Author: Casey "Waveflame" Rinaldi

Yesterday, the PlayStation 4’s version 4.50 firmware update was rolled out to users, bringing a number of performances improvements and new features to the console. The most notable one, however, is “Boost Mode”–a new feature exclusive to the PS4 Pro console–which allows the Pro to provide better performance for games that aren’t already patched to explicitly support the console’s improved capabilities. Benefits include higher frame rates and faster loading times for all PS4 titles. Looking to see what this means for Street Fighter V, Xuses decided to run a series of tests to compare the loading times of the game in various situations, with and without Boost Mode enabled. These tests included booting up the game, loading up Training Mode, finding a match using Fight Request, and seeing how long it took to return to Training Mode after finishing an online match.

The results of these trials proved to be staggeringly in favor of Boost Mode, as all of the game’s load timers were reduced significantly when it was enabled. Specifically, the load times were as follows:

Launching the Game:

• Normal: 1 minute, 35 seconds
• Boost Mode: 1 minute, 23 seconds

Loading up Training Mode:

• Normal: 24 seconds
• Boost Mode: 17 seconds

Finding an Online Match from Training Mode:

• Normal: 55 seconds
• Boost Mode: 45 seconds

Returning to Training Mode after finishing a Match:

• Normal: 53 seconds
• Boost Mode: 48 seconds

It is unknown at this time if Boost Mode has any further effects on SFV’s performance, but this is certainly a great perk for those who can afford to drop the extra cash on this upgraded version of the console. With Capcom promising a Spring update to the Capcom Fighters Network (CFN), perhaps they can still reduce these load times for users on all platforms?

You can see Xuses’ tests running in full, in the video below.

Are you excited about these reduced load times, if you happen to own a PS4 Pro? Will this new development convince you to buy one? Give us your thoughts below in the comments section!

Source: XusesGB

Yesterday finally marked the release of the PC and Xbox One versions of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. With the title coming to Steam for the first time, alb3530 has prepared a video taking players on a “tour” of the PC version, as it has likely attracted many interested and new players who may be unfamiliar with the game.

Throughout the video, we are taken through each and everyone of the game’s various modes, with timestamps available to direct viewers to specific sections they may be interested in. This includes the re-release’s new bonus content: a digital version of the game’s instruction manual, as well as artwork from “Marvel vs. Capcom Official Complete Works,” all in beautiful 1080p.

The title’s PC system requirements are also available, courtesy of the Steam Store, and can be seen below, both minimum and recommended.

Minimum System Requirements:

• OS: Windows 7 32-bit
• CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 2.4 GHz or AMD Athlon II X3 440 3.0 GHz
• RAM: 896 MB System Memory
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 260 or AMD Radeon HD 6790
• DX: DirectX 9.0c
• HDD: 16GB available space

Recommended System Requirements:

• OS: Windows 7 64-bit
• CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700 2.66 GHz or AMD Athlon X4 740 3.2 GHz
• RAM: 4 GB System Memory
• GPU RAM: 1 GB Video Memory
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 560 or AMD Radeon HD 7790
• DX: DirectX 9.0c
• HDD: 16GB available space

This release includes all DLC characters, costumes and patches, and is available on the Steam Store for $24.99. If you prefer a physical copy for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, you can pick up one exclusively at GameStop and EB Games–which includes a new 10-page collector’s comic, written by Jim Zub with art from Sean Chen and Gerardo Sandoval–for $29.99.

Sources: Steam Store; alb3530

With Street Fighter V’s next balance patch on the horizon, VesperArcade looks at some of the gameplay system changes that have been hot topics since the Season 2 update, and what he feels Capcom should do about them.

First, he tackles the subject of anti-air light attacks. Though all of them were nerfed in the Season 2 patch, many of them are still proving to be very effective, due to a combination of speed, and ease of use. After presenting both sides of the argument for altering them, Vesper feels that Capcom should instead look at the hitboxes of the game’s jumping attacks, which he feels are too weak, with the exceptions of moves like Necalli and Ken’s j.HP and Chun-Li’s j.HK. He also suggests making proper AA attacks more damaging, so that they can add up to discourage jump-ins.

VesperArcade feels that the removal of invincible meterless reversals and nerfs to V-Reversals has eliminated a sense of fear for characters like R. Mika, Urien and Luara, who are now free to “go autopilot” with many of their setups and mixups. As opposed to bringing back DPs, he thinks there should be more universal defensive options, and increased damage on stray hits to promote neutral-based play.

Characters like Urien, Balrog, Laura, Karin, Rashid, and Chun-Li have forward-moving specials that put them in relatively safe situations. Vesper feels these attacks should universally be -3 on block to prevent their current abuse. He also feels the risk/reward of Crush Counters should be re-evaluated to discourage thoughtless usage, but to also ensure they don’t become too situational.

Next, VesperArcade looks at the current state of V-Skills. He praises Capcom’s effort to improve them in Season 2–particularly Bison’s–but feels they need a second look, as some still don’t provide enough reward for being used, even for characters that can combo into them like Nash and Kolin.

Lastly, VesperArcade wants to see more throw bait options, such as Akuma’s Sekiseiken and Guile’s Reverse Spin Kick added to the game. Some characters can’t utilize the shimmy technique as well as others, due to slower mobility or stubby normals, and these options could help them open up opponents. Though these techniques should be unsafe at -6, similar to current overheads.

You can view the full video below.

What are some of your hopes for Street Fighter V’s next balance patch? Do you agree with this list? Tell us in the comments below!

Source: VesperArcade

Recently, Ace Kombat conducted a series of experiments to test the limits of Street Fighter V’s online play between the PlayStation 4 and PC versions. Setting a PS3 HORI Fighting Stick 3’s Turbo function to continuously mash the Start button, he displays that this creates a timing discrepancy during an online match between the PS4 Pro and PC versions of the game, which can lead to major rollbacks and issues with background elements, due to the PS4 version falling behind as the two attempt to resync with each other. He details the process in the video description.

“In the left side of the screen (PS4 Pro), the PS3 Hori stick has a turbo option set specifically for the start button, set on and off throughout the video. When it flashes green, Start with turbo function is activated. What the video details is that the PS4 Pro side of the screen will experience no negative results by applying the turbo function to the start button on the PS3 Hori stick. The PC side, while experiencing one-sided rollback by being too “ahead” from the PS4 time-sync, is experiencing dramatic rollback effects by the rapid presses of the start button from the PS4 Pro side. This, therefore, induces the effect of one-sided rollback to the PC user. The same could theoretically be applied to a PC VS PC scenario, depending on the specs of the individual PC systems. As [an] added note, mashed inputs will promote rollback activity if both systems are not synced properly.”

In a second experiment, Ace consistently causes a lag spike by plugging a cell phone charger into the PlayStation 4.  In the comments, Kombat notes that he’s tested this with King Of Fighters XIV, using a legacy controller, with no noticeable lag spike occurring, and that “you can plug/unplug a PS3 stick and you will get the same results as in this video, just no phone involved.”

“The actual presentation of a live match couldn’t be interpreted, since it was a one-person task,” explains Ace. “What I can say is that the signs present is an indication that time-sync is off, and that having mashed inputs through the PS4 end will give a different, negative experience to the PC user.” You can view both videos below.

Source: XMikexSonicX

Earlier this week, VesperArcade pointed out that there were some minor character changes in the Kolin Update for Street Fighter V Season Two. Notably, Alex and Balrog received increases to their standing hurtboxes, while Chun-Li’s crouching hurtbox was increased. Renowned lab monster Javits Arias looked into how this would impact the characters, and has posted his findings on Twitter.

Balrog and Alex are now susceptible to combos such as Laura’s Step Elbow Linked into St.HP into EX Thunder Clap, which would previously whiff on them, due to the shorter hurtboxes.

Before the Kolin build, Laura's 6HP>HP into EX Clap worked on everyone except Boxer and Alex.

This has been fixed by widening their hurtbox pic.twitter.com/9lzUinpLid

— Javits Arias (@jav1ts) March 3, 2017

Chun-Li can now no longer low profile certain blockstrings, such as the Ryu one shown here. However, Javits notes that some blockstrings that work on the entire roster will still whiff on a crouching Chun.

Before the Kolin build, this blockstring (and many other similar blockstrings) worked on everyone in SF5 except Chun-Li

This has been fixed pic.twitter.com/uSREuBlKmW

— Javits Arias (@jav1ts) March 3, 2017

Some blockstrings that work on the whole cast still do whiff only on crouching Chun though…

I wonder why her hurtbox still has issues lol

— Javits Arias (@jav1ts) March 3, 2017

With this information, these changes can be looked at less as “nerfs” and moreso as “standardizations” of character hurtboxes. We will have full confirmation when Street Fighter V’s next big balance patches releases later this month.

Source: Jav1ts (Twitter)

Our next pair of CFN Profiles take us back to 1999’s Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, as we look at a pair of CIA agents who can be seen in Q’s ending, searching for any connection between all of his mysterious appearances: David Spender and Gillian Leigh.

As any fan of the show will notice when looking at their stats, these two were meant to be homages to the lead characters of The X-Files, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully–portrayed by actors David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson–who investigated unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena. As always, Private Nakagawa returns to relate Shadaloo’s information on this pair.

Private Nakagawa: “An investigator working for the C.I.A. In charge of difficult cases together with his partner Gillian He’s a realist man, who doesn’t believe in supernatural and bizarre phenomena. [This is inverted from the original X-Files situation, where the “realist” was Dana Scully.]

Basic Info:

Name: David Spender [We all know “David” comes from the name of the actor David Duchovny. “Spender” was also the real surname of the Cigarette Smoking Man… who was Fox Mulder’s biological father, indeed.]
Height: 183 cm [Roughly the same height and weight David Duchovny was while acting as Fox Mulder]
Weight: 72 kg
Blood type: A
Birthday: October 13th [Also Fox Mulder’s birthday.]
Home Country: USA
Likes: Basketball [As did Fox Mulder, who was apparently a Brooklyn Nets fan.]
Dislikes: Insects [As did Fox Mulder.]

Private Nakagawa: “He has great confidence in himself, and is a distinguished agent with great acumen and intuition. Outside of work, he’s an unexpectedly frivolous person. He loves basketball, and has a mountain of his beloved home town’s team goods scattered across his desk.”

Next up is his partner, Gillian Leigh. The original name is written ジュリアン Jurian, not ジュリアナ Juriana, and Gillian Anderson’s first name is consistently transcribed ジリアン Jirian in Japanese… except they often miswrite it as ジュリアン Jurian, indeed. Jurian would be better suited as a rendition of Julianne, but it’s apparent they actually wanted to use Gillian Anderson’s name.

Private Nakagawa: “An investigator working for the C.I.A. in charge of difficult cases together with her partner David. Actively believes in supernatural and bizarre phenomena. [This is inverted from the original X-Files situation, where the “believer” one was Fox Mulder.] Loves occult and UFO stuff.

Basic Info:

Name: Gillian Leigh [That’s the definitive proof they wanted to use Gillian: “Leigh” is Anderson’s actual middle name. As “Leigh” is pronounced exactly as “Lee”, the Japanese transcribe it as リー Rī, accordingly.]
Height: 167 cm [Definitely taller than Dana, though…]
Weight: She won’t tell it
Blood type: B
Birthday: August 9th [Also Gillian Anderson’s birthday. For David they took the character’s date, here they took the actress’.]
Home Country: USA
Favorite things: Japanese Anime [Maybe a reference to the time Gillian Anderson dubbed Maro’s character in the English version of Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke?]
Dislikes: Lack of Sleep [Gillian Anderson notoriously suffered from severe sleep deprivation while acting in the first season of X-Files.]

Private Nakagawa: “An investigator in charge of occult and strange cases. In her childhood, she happened to experience an encounter with “a strange living being, pure white, who could change its appearance. She possesses a deep knowledge of cryptids and monsters. She’s a beauty, but everyone thinks of her as ‘a bit strange.’ Has a tremendous passion in her work and often argues with her colleague David.”

You can see the two of them, along with their boss–C.I.A. Public Relations Manager Richard Burgman–in Q’s ending, where he orders David and Gilliana to start an investigation on Q immediately.

If you’re looking for more CFN Portal profiles, you can check out Kyle, Yuriko Hibiki and Captain Sawada here.

Sources: CFN Portal; streetfighterscene