KOFXII disk data reveals all story characters and boss spoilers!

mugenchina has shared date on the KOFXII disk:


.data:827B0660 # "elisabeth"
.data:827B0664 .long aDuolon_0 # "duolon"
.data:827B0668 .long aShen_0 # "shen"
.data:827B066C .long aKyo_0 # "kyo"
.data:827B0670 .long aBenimaru_0 # "benimaru"
.data:827B0674 .long aDaimon # "daimon"
.data:827B0678 .long aIori_0 # "iori"
.data:827B067C .long aMature_0 # "mature"
.data:827B0680 .long aVice_0 # "vice"
.data:827B0684 .long aTerry_0 # "terry"
.data:827B0688 .long aAndy_0 # "andy"
.data:827B068C .long aJoe_0 # "joe"
.data:827B0690 .long aAthena_0 # "athena"
.data:827B0694 .long aKensou_0 # "kensou"
.data:827B0698 .long aChin_0 # "chin"
.data:827B069C .long aKim_0 # "kim"
.data:827B06A0 .long aHwa_0 # "hwa"
.data:827B06A4 .long aRaiden_0 # "raiden"
.data:827B06A8 .long aRyo_0 # "ryo"
.data:827B06AC .long aRobert_0 # "robert"
.data:827B06B0 .long aTakuma_0 # "takuma"
.data:827B06B4 .long aRalf_0 # "ralf"
.data:827B06B8 .long aClark_0 # "clark"
.data:827B06BC .long aLeona_0 # "leona"
.data:827B06C0 .long aAsh_0 # "ash"
.data:827B06C4 .long aBoss_chara # "boss_chara"
.data:827B06C8 .long aDarkash_chara # "darkash_chara"
.data:827B06CC .long aMai_0 # "mai"
.data:827B06D0 .long aKing_0 # "king"
.data:827B06D4 .long aYuri_0 # "yuri"
.data:827B06D8 .long aIori98_0 # "iori98"
.data:827B06DC .long aBilly_0 # "billy"
.data:827B06E0 .long aBadAllocation # "bad allocation"
.data:827B06E4 .long aBadAllocation # "bad allocation"
.data:827B06E8 .long aBadAllocation # "bad allocation"
.data:827B06EC .long aBadAllocation # "bad allocation"
.data:827B06F0 .long aBadAllocation # "bad allocation"
.data:827B06F4 .long aBadAllocation # "bad allocation"
.data:827B06F8 .long aBadAllocation # "bad allocation"

the extra characters must be when they were planning on making XII complete the Ash Saga, but after 4 years and needing more time to finish the rest, they knew they needed to start making money before they were forced to layoff employees, so they made KOFXII into a dream match with the ones they had done already.

even if KOFXII gets character DLC, don't expect all of these listed to be added as DLC, because of course they want to give KOFXIII(13) characters KOFXII didn't have, and of course DarkAsh proves that's one of the bosses for the final chapter of the saga. so things like that will be saved for KOFXIII.

but I'm impressed with the data. this proves they intended Takuma to return as part of the AOF team.

and Yuri would reunite with Mai and King to form the Women's team again.

and Vice is alive as well. and it seems they planned to add 98 version of Iori to the game, but yeah, the rest of the characters were a tad too ambitious with the time it takes to finish these sprites. but which ones will be DLC and which ones are saved for KOFXIII are anyone's guess.

also
.data:827B06F0 .long aBadAllocation # "bad allocation" 7 lines hint that there were at least 7 other characters planned to be added as well (K', Kula, Maxima, Blue Mary, Ramon, Vanessa and one other...Adelheid?)

but like I said, there wasn't time and money to add everyone after 4 years (normally a game like Elder Scrolls IV takes 4 years to develop. which shows how much work was put into the KOFXII sprites, considering KOF used to be released every year since sprites were simpler and easier back then.)

Based on the layout of the list, it seems in KOFXIII, Elisabeth will be the leader of the new Hero Team, and Ash is on his own (like Iori was in KOF97.)
also Dark Ash hints at his true form (we knew he was hiding something since his eyes changed during KOF2003 intro.)

also I speculate "boss_chara" will be the leader of Those from the Past, or maybe Botan
(unless she is killed or survives past this story arc and gets involved in the upcoming Dragon
arc with Ron.)

some speculate "hwa" is Hwa Jai from Fatal Fury. And some think Hwa is a coded name meaning
Howard. either Geese Howard or Rock Howard.

This doesn't mean all other characters listed will be added as DLC, I mean we have even yet to see how many buy the first characters they will put up as DLC.

but at least this gives us a glimpse of what KOFXIII will include.

*Hopes for DLC*

Will this shut up the people who've been claiming that KOF XII was not an unfinished game? Probably not.

saner said:

some speculate "hwa" is Hwa Jai from Fatal Fury. And some think Hwa is a coded name meaning Howard. either Geese Howard or Rock Howard.

Click to expand...

Given that every other character name is spelled out, and they're listed by given/first name, there's absolutely no reason to think that it's code for "Howard." That's just wishful thinking.

The list there would be a pretty solid roster (although Iori 98 needs to just be gone already), but I would be disappointed to see Oswald left as a one-off from XI.

I'm not buying this..... until KOFXIII is relesed.

SouthtownKid said:

Will this shut up the people who've been claiming that KOF XII was not an unfinished game? Probably not.

Click to expand...

I can't speak for anyone else, but I never claimed it wasn't unfinished. I just dispute the twerps who say it sucks or isn't enjoyable to play.

And again, KOF96 was demonstrably unfinished (as the animation test proved), but there's a lot of great stuff born out of the work begun there. It would be interesting to see if there were sprite data for the unselectable characters in that list.

The rough sketch sprites for Ralf and Clark in particular look so much better than the hulking messes they went with in the final game. I also prefer Athena more normal look to the big-headed loli they went with.

Can't say any of the three proposed new characters seem all that appealing though. Nothing special about any of them. The other scanned pages from this book show off some pretty hideous proposed design/character sketches. Maybe that's why it has no new faces.

SouthtownKid said:

Will this shut up the people who've been claiming that KOF XII was not an unfinished game? Probably not.

Click to expand...

It's only gonna add more fuel to the fire on the whole shebang!

I don't see how anyone can say this game doesn't come off like an unfinished product, however. It's missing too many standard features, and some of the character move sets just come off as incomplete. And no need to mention the online.

Bitching about the roster choices is a different story. There's certainly nothing wrong with the number of characters and who was chosen. Yes, I wanted to see Mai there from the start too, but people need to shut the fuck up about this already.

Deuce said:

I can't speak for anyone else, but I never claimed it wasn't unfinished. I just dispute the twerps who say it sucks or isn't enjoyable to play.

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Yup; the core game play is fantastic! Although if someone says the game sucks or isn't enjoyable to play because of the shit-tastic online and/or lack of single player content, well, I'm not going to dispute that.

Lyte Edge said:

I don't see how anyone can say this game doesn't come off like an unfinished product, however. It's missing too many standard features, and some of the character move sets just come off as incomplete. And no need to mention the online.

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Indeed. I tried an online match, and I think I managed to get ONE move off. Sucks, because I enjoy the game itself, but it was quite unplayable.

As for the presentation, yeah, it's pretty basic. I do hope that the result of this is that we'll get some of the previously-planned chars as DLC, and KOFXIII will have all of them, plus a few extra returners and the crop of newbies.

XI is among my favorites, if solely because I can play as Duck King. He'd be awesome in XII's high-speed gameplay style. Hwa Jai is a rather odd choice, and I have to wonder how he'd be made significantly different from Joe, but it'd still be kind of neat.

well, theres gonna be a lot of bitching now with the possible characters who didn't make it. DAMN, I wanna see billy now..Hwa to.

Well, there will be bitching, no matter what. This really doesn't make much difference.

lol Hwa Jai

Interesting stuff.

Mai and Billy, yes please, I'd pay for them.

Heh, it seems my original guessing was not that wrong after all:

Shito said:

1) No story, but flameless iori is just following KOFXI ending facts (Ash has stealed powers from Iori).

2) Elizabeth had been officially announced (original art for KOFXII shown), and yet she did not show up. Elizabeth is a key character in the Ash story arc.

3) No teams, though some complete teams are anyway present, and some missing starrings has been dropped in favour of some not-so-relevant teammates...

4) the intro demo for the game, plus the various ad movies, clearly show an invitation letter...

5) Demo cut scenes are in there, complete with the whole Satella News Network thing, even if there's no story...

My guessing is the complete roster for this game would have been:

1) Starring team: Ash, DuoLon, Shen Woo
2) Japan team: Kyo, Benimaru, Goro
3) Ikari team: Leona, Ralf, Clark
4) Psycho Soldier team: Athena, Kensou, Chin
5) Garou Den team: Andy, Terry, Joe
6) Ryuuko team: Ryo, Robert, [Takuma]
7) Rival team: Kim, Raiden, [??????]
8) K' team: K'(*), [Maxima], [Whip/Kula]
9) Women team: Mai (*), [King], [Yuri]
10) Iori team: Iori, Elizabeth (*), [???????]

Click to expand...

All in all, the original should have been pretty much like:

1) Starring team: Elizabeth, DuoLon, Shen Woo
2) Japan team: Kyo, Benimaru, Daimon
3) Iori team: Iori, Mature (*), [Vice]
4) Garou Den team: Andy, Terry, Joe
5) Psycho Soldier team: Athena, Kensou, Chin
6) Rival team: Kim, [Hwa Jai], Raiden
7) Ryuuko team: Ryo, Robert, [Takuma]
8) Ikari team: Leona, Ralf, Clark

Solo Entry: Ash
Boss chara: ?
Boss chara: Dark Ash

9) Women team: Mai (*), [King], [Yuri]

Extra chara: Iori98
Solo Entry: Billy

10) K' team: K'(*), [Maxima], [Whip/Kula]


I guess in the story Ash, possibly a CPU-only chara in 1p mode, would eventually drain Kyo's power as well, turning into 'Dark Ash' as a mid-boss. Then, eventually he would be beated, releasing all the powers he got from Chizuru, Iori and Kyo (thus reverting Iori in Iori98 -> with falmes). Billy could also have been in the 'rival team', if Kim ended up with any proper 'Korea team' of his.

Indeed that would have been a perfect game!

I can't wait to see that released in a way or another, with the quality KOFXII has already demonstrated, plus a further development of its new fighting engine/system.

Shito said:

All in all, the original should have been pretty much like:

1) Starring team: Elizabeth, DuoLon, Shen Woo
2) Japan team: Kyo, Benimaru, Daimon
3) Iori team: Iori, Mature (*), [Vice]
4) Garou Den team: Andy, Terry, Joe
5) Psycho Soldier team: Athena, Kensou, Chin
6) Rival team: Kim, [Hwa Jai], Raiden
7) Ryuuko team: Ryo, Robert, [Takuma]
8) Ikari team: Leona, Ralf, Clark

Solo Entry: Ash
Boss chara: ?
Boss chara: Dark Ash

9) Women team: Mai (*), [King], [Yuri]

Extra chara: Iori98
Solo Entry: Billy

10) K' team: K'(*), [Maxima], [Whip/Kula]


I guess in the story Ash, possibly a CPU-only chara in 1p mode, would eventually drain Kyo's power as well, turning into 'Dark Ash' as a mid-boss. Then, eventually he would be beated, releasing all the powers he got from Chizuru, Iori and Kyo (thus reverting Iori in Iori98 -> with falmes). Billy could also have been in the 'rival team', if Kim ended up with any proper 'Korea team' of his.

Indeed that would have been a perfect game!

I can't wait to see that released in a way or another, with the quality KOFXII has already demonstrated, plus a further development of its new fighting engine/system.

Click to expand...

What you've proposed here is a fanatastic notion for a KOF game.

Take what has already been released to PS3 and Xbox 360, fix the netcode so it is nearly seamless as with Capcom's SF IV and SSFIITHDR, add all of your above suggestions, throw in a challlenge mode (some unlockables could be playable Ash/Dark Ash, per your idea that Ash would not be playable in 1P mode), an endless mode, a gallery mode comprised of all the various cutscenes and endings, and maybe a historical retrospective on the KOF franchise and its origins for today's generation of console gamers and you've got a perfect release for the future.

The future should be right now.

That game should have been KOF XII.

I am the kind of fan that would gladly pay for all of this in additional DLC because I want to see this game do well. Or better yet, maybe six months from now they can release a KOF XII 'Ultimate Match' that incorporates all of this stuff. That way we aren't waiting a whole year for this stuff to come out and the fans won't feel like they're being nickeled and dimed with periodic content releases.

Yeah, it would suck to pay another $120 for this game on both consoles (which I did so I could play with my friends on both systems), but I'm no stranger to paying exorbitant amounts for my SNK joy (I'm an AES owner and have purchased pretty much every port for their fighters on PS2, DC, Saturn and PSX/PSOne, includijng both domestic and import versions.) I'd pay for it again in six months if it means we get the game that:

A.) *I* wanted to see from the start.

B.) SNK-P *needed* to release in order to adequately compete with Capcom for the market's loyalty.

The game, as released, is not 'unfinished'. It's exactly what SNK-P wanted to release. For better or for worse.

Taiso said:

What you've proposed here is a fanatastic notion for a KOF game.

Take what has already been released to PS3 and Xbox 360, fix the netcode so it is nearly seamless as with Capcom's SF IV and SSFIITHDR, add all of your above suggestions, throw in a challlenge mode (some unlockables could be playable Ash/Dark Ash, per your idea that Ash would not be playable in 1P mode), an endless mode, a gallery mode comprised of all the various cutscenes and endings, and maybe a historical retrospective on the KOF franchise and its origins for today's generation of console gamers and you've got a perfect release for the future.

The future should be right now.

That game should have been KOF XII.

I am the kind of fan that would gladly pay for all of this in additional DLC because I want to see this game do well. Or better yet, maybe six months from now they can release a KOF XII 'Ultimate Match' that incorporates all of this stuff. That way we aren't waiting a whole year for this stuff to come out and the fans won't feel like they're being nickeled and dimed with periodic content releases.

Yeah, it would suck to pay another $120 for this game on both consoles (which I did so I could play with my friends on both systems), but I'm no stranger to paying exorbitant amounts for my SNK joy (I'm an AES owner and have purchased pretty much every port for their fighters on PS2, DC, Saturn and PSX/PSOne, includijng both domestic and import versions.) I'd pay for it again in six months if it means we get the game that:

A.) *I* wanted to see from the start.

B.) SNK-P *needed* to release in order to adequately compete with Capcom for the market's loyalty.

The game, as released, is not 'unfinished'. It's exactly what SNK-P wanted to release. For better or for worse.

Click to expand...

What I don't get is why people are buying this game. By purchasing this title, with all of the above listed problems, you're saying it's alright for SNK to released a half done and half finished game.

I love old SNK as much as the next person, but I'm not going to reward them for putting out something that should have been in the game already.

Jedah Doma said:

What I don't get is why people are buying this game. By purchasing this title, with all of the above listed problems, you're saying it's alright for SNK to released a half done and half finished game.

I love old SNK as much as the next person, but I'm not going to reward them for putting out something that should have been in the game already.

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Well, I can't speak for EVERYBODY, but for my part it's because the game had some good buzz at E3 and most of the location test feedback I was reading was positive. In the past, I've been confident about a game when I hear so much good buzz about it before it streets in stores and I'm never really let down.

What E3 and loc tests don't always take into account, however, is how good the home version's going to be. They're just commenting on how the game plays.

I knew, in this case, the game wasn't going to have much to offer the single player but given the fact that the head to head was (and is) so good and SNK-P seemed absolutely committed to the multiplayer aspect of the game, I didn't have much reservation.

And to be honest, even after owning it and playing it and noting everything that seems missing from a home console version of KOF XII as well as acknowledging what's good, I don't regret the purchase. I own pretty much everything SNK-P has released as it regards Fatal Fury, Art Of Fighting, King Of Fighters and Samurai Shodown. For me, as a collector, there's be a hole in my collection if I didn't own this game.

So that's my reasoning.

As for 'voting with my dollars', I do that with plentyof other games and companies. SNK is always going to be the one company I can't say no to. At least when it comes to FF, SS, AOF and KOF. I admit it freely.

new interview


http://www.mygamer.com/index.php?pl...me=&page=interviews&mode=viewinterviews&id=51

http://www.mygamer.com/index.php?page=interviews&mode=viewinterviews&id=52

saner said:

new interview


http://www.mygamer.com/index.php?pl...me=&page=interviews&mode=viewinterviews&id=51

http://www.mygamer.com/index.php?page=interviews&mode=viewinterviews&id=52

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This is a fairly interesting read but in the end it's all fairly standard company verbiage.

I don't blame Shane for saying the things he's saying, and he's tactfully finding ways to input his own opinions as a gamer and a SNK fan into the interview.

Bettenhausen cites Street Fighter IV as the game that brought the fighter back to the gaming market. And he's 10% right about that. And as I've said previously, KOF XII should have been SNK's version of that game in nearly every respect.

The lack of GGPO usage just shows that SNK-P has no idea how big their international community is. And they need to listen to Ignition and all the other feedback and respond accordingly.

Thanks for the links.

Jedah Doma said:

What I don't get is why people are buying this game.

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I have no regrets. I enjoy it more than SF4 that's for sure. Of course I have people to play it with offline.

cannonball said:

I have no regrets. I enjoy it more than SF4 that's for sure. Of course I have people to play it with offline.

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Same here...the game engine/presentation is stellar and a blast to play with the wife.

SNKP better not fuck up the next patch.

Jedah Doma said:

What I don't get is why people are buying this game. By purchasing this title, with all of the above listed problems, you're saying it's alright for SNK to released a half done and half finished game.

I love old SNK as much as the next person, but I'm not going to reward them for putting out something that should have been in the game already.

Click to expand...

If people don't buy the game, there will be no more KOFs period.

2d games (or 2.5d), old school shooters and fighters are on life support.

I'm happy to buy the game even if it's not the complete package, because, like virtually every KOF, it's slightly rough round the edges but an enjoyable experience nonetheless.

SF4 is apparently a 'complete game', but that doesn't stop it being completely soulless.

bloodhokuto said:

SF4 is apparently a 'complete game', but that doesn't stop it being completely soulless.

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No matter how hard you try to polish the turd...

Ignition is just the distributor.

DLC characters? Shit you can't really keep? MS5 all over again.

If it really takes so long to redo a character sprite, why not find a more efficient way to do it?
Talk about Ford pushing the Edsel or Pinto.
I've been a diehard SNK fan, but I am not blind.

bloodhokuto said:

If people don't buy the game, there will be no more KOFs period.

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No offense intended, but haven't we been supporting SNK with our dollars so many years after the fact that they've repeatedly screwed the pooch?

Aren't we the reason this site, a site dedicated to an ancient console and everything that's come as a result, still exists and is frequented?

We HAVE been loyal, and what has our collective outcry gotten us? More of the same fuckups by SNK because no matter how much we caterwaul about it, THEY AREN'T LISTENING TO US.

Because we are not the market they primarily release for.

Even though we should be:

Internation game market leaders

1.) USA
2.) UK
3.) Japan

Looks like Commodore Perry's work isn't done yet.

bloodhokuto said:

2d games (or 2.5d), old school shooters and fighters are on life support.

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I'd argue that the success of XBL Arcade and PSN are proof to the contrary. There is still a market out there. It's up to SNK-P to find out how to adequately tap into it and establish themselves in the hearts and minds of today's gamer.

bloodhokuto said:

I'm happy to buy the game even if it's not the complete package, because, like virtually every KOF, it's slightly rough round the edges but an enjoyable experience nonetheless.

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I enjoy the game too. But it needed to be more.

bloodhokuto said:

SF4 is apparently a 'complete game', but that doesn't stop it being completely soulless.

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This statement makes no sense. If anything, it's KOF XII that lacks a soul. SF IV has plenty of soul. I'd like to hear your reasons for having this opinion of SF IV. Is it because you dislike Capcom? Do you resent them for being more successful than SNK? What is your reason for saying SF IV has no soul?

street fighter 4 is a good game.

but every character model and piece of art related to that game is so damn goofy and slapstick that i can't enjoy it. it's aesthetically more disgusting than a tekken game (which i used to think was aesthetic barf). anyway. i think king of fighters XII was put out a year sooner than they should have put it out...but I'm actually thankful.

If someone came up to you in six months and was like "I have a 75% complete KOF XIII, it'll play fine on your ps3...ill give it to you for 60 bucks" you would jump on that shit so hard. and then wait another 6-8 months for the complete version, and buy it.