Random Shenmue IV Thoughts.

[Suzaku]

We still have at least 2 games to go, and realistically, everything considered (tech, assets, console generation etc.) 2024 is the limit to announce Shenmue 4 (and finger crossed it will be a "two games project" like on Dreamcast, with Shenmue 5 released 2 years later).

This to still have a chance to make both Shenmue 4 and 5 happening in the same console generations, the only viable option.

 

[thedemon1238]

Another Kickstarter would be the best option in the curent state of the industry but due to bad execution of the first kickstarter another one happening is rather unlikely I am afraid.

I too think that in the current state of the game industry, we can't hope for a miracle. Sega are interested only in games that sells millions or chasing trends. Probably kickstrater is our best bet. Ysnet have something made for Shenmue 4. If we manage to fund even small episode (Baisha, the train, the temple), it will be great success for the series. If we don't make the kickstarter goal, nothing can be done. Probably the shenmue final is not meant to be in video game format.

I just want one more shenmue game from Yu Suzuki. I really hope someone will help him to do another kickstarter.

I know Yu Suzuki is not young. Probably legend like him only needs to go to conventions, doing interviews and make people happy with photos and autographs. Doing a game on kickstarter is very stressful. The suikoden creator died months before his kickstarter game was released. Probably is selfish to ask Yu to do another kickstarter, but if he wants to do it, Im all in.

 

[Seaman]

I too think that in the current state of the game industry, we can't hope for a miracle. Sega are interested only in games that sells millions or chasing trends. Probably kickstrater is our best bet. Ysnet have something made for Shenmue 4. If we manage to fund even small episode (Baisha, the train, the temple), it will be great success for the series. If we don't make the kickstarter goal, nothing can be done. Probably the shenmue final is not meant to be in video game format.

Im not sure about the kickstarter but you made a triple point with the unavoidable bridges to cross for getting Shenmue IV: Sega, YS.net and the disrupted state of industry of the moment. 2024 is crucial for us but from game companies just surviving the year will be a won battlefront. Big studios closing divisions and smaller ones closing whole... Many of us been there end 90s/early 2000s and boy It was carnage.
Past year, 2023 was partially marked by Hollywood actors and writters strikes due AI generated content. The snowball is gradually getting bigger...



Now it seems like a relief that Yu Suzuki went beyond it and has been involved in AI research since 2 years ago (or more?). In my opinion, if Sega plays their cards with Virtua Fighter this year we could hear for Shenmue 4 in 2025, which has been worked quietly with lot of AI generated content. Anyway, lets pray for YS.net existing as its stimated that a game studio average lifespan without a hit its 8 years.

 

[9dragons]

@SMDzero I respect your opinion. But if you feel that way you should think about giving up. Now is not the right time for Shenmue. Shenmue 4 would not fit at all in the current landscape of games. Without another miracle kickstarter now is not the time for Shenmue. Shortly things might change, but no big wig in the industry would greenlight a game like Shenmue. It pains me to say that but I am afraid I might be right.

So we have fans who have to be super patient or we have to move on.

 

[Suzaku]

We don't have the luxury to wait for better times. For all we knows, the entire market could even crash in the coming years.
Imagine a Shenmue announcement in 2026, means the release could be in 2028-2030, NO WAY, then what Shenmue 5 in 2035? It's not viable.
By 2030 the series must be already concluded!

I don't know you guys, but I don't want shenmue games made by other people or by simple fans like happens with modern sega licensed indie games.

 

[Reprise]

Now is not the right time for Shenmue. Shenmue 4 would not fit at all in the current landscape of games.

Eh? I am not sure I agree. It'll fit in as well as it would in any other era. I don't see how Shenmue couldn't fit in today's landscape quite easily.

- Plenty of nostalgia for old-school Sega and plenty of love for the Dreamcast era
- Plenty of nostalgia for that era of games in general
- We have seen plenty of successful revivals over the last few years, from Monkey Island, to Syberia, to Psychonauts, to even Kao the Kangaroo and freaking Bubsy
- Speaking of yiberia and Monkey Island, the Adventure and Point and Click genre had a very decent revival over the last half a decade

Now *could* be the right time for Shenmue
*If* handled correctly, Shenmue 4 has the potential to do better than Shenmue 3.

Shenmue would fit in as well as any of the projects Sega are reviving...

 

[Suzaku]

*If* handled correctly, Shenmue 4 has the potential to do better than Shenmue 3.

Shenmue would fit in as well as any of the projects Sega are reviving...

Even better.
Many of the revived Sega classics could only dreams the numbers of the original Shenmue.

And nowadays, if even Yakuza that was irrelevant in the west 10 years ago, managed to become a big hitter, there is no excuse for Shenmue not being a multi million seller.

 

[Reprise]

The elephant in the room is Yu Suzuki probably requires outside help. He needs someone who can help with:

- Writing and pacing
- Altering the scope to fit within a more limited budget
- Cinematography
- Someone who can help him explore more updated mechanics and menus, redesign the game and create something that doesn't feel like a relic released in the wrong era. And no, that isn't code for "lol make it a CoD clone in a massive open world full of quest icons"

 

[SPG]

With Shenmue 3 and Air Twister being decidedly old fashioned, we’ve not really seen what YS’s version of something modern and up to date would be - it’d be incredible to see him come back with something forward thinking and successful. Being optimistic about his output generally, I’d like to think he’s piled up some ideas over his time since his halcyon days.

Since you mention menus, I didn’t think S3’s was too bad (nor too good for that matter) but Air Twister’s is just weird and very unclear indeed.

I’m sure YS has stated a couple of times about working with scriptwriters (end of year thing maybe? Cant quite remember) so maybe he recognises it’s something that’d need strengthening for S4 and onward.

 

[Reprise]

but Air Twister’s is just weird and very unclear indeed.

Yeah, I definitely had that one fresh in my mind as I was writing that. And even stuff like the fonts just seem... I don't know, but weird.

I really enjoy Air Twister for what it is and give it plenty of slack as it's a budget title, but the menus are definitely weird and confusing.

 

[SPG]

I honestly think Air Twister excels at what it was trying to achieve, not many games feel and play like that nowadays.

The menu is haywire though, no idea what YsNet were thinking, it’s the only thing I can think of that I’d criticise about the game, aside from my complaining about the soundtrack being absolutely contrary to my taste, but that’s my preference rather than anything else obviously…

Shenmue 4 with great gameplay but impenetrable UI incoming. Get ready.

 

[SMDzero]

@SMDzero I respect your opinion. But if you feel that way you should think about giving up. Now is not the right time for Shenmue. Shenmue 4 would not fit at all in the current landscape of games. Without another miracle kickstarter now is not the time for Shenmue. Shortly things might change, but no big wig in the industry would greenlight a game like Shenmue. It pains me to say that but I am afraid I might be right.

So we have fans who have to be super patient or we have to move on.

Dude with all respect, the opinion that S4 "would not fit at all in the current landscape of games" is complete poppycock.

If anything the current troubles of the market being oversaturated with costly mass market AAA games shows that there is a need for more risky innovative AA games like Shenmue.

The industry needs Shenmue now more than ever.

 

[spud1897]

Dude with all respect, the opinion that S4 "would not fit at all in the current landscape of games" is complete bullsh*t.

If anything the current troubles of the market being oversaturated with costly mass market AAA games shows that there is a need for more risky innovative AA games like Shenmue.

The industry needs Shenmue now more than ever.

You can agree or disagree with the view but calling it bullshit isn't on.

Less of that please

 

[xatruio]

Cinematography i felt was good, definitelt a better need for a pro screenwriter, though for story pace.

 

[SMDzero]

You can agree or disagree with the view but calling it bullshit isn't on.

Less of that please

I changed it to poppycock.

 

[thedemon1238]

Someone closer to Yu Suzuki/Cedric should ask him what he thinks of the Early Access concept. Probably some early version of Shenmue 4 is sitting on the ysnet hardisks and is shown only to publishers. We can play/test it and pouring a few million into development. :)

 

[Reprise]

Poppycock is a word I haven't heard used in too long

Cinematography i felt was good, definitelt a better need for a pro screenwriter, though for story pace.

The cutscene direction just didn't really feel as good as Shenmue 1 and 2 to me. That was the main thing. Shenmue 1 blew me away at the time and one of the reasons was how the direction and camera work on cutscenes, everything felt movie like.

 

[SMDzero]

Poppycock is a word I haven't heard used in too long



The cutscene direction just didn't really feel as good as Shenmue 1 and 2 to me. That was the main thing. Shenmue 1 blew me away at the time and one of the reasons was how the direction and camera work on cutscenes, everything felt movie like.

For me the problems with Shenmue 3 were not so much quality but quantity.

The game just needed MORE cutscenes, and obviously Baisha.

I’ve said it before, Shenmue 3 as released was only 2/3rds complete since the 3rd town was missing.

But the 66.6% of a game we got was great but once we got to the abrupt ending it left a bad taste.

Imagine you’re in the middle of eating a delicious steak and seafood dinner and then someone knocks over the table and screams “dinners over!” That was what playing Shenmue 3 is like.

I wonder if YS will ever do a post mortem of S3 and tell is what the ending was supposed to be.

 

[darksniper]

@SMDzero I respect your opinion. But if you feel that way you should think about giving up. Now is not the right time for Shenmue. Shenmue 4 would not fit at all in the current landscape of games. Without another miracle kickstarter now is not the time for Shenmue. Shortly things might change, but no big wig in the industry would greenlight a game like Shenmue. It pains me to say that but I am afraid I might be right.

So we have fans who have to be super patient or we have to move on.

We needed Shenmue 4 like yesterday. Shenmue is one of those games that wouldn't feel right being made without it's chief developer and creator. It would be like playing a Metal Gear Solid game without Kojima behind it. I've started to give up hope to be honest. The window to get Shenmue IV and the series itself completed is very very small and it's only going to get smaller from here. Screw "patience". I've been waiting over 20 years to see how this game ends, I'm out of patience to be quite frank.

 

[bcdcdude]

Apologies if this has been discussed already (it's not a thread I frequent!), but with all the doom and gloom of many layoffs in the industry, do you think that YsNet are doing OK? I imagine if there was a pickle it wouldn't make news the same way as EA. In this case, I can only assume no news is good news.

That and it seems that firing staff in Japan is much more difficult!