I don't see anyone flaming anyone. It's a discussion of a topic... we can't even disagree/agree and say why without it being seen as a fight? I'm hardly upset here lol. People don't enjoy the mindless banter on other sites, but when some thing is actually being discussed people act weirded out. I don't understand it lol.
I never meant to imply the game wasn't good or wasn't pretty. I've played through a good deal of the original (I own the PSX, Saturn and PSP versions of the game -- just like I own a lot of other random Japanese titles from the main franchise). I think graphically it stands up relatively well, even now. I think you're misinterpreting that portion you bolded, which I know I could have phrased better. Basically, I would have loved for it to come out here. I'm a big fan of the type of game Devil Summoner is. Please understand that. They're my favorite type of RPG lol (and coincidentally, Etrian Odyssey is my favorite DS game).
When I say "glancing" at it gives that impression, I meant that glancing at it gives the impression that it's part of an extremely niche genre (for reasons I do not understand, a lot of people would be WAY more accepting of the game if it was 3rd person even). Just like you can tell this just by looking at a screen of Wizardry or Etrian Odyssey or Nightmare of Druaga or whatever else (all games I do personally like). How good it is is not relevant to that, because I know (as you know) it's a good game. That doesn't mean I want them to or would do it if I was in their shoes (in fact, I think if they released it back when it was new they could have gotten decent sales since the market wasn't horribly crowded).
I just think that there's financial reasons that could have added to the list of reasons (including technical issues) we didn't see it. If the hardware problems are the real, number one reason, what's stopping financial reasons for being the second reason? Do you honestly think this wasn't even considered? Personally, I think that if they thought it would do really well, even by their sales standards, they'd get past the "technical problems". I don't know why they couldn't just tell anyone that when they asked instead of telling us all it's for a "variety of secret reasons" (which was basically their exact wording when I asked about it right out).
When Devil Summoner was first announced for PSP in Japan, I hoped for it. I asked about it in interviews. I asked about it on other forums. I remained optimistic about it as time went on. What else could I possibly do about it at the time? Yet, they completely said "no" to it. We already had been coming together in asking for it and other games. I remember asking about the GBA games and other things on their forums and being told no as well. If I was given a less direct answer, you better believe I'd still be asking about it today lol.
But that was over a year ago. I mean, I think it's a fair thing to ask and I don't see why it's not a possibility. I don't think stating this makes me (or anyone) somehow unsupportive or refusing to "come together" over these titles. I'm sure a lot of us felt the way SWR fans feel now when Atlus started their whole SMT campaign here and there was definitely excitement in the air. Every game seemed like a possiblity as time went on, but they've since narrowed things down. I mean, shit, I was one of two people on GAF pushing the hell out of Nocturne before Atlus USA would even comment on it. If another game like Devil Summoner popped up, you better believe I'd be asking them about it and hoping about it all over again. Basically, I'm not sure what else I should be doing differently lol.
So I don't know. Personally I think they should have and wish they would have brought Devil Summoner out here. Something tells me it would have done at least as well as Contact or Jewel Summoner and it'd clearly better than both of those.
I don't know if this clarifies things or not (I hope so), but honestly, in reading what you wrote I think we're both largely on the same page from what I can tell. I apologize for any confusing wording in relation to that.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2007, 03:04:52 PM by Tony »
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Logged Tony has 485 Posts (+10/-0 Karma) |
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I don't see anyone flaming anyone.
I don't think he was implying we were flaming each other. I think it was more of a rip on the mayhem at the Haven at times.
I'm not saying it's the major reason why it never came out here, but you honestly think it was never even considered as yet another reason to skip over it?
No, I don't. I actually spoke with the former Atlus employee last night and I happened to bring up DS PSP. I was told again there is a fatal technical flaw with the title. He wouldn't give me the specifics, but I know it has nothing to do with text issues or screen ratio / aspect. He said Atlus did want to localize it but it was beyond impossible. If you don't want to believe me, that's fine. Stack & Bundles has spoken, and still speaks, to the same individual, and I am sure I can have him confirm it as well.
My point was that the genre is, clearly, far less reaching than that of even just 3rd person RPGs. Given all of the other options you have of games that more people would perhaps actually bother to try, I could see them passing on it. I mean, they are around to make money. Etrian Odyssey obviously throws a wrench into that idea, but still.
With the way the industry has been moving over the past few years, there are small, but devoted segments that have been ignored. Just becasue they are small, doesn't mean that can't be profitable. EO is a good example of this. This was another topic this former employee touched on.
edit* I can see what you are saying about others and how they might view it based off of very little info, but I think the same could be applied to the newest SMT titles. Despite looking more acceptable, they still seem to get ripped by the media. What is weird to me, is how well received SMT KR was. IMO it is the ugliest of the newer titles. I mean it uses polygon builds for the static images.....yuck.
Despite there being a group of people who do enjoy games such as Devil Summoner, there's a far larger group who seem to be far more accepting of RPGs that use 3rd party viewpoints I don't really buy this. I feel this is more of a result of various policies that prevent certain titles making it out here in the selection process. When the majority of titles are third person in the U.S., and that is all the market has had to pick from, what else can you expect to be cultivated? So we should abandon 1st person rpgs all together? I don't think that is what you are implying, but in a way, that is what it sounds like. This is what are really, really dislike about the current state of the video game industry. People want to throw away certain segments here and there because they deem them too niche or archaic. Atlus is in the market to make money, but they still make some shaky choices. You make it sound like DS was just an obscene risk compared to other titles they have released. Again, I'll reference Jewel Summoner. Plus, what in the world can I do beyond making a large English website, forums and so forth that's dedicated to these games that would possibly show my support? Don't make it sound so personal. Some of my comments were general observations. Just like S&B's comment.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2007, 02:36:13 PM by Kakizaki »
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Logged Kakizaki has 312 Posts (+12/-0 Karma) |
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Yeah, I was making fun, Tony. Kind of half serious, half making fun.
Also, I vaguely remember the DS issue. It did deal with a pretty big technical issue. But yeah, what Kakizaki says is true.
One more thing, what's with the & in my name, Kakizaki? 
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Logged Stack Bundles has 189 Posts (+10/-0 Karma) |
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Oh, whoops. My bad.
Did he ever tell you exactly what the issue was?
He was pretty open last night and dropped some heart breaking bombs. At least to me. You might have already been aware of them.
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Logged Kakizaki has 312 Posts (+12/-0 Karma) |
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Sorry, I edited it even more since you responded (well, before I knew you guys did anyway heh). Well, if you guys have some "in" with the company and that's the reason, then what more can I say lol. I thought it was a serious possibility, but I concede! :D
Is it kind of in the same vein of what happened with Dragon Warrior IV on the PSX? I remember Enix saying they'd do it, but the Heartbeat disbanded... Enix was claiming that without their help, it'd be almost impossible to work English text into the game. That was depressing lol. I don't know about either of you, but that is one of my favorite NES games. If not the favorite.
Also, I've not been to the Haven since well before I opened this message board, so I apologize for the misunderstanding.
To make this actually relate to the thread topic -- They sure don't get a lot of room at these new booths.
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Logged Tony has 485 Posts (+10/-0 Karma) |
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Enix was claiming that without their help, it'd be almost impossible to work English text into the game. That was depressing lol. I don't know about either of you, but that is one of my favorite NES games. If not the favorite.
That was harsh, especially considering DQ VII had that advert on the back of the manual for DQ IV coming in 2002.
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Logged Kakizaki has 312 Posts (+12/-0 Karma) |
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The thing with DQIV is that the development team is fresh off the project so they're still very familiar with the coding and whatnot. Enix America localizes, sends the text to Enix Japan, and Heartbeat inserts it. With Heartbeat gone, there was no one to do that. Sure, someone else could have, but it probably would have ended being such a task that it just wouldn't have been worth it, what with having to learn the ins and outs of the coding, and THEN take on the task of inserting the mountains of text DQ titles have. Also add on the fact that EoA was not at all a development house, they were strictly localizations, so they had no way of doing it themselves...
Like I said, I don't remember exactly what the problem with DS PSP was. If I remember or get a chance to ask again, I'll let you know.
So, did anyone know that the Snow Queen Quest in Persona was quite literally half of the game?
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Logged Stack Bundles has 189 Posts (+10/-0 Karma) |
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^I guess I wouldn't call it a half, but it isn't some piddlely tiny side quest either.
I wish EoA was still around, or Enix was a separate entity.
edit* A second employee of Atlus confirmed the issue we were discussing here regarding DS PSP being rejected due to a technical issue. It was actually discussed in an interview that was printed in Play -- for some odd reason, that portion was edited out. It was the issue with Odin Sphere on the cover.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2007, 10:02:10 PM by Kakizaki »
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Logged Kakizaki has 312 Posts (+12/-0 Karma) |
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Vyers said he looked at some stuff left over from back then and it was like half the game.
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Logged Stack Bundles has 189 Posts (+10/-0 Karma) |
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