Have we already seen Bailu Village? SPOILERS!

[KidMarine]

I was browsing through the Shenmue Wiki when something struck me



This is an image from Miao Village, cut from Shenmue 2. Note the watchtower looking thing.

Now look at this image taken from Suzuki-san's presentation in China



You can just see the same watchtower, just past Ine-san! Presumably this video is set in one of the houses you can see in the first image. So it seems Bailu at least is laid out just like it was going to be in Shenmue 2. There are more images here: http://shenmue.wikia.com/wiki/Miao_Village_%28Unused%29

Another thing I noticed was that Shenhua's flashback seems to be set in Bailu too.

Here's an image from her flashback (taken from the HD screencaps thread):



and here it is in the cut Shenmue 2 content:



Interesting, huh?

[Peter]

I thought that was Miao Village? It could be Bailu Village, but from what we know now, isn't the infamous Bailu Village which we have talked about for 14 years now, not kinda small and insignificant? I mean, now we know the huge area of Shenmue 3 is actually Choubu? I have kinda forgotten about Bailu Village and am more ex cited about Choubu personally.

[Spaghetti]

It's possible. The straw huts look very similar to what we've seen in Shenmue 3's Bailu Village.

I do hope we get to see this temple though: http://shenmue.wikia.com/wiki/Miao_Vill ... reen02.jpg

[shengoro86]

I was browsing through the Shenmue Wiki when something struck me



This is an image from Miao Village, cut from Shenmue 2. Note the watchtower looking thing.

Now look at this image taken from Suzuki-san's presentation in China



You can just see the same watchtower, just past Ine-san! Presumably this video is set in one of the houses you can see in the first image. So it seems Bailu at least is laid out just like it was going to be in Shenmue 2. There are more images here: http://shenmue.wikia.com/wiki/Miao_Village_%28Unused%29

I think we have bingo. But then again, there is always the possibility that these two places may share similar structures. This screenshot is confirmed to be unused content cut from shenmue 2.

Another thing I noticed was that Shenhua's flashback seems to be set in Bailu too.

Here's an image from her flashback (taken from the HD screencaps thread):



and here it is in the cut Shenmue 2 content:



Interesting, huh?

That content is not cut from Shenmue 2. It is merely used for a flashback scene but we might visit it later. I've explored that area entirely (alongside other modders) and it is super detailed to the point where I think it may be of importance but NOT in Shenmue 3. Maybe in the final chapters since that scene alone shows some stunning non-verbally told story.

Great observations though! It struck some of us weirdly too. I am interested to see where this all pans out but since it is Shenmue, some secrets are best left untold.

[LanDC]

I was browsing through the Shenmue Wiki when something struck me



This is an image from Miao Village, cut from Shenmue 2. Note the watchtower looking thing.

That cut village from Shenmue II is not Miao Village. Who knows what it was going to be, but it shouldn't be Miao Village. Apparently, Miao Village will be visited in chapter 8, according to Yu Suzuki from a press conference in Shanghai (CHUAPPX) last November.

http://www.shenmuedojo.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=49361

Whatever that unused area was, it's not far-fetched that it would have similar structures to what we'll see in Bailu Village, given it's in the same general area.

[Ziming]

In his Kickstarter promo video Kenji Miyawaki briefly talks about a unused village.

phpBB [video]