Dojo member sshen1127 has kindly translated this recent brief but exclusive interview from Yu Suzuki's China visit.
Nov 19 interview with Yu Suzuki (Chinese)
http://tieba.baidu.com/p/4168537061
English translation
Q: Master Yu, when did you first meet up with master Lui Lian Zhi - was it 1991 or 1994? On what did you two first collaborate, was it working on Virtua Fighter 1 or 2?
Yu: The first time we met was 1993. Our first time working together was for VF2.
Q. Will Shenmue 3 have Chinese subs?
Yu: We are looking into it at the moment.
Q. In the near future, do you have any plan to release a fighting game similar to VF? Or to work with Sega for the next installment of the game?
Yu: Right now Daichi Katagari is the one who is overseeing the VF games. I handed over the games to him 100%. I will not be working with Sega for another VF game. But I might develop a brand new fighting game of my own.
Q: How many more Shenmue games are there until the end of the story?
Yu: There is a total of 11 chapters. Shenmue 3 will be chapters 5 and 6.
Q: Will everyone who donated for the game have to wait until near the release date to have their address and version of the game confirmed?
Yu: When the time comes we will send out an email to everyone. Please keep an eye on your mailbox.
Q: Can you use Chinese characters for all the Chinese people who donated for the game, in the "Thank you" credits at the end of the game?
Yu: All the credits will be in Roman characters.
Q: Will Shenmue 3 follow the same formula as Shenmue 1 and 2? In your opinion, what is the biggest difference with Shenmue 3? And what is the key selling point to attract new players to the game?
Yu:
1. Shenmue 3 will follow in the footsteps of Shenmue 1 and 2. It will keep what makes Shenmue Shenmue. For example, real-time full voice acting.
2. Shenmue 3 will be a more of an "open world" game so player can explore more places.
3. Towards the later half of the game, there will be a brand new way to play the game to attract new players. But the details are a secret.
Q: Will there ever be a spin-off of Shenmue, such as Shenmue 0?
Yu: No, not at the moment... [laughs]
Q: Is there any plan to release an Outrun-like racing game in the future?
Yu: We do have plans to release such a game.
Q: Will Shenmue 3 have an online feature?
Yu: There is no plan for any online feature for Shenmue 3.
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Re: China interview with Yu Suzuki (Nov 19)
Maybe after starting development he's realised that it's actually easier than it used to be back in the day to make a game. He said in that recent presentation in china, because of the newer engines he felt that anyone could make a game. He also said that he was going to make the forest bigger from 2x2km to 4x4km or whatever. Maybe he is just finding it easier to make an expansive open world with Unreal Engine 4?
Also I really think it's safe to say that Yu is not considering the boat chapter as chapter 2 anymore since it never surfaced as the chapter, so he's pushed the chapters forward a number. So Shenmue 1 - Chapter 1, Shenmue 2 - 2/3/4, Shenmue 3 - 5/6. Maybe's Bailu Village is still being considered as chapter 4, even though it starts Shenmue 3 off, maybe the next official chapter isn't until Baisha or Choubu?
Also I really think it's safe to say that Yu is not considering the boat chapter as chapter 2 anymore since it never surfaced as the chapter, so he's pushed the chapters forward a number. So Shenmue 1 - Chapter 1, Shenmue 2 - 2/3/4, Shenmue 3 - 5/6. Maybe's Bailu Village is still being considered as chapter 4, even though it starts Shenmue 3 off, maybe the next official chapter isn't until Baisha or Choubu?
- Sun Nov 22, 2015 12:34 pm
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Re: shenmue 3 better than our expectations
It's far too early to say either way, but I personally believe the people who were claiming "anything under 10 mil from Kickstarter is a failure" were being childish and short sighted. A lot of what made the original Shenmue games expensive and ground-breaking can now be done cheaper, easier, and to a higher degree of quality, so the focus can now be on what Shenmue is really about. An immersive world, a good story, and varied modes of gameplay.
The facts as they stand are that the project is going smoothly in the prototype phase, and that they are able to stretch the money further than they initially thought. That's good news, but this is month 4 of 29. This is a marathon not a sprint.
The facts as they stand are that the project is going smoothly in the prototype phase, and that they are able to stretch the money further than they initially thought. That's good news, but this is month 4 of 29. This is a marathon not a sprint.
- Sun Nov 22, 2015 2:44 pm
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Full pictures of gifts and photo session with Yu.
Hi guys,I shared the pictures with you. :P :P :P
The man who gave the gifts to Yu is Xingyunliushui, and the complete video of chinese conference was also conducted by him, and uplaoded by me.
Photo Gallery: http://imgur.com/a/YsVT9
list some of the photoes
http://i.imgur.com/EsV9yEo.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/Oz1Ecrg.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/X5ETWGo.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/GL8jMb3.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/NpuZggm.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/CFlCzaM.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/dGAyLfF.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/1OtZJhb.jpg
The man who gave the gifts to Yu is Xingyunliushui, and the complete video of chinese conference was also conducted by him, and uplaoded by me.
Photo Gallery: http://imgur.com/a/YsVT9
list some of the photoes
http://i.imgur.com/EsV9yEo.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/Oz1Ecrg.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/X5ETWGo.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/GL8jMb3.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/NpuZggm.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/CFlCzaM.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/dGAyLfF.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/1OtZJhb.jpg
- Tue Nov 24, 2015 1:53 am
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Re: Shenmue 2 Mod Topic Swapping "Unswappable" Music Tracks
Some observations. The file TIT_SND.BIN in the MISC folder is about which sounds and music to play in the title screen. (For example, you can copy the file 0002_023.snd to the MISC folder, and then change the text 0017_012 to 0002_023 in the .bin file, without having to rename and overwrite any file. This, of course, will make a different music to play in the title screen.)
I tried to copy the SMAP data bytes section from the MAPINFO.BIN of the KRF1 area folder (from SMAP's offset plus 194 bytes) and overwrite the one in the TIT_SND.BIN (that is overwrite the whole data). However, nothing noticeable happened.
It is still a mystery to me why changing the 4 bytes at offset 0x08 (that is the value of the bytes size) of the 0002_023.snd makes it being played. Why changing the size to a lower value makes the music track playable? Not entirely playable, though; why? And why is it playable in the cinematic and not in the title screen? It does not seem to use a different AICA driver version in the cinematic. Maybe somewhere a check is being made for the size of the music track to be played in the title screen? Trying to find coherency, but with so little evidence and ignorance on the cause .
Interestingly, there is a reference of TIT_SND.BIN in the 1ST_READ.BIN: ....TITLE.GZ....0002S000.sbt....tit_snd.bin.0002S000.smp....base: %03d %03d %03d %03d...ofst: %03d %03d %03d....>.......
UPDATE:
----------
Success!
Managed to play the entire track in the title screen, without interruptions! And it's looping. The latest observation was the most crucial (in combination with the second paragraph above).
Will soon post a tutorial on how to do it.
I tried to copy the SMAP data bytes section from the MAPINFO.BIN of the KRF1 area folder (from SMAP's offset plus 194 bytes) and overwrite the one in the TIT_SND.BIN (that is overwrite the whole data). However, nothing noticeable happened.
It is still a mystery to me why changing the 4 bytes at offset 0x08 (that is the value of the bytes size) of the 0002_023.snd makes it being played. Why changing the size to a lower value makes the music track playable? Not entirely playable, though; why? And why is it playable in the cinematic and not in the title screen? It does not seem to use a different AICA driver version in the cinematic. Maybe somewhere a check is being made for the size of the music track to be played in the title screen? Trying to find coherency, but with so little evidence and ignorance on the cause .
Interestingly, there is a reference of TIT_SND.BIN in the 1ST_READ.BIN: ....TITLE.GZ....0002S000.sbt....tit_snd.bin.0002S000.smp....base: %03d %03d %03d %03d...ofst: %03d %03d %03d....>.......
UPDATE:
----------
Success!
Managed to play the entire track in the title screen, without interruptions! And it's looping. The latest observation was the most crucial (in combination with the second paragraph above).
Will soon post a tutorial on how to do it.
- Sat Dec 12, 2015 7:53 pm
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Tutorial how to play any music track in the title screen
Tutorial how to play any music track
in the title (more precisely, the menu) screen of Shenmue II.
How to play "0003_001.SND" (Kowloon intro)
STEPS:
1) In Shenmue II's root folder, find and open the file "1ST_READ.BIN" with a hex editor (and leave it open).
2) Navigate to \SCENE\03\SOUND; find and copy (CTRL+C) the file "0003_001.SND".
3) Navigate (go up) to MISC and paste (CTRL+V) (the file "0003_001.SND").
4) In the MISC folder, find and open the file "TIT_SND.BIN" with a hex editor (and leave it open).
5) Navigate to \SCENE\03\0200; find and open the file "MAPINFO.BIN" with a hex editor.
5.1) Find (CTRL+F) the text-string reference of SMAP (in the file "MAPINFO.BIN").
5.2) Place the cursor before the character S of the text-string SMAP.
5.3) Press the combination of keys CTRL+E (to select a block of bytes).
5.4) Select the radio-button of the "Length:" legend.
5.5) In the text-area, replace the highlighted text with 194.
5.6) Make sure the radio-button of the "hex" legend is selected (below).
5.7) Click on the "OK" button.
5.8) Copy (CTRL+C) the selected/highlighted block of bytes (in your clipboard).
6) In the hex editor, select the TIT_SND.BIN tab.
6.1) Select all (CTRL+A) the bytes.
6.2) Paste (CTRL+V) the content of your clipboard.
6.3) Select/highlight the text-string 0200A000 and copy (CTRL+C) it.
7) In the hex editor, select the 1ST_READ.BIN tab.
7.1) Find (CTRL+F) the text-string reference of "tit_snd.bin".
7.2) Look (with your eyes) for the text-string "0002S000.sbt" before the "tit_snd.bin" one, select/highlight the "0002S000" bit of it and replace it with "0200A000".
7.3) Look (with your eyes) for the text-string "0002S000.smp" after the "tit_snd.bin" one, select/highlight the "0002S000" bit of it and replace it with "0200A000".
How to play "0002_023.SND" (Guilin intro)
STEPS:
1) In Shenmue II's root folder, find and open the file "1ST_READ.BIN" with a hex editor (and leave it open).
2) Navigate to \SCENE\04\SOUND; find and copy (CTRL+C) the file "0002_023.SND".
3) Navigate (go up) to MISC and paste (CTRL+V) (the file "0002_023.SND").
4) In the MISC folder, find and open the file "TIT_SND.BIN" with a hex editor (and leave it open).
5) Navigate to \SCENE\04\KRF1; find and open the file "MAPINFO.BIN" with a hex editor.
5.1) Find (CTRL+F) the text-string reference of SMAP (in the file "MAPINFO.BIN").
5.2) Place the cursor before the character S of the text-string SMAP.
5.3) Press the combination of keys CTRL+E (to select a block of bytes).
5.4) Select the radio-button of the "Length:" legend.
5.5) In the text-area, replace the highlighted text with 194.
5.6) Make sure the radio-button of the "hex" legend is selected (below).
5.7) Click on the "OK" button.
5.8) Copy (CTRL+C) the selected/highlighted block of bytes (in your clipboard).
6) In the hex editor, select the TIT_SND.BIN tab.
6.1) Select all (CTRL+A) the bytes.
6.2) Paste (CTRL+V) the content of your clipboard.
6.3) Select/highlight the text-string 0500A000 and copy (CTRL+C) it.
7) In the hex editor, select the 1ST_READ.BIN tab.
7.1) Find (CTRL+F) the text-string reference of "tit_snd.bin".
7.2) Look (with your eyes) for the text-string "0002S000.sbt" before the "tit_snd.bin" one, select/highlight the "0002S000" bit of it and replace it with "0500A000".
7.3) Look (with your eyes) for the text-string "0002S000.smp" after the "tit_snd.bin" one, select/highlight the "0002S000" bit of it and replace it with "0500A000".
Note (valid for both STEPS sections above) : the step 6.3 is potentially unusable, however, it was left just to emphasize where the text-string "0200A000"/"0500A000" comes from when it used later on (steps 7.2-7.3). Also, in this tutorial the hex editor named HxD was used.
How to play any other music track
STEPS:
1) Navigate to \SCENE\0X\SOUND (where X is a number); find and copy (CTRL+C) the .SND file (of the music track you want to play).
2) Navigate (go up) to MISC and paste (CTRL+V) (the .SND file).
3) In the MISC folder, find and open the file "TIT_SND.BIN" with a hex editor.
3.1) Select/highlight the text-string 0017_012.
3.2) Replace the selected/highlighted text-string with the prefix of the .SND file.
This is my first mod/hack for Shenmue 2!
in the title (more precisely, the menu) screen of Shenmue II.
How to play "0003_001.SND" (Kowloon intro)
STEPS:
1) In Shenmue II's root folder, find and open the file "1ST_READ.BIN" with a hex editor (and leave it open).
2) Navigate to \SCENE\03\SOUND; find and copy (CTRL+C) the file "0003_001.SND".
3) Navigate (go up) to MISC and paste (CTRL+V) (the file "0003_001.SND").
4) In the MISC folder, find and open the file "TIT_SND.BIN" with a hex editor (and leave it open).
5) Navigate to \SCENE\03\0200; find and open the file "MAPINFO.BIN" with a hex editor.
5.1) Find (CTRL+F) the text-string reference of SMAP (in the file "MAPINFO.BIN").
5.2) Place the cursor before the character S of the text-string SMAP.
5.3) Press the combination of keys CTRL+E (to select a block of bytes).
5.4) Select the radio-button of the "Length:" legend.
5.5) In the text-area, replace the highlighted text with 194.
5.6) Make sure the radio-button of the "hex" legend is selected (below).
5.7) Click on the "OK" button.
5.8) Copy (CTRL+C) the selected/highlighted block of bytes (in your clipboard).
6) In the hex editor, select the TIT_SND.BIN tab.
6.1) Select all (CTRL+A) the bytes.
6.2) Paste (CTRL+V) the content of your clipboard.
6.3) Select/highlight the text-string 0200A000 and copy (CTRL+C) it.
7) In the hex editor, select the 1ST_READ.BIN tab.
7.1) Find (CTRL+F) the text-string reference of "tit_snd.bin".
7.2) Look (with your eyes) for the text-string "0002S000.sbt" before the "tit_snd.bin" one, select/highlight the "0002S000" bit of it and replace it with "0200A000".
7.3) Look (with your eyes) for the text-string "0002S000.smp" after the "tit_snd.bin" one, select/highlight the "0002S000" bit of it and replace it with "0200A000".
How to play "0002_023.SND" (Guilin intro)
STEPS:
1) In Shenmue II's root folder, find and open the file "1ST_READ.BIN" with a hex editor (and leave it open).
2) Navigate to \SCENE\04\SOUND; find and copy (CTRL+C) the file "0002_023.SND".
3) Navigate (go up) to MISC and paste (CTRL+V) (the file "0002_023.SND").
4) In the MISC folder, find and open the file "TIT_SND.BIN" with a hex editor (and leave it open).
5) Navigate to \SCENE\04\KRF1; find and open the file "MAPINFO.BIN" with a hex editor.
5.1) Find (CTRL+F) the text-string reference of SMAP (in the file "MAPINFO.BIN").
5.2) Place the cursor before the character S of the text-string SMAP.
5.3) Press the combination of keys CTRL+E (to select a block of bytes).
5.4) Select the radio-button of the "Length:" legend.
5.5) In the text-area, replace the highlighted text with 194.
5.6) Make sure the radio-button of the "hex" legend is selected (below).
5.7) Click on the "OK" button.
5.8) Copy (CTRL+C) the selected/highlighted block of bytes (in your clipboard).
6) In the hex editor, select the TIT_SND.BIN tab.
6.1) Select all (CTRL+A) the bytes.
6.2) Paste (CTRL+V) the content of your clipboard.
6.3) Select/highlight the text-string 0500A000 and copy (CTRL+C) it.
7) In the hex editor, select the 1ST_READ.BIN tab.
7.1) Find (CTRL+F) the text-string reference of "tit_snd.bin".
7.2) Look (with your eyes) for the text-string "0002S000.sbt" before the "tit_snd.bin" one, select/highlight the "0002S000" bit of it and replace it with "0500A000".
7.3) Look (with your eyes) for the text-string "0002S000.smp" after the "tit_snd.bin" one, select/highlight the "0002S000" bit of it and replace it with "0500A000".
Note (valid for both STEPS sections above) : the step 6.3 is potentially unusable, however, it was left just to emphasize where the text-string "0200A000"/"0500A000" comes from when it used later on (steps 7.2-7.3). Also, in this tutorial the hex editor named HxD was used.
How to play any other music track
STEPS:
1) Navigate to \SCENE\0X\SOUND (where X is a number); find and copy (CTRL+C) the .SND file (of the music track you want to play).
2) Navigate (go up) to MISC and paste (CTRL+V) (the .SND file).
3) In the MISC folder, find and open the file "TIT_SND.BIN" with a hex editor.
3.1) Select/highlight the text-string 0017_012.
3.2) Replace the selected/highlighted text-string with the prefix of the .SND file.
This is my first mod/hack for Shenmue 2!
- Sat Dec 12, 2015 8:36 pm
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Re: New Official Shenmue T-shirts from Insert Coin!
Always good to see official Shenmue merchandise for sale.
But...
its left a really sour taste in my mouth that Sega are willing to promote this on Twitter to make a buck, when they cant tweet some support for Yu, or a link to the Kickstarter or PayPal. Not even once.
Sorry Insert Coin, but for now i will be giving the money to Shenmue, and not Sega.
But...
its left a really sour taste in my mouth that Sega are willing to promote this on Twitter to make a buck, when they cant tweet some support for Yu, or a link to the Kickstarter or PayPal. Not even once.
Sorry Insert Coin, but for now i will be giving the money to Shenmue, and not Sega.
- Fri Jan 08, 2016 5:52 pm
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The 2015 5th Annual Dojo Awards Show (Hosted by Ethan Hawke)
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/15bnByqeQKY/maxresdefault.jpg
Welcome ladies and gentleman to the 2015 5th Annual Dojo Awards live from the Kodak theatre. This is 5th Awards since the sexy Riku Rose rebranded them back in 2010 and his first year back organizing them since 2011 after being heartbroken that not many people participated last year resulting in no ceremony for the first time since the rebrand.
*Riku Rose walks out on stage*
Riku Rose:
Welcome all. This has been a great year for us all with the announcement of Shenmue III after years of little or no information. I'll be the first to hold my hands up and say I never thought that day would come and was dreading the day I would log in here to see some of the peoples posts that I love to read still hadn't posted for another day. Nearly all forums that focus on one product wither away at some point so I'm glad to see that at E3 we got an adrenaline needle in the arm too keep this place going well into the future.
It's seen the return of many old faces, even if it was for one post to say they were so proud to be part of this community and then never post again. It looks like with the promised release of 2017 and the likely delay into 2018 that we will see our little community continue to grow. If it wasn't for this I doubt we would have been able to get Ethan Hawke to host tonight and we all know that no one wanted Brendan Fraser to host for the 4th time. So before the show get's started let's look back at previous awards ceremony's.
Please see below for the list of previous winners:
Game of the Year :
2010 : Deadly Premonition
2011 : Batman: Arkham City
2012 : Assassin's Creed III
2013 : The Last of Us
Buzz Killington Award:
2010:
1st - Ryudo and Dorian
2nd - Kiba and Jokatech19
3rd - Crimson Ryan
2011:
1st - Dorian
2nd - Ryudo
3rd - Kiba
2012:
1st - Ryudo
2nd - Dorian
3rd - KiBa
2013:
1st - AnimeGamer183
2nd - mue26
3rd - M1TT3NZ and Ryudo
Biggest Bully:
2010:
1st - Ryudo
2nd - Oppy
3rd - Dorian and OL
2011:
1st - Ryudo
2nd - Riku Rose and M1TT3NZ
3rd - Dorian
2012:
1st - Ryudo
2nd - Riku Rose
3rd - MiTT3NZ
2013:
1st - QWERTY
2nd - M1TT3NZ
3rd - beedle
Biggest Punchbag:
2010:
1st - Jokatech19
2nd - Jeff
3rd - Axm, Kiba, Oppy and DoubleORen
2011:
1st: Jokatech19
2nd: Riku Rose
3rd: Tuffy, Crimson Ryan, Shengoro86, Dorian and Spokane
2012:
1st - Ryudo
2nd - Dorian
3rd - Jokatech19
2013:
1st - Animegamer183
2nd - Ryudo
3rd - mue26
Funniest Member:
2010:
1st - Kiba
2nd - Gingefners
3rd - Ryudo and Oppy
2011:
1st - Spokane, OL, Animegamer183
2nd - Ryudo
3rd - Brothaman, Gingefners, M1TT3NZ and Kiba
2012:
1st - Kiba
2nd - Brothaman
3rd - Riku Rose
2013:
1st - QWERTY and Let's Get Sweaty
2nd - M1TT3NZ and South Carmain
3rd - Rakim
Coolest Member:
2012:
1st - OL and MiTT3NZ
2nd - Segata Sanshiro Jr.
3rd - Brothaman and Spokane
2013:
1st - Rakim
2nd - Kenny and OL
3rd - Peter
Worst Member:
2010:
1st - Jokatech19
2nd - DoubleORen
3rd - Dorian
2011:
1st - Ryudo and Dorian
2nd - Oppy, QWERTY, Martin and Gingefners
3rd - Luvly KM, Yukio and Beedles
2012:
No Award
2013:
1st - Animegamer183
2nd - Ryudo
3rd - QWERTY and mue26
Member of the Year:
2010:
1st - Kenny
2nd - Riku Rose, Henry Spencer and Wude,
3rd - Ryudo
2011:
1st- OL
2nd- Henry
3rd- Peter
2012:
1st - Peter
2nd - Spokane
3rd - Segata Sanshiro Jr.
2013:
1st - MiTT3NZ
2nd -Let's Get Sweaty
3rd - Henry Spencer
Now please put your hands together for our host this evening, Mr Ethan Hawke!
*Ethan Hawke walks out on stage*
http://thefilmstage.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Ethan_Hawke_66%C3%A8me_Festival_de_Venise_Mostra_3.jpg
http://reactiongifs.me/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/clapping-crowd-applause.gif
Ethan Hawke:
Umm... Welcome to these internet fan award things for the Shamu Dojo centre... Anyway our first award of the evening is for the game of the year. Here to present the award is Bono's Dad:
http://media.salon.com/2013/02/jack_nicholson_presenter.jpg
Jack Nicholson:
Video games are becoming very realistic... So lets get started:
GOTY
In 3rd Place - Tales of the Borderlands
In 2nd Place - Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
In 1st Place:
Bloodborne
Sadly Konami wouldn't let Hidetaka Miyazaki come to collect the award so in his place we have Kiefer Sutherland
http://www.24spoilers.com/wp-content/uploads/2004/02/Kiefer-Sutherland-2004-SAG-Award-1024x576.jpg
Ethan Hawke:
Here to present the Buzz Killington award is your uncles new girlfriend who's 15 years younger then him and your geography teacher:
http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1708578!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_970/86th-academy-awards-show.jpg
Bill Murray:
I was in a Ghostbusters video game so I get this stuff:
Buzz Killington:
In 3rd Place -Yokosuka and mue26
In 2nd Place - Peter
In 1st Place -
Himuro
Ethan Hawke:
Here to present the biggest bully award is your mum's friend who was hot when you was in school and your friend who slept with her:
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02840/kimnovak_2840395b.jpg
Matthew McConaughey:
All right, all right, all right:
Biggest Bully:
In 3rd Place - MiTT3NZ
In 2nd Place - South Carmain
In 1st Place -
Riku Rose
Ethan Hawke:
The next award is for the biggest punchbag, here to present the award is someone who would never date any of the nominees:
http://media3.popsugar-assets.com/files/2012/02/08/0/192/1922398/04da51f456a80c9e_140023769/i/Angelina-Jolie-presenting-Oscars.jpg
Angalina Jolie:
Speaking as someone who was very popular at school I can understand how hard it is to be bullied:
Biggest Punchbag:
In 3rd place - Jeff
In 2nd Place - mue26
In 1st Place:
Animegamer183
Ethan Hawke:
The next award is for the funniest member and here to present it is a man who has never laughed in his life:
http://images.dailylife.com.au/2015/02/23/6290698/neeson_main-620x349.jpg
Liam Neeson:
...
Funniest Member:
In 3rd Place - South Carmain
In 2nd Place - OL
In 1st Place:
Riku Rose
Ethan Hawke:
The next award is the coolest member award and here to present it is someone who clearly doesn't want to be here:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.2248688.1424670576!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_620/image.jpg
Sean Penn:
How the fuck can you have someone who's cool on an internet forum? This award means about as much as me winning winning the long jump in the Paralympics:
Coolest Member:
In 3rd Place - Yokosuka, Bambi and Ziming
In 2nd Place - OL
In 1st place:
St. Elmo's Fire
Ethan Hawke:
Next up we have the award for the worst member, here to present the award is Kiba:
http://36.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m00h1cnGMW1rnxcibo1_500.jpg
Kiba:
*Kiba goes on a long rant about something*
Worst Member:
In 3rd Place - Shengoro86 and mue26
In 2nd Place - AnimeGamer183
In 1st Place:
Brosause or as he is also know Amiga
Ethan Hawke:
Well tonight has been fun but we have one award left and it's the biggest one of the night. The person to present it is also our biggest guest of the evening, ladies and gentleman I give you Yu Suzuki:
http://gearnuke.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/shenmue-3.png
Yu Suzuki:
See I have more then just that sailor shirt!
Member of the year:
In 3rd Place - South Carmain
In 2nd Place - OL and Switch
The Member of the year is:
!!!Ziming!!!
Ethan Hawke:
Thanks for all coming out tonight. Feel free to all stay for the afterparty but to get us in the mood we have some music for you. Please welcome Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv4-m-cIZf4
See you all next year
Welcome ladies and gentleman to the 2015 5th Annual Dojo Awards live from the Kodak theatre. This is 5th Awards since the sexy Riku Rose rebranded them back in 2010 and his first year back organizing them since 2011 after being heartbroken that not many people participated last year resulting in no ceremony for the first time since the rebrand.
*Riku Rose walks out on stage*
Riku Rose:
Welcome all. This has been a great year for us all with the announcement of Shenmue III after years of little or no information. I'll be the first to hold my hands up and say I never thought that day would come and was dreading the day I would log in here to see some of the peoples posts that I love to read still hadn't posted for another day. Nearly all forums that focus on one product wither away at some point so I'm glad to see that at E3 we got an adrenaline needle in the arm too keep this place going well into the future.
It's seen the return of many old faces, even if it was for one post to say they were so proud to be part of this community and then never post again. It looks like with the promised release of 2017 and the likely delay into 2018 that we will see our little community continue to grow. If it wasn't for this I doubt we would have been able to get Ethan Hawke to host tonight and we all know that no one wanted Brendan Fraser to host for the 4th time. So before the show get's started let's look back at previous awards ceremony's.
Please see below for the list of previous winners:
Game of the Year :
2010 : Deadly Premonition
2011 : Batman: Arkham City
2012 : Assassin's Creed III
2013 : The Last of Us
Buzz Killington Award:
2010:
1st - Ryudo and Dorian
2nd - Kiba and Jokatech19
3rd - Crimson Ryan
2011:
1st - Dorian
2nd - Ryudo
3rd - Kiba
2012:
1st - Ryudo
2nd - Dorian
3rd - KiBa
2013:
1st - AnimeGamer183
2nd - mue26
3rd - M1TT3NZ and Ryudo
Biggest Bully:
2010:
1st - Ryudo
2nd - Oppy
3rd - Dorian and OL
2011:
1st - Ryudo
2nd - Riku Rose and M1TT3NZ
3rd - Dorian
2012:
1st - Ryudo
2nd - Riku Rose
3rd - MiTT3NZ
2013:
1st - QWERTY
2nd - M1TT3NZ
3rd - beedle
Biggest Punchbag:
2010:
1st - Jokatech19
2nd - Jeff
3rd - Axm, Kiba, Oppy and DoubleORen
2011:
1st: Jokatech19
2nd: Riku Rose
3rd: Tuffy, Crimson Ryan, Shengoro86, Dorian and Spokane
2012:
1st - Ryudo
2nd - Dorian
3rd - Jokatech19
2013:
1st - Animegamer183
2nd - Ryudo
3rd - mue26
Funniest Member:
2010:
1st - Kiba
2nd - Gingefners
3rd - Ryudo and Oppy
2011:
1st - Spokane, OL, Animegamer183
2nd - Ryudo
3rd - Brothaman, Gingefners, M1TT3NZ and Kiba
2012:
1st - Kiba
2nd - Brothaman
3rd - Riku Rose
2013:
1st - QWERTY and Let's Get Sweaty
2nd - M1TT3NZ and South Carmain
3rd - Rakim
Coolest Member:
2012:
1st - OL and MiTT3NZ
2nd - Segata Sanshiro Jr.
3rd - Brothaman and Spokane
2013:
1st - Rakim
2nd - Kenny and OL
3rd - Peter
Worst Member:
2010:
1st - Jokatech19
2nd - DoubleORen
3rd - Dorian
2011:
1st - Ryudo and Dorian
2nd - Oppy, QWERTY, Martin and Gingefners
3rd - Luvly KM, Yukio and Beedles
2012:
No Award
2013:
1st - Animegamer183
2nd - Ryudo
3rd - QWERTY and mue26
Member of the Year:
2010:
1st - Kenny
2nd - Riku Rose, Henry Spencer and Wude,
3rd - Ryudo
2011:
1st- OL
2nd- Henry
3rd- Peter
2012:
1st - Peter
2nd - Spokane
3rd - Segata Sanshiro Jr.
2013:
1st - MiTT3NZ
2nd -Let's Get Sweaty
3rd - Henry Spencer
Now please put your hands together for our host this evening, Mr Ethan Hawke!
*Ethan Hawke walks out on stage*
http://thefilmstage.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Ethan_Hawke_66%C3%A8me_Festival_de_Venise_Mostra_3.jpg
http://reactiongifs.me/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/clapping-crowd-applause.gif
Ethan Hawke:
Umm... Welcome to these internet fan award things for the Shamu Dojo centre... Anyway our first award of the evening is for the game of the year. Here to present the award is Bono's Dad:
http://media.salon.com/2013/02/jack_nicholson_presenter.jpg
Jack Nicholson:
Video games are becoming very realistic... So lets get started:
GOTY
In 3rd Place - Tales of the Borderlands
In 2nd Place - Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
In 1st Place:
Bloodborne
Sadly Konami wouldn't let Hidetaka Miyazaki come to collect the award so in his place we have Kiefer Sutherland
http://www.24spoilers.com/wp-content/uploads/2004/02/Kiefer-Sutherland-2004-SAG-Award-1024x576.jpg
Ethan Hawke:
Here to present the Buzz Killington award is your uncles new girlfriend who's 15 years younger then him and your geography teacher:
http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1708578!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_970/86th-academy-awards-show.jpg
Bill Murray:
I was in a Ghostbusters video game so I get this stuff:
Buzz Killington:
In 3rd Place -Yokosuka and mue26
In 2nd Place - Peter
In 1st Place -
Himuro
Ethan Hawke:
Here to present the biggest bully award is your mum's friend who was hot when you was in school and your friend who slept with her:
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02840/kimnovak_2840395b.jpg
Matthew McConaughey:
All right, all right, all right:
Biggest Bully:
In 3rd Place - MiTT3NZ
In 2nd Place - South Carmain
In 1st Place -
Riku Rose
Ethan Hawke:
The next award is for the biggest punchbag, here to present the award is someone who would never date any of the nominees:
http://media3.popsugar-assets.com/files/2012/02/08/0/192/1922398/04da51f456a80c9e_140023769/i/Angelina-Jolie-presenting-Oscars.jpg
Angalina Jolie:
Speaking as someone who was very popular at school I can understand how hard it is to be bullied:
Biggest Punchbag:
In 3rd place - Jeff
In 2nd Place - mue26
In 1st Place:
Animegamer183
Ethan Hawke:
The next award is for the funniest member and here to present it is a man who has never laughed in his life:
http://images.dailylife.com.au/2015/02/23/6290698/neeson_main-620x349.jpg
Liam Neeson:
...
Funniest Member:
In 3rd Place - South Carmain
In 2nd Place - OL
In 1st Place:
Riku Rose
Ethan Hawke:
The next award is the coolest member award and here to present it is someone who clearly doesn't want to be here:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.2248688.1424670576!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_620/image.jpg
Sean Penn:
How the fuck can you have someone who's cool on an internet forum? This award means about as much as me winning winning the long jump in the Paralympics:
Coolest Member:
In 3rd Place - Yokosuka, Bambi and Ziming
In 2nd Place - OL
In 1st place:
St. Elmo's Fire
Ethan Hawke:
Next up we have the award for the worst member, here to present the award is Kiba:
http://36.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m00h1cnGMW1rnxcibo1_500.jpg
Kiba:
*Kiba goes on a long rant about something*
Worst Member:
In 3rd Place - Shengoro86 and mue26
In 2nd Place - AnimeGamer183
In 1st Place:
Brosause or as he is also know Amiga
Ethan Hawke:
Well tonight has been fun but we have one award left and it's the biggest one of the night. The person to present it is also our biggest guest of the evening, ladies and gentleman I give you Yu Suzuki:
http://gearnuke.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/shenmue-3.png
Yu Suzuki:
See I have more then just that sailor shirt!
Member of the year:
In 3rd Place - South Carmain
In 2nd Place - OL and Switch
The Member of the year is:
!!!Ziming!!!
Ethan Hawke:
Thanks for all coming out tonight. Feel free to all stay for the afterparty but to get us in the mood we have some music for you. Please welcome Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv4-m-cIZf4
See you all next year
- Fri Jan 01, 2016 10:47 am
- Jump to forum
- Jump to topic
Shenmue I & II 16:9 & Black Bars Auto Fixer - Updated
Hello everyone,
Thanks to the great work of dojo members Esppiral , Sappharad and others, we are now able to play Shenmue and Shenmue II in a proper widescreen format and with almost no clipping. Moreover, we are also able to remove the annoying black bars from Shenmue II's cutscenes.
So I made two utilities that can save you time when applying the widescreen/no clipping fixes and also to remove the black bars from "all" the cutscenes in Shenmue II automatically.
The first utility supports the EU version of Shenmue I and Shenmue II
http://i.imgur.com/lHtzAmc.png
The second utility supports What's Shenmue, and the JP version of Shenmue I and Shenmue II
http://i.imgur.com/fFBLtjI.png
Sample Screenshots:
http://i.imgur.com/J7QNvqp.png
http://i.imgur.com/Dpt3Fd7.png
http://i.imgur.com/LwbaNI4.png
http://i.imgur.com/TK5WtZR.png
http://i.imgur.com/YVyNAv3.png
http://i.imgur.com/PjVj939.png
http://i.imgur.com/PqpFExv.png
http://i.imgur.com/WwFJUfX.png
http://i.imgur.com/K50ZNRe.png
So I made a utility that can save you time when applying the widescreen/no clipping fixes to Shenmue I (game and passport discs) and Shenmue II, and the utility will also remove the black bars from "all" the cutscenes automatically.
The two utilities will work with any version of Demul, and they may also requires the latest version of Cheat Engine to be installed, so it's already included with the utility.
Here's a nice video tutorial on how to use the tool by BlueMue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ1Jfq61s6k
And another video tutorial by Ziming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKw029vkWqY
Download the utility for EU Shenmue I&II from this link
Download the utility for What's Shenmue and JAP Shenmue I&II from this link
Check the latest Demul build from this link
Please share your comments, suggestions and feedback...
Enjoy.
Thanks to the great work of dojo members Esppiral , Sappharad and others, we are now able to play Shenmue and Shenmue II in a proper widescreen format and with almost no clipping. Moreover, we are also able to remove the annoying black bars from Shenmue II's cutscenes.
So I made two utilities that can save you time when applying the widescreen/no clipping fixes and also to remove the black bars from "all" the cutscenes in Shenmue II automatically.
The first utility supports the EU version of Shenmue I and Shenmue II
http://i.imgur.com/lHtzAmc.png
The second utility supports What's Shenmue, and the JP version of Shenmue I and Shenmue II
http://i.imgur.com/fFBLtjI.png
Sample Screenshots:
http://i.imgur.com/J7QNvqp.png
http://i.imgur.com/Dpt3Fd7.png
http://i.imgur.com/LwbaNI4.png
http://i.imgur.com/TK5WtZR.png
http://i.imgur.com/YVyNAv3.png
http://i.imgur.com/PjVj939.png
http://i.imgur.com/PqpFExv.png
http://i.imgur.com/WwFJUfX.png
http://i.imgur.com/K50ZNRe.png
So I made a utility that can save you time when applying the widescreen/no clipping fixes to Shenmue I (game and passport discs) and Shenmue II, and the utility will also remove the black bars from "all" the cutscenes automatically.
The two utilities will work with any version of Demul, and they may also requires the latest version of Cheat Engine to be installed, so it's already included with the utility.
Here's a nice video tutorial on how to use the tool by BlueMue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ1Jfq61s6k
And another video tutorial by Ziming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKw029vkWqY
Download the utility for EU Shenmue I&II from this link
Download the utility for What's Shenmue and JAP Shenmue I&II from this link
Check the latest Demul build from this link
Please share your comments, suggestions and feedback...
Enjoy.
- Fri Jan 15, 2016 7:20 am
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- Jump to topic
Re: Monaco Magic 2016
Please forgive me if any of my tweets contains mispelling as English is not my main language ;)
- Sat Feb 20, 2016 12:00 pm
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- Jump to topic
Re: Monaco Magic 2016 - Official Discussion Topic
Rough translation (Some other quotes in some minutes.)
"We have already a lot of composed music but we didn't know yet exactly where to put them in the game. We will also reuse musics from the first episodes. However, there is no contact with Yuzo Koshiro at the moment"
"no Xbox one version planned"
"Shenmue tree is not "magic", more "mystical" . It's more the things I believe naturally. It's not fantasy, more supernatural"
How about the reused inventory in Shenmue 3 ?
"It's a good idea. As a saga, add these objects represents a continuity."
Why a fishing system ?
"During the development, we ask ourselves what job Ryo could do this time, and someone suggested fishing. The overall team was pleased with that. We're really excited about that. The way to throw your fishing rod, how the wire would react on the water, a lot of details like that have been worked on."
"We have already a lot of composed music but we didn't know yet exactly where to put them in the game. We will also reuse musics from the first episodes. However, there is no contact with Yuzo Koshiro at the moment"
"no Xbox one version planned"
"Shenmue tree is not "magic", more "mystical" . It's more the things I believe naturally. It's not fantasy, more supernatural"
How about the reused inventory in Shenmue 3 ?
"It's a good idea. As a saga, add these objects represents a continuity."
Why a fishing system ?
"During the development, we ask ourselves what job Ryo could do this time, and someone suggested fishing. The overall team was pleased with that. We're really excited about that. The way to throw your fishing rod, how the wire would react on the water, a lot of details like that have been worked on."
- Sat Feb 27, 2016 6:28 am
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- Jump to topic
Re: Monaco Magic 2016 - Official Discussion Topic
Wow, what a day. I don't know where to begin, fatigue has crept in badily and there is still a lot to do! You guys seem to have all the info thanks to Shenman (awesome guy!) And the shenmuemaster.fr guys. My phone had zero coverage in the confrence hall. I will be uploading more pictures to the instagram
- Sat Feb 27, 2016 9:07 am
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- Jump to topic
Re: Monaco Magic 2016 - Official Discussion Topic
Well I hope you liked the coverage of the Magic Monaco so far ;)
- Sat Feb 27, 2016 12:06 pm
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Re: Monaco Magic 2016 - Official Discussion Topic
Dear all,
My name is Rob Scharr, and I am one of the Kickstarter sponsors joining with Yu Suzuki and Shibuya productions this weekend here in Monaco. It was also a great pleasure to meet Peter and a few others from Shenmue Dojo last night. I hope to fully become a part of this community going forward and hope to speak with as many of the other Shenmue supporters as possible.
I studied Japanese for six years and Chinese for three years, but I am a political scientist by trade, and I will have earned my PhD in that field after a few more months. As wild and wacky as the political situation in my home country- the United States- has become, I will have plenty of reasons to do my best in this field going forward. But a prominent US political figure said something a few years ago that stuck with me. He said, "People don't succeed because they are smart, or wealthy. They succeed because they have passion for what they do. Passion is what really makes all the difference." And as soon as he said this, the first thing that came to my mind was Yu-Suzuki and Shenmue, and I hoped that someday, I could translate my latent passion for Shenmue into results.
I should come clean about one thing. With only a handful of sporadic exceptions, I have not gotten deeply involved in gaming for the past 15 years, and therefore I probably know much less about the ins and outs of the Shenmue universe- and gaming in general- than just about anyone in this community. In fact Shenmue I was one of the very last games that I delved into on any meaningful level, and for reasons I will go into another time, the game changed my life. A couple years after that, my college gaming friends all went their separate ways and I for the most part lost the community with whom I had shared then Shenmue experience in 1999/2000. I was also deeply demoralized by the way Sony and the gaming press dispatched the Dreamcast simply by lying about how much more powerful the PS2 was supposed to be; all Sony had to do was say "55 million polygons per second," and all of the third-party developers flocked to the PS2 like stupid sheep. I was furious at Sony for years, and since Sony had basically remade the entire gaming industry in their own image and I frankly wanted no part of it. Given how much Sony is doing to support Shenmue now, I don't quite hold a grudge against them like I used to, but that's another story. Bottom line, I basically removed myself from the gaming world after the Dreamcast's early demise.
On top of that, Aspect, Sega of Japan's publishing arm, released a book under Yu Suzuki's name that was heavily autobiographical in 2001, entitled "Game Works: Volume I.". Yu Suzuki himself didn't sit down and write the book himself; rather, he was interviewed by a man named Akira Nagae, who in turn compiled a series of interviews with Yu Suzuki with some brief commentary in between. There was never a "Volume II" and I had no idea what plans they had- they might have gone back to Suzuki for more material, or they might have gone to Yuji Naka or someone else at Sega. The book, as it was put together, had a few quirks, the cover was bland as could be, and I might have chosen a different title had it been up to me. From what I can tell, the book sold extremely poorly in Japan, even though it was packed with good information. If Shenmue taught us anything, it is that we cannot necessarily rely on the collective senses of the Japanese gaming masses to know a good thing when they see it, and if the book had have been released in North America and Europe with a few adjustments, I believe it could have easily sold tens of thousands of copies.
With this in mind, shortly after finishing my undergrad in 2002, I translated the entire book into English. Despite Aspect's and my best efforts to find a U.S. publisher, it never happened. At that time, the only gaming-centric publishers (such as Prima) focused only on strategy guides, and mainstream publishers, none of whom knew the first thing about games, all refused to touch it. Efforts took place on-and-off over the years to revive the project, but nothing ever came of it, and after that disappointment, aside from a brief stint teaching Japanese at DigiPen Institute of Technology (which is Nintendo of America's school), my involvement in the gaming industry went back to zero and pretty much stayed there until last year when Shenmue III was announced.
With that announcement, the passion very suddenly began rushing through my veins again, and I made the decision to stretch myself to my financial limits and make the $10,000 contribution on Kickstarter so I would have the chance to thank Yu Suzuki in person. And so here I am in Monaco ready to spend the day with Suzuki-san and my fellow contributors Chao and Amir, both of whom are outstanding people from the UK. Today, I plan to discuss with them what plans they have for voice acting, and I will ask Yu Suzuki- who himself knows much about history, how the end of the Cultural Revolution in China and how the beginning of the economic reform era will manifest itself within Shenmue III's environment. And when the Japanese script for Shenmue III is finalized, we will need people with have not just good language ability, but with a deep and visceral connection to Shenmue in order to do justice to the game's message. Whether I will be one of those people that makes this happen is entirely up to Suzuki-san and his team, but at any rate, I don't feel that we will be well-served if this game's translation is left entirely to contractors with no real connection to Shenmue, as is the case with most games these days.
We all have our own professions, and going forward, I will be the most competent political scientist I can be. But also, going forward, I will go above and beyond whatever is asked of me by Suzuki-san and his team for this game and others that follow; at the end of the day, this isn't about me, but about realizing Yu Suzuki's vision, but I think I speak for all of us when I say that we will do whatever it takes to make this game the kind of success it can be. Even post-release, our work won't be done. It will especially be up to sites like Shenmue Dojo- and in particular, people like Peter, to make sure the press treats Yu-san fairly and also to make sure we pull out all the stops in spreading awareness of (and providing word-of-mouth publicity for) this magnificent endeavor.
Therefore, I hope to become part of this community, even after my long hiatus from the scene.
Thank you.
Rob Scharr
I wish I could post more, but my brain has literally flatland. It did a while ago during the day to be honest. I am going to try and get some sleep, fly home tomorrow, and then sit and try to type out anything I can remember from the past few days. It was so crazy, I haven't been able to do what all of you guys have been doing all day, and actually digesting the new information and images, as well as going nuts about them.
One thing I can remember and can be open about, is that when the "surprise" part of the confrence happened, and Cedric brought Suzuki-san back on stage, and the video of the Shenmue tree as well as the interior of Shenhuas home.... It legitimately almost brought me to tears. It's the best video I have seen yet, and I was unbelievably blown away by how faithfully it had been recreated, down to the last pot and pan. That blew my mind beyond words, and it's the video that has filled me with the most confidence about this game yet.
My name is Rob Scharr, and I am one of the Kickstarter sponsors joining with Yu Suzuki and Shibuya productions this weekend here in Monaco. It was also a great pleasure to meet Peter and a few others from Shenmue Dojo last night. I hope to fully become a part of this community going forward and hope to speak with as many of the other Shenmue supporters as possible.
I studied Japanese for six years and Chinese for three years, but I am a political scientist by trade, and I will have earned my PhD in that field after a few more months. As wild and wacky as the political situation in my home country- the United States- has become, I will have plenty of reasons to do my best in this field going forward. But a prominent US political figure said something a few years ago that stuck with me. He said, "People don't succeed because they are smart, or wealthy. They succeed because they have passion for what they do. Passion is what really makes all the difference." And as soon as he said this, the first thing that came to my mind was Yu-Suzuki and Shenmue, and I hoped that someday, I could translate my latent passion for Shenmue into results.
I should come clean about one thing. With only a handful of sporadic exceptions, I have not gotten deeply involved in gaming for the past 15 years, and therefore I probably know much less about the ins and outs of the Shenmue universe- and gaming in general- than just about anyone in this community. In fact Shenmue I was one of the very last games that I delved into on any meaningful level, and for reasons I will go into another time, the game changed my life. A couple years after that, my college gaming friends all went their separate ways and I for the most part lost the community with whom I had shared then Shenmue experience in 1999/2000. I was also deeply demoralized by the way Sony and the gaming press dispatched the Dreamcast simply by lying about how much more powerful the PS2 was supposed to be; all Sony had to do was say "55 million polygons per second," and all of the third-party developers flocked to the PS2 like stupid sheep. I was furious at Sony for years, and since Sony had basically remade the entire gaming industry in their own image and I frankly wanted no part of it. Given how much Sony is doing to support Shenmue now, I don't quite hold a grudge against them like I used to, but that's another story. Bottom line, I basically removed myself from the gaming world after the Dreamcast's early demise.
On top of that, Aspect, Sega of Japan's publishing arm, released a book under Yu Suzuki's name that was heavily autobiographical in 2001, entitled "Game Works: Volume I.". Yu Suzuki himself didn't sit down and write the book himself; rather, he was interviewed by a man named Akira Nagae, who in turn compiled a series of interviews with Yu Suzuki with some brief commentary in between. There was never a "Volume II" and I had no idea what plans they had- they might have gone back to Suzuki for more material, or they might have gone to Yuji Naka or someone else at Sega. The book, as it was put together, had a few quirks, the cover was bland as could be, and I might have chosen a different title had it been up to me. From what I can tell, the book sold extremely poorly in Japan, even though it was packed with good information. If Shenmue taught us anything, it is that we cannot necessarily rely on the collective senses of the Japanese gaming masses to know a good thing when they see it, and if the book had have been released in North America and Europe with a few adjustments, I believe it could have easily sold tens of thousands of copies.
With this in mind, shortly after finishing my undergrad in 2002, I translated the entire book into English. Despite Aspect's and my best efforts to find a U.S. publisher, it never happened. At that time, the only gaming-centric publishers (such as Prima) focused only on strategy guides, and mainstream publishers, none of whom knew the first thing about games, all refused to touch it. Efforts took place on-and-off over the years to revive the project, but nothing ever came of it, and after that disappointment, aside from a brief stint teaching Japanese at DigiPen Institute of Technology (which is Nintendo of America's school), my involvement in the gaming industry went back to zero and pretty much stayed there until last year when Shenmue III was announced.
With that announcement, the passion very suddenly began rushing through my veins again, and I made the decision to stretch myself to my financial limits and make the $10,000 contribution on Kickstarter so I would have the chance to thank Yu Suzuki in person. And so here I am in Monaco ready to spend the day with Suzuki-san and my fellow contributors Chao and Amir, both of whom are outstanding people from the UK. Today, I plan to discuss with them what plans they have for voice acting, and I will ask Yu Suzuki- who himself knows much about history, how the end of the Cultural Revolution in China and how the beginning of the economic reform era will manifest itself within Shenmue III's environment. And when the Japanese script for Shenmue III is finalized, we will need people with have not just good language ability, but with a deep and visceral connection to Shenmue in order to do justice to the game's message. Whether I will be one of those people that makes this happen is entirely up to Suzuki-san and his team, but at any rate, I don't feel that we will be well-served if this game's translation is left entirely to contractors with no real connection to Shenmue, as is the case with most games these days.
We all have our own professions, and going forward, I will be the most competent political scientist I can be. But also, going forward, I will go above and beyond whatever is asked of me by Suzuki-san and his team for this game and others that follow; at the end of the day, this isn't about me, but about realizing Yu Suzuki's vision, but I think I speak for all of us when I say that we will do whatever it takes to make this game the kind of success it can be. Even post-release, our work won't be done. It will especially be up to sites like Shenmue Dojo- and in particular, people like Peter, to make sure the press treats Yu-san fairly and also to make sure we pull out all the stops in spreading awareness of (and providing word-of-mouth publicity for) this magnificent endeavor.
Therefore, I hope to become part of this community, even after my long hiatus from the scene.
Thank you.
Rob Scharr
I wish I could post more, but my brain has literally flatland. It did a while ago during the day to be honest. I am going to try and get some sleep, fly home tomorrow, and then sit and try to type out anything I can remember from the past few days. It was so crazy, I haven't been able to do what all of you guys have been doing all day, and actually digesting the new information and images, as well as going nuts about them.
One thing I can remember and can be open about, is that when the "surprise" part of the confrence happened, and Cedric brought Suzuki-san back on stage, and the video of the Shenmue tree as well as the interior of Shenhuas home.... It legitimately almost brought me to tears. It's the best video I have seen yet, and I was unbelievably blown away by how faithfully it had been recreated, down to the last pot and pan. That blew my mind beyond words, and it's the video that has filled me with the most confidence about this game yet.
- Sun Feb 28, 2016 4:24 am
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Re: Monaco Magic 2016 - Official Discussion Topic
I got a lot of support on my way to Monaco through reactions on this Twitter Image:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcHfFfGW0AAST6P.jpg:large
It's not easy to have a trip from the Netherlands to Monaco by plane with a young family at 3:30AM on Friday 26th.
My most valuable moment of MAGIC was during the signing session; My eldest daughter was showing the Ryo Statue to Yu Suzuki (before she had a bad feeling about drawing with a permanent marker on her statue :P )
Yu pushed his Golden iPhone 6Plus to our side of the table and asked to make picture with him and the kids.
The interpreter took some pictures; 1,5hours later we discovered this tweet from Yu himself:
https://twitter.com/yu_suzuki_jp/status/703595764409245697
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcOsmedVIAAe9ii.jpg:large
Thankful for the support I got from my beloved wife :heart:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcHfFfGW0AAST6P.jpg:large
It's not easy to have a trip from the Netherlands to Monaco by plane with a young family at 3:30AM on Friday 26th.
My most valuable moment of MAGIC was during the signing session; My eldest daughter was showing the Ryo Statue to Yu Suzuki (before she had a bad feeling about drawing with a permanent marker on her statue :P )
Yu pushed his Golden iPhone 6Plus to our side of the table and asked to make picture with him and the kids.
The interpreter took some pictures; 1,5hours later we discovered this tweet from Yu himself:
https://twitter.com/yu_suzuki_jp/status/703595764409245697
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcOsmedVIAAe9ii.jpg:large
Thankful for the support I got from my beloved wife :heart:
- Mon Feb 29, 2016 2:27 pm
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Re: Monaco Magic 2016 - Official Discussion Topic
Yu Suzuki interview at MAGIC Monaco 2016 by Gameblog.fr
http://www.gameblog.fr/interview_948_shenmue-3-notre-grande-interview-de-yu-suzuki-et-cedric-bisc/page2
https://i.imgur.com/d4SH8nG.jpg
Julien : Hello Mr. Suzuki. I'm glad to meet you again today, even more in these fortunate circumstances where Shenmue III finally happens!
Yu Suzuki : Thank you very much!
What progress has been made in the development after 7 work months?
YS : Nothing has obviously been done properly. At the story writing level, I can tell you that the story is done at 95%.
You've been clear about the fact that Shenmue III will not conclude the complete story of the saga. But what will be the percentage of what remains to be told in Shenmue III ?
YS : The Shenmue story in its entirety will be normally divided, from the beginning to the end, into 11 chapters. Shenmue III will cover chapter 5 and 6.
https://i.imgur.com/ulJhKZj.jpg
Even a Shenmue 4 might not be enough to conclude the saga. Ideally, do you think a fifth or even a sixth episode would be necessary at this rate ?
YS : No, I wouldn't go that far ! Rather than going until Shenmue 6, I would like to rearrange things in order to reach the end sooner, even if it means to take some shortcuts... No I don't want to go until a sixth episode.
Five is the ideal ?
YS : I can't tell you more. Anyway I would like to especially focus on the third at the moment !
In the Kickstarter, a "trial version" has been mentioned. It's a playable demo which will be offered to the backers before the Shenmue III release. Have you an idea about when you will be able to bring it to us?
YS : This year, I fear that will be pretty complicated. It will be next year.
Can you tell us when Shenmue III will begin exactly?
YS : It will be just after the Shenmue II end.
Do you mean it will begin exactly there? In the cave?
YS : All I can tell you is that I don't want to skip a chapter. For instance, it might be the day after the Shenmue II end.
You talked about a lot of stuff during the conference like the combat system but not the QTEs. How will they evolve in Shenmue III?
YS : Yes that's true, I would like to add a new system to the QTEs. I will test different things to see what happens, then I keep the best. It's difficult to tell you more before the tests end.
https://i.imgur.com/xLaRNFp.jpg
But could these new systems change our habits?
YS : No, not that far. It would rather be an "advanced" QTE system. What would be revolutionary is to create QTEs in a world where they don't exist yet. Here, they do. The idea is more about adding things to what it exists. Ideally, I would like to create revolutionary things beyond the QTEs level. But with a release planned for 2017, the time is limited. I wonder if introducing them would be possible.
Can we get some precisions about these possible new features? Are they linked with the free battle for instance?
YS : Yes it might involve the combat systems. But above all, there is a new interface system and I'm thinking a lot about it. But I'm not sure yet if I can implement it in time. So I'm unable to tell you more.
It's so mysterious and exciting ! Let's go on to another topic. Can you give us precisions about the Shenmue I & II flashbacks which will occur in Shenmue 3?
YS : For instance, these flashbacks will occur at moments when Ryo touches objects that make him thinking about some things and memories. The kind of this.
So, will these flashbacks be videos captured from the previous episodes or fresh cutscenes powered by the new engine in order to keep a visual unity?
YS : I'm not sure yet but according the time it would require to make these cutscenes with the new engine, I fear that would take too much time. Once again, the remaining development time might be problematic.
I have a pretty specific question about something I loved in Shenmue 1 and disappeared in Shenmue 2. It's about the possibility to practice alone, for instance on the parking, then see the level of each move goes up... Will we be able to do so in Shenmue III ?
YS : Hmmm...
It was awesome! You have to make this happening in Shenmue III !
YS : I'll remember this!
https://i.imgur.com/siXktSI.jpg
I also would like to know if we will find back the same pace than the two first episodes. The same progression based on investigation where you had to ask questions to that person, who told us to meet another one, etc.
YS : Yes we'll continue in that direction. However the general feel is going to change as some systems will evolve.
Will you continue the idea of giving absolutely an identity to each NPC with their own house, workplace and individual schedule ?
YS : We will see if we can make it for all of them. In any case, that's what I want, yes.
My interview deadline has already expired. Here a little bonus question: at the Shenmue I end, Guizhang told to Ryo to leave Japan without him and said he will join him later... Does it mean we'll find back this character in Shenmue III?
YS : It's not planned at the moment.
Thank you Mr. Suzuki and good luck for the future!
YS : Thank you!
http://www.gameblog.fr/interview_948_shenmue-3-notre-grande-interview-de-yu-suzuki-et-cedric-bisc/page2
https://i.imgur.com/d4SH8nG.jpg
Julien : Hello Mr. Suzuki. I'm glad to meet you again today, even more in these fortunate circumstances where Shenmue III finally happens!
Yu Suzuki : Thank you very much!
What progress has been made in the development after 7 work months?
YS : Nothing has obviously been done properly. At the story writing level, I can tell you that the story is done at 95%.
You've been clear about the fact that Shenmue III will not conclude the complete story of the saga. But what will be the percentage of what remains to be told in Shenmue III ?
YS : The Shenmue story in its entirety will be normally divided, from the beginning to the end, into 11 chapters. Shenmue III will cover chapter 5 and 6.
https://i.imgur.com/ulJhKZj.jpg
Even a Shenmue 4 might not be enough to conclude the saga. Ideally, do you think a fifth or even a sixth episode would be necessary at this rate ?
YS : No, I wouldn't go that far ! Rather than going until Shenmue 6, I would like to rearrange things in order to reach the end sooner, even if it means to take some shortcuts... No I don't want to go until a sixth episode.
Five is the ideal ?
YS : I can't tell you more. Anyway I would like to especially focus on the third at the moment !
In the Kickstarter, a "trial version" has been mentioned. It's a playable demo which will be offered to the backers before the Shenmue III release. Have you an idea about when you will be able to bring it to us?
YS : This year, I fear that will be pretty complicated. It will be next year.
Can you tell us when Shenmue III will begin exactly?
YS : It will be just after the Shenmue II end.
Do you mean it will begin exactly there? In the cave?
YS : All I can tell you is that I don't want to skip a chapter. For instance, it might be the day after the Shenmue II end.
You talked about a lot of stuff during the conference like the combat system but not the QTEs. How will they evolve in Shenmue III?
YS : Yes that's true, I would like to add a new system to the QTEs. I will test different things to see what happens, then I keep the best. It's difficult to tell you more before the tests end.
https://i.imgur.com/xLaRNFp.jpg
But could these new systems change our habits?
YS : No, not that far. It would rather be an "advanced" QTE system. What would be revolutionary is to create QTEs in a world where they don't exist yet. Here, they do. The idea is more about adding things to what it exists. Ideally, I would like to create revolutionary things beyond the QTEs level. But with a release planned for 2017, the time is limited. I wonder if introducing them would be possible.
Can we get some precisions about these possible new features? Are they linked with the free battle for instance?
YS : Yes it might involve the combat systems. But above all, there is a new interface system and I'm thinking a lot about it. But I'm not sure yet if I can implement it in time. So I'm unable to tell you more.
It's so mysterious and exciting ! Let's go on to another topic. Can you give us precisions about the Shenmue I & II flashbacks which will occur in Shenmue 3?
YS : For instance, these flashbacks will occur at moments when Ryo touches objects that make him thinking about some things and memories. The kind of this.
So, will these flashbacks be videos captured from the previous episodes or fresh cutscenes powered by the new engine in order to keep a visual unity?
YS : I'm not sure yet but according the time it would require to make these cutscenes with the new engine, I fear that would take too much time. Once again, the remaining development time might be problematic.
I have a pretty specific question about something I loved in Shenmue 1 and disappeared in Shenmue 2. It's about the possibility to practice alone, for instance on the parking, then see the level of each move goes up... Will we be able to do so in Shenmue III ?
YS : Hmmm...
It was awesome! You have to make this happening in Shenmue III !
YS : I'll remember this!
https://i.imgur.com/siXktSI.jpg
I also would like to know if we will find back the same pace than the two first episodes. The same progression based on investigation where you had to ask questions to that person, who told us to meet another one, etc.
YS : Yes we'll continue in that direction. However the general feel is going to change as some systems will evolve.
Will you continue the idea of giving absolutely an identity to each NPC with their own house, workplace and individual schedule ?
YS : We will see if we can make it for all of them. In any case, that's what I want, yes.
My interview deadline has already expired. Here a little bonus question: at the Shenmue I end, Guizhang told to Ryo to leave Japan without him and said he will join him later... Does it mean we'll find back this character in Shenmue III?
YS : It's not planned at the moment.
Thank you Mr. Suzuki and good luck for the future!
YS : Thank you!
- Mon Feb 29, 2016 5:42 pm
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Monaco Magic 2016 - Official Discussion Topic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-_kR2fnYKc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpnc23uyH4w
https://youtu.be/HjeCsdcSIUs
Interviews
Gameblog.fr interview with Yu Suzuki at Magic Monaco
http://www.shenmuedojo.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=49125&start=405#p1130362
https://i.imgur.com/siXktSI.jpg
Gameblog.fr interview with Cedric Biscay at Magic Monaco
http://www.shenmuedojo.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=49125&start=435#p1130433
https://i.imgur.com/rkB6NXo.jpg
Yu -
- The story is 95% done, but none of the actual in-game content is finished as of now.
- He wishes to implement an advanced QTE system that incorporates elements of the FREE battle system, but doesn't know if he'll have enough development time to do so.
- Shenmue III takes place almost immediately after II. No time-skip as some people feared.
- Shenmue III will retain the detective style gameplay, but certain systems will evolve over time and change things up.
Cedric -
- If Shenmue III is a modest hit it'll likely ensure the future of the series, but it cannot be said for sure.
- Cedric's initial crazy idea for Shenmue III would be to make it for the Dreamcast, but it wouldn't be cost effective at all unless they sold each copy for a whole lot of money.
- Shenmue assets owned by SEGA require negotiation before they are used. (My theory: This likely includes the old logo, and the reason the Papyrus logo exists is to have a logo that can be used quickly without having to negotiate with SEGA)
- Kickstarter rewards all have prototypes, but the images won't be shared with backers for now.
- So far they don't have any plans to show off Shenmue III at E3 2016.
- 600 people were present at the conference in the 800-place Salle Prince Pierre.
- Cédric does not know about the alternative logo situation.
- The publishment of the teasers on Youtube is not certain.
- Yu said he's completely busy with Shenmue III and does not have the time to think about making other games.
- Yu views Shenmue Online as a "Gaiden", something apart.
- Yu stated there will be certainly an "alternative form" to end the story if Shenmue III is not a success.
Conference Highlights
http://i.imgur.com/NkPa9ua.png
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xlf1/v/t1.0-9/12806009_1775064956062913_61352248203014279_n.jpg?oh=2df12fca5d93cf44e04f8490ec19039b&oe=574B08E6
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtl1/v/t1.0-9/12799254_1775064976062911_7514019454934165751_n.jpg?oh=1ccf130c2dd57cbf2a8b21af904238a2&oe=57672CC6
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10653319_1775065012729574_8565602552578527102_n.jpg?oh=d1cdff18f19608b7e8971806595bf4a8&oe=574DBDA2
Screenshots
https://i.imgur.com/l50mx0z.png
https://i.imgur.com/qAbSXHg.png
https://i.imgur.com/zXfHTVi.png
https://i.imgur.com/cSave6o.png
http://i.imgur.com/vdpErbd.jpg
Artwork
http://i.imgur.com/SXlXbo0.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/h4Nykek.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/WGXxbUO.jpg
Videos
https://youtu.be/25_ShmP8sLE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyVg4iHitUo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN5kwWj9fpM
https://youtu.be/mY3goVYBrOA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shenmue_dojo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shenmue_dojo/
So, after thinking long and hard about whether or not to give more money to the Shenmue 3 PayPal campaign or attend MM next year, I've decided to go with the latter. I have never been to an event like it before, nor Monaco for that matter, and as much as I would love to give more to the development costs, I feel like I have done enough (not to sound selfish). I want to be there at what's supposed to be the next official glimpse of Shenmue 3.
I wasn't sure wetter or not to go since I would be travelling alone, to a place I've never been before, but I am used to that. I just don't know much french at all and I am already learning Japanese so I very much doubt I can handle learning 2 languages at once! I am only really going to hopefully see Shenmue 3, and I think Suzuki-San is also giving a conference at the event. If I didn't get in I wouldn't want it be a wasted journey.
I know Yu is also doing a Q&A as well as an autograph session, but I don't know about meeting him before the dinner in 2016.
So is anyone planning on attending? MM have a list of hotels on their site close to the conference centre, so all being well, I will probably book into one on Monday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpnc23uyH4w
https://youtu.be/HjeCsdcSIUs
Interviews
Gameblog.fr interview with Yu Suzuki at Magic Monaco
http://www.shenmuedojo.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=49125&start=405#p1130362
https://i.imgur.com/siXktSI.jpg
Gameblog.fr interview with Cedric Biscay at Magic Monaco
http://www.shenmuedojo.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=49125&start=435#p1130433
https://i.imgur.com/rkB6NXo.jpg
Yu -
- The story is 95% done, but none of the actual in-game content is finished as of now.
- He wishes to implement an advanced QTE system that incorporates elements of the FREE battle system, but doesn't know if he'll have enough development time to do so.
- Shenmue III takes place almost immediately after II. No time-skip as some people feared.
- Shenmue III will retain the detective style gameplay, but certain systems will evolve over time and change things up.
Cedric -
- If Shenmue III is a modest hit it'll likely ensure the future of the series, but it cannot be said for sure.
- Cedric's initial crazy idea for Shenmue III would be to make it for the Dreamcast, but it wouldn't be cost effective at all unless they sold each copy for a whole lot of money.
- Shenmue assets owned by SEGA require negotiation before they are used. (My theory: This likely includes the old logo, and the reason the Papyrus logo exists is to have a logo that can be used quickly without having to negotiate with SEGA)
- Kickstarter rewards all have prototypes, but the images won't be shared with backers for now.
- So far they don't have any plans to show off Shenmue III at E3 2016.
- 600 people were present at the conference in the 800-place Salle Prince Pierre.
- Cédric does not know about the alternative logo situation.
- The publishment of the teasers on Youtube is not certain.
- Yu said he's completely busy with Shenmue III and does not have the time to think about making other games.
- Yu views Shenmue Online as a "Gaiden", something apart.
- Yu stated there will be certainly an "alternative form" to end the story if Shenmue III is not a success.
Conference Highlights
http://i.imgur.com/NkPa9ua.png
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xlf1/v/t1.0-9/12806009_1775064956062913_61352248203014279_n.jpg?oh=2df12fca5d93cf44e04f8490ec19039b&oe=574B08E6
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtl1/v/t1.0-9/12799254_1775064976062911_7514019454934165751_n.jpg?oh=1ccf130c2dd57cbf2a8b21af904238a2&oe=57672CC6
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10653319_1775065012729574_8565602552578527102_n.jpg?oh=d1cdff18f19608b7e8971806595bf4a8&oe=574DBDA2
Screenshots
https://i.imgur.com/l50mx0z.png
https://i.imgur.com/qAbSXHg.png
https://i.imgur.com/zXfHTVi.png
https://i.imgur.com/cSave6o.png
http://i.imgur.com/vdpErbd.jpg
Artwork
http://i.imgur.com/SXlXbo0.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/h4Nykek.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/WGXxbUO.jpg
Videos
https://youtu.be/25_ShmP8sLE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyVg4iHitUo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN5kwWj9fpM
https://youtu.be/mY3goVYBrOA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shenmue_dojo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shenmue_dojo/
So, after thinking long and hard about whether or not to give more money to the Shenmue 3 PayPal campaign or attend MM next year, I've decided to go with the latter. I have never been to an event like it before, nor Monaco for that matter, and as much as I would love to give more to the development costs, I feel like I have done enough (not to sound selfish). I want to be there at what's supposed to be the next official glimpse of Shenmue 3.
I wasn't sure wetter or not to go since I would be travelling alone, to a place I've never been before, but I am used to that. I just don't know much french at all and I am already learning Japanese so I very much doubt I can handle learning 2 languages at once! I am only really going to hopefully see Shenmue 3, and I think Suzuki-San is also giving a conference at the event. If I didn't get in I wouldn't want it be a wasted journey.
I know Yu is also doing a Q&A as well as an autograph session, but I don't know about meeting him before the dinner in 2016.
So is anyone planning on attending? MM have a list of hotels on their site close to the conference centre, so all being well, I will probably book into one on Monday.
- Thu Sep 24, 2015 12:48 pm
- Jump to forum
- Jump to topic
Re: Monaco Magic 2016 - Official Discussion Topic
Cédric Biscay interview at MAGIC Monaco 2016 by Gameblog.fr
http://www.gameblog.fr/interview_948_shenmue-3-notre-grande-interview-de-yu-suzuki-et-cedric-bisc
(read Yu Suzuki interview here )
https://i.imgur.com/rkB6NXo.jpg
Julien : Beyond the great spotlight they put on you at the E3, what is the Sony's role?
Cédric Biscay : First of all, they're "facilitators" for the PS4 release, which is a console exclusivity, so it's Sony who will manage the Shenmue III release on that machine.
So is that about marketing means?
CB: Yes. A lot of marketing means.
So that's their financial investment. Is that all?
CB: No but I can't tell you just like that.
But Sony has also a "direct" financial investment there, hasn't it?
CB: I can't tell you neither, sorry! Really, what is certain and what I can confirm is that their marketing investment is true.
https://i.imgur.com/DtYi3gC.png
All right. So since the tremendous hype has been generated by the Shenmue III announcement, are there new publishers or investors who came forward to join you?
CB: There are people who came up yes but anyway, we have already a team in place. There are interests, indeed, because there was a lot of hype but I cannot disclose this kind of information.
So, beyond the media hype, do you confirm there is a business hype too?
CB: On the business side too, yes absolutely.
Do you still receive requests on your side ? Additional financial means? A support in other areas?
CB: No there aren't specially requests. There was a request for a second campaign (Paypal) because that's the wish of the fans but originally, it was not ever planned. We really followed the fans request since they wanted to back more. Yu also said more he gets funds, more he can make a bigger game but really it's the only reason of why this second campaign exists.
Well in any case, Shenmue III is fully funded now, isn't it?
CB: Yes.
Then the release is still planned for December 2017, do you confirm again?
CB: Yes. In any case, that's what is planned at the present time.
https://i.imgur.com/CSuyvCQ.jpg
After 14 years of waiting, all the fans are happy but keeping ask themselves about the following story since Yu stated clearly that Shenmue III will not be the story end, meaning the necessity to make at least Shenmue IV, maybe more... So I ask: Is a new Kickstarter campaign going to be needed or a relative success of Shenmue III might be enough to fund it?
CB: I will talk very personally and independently from the Yu Suzuki's opinion. In my opinion, if the game is a big success, obviously there won't be troubles to get the sequel. Obviously if it's not the case, chances to get that sequel will really grow slimmer...
When you said "big success", do you mean a lot of sales plus the kickstarter ones?
CB: Yes, exactly.
So what is the goal in concrete terms ? Business side, you have obviously an idea of what you need to reach, haven't you?
CB: Yes I've the idea. Obviously, I can't share you the information but we have to sell it as a "normal" hit.
Do you mean like an "AAA"?
CB: Hmmm, I would say like a good game.
Globally, at least one million sales worldwide?
CB: Ah, that would be cool yes. It's a friendly target for us.
Enough to say "it's certain, Shenmue IV is happening"?
CB: No, I can't tell you just like that. But we would really like to reach that one million sales level, that's for sure.
It's clear this adventure represents a risk for you since the IP does not belong to you but Sega. And considering they lend you the IP, they obviously expect some result too. So, are they involved that much?
CB: They're not specially involved. They give us the IP so we are committed to release Shenmue III, and that's all actually. They indeed own the IP but we earn a return from the sales. It's licencing so a part of the sales is intended to them, logically.
By the way, I believe there is a subject that is dear to you. It's the Saturn version of Shenmue which really exists and is partially playable. I was told that you're personally involved to make the Saturn version a kind of bonus...
CB: Infact, what I would really like, it's not specially Shenmue Saturn as a bonus. My real dream - and I'm not saying that's impossible but I'm aware that's complicated - it's to make Shenmue III on Dreamcast. That would be awesome. Can you imagine this, in your collection? It's one of the first things I told to the team, and they stared at me saying "are you crazy ?!". Because obviously it's difficult in regards of the Dreamcast technology, the IP rights. It's really complex but If I would have a dream about Shenmue, that's it. But it's really hard to set up something like that.
Despite what you said, could it be ever possible ?
CB: For now... I don't feel any particular enthusiasm ! (laughs) That's something I want but it's a fan's fantasy I must admit. After all, you can see how we really are. Above all, we are enthusiasts. Look, I organize the MAGIC and I made the entrance free. We really want that people enjoy themselves. Same here, I want people pleased with Shenmue III on Dreamcast. That wouldn't be a question of business, because if we produce a Dreamcast version and sell 3000 copies, no money can be earned, or you would have to sell it as 150 euros per copy.
https://i.imgur.com/vN8d9f4.jpg
To quickly focus back to my question about Shenmue Saturn, it's about the assets owned by Sega. I wonder if they really open their door for you?
CB: Yes of course thanks Yu Suzuki. They opened their door but obviously you cannot make everything you want. You have to negotiate with them to know what can be used or not, and goes on.
So you logically talked to them about Shenmue 1 & 2 HD... What can you tell us about that?
CB: I can't tell you much about this. What is certain is that Sega can make it. They're aware of the Shenmue III campaign success, so I'm telling myself, as an independent businessman, with all the hype, releasing the HD versions would make sense. But again, it's only my opinion. They told us nothing special. It's not like they're showing little enthusiasm, it's just a different topic than Shenmue III. Sibuya Productions is charged of the Shenmue III production and we have no relation with what it remains. We don't have any information with extra Shenmue III stuff neither.
We can also imagine that Sega is awaiting the result of your work on Shenmue III, to note the good sales and finally come forward to say "Ok guys, let's go together!"?
CB: We can imagine everything but we're building castles in the air, really we know nothing.
Did they ever tell you "if you reach some goal, we invest with you about such and such subject"
CB: No, we never have discussions like this.
https://i.imgur.com/JKIPjhy.jpg
We recently have an interview with Phil Spencer. He told us that he met Yu Suzuki before things have been settled with Sony, that some things happen and some other ones not, that all cannot be done. Then you reacted pretty curtly on Twitter . Can you tell more about what happened?
CB : What it made me a bit annoyed is that he was like to say it was our fault. But it's not. Things haven't been made because he didn't have the arguments which would have make this possible. He didn't have the adequate offer to be considered.
So, he made you an offer but you found it inadequate?
CB: Well in any case, the content of the discussions was not enough. At the timing level, they also woke up a bit late.
Then while you're discussing with Sony, you felt a lot more of enthusiasm?
CB: Sony has immediately been a super partner. They wanted to do it. They proposed to do something exceptional at the E3. Like them or not, they really support Shenmue III.
Getting back to Kickstarter, how the backers from the outset are going to chose between the PC and PS4 version? Will the procedure take place shortly before the release of the game?
CB: Sorry I can't ask you because I'm not in charge of this.
https://i.imgur.com/o1Up4mr.png
Concerning the Kickstarter rewards, the figures, etc., do you know when we're going to see them? Are the designs been validated?
CB: Yes of course. All the Kickstarter rewards have been validated before. We can't propose things that are not possible to make.
But concretely, are these prototypes real?
CB: Yes, yes of course.
Did you have a look at the figures yet?
CB: Yes obviously, we have private informations right now.
For instance, why not to share some photos with the backers then?
CB: For now, we don't think it's the right time to do so but the time will come.
What are your next communication plans? Are we supposed to expect a dead time until E3 2016?
CB: We do like to please the fans. For now, nothing definite has been done until the E3. I can't even tell you whether something will happen at E3 but perhaps we'll decide to show something new. We really intend to maintain the contact between us and the fans. They're important for us so the desire is strong. It's like the MAGIC which is specially made for the fans. We really want to show up stuff. Same intention for the big international events like E3. Here it's a very little exhibition but it's ours, so we enjoy ourselves!
By the way, are you happy to see all these people here, who come from everywhere?
CB: Oh yes completely, we have 50 people who come from United States. There are also the media, the great newspapers...
And Gameblog!
CB: Yes, and Gameblog! It is busy and we can feel a real excitement.
Is it the beginning of a great move upmarket for MAGIC?
CB: Yes because last year was the first edition which needed 5 months to be made and we had great guests like Yuji Naka, Yoshitaka Amano, Shinji Hashimoto from Square Enix... Now we're really focusing on Shenmue - and Life Is Strange too - but for the following year, yes, perhaps we'll get even more stars from video game world... Each year we try to upgrade the formula. Anyway, we have already announced great things.
Alright, see you in the next year and thanks you for your time.
CB: Thank you!
http://www.gameblog.fr/interview_948_shenmue-3-notre-grande-interview-de-yu-suzuki-et-cedric-bisc
(read Yu Suzuki interview here )
https://i.imgur.com/rkB6NXo.jpg
Julien : Beyond the great spotlight they put on you at the E3, what is the Sony's role?
Cédric Biscay : First of all, they're "facilitators" for the PS4 release, which is a console exclusivity, so it's Sony who will manage the Shenmue III release on that machine.
So is that about marketing means?
CB: Yes. A lot of marketing means.
So that's their financial investment. Is that all?
CB: No but I can't tell you just like that.
But Sony has also a "direct" financial investment there, hasn't it?
CB: I can't tell you neither, sorry! Really, what is certain and what I can confirm is that their marketing investment is true.
https://i.imgur.com/DtYi3gC.png
All right. So since the tremendous hype has been generated by the Shenmue III announcement, are there new publishers or investors who came forward to join you?
CB: There are people who came up yes but anyway, we have already a team in place. There are interests, indeed, because there was a lot of hype but I cannot disclose this kind of information.
So, beyond the media hype, do you confirm there is a business hype too?
CB: On the business side too, yes absolutely.
Do you still receive requests on your side ? Additional financial means? A support in other areas?
CB: No there aren't specially requests. There was a request for a second campaign (Paypal) because that's the wish of the fans but originally, it was not ever planned. We really followed the fans request since they wanted to back more. Yu also said more he gets funds, more he can make a bigger game but really it's the only reason of why this second campaign exists.
Well in any case, Shenmue III is fully funded now, isn't it?
CB: Yes.
Then the release is still planned for December 2017, do you confirm again?
CB: Yes. In any case, that's what is planned at the present time.
https://i.imgur.com/CSuyvCQ.jpg
After 14 years of waiting, all the fans are happy but keeping ask themselves about the following story since Yu stated clearly that Shenmue III will not be the story end, meaning the necessity to make at least Shenmue IV, maybe more... So I ask: Is a new Kickstarter campaign going to be needed or a relative success of Shenmue III might be enough to fund it?
CB: I will talk very personally and independently from the Yu Suzuki's opinion. In my opinion, if the game is a big success, obviously there won't be troubles to get the sequel. Obviously if it's not the case, chances to get that sequel will really grow slimmer...
When you said "big success", do you mean a lot of sales plus the kickstarter ones?
CB: Yes, exactly.
So what is the goal in concrete terms ? Business side, you have obviously an idea of what you need to reach, haven't you?
CB: Yes I've the idea. Obviously, I can't share you the information but we have to sell it as a "normal" hit.
Do you mean like an "AAA"?
CB: Hmmm, I would say like a good game.
Globally, at least one million sales worldwide?
CB: Ah, that would be cool yes. It's a friendly target for us.
Enough to say "it's certain, Shenmue IV is happening"?
CB: No, I can't tell you just like that. But we would really like to reach that one million sales level, that's for sure.
It's clear this adventure represents a risk for you since the IP does not belong to you but Sega. And considering they lend you the IP, they obviously expect some result too. So, are they involved that much?
CB: They're not specially involved. They give us the IP so we are committed to release Shenmue III, and that's all actually. They indeed own the IP but we earn a return from the sales. It's licencing so a part of the sales is intended to them, logically.
By the way, I believe there is a subject that is dear to you. It's the Saturn version of Shenmue which really exists and is partially playable. I was told that you're personally involved to make the Saturn version a kind of bonus...
CB: Infact, what I would really like, it's not specially Shenmue Saturn as a bonus. My real dream - and I'm not saying that's impossible but I'm aware that's complicated - it's to make Shenmue III on Dreamcast. That would be awesome. Can you imagine this, in your collection? It's one of the first things I told to the team, and they stared at me saying "are you crazy ?!". Because obviously it's difficult in regards of the Dreamcast technology, the IP rights. It's really complex but If I would have a dream about Shenmue, that's it. But it's really hard to set up something like that.
Despite what you said, could it be ever possible ?
CB: For now... I don't feel any particular enthusiasm ! (laughs) That's something I want but it's a fan's fantasy I must admit. After all, you can see how we really are. Above all, we are enthusiasts. Look, I organize the MAGIC and I made the entrance free. We really want that people enjoy themselves. Same here, I want people pleased with Shenmue III on Dreamcast. That wouldn't be a question of business, because if we produce a Dreamcast version and sell 3000 copies, no money can be earned, or you would have to sell it as 150 euros per copy.
https://i.imgur.com/vN8d9f4.jpg
To quickly focus back to my question about Shenmue Saturn, it's about the assets owned by Sega. I wonder if they really open their door for you?
CB: Yes of course thanks Yu Suzuki. They opened their door but obviously you cannot make everything you want. You have to negotiate with them to know what can be used or not, and goes on.
So you logically talked to them about Shenmue 1 & 2 HD... What can you tell us about that?
CB: I can't tell you much about this. What is certain is that Sega can make it. They're aware of the Shenmue III campaign success, so I'm telling myself, as an independent businessman, with all the hype, releasing the HD versions would make sense. But again, it's only my opinion. They told us nothing special. It's not like they're showing little enthusiasm, it's just a different topic than Shenmue III. Sibuya Productions is charged of the Shenmue III production and we have no relation with what it remains. We don't have any information with extra Shenmue III stuff neither.
We can also imagine that Sega is awaiting the result of your work on Shenmue III, to note the good sales and finally come forward to say "Ok guys, let's go together!"?
CB: We can imagine everything but we're building castles in the air, really we know nothing.
Did they ever tell you "if you reach some goal, we invest with you about such and such subject"
CB: No, we never have discussions like this.
https://i.imgur.com/JKIPjhy.jpg
We recently have an interview with Phil Spencer. He told us that he met Yu Suzuki before things have been settled with Sony, that some things happen and some other ones not, that all cannot be done. Then you reacted pretty curtly on Twitter . Can you tell more about what happened?
CB : What it made me a bit annoyed is that he was like to say it was our fault. But it's not. Things haven't been made because he didn't have the arguments which would have make this possible. He didn't have the adequate offer to be considered.
So, he made you an offer but you found it inadequate?
CB: Well in any case, the content of the discussions was not enough. At the timing level, they also woke up a bit late.
Then while you're discussing with Sony, you felt a lot more of enthusiasm?
CB: Sony has immediately been a super partner. They wanted to do it. They proposed to do something exceptional at the E3. Like them or not, they really support Shenmue III.
Getting back to Kickstarter, how the backers from the outset are going to chose between the PC and PS4 version? Will the procedure take place shortly before the release of the game?
CB: Sorry I can't ask you because I'm not in charge of this.
https://i.imgur.com/o1Up4mr.png
Concerning the Kickstarter rewards, the figures, etc., do you know when we're going to see them? Are the designs been validated?
CB: Yes of course. All the Kickstarter rewards have been validated before. We can't propose things that are not possible to make.
But concretely, are these prototypes real?
CB: Yes, yes of course.
Did you have a look at the figures yet?
CB: Yes obviously, we have private informations right now.
For instance, why not to share some photos with the backers then?
CB: For now, we don't think it's the right time to do so but the time will come.
What are your next communication plans? Are we supposed to expect a dead time until E3 2016?
CB: We do like to please the fans. For now, nothing definite has been done until the E3. I can't even tell you whether something will happen at E3 but perhaps we'll decide to show something new. We really intend to maintain the contact between us and the fans. They're important for us so the desire is strong. It's like the MAGIC which is specially made for the fans. We really want to show up stuff. Same intention for the big international events like E3. Here it's a very little exhibition but it's ours, so we enjoy ourselves!
By the way, are you happy to see all these people here, who come from everywhere?
CB: Oh yes completely, we have 50 people who come from United States. There are also the media, the great newspapers...
And Gameblog!
CB: Yes, and Gameblog! It is busy and we can feel a real excitement.
Is it the beginning of a great move upmarket for MAGIC?
CB: Yes because last year was the first edition which needed 5 months to be made and we had great guests like Yuji Naka, Yoshitaka Amano, Shinji Hashimoto from Square Enix... Now we're really focusing on Shenmue - and Life Is Strange too - but for the following year, yes, perhaps we'll get even more stars from video game world... Each year we try to upgrade the formula. Anyway, we have already announced great things.
Alright, see you in the next year and thanks you for your time.
CB: Thank you!
- Tue Mar 01, 2016 10:02 am
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"MAGIC - a fans retrospective"
Well hello everyone, As Peter did After the MAGIC 2016, I also did some kind of summary of this... Well "MAGIC" day but in video format. :)
I though it could be interesting for people wanting some backstage information...
I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did when I recorded / edited it ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVoQa0EiH7U
(do not forget to turn english subtitles on as it is a french video)
I don't think it really translate the pleasure I had in participating in that adventure but it is there for your enjoyement ! :D
Enjoy :heart:
I though it could be interesting for people wanting some backstage information...
I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did when I recorded / edited it ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVoQa0EiH7U
(do not forget to turn english subtitles on as it is a french video)
I don't think it really translate the pleasure I had in participating in that adventure but it is there for your enjoyement ! :D
Enjoy :heart:
- Thu Mar 03, 2016 5:42 pm
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Re: Modeled 3d Shenmue mirrors! ready for 3d print.
HEy DOJO! i noticed these mirrors have been a HUGE success! i have sold many sets! and the orders for more keep coming in! i just wanted everyone to know i am very happy with the feedback for these and glad i can contribute to the community and to shenmue 3( half of each sale's funds have been going to the kickstarter) i am making these upon request first come first serve! they are hand painted and 4-5 hours each to 3d print and very labor intensive so i only do one set at a time for the customer usually with a 3-4 day finish rate once they are requested. if you want a set AND ARE IN THE UNTIED STATES ONLY go to my online portfolio @ ryohd.carbonmade.com and contact me through there the messages go straight to my email! thanks everyone again!
- Sun Mar 13, 2016 7:27 pm
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Re: Monaco Magic 2016 - Official Discussion Topic
Wrote an article about the Eze tour and Monaco dinner: https://medium.com/@MoosaviAmir/a-weeke ... f4d9d9edb6
- Mon Mar 14, 2016 7:54 pm
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ShenmueMaster.fr interview with Yu Suzuki - MAGIC 2016
http://i.imgur.com/e1Nt9yh.jpg
As the sun set over the coast of Monaco during the last weekend of February, most of us thought that it was a job well done. Time to move on and get ready for the next update on Kickstarter. Or perhaps even begin to dream big about E3 2016. But a month on from Shibuya Producions' MAGIC 2016, we still have a few tricks up our sleeve! Today, we have the english subtitled exclusive interview from ShenmueMaster.fr with Yu Suzuki whilst in attendance at MAGIC 2016 just 4 weeks ago!
http://i.imgur.com/vxjtKIm.jpg
I had the distinct pleasure to meet with all of the ShenmueMaster team whilst at MAGIC, and its a day i will never forget! Each and every single person i met were great, a blast to hang out with and as crazy about Shenmue as myself! From their webmaster Trent (Rémy), Shendream (David), Kenji (Émmanuel), his wife Catherine, Shenman (Arnaud) and Sizious (Mickaél), it was amazing to watch the days events unfold alongside them, and also to watch them prepare for their interview with Suzuki-san, which was scheduled to take place later that day.
http://i.imgur.com/taczJyb.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/bdeqlEw.jpg
Watching the interview take place was both exciting as well as humbling to see fans interview one of their idols, as well as see Suzuki-san engage with longtime members of his fanbase. Not only that, but getting in for a photo with Suzuki-san at the end was one of the highlights of the entire weekend for myself. On behalf of the Dojo, and myself personally i cannot thank everyone from ShenmueMaster enough for being astounding hosts, amazingly friendly and so passionate about our beloved Shenmue series. I am overjoyed that their interview has been put together so well!
Presented by Kenji, please enjoy Trent and Shendream interviewing the great man himself, Yu Suzuki!
http://i.imgur.com/uebMgjw.jpg
Links:
ShenmueMaster.fr | Youtube Video Link |
Shenmue Dojo Forum Discussion | News Archive
As the sun set over the coast of Monaco during the last weekend of February, most of us thought that it was a job well done. Time to move on and get ready for the next update on Kickstarter. Or perhaps even begin to dream big about E3 2016. But a month on from Shibuya Producions' MAGIC 2016, we still have a few tricks up our sleeve! Today, we have the english subtitled exclusive interview from ShenmueMaster.fr with Yu Suzuki whilst in attendance at MAGIC 2016 just 4 weeks ago!
http://i.imgur.com/vxjtKIm.jpg
I had the distinct pleasure to meet with all of the ShenmueMaster team whilst at MAGIC, and its a day i will never forget! Each and every single person i met were great, a blast to hang out with and as crazy about Shenmue as myself! From their webmaster Trent (Rémy), Shendream (David), Kenji (Émmanuel), his wife Catherine, Shenman (Arnaud) and Sizious (Mickaél), it was amazing to watch the days events unfold alongside them, and also to watch them prepare for their interview with Suzuki-san, which was scheduled to take place later that day.
http://i.imgur.com/taczJyb.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/bdeqlEw.jpg
Watching the interview take place was both exciting as well as humbling to see fans interview one of their idols, as well as see Suzuki-san engage with longtime members of his fanbase. Not only that, but getting in for a photo with Suzuki-san at the end was one of the highlights of the entire weekend for myself. On behalf of the Dojo, and myself personally i cannot thank everyone from ShenmueMaster enough for being astounding hosts, amazingly friendly and so passionate about our beloved Shenmue series. I am overjoyed that their interview has been put together so well!
Presented by Kenji, please enjoy Trent and Shendream interviewing the great man himself, Yu Suzuki!
http://i.imgur.com/uebMgjw.jpg
Links:
ShenmueMaster.fr | Youtube Video Link |
Shenmue Dojo Forum Discussion | News Archive
- Wed Mar 30, 2016 4:19 pm
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Re: Living in Tokyo and I am on the hunt for some Rare items
Ziming wrote: Since you are in Tokyo for a year you should try to attend the game symphony japan concert in July.
https://twitter.com/Shenmue_Dojo/status ... 1877751808
That sounds like a great idea! I will keep my eyes peeled for ticket information
- Wed Apr 06, 2016 5:03 am
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Re: Yu Suzuki interview by Shenmue Dojo & Team Yu (MAGIC 201
I accept that's what the logo will be. Regardless of opinion, if that's what Yu feels then who am I to tell him he is wrong. I'm just happy Shenmue 3 will appear on the front of the box. Some people feel the need to begin a revolution every time a decision is made that they disagree with.
That being said, if I was given the option between the 2 logos, of course I would select the original Shenmue font all day long. The new font.... I have different reasons for not liking it. I believe it to be a very lazy option to take. The reason? Well before I left Belfast, I was typing up the questions for the interview and then wanted to design a cover page for the document (I was printing out a hard copy for myself and James). So I was fooling around with font styles on Word and I was shocked to see that the logo is a MS Word font. Not one like it, not one similar to it. It is the actual Bradley Hand ITC font from Word. Here, I just opened up Word in work and did this example in 2 seconds:
https://imgur.com/jwU6aim.jpg
What annoys me about this, is that it's as if they have just flicked through fonts and decided, "Oh, that will do". Even something that stinks of a lazy AJ idea, but we know that's not the case. Either way, I am not getting caught up on it. I have mellowed out since Yu defended the logo. If he feels that it will appeal me to a greater audience then so be it. He is in a better position to have came to that conclusion than I have. He has my complete trust with this game, end of story.
Also thank you to everyone for the kind words about the interview. It was hard to keep it a secret for so long, ever since that Friday night when I received the message from Ziming, followed by David Villeroy. It was an unreal experience, from beginning to end. Thank you James for the fantastic write up.
I can't end this without taking a bit of time to sincerely thank David, and all the guys from ShenmueMaster.fr. I can't stress enough how this really would not have been possible without them. All of this, is a result of them reaching out to us, concepting the idea, organising it all, from press access to interview slot time, helping out with advice and question guidelines, and of course, even taking care of all video and picture capture of the day. I can't say enough how this would not have happened without them, and I still owe them more than a round of Guinness to say thank you.
That being said, if I was given the option between the 2 logos, of course I would select the original Shenmue font all day long. The new font.... I have different reasons for not liking it. I believe it to be a very lazy option to take. The reason? Well before I left Belfast, I was typing up the questions for the interview and then wanted to design a cover page for the document (I was printing out a hard copy for myself and James). So I was fooling around with font styles on Word and I was shocked to see that the logo is a MS Word font. Not one like it, not one similar to it. It is the actual Bradley Hand ITC font from Word. Here, I just opened up Word in work and did this example in 2 seconds:
https://imgur.com/jwU6aim.jpg
What annoys me about this, is that it's as if they have just flicked through fonts and decided, "Oh, that will do". Even something that stinks of a lazy AJ idea, but we know that's not the case. Either way, I am not getting caught up on it. I have mellowed out since Yu defended the logo. If he feels that it will appeal me to a greater audience then so be it. He is in a better position to have came to that conclusion than I have. He has my complete trust with this game, end of story.
Also thank you to everyone for the kind words about the interview. It was hard to keep it a secret for so long, ever since that Friday night when I received the message from Ziming, followed by David Villeroy. It was an unreal experience, from beginning to end. Thank you James for the fantastic write up.
I can't end this without taking a bit of time to sincerely thank David, and all the guys from ShenmueMaster.fr. I can't stress enough how this really would not have been possible without them. All of this, is a result of them reaching out to us, concepting the idea, organising it all, from press access to interview slot time, helping out with advice and question guidelines, and of course, even taking care of all video and picture capture of the day. I can't say enough how this would not have happened without them, and I still owe them more than a round of Guinness to say thank you.
- Wed Apr 06, 2016 10:49 am
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Re: Living in Tokyo and I am on the hunt for some Rare items
Will give you a holla when over for the KS dinner. Could be a good meetup with the list of names there! :D That sounds great! I would love that.
Damn, Tokyo for a year? Isn't that like the most expensive city in the world (or close to it)? :shock: Yeah it is fairly expensive but I am working here so everything is affordable. I work for an English conversation school and I sometimes talk about how I want to visit Dobuita. They mostly laugh and wonder why I would want to visit that place!
Damn, Tokyo for a year? Isn't that like the most expensive city in the world (or close to it)? :shock: Yeah it is fairly expensive but I am working here so everything is affordable. I work for an English conversation school and I sometimes talk about how I want to visit Dobuita. They mostly laugh and wonder why I would want to visit that place!
- Thu Apr 07, 2016 10:30 pm
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Re: Living in Tokyo and I am on the hunt for some Rare items
So we made it to Yokosuka and Dobuita today. Here are some pictures! I'm sure b_ren will have more to show!
https://i.imgur.com/l3G1OVd.jpg https://i.imgur.com/ejfSTQt.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/zd2VD5Q.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/TiZZZyx.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/1Vgv28N.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/rUiVfIf.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/SbyALCF.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/YvinaRn.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/CZOgdC8
https://i.imgur.com/CvdDOMp.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/uvfpnrq.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/TAap1Dh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dBbz621.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/UVnNBlF.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/fpXAFPy.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/1m2gJlQ.jpg
More in this album link https://m.imgur.com/a/vSYAc
https://i.imgur.com/l3G1OVd.jpg https://i.imgur.com/ejfSTQt.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/zd2VD5Q.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/TiZZZyx.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/1Vgv28N.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/rUiVfIf.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/SbyALCF.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/YvinaRn.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/CZOgdC8
https://i.imgur.com/CvdDOMp.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/uvfpnrq.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/TAap1Dh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dBbz621.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/UVnNBlF.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/fpXAFPy.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/1m2gJlQ.jpg
More in this album link https://m.imgur.com/a/vSYAc
- Wed Apr 27, 2016 3:50 am
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Re: E3 2016 & Shenmue 3
Yeah but the difference is, unlike SEGA, Yu Suzuki actually gave a fuck about what the fans wanted and actively tried to please people because he knew how special the game was to all of us. SEGA couldn't care less about us. They're a faceless corporation who put profit and reputation first and passion (much) later. That's why I'm skeptical that SEGA will ever release an HD collection unless Sony or another investor bankroll it.
Don't forget that Yu Suzuki still needed Sega's permission in order to make Shenmue 3 possible at all. When so many other legendary developers have had to make off-brand replicas of their greatest work (i.e. Mighty No. 9) Yu Suzuki has the opportunity to continue the Shenmue saga will the full backing of Sega, an unprecedented achievement for any video game Kickstarter. With time there’s every reason to believe that Sega will release Shenmue 1 and 2 HD, the fact that Sega has made any official statement is good news. Sega could’ve simply avoided the subject but instead choose to acknowledge the real demand for Shenmue 1 and 2 on modern platforms.
Don't forget that Yu Suzuki still needed Sega's permission in order to make Shenmue 3 possible at all. When so many other legendary developers have had to make off-brand replicas of their greatest work (i.e. Mighty No. 9) Yu Suzuki has the opportunity to continue the Shenmue saga will the full backing of Sega, an unprecedented achievement for any video game Kickstarter. With time there’s every reason to believe that Sega will release Shenmue 1 and 2 HD, the fact that Sega has made any official statement is good news. Sega could’ve simply avoided the subject but instead choose to acknowledge the real demand for Shenmue 1 and 2 on modern platforms.
- Sat May 14, 2016 3:19 am
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PART 1: Yu Suzuki Interview (May 9 Bessatsu Shonen Mag)
Here is a translation of part of a Japanese magazine interview with Yu Suzuki that was published in the May 9 (2016) edition of the Bessatsu Shonen magazine. The article scan was obtained by Ziming.
(Original scans provided by Japanese Shenmue fan @da34ss on Twitter)
In this part, Suzuki talks specifically about Shenmue III, although it is pretty short.
Note: the rest of the article covers topics like Suzuki's background in designing arcade games, the gaming industry in Japan, and how RPG and text adventure games of the time were influences on his design for Shenmue etc. I selected the part below as a priority for translation since it relates most to Shenmue III and the other topics have been discussed in previous talks & interviews.
We Talk With a Gaming Legend!
Shenmue III, the Game the World Eagerly Awaits, is in Development!
http://i.imgur.com/rT9HyAhm.png
Game Creator Yu Suzuki Envisions
the Future for the Game Industry
Yu Suzuki developed the Shenmue series for the home console from 1999 through to 2001, and is a game developer respected by video game fans and game developers the world over. Reporter Ikeda from the MMR* investigation team has carried out this personal interview as Suzuki works with youthful enthusiasm on his latest game, Shenmue III. Suzuki speaks with passion about Shenmue III and the Japan game industry.
* MMR stands for "Magazine Mystery Reportage", a manga series involving investigation of mysteries and the unknown.
Interviewer Profile
⋅ Name: Ikeda
⋅ Reporter for the Weekly Shonen Magazine “Magazine Mystery Reportage”. During the 1980s he wrote under the pen name “Akira Hibiki” as a game journalist.
Growing Anticipation for Shenmue III
What Lies Behind the Veil of Secrecy?
Q: Getting straight to the point, what kind of game will Shenmue III be?
YS: With Shenmue III, I have taken a different approach compared to Shenmue I and II. Normally, a video game is planned around a pre-determined budget, but with Shenmue III money collected through crowd funding is allotted to the development budget, so I designed it so the design could scale flexibly to match. In addition to the open-world gameplay aspect (which I termed "FREE" at the time of the first game), I also prepared new and attractive features that could be incorporated elsewhere. In saying that, the creation of a video game that can be packed with open-world style elements will always be swayed by the development budget. Rather than there being say 10 mini-games to play in a certain town, an even greater number like 20 or 30 is more enjoyable, right? However, creating a game this way has a direct impact on the cost.
http://i.imgur.com/nuy3QURm.png
Q: The development cost of Grand Theft Auto, a game which popularized the open world concept, is said to have been over 10 billion yen (US$100m).
YS: Trying to compete directly with Grand Theft Auto and its vast difference in budget would be like a puny 10kg guy taking on a 100kg sumo wrestler. In which case, the video game fans may as well just play Grand Theft Auto, wouldn’t you say? (laughs)
Q: Trying to compete in terms of quantity would be a losing proposition, wouldn’t it.
YS: The story for the Shenmue series is made up of the 11 chapters that I planned out, with Shenmue in 1999 being Chapter One, and Shenmue II in 2001 being Chapter Two. Actually, my intention for Chapter Three has always been for a scenario that digs down into a single theme. Across the course of the first two games of the series, the player’s degree of freedom increases, their field of exploration widens and the scale of the game grows to having around 450 NPCs. By comparison, although Chapter Three will give the appearance of growing further in scale, it will focus on digging deeply down into one particular matter, just as I planned out almost 20 years ago. And I’m aiming to do so in a way that the fans will enjoy, placing importance on originality.
Q: What do you have in mind when you say “originality”?
YS: For example, when characters are talking to each other, it would be weird for them to stand almost touching if they’re meeting for the first time, right? In real life, they would maintain a certain distance between each other.
Q: Their personal space... That’s true, if someone you haven’t met before stands too close it’s threatening rather than friendly.
YS: Conversely, when you’re with someone with whom you get on well... when you are with your girlfriend, you’ll be closer together, right? So if we introduce a new “intimacy” parameter setting, for example we could set the distance between characters according its value. If the game contains many of these subtle but natural experiments then I think it will make for a much more believable world. It will give the game a more gentle feeling. Right now I’m working on overlaying these kind of subtleties.
Q: It makes me look forward to Shenmue III even more! And finally, actually there’s something I want to ask personally: I’ve heard that when deciding the name of the hero of Virtua Fighter, Akira Yuki, the “Yu” in his surname was taken from your name. If that is the case, how about “Akira”?
YS: Well, I took it from the pen name you yourself used when you were a gaming journalist: Akira Hibiki.
Q: What... really?!
YS: It’s true. Both “Akira” and “Yuki” sound cool, don’t you think? I think the name of the hero of a game should sound cool. Akira Yuki sounds way better than say “Torao Daimoji” (laughs).
Q: To me, Torao Daimoji sounds pretty cool too though. It sounds like the name of a heavy-set guy with chiseled features (laughs).
<End of article>
(Original scans provided by Japanese Shenmue fan @da34ss on Twitter)
In this part, Suzuki talks specifically about Shenmue III, although it is pretty short.
Note: the rest of the article covers topics like Suzuki's background in designing arcade games, the gaming industry in Japan, and how RPG and text adventure games of the time were influences on his design for Shenmue etc. I selected the part below as a priority for translation since it relates most to Shenmue III and the other topics have been discussed in previous talks & interviews.
We Talk With a Gaming Legend!
Shenmue III, the Game the World Eagerly Awaits, is in Development!
http://i.imgur.com/rT9HyAhm.png
Game Creator Yu Suzuki Envisions
the Future for the Game Industry
Yu Suzuki developed the Shenmue series for the home console from 1999 through to 2001, and is a game developer respected by video game fans and game developers the world over. Reporter Ikeda from the MMR* investigation team has carried out this personal interview as Suzuki works with youthful enthusiasm on his latest game, Shenmue III. Suzuki speaks with passion about Shenmue III and the Japan game industry.
* MMR stands for "Magazine Mystery Reportage", a manga series involving investigation of mysteries and the unknown.
Interviewer Profile
⋅ Name: Ikeda
⋅ Reporter for the Weekly Shonen Magazine “Magazine Mystery Reportage”. During the 1980s he wrote under the pen name “Akira Hibiki” as a game journalist.
Growing Anticipation for Shenmue III
What Lies Behind the Veil of Secrecy?
Q: Getting straight to the point, what kind of game will Shenmue III be?
YS: With Shenmue III, I have taken a different approach compared to Shenmue I and II. Normally, a video game is planned around a pre-determined budget, but with Shenmue III money collected through crowd funding is allotted to the development budget, so I designed it so the design could scale flexibly to match. In addition to the open-world gameplay aspect (which I termed "FREE" at the time of the first game), I also prepared new and attractive features that could be incorporated elsewhere. In saying that, the creation of a video game that can be packed with open-world style elements will always be swayed by the development budget. Rather than there being say 10 mini-games to play in a certain town, an even greater number like 20 or 30 is more enjoyable, right? However, creating a game this way has a direct impact on the cost.
http://i.imgur.com/nuy3QURm.png
Q: The development cost of Grand Theft Auto, a game which popularized the open world concept, is said to have been over 10 billion yen (US$100m).
YS: Trying to compete directly with Grand Theft Auto and its vast difference in budget would be like a puny 10kg guy taking on a 100kg sumo wrestler. In which case, the video game fans may as well just play Grand Theft Auto, wouldn’t you say? (laughs)
Q: Trying to compete in terms of quantity would be a losing proposition, wouldn’t it.
YS: The story for the Shenmue series is made up of the 11 chapters that I planned out, with Shenmue in 1999 being Chapter One, and Shenmue II in 2001 being Chapter Two. Actually, my intention for Chapter Three has always been for a scenario that digs down into a single theme. Across the course of the first two games of the series, the player’s degree of freedom increases, their field of exploration widens and the scale of the game grows to having around 450 NPCs. By comparison, although Chapter Three will give the appearance of growing further in scale, it will focus on digging deeply down into one particular matter, just as I planned out almost 20 years ago. And I’m aiming to do so in a way that the fans will enjoy, placing importance on originality.
Q: What do you have in mind when you say “originality”?
YS: For example, when characters are talking to each other, it would be weird for them to stand almost touching if they’re meeting for the first time, right? In real life, they would maintain a certain distance between each other.
Q: Their personal space... That’s true, if someone you haven’t met before stands too close it’s threatening rather than friendly.
YS: Conversely, when you’re with someone with whom you get on well... when you are with your girlfriend, you’ll be closer together, right? So if we introduce a new “intimacy” parameter setting, for example we could set the distance between characters according its value. If the game contains many of these subtle but natural experiments then I think it will make for a much more believable world. It will give the game a more gentle feeling. Right now I’m working on overlaying these kind of subtleties.
Q: It makes me look forward to Shenmue III even more! And finally, actually there’s something I want to ask personally: I’ve heard that when deciding the name of the hero of Virtua Fighter, Akira Yuki, the “Yu” in his surname was taken from your name. If that is the case, how about “Akira”?
YS: Well, I took it from the pen name you yourself used when you were a gaming journalist: Akira Hibiki.
Q: What... really?!
YS: It’s true. Both “Akira” and “Yuki” sound cool, don’t you think? I think the name of the hero of a game should sound cool. Akira Yuki sounds way better than say “Torao Daimoji” (laughs).
Q: To me, Torao Daimoji sounds pretty cool too though. It sounds like the name of a heavy-set guy with chiseled features (laughs).
<End of article>
- Fri May 20, 2016 7:32 pm
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Re: Playable demo of Shenmue III
High resolution photo from Shibuya's Facebook page. Maybe Switch can translate what's on the whiteboard?
Here's what I can make out. The content is non-spoilerish.
http://i.imgur.com/SkRcFgjl.png
"Dynamic seeds" sounds intriguing. (At least that's what I think the most likely translation is.)
Also the filename displayed here on the monitor suggests that the concept art we saw recently shows Bailu, "Hakka" being what its called in Japanese.
http://i.imgur.com/SLVlEbql.png
Here's what I can make out. The content is non-spoilerish.
http://i.imgur.com/SkRcFgjl.png
"Dynamic seeds" sounds intriguing. (At least that's what I think the most likely translation is.)
Also the filename displayed here on the monitor suggests that the concept art we saw recently shows Bailu, "Hakka" being what its called in Japanese.
http://i.imgur.com/SLVlEbql.png
- Wed Jun 01, 2016 5:45 am
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Re: Shenmue: The Movie Remastered
It's feels wonderful to finally be done! Once again, thank you to everyone who helped out! (Knowingly or not)
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
- Thu Jun 02, 2016 8:19 pm
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PART 2: Yu Suzuki Interview (May 9 Bessatsu Shonen Mag)
Welcome to PART 2 of the translation of the Japanese magazine interview with Yu Suzuki that was published in the May 9 (2016) edition of the Bessatsu Shonen magazine.
Go here for PART 1 of the article.
In this lengthier part, Yu Suzuki reflects on last year's Kickstarter launch at E3, and talks about early computer games that inspired and influenced his design decisions for Shenmue; his thoughts on the game industry in Japan vs overseas; his love of innovation when creating games; the evolution of technology used in games; and his desire to ensure that Shenmue III is a game that will stand up proudly in today's market.
Note: this part appears first in the actual article.
http://i.imgur.com/rT9HyAhm.png
PART 2
The Globally-Anticipated Shenmue III is Under Way
Hello, it's been a while!
YS: Yes, it has! So, it looks like you're now reporting under the name Ikeda for the Weekly Shonen magazine.
That's right. And since development is under way on your latest game, I rushed over to ask you all about it!
YS: (laughs)
As we know, the project for the creation of Shenmue III was announced at the Playstation Experience 2015 conference at last year's E3. The venue exploded in excitement instantly. Looking back on it, how did you feel?
YS: Just before the Shenmue III announcement, several major games like Final Fantasy XV were being announced one after another from the stage, with each prompting thunderous cheers from the audience. So I felt anxious as I waited in the dressing rooms to go on, being overwhelmed at the fervor in the event hall and at the extraordinary atmosphere under which the Shenmue III announcement would be made (laughs) However, as soon as the Shenmue III music began to play... the cheering rang out an octave higher than previously – it was almost like screaming. I was so moved at that moment.
The applause and cheers that filled the air almost broke the hall apart – the passion was incredible, wasn't it. That's when it hit me just how eagerly video game fans around the world had been looking forward to Shenmue III. There was an amazing response through pledges made via Kickstarter immediately after that too, wasn't there.
YS: For the creation of Shenmue III, I used Kickstarter to raise funding towards the development budget from fans and a total of $6,333,296 was pledged by 69,320 people (by the end of the Kickstarter campaign). What's more, two Guinness world records were set: Fastest $1 Million Pledged for a Crowd-funded Video Game and Most Money Pledged for a Kickstarter Video Game. Access by the fans was so heavy that day that the Kickstarter servers went down three times.
Servers that should be able to stand up to heavy global access went down...!? It shows just how many video game fans are placing hopes on Shenmue III, doesn't it.
Shenmue: Building Up Natural Layers
Before talking about the game at the center of everyone's attention, Shenmue III, I'd like to reflect back on the Shenmue series in general. I believe the first game, published in 1999, was "Shenmue ~Chapter One: Yokosuka~". That was your first full-fledged title for a home console, wasn't it.
YS: Until then, I had been working only on developing arcade games since joining SEGA in 1983. With arcade game development you have to focus on cramming in the game's essence and inject a fun experience for the player, within a playtime limited to around 3 minutes. I spent some ten-odd years pushing myself to condense the core attractions of a game into a short period of time. Games for a home console are quite different. They don't have the restriction of brief gameplay imposed by arcade games, and time can be taken in communicating a game's features to the player. For me it started by wanting to be able to express myself as a developer with a home console game, unrestricted by time. But to go back even further to my earliest roots, I was greatly influenced as a student by a computer called the Apple II.
http://i.imgur.com/j4HLPeM.png
Oh yes, I remember it! We all dreamed of owning an Apple II as students, but it was something that was far out of our reach.
YS: I also couldn't afford one myself, but seeing those video games running on the Apple II really stirred the imagination, didn't it. Early on, there was a genre of games known as text adventures, which displayed only words on the screen. Following that, as the capabilities of PCs increased, games began to display line graphics together with the text. In "Mystery House", a typical game of that era, the lines were blurry giving them the appearance of full-color graphics. Then in the 1980s the role-playing game (RPG) series "Ultima" emerged, bringing with it 3D dungeons and even sound generation. I witnessed the evolution of these kinds of games, and at the time my reaction was simply "Wow".
Back then was a time when video games evolved at break-neck speed, didn't they, to keep pace with the improving capabilities of PCs.
YS: Ultima in particular set itself apart from the adventure games seen before then whose story would progress in the same way no matter who played; rather, the outcome differed slightly for each person playing. Depending on things like the player's actions and experience points gained within the game, the story develops differently. That's what really got my attention. So for me, RPGs evolved from adventure games – text adventure games that displayed only words. Line graphics were added to these text-only games, followed by the ability to portray color and sound; then the sound-effects became more realistic... To me, the evolution of video games was a rapid broadening of "what's possible". This led to me wondering if I could put 3D graphics on the screen, or include speech. And the result of a natural extension to my thoughts is the Shenmue series.
Within the Shenmue series, what things did you especially strive to do in a particular way?
YS: I'm often asked in interviews with the foreign media whether there is there anything I wished I could have put in Shenmue I but didn't. When I reply "The ramen noodles don't get soggy", a question mark forms above their heads (laughs). In director Juzo Itami's movie "The Funeral" there's a scene in the middle of the ceremony where people start to get pins and needles in their legs and so they rearrange the position of their big toes. It's a situation which shouldn't be laughed about, but you can't help chuckling. It's that sort of everyday little thing that I'd like to portray. That's what gives the Shenmue feeling, and I wanted to include lots of those kinds of things. For example - after 10 minutes there's less steam coming from the ramen noodles (laughs). But at the time of Shenmue I, characters in other games could only move in four directions (up, down, left, right) and in order to talk with other characters you had to stand directly in front of them. And that's the era in which I was trying to portray things cinematically, so I couldn't get understanding from anyone. (laughs)
I think it was in 1997 that you asked me whether I would be interested in becoming the director of what was Shenmue's previous incarnation, "Virtua Fighter RPG". Back then you also spoke about the same kind of things, but at the time I couldn't grasp what you were talking about at all (laughs).
YS: Even when I pointed out to people "In real life you can converse with someone even if you're standing beside them rather than directly in front, right?", no one got it. (laughs) That was common with video games of the time, and taken for granted. When a character ran into a wall or obstacle and stopped, his legs would continue to move on the spot. No-one would listen to the suggestion that when a character can't move any further forward he doesn't keep lifting his feet. I'm sure everyone justified it to themselves with the reasoning "because it's a game". So the Shenmue series took shape from my building up layers of what were, for me, natural things.
The Day Japan's Gaming Industry Lost Domination
What Is Needed for a Come-back?
Shenmue I was filled with revolutionary concepts such as those, but no games appeared from Japan game developers to follow in its footsteps. Shenmue I was released in December 1999, and I believe that is the day when Japan lost the global video games battle.
YS: It's true that Japan's game industry started to go in the completely opposite direction from there.
My feeling is that Shenmue I was somewhat of a difficult proposition from a business perspective, and so the executives at Japan game companies decided that this style of game wasn't going to work out and turned their backs.
YS: But that's because video games of the time, not just in Japan but around the world, were of a style that explored a single theme in depth. For example even Hang On, a game that I designed, was focused on riding with the bike leaning over. A single theme was taken and narrowed down to the extreme – and then it was drilled into with depth. It's the complete opposite of the "able to do anything" style I was aiming for with the Shenmue series.
If Japanese game developers had embraced Shenmue's concepts, we might have been in quite a different situation today. Games like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy didn't follow its path either.
YS: Those are products that were created after a thorough analysis of the Japanese market to identify suitable elements for customization to Japanese gamers, with all necessary elements being incorporated into their manufacture.
Conversely the market overseas was energized by the release of Shenmue I. Even the developers behind Grand Theft Auto went so far as to comment that seeing Shenmue I served as strong encouragement for them, saying that it opened up the way forward for them; they saw that evolving in that direction could work.
YS: Looking back on it now, if I had taken the Shenmue I game engine at that time and made it available as a tool for developers, it might have become the equivalent of something like today's Unreal Engine or Unity. But at the point in time of the first game, the game engine portion wasn't fully finished so we weren't able to make a strong pitch about it. I think if the game engine portion had been complete, then it would have been markedly more efficient to develop the second game onwards. Creating game engines or development tools like this is something at which people in the West are particularly adept. Back in 1999 they realized what development tools would be needed to create a game allowing the player complete freedom of action, and went ahead with the steps to get there.
I think more now than ever, with the Japan game industry up against tough times, your words and Shenmue's concepts really stand out. Last year, when the father of Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima, went independent, he said "If we're only focused on the profits immediately in front of us, the times will leave the Japanese games industry behind. It becomes impossible to catch up again." This reflects what has happened after Shenmue.
YS: When Shenmue I was released, reviews were mixed. I can talk about it now as the "statue of limitations" has expired, but originally the Shenmue series was a single story made up of 11 chapters, that I was planning to release in two parts. Then it became necessary to release just the first chapter as a single game: putting together its own opening and ending and adjusting it story-wise to provide an Introduction, Development, Turn and Conclusion. So, if I had to say whether Shenmue I turned out as I had first envisaged, then that's not necessarily the case. My belief is that you must always be taking on new challenges, in order for new methods of expression and game production techniques to see the light. If you only rely on the old and familiar, the day will come when you're no longer able to stand up against the rest of the world.
http://i.imgur.com/piJX6fr.png
Challenges Give Rise to New Advantages
This is my own pet theory, but I think that with video games in America, in the main both players and developers have grown to prefer games that provide entertainment through simulation. I would say that it's for this reason that Shenmue I "clicked" with Americans as being the kind of thing they were looking for; and video games that followed haven't held back on trying new things to improve the quality of the simulation.
YS: The people of Japan are the most versatile among all nations, so I'm sure that in three years time, given the same development tool, we would be able to master them with the highest proficiency. However, while we may be able to become more proficient than anyone else, there is a temptation to stick with those development tools or methods we have gotten used to. Developers overseas, on the other hand, are always trying new development methods and different game engines, and they use these skillfully and efficiently. This approach of trying new things is one that is praised by overseas game fans. And so the approach taken in the West, where importance is placed on new challenges rather than success / failure, is a better and mentally healthier approach for developers.
No doubt your big global hit Out Run was the result of your taking on those kinds of challenges yourself. Out Run was a game that simulates an enjoyable drive in a car down a wide, open road while the trend for race games in the 80s was to race down narrow roads, where hitting another car would cause an explosion.
YS: After all, in real life I have never had an explosion from scraping my car (laughs). And so I thought it doesn't make sense for it to explode. And what prompted me to provide Out Run with a choice of 3 background music tracks was from wanting to change the music to suit my mood when driving my own car.
And then we arrive at the 90s, when 2D fighting games had a great burst in popularity.
YS: Street Fighter II was the king of the fighting games at the time.
Back then, "fighting games" automatically meant two-dimensional fighting games – that was the only kind of fighting games that players and developers knew, wasn't it. But instead of pursuing the same path, you worked on a three-dimensional fighting game, Virtua Fighter.
YS: I had no hope of mastering the controls for Street Fighter II, so I thought I would make a game that I would be able to play (laughs). What I wanted to achieve with Virtua Fighter was that I wanted to be able to move my character the way I wanted, with the fighting based on judgment in the same way as with an actual martial artist. The 2D fighting games of the 90s were a genre where the player is rewarded with a win through skill at timing. However, that means that it is people who can execute the commands at exactly the right instant who are the ones that win. What is really wanted is for victory to be the result of the player thinking "I want to do a somersault kick here" and controlling the character accordingly, right? With real boxing too, even the greatest boxer doesn't watch the action before throwing a punch. His body moves the instant he senses that his opponent will throw a punch. I wanted to make a fighting game that you could play with the same kind of intuition as actual fighters. To achieve that, I simplified the controls and implemented an intelligent processing system to let the player's decisions be communicated directly.
It was a game you packed with innovations, wasn't it - not just 3D graphics but even in areas like the controls.
Video Game Industry's Destiny Dictates Use of Cutting-Edge Technology
I think the reason 3D stereoscopic movies have become established in Hollywood is because entertainment in America as a whole has moved in the direction of simulations, and they have been assimilated naturally. That being the case, would virtual reality be the next area video games in America will target?
YS: We are getting closer to what we used to dream about. Even for simulations, the day may come when the experience will be not be via a TV screen but through holographic images, which is something I discussed back in the days of Virtua Fighter. It is said that almost anything that can be imagined is realizable; for example in the past we used to think it would be amazing if trains could travel inside buildings, but now it's something that exists and is taken for granted. So reality will grow closer to our dreams, I'm sure.
The games of the future we dreamed about as kids are rapidly becoming reality, aren't they.
YS: What bugs me most when I'm playing video games, is that using a controller is such a hassle. I ask myself when it will be possible to play without a controller (laughs). Being unable to manipulate the controller properly is stressful and unpleasant, so I want to have the character move just from thought. Brain waves such as alpha waves can now be detected, so someday a sensor may be realized that gives you control just by attaching it to your body in the same way as "Elekiban" [a brand of magnetic patches sold in Japan] .
Actually continuing to attempt to reach those goals, rather than leaving them as dreams, pushes technology to advance, doesn't it.
YS: Even automated driving, which has become a popular topic in the vehicle industry, is a natural extension of the technology used to control the non-player cars in racing games - how to recognize the road geometry, how to make a correction to a deviation from the path of travel. The basic core of automated driving is the same foundation as for the non-player cars we have been working with for more than 10 years. Of course, with an actual car lives are at stake so things like the detection of other cars and measurement of inter-car distance is done with high precision. Racing games, by comparison, are deliberately made to be competitive so that the player can enjoy playing them. Almost certainly some of the technology in racing games forms the cornerstone of automated driving; or to put it another way, I would say the very first incorporation of automated driving was in racing games.
Video games are filled with cutting-edge technology, aren't they!
YS: Military technology contributed to the evolution of computers. Therefore cutting-edge technology is also used in the video game industry built upon them, and furthermore this industry is one whose destiny dictates that kind of cutting-edge technology be actively employed.
Being Globally Competitive as a Creative Work
While experimenting with such new challenges may be fun, at the same time is it the toughest part of video game development?
YS: Quite the opposite, it's the most enjoyable part. Of course, there are tough times too. With the production of Shenmue I, there's no doubt there were struggles, but they were to do with the vast amount of personnel administration and management; areas other than the creative side.
Things like administering the staff and scheduling, rather than the development.
YS: Right (laughs). I hate having time taken up by management and losing time for creativity.
Having clearly-separated positions for producer and director as with Hollywood movies might suit your style of creation better.
YS: If I could dedicate myself to creating the game, it would be painless. But back at the time of Shenmue I, for a developer to speak of making a game where the player is "able to do anything" was taboo territory – it was equivalent to saying that the game would become one that couldn't do anything. The reason for that is simple: if you have say 10 developers, then to implement 10 features you need to put one person in charge of each feature. But if you narrow the scope down to a single feature then all 10 members can devote their energy to it. You could also say that the reason a game of the same type as Shenmue wasn't produced following the release of Shenmue I was due to there being this kind of background.
So it was a game that deliberately challenged this taboo!
YS: That's why when I'm making a video game... I always find new challenges exciting. Also when I was making arcade games, I never felt it to be a hardship. However - and this is something that can be said about all the games I've created up till now - I've never completed one exactly as I wanted it to be. Mostly they end up with around 50-60% implemented of what I wanted to do (laughs).
If the result is the creation of games like Virtua Fighter, then everything you wanted to do was implemented the world would surely be bowled over! (laughs)
YS: The biggest difference between game developers in Japan vs those overseas is probably the system of production. Overseas development companies are based around a production style that includes Hollywood marketing and merchandising. And so it's hard for Japanese developers to try to imitate that. But in a way it's the same for movies: there are many fine Japanese movies, aren't there. Some Japanese movies even win awards overseas. If we can bring out something with an appeal that isn't influenced by differences in budget or production style, then a product can be created that will be well received by the rest of the world. I want Shenmue III to be a video game that can be globally competitive as a creative work.
Translation by Switch
Go here for PART 1 of the article.
In this lengthier part, Yu Suzuki reflects on last year's Kickstarter launch at E3, and talks about early computer games that inspired and influenced his design decisions for Shenmue; his thoughts on the game industry in Japan vs overseas; his love of innovation when creating games; the evolution of technology used in games; and his desire to ensure that Shenmue III is a game that will stand up proudly in today's market.
Note: this part appears first in the actual article.
http://i.imgur.com/rT9HyAhm.png
PART 2
The Globally-Anticipated Shenmue III is Under Way
Hello, it's been a while!
YS: Yes, it has! So, it looks like you're now reporting under the name Ikeda for the Weekly Shonen magazine.
That's right. And since development is under way on your latest game, I rushed over to ask you all about it!
YS: (laughs)
As we know, the project for the creation of Shenmue III was announced at the Playstation Experience 2015 conference at last year's E3. The venue exploded in excitement instantly. Looking back on it, how did you feel?
YS: Just before the Shenmue III announcement, several major games like Final Fantasy XV were being announced one after another from the stage, with each prompting thunderous cheers from the audience. So I felt anxious as I waited in the dressing rooms to go on, being overwhelmed at the fervor in the event hall and at the extraordinary atmosphere under which the Shenmue III announcement would be made (laughs) However, as soon as the Shenmue III music began to play... the cheering rang out an octave higher than previously – it was almost like screaming. I was so moved at that moment.
The applause and cheers that filled the air almost broke the hall apart – the passion was incredible, wasn't it. That's when it hit me just how eagerly video game fans around the world had been looking forward to Shenmue III. There was an amazing response through pledges made via Kickstarter immediately after that too, wasn't there.
YS: For the creation of Shenmue III, I used Kickstarter to raise funding towards the development budget from fans and a total of $6,333,296 was pledged by 69,320 people (by the end of the Kickstarter campaign). What's more, two Guinness world records were set: Fastest $1 Million Pledged for a Crowd-funded Video Game and Most Money Pledged for a Kickstarter Video Game. Access by the fans was so heavy that day that the Kickstarter servers went down three times.
Servers that should be able to stand up to heavy global access went down...!? It shows just how many video game fans are placing hopes on Shenmue III, doesn't it.
Shenmue: Building Up Natural Layers
Before talking about the game at the center of everyone's attention, Shenmue III, I'd like to reflect back on the Shenmue series in general. I believe the first game, published in 1999, was "Shenmue ~Chapter One: Yokosuka~". That was your first full-fledged title for a home console, wasn't it.
YS: Until then, I had been working only on developing arcade games since joining SEGA in 1983. With arcade game development you have to focus on cramming in the game's essence and inject a fun experience for the player, within a playtime limited to around 3 minutes. I spent some ten-odd years pushing myself to condense the core attractions of a game into a short period of time. Games for a home console are quite different. They don't have the restriction of brief gameplay imposed by arcade games, and time can be taken in communicating a game's features to the player. For me it started by wanting to be able to express myself as a developer with a home console game, unrestricted by time. But to go back even further to my earliest roots, I was greatly influenced as a student by a computer called the Apple II.
http://i.imgur.com/j4HLPeM.png
Oh yes, I remember it! We all dreamed of owning an Apple II as students, but it was something that was far out of our reach.
YS: I also couldn't afford one myself, but seeing those video games running on the Apple II really stirred the imagination, didn't it. Early on, there was a genre of games known as text adventures, which displayed only words on the screen. Following that, as the capabilities of PCs increased, games began to display line graphics together with the text. In "Mystery House", a typical game of that era, the lines were blurry giving them the appearance of full-color graphics. Then in the 1980s the role-playing game (RPG) series "Ultima" emerged, bringing with it 3D dungeons and even sound generation. I witnessed the evolution of these kinds of games, and at the time my reaction was simply "Wow".
Back then was a time when video games evolved at break-neck speed, didn't they, to keep pace with the improving capabilities of PCs.
YS: Ultima in particular set itself apart from the adventure games seen before then whose story would progress in the same way no matter who played; rather, the outcome differed slightly for each person playing. Depending on things like the player's actions and experience points gained within the game, the story develops differently. That's what really got my attention. So for me, RPGs evolved from adventure games – text adventure games that displayed only words. Line graphics were added to these text-only games, followed by the ability to portray color and sound; then the sound-effects became more realistic... To me, the evolution of video games was a rapid broadening of "what's possible". This led to me wondering if I could put 3D graphics on the screen, or include speech. And the result of a natural extension to my thoughts is the Shenmue series.
Within the Shenmue series, what things did you especially strive to do in a particular way?
YS: I'm often asked in interviews with the foreign media whether there is there anything I wished I could have put in Shenmue I but didn't. When I reply "The ramen noodles don't get soggy", a question mark forms above their heads (laughs). In director Juzo Itami's movie "The Funeral" there's a scene in the middle of the ceremony where people start to get pins and needles in their legs and so they rearrange the position of their big toes. It's a situation which shouldn't be laughed about, but you can't help chuckling. It's that sort of everyday little thing that I'd like to portray. That's what gives the Shenmue feeling, and I wanted to include lots of those kinds of things. For example - after 10 minutes there's less steam coming from the ramen noodles (laughs). But at the time of Shenmue I, characters in other games could only move in four directions (up, down, left, right) and in order to talk with other characters you had to stand directly in front of them. And that's the era in which I was trying to portray things cinematically, so I couldn't get understanding from anyone. (laughs)
I think it was in 1997 that you asked me whether I would be interested in becoming the director of what was Shenmue's previous incarnation, "Virtua Fighter RPG". Back then you also spoke about the same kind of things, but at the time I couldn't grasp what you were talking about at all (laughs).
YS: Even when I pointed out to people "In real life you can converse with someone even if you're standing beside them rather than directly in front, right?", no one got it. (laughs) That was common with video games of the time, and taken for granted. When a character ran into a wall or obstacle and stopped, his legs would continue to move on the spot. No-one would listen to the suggestion that when a character can't move any further forward he doesn't keep lifting his feet. I'm sure everyone justified it to themselves with the reasoning "because it's a game". So the Shenmue series took shape from my building up layers of what were, for me, natural things.
The Day Japan's Gaming Industry Lost Domination
What Is Needed for a Come-back?
Shenmue I was filled with revolutionary concepts such as those, but no games appeared from Japan game developers to follow in its footsteps. Shenmue I was released in December 1999, and I believe that is the day when Japan lost the global video games battle.
YS: It's true that Japan's game industry started to go in the completely opposite direction from there.
My feeling is that Shenmue I was somewhat of a difficult proposition from a business perspective, and so the executives at Japan game companies decided that this style of game wasn't going to work out and turned their backs.
YS: But that's because video games of the time, not just in Japan but around the world, were of a style that explored a single theme in depth. For example even Hang On, a game that I designed, was focused on riding with the bike leaning over. A single theme was taken and narrowed down to the extreme – and then it was drilled into with depth. It's the complete opposite of the "able to do anything" style I was aiming for with the Shenmue series.
If Japanese game developers had embraced Shenmue's concepts, we might have been in quite a different situation today. Games like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy didn't follow its path either.
YS: Those are products that were created after a thorough analysis of the Japanese market to identify suitable elements for customization to Japanese gamers, with all necessary elements being incorporated into their manufacture.
Conversely the market overseas was energized by the release of Shenmue I. Even the developers behind Grand Theft Auto went so far as to comment that seeing Shenmue I served as strong encouragement for them, saying that it opened up the way forward for them; they saw that evolving in that direction could work.
YS: Looking back on it now, if I had taken the Shenmue I game engine at that time and made it available as a tool for developers, it might have become the equivalent of something like today's Unreal Engine or Unity. But at the point in time of the first game, the game engine portion wasn't fully finished so we weren't able to make a strong pitch about it. I think if the game engine portion had been complete, then it would have been markedly more efficient to develop the second game onwards. Creating game engines or development tools like this is something at which people in the West are particularly adept. Back in 1999 they realized what development tools would be needed to create a game allowing the player complete freedom of action, and went ahead with the steps to get there.
I think more now than ever, with the Japan game industry up against tough times, your words and Shenmue's concepts really stand out. Last year, when the father of Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima, went independent, he said "If we're only focused on the profits immediately in front of us, the times will leave the Japanese games industry behind. It becomes impossible to catch up again." This reflects what has happened after Shenmue.
YS: When Shenmue I was released, reviews were mixed. I can talk about it now as the "statue of limitations" has expired, but originally the Shenmue series was a single story made up of 11 chapters, that I was planning to release in two parts. Then it became necessary to release just the first chapter as a single game: putting together its own opening and ending and adjusting it story-wise to provide an Introduction, Development, Turn and Conclusion. So, if I had to say whether Shenmue I turned out as I had first envisaged, then that's not necessarily the case. My belief is that you must always be taking on new challenges, in order for new methods of expression and game production techniques to see the light. If you only rely on the old and familiar, the day will come when you're no longer able to stand up against the rest of the world.
http://i.imgur.com/piJX6fr.png
Challenges Give Rise to New Advantages
This is my own pet theory, but I think that with video games in America, in the main both players and developers have grown to prefer games that provide entertainment through simulation. I would say that it's for this reason that Shenmue I "clicked" with Americans as being the kind of thing they were looking for; and video games that followed haven't held back on trying new things to improve the quality of the simulation.
YS: The people of Japan are the most versatile among all nations, so I'm sure that in three years time, given the same development tool, we would be able to master them with the highest proficiency. However, while we may be able to become more proficient than anyone else, there is a temptation to stick with those development tools or methods we have gotten used to. Developers overseas, on the other hand, are always trying new development methods and different game engines, and they use these skillfully and efficiently. This approach of trying new things is one that is praised by overseas game fans. And so the approach taken in the West, where importance is placed on new challenges rather than success / failure, is a better and mentally healthier approach for developers.
No doubt your big global hit Out Run was the result of your taking on those kinds of challenges yourself. Out Run was a game that simulates an enjoyable drive in a car down a wide, open road while the trend for race games in the 80s was to race down narrow roads, where hitting another car would cause an explosion.
YS: After all, in real life I have never had an explosion from scraping my car (laughs). And so I thought it doesn't make sense for it to explode. And what prompted me to provide Out Run with a choice of 3 background music tracks was from wanting to change the music to suit my mood when driving my own car.
And then we arrive at the 90s, when 2D fighting games had a great burst in popularity.
YS: Street Fighter II was the king of the fighting games at the time.
Back then, "fighting games" automatically meant two-dimensional fighting games – that was the only kind of fighting games that players and developers knew, wasn't it. But instead of pursuing the same path, you worked on a three-dimensional fighting game, Virtua Fighter.
YS: I had no hope of mastering the controls for Street Fighter II, so I thought I would make a game that I would be able to play (laughs). What I wanted to achieve with Virtua Fighter was that I wanted to be able to move my character the way I wanted, with the fighting based on judgment in the same way as with an actual martial artist. The 2D fighting games of the 90s were a genre where the player is rewarded with a win through skill at timing. However, that means that it is people who can execute the commands at exactly the right instant who are the ones that win. What is really wanted is for victory to be the result of the player thinking "I want to do a somersault kick here" and controlling the character accordingly, right? With real boxing too, even the greatest boxer doesn't watch the action before throwing a punch. His body moves the instant he senses that his opponent will throw a punch. I wanted to make a fighting game that you could play with the same kind of intuition as actual fighters. To achieve that, I simplified the controls and implemented an intelligent processing system to let the player's decisions be communicated directly.
It was a game you packed with innovations, wasn't it - not just 3D graphics but even in areas like the controls.
Video Game Industry's Destiny Dictates Use of Cutting-Edge Technology
I think the reason 3D stereoscopic movies have become established in Hollywood is because entertainment in America as a whole has moved in the direction of simulations, and they have been assimilated naturally. That being the case, would virtual reality be the next area video games in America will target?
YS: We are getting closer to what we used to dream about. Even for simulations, the day may come when the experience will be not be via a TV screen but through holographic images, which is something I discussed back in the days of Virtua Fighter. It is said that almost anything that can be imagined is realizable; for example in the past we used to think it would be amazing if trains could travel inside buildings, but now it's something that exists and is taken for granted. So reality will grow closer to our dreams, I'm sure.
The games of the future we dreamed about as kids are rapidly becoming reality, aren't they.
YS: What bugs me most when I'm playing video games, is that using a controller is such a hassle. I ask myself when it will be possible to play without a controller (laughs). Being unable to manipulate the controller properly is stressful and unpleasant, so I want to have the character move just from thought. Brain waves such as alpha waves can now be detected, so someday a sensor may be realized that gives you control just by attaching it to your body in the same way as "Elekiban" [a brand of magnetic patches sold in Japan] .
Actually continuing to attempt to reach those goals, rather than leaving them as dreams, pushes technology to advance, doesn't it.
YS: Even automated driving, which has become a popular topic in the vehicle industry, is a natural extension of the technology used to control the non-player cars in racing games - how to recognize the road geometry, how to make a correction to a deviation from the path of travel. The basic core of automated driving is the same foundation as for the non-player cars we have been working with for more than 10 years. Of course, with an actual car lives are at stake so things like the detection of other cars and measurement of inter-car distance is done with high precision. Racing games, by comparison, are deliberately made to be competitive so that the player can enjoy playing them. Almost certainly some of the technology in racing games forms the cornerstone of automated driving; or to put it another way, I would say the very first incorporation of automated driving was in racing games.
Video games are filled with cutting-edge technology, aren't they!
YS: Military technology contributed to the evolution of computers. Therefore cutting-edge technology is also used in the video game industry built upon them, and furthermore this industry is one whose destiny dictates that kind of cutting-edge technology be actively employed.
Being Globally Competitive as a Creative Work
While experimenting with such new challenges may be fun, at the same time is it the toughest part of video game development?
YS: Quite the opposite, it's the most enjoyable part. Of course, there are tough times too. With the production of Shenmue I, there's no doubt there were struggles, but they were to do with the vast amount of personnel administration and management; areas other than the creative side.
Things like administering the staff and scheduling, rather than the development.
YS: Right (laughs). I hate having time taken up by management and losing time for creativity.
Having clearly-separated positions for producer and director as with Hollywood movies might suit your style of creation better.
YS: If I could dedicate myself to creating the game, it would be painless. But back at the time of Shenmue I, for a developer to speak of making a game where the player is "able to do anything" was taboo territory – it was equivalent to saying that the game would become one that couldn't do anything. The reason for that is simple: if you have say 10 developers, then to implement 10 features you need to put one person in charge of each feature. But if you narrow the scope down to a single feature then all 10 members can devote their energy to it. You could also say that the reason a game of the same type as Shenmue wasn't produced following the release of Shenmue I was due to there being this kind of background.
So it was a game that deliberately challenged this taboo!
YS: That's why when I'm making a video game... I always find new challenges exciting. Also when I was making arcade games, I never felt it to be a hardship. However - and this is something that can be said about all the games I've created up till now - I've never completed one exactly as I wanted it to be. Mostly they end up with around 50-60% implemented of what I wanted to do (laughs).
If the result is the creation of games like Virtua Fighter, then everything you wanted to do was implemented the world would surely be bowled over! (laughs)
YS: The biggest difference between game developers in Japan vs those overseas is probably the system of production. Overseas development companies are based around a production style that includes Hollywood marketing and merchandising. And so it's hard for Japanese developers to try to imitate that. But in a way it's the same for movies: there are many fine Japanese movies, aren't there. Some Japanese movies even win awards overseas. If we can bring out something with an appeal that isn't influenced by differences in budget or production style, then a product can be created that will be well received by the rest of the world. I want Shenmue III to be a video game that can be globally competitive as a creative work.
Translation by Switch
- Fri Jun 10, 2016 10:05 am
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Re: E3 2016 & Shenmue 3
Japan dinner flights booked. Can't believe its all becoming a reality.
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DoriMaga Feature Part 2: The World of Shenmue (Jan 1999)
Here is the second translated installment of the January 1999 edition of the Dreamcast Magazine, which contained a multi-part feature on Shenmue . The theme of Part 2 is "The World of Shenmue".
http://i.imgur.com/tPiMPntt.png
Background to the article : as part of the build-up to the release of Shenmue, and following on the heels of the Shenmue Premiere event that had been held the previous month in Yokohama, the Japanese Dreamcast Magazine ("DoriMaga") published this 16-page special report covering various aspects about what could be expected with the as-yet unreleased Shenmue.
The feature consists of these parts:
Part 1. Shenmue Premiere Event (previously translated here)
Part 2. The World of Shenmue (this post)
Part 3. The Hero and Other Characters (future post)
Part 4. It's Magic! Special Effects and Production (future post)
Part 5. Interview with Yu Suzuki (future post)
PART 2: The World of Shenmue
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Shenmue’s Most Distinctive Feature: Its Immense Play Area!
Here's what Yu Suzuki has to say about Shenmue’s new genre, FREE (an acronym of "Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment"): "It imposes fewer constraints than the games of the past, and lets you play as you want and without stress. It’s about making sure anyone can get through the game smoothly, without being frustrated - that’s what I wanted to create. Even a 10-year old can play. When the boundaries between generations and countries are overcome, people from all over the world can share the emotion of its themes, and feel as if they have experienced a different life from their present one. To put it another way, I want to give the player a complete, self-contained world."
A World Whose Creation Has Spanned 3 Years
This game is the product of 3 years spent by SEGA’s top developer, Yu Suzuki, after taking on the challenge of creating an RPG. The project got underway in secret in 1996 at AM2’s research department as development was in progress on Virtua Fighter III, a game greatly anticipated by all game players. Things took shape steadily, and a massive number of image boards were created in the construction of the world. Work on Yu Suzuki’s masterpiece came to be known by the code name " Project Berkley ". And now, at last, the time has come for the veil to be lifted.
Yu Suzuki’s goal with the game is the "creation of a huge world" - nothing less than a reconstruction of the real world. Something that’s easy to say, but for a game to take ordinary, everyday things and recreate them before our eyes is one of the most difficult challenges. For that reason, in games before now objects have always been symbolized or simplified: the symbol of a castle; a 3D sandbox world that lacks authenticity; badly-shaped characters... It’s only natural to question why this has become the accepted method of expression in conventional RPGs. Yu Suzuki took this as his starting point, along with a vast and complete world. Indeed, Yu Suzuki took the concepts everybody had taken for granted and made them his point of departure. Upon seeing the world that Yu Suzuki has created, players will surely catch their breath.
http://i.imgur.com/2lZxf2p.png
Above: One of the locations in Shenmue: the bewitching capital of Hong Kong. Kowloon City, standing in the evening sun, may be a town that best reflects the impressive scale of the game. Enclosing all kinds of people, this giant city is a complicated tangle, forbidding access to outsiders...
※ All images are work-in-progress.
The May 21st Dreamcast Demo:
Was “The Tower of Babel” a Glimpse of Things to Come?!
21 May, 1998: at the Dreamcast event, along with demonstrations presented by Mr Irimajiri [the then-CEO of Sega] , a demonstration video of "The Tower of Babel" was shown. It is said to have been put together by three staff members in just ten days. This demo bears a striking resemblance to the walled city of Kowloon in Shenmue. What would have been produced if three years had been spent in the creation of the city? The answer to that is: Shenmue.
http://i.imgur.com/7ODFYxJ.png
Above: from above, countless stores and houses surround the huge tower. Creating something like this in a period of just 10 days is now within the realm of possibility.
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Left: this is how it looks viewed from afar: one large island. Right: going in closer, the detail in the work can be appreciated. Is this the kind of world that will exist in Shenmue?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4fAbTrhvto
http://i.imgur.com/k401lnil.png
Above: this is where the protagonist of this game lives, the area of Yokosuka. With its slightly retro feel, the town feels more than a background to an RPG - the sense of realism shown in this screenshot makes it easy to believe that it actually exists: the aerials on the houses, the power lines, the store signs and post boxes... Just as in the real world, the player can navigate around using them as landmarks when navigating around.
http://i.imgur.com/ir8XYAUl.png
Above: in stark contrast is the landscape of Hong Kong. The player will realize immediately just by observing the differences in the city’s appearance that they are in a different country. It is as if an entire world exists there. A boundless expanse awaits the player.
"A system that can be enjoyed at any age, where simplicity and depth stand side by side; a realistic world with fine attention to detail enticing you to see what’s around the next corner; a space that feels real. These are the kinds of things I wanted to create." Just from this brief glimpse of the stage on which Shenmue is set, Yu Suzuki’s thoughts can be clearly understood. However, Yu Suzuki isn’t content with just creating a realistic world: "A story and experience that will leave players with lasting memories". We mustn’t forget this crucial aspect of the game. To put it another way, the purpose of constructing this great world was to evoke such emotions. What sights will be in store for you in this vast world?
http://i.imgur.com/4IaP4R7l.png
Above: the Hong Kong cityscape, a sight familiar also to Japanese. One of a number of cities in Asia said to boast a million-dollar night view, the gaudy signs of its shopping district will no doubt leave an especially strong impression. In Shenmue, such views of Hong Kong city are faithfully reproduced, down to the last detail. Those who see it will be amazed!
The protagonist’s name: Ryo Hazuki!!
China’s expansive history and vast lands spoke to Yu Suzuki’s heart. At first, in order to give the world consistency, only the theme music was created, and this helped to fan his imagination. Then, two years ago, in order to flesh out the visual images, a CG movie was created. That movie was the one seen in places such as the Virtua Fighter 3tb special disk and the TV commercial for the premiere event.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu86tlnFLVE
However Suzuki says that the creation of the most important character, the protagonist, turned out to be much more difficult than he had been expecting; recently, it has at last been firmed up.
The main character’s name is Ryo Hazuki. A Japanese youth, he pursues the mystery of his father’s death, setting out on a journey to a country in the west he has not laid eyes upon before: China. What awaits him there?
http://i.imgur.com/Wc0E7Kkl.png
The main protagonist, Ryo Hazuki, revealed at the premiere event. He was modelled in 3D using an actual plaster bust. Having lost his mother when he was a child, Ryo’s childhood days were passed training under the strict instruction of his father. Although reckless and with a quick temper, he has a strong conviction. He is the main character of the game.
Is this really a game?! A fully-interactive world using no pre-rendered movies. The town, the rooms, the people... everything, even the dogs and cats, are drawn to full scale!!
Shenmue: a townscape that has been crafted to reproduce the real world in fine detail; and among the development staff, there are even a few hallucinatory souls who ask themselves if this is truly a game.
The townscape that has been crafted is not a spurious sandbox; you can round corners following a smoothly-curving path, and if there are obstacles in the way your pace will automatically slow as you avoid them. In other words, if there is somewhere that you want to go, it’s just a matter of pressing a direction button.
Pressing Up moves you foward; Down and you turn around. If you press Left you move to the left; if you press Right you move to the right. Furthermore, if there is something you wish to look at, you don’t need to come to a halt. Just press the analog stick in the direction you wish to look as you walk along. Indeed, just like in real life, you can search for signs that show the way, or look up at a building while you walk. It’s also possible to look down as you move, and search for dropped items on the ground. Players can go where they want, looking at what they want. Naturally, the controls are simple even for a child. One of the main features is that everything has been made to be user-friendly.
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Above: in the world of Shenmue, there is no disconcerting switch to a movie scene, with the commonly-seen obvious change in graphics quality. All scenes are created and displayed on the fly.
Furthermore, in Shenmue there are many characters who don’t have a direct connection to the development of the story. People who helpfully tell you the way to go, people who hurry past you and in-your-face road-side vendors. The player can progress through the game without having to converse with all the characters, just as in the real world. Of course, a quick conversation might turn out to give you an unexpected clue. If you are lost, or don’t know what to search for next, just as in the real world you can try asking people at the wayside.
http://i.imgur.com/OL49lS9.png
Above: the inhabitants are rendered in high-quality, real-time CG, and the story unfolds seamlessly – just as if in the real world.
The Story Starts in the Winter of 1986, in Yokosuka!
The setting for Shenmue is Yokosuka. Yu Suzuki comments regarding the time period: "I’m planning to have the story start in Yokosuka, in the winter of 1986. That’s something that probably won’t change". When asked the reason for choosing Yokosuka as the setting: "There’s not really any great reason per se, but I wanted to use a town in Japan with a bit of character – like Kamakura, Kurashiki or Kyoto. Even now there are towns brimming with the atmosphere of Japan. Yokosuka and its surroundings feel right: somewhat exotic and out-of-the-ordinary. And the time period that I thought was the most Yokosuka-like goes back 10 years, to around 1986".
Suzuki says that under the scenario currently created, the setting for the first chapter will be around Yokosuka, where the main protaganist Ryo Hazuki grew up. With Yokosuka as its departure point, the world of Shenmue will gradually expand out. The size of this world is bound to exceed our expectations.
http://i.imgur.com/O6NDdmR.png
Above: the atmospheric streets of the suburbs around Yokosuka. The historic Hazuki dojo, also the home of Ryo Hazuki, and its surroundings together with the area of Shin-Yokosuka harbor make up the setting of Chapter One.
http://i.imgur.com/ei3AuNq.png
Above: once you have become somewhat familiar with the area of Yokosuka, the setting moves to Hong Kong. The recreation of the complicated buildings is remarkable, its composition serving to give a sense of height.
http://i.imgur.com/r1Vr6no.png
Above: the people there carry out their lives just as in the real world. Don’t hesitate to have a chat with them.
Answers to Our Quiz
Aerials
In the December 25 [1998] edition of Dreamcast Magazine, we showed you pictures of several aerials. So what meaning did they have?
http://i.imgur.com/rdOGyAT.png
http://i.imgur.com/SrND7kh.png
Here’s the explanation: the huge environment that has been created for Shenmue is not merely large in size, but has been built with an insane level of detail. Aerials are one such example. Aerials have been recreated and placed throughout the expansive town, with each one a shape different from the next. This result of this ludicrous amount of effort is that the world in which the player moves feels realistic, giving the illusion of being in the real world. Indeed, a "world" really does exist there!
Animals
We showcased these animals in the December 18 [2015] edition of Dreamcast Magazine.
http://i.imgur.com/JsQKPuV.png
Yu Suzuki has this to say about them: "My aim was for a game where everything develops at full scale – while the player moves around, animals like dogs and cats will also appear at full scale." "I think something interesting can be done using these animals." Let’s wait to play the game to find out what he means.
*** End of Part 2. Translation by Switch ***
http://i.imgur.com/tPiMPntt.png
Background to the article : as part of the build-up to the release of Shenmue, and following on the heels of the Shenmue Premiere event that had been held the previous month in Yokohama, the Japanese Dreamcast Magazine ("DoriMaga") published this 16-page special report covering various aspects about what could be expected with the as-yet unreleased Shenmue.
The feature consists of these parts:
Part 1. Shenmue Premiere Event (previously translated here)
Part 2. The World of Shenmue (this post)
Part 3. The Hero and Other Characters (future post)
Part 4. It's Magic! Special Effects and Production (future post)
Part 5. Interview with Yu Suzuki (future post)
PART 2: The World of Shenmue
http://i.imgur.com/rNcvXwAt.png http://i.imgur.com/m2SIloyt.png http://i.imgur.com/kSWtLWht.png http://i.imgur.com/px5STGCt.png
Shenmue’s Most Distinctive Feature: Its Immense Play Area!
Here's what Yu Suzuki has to say about Shenmue’s new genre, FREE (an acronym of "Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment"): "It imposes fewer constraints than the games of the past, and lets you play as you want and without stress. It’s about making sure anyone can get through the game smoothly, without being frustrated - that’s what I wanted to create. Even a 10-year old can play. When the boundaries between generations and countries are overcome, people from all over the world can share the emotion of its themes, and feel as if they have experienced a different life from their present one. To put it another way, I want to give the player a complete, self-contained world."
A World Whose Creation Has Spanned 3 Years
This game is the product of 3 years spent by SEGA’s top developer, Yu Suzuki, after taking on the challenge of creating an RPG. The project got underway in secret in 1996 at AM2’s research department as development was in progress on Virtua Fighter III, a game greatly anticipated by all game players. Things took shape steadily, and a massive number of image boards were created in the construction of the world. Work on Yu Suzuki’s masterpiece came to be known by the code name " Project Berkley ". And now, at last, the time has come for the veil to be lifted.
Yu Suzuki’s goal with the game is the "creation of a huge world" - nothing less than a reconstruction of the real world. Something that’s easy to say, but for a game to take ordinary, everyday things and recreate them before our eyes is one of the most difficult challenges. For that reason, in games before now objects have always been symbolized or simplified: the symbol of a castle; a 3D sandbox world that lacks authenticity; badly-shaped characters... It’s only natural to question why this has become the accepted method of expression in conventional RPGs. Yu Suzuki took this as his starting point, along with a vast and complete world. Indeed, Yu Suzuki took the concepts everybody had taken for granted and made them his point of departure. Upon seeing the world that Yu Suzuki has created, players will surely catch their breath.
http://i.imgur.com/2lZxf2p.png
Above: One of the locations in Shenmue: the bewitching capital of Hong Kong. Kowloon City, standing in the evening sun, may be a town that best reflects the impressive scale of the game. Enclosing all kinds of people, this giant city is a complicated tangle, forbidding access to outsiders...
※ All images are work-in-progress.
The May 21st Dreamcast Demo:
Was “The Tower of Babel” a Glimpse of Things to Come?!
21 May, 1998: at the Dreamcast event, along with demonstrations presented by Mr Irimajiri [the then-CEO of Sega] , a demonstration video of "The Tower of Babel" was shown. It is said to have been put together by three staff members in just ten days. This demo bears a striking resemblance to the walled city of Kowloon in Shenmue. What would have been produced if three years had been spent in the creation of the city? The answer to that is: Shenmue.
http://i.imgur.com/7ODFYxJ.png
Above: from above, countless stores and houses surround the huge tower. Creating something like this in a period of just 10 days is now within the realm of possibility.
http://i.imgur.com/rgFjKbtm.png http://i.imgur.com/sSiJARfm.png?1
Left: this is how it looks viewed from afar: one large island. Right: going in closer, the detail in the work can be appreciated. Is this the kind of world that will exist in Shenmue?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4fAbTrhvto
http://i.imgur.com/k401lnil.png
Above: this is where the protagonist of this game lives, the area of Yokosuka. With its slightly retro feel, the town feels more than a background to an RPG - the sense of realism shown in this screenshot makes it easy to believe that it actually exists: the aerials on the houses, the power lines, the store signs and post boxes... Just as in the real world, the player can navigate around using them as landmarks when navigating around.
http://i.imgur.com/ir8XYAUl.png
Above: in stark contrast is the landscape of Hong Kong. The player will realize immediately just by observing the differences in the city’s appearance that they are in a different country. It is as if an entire world exists there. A boundless expanse awaits the player.
"A system that can be enjoyed at any age, where simplicity and depth stand side by side; a realistic world with fine attention to detail enticing you to see what’s around the next corner; a space that feels real. These are the kinds of things I wanted to create." Just from this brief glimpse of the stage on which Shenmue is set, Yu Suzuki’s thoughts can be clearly understood. However, Yu Suzuki isn’t content with just creating a realistic world: "A story and experience that will leave players with lasting memories". We mustn’t forget this crucial aspect of the game. To put it another way, the purpose of constructing this great world was to evoke such emotions. What sights will be in store for you in this vast world?
http://i.imgur.com/4IaP4R7l.png
Above: the Hong Kong cityscape, a sight familiar also to Japanese. One of a number of cities in Asia said to boast a million-dollar night view, the gaudy signs of its shopping district will no doubt leave an especially strong impression. In Shenmue, such views of Hong Kong city are faithfully reproduced, down to the last detail. Those who see it will be amazed!
The protagonist’s name: Ryo Hazuki!!
China’s expansive history and vast lands spoke to Yu Suzuki’s heart. At first, in order to give the world consistency, only the theme music was created, and this helped to fan his imagination. Then, two years ago, in order to flesh out the visual images, a CG movie was created. That movie was the one seen in places such as the Virtua Fighter 3tb special disk and the TV commercial for the premiere event.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu86tlnFLVE
However Suzuki says that the creation of the most important character, the protagonist, turned out to be much more difficult than he had been expecting; recently, it has at last been firmed up.
The main character’s name is Ryo Hazuki. A Japanese youth, he pursues the mystery of his father’s death, setting out on a journey to a country in the west he has not laid eyes upon before: China. What awaits him there?
http://i.imgur.com/Wc0E7Kkl.png
The main protagonist, Ryo Hazuki, revealed at the premiere event. He was modelled in 3D using an actual plaster bust. Having lost his mother when he was a child, Ryo’s childhood days were passed training under the strict instruction of his father. Although reckless and with a quick temper, he has a strong conviction. He is the main character of the game.
Is this really a game?! A fully-interactive world using no pre-rendered movies. The town, the rooms, the people... everything, even the dogs and cats, are drawn to full scale!!
Shenmue: a townscape that has been crafted to reproduce the real world in fine detail; and among the development staff, there are even a few hallucinatory souls who ask themselves if this is truly a game.
The townscape that has been crafted is not a spurious sandbox; you can round corners following a smoothly-curving path, and if there are obstacles in the way your pace will automatically slow as you avoid them. In other words, if there is somewhere that you want to go, it’s just a matter of pressing a direction button.
Pressing Up moves you foward; Down and you turn around. If you press Left you move to the left; if you press Right you move to the right. Furthermore, if there is something you wish to look at, you don’t need to come to a halt. Just press the analog stick in the direction you wish to look as you walk along. Indeed, just like in real life, you can search for signs that show the way, or look up at a building while you walk. It’s also possible to look down as you move, and search for dropped items on the ground. Players can go where they want, looking at what they want. Naturally, the controls are simple even for a child. One of the main features is that everything has been made to be user-friendly.
http://i.imgur.com/SWbrHKkm.png http://i.imgur.com/3yPqzBXm.png
Above: in the world of Shenmue, there is no disconcerting switch to a movie scene, with the commonly-seen obvious change in graphics quality. All scenes are created and displayed on the fly.
Furthermore, in Shenmue there are many characters who don’t have a direct connection to the development of the story. People who helpfully tell you the way to go, people who hurry past you and in-your-face road-side vendors. The player can progress through the game without having to converse with all the characters, just as in the real world. Of course, a quick conversation might turn out to give you an unexpected clue. If you are lost, or don’t know what to search for next, just as in the real world you can try asking people at the wayside.
http://i.imgur.com/OL49lS9.png
Above: the inhabitants are rendered in high-quality, real-time CG, and the story unfolds seamlessly – just as if in the real world.
The Story Starts in the Winter of 1986, in Yokosuka!
The setting for Shenmue is Yokosuka. Yu Suzuki comments regarding the time period: "I’m planning to have the story start in Yokosuka, in the winter of 1986. That’s something that probably won’t change". When asked the reason for choosing Yokosuka as the setting: "There’s not really any great reason per se, but I wanted to use a town in Japan with a bit of character – like Kamakura, Kurashiki or Kyoto. Even now there are towns brimming with the atmosphere of Japan. Yokosuka and its surroundings feel right: somewhat exotic and out-of-the-ordinary. And the time period that I thought was the most Yokosuka-like goes back 10 years, to around 1986".
Suzuki says that under the scenario currently created, the setting for the first chapter will be around Yokosuka, where the main protaganist Ryo Hazuki grew up. With Yokosuka as its departure point, the world of Shenmue will gradually expand out. The size of this world is bound to exceed our expectations.
http://i.imgur.com/O6NDdmR.png
Above: the atmospheric streets of the suburbs around Yokosuka. The historic Hazuki dojo, also the home of Ryo Hazuki, and its surroundings together with the area of Shin-Yokosuka harbor make up the setting of Chapter One.
http://i.imgur.com/ei3AuNq.png
Above: once you have become somewhat familiar with the area of Yokosuka, the setting moves to Hong Kong. The recreation of the complicated buildings is remarkable, its composition serving to give a sense of height.
http://i.imgur.com/r1Vr6no.png
Above: the people there carry out their lives just as in the real world. Don’t hesitate to have a chat with them.
Answers to Our Quiz
Aerials
In the December 25 [1998] edition of Dreamcast Magazine, we showed you pictures of several aerials. So what meaning did they have?
http://i.imgur.com/rdOGyAT.png
http://i.imgur.com/SrND7kh.png
Here’s the explanation: the huge environment that has been created for Shenmue is not merely large in size, but has been built with an insane level of detail. Aerials are one such example. Aerials have been recreated and placed throughout the expansive town, with each one a shape different from the next. This result of this ludicrous amount of effort is that the world in which the player moves feels realistic, giving the illusion of being in the real world. Indeed, a "world" really does exist there!
Animals
We showcased these animals in the December 18 [2015] edition of Dreamcast Magazine.
http://i.imgur.com/JsQKPuV.png
Yu Suzuki has this to say about them: "My aim was for a game where everything develops at full scale – while the player moves around, animals like dogs and cats will also appear at full scale." "I think something interesting can be done using these animals." Let’s wait to play the game to find out what he means.
*** End of Part 2. Translation by Switch ***
- Fri Jul 15, 2016 10:53 pm
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Shenmue ～莎木～ Game Symphony Japan 17th Concert SEGA Special
http://i.imgur.com/UulkjZo.jpg
As you may know I am currently living and working in Tokyo. A couple of months ago Ziming sent me a private message telling me there was a special Sega event coming up in Tokyo celebrating Sega music from all consoles. Luckily for us Shenmue was included. I am not sure how strict the rules are with cameras but I tried my best to get a good recording for you guys without getting thrown out.
It was absolutely amazing to hear the music played to perfection. After the song was played there was talk of Shenmue 3 but I don't know what was said as I can't understand Japanese but I will give the footage to Ziming at some point.
I've linked the website so that you can see all the songs that were played and also all Sega composers and musicians who were there.
http://gamesymphony.jp/concert/2016/sega_special2016.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcEn6Fgbdgo
Hope you enjoy and sorry for the odd positioning and scuffling noises I was trying to be stealthy!
As you may know I am currently living and working in Tokyo. A couple of months ago Ziming sent me a private message telling me there was a special Sega event coming up in Tokyo celebrating Sega music from all consoles. Luckily for us Shenmue was included. I am not sure how strict the rules are with cameras but I tried my best to get a good recording for you guys without getting thrown out.
It was absolutely amazing to hear the music played to perfection. After the song was played there was talk of Shenmue 3 but I don't know what was said as I can't understand Japanese but I will give the footage to Ziming at some point.
I've linked the website so that you can see all the songs that were played and also all Sega composers and musicians who were there.
http://gamesymphony.jp/concert/2016/sega_special2016.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcEn6Fgbdgo
Hope you enjoy and sorry for the odd positioning and scuffling noises I was trying to be stealthy!
- Tue Jul 19, 2016 9:59 pm
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Re: Shenmue II Guilin Music Compilation & Download
YES! Been waiting for this! Thank you!
- Tue Jul 26, 2016 3:21 am
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Re: Shenmue II Guilin Music Compilation & Download
Jesus Christ, how long did this take you! 
- Sun Jul 24, 2016 10:20 pm
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- Fri Jul 29, 2016 11:17 am
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Re: What are your PC specs?
I'm the exact same myself, building my first PC and was going to post a topic like this in a couple of days!
Went with the i7 4790k and ordered a gtx 1060 the other day. I will post a full list tomorrow. Needed to get a decent build for the video editing I am doing, and also check our some games on PC, as well as finally playing Shenmue in Demul. Lot of Shenmue related content in the pipeline from us, which we will keep everyone updated in the coming months. Let's just say 2017 will be the year of Shenmue :nice!:
Went with the i7 4790k and ordered a gtx 1060 the other day. I will post a full list tomorrow. Needed to get a decent build for the video editing I am doing, and also check our some games on PC, as well as finally playing Shenmue in Demul. Lot of Shenmue related content in the pipeline from us, which we will keep everyone updated in the coming months. Let's just say 2017 will be the year of Shenmue :nice!:
- Sun Jul 31, 2016 12:02 am
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Re: Random Thoughts
A VERY special heartfelt thanks to Ziming for his gift to me of a rare Shenmue record signed by our lord and savior himself, Yu Suzuki. Beautifully framed and shipped in top notch packaging at rapid speed. Ziming is a man with a fine eye for nailing even the smallest details.
Pictured
http://i.imgur.com/AqB38uT.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/QNs2T2S.jpg
It now holds a place of honor above my home theater. Whenever I look upon it now I will think of you, Ziming. :heart: Now please forgive me for taking so long to snap a photo of it and get it uploaded. :lol:
Pictured
http://i.imgur.com/AqB38uT.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/QNs2T2S.jpg
It now holds a place of honor above my home theater. Whenever I look upon it now I will think of you, Ziming. :heart: Now please forgive me for taking so long to snap a photo of it and get it uploaded. :lol:
- Sun Jul 31, 2016 1:17 pm
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Re: Random Thoughts
Ziming always coming through with the good stuff. Very nice placement Sonikku.
- Mon Aug 01, 2016 12:22 am
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Re: What are your PC specs?
By happy coincidence I too ordered a Nvidia 1060 and also saw it delivered and installed today. :D
Some pics.
http://i.imgur.com/3BYCkIY.jpg
The box. Behold. :P
http://i.imgur.com/5mRL9th.jpg
The 7770 removed. Don't feel bad, she's replacing the X1950XT in my mother's machine. :D
http://i.imgur.com/uAxfde4.jpg
It's much longer than my 7770 but is still positively dwarfed by the size of my Fractal R4 case. HTPC this is not. :lol:
http://i.imgur.com/6CKAWe1.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Ogq3Dox.jpg
Installed.
I had originally tried to get the EVGA mini and was poised to score a killer deal getting the 1060 at msrp of $250 minus the paypal coupon code that stood to give me $25 off $200+ orders. Sadly, it ran out of stock while I was submitting my order. :mad: I didn't see a 1060 of any flavor in stock again until a full day later (The MSI one) and by then the coupon code had expired. :sad: Oh well.
But for what it is worth, getting one even for MSRP seems like a deal these days, not to mention the MSI variant I settled on is longer with two fans dissipating heat instead of one. Should make for either silent gaming under full load or better overclocks. Or both. ;-)
Some pics.
http://i.imgur.com/3BYCkIY.jpg
The box. Behold. :P
http://i.imgur.com/5mRL9th.jpg
The 7770 removed. Don't feel bad, she's replacing the X1950XT in my mother's machine. :D
http://i.imgur.com/uAxfde4.jpg
It's much longer than my 7770 but is still positively dwarfed by the size of my Fractal R4 case. HTPC this is not. :lol:
http://i.imgur.com/6CKAWe1.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Ogq3Dox.jpg
Installed.
I had originally tried to get the EVGA mini and was poised to score a killer deal getting the 1060 at msrp of $250 minus the paypal coupon code that stood to give me $25 off $200+ orders. Sadly, it ran out of stock while I was submitting my order. :mad: I didn't see a 1060 of any flavor in stock again until a full day later (The MSI one) and by then the coupon code had expired. :sad: Oh well.
But for what it is worth, getting one even for MSRP seems like a deal these days, not to mention the MSI variant I settled on is longer with two fans dissipating heat instead of one. Should make for either silent gaming under full load or better overclocks. Or both. ;-)
- Wed Aug 03, 2016 10:20 pm
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Shenmue II: The Movie
https://youtu.be/y1cZhDErMRA
https://youtu.be/zOFvWCCAWSg
It's finally time to break my silence on this matter. I've been working on Shenmue II: The Movie for almost two months now, and recently finished recording disc 2 of the game. I've set Christmas of this year as the deadline, but hopefully I'll be finished much sooner, and will have time to do some kind of promotion. If you have any ideas and or would like to help, feel free to PM me.
Shenmue I and II are much more different on a technical level than I expected, and with changes come new challenges. In some ways, Shenmue II: The Movie will be superior to its prequel, but in other ways I've had to make compromises. I can't go too into depth about this right now, but I will say that despite what's seen in the trailer, fights have to be done in 4:3 since the camera does not work properly in 16:9. That being said, I am once again using the 16:9 Auto Fixer created by Dojo members Esppiral , Masterchan777 , and Sappharad , and for the most part it works wonderfully (naturally, there's glitches that can't be helped).
As a result of that poll I ran in the old thread, and for consistency's sake, the movie will be in English thanks to the fantastic mod created by Sm1th . I've played through Shenmue II a few times in the past using the mod, and initially I was worried that I'd run into a plethora of sync issues during conversations. There have been some, but thankfully it's been very limited so far, and nothing I can't work around.
I don't have an estimate for run time yet, but I think it'll be shorter than the 5 hour marathon that was Shenmue: The Movie Remastered . This time, I'm trying to limit myself on the number of secrets and extras being shown. My ultimate goal is for newcomers to actually play the games themselves, since there's so much they'll never experience simply by watching. However, that doesn't mean the movie will strictly contain story elements. Similarly to the first project, I've made it a point to include a variety of gameplay features and cutscenes.
That's about it for now. If you liked the trailer, please share it, and as always, if you'd like to help out with the project in any way, send me a PM. Thanks!
https://youtu.be/zOFvWCCAWSg
It's finally time to break my silence on this matter. I've been working on Shenmue II: The Movie for almost two months now, and recently finished recording disc 2 of the game. I've set Christmas of this year as the deadline, but hopefully I'll be finished much sooner, and will have time to do some kind of promotion. If you have any ideas and or would like to help, feel free to PM me.
Shenmue I and II are much more different on a technical level than I expected, and with changes come new challenges. In some ways, Shenmue II: The Movie will be superior to its prequel, but in other ways I've had to make compromises. I can't go too into depth about this right now, but I will say that despite what's seen in the trailer, fights have to be done in 4:3 since the camera does not work properly in 16:9. That being said, I am once again using the 16:9 Auto Fixer created by Dojo members Esppiral , Masterchan777 , and Sappharad , and for the most part it works wonderfully (naturally, there's glitches that can't be helped).
As a result of that poll I ran in the old thread, and for consistency's sake, the movie will be in English thanks to the fantastic mod created by Sm1th . I've played through Shenmue II a few times in the past using the mod, and initially I was worried that I'd run into a plethora of sync issues during conversations. There have been some, but thankfully it's been very limited so far, and nothing I can't work around.
I don't have an estimate for run time yet, but I think it'll be shorter than the 5 hour marathon that was Shenmue: The Movie Remastered . This time, I'm trying to limit myself on the number of secrets and extras being shown. My ultimate goal is for newcomers to actually play the games themselves, since there's so much they'll never experience simply by watching. However, that doesn't mean the movie will strictly contain story elements. Similarly to the first project, I've made it a point to include a variety of gameplay features and cutscenes.
That's about it for now. If you liked the trailer, please share it, and as always, if you'd like to help out with the project in any way, send me a PM. Thanks!
- Wed Aug 24, 2016 12:43 pm
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DoriMaga Article: Shenmue takes Best Title award (Mar 2000)
I've just finished a translation of an article from the Japanese Dreamcast Magazine back in March 2000, in which they announced their own "Grand Prix" awards for various Dreamcast software categories. This was a time when Shenmue had recently been released to wide acclaim.
Shenmue scooped the trophy for Best Title (out of all software released for the Dreamcast until that time) and there is an award acceptance interview with Yu Suzuki and Keiji Okayasu.
http://i.imgur.com/uacOBTCl.png
Here's a link to the blog post:
http://www.phantomriverstone.com/2016/09/shenmue-wins-best-dreamcast-title.html
One comment from Keiji Okayasu that I thought was quite revealing was when he says he thinks Shenmue II development will go "more smoothly than the previous game", hinting at the magnitude of effort and management complexity involved with getting the first Shenmue out the door.
Shenmue featured in several other awards also, so I'll translate these further parts in the future.
Shenmue scooped the trophy for Best Title (out of all software released for the Dreamcast until that time) and there is an award acceptance interview with Yu Suzuki and Keiji Okayasu.
http://i.imgur.com/uacOBTCl.png
Here's a link to the blog post:
http://www.phantomriverstone.com/2016/09/shenmue-wins-best-dreamcast-title.html
One comment from Keiji Okayasu that I thought was quite revealing was when he says he thinks Shenmue II development will go "more smoothly than the previous game", hinting at the magnitude of effort and management complexity involved with getting the first Shenmue out the door.
Shenmue featured in several other awards also, so I'll translate these further parts in the future.
- Sun Sep 04, 2016 10:44 pm
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Re: Random Thoughts
At the airport now. I can't believe this is real. Fuck!!
I'd say the best place to keep up to daten would be the Dojo Instagram. That's where I will be uploading all of my stuff.
See ya!
I'd say the best place to keep up to daten would be the Dojo Instagram. That's where I will be uploading all of my stuff.
See ya!
- Sun Sep 11, 2016 7:52 am
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ShenmueDojo.net