Thoughts on a DOAX3??

b-bombs

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Well, I'm sure I'll get a ridiculous amount of hatred for this thread but the matter is still of particular interest to me.

What happens if Team Ninja announces DOAX3?

In my opinion DOAX1 was a solid volleyball game, with the typical DOA unnecessary sexualization, but not to the point where it over-shadowed the fun factor of the game.

DOAX2 was a disaster. Instead of improving upon the volleyball gameplay it went the worst possible direction and shifted focus to a series of meaningless activities which provide limitless opportunities for overt fan service. There were actually pole dances in this game! What a disgrace.

So were there to be a DOAX3, what are the immediate upsides and downsides? Could they make it in a way that could actually strengthen the DOA brand, as other spin-offs (Mario Kart, Mario Tennis) have proven to be able to do? Or at this point does it only hurt the DOA brand regardless of how it's made?

We know in reality Team Ninja would just make another DOAX2 piece of garbage, but hypothetically there might be a possibility for something good to come out of it if made correctly.

Thoughts? Opinions? Rage? Come with it.
 

ScattereDreams

Well-Known Member
DOAX is pointless... I hate it and never want to see it again, HOWEVER I'd rather TN just implement a volley ball mini game and other mini games into DOA where both males and females are playable. Just don't include the weird yuri/yaoi/hentai shit. That way DOA as a whole will have more replay value instead of buying a separate game for a bunch of mini games and a strip pole section....
 

b-bombs

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That's an intriguing concept. I definitely think a DOAX3 DLC add on to DOA5U or something like that would be awesome. Use the same stages as DOA5U, full character list, and the exact same costumes that are already available in the game. Never include anything remotely close to a stripper's pole, pool games, or individual breast physics.

Especially good point about being able to use the males in the game as well. That helps take down the creepy voyeur sexualization aspect. Not to mention any actual volleyball fan knows that watching men's volleyball is hyper-exciting. It'd be cool to play mixed doubles in the game, and you'd have the opportunity for the same kind of team intro animations that you get in tag mode.

It seems that a $10-15 DLC volleyball add-on might be worthwhile. Then any purists don't feel like anything about the main game was sacrificed for the volleyball aspect of it, but anyone that wants to play the volleyball can.
 

ChainCombo

Well-Known Member
For some, myself included, DOAX didn't "draw me in" further into the Dead or Alive franchise... it did the opposite. I wanted to blow up shit as I knock my opponent into a danger zone, land combos, and knock people off multi-tiers with a brand new title. Not play volleyball in a bikini and try to hook up with the girls while baywatch running and having a single tit smack me in the face. I didn't play but read the reviews on both games, I think that was when I transitioned full time to Tekken but that's for another story and a snickers bar. As my buddy ScattereDreams already said, "DOAX is pointless..." I agree on that part but unfortunately it's already so engraved into the series, look at twitter, tweets spamming TN to bring DOAX 3, WHY? People actually ENJOYED that disfigured afterbirth?

Sure, and they'll probably do it since that has it's own retarded following as well. All in all though, I'm just bitter towards TN because I think a fighting game should remain exactly that, a fighting game, focusing time on improving the series and evolving it into greater heights within that genre - not branch off into butt-bumping along with over used Bob Marley tracks. Bad enough DOA is already known for "Oh, that boob game."

As for the mini game idea? I wanna say I'm skeptical, but the truth is that the whole volleyball fan service thing is just giving more incentive for other fighters outside of the DOA community to not play the game at all. Giving them perfect ammunition to rip on it entirely, seeing it as a joke to 3D fighters and I have to agree with them in that aspect.
 

ScattereDreams

Well-Known Member
It seems that a $10-15 DLC volleyball add-on might be worthwhile. Then any purists don't feel like anything about the main game was sacrificed for the volleyball aspect of it, but anyone that wants to play the volleyball can.


A mini game doesn't need to be DLC, it can be unlockable through playing DOA; completing story mode, survival.. whatever. DLC just ruins it.
 

Awesmic

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As my buddy ScattereDreams already said, "DOAX is pointless..." I agree on that part but unfortunately it's already so engraved into the series, look at twitter, tweets spamming TN to bring DOAX 3, WHY? People actually ENJOYED that disfigured afterbirth?

Sure, and they'll probably do it since that has it's own retarded following as well.
That's it. Enough is enough. I'm sick and tired of being afraid to speak my mind.

I actually enjoyed that "disfigured afterbirth", but let's get one dad-gummed thing straight. I'm no retard. I'm just as much an actual DOA player as the next guy, even when I don't act like it most of the time. I'm pretty sure I can teach you a thing or two about Christie in the fighting games and still play DOAX with a straight face, 'cause honestly my lack of confidence is the only thing holding me back now.

So why does this "retarded follower" of such a "misguided afterbirth" enjoy it so much? I'll tell you why. It's relaxing, a perfect excuse to have a lounge music collection, and for me personally, it's the perfect counterpart to a stressful night of playing the DOA fighting games. If people can look past the scantily-clad variety of swimwear and mild lesbian undertones (let's face it, this game is "Xtremely" tame compared to any similar projects Illusion has done.), DOAX has the potential to evolve into a solid sports game if the cards are played right... and this is coming from an Animal Crossing / Harvest Moon player perspective. You could say my love for the game was borne from my patience with the latter, and the reason I enjoy the game as such. It's not all about playing dress-up doll with your favorite female character. Hell, DOAX taught me how to play Blackjack, lol.

I will admit howrver that DOAX2 and Paradise were (very) poorly handled rush jobs compared to the original, but nevertheless, Tecmo's no stranger to sports games. Hell, Tecmo Bowl's one of the all-time greats, and I think the core aspect of DOAX - the volleyball game - has the potential to be better. Whether the game will actually come to existence or as a minigame in future installments, it doesn't matter. I'm all for it and another chance to see bikini-clad Christie showing off her vollyball skeelz. They need serious work on the jetski mechanics though; it isn't exactly Waverace.

Also, case in point: Team Ninja's not the only one guilty of making volleyball games with scantily clad babes. Sega AM2 (yes, the folks behind the renowned Virtua Fighter franchise! *gasp*) also had a little game called Beach Spikers that became Gamecube exclusive (and that's probably why the game didn't sell). Very fun game, very solid mechanics, very oiled-up women. Not as cute though...
 

ChainCombo

Well-Known Member
It's relaxing, a perfect excuse to have a lounge music collection, and for me personally, it's the perfect counterpart to a stressful night of playing the DOA fighting games. If people can look past the scantily-clad variety of swimwear and mild lesbian undertones (let's face it, this game is "Xtremely" tame compared to any similar projects Illusion has done.), DOAX has the potential to evolve into a solid sports game if the cards are played right... and this is coming from an Animal Crossing / Harvest Moon player perspective. You could say my love for the game was borne from my patience with the latter, and the reason I enjoy the game as such. It's not all about playing dress-up doll with your favorite female character. Hell, DOAX taught me how to play Blackjack, lol.

That's all well and good for you but the bottom line is: Spinoff crap is just that, crap. Dead or Alive, from what I could tell on initial release was a fighting game and should've stayed just that, a fighting game. It shouldn't deviate from what it was originally, that's my problem. DOAX fans are just one factor in hurting the game from actually making a prominent mark as a serious contender for the fighting genre. Hell, we're already in a steep hole as it is and for what? Overly-simplified controls, really lackluster mini games, and seeing the girls wear next to nothing only to dress up to another sluttier, skimpier next to nothing outfit? To appease a fanbase that can't get over japanese animation porn/hug pillows and is well into their 20's? Come on.
 

Awesmic

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That's all well and good for you but the bottom line is: Spinoff crap is just that, crap. Dead or Alive, from what I could tell on initial release was a fighting game and should've stayed just that, a fighting game. It shouldn't deviate from what it was originally, that's my problem. DOAX fans are just one factor in hurting the game from actually making a prominent mark as a serious contender for the fighting genre. Hell, we're already in a steep hole as it is and for what? Overly-simplified controls, really lackluster mini games, and seeing the girls wear next to nothing only to dress up to another sluttier, skimpier next to nothing outfit? To appease a fanbase that can't get over japanese animation porn/hug pillows and is well into their 20's? Come on.
As much as I'd like to respond in kind with a common negative sterotype about competitive players that pushes aspiring new players away, I won't sink to your level. I only ask that you cool your hot head for a moment and stop stereotyping our fanbase as one that "can't get over anime porn / love pillows", 'cause I know for a fact we don't all enjoy it for the same reason.

Mortal Kombat has deviated into three action games (and a puzzle game), and while the first two were in fact not very good, Shaolin Monks was acceptable, and Puzzle Kombat was quite entertaining. In fairness, that game should get a lot of flak for being too focused on being ultraviolent and gory, and yet the franchise is still thriving. Street Fighter has deviated into a puzzle game with super-deformed characters. A major departure from the usual serious fighting games. You would think that game would get a lot of flak just for being a puzzle game that surprisingly appeals to kids and women, yet even grown men love it, and it's now hailed as one of the best puzzle games ever made.

To further push the envelope, Final Fantasy - an RPG- has even deviated to a friggin' fighting game. A unique, untraditional fighting game, but a fighting game nonetheless. And while some purists may find the story lackluster compared to its traditional "numbered" entries and just an excuse to wow people with the thought of dream matches between Kefka and Sephiroth, the game has done fairly well, albeit not being competitively viable just yet. Hell, some enjoy it even more than the recent batch of Final Fantasy games featuring Lightning and company.

Your hatred for that particular area of the DOA franchise has clouded your judgment of the consumers in general. While some of us find the initial appeal to be the women wearing next to nothing and playing volleyball, its fans surely want better for it. Hell, even the OP admits the last two DOAX games were a step back from the original, which showed potential. I'm not saying that they should make another DOAX game as soon as possible. No, not at this particular time when their focus is clearly on something else. What I AM saying is, why abandon the fanbase completely when we can expand on what we already have and improve on the core gameplay aspects of DOAX in a better way on reserve in the near future, if or when the series has approached its zenith as a competitive fighter? I for one would love to see DOA continue to become more than just a fighting game. Personally, I'd like to see Christie in an action game and surpass Nina's efforts with Death by Degrees in every aspect of the word. But I'm a patient man. If the time is right, it'll be worth the wait. But abandoning the fanbase? That's uncool. Think of how the Tengu fans feel, dude!
 

b-bombs

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I'm with Awesmic on this one. It seems like so much of the problem with the DOAX series is in the execution of it, not the concept of the volleyball series in the long run.

As previously mentioned, there's this myth out there that if you enjoy DOAX you're not really a fighting game fan, or you're a perv, or you have no idea what's good for the series, or there's something else wrong with you in some way - all of which are condescending assumptions for a complex group of people.

I know plenty of people that loved DOAX1, and 99% of them hate DOAX2 and Paradise. We just happened to enjoy the volleyball. It was a solid sports game, with the DOA spin on it. If DOAX2 moved more toward being a great volleyball game and away from the softcore lesbian porn it's entire possible that it could have strengthened the DOA brand.

It's all about the concept of experience transference. Spin offs of all kinds exist because there's a built in audience of people that have a certain emotional experience with a game, it's character set, and the variety of activities done within that game which are immediately accessed by your brain when going into the next game. It's the reason why we care about sequels. Spin offs add further depth and complexity (when done correctly) to these experiences and shape your perception of the world within the game as a whole.

When I started playing DOAX1 the very first time, I wanted to play as Lei Fang because she was the female I used most in DOA2 and I had certain memories, feeling, and experiences which I was drawing on to make my decision. However she was a little too weak in volleyball. So I experimented with other players. I ended up landing on Lisa. She was a great balance of strength and speed, and she got along of everyone. I played the hell out of DOAX1 (being a huge volleyball fan and having grown up playing volleyball myself helped for sure) and developed a series of enjoyable experiences playing as Lisa being competitive against the other players. Now Lisa is my main in every DOA that has come after DOAX1, much of that competitiveness stemming from my initial experiences from her as a volleyball player, because if I just saw her as the luchadora I never would have touched her. I've never been remotely interested in any similar luchadora/capoeira character in any other game, period.

So back to the original question... Some people hate it, some people like it, but isn't there at least the possibility of a legit DOA volleyball game being a good thing for the series? I think so. TN's problem with DOA is that they focus too much on fan service in DOA overall, DOAX was just an extension of that. But if it's tempered down in DOA AND in a DOAX game (where the opportunity to exploit it is obvious) that might be a huge statement about how serious TN is about focusing on gameplay, not flashing crotches and boobies.

PS. I proposed the DLC aspect of the game specifically for reasons discussed above. If any DOA game is less than perfect and it includes a volleyball spin off from the beginning, people will just rage about the fact that time, and memory was wasted on the volleyball and taken away from the fighting game. However if it's an add on or a separate game, that connection is harder to make.
 

synce

Well-Known Member
Just remembered I still had these ...

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DF5RUpL.jpg


Made them a good while back for a DOAX3 campaign I never got around to starting. Figured might as well post here

Anyway there's so many new girls since DOAX2, I'm sure TN is considering it for PS4.
 

Kasumi

Active Member
I don't want it.

I want DOA to be taken seriously, they had their chance and they ruinned it with DOA5, releasing DOAX3 will ruin the reputation of the franchise further.
 
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