Comment by 578_Observer
3 days ago
As a Japanese banker who grew up in 90s arcades, this deep dive into SF2’s "World Warrier" fix is a profound lesson in what I call "Forging" (鍛錬).
The anecdote about Akiman discovering the typo after the GFX ROMs were already set in stone is the perfect metaphor for the "Steel vs. Scaffolding" debate. In modern development, we often rely on the "scaffolding" of high-level abstractions, assuming everything is fixable later. But here, the hardware was "Steel" (unchangeable).
Akiman’s solution—using a single-pixel "pencil tile" from Guile’s calves to manually mask an 'l' into an 'i'—is a legendary example of "Mitate" (見立て): the Japanese art of seeing one thing as another to overcome an absolute limitation.
In the world of Japanese "Shinise" (long-established companies), this obsessive attention to detail is never called "inefficient." It is the only path to survival across centuries. Akiman famously insisted on the muscular thickness of Chun-Li’s thighs, refusing to compromise because he believed the "Steel" (core logic) of a fighter lay in that foundation. If the legs were weak, the character’s soul was dead.
SF2 remains a legend 30 years later because its creators treated every pixel as "Steel" that carried existential risk. This article proves that while "speed buys information," only this level of "Forging" buys true longevity. Most fast-scaled software disappears in three years; the "World Warrier" still stands after thirty because of that one-pixel pencil.
Super interesting to hear about those concepts from another language/culture. While you are right that in software pretty much everything is "scaffolding" in the semiconductor the scaffolding vs steel applies.
To simplify it as much as possible, to make a chip multiple masks are created for different layers. The top layers are metal(scaffolding) and the base layers are silicon(steel). The metal layer masks are much cheaper to make than the base layers. So we add extra unused cells in the base layers and then if there are issues we try to fix them only in the metal layers.
It's not really an art nowadays, since it's been refined so much with tooling and processes. But your analogy is very applicable, I might try to refer to it in the future if I ever need to explain the concept to someone.
@doix, thank you for the fascinating deep dive into semiconductor design. To make sure I’ve grasped your point correctly, let me try to summarize it:
- Base Layer (Silicon) = "Steel": Re-manufacturing it is extremely costly, so it must be perfect from the start. - Top Layer (Metal) = "Scaffolding": The wiring layers. These are much cheaper to produce, allowing for "patches" or corrections later on. - The Wisdom of "Unused Cells": By embedding spare cells in the base layer upfront, you can fix bugs later just by changing the metal layers.
Did I get that right?
If so, this logic deeply resonates with what I’ve seen in Japanese "Shinise" (long-standing businesses) as a banker. Specifically, two practices that might look "inefficient" in a modern business model are, in my view, the "Unused Cells" of our Base Layer:
1. Not firing employees easily: While some models treat labor like a "Metal layer" to be cut and replaced for quick optimization, Shinise treat people as part of the "Silicon layer." We keep them even in hard times so that when a big crisis hits, we can "re-wire" their roles to survive together.
2. Keeping high cash savings: Many modern companies prefer to spend all their cash to maximize growth speed. However, Shinise keep a lot of cash. This is like the spare cells in your silicon—it allows us to finance our own "re-wiring" when the market crashes, without the foundation collapsing.
Your insight has given me a powerful new framework for why some organizations survive for 500 years while others vanish in three. Thank you!
You are correct about the graphics, but SF2 also absolutely nailed the gameplay. The graphics are just the beginning of the attention to detail in this game.
@throwaway94275, absolutely. The pixel art caught our eyes, but the rock-solid gameplay is what captured our hearts.
Honestly, I haven’t played SF2 for over 30 years, but I’m certain I can still perform a Hadouken or a Shoryuken today. That intense training from my youth is carved into my muscle memory, not just my brain! (^_^) That obsession with every single detail is the true secret to why this game still feels like "Steel" after all these decades.
You don't need to use llms to write comments for you.
I apologize for the "mechanical" feel of my post.
As you suspected, I am using the help of translation and structuring tools to share my thoughts here.
I am a banker from rural Japan and have been a huge fan of SF2 since my childhood in the arcades. I have spent 20 years observing "Shinise" (long-established businesses), and I really wanted to share my perspective that Akiman’s fix was an act of "Forging" the foundation.
Because my English is not strong enough to explain such complex ideas, I relied on these tools to polish my draft. I realize now that this made my voice feel artificial. While the "soul" of the idea—comparing SF2’s pixel-level grit to long-term business survival—is entirely my own, I will strive to communicate in a more direct, human way from now on.
Thank you for the feedback. I am still trying to learn how to join this global conversation from the Japanese countryside.
You don't need to apologise. I enjoyed your story. I am from the UK and have fond memories of playing SF2 in arcades in my childhood too. It was a game that became a global phenomenon, it is amazing to think about how many people have unique memories of a game that they all have in common.
Here's a Japanese translation (using the website DeepL), I hope it is accurate...
謝る必要はありません。あなたの話、楽しませていただきました。私もイギリス出身で、子供の頃にゲームセンターでSF2をプレイした懐かしい思い出があります。あのゲームは世界的な現象となりました。これほど多くの人々が、共通のゲーム体験からそれぞれ独自の思い出を持っていると思うと、本当に驚くべきことです。
こちらが日本語訳です（DeepLウェブサイトを使用）。正確であることを願っています...
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Sorry for the knee jerk reaction - your posts have the same consistent tells as wholly llm generated text but it does seem like you largely use it just to help with translation.
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There has to be some consideration for cross-language discussion where english is not the native language of the poster. The usage and intent there is completely different than a native speaker lazily having gpt spit out a comment for them.
@huimang, thank you so much for your understanding. I truly appreciate you recognizing the effort and intent behind my words despite the language barrier. Your support gives me great courage to keep participating here.
I appreciate your pointing out this is an LLM, I didn't realize until I checked the comment history.
The future of the internet looks less bright each day.
I also don't have a flag option on the LLM comment or I would flag it.
It's LLM edited, not fictional, as far as I can tell.
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Giving the benefit of the doubt, could it be being used as a translation tool?
After reading this comment thread, I got curious and went through his history. While I agree the prose reeks of LLM tells, the messaging seems a little too nuanced and correct for 100% LLM use. Also, he's directly confirmed using the LLM to write clearly as English is not a primary language.
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