Tech Talk Interview – Former Tekken player Mack on a Long and Stony Journey

In our second Tech Talk interview, we thought we might as well get the perspective of someone whose memories from starting to play Virtua Fighter is as fresh as green grass in spring.

Formerly a Tekken player, Mackfactor made the conscious choice to start playing Virtua Fighter—and never looked back since. We have probably never met such an eager learner. How hard the struggle was to get things started and what happened along on his long (and stony) journey can be read in our four-page interview below.

In this interview, the Canadian gets even with some DMers on Xbox Live as well…

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Tech Talk Interview – VF Dutchman Krye on Online Play and Stepping Madness

In our new series, Tech Talk, we get in touch with Virtua Fighter players around the world asking them to give us their perspective on Virtua Fighter.

This first time around of Tech Talk, we bombarded Netherlands-based player Krye with tons of questions, and he gladly gave us his take on online play, stepping, and why a character’s dress already tells him a lot about his opponent. Some of you might have even come by his devastating El Blaze on Xbox Live.

You can read our three-page interview below. (We just added a new next-page button for you. Yay!)

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Strong Opinions – VF5 Still Alive and Kicking

The retirement thread was beginning to fill up with posts of disappointed long-term players. There were posts abound about how we could emerge into new areas, into new games. Modern Warfare 2 and Tekken 6 made its debut and are still played heavily, even among the most faithful VF players.

But you know what?

Revisited: Leonard’s VF5 Review

Way back in June 2008, I reviewed VF5 for GamersGlobal. Not until FatalRose from VFDC reminded me of that article, I completely forgot about it. Now, I revisited my work and gave it a final polish. Enjoy the deepest VF5 review on the web.

You can only really review a game like Virtua Fighter 5 after playing it for months and months because playing it in its whole depth and beauty takes time. Much time. Time that is very well worth your effort of trying out a stellar fighting game that knows how to hold you in its spell. That is, if you allow it to.

Strong Opinions – Is Street Fighter 4 Really Worth its Money?

Since launch Street Fighter 4 has gained high review scores accompanied by bombastic sales numbers. A good amount of VFers already gave in, bought SF4, and returned disappointedly without ever quite leaving the VF scene. Capcom’s hype – also caused by their now-matured, original SF2 players – is taking hold of the more hardcore VF player base.

I asked VF veterans whether Street Fighter 4 is worth a VFer’s cash. And Konjou Akira, who we know from VFDC, US gatherings, and his blog, answered.

Modding the HORI EX2 – with Genuine Arcade Parts

It’s no big secret that HORI’s Fighting Stick EX2 has been a miscarriage right from the beginning. The low quality of the stick becomes especially hurtful when it begins to break down after a short time. From what I’ve gone through, the buttons of both EX2 of mine refused to register inputs just after two weeks of normal usage. And that happened just in the midst of a tournament match (admittedly, online).

That there’s a fix to this problem is old news: simply replace the low-quality parts with better ones—preferably from Sanwa. That that “simply” isn’t so simple becomes visible when we unscrew the rubbish that came to a royal price. One hardly knows where to start, screw, or dremel first.

But there’s help: a comprehensive how-to guide has hit the surface and provides you with the ins and outs of fixing up what is—or soon will be—broken.

Interview: Makoto Osaki talks plain VF5:R

The newest issue of the German M! Games magazine (formerly known as Man!ac) features a full two-page interview with one of Virtua Fighter’s most important men: Makoto Osaki. 

In the interview Osaki, Development Director at AM-2, reveals interesting bits about the newest Virtua Fighter installment, its new items and game balance. And if you ever wanted to know why a first-person shooter gave inspiration for some hot nifty VF5:R online features, then read on about it in the interview.

Improve your Yomi, play Kongai!

A huge portion of Virtua Fighter is about reading your opponent’s mind correctly. What will he do next? A fast attack up-close, a strong—but rather slow attack—from afar? A throw, or a mid?

Understanding the basics of mind-reading and decision-making is crucial to every fighting game. The occurrence of two-choice situations (nitaku) can be overcome by correctly reading your opponent’s actions (yomi).

The free card game Kongai can help you to improve your understanding of nitaku and yomi. And above that, it’s simply fun to play!

Interview: Anarkira in Japan

Fellow friend and Norwegian VFer Anarkira was on an exciting trip to Japan. I couldn’t resist questioning him about his time there, and how he experienced the “Japanese way” of playing Virtua Fighter 5.

Read more about it in the interview, exclusively on Goh Notes!

In-Depth Virtua Fighter 5 Review at GamersGlobal

Virtua Fighter 5 still splits the world of fighting gamers – even today. But why is that so? What does Virtua Fighter stand for?

 

What is it that makes VF5 succeed and fail at the same time? And what is actually new in Virtua Fighter 5?

 

Revised review now available!