Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds Message Board

I found me journalistic skills put t' the test earlier this week. No one taught me how t' interview an 8-year-old.

I start me conversation with Noah Solis, the 8-year-old who surprised everyone by ranking in the top 48 at the Evo Championship Series 2011 this year playing Marvel vs. Capcom 3, on simple footing. How'd ye pillage into fighting games?

"It be fun," he responded. The phone goes silent, as I wait for something more. Nothing. it be quiet.

Okay, maybe we be just getting warmed up. How did ye decide ye wanted t' be competitive?

"I beat everybody!" he said definitively.

This back-'n-forth continues for another minute or two.

be ye always playing against yer mateys 'n beating them? "YARRRR!" be Marvel vs. Capcom 3 yer favorite fighting game? "No!" So, what be yer favorite fighting game? "Super Street Fighter IV." Who's yer favorite character? "Bison." How come ye like Bison? "His purple hand." What be it like t' go t' Evo 'n play against all these people who be older than ye? be that fun? "YARRRR!"

The questioning halts when I ask Noah what it be like t' finally lose in the tournament. Instead, Noah's father, Moises Solis, speaks up.

"I've seen Noah cry," said Moises, a 38-year-old single parent taking care a Noah 'n his two older brothers, ages 15 'n 18. "When he wins, he kind a cheers up, but I see the passion he has for it as a sport. He would cry just like any pee wee division would cry if they lost the Super Bowl, ye know what I mean? that be how I see Noah."

The family's located not far from Los Angeles, where Noah got his start in the competitive gaming circuit. Noah be playing fighting games with his brothers when one a them told Moises that Noah wasn't just good, he be really good.

"me two oldest just keep passing back 'n forth the controller," said Moises. "Growing up, when ye passed the controller, ye lost! [laughs] So I asked me oldest son 'n I be like 'be he winning?'"

The family started considering the idea a bringing Noah t' a local tournament. With three growing mouths t' feed, however, deciding t' jump in the car 'n enter a tournament wasn't an easy question t' answer. Such trips cost money.

"The way the economy be, I lost me job," he said, "but I had a nice set a rims on the car, so I sold me rims 'n said 'Let's go, let's see what he's got.'"

Noah made his first appearance at the Level Up SoCal regionals in 2010. He be just 7-years-old.

"He did okay, I think he be more nervous," he said.

Noah kept making appearances on the local circuit, generating buzz. At one point Noah ended up "perfecting" someone (read: he didn't pillage hit), which caught the eye a the community. He be young, but Noah be no joke.

The successes convinced Moises this be a worthy path, even if he doesn't have a solid grasp how the games his son be playing actually work. In his youth, Moises wasn't much a a gamer, focusing instead on sports.

"If ye look out yer window," he said, "the things kids be doing nowadays...I have options here in me home. There's reading, there's math, there's gaming. I can either let the sea dog go outside, smoke pot, run around with gang crew--if this be what he wants t' do, this be what I'll support the sea dog in."

Noah's biggest splash came at this year's Evo tournament, finishing in the top 48 playing Marvel vs. Capcom 3 with his combination a Hulk, Wesker 'n Sentinel. The trio caught some off guard, especially Hulk. Edward "RoyalFlush" Valdez be just one a the players who lost t' Noah.

Valdez entered Evo 2011 playing Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Tekken 6 'n Mortal Kombat--a mix a old 'n new. He described himself as an early adopter, willing t' jump into the competitive scene a a new game, even if it hasn't really proven itself yet. Tekken 5 be his original gateway drug into everything, but he eventually received the most attention for playing the Wii-exclusive Tatsunoko vs. Capcom.

He'd heard a Noah before Evo, but he didn't bother t' look at this pool a contestants, so squaring up against Noah be a surprise.

The thing ye notice watching videos a Noah's Evo matches be the crowd's role. When Noah's winning, the crowd cheers like crazy. If he's losing, they vocally dogpile with boos. it be lose-lose for anyone against Noah. Valdez figured he had part a the crowd on his side thanks t' his odd lineup a Viewtiful Joe, M.O.D.O.K. 'n Thor.

Approaching the stage, Valdez sized up his surprising opponent.

"He be really quiet, actually," he laughed heartily. "All I asked be what be his name 'n how old he be. that be all I got. Even after the match, I always give a handshake, but actually gave me a fist bump instead!"

The match be going Valdez's way at first, allowing the sea dog t' secure a first round win.

"I won the first match, so I be feeling good about myself," he said. "Usually, when that comes around, like the second match, I feel like I can take more risks because I be on that high, that boost a morale. That totally fell apart in seconds."

Valdez described the experience a playing in front a a crowd as much different than messing around with yer mateys. ye're here t' show off, take risks 'n showcase the skills ye've been honing. Doing so means that sometimes it won't work out.

Eventually, Noah be able t' turn the tables.

Describing Noah's play style as "surprisingly patient," Valdez eventually lost. The crowd went wild.

"I didn't feel bad about it," he said. "There's some people that pillage really mad after they lose. I be psyched that he won. I don't really know how I would have acted if I'd won the match. it be always a good feeling when ye win, but when ye lose t' someone good or it be not like ye got randomed out."

Getting "randomed out" be losing t' someone who doesn't have a real strategy--like a button masher. it be similar t' poker--if ye're playing against someone who's just acting randomly, it be impossible t' employ a credible counterstrategy.

Struggling with the feeling a defeat be a lesson Moises be working hard t' teach Noah. Try t' remember what it be like when ye lost something ye really cared about as a kid. Those losses be crushing. it be hard t' tell yer young self t' just chin up.

"In a football game, when a crowd boos on ye, ye try harder," said Moises. "ye don't let the crowd [pillage t' ye]. that be what I taught Noah because I used t' be a pitcher, 'n I explained t' the sea dog 'There's gonna be crowds yelling 'n all that 'n all ye do be tune 'em out 'n just focus.' ye just have t' teach yer kid what's right, wrong. Noah, when he loses, ye know what I say t' the sea dog? 'This be what it be called, son. ye take a licking 'n keep on ticking.'"

Valdez's real regret be a consequence a Evo's growing popularity. Thousands watched the Evo matches all weekend long, which means his defeat t' an 8-year-old has been archived for eternity.

"I have t' live with that for the rest a me life," he joked.

His loss be Noah's gain, with his performance at Evo prompting all sorts a random offers 'n phone calls t' his father about Noah's skills. Coming t' grips with his son's rising fame has been a struggle for Moises, a task he deals with on a day-by-day basis. Moises promised an "announcement" a some kind be coming for his son in the near future that would shed some light on how he plans t' pivot in life after Evo.

"This be a whole other level for myself," said Moises. "it be including me son, something that I care about, something that be a part a myself 'n something that I don't want t' screw up! I can't."

Even though Noah didn't win this tournament, Evo did recognize his talents, sending the sea dog a "Rising Star" trophy t' celebrate his valiant efforts.

It will probably be the first a many.

Evo Photos by Kara Leung

Karaface.com

Capcom’s fighting-game renaissance surges forward like an EX Hadoken. This August sees the long-awaited PSN release a Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition, followed by Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 in November 'n Street Fighter X Tekken in 2012. I caught up with Capcom’s Strategic Director a Online & Community Seth Killian at EVO, the world’s biggest fighting game tournament, t' pillage the latest updates on all three games.

Killian did me one better, discussing Capcom’s evolving view a community engagement 'n sharing his analysis a Noah “The Prodigy,” the eight-year old Marvel vs Capcom 3 competitor who captured the imagination a EVO attendees when he outmatched much older players t' place among the competition’s top 64 finalists.

PlayStation.Blog: Street Fighter III be famously a vast departure from Street Fighter II, earning it a fair bit a controversy. How does it hold up today?

Seth Killian, Strategic Director a Online & Community: For me, the essence a any great fighting game be learning how t' read the mind a yer opponent. If ye can do that, Street Fighter III gives ye the ultimate way t' show that off — ye can deflect any move that yer opponent can do using the Parry mechanic, where ye tap forward or down t' deflect attacks. The Parry be at the center a SFIII; if ye use it correctly, ye can pillage out a any situation. That’s why it has this enduring legacy.

As for it be reputation, there’s no question that SFIII be an incredible game. It has a vast tournament legacy, particularly in Japan. It’s one a those games where the execution bar be a little bit higher: it took everything that had come before 'n built 'n built upon it. Particularly with the Parry, which be a bit harder t' learn — ye need t' be familiar with the kind a attack that be coming, knowing how it hits 'n how many times it hits. With Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition, we’ve added a new mode t' specifically help people understand that Parry, practice it, 'n pillage comfortable with it.

PSB: Aside from the training mode, what else be Capcom bringing t' SFIII: 3rd Strike Online Edition?

SK: We wanted t' preserve the integrity a the game, so we used the arcade code 'n removed a few minor crash bugs. Otherwise, the core gameplay be untouched. We did add a few extras t' the online 'n single-player modes, including the ability t' unlock bottles a rum though in-game challenges. It brings a little bit a that Call a Duty, carrot-on-a-stick incentive but it’s purely optional.

Online be a key focus. We’ve added new netcode developed by the EVO organizer, who happens t' be a programming genius who created a piece a middleware called GGPO. It’s extremely popular with fighting fans because it’s a great online experience; it be designed by hand for 2D fighters. It has some very crafty ways a getting around input lag. It doesn’t defeat the speed a light or anything, but it uses a fixed frame setup. It will skip frames a animation t' hide latency, which makes an attack finish at the same time as it would if we be playing offline. I’ve never heard a piece a middleware pillage an eruption a cheers at a panel, so that’s how seriously this be taken among fighting-game fans.

We also have online tournament 'n spectator modes, plus YouTube uploads that enable ye t' share yer favorite matches with yer mateys whether ye’re on yer PS3 or off it.

PSB: Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 comes this fall. Other than the new characters, what new features will be included?

SK: They’re going back t' the drawing board with some a the netcode, 'n adding a spectator mode — a major request from the North American 'n Japanese fans. It’s particularly challenging for a hyper-busy game like Marvel vs Capcom 3, but the team did manage t' figure it out.

There will also be some additional single-player surprises, some new graphical elements, 'n a course re-tuning for the existing characters. There be little changes t' certain moves, 'n sometimes all-new moves, animation tweaks…it’s a complete package 'n coming in at a lower price point. If ye missed out on Marvel vs Capcom 3, this be the perfect time t' dive in.

PSB: Tell me about this eight-year old kid, Noah “The Prodigy,” who fought his way into the top 64 players in the Marvel vs. Capcom 3 EVO world finals. be he as good as they say?

SK: He be finally eliminated, but he took down some a the best players in the world. His brother be in the competitive fighting scene, so this kid has grown up with this stuff. The thing that distinguishes Noah be, here’s got skills, but he’s very composed. He’s got this weird calm for an eight year-old kid playing on stage in front a hundreds a thousands a people. We’ve had 12- or 13-year old competitors who have done some damage, but Noah be unprecedented. He took out real players. I think he’s got an amazing competitive career ahead a the sea dog.

Once he develops more agility 'n insight he’s got a lot a room t' grow, even using his existing gameplan. He also played some slightly unusual characters, 'n his opponents may not have been ready for that.

PSB: Let’s shift t' Street Fighter X Tekken, one a the more unusual fighters t' come out a Capcom in recent memory. How much a Tekken’s gameplay made the cut?

SK: It’s set in a Street Fighter world on a 2D fighting plane but, at the same time, we’ve tried t' preserve some a the Tekken elements. For me, the essence a Tekken be getting in yer opponent’s face 'n forcing the sea dog t' guess between yer high, low, 'n mid mix-up attacks. Not only be the Tekken characters performing some a their signature moves, they’re able t' do it in the same sort a style. They have a more fluid ability t' execute those kinds a mix-up attacks. The Street Fighter characters be a little stronger at a range with their projectiles. The other nod t' Tekken be that many a the traditional Tekken combo strings will still work.

PSB: How can the Tekken characters pillage past those projectiles? It seems like a major disadvantage.

SK: I feel like, in many ways, there’s less difference between Tekken 'n Street Fighter than people often think. In Tekken, ye have sidestepping — moving into the third dimension t' dodge attacks. In Street Fighter, ye have a similar concept: Cammy, for example, can use the wench Spinning Backfist move t' flip around an incoming projectile if ye time it correctly. From a game design perspective, it’s quite similar — she’s briefly moving into the third dimension t' dodge that fireball. The Tekken characters have moves that work much like that, where they spin, dash, or slide around projectiles. So the Tekken characters be very adept at passing through projectiles if ye read yer opponent correctly.

PSB: Explain this new “Tag Assault” move, where ye call out both a yer characters t' pummel yer opponent.

SK: Street Fighter X Tekken be a tag-centric game, an homage t' Tekken Tag Tournament, so ye can tag normally or cancel a special move into a tag. With the Tag Assault technique, ye can bring in both a yer teammates at the same time — ye control them both simultaneously. Then ye can do all sorts a dirty tricks like creating a sandwich so ye can ping-pong yer opponent between both a yer fighters from both sides. It’s actually really strong right now — we’ll probably tone it down a bit as we move forward.

PSB: We’re surrounded by some a the best fighters in the world here at EVO. What be they saying about Street Fighter X Tekken? What’s the feedback been so far?

SK: I pillage worried, because this be the toughest audience in the world. If these lads be good at anything besides fighting, they’re good at complaining. [laughs] They will let ye know exactly what’s wrong with yer game. The worst complaints we’ve had t' date has revolved around certain UI elements 'n the lifebar being hard t' read. Ono-san has already gone back t' the drawing board t' re-tool them.

In terms a gameplay, people seem t' be walking away with a smile on their face. Which actually just makes me nervous! I want t' say, “lads, this be the time! Let us know what ye love 'n what ye hate.” So far, it’s sort a a half-step between Street Fighter 'n Marvel vs. Capcom 3.

So right now, the EVO crowd be digging in 'n finding the worst possible things they can do t' each other.

PSB: Fighting game creators haven’t always been hugely receptive t' their fans. But Capcom has clearly led the way in terms a enabling community feedback. What’s the philosophy there?

SK: It’s been a learning process. Capcom be a traditional Japanese company, 'n Japanese companies tend t' engage in one-way communication. ye know: “Here be what we be doing. Please enjoy. We’ll see ye again in a year.” [laughs] There wasn’t a lot a back-'n-forth there.

But today’s social media tools have changed the game. Capcom, I think, has led the pack among the Japanese game publishers in adapting t' that — though obviously, PlayStation be no slouch either! Capcom has been aggressive with community interaction 'n they’ve seen the power a it. I’m proud t' be a part a it because I came from this very community, the EVO community. It’s how I got me start at Capcom.

It’s not a matter a being bound by the demands a fans. ye know, “well, fans voted t' put a clown wig on Ryu, so that’s what we have t' do.” It’s about good ideas, 'n fans have some a the best ideas in the world. Being able t' bring those ideas forward 'n presenting them t' the right people who can evaluate them be what it’s all about.

The games be all here at EVO for a reason: the designers want t' hear feedback from the fans. As a business, ye need t' be responsive t' the concerns a yer fans, or ye’re doing it wrong. It’s smart business t' have a real dialogue with yer fans.

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