What fans would like Awesome Japan to do

[Doom_Infinite]

I'm not sure I'm doing this right but I thought it might be a good idea to compile what most people have been asking for, combined with what has worked for other successful campaigns such as Igarashi's Bloodstained by Fangamer.

We could pass a link around on social media hoping it ends up with the right people. If a mod would like to edit straight into this message to add things please do so.


Here are changes that they really ought to make:

- Put the Strech Goals at the top or at least high enough that one doesn't have to browse through the entire page to see them.

- Make the stretch goals more interesting and exciting (things like language subtitles do not get people hyped).

- Add on the screenshots and video footage that this is work in progress and that the final product will not look like this. Don't expect people to go to the faq for such vital information.

- Add information about Shemue in general, especially for newcomers who do not know about the series (including what consoles they were released on and what made the games groundbreaking for their time).

- Describe Sony's support in marketing on the front page to let fans know this is bigger than just the Kickstarter (this shouldn't be only in that one update).

- Add information about the PC version having DRM. This has been said to backers in private but not on the page itself. Again transparency is good.


Here are changes that they really should consider:

- Show what the community is up to in updates.
-----Show some fan arts, music remix, reactions to the announcement or fans sharing their experiences with Shenmue etc.

- Revamp the page with fresh new graphics to draw the attention of those who have come by before and were either undecided or not really convinced.

- Where possible use the Famitsu screenshot of Ryo which most fans here seem to prefer over the one in the video footage.

- Stop dubbing Suzuki san's voice in a documentary style dub. Use subtitles and leave his voice in the video, it's more sophisticated and natural.

- If possible mention more of what the plans are for the game, fighting system, control scheme (tank controls?), fully voiced or not, possibility of dual audio etc. How many chapters does Suzuki san intend to implement into Shenmue III? Maybe they can't say with certainty at this point but the more they say the better.

- Improve some of the rewards, consider a PS4 backer exclusive sleeve to put over the eventual PS4 physical release if one were to come.

- Have Suzuki make weekly videos or at this point every 5 days to answer questions asked on Twitter. Igarashi did this and backers loved it.

- Update the campaign video. Edit out the part discussing the scrolls as it's awkwardly placed. Put in more Shenmue I and II footage perhaps. Also undub it! We want to hear his real voice.

- Define the strech goals better, more detailed would be better. Mini games x5 sounds arbitrary as we don't know what's being multiplied in the first place. Remove village expanded in front of each goal, too repetitive.


Then of course the obvious, which according to the latest news is expected to come soon:

- New tiers

- New stretch goals

- Addition of paypal.


What would you like to add, alter or remove?

I'm not sure I should do this because I may not be able to update this regularly enough to please everyone. If someone with more time for this would like to just use this in their own thread by all means please do.

[Jackie Fhan]

Just want them to do something notworthy, stop giving these "text" updates that most people in the wild don't even take notice to...

I think more than anthing the time frame in which they didn't release and change the tiers has been the most concerning for me. Lost of lost time and money even if they actually hit 10 million by the end, could have been more regardless.

Figuered they would have seen the need for it and had it done by wednesday of this week. The poll they gave out doesn't give me the hope I was wanting though.

Also need some significant in game material (character models, loations, show us what you are actually working on) that would be a big help also. Show us and label it as work in progress, honestly.. the current ryo model is beyond ugly. Looks like he is honestly slow.

[MiTT3NZ]

Get sacked.

[mjq jazz bar]

I simply want them to update the front page by moving stretch goals to the top and add some new, better artwork: for instance, Yu Suzuki's new Ryo Hazuki sketch. I think the bones of the page are ok. I've seen worse. They seem like they're either too stubborn to listen to the fans or are not being paid enough to actively maintain the page.

[ElephantStone]

I simply want them to update the front page by moving stretch goals to the top and add some new, better artwork: for instance, Yu Suzuki's new Ryo Hazuki sketch. I think the bones of the page are ok. I've seen worse. They seem like they're either too stubborn to listen to the fans or are not being paid enough to actively maintain the page.

It's kind of embarrassing when you think that you could pick basically any member of the dojo, and they'd be able to put together a better kickstarter for Shenmue III for free, than what Awesome Japan have been paid to produce.

I thought maybe we were being a little harsh with the criticism at first, but for fuck sake, the stretch goals are still literally hidden away at the bottom of the page. That's gotta be like deliberate sabotage at this point. Nobody can be this shit at their jobs.

[killthesagabeforeitkillsu]

Hire a community manager that has some knowledge about Shenmue and cred within the fanbase. The page doesn't seem like it was made by people that know what Shenmue is. I'm pretty sure that if you gave people from the dojo a chance to re design the KS page, it would look like a million bucks within 24 hours.

[Shenmuehua]

They re back on tracks guys. We also can expect surprises....


But don t hesitate to send them all those ideas.

Beacause at least it can help them to think about other ideas and more people with the same ideas more weight there is to it.


Believe me, send as much ideas (useful and intelligent) as you can. Show your dedication and your points on each of them.

[sand4fish]

Change the company name to "Not So Awesome Japan" because the name right now is a blatant lie, given the extent of their work produced so far. And it might have been one of the reasons Yu Suzuki hired them in the first place, and if so give that money back or at least reinvest it towards the campaign. Also, they should pay us fans for doing their work (or at least give us some free rewards out their own pocket as sign of gratitude).

If they can't comply to those mentioned above they should make these a priority:

- PayPal option ASAP
- Update the campaign video
- Use the media for advertising. What's so hard about doing a series of interviews with Yu Suzuki explaining his vision, the product etc and upload it on YouTube or Kickstarter page? How about a Shenmue playthrough with commentaries? An official forum which might unite the entire Shenmue community and newcomers alike?

[murdiaries]

PAYPAL and chinese subtitles. No really, excluding chinese fans from contributing with Paypal is criminal.

Secondly, talk with Yu Suzuki and define LESS but more condensed / interesting stretch goals within the 5M range and fucking explain EACH of them and why we should be willing to donate more.

[Doom_Infinite]

I've added some of the things that were mentioned.

[Doom_Infinite]

Added some more.