Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
Ok, so I've been trying to do more translations since my last one I did on Makoto Asada (which you can find here) and this is one I've been working on for a while. If you notice any glaring mistakes, or are able to translate some parts in a better way then please let me know via PM. This translation took me a few hours to complete, and if you appreciate it and would like me to have the time to do more, PLEASE consider purchasing something from the link in my sig. This work is purely my own, and it you choose to post elsewhere please give credit to me for the translation. I reserve the right to edit this translation as I see fit.
Yotsuba
(Interview heading text):
The Incredible new Crimson Clover is a shooting game created by Mr. Yotsuba as his maiden work. What are his thoughts about the effort he's put in to this grand work of art!?
Interview by Kazeno Iona
Iona - When did you start programming this title?
Yotsuba - I began working on this game as a result of finishing my formal university schooling. From that point, Crimzon Clover took me 5 years to complete.
Iona - Was it your intention from the beginning to make a shmup title?
Yotsuba - Without a doubt. I suffered a setback in learning programming while I was a college student. It was very difficult to learn in theory without practice, and I just didn't have the time to dedicate to learn it properly. After I graduated and started working in the programming industry I had a chance to code as a part of my job. Doing it everyday and being around people that could answer any questions I had, I leaned how I could finally make the game I was seeing in my head. I started making games with the intention of creating what I believed to be the "Ultimate Shooting Game", but couldn't because of the sense of failure I had experienced during my college years.
Iona - One can totally feel that you love the STG genre from your game. And it can also be felt that you really had gamers in mind while creating the game. I think it is a game in which the player can vividly feel that they get better as they progress.
Yotsuba - I'm really happy to hear that it is the impression on the game. I made sure that the game players can choose either 1UPs or a higher score at the conclusion of each level. For example, upon seeing the "Game Over" screen, I want players to think: "It was my own fault that the game is over because I didn't take the 1UP that last time." Even in the shop system, I attempted to include the concept that "lives can be purchased by your own will" has more impact on the playability than "automatically increased lives."
Iona - What was the reason for being able to choose either a bonus score or a 1UP after clearing a stage?
Yotsuba - With arcade games, it is usually the case that more skilled players get scores faster than those who are not so skilled - however - since I could now write the rules in my own game, I wanted to make it faster to get lives for those who are less skilled. Therefore more skilled players can throw away 1UPs and gain a high score, while less skilled players can choose 1UPs. That is the logic.
Iona - That's a new idea! What are some other points you want people to pay attention to, and take care to notice?
Yotsuba - For better or worse I aimed for a game that doesn' t evoke a sense of being a "doujin title". One example of me attempting to achieve that goal was that all of the graphics for the ground-based gun turrets were basically done in perspective. Because rotating perspective graphics look unnatural when they lose their rotation functionality, I had to draw many frames of animation. If I say that there are 32 animations for each tank, it means that I have put in 32 times the effort of other games that also have a sprite rotation functionality in them. Moreover, if you'll notice, bullets from the enemy come out from the tip of the gun, not the center of the tank as many other titles do. This is a very lazy approach to animation because where the bullets come out changes as the gun barrel rotates. Doing those menial tasks without becoming overwhelmed was my motto during creation of this game because I believe that the image of quality as a concept is deep-seated in the nature of the game. You can't take short cuts here and there and expect to be a groundbreaking title. As far as adjusting levels of difficulties goes, I asked a lady friend of mine who likes shooting games to help me with play-testing. Since I'm on the developing side of the game, I would have not made too many adjustments as a result of my numbed senses from getting used to the character of the game so much, but I became sure that the game would work because the girl helping me finally cleared the original mode - barely. Should any complaint that the game is too easy arise, I could simply say, "forgive me for that, the game is designed so that even a female player can clear (laugh)."
Iona - I see (laugh), What kinds of reactions to the game have you been getting since it's been released?
Yotsuba - Thankfully I have been receiving mostly positive responses. I've been quite surprised by reactions from overseas. Even at the Comic Market event in Odaiba, foreign people were buying my game - I even received e-mails asking whether I would sell my game online or not.
Iona - Any final thoughts for the readers?
Yotsuba - Until now, since I had only been on the playing side of doujin gaming, I didn't realize how rewarding it is to have my game played by so many people. The game was made with the goal that "this is the ULTIMATE shooting game!" I sincerely hope everyone out there enjoys my creation!
Thanks for reading! More translations coming soon!
edit: text changed, pic added.
Yotsuba
(Interview heading text):
The Incredible new Crimson Clover is a shooting game created by Mr. Yotsuba as his maiden work. What are his thoughts about the effort he's put in to this grand work of art!?
Interview by Kazeno Iona
Iona - When did you start programming this title?
Yotsuba - I began working on this game as a result of finishing my formal university schooling. From that point, Crimzon Clover took me 5 years to complete.
Iona - Was it your intention from the beginning to make a shmup title?
Yotsuba - Without a doubt. I suffered a setback in learning programming while I was a college student. It was very difficult to learn in theory without practice, and I just didn't have the time to dedicate to learn it properly. After I graduated and started working in the programming industry I had a chance to code as a part of my job. Doing it everyday and being around people that could answer any questions I had, I leaned how I could finally make the game I was seeing in my head. I started making games with the intention of creating what I believed to be the "Ultimate Shooting Game", but couldn't because of the sense of failure I had experienced during my college years.
Iona - One can totally feel that you love the STG genre from your game. And it can also be felt that you really had gamers in mind while creating the game. I think it is a game in which the player can vividly feel that they get better as they progress.
Yotsuba - I'm really happy to hear that it is the impression on the game. I made sure that the game players can choose either 1UPs or a higher score at the conclusion of each level. For example, upon seeing the "Game Over" screen, I want players to think: "It was my own fault that the game is over because I didn't take the 1UP that last time." Even in the shop system, I attempted to include the concept that "lives can be purchased by your own will" has more impact on the playability than "automatically increased lives."
Iona - What was the reason for being able to choose either a bonus score or a 1UP after clearing a stage?
Yotsuba - With arcade games, it is usually the case that more skilled players get scores faster than those who are not so skilled - however - since I could now write the rules in my own game, I wanted to make it faster to get lives for those who are less skilled. Therefore more skilled players can throw away 1UPs and gain a high score, while less skilled players can choose 1UPs. That is the logic.
Iona - That's a new idea! What are some other points you want people to pay attention to, and take care to notice?
Yotsuba - For better or worse I aimed for a game that doesn' t evoke a sense of being a "doujin title". One example of me attempting to achieve that goal was that all of the graphics for the ground-based gun turrets were basically done in perspective. Because rotating perspective graphics look unnatural when they lose their rotation functionality, I had to draw many frames of animation. If I say that there are 32 animations for each tank, it means that I have put in 32 times the effort of other games that also have a sprite rotation functionality in them. Moreover, if you'll notice, bullets from the enemy come out from the tip of the gun, not the center of the tank as many other titles do. This is a very lazy approach to animation because where the bullets come out changes as the gun barrel rotates. Doing those menial tasks without becoming overwhelmed was my motto during creation of this game because I believe that the image of quality as a concept is deep-seated in the nature of the game. You can't take short cuts here and there and expect to be a groundbreaking title. As far as adjusting levels of difficulties goes, I asked a lady friend of mine who likes shooting games to help me with play-testing. Since I'm on the developing side of the game, I would have not made too many adjustments as a result of my numbed senses from getting used to the character of the game so much, but I became sure that the game would work because the girl helping me finally cleared the original mode - barely. Should any complaint that the game is too easy arise, I could simply say, "forgive me for that, the game is designed so that even a female player can clear (laugh)."
Iona - I see (laugh), What kinds of reactions to the game have you been getting since it's been released?
Yotsuba - Thankfully I have been receiving mostly positive responses. I've been quite surprised by reactions from overseas. Even at the Comic Market event in Odaiba, foreign people were buying my game - I even received e-mails asking whether I would sell my game online or not.
Iona - Any final thoughts for the readers?
Yotsuba - Until now, since I had only been on the playing side of doujin gaming, I didn't realize how rewarding it is to have my game played by so many people. The game was made with the goal that "this is the ULTIMATE shooting game!" I sincerely hope everyone out there enjoys my creation!
Thanks for reading! More translations coming soon!
edit: text changed, pic added.
Last edited by rancor on Sun Oct 02, 2011 11:58 am, edited 4 times in total.
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ancestral-knowledge
- Posts: 404
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Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
I wanted to buy it the first time i saw it but not for PC.
It is a masterpiece.
**envy**
It is a masterpiece.
**envy**
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
thanx for translating, much appreciated!
the destruction of everything, is the beginning of something new. your whole world is on fire, and soon, you'll be too..
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burgerkingdiamond
- Posts: 1570
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Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
awesome job on the translation. I hope we don't have to wait 5 years for Crimzon Clover 2.
Let's Ass Kick Together!
1CCs : Donpachi (PCB - 1st loop) Dodonpachi (PCB - 1st loop) Battle Bakraid (PCB) Armed Police Batrider (PCB) Mushihimesama Futari 1.5 (360 - Original) Mushihimesama Futari BL (PCB - Original)
1CCs : Donpachi (PCB - 1st loop) Dodonpachi (PCB - 1st loop) Battle Bakraid (PCB) Armed Police Batrider (PCB) Mushihimesama Futari 1.5 (360 - Original) Mushihimesama Futari BL (PCB - Original)
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
Nice job Rancor. Really appreciated this.
On an other note have anyone heard something about his new project Garukilla?
On an other note have anyone heard something about his new project Garukilla?
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
I got Garukilla's trial back in August: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeV6v7wy0Z8
It's still very early in its development stage. Apparently, it'll be a hori about blasting dragons and stuff with a rotation mechanic that needs to be tweaked. Exception pulled quite well the rotation of your aim, here it feels clunky and quite unintuitive.
As for the interview, pretty interesting. I would like to read the Diadra Empty dev. interview too...
Crimzon Mother$&%$·%· Clover is worth every single penny. And come on: non DRM'd retail PC game with its OST is something you don't see every day. I have put like 70 hours on it already. Talk about RPGs taking a lot of hours.
It's still very early in its development stage. Apparently, it'll be a hori about blasting dragons and stuff with a rotation mechanic that needs to be tweaked. Exception pulled quite well the rotation of your aim, here it feels clunky and quite unintuitive.
As for the interview, pretty interesting. I would like to read the Diadra Empty dev. interview too...
Crimzon Mother$&%$·%· Clover is worth every single penny. And come on: non DRM'd retail PC game with its OST is something you don't see every day. I have put like 70 hours on it already. Talk about RPGs taking a lot of hours.
NOW REACHES THE FATAL ATTRACTION BE DESCRIBED AS "HELLSINKER". DECIDE DESTINATION.
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
I'm actually thinking of doing that one next. It's in the new Shooting Gameside issue. It looks fairly interesting from what I've read of it already. I should have something new in the next 2 weeks or so, and it's highly likely that's what it will be.Observer wrote:I would like to read the Diadra Empty dev. interview too...
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
Thank you very much. I loved this game since I found out the trailer+trial back in december 2007 and I just couldn't wait for the full release. Like I always say, it's not a game for everyone since it works on the same "overloading" principles of Crimzon Clover but in a hori fashion.rancor wrote:I'm actually thinking of doing that one next. It's in the new Shooting Gameside issue. It looks fairly interesting from what I've read of it already. I should have something new in the next 2 weeks or so, and it's highly likely that's what it will be.Observer wrote:I would like to read the Diadra Empty dev. interview too...
Also, 32 times the work for each enemy. You can tell a lot of work was put in those sprites. Turrets turn, ships bank/roll, enemies have multiple moving parts... It's all a cataract of brutal mechanical stuff. Despite some very minor details, he definitely achieved the "not-a-doujin-game" goal. RebRank already did its part, just look at the packaging of RefRain. With so much focus on digital distribution people forgot games could be put in all kinds of fancy and creative packages, not just DVD-like cases. The Jamestown guys truly took advantage of the digital distribution though with the "letter" including a Steam CD-key. That was pretty clever!
Yotsuba raised the quality bar so much that many might be put off... Hopefully, with games like StellaVanity, Project RepLiser (the Radiant Silvergun of the wireframe shooters minus the retarded colour chaining, plus a more "cerebral" and tactical way of playing) and Revolver360 things look nice.
NOW REACHES THE FATAL ATTRACTION BE DESCRIBED AS "HELLSINKER". DECIDE DESTINATION.
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
I really appreciate the translation. I wish the interview were longer, but it was still great to read. I also second the Diadra Empty interview. Can't get enough of that game.
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
Rancor you could do scanlations of Shooting Gameside
Maybe not possible but would be a cool idea.
Maybe not possible but would be a cool idea.
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
Not possible. It would take me literally 6 months of working 8 hour days to do one issue.z0mbie90 wrote:Rancor you could do scanlations of Shooting Gameside
Maybe not possible but would be a cool idea.
Done. I'll start this weekend and should have it done by next weekend.ZenErik wrote:I also second the Diadra Empty interview. Can't get enough of that game.
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
This interview made me want to get it.
I might overcome my aversion to PC gaming after all....
Could this get a commercial release on a console, perhaps?
I might overcome my aversion to PC gaming after all....
Could this get a commercial release on a console, perhaps?
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
Sorry, but this is bullcrap. The amount of rotations you do from a 3D model does hardly take any effort once you have the model (which might take some more effort than making a cheap sprite, but that depends).Observer wrote:Also, 32 times the work for each enemy.
Also CC still does look pretty naff to me I have to say, way too grainy and he should have rendered stuff with internal antialiasing on, everything looks noisy and jaggy as hell.
Not saying that he did not put effort into it, he did, and it is a good game, just saying that the 32 times more effort per enemy is crap and that the game could look 100x better if he read up on his rendering a bit.
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
Ok, let me try that part again. Does this sound better?
"If I say that there are 32 animations for each tank, it means that I have put in 32 times the effort of other games that also have a sprite rotation functionality in them."
He does come off as a bit of a cocky-geek in the interview (as much as a Japanese geek can be). He believes his game came out exactly as he dreamed it should be and that quality-wise it annihilates any other doujin release. I tried to convey that a bit, but sometimes maybe my word choice isn't the best... ?
Anyone else wanna take a stab at that sentence? I can post a scan...
"If I say that there are 32 animations for each tank, it means that I have put in 32 times the effort of other games that also have a sprite rotation functionality in them."
He does come off as a bit of a cocky-geek in the interview (as much as a Japanese geek can be). He believes his game came out exactly as he dreamed it should be and that quality-wise it annihilates any other doujin release. I tried to convey that a bit, but sometimes maybe my word choice isn't the best... ?
Anyone else wanna take a stab at that sentence? I can post a scan...
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
Well, who knows, perhaps he just is a bit full of himself. Might well be.
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
Thanks for the translation. I'm looking forward to the Diadra Empty article as well.
I agree that Yotsuba came off as a little arrogant. I am used to seeing doujin developers being more modest and not overly concerned with what other circles are doing. So seeing Yotsuba say that he wanted to make the ultimate shooting game (and not just the ultimate doujin shooting game), and calling other approaches to enemy design outright lazy, caught me off-guard. I wonder if he was holding back and actually had more to say on the matter? Nevertheless, I do think that his drive reflects in the quality of the game, and I hope that he doesn't lose steam when it comes to Garukilla.
rancor--have there been any interviews with the circle Artesneit in any of the other Shooting Gameside magazines? I'm probably the only person in the world interested in an interview, but it's one of my favorite circles.
I agree that Yotsuba came off as a little arrogant. I am used to seeing doujin developers being more modest and not overly concerned with what other circles are doing. So seeing Yotsuba say that he wanted to make the ultimate shooting game (and not just the ultimate doujin shooting game), and calling other approaches to enemy design outright lazy, caught me off-guard. I wonder if he was holding back and actually had more to say on the matter? Nevertheless, I do think that his drive reflects in the quality of the game, and I hope that he doesn't lose steam when it comes to Garukilla.
rancor--have there been any interviews with the circle Artesneit in any of the other Shooting Gameside magazines? I'm probably the only person in the world interested in an interview, but it's one of my favorite circles.
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
rancor, awesome translation. I, as a non Japanese speaker/reader really appreciate these translations. I really enjoy Crimzon Clover and with emphatic's tips on how to get that pesky "hat switch" solution working with Padmapper/Joy 2 Key, I can enjoy this doujin shooter on my cabinet. Pure bliss!
I think we should allow Yotsuba a little leeway in being "arrogant." I love the game and it's great to see his spirit come out in the interview. The personality and drive to make a game, and a game of this caliber...
Cheers,
the F-man
I think we should allow Yotsuba a little leeway in being "arrogant." I love the game and it's great to see his spirit come out in the interview. The personality and drive to make a game, and a game of this caliber...
Cheers,
the F-man
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denpanosekai
- Posts: 202
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Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
Hah! I'm sure he saw many foreigners at C79, but when my buddy and I met him and told him how happy we were to buy the full game, he got uncomfortable as all heck. I managed to get a feeble thumbs up out of this guy but that's it. Interesting story about his programming background, I was under the impression this wasn't his first title.rancor wrote:Yotsuba - Thankfully I have been receiving mostly positive responses. I've been quite surprised by reactions from overseas. Even at the Comic Market event in Odaiba, foreign people were buying my game - I even received e-mails asking whether I would sell my game online or not.
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
He earned it.Aisha wrote: I agree that Yotsuba came off as a little arrogant.
Always outnumbered, never outgunned - No zuo no die
ChurchOfSolipsism wrote: ALso, this is how SKykid usually posts
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
Thanks a lot, rancor. You tha man!
| My games - http://www.emphatic.se | (Click) I have YEN stickers for sale
RegalSin wrote:Street Fighters. We need to aviod them when we activate time accellerator.
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
Thank you, rancor! I'm glad that Yotsuba is happy about his game, and I will support him in the future!
Glory with the Moon. Mercy on the Earth.
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
I started on the Diadra Empty interview tonight, and honestly it isn't that good. The person conducting the interview is awful and the answers are all garbage like "the doujin industry in Tokyo is thriving" and "programming is hard!" Nothing really hard hitting, and definitely not anything in depth that you couldn't guess for yourself. It's nothing that I would want to waste any time translating it in full. I've also looked through a few of my books and cant find anything else worthwhile. Can anyone direct towards another Diadra Empty interview? If I don't find anything by Tuesday I may just do another interview from the Cave Shooting History book. I'll dig through some of my other books tonight. If anyone has any links to any other Diadra Empty interviews, please post them here or PM me.
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
God dammit, I hate when that happens. Give me five minutes with icewind and I would get all the answers I want. Argh. I'll see if I can get him to make a long-range interview. Even if it turns out engrishy as hell. I've yet to acquire glorious nihongo knowledge. I'm on the right track though...
edit: and yeah, let the guy be a bit arrogant. We can beat the shit out of him if Garukilla ends up sucking balls (so far it's too early to pass judgement but the trial was seriously underwhelming).
edit: and yeah, let the guy be a bit arrogant. We can beat the shit out of him if Garukilla ends up sucking balls (so far it's too early to pass judgement but the trial was seriously underwhelming).
NOW REACHES THE FATAL ATTRACTION BE DESCRIBED AS "HELLSINKER". DECIDE DESTINATION.
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
Alright - I think I've found something interesting. I'm gonna do the new Yagawa interview from the recently published Akai Katana artbook. It's a bit long, so it may take me a while.
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
Awesomerancor wrote:Alright - I think I've found something interesting. I'm gonna do the new Yagawa interview from the recently published Akai Katana artbook. It's a bit long, so it may take me a while.
I'm really looking forward to the Yagawa interview.
Re: Yotsuba (Crimzon Clover) Interview - Shooting Gameside #2
Update on the IKD/Yagawa/Akai Katana Round table discussion:
I'm balls-deep into this thing.. So far I've got ~3000 words / 9 pages translated and I'm not done yet. (soon! I promise!)
So - I need some community help. can someone who knows about Akai Katana / Arcade games in general lend some help? (Japanese ability would be a big plus!) It's pretty heavy on technical talk, and I just haven't spent enough time with AK to fully understand everything they're referring to. (eye-grazing?! Hagane items?! "hurricane-system" WTF?! )
I need a fluent English speaker - of course - and the willingness to help with proof-reading, reading my translation a few times before I post it here - Hopefully by early next week. I'm at the point where I've read it in English and Japanese so many times that a lot of things that don't make any sense at all are looking OK. I just need another set of eyes to check this. Maybe two.
Reply here, or PM me with offers.
Thanks!
I'm balls-deep into this thing.. So far I've got ~3000 words / 9 pages translated and I'm not done yet. (soon! I promise!)
So - I need some community help. can someone who knows about Akai Katana / Arcade games in general lend some help? (Japanese ability would be a big plus!) It's pretty heavy on technical talk, and I just haven't spent enough time with AK to fully understand everything they're referring to. (eye-grazing?! Hagane items?! "hurricane-system" WTF?! )
I need a fluent English speaker - of course - and the willingness to help with proof-reading, reading my translation a few times before I post it here - Hopefully by early next week. I'm at the point where I've read it in English and Japanese so many times that a lot of things that don't make any sense at all are looking OK. I just need another set of eyes to check this. Maybe two.
Reply here, or PM me with offers.
Thanks!