johnnybravoboy
Fuku-San
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance" - The words of Confucious
Posts: 220
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Post by johnnybravoboy on Jun 30, 2013 11:59:33 GMT
I thought it would be, thanks. I just saw the SEGAbits latest podcast where they were raising a lot of criticism about our message and our Facebook spamming. I don’t fully agree with what they were saying because it is very easy to criticise something without lending in support to make the campaign better. I think this is the most vocal we have ever been and it is definitely stirring up a lot of reactions. Even Corey Marshall is now a supporter which is unbelievable. Shenmue's fan demand has never been this loud I feel and regardless I think this is drawing more attention to the Shenmue fan base than say four years ago when we were all just too polite and quiet. However they did mention a good idea they thought we could do which involved collecting letters from all of our members about “How did Shenmue change your life?” We would then package them up and send them off to SEGA Japan as a regular once-per-month sort of thing. It sounds ambitious I know but it impressed me when I first heard it. I just had to mention it in case you missed it. What do you think about that Sweaty? I'm not saying the tweetathon is any bad, the idea of combining this with the tweetathon just sounded very impressive.
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Post by Let's Get Sweaty! on Jun 30, 2013 14:53:38 GMT
I haven't heard the podcast as I'm on holiday this week, but it sounds similar to something I was trying to achieve with a thread on Shenmue500K (linked way, way back in this one), so naturally I agree with it.
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johnnybravoboy
Fuku-San
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance" - The words of Confucious
Posts: 220
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Post by johnnybravoboy on Jul 1, 2013 17:12:47 GMT
That's great, I'm looking into it with Segabits right now so I'll let you know what becomes of this.
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Post by Let's Get Sweaty! on Jul 6, 2013 10:55:46 GMT
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johnnybravoboy
Fuku-San
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance" - The words of Confucious
Posts: 220
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Post by johnnybravoboy on Jul 9, 2013 10:54:15 GMT
It looks like you got a few good testimonials. If we were to organize something like this, all we would need is a volunteer to supply their address to receive everyone's letters and then ship out each months supply of fan mail. I'm sure a lot of people would respond positively to a new tactic of getting our message out further than the internet, throw in a prize or something and that would be enough to persuade the followers to take part. Let me check things out with my residence first but if needed I could volunteer my address if you like as a collection point for the fan mail.
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Post by Let's Get Sweaty! on Jul 9, 2013 11:14:12 GMT
My reason for collating those responses differed from what you/Segabits are suggesting. The point of the current campaign is that Sega ignores direct, private communication from Shenmue fans. They don't give a shit. They really don't. So if these letters are sent to Sega, they're just going to be swept under a very large rug beside a bunch of dusty toy capsules. Appealing to their better nature doesn't work, which is why the Tweetathon tries to publicly shame them into action.
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johnnybravoboy
Fuku-San
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance" - The words of Confucious
Posts: 220
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Post by johnnybravoboy on Jul 9, 2013 14:11:49 GMT
Do you think sending the letters to YS Net might be a better move?
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Post by ShenmueAddict on Jul 10, 2013 20:02:22 GMT
My reason for collating those responses differed from what you/Segabits are suggesting. The point of the current campaign is that Sega ignores direct, private communication from Shenmue fans. They don't give a shit. They really don't. So if these letters are sent to Sega, they're just going to be swept under a very large rug beside a bunch of dusty toy capsules. Appealing to their better nature doesn't work, which is why the Tweetathon tries to publicly shame them into action. Indeed you hit the nail on the head, I was one of those people that took part in the capsule toy campaign and it got us nowhere!
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Post by JoePesciAddict on Jul 11, 2013 19:43:39 GMT
Did you guys see the video of David Cage talking with Yu Suzuki? Yu Suzuki said he was tired of people asking about Shenmue III. It kind of bothers me because I think that Yu doesn't even give a shit. And I am sick of Sega just not canceling the whole fucking thing already. Shenmue fans deserve at least that. It's crazy.
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Post by Let's Get Sweaty! on Jul 11, 2013 20:03:29 GMT
Yu's expressed on numerous recent occasions that he wants to make Shenmue III. I think he was half-joking in that video (if indeed it's not the interviewer who was joking about him even saying it), but it's also perfectly understandable if he doesn't want to keep answering the same questions when there's nothing new to say. It doesn't mean he's lost interest in the subject. In that video especially, he was there for a particular discussion and talk of Shenmue III's progress (or lack thereof) would have distracted from their purpose that day.
Johnny, my crazy notion about those testimonials was to actually prepare something for presentation to the Japanese government, pushing it as an important issue for cultural and tourism reasons, in the hope they might either assist or lean on Sega to see the Shenmue project through to its conclusion. It's still in the back of my mind but would require a lot of work and careful timing.
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johnnybravoboy
Fuku-San
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance" - The words of Confucious
Posts: 220
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Post by johnnybravoboy on Jul 12, 2013 1:01:17 GMT
Honestly Sweaty, as much of an ambitious and wonderful idea as that sounds I seriously doubt that we would be able to persuade the Japanese government to assist in concluding a video game trilogy. It would realistically never happen and I could only imagine the reaction they would have upon reading our pleas. It would just be laughable at best and deemed too much of a trivial request for it to be taken any seriously. I was just mentioning the Segabits idea of the mass mailing to see if there is anything that I can help with widening out/strengthening the campaign, since - as in the case of joining Shenmue500K with Team Yu - I am always on the lookout for new ideas to make our campaign stronger.
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Post by JoePesciAddict on Jul 12, 2013 9:15:47 GMT
I have heard this question asked in the past but: Why won't SEGA allow the project to go through Kickstarter?
Is it too outside-the-box? It is perfectly logical to me. They put their money where their mouth is with an easy justification written via Kickstarter, and us Shenmue fans show we could fund the project. If it fails we were wrong to hold out hope and there is no way we will see it finished. At least that would give us closure. I am expecting at this time that if Shenmue ever got pushed through for a number 3, it would have to be with a full reboot or HD remakes first.
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Post by Let's Get Sweaty! on Jul 12, 2013 19:30:34 GMT
My theory is that Sega considers Kickstarter to be beneath them. They still see themselves as a world-leading software behemoth, while Kickstarter is mostly (but not exclusively) associated with smaller, indy developers. Sega turns its nose up at the thought of asking the fans for donations, even though it's what the fans desperately want to do because we know it may not happen any other way.
Johnny, I know what you mean about the government idea. But presented in the right way to the right people, I think it has a teeny tiny sliver of a chance at being considered. And it could generate some interesting publicity. But again, it's a project that would have to be handled very carefully, and somewhere down the line when we have more to show for our current campaign efforts.
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mue26
Master Hazuki
Posts: 799
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Post by mue26 on Jul 13, 2013 10:53:10 GMT
Whoa, when did this forum come back to life. Even Joe is back ;D
I agree with Sweaty, a monthly mass mailing to Sega's HQ would be a fruitless waste of energy. We know this because we have tried this in the past. It is also a more laborious task; what would we do past the first month? Print out the same testimonials again and resend them? Ask people to write new testimonials every month? And either way, it's the type of thing Sega would have no issue with turning a blind eye towards. If we have learned one thing over the last 10 years, it is that our passion alone cannot move Sega.
So it wouldn't strengthen the campaign, it would weaken it. It would divert too much effort away from where it really should be going. Mass mailing is an old outdated strategy that stands in antithesis to what this campaign has been all about so far.
I like Sweaty's Japanese government idea. Sure it sounds pretty pie in the sky at first, but it's a new idea that hasn't been tried yet, and it's still less quixotic than hoping to spur Sega into action through impassioned letters alone.
We need to go forwards, not backwards.
I also agree with Sweaty about Sega's pride (though one would have thought they would have none left by now) being the main obstacle to a kick-starter.
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johnnybravoboy
Fuku-San
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance" - The words of Confucious
Posts: 220
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Post by johnnybravoboy on Jul 14, 2013 0:33:39 GMT
Alright, we have nothing to lose, and as it stands it is a unique idea rather than fan mail. Sweaty if you choose to do the whole government awareness thing I will support it as best as I can. In fact, now that we are on the topic of it, how exactly were you thinking of doing this? I'd be willing to try it out.
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Post by Let's Get Sweaty! on Jul 14, 2013 10:04:03 GMT
It's a long way off yet Johnny, I'll let you know when I start planning it in earnest! By now you might have all seen the new Shenmue Master interview with Yu Suzuki, recorded in March but only published last night. The most relevant part to this campaign is when Yu is asked whether materials already produced for Shenmue III and currently stored in Sega's vaults are still usable: "Yes, even to this day, we can use them. By obtaining the Shenmue license from Sega, we could use them. I think it is possible."
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johnnybravoboy
Fuku-San
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance" - The words of Confucious
Posts: 220
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Post by johnnybravoboy on Jul 14, 2013 10:21:57 GMT
Yes I noticed that. That really put my mind at ease, Shenmue 3 is practically finished in terms of planning and concept. It just needs to be made in what could be a more relatively shorter time than most games usually go through in development since a bulk of the work has already been done. I was also concerned if Yu was going to have to start Shenmue 3 all over from scratch and if we wouldn't be able to see any of the few things meant for 3 that we have seen spread around the internet and art books. I particularly liked his idea of the Chi You men leaders as 'bosses' - it paints an idea for me that Shenmue 3 is going to be cramming in a great deal of antagonists that must each be faced in Ryo's journey. *Sigh* Shenmue 3 could be the next best thing since sliced bread.
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mue26
Master Hazuki
Posts: 799
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Post by mue26 on Jul 14, 2013 12:04:19 GMT
It's a long way off yet Johnny, I'll let you know when I start planning it in earnest! By now you might have all seen the new Shenmue Master interview with Yu Suzuki, recorded in March but only published last night. The most relevant part to this campaign is when Yu is asked whether materials already produced for Shenmue III and currently stored in Sega's vaults are still usable: "Yes, even to this day, we can use them. By obtaining the Shenmue license from Sega, we could use them. I think it is possible." Indeed. Yu has made his intent patently clear in consecutive interviews now. You still get some who will no doubt deny that Yu wants to pursue Shenmue 3 apart from Sega, but I think that position is increasingly hard to maintain.
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Post by Let's Get Sweaty! on Jul 14, 2013 12:31:11 GMT
Even back in 2010, Suzuki told 1UP.com that he would relocate his family to the other side of the world if it meant making Shenmue III with another publisher:
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johnnybravoboy
Fuku-San
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance" - The words of Confucious
Posts: 220
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Post by johnnybravoboy on Jul 14, 2013 16:29:46 GMT
Yu Suzuki says that he would like to do Shenmue 3 'when the circumstances are right' - I don't know what he means by that: either when he feels ready in himself to take on the project again so that he can give it 100% or when he has managed to find a good publisher, or any other reason could be viable. I would like to believe that he could already be considering a few publishers after his supposed chat with Mark Cerny about a strategy for Shenmue 3. I don't know what the situation is over at YS Net though which could shed some light on what he means that his current circumstances are not adequate to make the game. His other comment at the Monaco game show could imply that he is searching for a new publisher 'No, I do not talk with Sega about Shenmue 3 now...though I cant say anymore" - still unsure if he was meaning that he plans to find a new company to work with or just that he is not talking about it at that time and there and then doesn't want to discuss it further with the interviewer. If only we had some form of closure of what exactly was going on, but I suppose that is not the fan's business to know.
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