Team Fortress 2's Pyro Class Hadoukens Itself into Hilarity

Sure, they're not officially calling it a hadouken, but that Pyro class taunt in Team Fortress 2 sure looks familiar! Listen closely, and you can hear him mumble something that's either "Kamehameha" or "Shinkuu Hadouken" when he taunts. Either way, the above video compilation shows you just how deadly (and hilarious) the move can be in-game.

Thanks to Kaidou for the tip!

Blanka's Excessive Pinching Force is on the Job

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Remember to wear green and all that, or else Blanka's team (made up of Capcom's own marketing duo, Andrew and Jared) will pinch you...excessively.

Shacknews Interviews Super Street Fighter IV's Yoshinori Ono

How can we reveal a huge (literally and figuratively) character like Hakan and not have SSFIV producer Yoshinori Ono have a say? Shacknews' Brian Leahy and Kotaku's Brian Crecente remedied that by sitting down and interviewing Ono-san about all the wonderful things related to Super Street Fighter IV, such as the inspiration for Hakan:

Shack: What was the inspriration for Hakan?

Yoshinori Ono: So basically with the original game, Street Fighter IV, we wanted to get a very, Street Fighter-ish, off-the-beaten-path, wacky character. We came close with Rufus, but wanted something a little crazier and wackier [in Super Street Fighter IV].

We started looking into different unusual fighting styles and we settled upon Turkish oil wrestling, which has never been done before. It's unfamiliar to people so we could add a taste of humor.

Check out the full article for more SSFIV and Ono-san goodness!

Daigo Umehara Answers Capcom Unity's Questions!

You might remember that I posted a blog a while back where Daigo Umehara, one of the greatest Street Fighters in the world, asked to hear your questions. As promised, he's picked a bunch from the hundreds that were submitted and answered them.

Although he's considered notoriously reclusive, he's been very welcoming lately and I've been really impressed by his warm attitude towards the West. There's some really great stuff in here from one of the finest competitive Street Fighter minds on the planet, so check it out--maybe your question was one he chose to answer. Even if he didn't choose your question, the good news is that this is part 1 of several--more goodness coming soon!

I should also add that Daigo has opened up a work-in-progress website for himself at daigothebeast.com! It's still under development, but it also has a link to a Japanese site that has a great collection of Daigo videos across a bunch of fighting games--hot stuff.

Unity: Thanks so much for all the collaboration reaching out. This is a very exciting chance for Capcom-Unity and the Street fighter community.

Thank you for having me and thank you to the members of the community for so many questions, which will help my project that I'm getting ready to launch. I found at my previous interview with Eurogamer.com that the Western community members' questions far more profound and interesting than I had ever came across in Japan, and I enjoyed them so much. So, I'm very excited for this opportunity as well. I'm all yours, let's discuss the quesitons I chose.



Question 1: (all chosen by Daigo from the questions submitted in the first post) What inspires you to stay at the top? How are you able to stay so calm?

Each game requires different skills and strategies to win but there are some universal formulas across fighting games. I get to discover that formula while playing fighting games. I really enjoying the moment of discovery, and it makes me really happy. The excitement, the idea that I'll be able to find a brand new formula that can be applied through out fighting games, is what has kept me going for over an decade. I've never gotten tired of playing fighting games.

How do I stay calm? There were times in the past I would get nervous and I could not concentrate on my gameplay. Simply, my experiences have played a huge role in overcoming that obstacle. The more you play at big tournaments, the better you'll become handling pressure and nervousness.

Do you have a protege? Do you have a rival?

I don't have any protégé per se. I've never taught a particular player on a regular basis. But I do not hide anything from other players. I openly share my knowledge and wisdom with other players when they come up to me and ask me a question on how they can improve their gameplay. In terms of rival, in this large fighting game community, I don't have any specific set of players in my mind. Those whom I consider a rival change each game and each match. During a match, an opponent showcases his skills and spirit, and we create a great game together. That's my rival.


What is your monthly arcade bill?

My monthly arcade bill differs quite a bit from before when I was younger and nowadays. I now spend about 10000 yen or about $100 per month when I'm not competitively practicing for a tournament, and 30000 yen when I'm intently practicing. But before, it was in the range of 50000 and 60000 yen all the time whether a tournament is coming up or not.

What makes fighting games stand out above other competitive titles for you?

First of all, I love a one-on-one match. That is the major factor I stay with fighting games. Additionally, I enjoy the real time mind-reading game. Each second, I'm required to make a quick decision based on reading opponent's moves. And that excitement is something else. If you were playing a physical sport, your physical ability plays a large role whether or not you may be able to enjoy playing it. But when it comes to a fighting game, everyone can pick up and equally enjoy the game with less physical disadvantages.


How are you able to adapt your fighting style to a new opponent quickly?

You should play as many varieties of player as possible, and learn about the variety of play styles. That's the first step. And the next step is to think about a reason behind his actions, like “why this particular player did this?” and “why did he do that?” in light of his particular style. You have to analyze his thinking process. By doing so, you'll start to see a formula that runs through a given category of players. That way, you can pretty much quickly adapt your style to a new opponent in a short span and will be able to make decisions based on your analysis and formula, which would also help you stay calm.


If Togeki and EVO were on the same day, which would you attend? Why?

Without hesitation and without doubt, EVO! I've been telling everyone about this (Seth, I'm not trying to get on your good side!) There are several reasons. The biggest reason is the tournament rules. Not limited to Togeki, but many tournaments in Japan do give players only one chance, one match. You lose once, and you are done. I find that very dissatisfying. A player like me who practices so hard for a tournament doesn't get to try out what he has worked for. If we lose in the first round, which can happen to every dedicated and strong player, there is no other chance. We are just left with frustration. The amount of efforts we pour into the event and the moment do not match up for the opportunity we are given. On the other hand, EVO gives every player a fair chance and every player can have fun playing and leave with satisfaction. We all can show the result of days and hours of our hard work. Even if you lose, you can admit your loss and leave in content. And the prize is bigger! That certainly helps too. All in all, EVO is kind to all fighting players. EVO is dedicated for us, and that's why I love EVO.


Do you care about story in SF games at all? If so, is there some story element that attracts you to Ryu?

It was nearly 10 years ago when I decided to pick Ryu as my character, so to tell you the truth, I don't really remember the specific reason why I picked him (lol). But I would think the story behind him played a role in my selecting him. Rather than his storyline, I was more attracted to his wholesomeness and straightforwardness.


If US is behind Japan in rankings, what do you think American players should do to improve themselves?

The absolute differences between the US and Japanese players are skill levels. Yes, the Japanese players have had advantages of having a rich arcade culture and game releases normally earlier there than in the US, but regardless of the advantages, it is definitely apparent that the Japanese players take it more seriously to practice and acquire skills they must have for their victory. As long as you have software at home, everyone can practice fundamental skills from anywhere in world, like combos and counter moves. The US players first have to close the skill gap that is now apparent from the Japanese players. Once you do that, I believe the almost all the improvements are made, and there will be nearly no differences between the US and Japanese players.

Seth Killian Talks Hakan and Super Street Fighter IV on Gamespot's On the Spot

Seth Killian's a Street Fighter master, so it's no wonder that GameSpot's On the Spot program snatched him for their GDC special! In the video, Seth talks about newly revealed Turkish oil wrestler Hakan and Super Street Fighter IV in general. You can watch the full, 80 minute long special here over at GameSpot. For your convenience, we've embedded Seth's part above and after the break!

Seth's Game Developer's Conference 2010

The Game Developer's Conference can be a crazy place. I went to some questionable parties, some good panels, and even talked in a few myself. I also lost my badge to Wes' dog Grady in a poker game.

The worst part of that was when Grady ended up delivering a better talk than I had planned, even though he pretty much just barked and chased around a chicken that had somehow gotten loose :(

I also went to a special session on Wednesday with the GDC Conference Associates. They're a fun group and just happened to be having a big Street Fighter IV tournament, so I brought by some surprise Super SFIV for their epic finals--very fun night.

Btw, for anybody thinking about a career in games, the CAs are a very special group of volunteers that help to make the whole conference run, and in exchange they get to spend a week networking with working game developers from around the world. If you're looking to break into the industry, it's hard to beat the GDC CA volunteer program as a great way to get your foot in the door, so check em out!

Super Street Fighter IV's Hakan Inspires Turkish Oil Wrestling Mania...Sorta

ScrewAttack shows us what happens when you try to copy Hakan without any proper training. Click on the picture to see the vid! Minor swearing in the video, be warned!

Thanks to Zonic for the tip!

Street Fighter IV iPhone Game Winners!

Congratulations are in order for the following Capcom Unity members, as they've just won a copy of Street Fighter IV on the iPhone (IGN recently gave the game an 8/10! Go check out their review!):

Eric

Gerardo

Syl

ChriscoTek

Alex

Check your Capcom Unity inboxes for the code!

Street Fighter IV on the iPhone is #1 on the Top Grossing App List

In celebration of:

1) Street Fighter IV's release on the iPhone (yay)

2) The fact that it's currently sitting in the #1 spot in the top grossing apps section of the iTunes App Store

3) And that there are currently 524 ratings with a current 4.5/5 star average rating on the app store...(awesome!)

We're going to be giving away FIVE codes for the game!

All you have to is comment telling us why you think you deserve the code! We'll randomly select 5 winners by the end of the day today! You'll receive a private message from me if you have won!

Good luck!

Enjoy These Amazing Super Street Fighter Fight Club Art Pieces

The Street Fighter event that we held earlier for GDC had some pretty amazing artwork, thanks to our very own bastion from Creative Services. Luckily, he's managed to give us here on Unity the original files to share, so please enjoy and let us know which one is your favorite!

Hit the jump to see more and don't forget to click on the images for high-rez files!

Team_Fortress_2s_Pyro_Class_Hadoukens_Itself_into_Hilarity

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