I recall some discussions about the size of the world in Shenmue III... with Yu Suzuki's comment in that regard being that it will be similar to Dobuita in Shenmue I. Initially I was a little disappointed with that scale, but after re-playing it a bit I can acknowledge that there's still quite a lot to do and explore within that space. Having played most of the Yakuza games, I enjoy the density of detail in those fairly small cities - but I also appreciate the different kind of appeal of the huge, yet mostly empty, worlds of GTA.

I came across this article today that shows a map of another long-anticipated game, The Last Guardian, that fans have put together. I haven't played it, but apparently this shows all of the game world in a single view - so, spoiler alert if you haven't played it yet and intend to! Here's the link to the article, and you have to click through to see the map with annotations. But I thought it was an interesting visualization because it looks like a relatively small space that's mostly vertically-oriented, with each area offering various challenges. It's hard to gauge the scale and definitely hard to imagine the feeling of immersion from looking at a single image, but I still think it's interesting. And it's also heartening that, from what I've heard, The Last Guardian has been pretty well-received and I haven't heard complaints about it being too small or too brief of an experience. Anyone who's played The Last Guardian - what do you think of this visualization in relation to your experience of playing it?

Another game that comes to mind that has a satisfying game world that is not necessarily gigantic, but is quite beautiful, is Firewatch. My hope for Shenmue III would be that there are two or three densely detailed cities/villages, but also some sizeable wilderness areas that could probably be partially procedurally generated and will be cool to just wander around in a bit.

I guess I'm of two minds about the whole situation. On the one hand, I feel perfectly confident that the lack of updates simply reflects the intense, focused work of the development team - and I suspect that some of the more outrageous KS commenters might be people who knew little or nothing about Shenmue but for whatever reason wanted to join in on a historically successful KS.

On the other hand, a monthly update might simply be a text message of a couple/few paragraphs that one person could take 15 minutes to quickly type up ("this month we're testing a couple of minigames in one location, and we worked on a QTE in another location"... plus just some description of the atmosphere of the offices, or the season in Japan) and thereby prevent the worst of the hysteria from happening. Honestly it could be the work of an intern, with only a few minutes taken for a senior staffer to approve the content before posting it.

I've seen it happen time and again with game developers large and small... they tend not to be the types of personalities that enjoy speaking publicly, much preferring to just keep a low profile and work hard. It causes some problems but that's the way it is.

Telekill wrote: There is no place for the Sega Genesis in the time and place that Shenmue 3 is set.

Especially considering Ryo has a Sega Saturn. How did he get that in '87, anyway? Maybe he's one of those kids who has the mythical uncle who works at Sega in the R&D department.

no no... NO!
the camera should stick behind Ryo all the fucking time except for zoom into objects just like it was before.
and they should stick with Tank control not 360 degree movement crap.


I think this would be a recipe for getting savaged in reviews. Keep tank controls as an option but have an updated control scheme as default. There's a reason why they're called "tank" controls and not "natural human motion" controls. This is supposed to be a game for millions of people, not just the players from the Dreamcast era. It should be possible to cater to both.

I always thought of Tekken as a rip-off of Virtua Fighter. Actually just about everything Namco did from the late 80s throughout the 90s seemed to be "let's see what Sega does and then put out our imitation of it." But enough time has passed that I guess Tekken has developed into its own thing. Nowadays if it can help introduce Shenmue to more people that can only be a good thing.

I'm a 3D artist. I work mostly in video but do have a little bit of experience rigging and animating characters for games as well. Obviously I don't know any specifics about what's going on at YSnet. I can say it would be a fairly simple matter to build a new model based on the older model. Rigging it to enable more nuanced expressions and set up controls for the animators could be time-consuming, but certainly a reasonable task overall. My speculation is that it's just not been the highest priority yet, as they've been focusing on prototyping and developing the various types of gameplay. Ultimately I don't think it will be difficult to match the appearance of the previous Ryo, but I wonder if Yu Suzuki would like to evolve the art direction somewhat and that will lead to some iterations of Ryo's appearance as he works out his subjective opinion on the look.

(Edit for more bloviating:) I'd say this ties into another set of factors, which is the new engine running the game and the advances that have been made in materials and lighting. Even the original models would look somewhat different (in color balance and apparent material attributes) if imported directly into UE4. Take Ryo's jacket, for example. We've already seen some work-in-progress renders that show a more realistic material. Compared to the original jacket texture, it's a big difference. The original textures tried to convey characteristics like folds and shininess all within the color channel. These days those material attributes are broken up into multiple maps (bump maps and normal maps for details in the depth of the surface, specularity and environmental reflection maps to convey the shininess of materials, and so on). So the technical challenge of matching the exact geometric topology of Ryo's face is negligible, but the artisitic challenge of defining a new art direction that utilizes current tech while not diverging too much from the original style could be quite difficult.

I wonder just how dense things will be, will they even bbother to maker things such as Yakuza Kiwami/6? Kiwami is coming out so soon and surely they won't show 6 in order to not detract us from the attention of Kiwami.

Typically Sony hasn't shown much of Yakuza at E3 at all, have they? Usually just part of a montage toward the end of their presentations. Maybe that will change since it seems 0 has broken through to a little bit higher degree of popularity in the West.

Regarding the whole issue of the surprise factor in E3 reveals, mabye it's just because I'm getting older and I've worked on being less susceptible to hype, but I'm not that convinced in surprise reveals being an important part of promoting a game. The major reveals these days are predictable sequels to established AAA franchises. We'll see the next Call of Duty, the next Forza and GT, probably the next Last of Us, things like that. With so much noise and hype surrounding those franchises, wouldn't it be better to feature an indie title like Shenmue III before or after them? Or if it is featured in the main presentation, does it detract from its potential market in any way if they let us know in advance that something will or won't be shown? I think the effort to make everything a surprise reveal also enables trolls to toy with fake rumors. I'm not really decided about it all, just sorting through various random thoughts on it.

I don't think I'd describe the style of Shenmue as photorealistic. Most of the textures are hand-painted (digitally, I assume) so everything has more of a painted or illustrated look, although the sheer amount of detail provides an aspect of realism. I think this has helped Shenmue age more gracefully than most other games of the era that used photo textures. Something that's thoughtfully stylized usually looks timeless in the years to come, while things that seem photorealistic now almost inevitably look badly dated ten years later.

Aside from the roller coaster-like range of emotions that come from trying to figure out if each tweet is some kind of clue to what's in store... my impression of the photo is that Gio Corsi and Yu Suzuki appear at ease and genuinely happy. So Shenmue III is in a fine state no matter what happens with E3.

Shenmue III does have the advantage of having had a lot of pre-production work done prior to its current development period. I'm not sure if it's possible to quantify how much time that counts for in the overall process of bringing forth the completed game, but my impression is that it's a significant amount.

Hmm, interesting. At least I can set my expectations accordingly.

I wouldn't mind a more anime-like approach to the game specially because most games end up looking very similar, but since the first Shenmue games tried to be so realistic it's a very night/day aesthetic choice.

But there were always some pretty wild-looking characters, particularly some of the ones with smaller parts. There's always been a kind of spectrum ranging from more realistic to less realistic characters.

So this means no HD release announcement at E3, since for HD release they would definitely show their face to support it.

I don't think YsNet would be present to reveal HD, as that is Sega's project. However, it would seem a bit odd if HD is revealed and there is no mention of III at all in the conference.

It's such a departure from the photorealistic style we all remember.

I would suggest that anyone who thinks this is some kind of radical departure from the established style of Shenmue to take a moment to look at the older character models with fresh eyes. This is just a quick sampling of screen grabs from the Shenmue wiki. There has always been a strongly stylized aesthetic to Shenmue.

http://zoonbats.com/s3/shenmue_stylized.jpg

I don't know what people mean when they refer to "manga" style as manga is an entire vast body of literature that encompasses thousands of styles by tens of thousands of artists. To me this looks consistent with the established Shenmue style.

It's disappointing as Eurogamer has provided decent coverage in the past. There are lots of ways to frame the story that aren't so ominous. "Shenmue 3 Devs Opt to Work Through E3."

Maybe there's an unspoken fifth wude that says something like "Do not squander your energy when others are wrong on the internet."

Imagine the uproar when the community realizes that they have already been shown Ryo's new face.

celsowm wrote: Any chances of Shenmue related thing here?

I could be biased, but...

Many if not most of the Sega references throughout Shenmue exist outside of the timeline of the plot. There's a Saturn... you can win games for it at one of the stores. There are capsule toys referencing games that came out years later as well. Not to mention the nonexistent Sega items, such as the Master System notepad in one of Ryo's drawers, and even mystifying items that reference Shenmue itself, like Shenhua caramels available at the store. This kind of stuff is so woven into the details of Shenmue that I don't think I'd personally classify all of these things as easter eggs, but either way... it's all there in the world.

More specific to the original topic - Genesis games in Shenmue 3. Beyond whatever licensing considerations there might be with Sega - why not? It would fit with the established "rules" of the game world. The only thing is, the Genesis library has been re-issued time and time again over the years. It would be cool to give the Master System some love, or various other Yu Suzuki arcade titles that haven't been featured in Shenmue yet.

Just messing around - I tried my hand at making a 3D model of Cool Z. The boombox is just another model I threw in there but maybe later I'll try to duplicate the exact design of Cool Z's blaster.

I want Shenmue 3 to be the best game ever made, not only because it's my most anticipated game of all time, but also Shenmue 3 will most certainly determine the fate of this fantastic series, I could never forget how the commercial outcome of Shenmue I & II had affected the future of Shenmue and I don't want to ever relive that nightmare again...


I think you have to let go of that expectation, for a variety of reasons. For one thing, it's pretty nebulous... "the best game ever made." In whose eyes? The critics, the general public? There'll never be agreement on this. In your own eyes? That's more possible, but even so it might be healthier to hope that it's your favorite game, or simply a satisfying and fulfilling game. Personally I love the previous Shenmue games, but I've never considered them in terms of being perfect or being the best. I love them simply because they are unique and convey a spectrum of feelings that no other games have. I also understand that I'm at a very different place in my life now and I don't expect to have the same kinds of feelings when I play Shenmue III that I did when I played I and II. Although they may nail the vibe and aesthetic in a very satisfying way, there's no way around the fact that I'll be ~17 years older and with new perspectives and it's not up to the developers of Shenmue III to account for my own changes.

Ultimately, though, it's out of your hands... out of all our hands. Our collective hopes and fears don't have a direct influence, so it's up to us to manage our expectations. I think you should be heartened that it's being made by many of the original designers. That alone is an achievement of the best possible circumstance in a turbulent commercial artform. They've expressed that at its current state of development it is already exceeding their own expectations. Things are going well.

As for the (speculated) involvement of some younger and less experienced members of the development team, Yu Suzuki et al started out as young, inexperienced developers, too. They had seniors who recognized their potential and talent. Now they are in the position of being able to recognize and cultivate the potential of less-experienced yet talented collaborators.

Seeing the new official logo is a relief, even though I knew they had said they wouldn't be sticking with the temporary one. I was just like, what is taking them so long? Why do they keep using this one? Just for the record I think the whole alleged issue with young people not knowing how to read cursive writing is absurd. It's not like a completely different alphabet, just slight variations of the letter shapes. You can learn it in an hour. Then again I am into wildstyle graffiti so cursive is a pretty simple style compared to that.

The new models show a lot of great personality even in a t-pose. They're going to be bursting off the screen with charisma when they're textured and animated!

Start your day with the flavor of Fuku-san's life savings!

I'm taking this product sighting as a good omen for things soon to come!

There is a stark, night-and-day difference between the way Keiji Inafune and Yu Suzuki have conducted themselves through the years, both in their work and what they've expressed through the media. There might be some challenges but I have no worry that the Shenmue III rewards will be half-assed.

Personally I think the "reward" aspect of crowdfunding is way out of hand and should be dialed back because of all the logistical difficulties it introduces. If you believe in a project enough to contribute money to it, go for it. Don't view it as an opportunity to stock up on tchotchkes.

There's something unclear about all this.

Everything they said previously still applies. They are now providing some additional good news that a) there will be a meet-and-greet with Yu Suzuki, and b) the game footage shown to the press will also be shown to backers via a KS update at the same time.

Extra clarified version: GOOD NEWS BE HAPPY

Hell's bells. Are people being intentionally obtuse or what?! Do you need people to explain to you that the sky is blue, and chew food for you? Videos being shown to press and included in KS update that week. Shake hands with Yu Suzuki for the public. What's the problem here?

If anyone is seriously confused about what words mean, just accept the reassurance of those who aren't.

Well, this week will seem like an eternity...

I know it seems that way, right? If possible, everyone should take a few moments to try and enjoy this particular period of time and the uncertainty and anticipation of it. I wonder what it will be like when the game is revealed. I have a lot of hopes, a few worries. It truly is a time of wonder. Here we are, in it, right now - at perhaps the absolute apex of anticipation. It's a special time and some day, it will be as long ago as the DC days.

I'm glad I've got a total solar eclipse to keep me occupied with something the day before Gamescom.

Maybe it would be a good idea to have a separate thread or section for community artists who want to re-imagine or suggest what they think Shenmue III assets should look like. I think it's interesting but I don't want it to take up so much space in the midst of discussions of official images and videos. Especially since (with any luck) we're going to be seeing new material soon.

Wow! My experience of this was a sweet culmination of an amazing day. I took my family to a remote mountaintop to watch the total eclipse. Seeing a total eclipse is one of the few things I've waited for longer than Shenmue III! And it was well worth the wait. Then, after a long drive home, as I was getting ready for bed, I decided to check my email, which had nothing of interest... but then a moment later the Kickstarter update appeared in my inbox! There were so many synchronistic little events like that throughout the day, it's hard to describe. But the overall effect was just a magical experience.

Holy smokes, look at this. Whatever else your eyeballs are doing, grab them and make them look at this.

I don't expect another trailer as such this year. Definitely some screenshots here and there and maybe a few short glimpses of video within future updates, but I don't think there will be a new trailer until next year.

But I and many other fans have a theory it's possibly Lan Di's father, or twin brother or someone who is very close to him that Ryo's father either accidentally or purposefully killed for no good reason.

I also believe Ryo's father is not Japanese and he's actually Chinese and an is a ex member of Lan Di's Mafia/Cartel group.

...

He knows his father is just as equally evil as Lan Di is and there will be some type of truce.

So what do you guys think?

Hmm, that's an interesting theory but it goes against everything I've observed about Iwao Hazuki. Admittedly not much is shown of him, but what is shown demonstates the importance he places on teaching Ryo about integrity. Also, if he had somehow gotten out of the criminal life after having been involved deeply enough to be a killer, I doubt he would draw attention to himself by establishing a dojo.

Also some talk about realism, and how while that was a pursuit for the first two games; it's now kind of switched into an exaggerated naturalism for III. Curious what this means exactly. I mean, it sounds like the realism is still there to an extent. You can get a job and stuff after all.

I think it's referring to the art direction. The characters are supposed to be somewhat exaggerated/stylized in appearance rather than photorealistic.

If they don't make Ryo or Shenhua look anywhere close to the models I've posted, I will be disappointed. You see, it's quite apparent that those are exactly what they should be aiming for.

If you are fluent in Japanese, you may apply to become the art director... otherwise yours is one opinion among thousands. All you can do is politely make your suggestion and then sit back and see what happens. Kickstarter is a platform for donations, not investments. Follow the cue of the real investors, who are allowing Yu Suzuki to pursue his vision.

Consider this remark in the Dengeki Online interview (thanks to Switch for the translation):

YS: The skill tree won't be overly complex, but one is planned. If it's complicated it could be hard to get to grips with, so it will fill itself in automatically as you do various things. However, checking the tree and deliberately building it up I think will be even more enjoyable.

Of course, even if you don't fill the skill tree the game will move forward. Achieving an impressive victory by performing a series of special moves, or barely scraping in with a win - I would like to implement this kind of level of distinction.

It doesn't really describe the method of input but it is reassuring that it will be possible to perform a series of special moves if you play well.

If the cursive style is indeed the problem (I personally don't have any trouble reading it, but we did learn cursive in school when I was a kid), then why not just use some classy serif font and keep the strong brushwork of the Japanese version. Yu Suzuki's brushwork in Japanese is strong and assured, whereas his version with roman letters is not (imo). So, something like this would be my suggestion:

http://www.zoonbats.com/s3/s3_logo.jpg

If you're seriously going to be upset that the story continues through Shenmue III into IV and possibly others, then you can simply avoid playing them and then after a number of years you can read about what happened after the cave on a wiki. YS has already stated the story is not ending in III.

Seriously, the types of Photoshop "improvements" being posted are so minute, subjective, and arbitrary. And some of them are presented with an almost comical air of certainty that their fan art is the superior, ideal visualization. Is this what this forum is going to be like for the next year? I guess it's fine as a hobby, but does anyone believe YsNet staffers are over there saying, "We haven't got it quite right... we'd better trawl the fan forums for guides." Maybe NoConKid getting hired has given people false expectations? But NoConKid has professional-level skill as a 3D artist. YsNet isn't hiring Photoshop hobbyists.

Peter Moore has recently clarified that his statement that he "made the call" to discontinue the Dreamcast and have Sega transition into a third party developer has been misconstrued. He didn't make the decision; he literally had to set up the conference call between the various divisions of Sega to receive the word of the decision, which came from Sega of Japan.

If he hadn't brokered the deal to get Shenmue II ported to the Xbox, it likely would not have been published by Sega for the Dreamcast in North America at all. Take a look at Sega's logic-defying decisions ever since leaving the hardware business about what gets localized and what doesn't. It was Sega's chosen strategy at the start of the third party era to provide console exclusives for each console.

I don't really see it as a viable strategy for hardcore Shenmue fans to commit to buying multiple copies of SIII. If that's what you want to do, that's cool, but the game will have to be a success on its own for the series to continue moving forward. It now seems to be in the best possible position to be a fully-realized, high-quality game, so in my eyes that's what's going to give it the best shot at commercial success.

Animations are a bit stiff but it's better than blank stares.

Well, the "grandma" in particular isn't showing animations. It's a video of the animator manually moving some of the animation controls to demonstrate some of the possible facial expressions. So moving the controls individually produces these sorts of linear motions, but when they actually animate the character it should be fluid and natural.

lol at the AJ bashing :D
the middling, casual fans (where the money will be made, IMO) are already pissed off and they may never lay down the cash, if this is delayed another year on top of the current delay.

I don't agree... I doubt the casual, more mainstream gamers have much awareness of Shenmue III yet. When the official marketing begins, they'll start to become aware and interested. The ones who are pissed off are a small sub-section of the people who spend a lot of time reading gaming news sites. They have their own little echo chamber but are not the mass market.

Bump, wondering if anyone heard any news about this.


They haven't made any additional announcements since the first one at E3. The only title they've announced at this point is Crimson Skies. I'm hyped about that so I've been impatiently waiting! As of now it's not even available in the Xbox Live Insider program. So it's starting to look like it'll be late fall before they roll it out.