The long-awaited fourth entry in the Street Fighter series. Street Fighter IV features a mix of returning favorites such as Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li and Guile along with new characters created for this game, such as Crimson Viper, Abel, El Fuerte, and Rufus. Characters and environments are rendered in stylized 3D, while the game is played in the classic Street Fighter 2D perspective with additional 3D camera flourishes. Six-button controls for the game return, with a host of new special moves and features integrated into the input system. Mixing classic genre-defining game mechanics the franchise is known and loved for with all-new, never-before-seen gameplay systems, Street Fighter IV brings a brand new fighting game to fans the world over.
October 9, 2008 - Street Fighter IV represents a throwback of sorts to the style of gameplay players may remember from Street Fighter II. We had a chance to sit down with Capcom general manager Yoshi Ono to discuss some of the changes with the home versions of the game, which will be appearing this winter on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. To specify, that means before spring 2009, not necessarily this year.
He says Street Fighter IV is an attempt to give the franchise more of a mass appeal. Speaking through a translator, he said, "By the time we got to 3 and the refinements of 3 and all the way to Third Strike, we kind of shrunk the market on our own by increasingly aiming for the hardcore gamers, making it increasingly harder to get good at it ... Third Strike was kind of the pinnacle ... this is what we can do with Street Fighter, we've done it, we really couldn't go any further. We just put a lid on it and set it aside. To be honest, inside the company the general way of thinking was that it was probably done and that there probably wouldn't be a new Street Fighter." Ono went on to describe how during interviews for other games he was constantly being approached by the press and asked when a new Street Fighter was going to be made, and others within Capcom heard the same questions.
"Eventually we did manage to convince management that people really want to play it, it's not just the hardcore. By the time we finally got them convinced the gears started turning and we decided ... I don't want to use the word 'casual' because that's a loaded word, but we decided to make the game less hardcore, less focused on the true experts, and something a wider variety of people could pick up and play."
To accomplish this, Capcom decided to implement a 'focus system' which would allow for a different style of gameplay without making things too complex. Essentially, the system requires players to hit two buttons which work to absorb or an incoming attack and then, depending on timing, dish out another. Ono says lessons were learned from Street Fighter III's parry system. "That was a really cool system and it was fun as hell if you actually know how to do it and you actually are able to use it properly. Unfortunately the amount of players that really know how to use it and can do it every time on purpose, and can go from the neutral stick position to tapping forward in that literally a fraction of a second timeframe, it's really fun but there's not so many people that can do it. So we wanted something that would be a little more accessible to more people."
Ono continued, "The three keys for going into the focus attack system, one would be that it's easy to execute. Rather than relying on split second timing ... let's just make it two buttons. Anyone can push two buttons. Secondly you had to see immediately on the screen the results. You had to know that you did something. Parry wasn't such a flashy effect. If you did it wrong, you would just get hit and you wouldn't really know anything had happened. So it had to be visually obvious to the user." Activating a focus attack in Street Fighter IV is made quite obvious, as the character changes color along with other special effects. "Thirdly, it had to have depth. It couldn't just be as simple as hitting two buttons and watching something happen. There had to be multiple ways to use it. You can string it together in the midst of other moves, you can cancel out of it, etc., so it's really where the depth comes from."
The conversation then turned to what elements of Street Fighter in general were important to preserve for this version. "Street Fighter has always been about ... reading your opponent's moves and predicting what they're going to do next, kind of a rock-paper-scissors thing. So with this guy, every time he's landed from a jump he's thrown a fireball, he'll probably do that again so I'm going to do this to counter that. It's all about that kind of gameplay, so the focus attack system takes that to the next level. You have another tool in your toolbelt to trick the other player."
As for how the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC versions could differ, Ono said the idea was to give everyone the same experience at home. "It's been so long since there's been a Street Fighter, we don't want to mix up the message and make multiple versions of it ... We're not going to have hardware A is going to have this extra character and hardware B is going to have this extra character."
Ono did mention Capcom was leaning towards Games for Windows -- Live support with the PC version. "We're leaning in that direction ... It's a little too early to say for sure," he said. Downloadable content is definitely on the schedule, though it won't be in the form of other characters. "We don't want it to be something that affects gameplay or balance ... something more cosmetic, perhaps. If you look at the arcade game it links with Japanese mobile phone networks so you can earn points in the arcade ... and then purchase items, but nothing that affects gameplay. We really want everyone to have the same balanced experience."
Though for the home version several new characters have been revealed that aren't in the arcade version, such as Sakura, Capcom is still keeping a few up its sleeve. More will be revealed in the future, so keep an eye out. It also sounds like a few extra modes will be in the game for the home versions. Ono said it won't be just arcade and versus, but whatever is eventually included is still being worked on and therefore he didn't want to say anything. Bonus stages, such as barrel or car smashing, won't be in the game, however, as Ono says there isn't enough time to get it in there and Capcom would rather get the game out than delay it to add bonus modes.
Before the interview was over, Ono gave us some perspective on the Street Fighter franchise in general. "Looking at the pattern up until now, it seems the even-numbered Street Fighters have the casual appeal, the odd numbered Street Fighters are more hardcore. [Street Fighter 1] doesn't necessarily have a hardcore image, but try and throw a fireball on purpose in that game and you'll see just how insane the timing is. Then SFII spread out a little more and was easy to play. SFIII kind of went back to the roots and got hard again. IV is easy. Maybe if there's an SFV we'll go back the other direction and be more hardcore again. It's kind of early to say. Looking at the pattern right now, that would make sense."
by Charles Onyett on IGN.com
Street Fighter 4 E3 2008 Trailer
The Dark Knight opens with Batman, Lieutenant James Gordon, and new district attorney Harvey Dent beginning to succeed in rounding up the criminals that plague Gotham City. They are unexpectedly challenged when a mysterious criminal mastermind known as the Joker, appears in Gotham. Batman's struggle against the Joker becomes deeply personal, forcing him to "confront everything he believes" and to improve his technology to stop the madman's campaign of destruction. During the course of the film, a love triangle develops between Bruce Wayne, Dent and Rachel Dawes.
Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the city streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as The Joker. Written by Peteagassi
Right after taking out Ra's Al Ghul's plan and the mysterious disappearance of Dr. Jonathan Crane AKA Scarecrow, Batman continues his seemingly-endless effort to bring justice to Gotham's crime and corrupt with the help of Lt. James Gordon and new appointed District Attorney Harvey Dent. But this time, The Dark Knight faces a rising psychopathic criminal called The Joker, who's eerie grin makes him more dangerous than what he has yet to unleash. It becomes an agenda to both enemies that only one of them remains and are willing to break every part of what they believe in to stop the other. Written by Anonymous
Set within a year after the events of Batman Begins, Batman, Lieutenant James Gordon, and new district attorney Harvey Dent successfully begin to round up the criminals that plague Gotham City until a mysterious and sadistic criminal mastermind known only as the Joker appears in Gotham, creating a new wave of chaos. Batman's struggle against the Joker becomes deeply personal, forcing him to "confront everything he believes" and improve his technology to stop him. A love triangle develops between Bruce Wayne, Dent and Rachel Dawes. Written by Leon Lombardi
THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS: Christian Bale
Following triumphant performances in “American Psycho” -- in which he played a deeply disturbed and ultra-violent socialite -- and “Equilibrium” -- in which he played what can most easily be described as a super ninja -- Christian Bale was identified by clever DC Comics fans as the plainly obvious and best choice to portray on screen one of the publisher’s most enduring icons, the Batman. Warner Bros. Pictures gave audiences their wish in 2005, when Bale along with writer-director Christopher Nolan rescued the Batman movie franchise from limbo with “Batman Begins.”
The studied retelling of Batman’s origin went on to be hugely successful both critically and commercially, and saw Bale depict a grim, brooding and vengeful Bruce Wayne who endeavored to save the city of Gotham from total destruction at all costs, no matter how radical. At the expense of his own identity, home and happiness, Wayne’s creation of the Batman did succeed in rescuing Gotham City -- or did it?
In this second of a series of interviews with the cast and crew of the "Batman Begins" sequel “The Dark Knight,” CBR News along with other members of the press asked Christian Bale that question and more, discussing with the actor the theme of escalation, the work of his co-stars, his new costume, and how much fun it is to be Batman and beat the hell out of a lot people.
Batman - The Dark Knight Trailer HD
Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a 2008 film directed by Guillermo del Toro. The film is a sequel to 2004's Hellboy, also directed by Del Toro. Hellboy II: The Golden Army is written by Guillermo del Toro and Mike Mignola. Universal Pictures finances and distributes the film, which has a target release date for July 11, 2008.
"Hellboy 2: The Golden Army" Begins Principal Photography
Principal photography has begun on the action-thriller "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army" from writer/director Guillermo del Toro and film producers Lawrence Gordon (Hellboy, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Die Hard), Lloyd Levin (Hellboy, United 93) and Mike Richardson (Hellboy, Gone). The film will be released on August 1, 2008.
Del Toro, who most recently brought the Oscar(R)-winning elaborate fantasy Pan's Labyrinth to the screen returns to helm the second installment, starring Hellboy alums Ron Perlman (Outlander, The Mutant Chronicles), Selma Blair (The Fog, In Good Company), and Doug Jones (Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Pan's Labryinth).
With a signature blend of action, humor and character-based spectacle, the saga of the world's toughest, kitten-loving hero from Hell continues to unfold in "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army." Bigger muscle, badder weapons and more ungodly villains arrive in an epic vision of imagination from del Toro.
After an ancient truce existing between humankind and the invisible realm of the fantastic is broken, hell on Earth is ready to erupt. A ruthless leader who treads the world above and the one below defies his bloodline and awakens an unstoppable army of creatures. Now, it's up to the planet's toughest, roughest superhero to battle the merciless dictator and his marauders. He may be red. He may be horned. He may be misunderstood. But when you need the job done right, it's time to call in Hellboy (Ron Perlman).
Along with his expanding team in the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Development -- pyrokinetic girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair), aquatic empath Abe (Doug Jones) and protoplasmic mystic Johann -- the BPRD will travel between the surface strata and the unseen magical one, where creatures of fantasy become corporeal. And Hellboy, a creature of two worlds who's accepted by neither, must choose between the life he knows and an unknown destiny that beckons him.
The screenplay for "Hellboy 2" is written by Guillermo del Toro, from a screen story by del Toro and Mike Mignola, based upon the Dark Horse comic created by Mike Mignola and the 2004 motion picture Hellboy. The first installment, released by Revolution Studios in 2004, earned $100 million at the worldwide box-office and became a cult sensation when released on DVD. The character continues to be a top-seller in publishing and collectibles and has been expanded into best-selling animation and games.
The film also features British actor Luke Goss (Blade II, Undead) as the ruthless leader of the underworld, Prince Nuada, and actress Anna Walton (television's "Out of Hours," Vampire Diary) as his compassionate sister, Princess Nuala.
"Hellboy 2's" behind-the-scenes team includes Oscar(R)-winning director of photography Guillermo Navarro (Pan's Labyrinth, Night at the Museum) production designer Steven Scott (Hellboy, Doom), costume designer Sammy Sheldon (V For Vendetta, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) and editor Bernat Vilaplana (Pan's Labyrinth, La Monja). Chris Symes (Eragon) is the executive producer of the film, with Mike Mignola serving as co-producer.
"Hellboy 2: The Golden Army" will film in both Budapest and the United Kingdom, with post-production based in London.
Synopsis
The Golden Army begins when an ancient truce existing between humankind and the invisible realm of the fantastic is broken; Hell on earth is ready to erupt. Hellboy II tells the tale of a ruthless elven prince who treads the world above and the one below, defies his bloodline and awakens an unstoppable army of creatures. It's up to the planet's toughest, roughest superhero to battle the merciless dictator and his marauders.
The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) will travel between the surface world and the unseen magical one, where creatures of fantasy become corporeal, along with his expanding team pyrokinetic girlfriend Liz Sherman (Selma Blair), aquatic empath Abe Sapien (Doug Jones) and protoplasmic mystic Johann Krauss (John Alexander & Seth McFarlane), the newest member of the BPRD. Hellboy, a creature of two worlds who is accepted by neither, must choose between the life he knows and an unknown destiny that beckons him.
Production
In May 2004, the sequel to Hellboy entered development at Revolution Studios with the first film's writer-director Guillermo del Toro returning with producers Lawrence Gordon, Mike Richardson, and Lloyd Levin. The comic book creator of Hellboy, Mike Mignola, was reported to develop a story with del Toro for the sequel, with actor Ron Perlman to reprise the role of Hellboy. The following September, del Toro expressed interest in making Hellboy into a trilogy with Mignola, with the first sequel slated for a 2006 release.
In August 2006, with Hellboy II being orphaned by the now-defunct Revolution Studios, the studio Universal Pictures acquired the project to be slotted for a summer 2008 release. Production was slated to begin in April 2007 in Budapest and London. del Toro, who had been in negotiations to film Halo, instead chose to stay with Hellboy II for "artistic and personal reasons." In October 2006, del Toro shared his plan to recreate the classic versions of Frankenstein, Dracula and The Wolf Man. The director also reiterated plans for a third Hellboy to create a trilogy.
With the success of del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth, the director was able to fast-track production of the sequel to Hellboy. Guillermo del Toro began filming Hellboy II in June 2007 in Budapest and concluded in December 2007. The official trailer for Hellboy II was available from Thursday, December 20th.
Neil Gaiman spent several days on the set to get pointers on directing from del Toro for use in his own upcoming directorial debut, Death and Me.
In February 2007, Mignola described the story he had developed with del Toro as one that focused on folklore and fairy tales, rather than the more pulp elements of the first film.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
