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Re: Next gen XBox reveal May 21st

One of the nicest features during the PS4 presser, was very nice how it was built into the OS as well. Maybe now I can finish some of Axm's games for him.
by Yama
Sat May 25, 2013 4:52 pm
 
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Re: Automotive Discussion

'97 Mitsubishi VR-4 (GTO MR)

http://i.imgur.com/grHia9M.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/KRymI00.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qk8cg9J.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Mqdklkr.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/wwkr8iZ.jpg

Haven't showed it on here in ages, way different than the last time. Even these images are a tad dated now, though I love them. Visually speaking nothing too drastic since these, just had the front fenders rolled and lowered it even more all around, rears are now maxed.

For anyone that doesn't know it's a 3.0L Twin Turbo and is making 500HP on JDM 13G's @ 17psi. The car is AWD and AWS, VR-4 stands for vicious real time four wheel drive. Bought the car BONE STOCK, have done everything to it myself outside of the professional dyno tune.
by Yama
Tue May 28, 2013 8:01 pm
 
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Re: E3 2013 Build up

Who Really Cares? wrote:
Yama wrote:We may also see Microsoft finally shoot themselves dead...

Keep dreaming.

I've awoken.
by Yama
Mon Jun 10, 2013 11:35 pm
 
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Re: PS4

Octodad secured my console purchase.
by Yama
Tue Jun 11, 2013 1:35 am
 
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Re: Iwao's Scroll | Welcome Edition

Oooooh! Good addition to the site. Love newsletters :nice!:
by Peter
Wed Jun 12, 2013 11:18 pm
 
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Re: Nominate Shenmue: The World Video Game Hall of Fame

Yup, done. I got a bit carried away with the comment section though. :)
by Henry Spencer
Fri Jun 12, 2015 3:24 am
 
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Forum name changed from "Future of Shenmue" to...

"Shenmue III."

DAMN THAT FELT GOOD!
by Yama
Tue Jun 16, 2015 2:26 am
 
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Kickstarter FAQ

A few things about Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ysnet/shenmue-3/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czh4RcR3iRM

1. You only get charged when a project meets it's goal.
2. The more you donate the more rewards you get:
https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/003/983/113/71b66b8b2ce506bd37924654e5291a91_original.jpg?v=1434346373&w=680&h=&fit=max&auto=format&q=92&s=4a06b1714aca73d9b102c863542d2b7f
3. If the game makes more then the $2 million they ask for it still goes towards making the game. The more it raises the more ambitious the game can be.
https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/003/947/711/f09e8d898bab87e85ed6cba987970a15_original.png?v=1433829100&w=680&h=&fit=max&auto=format&lossless=true&s=45b1ade1c7d50942b86e6c0740e75760
4. The chances are that the budget will be bigger then that just raised on Kickstarter. Yu probably has someone throwing in money somewhere else as well.
5. The video just shows concept.
by Riku Rose
Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:14 pm
 
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Re: New generation of Shenmue fans?

Himuro wrote: It's highly unlikely people under 20 will find it appealing.


Why is that?
I do believe most of us first got into the series before we were 20... what's gonna make that any different today?
by OL
Wed Jun 17, 2015 5:12 pm
 
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Dojo Exploded

It's back in order for now, fixed the issue.

We're going to need some premium hosting due to all this Shenmue III activity.
by Yama
Thu Jun 18, 2015 12:25 am
 
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Re: Dojo Exploded

I resisted the temptation to post a huge reply to whatever Animedouches post was all about.

But we are officially linked to the main Shenmue site, from right off the bat with the main sites launch and announcement. That's a HUGE deal. And we have over 2 years to go before the games launch!

This is just the very beginning......
by Peter
Thu Jun 18, 2015 4:47 am
 
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Re: Return of the Subtopics

It was a one time reversal. There's no way to go through Off Topic or General Gaming and pick and select each thread over the past decade to add to a new Sony, Nintendo, etc. forum, same with movies, TV, sports, etc. I still don't believe we need them, there is hardly as much activity in those forums as a few are making it seem. Make a few official threads if need be and carry on please.
by Yama
Mon Jun 22, 2015 1:47 pm
 
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Re: Potential huge donar please read.

Satisfy her correctly
by Peter
Mon Jun 22, 2015 4:12 pm
 
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Re: 10000 dinner reward back up for grabs!

I feel guilty now, Peter...

I feel like I need to explain who I am now.. I'm not a casual Shenmue fan. My brother and I are 35. We are identical twins and we help lead a school just outside Guilin in Yangshou where we teach poor kids English in helping them get scholarships to achieve better education.

This was inspired by Shenmue. My Avatar is of me laying on a raft on the Lijiang river just outside Guilin.

I've been there from the beginning like most of you. This will be a great experience in my life that I will treasure until I die.

EDIT:

You can find us on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/VolunteerEnglishTeacher?fref=ts

A lot of the pictures are of my brother and I.

Here is me with the kids.
http://i.imgur.com/b8Bc9z0.jpg
by wdrpgwd
Sun Jun 21, 2015 1:23 pm
 
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Re: Why I Sympathize with Shenmue Fans - A Kotaku Article

They left a freelance in charge of their site who created a negative clickbait article that tried to discredit the Shenmue Kickstarter. That's just sheer incompetence. And then they take the reins back and offer "sympathy" to Shenmue fans? Fuck sympathy, how about support?
by Henry Spencer
Mon Jul 06, 2015 4:23 pm
 
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Re: YsNet starts recruiting for Shenmue III staff

Thank you all for your words, It makes me happy and proud of being part of this awesome community. =D>
by Esppiral
Tue Jul 07, 2015 7:18 am
 
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Re: We have time: Let's all commit to & promote a 7/15 spike

But you are preaching to the wrong people. Everyone here will have, or will be giving every penny they can afford. Its like me standing at the doors of a supermarket and screaming to customers walking in, BUY FOOD!! BUY MORE FOOD!!!!
by Peter
Wed Jul 08, 2015 3:14 pm
 
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The Final Blow - LAST CHANCE FOR SHENMUE 3

Does anyone remember that fight in Shenmue 2 on top of Yellow Head Building when Dou Niu is running toward Ryo with 400 lbs. of force behind him? This is the climax of the Shenmue story thus far. Ryo has one last chance and takes it. He delivers the final counter elbow assault to Dou Niu.

http://www.30onthe3rd.com/images/dounui.jpg

With that one blow the next phase of his journey can continue without interference.

We are on top of that roof right now with the Shenmue 3 Kickstarter. This campaign is our Dou Niu. In order to give Yu Suzuki the chance to make the best Shenmue 3 possible we have to deliver that blow.

As I’ve said many times before, if you’ve donated to this Kickstarter you are a Shenmue saint. If you can squeeze out a little more from your budget great! If not, no worries, you've done your part and I know Yu is grateful. But if you’re holding out for PayPal, don’t! We have one last chance to make this happen. Don’t be deceived into assuming PayPal will happen. It very well could become a reality after the Kickstarter. But we just don’t know. All we know for sure is this Kickstarter ends July 17th. It all comes down to that day: The Final Blow.

Here is our new campaign logo:
http://www.30onthe3rd.com/images/tfb_logo.jpg
So spread the word far and wide. This is a critical period at end of the campaign when decisive action is needed. Pledge or upgrade your pledge NOW! - or possibly lose your chance forever! The quality and scale of Shenmue 3 is dependent on the Kickstarter’s overall success. The fate of Shenmue is in OUR hands now. Make your dreams come true!
#SaveShenmue #TheFinalBlow

EDIT
The website http://www.30onthe3rd.com/finalblow is now live! Let me know if you have any translations or corrections. I'll try to get the various timezone times up ASAP.
by elfshadowreaper
Thu Jul 09, 2015 8:45 am
 
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Re: New $4500 Reward: Name a Vendor

Wish I had $4500 to open Amir's Authentic Iranian Kabobs in Guilin...
by Amir
Tue Jul 14, 2015 11:20 am
 
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Re: Cedric bomb updates ???

Kickstarter isnt a Japanese site so they probably dont trust it much and didnt back it. They will buy the game when it comes out at best. Even then, only people who already played the previous titles will be interested. Shenmue is a Chinese word and new eyes will probably be instantly put off by it.


Or...Japanese have trouble using KS because it's an English website and prefer their own Japanese pledging services not due to xenophobia but language barrier.
by Himuro
Wed Jul 15, 2015 12:12 pm
 
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$5,000,000 REACHED!

I'm getting emotional! I said from the very beginning that this would be the figure that would make me 100% happy and dispell any fears I had both for the amount we would need to make an amazing Shenmue game, as well as stand as a testament to how much the fans care about this franchise, and how we would stand up and show everyone we have been here waiting for all these years. 5 MILLION DOLLARS for Yu and the team. That's just made me as happy as what I was when this all began. Well done to every single person who has pledged and kept the faith!


One last thought; the word "unvelievable" is tossed around everyday to kinda soften it's actual meaning. Getting 5 million was the thing I wanted the most out of all of this, but beating Bloodstained was in the proper category of "unbelievable" for me. Now this is set up, with 2 days to go to hopefully see a huge spike as we have seen with other Kickstarters? The excitement over these next 2 days will be an amazing way to end the Kickstarter! See you at the finish line! :)
by Peter
Wed Jul 15, 2015 1:12 pm
 
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Shenmue II 100% Complete Notebook Guide NOW AVAILABLE!

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/PeterC2005/fpBZJq9_zpshovs0qau.jpg




GameFAQ Online Guide - HERE






Microsoft Word Download - Shenmue II 100% COMPLETE NOTEBOOK GUIDE.doc






~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



STORY COMPLETION
|----------|----------|----------|----------|


MONEY INFORMATION COMPLETION
|----------|----------|----------|



TOTAL COMPLETION - 100%

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






~~~~~~~~~~~~~
INTRODUCTION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Many have tried, all have failed. Since its release, the Shenmue community has STILL to get a full 100% complete notebook guide for Shenmue II. All we have had so far are failed attempts, disappearing acts and a very incomplete notebook with no guide how to complete the entries by Julian McKenzie, which was attempted over 10 years ago. I cannot believe that no one has followed through with completing this project and over the past months I've been itching for a new Shenmue Project to work on. I chatted with Yama briefly, trying to come up with ideas, and whilst some are really good and may be seen in the future, with my technical limitations as well as my time limitations, this seemed fitting for this point in time. I've been researching all attempts gone before for the past month now, and also chatting to some people to gather resources to make sure the necessary ground work has been done before even firing up the game. To ensure the finished document will be absolutely verified, i attained the binary files of the notebook entries, both to aid me fill the notebook, and also to make sure nothing is missing or out of place. So, with that out of the way, lets start the path to completing this!




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
100% COMPLETION?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


OK, lets get something out of the way to begin with. Firstly i have never been 100% sure on this but since starting this project i have gotten my answer. The question i have always wondered is:

"Can the Shenmue II notebook be 100% filled?".

Well, it depends what way you look at it. If you mean a notebook with every page filled and no missing entries in your story, then YES it can be 100% filled. You can get entries which skip and block other entries if you are just casually playing through the story-mode, but if you follow my guide you will not miss an entry. However, in terms of EVERY notebook entry being activated then the answer is NO, it cannot be 100% completed. The simple reason for that is because there are instances where there is more than one way to get to a story point. I have called these instances, "VARIABLES", and they occur around 4 or 5 times throughout the game. So, if this is the case, then how can i call this a 100% COMPLETE WALKTHROUGH? Well, that's because i have spent hours and hours of taking notes, and testing out every variable to get their total entries. It may not seem like a big consumption of time that's needed for them, but it is. From failing each button in a QTE sequence to see where it leads, passing a QTE sequence, visiting locations in order to get a complete set of entries, meeting requirements before an event, and not having met those requirments...Its a hugely painstaking process.

Here, take a look:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/PeterC2005/Mobile%20Uploads/20150522_011528_zpshiuvkxiy.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/PeterC2005/Mobile%20Uploads/20150522_011603_zpsp5prj050.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/PeterC2005/Mobile%20Uploads/20150522_011659_zpscmggyo5o_edit_1432175892191_zpsvpvvk4pz_edit_1432175932260_zpsnzri1uzz.jpg

Not only do i have scrap pages of notes, i have an enlarged replica diary to capture every detail i can. Any time there has been a variable in the storyline, ive had to get the scrap paper out and begin the flow charts. What leads to where, what happens if you do this, what happens in this order or that order, what happens if you have spoken to this person or not.... you get the picture. From the scrap notes, then i have fully written out notes on each variable and what to do if you want to take one path or the other. The notebook entries that appear are usually the same size in terms of their entries to their counterpart variable. What i mean by that, if you take one route that covers 4 lines on one page, then the other will also take up the same page with 4 lines filled. It doesnt affect the overall storyline, but you do get to see some different cutscenes, which may be of interest to some of you who havent experienced all that Shenmue II has to offer.
Another reason that its a painstaking task is because there is one event ive encountered so far where there is a variable within a variable!! So the possibilities that i had to figure out were multiplied. I completed all of those tonight so thankfully thats out of the way. Thats the main piece of information i wanted to address from the beginning, and as the project goes on, i will be adding more notes to this section.




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT TYPE OF GUIDE WILL THIS BE?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


This is NOT a complete Shenmue II guide. There are plenty of those out there. There will be no walkthroughs to unlock Fagmeis birthday, or how to get up to the 3rd floor of the Pine Arcade etc. This is a no BS, straight to the point completion of the notebook. Where to go, who to speak to, what to do, and here is the entry. This will be very much like Force Vectors original Shenmue notebook walkthrough which you can check out HERE , but i should point out that i will not name EVERY person who will reveal a notebook entry like he did. There are just far too many NCPs in Shenmue II, and to be honest, you are just grateful to find the right person to speak to in the first place. As i mentioned above, when it comes to a variable, i will outline each option, and what to do when you have chosen the path you want to take.
Some entries may appear in the notebook ahead of where you are, but thats not something to worry about. You just move onto the next entry and follow its instruction unless i will have told you otherwise.




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMPLETION TIMEFRAME
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


With the foundations laid with the prep work, things have been going smoothly as they can for 2 weeks. I work 2 jobs so its been mostly a few hours late at night and documenting everything in my physical notebook. The pace was picked up on Monday just gone, when i had a minor operation and now have a full 2 weeks off both jobs to recover. That means bored days sitting on the sofa day and night, not even allowed to leave the house since it rains constantly in Ireland and i cant get my dressings wet. That was another reason the timing of the project was perfect. This will stop me going crazy! I am cleared next Wednesday and head to a weekend festival next weekend (29th-31st May) so my aim is to have the project completed, tested and typed up before then. I am putting in 16 hour shifts in on this, and i hope it will come through in time. I cam currently playing 3 save files on the Dreamcast version of Shenmue II, and once i have reached 100%, i will be doing a full speed test run on the Xbox version to make sure everything checks out. I also want to check and make sure the entries are unlocked on a person/location based action, and not amounts of negative comments received beforehand etc. Just basic QA to make sure everything checks out ok on a separate walkthrough, but also as well as on the Xbox.

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


And thats it folks! I appreciate any comments, and feel free to discuss anything you have wondered about Shenmue II because i feel like i have seen everything so far, that the game has to offer. Its awesomeness was already at high levels, but with doing this project and seeing how much effort that the development team have put into this game has made it reach favourite game ever levels. I am off to get a few hours sleep before diving back into Kowloon in the morning :P
by Peter
Wed May 20, 2015 10:37 pm
 
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Shenmue II 100% COMPLETE Notebook Released!!

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/PeterC2005/fpBZJq9_zpshovs0qau.jpg

Its been a long and hard process, but for the first time ever, its my honour to give you all the 100%COMPLETE NOTEBOOK GUIDE FOR SHENMUE II.

I started the project a few months ago, and after lots of long nights and frustration, here is the finished product, firstly hosted by GameFAQ, and also a MS text. file for you to download.

The guide is text only, and follows the same format as the original Shenmue notebook guide that's been on GameFAQ for many years, completed by Force Vector. Its a simple "here's the entry - here's how to get it" piece, so hopefully you wont have too much trouble following it.

Here are the links, and also there is now a sticky topic in the Shenmue II forums for discussion and any questions.

GameFAQ Online Guide - HERE

Microsoft Word Download - Shenmue II 100% COMPLETE NOTEBOOK GUIDE.doc

Topic Link - HERE
by Peter
Wed Jul 15, 2015 10:46 pm
 
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Re: Shenmue II 100% Complete Notebook Guide NOW AVAILABLE!

Stuck in work for a few hours more, but I have gotten word of 2 revisions to be made:

Firstly thanks to the PM from Sean, the Chawan Sign information for the Dragon Spring in the Dimsum Quarter of Kowloon should say "nothing" beside it, as doing the Chawan Sign results in nothing happening.


In the gambling section for Kowloon in the money information section, there is an issue with getting the ">10F" entry from the Moon Child Building. I will test this again tonight to confirm.
by Peter
Thu Jul 16, 2015 1:28 pm
 
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Re: KS Update #41 - Digital Upgrade & Character Bust

https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/004/163/674/aa3150a35e88342f1903722d4a48612e_original.png?v=1437100871&w=639&fit=max&auto=format&lossless=true&s=87b37708ac11504cf040c2fb8855b1cf

http://i.imgur.com/6Mv0U9v.gif

Does anyone want an extra soul? I sell mine for 2500$
by Esppiral
Fri Jul 17, 2015 3:43 am
 
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Re: Japanese Music

That new negicco though? Moe as hell.

phpBB [video]
by Rakim
Tue Jul 21, 2015 10:01 am
 
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Re: Japanese Music

This thread needs more Takao Tajima

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeBZmFpw4P0

I've been bumping that album hardcore since it came out last month. Takao Tajima is my idol.

Here's some idol goodness written and arranged by the man himself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gHbnS1QcIA
by Rakim
Tue Aug 04, 2015 7:29 pm
 
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Re: Best Food Ever.

1. Zereshk polow tahchin
2. Fesenjoon
3. Cheeseburger
4. Kabob soltani (kubideh + barg)
5. Ghormeh sabzee
6. Pepperoni stuffed cheese crust pizza
7. Meatza
8. Bolognese with red wine and cocoa
by Amir
Mon Aug 17, 2015 9:49 pm
 
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Re: Latest Purchases

Just preordered these:

http://oi58.tinypic.com/slhhr9.jpg
http://oi62.tinypic.com/34oox3l.jpg

Been waiting a helluva long time for them to finally come to bluray, and it's nice to see them both being released in such spectacular manner.
Kwaidan is easily one of the greatest Japanese horror films ever made, and I'll take the Yakuza Papers series over the Godfather series any day.
All of it is costing a pretty penny, but as long as i just save a bit before they release, it should be no problem. Gotta grab the Yakuza Papers one quick anyway, because these Arrow Video releases are always limited editions (usually only 3000 copies), and their prices usually jump pretty soon after release.
by OL
Mon Aug 24, 2015 12:39 am
 
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Re: Random Thoughts

Jim Jarmusch gets it.
Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from - it’s where you take them to."
by Rakim
Thu Sep 24, 2015 2:48 pm
 
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Re: Kickstarter Update 51: Poll Results & Shenmue.link revam

I understand a lot of the sides who have opinions. There's so much room for discussion and time to work out a possible way of solving the various problems that are currently still ongoing.

But right now, I wish people would calm the hell down. Not so much here, but across the entire Shenmue community. Woken up to a third day of infighting, name calling, dramatic arguments, idiotic memes and just complete and utter bollox.

I actually believe there are backers out there who sit on a daily basis twiddling their thumbs, waiting for fights and I'd even go as far that some do it deliberately to draw attention for clickbait "publicity".

I'm not pulling out a guitar and for all of us to hold hands. I do agree there are issues with Awesome Japan, which is damaging the reputation of the game and need to be addressed. But across the community there is a real sense of there being too many chiefs and not enough Indians running around. That their opinions are better than everyone else. What's funny to one Shenmue fan, is insulting to another etc. There are a handful of people who have tried to calm the past few days back down, but it's just fallen on deaf ears. It's sad, and embarrassing.
by Peter
Wed Jan 06, 2016 8:06 am
 
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Re: Yu Suzuki interview by Shenmue Dojo & Team Yu (MAGIC 201

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-_kR2fnYKc


Yu Suzuki speaks on Shenmue III, the role of developers, and the future of gaming

Traduction en français: cliquer ici

Traducción al español por Jose Guerrero:
_________________________________________________________________________
Yu Suzuki habla sobre Shenmue III, el papel de los desarrolladores, y el futuro de los videojuegos

La última vez que jugamos en Shenmue como Ryo Hazuki, se encontraba inmerso en un viaje de descubrimiento en tierras extranjeras, siguiendo el rastro del hombre que alteró inesperadamente el curso de su historia; guiada por los hilos del destino.

Igual de inesperado ha sido para dos representantes de Shenmue Dojo y de Team Yu , tras numerosas coincidencias, verse envueltos en un viaje con el objetivo de dar con el creador de la saga, Yu Suzuki; y lograr así que fuera entrevistado por primera vez por la comunidad angloparlante.

http://s16.postimg.cc/lg1jcaco5/1_beach.png

Al igual que nuestro camino a Mónaco, el camino a Shenmue III ha sido montañoso. Pero gracias a una cascada de eventos: una comunidad fan organizada , el alzamiento de Kickstarter , los equipos de producción 3rd party de Sony, e inversores privados (con Shibuya Productions en cabeza), se pudo construir un túnel que facilitara el acceso a este impenetrable paisaje.

Con la soñada secuela ya en desarrollo. En el MAGIC Monaco organizado por Shibuya Productions (conferencia anual de videojuegos, anime y fandom), pudo verse un nuevo e inédito avance del juego. Al nuevo material le cayó literalmente una tormenta encima, ya que una de las cosas que pudieron verse fue el renovado sistema meteorológico dinámico; una vieja y célebre característica de la saga.

Cuando preparábamos nuestra entrevista (la que existe gracias a los veteranos de ShenmueMaster.fr , ¡os debemos una!), hicimos una larga lista de preguntas entre las que elegir llegado el día. De tener más tiempo, una de ellas hubiera tenido que ver con una pregunta que Suzuki contestó de forma divertida en su primera aparición en el Shenmue Tweetathon mensual.

Cuando se le preguntó sobre las semejanzas argumentales entre Shenmue y el clásico de Shakespeare Hamlet, Suzuki twiteó : "Lo siento, no he leído Hamlet. Aunque sí que conozco a Hamtaro." Hamtaro es un hámster de animación japonés, y la fuente de muchas de las bromas que hacían más amenas nuestras sesiones de planificación en línea.

Así que llegar a la ciudad y encontrarnos con un póster publicitario del mismísimo Hamlet en mitad de Montecarlo... tuvimos que mirarlo por lo menos dos veces ante nuestro desconcierto.

Y una vez empezamos a ver cosas, no pudimos parar.

Un coche negro esperando fuera del hotel. Trabajadores ajustando un cartel en mitad de la calle. Máquinas expendedoras de Cocacola y de cápsulas con juguetes cerca del lugar de la conferencia. Pasos de piedra encima del agua en un jardín japonés cercano. Máquinas recreativas con volantes y réplicas de motos, sin olvidarnos del juego de Kung-Fu Panda titulado Mojo Dojo.

Pero, por supuesto, solo nos podemos percatar de este tipo de referencias con la predisposición adecuada. En junio, haciendo escala por Seattle en su camino al gran anuncio de Shenmue III en el E3, el equipo de crowdfunding del juego estuvo imbuido por la ironía cuando se dieron cuenta de que la puerta de embarque de su vuelo era la S3.

Pero por fortuna para nuestra salud mental, las tempranas previsiones meteorológicas que indicaban que nuestro encuentro en Mónaco caería en un día el que la nieve dejaría paso a la lluvia no eran del todo acertadas, ya que finalmente no cayó nada de nieve. Las correctamente predichas gotas de agua impidieron que pudiéramos grabar escenas en el exterior para nuestro vídeo ; pero podréis leer lo que hicimos en forma de relato en multitud de idiomas para saber más detalles y sorpresas que no hemos cubierto aquí.

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Al llegar al MAGIC, nosotros; Peter, contribuyente de cinco dígitos del Kickstarter y James, fundador de la campaña #SaveShenmue ; nos sentimos sobrepasados positivamente por nuestros huéspedes; llevaban unos cosplays increíblemente elaborados, basados en todo tipo de animación, ilustraciones y artes interactivas. Se anunciaron nuevos proyectos en vivo para los emocionados fans, y había colas de gente esperando pacientemente para recibir autógrafos de sus creadores favoritos. Este evento ha sido un refugio y una mina de oro para los apasionados seguidores de un entretenimiento nicho, quienes, por un día multicultural, han venido al Foro Grimaldi como una fusión colorida de descarado entusiasmo.

Y ese es el tipo de dedicación y apego emocional a trabajos de arte moderno que brotó de la mente de Yu Suzuki cuando le preguntamos cómo se sintió, tras quince años de incertidumbre, por estar por fin creando su juego más esperado.

"Creo que a muy pocos desarrolladores del mundo se les brinda este tipo de oportunidad," nos dijo. "Y luego están los fans, que han esperado quince... dieciséis años sin perder la esperanza." En algunos de los vídeos del día del anuncio hay hasta fans llorando de felicidad.

Cuando se le preguntó si ha tenido alguna vez alguna experiencia semejante con alguna historia en una película o libro, nos dijo que no se le ocurría nada que se acercara al sentimiento al que los fans de Shenmue se han acostumbraron tras años de dura espera.

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Cuando hablábamos sobre otros medios de contar historias, le preguntamos cuán de importante era para él completar Shenmue como videojuego; ya que algunos jugones, cansados de esperar ; veían con buenos ojos la posibilidad de conocer el final de la saga en un formato más pasivo.

"Ser un juego es lo más importante," dijo de la saga aún sin conclusión. "Creo que el propósito de Shenmue radica en ser un videojuego." Añadió que, a pesar de ser únicamente uno de los aspectos que conforman Shenmue, recibió muchas preguntas sobre el argumento, así que siempre sintió la responsabilidad de contar cómo concluiría; por ello había considerado otras opciones, como la novela gráfica o el anime.

Ahora que ya ha tomado la decisión de que Shenmue III sea un juego, le preguntamos si el proyecto se ha encontrado con algún reto inesperado. Suzuki nos contestó que, ya que Unreal 4; su motor gráfico preferido; era relativamente nuevo, y disponía de poco soporte en japonés, fue difícil encontrar expertos en su país. "Por suerte, ahora en nuestros despachos tenemos expertos cualificados," dijo sonriendo.

Algo que se sabe de Shenmue III, antes siquiera de saber que motor usaba, era que Ryo por fin podría cambiar su característica chaqueta de cuero por nueva muda de ropa limpia. Pero, ¿hasta donde llegará el nivel de personalización?

"Todavía no hemos llegado al punto en el que nos encargamos de eso, así que es difícil contestar," admitió Suzuki-san, "Pero al menos me gustaría que se pudiera cambiar de ropa. Y sobre Shenhua, como su casa está cerca, si su ropa siempre fuera la misma, implicaría que solo tiene un traje, ¡y eso no sería bueno!"

Suzuki añadió que quiere "crear buenos diseños" para la indumentaria de Shenhua, y cooperar con algún diseñador de ropa real para lograrlo.

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Pero, ¿y qué ocurre con el diseño del juego? A Shenmue se le conoce, para bien o para mal, por popularizar los QTE ; una mecánica jugable que otros desarrolladores suelen usar de forma abusiva; pero que en las aventuras de Ryo estaban implementados de forma intuitiva y natural.

Cuando comparaba el uso de los QTE de la nueva secuela con la de los juegos originales, Yu explicó, "Los conceptos básicos serán los mismos: Es un 'Quick Timer' (temporizador rápido), así que las pulsaciones de botones son fáciles; hasta las personas que no son buenas en juegos de reflejos podrán hacerlo bien. El nivel de dificultad se ajusta automáticamente dependiendo del número de veces que falles, es un sistema que casa muy bien con los juegos narrativos. Aún si eres un jugador malísimo, serás capaz de progresar."

Ampliando sobre el tema, añade: "Lo que describí eran las cosas buenas que tienen los QTEs, pero hay otras con las que no estoy muy contento, estas pulsaciones de botones son demasiado fáciles para los jugones muy muy buenos en juegos donde los reflejos tienen importancia, como en Virtua Fighter. Espero poder solucionar este problema."

Sabemos que los veteranos del Ghost Hall Building de la ciudad Kowloon en Shenmue II disfrutarán de los retos. Pero aquellos sin la habilidad de poder pulsar botones que aparecen solo un instante en pantalla no tienen por qué preocuparse, Suzuki os tiene a cubierto: "Ser fácil está bien, mientras sea divertido".

Cuando le preguntamos sobre el uso de la música en Shenmue III, el maestro explicó: "concibiendo la saga pensé en composiciones musicales que encajaran en las escenas que formarían cada capítulo, es por ello que tenemos bastantes composiciones disponibles, todas magníficas. Me aventuro a decir que ni siquiera el 20% de ellas han sido usadas en Shenmue I y II."

"Con Shenmue III estaremos creando muchas piezas musicales nuevas, pero también le daremos uso a las viejas en las composiciones, por ejemplo. Hay muchas piezas que pegan bien con el concepto original, este es el planteamiento que querría seguir."

Fue música para nuestros oídos saber que, gracias a un pozo inexplorado de pistas musicales producidas al principio de la saga, y a nuevas melodías aún por añadir, la banda sonora digna de salón de fama de Shenmue será aún más épica con el lanzamiento del tercer juego.

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Un sorprendente tema de interés entre los fans desde el comienzo de la campaña de crowdfunding el año pasado ha sido los dos logos que se han usado en avances, páginas web e imágenes promocionales. Uno usaba el estilo a mano tradicional visto en los dos primeros juegos, mientras que el otro es nuevo en la saga, y usaba un estilo con letras más separadas. Con tanta curiosidad al respecto sentimos la necesidad de preguntar a Yu sobre ello.

"El que más me gusta es ese logo," dijo, mientras apuntaba al nuevo logo, en la camiseta de Peter. "El motivo es que, desde hace poco... ¿sabes lo que es la letra cursiva? Ese tipo de letra que se pegan tanto unas a otras entre sí, con el estilo de tu camiseta las letras están separadas entre sí. Dicen que ahora hay muchos jóvenes que no pueden leer la cursiva, es por eso que he decidido separar los caracteres del logo de Shenmue, y así hacerlo más fácil de leer."

Si Shenmue quiere alcanzar nuevas audiencias en estos tiempos, uno de los obstáculos que tendrá que superar es que su nombre no significa nada para los no japoneses que no sepan con antelación de su relevancia. Como su nombre es tan poco conocido en el resto de idiomas, quizás hacerlo más fácil de leer es un paso importante para evitar que los jugadores casuales lo ignoren cuando lo vean en tiendas de videojuegos.

¿Pero es un hecho que Shenmue III se podrá comprar en tiendas físicas y digitales por aquellos que no hayan contribuido en su campaña de crowdfunding? Suzuki se dio bastante prisa en negar cualquier cosa que pudiera sugerir lo contrario: "Sí, por supuesto que podrán."

Aprovechando que salió el tema, le preguntamos si los fans recibirán nuevas recompensas en la campaña Slacker Backer que sigue abierta; como la versión de PC del juego, que está ausente en esta campaña; o la posibilidad de que los contribuyentes de la campaña Kickstarter puedan mejorar el nivel de su recompensa incrementando su donación original a través de PayPal.

Por desgracia, como suele ocurrir en cualquier interacción bilingüe, cuando interpretaron nuestra pregunta para Suzuki-san, esta se transformó en un "¿Se añadirá algo nuevo a la campaña? Como la versión de PC o algún objeto de la campaña de Kickstarter, por ejemplo."

"No puedo decir lo que ocurrirá en el futuro", contestó Suzuki a la interpretación de nuestra pregunta. "Pero no hay nada nuevo planeado por ahora, esta campaña está únicamente dirigida a la gente que no pudo adquirir recompensas, por el motivo que fuera, en la campaña de Kickstarter. Lo que queremos es darles la oportunidad de comprar los mismos objetos, bueno, menos los que son exclusivos de la campaña Kickstarter. Pero quise hacer que los no exclusivos pudieran estar disponibles para aquellos que perdieron la oportunidad con el Kickstarter."

Otro tema candente de discusión entre la comunidad es si Shenmue III tendrá las icónicas escenas de carga de la saga, en las que podían verse la hora y el lugar donde Ryo se encontraba cada vez que entraba en una zona.

Suzuki no tenía planes de incluirlas en el nuevo juego debido a los nuevos avances tecnológicos que han hecho a las escenas de carga obsoletas. Pero tras barajar el tema en nuestra entrevista, añadió: "Entonces creo que son algo muy característico de Shenmue, ¿verdad? lo pensaré mejor."

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Algo que sabemos que sí que hará acto de presencia en Shenmue III es el sistema de Perspectiva de Personaje (Character Perspective), una nueva funcionalidad que se desbloqueó para ser desarrollada tras alcanzar uno de los objetivos extra de la campaña de crowdfunding. Ahora que podríamos tomar el control de los aliados de Ryo por primera vez, nos interesamos en saber cómo de diferente sería la experiencia de jugar como Ren o Shenhua. Por ejemplo ¿el líder de la banda callejera de Hong Kong emplearía un estilo de lucha diferente al del protagonista?

Suzuki confirmó que el estilo de combate de Ren sería diferente al de Ryo, y que Shenhua no pelea, "es inteligente y usa otras tácticas," añadió, antes de explicar que el sistema de Perspectiva de Personaje no es simplemente un sistema que cambia a tu personaje; simula la personalidad de la persona, la forma que tienen de pensar y de comportarse.

Eso es ya de por sí un nuevo reto para un desarrollador que nunca se ha cortado creando diferentes estilos de juego. Con un catálogo de juegos tan diverso a sus espaldas, ¿existe algún género nuevo con el que le gustaría probar?

"Sí, sí que lo hay," contestó Suzuki-san, diciendo que había varios "estilos" con los que le gustaría probar, "¡puede que uno que ni siquiera exista aún!" Ya más suelto, nos contó su frustración a la hora de usar mandos, y confesó ser muy malo con ellos; se imaginaba el día en el que los personajes en pantalla serían manejados por las ondas cerebrales del propio jugador, moviéndose en la dirección deseada únicamente con el poder del pensamiento.

Esta es más que una queja pasajera, es la segunda vez que escuchamos describir su visión del futuro; y ya que la industria está invirtiendo tanto en la realidad virtual y en el control de movimiento, no es complicado pensar que el pionero de los días de gloria de los arcades de Sega está adelantándose a su tiempo nuevamente.

¿Pero es cierto que Yu Suzuki es uno de los pocos desarrolladores al que se les reconoce por su propio nombre? El jugón medio suele como mucho reconocer al estudio o al editor (que es precisamente lo que los editores quieren, que los fans permanezcan fieles a su marca en vez de a aquellos que diseñaron los juegos). Le preguntamos a una de las figuras más célebres del mundo de los videojuegos si esto es algo que tiene que cambiar. ¿Deberían los diseñadores ser más reconocidos individualmente?

"Pienso que es algo que tiene que ocurrir", contestó Suzuki con convicción. "Los creadores de videojuegos deberían ser propiamente... por ejemplo, a los compositores, artistas y directores de películas, a día de hoy se les acredita correctamente. Así que sí, pienso que sus nombres deberían ser mostrados apropiadamente. Creo que los niños (la próxima generación) necesitan referentes a los que aspirar. Es por ello que la industria tiene que darles un reconocimiento adecuado."

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Así que como Suzuki tenía ganas de compartir el protagonismo con sus olvidados compañeros, ¿cómo definiría su propio legado en este negocio?

Esta se convirtió en la pregunta más difícil de contestar para él.

Tras meditar empezó a considerar sus contribuciones y lo que significaron para los videojuegos. "Empecé con juegos arcade. En ese momento creaba juegos 'de montarse', aquellos en los que la cabina se movía," apuntaba a la camiseta de Space Harrier, que James llevaba puesta como ejemplo. "Y eso creó un nuevo género, un nuevo 'movimiento' en la industria del videojuego. Después trabajé en juegos como Virtua Fighter y Virtua Racing. Estos abrieron el mercado 3D. Lo siguiente que hice fue Shenmue, con el que nació el género del mundo abierto. Cada juego creó un movimiento, una corriente en la industria del juego. Es por ello que me gustaría pensar que he logrado que tanto creadores de videojuegos como aquellos que juegan se unan en un gran movimiento."

Y esperemos que ese movimiento perdure, no solo con Yu Suzuki y su Shenmue IV (que de momento solo existe en su mente); también con aquellos que al igual que él, rompen moldes constantemente.

Sea experimentando la historia de Shenmue desde la perspectiva de diferentes personajes, o redescubriendo lo sorprendentemente divertidos que son unos QTE bien hechos, los fans pueden esperar una secuela digna, con las cosas buenas de la franquicia, pero que no rinde cuentas a nadie. Cuando llegue a las tiendas, y, con una nueva generación de jugones; Shenmue III quiere ser un reto tan divertido como accesible; mientras cumple también con la gran responsabilidad contraída con los fans que han esperado quince años a esta continuación.

Para estos fieles seguidores, jugar a Shenmue III por primera vez será como un rito de iniciación. Un momento imaginado en infinidad de formas diferentes desde la infancia. Y ahora, después de un esfuerzo hercúleo para revivir la saga, Yu Suzuki tiene todos y cada uno de esos sueños en la palma de su mano.

Por fortuna, no podemos pensar en otro dúo que brinde tal seguridad.

Seguridad que te protegerá mientras no seas un molesto mando.
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When we last played as Ryo Hazuki in the Shenmue saga, he was on a mission of discovery in a foreign land, in pursuit of the man who had altered the course of his life in ways that were both surprising yet guided by fate.

And so it was that two representatives of Shenmue Dojo and Team Yu found ourselves crossing borders and tripping over coincidence after coincidence on our way to meet series creator Yu Suzuki, for his first ever interview with the English-speaking fan community.

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Like our destination of Monaco, the road to Shenmue III has been mountainous. But through a uniquely synchronized sequence of events, involving an organized fan base , the rise of Kickstarter , Sony's third party productions team, and private investors led by Shibuya Productions , a tunnel was finally carved through the impenetrable landscape.

With the impossible sequel now in development, Shibuya Productions would play host to exclusive preview footage at MAGIC Monaco , its annual conference event celebrating video games, anime, manga, and all around fandom. The unseen material went down a storm - appropriately, as one of the features demonstrated was the series' famed dynamic weather system.

In preparation for our interview - for which we owe the veterans at ShenmueMaster.fr a debt of gratitude - we had readied a long list of questions to choose from on the day. If time were no object, one of them would have made reference to a question Suzuki answered in fun last July, during his debut in the monthly Shenmue Tweetathon .

Asked about similarities in plot between Shenmue and the classic Shakespeare play Hamlet, Suzuki tweeted , "Sorry, but I have not read Hamlet. I know Hamtaro though." Hamtaro being a Japanese cartoon hamster, and the source of many jokes lightening our online planning sessions.

So to arrive in town for MAGIC and find a poster advertising Hamlet itself in the middle of Monte Carlo was cause for a double-take at the very least.

And once we started, we couldn't stop.

A black car outside the hotel. Workmen adjusting a sign above the street. Machines selling Coke and capsule toys near the conference venue. Stepping stones over water in a neighboring Japanese garden. Arcade cabinets controlled by steering wheels and replica motorcycles, not to mention a Kung-Fu Panda game titled Mojo Dojo.

Of course, these inferred references are everywhere when you're in the right frame of mind to look for them. When passing through Seattle on their way to the big reveal of Shenmue III last June, the game's crowdfunding team couldn't help but note the irony of boarding their flight at gate S3.

Fortunately for our sanity, early weather reports forecasting that our meeting in Monaco would fall on the day the snow turned to rain proved inaccurate, with not a flake in sight. The correctly predicted downpours however did prevent us from filming outdoor scenes for our video , which you can watch with captions in a variety of languages for details and surprises not covered here.

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On arriving at MAGIC, both of us - Peter, a five figure Kickstarter backer , and James, founder of the #SaveShenmue campaign - felt positively outdone by our fellow guests in wonderfully elaborate cosplay , taking inspiration from all corners of animation, illustration, and interactive arts. New projects were announced on stage to excited fans, and lines waited patiently for autographs from their favorite creators. This event was both a haven and a goldmine for the passionate supporters of arguably niche entertainment who, for one multicultural day, had descended upon the Grimaldi Forum in a colorful fusion of unabashed enthusiasm.

And it's that kind of dedication and emotional attachment to works of modern art that sprung to Yu Suzuki's mind when we asked him how it felt, after a decade and a half of uncertainty, to be finally making his most requested game.

"I think very few developers in the world get this kind of chance," he told us, "And then there are the fans, who have waited for as long as fifteen years, sixteen years without giving up... In some videos there are even fans shedding tears. I think there's no other developer in the world as happy as I am."

Asked whether he could relate to feeling so strongly about any tale in a book or film that he would endure such a long wait for the next chapter, he could think of nothing that came close in his own experience to the undying anticipation that Shenmue fans have become accustomed to.

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Speaking of other storytelling media, we asked Suzuki-san how important it was for him to complete Shenmue as a video game, when some gamers had resigned themselves to the possibility of concluding the saga in a more passive format.

"Being in game form is the most important thing," he said of the ongoing series, "I believe that Shenmue's meaning comes from being a game." He added however that although it forms just one part of Shenmue, he had received so many questions about the story that he has "always felt a responsibility" to tell how it plays out, and had therefore considered options like a graphic novel or anime.

Having made the decision to proceed with Shenmue III as a game, we asked if the project had encountered any unusual challenges. Suzuki explained that with his preferred engine Unreal 4 being relatively new, and with little information available in Japanese, it had been difficult to find experts in Japan. "Fortunately, now at our offices we do have skilled experts," he smiled.

Something known about Shenmue III before even the game engine was revealed is that Ryo will finally have the chance to swap his trademark leather jacket for a fresh change of clothes. But how far will this customization extend?

"We haven't reached the point of testing that part yet, so it's hard to say," admitted Suzuki-san, "However, I guess I'd like at least to change his clothing. And with Shenhua in particular, her home is located nearby; so if her clothes always stay the same, it would imply she only owns one costume - that wouldn't do!"

Suzuki added that he wants to "create some good designs" for Shenhua's clothing, and team up with an actual clothes designer for the task.

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But what of game design? Shenmue is often credited (or blamed) for popularizing QTEs , a gameplay mechanic commonly abused by other developers but applied with intuitive logic in the early adventures of Ryo.

When comparing the new sequel's use of QTEs with those in the original games, Yu explained, "The basic concepts will remain the same: It's 'Quick Timer', so the button presses are simple; even people who aren't good at reflex-based games can participate. The difficulty level adjusts automatically according to the number of times you fail, and fundamentally, it is a system that integrates well into a story-oriented game. Even if you're hopeless at playing games, you'll still be able to advance along."

Elaborating, he added, "What I just described were the good things about QTEs, but there are some things that I'm not satisfied with. For example, for players who are really good at playing reflex-based games like Virtua Fighter [another Suzuki creation] - for them, the button presses are too easy. That's one problem that I hope to improve."

We're sure veterans of the Ghost Hall Building in Shenmue II's Kowloon will relish the challenge. But for those without the knack to follow on-screen button prompts in an instant, Suzuki's got you covered: "Being easy is OK, as long as it's fun."

When asked about the use of music in Shenmue III, the maestro explained that when originally planning out the series he "thought of musical pieces to fit the various scenes" that would form each chapter. "And so we have lots of music available to us now: a great many pieces, that were composed and created back then. And I would say not even 20% of them have been used in Shenmue I and II."

"With Shenmue III," he continued, "There are a number of musical pieces we will be creating, but we'll also be making use of past ones, for example in arrangements. There are many pieces that fit the original concept well, so this is the approach I'd like to take."

It was certainly music to our ears to learn that, with a mostly untapped well of tracks produced at the beginning of the saga, and new tunes still to be added, Shenmue's Hall of Fame soundtrack is set to become even more epic with the release of the third game.

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A surprisingly hot topic amongst fans since the launch of the game's crowdfunding appeal last year has been the different logos used on various trailers, websites, and promotional images. One follows the traditional handwritten style seen in the first two games, while the other is new to the series with distinct lettering . With so much curiosity surrounding the matter of which logo will make it into the actual game, we had to put the question to Yu.

"The one I like at the moment is that logo there," he said while pointing to the newer block-lettered version on Peter's T-shirt, "The reason I say that is that recently - you're familiar with cursive writing? Where each letter is joined to the next. With this one the letters are separated from each other, right? With cursive, the letters run together. They say there are many young people nowadays who can't read cursive writing. So that's why I decided to separate out the Shenmue logo, to make it easier to read."

If Shenmue is to reach a new audience in the modern era, one obstacle it may have to overcome is that its name is essentially meaningless to any non-Japanese speaker unaware of its relevance. With the word being unfamiliar to all other languages, perhaps at least making it more easily readable is an important step to avoid premature dismissal by casual browsers of game store shelves.

But is it even a given that Shenmue III can be bought in stores and online by those who haven't backed the crowdfunding campaign? Suzuki was quick to dismiss any suggestion to the contrary: "Yes, I think they will of course be able to."

On the same theme, we took the chance to try and clarify whether fans should expect new additions to the ongoing Slacker Backer campaign, such as the PC version of the game which has always been absent from the PayPal rewards list, or the ability for Kickstarter backers to upgrade to the next reward tier by increasing their original donation via PayPal.

Unfortunately, as can happen in any bilingual exchange, when translated on the fly for Suzuki-san the question morphed into "Will there be anything new added to it, such as the PC version or another new item from the Kickstarter campaign, for example?"

"I can't speak to the future," replied Suzuki to this interpretation of our question, "But there's nothing new at the current time. It's really for people who weren't able to purchase rewards during the Kickstarter campaign, for whatever reason. It's to give those people the chance to buy the same items. Well, apart from the items that were exclusive to the Kickstarter, of course. But I wanted to make the non-exclusive items available to people who had missed them during the time of the Kickstarter."

Another point of discussion within the online community bubble of late has been whether Shenmue III will feature the loading screens that became an iconic staple of the original games, denoting the in-game time and Ryo's location while entering a new area.

With technological advances making loading screens functionally obsolete, Suzuki had no plans to include them in the new game. But after musing on the topic in our interview, he noted, "I guess they're very characteristic of Shenmue, aren't they? I will give it some proper thought."

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Something we know will be in Shenmue III is the Character Perspective system, a new feature unlocked for development as a crowdfunding stretch goal. With the player able to take control of Ryo's allies for the first time, we were interested to learn how different an experience it would be to play as Ren or Shenhua. For example, would the leader of a Hong Kong street gang employ a different fighting style to the lead protagonist so far?

Suzuki confirmed that Ren's style of combat will differ from Ryo's, and that Shenhua doesn't fight. "She's smart and uses other tactics," he noted, before explaining that "the Character Perspective system is not a system that simply changes your character. It simulates each person's personality, and the way they think and behave."

That in itself is a fresh challenge for a developer who's never shied away from different styles of game. With such a diverse back catalog already decorating his résumé, is there any new genre he'd still like to take on?

"Yes, yes, there is," replied Suzuki-san, saying there were "various" styles he would like to try, "Possibly one that doesn't even exist yet!" Becoming animated, he demonstrated his frustration when using controllers, confessing to being hopeless at it, and imagines a day when characters on the screen will be controlled by the player's own brain waves, moving in the direction desired by the power of thought.

More than a passing whim, this is the second time we've heard him describe this vision of the future, and with the industry investing heavily in virtual reality and motion control, it's not hard to believe that the pioneer of Sega's arcade glory days is once again thinking a step ahead of the game.

But is it fair that Yu Suzuki is one of so few developers to be known by name? The average gamer tends to recognize only the studio, and often just the publisher - which is exactly how the publisher likes it, to keep fans loyal to their brand instead of those who design the games. We asked one of the most distinctly celebrated figures in gaming whether this is something that ought to change. Should individual designers receive more recognition?

"I think that is something that needs to happen," replied Suzuki with conviction, "Game creators should be properly... For example, with song composers, artists, and movie directors, nowadays they have their names credited. So yes, I think their names should be properly shown and made clear. I think that children - the next generation - need people to aspire to. So I think the game industry needs to provide the proper recognition."

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So with Suzuki-san eager to share more of the spotlight with his unsung peers, how would he define his own legacy in this business?

This proved the toughest question of all for him to answer.

Eventually he began to consider his contributions and what they had meant to gaming. "At the beginning, I started off with arcade games. At that time, I was making ride-on type games - ones which move the cabinet," pointing to Space Harrier on the T-shirt worn by James as an example, "And that created a new genre, a new 'flow', in the game industry. Next, I worked on games like Virtua Fighter and Virtua Racing. These opened up the 3D market. After that I did Shenmue which formed the open world genre. Each created a flow, or stream, within the game industry. So I would like to think that I have been able to bring together both the creators of games and those who play them into one large flow."

And long may that flow continue, not only with Yu Suzuki and his mind controlled Shenmue IV, but also those who consistently break the mould as he has. If they are granted the status in the industry that they deserve, then Suzuki will have been amongst the first of many young programmers to enter the business and turn it on its head, time after time after time, expanding the art form in new and interesting ways.

Whether it's experiencing the Shenmue story from the contrasting perspectives of different characters, or rediscovering the surprising joy of QTEs done right, fans can expect a sequel that both honors the strengths of the franchise while standing still for no man. When it hits store shelves in front of a new generation of gamers, Shenmue III aims to provide a challenge that's both fun and accessible, while delivering on a heavily felt responsibility to the fans who have waited fifteen years for this continuation.

For these loyal supporters, playing Shenmue III for the first time will be like a rite of passage. A moment imagined in countless different ways since childhood. And now, after a Herculean effort to revive the saga, Yu Suzuki holds every one of those dreams in the palm of his hand.

Fortunately, we can think of no safer pair.

Unless you're a bothersome joypad.
by Team Yu
Mon Apr 04, 2016 8:45 am
 
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Re: Japanese Music

New Original Love song came out! Eclectic in the way only Shibuya-kei music can be. I can't wait for the full single to drop so I can get my hands on those delicious b-sides as well.
phpBB [video]
by Rakim
Tue Apr 19, 2016 10:06 pm
 
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Re: YSNET officially announce the delay of Shenmue 3.

Realistically it was just a matter of time, I'm happy they got it out of the way now to alleviate any questions bound to come up around E-3. What they're accomplishing with a team of their size is actually quite remarkable and there are so many bright spots to come from the past year of progress. All we can ask for is the best capable product from the team at hand and if more time is necessary, then so be it. I fully trust in Yu-san's vision. I know it sounds cliche at this point, but what's another year with the amount of time we've already waited? Though some are bound to be more cynical, the magic of the announcement never has and never will wear off for me. As a community we are incredibly fortunate. We all want what's best for the series, whatever you may or may not believe that to be, more time being devoted to the project is a good thing. 2018 will be an exciting time for us Shenmue fans.
by Yama
Thu Jun 08, 2017 5:19 pm
 
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