Welcome to PART 2 of the translation of the Japanese magazine interview with Yu Suzuki that was published in the May 9 (2016) edition of the Bessatsu Shonen magazine.

Go here for PART 1 of the article.

In this lengthier part, Yu Suzuki reflects on last year's Kickstarter launch at E3, and talks about early computer games that inspired and influenced his design decisions for Shenmue; his thoughts on the game industry in Japan vs overseas; his love of innovation when creating games; the evolution of technology used in games; and his desire to ensure that Shenmue III is a game that will stand up proudly in today's market.

Note: this part appears first in the actual article.

http://i.imgur.com/rT9HyAhm.png


PART 2

The Globally-Anticipated Shenmue III is Under Way

Hello, it's been a while!
YS: Yes, it has! So, it looks like you're now reporting under the name Ikeda for the Weekly Shonen magazine.

That's right. And since development is under way on your latest game, I rushed over to ask you all about it!
YS: (laughs)

As we know, the project for the creation of Shenmue III was announced at the Playstation Experience 2015 conference at last year's E3. The venue exploded in excitement instantly. Looking back on it, how did you feel?
YS: Just before the Shenmue III announcement, several major games like Final Fantasy XV were being announced one after another from the stage, with each prompting thunderous cheers from the audience. So I felt anxious as I waited in the dressing rooms to go on, being overwhelmed at the fervor in the event hall and at the extraordinary atmosphere under which the Shenmue III announcement would be made (laughs) However, as soon as the Shenmue III music began to play... the cheering rang out an octave higher than previously – it was almost like screaming. I was so moved at that moment.

The applause and cheers that filled the air almost broke the hall apart – the passion was incredible, wasn't it. That's when it hit me just how eagerly video game fans around the world had been looking forward to Shenmue III. There was an amazing response through pledges made via Kickstarter immediately after that too, wasn't there.
YS: For the creation of Shenmue III, I used Kickstarter to raise funding towards the development budget from fans and a total of $6,333,296 was pledged by 69,320 people (by the end of the Kickstarter campaign). What's more, two Guinness world records were set: Fastest $1 Million Pledged for a Crowd-funded Video Game and Most Money Pledged for a Kickstarter Video Game. Access by the fans was so heavy that day that the Kickstarter servers went down three times.

Servers that should be able to stand up to heavy global access went down...!? It shows just how many video game fans are placing hopes on Shenmue III, doesn't it.


Shenmue: Building Up Natural Layers

Before talking about the game at the center of everyone's attention, Shenmue III, I'd like to reflect back on the Shenmue series in general. I believe the first game, published in 1999, was "Shenmue ~Chapter One: Yokosuka~". That was your first full-fledged title for a home console, wasn't it.
YS: Until then, I had been working only on developing arcade games since joining SEGA in 1983. With arcade game development you have to focus on cramming in the game's essence and inject a fun experience for the player, within a playtime limited to around 3 minutes. I spent some ten-odd years pushing myself to condense the core attractions of a game into a short period of time. Games for a home console are quite different. They don't have the restriction of brief gameplay imposed by arcade games, and time can be taken in communicating a game's features to the player. For me it started by wanting to be able to express myself as a developer with a home console game, unrestricted by time. But to go back even further to my earliest roots, I was greatly influenced as a student by a computer called the Apple II.

http://i.imgur.com/j4HLPeM.png

Oh yes, I remember it! We all dreamed of owning an Apple II as students, but it was something that was far out of our reach.
YS: I also couldn't afford one myself, but seeing those video games running on the Apple II really stirred the imagination, didn't it. Early on, there was a genre of games known as text adventures, which displayed only words on the screen. Following that, as the capabilities of PCs increased, games began to display line graphics together with the text. In "Mystery House", a typical game of that era, the lines were blurry giving them the appearance of full-color graphics. Then in the 1980s the role-playing game (RPG) series "Ultima" emerged, bringing with it 3D dungeons and even sound generation. I witnessed the evolution of these kinds of games, and at the time my reaction was simply "Wow".

Back then was a time when video games evolved at break-neck speed, didn't they, to keep pace with the improving capabilities of PCs.
YS: Ultima in particular set itself apart from the adventure games seen before then whose story would progress in the same way no matter who played; rather, the outcome differed slightly for each person playing. Depending on things like the player's actions and experience points gained within the game, the story develops differently. That's what really got my attention. So for me, RPGs evolved from adventure games – text adventure games that displayed only words. Line graphics were added to these text-only games, followed by the ability to portray color and sound; then the sound-effects became more realistic... To me, the evolution of video games was a rapid broadening of "what's possible". This led to me wondering if I could put 3D graphics on the screen, or include speech. And the result of a natural extension to my thoughts is the Shenmue series.

Within the Shenmue series, what things did you especially strive to do in a particular way?
YS: I'm often asked in interviews with the foreign media whether there is there anything I wished I could have put in Shenmue I but didn't. When I reply "The ramen noodles don't get soggy", a question mark forms above their heads (laughs). In director Juzo Itami's movie "The Funeral" there's a scene in the middle of the ceremony where people start to get pins and needles in their legs and so they rearrange the position of their big toes. It's a situation which shouldn't be laughed about, but you can't help chuckling. It's that sort of everyday little thing that I'd like to portray. That's what gives the Shenmue feeling, and I wanted to include lots of those kinds of things. For example - after 10 minutes there's less steam coming from the ramen noodles (laughs). But at the time of Shenmue I, characters in other games could only move in four directions (up, down, left, right) and in order to talk with other characters you had to stand directly in front of them. And that's the era in which I was trying to portray things cinematically, so I couldn't get understanding from anyone. (laughs)

I think it was in 1997 that you asked me whether I would be interested in becoming the director of what was Shenmue's previous incarnation, "Virtua Fighter RPG". Back then you also spoke about the same kind of things, but at the time I couldn't grasp what you were talking about at all (laughs).
YS: Even when I pointed out to people "In real life you can converse with someone even if you're standing beside them rather than directly in front, right?", no one got it. (laughs) That was common with video games of the time, and taken for granted. When a character ran into a wall or obstacle and stopped, his legs would continue to move on the spot. No-one would listen to the suggestion that when a character can't move any further forward he doesn't keep lifting his feet. I'm sure everyone justified it to themselves with the reasoning "because it's a game". So the Shenmue series took shape from my building up layers of what were, for me, natural things.


The Day Japan's Gaming Industry Lost Domination

What Is Needed for a Come-back?

Shenmue I was filled with revolutionary concepts such as those, but no games appeared from Japan game developers to follow in its footsteps. Shenmue I was released in December 1999, and I believe that is the day when Japan lost the global video games battle.
YS: It's true that Japan's game industry started to go in the completely opposite direction from there.

My feeling is that Shenmue I was somewhat of a difficult proposition from a business perspective, and so the executives at Japan game companies decided that this style of game wasn't going to work out and turned their backs.
YS: But that's because video games of the time, not just in Japan but around the world, were of a style that explored a single theme in depth. For example even Hang On, a game that I designed, was focused on riding with the bike leaning over. A single theme was taken and narrowed down to the extreme – and then it was drilled into with depth. It's the complete opposite of the "able to do anything" style I was aiming for with the Shenmue series.

If Japanese game developers had embraced Shenmue's concepts, we might have been in quite a different situation today. Games like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy didn't follow its path either.
YS: Those are products that were created after a thorough analysis of the Japanese market to identify suitable elements for customization to Japanese gamers, with all necessary elements being incorporated into their manufacture.

Conversely the market overseas was energized by the release of Shenmue I. Even the developers behind Grand Theft Auto went so far as to comment that seeing Shenmue I served as strong encouragement for them, saying that it opened up the way forward for them; they saw that evolving in that direction could work.
YS: Looking back on it now, if I had taken the Shenmue I game engine at that time and made it available as a tool for developers, it might have become the equivalent of something like today's Unreal Engine or Unity. But at the point in time of the first game, the game engine portion wasn't fully finished so we weren't able to make a strong pitch about it. I think if the game engine portion had been complete, then it would have been markedly more efficient to develop the second game onwards. Creating game engines or development tools like this is something at which people in the West are particularly adept. Back in 1999 they realized what development tools would be needed to create a game allowing the player complete freedom of action, and went ahead with the steps to get there.

I think more now than ever, with the Japan game industry up against tough times, your words and Shenmue's concepts really stand out. Last year, when the father of Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima, went independent, he said "If we're only focused on the profits immediately in front of us, the times will leave the Japanese games industry behind. It becomes impossible to catch up again." This reflects what has happened after Shenmue.
YS: When Shenmue I was released, reviews were mixed. I can talk about it now as the "statue of limitations" has expired, but originally the Shenmue series was a single story made up of 11 chapters, that I was planning to release in two parts. Then it became necessary to release just the first chapter as a single game: putting together its own opening and ending and adjusting it story-wise to provide an Introduction, Development, Turn and Conclusion. So, if I had to say whether Shenmue I turned out as I had first envisaged, then that's not necessarily the case. My belief is that you must always be taking on new challenges, in order for new methods of expression and game production techniques to see the light. If you only rely on the old and familiar, the day will come when you're no longer able to stand up against the rest of the world.

http://i.imgur.com/piJX6fr.png

Challenges Give Rise to New Advantages

This is my own pet theory, but I think that with video games in America, in the main both players and developers have grown to prefer games that provide entertainment through simulation. I would say that it's for this reason that Shenmue I "clicked" with Americans as being the kind of thing they were looking for; and video games that followed haven't held back on trying new things to improve the quality of the simulation.
YS: The people of Japan are the most versatile among all nations, so I'm sure that in three years time, given the same development tool, we would be able to master them with the highest proficiency. However, while we may be able to become more proficient than anyone else, there is a temptation to stick with those development tools or methods we have gotten used to. Developers overseas, on the other hand, are always trying new development methods and different game engines, and they use these skillfully and efficiently. This approach of trying new things is one that is praised by overseas game fans. And so the approach taken in the West, where importance is placed on new challenges rather than success / failure, is a better and mentally healthier approach for developers.

No doubt your big global hit Out Run was the result of your taking on those kinds of challenges yourself. Out Run was a game that simulates an enjoyable drive in a car down a wide, open road while the trend for race games in the 80s was to race down narrow roads, where hitting another car would cause an explosion.
YS: After all, in real life I have never had an explosion from scraping my car (laughs). And so I thought it doesn't make sense for it to explode. And what prompted me to provide Out Run with a choice of 3 background music tracks was from wanting to change the music to suit my mood when driving my own car.

And then we arrive at the 90s, when 2D fighting games had a great burst in popularity.
YS: Street Fighter II was the king of the fighting games at the time.

Back then, "fighting games" automatically meant two-dimensional fighting games – that was the only kind of fighting games that players and developers knew, wasn't it. But instead of pursuing the same path, you worked on a three-dimensional fighting game, Virtua Fighter.
YS: I had no hope of mastering the controls for Street Fighter II, so I thought I would make a game that I would be able to play (laughs). What I wanted to achieve with Virtua Fighter was that I wanted to be able to move my character the way I wanted, with the fighting based on judgment in the same way as with an actual martial artist. The 2D fighting games of the 90s were a genre where the player is rewarded with a win through skill at timing. However, that means that it is people who can execute the commands at exactly the right instant who are the ones that win. What is really wanted is for victory to be the result of the player thinking "I want to do a somersault kick here" and controlling the character accordingly, right? With real boxing too, even the greatest boxer doesn't watch the action before throwing a punch. His body moves the instant he senses that his opponent will throw a punch. I wanted to make a fighting game that you could play with the same kind of intuition as actual fighters. To achieve that, I simplified the controls and implemented an intelligent processing system to let the player's decisions be communicated directly.

It was a game you packed with innovations, wasn't it - not just 3D graphics but even in areas like the controls.


Video Game Industry's Destiny Dictates Use of Cutting-Edge Technology

I think the reason 3D stereoscopic movies have become established in Hollywood is because entertainment in America as a whole has moved in the direction of simulations, and they have been assimilated naturally. That being the case, would virtual reality be the next area video games in America will target?
YS: We are getting closer to what we used to dream about. Even for simulations, the day may come when the experience will be not be via a TV screen but through holographic images, which is something I discussed back in the days of Virtua Fighter. It is said that almost anything that can be imagined is realizable; for example in the past we used to think it would be amazing if trains could travel inside buildings, but now it's something that exists and is taken for granted. So reality will grow closer to our dreams, I'm sure.

The games of the future we dreamed about as kids are rapidly becoming reality, aren't they.
YS: What bugs me most when I'm playing video games, is that using a controller is such a hassle. I ask myself when it will be possible to play without a controller (laughs). Being unable to manipulate the controller properly is stressful and unpleasant, so I want to have the character move just from thought. Brain waves such as alpha waves can now be detected, so someday a sensor may be realized that gives you control just by attaching it to your body in the same way as "Elekiban" [a brand of magnetic patches sold in Japan] .

Actually continuing to attempt to reach those goals, rather than leaving them as dreams, pushes technology to advance, doesn't it.
YS: Even automated driving, which has become a popular topic in the vehicle industry, is a natural extension of the technology used to control the non-player cars in racing games - how to recognize the road geometry, how to make a correction to a deviation from the path of travel. The basic core of automated driving is the same foundation as for the non-player cars we have been working with for more than 10 years. Of course, with an actual car lives are at stake so things like the detection of other cars and measurement of inter-car distance is done with high precision. Racing games, by comparison, are deliberately made to be competitive so that the player can enjoy playing them. Almost certainly some of the technology in racing games forms the cornerstone of automated driving; or to put it another way, I would say the very first incorporation of automated driving was in racing games.

Video games are filled with cutting-edge technology, aren't they!
YS: Military technology contributed to the evolution of computers. Therefore cutting-edge technology is also used in the video game industry built upon them, and furthermore this industry is one whose destiny dictates that kind of cutting-edge technology be actively employed.


Being Globally Competitive as a Creative Work

While experimenting with such new challenges may be fun, at the same time is it the toughest part of video game development?
YS: Quite the opposite, it's the most enjoyable part. Of course, there are tough times too. With the production of Shenmue I, there's no doubt there were struggles, but they were to do with the vast amount of personnel administration and management; areas other than the creative side.

Things like administering the staff and scheduling, rather than the development.
YS: Right (laughs). I hate having time taken up by management and losing time for creativity.

Having clearly-separated positions for producer and director as with Hollywood movies might suit your style of creation better.
YS: If I could dedicate myself to creating the game, it would be painless. But back at the time of Shenmue I, for a developer to speak of making a game where the player is "able to do anything" was taboo territory – it was equivalent to saying that the game would become one that couldn't do anything. The reason for that is simple: if you have say 10 developers, then to implement 10 features you need to put one person in charge of each feature. But if you narrow the scope down to a single feature then all 10 members can devote their energy to it. You could also say that the reason a game of the same type as Shenmue wasn't produced following the release of Shenmue I was due to there being this kind of background.

So it was a game that deliberately challenged this taboo!
YS: That's why when I'm making a video game... I always find new challenges exciting. Also when I was making arcade games, I never felt it to be a hardship. However - and this is something that can be said about all the games I've created up till now - I've never completed one exactly as I wanted it to be. Mostly they end up with around 50-60% implemented of what I wanted to do (laughs).

If the result is the creation of games like Virtua Fighter, then everything you wanted to do was implemented the world would surely be bowled over! (laughs)
YS: The biggest difference between game developers in Japan vs those overseas is probably the system of production. Overseas development companies are based around a production style that includes Hollywood marketing and merchandising. And so it's hard for Japanese developers to try to imitate that. But in a way it's the same for movies: there are many fine Japanese movies, aren't there. Some Japanese movies even win awards overseas. If we can bring out something with an appeal that isn't influenced by differences in budget or production style, then a product can be created that will be well received by the rest of the world. I want Shenmue III to be a video game that can be globally competitive as a creative work.

Translation by Switch

Excellent work as always! Here's a little help with the "??" parts:

[Top left]
りゅ（=龍）: dragon
ほう（=鳳凰）: phoenix
白（=白虎）: white tiger
玄（=玄武）: black tortoise

Must overcome (?) these. --> Must be in this order.

[Around the big circle in the center]
白こ（=白虎）: white tiger
玄ぶ（=玄武）: black tortoise
すざく（=朱雀）: red phoenix

[Bottom right]
りゅう（龍）: dragon
すざく（朱雀）: phoenix
Fantastic, thanks Kiyuu!

Here's the updated image:
http://i.imgur.com/N3LhjUN.png

Here is the second translated installment of the January 1999 edition of the Dreamcast Magazine, which contained a multi-part feature on Shenmue . The theme of Part 2 is "The World of Shenmue".

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

Background to the article : as part of the build-up to the release of Shenmue, and following on the heels of the Shenmue Premiere event that had been held the previous month in Yokohama, the Japanese Dreamcast Magazine ("DoriMaga") published this 16-page special report covering various aspects about what could be expected with the as-yet unreleased Shenmue.

The feature consists of these parts:
Part 1. Shenmue Premiere Event (previously translated here)
Part 2. The World of Shenmue (this post)
Part 3. The Hero and Other Characters (future post)
Part 4. It's Magic! Special Effects and Production (future post)
Part 5. Interview with Yu Suzuki (future post)

PART 2: The World of Shenmue

http://i.imgur.com/rNcvXwAt.png http://i.imgur.com/m2SIloyt.png http://i.imgur.com/kSWtLWht.png http://i.imgur.com/px5STGCt.png

Shenmue’s Most Distinctive Feature: Its Immense Play Area!

Here's what Yu Suzuki has to say about Shenmue’s new genre, FREE (an acronym of "Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment"): "It imposes fewer constraints than the games of the past, and lets you play as you want and without stress. It’s about making sure anyone can get through the game smoothly, without being frustrated - that’s what I wanted to create. Even a 10-year old can play. When the boundaries between generations and countries are overcome, people from all over the world can share the emotion of its themes, and feel as if they have experienced a different life from their present one. To put it another way, I want to give the player a complete, self-contained world."

A World Whose Creation Has Spanned 3 Years

This game is the product of 3 years spent by SEGA’s top developer, Yu Suzuki, after taking on the challenge of creating an RPG. The project got underway in secret in 1996 at AM2’s research department as development was in progress on Virtua Fighter III, a game greatly anticipated by all game players. Things took shape steadily, and a massive number of image boards were created in the construction of the world. Work on Yu Suzuki’s masterpiece came to be known by the code name " Project Berkley ". And now, at last, the time has come for the veil to be lifted.

Yu Suzuki’s goal with the game is the "creation of a huge world" - nothing less than a reconstruction of the real world. Something that’s easy to say, but for a game to take ordinary, everyday things and recreate them before our eyes is one of the most difficult challenges. For that reason, in games before now objects have always been symbolized or simplified: the symbol of a castle; a 3D sandbox world that lacks authenticity; badly-shaped characters... It’s only natural to question why this has become the accepted method of expression in conventional RPGs. Yu Suzuki took this as his starting point, along with a vast and complete world. Indeed, Yu Suzuki took the concepts everybody had taken for granted and made them his point of departure. Upon seeing the world that Yu Suzuki has created, players will surely catch their breath.

http://i.imgur.com/2lZxf2p.png
Above: One of the locations in Shenmue: the bewitching capital of Hong Kong. Kowloon City, standing in the evening sun, may be a town that best reflects the impressive scale of the game. Enclosing all kinds of people, this giant city is a complicated tangle, forbidding access to outsiders...
※ All images are work-in-progress.

The May 21st Dreamcast Demo:
Was “The Tower of Babel” a Glimpse of Things to Come?!

21 May, 1998: at the Dreamcast event, along with demonstrations presented by Mr Irimajiri [the then-CEO of Sega] , a demonstration video of "The Tower of Babel" was shown. It is said to have been put together by three staff members in just ten days. This demo bears a striking resemblance to the walled city of Kowloon in Shenmue. What would have been produced if three years had been spent in the creation of the city? The answer to that is: Shenmue.

http://i.imgur.com/7ODFYxJ.png
Above: from above, countless stores and houses surround the huge tower. Creating something like this in a period of just 10 days is now within the realm of possibility.

http://i.imgur.com/rgFjKbtm.png http://i.imgur.com/sSiJARfm.png?1
Left: this is how it looks viewed from afar: one large island. Right: going in closer, the detail in the work can be appreciated. Is this the kind of world that will exist in Shenmue?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4fAbTrhvto



http://i.imgur.com/k401lnil.png
Above: this is where the protagonist of this game lives, the area of Yokosuka. With its slightly retro feel, the town feels more than a background to an RPG - the sense of realism shown in this screenshot makes it easy to believe that it actually exists: the aerials on the houses, the power lines, the store signs and post boxes... Just as in the real world, the player can navigate around using them as landmarks when navigating around.

http://i.imgur.com/ir8XYAUl.png
Above: in stark contrast is the landscape of Hong Kong. The player will realize immediately just by observing the differences in the city’s appearance that they are in a different country. It is as if an entire world exists there. A boundless expanse awaits the player.

"A system that can be enjoyed at any age, where simplicity and depth stand side by side; a realistic world with fine attention to detail enticing you to see what’s around the next corner; a space that feels real. These are the kinds of things I wanted to create." Just from this brief glimpse of the stage on which Shenmue is set, Yu Suzuki’s thoughts can be clearly understood. However, Yu Suzuki isn’t content with just creating a realistic world: "A story and experience that will leave players with lasting memories". We mustn’t forget this crucial aspect of the game. To put it another way, the purpose of constructing this great world was to evoke such emotions. What sights will be in store for you in this vast world?

http://i.imgur.com/4IaP4R7l.png
Above: the Hong Kong cityscape, a sight familiar also to Japanese. One of a number of cities in Asia said to boast a million-dollar night view, the gaudy signs of its shopping district will no doubt leave an especially strong impression. In Shenmue, such views of Hong Kong city are faithfully reproduced, down to the last detail. Those who see it will be amazed!

The protagonist’s name: Ryo Hazuki!!

China’s expansive history and vast lands spoke to Yu Suzuki’s heart. At first, in order to give the world consistency, only the theme music was created, and this helped to fan his imagination. Then, two years ago, in order to flesh out the visual images, a CG movie was created. That movie was the one seen in places such as the Virtua Fighter 3tb special disk and the TV commercial for the premiere event.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu86tlnFLVE

However Suzuki says that the creation of the most important character, the protagonist, turned out to be much more difficult than he had been expecting; recently, it has at last been firmed up.

The main character’s name is Ryo Hazuki. A Japanese youth, he pursues the mystery of his father’s death, setting out on a journey to a country in the west he has not laid eyes upon before: China. What awaits him there?

http://i.imgur.com/Wc0E7Kkl.png
The main protagonist, Ryo Hazuki, revealed at the premiere event. He was modelled in 3D using an actual plaster bust. Having lost his mother when he was a child, Ryo’s childhood days were passed training under the strict instruction of his father. Although reckless and with a quick temper, he has a strong conviction. He is the main character of the game.

Is this really a game?! A fully-interactive world using no pre-rendered movies. The town, the rooms, the people... everything, even the dogs and cats, are drawn to full scale!!

Shenmue: a townscape that has been crafted to reproduce the real world in fine detail; and among the development staff, there are even a few hallucinatory souls who ask themselves if this is truly a game.

The townscape that has been crafted is not a spurious sandbox; you can round corners following a smoothly-curving path, and if there are obstacles in the way your pace will automatically slow as you avoid them. In other words, if there is somewhere that you want to go, it’s just a matter of pressing a direction button.

Pressing Up moves you foward; Down and you turn around. If you press Left you move to the left; if you press Right you move to the right. Furthermore, if there is something you wish to look at, you don’t need to come to a halt. Just press the analog stick in the direction you wish to look as you walk along. Indeed, just like in real life, you can search for signs that show the way, or look up at a building while you walk. It’s also possible to look down as you move, and search for dropped items on the ground. Players can go where they want, looking at what they want. Naturally, the controls are simple even for a child. One of the main features is that everything has been made to be user-friendly.

http://i.imgur.com/SWbrHKkm.png http://i.imgur.com/3yPqzBXm.png
Above: in the world of Shenmue, there is no disconcerting switch to a movie scene, with the commonly-seen obvious change in graphics quality. All scenes are created and displayed on the fly.


Furthermore, in Shenmue there are many characters who don’t have a direct connection to the development of the story. People who helpfully tell you the way to go, people who hurry past you and in-your-face road-side vendors. The player can progress through the game without having to converse with all the characters, just as in the real world. Of course, a quick conversation might turn out to give you an unexpected clue. If you are lost, or don’t know what to search for next, just as in the real world you can try asking people at the wayside.

http://i.imgur.com/OL49lS9.png
Above: the inhabitants are rendered in high-quality, real-time CG, and the story unfolds seamlessly – just as if in the real world.

The Story Starts in the Winter of 1986, in Yokosuka!

The setting for Shenmue is Yokosuka. Yu Suzuki comments regarding the time period: "I’m planning to have the story start in Yokosuka, in the winter of 1986. That’s something that probably won’t change". When asked the reason for choosing Yokosuka as the setting: "There’s not really any great reason per se, but I wanted to use a town in Japan with a bit of character – like Kamakura, Kurashiki or Kyoto. Even now there are towns brimming with the atmosphere of Japan. Yokosuka and its surroundings feel right: somewhat exotic and out-of-the-ordinary. And the time period that I thought was the most Yokosuka-like goes back 10 years, to around 1986".

Suzuki says that under the scenario currently created, the setting for the first chapter will be around Yokosuka, where the main protaganist Ryo Hazuki grew up. With Yokosuka as its departure point, the world of Shenmue will gradually expand out. The size of this world is bound to exceed our expectations.

http://i.imgur.com/O6NDdmR.png
Above: the atmospheric streets of the suburbs around Yokosuka. The historic Hazuki dojo, also the home of Ryo Hazuki, and its surroundings together with the area of Shin-Yokosuka harbor make up the setting of Chapter One.

http://i.imgur.com/ei3AuNq.png
Above: once you have become somewhat familiar with the area of Yokosuka, the setting moves to Hong Kong. The recreation of the complicated buildings is remarkable, its composition serving to give a sense of height.

http://i.imgur.com/r1Vr6no.png
Above: the people there carry out their lives just as in the real world. Don’t hesitate to have a chat with them.

Answers to Our Quiz

Aerials

In the December 25 [1998] edition of Dreamcast Magazine, we showed you pictures of several aerials. So what meaning did they have?
http://i.imgur.com/rdOGyAT.png
http://i.imgur.com/SrND7kh.png
Here’s the explanation: the huge environment that has been created for Shenmue is not merely large in size, but has been built with an insane level of detail. Aerials are one such example. Aerials have been recreated and placed throughout the expansive town, with each one a shape different from the next. This result of this ludicrous amount of effort is that the world in which the player moves feels realistic, giving the illusion of being in the real world. Indeed, a "world" really does exist there!

Animals

We showcased these animals in the December 18 [2015] edition of Dreamcast Magazine.
http://i.imgur.com/JsQKPuV.png
Yu Suzuki has this to say about them: "My aim was for a game where everything develops at full scale – while the player moves around, animals like dogs and cats will also appear at full scale." "I think something interesting can be done using these animals." Let’s wait to play the game to find out what he means.


*** End of Part 2. Translation by Switch ***

As for the subtitle: "Occasionally, there are even times when the mountains along the Li River bring misfortune..."

Could Shenhua be talking about the very same mountains found on the picture in her house???

Some connection there? If so, then it's theory time.
Actually, that line couldn't be said by Shenhua, but by some old man, probably. The line begins with "What? Hummm..." in Japanese, and the way of saying is an old man's. A young girl would never say like that.
Ah, very enlightening! I omitted those first couple of words when I translated, as they seemed so out-of-place -- this helps to explain why. :)

As for the subtitle: "Occasionally, there are even times when the mountains along the Li River bring misfortune..."

Could Shenhua be talking about the very same mountains found on the picture in her house???

Some connection there? If so, then it's theory time.
Actually, that line couldn't be said by Shenhua, but by some old man, probably. The line begins with "What? Hummm..." in Japanese, and the way of saying is an old man's. A young girl would never say like that.
Besides, she seems to be placed in a bit odd background; with a plastic bag-full of garbage and a beer case that would be found on a Japanese backstreet.

Apparently, that screen shot was not taken from a real game scene, but was composed for some experiment, I guess.

Great observation! My Japanese is really bad and I didn't catch on to that. Thank you again Kiyuu!
Even though it may just be a test, it is still great looking :) Super excited for S3!

Well, I finished playing through the demo. And I made a video of the whole thing while I was at it.

To keep it short, it contains the beginning of the game. From the intro until you get the bag back.
I made an attempt to leave the demo area to see if there's more on the disc.
If you want to see that and how the demo ends got to 21:45.

https://youtu.be/6xkU22fpXu4

Hey, guess what? My sister came over this morning and I finally had a chance to show her the game. We actually almost made it back to where I was before, and I even found a couple of secrets I had missed before! I experimented a lot more with the zoom feature to investigate objects in my house, and I am amazed by the amount of detail in this game, especially when it seems superfluous. I found I was able to rummage through all of my desk drawers and cabinets, and found a cassette player, an additional tape sitting on my desk that I had missed before, and a photo of Ryo and his friends. I also found lots of spare sets of clothing that I will most likely never change into. :P

I also found a Sega Saturn under the TV, but I couldn't get Ryo to play it, or even turn on the TV. :sad:

This time, I fed the kitten the fish, and got some additional dialog with Megumi. I also figured out how to name the kitten. My sister and I finally decided on Mimi, although I did jokingly recommend Sasuke, just to tease my sister with her disdain for Naruto.

I bought a soda, mostly to show my sister all the things you can do in this game, and wouldn't you know it, I got another winning can to make up for the one I lost when I deleted my save! Am I just lucky? Or is it because I tried to pick the same soda I did the first time? In any case, I should try booting up the Passport Disc next time I play and see what I won.

In one game day, I managed to make it back up through talking to Yamagishi-san. Next time, I will most likely get to new parts of the game, and I will definitely let all of you know what happens! I got permission from my sister to play without her as long as I show her the more interesting or exciting parts. Just to be clear, she liked the game and appreciated its "realistic fiction" vibe, but she doesn't have much free time (19 credit hours in one semester!? I would die within a week!), so playing the whole game with her doesn't make sense logistically.

In any case, that's all for today. See you next time, when I will most likely tread some new ground!

I've just finished a translation of an article from the Japanese Dreamcast Magazine back in March 2000, in which they announced their own "Grand Prix" awards for various Dreamcast software categories. This was a time when Shenmue had recently been released to wide acclaim.

Shenmue scooped the trophy for Best Title (out of all software released for the Dreamcast until that time) and there is an award acceptance interview with Yu Suzuki and Keiji Okayasu.

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

Here's a link to the blog post:
http://www.phantomriverstone.com/2016/09/shenmue-wins-best-dreamcast-title.html

One comment from Keiji Okayasu that I thought was quite revealing was when he says he thinks Shenmue II development will go "more smoothly than the previous game", hinting at the magnitude of effort and management complexity involved with getting the first Shenmue out the door.

Shenmue featured in several other awards also, so I'll translate these further parts in the future.

Perhaps he will be documenting how to use the MVN software for other developers in his team.
Possibly. According to this page , MVN itself is a "professional motion capture system." I'm not computer expert like you, but could he mean the hardware as well?
Yes, it could be referring to the capture process too, couldn't it. With their smaller-sized project team the developers may get involved with the actual motion capture as well as the software aspect.

The note may give some more clues further down, if we could make out any more of the words.

Maybe the idea is that Ryo has to work his way down to a particular carriage in order to find an exit hatch in the ceiling, use that to climb on top of the train, and at some point after doing so, this happens:

http://shenmuedojo.net/images/Projectberkley/berkley20.jpg
Could there be a person of interest in a guarded carriage, and the only way Ryo is able to make contact with them is by infiltrating in this way?

Reminds me of Broken Sword :D
I was watching the snippet of train video from Project Berkley again, and noticed something I hadn't before.

To me it looks as if Ryo is falling facing upwards (may have been pushed?) towards the speeding train from somewhere at the side. He just has time to twist around to grab on to part of the carriage with a single hand, clinging on for dear life as his legs are swept behind him.

Here is the sequence, slowed down:
http://i.imgur.com/zL9Q1ed.gif

well ChiefNeo I am feeling the same thing for LanDC as well. In fact he helped me make my first music video of shenmue! We are happy we are getting the game guys. but we are also happy for the old veterans here , LanDC , Kiyuu, Peter and to all the others: THANK YOU, you deserve it more than us. Now i am off to watch LanDC's shellshock shenmue video :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Who knew! Found this Virtua Fighter animation of Akira's victory pose hidden away inside What's Shenmue.

Blog post: http://www.phantomriverstone.com/2016/1 ... irtua.html

I've put up a translation of an article on my blog which is about the AM2 Summer Festival, an event held in Tokyo in early September of 2001. The event was attended by Yu Suzuki and helped to promote the soon-to-be-released Shenmue II.

Here are some of the photos:

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

http://i.imgur.com/5z7pMCp.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/8zGjNPd.jpg

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

http://i.imgur.com/UBRhia6.jpg

Yu Suzuki also took the stage:
Regarding Shenmue II, the original chapter 2 through to chapter 6 were incorporated. Suzuki thought that the fans would be dissatisfied without the heroine Shenhua Ling making an appearance: Shenhua's appearance was planned for chapter 6, so it was necessary to include up until that point. And hence a great volume of data had to be packed in. "We managed to get through it by changing the way we stored the data, and by using compression techniques that were superior to those in the first game," he related.
Read the full article here:

http://www.phantomriverstone.com/2017/01/am2-summer-event-2001-article.html

The idea for this post came from Kiyuu who introduced these cutscenes on the Dojo several years ago.
Thank you for mentioning me. Nice pictures, Switch!
I wonder if the model of the passenger plane is also the same as the capsule toy you can get, except the landing gears, of course.

If they used a "sky box" like on the Source engine, for example, that would've made it very easy and would've meant that a small model could be used instead of making one to scale (which would eat up tons of memory).

http://i.imgur.com/QlFp7M5.jpg

A new software hack allows access to all areas of the Shenmue Passport disc without need for a dial-up connection. Until now, a Dreamcast with internet connection has been required for access.

Read the full report & Instructions for applying the patch at Phantom River Stone:
http://www.phantomriverstone.com/2017/08/shenmue-passport-unlocked-hack-to-skip.html

https://i.imgur.com/KcOGfmFl.jpg

The recent publication of an official Shenmue-themed tourist guide map for Yokosuka has caused a buzz of excitement within the Shenmue community.

Shenmue fans may be wondering about how such a map came to be created - for example, was it a proposal from SEGA? To find out more, we contacted one the guide map's co-creators, Eriko Furusaki of the Tourism Planning Division within the Yokosuka City Economic Department, who kindly agreed to share some insight about why and how the guide map was made.

The interview can be read at the Phantom River Stone blog:
http://www.phantomriverstone.com/2017/12/interview-with-yokosuka-city-story.html

Grab a cup of coffee or some snacks. Its about to get detailed!

So, hello everyone!

A lot of visitors here may recognise my name, but for anyone who doesn't, or is unsure, allow me to introduce myself. My names Peter Campbell, im 34 years old and live in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Life was going swimmingly until one day i picked up a copy of Official Dreamcast Magazine off of the shop bookshelf, and my life changed course from that moment on. I have been a huge Shenmue fan since that day, and it wasnt too after finishing the games back in the early 2000s that i found this site, The Shenmue Dojo. Over the course of the past 14 years i have regularly contributed to this site, firstly as a registered user, and then as a staff member. After a brief hiatus last year, i was contacted recently by the then current owner, George aka "Yama", and offered the chance to become the owner of the site and begin to get this place ready for the crazy future we have soon ahead of us. If you missed his topic, you can check it out HERE!
Shenmue has been a huge part of my life for the past decade and a half, from playing the games beyond any sort of countable number, to finally realising a dream come true, meeting Yu Suzuki in Japan during the Kickstarter Backer Dinner. This series and this site was dead just a few years ago. It really was. 8 years ago Yama took over and did an outstanding job making the site more appealing and accessible for anyone who visited, and all during that time we lived in hope that it wouldn't all be for nothing. It really did begin to look like a waste of time and effort, but thanks to excellent fan spirit and great community building and campaigning from the 500k Facebook group, Team Yu group and longstanding French partner site Shenmue Master, a relatively impossible dream came true and we are well on the road to actually holding a controller in our hands and walking down to Bailu Village to get some clues on the hunt for Lan Di. Its been an insane ride! But the rides nowhere near over yet!

In this post, i will be going over a few key areas in detail, about what the aim of this fansite is, and any subsequent changes may be coming in relation to the future release of Shenmue games. One of the key words i hope to always stick to is transparency, so everyone knows exactly what is going on. So like i said at the top, i hope you got some food and drink!

______________________________________________________

~~~~~FORUMS~~~~~

We may as well start where we are, and that's with the place most members, if not all members visit the most; The Forums. Its where we all talk and get to know one another. Realise each individuals reactions to all things Shenmue. In terms of changes here, it will mostly be structure based, with a few cosmetic tweaks for reason i will explain.

First off, before even taking over me and Yama discussed at length the staffing of the boards, and what their roles are. A lot of users within the roles were either AWOL or just didnt bother to make any decisions or act when needed to. So we put together a list of names that we both felt from the beginning of my tenure that we felt comfortable with, and also what role they will play. Below is our selection, and what that role means:

Shenmue Dojo Owner & Administrator - Peter
Administrator - Yama

The role of myself and Yama as administrators means that we have access to the ACP, and can make relatively any decisions in terms of usergroups, permissions, cosmetic look of the forum makeup etc. Its all pretty much behind the scenes stuff. We also take the wheel of the ship, and help make sure the site has the right tone and feel in terms of staffing and making sure this place serves the best interests of Shenmue and the site itself.
Yama has kindly offered any advice 24/7, but as owner, the overall look of the site design and any future changes to anything i will have to decide upon. That means everything, from a new site, social media ideas and direction, forum upgrades and design, listening to members, staffing members.... its no easy job thats for sure, and these past two weeks, i could count the hours of sleep ive has with just my 2 hands. I will be active on the boards, that goes without saying, but i wont be as active as i was back years ago as a regular member. Gone are the full weekends of chatting, bottle of wine, and nude pictures (dont ask!).

Global Moderators - BlueMue, Henry Spencer, James Brown, Jibby, OL, ShenSun, Sonoshee, Spaghetti

The team selected i feel is a great mix of everything. Old members, new members, full of ideas and all sing off of the same hymn sheet. First and foremost, this is a Shenmue fans website. We come here for our love of the series, and as of late, it doesnt seem to be that way. Open troll comments which differ from constructive criticism, and branding the entire Kickstarter as a scam are not topics of conversation that serve both Shenmue and this website well. Theres a fine line between keeping negativity off the boards and censorship, and the reason ive selected this team is because i feel they have the experience and intelligence to make a call and do whats right. We are a site for the fans by the fans, and i hope the staff sets the tone and attitude for people who contribute to the site.
If someone is just joining up here to troll for some giggles, or get some hits on their Youtube site by badmouthing the series then they will act swiftly and appropriately. All staff have been given instructions to be as transparent as they can. If a user gets warned, or banned, their post will be edited by the moderator taking action, so that everyone can see. Sadly until the forums are upgraded this is the only real way of being transparent with other users so until then, please bear with us. Any more issues or questions, please dont hesitate to ask!

News Posters/Veteran Contributors - alimn, Axm, Bysby, Kiske, Kiyuu, LanDC, Sonikku, Switch

These members have the ability to post in the current News and Updates forum, where we try and bring any and all Shenmue news to the public as quicky and clearly as possible. It was an original group, which has been merged with longtime veteran contributors of the site whom also have been given the same permissions. They have no moderator permissions outside of this.

Shenmue 500k Staff - Shenmue Stare, shengoro86
Shenmue Master Staff - Shendream
Team Yu Staff - Team Yu

The Shenmue Community has grown a lot over the past 6 years, and i will be trying my best to make sure we remain as a team. Any sort of mentality of "us versus them" i want put to bed from the start. We all co-exist and form one entity, and it offers every Shenmue fan their own unique platform to which they want to contribute to! If you dont like the Forums here, Facebook has you covered with 500k. If you want to help with the #SaveShenmueHD campaign, then Team Yu is the spot for you. Shenmue Master has any French speaking Shenmue fans covered and has been around for as long as the same time the Dojo has. It doesnt matter where you contribute, it matters that you contribute in the first place, be it here, there or anywhere! The one common goal here is the success of Shenmue, and thats all we want together. But wait, doesnt the Shenmue Dojo have a Facebook page? Yes it does! But its a page, and we use that primarily as a news outlet extension to the forums. 500k offers a group platform, to talk about everything Shenmue in a more hot take/smaller post type of fashion. The Dojo forums offer intense debate into any little aspect of Shenmue, so again, its all there to cater to the Shenmue fan. Its not a competition if we are all trying to reach the same goal with the same intention.


Shenmue Dojo Coder - MrRod

I finally had the pleasure of speaking to MrRod on social media over the past few weeks, and he is a great guy. I cannot stress enough the work he has done in the past, and to be honest, it would not be online if it was not for him. He has kindly offered to continue on serving as our coder when we need him in the future, which i will touch upon in more detail in a little bit.

But for now, thats what will make up the structure of the site.


One other thing i need to mention is the option users have had in the past to donate to the forums for upkeep and maintenance. Now let me be clear on this topic, this isnt a negative take on Yamas tenure, where he introduced this feature. It just feel that if anyone has any money they would like to give to the site, give it to the Shenmue 3 PayPal campaign. Or hold onto it and buy the game when its released!! I will cover all costs of the site, and look at any upgrades to the service if we get to that stage and need it. Anyone that knows me, knows what i am like with money. If this site is mine, its my responsibility to cover it financially, and it will continue to be 100% free for all members to use. I do this out of love for Shenmue and thats where i stand.
With removing the donation option, i have decided to remove the various "donor" usergroups, and the relevant username colours and titles, and i humbly thank you all for any support you have given in the past. I know this is the Shenmue Dojo, and change usually brings with it a 15 page argument with nothing but popcorn bags left in its wake. But i do have reasons. This site is on the cusp of its biggest moments in its history. Yes we are in a lull now for many reasons, but Shenmue 3 is fast approaching, and possibly Shenmue HD with it. The attention the series will get, and as an extension the community and this site, will rise to numbers we may not have seen before. When get have new members join here, i want them to see clearly who is who, and what is what. The only people with any sort of distinction are those with key roles, and the colours simply make them easy to identify. Green = moderator. White = newsposter. So on an so forth, This means people know who to go to if they need anything, and also who is making staff decisions at any given time.
Another reason the groups have been streamlined and tidied up is because of something that i touched upon earlier. With a site thats been online this long, and one which started out on its own before becoming part of a community, its inevitable that a hive atmosphere can develop over time. Like i also said, we are all friends, but we are all here for Shenmue, and ultimately on the same page. I want things to be as transparent as possible, and as clear and straightforward as possible, so any sort of special privelidges or cosmetic changes have been removed. I dont want a hierarchy here, and if i could run the place without any sort of groupings then i would, but unfortunately thats not how the way the world works. But, outside of the staff, we are all human being. All together. All Shenmue fans, and i dont want anyone seeming like they are above someone else. It cant be helped when a user joined, or how many posts they have made. We all contribute equally, and great users come along at anytime. Being here for 10 years doesnt give you a badge of honour or any sort of hierarchical standing. We are all Shenmue fans, regardless of if you picked up the controller last week, last month or last year.

The last thing i have to say about the forums is it is currently on an old version of PHPBB. Thats why it looks the way it does, doesnt have Emoji support and other bells and whistles which other more modern platforms may have. The plan is to upgrade the forums ASAP, but it will take a lot of work. As i touched upon earlier, MrRod has kindly agreed to help out with this, and we will try to get to work on it as soon as we can. In preparation for future Shenmue games, we know we also have to move forward. We will have more information on that in the future as it happens!

______________________________________________________

~~~~~WEBSITE~~~~~

The website runs off of both links of shenmuedojo.net, with shenmuedojo.com as a redirect. We pay and own both domains, and each will take you to the website designed by Yama almost 10 years ago. Along with the forums we will be aiming to update them and bring them in line with modern day sites. At the beginning of the process of the handover, Yama had designed a brand new site which i had seen at various stages along its development. Yama has done a great job with a new website design, with a more clear structure, greater social media integration, community partnership and mobile response.

https://i.imgur.com/rZxnGcX.jpg

As much as i would love to use the new design (it would be in place right now!), its been designed on a Wix site for ease of access and user friendliness. The problem is however is that its not our first option. The most ideal method would be to build a new website from scratch, but if anyone who has any experience knows, this is indepth and time consuming. As well as needing knowledge of HTML, CSS, databases and other such technological wizardry.
Another major issue with the Wix site is that the forums cannot be brought along for the ride, and the support isnt there on the Wix end. This would mean one of two things; the forums as we know them would be deleted with new forums created over on the Wix end, or, the furrent forums have a domain change, and run separately on another link. This could be an option, and linking it to the main site would be straightforward, but that means the new domain would be starting from scratch. All previous links that exist across the internet from the past 15 years would essentially be broken. We would also lose our Google hit rating and for a time, the new link would not show up for any searches.
The option i think is best, is to build a new site with Wordpress, and retain everything together. I have been reassured by a lot of people supporting me that its more then accomplishable, but despite that, its a much deeper job then just putting a few things in place. Ive toyed with the idea of a new logo, and that means design work. Then theres the look and tone of the new logo defining the look and tone of a new site. Image assets need to be obtained, a new layout needs to be designed, what plug in options are available and how will they be implemented, all links to social media, community sites, wiki links, forums etc all need to be working. All of that takes time and effort not just from me,but from anyone willing to offer help and support. Will i get that? I dont know, and if i have to i will outsource a new site to a company here in Belfast, which could compromise the Shenmue feeling this place has always had. All of that is in the future which i will have to decide on, but for now i just wanted to keep everyone updated.

~~~~~SOCIAL MEDIA~~~~~

The site has various forms of social media, which are generally used to post news updates as well as other content.

Facebook Page (Shenmue & community news posts)
Twitter Account (Shenmue & community news posts)
Twitch Channel (Streaming service)
Instagram Page (Shenmue artwork & image service)

We did have a YouTube Channel, which i would like to go into in a bit more detail in the interests of transparency.
The second owner of the website was a person by the name of Hellraiser, whom you would know better here now as Ziming. In 2009-2010 he then passed the website to Yama who built it to its current stage. Unfortunately i am not sure of the arrangement they had or how we was still involved with the site. But he did own the YouTube Channel which, for many years was under the title of The Shenmue Dojo. There is a difference between just a title change and an actual domain ownership, but it doesn't change the fact that he does, and always owned that channel. He also was responsible for all of the content added to the channel, and no one can argue it is a huge Shenmue resource.
Recently during the MAGIC 2018 conference a video was shown with a disclaimer for it not to be recorded. The video was an extended cut of the released Shenmue 3 teaser from last August, and was only shown to journalists at the event. Of course people either missed the instruction or chose to ignore it, the video was recorded and it appeared online, including the YouTube channel owned by Ziming. This wouldn't be an issue except not only was the disclaimer clear for it not to be recorded, but i spoke personally with Deep Silver staff after the event as well as Yu-san himself and both said that the trailer was not to go online. Other members of the community at the event were also told the same thing, and we all have refused to host the video as per request. Of course, individual people posting it was inevitable, but a YouTube Channel with the content and subscriber size that's supposed to stand for Shenmue going against the wishes of both the creator and the publisher is not something i can support or endorse.
Ziming has been a unique character over the course of the history of the Shenmue Dojo, and an opinion on him will very to neutral to negative depending on whoever you ask. But in terms of the YouTube Channel not being owned by the Dojo exclusively, it was asked of Ziming to remove all Shenmue Dojo links and branding in light of not removing the video. 2 days ago, i sent him a message asking for him to remove the video and explained the reasons why. As far as i know, i am certainly not the first person to do so. If he feels differently to the hosting of the video that's his business, but with no responses to my messages i will be banning his account here, with no promotion of that Shenmue outlet. If anyone posts a video that's linked to his channel, and its in the context of a conversation at that point in time, then it will be allowed to remain. We are not going blanket banning videos to his site at the punishment of the user. But there will not be dedicated topics to videos that appear on the site.
This was not an easy decision, or one that was quickly made. Nor was it a personal decision, and the list of people i spoke to about the matter for advice should emphasise that. I should also say that i understand if it was such a huge issue, then perhaps Deep Silver or YSNET should issue a copyright strike against it and i shouldn't be making this decision. That may be true, but that's their business, and maybe they don't want the hassle. Again i don't know, but what i do know is i need to make the best decision for both this site as well as Shenmue. One final point is that this call does not reflect or represent the Shenmue 3 team in any official way. This is a site decision, and I wish him all the best with his Channel.

That brings me onto the resulting matter.

Its because of this, that we will need to build a new Shenmue Dojo YouTube Channel. Now as tempting and as easy it would be to begin ripping content or duplicating the channel we once had, its a messy road to go down, and one which benefits no one. There's no point confusing that platform for a user searching for Shenmue related videos. So, the idea which Yama had for the entire Dojo will carry over to the new channel. It will serve as a fan service, with playlists and links to fan created content. A Rolodex for the amount of excellent fan content that's on YouTube. We will of course have our own content being added to the site, aiming to serve as an introduction to Shenmue for new users which, again, we will be expecting with the release of the new games and the attention it brings. Also on there will be a library of live streams and Shenmue Lets Plays both conducted by ourselves at the Dojo, as well as across the web. All content not ours will be play listed only so that when people click on any said video, the proper content creator will get the view, not us, which is fair.
Again, that's the plan, which will take time and manpower to create so bear with us. That applies to all forms of social media which i open the doors to any fans who feel they could contribute to the brand. From updating Facebook and Twitter with news, posting images and artwork to our Instagram etc. I used to stream and work across the board on all sorts of social media when i was a staff member but i very much doubt i could handle it all on my own now.

______________________________________________________

TL;DR

Yea i know. A huge intake of words. I know. I apologise if i've rambled in any areas but its been 3 days and i cannot remember what sleep is like.

One last personal request i can only ask for is from everyone, to help get this site to whats generally regarded as its former glory. I don't want to see people at each others throats and attacking each other which the Dojo seems to bring out in people throughout the years. Also, if you can keep in mind I've never been in a position such as this before, and to please help be supportive. We are all human and make mistakes, and again in the interests of transparency, I've already clicked the wrong button and deleted a forum which was created for a members work, so i am reluctant to even type on this keyboard right now in case i nuke the site by some mad ass command. I apologise to Mittens too for the forum deletion. He undertook a Shenmue Project with other fans of the site to make a fanmade shenmue game. The project was dropped a while back, and no valuable content was lost thanks to him having back ups, but still, i made the mistake of deleting them instead of hiding them in the ACP and humbly apologise. Even if i mess up, you will hear about it. Theres no brushing of anything under the rug anymore. Not even from me.
But in the run up to this, i can only say thank you to the numerous people that have said the kindest things to me, encouraged me, and gave me confidence that actually makes me believe that i can do this and make this place a success!

I genuinely hope we can all move forward together towards Shenmue 3, and hopefully Shenmue HD. I don't think i need to reiterate that i will be giving this my all, and if you ever want to talk to me about anything then drop me a message on here, or do a search on Facebook for me and drop me a message!

Oh and thank you for lasting this long if you read through it all!!

For any players of Shenmue who are inquisitive or have been inspired to find out more about the Japanese language, we are starting up a new series on Phantom River Stone called "Learn Japanese through Shenmue" aimed at beginners of Japanese. It will be structured around scenes and dialogue from Shenmue to add interest to the process of learning about the language. I hope you'll follow along and have fun.

The first lesson is available right now for blog patrons, and by the end of the month on the main blog for the public release.

Here's a little teaser...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09RWJtiog1g

http://www.phantomriverstone.com/2018/05/trailer-learning-japanese-through.html