Random Shenmue III Thoughts

I think you bring up a good point and I am inclined to agree with a lot of what you say. I guess my only other theory is that a lot of the villagers would stand together to overwhelm them, but as mentioned, it's a small village with people of all shapes, sizes and bravery. I'm sure if we saw some injustice going on in real life how many of us would intervene? In my heart of hearts, I would want to help, but my body would freeze (which means i'd probably fail one of the wude...)

But yeah, the situation isn't as lazy as originally thought. I think a good workaround is that Ryo - who does learn the wude - was brave enough to do this and it gives courage to other villagers to do the right thing. I think that would have been a satisfying end to Bailu!
 
We had some things about the nature like chopping wood, fishing and herb gathering, sure it would be nice to have more, but we had these things in Bailu and it is nice in my opinion.

Absolutely and wood chopping and gathering herbs were some of my favorite additions in Shenmue 3 as it really fit the theme of Bailu in particular. What I am saying is I think they could have leaned into that more, I recall an early Suzuki interview talking about saving some wildlife with Shenhua. Imagine visiting those rocky/dangerous mountains in tapestry shown in Shenmue 2 one evening to retrieve an item for a villager or braving harsh terrain or weather conditions. I am spitballing but in retrospect it's one thing I would want more of.

In my opinion it happened this way because this way we got character development for Ryo. Ryo lost against Yanlang, Yanlang was stronger. Ryo trained with Master Sun, learned the Body check, became stronger and after that won against Yanlang, so character development for Ryo.

Many stories do this things so the main character can shine and have character development, the main character saving the day, saving everyone. Sure there are probably better ways to write this but this did not bother me at all.

In your additional reply you sort of partially answered with what I was going to say. There were certain characters that it made narrative sense they had little interest or desire to intervene like Master Sun for those aforementioned reasons. But Master Feng? If they had written it where he was significantly older and unable to perform martial arts, that would have made sense but the fact you can spar with him again removes that idea of plausibility.

You had multiple characters where their inaction rang authentic from Huang Hu, Master at Martial Hall. The likes of Lei Mingyang and Wei Zhen despite being students not trying to do anything. I think most egregiously Wang Shiren and Liu supposed guards at Verdant building who just stand around aimlessly as Yanglang make the Hermits nest their base. I understand writing Ryo to be the savior but the logic of the game was pretty paper-thin at points.
 
I think you bring up a good point and I am inclined to agree with a lot of what you say. I guess my only other theory is that a lot of the villagers would stand together to overwhelm them, but as mentioned, it's a small village with people of all shapes, sizes and bravery. I'm sure if we saw some injustice going on in real life how many of us would intervene? In my heart of hearts, I would want to help, but my body would freeze (which means i'd probably fail one of the wude...)

But yeah, the situation isn't as lazy as originally thought. I think a good workaround is that Ryo - who does learn the wude - was brave enough to do this and it gives courage to other villagers to do the right thing. I think that would have been a satisfying end to Bailu!

You bring a good point, a small village with people of all shapes, sizes and bravery. A lot of NPCs in Bailu, and each NPC with different personality from each other, for example Master Sun that prefers to stay alone drinking and don't care about these things.

Like you said if this was a real life situation how many of us would intervene? we are talking about fighting against Yanlang, someone really strong, it is nice to reflect about that, and it is a nice question to ask Yu-san, why it happened this way.

Like i said in my other post, to me it happened like this to give Ryo character development, probably have better ways to write this to give a feeling that at least some other characters care as well about the situation, but the main character Ryo improved a lot after his training with Master Sun, this is beautiful to me, wonderful training with Master Sun, Ryo learned an important Bajiquan move, i can see Ryo learning little by little in this training.

Beautiful moment of Ryo defeating Yanlang, and beautiful character development for Ryo, so to me the fact that others martial artists didn't tried to help don't bother me at all.


Absolutely and wood chopping and gathering herbs were some of my favorite additions in Shenmue 3 as it really fit the theme of Bailu in particular. What I am saying is I think they could have leaned into that more, I recall an early Suzuki interview talking about saving some wildlife with Shenhua. Imagine visiting those rocky/dangerous mountains in tapestry shown in Shenmue 2 one evening to retrieve an item for a villager or braving harsh terrain or weather conditions. I am spitballing but in retrospect it's one thing I would want more of.

I think i never saw this interview with Yu-san, really interesting. I agree with you, they could have leaned into that even more, this would be really interesting.

In your additional reply you sort of partially answered with what I was going to say. There were certain characters that were narratively it made sense they had little interest or desire to intervene like Master Sun for those aforementioned reasons. But Master Feng? If they had written it where he was significantly older and unable to perform martial arts, that would have made sense but the fact you can spar with him again removes that idea of plausibility.

You had multiple characters where their inaction rang authentic from Huang Hu, Master at Martial Hall. The likes of Lei Mingyang and Wei Zhen despite being students not trying to do anything. I think most egregiously Wang Shiren and Liu supposed guards at Verdant building who just stand around aimlessly as Yanglang make the Hermits nest their base. I understand writing Ryo to be the savior but the logic of the game was pretty paper-thin at points.

I understand. Some characters could have at least tried to help, then Ryo go there and saves them, but i don't know, maybe there is a reason about why it happened this way, it is a good question to ask for Yu-san, now i'm interested to see Yu Suzuki's opinion about this subject.

All I know is that Ryo's development as a martial artist and as a character made me satisfied with the situation, so it didn't bother me.
 
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A random thought I had just now about the reason why other martial artists in Bailu didn't help in that situation.

Maybe if we ask some characters like Master Feng at the right time he will give us an answer in relation to this subject, about why he is not helping, i will try this in my next Shenmue III playthrough.

I thought this because in every Shenmue Game every time Ryo find a new clue the conversations with NPCs change as well, NPCs will talk different things depending on the clue.

If we get a second season of the anime i think we will probably see a lot of characters in Bailu getting expanded, and i think everything about this situation will be more clear in the anime.
 
Love this Green Martial Arts Outfit just like the one in the Shenmue Concept Art Chapters.
Wished someone could make a mod with sleeveless version like in these pictures.
Ryo would look even more badass in it.

View attachment 15959

The name of the one you shared is Jade Phoenix Martial Arts Wear, looks similar to some cards of VF RPG, really beautiful.
I agree, a mod with sleeveless version would be really nice.


This one is the Wind Dragon Martial Arts Wear, looks like the one in the Chapters concept arts as well.


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Probably Yu Suzuki and the team did this 2 outfits with the VF RPG chapters concept arts in mind, this is one of the beautiful details about Shenmue III, i love it. 💚
 
The name of the one you shared is Jade Phoenix Martial Arts Wear, looks similar to some cards of VF RPG, really beautiful.
I agree, a mod with sleeveless version would be really nice.


This one is the Wind Dragon Martial Arts Wear, looks like the one in the Chapters concept arts as well.




Probably Yu Suzuki and the team did this 2 outfits with the VF RPG chapters concept arts in mind, this is one of the beautiful details about Shenmue III, i love it. 💚
That outfit is also really nice; the colour even seems to be more similar to that of the concept art chapters.
Wonder how Ryo would gain that outfit !?
Would have been really nice if Ryo gain it in some quest involving is martial arts training or even Grand Master Feng giving it to him saying that belong to Ryo's father during id training in Bailu Village. It would have been a memorable moment.

Is that outfit part of the DLC or the Original game; haven't seen it before !?
 
That outfit is also really nice; the colour even seems to be more similar to that of the concept art chapters.
Wonder how Ryo would gain that outfit !?
Would have been really nice if Ryo gain it in some quest involving is martial arts training or even Grand Master Feng giving it to him saying that belong to Ryo's father during id training in Bailu Village. It would have been a memorable moment.

Is that outfit part of the DLC or the Original game; haven't seen it before !?

To gain the outfit i shared you need to do this >>> DLC: Battle Rally - Get 1st place on the Verdant Bridge level.

The outfit you shared it looks like this chapter card where we can see that the outfit is more dark green, in other card is the same dark green style, the outfit i shared it looks similar to other cards where we can see a light green outfit.


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Your idea about Master Feng giving this outfit for Ryo and saying that the outfit was Iwao's outfit is really sweet, i like this idea.

If we look at all the concept arts we can see that Ryo (Akira) have 3 outfits during the journey, the first is the white t-shirt and jeans, the second is the green martial arts outfit, and the third is the blue outfit.

In my opinion at the time of the concept arts Yu Suzuki wanted to do the story in the order of the chapters cards. From left to right and up to down.

So if we imagine this way then Ryo (Akira) would gain the green outfit in the second or third chapter card. Maybe Xiuying give this outfit for Ryo (Akira) after the training? maybe... and i like this idea of Xiuying giving the outfit for him.


it is fun to imagine these things, all i know is that i will explore all these details in my Shenmue Books series project. My plan is to finish the first book this year, and i want to put all these details in the books.

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Got the Wind Dragon Outfit; and it looks amazing just like the one Ryo wears in the concept art chapters.
Thanks Hiki.
View attachment 16058

This outfit is beautiful, one of my favorites outfit in the game. 😍

Really nice that you got the light green outfit, i'm happy for you, enjoy. 💚

Probably Yu Suzuki and the team did this outfit with the concept arts in mind.

To me the fact that we have the option to change Ryo's clothes and Shenhua's clothes in Shenmue III is a beautiful detail and addition to the Shenmue Series, i just wish for more outfits for Shenhua as well like the classic outfit.


i hope the option to change outfits continue in Shenmue IV as well. I love Ryo original outfit but to be able to change when we want is beautiful.

In my opinion Ryo (Akira) will gain the blue outfit from his last master in the journey, probably Ryo's last master will be a Bajiquan master in Meng Cun, the place that is considered the birth of Bajiquan, and the place where a important situation happened between Iwao Hazuki and Sunming Zhao.

Probably this master is the one that wrote the Mysterious scroll.

I think Ryo (Akira) will train with this master for 2 years or maybe a little bit more, a time skip will occur and then Ryo (Akira) will appear with the blue outfit that his last Master gave for him, if this happen will be really nice.

We will see Ryo with the blue outfit? maybe, it depends on what Yu Suzuki want to do, many things changed since VF RPG days, the main journey of Ryo is the same since VF RPG days in my opinion, the journey that leads Ryo to become knowledgeable and skilled in the Bajiquan fighting style.

I think will be sweet if it happens like this, if we see Ryo with the blue outfit.

It will be really nice if we can at least have a DLC with the blue outfit like it happened with the green outfit.

LetsGetShenmueIV
😊
 
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Going for my sixth playtrhough and I can't enough of Shenmue 3.
If Shenmue 4 improves upon Shenmue 3 and delivers a solid story it will definitely become my favourite game of the series.

What things about Shenmue III do you like the most?

In your opinion what are the things that need to improve for Shenmue IV?
 
What things about Shenmue III do you like the most?

In your opinion what are the things that need to improve for Shenmue IV?
In Shenmue 3 I love the locations, the atmosphere, the Gameplay.
I've played Shenmue 1 & 2 many Times Over the last 20 years, but somehow Shenmue 3 always makes me want to Replay it again.
Love the home feel of Bailu Village and the atmosphere of Niaowu specially at night. Love being on the balcony of hotel Niaowu and appreciate the view.
Learned to appreciate the combat even without throw moves.
Love how everything feels connected.
Of all the three games it is the One that gives me more the feeling of relaxation.

For Shenmue 4 I would improve the combat and add in throw moves, improve facial expressions, the story and character development.

I talked about This topic in One of my Shenmue Talk episodes:


I also love how Shenmue games feel theurapeutic, specially Shenmue 3.
I suggest you and other fans to see these videos if you havent already; they are among my favourites About Shenmue.


 
Love the home feel of Bailu Village


It is one of the things i love the most about Shenmue III. Bailu Village have a home feel similar to Yokosuka and i love that, it is like a second home for Ryo.


For Shenmue 4 I would improve the combat and add in throw moves, improve facial expressions, the story and character development.

I appreciate Shenmue III combat as well even without throw moves, but i would improve the combat as well.

I agree, i would improve the same things for Shenmue IV. Maybe Yu Suzuki wanted to put the Virtua Fighter combat but SEGA didn't let Yu-san do this.

I don't know the reason but it is clear to me that Yu-san wanted to do more with the game, not only about the combat but in relation to the story as well, Baisha is not in the game.

Shenmue III to me is about Ryo and Shenhua living together and developing their bond, it is about Ryo learning more about the origins of the mirrors, it is about Ryo training and learning 2 important Bajiquan moves, and everytime Ryo learn Bajiquan moves is important and progress the story as well, it is about Ryo improving as a marital artist and many other things.

Shenmue III have a story but i wished for a little bit more, for example would have been nice to see Ryo talking with Master Feng then we see flashbacks of a young Iwao training with Sunming Zhao, these flashbacks could have add even more to the Shenmue III story.

I wished for more scenes of Ryo with characters like Shiling Lin, Qiu Hsu and Grandmaster Bei, and more character development as well for some characters.

To me Shenmue III is the calm before the storm, and Shenmue IV will be the storm, if Shenmue IV happen i think it wll be emotional and intense.


I talked about This topic in One of my Shenmue Talk episodes:

I remember your video, i saw your video at that time, i will watch again. 😊

I also love how Shenmue games feel theurapeutic, specially Shenmue 3.
I suggest you and other fans to see these videos if you havent already; they are among my favourites About Shenmue.

I feel the same way about this, the Shenmue games are therapeutic to me, Shenmue helps me so much. It is a wonderful and unique feeling that i only feel when i play the Shenmue Games.

Today we have so many games with fast pace and action all the time, i like those games, but to see that Shenmue III is a calm and peaceful game similar to the first game is beautiful and sweet to me, i love slow pace games, i love calm games.


I will watch the videos, thank you so much.
 
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