[crypto1300]

Has anyone seen the realtime cinemas for the character endings in Tekken 4? At first I thought it was FMV, but after a real hard look it was obvious that it was realtime. I must say that the cinemas are quite impressive, no aliasing, no shimmer & very clean. I even saw what appeared to be bumpmapping on a soldiers helmet.

Just thought I'd share my impressions of the cinemas.

[Legion]

All i remember from the japanese version is the FMV endings.

[crypto1300]

All i remember from the japanese version is the FMV endings.

If you're talking about the "Story Mode" character endings, the US version is not FMV, but is indeed game engine rendered. I never played the Japanese version though.

[VNZ]

I only have the JP-version, where the ending cinemas indeed were "offline renders". However, they used the in-game models so a few people thought they were realtime also at the JP release. If the cinemas are the same I strongly doubt Namco has fine-tuned their engine to the point where those are possible to do in realtime. Basically, there was too much shadowing to calculate per frame and too much geometry/textures to hold in memory without loading between cuts.

Got any captures/movies from the US endings?

[crypto1300]

VNZ,

I guess I could've mistaken the FMV endings for game engine cutscenes, but they sure made a good effort to use the game models & similar textures/geometry from the game engine itself. And, if I recall correctly the endings in TTT were definetly done by the game engine.

[Kolgar]

No, Crypto, I'm pretty sure the endings in TTT were all pre-rendered.

So who's all getting Tekken 4 on Friday? I wasn't going to, but after going back and playing DOA3, VF4, and TTT, I decided that my heart belongs to Tekken... I'm getting it.

Kolgar

[Ozymandis]

Originally Posted by Kolgar

No, Crypto, I'm pretty sure the endings in TTT were all pre-rendered.

So who's all getting Tekken 4 on Friday? I wasn't going to, but after going back and playing DOA3, VF4, and TTT, I decided that my heart belongs to Tekken... I'm getting it.

Kolgar

How are ya Kolgar?

I'll probably just wait and rent Tekken 4. Too many other games coming out that I want more. Although it's a must-rent as the first (decent) progressive-scan Ps2 game :P

[Kolgar]

Hi, Ozy. I'm well. Still spending most of my time at the other place. Trader finally gave up and called it quits months ago.

I'm totally loving this generation of games and systems. My PS2 and Xbox both get a lot of use - there are some great, great games for each of them. My poor Gamecube has been relegated to the spare room, however - not enough games I want to play. (As usual - thanks, Nintendo.)

Anyway, looking forward to Tekken 4. Also the new Need for Speed, Burnout 2, Unreal Championship, and others I can't remember right now. Just wish I had the willpower to hold out until I finish Munch and JSRF.

Kolgar

[crypto1300]

Originally Posted by Kolgar

No, Crypto, I'm pretty sure the endings in TTT were all pre-rendered.

So who's all getting Tekken 4 on Friday? I wasn't going to, but after going back and playing DOA3, VF4, and TTT, I decided that my heart belongs to Tekken... I'm getting it.

Kolgar

Just popped in TTT & I'm almost positive the endings are realtime. Can anyone verify if possible. Although, Tekken 4 endings could probably be pre-rendered as they are extremely clean, but utilizing the game engine style rather than the FMV intro style.

[Grall]

This IS easy to check you know... Just take off the cover, if the DVDROM spins up when the sequence plays then it is FMV.

*G*

PS: The PS2:s drive is kinda noisy I've noticed. It could be sufficient to just turn off the sound and listen too.

[VNZ]

Yup, the TTT endings are indeed realtime (the fact that they all are staged in in-game scenery is sort of a give-away). Tetsujin's ending are particularly impressive with some 50 Mokujins mimicking his moves, all with shadows (and a bit unsynchronized). Also, they show that both the character models and the backgrounds are much more detailed than its Soul Calibur counterparts - contrary to popular belief. Great game overall.

I confirmed that the endings in the US and PAL versions of Tekken 4 are identical to the JP ones, ie prerendered. Can't say I liked them really, with Jin's and Law's as the most notable exceptions.

[crypto1300]

Originally Posted by VNZ

Yup, the TTT endings are indeed realtime (the fact that they all are staged in in-game scenery is sort of a give-away). Tetsujin's ending are particularly impressive with some 50 Mokujins mimicking his moves, all with shadows (and a bit unsynchronized). Also, they show that both the character models and the backgrounds are much more detailed than its Soul Calibur counterparts - contrary to popular belief. Great game overall.

I confirmed that the endings in the US and PAL versions of Tekken 4 are identical to the JP ones, ie prerendered. Can't say I liked them really, with Jin's and Law's as the most notable exceptions.

Cool, thanks for not making me think I'm crazy. They really made the Tekken 4 endings seem very realtime like though. Probably to make the gameplay & cinemas flow into one another more fluidly.

[Logan Leonhart]

I´m getting it. I enjoyed TTT quite a bit, and while some reviews made me doubt, I realized that they were just complaining that it didn´t evolve enough, but that it still was a kick-ass game, so I´m still getting it.

[crypto1300]

Originally Posted by Logan Leonhart

I´m getting it. I enjoyed TTT quite a bit, and while some reviews made me doubt, I realized that they were just complaining that it didn´t evolve enough, but that it still was a kick-ass game, so I´m still getting it.

I bought Tekken 4, SegaGT 2002, & StarFox lastnight. But, I was only able to get some playtime with Tekken 4. I have to say that I enjoy the game at least as much as TTT & DOA3, which I had bleeding thumbs by the time I was done playing.

[Kolgar]

Heh, sorry about that. As I remembered it, the TTT end movies were FMV...

Guess I should have played through a different mode last night - the "Tag" game doesn't show end movies.

By the way, you got T4 last night? Must've come out early, hm?

Kolgar

[crypto1300]

Originally Posted by Kolgar

Heh, sorry about that. As I remembered it, the TTT end movies were FMV...

Guess I should have played through a different mode last night - the "Tag" game doesn't show end movies.

By the way, you got T4 last night? Must've come out early, hm?

Kolgar

I got it at Software Etc. here in Hawaii. They had tons of 'em.

[KOF]

OT

(Hugs both Kolgar and Ozymandis)

/OT

[Kolgar]

Aww, thanks, KOF! Good to see ya, man! :P

[zurich]

Just rented Tekken 4 and beat it with Steve. Those are FMV endings. The reason why they look real time is because they're bad FMV :P

btw, the game is atrocious. First Tekken I've ever played, and the last. It's like the game forces itself into mediocrity, as in its not nearly as indepth as Virtua Fighter, but its not button-masher friendly like DOA, thereby sticking it in the middle, badly. I'll take Akira & VF anyday!

zurich

[Kolgar]

Ha! Sorry you don't like it. Me, it's my game. For some reason, I clearly prefer the Tekken games to VF or DOA.

[Ozymandis]

KOF, Kolgar, you guys should come here more often

[Logan Leonhart]

I´ve been playing T4 extensively for the past week, and all I´ve got to say is that it kicks VF4´s sorry ass! T4 is that amazing. Sure, it may have a bit less depth, but it´s so much more fun! It looks amazing (much, much better than VF4), the characters´s movements are much more fluid, the gameplay is very fast, and the music is way better than those annoying electric guitar tracks in VF4. What can I say except that it is much, much better than VF4. 8)

[KOF]

Tekken4 can't be more fluid than VF4. The amount of animation frames employed in VF4 is far higher than both Tekken4 and DOA3. That's why defensive tactics using recovery is far more important in VF4 while Tekken4 relies on all out offensive comboes that are varied depending on the environment.

Of course, Tekken4 has finally turned into a solid fighting game that can now be described as deep. Too bad many Tekken fans still stick to TTT.

As for VF4 looking bad, I guess N@omi2 was little too much for PSX2 to handle. Still, it pushes out mad lighting which is a good thing. I hope VF 4.1 (Evo) comes out in either G^3 and X-box to do full arcade justice.

Of course, I've come to realization great graphics and animation isn't the only thing a good fighting game needs. Street Fighter EX3, while retaining its 2D root, is actually quite solid game with extremely sophisticated fighting engines. And we are talking about first gen PSX2 game that looks worse than Soul Calibur here.

(Kolgar, Ozy, thanks)

[Logan Leonhart]

I wasn´t talking about Frames of animation, what I was refering to was fluidity of gameplay. You know, in VF4 you always have to move so stiltedly, always on the defense and looking for a counter move, either it be a punch, a kick or a sidestep, the problem being that there are many rules that damage potentially fun gameplay.
In T4, you can be VERY offensive, and be able to have a very healthy chance of being the winner, or you can be a very smart defensive player that uses the exact moves to interrupt the other player´s combos with a move. Xiayu is my favorite thus far, she has many stances, defensive and smart offensive moves. I can taunt an oponent with quick punches, a fast combo, or defend and wait for a good opening to unleash a throw.
I just don´t find VF4 to be fun, more like frustrating. There are too many rules for my liking, aerial combat is almost nonexistant (you just can´t reproduce Hwoarang´s amazing tae kwon do moves in a VF game), and it´s just not fun to remember so many moves and rules with that amazingly limited control scheme. Someone needs to tell Yu that we´ve had more than 3 face buttons since the SNES.

BTW, I REALLY doubt NAOMI 2´s capabilities had anything to do with the lame-ass, all-around crappy port. It was a rushed PS2 port, and AM2´s first try at coding for the PS2. I mean, T4 looks WAY better than it, and they´re both on the same machine.

[Legion]

If you ask me the largest problem i noticed in vf4 for PS2 was the nasty textures. I am not to sure the PS2 can improve apon the Naomi2 (or even equal it).

Honestly i was never to fond of the VF series. Characters deal far to much damage and the animations run through far to quickly for powerful attacks. Soul Calibur (with the exclusion of some of that BS you can pull with asteroth) seems like a far more appealing engine in that respect. Tekken 4 is great but the combos are generally more difficult to pull off then other fighters. DOA definately needs counter breakers for those "no talent ass clowns" who see it fit to play on the defensive.