Netcode in XBLA port?

[Dandy J]

What kind of netcode are you guys going to use for the XBLA release of KOF98UM? Many KOF players are willing to shell out for the XBLA release, but if the online code is not up to par with GGPO or 2DF, it will be hard to find a reason. KOF in general has a small community in the USA and Canada, and many players rely on online competition. As great as the upgrade to Ultimate Match is, without good online to back it up, most players would prefer to keep playing the original KOF98 on GGPO and/or 2DF over playing KOF98UM online with input lag.

This release's online may be past the point of saving, but dismissing good online for a fighting game in 2009 may turn out to be a mistake. If that's the case. I hope that at least in the future a port of KOF2002UM can be brought to XBLA with unlagged netcode.

[arstal]

While I think this may be too late, I have to co-sign this.

GGPO quality netcode would do wonders for this and 2k2 UM if you get that.

Your current netcode is substandard that you've used on other games.

While yeah- I'm still getting it, I'd like to see higher quality netcode- it would make me more likely to buy things I'm on the fence about.

[RoboDuck]

Honestly it might not sound like much, but good netcode will tip the balance of a lot of people on the fence to buy this, and I mean a lot. In this current generation of fighting games a great online experience is one of the best things you can hope for.

[EmX]

I agree here 100%. The netcode ought to be a high priority. Look at the kind of online experience offered in Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix (STHD), where pings under 100 offer smooth gameplay. Playing coast to coast on that game keeps the community coming back to the game long after the first few weeks. Keep in mind that STHD was one of the highest-selling XBLA titles ever, as well. While KoF has nowhere near the name recognition as Street Fighter in the US it would still give the KoF community a reason to embrace the game and promote sales via word of mouth.

[Gargamuza]

Talking to Ponder to implement GGPO or at least delivering a GGPO quality level netcode would greatly increase the interest in this game, especially in the US. That extra investment could return much more than that investment in profits and would do such a great game the justice it deserves. The main draw for fighting games comes from playing against other people, so a good netcode that greatly reduces input delay would be huge for this game.

[riotspark]

Yea, GGPO has been proven to be really effective and online in KOF in general will not only get a lot of people to buy the game, but possibly win over some new players. A Poor netcode really turns off a lot of potential customers.

[deadfrog]

This issue is definitely a polarizing one for the majority of players.

I can honestly say that whether the game has excellent netcode or not is THE deciding factor in whether or not I'll buy the game, and I know a lot of others feel the exact same way.

I would absolutely love to see 98UM playing seamlessly online, but anything less than stellar means I just won't bother.

[ChopperMan]

Not much else to add.

Just posting to let you guys know there is a demand for this. and if it's possible people would really love to see it happen.

Not sure how much you guys are involved in the development process of the ports, but posting regardless to represent my interest

[MezzoForte]

It should be in your guys' top priorities to be delivering a solid online experience. This is especially true for any fighting game, and having the netcode up to snuff with the likes of GGPO can only do good things for the game, your sales, and your reputation. Please also keep this in mind for the eventual port of 2002UM when it hits stateside!

[123►Genei-Jin]

I'm in the same boat, if there's no decent netcode (GGPO/2DF quality) I won't even bother downloading this game.

Hope it comes with decent code already or at least a future patch is planned to implement lagless netcode.

[SAB CA]

Yes, I'll add my voice to the "Please have Excellent Netcode!" group.

Getting exact, excellent GGPO netcode would help give KoF98UM a leg up over the competition. It would get the fighter fanbase to rally behind Ignition and SNK's efforts, and increase desire for games like KoF XII and SS: Edge of Destiny, when they are released.

Since it's rumored to be released soon after SFIV, I hope this XBLA release is realy something special. I want to see this release stand so tall, that even 3d-graphic-lovers can't help but task notice of this game. High quality netcode would go a long way towards cementing that!

[Mad Max]

Well I hate to ruin the fun but don't expect to see KoF 98: UM XBLA (Or MS7 XBLA) until sometime in 2010.

We do appreciate the feedback and info regarding the netcode. We understand that having online play with a solid netcode is incredibly important to fighting games and will pass on all suggestions to SNKP JP.

Feel free to continue with the discussion and suggestions. We are listening.

[Goukipoo]

Mad Max: Any chance that the two bugs listed here (http://game.snkplaymore.co.jp/official/kof98um/info/index.html) will be fixed?

[arstal]

Well I hate to ruin the fun but don't expect to see KoF 98: UM XBLA (Or MS7 XBLA) until sometime in 2010.

We do appreciate the feedback and info regarding the netcode. We understand that having online play with a solid netcode is incredibly important to fighting games and will pass on all suggestions to SNKP JP.

Feel free to continue with the discussion and suggestions. We are listening.

That's a completely unacceptable delay. Whether the delay is on SNK's part or yours- it doesn't matter. This game SHOULD be out first half of this year, May-June at absolute worst.

[Mad Max]

That's a completely unacceptable delay. Whether the delay is on SNK's part or yours- it doesn't matter. This game SHOULD be out first half of this year, May-June at absolute worst.

It's not a delay. The XBLA releases were never supposed to have been revealed so soon in the first place.

Mad Max: Any chance that the two bugs listed here (http://game.snkplaymore.co.jp/official/kof98um/info/index.html) will be fixed?

Will look into it.

[Dandy J]

Well I hate to ruin the fun but don't expect to see KoF 98: UM XBLA (Or MS7 XBLA) until sometime in 2010.

We do appreciate the feedback and info regarding the netcode. We understand that having online play with a solid netcode is incredibly important to fighting games and will pass on all suggestions to SNKP JP.

Feel free to continue with the discussion and suggestions. We are listening.
Thanks for the response and honesty! Honestly, I am 100% willing to play this game in 2010 if it means GGPO or some kind of unlagged/rollback style netcode. Again, I appreciate the honesty about the release date, most developers are not so forthcoming about such things.

[ChopperMan]

That's a completely unacceptable delay. Whether the delay is on SNK's part or yours- it doesn't matter. This game SHOULD be out first half of this year, May-June at absolute worst

Nah dude that's your fault for associating this with the US PS2 localization in March.

Game never had a date in the first place. Only thing said about it was the initial announcement at TGS.

We do appreciate the feedback and info regarding the netcode. We understand that having online play with a solid netcode is incredibly important to fighting games and will pass on all suggestions to SNKP JP.

Feel free to continue with the discussion and suggestions. We are listening.

and that's really all we can ask for.

Like Dandy, I'll also most definitely be interested in this in a year if they take the time to really make the netcode something worthwhile. So glad to hear that message is being passed to the guys who can make it happen

[UltramegaNotOK]

You seriously can't be surprised by this.

First, it was with KOF XI. By the time that made it here, the tier-spread was shot to hell and everyone had found all the broken crap and no one played it anymore.

SKN, The Future is "No."

Also, kudos on the "LOL"-worthy PAL version of XI, Ignition, complete with text that goes off the screen and system lockup during training mode.

Mad Max: Any chance that the two bugs listed here (http://game.snkplaymore.co.jp/official/kof98um/info/index.html) will be fixed?

Translated:

【 content of event 】
Even if the level of CPU character is changed with "GAME OPTION" ⇒"BATTLE SETTING" ⇒"CPU-LEVEL" in the main menu, CPU character level in the "KOF98UM" game is not reflected.

【 content of event 】
It becomes impossible to operate, and the screen stops very unusually when Geese makes "MAX version [Deadly Rave]" become a hit to the other party in a specific stage when the background setting is 2D. (incidence: 1/32?1/64)

LOL!

[Trygon]

Im all for 98 Ultimate Match to have good net code on XBL. So please Ignition make sure it happens and listen to all of us in this thread.

[Abster]

You seriously can't be surprised by this.

First, it was with KOF XI. By the time that made it here, the tier-spread was shot to hell and everyone had found all the broken crap and no one played it anymore.

SKN, The Future is "No."

Also, kudos on the "LOL"-worthy PAL version of XI, Ignition, complete with text that goes off the screen and system lockup during training mode.



Translated:

【 content of event 】
Even if the level of CPU character is changed with "GAME OPTION" ⇒"BATTLE SETTING" ⇒"CPU-LEVEL" in the main menu, CPU character level in the "KOF98UM" game is not reflected.

【 content of event 】
It becomes impossible to operate, and the screen stops very unusually when Geese makes "MAX version [Deadly Rave]" become a hit to the other party in a specific stage when the background setting is 2D. (incidence: 1/32?1/64)

LOL!

To be fair it was Ignition's European panel that screwed up the European KOF XI port so badly. I think the US version of KOF XI ended up a tad better in terms of correcting the bugs present.

[MegaXtreme]

Well, I've been sold on buying this next week,and I wan to let you know that I'm 100% behind the investment for an XBLA port sometime next year. That's one hell of a wait, but the way I figure, use the PS2 version to train and get some skill, then download it on XBLA and play people online. Sure, the different controller will take some getting used to (maybe I should invest in a SFIV FightPad), but in the end, it's '98 UM online.

So yes, please make this as smooth an online experience as possible. I'd love to get on and play people. There's nothing like a good fighting game and great competition.

[anosou]

+1 for GGPO.

[areeku]

+1 for GGPO :)

[Albofighter]

It's important for snk to develop a high quality ggpo like netcode not only for kof 98, but for other kof releases such as kofXII. Once snk makes it, they can use it over and over for future games. Business wise, it's a must as soon as possible in order to compete in the current generation.

Since snk knows how important online play is and how most people will spend 70-90% of their time online then I will have faith in snk to do what is needed.

Also, please release some of these games on psn since a lot of people bought ps3s for fighting games yet we are not getting as much.