What downgrades do you expect from Shenmue 4 ?

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Dg1995

Joined
Dec 19, 2019
I personally think that even if we get S4, it will probably get a lower budget than S3.

And due to that I expect(Or predict :LOL:) these downgrades:

1.2D cutscenes replacing 3D cutscenes: Making 3D cutscenes is too expensive and because of that there is this chance of cutscenes becoming 2D pictures with voice acting.(Similar to Max Payne 1 but less comic book style)

2.QTE cutscenes becoming 2D.

3.Having much less voice acting outside of main cutscenes. So it means that you have to read texts when Ryo is talking to NPCs.

4.Removal of day/night cycles or some downgrade to it. For example: instantly changing the NPC positions after the game shows the change of time .(similar to Okami game.)

5.And finally reusing some of Shenmue 3 assets in Shenmue 4.(animations, character models, objects, buildings, textures etc)

Even if the game gets these downgrades, I think I would still enjoy playing it though.
 
Dg1995 said:
I personally think that even if we get S4, it will probably get a lower budget than S3.

And due to that I expect(Or predict :LOL:) these downgrades:

1.2D cutscenes replacing 3D cutscenes: Making 3D cutscenes is too expensive and because of that there is this chance of cutscenes becoming 2D pictures with voice acting.(Similar to Max Payne 1 but less comic book style)

2.QTE cutscenes becoming 2D.

3.Having much less voice acting outside of main cutscenes. So it means that you have to read texts when Ryo is talking to NPCs.

4.Removal of day/night cycles or some downgrade to it. For example: instantly changing the NPC positions after the game shows the change of time .(similar to Okami game.)

5.And finally reusing some of Shenmue 3 assets in Shenmue 4.(animations, character models, objects, buildings, textures etc)

Even if the game gets these downgrades, I think I would still enjoy playing it though.
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I don't expect any type of downgrade for Shenmue 4. If Shenmue 4 ends up suffering a major downgrade and ends up losing its essence, i'd rather not have a Shenmue game at all.
 
Sergeynest said:
I don't expect any type of downgrade for Shenmue 4. If Shenmue 4 ends up suffering a major downgrade and ends up losing its essence, i'd rather not have a Shenmue game at all.
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But I don't think it will stop the fans from enjoying it.

Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker was a MGS game that was downgraded for a PSP.(It even replaced 3D cutscenes with the 2D cutscenes)

And yet that game was recieved well by the MGS fans.(Some even consider it as a better game than MGS V)
 
Sergeynest said:
I don't expect any type of downgrade for Shenmue 4. If Shenmue 4 ends up suffering a major downgrade and ends up losing its essence, i'd rather not have a Shenmue game at all.
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Have to agree. Turning Shenmue 3 into a cheep early 90s Game with 2d and without voice action is a no go. Then it is better not to have a 4th entry in the Series at all.
 
9dragons said:
Have to agree. Turning Shenmue 3 into a cheep early 90s Game with 2d and without voice action is a no go. Then it is better not to have a 4th entry in the Series at all.
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2D cutscenes won't make a game an early 90s game.
Also, making cutscenes 2D will have this benefit that developers can make more cutscenes for their game compared to making 3D cutscenes.

Having a low budget Shenmue 4 is much better than having no Shenmue 4 at all.
 
2d is 90s technology. Having same random pictures with text also the art style of the 90s. Not the best way to tell a complex story this way or show some fighting in the cut scenes. If there is no money for game then the story should be finished with a novel or a manga. That would do the story more justice than using outdated technology not cut out for complex story telling at all.

But I might be wrong. Just because I cannot imagine epic cutscenes in 2d it does not mean that they are not possible.
 
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It'll probably be smaller/more compact, but with higher production values. Sounds like a positive IMO
 
The only type of downgrade I would be willing to accept for the Shenmue franchise would be an episodic series where each game would represent a chapter in the series.
This chapter would be composed by one location similar to Bailu village in Shenmue 3; with fully voiced npc's both in english and japanese with about 20 hours of gameplay and cinematic cutscenes and branching QTE sequences.
To help out with financial development each "Backer/Fan" would pay 60 dollars/euros and would have the right to the digital download of the game and respective soundtrack.
There could also be a collectors edition for about 90 dollars/euros.
The game would be available for digital purchase for 30 dollars/euros.
This basically means that each backer/fan would pay double the price to help out with the games development costs.
 
No idea.

I'd take a cut to mini games and item collecting if it means more story and cutscenes. Story really needs to start kicking into high gear now that we're "50%" of the way through the epic.
 
I personally think that making cutscenes 2D is a much better budget saving approach.(Since making cutscenes is the most expensive aspect of making video games these days.)

I don't think anyone will be bothered with that as long as the art style of 2D cutscenes remains good.
The comic book style cutscenes in Max Payne 1 were never hated by anyone.(And fun fact: Remedy entertainment made the cutscenes like that to spend less money on the cutscenes.)
 
I'd take unvoiced or 2D cutscenes if it meant they could actually tell a story and not fall back on budget. I'd also cut two fully VA'd dubs, but that's very controversial. The 2D Shenmue art is fairly phenomenal and liked by most fans in general, so I don't think that's the worst option. Of course these ideas go against the spirit of Shenmue in some sense, but Shenmue 1 & 2 weren't beset by low budgets. I'm not sure anyone would be too upset if they cut Lucky Hit and Smartball back by 25% in Shenmue IV, if it meant more story.
 
It could actually be really fun/interesting if they simplified everything in the way you describe. It would basically be a Hotel Dusk style Shenmue. I like it.
It would probably be too much of a pivot for the hardcore fanbase, but a leaner, low budget, but heavily stylized and story focused game would have been more realistic in terms of profitability and capping off the series in a timely fashion.

With the budget for 3 alone they probably could have remade both of the original games and completed multiple sequels in this hypothetical new style.
 
Dg1995 said:
But I don't think it will stop the fans from enjoying it.

Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker was a MGS game that was downgraded for a PSP.(It even replaced 3D cutscenes with the 2D cutscenes)

And yet that game was recieved well by the MGS fans.(Some even consider it as a better game than MGS V)
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Those are two completely different games though. No guarantee the shenmue audience will react to such a drastic change like the MGS crowd did. Not to mention, the fact that it was a PSP game gave them some ease of criticism
 
Dg1995 said:
I personally think that making cutscenes 2D is a much better budget saving approach.(Since making cutscenes is the most expensive aspect of making video games these days.)

I don't think anyone will be bothered with that as long as the art style of 2D cutscenes remains good.
The comic book style cutscenes in Max Payne 1 were never hated by anyone.(And fun fact: Remedy entertainment made the cutscenes like that to spend less money on the cutscenes.)
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The comic book style in Max Payne wasnt hated because 1. The visual style was appealing and gave it that dark and gritty look and feel, 2. The voice acting, especially Max's perfectly complemented that dark comic book style. Max's voice is one of the standout trademarks of the series and not in the awkward Shenmue voice acting way. A static anime style drawing of Ryo and hours and hours of his dull voice will likely turn some people off, especially the newer players Yu Suzuki wants to attract. I dont think Ryos voice alone is enough to make up for the lack of animated cutscenes. MP1 was all comic style. MP2 was a combination of comic book and 3d. MP3 was entirely mocap/3D. Also Max Payne dropped in 2001. Video games were just starting to show their cinematic capabilities, while shenmue was one of the few to take it to the level it did back then. Shenmue making those kind of cuts in 2020 would likely make the game less immersive
 
No downgrades. I expect upgrades amd improvements.

I can programme a 2d visual novel cutscene in a few hours by myself. No reason why an entire studio cant make full cutscenes when they have the technology and the manpower.

I know we are all traumatised by what happened with shenmue in the past, but things are much different now. I think alot of people need to chill and stop over thinking and overworrying. Things wil be fine. We are in a very good position compared to before
 
ShenSun said:
No downgrades. I expect upgrades amd improvements.

I can programme a 2d visual novel cutscene in a few hours by myself. No reason why an entire studio cant make full cutscenes when they have the technology and the manpower.

I know we are all traumatised by what happened with shenmue in the past, but things are much different now. I think alot of people need to chill and stop over thinking and overworrying. Things wil be fine. We are in a very good position compared to before
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It doesn't mean you can program a 2D visual novel that you can do it well.
2D presentation for cutscene still require a lot of skill when it comes to presentation, story telling and cutscene construction. If anything, it requires more skills because you're working on limitations here.

Something that has been really lacking in Shenmue III, despite the technology and manpower.
 
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