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[ProfessorMoran]

The smear campaign by the American gaming media continues.

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/featu...come-clean-on-shenmue-budget-and-funding.aspx

It's a conspiracy! Duh duh duh!

Not sure how much more transparency people want, and at the end of the day they can have as much transparency as they want, the game is still essentially going to be console exclusive to PS4, nothing is going to make some people happy, if those "fans" are going to withhold their support because of "lack of transparency" then maybe a fancy card game is all they're going to get.

 

[Trojan X]

If somehow this game never releases, or turns into a story-driven trading card game due to budget constraints... despite how hearthbroken (and out $250) I'd be, I'll still remember to come back here and call this post out, lol.

Haha. No need to be a a pesismist,my friend, even though you are joking. If that happen then Yu Suzuki has more to lose. I.e. it won't happen.

 

[Theonik]

I played the first game and loved it, but never completed the second. I couldn't get motivated enough since there would be no conclusion.

I'm excited that there could be an end to the story so I'm going to try and complete it soon, probably this week.

This kickstarter rubs me the wrong way, though. Nowhere in that pitch video did he mention 10 million dollars but he made sure to say and caption "But this Kickstarter will be a real success when you choose to make it the full-on Shenmue experience you have dreamed of." Like...maybe afterwards he should have said something like "if you reach the stretch goals." To me it feels like if 10 million is what's really needed to make the game we'd want, then 10 million should've been the goal all along.

I'll just wait for the release and buy it then.

Spoiler

Full on respect for Space Harrier, though. just wanted to say that.

Edit: I'm getting a reminder email 48 hours before the campaign ends, I'm still considering backing the project.

It really is quite simple. Fans have been begging them to make this game for so many years some even borderline stalking Yu Suzuki. You can go to fan forums like Shenmue Dojo and see threads from 2004 talking like the game is coming out tomorrow. A lot of them would be fine just with a story driven Shenmue III with a somewhat barren world, but the way Kickstarter works if they had asked for more and not gotten it we'd be back to square one waiting another decade for the game if Yu Suzuku being 70 years old by that time even can make it then.

What this Kickstarter is doing that many others have done before is very simple, it hit $2m you are getting the game no matter what unless the team fucks up which even then isn't the end of the world, other KS projects have fucked up but they still managed to get the game done. What makes the situation for this Kickstarter so special is having a pretty poor PR department compared to its high profile and unusual level of scrutiny because 'Damn you Sony!!!' (you'd be foolish to believe that if it wasn't on the stage it would be under anywhere near that level of scrutiny)

Today, they revealed what their plans for adding things up to $10m are. Frankly they sound really fucking badass to me. There, that's your motivation to pledge. They also have a twitch stream with Yu Suzuki later tonight where they will explain more. We would appreciate if you and anyone else that has these sorts of questions helps make those happen.

 

[Insert Disk Two]

If Sony are going to help out Suzuki with the marketing, why don't they help with marketing the Kickstarter?

 

[Chindogg]

If Sony are going to help out Suzuki with the marketing, why don't they help with marketing the Kickstarter?

Because then you have people whine and bitch because they think they're somehow being exploited by Sony despite the fact they're getting backer items in return.

It's more idiotic entitlement from people who want to start drama up for no real reason.

"But..but..but the $10million?!?!?"

He wants $10mil to make his ideal game, it's no different from IGAvania's stretch goals. The initial goal was to get a sequel made period.

 

[openrob]

It really is quite simple. Fans have been begging them to make this game for so many years some even borderline stalking Yu Suzuki. You can go to fan forums like Shenmue Dojo and see threads from 2004 talking like the game is coming out tomorrow. A lot of them would be fine just with a story driven Shenmue III with a somewhat barren world, but the way Kickstarter works if they had asked for more and not gotten it we'd be back to square one waiting another decade for the game if Yu Suzuku being 70 years old by that time even can make it then.

What this Kickstarter is doing that many others have done before is very simple, it hit $2m you are getting the game no matter what unless the team fucks up which even then isn't the end of the world, other KS projects have fucked up but they still managed to get the game done. What makes the situation for this Kickstarter so special is having a pretty poor PR department compared to its high profile and unusual level of scrutiny because 'Damn you Sony!!!' (you'd be foolish to believe that if it wasn't on the stage it would be under anywhere near that level of scrutiny)

Today, they revealed what their plans for adding things up to $10m are. Frankly they sound really fucking badass to me. There, that's your motivation to pledge. They also have a twitch stream with Yu Suzuki later tonight where they will explain more. We would appreciate if you and anyone else that has these sorts of questions helps make those happen.

Yeah Yu said, and let us quote

"Even if these Stretch Goals are not reached, Shenmue 3 will already be a sequel true to its name, and one we can all be proud of. It is my hope though, that together we can make this Shenmue just as revolutionary as the first two were."

$2Mil gets us the game regardless. $5Mil gets us an even bigger realisation of that game, and $10Mil makes it revolutionary.

If this was a Kickstarter for a Shenmue Graphic novel it would still have smashed goals.

 

[NoFaceNico]

I bet at the $5 million mark we all get Shenmue branded Ginsu knives.

Someone really needs to alter that gif so it says Shenmue.

 

[Dremark]

If Sony are going to help out Suzuki with the marketing, why don't they help with marketing the Kickstarter?

They, they should have let them plug it at E3.

Oh wait.

 

[John Bender]

If Sony are going to help out Suzuki with the marketing, why don't they help with marketing the Kickstarter?

They did! That's the reason for Yu's appearance at the Sony E3 conference.

Because then you have people whine and bitch because they think they're somehow being exploited by Sony despite the fact they're getting backer items in return.

It's more idiotic entitlement from people who want to start drama up for no real reason.

"But..but..but the $10million?!?!?"

He wants $10mil to make his ideal game, it's no different from IGAvania's stretch goals. The initial goal was to get a sequel made period.

Oh, you know exactly the reason.

 

[Panajev2001a]

I will be god damned if we finally get Shenmue 3 to happen and the half-witted, mouth-breathing games journalism industry fucks it up for us.

Since when do we need itemized budgets for announced games? Fuck this noise.

I do not see those outlets for nitpicking every single inch out of the game once it goes gold... Which is fair game... If it was applied to all games.

 

[Theonik]

They did! That's the reason for Yu's appearance at the Sony E3 conference.

Sony had some coverage about it during E3 before the backlash started kicking in and they backed off. I think this mess has basically killed Sony's marketing involvement in the project at least directly until they are showing off a work in progress version next year.

I am not sure what they were thinking.

 

[Panajev2001a]

If its providing development help then im mostly okay with this, it would prove more useful than money, but there is no confirmation about it and people are free to speculate in whatever way sounds plausible.

Again its up to Yu to ensure all doubts are cast away.

He already gave more than enough info. How about spreading the rumour he fancies goats... It is up to him to ensure that all the doubts are cast away .

 

[Panajev2001a]

Sony had some coverage about it during E3 before the backlash started kicking in and they backed off. I think this mess has basically killed Sony's marketing involvement in the project at least directly until they are showing off a work in progress version next year.

I am not sure what they were thinking.

They were maybe naively thinking that bringing a beloved series back to life would get people excited or at least happy other gaming fans got their wish... Sigh...

 

[Walpurgis]

I know this issue has become complicated with the stupid controversy but I really hope Sony finishes the funding and changes it to 1st party (while keeping it on PC). Taking it to $15 million dev budget with no marketing isn't asking a lot. They could include it with Shenmue 1+2 HD, make sure the game feels modern and I think it would sell well enough to recoup the costs.

 

[PrivateRyan]

I will be god damned if we finally get Shenmue 3 to happen and the half-witted, mouth-breathing games journalism industry fucks it up for us.

Exactly how I feel. Not even games journalism though but those on the sidelines with no interest in Shenmue 3 throwing out half-baked conspiracy theories and adding to the needless noise.

I've been waiting so long for Shenmue 3 and I'm so happy it's happening (even if it's just bare bones, seeing Yu Suzuki finally release Shenmue 3 as a game is enough).

All the drama outside of that is tedious, it's tiresome, it's exhausting and honestly, it's upsetting.

 

[Synth]

I know this issue has become complicated with the stupid controversy but I really hope Sony finishes the funding and changes it to 1st party (while keeping it on PC). Taking it to $15 million dev budget with no marketing isn't asking a lot. They could include it with Shenmue 1+2 HD, make sure the game feels modern and I think it would sell well enough to recoup the costs.

See this is the thing. Many seem to think that the Sony involvement is what people are unhappy with. It's more Sony's lack of involvement though that is the problem. If what you described were the case, I actually think there would be less controversy around it.

Back before Shenmue III was confirmed (or even likely to be confirmed), the general assumption was that the only way it was ever going to happen was if one of the console manufacturers picked it up, as a hero project to garner goodwill. Kickstarter was always considered a possibility, but not really a favorable one, as most of us doubted that the sort of funds required to realise the project properly could be crowdfunded (which is turning out to be the case here), partially just due to how many potential buyers wouldn't pay in advance for something without a projected release date, or even any real footage of the game itself.

The situation we have here though, is that Sony have some involvement, which dictates the platform it appears on, but aren't actually helping much to alleviate the pressures of securing enough funds to ensure the project's scale isn't compromised by budgetary constraints. So whilst we're all dumping multiple hundreds of dollars into this to try and make the dream happen, Sony is seemingly doing the corporate equivalent of backing at the $29 tier, which is just enough to get the game itself.

If this was legitimately the only way the project could exist at all, then I'm still glad it does... however I'd feel a lot better about it if having a huge megacorporation involved, that what's the game on their console, meant the burden of securing the funding wasn't still almost entirely on our shoulders still. Pull a Street Fighter V on it, and I'm happy.

 

[Theonik]

The situation we have here though, is that Sony have some involvement, which dictates the platform it appears on, but aren't actually helping much to alleviate the pressures of securing enough funds to ensure the project's scale isn't compromised by budgetary constraints. So whilst we're all dumping multiple hundreds of dollars into this to try and make the dream happen, Sony is seemingly doing the corporate equivalent of backing at the $29 tier, which is just enough to get the game itself.

Shuhei Yoshida is backing it at $29 btw he admitted which makes this post kinda funny.
I mean Sony can't even pony up PS4 physical copies?

 

[Synth]

Shuhei Yoshida is backing it at $29 btw he admitted which makes this post kinda funny.

You gotta be fucking kiddiing me!!! lol

 

[hodgy100]

got my dreamcast hooked up to my HDTV now via VGA cable into a VGA - > HDMI converter.
It looks great! super sharp and clean image

 

[Dremark]

See this is the thing. Many seem to think that the Sony involvement is what people are unhappy with. It's more Sony's lack of involvement though that is the problem. If what you described were the case, I actually think there would be less controversy around it.

Back before Shenmue III was confirmed (or even likely to be confirmed), the general assumption was that the only way it was ever going to happen was if one of the console manufacturers picked it up, as a hero project to garner goodwill. Kickstarter was always considered a possibility, but not really a favorable one, as most of us doubted that the sort of funds required to realise the project properly could be crowdfunded (which is turning out to be the case here), partially just due to how many potential buyers wouldn't pay in advance for something without a projected release date, or even any real footage of the game itself.

The situation we have here though, is that Sony have some involvement, which dictates the platform it appears on, but aren't actually helping much to alleviate the pressures of securing enough funds to ensure the project's scale isn't compromised by budgetary constraints. So whilst we're all dumping multiple hundreds of dollars into this to try and make the dream happen, Sony is seemingly doing the corporate equivalent of backing at the $29 tier, which is just enough to get the game itself.

If this was legitimately the only way the project could exist at all, then I'm still glad it does... however I'd feel a lot better about it if having a huge megacorporation involved, that what's the game on their console, meant the burden of securing the funding wasn't still almost entirely on our shoulders still. Pull a Street Fighter V on it, and I'm happy.

If they funded the game at a higher level I wouldn't expect a PC version to exist. I think most people would prefer this way of going about it.

Not really sure why there's a PC version of SF5 though, but that's a huge exception in these cases.

 

[Theonik]

If they funded the game at a higher level I wouldn't expect a PC version to exist. I think most people would prefer this way of going about it.

Not really sure why there's a PC version of SF5 though, but that's a huge exception in these cases.

Sony doesn't really care if games that aren't first party turn up on PC. And they aren't throwing buckets of cash at SFV either, but it's a complete apples and oranges situation when it comes to justifying Sony's investment.

 

[Dremark]

Sony doesn't really care if games that aren't first party turn up on PC. And they aren't throwing buckets of cash at SFV either, but it's a complete apples and oranges situation when it comes to justifying Sony's investment.

You say that but I don't recall many of the other games they money hatted ending up on PC. SF5 seems to be a huge exception.

 

[John Bender]

You say that but I don't recall many of the other games they money hatted ending up on PC. SF5 seems to be a huge exception.

This gen? Which "other games"?

 

[Dremark]

This gen? Which "other games"?

What other games did they money hat this gen?

 

[Theonik]

What other games did they money hat this gen?

I think that's his point. In general Sony doesn't really moneyhat games like this. They put their money on a strong lineup of first party productions. Sure they buy promotional rights and timed DLC but that's slightly different.
Sony's strategy appears to be to pay for games to end up on PS4 by financing those versions with maybe clauses to keep them off Xbone for a time. They don't care to pay for them not to end up on PC but they also aren't assisting on PC versions.

 

[Synth]

If they funded the game at a higher level I wouldn't expect a PC version to exist. I think most people would prefer this way of going about it.

Not really sure why there's a PC version of SF5 though, but that's a huge exception in these cases.

To be truly honest, if they were going to fully (or even just substantially) fund it, so that the scope wasn't dependant on Kickstarter, I would consider that worth sacrificing the PC version for any day of the week. The platform it releases on I imagine isn't of too much concern to the average Shenmue fan, who'd simply make sure they had whatever platform is necessary by the time it releases. I'm far more concerned about the game itself. You can only make Shenmue III once.

 

[Theonik]

To be truly honest, if they were going to fully (or even just substantially) fund it, so that the scope wasn't dependant on Kickstarter, I would consider that worth sacrificing the PC version for any day of the week. The platform it releases on I imagine isn't of too much concern to the average Shenmue fan, who'd simply make sure they had whatever platform is necessary by the time it releases. I'm far more concerned about the game itself. You can only make Shenmue III once.

Same. Hell I wouldn't mind it even if Nintendo had fully bankrolled it on the friggin' WiiU.

 

[boredandlazy]

I think that's his point. In general Sony doesn't really moneyhat games like this. They put their money on a strong lineup of first party productions. Sure they buy promotional rights and timed DLC but that's slightly different.
Sony's strategy appears to be to pay for games to end up on PS4 by financing those versions with maybe clauses to keep them off Xbone for a time. They don't care to pay for them not to end up on PC but they also aren't assisting on PC versions.

Better than paying for games to NOT come out on other systems though.

 

[Theonik]

Better than paying for games to NOT come out on other systems though.

I think it's just they see no tangible value to pay for them not to turn up on PC.

 

[May16]

The outrage over this was embarrassing.

Is.
Still is.
Continues to be.

I just saw a new article on Game Fucking Informer saying that Suzuki needs to "come clean" about shit. Like, speaking as if he did anything wrong at all.

This is tragically stupid, all of it.

 

[Dremark]

I think that's his point. In general Sony doesn't really moneyhat games like this. They put their money on a strong lineup of first party productions. Sure they buy promotional rights and timed DLC but that's slightly different.
Sony's strategy appears to be to pay for games to end up on PS4 by financing those versions with maybe clauses to keep them off Xbone for a time. They don't care to pay for them not to end up on PC but they also aren't assisting on PC versions.

They generally don't moneyhat games anymore. When they do it's a partial funding like this and SF5. When they moneyhat a game like they used to do on the PS2 it was exclusive or timed exclusive to PS and not on PC.

The only recent example I can think of them doing this is FF7 remake which also seems to fit this criteria from what we know right now.

To be truly honest, if they were going to fully (or even just substantially) fund it, so that the scope wasn't dependant on Kickstarter, I would consider that worth sacrificing the PC version for any day of the week. The platform it releases on I imagine isn't of too much concern to the average Shenmue fan, who'd simply make sure they had whatever platform is necessary by the time it releases. I'm far more concerned about the game itself. You can only make Shenmue III once.

I feel the same way, but I don't think this is the majority opinion. I think most people want it on as many platforms as viable.

Anyway maybe if the Kickstarter isn't going to fund proper Sony can hire Peter Moore get them to cancel the Kickstarter and the PC version.

Spoiler

Yes, I'm joking about that last part.

 

[Dremark]

I think it's just they see no tangible value to pay for them not to turn up on PC.

I think it's less of a priority than console exclusive agreements are, but they still want to keep it off PC if the agreement can justify it. Actually another recent example comes to mind, I believe when Sony opened up thier bank book for Everybody's gone to the Rapture they killed the PC version.

 

[Synth]

I feel the same way, but I don't think this is the majority opinion. I think most people want it on as many platforms as viable.

Anyway maybe if the Kickstarter isn't going to fund proper Sony can hire Peter Moore get them to cancel the Kickstarter and the PC version.

Spoiler

Yes, I'm joking about that last part.

Well, if all else were equal, then I'd agree that people would want it on all platforms possible (which would also mean more than a single console). It would help ensure that a larger number of players with a more casual interest have the potential of picking the game up, making it a larger success overall. However... given the choice between a full Shenmue experience (as described by the stretch goals up to $11m), or a Shenmue-lite that is released on every viable platform... I'm quite confident that the majority of the Shenmue fanbase would select the former. The series has already jumped from Dreamcast to Xbox, and now to Playstation/PC. I don't imagine its core fans are very platform sensitive at this point.

 

[Can Crusher]

GI

Despite the new information, the Shenmue III Kickstarter still carries a number of oddities. Ys Net says that $10 million from fans is required to fund an open world. Not only is this budget number disconnected from the reality of game development (and Shenmue's budget history), but no gaming Kickstarter has ever approached that amount. Koji Igarashi's Bloodstained set the record at just over $5.5 million when it closed earlier this month. If fans knew how much Sony and other investors were ready to contribute against fan funding, perhaps there would be more confidence and trust built to reach that milestone.

It’s time for Suzuki and Sony to come clean on the Shenmue III budget and financing arrangement. Stop taking advantage of backers’ nostalgia and a 14-year-old cliffhanger.

Star Citizen isn't a gaming kickstarter?

Come clean?

It's hard to believe the bunch of morons that are up in arms about this, makes you question if it's not just the usual console war bullshit coming through.

 

[Dremark]

GI



Star Citizen isn't a gaming kickstarter?

Come clean?

It's hard to believe the bunch of morons that are up in arms about this, makes you question if it's not just the usual console war bullshit coming through.

Star Citizen only got about 2M from it's Kickstarter. However they've raised about 80 through crowd funding as a whole.

The come clean stuff boggles my mind though.

 

[Theonik]

Some people are expecting more information for their $29 donations than investors putting in millions in projects get. It's kinda cute.

 

[Panajev2001a]

Some people are expecting more information for their $29 donations than investors putting in millions in projects get. It's kinda cute.

Yeah, it is kind of suspicious, isn't it? They must come clean about this...

.

 

[May16]

So there's also this:
Idiots Angered, Customers Confused by Shenmue 3 Kickstarter

The Shenmue 3 Kickstarter has drawn controversy from two groups of people: people who know little about game publishing (and even less about Kickstarter), and those who want to cash in on ignorance to get easy clicks. I concede that some members of the former might be members of the latter, because being a member of the games press requires regrettably minimal qualification.

Meanwhile, genuine confusion has arisen for actual potential Shenmue 3 customers, who aren't sure what defines Yu Suzuki's exact "open world," and don't have a strong grasp on what certain stretch goals mean.

Check out the podcast with the streaming link above (via GameRevolution's YouTube Channel), or download the MP3 right here.

00:00 - Intro
02:04 - Shenmue 3 Kickstarter Close-up
02:44 - Defining stretch goals before development is hard
04:33 - Fan-centered language in Kickstarters
08:03 - The ambiguity of "True Open World"
12:07 - Shenmue 3 PR gaffs and Hanlon's Razor
14:42 - Awesome Japan's Kickstarter management history
22:09 - Awesome Japan lacks the native English speakers to handle a project this size
25:26 - Initial Kickstarter Goals: Large vs small
27:53 - School For Babies Who Don't Read Things: Kickstarter Edition
29:55 - Kickstarter is not always the only source of funding, and that's OK!
33:20 - The Oxford dictionary defines "kickstart" as...
35:57 - Game companies are not swimming in money
38:56 - The staving artist/sellout false dichotomy
41:30 - Writers fanning controversy
44:10 - The dangerous precedent of demanding financial details
47:46 - Hopes for Shenmue 3

Here are these in case any one is interested:
Original post
Direct Download
YouTube version

This whole controversy is unbelievably stupid.
I expect that no one on the Shenmue 3 team ever fathomed that this particular issue would ever be a cause for concern.

 

[Friend of Sonic]

The smear campaign by the American gaming media continues.

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/featu...come-clean-on-shenmue-budget-and-funding.aspx

Yep, yesterday I had a completely idiotic conversation with a real life friend who linked me to a Forbes contributor article. This shit is really getting disheartening.

 

[NervousXtian]

The blow back is entirely due to announcing it during a huge Sony PR event.

That rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, then you add in the typical KS blow back that's been happening since KS became a thing for games and you have this.

Nothing that's happened is surprising to say the least.

Shenmue's happening. Blame Yu for the $10 million thing and asking initially for $2. That's on him.. those who wanted Shenmue 3 should be happy now.. just ignore the outside noise.

 

[bishopcruz]

So there's also this:
Idiots Angered, Customers Confused by Shenmue 3 Kickstarter

Here are these in case any one is interested:
Original post
Direct Download
YouTube version

This whole controversy is unbelievably stupid.
I expect that no one on the Shenmue 3 team ever fathomed that this particular issue would ever be a cause for concern.

Great podcast. I especially like the part where they dissect the company runnign the Kickstarter and how they are likely out of their depth. It's fairly clear that this thing is running as well as it is based SOLELY on the goodwill of fans right now. It could be doing a lot better if it was just handled better. For example, the Stretch goals are too far apart and really don't FEEL as meaty as they should in many cases.

 

[Hubble]

Shuhei Yoshida is backing it at $29 btw he admitted which makes this post kinda funny.
I mean Sony can't even pony up PS4 physical copies?

Oh my... What a cheap skate. A guy with his salary cannot even pledge $100 towards gamer's passion. It's like making a donation to a cause that you care about.

 

[Theonik]

Oh my... What a cheap skate. A guy with his salary cannot even pledge $100 towards gamer's passion. It's like making a donation to a cause that you care about.

These were two different comments. One was 'Sony doing the equivalent of a $29 pledge' - Yoshida is actually kicking $29 in this.
The other was back to Sony themselves not offering PS4 copies for the campaign being 'cheap' considering the goodwill they got. Has nothing to do with Yoshida's pledge.

I worded this very poorly.

 

[BBboy20]

GI



Star Citizen isn't a gaming kickstarter?

Come clean?

It's hard to believe the bunch of morons that are up in arms about this, makes you question if it's not just the usual console war bullshit coming through.

...reading this GI thing, it's really ok as so long you're some hidden publisher or venture capitalist (Bloodstained) but if you're a console manufacture, conspiracy?

Makes me want to put a GI mag in the trash.

 

[EmptySpace]

as the announcement was being made, i can already hear the cynics trying so hard to discredit or bully the game.

we have had so many uninformed comments, which led to people spouting speculations as facts.

and ultimately, it not only discouraged a lot of potential backers but also painted this pleasant surprise as some sort of deception.

the toxicity is just astounding. i do not know how or why people just questioned this kickstarter so much.

my take on it, is that people just wanted to discredit sony and the hype that their presser generated. apparently they can't have a kickstarter on stage (for some reason),

it has been made clear right right before the reveal that it was yu suzuki's project, then youtubers/game "journalists" ran rampant with their speculations and their "expert analysis" so they told everyone that "there is no way sony is not involved, no way sony isn't providing 95% of the funding, why did they do a kickstarter, etc."

really, these wouldn't have questioned so much with any other kickstarter. i find it hypocritical how they often declare, "yeah i backed it because it sounds cool! don't care if it will ever get made!" yet this particular one they are suddenly oh so concerned about funding, where it's coming from, etc. people didn't give a shit that bloodstained had 90% of its funding coming from elsewhere. suddenly, why is it a matter of concern with shenmue? not only that, but what would change if sony funded this thing or not? backers don't have equity, you are still getting the game, i mean what is the problem?

it seriously is disgusting and disheartening. it's this mob mentality ganging up on a kickstarter game just 'cause they can.

then they are using this as an umbrella term for every other future kickstarters. "oh this sets an ugly precedent.." really?

 

[Synth]

really, these wouldn't have questioned so much with any other kickstarter. i find it hypocritical how they often declare, "yeah i backed it because it sounds cool! don't care if it will ever get made!" yet this particular one they are suddenly oh so concerned about funding, where it's coming from, etc. people didn't give a shit that bloodstained had 90% of its funding coming from elsewhere. suddenly, why is it a matter of concern with shenmue? not only that, but what would change if sony funded this thing or not? backers don't have equity, you are still getting the game, i mean what is the problem?

I didn't back Bloodstained (not really interested in it at all tbh), but I still think I can explain the difference here. People weren't complaining about the outside funding for Bloodstained, because the funding was presented as being sufficient enough to mean that the success of the kickstarter essentially put the game in a safe state. With Shenmue it's the perceived lack of funding causing the issue.We have no idea how much the external funding is (and it's not really important), but we have been led to believe that it's nowhere near sufficient to prevent the initial $2m goal from resulting in a shell of a Shenmue game... so we're left panicked over our inability to hit the stretch goals, that seem far less like things that are "nice to have", and more like things that honestly were always supposed to be a part of the game.

I'm not looking to gang up on this Kickstarter... I'm worried for it, as it's for what I consider to be the most important game to be developed in recent memory. If it ends up starved for funds, it's basically game over (again).

 

[Dremark]

Oh my... What a cheap skate. A guy with his salary cannot even pledge $100 towards gamer's passion. It's like making a donation to a cause that you care about.

There really isn't much incentive to back the project higher than $29 if your platform of choice is the PS4 which I'm assuming his is, at least publicly.

One of many reasons this campaign is lacking IMO.

it has been made clear right right before the reveal that it was yu suzuki's project, then youtubers/game "journalists" ran rampant with their speculations and their "expert analysis" so they told everyone that "there is no way sony is not involved, no way sony isn't providing 95% of the funding, why did they do a kickstarter, etc."

really, these wouldn't have questioned so much with any other kickstarter. i find it hypocritical how they often declare, "yeah i backed it because it sounds cool! don't care if it will ever get made!" yet this particular one they are suddenly oh so concerned about funding, where it's coming from, etc. people didn't give a shit that bloodstained had 90% of its funding coming from elsewhere. suddenly, why is it a matter of concern with shenmue? not only that, but what would change if sony funded this thing or not? backers don't have equity, you are still getting the game, i mean what is the problem?

You are acting like these things were not scrutinized for Bloodstained when in fact they were major points of criticism and debate when the Kickstarter was running.

Admittedly budget concerns were lower with Bloodstained, but there were legitimate reasons for this.

Bloodstained is the follow up to IGA's Castlevania games which were made on shoestring budgets and were literally still reusing assets from Rondo if Blood (A 1993 PC Engine game) in 2008.

Shenmue 3 is a sequel to the game that at the time of it's production was the most expensive game to produce ever. On top of this after funding Yu Suzuki said that in order to make the game at the level he wants to he'd need 5 times the initial amount.

I think there is a lot if toxicity going into this project and there are people who indeed want to make it look bad, but on the other hand, I can see why people are legitimately concerned about the project as well. I think that communication in regards to this is part of why as well.

Bloodstained started it's campaign directly stating it had outside funding contingent on the Kickstarter funding. Questions about where the money was going, who owned the IP, how the ports were being done, etc were answered quickly and communicated well.

Shenmue has been kind of a mess with it's explanations and with proper funding being questionable I think people are a lot more concerned about it and honestly they have legitimate reasons to.

It's overall being presented as a riskier project and it's not being run as well. Bloodstained was hit from every direction you can think if while it was running but the nature of the project and the people working on it did a good job of making people comfortable. This is a harder sell in a lot of regards.

 

[Elfforkusu]

I think it just comes down to communication. Unfortunately, the guys running the Shenmue 3 kickstarter do not have a very good grasp of english, so you have to work a little harder to find the answer to questions like "who is funding the game?"

I don't think it's shady in any way -- Yu Suzuki has been extremely forthcoming about the budget, short of providing actual numbers (which he is probably contractually obligated to not disclose). But the kickstarter page isn't extremely forthcoming about that.

 

[Theonik]

I think it just comes down to communication. Unfortunately, the guys running the Shenmue 3 kickstarter do not have a very good grasp of english, so you have to work a little harder to find the answer to questions like "who is funding the game?"

I don't think it's shady in any way -- Yu Suzuki has been extremely forthcoming about the budget, short of providing actual numbers (which he is probably contractually obligated to not disclose). But the kickstarter page isn't extremely forthcoming about that.

Yes of course, that actually sums up many problems about this kickstarter campaign though it IS doing very well all things considered.
It is a problem when you are trying to go after an international audience but your team is having trouble communicating things in clear English.

 

[sechsterangriff]

Yes of course, that actually sums up many problems about this kickstarter campaign though it IS doing very well all things considered.
It is a problem when you are trying to go after an international audience but your team is having trouble communicating things in clear English.

Apparently the guys at 8-4 knew about Shenmue 3 for two years before the announcement and had the chance to be in change of the kickstarter, but eventually declined because they were too busy...