How would you direct a SC game?

FluffyQuack

FluffyQuack

[14] Master
Let's say you have a team of developers, a huge budget and full freedom with the project, how would you make a SC game?

I'm not talking SC6 specifically, just any SC game period. It could be the next in the series, a spinoff, a reboot, or whatever. I'm curious what different ideas people have. Would you have a typical sequel with similar but improved mechanics and new characters? A reboot? SC: Legends 2? A spinoff based on the mechanics from Chronicles of the Sword? A new SC game for arcades? A 2D fighter?

You can be as detailed as you want, but try to be as concise as possible. Imagine you're pitching this to a management team who wants to know as many details as possible, but don't wanna be bogged down by trivial details.
 
Crap, you beat me to it, I was just about to make this very thread. I guess brilliant minds think alike :)

I don't really have the time to write my full response, but I will say something Namco needs to realize: It's not about the story, but how it's delivered.
 
<3 this idea.

I'd want to release two games, one as a 'true' game in the series(let's just say SCVI) and another that isn't at all canon.

I'd just want to put Odashima in charge of SCVI and let him go wild, but always have a few people tailing him exclusively to pimp smack him every time he thinks of lolis. He seemed to have a good idea of what to do with SCV, so having him in charge of SCVI sounds good to me. Oh, and I'd also want to have the QA team be just shy of indentured servants and pay them really well to help keep up that morale <3

For an alternate, I'd prefer making a full-blown MMO with a crazy mixture of fairly complex hack and slash gameplay, massive bosses, customization, and strongly favor co-op over competitive play to create some kind of Monster Hunter/Devil May Cry/Dressup Calibur. And to keep it Soulcalibur-y, it takes place in Astral Chaos and everyone is malfested or whatever because why not. Oh, and like, people that are the top-ranked players in the competitive modes could use canon characters/weapons to show off.
 
I would personally go with one of these 3 ideas:

A "dream match" Soul Calibur:
- Using tweaked mechanics from whatever is the most popular SC game.
- Includes every single character from the series, but the focus is only on a subset of those. The primary characters (around 1/2 of the roster) will get the most attention with extensive balance tests and extra costume(s). The other characters are there as bonus characters and are only available for singleplayer and versus matches against friends, but unavailable for serious versus modes.
- Current gen game so re-using assets from SC4 and SC5 is cheap.
- Includes a variant of "weapon master mode" from SC2 with a minimal storyline (only a brief text prologue and epilogue).
- Simple story in arcade mode which is lighthearted and silly (think SC: BD).

New new Soul Calibur:
- Focused on being an experimental fighting game with all new mechanics. All traditional conventions of the genre ignored, and let the dev team go crazy with trying new mechanics.
- Similar to how Smash Bros created a sub genre of fighting games, or how Bushido Blade at least tried to do something new. It could backfire, but it would be a low budget experiment with limited modes and content to minimize risk.

Soul Calibur RPG:
- Party based tactical RPG (think Fire Emblem) with mechanics and/or presentation inspired by the fighting game genre.
- One key feature is to expand and show the extensive lore of the SC franchise which the normal games doesn't do a good job of presenting.
- Professional writers responsible for storyline and dialogue, and given the freedom to bend the existing lore if any part doesn't make sense.
- Character roster is a mix of popular existing SC characters and all new characters, with minor cameos of many other SC characters.
 
*I would have to bring back all the characters from up to Soul Calibur 4/Broken Destiny
*Bring back Soul Calibur 2's Weapon Master Mode, Team Battle Mode, Extra Modes, Bios, Museum
*Soul Calibur 3's Tales of Souls Mode, World Tournament Mode, RPG Mode
*Soul Calibur 4's Tower of Souls Mode, Create-A-Soul Mode, and Customization
*New characters and fighting styles (Aztec Warrior, Persian Warrior, African Warrior, Maori Warrior, etc.)
*Bring back the old Guard Impact mechanics, keep Critical Edge
*Bring back Soul Charge and make a mechanic where players have 30 seconds to perform powerful moves or throw
*Balance the game out (of course) to avoid nerfs
*Guest characters Thor and Blade (Marvel Comics), Prince of Persia, Roberto from Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams, and Shang Tsung from Mortal Kombat
* A very epic, and I mean epic story mode going into full detail of each character and having each act into three sagas told by Edge Master (from Soul Blade to the Beginning of Soul Calibur 2), Zasalamel (from Soul Calibur 2 to Soul Calibur 3), and Algol (towards the end of Soul Calibur 3 to Soul Calibur 4). Given in an alternate timeline where Soul Edge and Soul Calibur have both split into halves causing more chaos unto the world. One canon ending.
*Bring back stages from past games and some new ones located in Mesoamerica, Siberia, Polynesia, and Persia.
*Minor characters like Xianglian, Kunpaetku, and Arthur should be hidden characters or DLC.
 
My main purpose is to make a step foward on the roster. Forget old character and just move on.

To make this step foward I'll look into the past. So you technically you could consider it a prequel or a spin-off.

Not really wanting to reboot the series, the idea is to make a new step, a NEW game. Do not forget what has been done, just add something new. Tell a part of the story we didn't know. If call it SCVI or SCOrigins or whatever...I'd let that decission to the producers.

The reason for going back in time this is to get rid of every character and make a setting where no old character could stand and at the same time have a potential resources of warriors.

Setting: 100 AD, for example
Plot: Soul Edge has been there always so turning the character background and the main story around it shouldn't be a problem. Romans trying to seize its power, as well as other empires, people trying to destroy it, persian assassins, christians missunderstanding the source of SE power...

Roster would be the primary focus of the development. If I manage to do 15 new characters with 15 new style, I'll be happy. By new I mean new, so no returning styles. Of course some weapons would be there like sword or spear, but the style would be brand new. Getting 20 though would be my dream.

Second focus would be to improve the 1 player options. Mission mode (win under x circumstances), arcade mode with "playable" endings. Gallery mode (models, profiles, weapon exhibitions, edit opening, illustrations, etc). Team vs.

Online mode. Improve team Vs. section. Oh, and use the number 3 as default for numbers of players in the create a room section. Because lot of people looks like they don't know they can modify the number of player leading to halls and halls of 6 players when the creator only wants 2 slots.

If time/resources remain, include a rpg-like mode like the one I described in other threads, not going to explain it further. Also improve a bit CAS system.

About the game system itself, I follow with the lines of SC5, a fast and agressive gameplay but would insert some kind of "parry" move instead JG. Also would remove EX moves, instead use a system where if certain conditions are met (10% life remaining or enemy has only 10% life for example) you can do a devastating desesperate counter/finishing move.
 
NeclordX said:
My main purpose is to make a step foward on the roster. Forget old character and just move on.
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I've done that way before the game released. Too bad others won't do the same.

Sectus said:
New new Soul Calibur:
- Focused on being an experimental fighting game with all new mechanics. All traditional conventions of the genre ignored, and let the dev team go crazy with trying new mechanics.
- Similar to how Smash Bros created a sub genre of fighting games, or how Bushido Blade at least tried to do something new. It could backfire, but it would be a low budget experiment with limited modes and content to minimize risk.
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You might have something there. Too bad people hate change, or innovation for that matter. Look at how much Nintendo gets picked on, and that has some of the most innovative games on the consoles. Well, you could count Portal as an innovative game as well.
 
I have 2 ideas actually.

My first one would be Soul Calibur Anniversary game. This game would be treated like how Tekken Tag Tournament is of Tekken. It would bring back all the characters who appeared in the game. Also including almost all the levels (more so the best levels of each SC game). The gameplay would be quick-paced like SCV but have the same mechanics of SCIV (Guard impacts). I would keep the Brave Edges. Not sure about the critical edges.
The game modes would have your standard modes, plus adding back Chronicles of the Sword. The story would have the events happening after the first Chronicles of the Sword

This game would be treated as the end of the Soul Calibur era and onwards to the next era which is my next idea.

Idea 2: A brand new game. Well you know, keeping what made Soul Calibur well, Soul Calibur but erasing the entire cast. You heard me, everyone. It's time to move on and tell a new tale and I personally think it would be best to start with new characters to grow with. Yes, you will have your nostalgia buffs who would complain about the lack of their favorite characters but they could just play the anniversary game to get their fix. This new title is to somewhat reboot the Soul Calibur name. Try to make it big just like it was when it first debuted. New characters with no ties to the original cast. All completely new. Only I would personally work on making the characters stand out without being like animu-esq characters. It'll be the realism meets fantasy approach again. I would let the dev team pitch some new ideas on what we could add to liven up the gameplay and let them try it out in the game. A game like this would be a risk but sometimes, the risk is well worth it.
 
Hi everybody,
I would love to have a futuristic Soul Calibur with completly new invented Weapons like an Energy-Hammer morphing into an Axe or Sword, depending on which move you are entering. In the stages could be Teleports or timebending areas. Quicksilver Armor with Lightveins on it. Just an idea :D
 
I'd like to think I wouldn't change much, but whenever I go back and play an older Soulcalibur game it's very apparent there is something missing from both IV and V.

I would focus on providing content that newer players would actually enjoy playing, whilst learning a little about Soulcalibur along the way. Online is intimidating and keeping motivation whilst learning the basics is difficult for some, especially while they've got win ratios constantly telling them their place and nothing to tell them why they are there and what they are doing wrong.
Chronicles of the Sword is what kept me playing SCIII long after I stopped having friends, and without that I wouldn't be close to what I am today. Creating characters and playing through a story with them was very engaging, and during that time, I at least learnt the fundamentals.

- I would take a leaf from the Gauntlet mode from Broken Destiny, but perhaps less full-on. Teach players how to deal with certain key moves of the opponents they face throughout the mode, but in the context of an actual fight (rather than in controlled instances where they just repeat the attack over and over until you respond to it correctly).​
- Also, a specific thing I liked about CotS was the optional and difficult regular character towers. An optional challenge on every level that reminds you that you have more to learn, and provides a sense of accomplishment when it is eventually overcome, but never hindering progress.​
- I would not use leveling, stats, or weapon abilities however. Stats and abilities just provide you with exploits to falsely overcome challenges where knowledge of the game should be the solution, and those based on the appearance of your character simply cause people who want to progress through the mode feel like they can't create and use a character they want.​
Also, these create differences between a standard match and the tutorial, which makes it more difficult to learn the 'real' game by this mode.​
- CaS mode specific unlockables provide incentive to play the mode as well as a sense of progression, but doesn't interfere with the main game.​

Other than that I wouldn't care what the mode entailed so long as it was fun, and long enough to teach what it needs to. CotS was great, but rehashing old ideas is not always the best option.
That handy section with written explanations of the mechanics from SCIII was also incredibly helpful to me back then.

To me, SCIII's story mode was the best so far. While the same significant events often occurred each time, the branching paths still gave it some depth and made it engaging to play. Importantly, each character's personality and goals are defined, so I knew who the cast were and why they were involved.
(A little feature I'd've liked to see in the context of SCIII's story mode would be a option to write stories for your own characters... It's all text... just put in some generic You got Soul Edge!/You got Soul Calibur! scenes for the end... but yeah, unnecessary...)
SCV's story mode was a mistake. Aiming to include voice acting and so many cut-scenes restricted the overall content, and left even somebody who had played previous Soulcaliburs questioning why some older characters were still important to the story, and having little concept of the personalities, motivation and backstories of the newer characters.

Fighting games need new players. Without new players, eventually there are no players. Single player modes and tutorials help keep people invested to a point where they can actually understand and enjoy the gameplay. I've tried to introduce several people to this game, but CaS can only keep someone interested for so long, and after that they're left with a complex and confusing game that's very difficult for me to teach, and they can't even understand why they're losing. It didn't last long.

The biggest problem for me however is one I don't have a solution for, which is why I haven't mentioned it until the end... (I'm about to not know what I'm talking about so... yeah.)
A while ago I watched some tournament footage of SCII, and it was so fast-paced and just great to watch. SCV by comparison is slow and predictable. I know next to nothing of SCII, but at a glance it seems to be due to cancels and delays... the mind games being played are far more visible perhaps?
I dunno, but going by what I've seen watching SCII... If there was re-release with online, I'm not sure I'd come back to SCV even with the lack of CaS. To me, that faster-paced, bluff-heavy gameplay is far more interesting.
Note how in SCII you had to utilise more than 4 attacks. (...That's not fair really... an example from WGC would probably been better)

It's probably just a matter of personal preference but--well... I could go on SCV right now, but all I want to do is buy, play and learn SCII, but in the end, I'm settling for SCIII. I can't explain it as much as I try but, whenever I look at an old SC it's like I realise how much I hate SCV.
If I could figure out a way to solve that, I'd've written it here.
 
garjian said:
It's probably just a matter of personal preference but--well... I could go on SCV right now, but all I want to do is buy, play and learn SCII, but in the end, I'm settling for SCIII. I can't explain it as much as I try but, whenever I look at an old SC it's like I realise how much I hate SCV.
If I could figure out a way to solve that, I'd've written it here.
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Damn...that Yun lol and that could be nostalgia making you hate SCV ._.
 
bullshit said:
Note how in SCII you had to utilise more than 4 attacks. (...That's not fair really... an example from WGC would probably been better)
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Pfffttttt hahahah you didn't play much high level SC2 did you. You are also (wrongly) associating variety with ability.

Seriously, this thread is a thinly veiled excuse to whine about SC5... again. Reported for termination.
 
xXPyrrusXx said:
Damn...that Yun lol and that could be nostalgia making you hate SCV ._.
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IdleMind said:
Pfffttttt hahahah you didn't play much high level SC2 did you. You are also (wrongly) associating variety with ability.

Seriously, this thread is a thinly veiled excuse to whine about SC5... again. Reported for termination.
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None what-so-ever. I've barely played SCII (which is also why it's not nostalgia).

I knew I'd get a response like this, but I don't have a constructive way to voice that opinion. I did state I didn't know what I was talking about... It's nothing more than a feeling, but a strong one.
Anyway, key word: Constructive... That's what this thread is about. Don't go closing it before the whining actually starts, it might not.

Also, feel free to completely ignore the rest of my post. It's not like I put any effort into it or anything.

Oh also, when did I even mention the ability of players? I'm not comparing variety with anything, it's just more apparent in SCII.
 
IdleMind said:
If this is going to be your attitude, then DONT POST.
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And if that's your attitude, the same to you.
Stop derailing the thread. Allow people to actually speak.
You don't need to come here and accuse everyone of whining, and you don't need to close a thread where people are just expressing what they would do with Soulcalibur. Yes, not every post in this thread is going to be an inspiring paragon of the future of Soulcalibur, but no thread ever will be and they don't all need to be.
And personally, to take a small section of my post and dismiss the entire thread based on it, I do not take well.
This is in the casual section, people just want to share fantasy...

Anyway, if you wanted to tell me I was wrong about SCII, I'd be happy for you to do it. It would mean that what I see is rose-tinted, and perhaps it would stop me disliking SCV like it does now. At this moment, given the scenario of this thread, SCII-style gameplay is what I would aim for because of this. I've openly stated I know nothing of SCII three times now, and if I'm wrong, great... I almost expect to be, just dont be an arse about it.

I wasn't going to respond to this at all by the way, but it was more than likely going to be closed anyway, and I'm just sick of being here to be honest. I'm sick to death of this attitude. It's not necessary... certainly not necessary here.
 
garjian said:
I wasn't going to respond to this at all by the way, but it was more than likely going to be closed anyway, and I'm just sick of being here to be honest. I'm sick to death of this attitude. It's not necessary... certainly not necessary here.
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Sadly, you run into people like him in any forums solely dedicated to a series. FFHackticks (for FFT modding/hacking), Shining Force Central, Dofus' Imps Village, etc.. Gaming forums are notorious for social rejects like this. The internet grants cowards 'courage' and 'power'. They often have an in with those running the given forum, giving them more false backbone.

Anyway, on topic! I'd sit on its back and direct it with a hanging piece of tantalizing food... ... ...
 
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