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[BocoDragon]

He's not talking about his nieces and nephews. He's talking about our nieces and nephews. The really annoying ones who grew up playing Counterstrike and GTA. Yeah. Them.

I don't have a niece or nephew yet... But if I did, I would yell at them about the value of choosing games with deep weapon crafting systems in faux Shakespearean dialogue.

"If I could protect but one person from Angry Birds' horror... then I would bear any shame. I would bear it proudly."

 

[Takao]

As I am a kid at heart, I don't mind.

Unless it's the equivalent of Imagine Babies, in which case nothankyou.

 

[Gravijah]

As I am a kid at heart, I don't mind.

Unless it's the equivalent of Imagine Babies, in which case nothankyou.

You just turned 18, damn it. You're still a kid!

 

[Takao]

You just turned 18, damn it. You're still a kid!

I just graduated from highschool today.

I cried when I got home.

Surfing Raichu, do you have a 3DS? I actually bought one and have found the friend code thing.

 

[squall23]

What? Inazuma Eleven isn't children-oriented enough already?

Inazuma Eleven offshoot game confirmed.

 

[gatotsu911]

As for an example of a game where random battles are better, I would point at Shin Megami Tensei 3. The atmosphere of the areas in that game would be completely shattered if there were enemies bouncing around all over the place. The crushing feeling of solitude would be completely lost.

Look at Etrian Odyssey or SMT: Nocturne. They use random encounters to create tension during dungeon exploration, and they force the player to strategize around their generally weaker ability to control the number (and kind) of enemies they'll face.

I haven't played Nocturne or Etrian Odyssey, but if they're anything like Strange Journey (which I have played) - the battles aren't really RANDOM. Sure, the enemies don't appear on the field map, but you do know ahead of time a battle is approaching, and you're not endlessly bombarded with them every time you attempt to walk around the room. That's the important part. Also, movement and environment in SMT and EO is very calculated, methodical and abstract, more in keeping with pen-and-paper RPGs, and as such handling encounters in that manner suits them better than in a game with a more conventional (in video game terms) style of visual and spatial representation, e.g. your average Final Fantasy.

I'm especially surprised at your inclusion of FF13, as that flowed just like any ATB game.

I admit, you're right: the battles in FF13 do flow very well and I was somewhat hesitant to include it. The question, I guess, is this: does the battle system work BETTER than ATB? Honestly, I'm not sure. I don't think I've played enough of FF13 to give a concrete answer. Similarly, I haven't played a whole lot of FF12 (and I haven't played it recently), but from what I remember the combat was slow and boring as shit. Running around in a real-time field, waiting for a gauge to fill up so I can press X to swing my sword again, is NOT FUN. That's pretty much the worst way to attempt to merge ATB with a real-time battle system. Though, maybe it really picks up later in the game, I don't know. I only played it for a few hours. I will concede, though, that Final Fantasy's various attempts at real-time battle systems have, generally, been better than the action-RPG norm.

 

[Gravijah]

I just graduated from highschool today.

I cried when I got home.

Surfing Raichu, do you have a 3DS? I actually bought one and have found the friend code thing.

Yes, my friend code is 3652-0546-5060. Add it and PM me yours and I'll add you back.

 

[RurouniZel]

Awesome, Level 5 gets even better!

 

[A Twisty Fluken]

Matsuno just assuming his fans have nieces and nephews at most is the best thing I've read all day.

Can't wait for his next game.

 

[n128]

his personal twitter,
anyone want to ask him?

http://twitter.com/#!/YasumiMatsuno

he can reply in english

 

[Boney]

I still believe

 

[NeededSleep]

I just graduated from highschool today.

Congrats and welcome to the world!

 

[Ra1den]

b) I don't give a shit about Evangelion games, so a bad one won't mean shit to me, they're ALL crap.

I heard that N64 one was pretty good. Never played it though so I'm not sure.

 

[gatotsu911]

Back on topic: for what it's worth, the last "kid's game" Matsuno worked on was Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Take that for what it's worth. (I loved it.) What upsets me isn't so much the prospect of Matsuno making a family-friendly game as him making "compact games that can be released in a speedy fashion". Not only does this describe pretty much all of Level-5's output in the last 3 years (and summarize the reason I've come to dislike the company), but it's the polar opposite of what I'd want to see Matsuno do. At this point in time he should be working on madly ambitious, once-in-a-generation epics, not clockwork-like, low-budget games that will be exploited for yearly sequels until everyone gets sick of them. Or, hell, at the very least he should be making some highly challenging, ultra-polished handheld strategy games.

 

[Lord_Byron28]

*enters disaster of a thread*

I enjoy Level 5's handheld output and thought overall they are pretty good.

Has anyone thought what he says nieces/nephews instead of sons/daughters? Is that a hint, implying something or no reason at all?

 

[Gravijah]

Has anyone thought what he says nieces/nephews instead of sons/daughters? Is that a hint, implying something or no reason at all?

What in the world could it possibly hint?

 

[Nirolak]

*enters disaster of a thread*

I enjoy Level 5's handheld output and thought overall they are pretty good.

Has anyone thought what he says nieces/nephews instead of sons/daughters? Is that a hint, implying something or no reason at all?

My guess would be that he thinks a fair amount of his fans don't have kids that are 6-12 yet, but their older siblings might.

 

[Ra1den]

Has anyone thought what he says nieces/nephews instead of sons/daughters? Is that a hint, implying something or no reason at all?

He is assuming his fans are unmarried otaku living in a dark basement.

 

[duckroll]

What in the world could it possibly hint?

It hints that he thinks of that all his fans are like him, anti-social people who never got married and don't have any kids!

Edit: Damnit, beaten!

 

[Gravijah]

My guess would be that he thinks a fair amount of his fans don't have kids that are 6-12 yet, but their older siblings might.

Shhh, I wanted to hear his theory! ;p

 

[kswiston]

Tactics Ogre would have been the perfect game if the item crafting system wasn't so damn tedious. Still a solid 9.5/10 in my book.

Final Fantasy Tactics may not be as deep, but for nostalgic reasons it is still my favorite game.

The fact that we haven't received a proper follow up to these two titles in over a decade is criminal.

I enjoyed Final Fantasy Tactics A2 and Tactics Ogre Advance (and even FFTA to a point), but they are a poor substitute for the originals.

 

[Piecake]

*enters disaster of a thread*

I enjoy Level 5's handheld output and thought overall they are pretty good.

Has anyone thought what he says nieces/nephews instead of sons/daughters? Is that a hint, implying something or no reason at all?

clearly anyone who enjoys Matsuno's games is too damn nerdy to even have the chance of getting laid

 

[7Th]

Hahahahahahahaha. Your attempt to troll me has failed, good sir!

a) There's an anime revivial of Evangelion going on right now, which is why you're noticing more games. They're still making the movies, won't be finished for decades.

b) I don't give a shit about Evangelion games, so a bad one won't mean shit to me, they're ALL crap. Except maybe the upcoming Grasshopper one. That one could be rad.

Fixed that for you.

 

[Infinite Justice]

LOL @ duckroll getting trolled by Hino once again.


interesting news and i'll be on the lookout to see what appears.

 

[Takao]

Congrats and welcome to the world!

Haha, thanks.

 

[Alex]

I didn't expect for it to be any kind of positive news when he turned up again. That's not how reality works! So him working on kids games at a studio whose current claim to fame is a glorified Highlights book pressed to cartridge, that sounds about right.

Level-5 has been such a let down post-Dark Cloud 2.

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

Hahahahahahahaha. Your attempt to troll me has failed, good sir!

a) There's an anime revivial of Evangelion going on right now, which is why you're noticing more games. They're still making the movies, won't be finished for years.

b) I don't give a shit about Evangelion games, so a bad one won't mean shit to me, they're ALL crap. Except maybe the upcoming Grasshopper one. That one could be rad.

But, what if the reason 3.0 is taking so long is because they've decided to shake things up and have Hino work on the story for the final two movies?

 

[InsaneZero]

a) There's an anime revivial of Evangelion going on right now, which is why you're noticing more games. They're still making the movies, won't be finished ever.

Fixed that for you.

Refixed. It's like they're stuck between a rock and hard place trying to come up with a finale for that.

 

[Beth Cyra]

But, what if the reason 3.0 is taking so long is because they've decided to shake things up and have Hino work on the story for the final two movies?

They would get more then just Death threats this time.

 

[Ra1den]

I admit, you're right: the battles in FF13 do flow very well and I was somewhat hesitant to include it. The question, I guess, is this: does the battle system work BETTER than ATB? Honestly, I'm not sure. I don't think I've played enough of FF13 to give a concrete answer. Similarly, I haven't played a whole lot of FF12 (and I haven't played it recently), but from what I remember the combat was slow and boring as shit. Running around in a real-time field, waiting for a gauge to fill up so I can press X to swing my sword again, is NOT FUN. That's pretty much the worst way to attempt to merge ATB with a real-time battle system. Though, maybe it really picks up later in the game, I don't know. I only played it for a few hours. I will concede, though, that Final Fantasy's various attempts at real-time battle systems have, generally, been better than the action-RPG norm.

They get much better the further you get in...especially FF12. You have rather limited options early on, the beauty and elegance doesn't become apparent until later. Though even early on, I don't see how selecting an attack and waiting for it to occur is any worse than typical ATB. Its just the reverse....ATB you wait, then get to act. With FF12, you act, then wait for it to come out.

As for FF13, as it is essentially ATB with the Paradigm system added in, it becomes a matter of whether one likes the Paradigm system or not. Seems you didn't like it much, but I think you would change your mind once you had a number of boss battles under your belt and had extensive use with each one. It's hard to overemphasize just how much fun they are, particularly when you are constantly under "leveled", as I always was....that shit is intense! The paradigm system allows you, through your own strategy and quick thinking, to compensate for being under leveled, something that was not nearly as doable or enjoyable in the classic system.

 

[Lord_Byron28]

What in the world could it possibly hint?

It could hint at a game with the main characters being nieces/nephews or something. No Clue. I was more leaning to him implying what the bottom 4 quotes have said.

My guess would be that he thinks a fair amount of his fans don't have kids that are 6-12 yet, but their older siblings might.

He is assuming his fans are unmarried otaku living in a dark basement.

It hints that he thinks of that all his fans are like him, anti-social people who never got married and don't have any kids!

clearly anyone who enjoys Matsuno's games is too damn nerdy to even have the chance of getting laid

 

[Gravijah]

It could hint at a game with the main characters being nieces/nephews or something. No Clue. I was more leaning to him implying what the bottom 4 quotes have said.

THE FOUR HEROIC NIECES AND NEPHEWS!

 

[cosmicblizzard]

Catiua vs Lightning

I got bored of TO after like 4 hours, so no idea what you're talking about. Use an example from Madworld!

 

[Fimbulvetr]

I got bored of TO after like 4 hours, so no idea what you're talking about. Use an example from Madworld!

Horrible taste confirmed.

 

[Phoenix_Apollo]

I'd totally be on for a political-themed Layton game.

 

[Seven Force]

I'd totally be on for a political-themed Layton game.

I was going to type a witty retort to this, but you know what? I think I'd actually be down with that idea.

 

[Solune]

So this is the type of small-scale game he meant in that interview a while ago?

 

[hteng]

make a white knight story game that's worth a damn, at least story wise.

 

[beelzebozo]

matsuno!

make something for my great aunt, too!

 

[speedpop]

Outside of Layton and Inazuma, Level 5 really need to up their reputation. Everything they ever did that was published by Sony tends to be mediocre at best; I still remember hordes of fanatics blindly stating that White Knight Chronicles would be the next big RPG whilst I simultaneously tried to smother the hype flames.

 

[Pooya]

http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2011/06/29/yasumi_matsuno_interview/

interview there.

 

[Caerith]

Regarding the game, Matsuno said that it's something he's had in mind from about 10 years back and is not an extension of his past works. If he'd been told to make another Ogre, it would be like this. (Based off the context, I believe he's talking about a game at the level and caliber of Ogre, rather than a game of similar style to Ogre.)

Hino said that he expects the game to be something that will be enjoyed not just by Matsuno's fans, but by Matsuno's nieces and nephews, and by kids. Matsuno said that he's making the game with the hope that it will be played by children.

My Little Ogre Battle?

 

[Codeblue]

Is it possible that he meant he was making a game everyone can enjoy rather than a game designed for kids? The article linked says he wanted to make it for his fans and their nephews.

 

[Oni Link 666]

I'm happy to see someone like Matsuno get to work somewhere where he can make the games he wants.

 

[Servizio]

It's true what they say, you can't go home again. I guess it's enough that he's working again. Here's hoping he can wrangle Hitoshi Sakimoto into doing the soundtrack.

 

[Akainu]

I'm happy to see someone like Matsuno get to work somewhere where he can make the games he wants.

I want him to make games I want.

 

[jiggle]

It's true what they say, you can't go home again. I guess it's enough that he's working again. Here's hoping he can wrangle Hitoshi Sakimoto into doing the soundtrack.

steal yoshida too while he's at it

 

[Shadow of the BEAST]

Great news. I like all matsuno games.

Level-5 is one of the most interesting japanese studios imo.

 

[nckillthegrimace]

Is it possible that he meant he was making a game everyone can enjoy rather than a game designed for kids? The article linked says he wanted to make it for his fans and their nephews.

What about people who don't like SRPGs or Level 5's middling products. Make something for us, Matsuno!

 

[Rpgmonkey]

http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2011/06/29/yasumi_matsuno_interview/

interview there.

Well at least it kinda sounds like a Strategy-style game, even if it'll be targeted towards a younger/wider audience than a lot of his other stuff.