Monster Hunter's U.S. unpopularity [Archive]

Reksanden

Dec 22, 2010, 10:56 PM

Monster Hunter Frontier is an MMO that rivals WOW in Japan. Me, being the Monster Hunter-loving fan that I am, would definitly love to play this. The only problem? It's a Japan only release. And even if I were able to somehow get the game, I wouldn't be able to play it, as the server is Japanese,. The reason it isn't a world-wide game? Simply because apparently everywhere else in the world, people don't care enough, and because of that it's probably going to remain a Japan-only game. Now that discussion gets into being able to choose and favoritism, and i'm not going there. All i'm saying, is that I think Monster Hunter should be more recognized in the U.S. You don't have to like the game, just..... support the people who do.

EDIT: And then I check Monster Hunter's Wiki and see this for Frontier: "No details have yet been released about any North American or European release. There has, however, been news that parts of Eastern Asia are now able to play Monster Hunter Frontier, and it may possibly be coming to North America and Europe sometime in the next few years. It has been said that studies are being made before the release of Monster Hunter Frontier in the United States of America and Europe..."

Volcompat321

Dec 22, 2010, 11:02 PM

I'm also a huge Monster Hunter fan, and I can say, you can play MH Frontier for the PC...

If you're as much as a fan as you say, you don't need to worry about any translations, cause everything should come natural to you. (that's how I'm playing 3rd right now..)

And if you do need a translation, just use a Wiki, cause the game's somewhat old, and you know there has to be at least one decent one.

With that said, if you want to play some Tri, I'm always up for a good player!
I'm only like Hr 28, but I've been playing by myself, so it's kinda hard to rank up fast when it takes me 15-30 minutes a mission, solo.

Reksanden

Dec 22, 2010, 11:08 PM

you can play MH Frontier for the PC...

Wait, what?

Volcompat321

Dec 22, 2010, 11:11 PM

Wait, what?

?

What do you mean, what?

You can play Japanese games on any computer... cept a Mac without Windows..

EDIT: Wait, did you not know it was for Pc too?

Reksanden

Dec 22, 2010, 11:14 PM

Wayu

Dec 22, 2010, 11:16 PM

Wrong forum?

Edit: Wait, whoops. Wrong topic...

-Wayu

Volcompat321

Dec 22, 2010, 11:16 PM

.................................................. .....................................oh.
Didn't know that...
I grew up without computers, so naturally, I have no clue to the extent you can do with them. Well, i'm going to find a way to play Frontier now. RIGHT now.

Were you talking about it being on the 360?
Cause I know its for the 360 too, but it's been on Pc for a lot longer.

Wrong forum?

Edit: Wait, whoops. Wrong topic...

-Wayu

Huh? Lol

Reksanden

Dec 22, 2010, 11:19 PM

Were you talking about it being on the 360?

Exactly that. I forgot it was PC also... Now I want to kill a few Ceanataurs.

Think this will work? http://www.onrpg.com/boards/77456.html

Volcompat321

Dec 22, 2010, 11:23 PM

Exactly that. I forgot it was PC also... Now I want to kill a few Ceanataurs.

Think this will work? http://www.onrpg.com/boards/77456.html

Should work!
That's actually a really good guide.. I might even start playing.. As long as my Ps3 controller will work with it lol.

Reksanden

Dec 22, 2010, 11:30 PM

Using a keyboard to play ANY form of Monster Hunter would be an enourmous task.

Volcompat321

Dec 22, 2010, 11:31 PM

Using a keyboard to play ANY form of Monster Hunter would be an enourmous task.

Definitely agree, which is why I'd try to use the PS3 controller.
Or somehow use the Classic Wii controller on Pc lol.

Do you have Monster Hunter Tri?
Never mind about that last part, got the visitor message.

Reksanden

Dec 22, 2010, 11:40 PM

OK, attempting to install Frontier now...
EDIT: This shows you how to do the trial through Daletto: http://members.mh-frontier.jp/manual/trial/daletto/index.html

Pirrip

Dec 23, 2010, 12:06 AM

I use a wireless USB keyboard on Monster Hunter Tri. ;) It's no big deal

Volcompat321

Dec 23, 2010, 12:08 AM

I use a wireless USB keyboard on Monster Hunter Tri. ;) It's no big deal

Wait, you can play with a keyboard on the Wii?
Or do you mean typing? Lol

Pirrip

Dec 23, 2010, 12:12 AM

Volcompat321

Dec 23, 2010, 12:21 AM

Oh no! I use the classic pro controller, but it's usually no big deal for me to set it down to type a message or something.
Although I could imagine using a keyboard for playing it if I had to, I played PSU that way for a while before I got the 360 controller dongle thing. Doesn't frontier have hotkey slots you can use for items?

I believe so, kinda like how PSO is set up.. Maybe..
Even so, I think getting used to the keys over controller would be awkward.

Pirrip, request me on Tri!
We could all play together!

(Sieno is my character's name. Let's all meet up and play)

Seth Astra

Dec 23, 2010, 12:24 AM

I would join you, but, alas, I cannot go online right now.

On topic, I have wanted Frontier since I read about it on the MH Wiki. Shame a US release is not likely.

Pirrip

Dec 23, 2010, 12:29 AM

Reksanden

Dec 23, 2010, 12:38 AM

My Felyne just killed both High-Rank Shogun Ceanataurs. It would be a very good thing if we could all play Frontier together..... Heck, if we're able to, why not?

Volcompat321

Dec 23, 2010, 12:38 AM

Volcompat321
I'd love to! (Unfortunately, my Wii stopped working recently. I need to have my Wii repaired... Since it's beyond warranty, I can pay nintendo $75 to fix it and send it back in a couple of weeks or I can hire a local console mod/repair person who will charge me $40 to fix it.

Pirrip is my username in MonHanTri as well. What weapon do you main? I like SnS and Switch Axe, though I want to try to branch out and try a gunner when my Wii is repaired.
I'll try to convince my boyfriend to party up, too. He's been debating about trying it for a while, so I'm trying to rope him into it. XD

I'll send you PM when it's fixed. (Gods I've never had a Nintendo console break on me, before.)

I like me some Longsword, SnS, and Switch Axe.
When partying, I try to stay away from the Longsword though, cause I hate knocking people everywhere. It's usually not a problem though.

Although, if no one else brings a Great Sword or Longsword, then I'll bring one if a tail can be cut off.

And hell yes, I need people to play with, so please do make him play!!!

Reksanden

Dec 23, 2010, 12:43 AM

Reksanden

Dec 23, 2010, 01:02 AM

This wasn't a thread to talk about Frontier, even though I did. This was suppost to be a way to get more people into Monster Hunter.

Pirrip

Dec 23, 2010, 01:03 AM

I like me some Longsword, SnS, and Switch Axe.
When partying, I try to stay away from the Longsword though, cause I hate knocking people everywhere. It's usually not a problem though.

Although, if no one else brings a Great Sword or Longsword, then I'll bring one if a tail can be cut off.

And hell yes, I need people to play with, so please do make him play!!!

Okay! ^^ (I'll need to procure another Wii for him then. ^^)

Reksanden

Dec 23, 2010, 01:12 AM

@Pirrip: What HR are/were you?

Pirrip

Dec 23, 2010, 01:23 AM

@Rauga

Something low... Maybe 4 or 5? I started anew last time I played with a male character and have yet to get the longsword offline.

Reksanden

Dec 23, 2010, 01:35 AM

Thats the HR for my Gunner, who I almost never use.

Kage Shiroyuki

Dec 23, 2010, 03:55 AM

MH is awesome & I do have a Wii but no Tri due to my wii having been broken for so long, and not having enough money to buy a single game. If I did have it I would certainly love to join up. If I ever get a comp Frontier is a definite get for me. I do have MHFU though and am HR 9 on it, and I'm trying very hard to patiently wait for P3rd to have a US release.

I would love to see a PS3 MH release though.

Volcompat321

Dec 23, 2010, 07:07 AM

I am exclusively a Blademaster(my Rauga character is anyway). I prefer using LS over all, but i'll use GS and SWA occasionally.

@Volcompat321: You're going to love it when you have to do the 3* Urgent. This is a fight that is VERY hard alone. It's a good thing that you now have some of us to help you.

Yea, I have a couple weapons I could use on him, but none with his weakness.
I do have a pretty awesome (if you ask me) Longsword, but I'd still play with randoms to try and fight him.

@Rauga

Something low... Maybe 4 or 5? I started anew last time I played with a male character and have yet to get the longsword offline.

We could fix that! It took me about 30 hours to get from 1-what I am now, but like I was saying, it's mostly solo!
With a good group, I'm sure we could tear that apart, and get it cut by at least 4 times.
(I think Barroth is the hardest, only because I don't use hammers...I hate em. Everyone else I have their weakness to fight them with.)

MH is awesome & I do have a Wii but no Tri due to my wii having been broken for so long, and not having enough money to buy a single game. If I did have it I would certainly love to join up. If I ever get a comp Frontier is a definite get for me. I do have MHFU though and am HR 9 on it, and I'm trying very hard to patiently wait for P3rd to have a US release.

I would love to see a PS3 MH release though.

You could also play that in JP, cause there's a few English patches floating around already.
I have one that all items are translated, and (well most. No weapons yet, but if you've een playing any other MH as much, you can pretty much tell which element is which) it's super fun already!

It's what has been taking me away from Tri, actually.

Akaimizu

Dec 23, 2010, 11:16 AM

Monster Hunter is slowly growing in the states. Thanks, in no small part, to Monster Hunter Tri.

What Monster Hunter really needed was online play since to ween new players into Monster Hunter, it is always easier with a community. Without that community, it wouldn't have even taken off in Japan. A situation where players can play together greatly lowers the learning curve of the game, and teaches players a lot more about how to play the game with each mission. Without that, players get discouraged because the initial feedback doesn't teach them much, or teaches very slowly.

The difference is like joining a school team and playing basketball against other school teams. You are in a group, you learn off each other, they teach, and the trials are much more palatable when facing against groups that may have similar levels of skill. But then you might have the other side of it like going 1 on 1 with Charles Barkley or something as a new kid. He'll bury you and you'll hardly learn what you need to do to stand up against that.

That paragraph above is akin to the difference of jumping in teams with Monster Hunter, and you fighting a Khezu from Monster Hunter Freedom Unite; or you decide to face the Khezu the first time with Dual Swords as a solo player. Guess which experience weens you in with less fustration and a more gradual learning pace?

Groups are how this game becomes a social phenomenon. The west doesn't have that. If we aren't playing on the internet, we're generally not playing together. Mild exceptions would be lower education level schools with Pokemon and a large population with Nintendo handhelds. But outside of that, even iPhone (with such a major market penetration) doesn't have Western folks play local multiplayer even though they have among the highest statistic that somebody near by may have the same game as you.

The Wii is the first console, over here, to have an online-playable game (which is needed to get people to play together) on a console in which online services are available from the start. Not like the PS2, where Sony begrudgingly added online play at the last moment greatly reducing the amount of owners that even had online-capable hardware. So I think the Wii version is a decent success. You have to start somewhere, and it's picked up some steam. Monster Hunter wasn't an instant wild success when they started, either. So I think if Capcom keeps it up, and offers online options for which us westerners have a prayer of connecting on the same lines as the Japanese, it could rise the popularity ranks.

Just don't start hating all on the game as soon as it does get popular over here, because I know people have a tendancy to do that. "Man, I liked this *fill in the blank* when it was a niche title for us. Now it's gotten popular and it sucks now." I know the type. And there's way too many people, like that, out there.

In Tri....Barroth is one of the most annoying without the hammer. He can sometimes seem like a long time to take down. He armors up in the mud, and demands some pretty good sharpness levels to penetrate most of him. He also gets in a lot of charging rampages which leave little opening at all to attack him. So basically, he ends up doing stuff to waste your time.

Volcompat321

Dec 23, 2010, 11:43 AM

Just don't start hating all on the game as soon as it does get popular over here, because I know people have a tendancy to do that. "Man, I liked this *fill in the blank* when it was a niche title for us. Now it's gotten popular and it sucks now." I know the type. And there's way too many people, like that, out there.

In Tri....Barroth is one of the most annoying without the hammer. He can sometimes seem like a long time to take down. He armors up in the mud, and demands some pretty good sharpness levels to penetrate most of him. He also gets in a lot of charging rampages which leave little opening at all to attack him. So basically, he ends up doing stuff to waste your time.

Agree with everything you said, but wanted to quote this-

I also hate when people hate on the stuff that becomes popular.
The only way it's acceptable, is if the game developers change something that would appeal to the newer community...

I know they would have to add more stuff, which is acceptable, but they should never go too far from what got it started. I doubt Capcom would do that with MH though... I hope not anyway.

I've been playing it from the start- PS2, all the PSP versions, and now the Wii one.
Great games, and I've put more than (I'd guess) 15,000 hours into the series.
It's not like PSU, you cant just sit around and build time, so it's quite the investment.

As for Barroth, again, agreed.
I use longswords on him, even though I should use the hammer, (and even used a hammer once..) he always takes me the longest to kill.
At the very least, 18 minutes was probably my best.
Absolutely hate the fight with him, but there's always that one/two monsters that everyone hates to fight.

I'd have to say though, Uragaan... he is the worst, IMO.

Astarin

Dec 23, 2010, 11:51 AM

My goodness, why didn't I think to search here for Tri players?!

If anyone is interested in partying with a HR 19 player... I'm primarily a Switch-Axe user.

I don't find Barroth is actually that annoying, as a SA user, but I find the sword-modes no-bouncing really helps with that. When you're solo, it's not too hard to sneak right between his legs when he stops to do his mud shaking move and beat him freely. He almost never hits you, if you're standing there. Granted, in parties, you can only cram so many people in there.

On topic: I think Tri has done a lot to increase awareness of MH on this side of the ocean. It was my first game in the series, and it got a lot of my gamer friends into the franchise as well. The surprisingly well laid out (for Wii, anyway) online play really helps.

Reksanden

Dec 23, 2010, 02:18 PM

When I fight Barroth, I use the Rising Soul Longsword. It has enough sharpness not to deflect, and is powerful for a LS, with nearly 600 attack, and 440 Thunder.
http://fast1.onesite.com/capcom-unity.com/user/snow_infernus/791d3e3a2534f4b953413b6897de86c1.jpg?v=166200

Akaimizu

Dec 23, 2010, 03:05 PM

I've been mainly playing Tri, in particular, with the Greatsword. I kind of neglected it before, in previous games, so I was going mainly GS, this time. I tend to do that, try to face as much with one weapon until I learn how to deal with it well.

Kage Shiroyuki

Dec 23, 2010, 03:32 PM

Ah thats great as soon as I get a pc I'll have to look up an english patch as well as the game.

Jenni Porshakin

Dec 24, 2010, 11:53 AM

ok not to divert the conversation but...
Has Monster Hunter Frontier come out in South Korea yet? because in S.K. many games are also in English. Square did this for many of their FF games starting with FF10. So if the MMO game ever comes out in S.K. with English, a patch should make it playable in the U.S. As with any PC game, there are always people out there willing to hack things.

SubstanceD

Dec 28, 2010, 03:12 PM

I can't speak for everyone but I personally find that although I like the concept of the Monster Hunter games I don't really enjoy playing them.

I never got very far in the PSP games since I don't think the PSP is the best place for a Monster Hunter game but I did make a serious effort to play Monster Hunter Tri on the Wii, I lost interst after completing the first set of missions. I got tired of having to face of against and endless swarm of Great Jaggii' everytime I leave the village to gather resourses ( you kill one and and another one shows up a few minuites later and they are always surrounded by lesser jaggii ).

the cold hard truth is the Monster Hunter games are not "friendly" to beginers or casual gamers looking for some way to kill time, the games are too hardcore. Item management feels messy to me, I hate the fact that equipment like pick axes and bug nets break ( somtimes fater only 1 use ). Strict time limits on missions ( especially on ones where you have to bring down the bigger monsters ). Then there's the stamina bar and theres also the fact that you always have to keep your weapon sharp or it loses it's effectiveness. I also find the enviromenst small and repetitive.

Alot of the reasons why Monster Hunter fans love the games soo much is also why Monster Hunter will never really be all that big in the US or Europe. It's a hardcore game for hardcore gamers who like the fact that they are elite and don't want any old Tom, Dick or Harry playing the game with them.

Akaimizu

Dec 28, 2010, 03:59 PM

For me, the Monster Hunter games represent a major different experience. While it is often unfairly placed in the Action RPG Dungeon Hacker realm, it's almost more like a fantasy hunting simulation.

Yeah, it's tough to put simulation and fantasy in the same description, but that's kind of what it was to me. It blends a fantasy realm of monsters that seem like crosses between prehistoric creatures and those of storybook (dragons, and the like). But the way you approach your battles is almost akin to a hunting sim. You start to get into stuff that works into the other aspect of hunting. Gathering materials. Sometimes, what you do in the farm, and/or digging in the plants does just as much to take down specific monsters as bringing a weapon directly to them.

There are some similarties between them, particularly in that 3rd-person real-time fighting vibe; but they differ in so many ways. It's hard core, but only kind of hard core. It's more of a learning curve than anything else, and it basically levels off once you get past that part. I don't care if a game is specifically hard or just a mild decent challenge. I wouldn't stick with it or keep on coming back if it didn't involve a good and unique play experience. Nothing plays like Monster Hunter ('cept possibly this new God Eater. I haven't played it yet). Just the same way that no other game out there plays like Illbleed.

Monster Hunter can be played with more casual flair, but only in groups. People in Japan aren't as hardcore as people romanticize them to be. Even those of us, in the know, know that plenty of players there will still gravitate to the *easiest* classes, when it comes to populations. If PSU hasn't taught you that by now, you just weren't looking.

Anyway, plenty of folks, who were interviewed on Monster Hunter games, announce the fact that they do generally suck at videogames. But however, they do have fun taking down these difficult beasts with friends. So many wouldn't play it if they couldn't jump into the games with help. So yeah, over in Japan, any old Tom, Dick or Harry often does play the game.

Other players make it pretty easy to ease new folks in there. The games aren't hard to learn, given a community. It's just that the game itself, doesn't quite teach the true mechanics in a way that is easy to take. Without that community, most of us had to do a true trial by fire in which we hit a complete wall where we're getting trashed, and the game isn't doing a great job of telling us what we need to do. Those of us who persevere and beat past that wall, end up learning a ton of stuff in the midst of accomplishing it. It is often then, when we know and understand mechanics that people could've learned in a fraction of the time, with a community that plays well together.

Over here, we need internet play to emulate the similar circumstances of a Adhoc-friendly world like Japan. Considering what is happening with Tri, I think they're building a decent start. Hopefully Capcom continues to push that.

Kent

Dec 28, 2010, 07:40 PM

I think games like Monster Hunter (and every other co-op-based PSP game they put out in Japan) would see a lot more success in other parts of the world if they put the games on systems that people actually care about.

Say, for instance, that the game gets released on the 360/PS3 as an Xbox Live Arcade/PlayStation Network downloadable title. The game itself could remain mostly-unchanged - save for things like allowing the use of the right stick to control the camera - obvious things like that, that the PSP simply doesn't do and, of course, letting people play games online with each other, instead of just what is essentially system-link.

None of this persistent world or visual lobby hub-zone crap. Obviously, no monthly fees.

Would the game be a success if it were released like that? I think they could be a much better success than merely PSP releases, at the very least.

Checkmate

Dec 29, 2010, 01:14 AM

Alot of the reasons why Monster Hunter fans love the games soo much is also why Monster Hunter will never really be all that big in the US or Europe. It's a hardcore game for hardcore gamers who like the fact that they are elite and don't want any old Tom, Dick or Harry playing the game with them.

Personally speaking, I have been a fan of Monster Hunter since MHFreedom 2. It was a random buy and I was traveling a lot. I love the teamwork aspect. I love the gathering and cats are a fun distraction. Arena battles are fun. Every boss is a challenge since you have to strategically disable, dismember and disect each boss.

Sure you start out with the annoyingly fast and damaging raptor types, but if you ever get a chance, pull up your favorite video streaming site and watch a full battle of Jhen Mohran (sp?) from MH Tri. Truly epic battle and requires a lot of coordination and full participation of all members doing their parts to take down this massive beast.

My .02 on why I find the MH series fascinating.

Checkmate

Dec 29, 2010, 01:17 AM

On a more personal rant... I hate people who pick up MH and use Greatswords and Hammers but have no idea how to time their attacks and die 3 times. They argue that SnS is weak and Lance is slow... I want to kick them in the throat. :-x

Astarin

Dec 29, 2010, 10:51 AM

I agree, that the game is designed for the more "hardcore" crowd, and generally, in north america at least, that's how we like it. I'm certainly no veteren, I've only just started with MH by playing Tri. But I thorougly enjoy the challenge the game offers, and honestly, it's not a game I'd want to play with everyone. I love the teamwork aspect and I am a sucker for co-op, but a lot of my RL friends would just... make me want to strangle them, if I played that game with them!

There are a couple of things that are needlessly hardcore, though. The lack of a proper tutorial or anything is rather laughable. It makes the game extremely frustrating to learn. It's rather unforgivable that a popular game, in this day and age, refuses to properly teach someone how to play it. I think it really hurts the series' popularity in North America. Yes, the game is challenging. It requires timing, a lot of advance preparation and learning behaviour patterns. But it's nothing that proper instruction doesn't overcome. It's just that the game does very little to give you that. As many have said, most people learn via the community, whether that be online or locally.

I also agree that more online functionality would probably help the game here. Sadly, local co-op isn't nearly as popular here as it seems to be in Japan.

Typestatic

Dec 29, 2010, 02:38 PM

Really loving the discussion in this thread~

With the aid of the Capcom community here in the UK, they've held a lot of events for MonHan.
Especially with the Gathering hall (http://www.capcom-unity.com/kramez/blog/2009/07/06/uk_monster_hunter_gathering_hall_open_for_play) a while back and recently with a portable event (monthly) for some MHP3rd co-op or other games.

I couldn't agree more that the MonHan community is full of damn friendly and fun players.
Just a case of finding RL friends who would be dedicated to the game...
Which would take some time unless they take the initiative to study and progress, bless them.

Astarin

Dec 29, 2010, 06:47 PM

Wow. The Gathering Hall is a really neat idea! Was that one-time deal, or is that kind of thing ongoing over there?

That's an incredible promotional tool for the game. I haven't seen anything like that here in Canada, short of some very limited mall tours and whatnot.

Checkmate

Dec 30, 2010, 12:10 AM

There are a couple of things that are needlessly hardcore, though. The lack of a proper tutorial or anything is rather laughable. It makes the game extremely frustrating to learn. It's rather unforgivable that a popular game, in this day and age, refuses to properly teach someone how to play it. I think it really hurts the series' popularity in North America. Yes, the game is challenging. It requires timing, a lot of advance preparation and learning behaviour patterns. But it's nothing that proper instruction doesn't overcome. It's just that the game does very little to give you that. As many have said, most people learn via the community, whether that be online or locally.

MH Tri has a relatively brief but "to the point" introductory session. The original Monster Hunter came out on PS2 (2 games), right? Then was ported to PSP (3 games).. and now it's on Wii, Xbox and PC (1 each). They probably just expedited the process. Sorry. :(

I'd encourage anyone who picks up MH Tri to fully explore what the offline free zone has to offer in terms of fighting without any real penalty. I wish they had that in previous games since it lets you hone your skills, fight without time limits and really puts the pressure on how to beat bosses with limited resources. All of which makes you a better Hunter.

Akaimizu

Dec 30, 2010, 10:37 AM

The free zone was a long time coming in Tri, and yes it's a pretty nice thing to work without the limits. It'll get your feet wet, at least. Though you may not learn how to truly fight the monster. The true test is still doing it within limits since that is the big part of the challenge. Without the time limits, you're not given the incentive to find what part of the monster you should go for, and how to do it. Of course, quite a few of those monsters don't unlock in there until you learn how to do it in a timed setting.

Tri does a bit of a better job with its tutorial, yet it's also still missing a lot. Online multiplayer was a good thing, though. However, it is still hampered a bit by Nintendo online system. They did try to open it up a bit, so there's more chances to hook up with people than the typical Wii online experience.

It has voice chat. Not so great voice chat, but it's there. There are occasions it works well. This is still the first time it was released in America on a system for which everybody has online capability on. PS2 monster hunter would've done better over here if PS2s sold with online-capable hardware in the first place. Instead of ignoring SEGA's push for online, and explaining that console players don't want online play. But no. We had to wait for Xbox before someone else had the balls to push online play and actually have more than a single hand countable list of games to support it. Makes me wonder where the industry would've been today, if japanese console companies other than Sega didn't ignore the obvious. (then again. I guess it took a little internal SEGA battle between west and east, to get them that first seat.)

I guess I can't blame them too much. Nobody there knew they needed to do the research. Nobody knew to send somebody over here to notice the population-per-land-mass and the arcade situation over here. Nobody knew to send somebody here to put two and two together to realize that the demand for online play rose with the death of the arcades. Alas, the only widely-used setup in which we actually played together. Victims of ethnocentric thinking.

HAYABUSA-FMW-

Dec 30, 2010, 12:45 PM

Alas, the only widely-used setup in which we actually played together. Victims of ethnocentric thinking.
They still don't really get it.

Huge windows for reversals. "Meaty attacks" in every other game, useless now.

0 frame Zangief/THawk crap. Lariat Zangief crap.

Blanka.

And the first major online game in the series, Sakura gets a million 1 frame links, have fun!

& Rufus is a bad character and they should feel bad.

Astarin

Dec 30, 2010, 04:09 PM

They still don't really get it.

Huge windows for reversals. "Meaty attacks" in every other game, useless now.

0 frame Zangief/THawk crap. Lariat Zangief crap.

Blanka.

And the first major online game in the series, Sakura gets a million 1 frame links, have fun!

& Rufus is a bad character and they should feel bad.

Bwaah....? Relevance...?

HAYABUSA-FMW-

Dec 30, 2010, 05:21 PM

Bwaah....? Relevance...?
Japan, games, online play. "Ethnocentric thinking"
slow to change complicated stuff and streamline things for their entire audiences[/spoiler-box]

Sorry for piggybacking, but you piggybacked me to basically double post what I said. ;)

4 periods and a ? mark then 3 and ? mark right after that, you're looking crazier than those Blankas.

There are a couple of things that are needlessly hardcore, though. The lack of a proper tutorial or anything is rather laughable. It makes the game extremely frustrating to learn. It's rather unforgivable that a popular game, in this day and age, refuses to properly teach someone how to play it.
Here's a [spoiler]complicated-ass Japan "Focus Attack," no we're not going to teach you how to use it, or play. Not even a minigame or quick way to practice it!