Ian “iantothemax” Walker – Page 112

June 29, 2015

Mortal Kombat X’s Towers Provide First Footage of Predator in Action

With a July release date on the horizon, Mortal Kombat X players have been eagerly awaiting Predator’s arrival, and their excitement only increased with the addition of preliminary data hinting at its playstyles.

Up until today, we’ve yet to see the character in action, but it appears as if this iconic movie monster has infiltrated the game’s Tower mode, allowing players to face off against the Predator for the very first time. While not as good as actually being able to try out the character first-hand, this does provide us with a good look at the basic moves it brings to the table.

Going by the videos below, we can glean bits and pieces of the unique tools each variation possesses. Where the Hunter style seems to focus more on up close and personal offense with the claw accessory, Hish-Qu-Ten players will need to focus more on the zoning capabilities afforded by the shoulder-mounted gun. Give these previews a view for yourself and let us know what you think of Predator so far.

Much like previous character releases, previews of Predator’s brutalities and fatalities can also be found within the game, screenshots of which have been compiled over on Reddit, so be sure to head on over for a closer look at the finishers the alien hunter will have at its disposal.

Sources: Sonicdude20th, Reddit, tip via NightmareSteam

June 28, 2015

Daigo Umehara, Momochi Handed Early Ultra Street Fighter IV Eliminations at Community Effort Orlando 2015

When it comes to tournaments, very few can compare with Evolution in terms of scale and overall skill level, but the folks at Community Effort Orlando have grown so tremendously over the past few years that it’s hard to argue their event isn’t a close second. And with the additional impetus of an automatic Capcom Cup qualification looming over the Ultra Street Fighter IV bracket, the amount of talent on display in Florida this weekend was nearly unprecedented.

That’s why, when word both Mad Catz’ Daigo Umehara and Momochi of Team Evil Geniuses had been eliminated soon after the top 32 began, it wasn’t a huge shocker after the initial, “Whaaat?!” moment. Though arguably two of the strongest Street Fighter players in the world, the aforementioned level of competition meant anything could happen in the losers bracket, and these two powerhouses came up against stiff resistance in China’s Xiaohai (representing Qanba and Douyu) and CORN|alucarD, an American player who has risen to prominence recently with his outstanding Hugo play.

While tournaments of this magnitude no doubt benefit from their huge international presence, there’s also a downside, especially if you weren’t able to be there in person: some of the best sets won’t make it to a streaming station. As the news about these matches popped up on Twitter, some could only imagine what went down with no footage readily available.

Fortunately, we don’t have to rely on our imaginations any longer.

Pacific Northwest group Khaos Gaming recently uploaded direct feed footage of these incredible matchups, allowing those of us stuck at home to experience just how Xiaohai and alucarD–who, don’t get me wrong, are two amazing players in their own right–were able to fell Daigo and Momochi. We’ve included both of their videos below, so if you weren’t able to visit Florida this year, check them out!

Source: Khaos Gaming

June 27, 2015

Capcom Further Explains How to Enter the Street Fighter V Beta

For a while, we’ve known a few things about the Street Fighter V beta. One, you’ll have to pre-order the game to gain access; two, it will be exclusive to PlayStation 4 for the time being; and three, it will be a limited-time affair. Other than that, very little had been shared with the community about how things would work out, but today Capcom pulled the curtain back just a tiny bit to share the retailers fans in the United States and Canada can utilize.

In a recent Capcom-Unity blog post, Peter “Combofiend” Rosas revealed that GameStop, Amazon, Best Buy, and (of course) PlayStation Network will all provide beta codes for pre-orders. Players should receive their beta codes by July 20, just in time for the testing period’s beginning on July 23.

Unfortunately, things are still rather unstable for folks outside of the western hemisphere. Those living pretty much anywhere else in the world can apply for a chance at joining the beta instead of the guaranteed access enjoyed by fans in North and South America. PC users can look forward to their own beta session starting sometime this fall.

More details can be found on Capcom-Unity. Street Fighter V will launch in spring 2016.

Source: Capcom-Unity

June 27, 2015

Celebrate Independence Day at HADOCON VII, Online Registration Ends Soon

Every year, the Northern California fighting game community gathers in the Bay Area to put on and participate in HADOCON, but this time around it’s coming a little earlier than usual.

HADOCON VII is scheduled for July 4, meaning everyone who wants to get away from the usual barbecues and fireworks that are typically used to celebrate Independence Day can gather in San Francisco and compete instead. This year’s event features a greatly expanded lineup, and will include tournaments for Ultra Street Fighter IV (singles and teams), Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (singles and teams), Mortal Kombat X, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Melee.

Though no longer organized by our very own Terry “Kineda” Ng, he has handed the reins to two very experienced individuals. Hargi Yamsuan and Justin “Falcomist” Sia have both helped Ng put on events for years, and HADOCON is sure to continue its streak of excellence under their guidance.

Online registration is currently open but is expected to close as early as this weekend, after which the pricier on-site registration will be your only option. Be sure to head on over to the official Facebook event for more details.

Source: Facebook

June 26, 2015

Learn About Charlie Nash’s Street Fighter V Return in UDON’s Upcoming Graphic Novel

Although Charlie Nash apparently perished in Street Fighter Alpha 3, his legacy lived on in the world of graphic novels. Since the game’s release in 1998, the fan favorite character has appeared in a number of comics, many of which produced by perennial Capcom partner UDON Entertainment.

In order to explain Nash’s absence between Alpha and Street Fighter V, the comic distributor will be releasing Street Fighter V: The Life and Death(s) of Charlie Nash, a hardcover story full of brand-new content that details the soldier’s story and exactly how he was able to return in the upcoming title.

While little else has been divulged regarding the narrative, UDON was kind enough to release a preview of the front cover as well as a few of the pages inside.

Street Fighter V: The Life and Death(s) of Charlie Nash will see a limited release of 300 units at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, which is scheduled for July 9-12. UDON has revealed that this title is a convention exclusive, so do your best to pick it up if you happen to be attending the convention.

Source: UDON Entertainment via EventHubs

June 26, 2015

Here’s How to Recreate Akuma’s Late FADC Bug in Ultra Street Fighter IV

Yesterday, we shared a video of a strange interaction between Akuma and Sagat that allowed the former to perform a focus cancel in the air after a blocked uppercut. We were naturally intrigued and, after I found myself unable to recreate the bug, asked the community to take a look and see what they could come up with.

After just seven hours and some lecturing by Lab Zero Games’ Mike Zaimont over my incorrect use of the term ‘desync’ (love ya Mike!), Sebastian Rikk stepped forward with his findings. Apparently, the late cancel-point on Akuma’s dragon punch gives him this odd ability when coupled with tall opponents like Sagat and Seth, but only on wakeup.

After the above video was shared, Zaimont posited that this strange occurrence may also be caused by the way the attack’s cancelability on block was implemented. Instead of only the uppercut’s first hit being cancelable, the game may interpret this rule as the first hit to land, even if that hit is technically the second or third of the move.

All in all, this was a pretty fun bit of discovery and explanation, and is yet another testament to the tenacity of our community in figuring stuff out–as well as my own ineptitude in accurately replicating situations in-game. While I’m not going to speculate on this bug’s place in competition, definitely keep an eye out for it if you happen to come up against an Akuma.

Thanks Sebastian and Mike!

Sources: Sebastian Rikk, Mike Zaimont

June 26, 2015

Tekken Crash Returns to Korean Television in July with Twitch Simulcast

After a brief resurgence to highlight an early build of Tekken 7, Tekken Crash is set to officially launch another season of competitive fighting game action in July.

According to the above trailer and additional details gathered by Avoiding the Puddle, this new season of the South Korean program will debut on July 5 with a preliminary qualifying tournament. After that, episodes will air every Sunday, starting on July 16 and stretching all the way through September.

Furthermore, in order to share this event with the rest of the world, the organizers have partnered with Twitch to provide an official online simulcast, allowing the global community to keep up with every match as they happen.

More information is sure to be released as we near the aforementioned premiere, so stay tuned.

Source: eSportsTV via Avoiding the Puddle

June 26, 2015

Ketchup Shares Some Basic Combos and Resets for Mortal Kombat X’s Warlock Quan Chi

While it’s already been proven Mortal Kombat X’s Quan Chi wields tremendous power in his Summoner variation, the tools available to him in Warlock haven’t seen as much play. Fortunately, Ketchup is here to show off some basics that you can implement into your game if you plan on picking up this fighting style.

In the video below, Ketchup demonstrates a number of useful bread and butters that can provide consistent damage over a wide variety of situations. Near the end, he also provides tips on a few reset opportunities that can be set up with his meterburned stab attack.

And the best part? These all work with the latest patch in place!

Source: Ketchup

June 26, 2015

Predator Heading to Mortal Kombat X in July, ‘Hish-Qu-Ten’ Variation Offers Playstyle Hints

Although his character data is already present in Mortal Kombat X as of Monday’s update, it appears as if fans will have to wait until next month to truly get their hands on Predator.

Thanks to a new image released by NetherRealm Studios creative director Ed Boon, we now know that this upcoming fighter, as well as a slew of additional costumes, will be available sometime in July. The screenshot in question shows how the iconic movie monster will appear in-game alongside Jax Briggs’ Carl Weathers skin.

We still have very little clues as to how Predator will play once it’s added to the game, but EventHubs recently reported the names of his three variations: Warrior, Hunter, and Hish-Qu-Ten. While the abilities of the first two are anyone’s guess, expanded universe materials may provide a few clues to the lattermost’s playstyle.

In John Shirley’s stand-alone novel Predator: Forever Midnight, Predators, generally known as the Yautja, are instead referred to as Hish-Qu-Ten. While similar to the species’ general representations, the Hish differ in that they possess a unique gland that pumps powerful hormones into their blood. When overstimulated, the abundance of these hormones can send the Hish into a rage that drives them to kill anything they can get their hands on, even other Predators.

With this in mind, it doesn’t take a great leap in thinking to believe the Predator will be capable of boosting its abilities in the Hish-Qu-Ten variation with this “kill rage,” whether that be through an increase in speed, damage, or some other attribute.

Still, this is all just speculation, so feel free to let us know what you think in the comments.

Sources: Ed Boon, EventHubs, Xenopedia

June 26, 2015

Guilty Gear Xrd’s Ramlethal Valentine Receives Gorgeous Figure (That Will Set You Back $150)

Over the years, we’ve featured a number of figures depicting characters from series like Street Fighter and…well, yeah, mostly Street Fighter, but today I came across one that definitely needs more attention.

Created by the folks at FREEing, this Ramlethal Valentine figure depicts the Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- villain doing what she does best: posing dramatically with her dual swords and toothed cloack, ready to decimate anyone who stands in her way. Oh yeah, and it sits at just over 8 inches tall, making this a pretty impressive piece.

Of course, high quality comes with an equally high price tag. This figure will set interested parties back ¥19,259 (~$156 USD), so you’ll need a decent amount of money to blow if you want to see this added to your collection.

FREEing’s Ramlethal Valentine figure is currently available for pre-order through online retailers such as AmiAmi, Play-Asia, and CDJapan, with a planned release date of January 2016.

Sources: FREEing, My Figure Collection, special thanks to NeoGAF’s Astarte for bringing this to our attention.