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[Giolon]

Thanks for the link to AS! That wasn't up earlier when I was looking around.

@Snaku: As much as I agree with you, saying the PSP is on life support in Japan is false at best, disingenuous at worst. Maybe you're thinking of the PSP Go. PSP is still selling VERY well in Japan, fairly consistently making the #1 or #2 most sold gaming platform, not handheld only, of the week.

 

[Snaku]

@Snaku: As much as I agree with you, saying the PSP is on life support in Japan is false at best, disingenuous at worst. Maybe you're thinking of the PSP Go. PSP is still selling VERY well in Japan, fairly consistently making the #1 or #2 most sold gaming platform, not handheld only, of the week.

Certainly not by virtue of Senjou no Valkyria. It's still selling well there, but only until Capcom pulls the Monster Hunter plug.

 

[Nirolak]

And here I've been just sitting around at home with my consoles and portables thinking the world was easy like Sunday morning. When the fuck did people start going out and doing stuff?

He's referring to how a lot of Japanese people aren't at home very often, which is probably the biggest reason handheld gaming has taken over there.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

And here I've been just sitting around at home with my consoles and portables thinking the world was easy like Sunday morning. When the fuck did people start going out and doing stuff?

Japanese life has gotten a lot more busy in the last few years. Because of the poor economy, many workers are forced to spend even more hours at work, do more business trips, and generally spend an even larger part of their time anywhere but home than they ever have. School kids now face an unusual era where jobs aren't guaranteed for them when they finish school and competition has increased the pressure to succeed even more, which means more juku and less time hanging out at home. If kids want to play games now, they basically have to hide outside the home away from their parents, haha.

 

[Lindsay]

He's referring to how a lot of Japanese people aren't at home very often, which is probably the reason handheld gaming has taken over there.

So Segac West is focused on cheesey downloadable stuff and Segac East is focused on the home market instead of the world. Sooo short-sighted. Or short budgeted?I just feel bad for Sega. At least they aren't foolishly westernizing their franchises like other companies...

Japanese life has gotten a lot more busy in the last few years. Because of the poor economy, many workers are forced to spend even more hours at work, do more business trips, and generally spend an even larger part of their time anywhere but home than they ever have. School kids now face an unusual era where jobs aren't guaranteed for them when they finish school and competition has increased the pressure to succeed even more, which means more juku and less time hanging out at home. If kids want to play games now, they basically have to hide outside the home away from their parents, haha.

Wowww as if the stories of how hard working and studying they have it over there weren't bad enough its actually gotten much much worse? Yikes!

 

[Pureauthor]

So Segac West is focused on cheesey downloadable stuff and Segac East is focused on the home market instead of the world. Sooo short-sighted. Or short budgeted?I just feel bad for Sega. At least they aren't foolishly westernizing their franchises like other companies...

How is this short sighted? Handhelds are also rising in prominence in the west, so I don't think they'll hurt too much in general.

 

[Lindsay]

How is this short sighted? Handhelds are also rising in prominence in the west, so I don't think they'll hurt too much in general.

The d/l focus or the home market focus? Handhelds are getting bigger an better and more popular like ya said so I dun got a problem with that part of things. Whatever helps keep 'em afloat is for the best whether it means tons of crappy Sonic games, endless cycle of the same genesis game ports, etc so long as they can keep pumping out the good stuffs (and continue bringing 'em to the west in non-butchered forms) on the side!

 

[ymmv]

Wow, did VC2 sell really well on the PSP to justify 3 being on it as well?

I suppose the Japanese sales will be more or less the same for the PSP and PS3 version, but the international sales for VC2 on the PSP will be a lot less compared to previous and future PS3 versions. The PSP is (almost) a dead platform in the west and it will be dead as a dodo once the 3DS comes out.

 

[duckroll]

They released the Valkyria 2 demo on JP PSN on 2nd November last year. They'll probably be releasing the Valkyria 3 demo on JP PSN as well sometime after TGS.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

So Segac West is focused on cheesey downloadable stuff and Segac East is focused on the home market instead of the world. Sooo short-sighted. Or short budgeted?I just feel bad for Sega. At least they aren't foolishly westernizing their franchises like other companies...

SEGA of Japan have always focused on the home market (with the notable exception of Sonic the Porcupine the Hedgehog), it's just that the difference between the home market and the Western market has never been bigger.

No idea what SEGA of America are up to, but with the Japanese games not resonating with Western audiences the way they used to and the way things changed post-hardware, I doubt they have all that much money to do their own projects anymore.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

That leads to the implication that the handheld iterations are inherently inferior to the console counterpart, and that's simply not true.

While I think many would agree VC2 suffers in several key areas, none of those areas have any relation to it being on a portable system.

Yup, if anything, the failings of VC2 would have been magnified tenfold had the franchise stayed on the PS3. The official thread would probably be filled with exaggerated musings of the franchise's premature death.

And here I've been just sitting around at home with my consoles and portables thinking the world was easy like Sunday morning. When the fuck did people start going out and doing stuff?

The PSP and the DS are a godsend when you go to graduate school and have time to kill between classes.

How is this short sighted? Handhelds are also rising in prominence in the west, so I don't think they'll hurt too much in general.

Yup, if anything it is shortsighted for Western Developers to ignore the 3DS because game development on crucial handheld consoles like this is the difference between going on by and filing for bankruptcy.

Sega, SquareEnix, et al are very smart in focusing in Handheld Consoles.

 

[marathonfool]

They released the Valkyria 2 demo on JP PSN on 2nd November last year. They'll probably be releasing the Valkyria 3 demo on JP PSN as well sometime after TGS.

Another point of concern is that VC3 is coming exactly one year after VC2. It feels like milking of a franchise. This type of yearly release schedule is not conducive to ideas that evolve the franchise. Usually the opposite. Cosmetic upgrades and minimal changes.

 

[duckroll]

Another point of concern is that VC3 is coming exactly one year after VC2. It feels like milking of a franchise. This type of yearly release schedule is not conducive to ideas that evolve the franchise. Usually the opposite. Cosmetic upgrades and minimal changes.

Yeah, it's true. That's why we'll probably never see a Yakuza game featuring cyborgs, zombies, and gun action. It's really a pity.

 

[firehawk12]

Yup, if anything, the failings of VC2 would have been magnified tenfold had the franchise stayed on the PS3. The official thread would probably be filled with exaggerated musings of the franchise's premature death.

None of those grindy choices would have been made and the multiplayer might have been online instead of adhoc. Certainly the map design would have been much different/better as well.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

Another point of concern is that VC3 is coming exactly one year after VC2. It feels like milking of a franchise. This type of yearly release schedule is not conducive to ideas that evolve the franchise. Usually the opposite. Cosmetic upgrades and minimal changes.

Sadly, yearly releases seem to be the way of the industry now. Yearly Call of Duties, yearly Assassin's Creeds, yearly Yakuza games... I don't like it either, but I think from what we already know about VC3 we can say they're changing a fair bit beyond cosmetic upgrades.

 

[firehawk12]

Yeah, it's true. That's why we'll probably never see a Yakuza game featuring cyborgs, zombies, and gun action. It's really a pity.

I know that some people think that's awesome, but I think it might be worse than any weird platform bitching about VC3. :lol

 

[WrenchNinja]

Same artist as VC1, taking place during VC1 and no school sim element? Fucking A.

Maybe I'll actually buy this one.

 

[kiryogi]

Seeing the new female lead and Raita back as designer, now I do want D: Dammit :lol

 

[marathonfool]

Yeah, it's true. That's why we'll probably never see a Yakuza game featuring cyborgs, zombies, and gun action. It's really a pity.

You're right. The Yakuza series is the beacon of revolutionary games under a yearly schedule.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

Another point of concern is that VC3 is coming exactly one year after VC2. It feels like milking of a franchise. This type of yearly release schedule is not conducive to ideas that evolve the franchise. Usually the opposite. Cosmetic upgrades and minimal changes.

I said it before, the term "franchise fatigue."

Duckroll made a good rebuttal arguing that some franchises have yearly iterations and continue to sell well regardless. I responded that franchise fatigue could be mitigated on some level depending on the demographics of the hardware.

Basically, if Valkyria Chronicles has a more hardcore fanbase, it could see franchise fatigue earlier than not. If VC has a more casual fanbase then the franchise wont see franchise fatigue unless quality dips or the market latches onto another favorite franchise.

None of those grindy choices would have been made and the multiplayer might have been online instead of adhoc. Certainly the map design would have been much different/better as well.

You speak as if Sega would have implemented all those choices. Had VC2 been made on a console they still would have experimented with the franchise which would or would not have been accepted by the market. Online play would have been a huge question mark because the original game never had it, and they would have started experimenting more with map design like VC2's current iteration.

 

[marathonfool]

Sadly, yearly releases seem to be the way of the industry now. Yearly Call of Duties, yearly Assassin's Creeds, yearly Yakuza games... I don't like it either, but I think from what we already know about VC3 we can say they're changing a fair bit beyond cosmetic upgrades.

From the information released, it feels like it's going to back to VC1 style of gameplay structure. Perhaps gleaning off some game mechanics from VC2. Nothing revealed yet has made me think VC3 will be the game that changes the formula much. I'm much more pessimistic about the prospects of this franchise turning into a yearly release. I want this franchise to be taken care of. I'm irritated at Sega for their platform choice, but concerned about their vision for VC.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

From the information released, it feels like it's going to back to VC1 style of gameplay structure. Perhaps gleaning off some game mechanics from VC2. Nothing revealed yet has made me think VC3 will be the game that changes the formula much. I'm much more pessimistic about the prospects of this franchise turning into a yearly release. I want this franchise to be taken care of. I'm irritated at Sega for their platform choice, but concerned about their vision for VC.

Their vision is perfectly fine.

Release Valkyria Chronicles 1, get critical acclaim. Experiment with Valkyria Chronicles 2, people complain. Do what made Valkyria Chronicles 1 great and fix all the problems in Valkyria Chronicles 2 to make Valkyria Chronicles 3.

That sounds great because they are actually getting feedback from the market and doing what works, sounds perfectly fine to me.

 

[firehawk12]

From the information released, it feels like it's going to back to VC1 style of gameplay structure. Perhaps gleaning off some game mechanics from VC2. Nothing revealed yet has made me think VC3 will be the game that changes the formula much. I'm much more pessimistic about the prospects of this franchise turning into a yearly release. I want this franchise to be taken care of. I'm irritated at Sega for their platform choice, but concerned about their vision for VC.

VC4 will have Zombies invade Gallia, clearly.

 

[duckroll]

VC4 will have Zombies invade Gallia, clearly.

No. VC4 will have 4 main characters. The next VC will have zombies invade Gallia.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

VC4 will have Zombies invade Gallia, clearly.

And they will have a female lead character.....

......Not in a million years

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

No. VC4 will have 4 main characters. The next VC will have zombies invade Gallia.

When do we get the Edo era spin-off?

 

[firehawk12]

No. VC4 will have 4 main characters. The next VC will have zombies invade Gallia.

My bad. I'm looking forward to VC:K, where all the characters are European samurai. Oh wait, I guess they'd be knights. :lol

 

[duckroll]

When do we get the Edo era spin-off?

That will be on the PS3.

 

[Nirolak]

And they will have a female lead character.....

......Not in a million years

Well, the two female characters are in the logo for VC3, so they might be the leads unless it's actually the one guy.

Edit:

Nevermind, I blanked out on the Yakuza reference.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

My bad. I'm looking forward to VC:K, where all the characters are European samurai. Oh wait, I guess they'd be knights. :lol

Hey, Medieval Valkyria Chronicles would be freaking awesome.

I mean, that is the kind of era that would take place during the rise of the Valkyria, the Darcsen oppression, and the betrayal of the house of Rangriz.

AAA game right there.

Well, the two female characters are in the logo for VC3, so they might be the leads unless it's actually the one guy.

Edit:

Nevermind, I blanked out on the Yakuza reference.

Bah, you know it is a love triangle with the guy at the lead.

He is going for a harem ending.

 

[mjemirzian]

I'm excited about another VC release, and I like what I'm reading about the changes so far (less grinding mostly).

Hopefully they add a hard mode this time? VC2 is putting me to sleep.

 

[Snaku]

That will be on the PS3.

And not localized.

 

[firehawk12]

Bah, you know it is a love triangle with the guy at the lead.

He is going for a harem ending.

They might as well steal from Persona at this point. :lol

 

[duckroll]

You know. I just realized something. If this game is about an unrecorded historical event involving a penal battalion sent on some secret suicide mission, and it takes place during the events of VC1 but on another war front... doesn't this pretty much suggest that most of the game might take place for the first time OUTSIDE of Gallia?

The Gallian war in 1935 is so important that any Gallian squad would almost certainly have helped in the war against the empire, unless such a squad was sent... outside of the borders.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

They might as well steal from Persona at this point. :lol

Hey, what makes you think that Avan was not going for a harem ending in Valkyria Chronicles 2? Half the character stories in the game had him charming the hell out of the female (and male) cast.

You know. I just realized something. If this game is about an unrecorded historical event involving a penal battalion sent on some secret suicide mission, and it takes place during the events of VC1 but on another war front... doesn't this pretty much suggest that most of the game might take place for the first time OUTSIDE of Gallia?

The Gallian war in 1935 is so important that any Gallian squad would almost certainly have helped in the war against the empire, unless such a squad was sent... outside of the borders.

So you think they are some sort of elite strike force for Gallia?

That would be cool because that would mean that they are actually badasses.

 

[firehawk12]

You know. I just realized something. If this game is about an unrecorded historical event involving a penal battalion sent on some secret suicide mission, and it takes place during the events of VC1 but on another war front... doesn't this pretty much suggest that most of the game might take place for the first time OUTSIDE of Gallia?

The Gallian war in 1935 is so important that any Gallian squad would almost certainly have helped in the war against the empire, unless such a squad was sent... outside of the borders.

Hah, I can see it now. It turns out there was another secret cache of ancient Valkyrian weapons that they are sent out to find.

Hey, what makes you think that Avan was not going for a harem ending in Valkyria Chronicles 2? Half the character stories in the game had him charming the hell out of the female (and male) cast.

Yes, but they need to add S-links. Or maybe they can call it Valkyrian-links. The more friends you have, the more Valkyrian powers you get!

 

[Hcoregamer00]

Hah, I can see it now. It turns out there was another secret cache of ancient Valkyrian weapons that they are sent out to find.

The story could make sense if they put it in the context of a elite strike force that ventures into the territory of the Federation and the Empire to search for the weapons of the Valkyrur, while engaging both sides in small time battles.

Yes, but they need to add S-links. Or maybe they can call it Valkyrian-links. The more friends you have, the more Valkyrian powers you get!

Does that make General Selvaria weak because she had no close personal friends and

Spoiler

died all alone?

Aww, I just made myself sad

 

[duckroll]

So you think they are some sort of elite strike force for Gallia?

That would be cool because that would mean that they are actually badasses.

I think they're a condemned unit sent on missions which no one else would go on, and on missions where they can afford to lose the entire squad or deny everything if things go wrong, yes. They're all criminals, and clearly the army does not think much of them, but such a squad is usually the most well armed and with the highest survival instincts.

 

[duckroll]

Hah, I can see it now. It turns out there was another secret cache of ancient Valkyrian weapons that they are sent out to find.

It's hard to discuss VC3's possible storyline hooks to VC1 and VC2 without spoilers...

 

[Giolon]

Does that make General Selvaria weak because she had no close personal friends and died all alone?

Aww, I just made myself sad

She got relatively close to Johann.

Spoiler

Too bad I kill him! :lol

. Selvaria really did waste herself on Maximilian though. She should've hooked up with Jaeger. Or me.

 

[firehawk12]

Does that make General Selvaria weak because she had no close personal friends and

Spoiler

died all alone?

Aww, I just made myself sad

But she was moe moe with that one soldier!

It's hard to discuss VC3's possible storyline hooks to VC1 and VC2 without spoilers...

True... but then again, VC1 must be past the statute of limitations on spoilers...

 

[Hcoregamer00]

I think they're a condemned unit sent on missions which no one else would go on, and on missions where they can afford to lose the entire squad or deny everything if things go wrong, yes. They're all criminals, and clearly the army does not think much of them, but such a squad is usually the most well armed and with the highest survival instincts.

That would be interesting, but doing that kind of story would also mean that it would *gasp* have a much darker tone than VC1 and VC2.

True... but then again, VC1 must be past the statute of limitations on spoilers...

People still get mad when you spoil games like FF7 and Xenogears :lol

 

[duckroll]

True... but then again, VC1 must be past the statute of limitations on spoilers...

VC1 is, but there are specific plot elements in VC2 which I think will be related to VC3.

 

[marathonfool]

VC4 will have Zombies invade Gallia, clearly.

I almost expect this to happen because it's Sega. By the time VC4 comes out, zombies are no longer trendy, and it'll be all about vampires. :lol

Their vision is perfectly fine.

Release Valkyria Chronicles 1, get critical acclaim. Experiment with Valkyria Chronicles 2, people complain. Do what made Valkyria Chronicles 1 great and fix all the problems in Valkyria Chronicles 2 to make Valkyria Chronicles 3.

That sounds great because they are actually getting feedback from the market and doing what works, sounds perfectly fine to me.

If VC3 wasn't release for about another 2 years, then I would agree with you. Based on the snippets from Motoyama, I assumed they wanted to continue experimentation like in VC2. Releasing the sequel exactly one year from the previous game puts huge time constraints on what can be changed or improved.

I have faith in the Overworks team will put out a quality game. But Motoyama's quotes feels disingenuous. I expect less experimentation in VC3. They already took out the multiplayer instead of expanding on it. I have no faith in Sega and the news today has me bummed. I'm expecting the worst right now.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

But she was moe moe with that one soldier!



True... but then again, VC1 must be past the statute of limitations on spoilers...

Late 2008 release? Hmm, I know a few games from before then I could probably make people cry by spoiling. :teehee

 

[Hcoregamer00]

VC1 is, but there are specific plot elements in VC2 which I think will be related to VC3.

You mean a certain

Spoiler

idiot bro-con's brother?

Sorry, I am in the August mission so I still don't know jack about that subject.

If VC3 wasn't release for about another 2 years, then I would agree with you. Based on the snippets from Motoyama, I assumed they wanted to continue experimentation like in VC2. Releasing the sequel exactly one year from the previous game puts huge time constraints on what can be changed or improved.

I have faith in the Overworks team will put out a quality game. But Motoyama's quotes feels disingenuous. I expect less experimentation in VC3. They already took out the multiplayer instead of expanding on it. I have no faith in Sega and the news today has me bummed. I'm expecting the worst right now.

I disagree, VC3 looks like the answer to what little criticism I had of VC2.

It looks like an incredible addition to the franchise.

 

[duckroll]

That would be interesting, but doing that kind of story would also mean that it would *gasp* have a much darker tone than VC1 and VC2.

Don't worry, I'm sure one of the squad members will be a well endowed but ditzy engineer who was transferred to the squad after she filed a complaint about sexual harassment from her superiors in another squad. There'll probably also be a pair of twins who got banished from their previous unit because they pretended to be a single person.

 

[Vinterbird]

And PSP ordered. Hopefully they're adding in an easy mode so I might finish this one.

 

[firehawk12]

People still get mad when you spoil games like FF7 and Xenogears :lol

OMG SHE DIES!!!!!

VC1 is, but there are specific plot elements in VC2 which I think will be related to VC3.

Yeah, that's true. I'm still in March in that game, so I'm just going from what I remember of VC1 (and the silly anime I suppose).

I almost expect this to happen because it's Sega. By the time VC4 comes out, zombies are no longer trendy, and it'll be all about vampires. :lol

They could reboot VC1. Alicia and Selvaria are Valkyrian Vampires and you have to choose which one to side with. I'm calling Team Selvaria!

 

[Hcoregamer00]

And PSP ordered. Hopefully they're adding in an easy mode so I might finish this one.

VC2 has an easy mode, don't fret

Don't worry, I'm sure one of the squad members will be a well endowed but ditzy engineer who was transferred to the squad after she filed a complaint about sexual harassment from her superiors in another squad. There'll probably also be a pair of twins who got banished from their previous unit because they pretended to be a single person.

LOL, I know you are joking but the sad part is that they will hit those anime tropes one day.

They could reboot VC1. Alicia and Selvaria are Valkyrian Vampires and you have to choose which one to side with. I'm calling Team Selvaria!

Eff that, if they ever reboot Valkyria 1, they should

Spoiler

let Selvaria be one of the good guys who joins your party at the end, or at least let her die killing Maximillian instead of Faldio