such a thing. 

I mean, Capcom just put out a demo for Sengoku BASARA 3 on PSN a day or so ago. And that applies only in Japan, where it stands to benefit those fangirls and kids who want to try out the game before they buy the full game tomorrow/today. But unless I stand to be surprised, MvC3, for example, won't get such a demo. Thus far, they've been doing the exact same thing with the game as they did with SF4 years prior, where the game's progressive builds were passed along at live demonstrations/loke tests instead of thrown up on PSN/Live.

It's the exact same kind of closed group crowd when talking about simulators and certain games, and they still have demos. Pretty much any game can have a demo, or simply a gameplay demonstration for the player to know if he or she feels comfortable in it.

[HokutoNoBen]

It's the exact same kind of closed group crowd when talking about simulators and certain games, and they still have demos. Pretty much any game can have a demo, or simply a gameplay demonstration for the player to know if he or she feels comfortable in it.

Again, fighting games have done this sort of thing differently. Always have and likely always will.

Even Mortal Kombat, the most "American" of the fighting game lot, has not had a demo of this sort.

[Bueno Excelente]

Again, fighting games have done this sort of thing differently. Always have and likely always will.

Even Mortal Kombat, the most "American" of the fighting game lot, has not had a demo of this sort.

Never say never. =P Seriously, we don't even know if fighting games will last a whole lot longer if they keep thriving in a closed-off environment.

[HokutoNoBen]

Never say never. =P Seriously, we don't even know if fighting games will last a whole lot longer if they keep thriving in a closed-off environment.

If fighting games didn't die off through its supposed "decline" (which in itself is a half-truth, because fighting games still thrived in Asia even when most in the West  thought the scene was "dead"), then I don't believe the genre is any real danger. Not when the likes of Tekken and Gundam Vs. still make Namco and Capcom millions in arcade sales in Asia alone. 

[Bueno Excelente]

If fighting games didn't die off through its supposed "decline" (which in itself is a half-truth, because fighting games still thrived in Asia even when most in the West  thought the scene was "dead"), then I don't believe the genre is any real danger. Not when the likes of Tekken and Gundam Vs. still make Namco and Capcom millions in arcade sales in Asia alone. 

I'm not saying it's in any current danger, but you never know what the future will bring, and unevolving entertainment can only sustain itself for so long.

[HokutoNoBen]

I'm not saying it's in any current danger, but you never know what the future will bring, and unevolving entertainment can only sustain itself for so long.

That much remains to be seen. Logical progression is one thing, and I believe the genre is doing well enough in that respect. Really, the main issue that fighting game developers could stand to really work on, is decent (possibly universal) netcode standard for the sake of console users, especially in the West. That single aspect is the most pressing issue that fans cry about, more than anything else.

Otherwise, again, there's no real need or want for significant, "game-changing" evolution, when the main base that the likes of Namco and Capcom butter their bread is more or less happy with things.

[Bueno Excelente]

That much remains to be seen. Logical progression is one thing, and I believe the genre is doing well enough in that respect. Really, the main issue that fighting game developers could stand to really work on, is decent (possibly universal) netcode standard for the sake of console users, especially in the West. That single aspect is the most pressing issue that fans cry about, more than anything else.

Otherwise, again, there's no real need or want for significant, "game-changing" evolution, when the main base that the likes of Namco and Capcom butter their bread is more or less happy with things.

All it takes is a tiny executive decision in one of the companies, to set the big structure going. The game industry is volatile with new ideas right now. Any tiny bit of crazy will set fire to any volatile conservative standard. This one's in danger of getting burnt up anytime. And considering the potencial for evolution, I can see this idea pass by anyone.