PumpkinPie
Banned
It is. The bottom screen
has a green filter over it to represent Sigma's robotic eye.
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Zero Escape 3 (VLR sequel) "difficult to realize", problems with funding
- Thread starter Nibel
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It is. The bottom screen
People are giving S-C a lot of shit, but the management decision seems reasonable to me, sadly.
As I've said before, S-C is a very small publisher with no proper presence outside of Japan. Releasing a game outside of Japan is a lot more expensive to them, than releasing a game in Japan, mainly because they need to co-operate with different companies to distribute and localize their title. What do you think how much money goes back to S-C when you buy their games in the US? After retail takes it cut, distribution costs are substracted, licence costs are being paid to the platform holder, the publishing company (in VLR's case, Aksys/Rising Star Games) get their cut? Pointing at the good sales of the Zero Escape series outside of Japan is sadly only telling half the story.
Also, and that's another thing that is to be considered: Despite being on two platforms, the sales of VLR declined compared to 999's sales (at least going by the last time I saw NPD data for the games). VLR managed to sell decent numbers, but it neither topped nor reproduced 999's numbers.
Can you reasonably expect the 3rd and final chapter of a story-heavy trilogy to break the trend? Probably not. In those cases you normally lose customers from title to title, while new customers are afraid of starting with the latest game.
I hope they'll find a way to make ZE3 happen. I'd actually be relieved if they went back to the sprites of 999's, since I liked those a lot better than VLR's polygon models. I don't need voice acting either (I really don't want to know how expensive it is to completely voice a game with such an endless amount of text...), but I think that a lot of people are missing the actual problem, when they are hoping for a Kickstarter and similar things to happen. The problem, after all, is not a lack of money. It's the fact that S-C's management thinks that they could use Uchikoshi and his team on more profitable projects.
Unbound By Death
Member
I accidentally read this thinking it was a 999 spoiler...Dear god is my whole VLR playthrough ruined?
I accidentally read this thinking it was a 999 spoiler...Dear god is my whole VLR playthrough ruined?
kinda a little yeah.
just a little though.
It's not that bad without the context.
I accidentally read this thinking it was a 999 spoiler...Dear god is my whole VLR playthrough ruined?
Not really. It's more of a red herring in some of the story paths. Don't read into it too much.
Unbound By Death
Member
Heh..Thanks for the answers, now I feel better.
This is pretty much spot on. As much as I would love to see a ZE3, I don't think it will happen anytime soon. Unless something insane happens and aksys and rising star buy an ip and launch a kickstarter. But the chances of that happening are .25%. I think we will see it, but it will be a while before we see anything of it.
deltatheta
Member
As much as I'd like to agree, I think the more time passes, the less likely it is that we'll see it. I think the only chance the game has is if Uchikoshi crowdfunds at least a portion of its budget, either in cooperation with the localization companies, or with Spike Chunsoft, or by himself. There are massive difficulties involved with all three options.
Well didn't Uchikoshi say that he could make something different and if that is successful he could go back to Zero Escape.
EDIT: Here it is https://twitter.com/Uchikoshi_Eng/status/433999045539819521
grim-tales
Member
That was what I read too.. though sadly I agree maybe we won't see ZE3 for a while (if at all) - I think he said similar back in 2012/early 2013.
I don't want to bring doom here but is he saying we jumped the gun a bit with OB?
All we can do is wait and support him I think.
It does make me intrigued though about what this other title could/will be...
I don't want to bring doom here but is he saying we jumped the gun a bit with OB?
All we can do is wait and support him I think.
It does make me intrigued though about what this other title could/will be...
Yeah I think that too,but what were we supposed to do? We have been waiting for this game since 2012! Of course we are going to be vocal!That was what I read too.. though sadly I agree maybe we won't see ZE3 for a while (if at all) - I think he said similar back in 2012/early 2013.
I don't want to bring doom here but is he saying we jumped the gun a bit with OB?
All we can do is wait and support him I think.
It does make me intrigued though about what this other title could/will be...
grim-tales
Member
That's true!
I'm as vocal as the next fan TBH
I'm as vocal as the next fan TBH
Hours Left
Member
Why would he keep linking to it then? He's obviously trying to drum up support, that was the whole point of his "speech".That was what I read too.. though sadly I agree maybe we won't see ZE3 for a while (if at all) - I think he said similar back in 2012/early 2013.
I don't want to bring doom here but is he saying we jumped the gun a bit with OB?
All we can do is wait and support him I think.
It does make me intrigued though about what this other title could/will be...
If he does 3DS/PC versions on Kickstarter than he could drum up a significant amount of capital.
Other platforms and ports of the older games as stretch goals.
deltatheta
Member
I'm not saying that it wouldn't be funded - there are just a lot of administrative issues. For example, Kickstarter doesn't allow funding for Japanese companies. He'd have to have Aksys cooperate. But Aksys is a tiny company that probably wouldn't want to get involved in original game development. If Aksys can't help out, he'd have to run the campaign himself on some lesser known crowdfunding site, like Indiegogo. But running a crowdfunding campaign is a hugely difficult task when there isn't a language/cultural barrier, and it sounds like Spike Chunsoft management has already dismissed the idea of crowdfunding out of hand, so he wouldn't be getting support from them. But without support from SC, he'd have to quit his job to make the game, he wouldn't have access to the artists/composers/programmers from the previous games, he'd have to license the IP from SC, and I could go on...
Well to be fair Aksys is co developing Magus. It doesn't look very good, but they are interested in development. But I think kickstarter would still be a crazy move, that i would love to happen, but probably won't
charlequin
Banned
You present this as if almost all of these things aren't subtracted from the Japanese sales too. :{P
Certainly localized sales come at a cost, and partnering with an external localizer is tougher than handling these things in-house, but localized sales aren't worthless either and approaching a project with the localization in mind can make a big difference in that cost analysis.
I think time bias of LTD leaks, digital sales, and the PS+ release of VLR would all point against the likelihood of this being an accurate comparison. (Not that VLR might not have declined, but I don't think a comparison of two snapshot LTDs is gonna tell the story here.)
enigmatic_alex44
Whenever a game uses "middleware," I expect mediocrity. Just see how poor TLOU looks.
the gaming industry is just in shambles! how can some of the trash that gets made sell millions and get a new damned iteration every year, but a sequel to two of the best and most well-written stories in videogames is now in serious jeopardy??? </3
This kind of story and game just doesn't have mass appeal. It's not really an industry problem, per se, but the same reason why Hollywood summer blockbusters are generally braindead.
bigboss370
Member
uhhh I'm playing Zero Escape VLR right now on VITA and came across an article by our very own jason schreier saying 999 needs to be played first.
Do I really need to go and buy a DS with 999 now to get the fullest out of VLR? :/
Do I really need to go and buy a DS with 999 now to get the fullest out of VLR? :/
Hours Left
Member
Short answer, YES.
cosmicblizzard
Banned
Absolutely. VLR is a direct sequel to 999. Not a spiritual successor, a DIRECT SEQUEL.
bigboss370
Member
goddamnit...i should beat up my brother for breaking his DS >_>
I would highly recommend it.
What's weird is that he was refreshingly transparent to begin with. It's only normal for him to be quiet.
Would you buy a book series and read book 2 before reading book 1? Same thing. If it doesn't bother you, go ahead, but you'd be missing out.
bigboss370
Member
yeah i didn't realize it was a direct sequel, thought it was a spiritual successor in the same style and mechanics since it has a completely different game title.
looking up cheap used DS' on local sites right now...
edit: why didn't they port 999 to Vita since VLR is on Vita?
Uh oh, not this again! There are certain mechanics in 999 that semi-require two separate screens.
Also, the Vita probably wasn't popular enough at the time to justify porting it.
Poltergust
Member
They're both part of the Zero Escape series, actually.
Zero Escape Vol. 1: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors
Zero Escape Vol. 2: Virtue's Last Reward
And there is a very good reason why 999 simply can't work for the Vita, but I can't give you the details. Just trust me on this one.
The series is Zero Escape.
They're both Zero Escape games.
999 originally wasn't, but that's because a sequel wasn't a lock from the get-go (for Aksys).
All new copies of the 999 are Zero Escape 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors.
VLR was always Zero Escape Virtue's Last Reward.
bigboss370
Member
they could've halved the vita screen for those sections? >_>
its just inconvenient for me so thats why i'm a little irked...
hmmm okay.
thanks.
bigboss370
Member
edit: dp
it sounds like he was kinda shut down by his bosses given the backpedaling. considering the guy's a director and still has a job where he can still pitch ideas, things might be all right.
timetokill
Banned
Yes. ABSOLUTELY.
The bonus will be that you have a DS and access to its incredible library.
For super bonus, get a 3DS. You can play DS games on it (like 999) as well as the fantastic 3DS library.
The_Player
Member
It's a bit gimmick, in all honesty. I'm absolutely positive that they can find a way to redo game to work w/o second screen, and it wouldn't break the story concept.
People still would be able enjoy game without final realization that screens represent past and present.
Bjoern the Smexy
Member
Listen to this man. He's got an Earthworm Jim avatar, so he knows what he's talkin' about.
bigboss370
Member
I would if I had the budget...
Basileus777
Member
That gimmick didn't really even do much for me. It was a "huh I guess that's neat" moment, I was surprised to see so many people online make it out to be the entire point of the game.
Do you have an iOS-device? 999 has been supposed to be released there.
Anyway, I found this at OBB (I love her voice):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXEfxMcY7ZY
Astral/H3X
Member
The iOS version completely bastardizes the point. No puzzles, no huge story bit.
Anyway, let's stop almost spoiling this please. It's huge.
grim-tales
Member
bigboss370
Member
Okay here's my problem...I don't really have the funds to go out and buy a DS for this one game (999) but I do have a DS at home whose shoulder buttons (L+R) do not work.
Will I be okay to still get the game? Are the shoulder buttons used for anything or can just the stylus be used?
Will I be okay to still get the game? Are the shoulder buttons used for anything or can just the stylus be used?
grim-tales
Member
I think the shoulder buttons are just used for shortcuts or something (like switching between menus/items or whatever), but can't remember very well?
IIRC, the shoulder buttons are just shortcuts for stylus/touchscreen functions. You should be fine without them for this.
EDIT: Beaten.
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