Skykid wrote:That would only be arguable if this year didn't exist:
Espgaluda II - 2005
Puzzle! Mushihime-tama - 2005
Ibara - 2005
Tama could have been made by any of the hundred-something employees at Cave, they didn't specifically need the shmup team for that. Otherwise you could have counted Instant Brain and Nin-nin Jump which were both new IPs.
Skykid wrote:And technically, Kuro is a remix programmed by a totally different guy, so they managed four games in 06 with zero bug issues.
Wait, what are these four games in 2006 you're thinking of?
1. 2006/02/10 — Ibara Kuro;
2. 2006/04/20 — Pink Sweets (has had more minor and major revisions than I can keep in my head);
3. 2006/10/27 — Mushihimesama Futari (needed an update due to criticism of unpolished scoring system and over the top difficulty).
What's the fourth?
Skykid wrote:So why not make original games for the 360 and release the odd back catalogue port now and then?
It's not a personal vendetta, just a blank canvas question. I would assume that based on their growth, they could actually afford to create original IP's for console instead of the arcade AND port old games at the same time. I might be wrong about this as it's a completely external viewpoint, but it feels like the company is milking the hell out of a seriously ageing catalogue just because its the easiest thing to do.
In one of the interviews Ikeda has voiced the notion that they're going to continue being an arcade developer for as long as possible, so I can see several reasons (which may or may not be correct, of course), as to why they're hesitant to make console-only games:
1) less arcade games would lead to faster death of arcade gaming, and thus faster demise for the arcade division;
2) less profit margin per purchase;
3) less opportunity for further porting (arcade games are built on outdated hardware, so you can port them to both current-gen consoles and handheld devices; a game made specifically for a console of, say, X360's caliber wouldn't fare that well on a smartphone);
4) most of Cave's shmup audience are still current or former arcade-goers, so to keep that audience loyal you have to throw them a bone every now and then.
As to releasing the old catalogue being the easiest thing to do, yes, but it makes sense completely, as the shmup division earns more cred that way and makes money to invest in further developments (I'm fairly sure that Cave doesn't count only net profits, but rather each project/division), and we have the opportunity to play vastly superior versions of their old games at a price 10+ times lower than we would have to pay otherwise.
Skykid wrote:But new IP's would be pleasant.
If SDOJ is any indication of the care they approach their games with, especially after the criticism of the recent releases, I definitely understand why they would want to take it slower and make sure to prevent large fuckups at all costs. That is the quality over quantity approach, and I approve of it. Having both is, of course, better, but I'm sure they would do so if they could.
The whole thing could be similar to Batsugun stage 1.
| My games - 
