Usagi games on consoles

[Lance]

I think Zelda 64 had a very good sword fighting system, the problem was that there weren't more than two sword fights in the whole game! I don't like onimusha, because of the whole magical item cast your spell, push this button and you've done a master samurai move thing!

It's a big let down when the last three FF games you buy have less game play altogether than pong. I kid you not!

Practically all of Zelda is sword fighting, well.. atleast you killing other thigns with swords or arrows.

As for the Final Fantasy comment, its an RPG. Which means it has to have plot. Which is what all the talking and cinematics are about. I think it is good, it can be annoying, but games without plot tend to get lame.

[Bad Mr. Sushi]

You're right, we don't need another QUEST 64 out there... barely survived the release of the first one. Story?! We don't need no stinkin' story!!!

[Guest]

An MMORPG based on feudal Japan would rock, although it'd be kinda hard to sell the concept of anthropomorphic characters (I love them, but most people react against them, thinking that they're cute and childish but nothing else).

I don't see anthropomorphic characters as big problem if game would be great (specially graphics and gameplay ) and if it would be advertised well among non UY fans (yet! ).
Darko

[Guest]

I spend more time on the PS1/2 with action/puzzle games (Res. Evil, Onimusha, Fatal Frame) as opposed to the RPGs. From what I've seen of things like Baldur's Gate, the characters are kind of wee for any detail in the rendering, whereas in the aforementioned games, you get some nice closeups.

You can have nice closeups in RPGs too, that depends on graphic engine. Baldur's Gate was released few years ago and it's graphic engine is outdated now. Graphic engines and graphic hardware are improved every day.

Of course, the game I'm building in my head is something along the line of Jotaro being abducted into The Tangled Skein, and Usagi + supporting cast searching for him while dealing with the menacing creatures of Japanese myth: "They reached the ryokan, where they thought it was safe..."

That's good scenario for action game. I think that both types of game, action and adventure/rpg, will have their audiences.

I do worry about these MMORPORKS, tho'-- if I don't want to interact with actual people online, will the game still stand up?

Singleplayer and online multiplayer mode should look the same, but that are two different concepts of gameplay and they should be separated on design level from the beginning of development process.
Darko

[darko]

I wrote last two "guest" post, I just forgot to log in. Could moderator change ownership of these two posts?
Darko

[ziritrion]

Do you really think that Zelda is only about sword-fighting? What about the dungeons and exploring around? I haven't had the chance to play Wind Waker yet, but Ocharina of Time and Mask of Majora 0wN3d every other game at their time, and they weren't just about sword-fighting.

I don't see anthropomorphic characters as big problem if game would be great (specially graphics and gameplay ) and if it would be advertised well among non UY fans (yet! ).

I know that it wouldn't be a a big problem if the game is good. What I wanted to say is that most people usually rejects anthropomorphics at first sight (eventually, they'd find out that the game is good, but anthropomorphic characters aren't a big selling feature at the moment).

[Bad Mr. Sushi]

This whole anthromorphic (?) thing, one of the things we draw in our comic is heavily Stan inspired. The difference is his appearence, meaning that when people read it (only twenty have read our prototype so far) they are taken by surprise at how in depth and different a furry styled person is from bugs bunny or say a kids cartoon.
Many people have an association that animal people are Berenstein bears and cutsey fairy stories, but others might remember such works as HOWARD THE DUCK, or FRITZ THE CAT (not at all kids stuff) or even recently Conker from BAD FUR DAY.

I think some people know that the art form stan utilizes isn't only kids stuff, and that if others go out and pronounce that they'll eventually warm up to the idea of the as of yet "un-hip style". Until then sports fans, we're stuck with the stylings of Todd MacFarlane and his clones. Yech.

[darko]

Do you really think that Zelda is only about sword-fighting? What about the dungeons and exploring around? I haven't had the chance to play Wind Waker yet, but Ocharina of Time and Mask of Majora 0wN3d every other game at their time, and they weren't just about sword-fighting.

Hey, that wasn't my post! As I wrote in my last post, only last two "Guest" posts were mine (replys to yours and to totakematsu's post).
I haven't had an opportunity to play Zelda, so I cannot say anything pro or contra Zelda.

I know that it wouldn't be a a big problem if the game is good. What I wanted to say is that most people usually rejects anthropomorphics at first sight (eventually, they'd find out that the game is good, but anthropomorphic characters aren't a big selling feature at the moment).

I think that you're right. When I first introduced my friends, who like comic books, to UY comic books they were more than sceptical about "those little animals", but most of my friends eventually become UY fans.
Darko

[Bad Mr. Sushi]

See?! Case and point, well done good sir Darko!

Now if we could only convince all the others, meh he he he

[Qion]

(...)different a furry styled person is from bugs bunny or say a kids cartoon.
Many people have an association that animal people are Berenstein bears and cutsey fairy stories, but others might remember such works as HOWARD THE DUCK, or FRITZ THE CAT (not at all kids stuff) or even recently Conker from BAD FUR DAY.

Yeah. Or I wouldn't call Art Spegelman's "Maus" a kidde comic. Though my lil'(9 years) brother just read it, that can't be good for him.

[ziritrion]

Sorry darko, I'll try to make it clearer when I talk to 2 poeple at the same time

[elgaucho]

well, first things first: Hi folks!

Look, i've been a big admirer of Stan's Work for a couple of years now, and, being a gaming fan also, i have on many occasions toyed with the idea of an Usagi game.

I agree that something along the lines of a Baldur's Gate RPG or Zelda game would best suit it, but, and in all fariness to the skills of Bioware, Black Isle and others, I don't think they could effectively translate everything that Usagi and co. represent into a game. Everything that makes usagi unique on paper would be lost and you would end up with a soulless game.

And, at the risk of sounding blunt, between a game based on one of my favourite characters and no game at all, I think i'd rather not have one. It would simply be a disappointment.

I think there are some things in life i'd truly rather see remaining pure and untouched by the marketing and ROI driven corporations of the 20th Century, and Usagi is very much something fresh, inspiring and untainted by this (imo) somewhat decaying society. Now surely that's an image worth keeping?

Don't get me wrong though. Should a fantastic Usagi game ever come out you can bet your last penny that i'll be in my local game shop picking it up at the very first opportunity!

[takematsu]

Everything that makes usagi unique on paper would be lost and you would end up with a soulless game.

And, at the risk of sounding blunt, between a game based on one of my favourite characters and no game at all, I think i'd rather not have one. It would simply be a disappointment.

That is an excellent point-- look at how poorly Star Wars was presented in that miserable Phantom Menace game....

Oh, wait, that was a movie, wasn't it? Well, the point about being driven purely by the urge to make money still stands

[Rapscallion]

Wheels are in motion, friends. Wheels are in motion.

One thing is for sure, a Usagi game would have to be both fun to play, and true to the stories that Sakai-sensei has created. A combination that is more difficult to produce than one would expect.

With the decline of video-game interest in Japan, the big Japanese game creators are turning more of their attention toward American audiences. Quite honestly, this is good news for those anticipating a Usagi video game, as Usagi sales are far better here than in Japan. With the ever-increasing Usagi fan base, it is only a matter of time before a game is produced for Usagi fans (both current and potential).

The Usagi game would have to bring the chanbara experience to console gaming, while maintaining excellent playability, and a good story. Currently, the most appropriate genre for this would be action/adventure. I debate that I would have no end of amusement with an RPG (as pointed out previously) or Fighter (Usagi's huge list of strong, iconic characters lends itself well to this particular genre), it's just that everything which encompasses Usagi fits best into what we now know as an action/adventure game. Recently, games have been breaking out of their molds, becoming difficult to specifically categorize. This is the hallmark of ingenuity, which is something most definitely required to bring Usagi back to gaming (in a larger way) once again.

[Todd Shogun]

With the decline of video-game interest in Japan, the big Japanese game creators are turning more of their attention toward American audiences. Quite honestly, this is good news for those anticipating a Usagi video game, as Usagi sales are far better here than in Japan. With the ever-increasing Usagi fan base, it is only a matter of time before a game is produced for Usagi fans (both current and potential)

Agreed. And this is the main goal of the UY Dojo... to get us there! In fact, it's my opinion that Usagi should start off as a video game first, before going into TV series and movies and such. The seriousness of the series could be kept easily in tact in a game. Wouldn't need to worry about studio peeps dumbing it down to market it for kids. Serious games play, sell, and are much more popular than "Mario" games...they appeal to a much more wider audience.

Usagi is already being published by one of the most media-oriented comics companies ou there... like you say, it's only a matter of time.