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    Best VF conversions

    How close was the Saturn version of VF1 compared to the arcade?

    I'm wondering cos having played VF4 EVO's VF1 anniversary version, the graphics on that are different, uses the same graphics engine of EVO but just cut down heavily on textures and polys? I was expecting it to be arcade perfect or least give an option to play as orginal or enhanced.

    Pretty miffed about the Sega Ages series on PS2 as well, seems most of them have been revamped with no option of the originals - Afterburner 2 has original or arrange mode but its only the struture of the game not graphics.

    Back to VF series, i don't think Sega have given us gamers a solid, arcade, close as you can get conversion, VF2 Saturn (lets not get into it), so best convers' so far prolly VF1, VF3tb and VF4.

    & I'm still waiting for a proper VF2 conversion :




    #2
    Yeah even Yu Suzuki's team had problems on the VF2 Saturn version (floating floor) it's a pity they (Sega) did not do an ages collection on the DC with this game as I reckon that the Dreamcast could have handled it no probs, after all Namco managed to release a "fair looking" fighter S. Calibur...

    Although I don't think SC is as technical as the VF series though.

    I recall the VF characters took alot of learning Akira i remember was a bitch to fight with for the novice (me) but looked awesome in the hands of an expert arcade player..

    can't remember where I read it but did n't Sega give temco the programming libraries for VF2 so they could port DOA?

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      #3
      I've got VF2 on Saturn and PC

      The Saturn one is obviously a bit naff graphics-wise but still runs at 60fps. The PC one seems to be basically a port of the Saturn one but it has a Direct3D patch that allows you to make the characters look like their Model2 versions, but texture-wise they're still Saturn.

      Also the Direct3D mode has weird glitches but it's probably the closest representation of VF2...

      I have the 10th Anniversary VF4 Evo too, it's kinda nice (at least they've kept the original music albeit in remixed form) and you can set an option to play through the game VF1-style (i.e. won't fight any VF4 chars). Weird seeing VF1 graphics in 60fps

      We can but dream for a decent VF2 port. Nebula Model2 it is then eh?

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        #4
        The Saturn version of VF2 was a technical marvel on release. I think its a bit strange to critisice the conversion and make comparisons to the Model2 version. Imo AM2 really pushed the Saturn and showed its power, everyone at the time was amazed at what the machine was doing.

        The DC should of had a VF trilogy release. It could handle Model2 no probs, and VF3 could of been better given more time.

        I hope the Model2 emulator succeeds, that will be something to get excited about, its about time 3D arcade emulation took off.

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          #5
          Agreed Kingston. I only just picked up a Saturn recently (along with Virtua Fighter 2)and despite the years being against it, I actually reckon it looks really good. Everything seems really crisp and clean which isn't the case for many 3D games from that era.

          Obviously it ain't a patch (graphically) for the Model 2 original(those backgrounds looked incredible at, especially the bridge on Shun Di's stage).

          Just a shame the original arcade machine used Model 2A hardware which lacks documentation so emulation is apparently a bitch (same with Model 1).

          Personally I would like a new, perfect ,home conversion of Fighting Vipers. Top game.

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            #6
            Model1 emulation is being worked on in MAME at the moment. They've got the game running but not playable yet.

            The VF Aniversary Edition has all the VF4 moves and uses the VF4 engine. I'd hardly call it a conversion of VF1. It's just a kind of tribute. Completely unbalanced because the combo's are designed for VF4 where you can recover and you don't bounce as much.

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              #7
              I've been playing the Saturn version of VF2 again recently and it still looks good considering its age, its true that it isn't as crisp as the Model 2 version but from a technical perspective its amazing that they ever got it running on the Saturn considering how many problems existed in the VF1 conversion

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                #8
                If I remember correctly the game ran at 720x480. Which if true, means it has the highest resolution ever on a console game, bar Hi-Def import modern impor stuff.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by kingston lj
                  If I remember correctly the game ran at 720x480. Which if true, means it has the highest resolution ever on a console game, bar Hi-Def import modern impor stuff.
                  I though standard tvs could only handle upto 640x480???

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I feel compelled to echo some of the comments made by others on this thread. VF2 on the Saturn is a technical marvel. I think it looks really really good. Super quick, super slick and detailed too.

                    I used to just put it on watch mode and let it run.

                    The PC version was pretty good too iirc

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                      #11
                      Well feel free to play Virtua Fighter Mini on the Game Gear.

                      Best version of VF1 is probably the Super 32X version, mainly because AM2 had time to tweak the piss poor Saturn version... ^_^

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by MD
                        Well feel free to play Virtua Fighter Mini on the Game Gear.

                        Best version of VF1 is probably the Super 32X version, mainly because AM2 had time to tweak the piss poor Saturn version... ^_^
                        Heehe i lubs it when u talks dat way!

                        Never of thought the 32x version would be that good, yeah it seems you ish right on the money on this account (M)ega(D)rive? hheee

                        Might have to get a 32x now all cos a you, lol - btw, will a PAL 32x and games run on a Jap MD?

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Dragon2k4
                          so best convers' so far prolly VF1, VF3tb and VF4.
                          what?

                          Comment


                            #14
                            VF (32X):

                            The original Virtua Fighter appeared during the early nineties, running off of Sega?s revolutionary Model 1 arcade board. Model 1 was essentially a great big polygon generator, and Virtua Fighter was the first fighting game to be built entirely with polygons. Contrary to popular belief, Virtua Fighter was not the first three-dimensional fighting game, but a spectacular two-dimensional fighting game with three-dimensional visuals. The control scheme was and still is very simple... one button for punching, one button for kicking, one button for blocking, and a joystick for all other movement. American gamers found the game to be visually impressive but rather simplistic, not comprehending the true depth of the game play. The game never lived up to Sega?s expectations in America, but Japanese gamers were enthralled.

                            Virtua Fighter 2 debuted in 1994 and immediately captivated American gamers with its amazing visuals and tight control. Running off of the new Model 2 board (the same power behind Daytona USA), Virtua Fighter 2 added texture mapping, new characters, and three-dimensional backgrounds, making it the best-looking fighting game of the period. It still looks impressive today. American fighting fans embraced the game enthusiastically, and the Virtua series finally began to command some of the respect it deserved. The Japanese went absolutely crazy for the sequel, sending Virtua Fighter 2 to the very top of the Japanese arcade charts, where it stayed for an incredible two years.

                            A couple of years later, Sega released their powerful Model 3 board, and Virtua Fighter 3 was the first title to run off of Sega?s premier arcade hardware. Times had changed, however, and Americans had moved onto the flashy (but less deep) antics of the Tekken series. Virtua Fighter 3, while certainly a deep and graphically stunning game simply wasn?t that different from the previous offering. The incredibly high cost of the arcade unit didn?t help matters at all, making Virtua Fighter 3 a rare acquisition for all but the largest arcades.

                            The various incarnations of the Virtua Fighter series have had an equally inconsistent history on home consoles (several versions of the series were made for the PC, but that?s another story.) The first available version of Virtua Fighter, for the under-appreciated Saturn, wasn?t quite finished when Sega made the disastrous decision to release the Saturn months ahead of schedule in an attempt to gain an edge on Sony?s PlayStation. Virtua Fighter was the pack-in game for the system, and was unfortunately riddled with bugs. The game played well, but the graphics were glitchy and didn't demonstrate the potential of the system, particularly when compared with the flashy but overly simple Battle Arena Toshinden for the PlayStation. Months later, Sega released a much-improved update of Virtua Fighter, aptly titled Virtua Fighter Remix. This ?new? game offered much-improved graphics and the addition of texture mapping, a feature not found in the arcade parent. Sega went so far as to release Virtua Fighter Remix for the arcades, running on Sega?s low-cost Saturn-based Titan board. The Japanese market, on the other hand, went crazy over the Saturn port of Virtua Fighter, sending both the game and the Saturn itself to the top of the sales charts.

                            For Christmas 1995, Sega wowed the video gaming press with Saturn versions of the arcade hits Virtua Cop, Sega Rally, and the amazing Virtua Fighter 2. Sega Rally remains one of the best racing games ever made, and Virtua Fighter 2 is almost arcade-perfect. Aside from a lower resolution, the deletion of part of Chun Li?s bridge stage, and the switch from three-dimensional backgrounds to very convincing looking two-dimensional facsimiles, Virtua Fighter 2 looks remarkably like its arcade parent. Gamers were impressed, and Sega saw a sharp upward spike in Saturn hardware sales. Even the lowly Genesis got its own version of Virtua Fighter 2, albeit in a vastly different, non-polygonal, two-dimensional form similar to Street Fighter 2 or Mortal Kombat. The 8-bit Game Gear (as well as the Brazillian Master System) got the 2-D treatment as well with Virtua Fighter Animation. In 1999, Sega graced its fledgling Dreamcast console with an impressive port of Virtua Fighter 3tb, but the game was (undeservedly) passed over in favor of admittedly awesome games like Dead or Alive 2 and Soul Calibur. A graphically downgraded port of Virtua Fighter 3 was rumored to be completed for the Saturn, but it was never released due to the Saturn's waning market share.

                            Of all the versions of the Virtua Fighter series released for the home, the one for the 32X is perhaps the most impressive. By mid 1995, the 32X was going down the toilet and Sega knew it. Hardware sales were plummeting, software sales had dried up, and gamers had abandoned the system in droves. In an almost touching show of good faith, Sega decided to continue the development of Virtua Fighter for the 32X, even though it must have known the game would not be a moneymaker. Perhaps the true gamers at Sega knew that the 32X had not yet demonstrated its real potential and they wanted to show the world that their much-maligned add-on really did have the guts to handle a complex game. Perhaps Sega wanted to one-up arch-rival Nintendo, who was having serious problems with the Super-FX chip powered fighting game FX Fighter for the SNES (a direct rip-off of Virtua Fighter and a game that was ultimately cancelled because the SNES \ simply couldn?t push the polygons. It later appeared on the PC.) Whatever the reason, Sega finished Virtua Fighter for the 32X in 1995, even going so far as to hype the release with the odd Virtua Fighter Training Pack, a ?kit? that came complete with a t-shirt, a how-to video, and a sweepstakes entry (for a Virtua Fighter 2 arcade machine), but no cartridge. As it stands, Virtua Fighter was one of last games released for the little 32X, and arguably the best.

                            Review
                            After loading up the game (and catching a glimpse of the legendary AM2 division logo), you are presented with a number of options. Aside from the Arcade mode, you also have the option of choosing between a Versus (two-player) mode, a Ranking mode, and a Tournament mode. Other specialized options are available, including the number of match points necessary to defeat an opponent, the difficulty of an opponent, the size of the ?ring? that you fight in, the camera angle, and options for a number of control pad configurations. The character select screen is very similar to the arcade version with your chosen fighter acknowledging your selection with a subtle movement across his or her polygonal face.

                            Historically, American gamers have never really appreciated or understood the concepts behind Sega?s Virtua Fighter series, preferring the flash and guts of Tekken, Mortal Kombat, and Killer Instinct. In fact, Virtua Fighter is the inspiration for most every three-dimensional game you've ever seen... Street Fighter EX, Soul Calibur, Dead or Alive, and the Tekken series are all heavily influenced by Sega?s arcade head-turner. It seems fitting that Virtua Fighter is arguably the best game ever produced for the Sega 32X, and certainly the most technologically advanced of the thirty-nine games that were released worldwide during the system?s short lifetime. Every game from the Virtua Fighter series rank among the best fighting games ever made, and the 32X is home to an excellent version of the game that started it all.

                            The first thing one notices when the actual game begins is how odd the graphics look... indeed, all the characters appear to be comprised entirely of Lego blocks. Character models aren?t nearly as detailed as the arcade or Saturn versions, demonstrating the generational leap between the 32X and its CD-based big brother. The 32X simply wasn?t capable of rendering massive amounts of polygons (compared to Model 1 or Saturn), as shown the first time you look at Sarah?s oddly octagon-shaped head from an aerial view. After playing the game for a moment, one realizes that the LegoLand graphics are actually a worthy trade-off for the speed and smoothness of the game itself. Slowdown is nonexistent, and Virtua Fighter 32X suffers from none of the annoying flicker and graphical pop-ups that plagued its Saturn cousin. All of the eight (nine of you count Dural) characters are smoothly animated, just like the arcade. Control is spot-on, a quality vitally important to the series from a game play standpoint. After a while, the blocky graphics start to grow on you and lend Virtua Fighter 32X a look that cannot be found in any other fighting game, with the possible exception of the awful Fight for Life on the Atari Jaguar. Indeed, Virtua Fighter 32X looks mighty impressive for a game that was essentially a first-generation title on a technologically compromised system with limited developmental resources.

                            The 32X has no problem duplicating the sound effects of its arcade parent, which really isn?t saying much. Sega choose to compliment the sparse graphics of the original arcade version with simplistic music and sound effects, and the 32X follows suit. The techno music is light and unobtrusive, but nothing particularly memorable. The sound effects range from generic hitting and punching noises to the series trademark thunder and lightning. Each character voices his or her own smart-ass taunt after the winning round, a particularly gratifying effect when playing against a person you don?t like.

                            Responsive game play is an important aspect of any game, a fact that proves especially true of Virtua Fighter 32X. Perhaps more so than any other fighting game/series, Virtua Fighter depends on control and skill... button-mashers need not apply. The simple three-button control scheme can be very misleading and disguises the fact that Virtua Fighter is actually a very deep and complex game. Each individual fighter possesses his own unique fighting style, all based on a variety of martial arts. Multiple throws and counters are common for each character, on top of a huge selection of regular moves. Virtua Fighter is really a game of complex subtlety, unlike the bone breaking antics of the Tekkens, the screen-filling explosions of innumerable Capcom fighters, or the ?fatalities? of the Mortal Kombat series. Virtua Fighter really is as close as you can get to real fighting without having to break a sweat or put yourself in physical danger.

                            It?s no wonder that 32X enthusiasts rate Virtua Fighter as one of the system?s top games. Smooth and fast graphics, responsive game play, and unparalleled depth and complexity all add up to a game that can still compete with the best of today?s fighting games. This game was released late in the 32X?s short life span and wasn?t produced in particularly large quantities, so it may be a bit harder to locate compared to some other games. It?s worth looking for. - Video Game Bible.


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                              #15
                              Originally posted by nigel1210
                              Originally posted by kingston lj
                              If I remember correctly the game ran at 720x480. Which if true, means it has the highest resolution ever on a console game, bar Hi-Def import modern impor stuff.
                              I though standard tvs could only handle upto 640x480???
                              apparently this is true of the saturn, in that that's the max resolution it could display. as to whether or not VF2 did that I personally don't know as I haven't checked, but I trust nigel knows what he's talking about

                              I heard there were claims of the Saturn managing 720x550-odd but apparently THIS is too high for TV's to handle.

                              btw just had a check and PAL DVD's run at 720x576, whilst NTSC ones run at 720x480...does this mean the PAL one was even higher res than 720x480? it's almost full screen isn't it?

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