Budokai 4 (Thoughts on Theoretical Release)

Post by **VegettoEX** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 12:54 am

Xyex wrote:Japanese Chi-Chi and Oolong are beyond annoying, and Japanese Vegeta and Piccolo just don't fit the character.

That's just as illogical as someone saying the dub voices don't fit and aren't appropriate, though.

Both sides of the argument are completely retarded. If you don't like some of the voices, great. No-one gives a rat's ass. Talk about something a little more constructive.

The S · Post by **The S** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 1:53 am

Why does it seem every other topic here changes to voice preference here? -_-

Anyway, I don't think a fourth Budokai is in the PS2/GC's future. Perhaps they'll start a whole new fighting game series on the next set of consoles.

Post by **TripleRach** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 3:04 am

ruffriles19 wrote:I think it's a valid point (even if you are a dub fan) that at least 40-50% (well maybe a little less, it depends on their target audience and age bracket for the game too...just an estimate, don't pounce expecting me to have a source for that statistic) of North Amer. DB fans prefer sub, and having a dual language option would have improved sales significantly.

Uhh... I highly doubt that 40-50% of fans in NA prefer the Japanese version. Hell, I would venture to say that 40-50% of the fans in NA don't even know a Japanese version exists, let alone having actually watched it and come to prefer it. I'm sure it might seem like a lot, because, in general, people tend to be more vocal about their dislikes than their likes.

I'm certainly not trying to add any fuel to the brewing dub vs sub argument here (in fact, ideally, I hope it ends), but I'm just trying to say I disagree with that point. I'd imagine that the amount of people who absolutely can't tolerate the dub voices, and own a PS2, with interest in fighting games, is not large enough to make such a significant difference to warrant them taking the time and effort to add in the extra audio track. If the games were selling poorly, accompanied by a massive amount of complaints to Atari about the voices, then it might be another story, but that really doesn't seem to be the case.

ruffriles19 · Post by **ruffriles19** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 3:17 am

How can you say that 40-50% of fans don't know a Japanese original version exists? All of the DVDs include it and go out of their way to have a little text bubble on the front promoting the dual audio. Certainly not everyone buys the DVDs, but how big of a fan are you if you ONLY watch the shows on cartoon network? They don't even show DB or Z anymore! It's just GT nowadays. And hardly anyone buys the VHS anymore. I'd wager that the vast majority of fans who are interested enough in DBZ to spend 50 bucks on a game are at least big enough of fans to buy a couple DVDs and figure out that there are two versions of the show.

Post by **TripleRach** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 3:45 am

I say this based on years of observation. Not all fans are hardcore. There are plenty of casual fans out there, who probably aren't concerned with what makes them a "big" fan. Collecting a TV series on DVD, especially anime, is a lot more of a niche market than buying videogames, which has a much broader appeal. In fact, the Budoukai games get a lot more press and publicity than the DVDs ever have.

ruffriles19 · Post by **ruffriles19** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 4:08 am

But still, the fact remains that DB and Z are not on TV anymore, (or at least on hiatus until CN shows GT a few times) and people really can't even watch the show without getting a DVD. Budokai 3 is a game designed to appeal to pretty big DB fans, because as a fighting game...it's certainly not the best around. I think that if you were somehow able to poll all the people whe were interested enough in DB to pay for a full priced game, you would find that the good majority of them would own at least a couple DVDs and would be more knowledgeable than you think.

Post by **VegettoEX** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 12:34 pm

Remember that most fans aren't us.

They're little kids who have their parents buy them things.

It always seems like we're the majority, because we're the ones that talk to each other and whine about every little insignificant fucking detail. At the bookstore the other day, three people were looking at DBZ manga. I was one of them. The other two were children with high-pitched voices and parents buying them the books.

When you take your head out of your ass and look around, you realize that DBZ is exactly how it was in Japan: a highly fun, mass-market, children's program. Not every fan is a 22-year-old college graduate. Kids don't give a rat's ass about watching the show in any language other than what they speak.

Tanooki Kuribo · Post by **Tanooki Kuribo** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 12:55 pm

It is a kids show and Iam sure they dub it with that in mind. We are pretty lucky to even have DVD's with audio options. If DBZ was dubbed 10 years ago, the closest we probley would have gotten to a Japanese version were uncut VHS tapes (and thats really not close at all). I doubt they would have released subtitled versions on VHS, maybe just the movies but not the series.

We got lucky it was dubbed in such a time where you can buy one disc and change from English to Japanese. It could have been worse.

Post by **VegettoEX** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 1:02 pm

Tanooki Kuribo wrote:If DBZ was dubbed 10 years ago

It was

.

What helped was the length and extensiveness of the series. It was still being released with new material into the time when it became standard to start releasing uncut DVDs, with pressure from fans, and offers from a very nice friendly demon with skills in the language to do the translations.

Pedro The Hutt · Post by **Pedro The Hutt** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 1:22 pm

VegettoEX wrote: Not every fan is a 22-year-old college graduate. Kids don't give a rat's ass about watching the show in any language other than what they speak.

Not per sé so. >.> Even as a little kid I was rather persistant in watching things in their original language. Of course, in Belgium and the Netherlands most cartoons got subbed rather than dubbed so it might be a cultural thing.

Xyex · Post by **Xyex** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 1:28 pm

All hail Daimao! *bows*

And ya EX, I know. It's just as bad. But that was partly the point.

Ruffriles: As EX said, the majority of NA fans (I'd say around 80%) were probably 10 or younger when DBZ started airing here. Even the games are aimed at that age group, which is why their made to pick up and play. Ya, there's extra stuff for the older players (just like there's extra stuff for the older viewers of the seires) but that doesn't change the fact of the target audience. And I don't know many 10 year olds that care in the least about the Japanese language.

Sun_Wukong · Post by **Sun_Wukong** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 3:38 pm

There would have to be a vast upgrade if there were to be a fourth one. If it was just more characters, I wouldnt be interested at all.

Pedro The Hutt · Post by **Pedro The Hutt** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 8:35 pm

A DB Budokai could fix that... technically, since only a small amount of people could fly then, and even less people knew about Ki control, you'd have to rework the engine to fit the setting of the original series. XD

Mike D · Post by **Mike D** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 1:41 am

So removing the ability to fly awakens the ability to jump. Jumping allows for new attacks. Like Piccolo's rapid pedal kick from nearly every retro DBZ fighting game.

Pedro The Hutt · Post by **Pedro The Hutt** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 8:10 pm

Hm... jumping was rather common in DB fights anyway, I like that idea.
It'd also add a whole new layer of strategy since back then most characters couldn't save themselves once they've been sent flying.

laserkid · Post by **laserkid** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 8:53 pm

Of course, in the current Budokai games you can't be saved by flying either. You get pushed hard at the edge of tthe ring you fly straight out of it, and into the fields.

Pedro The Hutt · Post by **Pedro The Hutt** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 9:05 pm

Well... true, but if you're hit with a dashing upward kick in the center of the ring your character will correct him/herself a few meters into the air, in DB's case if a character was hit with the same amount of force... well, let's say, Kuririn would've flown in a nice arc out of the ring and landed somewhere in the audience.

The S · Post by **The S** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 11:31 pm

Is it just me, or does our boss here have a fondness for a rodent's posterior? If Master Splinter were still alive, I'd tell him to watch his hindquarters!

So did they ever give a reason why you can't jump in Budokai games?

Pedro The Hutt · Post by **Pedro The Hutt** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 3:50 am

Don't think they did. But ah well, luckily for Dimps and Atari/Bandai, the Budokais are still fun games even without jumping. XD

Xyex · Post by **Xyex** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 3:52 am

Because in a DBZ game where you can fly and, come B3, teleport, jumping is pointless and redundant. There's NO REASON to need to jump in the Budokai titles. Besides, no one jumped in Z anymore. They all flew.

Now, in a DB Budokai game, ya. Modify the game, give it jumping instead of flying, and make all instances of flight related to an attack and not something you can do on your own. That makes sense.

And in B3 you CAN save yourself if you get knocked flying. Tap X at the right moment and you pull to a stop in the air. It's saved me from ringouts numerous times. ^^