What Shenmue 3 Universe would you rather be in?

[DoubleO_Ren]

I actually don't know the answer to this one myself but it's definitely between 1 & 2.

 

[Tsukuyomimagi99]

Given the circumstances surrounding the series, I would have preferred Shenmue III to be released on the Dreamcast back in the early 00’s. This would have been the optimal time for a new release with Suzuki having SEGA and AM2 fully behind him. I have no doubt in my mind that Shenmue III would have set a new precedent for which others would have to follow. While others were catching up to what Shenmue had accomplished, Shenmue was still the leader in open world games back then.

If the series had been successful, there’s no doubt in 2019 we would’ve had remasters. Also there would definitely be less anxiety from SEGA’s shareholders allocating a larger budget for potential sequels. Sadly that was not the case.

 

[DoubleO_Ren]

You helped me make my choice.

 

[spud1897]

I've always been curious as to what we would have got with a Shenmue III in the early 2000's.

As for the poll it's a tough call. Maybe early 2000's as the series would have had success to allow for the Kiwami treatment now.

 

[MJC The Great]

I wish the rest of the series had been produced in its entirety during the early to mid 2000s by the same team of people. Whilst I appreciate the benefits of modern technology and what it allows for modern games, I feel the pacing and consistency of the series would have been much better and more satisfying. As it stands I'm moderately disappointed with Shenmue III but at least I feel like I can now let the series go, it no longer means what it did to me back then. I would like to see the series concluded, all loose ends wrapped up with a satisfying conclusion but if it doesn't happen, I'm ok with that now.

 

[mjqjazzbar]

I would’ve preferred the series to be made with full budgets and by the original development team, so the first scenario.

 

[LittleBoShenmue]

I also went for the first choice. To be honest, I feel kinda bad for the whole S3 scenario, but let's all be grateful that it even came out.

 

[DoubleO_Ren]

I wish the rest of the series had been produced in its entirety during the early to mid 2000s by the same team of people. Whilst I appreciate the benefits of modern technology and what it allows for modern games, I feel the pacing and consistency of the series would have been much better and more satisfying. As it stands I'm moderately disappointed with Shenmue III but at least I feel like I can now let the series go, it no longer means what it did to me back then. I would like to see the series concluded, all loose ends wrapped up with a satisfying conclusion but if it doesn't happen, I'm ok with that now.

Exactly how I feel now, if Shenmue 3 did one thing right for me, it's made it easier for me to let go.

 

[ys.]

As it stands I'm moderately disappointed with Shenmue III but at least I feel like I can now let the series go, it no longer means what it did to me back then. I would like to see the series concluded, all loose ends wrapped up with a satisfying conclusion but if it doesn't happen, I'm ok with that now.

Exactly how I feel now, if Shenmue 3 did one thing right for me, it's made it easier for me to let go.

It seems like I'll need some voodoo dolls and needles. Just kidding.

Given the circumstances surrounding the series, I would have preferred Shenmue III to be released on the Dreamcast back in the early 00’s. This would have been the optimal time for a new release with Suzuki having SEGA and AM2 fully behind him. I have no doubt in my mind that Shenmue III would have set a new precedent for which others would have to follow. While others were catching up to what Shenmue had accomplished, Shenmue was still the leader in open world games back then.

If the series had been successful, there’s no doubt in 2019 we would’ve had remasters. Also there would definitely be less anxiety from SEGA’s shareholders allocating a larger budget for potential sequels. Sadly that was not the case.

This also summarizes my thoughts. Rather all the releases then, with AM2 at their best and a budget where Yu didn't need to compromise as much. That way, Shenmue would probably have kept more of its trailblazing status too.

But if we look at the current situation with Kickstarter, the Shenmue 3 universe that I would prefer is one where several key figures from before stuck around for the whole project. Judging by the credits it seems that they just helped out and gave advice early on. When I pledged I really thought that they were on board for the whole project and I'm quite sure that some aspects would have been better if they did.

 

[Dehone]

Back on DC

 

[MJC The Great]

When I pledged I really thought that they were on board for the whole project and I'm quite sure that some aspects would have been better if they did.

This is a very important point. When I backed the project I believed some of those original team members would be in for the duration of the project. I’m disappointed that they weren’t and I believe the game suffered as a result.

 

[iknifaugood]

Option 1 but I'd pick option 2 if it meant we'd get the whole series as modern $200M+ budget AAA games.

 

[chaikilla]

Option 1.

Bailu village (which I still liked in Shenmue 3 anyway) would have been stripped of the lucky hit vendors, arcade machines and gatcha toys. Shenhua (and all the other villagers) wouldn't own fridges. Shenhua was in awe of Ryo having the 'experience' of using machines in Shenmue 2. The original version of Bailu was probably meant to be a humbling experience for Ryo, who would be far removed from the comforts of city life. It seems like this was diluted by Yu's commitment to fanservice, because this was a game 'for the fans, by the fans', he felt compelled to inject elements of old Shenmue games into third game. Because of this, Bailu didn't feel as unique as it should have.

The old fighting system is streets above the new one, as well. Not to mention that so many moves that were taught to Ryo as part of the story had to be cut because of the new fighting system (demon's triangle, all of the homeless man's moves, hind blow, etc).

 

[Dobuita-boy]

The universe where Playstation failed, and where we now have the Dreamcast 5.
Also, the universe where VMUs are our smartphones with which we can play the first four Shenmue.

 

[SMDzero]

Option 1.

Bailu village (which I still liked in Shenmue 3 anyway) would have been stripped of the lucky hit vendors, arcade machines and gatcha toys. Shenhua (and all the other villagers) wouldn't own fridges. Shenhua was in awe of Ryo having the 'experience' of using machines in Shenmue 2. The original version of Bailu was probably meant to be a humbling experience for Ryo, who would be far removed from the comforts of city life. It seems like this was diluted by Yu's commitment to fanservice, because this was a game 'for the fans, by the fans', he felt compelled to inject elements of old Shenmue games into third game. Because of this, Bailu didn't feel as unique as it should have.

The old fighting system is streets above the new one, as well. Not to mention that so many moves that were taught to Ryo as part of the story had to be cut because of the new fighting system (demon's triangle, all of the homeless man's moves, hind blow, etc).

In a DC S3, Ryo could have opened a soda can in Bailu Village and the villagers would have thought it was witchcraft... in 2019 S3, Bailu village was given such advanced technology that it made Yokosuka look quaint by comparison.

Also in a DC S3, Shenhua would have worn her tattered rags and she would have been proud of her poverty and the primitive culture of her people.

In 2019 S3, they decided to make Shenhua an urban sophisticate with a decorative yellow suit the color of a bright banana with dangly green earrings so she looked like a chef in a fancy restaurant.

 

[red]

in an ideal world they would of completed the series on the original xbox by 2006/7.

said it loads of times but.. starting up again in 2015...if it was up to me, shenmue 3+ would of been made using (dreamcast style graphics ( keeping a type of continuity) and sold as modern retro game. + i would of probably releasing on a handheld console only, like the nintendo 3ds.

to compete against AAA console games without embracing the fact the series is retro was a big mistake imo.

if Ys chose to shun modern graphics, he could of focused on story telling and making a fun game.. just imagine how big shenmue 3 would of been if they didnt have to toil over the graphics.

 

[SMDzero]

in an ideal world they would of completed the series on the original xbox by 2006/7.

said it loads of times but.. starting up again in 2015...if it was up to me, shenmue 3+ would of been made using (dreamcast style graphics ( keeping a type of continuity) and sold as modern retro game. + i would of probably releasing on a handheld console only, like the nintendo 3ds.

to compete against AAA console games without embracing the fact the series is retro was a big mistake imo.

if Ys chose to shun modern graphics, he could of focused on story telling and making a fun game.. just imagine how big shenmue 3 would of been if they didnt have to toil over the graphics.

If they used DC graphics then there would not have been the character fade in.

 

[Sh3ppy]

Bailu village was given such advanced technology that it made Yokosuka look quaint by comparison.

yeah those battery generators and highway star really made Space Harrier and Hang-On look quaint.

 

[Kiba]

The way it happened is the best case scenario. I wouldn't have appreciated a continuation of the story 20 years ago as much as I value all the time this community spent together since then. Shenmue 3 is technically far ahead of the Dreamcast era in every respect. I am quite happy to experience Shenmue with vastly superior graphics and many more gameplay elements. True, the original fighting system is greatly missed, and that was a mistake to alter that. But nothing is perfect but imperfection itself in the big picture.

Lastly, I'm not sure why so many people seem to feel Bailu Village was ever primitive as depicted in Shenmue 2 or otherwise intended. It's late 1980's post-Cultural Revolution China, not the 19th century. Its ruralness is quite accurate, even by American standards. When I was a kid in the 90's, the most remarkable (to a child) difference between being home in the city versus visiting rural family way out in middle America was that I had video games at home and an arcade at the mall, while they literally only had a pinball machine and air hockey at the local gas station. That was circa 1991. 1987 Deng era China was probably quite similar. Imho the Shenmue series overall offers quite an accurate depiction of the era.