Fighting game backgrounds, animated

herb

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hot6pOi.gif
This is beautiful.
 

Mugicha

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How about the noodle shop sign, does it say noodle shop? Is the dude on the left practicing slashing the duck? Where's this one from anyways?

super gem fighter, or as I like to call it, Pocket Fighter :)
 
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Ever since I first played the original Marvel vs. Capcom back in 1998, I've always been fascinated by this background (images from the Fight-A-Base and Slateman sites):

341.png


mvc-stage5a.gif


The setting looks like the ultimate sci-fi terrorist organization's lair complete with a mysterious boss, flashing holograms of major agents, scientists, and countless minions. MVC's other backgrounds are clear references to particular Marvel and Capcom lore: E.Honda's bathhouse from Street Fighter, a Zabel Zarock concert from Vampire, St. Petersburg from Strider Hiryu, Dr. Wily's lab from Rockman, a command center from Avengers, the Daily Bugle from Spider-Man, the blue area of the moon from Fantastic Four.

But from what I've been able to determine, this particular background is far removed from the origins of its inspiration. The only conceivable reference available is to Capcom's Lost Worlds (much more well known in the US as Forgotten Worlds). The 2 giants depicted, Raijin and Fujin, are bosses from this game (and clearly inspired by Hokuto no Ken's Raiga and Fuga). The shadowy villain is almost certainly Bios, the primary antagonist in Lost Worlds.

However, nobody seems to know where all the other unique characters in the background are from. There has been speculation that the hologram characters represent the bosses from Lost Worlds but the numbers don't exactly add up—7 bosses to 9 characters. However, if we assume that Raijin and Fujin are supposed to be mecha each piloted by a character, then the numbers would actually fit. Given that one of the hologram pictures looks like Cleopatra, she would explain one of the mysterious quotes from the game: "Darn it! My date with Cleopatra is spoiled!" And one of the hologram pictures looks like a pharaoh, which would be match for the Tut boss from Lost Worlds (http://www.arcadequartermaster.com/capcom/fw_bosses.html).

But then who are the 5 characters atop the pillars? They certainly aren't the 2 playable Unknown Soldiers. And they don't appear to look the same as any of the hologram characters. Nobody has a credible idea. Ultimately, this background is still full of mysteries. Is there a Japan-only novel or manga that fleshes out Lost Worlds's setting and explains some of these elements? If so, even their MVC fans don't seem to have the answers. Or was this background a new idea by MVC designers to reinterpret the Lost Worlds universe? If so, nobody seems to have their concept notes. If anybody here knows, please do tell.

I know this post is reall, really old, but seeing as nobody else was able to answer any questions from it, I think I should.

Aside from the Forgotten/Lost Worlds references that were already pointed out, this stage is basically one big homage to SHOCKER from the Kamen Rider series, THE archetypical evil organization in Japanese pop culture.
The figures on the pillars represent kaijin, or "monsters of the week", while most of the holo screens show expies of villains from various Kamen Rider seasons. The ones I can identify are, from left to right:

Ambassador Hell (Kamen Rider 1 & 2)
???
Doctor G (Kamen Rider V3)
Major Skull (Kamen Rider Stronger)
???
One-Eyed Titan (Kamen Rider Stronger)
???
Apollo Geist (Kamen Rider X)
Colonel Zol (Kamen Rider 1 & 2)

Now, that actually raises some more questions.
Capcom has never worked on a Kamen Rider game (those are made by Bandai/Namco). They do have a Kamen Rider parody character, Skullomania, but he was not in Marvel vs. Capcom, and never had an own game either.
As far as I can tell, none of the characters in shown in this stage, aside from Raijin, Fujin and Bios, ever actually appeared in any Capcom game.

The only character I could imagin this stage belonging to is Captain Commando. A lair of Japanese supervillains would fit with him being a Japanese superhero.
It is also interesting to note that Captain Commando and the Blue Unknown Soldier from Lost Worlds look very much alike.
 

Bill Kilgore

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This thread made me register an account over here.
I have been a lurker for some time but this thread is just pure gold.
SNK's backgrounds seem allot better then the ones from Capcom.
 

Mugicha

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I know this post is reall, really old, but seeing as nobody else was able to answer any questions from it, I think I should.

Aside from the Forgotten/Lost Worlds references that were already pointed out, this stage is basically one big homage to SHOCKER from the Kamen Rider series, THE archetypical evil organization in Japanese pop culture.
The figures on the pillars represent kaijin, or "monsters of the week", while most of the holo screens show expies of villains from various Kamen Rider seasons. The ones I can identify are, from left to right:

Ambassador Hell (Kamen Rider 1 & 2)
???
Doctor G (Kamen Rider V3)
Major Skull (Kamen Rider Stronger)
???
One-Eyed Titan (Kamen Rider Stronger)
???
Apollo Geist (Kamen Rider X)
Colonel Zol (Kamen Rider 1 & 2)

Now, that actually raises some more questions.
Capcom has never worked on a Kamen Rider game (those are made by Bandai/Namco). They do have a Kamen Rider parody character, Skullomania, but he was not in Marvel vs. Capcom, and never had an own game either.
As far as I can tell, none of the characters in shown in this stage, aside from Raijin, Fujin and Bios, ever actually appeared in any Capcom game.

The only character I could imagin this stage belonging to is Captain Commando. A lair of Japanese supervillains would fit with him being a Japanese superhero.
It is also interesting to note that Captain Commando and the Blue Unknown Soldier from Lost Worlds look very much alike.

dude, that's a pretty impressive analysis on this. I honestly had no idea this was Kamen Rider related, and I'm very surprised like you since, as you mentioned capcom didn't make KR games. all in all it's an impressive background!




edit: I just found the animated version, but I'm gonna do spoiler tags since it's slightly seizure inducing :keke:



Spoiler:
P9wIccd.gif
 
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Samuray

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Wow, beautiful!!!
Might have to get into "Guilty Gear" one day after all...
 

Mugicha

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Wow, beautiful!!!
Might have to get into "Guilty Gear" one day after all...


Do it buddy!! It's not my favorite fighting series, but I really do like it alot. It's gorgeous, plays fast, a lot of variety in the characters, even the 1-hit kills are kinda neat. Still though, I know people who love it, and I know others who hate/don't care about it. I play XX the most, and I find it a nice change of pace from snk and capcom fighters.
 

eathis

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I just discover this thread and it's awesome.
Thank you for sharing guys
 

Ragnorok64

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Is there any way to use these as live wallpapers on an android device? I'm not 100% sure how those work.
 

Xionicist

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While this is the best thread in the universe, it's also kind of depressing. I have to wonder if we'll ever see a level of artistry in games again like this.

I enjoy more recent fighting games well enough, but I somehow don't see folks posting animated gifs of Street Fighter IV backgrounds in 15 years. It's kind of sad.
 

Mugicha

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While this is the best thread in the universe, it's also kind of depressing. I have to wonder if we'll ever see a level of artistry in games again like this.

I enjoy more recent fighting games well enough, but I somehow don't see folks posting animated gifs of Street Fighter IV backgrounds in 15 years. It's kind of sad.


yeah the 3D backgrounds can be neat during gameplay, but kinda lacking the eye candy when the fight is stripped away from it. Blazblue comes to mind, the characters look great, but I don't dig the bg's.

kof 12/13 have some gorgeous background art (except for the fat ladies :oh_no: ) but i can't find animated gifs of em.
 
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Ragnorok64

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I feel like Capcom has fallen the flattest on their face in this regard. There's stuff going on in Street Fighter IV backgrounds but non of it's terribly interesting. Or they're way too busy like the Street Fighter X Tekken backgrounds. Actually SFxT backgrounds just seem straight up bad.

I don't think Blazblue backgrounds are that bad though. The Kakka clan and Penguin people back grounds come to mind as ones with personality. Rachel's courtyard is good too.

Skullgirls has some good backgrounds but I can't think of any aside from the upcoming Egyptian themed Baths that would make a good background.
 

Hachiman

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I'm really sorry to necro this thread, but I came here because of these awesome backgrounds. I was wondering if anyone had them all downloaded, I tried saving them but a lot don't work because the hosts don't allow you to download the image, it just downloads a link. If anyone has them, or a link to them, would be very very much appreciated! :)

I've also got a load of them here for anyone interested:
https://8chan.co/2dv/res/1.html

Thanks
 

Mugicha

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I'm really sorry to necro this thread, but I came here because of these awesome backgrounds. I was wondering if anyone had them all downloaded, I tried saving them but a lot don't work because the hosts don't allow you to download the image, it just downloads a link. If anyone has them, or a link to them, would be very very much appreciated! :)

I've also got a load of them here for anyone interested:
https://8chan.co/2dv/res/1.html

Thanks

I made mine private on Photobucket cuz ppl were linking me on Neogaf to their background thread over there.(I'm not a member there, and don't care to be) Because of that my monthly bandwidth limit kept getting exceeded and my images weren't being shown here. I saved most of the ones that were on the flashwing site, but I've also displayed almost everything I have, so there isn't much else to see unless someone figures out how to rip them from the games and make the process known. I haven't the slightest idea how to do it.
 

Scott

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Man, Capcom and SNK had some insane amount of talent in the 90's. There's still some nice backgrounds these days I guess, but I just don't see the same level of personality in them anymore. As for me, I still say the original Darkstalkers has the best backgrounds ever in a fighting game (Nightwarriors too I guess, but I didn't like most of the new color schemes).
 
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