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[OmegaDL50]

Well ArcSys owns the rights now but everything seems to be cool between them.

The thing is the contract they got precedes ArcSys from acquiring the rights for the franchise, in this case however it wasn't that cut and dry apparently.

As far as I'm aware it was the contract itself that allowed the project to continue as is. This is because the initial licensing agreement made when they got the proper permissions from Million to make an official licensed sequel.

Since the ownership has shifted to ArcSys is the reason why the project was delayed. From what I understand because they had to make sure that existing arrangement and licensing still existed and wasn't made null / void once ArcSys took over the rights of the IP itself.

I don't practice law or claim to be an expert on how this stuff works, but I'm sure there was a lot of careful management done to make sure the existing agreement stayed in place and did not conflict with whatever ArcSys plans to do with the IP from here on out.

 

[CrAzY FiNgErS]

WOOOO so many games, I can't play them all at once...

Tell me about it. It's nice to have games like this being a direct sequel to an NES classic. Plus you have games like Axiom Verge and Shovel Knight paying homage to some of the NES greats. If you feel overwhelmed by all the choices and have a backlog or wish list from hell just separate the mediocre games from the good or great ones and only play the best of the best.

 

[CamHostage]

It looks like they just have the rights to River City Ransom which is technically just an Americanizd Kunio-kun game. Are the two old guys still known Alex and Ryan? The game looks like it takes place in an American setting.

True that they seem to only have the River City Ransom brand (though they seem to have coordinated with Million to get that, so American Technos didn't take those rights with it to the grave.) There actually seems to be no bite yet for releasing this back in Japan as a Nekketsu product (and though the characters have been changed a bunch, the Kunio-Kun games went through drastic reinvention across the SNES era and even changed a bunch from Renegade to RCR, so it wouldn't be unheard of; it's also rare but still happened before that a developer outside Technos/Million developed a Kunio-Kun game.) Kunio-Kun is still an active franchise in Japan (on mobile and some other weird game projects like the Nekketsu Koha Kunio-kun remake,) and the sprite work to convert these lead character sprites would be more involved than just the color adjustments of the NES game, so it's hard to say what Million's and now ArkSystemWorks' interest is in this product. I'd like to see them embrace it, because I think it looks good and respectful, but it may not be the right business move to bring it into the Nekketsu fold, maybe better to just divorce the properties once and for all.

Not necessarily the case though that it takes place in an "American setting". Watch the trailer again and it shows that a number of RCR locations have been rebuilt faithfully for RCR Underground. Just as the change from Downtown Nekketsu Story to RIver City Ransom, we could be a few background tile and head sprite swaps away from it being the other territory's game.

 

[Nordicus]

Made a gif of the flapping mouth. No idea why

Anyway, really hope they get it out by end of Q4 2015 like Greenlight page release date says says

 

[OmegaDL50]

So happy to have backed this, it's been a long time in coming but as Kickstarters go there's been a lot of progress updates (though the rights thing never was totally swept away, although signs seem to point to ArkSystemWorks honoring the original Millions agreement now that ASW owns the Technos franchises) and the product looks phenomenal.

For long-time Technos fans, there are some great nods to games outside RCR (like the devastating flying knee and helicopter kick that rewarded mastery of Double Dragon II.) And the addition of a chi meter to keep super techniques on a cooldown should encourage a variety of techniques. Plus the physics are complex yet stupid enough that you can stack characters carrying boxes carrying characters carrying boxes...


I'm confident these guys are on their way to making the original RCR/Street Gangs/Downtown Nekketsu Story team proud.

Well one of the original team members is a creative advisor for the project.

Yoshihisa Kishimoto who is the Director for the original Double Dragon and the creator of the original Kunio-Kun game.

So with said a lot of the faithful depictions of the game itself is probably due to not only this being mainly a love of labor, but the fact the original project lead for the series can oversee everything to make sure it stays relatively faithful from a gameplay stand point.

The recent trailers have convince me these guys are doing an outstanding job. I actually wish I pledged this project, but I'll definitely be on board to buying this game on day one.

 

[Mejilan]

Backed this years ago and it seems like tons of progress has been made despite the project apparently having gone dark for so long. Encouraging.

Had almost forgotten about this before the KS backer update email discussing Steam Greenlight hit my inbox last week.

 

[Nordicus]

Game is now content complete

 

[Dimmle]

I forgot this was a thing! My god! Can't wait!

 

[SAB CA]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PZzg2aihaM

Bruno's skills. As stated in the description:

The high-flying clueless luchador of the group, as long as there's fighting to be had, Bruno's down. He relies on flying moves to close the distance with his enemies, getting up close and personal to land his deadly grappling attacks.

Game definitely seems to be coming along nicely, can't wait until it releases. Would be even happier if it was coming to a console or 2 at the same time, but just glad it's coming out, for now.

 

[Nordicus]

Wesley Snipes muay thai fighter.

I can dig it!

 

[CamHostage]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PZzg2aihaM

Just noticed that all the Character Profile videos have Arc System Works logos at the end of the clips; I never heard of what the relationship with Conatus Creative and ASW was/would be after the acquisition of Kunio titles and the revival of the River City franchise, but I take this to mean that there's a partnership to get RCR Underground through and to the people. Psyched for it, looking good!

Dec 2015 was the time we were updated on the CC + ASW Partnership btw, here's the Kotaku article that sent out the "All is well!", even before it was messages to KS backers: http://kotaku.com/river-city-ransoms-crowdfunded-sequel-lives-on-1726125877

It came around the same time as the Steam Greenlight Campaign success.

Yes, yes, the Conatus Creative team did reach out to ASW when the buyout happened because there was fear that the previous relationship agreement with Millions would not be honored, that much I knew. But the AWS logo (with Kunio on top to bridge the three entities of Technos, Conatus and Arc System Works; there's also Technos spoof footage in the "video glitches") didn't immediately show up on video releases, I don't think? And Arc Systems is approving but is not involved as the publisher or distributor on any platform (as far as we know), so it seems like it's mostly a vanity branding to legitimize the product, which is yet another unusual but endearing aspect of this whole production.

 

[SAB CA]

They released some Character Spotlight videos over the past few weeks:

• Bruno
• Provie
• Rudy
• Wesly Snipes
• Mike (Featuring a Technos commericial easter egg?)

Bonus: Live Action Short - Featuring Live action Abobo!

Just noticed that all the Character Profile videos have Arc System Works logos at the end of the clips; I never heard of what the relationship with Conatus Creative and ASW was/would be after the acquisition of Kunio titles and the revival of the River City franchise, but I take this to mean that there's a partnership to get RCR Underground through and to the people. Psyched for it, looking good!

Dec 2015 was the time we were updated on the CC + ASW Partnership btw, here's the Kotaku article that sent out the "All is well!", even before it was messages to KS backers: http://kotaku.com/river-city-ransoms-crowdfunded-sequel-lives-on-1726125877

It came around the same time as the Steam Greenlight Campaign success.