SNKP's Sinking Credibilty News Thread

[SouthtownKid]

I think SNK was trying to assure that gamers would get the arcade experience at home staying with the Neo-Geo hardware.

By 1996, pixelated 2D graphics was no longer the arcade experience for most gamers. That's my point. SNK acted like it still was, but it wasn't. They carried on with their eyes clamped shut and fingers in their ears, yelling LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA as if the times wouldn't change as long as they didn't acknowledge it.

And who were they trying to assure? The number of us who owned Neo hardware back then was not large enough that they should have been worried about us that way. If their ports to Playstation had been as good as Capcom's, again, for the vast majority of people, that would have been enough. But they should have been scaling back on that type of game at that point, anyway. Instead, they made it even more their focus.

 

[Stuart989]

They don't even care about fixing the arcade version's infinites and glitches. The arcade version BTW runs on a hardware that allows for patches, and they couldn't even take advantage of that.

 

[SouthtownKid]

They don't even care about fixing the arcade version's infinites and glitches. The arcade version BTW runs on a hardware that allows for patches, and they couldn't even take advantage of that.

welcome to The Wrong Thread.

 

[Yao]

Capcom came out with Resident Evil, and SNK came out with KOF '96, AOF3, Kizuna, SamSho4, and RBFF. And Capcom's Resident Evil was more successful than all of SNK's 1996 fighters combined.

That is exactly one of the reasons why I love SNK, cause they produced the games I love, in a time when other genres (I don't care about) got more popular. I play any of the mentioned games rather than Resident Evil. But you are absolutely right from an economical point of view SNK should have followed the steps you mentioned to become or stay a healthy company. But to me a company is more than their bank account or their ability to produce the games the masses want cause they are popular at the time. Its character, personality and charme. SNK has a lot of that. I guess if it was different, none of us would be here.

 

[LWK]

welcome to The Wrong Thread.

Maybe we're to sensitive to see it.

 

[Taiso]

That is exactly one of the reasons why I love SNK, cause they produced the games I love, in a time when other genres (I don't care about) got more popular. I play any of the mentioned games rather than Resident Evil. But you are absolutely right from an economical point of view SNK should have followed the steps you mentioned to become or stay a healthy company. But to me a company is more than their bank account or their ability to produce the games the masses want cause they are popular at the time. Its character, personality and charme. SNK has a lot of that. I guess if it was different, none of us would be here.

I think the point is SNK could have had it both ways, just like Capcom does.

Capcom fans are just as rabid as SNK fans. There are just a lot more of them and their company is healthier.

Even though Capcom has branched out and made several other massively popular series (Devil May Cry, Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, etc.,) they still make Megaman and Street Fighter games.

A good company can be responsive to the evolving market and still keep their older IPs relevant and lucrative.

Capcom opened the doors for larger audiences, and SNK went in exactly the opposite direction and narrowed their market. That, combined with not being able to make any money from the strategy they employed, explains why they're where they are.

Personally, I'd rather SNK be more successful. If they were, we might be talking about Capcom vs SNK 3 right now, rather than about pachislot and ecchi style games. The sheer existence of a CvS 3 would be proof that SNK still mattered as a company.

 

[OrochiEddie]

By 1996, pixelated 2D graphics was no longer the arcade experience for most gamers. That's my point. SNK acted like it still was, but it wasn't. They carried on with their eyes clamped shut and fingers in their ears, yelling LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA as if the times wouldn't change as long as they didn't acknowledge it.

And who were they trying to assure? The number of us who owned Neo hardware back then was not large enough that they should have been worried about us that way. If their ports to Playstation had been as good as Capcom's, again, for the vast majority of people, that would have been enough. But they should have been scaling back on that type of game at that point, anyway. Instead, they made it even more their focus.

did you miss the rest of my post where I completely agree with you?

 

[Neo Alec]

I think some of the earlier posts aren't being completely fair to SNKP. The reality is they've done a pretty good job of trying to stay alive and give their fans what they want. Comparing them to Capcom just isn't fair because Capcom has always been a bigger, more diversified developer, well beyond just arcade fighters. I remember renting NES games as a kid, and that purple border around the sides of the Capcom games was taken as a sign of quality, and I knew that my rental money would not be wasted. SNK simply doesn't have as rich and various a history as Capcom. SNK is only known for its Neo fighters and some early arcade classics, while Capcom, along with Konami, is known as one of the all-time Japanese third party developer heavyweights. It's like expecting Sega to compete with the scale of Sony or Nintendo at this point.

 

[Yao]

I think the point is SNK could have had it both ways, just like Capcom does.

Rationally you are absolutely right. But emotionally, I don't know, I always kinda liked SNK's underdog status. The fact that they are not Capcom or Konami and do things differently. Like releasing a black monster of a console that brought the arcades to our homes and which nobody could really afford, but many bought anyway. A maniac move to begin with. That is why SNK is SNK. And I love em for that.

 

[Nesagwa]

Thats why SNK went out of business the first time. Relying on a console that came out in 1990 for over a decade while all of their rivals upgraded and moved onto current gen console development.

And now they make slot machines and porn games.

 

[Taiso]

Rationally you are absolutely right. But emotionally, I don't know, I always kinda liked SNK's underdog status. The fact that they are not Capcom or Konami and do things differently. Like releasing a black monster of a console that brought the arcades to our homes and which nobody could really afford, but many bought anyway. A maniac move to begin with. That is why SNK is SNK. And I love em for that.

I respect your sentimentality towards SNK's underground status, but I can never share it.

I love the IPs way too much. Seeing them wallow in obscurity, mediocrity and failure after failure just bothers me.

Those IPs are GREAT IPs. People should still care about Terry and Ryo and Kyo as much as they do about Ryu, Mario and Simon Belmont.

Smart companies realize that in order to survive, you have to find EFFICIENT ways to keep your most important IPs and products relevant to new generations of gamers. It's not too late, in my opinion, but the tank is on fumes.

One could say 'they've been through all this before,' but if so...why not change that? Why go through it again? There's no reason for it. They have the IPs and the foundation to do something good. Is KOF XIII the answer? Guess we'll find out when it streets.

If it's popular enough and people get into it and can actually play it online, then it doesn't matter if it's got broken elements. People will play games they like. And they'll pay for next year's version, too.

 

[LWK]

DEBUGGING STAFF, FIRE THEM MAKE $$$

 

[Yao]

They have the IPs and the foundation to do something good. Is KOF XIII the answer? Guess we'll find out when it streets.

If it's popular enough and people get into it and can actually play it online, then it doesn't matter if it's got broken elements. People will play games they like. And they'll pay for next year's version, too.

I agree, and I am very confident that this will happen. To me KOF XIII looks like the best and most fun Fighter of the "new generation". And I say that with KOF beeing my least favorite of the SNK franchises. I think it will convince a lot of people. And who knows maybe then we will have the SNK(P) back that brought all of us here in the first place.

 

[SouthtownKid]

Rationally you are absolutely right. But emotionally, I don't know, I always kinda liked SNK's underdog status.

They weren't always the underdog.

 

[LWK]

I agree, and I am very confident that this will happen. To me KOF XIII looks like the best and most fun Fighter of the "new generation". And I say that with KOF beeing my least favorite of the SNK franchises. I think it will convince a lot of people. And who knows maybe then we will have the SNK(P) back that brought all of us here in the first place.

Most fun I agree. Best I'd agree if it wasnt loaded with broken trash that totally unbalances the game. Its not even complaining or being biased at this point, just mad issues up and down.

 

[Yao]

They weren't always the underdog.

It always felt like that out here in Germany. But that's probably because we never had a real arcade culture and the NeoGeo wasn't officially distributed here.
Terry Bogard is pretty unknown round here, whereas every child and grown up knows Ryu.

 

[SouthtownKid]

It always felt like that out here in Germany. But that's probably because we never had a real arcade culture and the NeoGeo wasn't officially distributed here.
Terry Bogard is pretty unknown round here, whereas every child and grown up knows Ryu.

Where I grew up, every kid played Ikari Warriors. But maybe I'm a generation older.

 

[KRONOS]

A foreign video game firm that appreciates what SNK represents and has done needs to acquire the company, ax most of the decision makers.. keep the talented development staff and move it out of Asia. Japanese are too systematic (good & bad) and are afraid of risk, I know, I lived their 6 years.

Here's s shining example of SNK incompetence.. they totally could have skipped the computer rendering aspect of KOF XII's RD and gone straight for hi animation, larger sprites. I know their capable of that, look at MOTW. But that extra step didn't make a significant difference and it stole time they could have been putting in to properly finish it. KOF '94 was more complete.

SNK has lots of great IPs and needs to utilize them the best way possible.. how about a hi-res widescreen Victory Road with cell shaded 3-D sprites.. it just has to look good and be fun... they could even through in Metal Slug characters, etc.

 

[Kim Kaphwan]

SNP lost credibility when they had "some" fanboy artist develop and produce a KOF 3D game.

 

[Rade K]

SNP lost credibility when they had "some" fanboy artist develop and produce a KOF 3D game.

I've only heard good things about these games...

 

[SouthtownKid]

SNP lost credibility when they had "some" fanboy artist develop and produce a KOF 3D game.

It sucks that the fans turn on them when they try to reach out to the mainstream audiences and casual gamers that could actually put them back on top again. But no, the "fans" would rather SNKP stay fringe, hovering on the edge of complete failure.

It's the same thing as with the Hyper games. SNKP should have stuck with these rather than retreating to their comfort zone. They're letting the industry pass them by -- AGAIN. The second Maximum Impact was a big improvement over the first, and the games did sell. Who knows how far they could have gone eventually, after a few more attempts?

 

[Nesagwa]

It sucks that the fans turn on them when they try to reach out to the mainstream audiences and casual gamers that could actually put them back on top again. But no, the "fans" would rather SNKP stay fringe, hovering on the edge of complete failure.

It's the same thing as with the Hyper games. SNKP should have stuck with these rather than retreating to their comfort zone. They're letting the industry pass them by -- AGAIN. The second Maximum Impact was a big improvement over the first, and the games did sell. Who knows how far they could have gone eventually, after a few more attempts?

If MI was such a great leap in the right direction they wouldn't have fired the hentai artist after two games. Those things went to the bargain bin quick. They sold, but I doubt they made a profit on them.

Churn out a few more attempts at a game nobody buys or fire the guy and try something else (witch touching games.) Tough choice.

 

[Neo Alec]

Thats why SNK went out of business the first time. Relying on a console that came out in 1990 for over a decade while all of their rivals upgraded and moved onto current gen console development.

And now they make slot machines and porn games.

Sticking with the MVS hardware was one of the things they did right. To this day, those machines have a huge installed base on location, and if they were to release a widely distributed new official game of decent quality it would be sure to sell a good amount. It's one reason many fans on this forum would like to see them go back to making MVS games. When you talk about the home console, you're just seeing a bi-product of the arcade releases, an ongoing love letter to the fans really.

A foreign video game firm that appreciates what SNK represents and has done needs to acquire the company, ax most of the decision makers.. keep the talented development staff and move it out of Asia. Japanese are too systematic (good & bad) and are afraid of risk, I know, I lived their 6 years.

GTFO. Move them to another country? Such a thing would cause more problems than solutions. And I don't think many of the old fans would regard the new SNK as a valid incarnation, even worse than SNKP is regarded now.

 

[Nesagwa]

Sticking with the MVS hardware was one of the things they did right. To this day, those machines have a huge installed base on location, and if they were to release a widely distributed new official game of decent quality it would be sure to sell a good amount. It's one reason many fans on this forum would like to see them go back to making MVS games. When you talk about the home console, you're just seeing a bi-product of the arcade releases, an ongoing love letter to the fans really.


GTFO. Move them to another country? Such a thing would cause more problems than solutions. And I don't think many of the old fans would regard the new SNK as a valid incarnation, even worse than SNKP is regarded now.

Yeah, and Nintendo should go back to making SNES games. They'd make a ton of money.

 

[Stuart989]

welcome to The Wrong Thread.

OMG it's the thread police. Everybody run and stop showing snk's lack of credibility and efficiency when it comes to the arcade version of kof games.