VG 24/7 interview with Yu

[Switch]

Didn't see a dedicated thread for this so...

Full interview:

https://www.vg247.com/2017/08/25/shenmue-3-open-world-dead-eyed-characters-shenmue-4/

The bit we've all come for:

The environments look fantastic, but there’s been a lot of chatter about the character models this week. What do you have to say to that? Are improvements coming?

You know, to be honest… the faces, they’ve not been properly deployed yet. [b]This is a behind-the-scenes story, but up until a point 2 months ago the face motion has been removed. The developer changed some structure to the bones of the character model, and this caused a problem. Because of the problem, we decided to stop working on face animation for now.

[Suzuki opens his laptop and brings up an internal, unreleased development video showing facial animation tests for Ryo and Shenhua. The animations look fairly decent, and certainly avoid the dead-eyed stares seen in the recent Shenmue footage or Andromeda-style exaggeration.]

This is still the sample model, the older one, but… this is a test. We’re going to make this even better. We’re incorporating about 11 different types of face motion, and we’re working towards that. That will be improved a lot.

[Sannyasin]

Interesting words about Shenmue IV. Each interview actually adds info to the previous ones, so that's actually good for us.

[Spaghetti]

Yeah. These interviews have been really informative and insightful. It's almost a shame Yu is getting locked back up in the dev room for the next six to eight months now, haha.

[Enigma]

"I think that probably after we finish this, the next one, Shenmue 4 – it will be coming. I have to do something – I have to start something – so the next one will come."

[johnvivant]

how impossible was it 3 years ago to imagine Suzuki ever being able to say something like that. we now live in a version of the universe where shenmue continued. amazing.

[KidMarine]

Buy multiple copies of 3. Pester your friends until they get copies too. Give them out as Christmas gifts. Steal from your loved ones if you need the funds. Let's make sure Shenmue IV becomes a reality.

[shredingskin]

Probably one of the most concise interview of the bunch we've had. out of gamescom.

It tells us that the animation stuff was just bad timing/luck for releasing the teaser, and that YS seems a little bit worried about the budget. Also not really knowing how much financial support will get from DS even if he already put some work into expanding some stuff. Kinda weird he didn't want to tell how many people are working, but I guess he has his reasons.

It eases me the feeling that lest me this video I found last night

phpBB [video]

Pretty much says that the were kinda dissapointed, and says that YS told him "it's all we can do".

[Valascaziel]

My favorite part of this entire interview is how, when asked about the models and subsequent criticism, Yu simply opens his laptop and shows that what we saw was absolutely NO WHERE NEAR what is to come, and more improvement to come.

He basically silenced all naysayers with that one action, showing that he truly cares very much about this chance no one thought would ever come.

I am as excited as ever to see what is coming our way by the year's end.

[The_Fuzileiro]

Best interview until now. Shenmue 3 was a dream and now we can safely dream about Shenmue 4.

Sounds promissing.

Have you imagine if Yu Net became a successful studio, opening space for Yu Suzuki create other games in the near future?

[Enigma]

When Shenmue is completed at Shenmue 4 I think the only other games I would be genuinely interested in seeing from then on would be those secret game concepts Yu has locked away at YS Net.

[The_Intruder]

The interviews keep getting more interesting I'm glad he mentions Shenmue 4. I can't wait for the next kickstarter update.

[Sappharad]

Wasn't Peter collecting questions for an interview a few weeks ago? Did that ever happen? I don't see any threads about it.


On a topical note: Great interview. Thanks for sharing the link.

[ShenmueLegacy]

Whoever handles marketing, needs help. They could have easily protected Shenmue III from creating these bad first impressions by focusing on the serene scenery and environments. No need to show plastic puppet models and half-baked robotic animations. Just common sense.

Either way, they definitely need to make up for this debacle with a jaw dropping trailer that leaves no doubts that Shenmue III is here and it is a masterpiece...once it's ready.

[Spaghetti]

Wasn't Peter collecting questions for an interview a few weeks ago? Did that ever happen? I don't see any threads about it.

Patience.

[iyapol]

Another really good interview and more pieces to the puzzle.

The most interesting parts I picked out of this interview - further recognition and clarification over facial features, the focus on interconnectivity which will do my OCD wonders, and the concept of Shenmue IV being an extremely detailed closed world game like no other.