I remember he said because PS2 had not enough (video?) RAM.
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Shenmue I & II Remaster (8/21/2018; PC/PS4/XB1 - $29.99)
- Thread starter Y2Kev
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I remember he said because PS2 had not enough (video?) RAM.
Huh interesting, Shenmue was too ambitious for it's own good.
That's fair, but like Descendant said, there are also examples of weird exclusivity practices. Panzer Dragoon Orta and JSRF seem like they were marooned by being on the Xbox. Both are on my list of most wanted remasters. And Descendant is correct, too, that other companies like Nintendo and even fucking Squeenix do occasionally let IP go where it will actually grow.
Right now, though, I think Sega is doing good work. We've got a Valkyria Chronicles remaster (in a humble bundle, no less!), Shenmue 1,2, and 3 are all going to be playable on current gen and are at least partly multiplatform. Yakuza games are getting localized when it seemed hopeless after 4 that any more were even going to get a Western release. Hell, even Sonic got out from under their thumb a bit with Sonic Mania. Maybe there's been a transition in the team over there that's led to some better strategy.
In Nintendo and Square Enix's cases they are always 100% involved with either publishing or forcing exclusivity or something like that. SEGA's been completely hands-off with a ton of their legacy IPs when it comes to this stuff. If Nintendo published the original few ToeJam & Earl games I bet they would be blocking the new game from being released without their input honestly.
Oh yeah absolutely. 2013 to 2016 were some of their all-time worst years ever due to their restructuring, but I fully believe in their general quality initiatives going forward.
I mean, on top of what you mentioned in just the past year we have seen announcements for a new Virtual-On, a new The House of the Dead, a new arcade racing IP, Valkyria 4 (which looks to be the best in the series by far), Daytona USA 3, a new SEGA AGES line, a console Border Break, SEGA Forever (which honestly started out pretty crap but turned around) for mobile, PC ports for Bayonetta/Vanquish/PuyoTetris with more to come and a new Sakura Taisen that I am 100% certain will be localized. Then on top of that you have tons of quality original computer-focused games and several Atlus titles on the way. At this point I feel like new Virtua Fighter, Panzer Dragoon and Jet Set Radio releases are around the corner too. It is an incredible time to be a SEGA fan right now.
Apologies for that paragraph's structure, but I really do find it hard to not be overly excited about the company right now. They seriously need to hurry the hell up with Virtua Fighter 6 though.
Basically, Sega's strategy after Dreamcast era was to focus on exclusives, although there were few exceptions (NBA 2K, Phantasy Star, Worms 3D were multi). They decided to port and create games on specific platforms according three factors:
customer profile, hardware profile and console manufacturers partnerships.
Gamecube got the Sega's games able to target a friendly large (kid) audience and needing to reproduce levels of vibrant colors: Sonic Adventure 1&2, Super Monkey Ball, Billy Hatcher, Skies of Arcadia, Virtua Striker 3, Beach Spikers. And F-Zero GX following a hardware partnership with Nintendo.
PS2 got the teenager/adult edgy games: Head Hunter, Yakuza, Virtua Fighter 4, F355 Challenge, REZ, Virtua Tennis 2, Initial D...
Xbox got the Sega's most ambitious projects since it was by far the most powerful machine on the market: Panzer Dragoon, Outrun 2, Otogi, JSRF, Crazy Taxy, Gunvalkryie, House of the dead 3 and Shenmue 2. The power of Xbox hardware was preeminent in the Sega's agreement with Microsoft on the Shenmue 2 deal, although it may sound surprising since Shenmue 2 on Xbox looks a really lazy port.
All that plan was established at the time that PS2 had yet to get a fair amount of libraries. Needless to say, Sony's console was too weak to inherit these games from Sega. They could have decided to port these games afterwards on PS2 but the initial sales were disappointing. Sammy came over to own the company and it was the end of the strategy.
customer profile, hardware profile and console manufacturers partnerships.
Gamecube got the Sega's games able to target a friendly large (kid) audience and needing to reproduce levels of vibrant colors: Sonic Adventure 1&2, Super Monkey Ball, Billy Hatcher, Skies of Arcadia, Virtua Striker 3, Beach Spikers. And F-Zero GX following a hardware partnership with Nintendo.
PS2 got the teenager/adult edgy games: Head Hunter, Yakuza, Virtua Fighter 4, F355 Challenge, REZ, Virtua Tennis 2, Initial D...
Xbox got the Sega's most ambitious projects since it was by far the most powerful machine on the market: Panzer Dragoon, Outrun 2, Otogi, JSRF, Crazy Taxy, Gunvalkryie, House of the dead 3 and Shenmue 2. The power of Xbox hardware was preeminent in the Sega's agreement with Microsoft on the Shenmue 2 deal, although it may sound surprising since Shenmue 2 on Xbox looks a really lazy port.
All that plan was established at the time that PS2 had yet to get a fair amount of libraries. Needless to say, Sony's console was too weak to inherit these games from Sega. They could have decided to port these games afterwards on PS2 but the initial sales were disappointing. Sammy came over to own the company and it was the end of the strategy.
Ps2 also got crazy taxi and outrun 2
Crazy taxi also went to gc
There's nothing weird about SEGA's exclusivity practices post-Dreamcast. They had a 10 exclusive games deal with Xbox in a time Sega needed the money and Microsoft was throwing money at Japanese devs to support the system.
Also, Sega was still divided into various semi-independent studios who had a lot to say about what platforms they wanted to work on.
Also, Sega was still divided into various semi-independent studios who had a lot to say about what platforms they wanted to work on.
I always think of the first Shenmue as a game to play in the winter.
Lol couldn't agree more. Will always be a Christmas game for me as I received it as a Xmas present when I was young.
I knew my parents had bought it and hidden it somewhere in the house, so when they went out I searched and found it. Managed to play it in small chunks for a couple of days before they finally wrapped it up and put it under the tree lol
I remember just staring at the box under the tree for days just waiting.
All adds to the magic that is Shenmue for me :)
Haha you got further than I did!
I got it for Christmas too. That year it was my most wanted present but I got so stressed by the thought that I might not get it (and so Christmas would be ruined of course) that I would relentlessly talk about it.
Over and over again.
I must've been... eager (lol) as my sister snapped one day, shouting at me 'you have that stupid game for Christmas, stop talking about it!'... man they were some of the best words I've ever heard.
Didn't get to play it early though :(
In retrospect that seems super bratty but I was just so desperate to play Shenmue! I used to look at screenshots of it everyday hahaha.
Very good point. Yep, they allowed the remake of Wonder Boy III and found a deal with the other french team (they'll publish the physical copies of Monster Boy, making of it an official game). I would add they had tons of partnership with their former employees. For instance, Sega published many Prope games.
Otherwise, I have a personal message for Reggie Fils Aime. Hey, you ! Son of a peach ! ;) I'll never buy your switch... unless you release Camelot from Mario Tennis and let them fulfill their dream which is producing Shining Force 4 ! I'll instant buy your bloody console for that. ^^
Not to mention tons of new IPs with a former team of Lionhead (and other famous western names i forgot), new IP from Yakuza Studio, Atlus, and the biggest project of TCA ever (which after Alien Isolation will make of this studio a true Sega member like STI before).
I hope Sega will localise all future AM2 and arcade titles so as western players understand why so many japanese litterally adore products like Border Break.
About Shenmue, I think it's easy to blame Sega or Sammy when many Sega fans cracked the dreamcast.
Sega put over 25 millions dollars (eurogamer) on the table.25 millions ! A company that hates someone wouldn't do that. You can say whatever you want but it certainly more than a verbatim CD...
We are all guilty about Shenmue. But past is past and the good fortune is on our side now :)
Several investors for Shenmue 3, Shenmue HD preorders doing the job... Even if the fight is not over, i think it's time having positive thoughts ;)
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I want Shenmue remaster in the summer to make room for Shenmue III in Dec this year. Yes I'm optimistic.
III would be fantastic to cap the year off.
Stuff like the provisional PEGI rating, and voice acting sessions supposedly starting very, very soon give me hope. I dunno how much faith anybody puts in Cedric anymore, but I like to think he was on the level saying what he played of III felt pretty advanced too. It's going to be a squeeze if it happens, but a December release might be possible.
At this point I just feel like it's voice acting implementation that's standing in the way of us seeing more in the immediate future. The sessions, if they hold to a late May start, are just going to be too close to E3 for anything there. A return to Gamescom feels wide open though.
Stuff like the provisional PEGI rating, and voice acting sessions supposedly starting very, very soon give me hope. I dunno how much faith anybody puts in Cedric anymore, but I like to think he was on the level saying what he played of III felt pretty advanced too. It's going to be a squeeze if it happens, but a December release might be possible.
At this point I just feel like it's voice acting implementation that's standing in the way of us seeing more in the immediate future. The sessions, if they hold to a late May start, are just going to be too close to E3 for anything there. A return to Gamescom feels wide open though.
It's possible the Japanese recording started earlier and we'll get a trailer in that language, or perhaps a mostly action oriented trailer with only a line of dialogue.
Either way, I think they have some obligation to appear at E3 this year. The game premiered there and they need to show off what they've done with the Kickstarter money on the same stage.
Either way, I think they have some obligation to appear at E3 this year. The game premiered there and they need to show off what they've done with the Kickstarter money on the same stage.
Seeing as how III is a Deep Silver game, I can see them opting for the mid-February 2019 window that they successfully released Kingdom Come: Deliverance in this year. That game had a lot of buzz coming out in that relatively quiet month.
In this scenario Shenmue 1 & 2 would come out this fall to build into the release.
In this scenario Shenmue 1 & 2 would come out this fall to build into the release.
R.E Japanese voice acting; this was my train of thought too until it was confirmed that Masaya Matsukaze hasn't started recording yet. He's preparing to reprise his role according to a Twitter post from a few weeks back, so it's possible both languages are going to be recorded concurrently from the end of May onwards.
But as for your second point, there's no obligation, especially considering that the decision isn't wholly in Ys Net's hands. Nobody should be holding them to "E3 or bust" knowing this.
Definitely! I have a specific save file just for playing on Christmas.
I mean, it was released on Dreamcast in December if I recall, the Christmas season can come and go during your playthrough and the very first time I played the game was on Christmas Day (that date marking my first anniversary as a Dreamcast owner).
Playing Shenmue during any other time of the year is borderline blasphemy.
I remember running into this on one of my playthroughs and was so confused, as I knew that it should have triggered the cut scene by now. I don't think it will be a problem for new players honestly, as they will stick to the map. I just used to go back the same way I came as I thought it was quicker, thus skipped the trigger lol
I don't remember my logic, but whoever said I just needed to look at the map was likely right. At the same time, the game did not make it obvious that's what the issue was. There is no 'game over' or 'fail' screen that would lead you to believe you've done anything wrong.
lol yeh, it doesn't say anything, you just keep doing Forklift days until you go the correct way and trigger it I think. It must have been my 5th or 6th playthrough that I did it on. I only found out because I had to google it :D
I assumed, when the game was new, that it was just being realistic and making me work a real job for months. That's how well they sold me on the the life sim aspects.
A few sites seem to be publishing the same date now:
August 21, 2018.
One seems to be the site that 'leaked' the Shenmue HD collection many months ago.
August 21, 2018.
One seems to be the site that 'leaked' the Shenmue HD collection many months ago.
Isn't that the same date as Kiwami 2?
Oof, that would be quite the collision.
Edit - Oh wait, Kiwami is the 28th.
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Shenmue and Yakuza just days apart from each other. What wonderful dream world am I in?
This. And If you are optimistic enough, you could add Genesis Mini (if that turns around well though, despite AtGames being involved) and their new "quality first" policiy with it first game announced in Q3 I think
Goldeneye was a case of Nintendo shutting down a directly competitive release. And technically Activision pulled the plug on it according to insiders, over a decade ago.
If you want a more relevant example you can look at Nintendo allowing Mistwalker to use The Last Story IP in Terra Battle or all their many IP crossovers over the years (Mario & Sonic, Hyrule/FE Warriors, Minecraft skins, DK/Bowser Skylanders, etc) or licensing out their properties for arcade games (Mario Kart, Luigi's Mansion, Rhythm Tengoku, etc). They're resistant with allowing their IP on other directly competitive consoles, but unlike Sega they're still an active platform holder so that's a pretty unbalanced comparison.
Nintendo wouldn't have blocked the new TJ&E at all if they'd had the same publishing arrangement Sega did either. Because they wouldn't own the IP. I mean, they let Rare take their original properties like Banjo or Conker when they could have retained co-ownership. Sega did similar with VC for 2K Sports, but they held on to Sakura Taisen after they cut Red loose.
Not across the board. PS2's architecture was a lot less straightforward, and also I believe it had less video RAM, so some games that got ported over (Rez, Space Channel 5 Part 2) had noticeably downgraded textures.
In light of the news of the poor Sega Genesis Collection, and D3T's involvement, I am starting to feel a little apprehensive about this port. I've looked through their credits and it doesn't look like D3T has worked on any games of Shenmue 1 & 2's caliber. Anyway, I am still looking forward to the ports, but with a little more hesitation than I did when the news first broke. I really hope these games are released with the respect and care they deserve. I really don't feel like Sega's earned our trust at this point. My copy is obviously still very much pre-ordered.
Game history:
https://d3tltd.com/case-studies/
http://www.mobygames.com/browse/games/d3t-ltd/so,1d/list-games/
Their 'developed' games are a mix of Flash/iPhone-tier games and lending some support to other teams for lesser remasters.
Game history:
https://d3tltd.com/case-studies/
http://www.mobygames.com/browse/games/d3t-ltd/so,1d/list-games/
Their 'developed' games are a mix of Flash/iPhone-tier games and lending some support to other teams for lesser remasters.
https://d3tltd.com/projects/burnout-paradise-remastered/
Were they solely responsible for the remaster, or did they only work on parts of it? I have no idea who Stellar Entertainment are. Are they also developers? Based on a quick Google, they're a development studio, so D3T wouldn't get all the credit for that one either. Just trying to get all the facts. Good question, fiendcode.
Were they solely responsible for the remaster, or did they only work on parts of it? I have no idea who Stellar Entertainment are. Are they also developers? Based on a quick Google, they're a development studio, so D3T wouldn't get all the credit for that one either. Just trying to get all the facts. Good question, fiendcode.
Skimming through reviews, the only common complaints I see are about the emulation quality and content included. The enhancements that D3T worked on beyond the emulator seem to be relatively well received.
If the emulator is the worst part, do we know if D3T even wrote it? Writing an emulator is a completely different beast from just porting a game. With the exception of when Kega developer "Steve Snake" worked for them and did the Smash Pack releases in the late 90's/early 2000's, and the Sega AGES collections, Sega has never really released good emulators in the first place. Their Sega Forever mobile series is known to have emulation flaws as well. (The ones that actually are emulators) It took the open source emulation community a long time to perfect some aspects of Genesis / MegaDrive emulation. Sound was only perfected in the last 10 years or so. Regardless of whether or not D3T wrote the emulator or not, they can't use open source code most of the time and the fact that they're making mistakes that took a long time for hobbyists to figure out doesn't really surprise me.
Their own post that you reference is bragging about the pieces they built around the emulator. How are those?
The only other game they worked on that I'm familiar with is LittleBigPlanet 3. It's not a port, but it was backwards compatible with online levels from the previous games. As a game, compared to the 2 titles put out by the original developer, it was my least favorite of the 3. I ran into several bugs during my playthrough but they did release a bunch of updates / patches after I finished playing so maybe it eventually got fixed up. I don't remember running into any game-breaking problems with the backwards compatibility with old levels from PS3 on PS4, so I think they were competent at porting. Not sure who to blame for not liking the game - they tried to introduce new concepts that should've resulted in a better game, but the music wasn't as good as the previous two and it felt a lot shorter due to the changes they made.
I'm excited because I never got to play the original but always wanted to as a kid.
I do wish, with most remasters of a certain vintage, that there were a fast-forward mode, a la the FF7 rerelease on PS4. That might take some of the charm away but I just love when they add QoL improvements rather than just a straight port.
I do wish, with most remasters of a certain vintage, that there were a fast-forward mode, a la the FF7 rerelease on PS4. That might take some of the charm away but I just love when they add QoL improvements rather than just a straight port.
It's most likely the same emulator SEGA has been using since last gen. It predates D3T's formation as a company, actually. There's speculation in other threads it isn't playing nice with the Unity front end, which would match up with SEGA Forever having similar issues with seemingly no involvement from D3T.
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Overall, nothing about the execution of the classics compilation is impacting my hope that D3T will do a respectable enough job with Shenmue I & II. No emulation, no Unity, and probably no online features. The fact they're working to port it from source code instead of just using an emulation wrapper should be enough for us to know they're at least trying to make a proper job of it.
At the end of the day they were commissioned by SEGA to bolt on new features into the existing Mega Drive collection on PC (which they initially designed the bedroom hub and added the mod support for it years back), and port it to consoles. Anybody expecting actual ports, especially on the level of M2 should be reminded it took over three years for them to release <30 3D Classics games. Which is fine considering they were individual releases, but SEGA wanted a cheap and cheerful compilation with 50> games as a value/nostalgia/impulse buy. Historically a lot of these 16-bit collections are considered money for old rope by publishers, and the recent Mega Drive release is far from the worst.
Sega already said it isn't being shown, but I guess an announcement is around the corner. Surprise release? ... Nah, doubtful.
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