Unlikely, the four Sakura Taisen games before that never saw the light of day here. >.>;;
Unlikely, the four Sakura Taisen games before that never saw the light of day here. >.>;;
But those were never made for the PS though. RPG tend to sell well even over here on the PS2 . So there’s some hope.
Weren’t happy when SOA never brought SW 3 over to the west, and I bet nither was Noriyoshi Oba as he did wnat to see it come overseas
The problem is, though, that Sakura Taisen isn’t an RPG, it’s a dating simulator. According to those in the know at the Megatokyo forums the S-RPG elements are just used to book-end long stretches of anim? video where your only interaction is “Press A to compliment her on her hair.” “Press X to tell her that she’s a useless pilot and her service for the Imperial Army would be more profitably expended in cleaning the floors”.
Despite the tradition of interactive fiction being very much founded in the West with games like Zork, it’s been a dead genre over here for several years now. Japanese “visual novels” are a niche interest, and it’s usually only H-games like Divi-Dead (no, I haven’t played it, not have I watched it being played, so don’t bother calling me a pervert) that get (badly) translated into English, whereas Sakura Taisen remains firmly in the ‘For all ages’ category. Your also have to bear in mind that the fact that computer games are a masculine pastime means that soppy romance isn’t going to cut the mustard.
Could Sakura Taisen V end up being translated anyway and perform a Final Fantasy VII which popularises a Japanese gameplay style in the West? Possibly, but it’s very, very long odds.
I would have to debate the “for all ages” category. I have ehem for varoius reasons, been required to play through the various iterations of Sakura Taisen, and I can say that there are many scenes of questionable content. Particularly in SW3, where at some point in the game, you are alone in a park with whichever girl you grew closest with in the game. She says something along the lines of, “I want to give you all my love,” then the camera pans up to show the moon, and the scene changes.
This scene happens regardless of who you pick… even the 11 year old girl.
This game is not appropriate for US audience, thank you very much o_O
(And he’s right… it’s not an RPG, but a dating sim, peppered with the occasional turn-based strategy fight.)
Be nice to bloody try it thought, and see what all the fuss is about
I get sick of men in suits telling me as gamer what’s good for me to play, and what’s not.
Men who probably never lifted a joypad in their lives And if you asked then what they thought of the Saturn, They’ll say ?Yeah Nice Rings?.
What just because it?s a dating sim it never work over here.
People no doubt said the same about Pokemon was too Japanese and it never work over here. Only for it to sell millions.
I guess they said the same about Seaman and Dragon Force only for them to become cult favourites in the Sega circles in the West.
Project Run is about dating ect, and that gone down well over here.
I get sick and tired when games like Sagaa, Roomaina ect don?t make it over here.
I like to play smothing diff to your typical FPS or Racer now and again.
I was disappointed when Laughing Sales Man (Mega CD was never given a Western port.
Me and couple would play that for ages with out a clue of what was going on, just to get to 3D fighting parts and so on. Plus it really showed off what the Hardware could . Mega CD was an awesome machine imo
SW 3 had some great graphics on the DC and one of the most impressive intro’s I’ve even seen in my life.
Gutted that it didn;t make it over here. Yeah ok maybe is sucks, but it nice to try it and find that out for myself. Instead of being told that
[quote=“Abadd”]This scene happens regardless of who you pick… even the 11 year old girl.
This game is not appropriate for US audience, thank you very much o_O[/quote]
I’m sure it wouldn’t be too hard to edit out the odd inappropriate scene if Sega ever decided to release the game in the West. If they can do it with Dark Saviour, they can do it with other games. If the Sakura Taisen games really are so great, then I don’t see a few scenes being the sole reason for them not being localized…
[quote=“Solo Wing Dragon”]
[quote=“Abadd”]This scene happens regardless of who you pick… even the 11 year old girl.
This game is not appropriate for US audience, thank you very much o_O[/quote]
I’m sure it wouldn’t be too hard to edit out the odd inappropriate scene if Sega ever decided to release the game in the West. If they can do it with Dark Saviour, they can do it with other games. If the Sakura Taisen games really are so great, then I don’t see a few scenes being the sole reason for them not being localized…[/quote]
Great point, my horror of smoking in a video game (and no I don’t smoke in real life).
Oh lets take out the fags, and boobs in games like DS and Lunar II.
But lets makes sure games like RE4 GTA, May Payne, Manhunt, Doom III are uncut because people can accept that, with their searing and brutality realistic graphics but not some scene in SW with big cute cartoon graphics
Give me a break
The problem with Japanese games that portray gays, minorities, etc is that they often do so inappropriately. As much as I hate to admit it, Japanese culture is highly racist/sexist, even if it is not intentionally so. They simply don’t know better. So, it often is a lot more difficult to have them edit things than simply saying “change it,” as the issues usually run deeper than a simple graphics change.
As for Sakura Taisen, trust me… it wasn’t the men in suits that decided against bringing it over. I personally think the game is alright (minus the parts laden with lolita issues), but it is extremely dated. Good graphics??? All I can think of that you might be talking about is the CG portions of the game. The rest of the game looks, well, pretty old. If they updated the graphics, made the game more sandbox-y and allowed for more freedom, it would be a good game. Not to mention, more action sequences… better yet, action sequences outside of the mechs.
It’s most likely that Sega would lose too much money bringing the series over. To put it in perspective, from what I can tell, Skies of Arcadia has about 3,000 pages of text, none of which is voiced. Sakura has about 10,000 pages of text, about half of which is voiced. The cost in localization alone would be outrageous.
Oh we all know about the sexist tones in a lot of Japanese games and Films. And they’re all fair points, though sometimes people can go over the top.
Like when SOA took out the Gay boss in Streets Of Rage III. Which was so harmless, it wouldn’t cause offence to anybody and would have just made them laugh.
Why SOA asked for the vine boss boobs to be removed in Lunar II I’ll never know. Much with the censorship in Final Fight
Like I said Abadd, I like to see what all the fuss is about for my self.
I take the point about money ect, but VF Quest boomed in the West (never mind Asia) , maybe with all it sexual tones it might get people to buy it in the west. There they were those that said GTA would never sell in Japan, only for Capcom to sell over 300,000 copies
If tiny 3rd party’s like WD can convert , and do so such a bang up job on porting the of the Lunars or Popfulmail to the West. Then it be nice to see SEGA at least try to see if SW can take off over here.
AS for the graphics part Well going back to 2000/1 SW III did look ok to me (In-Game graphics) and the intro was just jaw dropping.
That’s the thing… for example, the SoRIII example you gave, gays were (and are still) underrepresented in games in general. To have one of the few instances of having a gay character in a game be a charicature would be offensive to homosexuals. If it made people laugh, that’s even worse, to be honest. If gays were adequately represented in the medium, that’s another story. And no matter how hard the industry tries, the majority of the population still sees games as toys for children (particularly during the era that you’re speaking of), and having sexual innuendo was right out.
As for WD, they are a much smaller operation that can get by on much smaller sales figures. But, even so, the old WD stuff was nothing compared to the sheer volume of Sakura Taisen.
(Oh, and the graphics aren’t that good. The majority of the game is giant barely-animated sprites popping up on the screen like a puppet show. The battle graphics were adequate, but again, nothing spectacular. I know… I’ve played almost all the Sakura games at one point or another.)
Just a note about WD, but Lunar and Popful Mail were done a long time ago. They featured excessive amounts of text for back in the day, but have you noticed how long WD takes to release something now? They used to put out a game or two every year. Most recently it took them three years to put out Growlancer Collection, so if you split localization time in half that’s a year and a half per game. The voice parts, the dialogue, it’s all so much bigger now, but WD itself does not appear to be any larger. Same-sized staff + more work = longer gaps between release dates.
They were good at what they did back in the day, and maybe they’re still turning a profit even now, but I doubt they would try to tackle Sakura Taisen. After taking three years to release Grow, they probably have a good idea of their limitations.
[quote=“Abadd”]That’s the thing… for example, the SoRIII example you gave, gays were (and are still) underrepresented in games in general. To have one of the few instances of having a gay character in a game be a charicature would be offensive to homosexuals. If it made people laugh, that’s even worse, to be honest. If gays were adequately represented in the medium, that’s another story. And no matter how hard the industry tries, the majority of the population still sees games as toys for children (particularly during the era that you’re speaking of), and having sexual innuendo was right out.
As for WD, they are a much smaller operation that can get by on much smaller sales figures. But, even so, the old WD stuff was nothing compared to the sheer volume of Sakura Taisen.
(Oh, and the graphics aren’t that good. The majority of the game is giant barely-animated sprites popping up on the screen like a puppet show. The battle graphics were adequate, but again, nothing spectacular. I know… I’ve played almost all the Sakura games at one point or another.)[/quote]
Oh come on Abadd, it was a bit of fun and a tough in cheek joke.
Lets face it Gay and Lesbians love to make a point of telling or showing youthat are gay, what with the way they talk and dress .
They love to dress up like the Village people, when going on these various Gay rights marches and so on .
You mean to tell me they?ll take offence to some harmless character dressed up in Village people outfit in SOR 3.
If anything they?ll have a laugh too, as they’ll no doubt have a sense of humour.
I really think you?re going over the top.
In the same way people wanted to take out the black characters in games like Final Fight (what its ok to beat the crap out of somebody as long as their a White male )
Only to for various focus groups to complain Black people aren?t represent in games.
Political correctness as gone made these days.
I quite enjoying Conkers at the mo. And in that its making fun of people from Liverpool, and stiff upper jaw English.
But its a bit of fun and harmless and people from the likes of Liverpool can see that, and have a laugh at the game.
When in GTA, where you can bed a prostitute and after that beat her to death and steal the money off her.
I think peole wouldn?t take such offence at the odd joke at gays ect.
About Working Designs. I?m not fan of Vic and his childless rants .
But going back to 1994. When Lunar II had one hour of animation, and over 1 hr of speech (never mind the text), or in Popfulmail case some 3 hrs of speech (never mind the text or Animation.
To that small 3rd party it must have been on a same sort of daunting scale/par to translate as a SW game today. It took them some 4 to 5 months to translate.
I?m not expert (as you can tell) but surly a company with the resources of SEGA could at least try and translate one SW game to see if it can work overhere
Surely in today?s age computer ect are much better at proof reading and helping with the translation .
Also why don’t SEGA do a Shenmue II and just translate only the text or somthing.
I have the US version of Magic Night Rayerath and in that a lot of the speech was cut out, and they just talked at important parts.
My mate who runs a Import shop, lent me The Japanese version of MagicNight. And in that every time you spoke to somebody they responded with speech.
I just love SEGA to at least try, and if it bombs and the game is pants then fair enough.
But i sure there’s a few of us here that at least like to find out and make our minds up our self’s
Some news…Gamefront is saying that EGM is hinting that Sega will release PSU for a next gen system as well as the ps2 and PC. Good it means i don’t have to invest on an inferior version after all and no guesses which Next Gen system it will appear on near the end of the year when the other confirmed versions come out. HOORAY FOR SEGA!!!
[quote=“Team Andromeda”]
Oh come on Abadd is was a bit of fun and a tough in cheek joke. Lets face it Gay and Lesbians love to make a point of telling you that are gay, what with the way they talk and dress . They love to dress up like the Village people when going on these various Gay rights marches and so.[/quote]
Hahaha… I take it you don’t really know any homosexuals in real life? No, they don’t all go around dressed like the village people and “make a point of telling you that they are gay.” Trust me, it is difficult for many people (even myself, until I got to know many homosexuals) how difficult it is to be in a society where every portrayal of you is a charicature. Sure, it may be just in jest and yes, they have a sense of humor, but like I said, when the only representation you have in the medium is one of comic relief that plays upon the stereotypes, then it’s a little less than funny. Finally, a character that they’re supposed to identify with, and that’s what they get?
I understand what you mean. I’m not saying you’re wrong. But, until they have equal status as citizens, particularly in most areas within the US, they will continue to feel oppressed. Look at videogames in general. How many non-white/Japanese main characters are there? You could probably count them on a single hand.
But, your example of Conker, well, that’s because the English aren’t already oppressed. It may seem like an exaggeration, but speaking from first hand (well, second hand, really) experience, it’s the honest to god truth. I’ve seen gay couples break down in tears because the government finally told them they could get married (despite having been together for nearly 20 years, longer than most hetero couples I know), only to be told later, “D’oh. Sorry… we didn’t really mean that.” Or to have people tell them that they don’t have the right to have children, etc.
As for GTA, that’s apples and oranges. People will find that offensive regardless of sexual orientation.
[quote=“Abadd”]
[quote=“Team Andromeda”]
Oh come on Abadd is was a bit of fun and a tough in cheek joke. Lets face it Gay and Lesbians love to make a point of telling you that are gay, what with the way they talk and dress . They love to dress up like the Village people when going on these various Gay rights marches and so.[/quote]
Hahaha… I take it you don’t really know any homosexuals in real life? No, they don’t all go around dressed like the village people and “make a point of telling you that they are gay.” Trust me, it is difficult for many people (even myself, until I got to know many homosexuals) how difficult it is to be in a society where every portrayal of you is a charicature. Sure, it may be just in jest and yes, they have a sense of humor, but like I said, when the only representation you have in the medium is one of comic relief that plays upon the stereotypes, then it’s a little less than funny. Finally, a character that they’re supposed to identify with, and that’s what they get?
I understand what you mean. I’m not saying you’re wrong. But, until they have equal status as citizens, particularly in most areas within the US, they will continue to feel oppressed. Look at videogames in general. How many non-white/Japanese main characters are there? You could probably count them on a single hand.
But, your example of Conker, well, that’s because the English aren’t already oppressed. It may seem like an exaggeration, but speaking from first hand (well, second hand, really) experience, it’s the honest to god truth. I’ve seen gay couples break down in tears because the government finally told them they could get married (despite having been together for nearly 20 years, longer than most hetero couples I know), only to be told later, “D’oh. Sorry… we didn’t really mean that.” Or to have people tell them that they don’t have the right to have children, etc.
As for GTA, that’s apples and oranges. People will find that offensive regardless of sexual orientation.[/quote]
1st I need to say sorry for my appalling grammar which I just fixed, Sorry mate I was in a rush , and didn?t take time to read my post fully.
No you right I don?t know too many gay?s. There?s 2 friends of my aunty, which just happen to be 2 of the kinds and nicest people one could wish to meet.
And there?s this girl I know who?s friend is just an out an out guy.Just by the way he acts and talks , you know he?s Gay and he’s not afraid to let you know (he a good laugh though)
I?m pretty sure they could see the funny side of the character in SOR III. Somthing deeper than that , and calling them the scum of the earth ect. Yeah I could understand why it would be need to be banned And really wouldn?t want to play it myself. In just the same way I wouldn?t want to play a game with some of the more disturbing sides of porn and so on
But sometimes it can just been taken too far.
What next lets ban the likes of Maken X because of it?s Nazi overtones . SW doesn’t look the kind of game that would casue uproar
BTW I for Gay having thier rights and for them having Partners Pension and house rights all of that .
But sorry I can?t agree with them getting marred. That asking God to bless something the church doesn?t condone (well I?m a Cathloic).
(Just a quick threadjack: Ah yes… The marriage thing. I really think it’s a matter of semantics. In the US, the law doesn’t make any differentiation between religious marriage or legally-recognized unions. I simply say scratch the word “marriage” from all the law books, and simply make everything a civil union. Religious people can still get married in their respective places of worship and can deny that ceremony to whomever they wish, but the law would be equal to all. Think we could agree on something like that?)
Actually, though, it sounds like you know more homosexuals than most people, hence your ability to take a joke at face value. The problem is (and I don’t know how this is outside of the US) that the majority of people don’t know any, don’t care to know any, and will simply point and laugh. Again, if there was a much wider acceptance of gays, then I’d be right there next to you with a smirk on my face.
And to speak to Rune Lai’s comment: localized games, with the exception of the AAA titles, simply aren’t selling nearly as well anymore. Perhaps it is simply that gaming culture in the west is changing, Japanese games are losing their “touch,” or a combination of both, but the fact of the matter is that they simply don’t sell like they used to… making it difficult to justify the enormous localization costs of something like Sakura Taisen.
In addition, while I can’t go into details, not redoing Japanese voices is often not even an option =\
[quote=“Team Andromeda”]
But sorry I can?t agree with them getting marred. That asking God to bless something the church doesn?t condone (well I?m a Cathloic).[/quote]
I’m catholic too.That doens’t mean I have to agree with what the Church decides to do.The Church doens’t represent God.If you forget that jewish traditions all over the old testament you’ll find the Bible wouldn’t see marriage between two men or women as an abomination.
PS:The Catholic marriage was created by the Church.
[quote=“Gehpnaet”]
[quote=“Team Andromeda”]
But sorry I can?t agree with them getting marred. That asking God to bless something the church doesn?t condone (well I?m a Cathloic).[/quote]
I’m catholic too.That doens’t mean I have to agree with what the Church decides to do.The Church doens’t represent God.If you forget that jewish traditions all over the old testament you’ll find the Bible wouldn’t see marriage between two men or women as an abomination.
PS:The Catholic marriage was created by the Church.[/quote]
Oh look I don’t agree with a lot of what the Cathloic or any other church as to say.
And I really don?t want to get caught in any debate on these matters.
Just that I believe GOD designed man to make love to a woman at the most basic level . When you getting married you asking GOD to bless it and that all I really want to say on the subject
I?m not against homosexuals at all. I don?t agree with it, but what they get unto behind closed doors is quite frankly up to them. I just don?t believe in homosexuals being allowed to be married.
I can?t help the way I feel, but for all other things like pension rights ect, I?m all for that and want to see it happen.
[quote=“Abadd”]
Actually, though, it sounds like you know more homosexuals than most people, hence your ability to take a joke at face value. The problem is (and I don’t know how this is outside of the US) that the majority of people don’t know any, don’t care to know any, and will simply point and laugh. Again, if there was a much wider acceptance of gays, then I’d be right there next to you with a smirk on my face.
And to speak to Rune Lai’s comment: localized games, with the exception of the AAA titles, simply aren’t selling nearly as well anymore. Perhaps it is simply that gaming culture in the west is changing, Japanese games are losing their “touch,” or a combination of both, but the fact of the matter is that they simply don’t sell like they used to… making it difficult to justify the enormous localization costs of something like Sakura Taisen.
In addition, while I can’t go into details, not redoing Japanese voices is often not even an option =[/quote]
Well I don’t have much dealing with them.
But when they call up my Auntie?s , they’'re the ones making fun of the likes Elton John and saying how he’s such a drama queen ect.
And they come up with these stories of the gays in the Royal Family ect.
So I?m sure they wouldn?t take any offence to the Streets Of Rage III boss. And if anything would see the funny side
Yet?s face it its hard not to laugh at it, it?s not there ,in any harmful way.
I tend to think, The trouble start when people start to single out these things, that causes more harm
When most people would just over looked these things, unless it’s singled out. In just the say way the Liverpool people over look the jokes in Conkers ect . Untill some group kicks up some fuss, most peolle couldn;t care less
America I feel it just too politically correct these days.
Look at the way they was uproar at the Super bowl, because we saw JJ boob.
I mean C?mon give me a break, in about 4 of British national new papers that exactly what any child of any age can see when they turn to page 3.
I remember SOA censoring a body pic of Dural in Fighters Megamix, to one of just her face. Just going completely over the top
Amway about SW. I understand what you?re saying mate, I really do.
But unless you?re try , SOA will never know if it could be a hit or not.
Surly they must be some sort of good game their tom get those sorts of sales. It can?t all be down to chanting up 13 teen years olds can it?.
As for the voices part is this down to the stupid rule, which I just don?t understand.
That character names ect need to be changed , when being used them in the West
[quote=“Team Andromeda”]
Oh look I don’t agree with a lot of what the Cathloic or any other church as to say.
And I really don?t want to get caught in any debate on these matters.
Just that I believe GOD designed man to make love to a woman at the most basic level . When you getting married you asking GOD to bless it and that all I really want to say on the subject
I?m not against homosexuals at all. I don?t agree with it, but what they get unto behind closed doors is quite frankly up to them. I just don?t believe in homosexuals being allowed to be married.
I can?t help the way I feel, but for all other things like pension rights ect, I?m all for that and want to see it happen.[/quote]
Marriage isn’t suposed to be about sex but about love between two persons.Going to a Church isn’t going to make your marriage anymore blessed.It’s your commitment and your faith in God that will do that.
I just don’t get when people say God designed women and men to be heterosexual and yet they say everything is the will of God and God loves everyone and yet they think God disproves such things.I think God is responsible for the laws of Nature and that he gives us room to do our good or our evil within our natural limits.
Beeing born homossexual is not going to make you any more sinner.Beeing homossexual and having homossexual urgues could never be a sin since that’s the way you were born.
It’s just hypocrite for any christian to say out loud they are all for equal rights but in the end you get an insane number of racists within the Church (just as in common society) and you get the same number of homophobics.
What exactly don’t your agree with?