It doesnt matter whether he was asked or not. He may have just decided to say so anyway. And I couldn’t really care less to think about how much attention is paid to us, as I’m not sure i’d like the outcome.
We can generate a lot of ideas when we put our heads together. Some are more noteworthy than others, like us wanting to see a future game from more of an Imperial perspective. Smilebit gave us a glimpse of that in PD Orta almost as an experiment. We want more! 
I want a neo-oldempire movement!!A faction of the new empire fighting for an empire similar to the old one or something like that…
The difficulty in developing a game like Panzer is that there are two opposing forces at work: the hardcore fans, and the rest of the world.
Basically, Smilebit is charged with the duty of creating a game that won’t alienate the existing (albeit small) fanbase, but they need to change the game just enough to appeal to a wider audience (face it… the series can’t survive very long on its current install base).
So, believe me when I say the Panzer team listens to the fans with one ear, but listens to the demands of the market with the other.
Let’s just hope they can get the balance right.
[quote=“Abadd”](face it… the series can’t survive very long on its current install base).
[/quote]
What do you mean?
I’m interested in knowing what type of changes Smilebit has in mind.
Abadd, serious question:
How many more games do you see the Panzer series including? Realistically? I struggle to see it getting past 1, but wouldn’t be surprised if there were 2.
[quote=“Shadow”]Abadd, serious question:
How many more games do you see the Panzer series including? Realistically? I struggle to see it getting past 1, but wouldn’t be surprised if there were 2.[/quote]
I don’t believe Sega went to all this trouble of reviving the series just to let it die now.
I remember a time at the old Yahoo clubsite when none of us ever expected to see another Panzer Dragoon game, much less Orta and the possibility of yet more games to come. Our expectations went unfulfilled of course, and I for one am glad we were disappointed.
Thanks for the interview, a very interesting read
I think if the next game is connected to the overall story it should be still please fans, even if we never hear of any of the past characters again.
[quote=“Geoffrey Duke”]
I’m interested in knowing what type of changes Smilebit has in mind.[/quote]
Maybe they are going to turn Orta into a Lara Croft character and Lagi into a high performance sports car
Don’t even joke about that…
[quote=“vyper03”]
[quote=“Geoffrey Duke”]
I’m interested in knowing what type of changes Smilebit has in mind.[/quote]
Maybe they are going to turn Orta into a Lara Croft character and Lagi into a high performance sports car :)[/quote]
I’m hoping Smilebit won’t sacrifice its artistic integrity by thus reaching out to mainstream audiences.
Developing new games so that they are not so much as connected to previous games as they were before is a better idea than incorporating the mundane.
I really didn’t understand what Abadd meant.The 3 old PD games were superb and if no one bought them that’s cause of something else…
Change the game to appeal more?What do you mean?
You find Orta more appealing?!
I can see them turning Orta into a hottie and attempting the sex sells trick. By the time baby dragon is old enough for a new game Orta will be of the age where they could do such a thing. The pitch “hot girl blasts things to pieces with a dragon” might sell.
Panzer Dragoon: Xtreme Beach Volleyball
pounds head against keyboard
awruogqvaweuiotwatimo;awtl.l;awketo;aij >_<
leaves
If they really wanted to try that they could have easily done it with the first game so I doubt they will go that direction with the next one…
I doubt they will even try anythin sexier with the clothing as even Orta’s current outfit is a bit too much for a PD game where we are used to most ppl wearing heavy looking clothes… But again you never know what they might do so…
In any case it was also more logical to try that with this game since they also were in bigger need of profits but now they have also had some decent profit lately so why try it when they are not in a very tough position…
Also if they do want to try it, why try it with a Panzer game and not a whole new title with similar gameplay? They did Rez so why not do one more with a different theme and story again?
Also Sega hasnt really emphasied on sex appeal to sell games before, have they? Sure some games might have had sexy women but never OOT and it never was what drew you in the game (for example Joy in Shenmue2, she’s sexy, yes but she’s not exagerated and she’s not the focus of the game nowhere near as much as say Lara Croft’s qualities are in Tomb Raider…) Unless I’ve missed something ofcourse…
Although, if you compare Tomb Raider’s sales as with Panzer Dragoon’s, and it makes you wanna scream…
You guys gotta start thinking in less extremes. This isn’t about “hardcore gamers” vs. “casual gamers.”
Take a look at the games that sell. Now among those, are all of those pieces of crap marketing gimmicks? No. GTA3, while it’s not my personal favorite, is popular for a reason. As is Splinter Cell. As is Star Wars: KOTOR, etc.
There’s a degree of freedom in the gameplay that hasn’t existed in any of the Panzers. There’s a degree of control that hasn’t. I am NOT saying that tne next game will be a Grand Theft Panzer game (though, that would be morbidly interesting :D), but the games canNOT cater to the hardcore audience and make any money. The series has proved that over and over.
HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean that in order to appeal to a wider audience, you have to throw out your artistic integrity. Far from it. I am absolutely positive that you can make a wonderfully meaningful game that can appeal to everyone from the hardcore to the casual. The problem is that it’s not easy. Which is why I’m hoping Sega/Smilebit will take the time to do this one right.
We shall see.
We don’t mind a 2006 release date Abadd =) Just as long as its on the damn Xbox 1.
Well you haven’t answered to my question yet!What did you mean by saying : “(face it… the series can’t survive very long on its current install base).”???