Am concerned, but then again its quite possible that they were chosen since they do have experience handling flight and larger enviros such as with the macross games.
Though at the same time Id be worried since the fine tuning that went into the combat system of Hollow Fragment will not be present as its not the same team...
Either way still picking it up, but not exactly happy about the news either.
Hmm that has me to think then the game design might be based off the engine / design theory they used with Macross. Looking at the radar too in the upper right makes me think of that even more so. Which might mean at the same time will be a lot more action based with less emphasis on the skill panels as would get in the way of the whole flying around thing... Really wish we had more current gameplay footage out that showed some useful stuff rather than the heavily doctored dev footage. They really did do a good job with some of the best Macross games to have come out on the PSP.
The issue with that is, if the combat does become more action based it will basically turn into Phantasy Star type of combat. Though at the same time thinking from a sales perspective with them wanting to gain more numbers someone thought it might be a good idea to have a more simplified system to try and bring in more players. As the system in Infinity Moment and Hollow Fragment did shut out less hardcore type of gamers with the design and how many things you need to manage at once...
Overall though really am concerned and its usually not a good sign when I get this feeling. Will be nice to be proven wrong when it comes out though, but still. It will be more a personal thing for me as I think the battle system that was improved from Infinity Moment, in Hollow Fragment is one of the best battle systems that has been created so far and the amount of freedom it allows for the player.
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Back to the topic of Artdink it makes sense using them for a quick solution as in the Macross games it flawlessly dealt with air to land type of combat as the Veritech Fighters were able to switch from flight / hover / gerwalk mode. Granted there is no sound in the vid below its perfectly what I wanted to use as a visual example for you all. Since it shows air and land combat. Should help you visualize what I mean by them most likely going to be going off of this "engine" / design. The PS3 version might be an example of what they can do with a larger world than the PSP version. That and the PS3 Macross game they did was an action rpg.
PSP - Macross Ultimate Frontier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RjIx4k9PrU&spfreload=10
PS3 - Macross 30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-pa3Hz3wHE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKC105WvXkc
See the thing is that I liked their PSP and PS3 Macross Titles, though really am hoping they understand its the battle system which made the PSP / PSV SAO games so unique and try as much as possible to keep it intact to a reasonable level. Though I can most def see where design issues will come in the way due to the flight mechanics / gameplay involved. Guess will just have to expect the title to be something different from Hollow Fragment. Makes sense too considering that the ALO world is no longer only about sword skills and such.
Well time to hope for the best and pray that my current gut feeling is wrong. At the same time I am unable to think of anyone else who would be able to handle it.
And in case anyone is wondering if I actually know anything about the titles mentioned by Artdink. The 3 PSP ones are just repurchases I did this weekend for collecting as my other ones are boxed up and shipped off at the moment. Which is why you will still see the official seal on em.
Ultimate Frontier was one of the TOP Macross games ever made.
The subject though talk about a weird twist of fate considering these 3 PSP games just arrived in the past 2 days and 30 was sitting here on my desk as something to mess around with again for next weekend then this topic appears just about Artdink.
