FALCOM Thread

[BulletMagnet]

Good stuff, thanks for making it happen! I do think there's one small error in the last response of the "Past" section: IIRC "White Witch" was the Japanese title, and "Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch" was the localized one.

[Obscura]

"TK: Personally, I would like to do a remake of "Sorcerian." Recently, there have been many character-focused games and I would like to remake a game like this with such a strong gameplay focus."

If this did somehow happen, it would be the best thing ever. Especially if it wasn't tied up on a Sony console!

Also, Adol sure is missing a lot of good opportunities thanks to that fixation on Feena!

[Pasokon Deacon]

Darn, you should have clued me into this. You could have asked Kondo if they'd ever again collaborate with Yonemitsu for music arrangements! I've had this question ready for years (alongside "will Tomohiko Kishimoto and the old J.D.K. Band ever reunite?").

I don't like the way the interview's framed, but the responses themselves have given me a lot to speculate, so I'm grateful we have another Kondo interview to cite. More Sorcerian and "dark" games like Xanadu Next would be great, kthx Falcom.

[Skykid]

Good stuff, thanks for making it happen! I do think there's one small error in the last response of the "Past" section: IIRC "White Witch" was the Japanese title, and "Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch" was the localized one.

Whups, that's what haste does for you. Will send a correction RQ. Thanks BM.

Darn, you should have clued me into this. You could have asked Kondo if they'd ever again collaborate with Yonemitsu for music arrangements! I've had this question ready for years (alongside "will Tomohiko Kishimoto and the old J.D.K. Band ever reunite?").

I don't like the way the interview's framed, but the responses themselves have given me a lot to speculate, so I'm grateful we have another Kondo interview to cite. More Sorcerian and "dark" games like Xanadu Next would be great, kthx Falcom.

I only contacted regular contributors to this thread unfortunately, sorry about that. I do like your question!

Regarding the framing of the interview, there was no real workable alternative. The interview only came about because TOCS is released this month, meaning there needed to be a Trails specific set of questions and some background.

The main issue overall is that the EG community aren't all going to have an idea about who Falcom are or any idea about the games the questions relate to. So I decided the only way to introduce the interview to the layman was a past, present, future layout preceded by background info to fill in the gaps. Otherwise it would just be too niche and bewildering.

[Squire Grooktook]

Fantastic interview.

Sorry I didn't respond to your pm Skykid. I got it, started trying to think of something to ask, then got side tracked by the holidays and the resulting food poisoning I suffered afterwards X_X

Most of the things that immediately occurred to me (WHEN'S *insert No Kiseki game here* GETTING LOCALIZED) were already asked though. I was hoping I could finish Trails In The Sky before this went through, to maybe get some questions to ask about that games conception, but it ended up taking longer then I thought.

[Skykid]

I have to say, the comments for this interview are... odd.

I actually broke a personal rule for the first time and left a response - but why is it that so many people seem to be hung up on a few questions regarding the possibilities of further Steam activity and possible PC ports?

They comprise about 3 actual questions and the other 22 are mostly non-PC related unless mentioned in passing. It's like we somehow stepped on some toes. As a console gamer myself, is there some kind of ongoing console vs PC war I didn't know about?

I appreciate basically none of the commenters actually read the article properly and somehow completely missed everything (including the title) to do with fan input before dashing to leave a snarky comment - but if you go to Reddit the related comments are exactly the same.

What's the point of writing an article if nobody reads it?

[Hagane]

As a console gamer myself, is there some kind of ongoing console vs PC war I didn't know about?

It has been going on for many years, and is stronger than ever now with Steam. PC gamers belittling consoles over processing power, console gamers saying PCs aren't meant for gaming, etc.

Also people leaving snarky comments before actually reading or understanding what they've just read is pretty much the internet.

Article was an interesting read.

[Skykid]

Also people leaving snarky comments before actually reading or understanding what they've just read is pretty much the internet.

Ha ha, makes sense.

I didn't know about the Steam vs console stuff, what a time waste. Don't people just play what they want to on whatever is more convenient?

I wouldn't pay for the PS4 digital download of DBCS because it was twice the price of Steam, for example.

[ryu]

PC gamers aren't real gamers ! They only buy discounted games for $1 and never play them! There is no benefit for anyone!!!

Is what your commenters are thinking about steam in a nutshell.

[Pasokon Deacon]

Maybe they think you're butting in on their own quest to get Falcom to choose consoles over PC as if they were a child forced to choose between the mother and father. Compromise isn't some individuals' forte, not a priority in this lifetime.

[gameoverDude]

It was heartening to hear from Kondo that the possibility of Cold Steel on PC was "definitely there". ToCS has been a good game (I'm now on Chapter 3). And this...

I feel that, within Japan, there are many core gamers who want to play on consoles and we must respond to their needs. However, revenue on Steam is very good and putting not only older console titles, but new ones as well is something that we want to consider.

OK, console first. And in that regard, at least they have the PS4 to work with. Thankfully Kondo does leave a door open for Steam releases of new console titles. Hopefully they can get a deal going on the PC ports of Ys 7 & Celceta for Japan, leading to XSEED putting their existing localizations in.

[soprano1]

Nice one, Skykid. Loved your Slap Fight MD article too.

[Skykid]

Thanks guys, but also thank yourselves on this one. Wouldn't have happened without you!

[KAI]

Not a game, but Falcom Gakuen SC has been subbed.

[soprano1]

Not a game, but Falcom Gakuen SC has been subbed.

Which chapter in TiTS does Joshua

Spoiler

cross dress?

[KAI]

On FC, at the end of chapter 2.

[Squire Grooktook]

He also

Spoiler

ends up doing it again midway-ish through the final chapter

[soprano1]

On FC, at the end of chapter 2.

Oh, i'm starting the missions in Ruan, so a few more hours then. Thanks.

[Despatche]

Thank you for the interview, Skykid. Sorry I read this so late. Interesting but expected answers to my questions.

Those comments are a load of junk by a bunch of console fanboys. I actually like consoles and what they do, and (not but) I understand that Falcom was fundamentally a PC company for the longest time, and that the only reason they went to PSP is because that's where the money was and still is. It costs a lot more to development a game than it does to port it, especially these days where the consoles are essentially PCs and cross-platform tools are easier, never mind that an entirely different company would be doing this porting. These people need a reminder that all of the games on Steam thus far are PC games or versions; Felghana doesn't even have the changes from the PSP version (regardless of the quality of those changes). The Steam releases haven't exactly sold poorly, either; they sell far better than any shmup, I assure you.

Considering all the shit these people had been slinging at the Vita for the past few years, they need to lay off. These same people are trying to act like they're the one and true Falcom fanbase simply for having a Vita. These people need a reminder that they are not Japanese, that most of the Vita's success has been in Japan, that Falcom is a Japanese company.

These people, man.

[BONKERS]

When consoles can consistently get near 100% stable 60FPS framerates all at a bare minimum of 1080p with decent AA and texture filtering.
I'll stop asking for PC ports(Especially from a company that is so richly steeped in PC development.) It's 2016 FFS, 1080p is only very slightly more resolution than 1600x1200 and that resolution has been around for what feels like forever now. Heck, 1080p has been a standard of resolution for over a decade now. And console companies are still putting out weak hardware and developers are prioritizing prettier shading than performance and a base resolution that should accounted for as part of the budget.

And I always try to buy as many games as I can at close to asking price on PC. Especially when the price is totally and completely reasonable. (Anything less than 50$ is reasonable in my book. And it bugs the fuck out of me when people complain about a game's price when it's asking even less than 30$ because it's not six thousand hours long therefore should cost pennies. Because we all know, the quantity of time with a game is what really determines whether it is good or not)



But REALLY, there is no reason they can't coexist. The more people that buy and play Falcom's games the better.
(Is asking for a Steam release of Xanadu Next offensive? More so because it's only available on PC anyway? )

I'd kill for more Brandish Remakes, even if they used the same engine as Dark Revenant. DR made Brandish infinitely more enjoyable just for having the camera actually rotate rather than just flip!

I'd also really hope they port Ys Seven and Ys IV Vita to at least the PSVita at 1080p60 (I'd ask for PC but.. ), Ys IV particular looks like crap on the vita.

[soprano1]

But REALLY, there is no reason they can't coexist. The more people that buy and play Falcom's games the better.

This, a hundred times this!

[Skykid]

Thank you for the interview, Skykid. Sorry I read this so late. Interesting but expected answers to my questions.

Those comments are a load of junk by a bunch of console fanboys. I actually like consoles and what they do, and (not but) I understand that Falcom was fundamentally a PC company for the longest time, and that the only reason they went to PSP is because that's where the money was and still is. It costs a lot more to development a game than it does to port it, especially these days where the consoles are essentially PCs and cross-platform tools are easier, never mind that an entirely different company would be doing this porting. These people need a reminder that all of the games on Steam thus far are PC games or versions; Felghana doesn't even have the changes from the PSP version (regardless of the quality of those changes). The Steam releases haven't exactly sold poorly, either; they sell far better than any shmup, I assure you.

Considering all the shit these people had been slinging at the Vita for the past few years, they need to lay off. These same people are trying to act like they're the one and true Falcom fanbase simply for having a Vita. These people need a reminder that they are not Japanese, that most of the Vita's success has been in Japan, that Falcom is a Japanese company.

These people, man.

In my opinion the objective was fulfilled. I wanted to get a perspective from the fanbase, the people who know the company intimately enough to ask some interesting stuff about where Falcom might go. The stuff I asked was mainly the reminiscence material.

The reaction by the commenters is a drop in the ocean however. As my editor informed me in the past, the people who actually comment is about 1% of the people who actually read the interview. I just thought it was sad that they and some of the redditors didn't actually appreciate the fact that we arranged such a big interview (25 questions is a lot for a company president to answer) and in actuality the questions regarding PC ports was relatively scant - it was more that they were grouped together by organisation that made it feel weighty. I take responsibility for that, I didn't actually notice any repetitive aspects when I was trying to arrange them categorically.

But look, you can't please everyone and if there's one thing we know, gamers are a fickle bunch who like to have a moan about everything and anything. We do it all the time.

[gameoverDude]

Ys IV Vita (Celceta) has been ported to PC but by Joyoland in China rather than Falcom. There has been some beefing in Chinese forums about light and shadow effects being "castrated". It is definitely missing those awesome cloud shadows in the Beast Plains area, as well as that staticy effect when you approach one of the Memories. At least the TOD change is in and you can use 1080p. Here is a video of that.

It would make my day to see Ys 7 and Celceta remastered for PS4 with 1080p and at a constant 60 FPS. Falcom should shoot for 60 FPS on Ys VIII.

I wouldn't mind the BTDR engine getting ported to Vita so the rest of the Brandish series can be remade. It's a shame that the SNES version didn't add a rotation effect. Mode 7 could have improved it a bit.

There was a good sign regarding that Zwei II Plus fan translation. Tancients, who helped on Xanadu Next's one, said that zzblue is back. Best wishes to the team.

[gct]

Around December last year I started playing through Ys Seven for a second time - the first time was near the original NA PSP release. I actually got really pissed off this time through, there is so much grindy bullshit that I didn't really remember from my first time through... grinding for skills, grinding for items for certain quests... just a lot of filler in between the real meat. Boss battles are still a treat but there is just so much grinding in between. Maybe I'm just more annoyed about it now because I barely have any free time to play and don't like it being wasted on grindy shit.

Someone tell me whether Ys Celceta is like that, because I bought that one on release but had only acquired a Vita fairly recently so I have not played it yet.

[Skykid]

I didn't feel like Celceta was grindy per se, although there is a fair amount of farming to be done. It just moves at such speed and with so many events that you kind of end up doing any grinding and farming as part of your travels from A to B. It's a pretty big game.

[CIT]

Around December last year I started playing through Ys Seven for a second time - the first time was near the original NA PSP release. I actually got really pissed off this time through, there is so much grindy bullshit that I didn't really remember from my first time through... grinding for skills, grinding for items for certain quests... just a lot of filler in between the real meat. Boss battles are still a treat but there is just so much grinding in between. Maybe I'm just more annoyed about it now because I barely have any free time to play and don't like it being wasted on grindy shit.

Someone tell me whether Ys Celceta is like that, because I bought that one on release but had only acquired a Vita fairly recently so I have not played it yet.

Most of the grinding you describe for Ys Seven is actually completely optional. As long as you go through the game killing everything that crosses your path you should be fine. As for the skills, as long as you use the fighting system correctly (counter/stun enemies —> fill SP gauge —> use skill —> fill extra gauge —> use extra) you'll be leveling them up automatically. Later in the game you will also acquire some items that will make gaining gold, materials and levels much easier when equipped.
I only did some grinding in Ys Seven right before the final boss, because I wanted to synthesize some of the top-tier weapons. Turned the last battle into a cakewalk.

Celceta is really similar to Seven in almost every way, although I actually do prefer Seven. It has more epicness and I didn't really care for how Celceta forces you to switch between characters constantly because of the "rock-paper-scissors" attack system. I just wanna play as Adol.

[Skykid]

^ That sounds promising, I really want to try Ys Seven. It's a reason to turn on the Vita too.

[Jonathan Ingram]

That sounds promising, I really want to try Ys Seven. It's a reason to turn on the Vita too.

Ys Seven is a painfully, agonizingly, radically average JRPG devoid of the character you'd expect a Falcom game to have and missing the instantly recognizable brand of action-RPG gameplay that the series has become known for. If you didn't think much of Celceta, there's nothing for you to see here. It belongs to the same ilk of extremely unexceptional and homogenized productions that Falcom has been putting out in recent years. If you absolutely must take your Vita out of its hibernation, there are much better reasons for doing so than Ys Seven.

[Skykid]

That doesn't sound so promising.

But I enjoyed Celceta. It wasn't perfect by any stretch and lacked challenge (and a certain element of invention) but it was still a nice ARPG with good momentum. I have no idea how it stacks up against the original Ys IV though.

[Obscura]

I liked Ys Seven, but there's no denying that the endgame grinding is annoying (you basically have to grind materials for the top-tier gear for the characters you weren't using, or you can't do any real damage to the final boss -- you shouldn't need to do any grinding prior to that, though), and it's certainly not as good as Oath or Origin (better than VI, though).

EDIT: As for Celceta vs. Dawn of Ys, I haven't played Celceta, but I can't imagine any game that's basically Ys Seven derived being as good as Dawn. Dawn is easily the best of the "old-school" (that is, pre-VI) Ys games.