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

thanks to kurushii for the scans.

Famitsu Translation by Axm and Switch

Feature Story
- Ryo Hazuki is coming back -


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


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


Finally setting off the official sequel “Shenmue 3”


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

Alright everyone. After a few requests and support from members in me doing this again and especially after Shenmue 3 was announced I decided it was indeed a great time to revitalize the podcast and stick to it.

I present to you all the first episode, which is really just an intro to where I want to go with this. Episode 0 is just myself but I will get others to join in soon enough.

Feedback is welcome. I want to turn this into a community podcast and build it up to help the fan base.

Enjoy.

Audio
MP3 download and stream.

https://soundcloud.com/alexander-munoz-1/the-shenmue-cast-ep-0

Slide show video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am6KEh2QA6g

Time to increase your pledges everyone...

From the Kickstarter Reddit page:

"As you guys know there was a massive article in this Months Famistu. Luckily the user Varion from NeoGaf has translated the important parts and these 2 comments stood out!

2 million is the bare minimum for the game to exist, and if that was all they got, it would just be focused on the story. The more money it gets, the more of the things he wants to do will be possible.

As far as money goes, he expects the game's investment will primarily come from individual backers, so he wants them all to be happy with the finished product. Doesn't sound like Sony and others are giving them all THAT much.

These points are so so important. We have people not pledging high amounts because they think that Sony (and other investors) are going to jump in. These comments state, directly from Yu's mouth that that is NOT the case! The kickstarter is the main funding for the game.

Now I know people are sad that there might not be a physical PS4 copy, and I understand that you don't want to pledge over the $29, but really how are you going to feel when the game that you have waited 14 years for gets stripped of content that Yu wanted in his original vision? Please guys, lets get Yu as much money as we possibly can so he can make the game that he wants, and that he deserves!

Help share this message, as you still have people in the kickstarter comments, on here, on shenmuedojo saying that there is no reason to back the game as Sony are stepping in to fund it..."

In the latest update that's what it says! It starts at 9:30 PM PST!

I have compiled a list of questions and concerns from users of Shenmue Dojo:

FINAL SHENMUE DOJO QUESTIONS

Updated questions:

1. Will Shenmue III enable PayPal or a means to donate the project when the Kickstarter ends? Projects like Star Citizen gained tens of millions in donations by allowing this.

2. In Shenmue III will Ryo's notebook and Timex watch return?

3. the kickstarter page seems to be lacking a detailed summary of the series so far, are there any plans to update the page in order to provide more information for Shenmue newcomers? It makes the series not come off as friendly for newcomers.

4. In Shenmue III, will battles return? There has been talk that you are simplifying them, does this mean we will no longer get Virtua Fighter like fights? How will fights work? Will they be entirely QTE-based as seen in modern titles like Heavy Rain or will they still have corresponding punch and kick buttons like before?

5. How accurately will Shenmue III be compared to your original vision of the game or will there be major compromises?

6. Will Shenmue III be at Tokyo Game Show, GDC, and PAX or only Monaco?

7. Many fans want the option to play the game with a Japanese voice track. Is YSnet considering implementing this?

8. Are all the towns listed in the Kickstarter stretch goals in the game already, or are the stretch goals only there as a means to help give them more features and spice?

9. Sony and other investors are only funding a part of the games budget. Does this mean most of the budget will come from the Kickstarter? More importantly, how much does Suzuki-san want the Kickstater to reach in order for him to make the FULL vision for Shenmue III?

10. It would be helpful if the Kickstarter made stretch goals more straightforward. As they are now, they are quite vague and confusing, even to experienced Shenmue fans. For example, what exactly is rapport?

11. Will the gameplay in Shenmue III be more contemporary or will it be more in line with past Shenmue iterations?

12. Seeing as how the game is set in a remote forested region how sparsely populated will the game be, will there be wildlife?

13. What will the level of npc interactivity be and how detailed will their behavior be?

14. How much of an influence will fan base feedback have during the making of this game?

15. Will you try to finish the story over the course of 2-3 more games as you originally envisioned?

16. Online is a big component of modern day gaming, is there any consideration for incorporating some type of online game play? Some type of mini-games, co-op missions or fighting modes?

17. I am new to Shenmue and don't find the Kickstarter promotional video to be terribly informative. Are there plans in making a new one? I'd like to back it on Kickstarter but nothing on the page is telling me what Shenmue remotely is.

18. Will character polls compromise your artistic vision?


GavinGT from Neogaf has a good set of questions for his AMA. What questions would you like to see or ask?! Post them here!!

Updated List of Questions for Friday's Yu Suzuki AMA

- Why no physical PS4 disc?
- What's the deal with the other two towns mentioned in the Kickstarter video?
- Can we have some more higher tier Kickstarter rewards, please?
- What do you forecast the final budget to be?
- Will the game have English and Japanese VO?
- Will Corey Marshall reprise his role?
- Will you finish the story with Shemue III?
- Do you have access to Sega-branded arcade games and capsule toys?
- Can you go into more detail about what the stretch goals actually mean?
- Will you update the controls?
- Will we see a return of some Shenmue I systems, such as lots of interactivity with objects?
- Will the free battle system still exist in the game?
- How will you update QTEs?
- How many developers do you plan to have working on the game?
- Is an Xbox One version out of the question?
- Do you have any specific cost-cutting measures in mind?
- Will the final game be at full price?

This is not Ryo's movement, this is the stock example character in UE4. If you download UE4, you can play around with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFFgV6C3v-0

Great interview, I wonder what will they do with the battle system. I'm hoping something similar to the original VF-esque combat.

One of the proudest things i have ever seen. Thank you Yu for acknowledging the community!

http://shenmue.link/us-en/

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t1.0-9/11257739_10153420809657269_2528854018526807156_n.jpg?oh=351e42785ac7ecc01a2f6154d23a4a3a&oe=55EF7B4D

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/t1.0-9/11427699_10153420809742269_1983519829995904545_n.jpg?oh=154735bd0cc38a9ee7f034253475872c&oe=562931AD

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/t1.0-9/11407240_10153420809772269_8740303766061667830_n.jpg?oh=d55e840d450ec04ee88159c2d6d86db5&oe=5630EE1F

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/t1.0-9/11391322_10153420809812269_6660361130253710408_n.jpg?oh=c9726a1c2ad98f59c44362d88f4edb36&oe=5632ED2D

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/t1.0-9/11391571_10153420809862269_5843973390018055457_n.jpg?oh=0ac732c7c832b1b8ccbc1c549cf09a66&oe=55FC6091

I have my opinions on the control scheme for S3. It should be a two stick camera that fits shenmue well. Tank controls should be an ADDITIONAL OPTION, not the default. We need S3 to be a success, and if we cling onto old controls we are already asking to have negative reactions from new players, reviewers, etc. So if it must be in S3 make it an OPTION. Otherwise modernize the control to a two stick format for now.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/06/19/yu-suzuki-shenmue-iii-interview-e3-2015.aspx?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Thought I'd compile all the reddit Q&A in an initial post so it's easy to read for those who don't want to go through 10 pages. I'll edit my initial post as it goes on.

How accurately will Shenmue III be compared to your original vision of the game or will there be major compromises?

YS: There are a total of 11 chapters that make up the whole story. Over the past 14 years I originally planned for there to 4 or five games to the series. If at all possible, I would still like to realize the full story of 11 chapters.

Will Shenmue III enable PayPal or a means to donate to the project when the Kickstarter ends? Projects like Star Citizen gained tens of millions in donations by allowing this.

YS: I am still thinking about it, but have not decided yet.

Shenmue is a Peach Blossom tree correct? Could you tell us what type of tree exactly?
I would like to plant one.

YS: It is more like a cherry blossom tree, that blooms its flowers in the springtime. It is actually a tree I made up for the story.

Hello Suzuku-san! Will a day-to-night cycle and weather system return to Shenmue 3? They added so much to the atmosphere of previous games. Thank you Suzuki-san!

YS: Of course!

Will you reassure us that Ryo's face will be changed back to the Ryo we all know and love when Shenmue 3 releases, and not this impostor wearing Ryo's jacket that you have on Kickstarter? That is NOT our Ryo!

YS: I am not happy with Ryo's face. It will be the face I have in my mind in the end.

Will the gameplay in Shenmue III be more contemporary or will it be more in line with past Shenmue iterations?

YS: As for III, I would like to make a less stressful user interface, that will feature more usability. From now on, I will make that a focus.

Yu are my hero!
Shenmue is credited with introducing the QTE. Given the significant advances in gaming systems and technology over the last decade, are you confident that you can show the gaming world something we have not seen before?

YS: Thank you very much.

Will we see any capsule toys based on Ape Escape or any of the Sony franchise in Shenmue 3?

YS: I have not decided the capsule toys, so please keep your ideas coming.

Have you ever consider telling the rest of the tale for Shenmue in a book if the opportunity to make Shenmue III never came up?

YS: Yes, I have but if I did do that, it would give away the end of the story, and I thought that would be a big minus.

What was your inspiration for the story behind the first two Shenmue games?

YS: When I was making Virtua Fighter, I went location hunting in China. I was very inspired by Chinese martial arts. That very well may have been the beginning.

Will practicing moves make a return in Shenmue 3 along with the FREE battle system? A lot of fans feel not being able to practice moves was big piece missing in Shenmue 2, and I also personally loved being able to practice and make the moves stronger. It really makes you feel as if you are learning marital arts and then performing them in a skill-based actual battle feels very satisfying.

YS: I want to do it yes!

Will players have access to both the Japanese and English voice overs for the game?
And I wanted to say thank you so much for Shenmue and Shenmue II, it brought a tear to my eye seeing those games at E3 during the Shenmue III announcement, I cannot wait. Those two games are what made me curious about Japan as a child, and I am now trying to work as a Japanese translator!

YS: I am thinking about that, yes. However it is not for sure.
It is because of fans like you, I wanted to make a sequel. Thank you very much.

Will the band-aid ever come off?

YS: I am considering a special option where it could be removed.

Will we see Ryo's Journal return? Would be cool to be able to flip the pages using the PS4's touchpad.

YS: I would like to bring back the Journal. That is an interesting idea, I will look into it. Thank you.

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

YS: I see the share of mobile games increasing, the budgets of games decreasing. It will be harder to express a game's vision.
I would hope the console and PC markets gain more popularity.

Any possibility of a bicycle finally being added to Shenmue 3? Thank you so much again, Yu!

YS: There is a 60 horsepower bike in Shenmue 1. For Shenmue, 3 I was thinking about something with 1 horsepower.

Will character polls compromise your artistic vision?

YS: I really want to get everyone's opinion on the characters. I have something in mind that won't break the world immersion.

In Suzuki-san’s opinion, what is the essence of arcade games? Are those influences in Shenmue?

YS: With an arcade game, you are restricted to a 3 minute window to express what the game is. That is how I made games for the longest time. I wanted to create a game that could be played at a more leisurely pace, so I created what ended up being Shenmue.

Yu, are you really going to be signing your autograph on the illustration for the $300 kickstarter signed collectors edition? So far there is almost 2000 backers, that is a lot of illustrations to sign!

YS: Of course I will write them all myself!

Will Shenmue 3 have any sort of multiplayer component? Perhaps Co-op or a versus mode?

YS: I am thinking about something that would resemble that.

Do you have any more details to share about the stretch goals? It's not clear to me what a "Rapport System" or "Character Perspective System" entails.

YS: They are new systems, so naturally they need new names. The Rapport System will govern changes in Shenhua's actions depending on your conversations with or actions towards her. The "Character Perspective System" will highlight different characters personalities as they go through the story.

What will Ryo do to earn money in Shenmue 3?
As great and engrossing as the story and gameplay were in Shenmue 1 and 2, I (and many others) really really liked the forklift driving. It was like I could learn a new (video game) skill, get good at it, and putter around the docks like a badass.

YS: There will be part time jobs that will be indicative of those you would find in China. In the Stretch goals there will also be the old favorites.

Do you have any dogs or cats?

YS: 3 yorkshire terriers and a turtle.

Love your work! You are a pioneer in this industry! As for my question:
How much game elements/features will we be missing in the game if the campaign doesn't reach the $5 million mark?

YS: I will say this: if we reach the $5 mil mark, one of the things I really want to do with Shenmue 3 will become a reality.
At $10 million, it will truly have the features of an open world.

Who would win a fight between Ryo and Akira?

YS: Akira! Akira is up to 5 now, and Ryo is still on 3.

Can we expect more duck racing in Shenmue III? That was the best easter egg I've ever seen in a video game.

YS: I would love it.

How was it working with mega64?

YS: It was really fun. I would love to do it again.
I hope they pitch in for the replica Ryo jacktet!

Will there be forklift gameplay in Shenmue III?

YS: Look for it in the Stretch Goals!

Given Shenmue 2's ending and previous items found within the series; will swordplay enter gameplay at all? What about the story, can we expect Ryo to use a sword at some point?

YS: I can't answer that.

Do you have a favorite game that you've developed other than Shenmue?

YS: I had fun making all the games I worked on, and can't say one was better than another. Boring answer I know, but it really is true.

I only have one statement. I think I speak for everyone here when I say that Shenmue is one of the greatest game series of all time. And one quick question, what can we expect for surprises in the 3rd installment without spoiling the storyline at all?

YS: How could I do that? Sorry, gotta pass. Thank you very much though!

I've always wondered, why did you set the game in the 1980s rather than present day?

YS: I wanted put forward the differences in culture and values between the two periods.

(Suzuki-san, thank you for coming today! Shenmue is the reason I came to Japan. Those living towns and people you showed in your games were so natural and real, that I wanted to see it for myself. So, now I am in my fourth year of living in Japan.
What I'd like to ask is, if you had billions of yen, what would your dream Shenmue be?
Also, were there any features or gameplay you liked that didn't make it into Shenmue 1 or 2?)

YS: One where the player could live in that world. A second life.

I have two important questions for you:
Do you know where I can find some sailors?
Would you like to try a game of Lucky Hit?

YS: Yes, but not right now.
Uh, ok.

I love the music from Shenmue, if anything kept me thinking about Shenmue from time to time during these 10+ years it was the music. Was is your favorite piece from the soundtrack? Thank you for bringing Shenmue to our lives, I can't thank you enough.

YS: Of course I love both the Shenmue and Shenhua themes, and all of them really, but the one that really sticks with me is the Tomato Mart.

Will there be more funding tiers added to the Shenmue 3 Kickstarter, specifically between the $500 and $3000 tier?

YS: Yes.

Shenmue 3 is just the start. How successful does the game need to be for us to get Shenmue 4 and so on until the saga is complete?

YS: If the fans are not happy with 3 there will not be a 4. So I please hope we can together make this game the best it can be.

What Sega console is your favourite and why?

YS: The Dreamcast. It has really good balance. I was involved with the hardware as well, so it had a lot of meaning for me.

Suzuki-San...welcome to the fantasy zone! It's finally happening. Any plans on more arcade games within Shenmue III?

YS: I plan on making plans.

Why do you create?

YS: Why does one climb the mountain?
The shark cannot breath when it does not swim.

Any info on the stretch goals for Choubu and Bailu village?

YS: Choubu is a riverside village with lots of shops, souvenir stores, hotels and temples. The quests in this village should be very enjoyable, I think.
Bailu is the village where Shenhua was raised and also a place that Ryo's father, Iwao, had visited when he was younger. Here as well the quests will play an important role as Ryo and Shenhua start their journey.

Are all the towns listed in the Kickstarter stretch goals in the game already, or are the stretch goals only there as a means to help give them more features and spice?

YS: They are there, but with more powered up through the stretch goals.

Will Ryo ever go back to Japan?

YS: Not in 3.

Who is your favorite Shenmue character?

YS: It has always been Shenhua.

Are you still involved in any programming activities?

YS: I still write algorithms, logic verification, and make simple prototypes.

Do you play airsoft, paintball, or anything similar?

YS: I think it was Afterburner that I really got into airsoft. The office floor was covered with plastic BBs. Yeah, the Berretta 93R rocks. I put a real hunting scope on that one.

Are you at all a fan of Anime? If so, what are your favourites?

YS: Sure, but its all pretty old stuff.

Will the game take advantage of the virtual reality goggles on PS4 and PC?

YS: Right now, there are no plans for a vr system compatibility, but I love the idea of using it to peer into the world of Shenmue.

When creating Shenmue 3, will you use any assets at all from 1 & 2? Or do you have to start all over from scratch because SEGA still owns the first two games?

YS: The assets from 1 & 2 will get a lot of use.

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

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

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

I suggest you all do the same.

--- UPDATE 6/27/15 ---
Guys, I've been working feverishly today to get this site up. It's collaboration between me and my wife. She does the design, I do the coding. I think we make a good team. So, as you tweet and share about $30 on the 3rd please direct people to this website that will explain the campaign to people who may not understand:

http://www.30onthe3rd.com/


--- UPDATE 6/25/15 ---
I'm beyond excited about the response this campaign is getting! Thank you everyone!

As we're quickly approaching the 3rd of July we need to all step up our efforts to promote "$30 on the 3rd."

We need to focus on a different social media every day. Let's say days with an odd number focus on Facebook and even days focus on Twitter. If you see a $30 on the 3rd post share it. And every time you check the Kickstarter page for whatever reason leave a comment with $30 on the 3rd. I'm sure they get buried pretty quickly so the more often the more chance new people have to see it.

We REALLY need to get in touch with Yu and Awesome Japan and get them to promote the push. No one is going to have the audience they do. Can someone see if Aizen can tell Yu about the campaign and see if he can tweet it?

Also, don't dwell on the chance that this may not move the needle much. If you aim at nothing you'll hit it every time! Focus on $10 million! I know Yu is.



--- UPDATE 6/20/15 ---
So Yu Suzuki needs $10 million. This is NOT unreachable. It's actually VERY reachable. If they open donations to PayPal as they've suggested it will become the avenue to Yu's goal. If we continue with the monthly thunderbolt and focus our efforts on donating $30 on the 3rd of each month we WILL hit that number. I anticipate the Kickstarter will end up earning between $6 millon and $8 million because at the end everyone who hasn't donated will scramble to get their rewards and those who have extra cash to throw at it will do that. Even if it only makes $5 million that's fine.

PayPal is the ticket after July 17! If they keep PayPal open indefinitely we can continue to give month after month. And that's where the "$30 on the 3rd" makes BIG strides for the campaign.

$30 is nothing to most people. If you are struggling to make ends meet, please take care of yourself and your family first. But for those of us who are stable enough financially we can make a HUGE impact for Shenmue. $30 each month adds up, fast!

Mods, please sticky this. I really feel like this is the best route to take. We also need to get the Shenmue Kickstarter/advertising team, Twitter, Facebook groups, the Dojo homepage and any other non-English speaking Shenmue fansites involved to promote this idea.

Stay sweaty!

-- END UPDATE --

We need to form our own campaign booster to get people who have donated to add $25-$50 to their donation. No shaming for people who may not have donated very much, we're just trying to ice the cake. Instead of the monthly tweetathon on July 3rd let's do a "$30 on the 3rd" and everyone donate an extra $30(or more).

At the current count if everyone who've already donated added $30 it would add $1.24 million to the pot!

I'll donate another $30. That's three trips to the fast food restaurant or four trips to Starbucks. Who will join me?

My twitter is pathetic, so whoever organized the tweetathon feel free to take over in boosting this effort on Twitter and Facebook. And mods, move this post around if you want to use it in the News section.

http://i.imgur.com/ecLqB1X.png

http://i.imgur.com/KlfJwR6.png

http://i57.tinypic.com/2442qdf.jpg

Yu Suzuki just dropped this bombshell:

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

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

#10MillionToShenmue3

In this hashtag, we will focus on the following:

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

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

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


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

#10MillionToShenmue3

http://i.imgur.com/Uc2fJTu.png
http://i.imgur.com/XM4orE7.png
http://i.imgur.com/FM9zdNy.png

Hey all, ive seen a lot of discontent with the quality of the marketing around Shenmue 3 (i'm right there with you all). I'm glad it hasn't kept the game from getting funded, but with a few weeks left in the campaign we know this stuff can make a huge difference in attracting funding beyond the rabid folks that hangout here.

So my question is, are there any video editors in the dojo who want to take a stab at recutting a kickstarter video? Between the original video and the interviews they're posting, i think there is enough footage to do something better than what they came up with, at the very least just cut out the in-depth explanation of technique scrolls.

If i had any video editing ability myself i would give this a shot, but figured it was worth pitching to the group given the nice videos ive seen come out of this community over the years.

Just shooting from the hip, but here what I think the video shouldve been:

1) "14 years ago, Shenmue 1 & 2 told the story of Ryo Hazuki's quest to avenge the murder of his father"

2) Shenmue was reveloutionary at the time for XYZ reasons (clips from interviews with Yu, former Shenmue team members, gaming press, etc)

3) The Shenmue saga was never finished and a passionate community has been clammoring for a sequel since Shenmue 2 shipped

4) Now finally, the creator of Shenmue is ready to finish the story with your help

5) Shenmue 3 will continue Ryos story as he continues his journey with the mysterious Shenhua

6) Help make Shenmue 3 as amazing as the first 2 by funding the crap out of it (imply how expensive this type of game is)

Also, i think they shouldve just shown scenes from the first 2 games instead of weird demo footage with horrible voice acting. Seriously if i didnt already love shenmue and i saw those plastic renderings of Ryo + Shenhua, speaking like robots, and stiffly jumping on stones i would never fund this.

Just beautiful. Takes me back. It really sounds like something from Shenmue. I think it might have hit me harder than the Kickstarter, because that was an announcement, while this is an appearance of actual Shenmue.

This is an interview with Yu Suzuki from the japanese site 4gamer.net published 2015-06-19.
Here translated by me.

Original article: http://www.4gamer.net/games/305/G030593/20150618126/

Among other things it brings up interesting new information about the 5 million dollar stretch goal; the character perspective system.

There is also a slight spoiler of a character that might appear, so those of you who want to play the game totally spoiler free should maybe avoid reading this.

here we go.

-- Thanks for being here.
YS: Thanks for having me. before jumping into questions I just want to make clear that Shenmue is a Kickstarter project and the scope and contents depend on the stretch goals.

-- Yeah, looking at the Kickstarter stretch goals there are the rapport system and skill tree and other added.
YS: We add more stretch goals so as more people pledge the scope of the game will get bigger. So as of now I can’t talk in detail about the mechanics of the game. What I’m able to accomplish will very much depend on the funds we can gather. I want to avoid telling too much and end up betraying those who have paid.

-- Under those circumstances, what do you want to do with Shenmue III?
YS: I want to show the relationship between Ryo and Shenhua in more detail. Even further than previous games.

-- It’s kind of hard to imagine how that would work.
YS: Maybe so. I want to to challenge myself, but new things are hard to get people to understand and therefore harder to gain support for. That’s one of the reasons we have prepared stretch goals like larger map and mini games.

-- So you made easy to understand stretch goals first.
YS: As more money comes in, the world of Shenmue III gets larger, and the game becomes more complete. But if it becomes a question of what game has the largest world, the game with the largest budget has a sure advantage. When it comes to Shenmue III, I want to ensure that there are other parts to enjoy besides just the open world aspects.

-- Can you give us any examples?
YS: At 3.2 million dollars there is the rapport system stretch goal. Actions and conversations will affect the relation between Ryo and Shenhua in subtle ways. The way Shenhua speaks and cooperate etc. will change.

-- It seems like the story could change depending on the relationship.
YS: Let’s just say that it depends on the budget. Making statements like that is just asking for trouble (laugh).

-- I get it (laugh). Could you explain the 5 million dollar stretch goal; the character perspective system?
YS: That is where the player will take control of characters like Shenhua and Ren instead of Ryo.

-- At a certain point in the game will we be able to change characters freely?
YS: I can’t talk about details yet, so I will just say that it’s not necessarily like we are letting you control the other characters exactly like Ryo.

-- So it’s not like you can just change characters at will.
YS: The personality of Ren and Shenhua is different from Ryo, so even if they see the same thing the reactions would be different. When you played as Ryo it was his decisions, but playing as Ren and Shenhua would make it very interesting.

-- Hearing that makes me even more interested (laugh).
YS: I’m unable to describe it any more until the 5 million dollar stretch goal is reached, so I’ll stop here for today.

-- By the way, will the story end with this part.
YS: To tell the truth, the original story is too long to end here. So I decided against trying to fit it all in to Shenmue III.

-- Which means that after the Shenmue III project has been finished we have to wait for the the next part.
YS: First we have to do our best to make Shenmue III a solid game.

-- Let’s leave the appearance of Shenmue III and talk about the backend. Can you tell us why you chose to use Unreal Engine 4?
YS: It’s because it’s easy to use and fits with how I imagine Shenmue to look. There are like rendering tendencies for the different engines, and the base colors of Unreal Engine 4 added with “dampness and scent” makes it Shenmue.

-- Are the colors you imagine the same as with the first two parts?
YS: Of course. Shenmue had that air humidity feeling well presented and it had a smell too. That’s what I aim for with Shenmue III.

-- So you’re saying that if you take a scenery out of the game and look at it you’d be able to say “That’s Shenmue!”?
YS: Yeah, That’s what I want to do. But the promotional video we made for Kickstarter felt dry. Kind of ended up like the Californian humidity level (laugh).

-- Your idea of the exact colors or the “scent” of the graphics, is it hard to convey that to the developers?
YS: It it very very hard to explain it. It’s like trying to explain what a melon is to someone who only has seen watermelons and mandarins. Well, you can say the size is about in the middle, but trying to explain the taste is very hard.

-- With that said, do you have members from the former parts working on Shenmue III?
YS: Yes. So we have the original members that kind of know what Shenmue is about.

-- After fifteen years, it’s quite the thing to bring everyone together again.
YS: I think so. Everyone has gone independent or changed their positions, but even at this stage when the scope of the production isn’t set in stone they have gladly offered to join. That’s really heartwarming.

-- It feels like the relationship is deeper than what you could expect from work colleges.
YS: That’s because Shenmue was a project that was more than just work. Ten years after the development of Shenmue II we had this get-together and more than 100 people came.

-- That’s amazing. I’m not sure if I would call that just a get-together.

-- The level of creativity in the games you have created is often very high. Is there any secret to this?
YS: No. I never play games outside work, so I don’t get that influenced by other games. Maybe that’s the reason.

-- I had this idea that you researched other games thorough and tried to make something different, but I guess that’s not true then.
YS: Yeah. it easier to just make something from zero (laugh).

-- So maybe If someone from the media like me hear an explanation for a game and say “Is it like the mechanics from that other game?” you might not be able to get it?
YS: I’m sorry, but I guess that’s true. Well, maybe I have to study the trends in the most popular games.

-- By the way, this is the first in a long time that you get to work on a game this big.
YS: Yeah. It feels like it was a long time ago I got this invested in a game.

-- It’s not like you totally left the game industry, but what do you think of the game industry in Japan looking from a bit afar.
YS: The game engine Unity came out and made it easy for just one person to make his own game, which is a good thing. It wouldn’t be healthy if only big budget games were able to survive. It’s good that the market has expanded with more alternatives. But it’s kind of sad that a majority of games that make money are small like games for smartphones.

-- Do you feel like more effort should be made in making titles for the consoles?
YS: Yeah. Before, Japan was said to be number one in game making. It’s sad that the knowledge that had amassed during that time wasn’t used better.

-- Many of the people during that time went over to make games for smartphones.
YS: It’s not like games for smartphones are necessarily bad, but what’s characteristic of smartphone game making is that the development cycles from start to finished tend to be fast. It might be good for business, but I’m not really satisfied with that. If you compare to cars there’s the really popular cars that sell well. They make a lot of money for the company, but if they don’t develop their flagship model their technical advancement will suffer.

-- In USA there is still a lot of money spent in games for game consoles and PC.
YS: Yeah. That kind of rich content helps activate the whole industry. I hope the industry in Japan gets back on track like before...

-- Oh, the interview got very negative suddenly. Could you maybe give a word of encouragement to the young developers of today or people thinking about making games?
YS: Today is different from before. It’s possible for anyone to make games now. Before it was impossible to make games if you didn’t know how to program, but now there are tools for that. It’s also possible to study game development, and it’s easy to learn from the internet. Living in this age you shouldn't think too hard and just try for fun, go in the direction that feels best for you. Begin with having fun creating.

Comments:
The character perspective system means taking control of characters other than Ryo. He literally says “レンやシェンファ” which means characters “like Shenhua and Ren” so it could be for other characters too. (Edit: Or it could be just an example of characters. Like Thief said: "It could mean that characters like Shenhua and Ren (as in main supporting cast characters) are playable. Ren could have merely been used as an example." Thanks Thief! )
But it’s pretty much as close of a confirmation that we can get that Ren will show up in Shenmue III in one way or another. There is a concept art image of him riding a horse so it’s maybe not that unexpected, but we can be fairly sure he will show up in part 3 and not 4 or even later. Horses were also pretty much confirmed in Yu Suzuki's Reddit AMA so the concept art could very well be of an event happening in Shenmue III.

For reference, I was disappointed in his thing about "he won't like it".

I read his post on gaf about journalistic integrity and redacted findings in light of new information and it's the same good ol' Jim. I never unsubbed from him and never said I did.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=169394629&postcount=184

Updated video:



Thought this was fair and balanced tbh, the Beyond Good & Evil 2 example is a good one.

Dunno if this was posted before, but this is a VERY GOOD video for new comers, spread it!

http://i.imgur.com/R9dPCjn.jpg

Dear Members,

As many of you know, last week was a week that will go down in history for our community. After 14 years of waiting and hoping, it was revealed by Yu Suzuki himself that he is finally in a position to move forward with the creation of Shenmue 3, albeit with a bit of a caveat. Through the announcement of a Kickstarter campaign , Suzuki-San as asked us the fans to help bring his dream, as well as ours, to life by backing and supporting a campaign to help fund the development of the project. While there are various entities supporting this project, Suzuki-san himself has stated that that the fate of Shenmue 3 now rests in our hands and that our actions as a community will dictate the capabilities his team will have in creating the game and to ideally meet its full creative potential.

If you have not already done so, please visit the campaign website and take some time to consider the extent to which you would be willing and able to support this project; note that there are a range of pledge levels with corresponding reward tiers for every single level of backing. As the campaign progresses, there will also be added levels of support to coincide with stretch funding goals as they are introduced. All of the funds that are pledged will be allocated to and utilized SOLELY by YSNET to develop the game.

Contrary to a lot of the dubiously sourced misinformation that has been circulating in recent days, Sony will NOT be funding the entire budget for the game nor will they subsidizing the development costs for YSNET. While Sony will provide various technical investments in conjunction with marketing and promotional support, this project will remain firmly in the directorial hands of Yu Suzuki and his staff. While it is true that there are a number of backers for Shenmue 3, we at this time do not know the scope of how these other entities are involved with the project. All that we can establish for now is that we as a community are in fact the primary patrons for the development of the game and that the responsibility of making Shenmue 3 the strongest game it can be ultimately resides with us.

Over the next few weeks leading up to the conclusion of the Kickstarter campaign, we will be introducing two specific social-media based initiatives to promote the backing of the Shenmue 3 Kickstarter and the series as a whole. The first initiative, #30onthe3rd , is a continuation of our monthly tweetathon #SaveShenmue but with a twist. On 7/3/2015, we encourage everyone to who is able to increase their pledge amount by $30 and post a corresponding tweet as a sign of solidarity within the community. The 2nd initiative, #10MillionToShenmue3 , is a hashtag campaign to be disseminated across all social media platforms to highlight the need for additional funding for Shenmue 3 in order have it be the project that Yu Suzuki has dreamed of creating. In a recent interview, Suzuki-san stated that at a $10 million funding level Shenmue 3 would feature a truly open world that would follow in the lineage of the previous installments.

The time has finally come for us in the Shenmue community to support the series that has given us so much over years. We are now in a position where we can directly impact and influence the creation of Shenmue 3 and give Suzuki-san our direct input While the task at hand may seem daunting, if we come together and collaborate our efforts we will attain the game that we have wanted and deserved for so long. Thank you all very much for your support and we would not be in the position we are in now if it was not for your perseverance and dedication for the series against all odds. We have truly made it.

Keep friends,

The Shenmue Dojo Staff

Original Post
If a mod or news poster could feature this video on the homepage, it would really help!

The current Kickstarter video for Shenmue III is quite bad. It doesn't outline the achievements of Shenmue or have any real Shenmue feel to it. It only appeals to a a very small audience and does very little to attract new people to the franchise. That is why me and some other members of the Dojo have collaborated and put our ideas together to create what we believe the Kickstarter video should have been.

Here is the most popular version with no dub (and a slightly different logo)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzJcBqS1fDY
Some really awesome people on YouTube have made subtitles in Dutch, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish too! You can find them if desired by enabling the closed captions.

There is also a dubbed version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWgDKkwR6SI
(Thanks to Raunchy for the voiceover!)
Please share this around. Tweet it out to people, embed it in forums, reupload it to your own Youtube if you like - you don't need to credit me. This video clears up misconceptions about the Kickstarter (eg where the funding comes from), advertises the stretch goals and markets Shenmue to new audiences. It could be VERY beneficial to the campaign.

Some people in the production thread even suggested trying to get it seen by Yu Suzuki in the hope he will replace the current Kickstarter video with this one. It's a very long shot, but it's worth a try. Shenmue III recently got an official Twitter if people would like to tweet it to them. https://twitter.com/Shenmue_3

We can make a difference if we advertise this campaign properly. This, combined with $30 on the 3rd could just be our ticket to 10mil. Please help in spreading the word by showing this to people who are misinformed, unconvinced, or might be interested in getting into Shenmue. Let's do this!

"The fate of Shenmue is in your hands now"

Thank you!
My alternative Kickstarter has now been featured on the Kickstarter project under the "What's Shenmue" heading! Yu Suzuki saw my video and wanted to use it and as a result I have been working with Awesome Japan to create a version that SEGA deem acceptable which has now been completed.
Take a look here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ysnet/shenmue-3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=178&v=eoAII3iHXOM

Also, it should be possible, but I was thinking to encourage more people to actually do the extra $30, you could create a second backer account, perhaps with the details of wife / spouse whatever etc, and pick the $29 tier. This would in theory allow you to own a digital copy for the PS4 and PC / or if you've already selected a higher tier, digital of either to go with your physical PC. This way I play the game on the PS4 aswell, and have my physical PC version also :), and obviously if ever they add a PS4 physical release, I would definately buy for essentially a third time to display the game box in all it's glory on my shelf and with the Adam Koralik head on, when the inevitable digital going offline situation arrises, Shenmue 3 won't vanish in thin air :)

Here are some of the polycounts, I couldn't find were I have stored Ryo's model from Shenmue I.
http://i.imgur.com/uT0gpQ8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/wn0KBPW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/bxv4HG1.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/pr3XTEY.jpg?1

I don't know if anyone posted this or not but the character models used in the original Shenmue Engine are wierd. They're split into various parts with the head, body, arms, legs, feet and hair all being seperate models which are stiched by the movement engine.

Its not a simple import job to copy the old assets into the game (textures aside), also the assests are 15 years old - we've moved on. It will have to be done using the particular way the unreal engine handels character models, this gives them maximum flexability and its probably quicker to start again from scratch than trying to re-use old assests.

Back when Shenmue was developed the gaming world - especially on consoles - were using custom engines for everything. This isn't practical in this day and age where the development of these engines can outstrip the amount of time spent on a game!


Yes the models are split as you can see in the first pic of RYo's model I posted, and some joints are missing so the total amount of polygons should be higher.

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

As I've said before, even if they have lost the original assets they can always rip them from the game files, I'm pretty sure they can develop better tools to do it than the ones the community has done in the past years, and even If it weren't the case, they could use the community tools, rip the models and use them as a base for the new ones, that's exactly what I've done, and I started doing it with 0 knowledge in 3D modeling.

I fixed the faces and gave the characters new bodies trying to stay as close as possible to the original ones.

Ryo.
http://i.imgur.com/R5JwYmg.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/umiTXo0.jpg

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

http://i.imgur.com/VyE7Jxb.jpg

Xiuying.
http://i.imgur.com/3LY5qZg.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Y2GtOwC.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Sgh49yT.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/IUyKKF1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/am8z0Jh.jpg

I am pretty sure they can do a way better job. It is fastest and cheapest than creating new models from scratch that look worse than the originals. And the passport faces looks absolutely stunning, with a few tweaks, honestly.


I just want to be clear, I am not complaining at all just talking about what I think is very important for Shenmue III over things like open world, extra content etc, number one priority should be stay closer to the original characters designs otherwise it would look lke I am playing a game with some people cosplaying shenmue characters, in fact that's how it looks it its current state.

Polygon headline: SONY BOSS CONFIRMS DIRECT FUNDING OF SHENMUE III

people are spreading the word of $30 on the 3rd in the comments section of the kickstarter already. YES

My mom's going to pledge $30 on the 3rd

what a gal.

I just registered 30onthe3rd.com. I'll create the site when I get home from work tonight. I'll let everyone know when I get it live and we'll start pushing traffic to it.

New $30 on the 3rd banners by Ricardo Valverde.

Shenhua looks fine imo.
Ryo is getting there..but his head shape is too small and nose is too big.

Adam Koralik got the watch. That's AWESOME!

Guys, I've been working feverishly today to get this site up. It's collaboration between me and my wife. She does the design, I do the coding. I think we make a good team. So, as you tweet and share about $30 on the 3rd please direct people to this website that will explain the campaign to people who may not understand:

http://www.30onthe3rd.com/

I seriously called all of these animated gifs being made. The guy was really acting bizarre; I'm wondering what his situation with YsNet or the rest of Awesome Japan is after that stream.

Looking at it from a glass half full perspective though, at the very least all of the questions asked were relevant, even though we already knew the answers to some of them. I kind of wish more of the stretch goals were explained, but I really hope in the coming weeks, AJ steps their game up with the Q&A's, along with their kickstarter management.

I know someone put his twitter up, but lets try not to blast Joel Tess's twitter with insults. It might give you a good chuckle, but in the end it's ultimately counterproductive to running the campaign, and it makes us all look bad. Two fumbles don't make a right.

By the way though, what was up with the Fanta thing at the beginning? Are they a sponsor or something? I found that part to be very odd.

The Fanta thing was probably a reference to the soft drink guzzling of Ryo at the vending machines. I think in a beta version those orange sodas were branded as Fanta or something similar? I know the final feature just a fictional soda company. Could be wrong though.

I do agree that blasting Joel Tess is not a good idea. He seems lively, perhaps a little in over his head, but there are other things we can do to help the Kickstarter. Contacting willing journalists and YouTubers for example. Chances are Suzuki hired Awesome Japan because they were cheap. I do wonder how things would have fared with a different team but what's done is done. Gotta live and work the now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZm-HzCVzL4

For those who missed the Twitch stream, I made a very rough transcript while listening to the interview.
Here we go:

"We have lots of very important things to get to so let's start right away!"

*They all pause to drink some Fanta*

Q: "One more time, explain Sony's role in Shenmue 3."

A: "Sony's providing us comprehensive support in terms of publishing and marketing, as well as funding of the project partially."

*Stream goes down due to technical issues*

Q: Once again they ask about Sony's role

A:"Sony is providing us comprehensive support in marketing, promotion, and funding. They are one of the most important partners of this project. But as we said before in our statement ... they are not receiving one cent from the Kickstarter... the funds collected in the KIckstarter project will be all used for development except for the fees used for the Kickstarter and for providing the Kickstarter rewards. Not a single cent will go to Sony from the Kickstarter funds."

Q: PS4 physical reward ?

A: "It's one of the most requested rewards and I personally want to prepare for it as a reward. We are now considering how we can provide the reward in such a way that satisfies the backers. Please be patient."

Q: Before you were talking about how the funds will be spent. Can you explain more?

A: "We have a pie chart for how the funds from Kickstarter will be spent. KS
Fees: 8 - 10 % Game development: 65 to 72% Backer rewards: 20 - 25% Most of the kickstarter funds are going to the game development. Everything excluding necessary fees and the reward fulfilment.. everything's gonna be used for development."

Q: "Will the real Ryo please stand up?"

A: "We're still improving the qualities of Ryo's face. Not satisfied with the face Ryo has right now. Today we have the latest version, a new pic or Ryo's face. (They show a pic) This new pic we're not satisfied with. Ryo still looks kind of 'frowny.' So I want to continue the improvement. I want to enhance Ryo's attactiveness and personality through not only the models but through the facial expressions and actions he does to make Ryo even better. So we are going to see an improved Ryo in the future. He'll be much better through the process of development."

Q: "Another big issue. Voice actors coming back to reprise their roles. Specifically Ryo. Will we be seeing them again?"

A: "So, I think that the original voice actors will be the best match for Ryo's voice. So I want them to come back as his real voice in shenmue 3 as well. I'm now in negotiation with them. Please wait. We'll have more details about that."

Q: "Will PayPal be an option to help fund Shenmue 3?"

A: "No definite answer, but we're looking into it."

Q: "Is Shenmue 3 going to be DRM free on PC?"

A: "We are now looking into it, but it's not something I alone can decide on. I'm talking to other parties to decide if that's possible... we're looking into it."

Q: "Shenmue 1/Shenmue II HD remaster: are we gonna see it?"

A: "I personally want to see them so that the fans can enjoy Shenmue 3 more. However the property rights belong to SEGA, so I'm not in a position to comment on it. But I want it, so I will talk to SEGA if that's possible."

Q: "More rewards?"

A: "Today we will have additional rewards. First of all we have the grab bags. A lot of surprises in different prize tears, starting from 1,000 dollars to 500 dollars. It contains Shenmue merchandise, and it is random, so you have fun in opening the bag. And also we'll have one more reward, that is the replica of Ryo's watch. There is only one. This will be in the 5,000 reward tier. *They show the watch*

Q: "What are the other rewards going to be like?"

A: "The grab bags will include for example special figures of Ryo. There are also Shenmue watches. (Not the one just shown.) They also include autographed art work. Check out the page later. The rewards will be up. Check it out! For today we have grab bags and watches but in the future we'll have more additional rewards so please stay tuned to the kickstarter page!"

Q: "Stretch goals... stretch goals... stretch goals. Can we get a little bit of explanation please, about the stretch goals."

A: "The budget we have right now, it's Shenmue with story elements. It will be Shenmue 3 up until the duel against the four big bosses. But with additional stretch goals, more areas are going to be added and expanded.

The Rapport system is the system that governs the changes in characters' attitudes toward you, depending upon actions you take in conversations. It will provide a new twist to Shenmue.

In Shenmue 3 there'll be a lot of occasions when you can obtain technique scrolls through special events, jobs, missions, etc. They can be used in battle right away as a QTE. However the advanced skill scrolls and arcane skill scrolls are managed in a tree diagram. Completing that tree will be another side of fun, and it links to the actual martial art learning.

Q: "More on stretch goals"

A: "With the area Baisha, we want to include new fun not included in Shenmue 2. Traditional tactics such as seige and infiltration that we see in warring kingdoms in traditional China are also added. But I want to make it Shenmue-like, easy to grasp, easy to play, and provide more fun.

There's an opportunity for the players to play as different characters. In that event you'll see different choices that different personalities offer, different from Ryo and other characters. That will provide more fun and more personality to the characters.

So there's a lot more stretch goals we published, but there will be a large amount of explanations and a large amount of fun still to come, so we'll leave it to other occasions to explain the other stretch goals.

Your cooperation is what makes this Kickstarter progress, so please support us!

Q: "How will Shenmue 3 at its current funding level be different from Shenmue 3 at the 10 million dollar level?"

A: "The current funding level - about 3.6 million - will have story oriented Shenmue. More focus on story. Exceeding 5 million will allow the development to include more things that are new, such as we explained about Baisha. Exceeding 10 million will allow for the players to enjoy a more open world like Shenmue."

Q: "When is Shenmue 3 going to be released?"

A: "It's expected to be released by the end of 2017. We're confident."

Q: "Is this the end of the story?"

A: "The initial storyline contained 11 chapters. With 1 & 2 it advanced to only a little bit of the 11 chapters. I considered doing the final game to include all the remaining chapters, but in the final consideration it would be skipping all the big arcs, and the completeness of the game would be less enjoyable. So this Shenmue 3 will have more storylines, but this structure will not finish the storyline with Shenmue 3."

Q: "When can we play the trial version?"

A: "It requires many of the basic systems to be developed. The release date of the demo version will be the latter half of the development stage. It might be after the new year of 2017. Until then it requires more development for the basics."

(Inaudible)

Please keep sending us your questions. We want to make Shenmue 3 the best we can. Please share the project. Get the word out. Let everybody know that Shenmue 3 is happening, and we need everybody to support and make sure that we make this Shenmue 3 spectacular."

Q: "Final thoughts?"

A: "I always want to do new things. I hope to achieve all the things I want to do in the new Shenmue, matching with what the Shenmue the fans want, to meet the ten million dollar goal. We ask your continued support, and that you spread the word around to make Shenmue a real thing! Thank-you very much!"

"Let's make this happen! Everybody has been so great the past fourteen years. Making it happen. It's happening now. #SaveShenmue! Let's do this! Thank-you!"

And a new one:


Yeah, I know they aren't aesthetically pleasing, if someone with superior Photoshop skills would make better looking versions of these, it would be a great help.

New image to tweet with.

Do you think the nightfall cutscenes should return in Shenmue III? Or would you rather have a completely smooth transition with lights turning on one by one around 7 pm?

While I kinda like the idea of a seemless transition the nightfall scenes are one of Shenmue's trademarks and I think they should be featured in Shenmue III again no matter what.

Olha, um português. Excelente tópico, Rei, obrigado.





Having this setting conceived by Yu Suzuki for a Shenmue game gets me more excited than it ought to.


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Earth_building-chengqi2.jpg


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Jiqinglou.JPG/800px-Jiqinglou.JPG

GameTrailers retweeted me!



I really really REALLY hope this leads to something...

https://twitter.com/resnate/status/614845858916474881

Translation of the Interview on Twitch

Ok, I'm done! Here's a translation of Yu Suzuki's actual answers for comparison. Overall I think the translator on the Twitch session covered the information pretty well, except for maybe some minor detail.

Q: What is Sony’s involvement with Shenmue III?
YS: Sony is providing us with support in various ways including marketing, funding and promotion, and they’re our most important partner; they’re also our largest and most valued backer.

We plan to invest all the money collected from everyone through Kickstarter on development, excepting the Kickstarter fees and costs for the rewards. No portion of the collected money will flow to Shibuya Productions or Sony.

Q: PS4 physical reward?
YS: This is one of the most requested rewards, and it’s the reward I most want to make happen. Um... Please be patient!

Q: How will Kickstarter funds be spent?
YS: Please take a look at this pie chart which I’ve prepared.
[Fees: 8 - 10%, Game development: 65 to 72%, Backer rewards: 20 - 25%]

http://i.imgur.com/JtmE4vg.png

Q: Ryo’s appearance...
YS: We’ve had a lot of comments about how Ryo’s face looks, but we’ve just got started and so it is still under development. Personally, I’m not satisfied at all either, and so even now we’re continuing to improve it. Today I’ve brought a slightly improved version to show you – it’s not the final version, and we’ll be improving it even further, but I wanted to show you it.

For comparison, we’ve included two shots of Ryo from Shenmue II.

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

The one at the front is the slightly improved version for Shenmue III. Again, I’m not completely happy with this Ryo – the shape of his mouth is not quite right – and I’d like to make further refinements.

As well as the shape of his face, his facial expressions and his actions also add to his personality and his attractiveness. So going forward I’d like to work on facial expressions and movements in making an attractive Ryo.

Q: Will the original voice actors reprise their roles?
YS: I auditioned Masaya Matsukaze and Corey Marshall for Shenmue I & II, and I believe their voices are perfect for Ryo’s voice. So I’d definitely like to have them reprise the role again this time. We’re currently in negotiations and I’m sure they will both be happy to do so, so please look forward to that.

Q: Can PayPal payment be added?
YS: I’m considering funding methods other than Kickstarter, including PayPal.

Q: Will a DRM-free version be made available?
YS: It’s something that is under consideration at the moment. However it’s not something Ys Net can decide by ourselves, and so discussions are taking place with various parties.

Q: Will HD versions of Shenmue I & II be released?
YS: I think that if Shenmue I and II could be released before Shenmue III, people would be able to understand the backstory and enjoy Shenmue III even more. And so I also personally strongly want this to happen, but as the rights are held by Sega I’m not really in a position to be able to comment. However I will also express to Sega that that I really would like for them to be produced.

Q: Details of new rewards?
YS: There has been feedback that there are not enough rewards, and so we have added additional rewards. We have prepared $1000, $2000 and $5000 grab bags. The bags will continue various items of Shenmue merchandise, and I think these will be quite exciting. And also at the $5000 level will the one-only prototype of the watch worn by Ryo in the Shenmue games. I have it here to show you... This is the Timex watch worn by Ryo, and it has the YS and Shenmue logos on it. It’s a very rare item.

Q: Details of the grab bags?
YS: It includes various things such as special figures of Ryo, watches... these watches are not quite as valuable as the one-of-a-kind one mentioned before; they’re more casual and they also have the Shenmue logo. Anyway, there are a variety of different items included.

Also, we have prepared some of the original art drawn by our main character designer, Miyawaki. These are quite valuable, and are a great reward I think.

In addition to the rewards we have added today, we will be continuing to add further ones in the future, so please look forward to them too.

Q: Tell us about the stretch goals up to $3.6m?
YS: Firstly, I’ll talk about the stretch goals up until around the $3.6m mark, which are the most basic goals. The stretch goals up to $3.6m will achieve a story-oriented Shenmue. As further goals are reached, the content for various areas will be correspondingly expanded, but even with the story-oriented version, the plot will develop to reach a confrontation with the 4 leaders {of the Chiyoumen}.

Also, game features like the Rapport system and the Skill Tree system will be included.

Q: Rapport system
YS: With the Rapport system, various data on your interactions with Shenhua will be tracked, such as her level of trust and rapport with you and so on, according to your actions toward her and the way your conversations progress. Later, this will affect how cooperative Shenhua is toward you, for example. I think we’ll be able to express a new and exciting angle to Shenmue that wasn’t present in the previous games.

Q: Skill Tree system
YS: In Shenmue 3, you will be able to obtain move scrolls {“technique scrolls”} in various places – for example, in shops, mini-games, part-time jobs, gambling, quest events. You’ll be able to make immediate use of move scrolls in battle QTEs – for example, once you get a new scroll, you’ll be able to use it straight away as a QTE appearing during a fight. Being able to use it as soon as you have collected it will make it easy and satisfying to use. I think it will be fun to have it appear and be used when fighting. Advanced moves and Arcane scrolls will be managed in a tree structure; these will not become immediately available after obtaining them. Instead, a likeness can be drawn with learning of actual martial arts, where you build up to reach an advanced move through the accumulation of several moves; in a similar way, you will need to build up moves in the tree in order to reach the advanced moves, and I think filling the moves in the tree will be fun.

But you won’t have to build up to the advanced moves by actually participating in fighting (which can become tiresome); instead you just need to accumulate the necessary move scrolls to fill the tree.

Q: Stretch Goals up to $5m
YS: If the $5m mark is reached, we will focus on the area of Baisha There will be new types of play here which were not present in Shenmue I & II. Typical classical war strategies from the historical Three Kingdoms period of China, such as seiges and infiltration, will be incorporated.

Features such as “infiltration” may sound as if they will make the game too complicated, but they will be implemented in a way that is in keeping with the feel of the Shenmue games and will be easy to enjoy and engage with for anyone.

As another feature, I am planning a Character Perspective system. To put it simply, it is being able to change the character you play, but in Shenmue it will be done a little differently from other games that have this: in Baisha there will be an event where you will be able to change character in order to accomplish the mission. The player will be able to control not just the character of Ryo, but also other characters such as Shenhua and Ren; Ren has his own distinct personality, and Shenhua as a female has her own viewpoints and decisions; the choices will be different depending on the character you play. So it won’t simply be changing of character, but rather each character’s personality will be expressed and I think this will make for an enjoyable experience.

Q: Stretch Goals to $11m
YS: Currently further stretch goals have been announced through to $11m (such as the expanded battle system and so on), I’d like to leave it until next week to talk about these.

Q: Shenmue III at the Current Funding Level (around $3.6m at time of Twitch) vs $10 million
YS: At the current level of funding, as I mentioned earlier the game will be focused on the story. However once we reach $5 million we will be able to introduce aspects such as the Three Kingdoms “war strategies” mentioned earlier which will set it apart from the first two Shenmue games. This is actually the part I would most like to accomplish. If we can go above $10 million, the town of Choubu will be significantly enhanced. The town of Choubu has scenery that is somewhat like, for example, the Dobuita and Yokosuka areas of Shenmue I, and this will open up various options for amusement there. So, above $10 million, we will be able to include both game features that I would like to take on the challenge of including, as well as making the game “open-world like” with an even wider range of choices available.

Q: When is Shenmue III going to be reLEEEAASED?
YS: By the end of 2017.

Q: Will Shenmue III end the story?
YS: In terms of the 11 chapters that form the basis of the Shenmue story, we have only traversed a little way through these in Shenmue I and II. I did consider completing all the remaining chapters within the third game, but it would mean skipping a lot of the good parts and would not result in a satisfactory game. There were a lot of people who want to know the ending of the story, but in order to make the game as high quality as possible, the end of the story will not be reached in Shenmue III.

Q: Release Date of Demo Version
YS: Providing this at an early stage will be difficult because we need to develop various systems and the game to a certain extent first. It is likely not to be until the latter half of the development period.

I think it won’t be until 2017.

Q: Final Comment
YS: I always love doing new things and taking on new challenges, and so I would like to aim for the goal of $10 million in order to produce a Shenmue that is both the one I want to create, and one which everyone wants. I really hope to somehow bring it to reality, and so I would like to ask for everyone’s continued efforts and cooperation. Thank you.

I prefer that he's upfront about it, otherwise the backlash might be huge for some people. Some people would be pissed if he wasn't. It makes it more exciting for me, since it means 3 won't feel like a rush to the finish. We all like Shenmue because it takes its time, right?

The way the Q&A was handled yesterday was a debacle, that's for certain. However we need to come together as a community and bury it. Let's push forward for the sake of the Kickstarter, Shenmue III and Suzuki-san. At this point we can offer constructive criticism (there is another thread for the Twitch stream) and continue on with our own separate efforts.

I should not need to say this, but I will. We do not support or condone any form of personal attacks within this community. Let's carry on as we always have, positively and respectfully. That is the voice other parties will pay attention to, respect and trust. Thank you.