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Report Skullgirls Encore to receive Japanese arcade loctest from November 28-30!

oh god we did it!

Well, L0 did it... or something.
Still, great news!
 
It sounds great, I hope the other Loctest location did just as well. :D
 
Sorry for the slowdown. >.<

Noooo it wasn't that bad!! I'm just reporting because I feel feedback is important, but I'm sure overall the slowdown didn't get in the way of matches. I'm pretty sure I was more distracted with my brain shorting out from the j.hp spam and the fact I can't shoryuken.
After that specific match I didn't feel the slowdown anymore, so it's probably being triggered by specific things.
 
"finding stuff like that is the POINT of the loketests" - this. SO much this.

Stupid question here...

How much control does LabZero have over fixing bugs and flaws in the arcade port? Is it like the PC Port where you're free to shoot down bugs and submit new versions with the simple press of a "submit" button? Except this time you submit updates via the NESICA network? Or is all this stuff outsourced to the company making the port at this point? (Who is this Japanese partner anyway? M2? Marvelous AQL? I'm really not clear. Forgive me.)

I'm the primary programmer working on the TypeX2/NESiCA port. I'll share as much as I think I'm allowed to! My tiny company is working with M2 on this project. I talk to Mike Z pretty frequently.

Mike Z and us have full access to each other's stuff, so either of us can change things if we want to. The newest stuff from Lab Zero is merged into the NESiCA versions regularly, so expect the NESiCA version to get regular over-the-net updates after release.

About the loading times: If you look on wikipedia, you'll see that the TypeX2 hardware is like a 2003-2004 era mid-range PC, depending on what hardware configuration the owner has for it. Most of the loading time right now is spent loading and unloading the artwork for the stages. There is probably room for improvement, but we've already done a fair bit of arcade-specific optimization to minimize the loading time for characters, menu art, etc. I'd like for the loading time to be better, but it's been reduced to the point where I'd just call it "mildly annoying" and not "bad", so I'm working on fixing up and completing other features for now. I might have time to revisit the loading stuff later.

About the slowdown: When I was testing the build that's being used in the location test, I didn't have any slowdown on my own TypeX2 testing unit. There are a couple of things that could have caused this. Either way, I'll be getting a lower spec TypeX2 (or throttling my existing one) for when I'm testing Skullgirls, so that I can make sure there is enough performance headroom for actual arcade machines that are throttled down or lower spec. We have several options we can choose from for improving the performance of the game, and the obvious ones will only have a minor impact on visual quality, I think. I would be really shocked if we are forced to release the final version with performance issues. I expect we will be able to eliminate all of the slowdown.

Let me know if you have any other questions, and I'll try to answer them, if I think I'm allowed to.
 
Skullgirls and Virtual On on screen at an arcade entrance... This is the dream.

How long will this locations test last? I'm going to Tokyo for Xmas.
 
I'm the primary programmer working on the TypeX2/NESiCA port. I'll share as much as I think I'm allowed to! My tiny company is working with M2 on this project. I talk to Mike Z pretty frequently.

Mike Z and us have full access to each other's stuff, so either of us can change things if we want to. The newest stuff from Lab Zero is merged into the NESiCA versions regularly, so expect the NESiCA version to get regular over-the-net updates after release.
You sir are doing a great job and I'm glad you guys get to share info and builds with Lab Zero.
 
Skullgirls and Virtual On on screen at an arcade entrance... This is the dream.

How long will this locations test last? I'm going to Tokyo for Xmas.

This one ended already. I suspect there will be more in the future but I have no idea when they would take place.
 
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6 button arcade cabs are the reason ive never used the the 2 extra buttons on my stick. doing it proper like!

i reckon ive probably only pressed the two end buttons <50 times each compared to thousands upon thousands of the other buttons.

i would actually lol pretty hard to see how many people get messed up for not being able to use macros.
 
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I used to use macros, but when double lost the ability to use them during catheads, I haven't used them since.
 
Bunch of cool amazing stuff
Thanks that you went out of your way to collect so much data, pictures and footage. I really hope you didn't get into trouble for doing so. Thank you so much!
 
I tried not using macros, but trying to do adc's mid combo I found was troublesome for me, so I do use them for that, but never did macros for assists, always just did the diagonals. Should really work on not relying on macros just for air dashes.
 
Skullgirls and Virtual On on screen at an arcade entrance... This is the dream.
I hope they can remake the attract intro to include Squigs, BB, Eliza, Beo and Robo. And add the "Encore" to the main logo.

I think the current intro is done in Otter, right?
 
@andrewr or anyone who went:
Can you change your buttons from the default on the arcade version?
(start on the character select?)
I play with my kicks and punches swapped.
 
@andrewr or anyone who went:
Can you change your buttons from the default on the arcade version?
(start on the character select?)
I play with my kicks and punches swapped.
Nope, AFAIK Blazblue was the only game that let you do that and look what THAT led to.

Also, looking at Fychan's videos (THANK YOU!) it indeed was not a Beta build. (Ground techs zero out undizzy.) Durn.
 
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I hope they can remake the attract intro to include Squigs, BB, Eliza, Beo and Robo. And add the "Encore" to the main logo.

I think the current intro is done in Otter, right?

I doubt it will be possible to have an updated intro with all of that stuff in time for the full arcade release.

We should, however, have recorded replays that play automatically in attract mode, and I imagine all of the characters will be featured there.
 
@andrewr or anyone who went:
Can you change your buttons from the default on the arcade version?
(start on the character select?)
I play with my kicks and punches swapped.

Nope, can't do that :( Not planned, either.

Edit: it's technically possible to re-enable it, but I think we decided specifically to disable that menu. If Lab Zero guys think it should be re-enabled, we could do it.
 
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Would the arcade optimizations be applicable to the normal PC version as the arcade cab runs what sort of resembles a PC environment? Or is it optimizations that would only work on the arcade hardware?

Nope, AFAIK Blazblue was the only game that let you do that and look what THAT led to.
What happened?
 
Would the arcade optimizations be applicable to the normal PC version as the arcade cab runs what sort of resembles a PC environment? Or is it optimizations that would only work on the arcade hardware?

You could use them on the PC version. You may or may not notice the speed boost in loading. On a modern PC, the load times are already tiny (less than 1 second on my desktop).

Note that it comes at the expense of slightly increased memory usage, so you couldn't use it on the last-gen consoles.
 
Nope, AFAIK Blazblue was the only game that let you do that and look what THAT led to.

Also, looking at Fychan's videos (THANK YOU!) it indeed was not a Beta build. (Ground techs zero out undizzy.) Durn.
Didn't Xrd have several swappable control layouts? Like, two were in the style of BlazBlue and another was like P4A?
 
Nope, AFAIK Blazblue was the only game that let you do that and look what THAT led to.
Thirded
 
@andrewr Considering some of the slowdown issues (but also considering that they were non-existent on your end), is there a reason Lab Zero targeted the Taito Type X2 as the platform for the game? Why not Type X3?

In any case I can't wait for the full release of SG in arcades, despite not living in Japan. I just want to see high-level play in Japan evolve... Also it will be cool if a-cho's YouTube channels start uploading SG tournies! Then we'll know we've made it!
 
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@andrewr Considering some of the slowdown issues (but also considering that they were non-existent on your end), is there a reason Lab Zero targeted the Taito Type X2 as the platform for the game? Why not Type X3?

M2 and Taito decided that TypeX2 was the best decision. Probably because the number of TypeX2 machines greatly outnumber TypeX3. Skullgirls in arcades is deployed using NESiCAxLive, which is sort of a digital distribution multi-cab thing. It's easy for arcade operators to add Skullgirls to their machines. And there are going to be a lot of TypeX2 machines. (Also, it should work fine on TypeX3 machines, too). TypeX2 is just barely enough for Skullgirls, but I think it is enough.
 
Yeah, I was thinking that X3 might have been a bit less common in JP arcades due to its cost, but thanks for the comment. Keep up the good work man!
 
Was anyone actually able to capture any more videos aside from those from Fychan?
 
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Was anyone actually able to capture any more videos aside from those from Fychan?
I tried, but my phone couldn't handle the light difference of the screen and the arcade. Most of my pictures are uselessly blurry for the same reason I'm afraid.
 
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Videos! (done!) [sorry they're bad and some kinda short, I didn't want to get in the way]
I love the guy in the third video. I just can't help but see him and imagine what was going through his head.

"Humdedumdumdum. Minding my own buisness. Hello, what's this? You're recording? What're you recording? Oh. Hmm. I'm not sure about this yet. I think the best spot to decide whether or not I like this is directly in the recorder's view."

In Japanese, of course.
 
I love the guy in the third video. I just can't help but see him and imagine what was going through his head.

"Humdedumdumdum. Minding my own buisness. Hello, what's this? You're recording? What're you recording? Oh. Hmm. I'm not sure about this yet. I think the best spot to decide whether or not I like this is directly in the recorder's view."

In Japanese, of course.
Recording is usually taboo in Japanese arcades. So he's probably just not used to having people doing it there.
 
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Didn't Xrd have several swappable control layouts? Like, two were in the style of BlazBlue and another was like P4A?
Yes
 
Didn't Xrd have several swappable control layouts? Like, two were in the style of BlazBlue and another was like P4A?
The thing to consider with most 4 buttons games with swappable layouts is that there have been multiple default 4 button layouts (and panels) throughout the history of arcade fighting games.

Some had the flatter Neo-Geo layout, others had the 2x2 layout while more and more games now use the arced 3 on top 1 below layout.

The same is true for 5-button games, where some had the Guilty Gear layout, while others had a different layout.

With most modern cabs now using 6 buttons, the swappable layouts are usually there for folks who are used to playing on one of the older layouts.

For 6 button games however, like Skullgirls, there has only ever been one standard layout, which is the Street Fighter layout.
 
Thanks that you went out of your way to collect so much data, pictures and footage. I really hope you didn't get into trouble for doing so. Thank you so much!
Not at all! I was blatantly filming so if it wasn't allowed someone would've told me to stop. There were also a few other people filming the screens, so I think L0's effort to allow cameras panned out.

Recording is usually taboo in Japanese arcades. So he's probably just not used to having people doing it there.
Yeah, not only in arcades but in most public places, like trains. I think Japanese don't like being caught on film without knowing where it is going - rightfully so.
I was debating on whether to post that video because of this, but I think this is a controlled enough environment (plus it was kinda funny). It was my fault also, there were already people watching the screen so he didn't have much else he could stay.
 
I might look like a dummy asking this, but is the credits music Hitomi No Kioku or In A Moments Time?
 
I might look like a dummy asking this, but is the credits music Hitomi No Kioku or In A Moments Time?
I think it's In A Moment's Time considering that everything else is in English but it's also much more complicated then simple English words (Which I believe a good majority would know because a lot of Japanese schools teach English I believe?) But eh, let Cell, Fry or Mike confirm it.
 
Do people really use macros on their sticks that much? I always thought that if I was on a stick life would be easier what with me being able to just hit the two buttons I want to hit simultaneously. Aren't your fingers always over the buttons anyway? Seems like more work to use macro buttons to me.
 
I've been trying to train myself to use macros more tbh because I'd get myself killed sticking out random normals during sloppy assist-call inputs.
 
Do people really use macros on their sticks that much? I always thought that if I was on a stick life would be easier what with me being able to just hit the two buttons I want to hit simultaneously. Aren't your fingers always over the buttons anyway? Seems like more work to use macro buttons to me.
Dash macros are good for advancing while blocking and not accidentally throwing out a move. Of course, recently, it's been making me do random supers on accident.
 
Do people really use macros on their sticks that much? I always thought that if I was on a stick life would be easier what with me being able to just hit the two buttons I want to hit simultaneously. Aren't your fingers always over the buttons anyway? Seems like more work to use macro buttons to me.
That's how I've always felt about it. Honestly I feel like everything is easier on stick (hitting buttons simultaneously, doing DP motions, not having your controller press buttons for you when you wave it around, etc). The only thing I think is easier on pad is double tapping directionals.
 
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