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Emotions · Apr 3, 2007

Hey guys , i was browsing through Image Epoch website and they seem they just recently posted their 2 new projects, 1st is called "Project Ray" and the 2nd is called "Project Salamder" , they could perfectly be DS projects or soemthing else, since their first game was Luminous Arc.
Any of you Japanese fellow gaffers have some info on these projects? here's the site:
http://imageepoch.co.jp/

ethelred · Apr 3, 2007

No idea what the games are, but the concept artwork for both projects is really quite excellent.

Jonnyram · Apr 3, 2007

It seems they have work with Sega and Konami (according to their recruitment page).

Pureauthor · Apr 3, 2007

Looks nice. I'll keep an eye out.

And we still need Luminous to come over first.

Emotions · Apr 3, 2007

Pureauthor said:
Looks nice. I'll keep an eye out.

And we still need Luminous to come over first.

It seems Luminous Arc is coming out on August.
I hope these 2 projects are for DS and SRPG's are always welcome.

A Black Falcon · Apr 3, 2007

ethelred said:
No idea what the games are, but the concept artwork for both projects is really quite excellent.

That is some very nice concept art, isn't it... wonder what the games are. There are also two "Project Secret" listings on the Projects page...

ethelred · Apr 8, 2007

All this info is courtesy of Duckroll, so be sure to thank him:

Image Epoch news.

* the latest addition to the company's ranks? None other than Kazuya Niinou, late of Atlus R&D1; Niinou rose to prominence as the director and game designer of Trauma Center: Under the Knife and Etrian Odyssey (Sekaiju no MeiQ).

* the owner of Image Epoch, Mikage Ryoei (who also directed Luminous Arc) has been actively recruiting project leads to the company, including Niinou and Hiroyuki Kanemaru, who was at Telenet Japan and then Tales Studio

* Kanemaru (scenario script director & level concept designer on Tales of Symphonia; he also worked on Emerald Dragon and Arunamu's Fang for the PC-Engine) is directing an original RPG, Project Ray; in his Creator's Voice interview at IE's homepage, he talks about a lot of old-school RPGs like on PC-88

* they're promising a new Creator's Voice interview with Niinou in mid-May; Niinou is heading up another one of Image Epoch's projects (no idea if it's Project Salamander or one of the secret projects)

* Image Epoch is making both DS and Wii games

Error · Apr 8, 2007

ethelred said:
All this info is courtesy of Duckroll, so be sure to thank him:

Image Epoch news.

* the latest addition to the company's ranks? None of than Kazuya Niinou, late of Atlus R&D1; Niinou rose to prominence as the director and game designer of Trauma Center: Under the Knife and Etrian Odyssey (Sekaiju no MeiQ).

!

that's great news

jj984jj · Apr 8, 2007

Yay! I hope Niinou creates another awesome new IP.

Dragona Akehi · Apr 8, 2007

Holy shit. Niinou to Image Epoch?

SOLD.

ethelred · Apr 8, 2007

Dragona Akehi said:
Holy shit. Niinou to Image Epoch?

SOLD.

No kidding... I'll follow Niinou anywhere. The guy's pure magnificence.

Talk about a major coup, though, for a new company like Image Epoch. That's pretty incredible how they're looking to expand by bringing in serious talent like this... even Kanemaru, even if you didn't like his work in Symphonia, is a pretty big steal for the studio.

If they keep up the headhunting like this, we could be looking at an extremely talented and influential new RPG dev studio within the next few years. I'm a lot more hyped by that concept artwork now, too, with the knowledge that they're going to have some really good game design backing it up.

jj984jj said:
Yay! I hope Niinou creates another awesome new IP.

It's kinda the best of both worlds, isn't it?

Atlus R&D1 gets to make an Etrian Odyssey 2 (hey, put the director of Second Opinion on it, even!), and Niinou gets to go and create yet another new awesome franchise somewhere else. Win/win.

Dragona Akehi · Apr 8, 2007

This is seriously awesome news. I wonder if they're going to continue on DS titles or if they're going to dip their feet in consoles. I really would like to see Niinou's ideas with the wiimote...

ethelred · Apr 8, 2007

Dragona Akehi said:
This is seriously awesome news. I wonder if they're going to continue on DS titles or if they're going to dip their feet in consoles. I really would like to see Niinou's ideas with the wiimote...

ethelred said:
* Image Epoch is making both DS and Wii games

Both, looks like. Though who knows which project is which? They've got four games there -- Kanemaru's Ray, Salamander (which I'd guess is Niinou's), and the two secret projects.

jj984jj · Apr 8, 2007

Dragona Akehi said:
This is seriously awesome news. I wonder if they're going to continue on DS titles or if they're going to dip their feet in consoles. I really would like to see Niinou's ideas with the wiimote...

Hopefully Konami is the one behind the Wii game and he's directing.

ethelred said:
Both, looks like. Though who knows which project is which? They've got four games there -- Kanemaru's Ray, Salamander (which I'd guess is Niinou's), and the two secret projects.

Wouldn't it be nice if Sega let someone do another Shining Force SRPG on the DS?

Error · Apr 8, 2007

Dragona Akehi said:
This is seriously awesome news. I wonder if they're going to continue on DS titles or if they're going to dip their feet in consoles. I really would like to see Niinou's ideas with the wiimote...

looks like you miss this...

ethelred said:
* Image Epoch is making both DS and Wii games

Dragona Akehi · Apr 8, 2007

ethelred said:
Both, looks like. Though who knows which project is which? They've got four games there -- Kanemaru's Ray, Salamander (which I'd guess is Niinou's), and the two secret projects.

Well that's what I get for seeing "Niinou to Image Epoch", and proceed to foam violently at the mouth. Out of pure joy.

BrodiemanTTR · Apr 8, 2007

Wow, that's quite an explosion for a new studio. Four projects? Here's to hoping for an RPG on the Wii.

jj984jj · Apr 8, 2007

This would be a dream come true:

Project Ray - New Niinou project for Konami on Wii.
Project Salamander - New Shining Force SRPG for the DS from Sega.

ethelred · Apr 8, 2007

jj984jj said:
This would be a dream come true:

Project Ray - New Niinou project for Konami on Wii.
Project Salamander - New Shining Force SRPG for the DS from Sega.

First, Ray is Kanemaru's, not Niinou's.
Second, I expect most of their stuff is going to be published by Marvelous (hence the DS/Wii tilt) even though they have clients amongst other companies.
Third, why are you so interested in seeing Niinou working with Konami? And where'd this idea of a Shining Force game come from?

They kept stressing "original games" over and over again so I'm not expecting franchise revivals out of these guys, but rather original RPGs.

jj984jj · Apr 8, 2007

ethelred said:
First, Ray is Kanemaru's, not Niinou's.
Second, I expect most of their stuff is going to be published by Marvelous (hence the DS/Wii tilt) even though they have clients amongst other companies.
Third, why are you so interested in seeing Niinou working with Konami? And where'd this idea of a Shining Force game come from?

They kept stressing "original games" over and over again so I'm not expecting franchise revivals out of these guys, but rather original RPGs.

With what Jonny said I thought they had work with Sega and Konami right now. Anyway, I thought it was pretty obvious I was just stating what I wanted to happen when I said it would be a "dream come true," it's not like I said I think some guy on 2ch said so and so but I don't know Japanese so can you ask ducky to confirm it or something like that.

Gaia Theory · Apr 8, 2007

ethelred said:
All this info is courtesy of Duckroll, so be sure to thank him:

Image Epoch news.

* the latest addition to the company's ranks? None other than Kazuya Niinou, late of Atlus R&D1; Niinou rose to prominence as the director and game designer of Trauma Center: Under the Knife and Etrian Odyssey (Sekaiju no MeiQ).

* the owner of Image Epoch, Mikage Ryoei (who also directed Luminous Arc) has been actively recruiting project leads to the company, including Niinou and Hiroyuki Kanemaru, who was at Telenet Japan and then Tales Studio

* Kanemaru (scenario script director & level concept designer on Tales of Symphonia; he also worked on Emerald Dragon and Arunamu's Fang for the PC-Engine) is directing an original RPG, Project Ray; in his Creator's Voice interview at IE's homepage, he talks about a lot of old-school RPGs like on PC-88

* they're promising a new Creator's Voice interview with Niinou in mid-May; Niinou is heading up another one of Image Epoch's projects (no idea if it's Project Salamander or one of the secret projects)

* Image Epoch is making both DS and Wii games

I like that!

MASB · Apr 8, 2007

Does Image Epoch have anything to do with the developer/publisher Epoch of the Super Famicom days? I remember them mostly for the Donald Duck SFamicom game they made.

ethelred · Apr 9, 2007

jj984jj said:
With what Jonny said I thought they had work with Sega and Konami right now. Anyway, I thought it was pretty obvious I was just stating what I wanted to happen when I said it would be a "dream come true," it's not like I said I think some guy on 2ch said so and so but I don't know Japanese so can you ask ducky to confirm it or something like that.

Heh. Well, trust me, there aren't many folks that want a new real Shining Force game more than I do, but it seems like the faintest of possibilities. Niinou and Kanemaru both seem to be working on original stuff, and I applaud them for that.

MASB said:
Does Image Epoch have anything to do with the developer/publisher Epoch of the Super Famicom days? I remember them mostly for the Donald Duck SFamicom game they made.

Nope, nothing like that.

TreIII · Apr 9, 2007

ethelred said:
They kept stressing "original games" over and over again so I'm not expecting franchise revivals out of these guys, but rather original RPGs.

And I, for one, am personally glad about that.

We could really use some new faces in an industry where sequels upon sequels, and other franchise cash-ins, are the norm, and distinctly new IPs are the rarity.

If this means we could be in for more new stuff, or possibly more revivals of gaming archetypes that haven't been seen in quite a number of moons (such as Etrian), then I'd would definitely be for it.

With Kanemaru and Mikage on their side, I'd really would like to see them try their hand at another type of (2D) sides-scrolling Action-RPG, be it for Wii and/or DS.

reriel · Apr 9, 2007

seem like even that image epoch guy is a ex tales studio member.

leroy hacker · May 14, 2007

The new creator's voice interview with Niinou is up.

No, I can't tell you what it says.

jesusraz · May 14, 2007

Perhaps one of 'GAF's Japanese masters will oblige...if asked nicely enough

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