shmuplations.com - 3/10 Guwange

[OmegaFlareX]

I've seen this a lot in JP dev interviews, but whenever they mention "memory" are they talking about RAM or ROM? I think in this case, since way down it's mentioned they wanted a 6 megabit HuCard but had to settle for 4, that's it's ROM, but typically game consoles have had piddly amounts of RAM so I'm still not sure.

[blackoak]

They don't usually specify it in the conversation, but since they're talking about data storage for sprites etc, it's almost always ROM space they're referring to. Actually I'm struggling to remember a single interview where they've specifically complained about RAM capabilities of the hardware, hehe...

[KAI]

Please never stop being awesome blackoak.

[blackoak]

hey all, glad you enjoyed the Soldier Blade interview! As a nice little farewell to 2018, i've uploaded two more STG pieces: a lengthy Rayforce interview, and a more general Compile retrospective from 1998.

http://shmuplations.com/rayforce/
http://shmuplations.com/rootsofcompile/

The Rayforce interview goes into nice depth about the game's unusual conception, it's influences (Xevious, Metal Black, Master of Weapon... haha), stage design, etc. There's a little bit about R-GEAR at the end, too. The Compile interview has some interesting comments about how they lost all their staff and had to quit making STGs. For shmupforums the more interesting stuff is probably the small selection of concept art from Aleste/Power Strike/Gunhed/Spriggan/Musha.

[STG]

Really great translations as always blackoak, read them both over the weekend!

The Compile interview has some interesting comments about how they lost all their staff and had to quit making STGs.

I also thought this part was interesting too, was wondering if this was around the time Raizing was formed. He mentioned the late 80's in the interview, but Raizing didn't start until 93?

[blackoak]

It's been awhile, but here's a shmuplation that's long overdue--the gargantuan Zanac interview I kept saying I'd get to!

http://shmuplations.com/zanac/

The first third mainly covers Takayuki Hirono's early days at Compile, so feel free to skip past that if you want to get straight to the Zanac info (but I think it's a good read besides). Don't know what's next for shmup translations specifically, need to take a look through the backlog and see what series I've still not covered...

[copy-paster]

I think I requested G-Darius and Nobuya Nakazato's Contra: Shattered Soldier interview on e-mail. Well if only I have more money I would gladly join your patreon.

[BIL]

It's been awhile, but here's a shmuplation that's long overdue--the gargantuan Zanac interview I kept saying I'd get to!

http://shmuplations.com/zanac/

[__SKYe]

Many thanks for the translation blackoak, that was a great read.
His pre-Compile story was pretty fun to read, as was his insight on danmaku games (as an aside, the maikom/naikom wordplay is pretty funny).

Is the Famicom version of Zanac really that easier than the MSX one? It has been awhile since I've cleared both, but I can't recall anything that was particularly harder in Zanac MSX. Zanac Ex (MSX2) on the other hand is considerably easier because it suffers from a lot of slowdown.

[6t8k]

Zanac was truly ahead of its time. It's still astonishing that they were able to create a game this long, this fast and smooth, with such intelligent gameplay mechanics and such an outstanding aural backup, on the Famicom in 1986.
It's eye. opening. to compare it to other shmups (or other games in general) on the Famicom/NES from around that time (I have much less experience with the MSX so not commenting on that).

For these reasons, it's one of my favorite shmups of all time.

Thank you for the provisioning and translation of this interview!

[Master O]

It's been awhile, but here's a shmuplation that's long overdue--the gargantuan Zanac interview I kept saying I'd get to!

http://shmuplations.com/zanac/

The first third mainly covers Takayuki Hirono's early days at Compile, so feel free to skip past that if you want to get straight to the Zanac info (but I think it's a good read besides). Don't know what's next for shmup translations specifically, need to take a look through the backlog and see what series I've still not covered...

Although it's not a shmup, do you have any interviews about the fighting game Darkstalkers 3 / Vampire Savior? The site already has one about Darkstalker's Revenge / Vampire Hunter. I'm merely curious.

[FRO]

Very much enjoyed reading that Masamitsu Niitani/Compile interview! I wish Compile, and honestly, the STG scene would have been healthier approaching the mid-90's, because Aleste vs. Kaijuu would have been a cool concept to bring to fruition, and a sequel to Dennin Aleste would have been welcome.

[blackoak]

Necrobump from ages past, but I translated a huge Esprade interview with Junya Inoue that I thought was worth sharing directly with shmupsforum, which you can read at shmuplations here --> https://shmuplations.com/esprade/

It's from the Guwange/Esprade 2010 Settings & Material guide, which seems to be very rare. Or rather, it was rare until M2 reprinted it in their Esprade PSI special edition for the PS4 several years back. Incidentally, there's another really long 2019 interview between Inoue and Ikeda which I would like to eventually get to, and a lot more concept art commentary from Inoue on the various characters of Esprade that deserves to be translated as well.

Anyway, enjoy! shmuplations was put on a bit of a back-burner the last few years when my daughter was born, but it's back in main focus for me now. I'm translating the Guwange interview from this book for next month btw. Cheers!

[dunpeal2064]

Necrobump from ages past, but I translated a huge Esprade interview with Junya Inoue that I thought was worth sharing directly with shmupsforum, which you can read at shmuplations here --> https://shmuplations.com/esprade/

It's from the Guwange/Esprade 2010 Settings & Material guide, which seems to be very rare. Or rather, it was rare until M2 reprinted it in their Esprade PSI special edition for the PS4 several years back. Incidentally, there's another really long 2019 interview between Inoue and Ikeda which I would like to eventually get to, and a lot more concept art commentary from Inoue on the various characters of Esprade that deserves to be translated as well.

Anyway, enjoy! shmuplations was put on a bit of a back-burner the last few years when my daughter was born, but it's back in main focus for me now. I'm translating the Guwange interview from this book for next month btw. Cheers!

This is great, always loved reading your translations, glad to hear we might be getting a few more!

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Fascinating to learn that there were supposed to be six playable characters to choose from at the start of an ESP.ra.de. gaming session. (Makes me wonder how much development time was spent in creating ESP.ra.de. in the first place?) To have six characters would've indeed added more overall development time and more refinement to make sure everything clicked/gelled (not an easy process to do in hindsight).

A big thanks to fellow shmupper blackoak for his invaluable translation delving further into the mysterious world/mythos of ESP.ra.de. as it exists.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[BIL]

Invaluable as always. ^__^

[EmperorIng]

Really lovely read, and looking forward to the Guwange interview as well.

I know it's 15 years ago, but crazy that Jun thought that Air Gallet sucked. No accounting for taste! He must have changed his mind when they did the Exa remake a year or so back.

[ratlhead]

It was quite an interesting read. Thanks for the translation ^-^ Also looking forward to Guwange

[blackoak]

Thanks for the kind words everyone! I'm looking forward to doing more Esprade translations later this year.

Today we continue the Cave coverage with a lengthy Guwange interview from 2010 with Junya Inoue! It's from the same book as Esprade. Check it out here --> https://shmuplations.com/guwange/ Lots of good stuff about the character/boss design. Some interesting comments about Dangun Feveron too. Enjoy!

In other news, I've recently discovered untranslated interviews for Deathsmiles and Ketsui, too, so those are on the eventual "to-do" list.

[emphatic]

Thanks a bunch!

[PC Engine Fan X!]

To see a single piece of conceptual artwork for a possible Guwange 2 sequel serves as a reminder of what could've been done if Cave decided to have it officially "green-lit." I wonder what the general consensus was with the entire Cave team in doing a proper Guwange sequel after having finished the first one back in the day (had they not pursued further with their opus-magnum Donpachi/DoDonpachi franchise instead)?

Thanks to fellow shmupper blackoak for more fascinating insights to having Guwange created from scratch/the "ground-up."

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The very notion of a live-action Guwange movie sounds quite ambitious if it were to use a combination of both practical effects along with tastefully-done CG EFX, it surely could be done nowadays for sure. Only if Cave were to pursue having their arcade stg IPs made into a full-length anime film or live-action film, the possibilities are endless.
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PC Engine Fan X! ^_~