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Re: Keep donations running after the kickstarter

I think you've brought up something very important here. I could see myself paying like, let's say 30 or even 50$ a month for the remainder of the game's development.

I wouldn't even expect any kind of reward for that and I'm sure there's thousands of other die hard fan boys like me who'd do the same. Immagine if only a thousand people took this monthly $30 "subscription", that would enable Ys Net to pay a 30,000 $ worth of wages every month (minus tax and fees, of course).

And I'd be fine without any reward. If they'd send me a monthly newsletter by email, I'd be happy. If I didn't get anything other than the guarantee that my monthly payment is going into S3, I'd be happy.

I haven't touched a (new) video game in six or seven years, but Jesus, I've been waiting all my life for this game and I know that it's probably not gonna get a funding as big as 47 million $ this time but I want to do everything I can and I'm willing to go out of my way to make this better.

Can I throw another $1000 at this game right now? No, unfortunately not. Can I contribute $1000 over the span of 2 years? Yes, Sir!

They should definitely look into this "monthly fan contribution" thing.
by Hyo Razuki
Fri Jun 19, 2015 6:07 am
 
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Re: Shenmue III Kickstarter marketing is fucking terrible.

Admittedly it is a little disheartening to see goals of $200'000 each adding more content to the game. All I want is a PS4 physical copy for the game more than anything else.

I really don't get this. We all know for certain that the PS4 physical copy is coming out albeit only at retail, not as a reward tier. But you know what's not a certainty? This game overall quality! So I just I don't understand how people would hold themselves from pledging more (if they can) because they'd prefer a plastic disc over having the power to make this the best game ever. After all the stretch goals are to add the extra immersion to the game, fulfilling Yu Suzuki's original vision and Sony could care less for those because they can't gauge their effectiveness at getting people to buy the game at retail price.
by sand4fish
Fri Jun 19, 2015 9:48 am
 
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Re: Giant Bomb talks to Adam Boyes about Shenmue 3

I really feel like this wouldn't have been possible without Adam Boyes. Especially when he mentions all of the other publishers passing on the project. It was an uphill battle and this guy really went above and beyond to make this happen for us. As a community we really do owe him our thanks.
by NSN2014
Fri Jun 19, 2015 12:29 pm
 
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Yu Suzuki Gameinformer Interview

The gripping tale of Ryo Hazuki’s quest for vengeance captivated Dreamcast audiences when it released to widespread critical acclaim in 2000. Though Yu Suzuki’s masterpiece was beloved by fans, the astounding cost of its first two entries and poor sales of Shenmue II drove Sega to cancel the third game, leaving Suzuki’s saga without resolution.

Though the series was abandoned by Sega and written off as an impossibility for over a decade, the fan base has been unrelenting in its requests for the series to continue. Both Suzuki and Sega have been inundated by fan requests for Shenmue III, with online campaigns comprised of the most die-hard fans continuing to push forward through petitions and social media accounts.

Those fans were vindicated this week, when Shenmue III’s Kickstarter campaign not only grabbed valuable stage time on Sony’s E3 press conference for its reveal, but also went on to attract so much traffic that Kickstarter’s site crashed. With the Kickstarter campaign reaching its goal of $2 million in record time and Sony providing further funding, Shenmue III is finally a reality.

The reserved nature of Yu Suzuki did little to hide his passion and excitement for this project. With each question I asked, the legendary developer spoke quickly, smiled often, and held the composure of a man whose dream was finally coming true. During our conversation, we covered a variety of topics ranging from Sega’s role in Shenmue III to how the franchise remains relevant so long after it was thought lost forever.

Game Informer: It’s been 14 years since the last game. Why is now the right time for Shenmue to return?

Yu Suzuki: To make a game like Shenmue, obviously the question is how to get the funding to make a game like that and you know, it’s been really hard – I just couldn’t find a way to get it together. But three years ago, I learned of Kickstarter and I met some people who have done Kickstarter before and with all their help, we decided to put this Kickstarter together. With what we managed to fund on that site, as well as with the other funding sources my company, Ys Net, has procured, I believe now is the time that we can make Shenmue III.

Is it frustrating to have to wait so long to finally realize this project?

Pretty much everywhere I go, it’s always “Make Shenmue III! Make Shenmue III!” The reaction is so strong from the fans that I’ve always been looking at how I can make Shenmue III. These past years, it was very stressful, because I couldn’t make it. More than that, I couldn’t give the fans what they wanted. That was probably the worst part: I couldn’t answer their calls that they were sending out for me. Now that the project has started – lots of relief there.

Now that the announcement of the game is out there, was there one moment that was the biggest relief of all?

It was probably at the Sony press conference when I was waiting in line for Shenmue III to be announced. Adam [Boyes, VP of publisher and developer relations at PlayStation] was up on stage talking about something, then I saw that the Shenmue III promotion video was on and then all of a sudden there was this big well from the audience and this big noise that came from them. That was the time that I felt most relieved. Before that, it was really big titles like Destiny – everything before that was a big title – and I was kind of worried about how Shenmue III would shape up to these guys, but once the song came on, the rouse came from the audience. I knew it was then.

Were you surprised by how fast the Kickstarter goal was reached?

The thing that really surprised me first about the Kickstarter was the crash that happened. Kickstarter broke – that was a big surprise. I couldn’t believe that! The second one was how fast it went to $1 million. Apparently, it is the fastest game or entertainment project on Kickstarter to reach that number.

The first two Shenmue games were published by Sega. Does Sega have any involvement with Shenmue III?

So, YS Net received the licensing rights from Sega. Of course, the original properties are still licensed with Sega. This time, they’re allowing us to use it and allowing us to use the licensing rights. They also gave us a lot of resources from [Shenmue] I and II to help us with this project. They’ve been very happy to see Shenmue III being made and we have a very good relationship.

A big part of the original Shenmue games were the Sega Easter eggs, such as the capsule toys and playing Sega games in the arcades. Is there any possibility that those will appear in this game even though those licenses belong to Sega?

There are some things I can use and there are some things I can’t use. It’s kind of depending on further talks with Sega. I think there’s going to be a lot of small details that we’re going to have to speak with them on as we go along.

The challenging part, at least in the United States, is that Shenmue came out on Sega Dreamcast, Shenmue II came out on Xbox, and Shenmue III is coming to PlayStation 4 and PC, making it difficult for many fans to experience the first two games since they’re on separate platforms. Are there any plans to bring Shenmue I and Shenmue II to modern platforms?

If you have that question, it’s better that you ask Sega because they hold the rights to those. Those are their properties and I'm not in a position to talk about that, but I’m thinking about asking them!

Shenmue was a very revolutionary and influential game when it was released on Dreamcast. A lot has changed in the games industry since then. How does the team work to make a game just as revolutionary so long after the original?

It’s all about the new challenges with me, and I definitely want to try these new things. Of course, it’s going to come down to the funding and how much we’re going to be able to spend on Shenmue III, but if we get to that point, I believe it will be just as revolutionary as the ones before.

As we emerged from the small room where our conversation took place, a handful of Shenmue fans eagerly greeted Suzuki. Despite spending the majority of his day in that room, fielding questions from members of the media, Suzuki stopped to greet those fans, take pictures, and sign autographs. As we left, I heard the unmistakable sound of pure joy that follows a monumental moment such as what that encounter meant to those fans. It may have been 14 years since Shenmue II launched on the Dreamcast in Japan, and 13 since its release on the Xbox in the U.S., but through the hurdles, struggles, and disappointments taking place over the past decade and a half, the enduring passion of the Shenmue fan base has kept Suzuki’s dream alive.

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/06/19/yu-suzuki-shenmue-iii-interview-e3-2015.aspx?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
by Riku Rose
Fri Jun 19, 2015 1:05 pm
 
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Re: Who remembers Shenmue 2 announcement?

I remember waiting ages to load the QuickTime trailer on my crappy ISDN connection. Watched Xiuying wave her arms about 50 times while waiting for the rest of the trailer to load.

I remember that I would not turn off the pc for almost a week to see that trailer. It was an ordeal because every phonecall could kill the load.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0Izd2f6k2I

It's giving me the chills

FOR FUCKS SAKE, SHENMUE III IS COMING !!!!
by shredingskin
Thu Jun 18, 2015 11:14 am
 
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Re: Shenmue III Kickstarter marketing is fucking terrible.

How is the the Kickstarter campaign able to create items (such as the $3000 jackets) to give to pledges if they have no money themselves? I think there is more backing than we think, but it's really a case of being patient until they actually tell us the overall budget. We probably won't hear anything until into August after the KS has finished. We all need to calm down a bit and stop getting all worked up. We've been patient for 15 years, I think we can be a little longer.

No items were created. The rewards are yet to be set into production (estimate delivery 2017). But I do agree with you that we have to tone down the negativity, as panic will turn off potential pledgers (members of this forum and guests).


I made the thread.

Maybe you should consider modifying the title of this topic. I agree with you with a lot of your points, and I can see you pouring your passion into the cause but we have to keep ourselves level headed here. If we fans do not believe this campaign will work out in the end, the doubters out there sure won't.

Think about this. The marketing and Kickstarter team sure is not the best out there (I even bitched about it), but they do have redeeming qualities. They have a comment section which ACTUALLY listen to the fans, as they have been modifying the campaign page almost daily (ie Inclusion of more stretch goals and more reward tiers). And on the plus side, Yu Suzuki is going to answer to us live on Reddit in the end, even if the timing is not the most convenient to everyone.

So we would be better off holding on to the criticisms for the appropriate moment (as in the Kickstarter comment section of the Kickstarter and the Reddit tonight). In the end maybe we should all think of this entire thing as "PERFECTION IN PROGRESS", just like the Shenmue games!
by sand4fish
Fri Jun 19, 2015 3:21 pm
 
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Re: Yu Suzuki - Reddit AMA Today 21:30 PST / 05.30 GMT

Didn't remember that ps4 had a touchpad

Will players have access to both the Japanese and English voice overs for the game?
And I wanted to say thank you so much for Shenmue and Shenmue II, it brought a tear to my eye seeing those games at E3 during the Shenmue III announcement, I cannot wait. Those two games are what made me curious about Japan as a child, and I am now trying to work as a Japanese translator!
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[–]Yu_Suzuki[S] 17 puntos hace 9 minutos
I am thinking about that, yes. However it is not for sure.
It is because of fans like you, I wanted to make a sequel. Thank you very much.

So no jap/eng for now (did he actually said he'll make english dub?)
by shredingskin
Sat Jun 20, 2015 2:05 am
 
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Re: Yu Suzuki - Reddit AMA Today 21:30 PST / 05.30 GMT

Q: What do you think of the current state of Japanese game development?

A: I see the share of mobile games increasing, the budgets of games decreasing. It will be harder to express a game's vision. I would hope the console and PC markets gain more popularity.
by Himuro
Sat Jun 20, 2015 2:06 am
 
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Re: Yu Suzuki - Reddit AMA Today 21:30 PST / 05.30 GMT

How long will the AMA be, I wonder?

It's been going on for two hours now. Yu needs to be really patted on the back here for being such a trooper. Most AMA's are only a mere hour long but here Yu is still going on like a soldier. It truly shows you how much he loves this fanbase. =D> =D> =D>
by Himuro
Sat Jun 20, 2015 2:13 am
 
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Re: Yu Suzuki - Reddit AMA Today 21:30 PST / 05.30 GMT

Amir wrote: $5 million is a certainty, but 10... I think we'll end up around 7 or 8, but hope I'm wrong!


If they enable Paypal donations it will get to 10 million.
by Himuro
Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:13 am
 
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Re: Yu Suzuki - Reddit AMA Today 21:30 PST / 05.30 GMT

Wanderin' wrote: 10 million's the target, boys and girls.


Have to push this kickstarter into overdrive.

I'm upping my initial backing to $500 next week.
by flip
Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:18 am
 
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Re: Yu Suzuki - Reddit AMA Today 21:30 PST / 05.30 GMT

I just doubled my pledge ($60 reward to $120 reward). It's all I can afford. I don't know what else I can do other than get the word out there and promote it.

Unfortunately, the kickstarter is slowing down. It's too be expected, as more or less everyone who wanted Shenmue 3 and would have pledged, did so on the day the campaign launched. That's just how it works. More casual fans and those who haven't played the series (but might be curious), would be more reluctant about backing a kickstarter. Unfortunately, I don't think the cynical (and almost negative) press has helped at all! It's really quite infuriating, as it's created this idea amongst the general public that the kickstarter campaign is just a PR stunt and a way of gauging interest and that Sony and other investors will actually be footing the bill. This is obviously not true and funding is needed from the kickstarter.

Hopefully, by offering some new reward tiers, it will boost interest and offer an incentive to those who have already pledged, to up their pledge.
by Reprise
Sat Jun 20, 2015 4:09 am
 
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Re: Reddit AMA Answers

Ive started the effort of posting around various forums around the internet to drum up support like so.

http://www.gamespot.com/forums/games-di ... -32163813/

http://www.ign.com/…/t…/shenmue-3-needs-your-help.454505155/

I suggest you all do the same.
by Axm
Sat Jun 20, 2015 4:54 am
 
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Twitter push to reach $10 Million! | #10MillionToShenmue3

Yu Suzuki just dropped this bombshell:

http://i.imgur.com/Zgf3BSh.png

So unless you guys want to play Shenmue 3-lite, then we gotta push this to $10 Million, in anyway we can. So I thought we could take advantage of the social media to help with that.

#10MillionToShenmue3

In this hashtag, we will focus on the following:

- Explain that Yu Suzuki needs at least $10M from Kickstarter funding to make Shenmue 3 the proper Open World experience we all knew and loved.

- Clear the misunderstanding that Sony is footing the bill for the project, more information here .

- Overall promote the Shenmue series so that it might catch the interest of non-fans.


What say you? Am I going to find some energy here? or just cynicism? If this hashtags catches on, I'll create graphics like Avatars and sigs to help promote it.

#10MillionToShenmue3

http://i.imgur.com/Uc2fJTu.png
http://i.imgur.com/XM4orE7.png
http://i.imgur.com/FM9zdNy.png
by Rikitatsu
Sat Jun 20, 2015 7:24 am
 
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Re: Hashtag Twitter Campaign to Get Shenmue 3 to $10M

Let's do this shit.

Something quick and dirty to tweet with:

Image

I'll register in 500k and Team Yu and see what they have to say. EDIT: Wait, can someone link me their forums? Do they even have forums or something?
by Rikitatsu
Sat Jun 20, 2015 8:08 am
 
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Re: Lets remake the Kickstarter video

Alright, so here's what I've come up with so far. It's really just the intro, but I'll get round to including all of the information in the OP soon.
phpBB [video]
by Jibby
Sat Jun 20, 2015 10:59 am
 
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Re: Ground Game: Shenmue III Kickstarter

I've been actively sending messages to gamers on Youtube asking for support. I've gotten a reply from HappyConsoleGamer saying he and a few others will promote it soon.

I'm a former Graphic Design student and can make a poster/flier of some sort. It's been a while but I make be able to put something together when I have time.
by FourWuDu1026
Sat Jun 20, 2015 11:43 am
 
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Re: $10 million

Never in a million years is this Kickstarter going to get even close to that. Open up a PayPal and take donations afterwards and maybe it'll reach it in a few months with Shenmue fans donating a good portion of their fucking annual salary toward it.

It's a shame because if the Kickstarter was done properly I think it'd have had a decent chance of getting $10M by itself. I'm really annoyed by Awesome Japan - due to their complete and utter incompetence, they're now asking Shenmue fans to pledge far more than they can possibly afford, otherwise we get a bare-bones version of the game we've been waiting 14 years for.

Seriously, fuck these shit cunts.

Erm, this kind of attitude doesn't exactly help. Have you actually bothered messaging YS Net on kickstarter?

Guys this is the first few days of the campaign. We have all waited 14 years for this so why are you willing to give up so easily?
by b_ren
Sat Jun 20, 2015 9:25 am
 
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Famitsu Translation & Scans

http://www.mediafire.com/view/6siygr66m2te2qr/i-wf0702_004.jpg#
http://www.mediafire.com/view/bp8911gv5b7y5a3/i-wf0702_005.jpg#
http://www.mediafire.com/view/zhehbcn73zhkp9a/i-wf0702_006.jpg#
http://www.mediafire.com/view/bf1trmgz7tejf1m/i-wf0702_007.jpg#
http://www.mediafire.com/view/6md3ql10x1ppiw6/i-wf0702_008.jpg#
http://www.mediafire.com/view/6iot4869ui62rdr/i-wf0702_009.jpg#

thanks to kurushii for the scans.

Famitsu Translation by Axm and Switch

Feature Story
- Ryo Hazuki is coming back -


Shenmue III has set off
The fundraising campaign has started on Kickstarter


E3 2015 is being held in Los Angeles from June 17th till 19th (Japan time). Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) press conference was held in June 16th, a day before E3 starts, and a game creator Yu Suzuki announced the new “Shenmue 3.” He also revealed his campaign using the crowd-funding site “Kickstarter” to raise funds for this game.
It’s been 14 years since the release of Shenmue 2. What will this eagerly-awaited Shenmue 3 be like? Why did he chose Kickstarter?--- I have asked the executive produce Mr.Suzuki. (Interviewer: Famitsu chief editor Katsuhiko Hayashi)


Finally setting off the official sequel “Shenmue 3”


---The impact of the name of “Shenmue 3” is so great and it surprised me when I first heard it. Well, it’s been 14 years since Shenmue 2 was released. Why make Shenmue 3 now? Would you give us the accounts on how it started?
Suzuki: I have been always looking for the way to launch Shenmue 3, so it is not like we just started this project. Although it’s been more than a decade since Shenmue 2, there are many enthusiastic fans still existing and when I attend autograph sessions abroad, they always come ask me “When is Shenmue 3 coming?” For example in France, 80% of people who come to my autograph sessions are the Shenmue fans. The rest of 10% are Virtua Fighter fans and the other 10% are Hang-on fans or so. There are fans who still manage fan communities. Every year around March and April, the rumor “They say that they are making Shenmue 3” comes out and it reaches me.. haha.


---The eagerly waiting voices turn to rumors.
Suzuki: Yes that’s right. But slowly the fan’s voices have changed to something wistful. They say “It can be just a novel, so please give us the sequel story at least” or “Just manga is fine. We want to see a new “Shenmue”.” Those voices made me think that I should push the project forward somehow for the fans, no matter if I couldn’t make a full-spec game.


--- And for the means to make it happen, you chose Kickstarter. Why?
Suzuki: About three years ago, one of the fans who has experience using Kickstarter suggested me using it for the Shenmue project. That is when I first learned about Kickstarter, and started researching it. If it comes to really making the game, I have to make sure it satisfies my fans. So I couldn’t go like “OK I’m doing this with Kickstarter!” I seeked other ways,--- for instance finding a partner, but I couldn’t find one that meets my requirements. After careful consideration, we decided that Kickstarter is the best way to set off, and we were able to announce it finally in 2015.


---So you were just saying that you wanted to make the sequel, but really you have been working on it already for a long time.
Suzuki: Yes. Strong feedback after the Shenmue lecture at GDC 2014 also pushed me into coming this far. Sega agreeably licenced it to me and SCE also supported us by saying “We will support you if you are making Shenmue.” I knew that announcing the Kickstarter project at SCE’s conference is a very remarkable thing and am so happy that many people still support Shenmue this much.


---The title “Shenmue 3” is very direct and has no twist.
Suzuki: I couldn’t think of any other name. Shenmue 1, 2 and 3. It is not a spin-off. It comes to PS4 and PC.


---Its an eagerly awaited official sequel and fans will be definitely delighted. What is the goal of the Kickstarter funding?
Suzuki: 2 million yen at the very beginning.


---It must be easy to raise 2 million if it is for Shenmue.
Suzuki: However, 2 million is the very least amount of money you need for a game to come to exist. If it’s just 2 million, it will be more likely a very story-driven based game. If we can raise more, it will be more realistic for me to be able to do what I want to do. I want to try something new.

--- Just like you.. Your stance of “making something new” has never changed.
Suzuki: Yes. I will do my best to make a new Shenmue.

--- We will talk about this “New Shenmue” later. What are the pledge rewards for donating to Kickstarter?
Suzuki: I would like to adopt everyone’s opinion into the game to the extent that I can. For example if there are two designs of one character, then I will ask everyone to vote for each of them. I will provide the participation privilege for that kind of voting. Also while Shenmue 3 is under development, I will prepare a trial-demo so they can take a sneak peak of it.

--- So you are creating Shenmue 3 with your fans?
Suzuki: I think every one of the people who invested in this project has a leading role in it and I hope each one of them enjoy it. Please visit Kickstarter’s Shenmue page to learn more about the pledge rewards.


F: Next, I would like to ask about the key content of Shenmue 3. What kind of story developments can be expected in Shenmue 3?
YS: At the end of Shenmue 2 Ryo visits Guilin, said to be the most beautiful region in China. The area is famous for landscape paintings, and it has a river called the Li river. Shen Hua’s house is located on a tributary of the river. The story of Shenmue 2 ends at the point where Ryo reaches Shen Hua’s house, and the story of Shemue 3 continues right from there.
F: So, Ryo and Shen Hua will make an appearance, continuing from the previous part.
YS: For people who have played the Shenmue series, those familiar characters will appear as they were.
F: Will the setting be Guilin?
YS: Yes. For example, visiting a town(s) in the Guilin area, or going back to the mountains. Also infiltrating the Guilin chapter of an underground organization, the Chi You Men.
F: It could be said that Shenmue is the originator of open world gameplay, and has influenced many games since, but for Shenmue 3 what direction do you plan to take the open world model?
YS: When I created Shenmue 1, I was aiming to create exactly what is now called an “open world”. Being able to stop freely at any location you wish, advancing if you wish to move the story forward, or just standing still if you prefer. Back then, we called the system “FREE”, but in time it came to be referred to as open world. In Shenmue 2, with advances and technology and techniques, the open world was expanded even further.
F: In Shenmue 2, it was possible to walk through many towns over a wide area of Hong Kong, wasn’t it.
YS: Actually, at that time, I had decided that for Shenmue 3 I would delve in more deeply.
F: More deeply?
YS: Yes. People might expect that the open world would be made even broader, but in contrast to that, I will focus on depth. For example, for the case of 100 characters, splitting the development budget among them would limit the elements that could be incorporated into each character.
F: That’s true, it would make it harder to create each with detail.
YS: However, if we reduce the number to 10 characters, a lot of possibilities are opened up. The amount of conversation could be increased 10 times, or detailed A.I. provided for each character. As a result, conversations could be much richer. As an example, in Shenmue 3 the person that Ryo will speak with most is Shen Hua, so I want to portray her with depth. I envisage an approach where, by settings parameters for Shen Hua, on-going conversations with her will influence events such as changing her attitude, or changing the way that quests relating to her unfold.
F: I see. I think a lot of support for Shenmue comes not from just the realistic towns, but from the realism of the people inhabiting it. From what you have described, this realism will be further increased, and the world will feel even more “human”.
YS: Yes. In Shenmue this time I will be focusing particularly on digging down further on such internal aspects.
F: This is your vision for the new Shenmue, isn’t it.
YS: Of course, that’s not to say it will not be open world. Stretch goals will allow the town(s) to be expanded. However, what I would like to try first is to develop something that everyone has not anticipated; a deep Shenmue world.

F: I can’t wait to see this new Shenmue. Speaking of Shenmue, apart from its open world, its QTEs and minigames made it special, didn’t they.
YS: QTEs were originally included so that even people who were poor at battles could enjoy them. I’m happy that various games have included QTEs since then.
F: QTEs also had their origin in Shenmue, didn’t they.
YS: This time, I would like to show new QTEs; ones which can played by anyone, and which have carefully-crafted event sequences. In addition, I’d like to change the nature of free battles. (I will think of a different name, as I don’t want to call them free battles). I’d like to make a battle that is won by making the correct decision, rather than by correct timing of pushing buttons.
F: I believe Shenmue was made with the concept of being a game that can be enjoyed by any player, and this new system feels to be in keeping with that.
YS: Also this time I am planning a “technique scrolls” system. Ah.... maybe I have said too much (laughs).
F: Not at all, we’d like to hear more! (laughs)
YS: For example, with the free battle it is tough to practice and input the various commands required, so simply by obtaining a technique scroll you can apply the technique to help you win a battle. In the case of a QTE, the new technique could be unleashed during the QTE. I would like to make it so that a technique can be used to your advantage in battle just by obtaining a technique scroll. Furthermore, I’d like to make that technique scroll connect with various elements within the game.
F: Could you explain a bit more with respect to “connecting with elements”?
YS: Shenmue has had a number of ways you could play around, such as mini-games and gambling spots, but I have always been thinking about how to connect these together in some way. Of course, they are connected in the sense that you can take a part-time job to earn money, then increase that amount by gambling, then buy weapons... but not that kind of connection, something much closer. If the stretch goals can be reached and more detailed elements incorporated into the open world, this will allow technique scrolls to serve as the pivot for connecting together the various side games. That’s the kind of direction I would like to take it.
F: I see. So various elements of the open world will be connected together in a more natural way. Apart from that, are there any other elements that you are keen to include in Shenmue 3?
YS: One particular part of Shenmue that fans seem to have fallen in love with is the forklift part-time job, which is extremely popular. So I really want to include it in Shenmue 3 too, but how can you operate a forklift deep in the mountains of Guilin (laughs). I haven’t stopped thinking about how to find some way to include a forklift (laughs).

F: Please tell us about the development set-up for Shenmue 3.
YS: This time, the main development company is Neilo. The representative for Neilo, Takeshi Hirai, worked as the chief programmer for Shenmue and has a good understanding of Shenmue.
F: Since Shenmue is an open world game, I had thought that working with an overseas development company that is experienced in open world games would have been an option.
YS: Yes, that may have been an option. However, the main distinguishing characteristic of Shenmue is its culture. I believe that users overseas also have taken interest in the culture and customs of Asia. People have said they appreciate it when Ryo says “Thank you” for the smallest thing, for example. Someone who has worked all along on creating Shenmue understands that kind of culture and values.
F: So this time, development will be using Unreal Engine 4, won’t it.
YS: I have been looking at various engines for Shenmue 3 for the past 3 years, but the colors of Unreal Engine 4 are closest to those I envisage for the world of Shenmue. Although that’s a pretty broad statement, given that it’s a technical topic. The feeling of slight dampness in the air, the skin colors, the feel of materials etc were closest to my ideal.
F: Apart from the Neilo staff, are there others participating who have worked with Shenmue before?
YS: Yes, of course. I wanted to build up the team with past members as I believe that gives the fans some reassurance. Among others are scenario writer Masahiro Yoshimoto, and Kenji Miyawaki who is in charge of the character designs.
F: Given that this project is coming to life 14 years after the previous release of Shenmue, everyone must be very surprised.
YS: Mr Yoshimoto has been active in the world of television, and reacted with surprise saying “With television, producing something new with a theme that is 14 years old is unheard of”. But Mr Yoshimoto told me that he made many discoveries through his experience with Shenmue. Later on, I plan to release a video with comments from Mr Yoshimoto and the rest of the staff, so please watch out for it.
F: We are looking forward to seeing it. The fans are sure to be happy.
YS: I have gathered together quite a few of the original key members who gave Shenmue that special feel. I’m sure this will bring a feeling of both reassurance and nostalgia.
F: By the way, it may be a bit impatient to ask, but do you already have in mind how things will progress after Shenmue 3?
YS: Of course, I have that in mind. But first and foremost, I’d like to put primary focus on Shenmue 3.
F: When is the planned release date for Shenmue 3?
YS: I’d like to release it by the end of 2017.
F: That’s quite some way off, but we can’t wait. From speaking with you today, I can really appreciate the challenges that you are taking on of producing a new Shenmue. Finally, do you have a message for all the fans who have waited all this time for Shenmue 3?
YS: The fans have told me over the course of 14 years how they wanted part 3 to be made, and I have always told myself that I had to find some way to make it. And now, through the crowd-funding of Kickstarter, at last I have been able to make a start on the Shenmue 3 project. In order to bring about a Shenmue 3 that incorporates a perfect blend of both a Shenmue that everyone desires, as well as a Shenmue with the new challenges I want to take on, everyone’s effort is needed. Thank you so much for your support.

Picture captions:
1) This image shows the figures of Ryo and Shen Hua walking on a mountain path. Note that Ryo has changed clothes from the leather jacket he wears in the first and second parts of the series.
2) Using a telescope, Ryo observes buildings below a cliff. According to Yu Suzuki, before Ryo lies the enemy’s camp, which Ryo is searching for a way to infiltrate.
3) Shen Hua and Ryo, drawn by Kenji Miyawaki who is in charge of character design for the series. Shen Hua, the main heroine, did not appear much in the first and second parts of the series. In Shenmue 3, she will surely take a principle role.
4) Niao Sun, one of the leaders of the underground organisation opposing Ryo, the Chi You Men. Although her existence has previously been revealed, she has not made an in-game appearance until now.
by shenhua legend
Thu Jun 18, 2015 1:30 am
 
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Re: Wasting money on smaller languages

It won't cost 400k to write the subtitles. It's just how the strech goals are laid out.
I think it's a good thing that they actually planned these subtitles from the very beginning.

Shenmue and Shenmue II got some bad feedback for not having German subtitles (or any other then English in the PAL version for that matter) and I know of people that don't play the game because they can't get into the story that much without having native language subtitles. That is the biggest thing. People didn't play the game becuase of that, it alienated gamers by only having english subtitles.

Shenmue III should not fall into a niche product category by not offering translated subtitles, like every other game does today. I know Shenmue is niche and III is only a Kickstarter game but come on, this is NOT a waste of money.
by BlueMue
Sat Jun 20, 2015 1:24 pm
 
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Re: Shenmue 3 Kickstarter announced at E3 2015!

Shenmue fans, you can use these banners in order to promote this project. http://imgur.com/a/PplsJ
by Asthenia®
Sat Jun 20, 2015 1:31 pm
 
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Re: $10 million

I think some people, for whatever reason, expected more. They thought that it would make millions and millions on kickstarter and the whole world would be throwing cash at it. So, now it's slowing down (despite being one of the most successful kickstarters of all time), those people are looking for something and someone to blame, e.g. "they're marketing it all wrong", "the advertising sucks", "there should be better reward tiers", "they should have asked for more money" etc.

I don't really get this line of thinking and I don't want to start any arguments, but it sounds really whiny and ungrateful to me.
by Reprise
Sat Jun 20, 2015 12:34 pm
 
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Re: Wasting money on smaller languages

I seriously think they should drop those German, French, Spanish and Italian subtitles from the game.

And while we're at it, drop the English subtitles too.

Too much of a waste. It should all go to game development. We'll all have to buy our own Japanese translation books or software to trek through it.
by Kenny
Sat Jun 20, 2015 2:09 pm
 
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Re: $10 million

Bumped my pledge from $310 to $510. (don't tell my wife)
by mjq jazz bar
Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:17 pm
 
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Re: Lets remake the Kickstarter video

Riken made a glorious video some time ago.

phpBB [video]


I really like it.
by Esppiral
Sat Jun 20, 2015 12:52 pm
 
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Re: $10 million

phpBB [video]
by south carmain
Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:44 pm
 
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Re: Shenmue 3 Kickstarter announced at E3 2015!

Shenmue fans, you can use these banners in order to promote this project. http://imgur.com/a/PplsJ

Great banners, my only suggestion would be to maybe include the #10millionForShenmue3 hashtag? People might just go to the Kickstarter and think it's already reached its goal (not our fault, I know...).

Something like this?

http://i.imgur.com/Lm2sv1L.png
by Asthenia®
Sat Jun 20, 2015 4:49 pm
 
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Re: $10 million

Hey, just wanted to say, $10 million is completely possible. $10 million is absolutely possible.

Kickstarters begin with a huge surge and end with one. The low gradual middle period makes up about half of the overall funds. Shenmue's gains seem to have stablised at about $200,000 a day at the moment. Carry that across another 27 days and you end up at 8 million from where we are. Add the surge, it's 9 or 10. It's completely possible. It really is.

I'm also sure some people are waiting eagerly for their paychecks. If we can alleviate some of the bad press and set the record straight we can keep and carry this momentum onward. I'm putting in about £350 myself on payday, which is about $500. I'm sure others probably feel the same way. As long as we get strong reliable voices out there, setting the record straight, it will happen.

Some journalists and YouTubers command tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of followers. If there was ever a time to reach out now is that time. The sooner we fix these click baiters the longer and stronger will be the effect on the campaign. We can do this. We've been reaching out and keeping the faith all these years, that's what we do. We're Shenmue fans. We've always reached out and kept the faith. We've got this. This next month cannot topple us.

I also believe Yu is withholding goals so as not to set a bad taste in - so we don't feel like we're getting a diminished project if it doesn't go as far as he needs it to go. You could argue back and forth whether that's right or wrong but I'll trust Yu. Entirely possible he himself is not sure what he should include at what stages, as in what would feel like a complete game for that particular level/build/funding goal.

But it doesn't really matter to me to be honest. Whatever it is Yu has planned I trust him, I trust his philosophy. And I know that what he really wants is the whole nine yards, and that he deserves it, that $10 million. I cannot wait to see what Yu will show us of the next era of gaming. I really believe he can do that again.
by LucBu
Sat Jun 20, 2015 6:43 pm
 
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Re: Lets remake the Kickstarter video

Ok, so here's a second version which focuses more on the achievements of the first two games and uses them as an incentive to back the kickstarter for the third. I also outline that the majority of funding comes from us and that the more we pledge the more we get in return. I want to add a section to the video which explains the stretch goals (right after it cuts off) but I'll probably do that tomorrow. Hope you guys like it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-Y7cRtk2N0&feature=youtu.be

and is it just me or is the layout of the last few posts broken?
by Jibby
Sat Jun 20, 2015 6:16 pm
 
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Re: Lets remake the Kickstarter video

Amir wrote: Maybe have a couple of 3-sec clips of Outrun and Virtua Fighter behind the intro text? Not Hang-On since you show that later in the arcade bit.

Added to my notepad list :)
by Jibby
Sat Jun 20, 2015 7:59 pm
 
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Re: Lets remake the Kickstarter video

Image
Looking real nice with a light Gaussian Blur! The subscreen idea won't really work because of differences in aspect ratios but having small clips that fade into each other works really well.
by Jibby
Sat Jun 20, 2015 8:11 pm
 
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Re: Lets remake the Kickstarter video

I think a good song for the video could be this Shenmue online song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF9h20d1BUE&list=PL33BFAD5C6932E1AA&index=6
What do you guys think?
Also had to make a new account, lost my old one from some years ago.
I'm not so sure. I think the trailer has to outline how ambitious and large the project is. I've chosen Flag of Lions as the main song because I believe it portrays that feeling perfectly. It gets the person watching excited and want to see more, encouraging them to pledge in the Kickstarter.
by Jibby
Sat Jun 20, 2015 8:26 pm
 
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Re: Lets remake the Kickstarter video

I'm getting very close to the final product here! I think I'd like to add in some fighting scenes during the black screen text. If anyone has any suggestions or comments, please post ASAP as I'd like to call the next version final. Thanks :D

phpBB [video]
by Jibby
Sat Jun 20, 2015 9:27 pm
 
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Re: Yu Suzuki Famitsu Article - Shenmue 3 Kickstarter

Just donated $100!! Had to be done!
by DoubleO_Ren
Sun Jun 21, 2015 1:22 am
 
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Inside-Games.jp - Yu Suzuki interview (June 17)

Here's a translation for a Yu Suzuki interview published by Inside-Games on June 17.
http://www.inside-games.jp/article/2015/06/17/88607.html

Capsule Toys Maniac working on the translation for the second interview with Yu Suzuki they published on June 20.

[E3 2015] Interview with Yu Suzuki following his Kickstarter achievement
June 17, 2015

The Shenmue 3 Kickstarter: the campaign got underway on stage at the SCE press conference held on June 15 (local time), and achieved its minimum goal in the short space of just 8 hours. It is now aiming to achieve stretch goals, and the amount of backing is continuing to increase as it heads towards the deadline of July 17. At the E3 venue we asked the creator of Shenmue, Yu Suzuki of Ys Net, about his most recent thoughts and about the enthusiasm for Shenmue 3.

-- Congratulations on the Kickstarter achievement.

YS: Thank you. At any rate, it’s the first time I’ve done this, so I don’t have much experience with it. When I heard that the sheer number of accesses to the Shenmue 3 project page on Kickstarter caused it to crash multiple times, I knew we would be successful. This may sound bad, but I was happy. I heard that the times it took to reach the $1 million and $2 million levels are a new record within the games category, and second-fastest across all projects. Since it’s my first experience [with Kickstarter], it’s only through those kinds of statistics that I get a sense of the reality.

-- How do you feel at the moment? Pleased? Relieved? A deserved result?

YS: Well, things are really just getting started. I’m always looking to try new challenges, and so in order to take on as many of these as possible, the more budget we can collect the better. We’ve got stretch goals as well, and I’d like to see how far we can go.

-- Is it accurate to say that all of the development funding will be raised through Kickstarter?

---Show to continue reading ---
YS: No, development will be carried out with Ys Net own funding together with Kickstarter. I won’t know the scale of the budget until the Kickstarter campaign has finished, so I can’t comment on it right now.

-- What were the events that led to you being on stage at SCE’s press conference?

YS: It started by my sounding them out to see if they had any interest in the Shenmue 3 project. Actually, it turns out that Shenmue was at the top of their list of software that people wanted to see revived. And so, with that being the case, I had the chance to speak with SCE and (without sounding like I’m blowing my own trumpet!) they told me “It’s a game of great historical importance; and everyone wants it, so if you were to go ahead and develop part 3, as an exceptional case, we will give you our co-operation”. I had already let them know that I wanted to do this through Kickstarter, and so that’s how it came about.

-- Are there plans for a release on Xbox One?

YS: We don’t have plans for a release on Xbox One. The platforms that are confirmed are PS4 and PC.

-- Was the reason you started development on part 3 due to the voice of support from the fans?

YS: That’s right. For more than 10 years I had been hearing those kinds of requests, and trying to find a way to make it happen. I did things like searching for a partner (company) but did not find one that fit the criteria and so I wasn’t able to make a start. Then came the possibility of realizing it through a combination of self-funding and Kickstarter.

-- I see.

YS: Also there was the aspect of Kickstarter of “creating something together with everyone”. As I stated in my promotion video, it’s the spirit of “within your hands”. Some say that the Shenmue series is the originator of the open-world genre. In reality, with the present amount of $2 million, making a Shenmue that will meet everyone’s expections, even without implementing an open world, is unlikely to be achievable. However, the demand I hear most from the fans is to know how the rest of the story plays out.

-- Yes, that’s something we’d like to know.

YS: In addition, the Shenmue series has a rich portrayal of Eastern and Japanese culture, and so it has quite a different feel to it compared to any other open world games. Because of this, trying to accomplish both the “story” aspect and the “open world” aspects simultaneously is likely to lead to the budget rising higher and higher, and no matter how much time passes it is impossible to get development underway. After thinking long and hard, I have decided to do as much as possible with a minimum level of funding, even if it means creating something story-oriented. Then, if additional development funding is collected, I will add on various elements. And so I decided that development will be based on this kind of scalable approach.

-- This way of thinking is uniquely suited to Kickstarter, isn’t it.

YS: Further, with [development of] any game, there is a piece of it which can easily cost a lot of money to implement; while at the same time it has another piece that doesn’t need to cost a lot of money, namely making it interesting through its ideas and plot. I also think that Shenmue does not consist of merely its story and its open world; it is also fun to play, and I think the way we capture this is vital. Above all, I decided to maintain both the fun and the story aspects, even at the minimum budget level.

-- How much money will be raised is becoming increasingly of interest.

YS: Yes. It’s not that we will not be implementing an open world, but doing so lavishly will cause the budget to shoot up. On the other hand, since I am a creator, I’d like to try new mechanisms. I have set stretch goals with that balance in mind.

-- Compared to 15 years ago, the possibilities for game implementation have greatly widened. Are there any games that have influenced the creation of part 3?

YS: That would be Shenmue 1 and 2.

-- What aspects do you place most importance on, and wish to continue in the new game?

YS: Firstly, the most important is that I want to show how the story continues. As well as that, “nostalgia” is a keyword here: the nostalgic feeling of when we created part 1 and 2, 15 years ago. But even at that time, the setting for part 1 and 2 was the world of 1986. In principle, I believe that going back to an earlier age really brings out the flavor of a region’s culture. That’s the case with the era of the 1980s (and earlier), compared to the current day. Even looking at other countries around the world, as the eras pass by, the scenery of cities all starts to look the same.

-- Yes, that’s true.

YS: This kind of Eastern and Japanese culture, and the spiritual aspect, is what makes Shenmue special. Although though this has given it popularity in the West, what it expresses is certainly not Western. Through thorough creation of so-called Eastern spiritual aspects, culture and customs, I want to bring out people’s interest towards a different culture. There are a lot of things I would like to carry through from parts 1 and 2 to part 3, but through the scalable plan that I mentioned earlier, I want to pay special attention to these kinds of things.

-- Are there any aspects you want to try, given the increase in hardware specs nowdays?

YS: This may not directly answer the question, but actually when we made part 1 and 2, we also completed the plan for part 3. I want to go forward with that exactly as we had planned.

-- Could you explain more?

YS: In part 1, we implemented an open world that we called FREE, and the concept of time passing within the game. In part 2, we greatly expanded that world. In part 3, and this may be giving too much away, but we planned to keep these aspects intact, while making it much deeper. And in parts 1 & 2, while there were elements centered around money e.g. you could “do a part-time job, gamble to increase your money, purchase items at a shop...”, they did not really have any connection with the fighting and skill improvement parts. So when we make part 3, I have in mind to build up those elements; that’s something I would like to try doing.

-- What would be a concrete example?

YS: I’m thinking of a “Technique Scroll” system. Through actions in the game, you can gain new technique scrolls which let you perform special moves. Whether these moves are something you can control directly, or whether they are implemented in a QTE, is something we will be considering and deciding in the future.

-- Please tell us about the release schedule.

YS: Release is planned by the end of 2017.

-- Could you give a message to our readers.

YS: It is thanks to the continous voice of the fans who have waited for the next part of Shenmue across these many years, that we have been able to get started. This is only possible thanks to all the people who give their support. I will continue to put in my best effort, so please give your support and encouragement.

-- Thank you very much.
by Switch
Sun Jun 21, 2015 5:00 am
 
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Inside-Games.jp - Yu Suzuki interview x2 UPDATE: Translated!

http://www.inside-games.jp/article/2015/06/20/88702.html

I'll try to translate it, but it might take a while...

Edit: Found another one on the same site from the 17th: http://www.inside-games.jp/article/2015/06/17/88607.html

Edit 2: Translation is complete. I'm neither native in english nor japanese, so it might sound strange in some places.

Again, this is the inside-games.jp article from 2015-06-20
- a follow up on the interview Switch translated.

------------------------------------------------

Yu Suzuki, the man who started the Shenmue III Kickstarter that set a new Guinness record for the fastest game reaching 1 million dollars. One night after the last time we spoke we ask again about the state of the project and about game creating.

-- Thanks for the other day. This time I would like to dig deeper.
YS: Please go ahead.

-- Can you tell us more about this "nostalgia" that you mentioned was like a theme or keyword for Shenmue 3.
YS: Wherever I go in the world I'm always asked "Where is Shenmue 3?" By mail or through other persons. That's when I felt it, that Shenmue has a lot of parts in it, the things that you feel about the game can differ very much from person to person. Like, one fan said he met a person called Nozomi in real life, you know, like the heroine of Shenmue I. He felt that it was some kind of fate and married her.

-- Wow. Really?
YS: Yeah. it's true. Other than that there were things that seemed obvious for japanese people, but were new for foreigners. For example in the first game Ryo walks around and asks for help from many different people, right? As he leaves he always says "Thank you". There are foreigners that were moved by that. When I heard that I thought "Well, don't you say thank you in your country?".

-- Maybe they don't say things that explicit in that culture?
YS: And in the game these "excuse me" and "thank you"s are repeated many many times. For people not experiencing that in their daily lives it might have been a bit of a shock for them. I took that to my heart.

-- I guess there aren't that many RPGs that end their conversations with "thank you".
YS: And in this society we live in now information is shared over the internet, but as you go further back through the years, and go further into the countryside, information exchange is slow and the culture and customs are more specific to that area. The beliefs and values of the people living there are [less complicated and] easier to understand. That is very interesting.

-- I see.
YS: So maybe the people anticipating part 3 are having fond memories and feel a bit nostalgic. I think people are probably feeling nostalgic about the Shenhua, Ryo and Shenmue from fifteen years ago. And I think that I shouldn't destroy that nostalgia with part 3. If I don't make that work with part 3 I don't think the game will live up to the expectations. That's why the keyword for part 3 is nostalgia.

-- Wasn't part 1 and 2 also make with nostalgia as a keyword?
YS: It's a different kind of nostalgia with part 3. In part 1 and 2 there is the nostalgia towards the era, in part 3 it's the nostalgia towards the game. For part 1 and 2 the target user was late teens to early twenties, so for these users I wanted them to experience the culture of the streets still having that showa-period feel of 1986, and be nostalgic about it. So in contrast to that, in part 3 I want the players to be nostalgic about part 1 and 2.

-- So looking at the years... part 1 and 2 came out in 2000 and 2001. Since part 1 in taking place in 1986 Yokosuka, the users playing the game at 20 years of age would have been six when the game took place.
YS: So it's not really nostalgia since it's a story from when they were just kids. Maybe making them feel "there was a world like this" together with the nostalgia.

-- Since then 15 years has passed and the users has become 35 and start feeling nostalgic about things. Now they are looking back and being nostalgic about having played part 1 and part 2.
YS: Yes. Now they are nostalgic about the experience with Shenmue.

-- So the games were released and as said before the users over the world described what moved them which you didn't think about when the games were made, right? As a game creator, did you continue to be surprised by all the reactions over these 15 years?
YS: Yes. They didn't come all at once. The comments continued coming from all over the world. Especially about cultural differences.

-- As with part 1 and 2, even if you think about what the users will enjoy in part 3, it might be different between japanese and foreign users.
YS: It's different. I can't remember making part 1 and 2 for foreigners.For example the themes of Outrun and other arcade games I made a long time ago were chosen in order to be popular all over the world. But for Shenmue 1 and 2 there were no thoughts about the target country.

-- You didn't make them for japanese users?
YS: I didn't really think about it. It was more about making a new game style, there is something interesting in just that. Making a new thing means a new kind of game which would make the world take notice of it. A new system. But I never thought everyone would react to the culture and customs like this.

-- You can say the new system was the skeleton and the culture and customs were the flesh and outward appearance, maybe?
YS: Maybe more like the system is the physical and culture and customs are the spiritual.

-- That would connect with the word "spiritual" that is often said about Shenmue. So for part 3 you can keep working on the aspects you didn’t think about that people actually really enjoyed about part 1 and 2.
YS: Yeah.

-- Neilo is developing part 3. The CEO Tak Hirai was the lead programmer of part 1 and 2 I've heard. Could you share the story of how you came to work on this project together again? Did you keep in touch during these 15 years?
YS: I've been in contact with Hirai and other members all the time since then. Drinking sometimes, talking about wanting to make Shenmue etc. "If it ever happens I'll count on you". We always said things like that.

-- Everyone was thinking about it.
YS: I'm a programmer from the beginning and Hirai too, so we have a kind of programming bond. In a game there are graphics, sound, program and other elements, but I want to focus on the programming.

-- I see.
YS: There are great games in the world today. Destiny, Grand Theft Auto, Assassin's Creed and more. The budget difference makes it very hard to challenge them in graphics and quality. For example Nintendo games are a bit less graphically advanced, but I don't care about that. They have great playability and I love them. So that's the approach. I'll probably challenge myself on the programming side. I think the programming makes games fun. So with that in mind the programming lead becomes an important partner.

-- Meaning Hirai-san.
YS: Yes. Back then Hirai was the programming lead and... Ah, I guess I can't call just call him Hirai anymore {as in dropping “-san”}. He was working under me back then... He was the one who started Neilo so f course he's great at programming. And this time, for the development of 3, we have gained access to the source code from part 1 and 2. He has written much of that code and might be able to reuse some of it. Back then there were probably nobody as great as him at programming. So in that sense being able to collaborate with him and his company is great.

-- It looks like there are other important creators participating.
YS: Yes. The screenwriter Yoshimoto-sensei is helping out. I'm very happy that many key members are participating.

-- How is the development looking now? I guess you have been talking with Neilo until now.
YS: It all depends on how the Kickstarter goes. If it fails, everything stops. Since it's not finished yet we can't do any real work. But we can do the work we can. We've been having a lot of meetings. For the Kickstarter we've been making promotional videos in Unreal Engine 4, but that was delegated to Neilo. However, I was of course directing it. We worked together like that. The budget will be decided in about a month I think so that's when we'll organize the project team. The plan is fluid but Neilo will be the center, and that won't change.

-- During the Sega era, how was Hirai-san?
YS: When we made Shenmue we were over 300 people at one time. We had managers for different sections, and he had about 100 people under him. So he was between me and where work was being done. He was very much trusted by his subordinates. I think that's the best compliment I can say about him. People who are trusted from above might just be appeasing their supervisors. But it takes someone special to be trusted by those working for him.

The rest of the questions are more about how and why he creates games. While interesting, it’s not that relevant in regards to the Shenmue III project.
by Capsule Toys Maniac
Sat Jun 20, 2015 6:56 pm
 
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Re: Shenmue 3 Kickstarter announced at E3 2015!

Perhaps a silly question, it's definitely not meant in an offensive way, but do they celebrate Father's Day in Japan? While I'd love nothing more than hardcore grind from now until closing bell, it'd be logical that we may not hear much until Monday for that reason.
Do Japanese people even have fathers?


Of corse they do! But LanDi comes and kills them.
by Outlawstar98
Sun Jun 21, 2015 10:47 am
 
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Re: Ways to Help the Kickstarter Campaign - Spread the Word

Managed to inform a good journalist of the current conundrum. She clarified some things and set straight the record. Published on the escapist. Concedes Sony backing in the marketing and that the Kickstarter is important. One more article in our favor.

Article just went up: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/141291-Sony-will-be-involved-in-marketing-and-production-for-Shenmue-3?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=all
by LucBu
Sun Jun 21, 2015 2:07 pm
 
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Re: SHENMUE 3 ANNOUNCED FOR PS4 KICKSTARTER (INFORMATION INS

Posted in another thread but will repeat here: have posted that Escapist article to reddit, please upvote so more people see it!:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/3amkun/the_escapist_understanding_sonys_role_in_shenmue_3/

I posted this. I'm upvoting your post.

http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/3amo1d/understanding_sonys_role_in_shenmue_3/
by Himuro
Sun Jun 21, 2015 2:55 pm
 
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Spread this Escapist article - Understanding Sony's Role

Post it on reddit, facebook, twitter, share it on forums. We need to kill this misinformation.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/vi ... -Shenmue-3
by Himuro
Sun Jun 21, 2015 2:52 pm
 
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Re: Lets remake the Kickstarter video

Wow this video is really exciting ! May I suggest that the Kickstarter logo has a kind of blade reflection effect in the end ? (I mean, moving from the left to the right) Anyway, great job ! Oh and I think I saw the girl's face in the end, very quickly. Maybe that was a sort of bug ?
Yes, Shenhua's face wasn't supposed to show up. That will be fixed in the final version. I'll also see about adding that to the logo.

I'm almost finished the final version, but I'm not going to post it for another day or two, just so that I can really polish it and add in any last minute thoughts.
by Jibby
Sun Jun 21, 2015 3:04 pm
 
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Re: Ways to Help the Kickstarter Campaign - Spread the Word

Just wanted to let you all know that I run an extremely popular blog on the Tumblr platform and I have just written a long piece about why Shenmue matters. The piece has already gotten about 190 notes and has jumped to the top of the Shenmue, Sony, E3, and PS4 tags on Tumblr. It is also near the top of the Gaming and Video Games tags.

Wanted to set the tone of Shenmue discussion in a positive way.

Thought the folks at the Dojo might enjoy what I wrote...
http://cinemagorgeous.com/post/122099238480/shenmue
by Erevador
Sun Jun 21, 2015 4:07 pm
 
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Re: Shenmue 3 Kickstarter announced at E3 2015!

Hey there,

Shenmue III was just voted #1 on http://MostAnticipatedGames.com and needs a custom banner to help raise funds. Something like this with proper dimensions would be awesome:
http://i.imgur.com/Ubv1syB.gif

It would be featured on the whole top background of the site and would attract major attention to our campaign.

Thanks!


http://i.imgur.com/MN9doVW.png
by Asthenia®
Sun Jun 21, 2015 8:47 pm
 
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