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Project Phoenix: Squad-based RTS with Uematsu & industry veterans [Kickstarter Up]

With S-E displeasing many fans lately, Atlus' future being uncertain, I think it's great to see familiar japanese talent joining the Indie bandwagon.

This would something to celebrate in a greater quantity were it not for the fact that they seem to be settling on "ios/browser" goals
 
This could be very very good or very very bad. It's strictly up to the harmony and vision of the team making it. I wish them very well, as crossups between the two parties have made some of the best RPGs of all time in the past.
 

Reveirg

Member
This would something to celebrate in a greater quantity were it not for the fact that they seem to be settling on "ios/browser" goals

To be fair, ios/browser capabilities are as high as 3ds's are. The only thing restraining those games is the business format and the touch-only controls.

Doesn't seem like this will be a problem here considering it'll release on ps4/vita.
 

duckroll

Member
I think until there are more details about who the staff are on this, the current title is more accurate. :)

I wonder what he means by "we have budgeted enough to create the 3D models" though. They're not making a game? They're making a prototype pitch? What?
 

Reveirg

Member
From the project's Facebook page:

Message from the Director, Hiroaki Yura in regards to iOS/Android port of Project Phoenix:

Why iOS/Android platforms? The thing is we want our game to be accessible to a wide range of people but when we are ready to port to other platforms, we don't know how developed the iOS/Android platforms will be.

The plan is, if it plays well on these platforms, we'll simply port it. If it don't, we have other exciting plans!

Never will our game set the PC/Mac/Linux standard to match these portable devices so don't worry!

Looking better and better.
 

Raitaro

Member
Wow, so much awesome in one announcement! Color me curious.

But, a lot of strange combinations as well. I mean, a RTS / JRPG hybrid? A joint operation between Japanese and Western luminaries? A Japanese Indie game? And all that for PC and other platforms but no consoles?

A real head scratcher, but indeed one to keep a close eye on, if only to see where this will end up quality wise and how it might affect Japanese (indie) game development (or how it might - in hindsight - be a sign of shifting idealogical changes in the Japanese game industry by itself).
 

Reveirg

Member
Wow, so much awesome in one announcement! Color me curious.

But, a lot of strange combinations as well. I mean, a RTS / JRPG hybrid? A joint operation between Japanese and Western luminaries? A Japanese Indie game? And all that for PC and other platforms but no consoles?

They're in talks with Sony for PS4/Vita, I'll add that to the OP.

But yeah, many questions. The full reveal is in 2 days, I guess we'll see more then.
 

Baleoce

Member
art direction from Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy XIV‘s Kiyoshi Arai, and have music led by Final Fantasy series composer Nobuo Uematsu.

Perfect foundation

Final Fantasy, Halo 4, Crysis 3, L.A. Noire, World of Warcraft, StarCraft II, Diablo III, Soulcalibur V, Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, Steins;Gate: Fuka Ryoiki no Deja vu, and more.

Holy shit at the collaboration.

I found this bit of info on the destructoid article:

Also, one of the Kickstarter backer rewards will put you in the game as an NPC, "such as a bar owner," with your own personal theme music composed by Uematsu himself.

*throws wallet* source: http://www.destructoid.com/project-phoenix-is-an-indie-jrpg-from-final-fantasy-vets-259747.phtml
 

wmlk

Member
I just heard the whole interview and I am absolutely stunned at how I share the same thoughts with him on all accounts. I think he nails it with his classification of western and eastern design - how one favours aesthetics and the other favours functionality. I immediately thought of Cloud's Buster Sword and surely enough, he brought it up. He says his favourite game of all time is Secret of Mana. Dude is awesome.

He seems like a guy who appreciates both Japanese and Western development (funny how people compare Japan and the rest of the world). I just hope the proposal that they have tomorrow is something a lot of people can rally around.
 

King Boo

Member
rpg and rts? so similar to last remnant?

ok hopefully someone will make a new topic when the kick starter is out. it will be teh first game i will back.
 

Seluhir

Neo Member
They had me until "Ruffles."

But... that's the best part... well aside from Nobuo Uematsu doing the ost.


I also heard a rumour that one of the Kickstarter rewards for a higher tier would be having an NPC named by you put in the game with a specially designed track made for it.

That's pretty awesome - I'd love to have a personal theme done by Nobuo - he's always done the best work.
 

Flamfas

Member
Well, the website has finally updated, linking to the kickstarter page for this.

Their minimum goal is $100k, and I'm hoping they can reach it. I might donate to this kickstarter, which will be the first time I do such a thing.
 

wrowa

Member
At the end of the video he's criticizing that a lot of JRPGs are different "for the sake of being different", and yet...

"Project Phoenix is a SQUAD-BASED, REAL-TIME STRATEGY GAME combined with strong Japanese RPG design influences"

Sounds like he's doing the same thing, really.

Apart of that, the art is great, the music is great too, but in the 9 minutes of the video nothing was said that sold me on the game behind it. The team seems to be very much focused on the art, which is not a bad thing per se, but isn't making me feel very confident either. The team is pretty impressive for a game that's coming right out of nowhere, though.

Also, this might be just wishful thinking, but the art of "Take B" reminds me of Yoshida's.
 
I've never heard of this project before. It looks very promising but, as always, I'll get excited when the game is out. It could fail (or underdeliver) at any point during development. Also, the story looks uninteresting.
 

wrowa

Member
I've never heard of this project before. It looks very promising but, as always, I'll get excited when the game is out. It could fail (or underdeliver) at any point during development.

Of course you haven't, it's known to be in development for a whopping 3 days. :p
 
Story

The world is changing...

The orcish clans, mankind's ancient enemy, have begun migrating from the mountains and their raids upon human settlements become more brazen and audacious by the day. If this wasn't enough, the denizens of the southern coastal regions hear rumor of the free men who, once vanquished, have emerged, more organized than before, all with the goal of toppling the Empire. Amidst the stirrings of war, the elves watch a fateful star and recognize it as a portent that will decide the fate of all those who live in Azuregard.

It is within these tumultumous times that the troubled paladin Marcus Stern encounters Ruffles, an angel stricken with amnesia. Together with the elven princess Sylrianah, reserved but curious to see the world beyond the forest, and Zarum the Lost, a battlemage with his own internal conflicts, they form an unlikely bond. These four heroes must discover their place in a world brought to war by misunderstanding and ignorance, and perhaps ultimately even save it from itself.

Well, I'm out. Not interested in that kind of story.
 

redlemon

Member
Can't say I'm interested. Not the biggest strategy fan to begin with and the low goal makes me feel like I'm just funding their pitch as opposed to this being the pitch. Not being able to reveal key team members like the lead programmer doesn't exactly inspire confidence.
 

Aureon

Please do not let me serve on a jury. I am actually a crazy person.
The staff is damn impressive. How the hell do you call this an indie game?
 

Aeana

Member
Squad-based RTS? Not at all the kind of game I was hoping for.

And game designer from LA Noire? Honestly, the staff list doesn't make me think that they can make a decent RPG at all.
 

TheFatMan

Member
I was excited as hell all the way till I saw the words mobile and iOS.

That pretty much summed up the super low fund goal amount.
 
Seeing several potential issues here.

Everything they've revealed as far as story & gameplay (aside from the RTS aspect) so far is really generic.

Release date is too far away. Similarly, they're still in pre-production so they don't have much of anything to show off other than concept art.

They're trying to tease famous staff members but not actually tell us who they are. This makes them look really suspicious.

Many of the reward tiers are too high compared to other successful RPG kickstarters. For example, there should be a tier at $25-$35 that offers the soundtrack (and other things), especially since the soundtrack should be a big draw with names like Uematsu on board, but instead they've got the soundtrack at $50.

They've basically said that most of their staff is going to work for free. With such a large (for an indie) team, so many big names, and about 2 years left to go, I'd be worried that some members would bail or need money before development is over.

Ruffles. Seriously, you've got English-natives on the team - you couldn't predict that this name would make you sound ridiculous?
 

TheFatMan

Member
Well, they are saying that it'll be a PC game first and foremost.

True. But anytime I see a game that is going to be ported to a phone platform I get worried about the quality of the game that is going to be produced. Add on the fact that 100,000 greenbacks isn't a large goal for a kickstarter, especially one with the all-star lineup of talent these guys have listed and.....well, sketchy.
 

wrowa

Member
Ruffles. Seriously, you've got English-natives on the team - you couldn't predict that this name would make you sound ridiculous?

Even the director seems to be an English native speaker, so I guess that -- attention, it's getting ridiculous now -- they think that those strange naming conventions are actually, you know, part of the charm of Japanese games.
 
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