Improving SOULCALIBUR's STORY mode!

U

UNDERX

[10] Knight
Hey whats up everyone, I wanted to create this thread in hopes that maybe the SC team will see it. Though I love SC to the point of ignoring any and all flaws it mite contain, I am a little frustrated with it's story mode.

The fact is SC story is extremely detailed (if you like to read the loading screens) But not executed very well, or at all. I really want and believe the SC needs to have Much more dramatic and lengthy cut scenes in between each fight for its story (mode).

A game I feel has done this very well would be DOA (here is an example)

http://youtu.be/cFHiAUcbvyc (i just think DOA's story mode is very stylish)

We saw some of these kind of cut scenes in SC2 (Not like SC3) but only in the end, and they were very random there was no story build up.

Also Aside from having the characters speak or simply animate a stylish story i would also love to see some cool fighting scenes before and after each story Line. Obviously the SC team in more then capable of creation good animations, why not make some for the story mode.

I mean I would love to see Natsu take down her enemies in BULLET TIME! Or watch a IVY use her powers in a dramatic almost (Super hero) kind of a way... The potential is limitless.

(here is another example of cool things that can be done for the story mode)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpTasXYKZ50

Soul Calibur and SC team are amazing when it comes to graphics and Sick ass animations, so why not include these in story mode!

If you have any further suggestions and thoughts please feel free to share.
 
Actually, I'm just flat out disappointed about SCIV's story mode. The only reason why I stayed on this game was because of community, competition, and customizing my favorite characters. The last time I cared about it's story mode, was when it was SCIII. In any case, SCV might grant all your wishes.
 
Pocky-Yoshi said:
Actually, I'm just flat out disappointed about SCIV's story mode. The only reason why I stayed on this game was because of community, competition, and customizing my favorite characters. The last time I cared about it's story mode, was when it was SCIII. In any case, SCV might grant all your wishes.
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No Offense Yoshi, but I never understood why people liked SC3's story mode. I mean it was walls of mainly superflous text saying "So-and-so goes here" and all the cutscenes you were forced to see a billion times. The action commands were also horrible and pointless. I recently put in SC3 to take a look at its storymode again and see if I misjudged it. Nope, I know Namco was rushed but seriously.....Zas even throws a gear at himself, Tira asks Cassandra "How she can even exist" for no reason at all and everyone's destined battle is Raph. Oh and all the endings are either comic relief or someone beating up poorly made Created Characters. The absolute worst part is you have to play through it numerous times in order to find the right sequence of events to reach Night Terror while also never losing a single round even while the AI blatantly cheats (Psychic powers, anyone?).
SC4's storymode on the other hand my only real complaint was that it kept the whole idea of fights only being one round that was introduced in SC3. Cosidering they didn't have a bunch of pointless cutscenes to pad them out they could be beaten in no time. I liked the tag feature added (although I wish they would treat it as a serious mechanic and not just a gimimick) and the endings were actually pretty good.
 
Lot of good points as to how too many options can be troublesome (SC3 story mode)! They need to show us cool stylish in game cut scenes, using features like bullet time and awesome fighting choreography!
 
Uhh well some of us like having branching paths in the storyline. It gives replay value to the game. Its whole point was to give the single player something more then just an arcade ladder with a boss at the end and a 30 second clip or worse just some text and a few pictures. Did you really think they didn't want to do cut scenes for everything in the story mode? Of course they did they just didn't have to time, resources, or just plain money to waste time on them. Not with the scale they were shooting for Anyway. Some characters had completely unique encounters in the story mode that nobody else did depending upon the path you took.

The action scenes actually did affect the path you took which wasn't pointless at all. It was important if you wanted to unlock everything including all the extra characters. Now if your complaining about the difficulty to get to Night Terror that was a little over kill. It's one of the few low points of the story mode for most people and it doesn't really effect the out come anyway.

As for SC4's storyline, that was pointless. 3 wrapped the whole series up and ended with everybody getting on with there lives as silly as it seemed. 4 tacked on a whole bunch of pointless extra crap and hobbled it together into very Japanese animeish tragedy story. Kind of like where they make a series that's generally normal or lighthearted and ends well but then they end it with a movie but the movie gets all dark and tragic and whiny. Well that's my take on SC4's story it was freaking stupid. Its suppose to be epic or high adventure not whiny end of the world sh*#.

What I think they could improve though from 3 if they used it as a base for the single play modes is to reinstate Arcade mode with standard ladder with the tapestry panel endings and fashion the Story mode like a mix of Soul Blades Edge Master Mode and the Tale of Souls story mode from 3. With the inclusion interactive cut scenes that effect the path your traveling down and possibly giving multiple different bosses and or endings. Better choreographed of course. Imagine last boss Main Rival, last boss Soul Blade Possessed Pyrrah (with different boss look), last boss Soul Edge Possessed Petroklos (with different boss look), last boss Night Terror Plague (ultimate last boss with a little bit of the bubonic plague reference just for a shot in the dark idea). That's not counting mini bosses like the giant statue from 3.
 
I think the option to choose different paths is interesting and gives a new spin on story telling, But this isn't where my arguments are at. I would like to see more effort go into in game cut scenes and to remind the SC team of the possibilities they can do.

As far as not having the budget, I am not complaining about anything, Just given some suggestion. And sharing my point of view, something this site was created for!

The thing about having multiple choices is the story...is, it isn't complete in the eye of the creator it becomes ongoing and Illusive. I think 1 story line that intertwines all the characters and is told in an exciting and dramatic fashion would serve SC much better (But hey, to each his own!) Also i think having multiple options is more work for the team, and again I would prefer they focus on making it more "stylish"!!!
 
Tanegashima said:
No Offense Yoshi, but I never understood why people liked SC3's story mode. I mean it was walls of mainly superflous text saying "So-and-so goes here" and all the cutscenes you were forced to see a billion times. The action commands were also horrible and pointless. I recently put in SC3 to take a look at its storymode again and see if I misjudged it. Nope, I know Namco was rushed but seriously.....Zas even throws a gear at himself, Tira asks Cassandra "How she can even exist" for no reason at all and everyone's destined battle is Raph. Oh and all the endings are either comic relief or someone beating up poorly made Created Characters. The absolute worst part is you have to play through it numerous times in order to find the right sequence of events to reach Night Terror while also never losing a single round even while the AI blatantly cheats (Psychic powers, anyone?).
SC4's storymode on the other hand my only real complaint was that it kept the whole idea of fights only being one round that was introduced in SC3. Cosidering they didn't have a bunch of pointless cutscenes to pad them out they could be beaten in no time. I liked the tag feature added (although I wish they would treat it as a serious mechanic and not just a gimimick) and the endings were actually pretty good.
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None taken. Because back then, I was just young'un who played SCIII because it was fun. The interactive stuff just felt fun despite the fact the scenes were recycled and what not. I mean chronicles of the sword was fun because of how it was. As for the story? Well......all I cared about was the comic relief and nice moments. Like I knew nighty, siegy, and zas were the big three you could fight. But that was just about it. Not only that, CAS was introduced to give me my own time to fuel my fantasy for my own tales of souls for Chronicles of the sword lol. There were more modes etc. Story wise? I only cared about my favorite characters looking good being good or evil lol. Like Xianghua looks very cute in that sweet puppy love ending. Yun-Seong and Seong Mi-na(love her 2p in SCIII) were fun. Nighty was fun. Yoshi was fun. Basically I wasn't into story mode the whole time lol.
 
But if story mode was made better you would have been! If a movie has a good plot but is directed by an mature you will not be as into it. And vice verse. I think SC storyline in interesting but is not executed well or even at all...
 
The new Mortak Kombat story mode was quite extensive and did the series justice. I wouldn't be too upset if namco took the same approach with SCV. Otherwise, I'd like a longer story mode than SCIV. The story line has always been part of the game's appeal, for me at least.
 
You never find out what the true ending for a fighting game until the sequel comes along and lays it out anyway. You never know for sure if there is going to be a sequel so having individual endings showing characters getting on with there lives makes sense.

I do realize some would like a storyline that just involves every character playing a part ala Mortal Kombat's. Problem is when your done with it your done. It's too linear and only gives a single player experience of a couple of hours. I played SC3 for weeks just unlocking all of the characters, create a character parts, fighting styles, weapons, secret paths and game modes. I was done with SC2's single player modes in a few hours and even less in SC4.

To be honest I work for the game industry not unlike a few people on this forum and I'm telling you fighting games may have come back but they are still in danger of becoming stale for the casuals. They are too short in the single player department and the online multiplayer is brutal enough so that it turns MOST casual players off. This includes Mortal Kombat, Soul Calibur 4, Marvel vs Capcom 3, Street Fighter IV(all iterations) and pretty much all other modern fighting games.

Bottom line you can have short but sweet ie great balance and some short but pretty cut scenes or cheesy and text heavy but with replay value and expanded core gameplay elements and the best possible balance with time constraints.
 
SC4's story sucked. End of story on that. :\
On the subject, I'd like there to be a cutscenes that transition right into the battle, it adds more tension. It's just like when the fighters face and look at each other on the SC2 versus screen.
I want tension, adrenaline and awe for a SC5 Story Mode.~ :)
 
xragnarok645x said:
SC4's story sucked. End of story on that. :\
On the subject, I'd like there to be a cutscenes that transition right into the battle, it adds more tension. It's just like when the fighters face and look at each other on the SC2 versus screen.
I want tension, adrenaline and awe for a SC5 Story Mode.~ :)
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Yes, this is what I am suggesting to have very COOL exciting in game cut scenes before a fight. Imagine Mitsu and Taki battling it out in super sweet fighting choreography and some Bullet time moments, and then they say something awesome like, "Is that all you got" and BAM the match starts.
 
xragnarok645x said:
SC4's story sucked. End of story on that. :\
On the subject, I'd like there to be a cutscenes that transition right into the battle, it adds more tension. It's just like when the fighters face and look at each other on the SC2 versus screen.
I want tension, adrenaline and awe for a SC5 Story Mode.~ :)
Click to expand...

It would be smart to add cut scenes before a fight. My biggest issue with SCIV's story mode was that it never made the player care why character x was fighting character y. Sure there was the text back story but that was hardly substantial. It was very much here's the fight, kick their asses. Which can get very repetitive.

It's good that SCV is going to step up the story a bit.
 
xragnarok645x said:
SC4's story sucked. End of story on that. :\
On the subject, I'd like there to be a cutscenes that transition right into the battle, it adds more tension. It's just like when the fighters face and look at each other on the SC2 versus screen.
I want tension, adrenaline and awe for a SC5 Story Mode.~ :)
Click to expand...

SC4's story was awful, worst for any fighter I have played that specifically has one.
They need more visual explaination of the story and the prologue needs to be voiced. I never read the long paragraphs. Or they should go with an audio narrated prologue in an old story book style with illistrations showing what happened in recap.
(like Tekken but an older style, almost like those fairy tale books that have a ribbon and rope, and an old guy speaks to you in rhyme) for each character's history, then after eaxh fight the narrator tells you what the character decieded to do before each fight.

A problem that lasted throughout all SC's was the fact that there were no transitioning stages to fully show an adventure. If they say this character came from a village or town, their fiirst fight should be on a fork road on the edge of a anonomous town in distance to show that they are leaving.
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Another thing that Sc is missing is that why are there never any people watching them fight or anything happening in a stage. If Nightmare just cleared a village of souls or you encounter him then there should be people running away and screaming.
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Nightmare: (Turns around like in SC3 and speaks to you)"I sense the madness within the abyss filtering your conscience... It is far greater fathomage then those who are too deplorably weak to satisfly my hunger for souls... these meager mortals only serve to anger me the more they waste my time.... If you wish to avenge these cowardly fools then show me what lies within the roots of your might..." Which would explain why he isn't attacking the people who would be running away behind him because you stand out. (thumbs up for my devious writing)
 
I agree. I was expecting SCIV's story mode to be an improvement of SCIII's, but sadly it was wrost. We only got five battles, one being aginst a random guest character. No destined battles or cutscene between rivals, but we got a pointless cutscene of the tower riseing. I didn't even see the point of SCIV''s story mode, when they could have just put the wall of text and endings into Arcade Mode.

They don't have to have thousands of cutscene, but at least show characters and a few of their Rival/Companions (If they decide to keep Tag) interacting with each other before a battle or two.
 
Agreed to both comments above, i understand that fighting games don't need to have the most plausible story line, but anything would be better compered to what SC has done before! And my main request is to use the fact that this is a 3D game with characters that have amazing animation, why aren't some of these amazing moves beaning shown in story mode ? And in a dramatic fashion, again like Bullet time and other cool effects that the SC team can easily do (Seeing how this is a 3D game)
 
SC3's story mode- The only thing I didn't like was that every character had to fight Zasa and watch that cut scene and at the end when we had to fight a character, then Nightmare or Sieggy, then Abyss. Almost every characters should be different.
 
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