Shenmue Series

Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki has said he may prioritise the game's storytelling over visual presentation for Shenmue 3, indicating he doesn't currently have enough development funds to deliver a visually "gorgeous" experience.


Speaking in an interview with Eurogamer, Suzuki noted that he believes modern games focus on this to the detriment of the game's narrative.

"I could do with a bit more money," he said. "The game itself doesn't have to be gorgeous visually - a lot of the money these days goes into the graphics. If we perhaps compromise on the graphics and put more into the story, we can make a good game. The most important thing, to me is that the game's interesting, and that it's something people want to play."

Shenmue 3 broke a Kickstarter record to become highest crowdfunded video game on the platform. The campaign closed with over six million dollars pledged by backers. Development of the game is being handled by Ys Net, a studio founded by Yu Suzuki in 2008.

Shibuya Productions, a Monaco-based company that produces and promotes animation, games and movies, is also involved in the project, alongside Sony. According to Suzuki, Sony is supporting the project with money, but didn't specify how much.

"Kickstarter's not the only source of money," Suzuki said. "There's also funding from Sony and Shibuya Productions. Before we started Kickstarter, we had goals set around the budget--so if we only got $6 million, we'd create Shenmue 3 based upon what we could do with that $6 million."

Although the crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter has closed, the studio is still taking donations through Paypal as part of a Slacker Backer program.

"We're still trying to gather funds," he said. "Obviously, the more money we have the more we can do. Even if we don't get as much budget as the previous games, we'll still make this game."

Suzuki previously addressed questions regarding the funding of Shenmue 3 and Sony's involvement in the project, ensuring fans that crowdsourced "funds are going strictly to Ys Net for development of Shenmue 3."

According to him, Shenmue 3 will offer the "full-on Shenmue experience." Shenmue 3 was announced during Sony's E3 2015 press conference.

Continue reading...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kassen
Gorgeous graphics is not what made both Shenmue 1 & 2 expensive. But I'm glad they at least understand their priorities with this project. I really hope this works out.
 
Surely Sega will announce the HD ports nearer this games release?
 
Gorgeous graphics is not what made both Shenmue 1 & 2 expensive. But I'm glad they at least understand their priorities with this project. I really hope this works out.

True, but I think atmosphere and sense of place was a large part of Shen Mue, and graphics play a large part of that. Shen Mue was visually amazing at the time as well. Immersion is going to be pretty important, and bad graphics and animation can really crush that. Besides, he's using UE4, it should take a huge cost out of development.
 
The HD stuff people have been doing with the original DC games are nothing short of amazing. The character models look better than most 360/PS3 games.

The look was a big part of the games appeal
 
Gorgeous graphics is not what made both Shenmue 1 & 2 expensive. But I'm glad they at least understand their priorities with this project. I really hope this works out.

I think we all do. Shenmue 3 will be amazing if done right. I remember playing the second game on the original Xbox. Good times.
 
Well, if that's the case, I actually agree with your sorting method more. I just have seen threads move from Xbox to multiplatform because of PC. I believe Titanfall and some others, including the DX12 thread. Kind of annoying, to me. I would just like to see a little consistency with this on UVGF.
I wouldn't mind more of these threads being posted as multiplat. No one seems to like any mentioning of PC in an Xbox thread even when game releasing on Xbox/PC. Like a gang or cult on the south side fighting for territory. " This is Tequila territory!" yada yada.
 
I wouldn't mind more of these threads being posted as multiplat. No one seems to like any mentioning of PC in an Xbox thread even when game releasing on Xbox/PC. Like a gang or cult on the south side fighting for territory. " This is Tequila territory!" yada yada.
Well, Union VGF has become so easy to navigate over time that I think this has become less of an issue to me, since it's more of a sorting issue. Honestly, if I made a forum, I'd just have a single games sub-forum for all games, to include everyone in the discussion. A game should be able to hold its own on the same merit, despite the platform. We all should share the same hobby or interest, that being the games. The "my platform" mentality has been killing so much about what I love about games.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kassen
They can get a bit messy IMO and what's the point of having loads of sections for games only a couple people talk about?

But yeah this should really be MP as its coming to PC and according to Yu more consoles.
 
Well its 2 years away.

Maybe Yu will ask for another couple million??
 
The more people argue about Shenmue, the more people will discover this game's existence through Google. Keep doing a good job my loves!
Shenmue will be one of those games that ends up "list fodder" then will go on to sell like 4000 copies on a console with over 30 million users.
 
By the time this game gets released, new consoles will be on their way. The game is sup[posed to come to Windows and PS4 on Dec 2017.

Unless it is actually a small scale game as opposed to the traditional full budget production, there is no way it comes out at the end of 2017.

I estimate fall 2018 - mid 2019.

Then it'll get a port to new consoles in fall 2019-2020.
 
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/sega-europe-shenmue-1-and-2-remakes-have-our-full-attention/0171907

"If we are to do it, we'd want to do a fantastic conversion to the current platforms, and there are a lot of licences in the game, which were cleared many years ago, so we will need to renegotiate those contracts."

Post said the series is at the top of Sega's most requested classic games - which makes sense after last year's successful Shenmue 3 Kickstarter campaign broke records as the highest-funded video game project.

"There is definitely a desire [to go back to our classic games]," he explained. "Even online, people are constantly talking about products they would like to see come back, and Shenmue 1 and 2 are probably in the top two places. We are looking into it.

"It is an old IP, it is a beloved IP - and not just by consumers, but also within Sega, we have people saying that if we could do Shenmue 1 and 2 all over again, we'd definitely go for it."
 
Interesting bit is talking about current consoles. So sounds like it will be multi platform which could mean shenmue 3 will also be. Know an xbox version was possible
 
  • Like
Reactions: Frozpot
Don't understand why Sega wouldn't just go ahead and fund Shenmue 3. At yhis point it doesnt need much money.
 
Don't understand why Sega wouldn't just go ahead and fund Shenmue 3. At yhis point it doesnt need much money.
Lol. Never underestimate Yu's ability to spend.

I doubt he can finish the game on time/budget.

I doubt he can finish the game with the second timeline/budget he is given.

And I never finished Shen Mu 2. I don't know how it would function today as a faithful port thouhh. I found large parts of the game redundant back then...
 
tumblr_inline_na5kt4x4N21qgt12i.gif