Killer Instinct is F2P, only 1 free fighter

[Cerveza mas fina]

 

http://www.vg247.com/2013/06/11/killer-instinct-reboot-is-free-to-play-only-one-character-is-free/

Destructoid confirmed in this Killer Instinct preview, that while the fighter is free to all, you have to pay individually for new and returning characters. That’s a payment per character, but the specific cost has not been confirmed, so don’t start worrying just yet, as they could be dirt cheap

[MCD]

Wake me up when they cancel their DRM first.

[chronovore]

I know it'd be hard to implement properly, but I'd like to see someone do a fighter with an arcade-style payment model. Put yer 25¢ on the board, and be ready to go!

[Pachterballs]

/vomit 

[originalz]

The Xbox One announcements just keep getting better and better eh.  KI seems like such a desperate grab at the whole retro remake thing that's popular now.

[Great Rumbler]

Microsoft
Rare

Oh wait, this is actually being developed by some c-tier studio instead? lawl

[Rufus]

"We listened (but let's not be crazy here)".

[archie4208]

"League of Legends did it, why can't we?"

[Don Flamenco]

That really makes me wanna play your shitty resurrected IP made by a shitty studio on a shitty $500 system

Supposedly some FGC guys are getting consulted, but this game has zero chance of gaining any tournament traction...mostly because no organizer in their right mind will have a fleet of Xbones.   And KI's engine, if they still want to do these lame auto combos, is fucking helpless.

[brob]

this game is portfolio padding. it exists only to be listed.

[Diunx]

Lol

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

As if Killer Instinct wasnt crappy enough as is, let's throw some shitty F2P stuff on top of it.

 

[Madrun Badrun]

This screams no confidence in the game. 

[MCD]

Putting together some video impressions of the game. There's just too much to talk about and it's too late right now. I'll try to have it up as soon as possible.

Went in skeptical because of DH's history. Game is in pre-alpha and feels pretty goddamn amazing. Will report back with more soon.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=62574656&postcount=516

[Don Flamenco]

would totally love to read his impressions, but the servers are getting raped

[brob]

when has pre-release opinions from the FGC been anything other than ''omg teh game so gud''?

[nudemacusers]

what marginal interest I had in this game. ..

and yeah, xbone vs ps4 drm means this will never appear at a tourney. ever.

[Don Flamenco]

when has pre-release opinions from the FGC been anything other than ''omg teh game so gud''?

DOA4, DOA5, Injustice, post-Cross Assault SFxT, Marvel 3, AE 2011, Tekken 6 all had a lot of ambivalence before launch.   

edit: MK9, how could i forget.  HD Remix too. 

jeez dude   there are always some cheerleaders, but on the whole, people are just as skeptical when iffy things are in there like interactables in Injustice or HDR changes, when the pedigree sucks like DOA and MK9, or when they spend time and it just seems off like SFxT or Marvel 3 early impressions.

[Vertigo]

EDGE seemed to like it as well.

This is spiritually faithful to Rare’s original, though the influence of other recent fighting game successes is plain to see, from a power-up mode (unique to each character) reminiscent of Marvel Vs Capcom 3′s X-Factor, a Mortal Kombat-style combo damage rating in per cent, and Street Fighter IV’s inky look. Indeed, it’s easy to imagine a next-gen Street Fighter looking much like this does. This, like many of the games shown yesterday, goes big on particle effects – when two fireballs meet in the centre of the screen and cancel each other out, the screen is briefly obscured by a shower of sparks.

The combo system is pleasingly beginner-friendly. If a single attack connects you can press any of the other six buttons and it automatically combos. Special moves can be added in at various points, and ending a combo with a heavy special attack does more damage. It’s light, friendly stuff, essential for a free-to-play game, but how Double Helix will ensure the game appeals to higher-level players will be critical.

http://www.edge-online.com/features/e3-2013-killer-instinct-hands-on-with-xbox-ones-free-to-play-reboot/

[Bebpo]

I'm surprised people can tell it's faithful to the original.


Does anyone even remember how to play KI anymore?

[Flannel Boy]

I'm surprised people can tell it's faithful to the original.


Does anyone even remember how to play KI anymore?

I don't. I also don't remember the taste of that mayonnaise sandwich I ate when I was ten.

[Don Flamenco]

I'm surprised people can tell it's faithful to the original.


Does anyone even remember how to play KI anymore?

I remember enough to know that this:

The combo system is pleasingly beginner-friendly. If a single attack connects you can press any of the other six buttons and it automatically combos.

is actually a simplification of the old system    there used to be one or two other specific buttons to press.  now it's any button

edit: I think it also needed to start with a special move before as well

[nudemacusers]

I just wanna know the status of orchid's tits. 

[Don Flamenco]

they shouldn't have done it, but who is really to blame when people just let their nostalgia hang out all over the place like that.  Cover up your nostalgia like a normal person and you won't get remaked

[Sho Nuff]

Does Orchid have uniboob

[Diunx]

EDGE seemed to like it as well.

This is spiritually faithful to Rare’s original, though the influence of other recent fighting game successes is plain to see, from a power-up mode (unique to each character) reminiscent of Marvel Vs Capcom 3′s X-Factor, a Mortal Kombat-style combo damage rating in per cent, and Street Fighter IV’s inky look. Indeed, it’s easy to imagine a next-gen Street Fighter looking much like this does. This, like many of the games shown yesterday, goes big on particle effects – when two fireballs meet in the centre of the screen and cancel each other out, the screen is briefly obscured by a shower of sparks.

The combo system is pleasingly beginner-friendly. If a single attack connects you can press any of the other six buttons and it automatically combos. Special moves can be added in at various points, and ending a combo with a heavy special attack does more damage. It’s light, friendly stuff, essential for a free-to-play game, but how Double Helix will ensure the game appeals to higher-level players will be critical.

http://www.edge-online.com/features/e3-2013-killer-instinct-hands-on-with-xbox-ones-free-to-play-reboot/

 

[Don Flamenco]

NiGHTS was the best game of all time that I haven't played in 15 years!

*new NiGHTS*

Sega nearly goes bankrupt 

it's just that simple

[Don Flamenco]

maximillian is jizzing over it:




there's some pretty questionable stuff, but it actually sounds like they're on the right track.

[nudemacusers]

all this third strike talk 

[Steve Contra]

 

[Yeti]

Wonder who the free character will be? My guess is TJ Combo.

[chronovore]

Does Orchid have uniboob

No, because it is too-close sounding to "Unibomber."

[Steve Contra]

Wonder who the free character will be? My guess is TJ Combo.

KI has the stinkiest roster of characters

[Smooth Groove]

So basically a demo?

[Damian79]

is actually a simplification of the old system    there used to be one or two other specific buttons to press.  now it's any button

edit: I think it also needed to start with a special move before as well

Actually it is there because combo breakers were to easy to do before if you knew how the game worked.

[Don Flamenco]

is actually a simplification of the old system    there used to be one or two other specific buttons to press.  now it's any button

edit: I think it also needed to start with a special move before as well

Actually it is there because combo breakers were to easy to do before if you knew how the game worked.

Sorry 'bout misrepresenting a game nobody has played in 20 years brah

[headwalk]

it's completely game breaking from any competitive standpoint and balance kryptonite.

i can't believe nobody's done it sooner.

[Himu]

[pilonv1]

so don’t start worrying just yet, as they could be dirt cheap

[Don Flamenco]

it's completely game breaking from any competitive standpoint and balance kryptonite.

i can't believe nobody's done it sooner.

That's how it sounds at face value, but it turns out combo breakers are now buffed up to match it.  There's a whole weird risk/reward rock paper scissors thing going on where if you guess the wrong combo breaker, you get some sort of penalty.   You also have to do it on the first new hit of a move or something?   


Also, turns out the team at Double Helix is made up of all the guys who worked on SF2 series and Weaponlord (whose team was made up of guys who worked on SSF2:Turbo), so it's not the Silent Hill Homecoming team or anything    Could actually be much better than the NRS team, in the competition of gaijin fighting game makers.

Looking much better than any KI before.  That first trailer was just pretty terrible, the streams have shown it off a lot better. 

buuuuuuuuuuut Xbone.   what a shame.

[nudemacusers]

cool info bros

i blame microsoft for my cynicism  :'(

[Don Flamenco]

okay, then you go correct the wikipedia article:

Project leads James Goddard and Dave Winstead aimed to design a title for enthusiasts of the fighting game genre. Unlike many other fighting games of the time, WeaponLord was designed specifically for home consoles and was one of the first fighting games optimized for online play. It has also been cited as the basis for Namco's Soul Edge/Calibur series.[1]

The game's lead designers James Goddard and Dave Winstead had previously worked for Capcom. Goddard designed the character Dee Jay for Super Street Fighter II and Winstead had worked on Super Street Fighter II Turbo. Both had extensive fighting game tournament experience and wanted to cater to dedicated fans of the genre with Weaponlord. They also wanted to optimize the game for the slow dial-up connections of the XBAND service, timing parry animations and character turnaround time to account for lag.[1]

[Don Flamenco]

Interesting.  I hate the game, it sucks to play, but damn if it isn't ambitious.  in fact, the convoluted-ness of the KI combo breaker system is giving me flashbacks to it

[Don Flamenco]

It's a shame because the potential is totally there.  the game tried way harder than any other 90s fighter to not ape SF2, but also beat it in terms of depth. 

The frame rate and slowness of it, along with a lack of visual ques undermine all of it. 

one funny thing I noticed in the manual -- every character is 25 years old. 

Star Wars Episode 3 the game is all on them, though

[MCD]

Mentioned at 1:22:15 during the Mad Catz stream today.

tl;dr: It seems like you can either buy the game in full like you would any other game, or opt to download a free to play version of the game where you can buy what you want from the full game in parts. This is going off of what developers mentioned on streams.

Developer said:
- All versions of the game are digital-only
- Only the demo is F2P, which was reported as only including Jago (presumably you can buy additional characters to add to this, F2P style, so it's not really a demo but that's the word the developer used)
- There will be regular SKUs with all the content
- Mentioned a collectors edition (which again, would be digital)

If/when archives go up I can add a timestamp.

EDIT: They also said Glacius will be playable at EVO and they will be announcing the next character at EVO.

EDIT2: Miles Quaritch offers some more information:

Sounded like the F2P 'demo' will include the entire single player and access to multiplayer. Also sounded like you could trial characters before purchase (gamespot stream).

[maxy]

[chronovore]

Can someone wake me up if Tobal 3 is announced?

[MCD]

Looks great for a casual cigarillo like me.

[MCD]

[Great Rumbler]

Easily the best thing about Killer Instinct.

[Don Flamenco]

Looks great for a casual cigarillo like me.

This game sounds casual in the way that MVC3 is pretty casual on paper, but stupidly hard against someone who knows what they're doing. 

[Don Flamenco]

and with what I've seen in the past few days and have heard from others, game sounds like shit again. 

[Yeti]

So it's a Killer Instinct game?

[Don Flamenco]

well, one of the guys who is consulting on it says it's currently worse than a Killer Instinct game and that the ideas the team has are pretty far off the mark.    

[MCD]

https://vine.co/v/hW6BPphLBdB
https://vine.co/v/hWh7Dhq2UqP
https://vine.co/v/hWBquq3Pn1T

Soundtrack gonna be ace.

[MCD]

http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/j5zny0/killer-instinct-cultivating-k-i-

http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/58t96w/killer-instinct-exclusive-glacius-walkthrough

[Sho Nuff]

To be KI this game needs Butt Techno, I think they understand that

[Barry Egan]

[MCD]

This guy made the booing bigger lol.

[Shaka Khan]