Samurai_Heart
Member
So the 100th Issue Special has an article about Cing/interview with Rika Suzuki by Matthew Castle (twitter) and I'm gonna paraphrase/post tidbits as an in remembrance to the company that created my favourite character and as a closure piece to Cing fans.
I recommend buying the magazine, which is out now (UK), for the full low down and informations.
First a reminder of Cing's more celebrated series/games:
Another Code (EU) /Trace Memory (US)
Hotel Dusk: Room 215/Last Window: The Secret of Cape West
Co-developed Little King Story
Again
Onto the article:
- It has been three years since Cing has closed down, March 5th 2010
- In her own words, Suzuki was "Vice President at Cing. It was mainly creative work, and I was in charge of game planning and scenarios."
- She started up a company called Bellwood , which makes smartphone and web apps.
- Bellwood also includes some personnels from Cing and Riverhillsoft she worked with.
- "The reason [Cing went bankrupt] is that a game went into prolonged development and the costs went up, so we ran into cashflow problems"
- The plotline to Last Window: The Secret of Cape West was thought to be similar to Cing's financial difficulties when fans played it. Suzuki explains: "That was just a coincidence." "A very sad coincidence" ='(
- When they were in a pinch, they had many discussion with Nintendo but in the end Cing filed for bankruptcy.
- Nintendo relationship is remembered the most fondly due to Nintendo embracing narrative driven gaming.
- Originally proposed a GBA game, someone at Nintendo had played a game she made at Riverhillsoft and asked her to propse a DS game, that game was Another Code/Trace Memory.
- Asked if Nintendo and Cing's relationship had some tension. She says they shared the same concept of using touch screen and attracting new gamers except Nintendo was not too interested in games that can only be enjoyed once, that was the tension.
- Had Cing continued developing games she admits Ashley's story would have continued: "Ashley's story continues to unfold inside me". She would have written a story starring a 19-year old Ashley that would "include an episode which Ashley was reunited with Matthew".
- May have also a crossover story between Kyle Hyde and Ashley.
- Emphasises to make Kyle Hyde's personality and history realistic they chose to use Los Angeles as the backdrop. Whilst Another Code was set on the West Coast of America but fictional lakeside town and city, was to reflect Ashley's unstable mental state; thus strange settings"
- When asked if Cing survived would their world eventually collide: "That's right. The story of Kyle Hyde as an old man meeting Ashley would be extremely interesting I think."
- She lists off some of her ideas for game stories she had at Cing.
- Interview ends with her hoping the new hardwares will bring new types of adventure games.
- "There is potential for the right games to be accepted in the west. If there is s constant stream of high-quality titles for smartphones and tablets, surely the fun will catch on."
- Concluding remarks: "If Cing had not closed down, I think I would be planning an online mobile game that explores new kinds of mystery-solving."
I feel sorry for you American folks that never got a chance to play Last Window and Another Code: R =(
Best characters ever:
If only...
I will always miss you Cing ='(
Source = Official Nintendo Magazine 100th Issue