If Shen III gets canned, would you read the 16-chapter book?

[Tama-san]

Literature is the best medium compared to anime or real-life movie.

Imagine Ryo becomes a poorly-rendered anime hero who KICKS ASS, or, a movie star running around asking people for hints. Any commercial anime/movie adaptation of this game will kill the originality of it simply because: Shenmue is not even moderately commercialized. If they can have the budget for a CG movie, I'm sure they can have the same financial power to release the game. So a novel is the only medium which can give you the last chance for imagination if the game fails to come out. Support it.

[CloudXenon]

If Shenmue III got canned id probaly read a book(although it probaly wouldnt become a novel)or id watch a movie like the one they included in Shenmue 2x,but the bottom line would result in me probaly selling my dreamcast and then later selling my shenmue 2(keeping the x-box of course)cause without a completion to the shenmue series(in game form)the whole thing would wear off.

[Forklift#5]

well, it would lose something with it not being a game anymore because I want to go and play darts and buy capsule toys goddamn it! But it would gain something from being in a book, becasue all the visuals aren't provided for you, so you have to imagine it...and I think that'd be cool, but I'd rather see it as a game

[code l name]

Literature is the best medium compared to anime or real-life movie.

I disagree, Shenmue relies a great deal on sight, visuals and perspective something that is not always easy to translate into written text. While I would hate to see a live-action film (Just look at Super Mario, Street fighter, Tomb Raider movies, yuck) an anime would be a decent substitute.

Key word is substitute because to me videogames is emerging as the most exciting mediums in entertainment for one sole reason; interaction. And Shenmue encourages that a great deal within the confines of the game. Let’s hope we don't come to that stage, where we are getting the second best alternative.

[Samanosuke Akechi]

it wouldnt feel the same but i will have to know how the story ends so i will definitly read the book

[Rhayno G.]

Id be dissapointed, but id be one the first to go get the book.

[Man Mo Something]

to me videogames is emerging as the most exciting mediums in entertainment for one sole reason; interaction. And Shenmue encourages that a great deal within the confines of the game. Let’s hope we don't come to that stage, where we are getting the second best alternative.

That's a great point, and one of the reasons John Woo created his own video game dev company (Tiger Hill) because he sees the potential for storytelling could expand beyond the scope of even a movie.

The only negative comment is that, just like Shenmue, reading a book takes a great deal of patience. And most gamers would rather be blowing stuff up than walking through a cave, talking and gathering fire wood.

Has anyone here ever written fan fiction? It's super popular on other RPG sites such as Phantasy Star. I'm tempted to write a fan fiction side-story about how Wong become an orphan of the streets, and took refuge with the Heavens.

[santino]

id read any shenmue book

[Tama-san]

The problem about turning Shenmue-the-game into an anime (which originally is not a bad idea) is how the anime version ruins the story and the characters. Anime adaptations of popular video games, Fatal Fury and Street Fighters for example, usually fall into cheesy commercialized themes (beat the boss, get the girl) and dramatically change the original character designs. I can see how Ryo will become a lonely street fighter, Harazaki and Shen Hua praying for him to rescue them, blah blah. How good the execution of the anime is will determine the "destiny" of Shenmue, which is not fair to the originally well-executed storyline.

code l name, your point of "being interactive" is valid.

I'm sure a lot of Shenmue fans/gamers would like to spend time reading the book. Reading can get you involved as much as bashing your game controller, or even more; Harry Potter wouldn't make it to big screen if it wasn't those few chapters which made it so powerful. All visual media can fulfill your excitement but only literature can give you more because there is no graphics for you to reply on but your own imagination and participation. That's why, the second-best medium.

[Daemos]

I would, definitely. If it were released here or at least online.

[Snoopbob2006]

I would defenatly read it. If there was a shenmue I book and II I would read them too..

[asnozz]

so how are u guys going to read it if its in japanese?
ok ill stop being difficult

[B-Man]

Sure, I'd buy the book and read it to find out the rest of the story. But it would still suck pretty bad, compared to the series continuing as a game. The Shenmue series is not so amazing just because of the story alone. It's an indescribable combination of the story, the visual imagery, the music, the interaction, the feeling of being a part of a living, breathing world, and many other intangible factors that a book could never even begin to capture.

[Cpt. Ultimate K Prime]

A graphic novel over a novel, but yeah, I'd read it.

[Yama]

I'd buy it no matter what actually.