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Chapter 18 - Outclassing Kung-Fu
🕑 Added 2025-09-13 04:02:00 +0000 UTCOn the screen, a nimble figure dodged and weaved, fists and feet moving like the wind—swift, precise, and rhythmic.
Takuya didn’t play the full fight scene but highlighted key moments of attack and defense through freeze-frames, slow motion, and close-ups, presenting them vividly.
These dissected, magnified combat details carried striking visual impact, catching the eye of developers accustomed to simplistic pixelated movements.
“Everyone, please observe,” Takuya’s voice cut in, like a commentator guiding attention. “Punching, kicking, jumping, crouching, defending, blocking—these are the core elements of ‘fighting.’”
“Our goal is to recreate these powerful, skillful movements in a game, fluidly and authentically, through player controls.”
“But more crucially,” he emphasized, “it’s about the ‘judgment’ between these actions.”
He pointed to a freeze-frame of Jackie Chan narrowly dodging a heavy strike, countering with a precise punch to the opponent’s ribs.
“Does the attack hit? Where does it land? How much damage does it cause? Was the defense successful? Does a successful block leave a brief opening due to impact? Does a blocked attack cause the attacker to stagger? These require a precise, intuitive, and deep rule system for judgment.”
“This is a core technical pillar of our envisioned fighting game and what sets it apart from existing action games.”
As the footage ended, the meeting room lights came back on.
Doubt on many faces had shifted to keen interest. Even some previously indifferent, skeptical executives now looked focused, fingers absently rubbing their chins.
This breakdown was far more convincing than mere words.
Some began whispering, speculating how these frames tied to actual gameplay, what input devices and programming logic would be needed.
Takuya didn’t linger on discussion, swiftly switching to the next slide.
The screen showed a popular Nintendo Famicom game, Kung-Fu (Karateka/Kung Fu Master), with a white-robed figure facing an enemy.
“I know there are games attempting ‘combat’ elements, like this one,” Takuya said, his gaze on the screen, his tone sharp with unmasked critique.
“But frankly, this game, and others like it, cannot be called true ‘fighting games’ as I’ve defined.”
He unapologetically listed Kung-Fu’s flaws, a game still popular at the time, each point targeting its core experience.
“Character movements are stiff, lacking basic fluidity, like a marionette.”
“Controls are sluggish—players press a button, and the character moves symbolically after a delay, with severe input lag.”
“Attacks are overly simplistic, repeating the same two or three moves, lacking variety and depth.”
“Judgment logic is vague and chaotic—players often feel they should’ve hit or blocked, but the outcome defies expectations, causing frustration.”
“Most critically,” Takuya paused, emphasizing, “it lacks true ‘competitiveness’ and ‘strategic depth.’ It’s less about fighting and more about memorizing patterns, battling the game’s programming, not an opponent.”
To support this ambitious vision, he outlined specific innovations.
“First, richer attack methods.”
“Beyond basic punches and kicks, we’ll introduce ‘throws,’ like wrestling or judo’s close-range grapples and tosses.”
He mimed an over-the-shoulder throw.
“Imagine seizing an opponent’s opening and slamming them down with a clean German suplex—how thrilling would that be?”
“Second, the concept of ‘projectile attacks.’”
He switched slides, showing Goku from Dragon Ball firing a Kamehameha.
“Of course, we won’t go that extreme, but similar ranged attacks can enrich tactical choices, adding variety and fun to mid- and long-range standoffs, probing, and maneuvering.”
Judo throws, Dragon Ball’s Kamehameha—these vivid examples sparked wild imagination about the “K” project’s fighting game vision.
“To achieve this, we need advanced technical support.”
Takuya knew concepts alone weren’t enough; a feasible technical path was critical.
He explained the mechanisms in clear, accessible terms.
“The core is a refined ‘state machine.’”
“Every character action—standing, walking, jumping, punching, getting hit, falling—corresponds to a distinct state.”
“States switch based on player inputs and game rules, ensuring smooth, seamless actions.”
“We’ll also introduce a ‘pixel block judgment mechanism’ (Hitbox/Hurtbox).”
He displayed a diagram with a character covered in colored rectangles.
“Red areas are attack hitboxes, blue are hurtboxes.”
“When an attacker’s red box overlaps an opponent’s blue box, the system registers a hit.”
“By precisely mapping these boxes, we can judge hit locations accurately—head hits versus leg hits deal different damage, or certain moves only target the upper body.”
“Finally, strict application of the ‘frame’ concept.”
“Every action’s duration, attack judgment frames, and post-hit stagger frames are precisely timed.”
“Through exact frame control, we can implement attack-defense transitions, move strengths, combos, and complex combat systems.”
These technical terms, explained with clear logic and relatable metaphors, became approachable.
Team leaders, especially those with technical backgrounds, nodded in approval, some jotting notes rapidly.
Takuya’s technical vision clearly inspired them.
