New (old) Shenmue Online gameplay

(Chapter 1 | General Series Discussion)

New (old) Shenmue Online gameplay

Postby Supa » Wed May 30, 2018 9:29 pm

phpBB [video]


So I was digging around the internet, and found some gameplay footage from Shenmue Online that I had never seen before. I thought it was the TGS 2005 footage, but it is different. Apparently, this is from T2 Technology Holdings' 2005 strategic conference on November 15th, 2004. Interesting stuff.

Source: http://bak1.beareyes.com.cn/2/lib/20041 ... 125198.htm

Supa has received 5 thanks from: Abraham_1, Amir, Haruto, Mr357, Switch
User avatar
Supa
"Keep Friends"
"Keep Friends"
 
Joined: April 2004
Favorite title: Shenmue

Re: New (old) Shenmue Online gameplay

Postby WildManofBorneo » Wed May 30, 2018 9:33 pm

How much involvement did Yu Suzuki have in this game?
User avatar
WildManofBorneo
Master of the Three Blades
Master of the Three Blades
 
Joined: August 2017

Re: New (old) Shenmue Online gameplay

Postby Supa » Wed May 30, 2018 9:40 pm

A lot:

"As I'm the general director of Shenmue Online, I make a decision on everything. I'd like to create a game that satisfies myself, otherwise the players wouldn't be satisfied. I trust my team, and if we take sufficient time, our ideal work will be completed." ~Yu Suzuki~

http://shenmuedojo.net/new/games/s0preview.html
User avatar
Supa
"Keep Friends"
"Keep Friends"
 
Joined: April 2004
Favorite title: Shenmue

Re: New (old) Shenmue Online gameplay

Postby durdygirdy » Wed May 30, 2018 10:27 pm

I know a lot of people didn't want Shenmue Online to happen, but I seriously would have loved to play it.

durdygirdy has received a thanks from: MiTT3NZ
User avatar
durdygirdy
Fuku-san
Fuku-san
 
Joined: January 2017
PSN: durdygirdy
XBL: durdygirdy
Steam: durdygirdy
Favorite title: Shenmue
Currently playing: Deus Ex

Re: New (old) Shenmue Online gameplay

Postby Haruto » Wed May 30, 2018 10:56 pm

Back then i wasn't sure my PC could handle the game. now looks like 3DS could or at the very least PSvita since it has PSO2 on it. Also something about MMO graphics at this period in time I liked. I know FF14 is better but I like the early 2000s more for an MMO...except for WoW.
User avatar
Haruto
Banned
Banned
 
Joined: April 2018
Favorite title: Shenmue

Re: New (old) Shenmue Online gameplay

Postby Spaghetti » Thu May 31, 2018 12:12 am

I know it was absolutely not what the fanbase wanted, but I get the feeling from watching the various gameplay clips out there that Shenmue Online may have been at least... interesting, in retrospect.

Like this footage, if it really is from November 2004, is from around the time when World of Warcraft originally launched and I can't help but feel Shenmue Online looks a lot more advanced on the surface of things. I'm not an MMO player though, and I never got into WoW anyway so maybe I'm talking it down unknowingly.
User avatar
Spaghetti
Machine Gun Fist
Machine Gun Fist
 
Joined: November 2015

Re: New (old) Shenmue Online gameplay

Postby spud1897 » Thu May 31, 2018 3:08 am

You're right it wasn't a game anyone from the fanbase wanted. Little did we know it would be the last definitive Shenmue game for a bloody long time, not including that Shenmue mobile game we got.

I never got into MMO games either but I would probably have bought it because it was Shenmue. I'd like to have found out how it linked into the main story (if at all) & what new areas were planned. I did see something on the 500k/Phantom River Stone who translated the language to show some new areas on a map.
User avatar
spud1897
News Poster
News Poster
 
Joined: February 2007
Location: UK
PSN: spud19870
Steam: spud19870
Favorite title: Shenmue II
Currently playing: Horizon, Shenmue 2

Re: New (old) Shenmue Online gameplay

Postby Haruto » Thu May 31, 2018 6:08 am

Spaghetti wrote: I know it was absolutely not what the fanbase wanted, but I get the feeling from watching the various gameplay clips out there that Shenmue Online may have been at least... interesting, in retrospect.

Like this footage, if it really is from November 2004, is from around the time when World of Warcraft originally launched and I can't help but feel Shenmue Online looks a lot more advanced on the surface of things. I'm not an MMO player though, and I never got into WoW anyway so maybe I'm talking it down unknowingly.


WoW had the benefit of being a spinoff of a very successful Warcraft series. A series only on PC. Shenmue however a failed series on a failed console. Likely was the best choice to cancel it.
User avatar
Haruto
Banned
Banned
 
Joined: April 2018
Favorite title: Shenmue

Re: New (old) Shenmue Online gameplay

Postby Spaghetti » Thu May 31, 2018 9:00 am

Haruto wrote:WoW had the benefit of being a spinoff of a very successful Warcraft series. A series only on PC. Shenmue however a failed series on a failed console. Likely was the best choice to cancel it.

What I'm saying is Shenmue Online may have been as ahead of its time compared to contemporaries, as the original Dreamcast games. Visually at least this early footage has WoW beat by miles.

But I do (and don't in some ways) agree that it was best to cancel. The core fans of the series didn't want it, and probably wouldn't be able to experience it anyway considering the game was mostly for the Korean and Chinese markets. What if Shenmue Online was success and Yu Suzuki was railroaded into working on expansions rather than trying to get a new mainline game made? We probably got the better deal overall by having it slip into obscurity and quiet cancellation, looking at things in hindsight.

Though at the same time, the game had exhibited quite a few times to a fairly positive reaction from players if I'm remembering rightly. I think they may have gotten to an open Beta, or at least had it on the cards. It's a shame something that looked quite functional and displaying some unique quirks for an MMO in a sea of WoW clones was cancelled like that. Allegedly it was because of management changeover at SEGA and the new regime wanting to put their stamp on things by cancelling a swathe of projects approved by old management.
User avatar
Spaghetti
Machine Gun Fist
Machine Gun Fist
 
Joined: November 2015

Re: New (old) Shenmue Online gameplay

Postby WildManofBorneo » Thu May 31, 2018 1:19 pm

I've just finished watching all available clips for Shenmue Online and have come to the following conclusion - this game is to Shenmue what text messaging is to classical literature. Utter drivel.
User avatar
WildManofBorneo
Master of the Three Blades
Master of the Three Blades
 
Joined: August 2017

Re: New (old) Shenmue Online gameplay

Postby darksniper » Fri Jun 01, 2018 12:13 pm

It's funny how time can change your perception on things. When this was in development I was absolutely against playing this and wanted no part of it. I was still bitter that we had no Shenmue III. Fast forward to today, I'd absolutely play Shenmue Online and kinda saddened that this got cancelled. Oh well, it was for the best anyway.
User avatar
darksniper
Man Mo Acolyte
Man Mo Acolyte
 
Joined: February 2010

Re: New (old) Shenmue Online gameplay

Postby Supa » Fri Jun 01, 2018 9:48 pm

There was an open beta in Korea. There are pictures of it floating around. I can post some if anyone wants to see them.

I think if it was released as a definite side game, not continuing the story and instead being just based on it, I would love to play it. I still would love to play it, and wanted to back then, without wanting it to continue the story. I think Yu even confirmed that Online was not canon to the main story.
User avatar
Supa
"Keep Friends"
"Keep Friends"
 
Joined: April 2004
Favorite title: Shenmue

Re: New (old) Shenmue Online gameplay

Postby James Brown » Sat Jun 02, 2018 4:15 pm

Wow thanks for sharing this footage, i'd never actually seen this video before either, atleast I don't think I had! It looks better than I remember the game looking aswell, looks like they had put alot of time and effort into it, the environments, looked pretty vast from what we were shown already, like alot of the game had already been made.

Like Spag said this was the start of the MMO craze, so it may have taken off...but then it could also have been completely ignored aswell as people got obsessed with World of Warcraft :P

Still I personally was excited for this at the time as I was an MMO gamer back then! Shame it never got finished, and released, maybe for the best, as in my opinion looked quite rough around the edges, and the combat looked awful from what I remember. Great little piece of history though, wonder if there's a working build still out there somewhere!?
User avatar
James Brown
"After Burner...Great!"
"After Burner...Great!"
 
Joined: March 2003
Location: England
XBL: skilljimmeh
Favorite title: Shenmue

Re: New (old) Shenmue Online gameplay

Postby Supa » Sat Jun 02, 2018 11:08 pm

JCE's Shenmue Online website from back then had a spot where you could download the beta. I'm not sure if you needed to be a verified beta tester or what, but all I find are broken links.
User avatar
Supa
"Keep Friends"
"Keep Friends"
 
Joined: April 2004
Favorite title: Shenmue

Re: New (old) Shenmue Online gameplay

Postby spud1897 » Sun Jun 03, 2018 3:12 am

A long time ago I think some of the moderators on the 500k tried to find the beta, with no success. I wonder if someone out there still has it?

I'd be interested to see it if it ever surfaced.
User avatar
spud1897
News Poster
News Poster
 
Joined: February 2007
Location: UK
PSN: spud19870
Steam: spud19870
Favorite title: Shenmue II
Currently playing: Horizon, Shenmue 2

Next

Return to Shenmue

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

Powered by phpBB © 2000-
ShenmueDojo.net