Kickstarter Update #63: Campaign and Progress Update

[Rikitatsu]

What an absolute fud. If this isn't trolling then I don't know what is.

I guess it sounds like trolling, but really, that wasn't the intention...

Look, I apologize for getting you all worked up and worried. If I could go back in time, I wouldn't write that post to begin with... I can see why it's aggravating to people, so I'm sorry... I, like many of you, was really excited about the "new videos" that were about to drop early next year, a lot of us thought the game is being properly revealed at PSX, and now we direct our hype to MAGIC after the no show... So when I heard about current state of the game, how early in development things seem to be at, it really brought down my hype... Because I feel all we're getting in MAGIC would environmental shots, basically what we've been getting for the past 1.5 years. And that the game's *proper* unveiling now seems very, very far off, let alone a trial version.

So I attempted (unsuccessfully, evidently) to try and keep people from getting their hopes up. I didn't clarify anything in my original post, and that led to some confusion and panic... Which is totally understandable. I clarified it later, but apparently the damage was done. There is not much more I could say to alleviate any concerns, because I really don't want to betray a friend's trust who confided me with such information in the first place. But if you think the game is in serious trouble, rest assured, it's not.

[Yokosuka]

taking someone at face value on the internet you expect us to trust you? who are you? other than a sad attention whoring fool. I feel sorry for you, you have no friends. really.

now go away and let us enjoy shenmue 3

Rikitatsu is not an AW. He's worrying a bit about Shenmue III and try naturally to share a private information while highly respecting his source and the people implied in the development, period.

And I can say his information is 100% trustworthy considering who the source is. While what I learnt is pretty discouraging, I think it does not mean much for the future of the game actually so no need to make a fuss for the moment.

For fuck's sake. "Naturally try to share private information"? Give me a break. We're witnessing a two-tier fandom on Shenmuedojo where those in the know are doing a massive disservice to 1) the source and 2) the rest of us by dropping these half bombs. If you can't share it, and it's only going to cause anxiety to tease it, then don't.

So ignore them.

If not, I will copy paste again what I've said for you:

'it does not mean much for the future of the game actually so no need to make a fuss'

[shredingskin]

'it does not mean much for the future of the game actually so no need to make a fuss'

That's exactly what someone who wants to make a fuss would say.

[Kiske]

Let's be honest here. There *will* be disappointment at some juncture. We'll wish it looked better, we'll wish it had more substance from goals we didn't/don't reach.

If it gets delayed, it gets delayed. No high-profile Kickstarter game has ever made date with their preliminary release window. MN9, Yooka Laylee, Amplitude, Bloodstained; they all got pushed, so we should expect SIII also..kind of an unspoken conclusion now.

At the end of the day, here's what matters--you *will* get it, with all of its celebrations and shortcomings, which is more than we could say for the past 15 years.

This

I used to rail against publishers who called customers self-entitled (I refuse to call it entitled, which is this weird shortened version of self-entitled everyone has adopted lately ) but I am starting to change my mind lately based on some of the post-release and pre-release backlash many games get these days. People are so used to their demands being met - which from a consumer rights standpoint is great, but - they seem to consider anything less than their precise idealized version of what a product should be so woefully insufficient as to render it "a dumpster fire," as the now popular term seems to be.

Thankfully no one has yet referred to Shenmue III by that nomenclature... but seriously... the game has just now exited pre-production, and I don't personally factor in comparisons to other dev cycles for other games with fewer people involved, because this is Shenmue, and it's Yu Suzuki, and while people may not LIKE this... the dev plan chart lays out pretty explicitly where they are and what they've focused on so far and haven't. That's just the way it is. This is the way they are proceeding. Expecting better visual design at this stage is in direct logical conflict with what they've publicly told us their plan is, and when the different stages of development are going to happen.

People have the right to feel that way and to demand whatever they want... but it's just not what they're doing. If he's not ready to pull the trigger on better art assets yet... it's not happening, whether we're impatient for it to or not. Even if they exist, we're not going to see them until they feel it's worth showing. The new screenshots are meant to show a combination of what they have, and what they're aiming for. That's why they're explicitly called WIP. WIP means what it means... work in progress.

And as Valascaziel said, a potentially less than perfect Shenmue III that nonetheless does all it can to feel like Shenmue, with less than ideal marketing and less than immediate response to exactly what we want when we want it... is at least infinitely preferable to the 15 year period during which we all thought we might NEVER see a third Shenmue installment. How quickly we forget the excitement and miracle that was the announcement of this game, and its successful funding. How quickly we start to nitpick every little thing and forget how Yu works and what they've already told us about the development stages and their clearly laid out plans.

Or maybe people just don't like said plan. I get that. That's the thing though... we don't get to affect or dictate that plan. We paid for Yu and company to implement their vision, in the way they best think will accomplish a game that feels like Shenmue. Not to take the reigns and directly influence said plan and how and when things happen. We get to give them feedback... not demand things. Just my opinion. I respect everybody's opinion and I'm not telling people what to think or feel. But this is the reality, and I for one remain very excited and hopeful.

[Peter]

What an absolute fud. If this isn't trolling then I don't know what is.

I guess it sounds like trolling, but really, that wasn't the intention...

Look, I apologize for getting you all worked up and worried. If I could go back in time, I wouldn't write that post to begin with... I can see why it's aggravating to people, so I'm sorry... I, like many of you, was really excited about the "new videos" that were about to drop early next year, a lot of us thought the game is being properly revealed at PSX, and now we direct our hype to MAGIC after the no show... So when I heard about current state of the game, how early in development things seem to be at, it really brought down my hype... Because I feel all we're getting in MAGIC would environmental shots, basically what we've been getting for the past 1.5 years. And that the game's *proper* unveiling now seems very, very far off, let alone a trial version.

So I attempted (unsuccessfully, evidently) to try and keep people from getting their hopes up. I didn't clarify anything in my original post, and that led to some confusion and panic... Which is totally understandable. I clarified it later, but apparently the damage was done. There is not much more I could say to alleviate any concerns, because I really don't want to betray a friend's trust who confided me with such information in the first place. But if you think the game is in serious trouble, rest assured, it's not.

That's fair enough. We live and we learn, so that's the end of it.

But I wouldn't say "direct our hype to MAGIC". For myself personally, PSX was a very big lesson, in that plans can change, and that now will stay with me throughout this whole development process. I personally don't think MAGIC will have any Shenmue content, especially since Yu-San isn't confirmed to attend the event. If he was.... yea from my experience last year would encourage me to get excited, but as if now, I am not too hopeful. E3 in 7 months would be my tentative guess but I'm not jumping head first into anything anymore, regardless if YSNET tells me so themselves.

[Yokosuka]

'it does not mean much for the future of the game actually so no need to make a fuss'

That's exactly what someone who wants to make a fuss would say.

I hated Rugrats. Made me depressive, I don't know why.

[shredingskin]

I hated Rugrats. Made me depressive, I don't know why.

That's exactly what someone who loves Rugrats would say.

[mjq jazz bar]

My take is until Ys Net etc present screenshots/videos as representative of the final product, I'm not going to worry.

Too old for these highs and lows. I know Yu Suzuki is a very capable developer and Kickstarter foibles aren't going to change that.

I do think another Reddit AMA would be a nice progress check for most of us--if anyone on the team has the time.

[Himuro]

We need to push for another AMA after the first trailer comes out.

[shredingskin]

I think we need to let Yu work on the game the fuck alone xD

[LucBu]

What an existentialist crisis.

[celsowm]

(source)

I really, really want to play this game !

[Spaghetti]

A new development interview for the new year would be nice. Definitely would take less time time than an AMA.

[shredingskin]

(source)

I really, really want to play this game !

Really, looking at the bright side, it's freaking beautiful and awesome.

[FlagshipFighter]

(source)

I really, really want to play this game !

Oh wow, this collage highlights how the game has actually improved, visually. It's definitely several magnitudes more vibrant.