"Sparking! ZERO" Official Announcement, Pre-, & Post-Release Discussion Thread

[Hellspawn28]

I still hope for what if stories. I feel like they can do a lot of cool and crazy stuff that Xenoverse 1-2 didn't bother to do.

[DarkPrince_92]

Okay, I know I've been a stickler for the aesthetics and there's still time to finalize the look, but look at Goten's aura:



I will say the colors look better here. But the aura looks like a glitch or something.

I'm not a huge fan of DBZ Kakarot's graphics (outside of some of CC2's cutscenes), but they did well with the auras at least:




Also agree that What-if stories make a return. A DB game with a roster this big is sure to give us a good options for what-if scenarios.

[Jord]

Okay, I know I've been a stickler for the aesthetics and there's still time to finalize the look, but look at Goten's aura:



I will say the colors look better here. But the aura looks like a glitch or something.

Goten's aura looks extremely flat here. Like it's photoshopped in.
Oh and now that I look a bit better, his eye focus is off as well.

Fact of the matter is, the more characters you get, the less detailed they'll be. And "small" things like these, and the weird moving hair are all part of it. That's why FighterZ looks incredible, with individuality given to each character. It started out with a relatively small roster and they took their time with the DLC.

[omegalucas]

The aura seems to be a 2D texture, that's why it looks flat and why it looks small/weird at some angles. Going 2D is a good move because its makes it easier to emulate the show's auras, but they should have considered the angles on super attacks.

[Nightzus]

Hold up, this is promising.

The version of Gogeta shown in the trailer is subsequently labeled in the character list on the official site as "Gogeta (Super)." And of course the most obvious reason that would need to be the case is to distinguish him from "Gogeta (Z)" and/or "Gogeta (GT)" additions.

...And just like that we have my first glimmer of hope for this game's roster. Now all I need is for them to show classic Bardock instead of his softened-and-sanitized imitation from Minus/Super, and that glimmer might be upgraded to a thin ray.

I just checked the official Japanese website (https://dbsz.bn-ent.net/character/) and there is nothing (no (Super) nor (Z)) next to either Gogeta or Vegito.
And it is weird that the English website doesn't add (Super) to Vegito although he's shown in SSB...

I'm guessing we could be able to fuse into either one using Z or Super versions of Goku and Vegeta, which would be nice in terms of slots taken by characters.

[Cold Skin]

And it is weird that the English website doesn't add (Super) to Vegito although he's shown in SSB...

Because he doesn't need it: he's the exact same character physically between the Boo arc and the Zamasu arc and his animations and moveset can be compatible. The same Vegetto will be used for both context, just locking (and not showing) his SSB transformation for the earlier arc. The same Vegetto can be used to show his fight against Boo and against Zamasu.

Gogeta, on the other hand, doesn't have the same appearance, the same behavior and the same way to move.
You can't really show DBS Gogeta against Janemba or Z Gogeta against DBS Broly (if those events are shown in the story) without something feeling off.
Well, that's what I think, but some people could tell me that Fighterz did just that for a Dramatic Finish after all.

[DarkPrince_92]

And it is weird that the English website doesn't add (Super) to Vegito although he's shown in SSB...

Because he doesn't need it: he's the exact same character physically between the Boo arc and the Zamasu arc and his animations and moveset can be compatible. The same Vegetto will be used for both context, just locking (and not showing) his SSB transformation for the earlier arc. The same Vegetto can be used to show his fight against Boo and against Zamasu.

Gogeta, on the other hand, doesn't have the same appearance, the same behavior and the same way to move.
You can't really show DBS Gogeta against Janemba or Z Gogeta against DBS Broly (if those events are shown in the story) without something feeling off.
Well, that's what I think, but some people could tell me that Fighterz did just that for a Dramatic Finish after all.

My thoughts exactly. I think since SSB Vegito is the only Vegito in Super he doesn't have to be separate, just add him to the Buu Arc version. Gogeta is the only one that appeared as a Super Saiyan in both Z and Super.

What I don't get is having a SSJ and SSJ2 Kefla, but only SSJ2 for Caulifla. I don't even know the difference between Kefla SSJ and SSJ2.

[Bardock God of Time]

And it is weird that the English website doesn't add (Super) to Vegito although he's shown in SSB...

Because he doesn't need it: he's the exact same character physically between the Boo arc and the Zamasu arc and his animations and moveset can be compatible. The same Vegetto will be used for both context, just locking (and not showing) his SSB transformation for the earlier arc. The same Vegetto can be used to show his fight against Boo and against Zamasu.

Gogeta, on the other hand, doesn't have the same appearance, the same behavior and the same way to move.
You can't really show DBS Gogeta against Janemba or Z Gogeta against DBS Broly (if those events are shown in the story) without something feeling off.
Well, that's what I think, but some people could tell me that Fighterz did just that for a Dramatic Finish after all.

My thoughts exactly. I think since SSB Vegito is the only Vegito in Super he doesn't have to be separate, just add him to the Buu Arc version. Gogeta is the only one that appeared as a Super Saiyan in both Z and Super.

What I don't get is having a SSJ and SSJ2 Kefla, but only SSJ2 for Caulifla. I don't even know the difference between Kefla SSJ and SSJ2.

I don't think we need SSJ Caulifla though, I don't think she did much in that form. But I think the same can be said for Kefla SSJ? They should've just done Kefla Base and Kefla SSJ2.

[Makaioshin]

Because he doesn't need it: he's the exact same character physically between the Boo arc and the Zamasu arc and his animations and moveset can be compatible. The same Vegetto will be used for both context, just locking (and not showing) his SSB transformation for the earlier arc. The same Vegetto can be used to show his fight against Boo and against Zamasu.

Gogeta, on the other hand, doesn't have the same appearance, the same behavior and the same way to move.
You can't really show DBS Gogeta against Janemba or Z Gogeta against DBS Broly (if those events are shown in the story) without something feeling off.
Well, that's what I think, but some people could tell me that Fighterz did just that for a Dramatic Finish after all.

I think they really could just be the same especially with an alt color that just changes his outfit and gives him a halo. But it seems very likely they will just resell him as a separate character in DLC if he isn't in the base game.

[Rinsankajugin]

Hold up, this is promising.

The version of Gogeta shown in the trailer is subsequently labeled in the character list on the official site as "Gogeta (Super)." And of course the most obvious reason that would need to be the case is to distinguish him from "Gogeta (Z)" and/or "Gogeta (GT)" additions.

...And just like that we have my first glimmer of hope for this game's roster. Now all I need is for them to show classic Bardock instead of his softened-and-sanitized imitation from Minus/Super, and that glimmer might be upgraded to a thin ray.

I just checked the official Japanese website (https://dbsz.bn-ent.net/character/) and there is nothing (no (Super) nor (Z)) next to either Gogeta or Vegito.
And it is weird that the English website doesn't add (Super) to Vegito although he's shown in SSB...

I'm guessing we could be able to fuse into either one using Z or Super versions of Goku and Vegeta, which would be nice in terms of slots taken by characters.

Another thing to note is that on the Japanese website, Broly does NOT have the (Super) signifier that the western website uses. I don't entirely know what this implies, but I have a gut feeling we won't see Z Broly or Z Gogeta in the base roster.

[Cold Skin]

^ So far, all signs seem to point towards the fact that the devs will follow the same logic as in Fighterz: focus on the main continuity for the base game (especially if it's the basis of the story mode, relive the story until where it's at with the latest movie) and offer the "alternate continuities" characters as DLC - which they are pretty sure to sell well in that case.

Cooler, DBZ Broly, DBZ Gogeta, SS4... Pretty strong incentives for players to go for the extra bucks, while still being able to say "but hey, we didn't hold back on the base game, you have all the most iconic fighters... for the current main continuity, that is."
And the DLC packs would be tempting: imagine a "SS4 DLC pack" with Goku, Vegeta and Gogeta.
Imagine a "Z movie villains" pack with Broly, Cooler, Tullece, Slug, Bojack, C-13 and Janemba (that one could even be divided in two packs).

The more trailers we'll see without Z movie characters and GT characters, the more this theory will be confirmed.
On the contrary, as soon as a trailer releases with Z movie characters or GT characters, it will prove that there will be some of them in the base game after all!

But until we finally get a proof of that, I'll stick with my theory that they will go the "Fighterz way" and stick to Z and Super for the base game (hopefully including pre-Z as well even for just a handful of fighters, but no proof of that either so far).
And then they'll reveal the DLC that will make fans eager to spend some more if they want Z movies and GT, just like for Fighterz!

[IntangibleFancy]

That trailer was so awesome. They did a great job with Kale's SS model.

My only two problems with it were that they forgot the yellow in Vegito's final kamehameha

And the facial animations for Gogeta's FP Kamehameha were a bit "meh". Legends just released a version of it that was honestly so much better

Also, it sounds a bit nitpicky now that I read it to myself, and it's not really an issue, but the final shot of the ultimate and the impact frame should have been facing the front of them, not the side

[TrunksTrevelyan0064]

Dunno if anyone's pointed this out yet, but 82 out of 164 character slots have now been revealed - exactly half of them, in other words.

[Nickolaidas]

Dunno if anyone's pointed this out yet, but 82 out of 164 character slots have now been revealed - exactly half of them, in other words.

Now one should do the brave thing and count how many of these are Saiyans.

[Zephyr]

Super can't even decide on a so-called "core continuity" for itself, much less sensibly serve as one for the entire franchise.

Dragon Ball Super is very clear in its continuity and is perfectly aligned with what was established by Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. So watch this game depict Bulma's party at her home and on her ship simultaneously, because that's what happened in the series. Watch Gotenks use both Super Saiyan and Super Saiyan 3 (Super Saiyan with the power of Super Saiyan 3) to fight Beerus, because those two forms were used in the series. Watch this game depict Freeza killing that dual-eyed scouter grunt only for him to reemerge so that Gotenks also hits him in the crotch, because that's what happened in the series. Watch this game mention Tarble while at the same time they don't mention him at all, because that's what happened in the series.

Dragon Ball Super is the one true continuity, in fact... And you heard from me first, for the first time ever... Dragon Ball Super is the sole canon of this franchise. Nothing else matters as long as we have Dragon Ball Super.

I thought it was pretty obvious I was talking about the broad sequence of events like "Super Saiyan God Goku fights Beerus -> Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Goku fights Golden Freeza -> Goku fights Hit -> etc." Those are now going to be regarded as "the things that happen next after Boo" within the franchise. There are now more major fights, and, accordingly, a game like Sparking ought to account for that in its base roster. This should not be difficult to grasp.

Let's not pretend that video games haven't largely decided which version of "Super" they care about (read: not the manga; Goku is going to use Kaio-Ken against Hit, not Super Saiyan God). Let's also not pretend that there's not several versions of DB/Z they could "have so much trouble deciding how to depict"; do they go WSJ serialization of the manga? Tankobon release? Kanzenban release? Z anime? Kai anime? Is Gohan 3 when Raditz kidnaps him, or 4? Does Gohan have some orphan friends, or not? Did Freeza kill Cargo, or did Dodoria? Do Yamcha, Tenshinhan, and Chaozu fight the Ginyus on Kaio's planet, or not? Does Ginyu steal Bulma's body, or not? Did Gohan fight Garlic Jr. at God's temple, or not? How many people helped against Cell at the end? Is Paikuhan real? How long did Gohan's Saiyaman ruse last? Did Goku show Goten and Trunks Super Saiyan 3 an additional time? Did Vegetto fight Boo before turning Super Saiyan, or not? Does Vegeta monologue about how he'll surpass Goku when the latter leaves with Oob, or not? With so many options, many of which are completely inconsequential to a fighting game that wants to at least cover main fights, how could anyone dare to suggest that "Pilaf to Boo" is the "cOrE cOnTinUiTy"????

I get that hearing this sort of stuff strikes a really weird nerve for you guys, but you truly don't have to feign ignorance about this stuff for a bizarre performative victim complex. Your GT, DBO, Heroes, etc. fandom is valid, nobody can take them or that away from you. You do not need to fall into survival mode and make the most disingenuous replies you can muster because your very honor and sense of human dignity are on the line, whenever someone suggests that "thing you like" isn't the main attraction. It's okay! I certainly hope we end up with an insane amount of non-"main attraction" stuff in this game by the end of its lifespan, whenever that is. And, Kaboom, you should be glad at the amount of Super characters in the game, as you can beat them up using GT characters, and feel cathartic and all that.

[Nickolaidas]

You know what? I decided to be brave and do it myself.

56. 58 if you count Zamasu as a 'Saiyan-esque' character.

3/4s of the roster so far are Saiyans.

Jesus Christ ...

So how many more Saiyans can they shove down our throats?

We have teen Gohan who has yet to make an appearance, which is Base, SSJ and SSJ2.

We have adult Goten and Trunks from GT, which is Base and SSJ probably.

We have Goku GT, which is Base, SSJ, SSJ3 and SSJ4.

We have Vegeta GT, which is Base, SSJ and SSJ4.

We have Gogeta GT, which is Base and SSJ4, probably or could be just SSJ4.

We have Cabba, which is Base and SSJ, probably, maybe even SSJ2.

We have Kid Goku from DB which is Base and Great Ape.

Who am I missing?

[Kaboom]

I dunno, maybe I'm just not impressionable enough to buy into the notion that a shoddy 20-years-removed spinoff with an identity crisis should be considered the "main" anything at the expense of other much better material, even the original core story itself, just because it had like 10% more phoned-in Toriyama involvement than usual.

Anyhoo it's kind of a moot point, since I've decided that the inclusion of any characters from the modern-era garbage means that this game doesn't deserve my purchase or attention, no matter what they decide to do with the rest of the roster or DLC. So I'm just going to be disregarding it and sticking to uninfected pre-2013 games. They can't patch Tenkaichi 3 or SuperSonic Warriors 2 or Shin Budokai 2 to shoehorn Beerus or Geran or whatever other shlock into those games' character lineups.

[Hugo Boss]

With so many options, many of which are completely inconsequential to a fighting game that wants to at least cover main fights, how could anyone dare to suggest that "Pilaf to Boo" is the "cOrE cOnTinUiTy"????

With all due respect, while Dragon Ball Super and other spin-offs like GT bring in new elements and characters, they are expansions rather than the "central continuity" of the original work. And I actually agree with the users above who mentioned that Dragon Ball Super doesn't have a well-defined continuity either. So, using that as an argument for its extensive representation in the game doesn't really hold up for me.

The main reason I believe “Super” has such a significant presence is probably because it's the TV series most familiar to younger fans, which makes sense from a marketing perspective.

I also get that the early phases of Dragon Ball haven't seen much representation in fighting games, mostly because the battle mechanics are different—they don't fly around or shoot ki blasts as much. But these elements could be balanced to create a fresh, "zero" experience, as the game's name suggests. This would give players a chance to engage with the foundational parts of the series in a new (and exciting) way.

So, when we're talking about which characters to include in a game that aims to capture the essence of the Dragon Ball universe, it would make sense to focus first on the timeline and characters from "Pilaf to Boo." This is the sequence that resonates most with long-time fans and stays true to the original material.

[Nickolaidas]

I dunno, maybe I'm just not impressionable enough to buy into the notion that a shoddy 20-years-removed spinoff with an identity crisis should be considered the "main" anything at the expense of other much better material, even the original core story itself, just because it had like 10% more phoned-in Toriyama involvement than usual.

Anyhoo it's kind of a moot point, since I've decided that the inclusion of any characters from the modern-era garbage means that this game doesn't deserve my purchase or attention, no matter what they decide to do with the rest of the roster or DLC. So I'm just going to be disregarding it and sticking to uninfected pre-2013 games. They can't patch Tenkaichi 3 or SuperSonic Warriors 2 or Shin Budokai 2 to shoehorn Beerus or Geran or whatever other shlock into those games' character lineups.

Wow, I had no idea Super was considered the Disney Star Wars of Dragon Ball by some fans.

Then again, I hardly frequent these boards.

[Rinsankajugin]

You know what? I decided to be brave and do it myself.

56. 58 if you count Zamasu as a 'Saiyan-esque' character.

3/4s of the roster so far are Saiyans.

Jesus Christ ...

So how many more Saiyans can they shove down our throats?

We have teen Gohan who has yet to make an appearance, which is Base, SSJ and SSJ2.

We have adult Goten and Trunks from GT, which is Base and SSJ probably.

We have Goku GT, which is Base, SSJ, SSJ3 and SSJ4.

We have Vegeta GT, which is Base, SSJ and SSJ4.

We have Gogeta GT, which is Base and SSJ4, probably or could be just SSJ4.

We have Cabba, which is Base and SSJ, probably, maybe even SSJ2.

We have Kid Goku from DB which is Base and Great Ape.

Who am I missing?

They still have yet to reveal Buu Saga Gohan's other forms (Super Saiyan, SS2, Ultimate, Great Saiyaman), and there's the sneaking chance Gohan (Super) could be his own character with his own forms (Super Saiyan, Ultimate, Beast). Also, if the old Sonny Strait instagram post is any indication, Bardock is very likely for the roster. Whether or not they add his Oozaru, Super Saiyan form or any of his crewmates is a toss-up. And there's always a chance they might add the Daima and Xeno versions of Goku as DLC. Also Goku Black and Baby Vegeta.