This Castle Artbook Screenshot

Kyo_JP

Kyo_JP

Today is a Diamond
Joined
Jul 28, 2018
Location
Madrid, Spain
Favourite title
Shenmue
Currently playing
Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown
PSN
ElBidimensional
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I remember watching a picture of the Castle in the Digital Artbook a little bit different from the final game, so I check it again. You can see NPCs there, also Day-Night cycle, so, this is another proof of they were going for something diffent than the final hour we got at the end?
 
I like the way they did that NPC model with the black martial arts uniform. Perhaps he was intended to be someone you interact with? Regardless, I have found dwelling on would-ofs and cut content is too anguishing. I will accept it as it is and will appreciate it anyways.
 
And there it is. Proof that not only was Baisha cut, but the castle area was massively cut at the last minute. It explains why everything is so underwhelming and disjointed.
 
TwiceFriedRice said:
And there it is. Proof that not only was Baisha cut, but the castle area was massively cut at the last minute. It explains why everything is so underwhelming and disjointed.
Click to expand...

The ultimate cutscene was probably cut too. Why did Shenhua not even have a line? I'm not even sure the talk with Yuan on the boat was supposed to be a pre-rendered cutscene.
 
TwiceFriedRice said:
the castle area was massively cut
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Not sure if you can unequivocally state the castle was “massively cut” by looking at one piece of concept artwork. That it was cut is undoubtedly the case, but by how much might be up for debate.


Yokosuka said:
I'm not even sure the talk with Yuan on the boat was supposed to be a cutscene.
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Why wouldn’t it have been? Can’t envisage it as gameplay instead.
 
I don't think we needed proof that there was content cut in the castle area lol. The singular pawn shop in an area that is otherwise gang territory seems to give that away. It is a wonder the shop owner hasn't gone out of business ;)
 
I wonder if they ran out of time and had to strip it back?
 
Sh3ppy said:
Not sure if you can unequivocally state the castle was “massively cut” by looking at one piece of concept artwork. That it was cut is undoubtedly the case, but by how much might be up for debate.




Why wouldn’t it have been? Can’t envisage it as gameplay instead.
Click to expand...

Context. Having multiple NPCs, especially roaming ones, says that the area was supposed to have much more meat to it.
 
Yokosuka said:
I'm not even sure the talk with Yuan on the boat was supposed to be a cutscene.
Click to expand...
TwiceFriedRice said:
Context. Having multiple NPCs, especially roaming ones, says that the area was supposed to have much more meat to it.
Click to expand...

I get where you’re coming from but it’s only 2 more NPCs than are in the finished game. Like I said, no doubt it was cut down (especially as it just seems weird to have a secluded pawn shop just sitting there), but to what extent is not so clear. That’s all I’m saying.
 
Sh3ppy said:
Time & money is my guess.
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Yeah seems like it. Given the delays etc I suspect any more would have required more investment and I get the impression that wasn't on the table.
 
At the very least, there were supposed to be mini games in the castle area that we never got. Whether that's a few lucky hit vendors on the first floor or mini games spread out throughout the castle. For this reason alone, the castle would have to be populated with NPCs.1576280346887.png

Everything else you could say was delivered, despite how shallow it was. I too think that the castle area was supposed to be a castle town, with a lot more to do but was cut for budgetary reasons or time-related reasons.
 
Sh3ppy said:
Why wouldn’t it have been? Can’t envisage it as gameplay instead.
Click to expand...

Just read two hints appearing to confirm my intuition that the boat was playable in Shenmue 3 epilogue:

- Four main categories of music have been named in the game data.
ACS_BGM_Hakkason (Bailu)
ACS_BGM_Chobu (Niaowu)
ACS_BGM_Comm*
ACS_BGM_Ship
revealed by ShenmueThree

- Unused journal entries depict what happened not only after the clash with Lan Di, but after the talk with Yuan. Revealed by Sappharad

First step is to find Shenhua.

Chai attacked us again! He's a stubborn one.

Found Yuan and Xu locked up.
We rescued them.

Shenhua is next!
There's not a second to lose!

A strange woman was waiting for us.
We gave her the Phoenix Mirror to save
Shenhua. So glad she's safe.

The woman told us Lan Di is just up ahead...
Lan Di... I'm coming for you!

All that's left is to confront Lan Di!

Enemy after enemy keeps appearing.
I have to fight my way through them!

I finally beat Ge, the Red Snakes' boss!

Lan Di is up ahead.
This time, he's going down.

I found Lan Di's room!

I was unable to beat Lan Di. I lost again...

A disappointing loss, but I'm still alive
thanks to Ren.

Ren threw a fake Phoenix Mirror to help us
escape...

I'm just glad that everyone is safe.

The old castle went up in flames.
Who did this? Did Lan Di escape?

Ask Yuan if he knows anything.

Yuan told me about Zhao Sunming and my
father. Also the truth about the Phoenix
Mirror and why the Chi You Men want it.

Lan Di appears to be headed that way.

I would add a third argument: I doubt they designed the full interior of a tourist ship only for the sake of one-day exploration (the night you arrive at Niaowu) which can be easily missed. The DLC is probably there to make a rescue profit.

Considering we see Ryo, Shenhua and Ren walking on the Great Wall in the final scene with a very straightforward narration, it might even be possible that Shenmue 3 was supposed to have its "Disc 4". But we're entering the territory of pure speculation here.
 
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It hurts to know SM3 did end up being half baked and overly diluted due to budget limits being constantly pushed / spend management errors. But! There were a handful number of real Shenmue feelings in SM3. I am positive this will not repeat again with SM4 if publisher backs it up from the start without all the KS crap to be added.
 
Yokosuka said:
Considering we see Ryo, Shenhua and Ren walking on the Great Wall in the final scene with a very straightforward narration, it might even be possible that Shenmue 3 was supposed to have its "Disc 4". But we're entering the territory of pure speculation here.
Click to expand...

Speculation? I like speculation :)

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