In case this hasn't been discussed (re: Sega licensing properties)

[jmcc]

http://news.spong.com/detail/news.asp?prid=7708

[WhipSmartBanky]

Wow...this could be incredible news, or incredibly bad news.

[levi333]

Hmm, most of that wouldnt affect me. I would like to see another streets of rage. loved the old genesis ones.

[Tromack]

I've always wanted to see a new NiGHTs.

[Scorch]

Spong is EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY unreliable.


House of the Dead
NiGHTS
Golden Axe
Virtua Cop
Streets of Rage
Shinobi
Crazy Taxi
Altered Beast

Of the above, Sega designated House of the Dead as being the most important franchise.

I think the most important would be a three way tie between Crazy Taxi, Shinobi, and Streets of Rage.

[jmcc]

Well, I think Golden Axe could be pretty cool if they added some RPG elements to it. And another Streets of Rage would be great, though I can't think of a western developer who I'd want to do it. Shinobi I'd like Ubi to pick up and mix a little Splinter Cellian stealth and PoP action for it.

[pimp_daddy_smurf]

i wish that vectorman would have been finished......it looked like metroid prime but 10x better

[Tromack]

Spong is EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY unreliable.


House of the Dead
NiGHTS
Golden Axe
Virtua Cop
Streets of Rage
Shinobi
Crazy Taxi
Altered Beast

Of the above, Sega designated House of the Dead as being the most important franchise.

I think the most important would be a three way tie between Crazy Taxi, Shinobi, and Streets of Rage.

Eh, Crazy Taxi is very tired. The first was cool, but the others were just more of the same. They've done Shinobi recently and it was just average. And Streets of Rage? That could be cool, but I think that those type of beat'em up games have lost something in the transition to 3d.

[jmcc]

Also: I pray that one of the unmentioned properties is Kid Chameleon. So much potential for a franchise there that never got realized for some reason. I'll never know why either. The game was good.

[Tromack]

Also: I pray that one of the unmentioned properties is Kid Chameleon. So much potential for a franchise there that never got realized for some reason. I'll never know why either. The game was good.
You are correct. Kid Chameleon was pretty freaking cool, I'd love to see a remake of that.

[jmcc]

Also: I pray that one of the unmentioned properties is Kid Chameleon. So much potential for a franchise there that never got realized for some reason. I'll never know why either. The game was good.
You are correct. Kid Chameleon was pretty freaking cool, I'd love to see a remake of that.

I think, like Crystalis and SNK, that Sega doesn't even realize they still have it.

[WhipSmartBanky]

My picks for resurrecting franchises:

Shadow Dancer
Super Monaco GP
Space Harrier
ESWAT
Galaxy Force
Midnight Resistance
Forgotten Worlds
Vectorman

I'm not sure if all of these are wholly owned by Sega, but I'd love to see them return in one form or another.

[jmcc]

And at the risk of some smelly western company crapping it up, I'd like to see Jet Set get a new lease on life. I'm sure there's someone over here who could keep the same spirit of the previous two.

[Tromack]

My picks for resurrecting franchises:

Shadow Dancer
Super Monaco GP
Space Harrier
ESWAT
Galaxy Force
Midnight Resistance
Forgotten Worlds
Vectorman

I'm not sure if all of these are wholly owned by Sega, but I'd love to see them return in one form or another.

Didn't they have a Vectorman game coming out that was scrapped? I'd like to see Burning Rangers. At least I'm pretty sure that was the name. I'd also like to see a new Dragon Force. And a new Shining Force. Or at least release all of Shining Force III as some sort of collection.

[dafoomie]

Yuji Naka and Sonic Team have dibs on NiGHTS.

Theres already a new Shining Force in development, and at least a couple of those other franchises... I think Streets of Rage. There was already a new Shinobi, and Crazy Taxi was a major success, so why would they farm that out?

[WhipSmartBanky]

And at the risk of some smelly western company crapping it up, I'd like to see Jet Set get a new lease on life. I'm sure there's someone over here who could keep the same spirit of the previous two.

I bet the guys who did the Tony Hawk Underground games could keep it going. I think the team who did the TH GBA game did the GBA translation of Jet Set.

And yes, I'd let them diddle my peni if they brought out a new Burning Rangers or Dragon Force for a major platform - ie, not Ngage.

[Eclipse]

massive...I just REALLY hope that these titles do not fall in the hands of 3d0'eqsqe developers. That would be hell.

Never forget...

http://www.videogiochiamo.com/img/Army_Men_3D.gif

lol.

[DigitalSpace]

Here's more information on the new Vectorman game that got cancelled:

http://www.sega-16.com/Feature-%20Vectorman.htm

[elprincipe]

My picks for resurrecting franchises:

Shadow Dancer - part of the Shinobi series
Super Monaco GP - they could do it
Space Harrier - there is a sequel from a few years ago, Planet Harriers..arcade only though
ESWAT - I think they could do it
Galaxy Force - Namco
Midnight Resistance - Data East (do they even exist anymore?)
Forgotten Worlds - Capcom
Vectorman - the new game got cancelled IIRC

[jrutz]

If this is true, this would be good news. Sega's development track record lately hasn't been that good, so by farming out their development of IPs mean they can concentrate on publishing and have multiple releases in the pipeline, all while resurrecting some much-requested franchises.

But NiGHTS by a western developer? That just sounds wrong...

Jeremy

[Tromack]

I don't think this is such a bad idea. Nintendo has done pretty well with farming out their properties. If they hadn't we probably wouldn't have seen another Metroid. The new F-Zero was great. Rare did pretty well with the Donkey Kongs, until Donkey Kong 64. There have been a few stinkers along the way, but I think that this could be good. Maybe.

[daphatty]

If there is a god in heaven he will not allow Sega to whore out NiGHTS to the US or Europe. NiGHTS done by anyone other than Yuji Naka and Sonic Team will be a disaster of epic proportions. I realize that information from spong is hardly reliable, but even the mention of NiGHTS being developed by someone other than Sonic Team is blasphemy. The writer of this rumor should be tied down, blindfolded, have his balls cut off Braveheart style, and shot.

Are we clear?

[jmcc]

If there is a god in heaven he will not allow Sega to whore out NiGHTS to the US or Europe. NiGHTS done by anyone other than Yuji Naka and Sonic Team will be a disaster of epic proportions. I realize that information from spong is hardly reliable, but even the mention of NiGHTS being developed by someone other than Sonic Team is blasphemy. The writer of this rumor should be tied down, blindfolded, have his balls cut off Braveheart style, and shot.

Are we clear?

Mr. Phatty, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever read. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having seen it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

[WhipSmartBanky]

Pwned! BWAHAHAHA!

[Grave_Addiction]

If there is a god in heaven he will not allow Sega to whore out NiGHTS to the US or Europe. NiGHTS done by anyone other than Yuji Naka and Sonic Team will be a disaster of epic proportions. I realize that information from spong is hardly reliable, but even the mention of NiGHTS being developed by someone other than Sonic Team is blasphemy. The writer of this rumor should be tied down, blindfolded, have his balls cut off Braveheart style, and shot.

Are we clear?

Mr. Phatty, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever read. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having seen it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Ouch.

BTW, can we get a copy and paste job for the folks at work?

[jmcc]

Oh, that was no burn, I just love that Billy Madison quote. But the sentiment stands, in a less vitriolic sense. The idea that only Sega themselves could do a Nights game simply isn't true. I mean, who'd have thought someone other than Nintendo could do a Metroid game, for example? I think there's probably lots of developers who could do Nights 2 and make it better than the original.

[KingDox]

I want a new Virtua Racing game. That would be kick ass. I want to see the old tracks done with current hardware.

[hiccupleftovers]

I highly doubt this...almost anything that comes out of SPOnG is notoriously known to be just hearsay or rumors (many times started by them). Virtua Cop recently was made a seqiuel, number 3 I believe and as of now is arcade only so i don't think they will come out with another one of those so soon. I say all of this is just rubbish and that we will probably find out later this week in a rumor control from Gamespot saying that its b-o-g-u-s bogus.

[dcfox]

BTW, can we get a copy and paste job for the folks at work?
We can reveal this morning that Sega is currently in the process of licensing out a massive range of its key intellectual properties, in some of the biggest news regarding the firm since the Sammy buy-out from earlier this year.

Sources at various development studios in the US and Europe have been privy to an invitation to tender for the rights to create updates to some of the biggest Sega franchises, though the full story is slightly more interesting.

One source told us, “Sega of America has pitched the concept of westernising these franchises. So the ITTs have been given solely to studios in the States and Europe. The idea is to broaden the appeal of some under-exploited IP or to achieve greater sales of certain franchises outside of Japan.”

The list of IP that has been designated for western third-party development reads as follows:

House of the Dead
NiGHTS
Golden Axe
Virtua Cop
Streets of Rage
Shinobi
Crazy Taxi
Altered Beast

Of the above, Sega designated House of the Dead as being the most important franchise. Golden Axe had the lowest priority. We can confirm that Travellers’ Tales is in talks with Sega right now concerning one of the firm’s franchises that is not listed above.

There are two more games on the list from Sega, making a total of ten. At time of press, these were not available to SPOnG.

Expect updates and a slew of outsourcing announcements from Sega as the months roll on.

[alongx]

Oh, that was no burn, I just love that Billy Madison quote. But the sentiment stands, in a less vitriolic sense. The idea that only Sega themselves could do a Nights game simply isn't true. I mean, who'd have thought someone other than Nintendo could do a Metroid game, for example? I think there's probably lots of developers who could do Nights 2 and make it better than the original.

Yeah, Sega has some amazing IP's, but they haven't exactly been on the ball lately. The last Sega made game that I liked was PDO, but pretty much everything since then has looked like shit. Well, except for the 2 new Shining games, because I always loved that series.

[daphatty]

Mr. Phatty, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever read. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having seen it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

While my "2 cents" may have been purely emotional I stand by them. NiGHTS is a creatively Japanese game. That's what makes it so special and unique. I'll be the first to admit that Japanese developers have some off the wall ideas, but no one can deny that they are the most creative of the three major regions. Not one single US console developer has proven to me that they have the creative talent to continue the NiGHTS legacy. Period.

But please, feel free to debate this.

But the sentiment stands, in a less vitriolic sense. The idea that only Sega themselves could do a Nights game simply isn't true. I mean, who'd have thought someone other than Nintendo could do a Metroid game, for example? I think there's probably lots of developers who could do Nights 2 and make it better than the original.

Oh how quickly we forget about the way Nintendo laid the smackdown on Prime's development team when they CLEARLY had no creative direction and were about to destroy the Metroid brand. The only reason Prime was a success is because Nintendo stepped in to ensure quality. This is an undisputable fact. Sega simply isn't up to the task of quality control, nor are outside development houses up to the challenge of reviving legendary franchises.

[rabbitt]

Wow, crappy sequels and remakes, ahoy!!!!! THQ seems to get the rights to abandoned or dropped liscenses (ex.: Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge) occasionally, and I don't want that to happen to some Sega games. They deserve better.

[Sartori]

If there is a god in heaven he will not allow Sega to whore out NiGHTS to the US or Europe. NiGHTS done by anyone other than Yuji Naka and Sonic Team will be a disaster of epic proportions. I realize that information from spong is hardly reliable, but even the mention of NiGHTS being developed by someone other than Sonic Team is blasphemy. The writer of this rumor should be tied down, blindfolded, have his balls cut off Braveheart style, and shot.

Are we clear?

Speaking of NiGHTS.. I've been thinking that I'd like to see the next NiGHTS title on Nintendo DS. I don't exactly have any idea of what I'd like it to be, but I'm thinking that some cool things could be done in a NiGHTS universe on that platform.

[hiccupleftovers]

But the sentiment stands, in a less vitriolic sense. The idea that only Sega themselves could do a Nights game simply isn't true. I mean, who'd have thought someone other than Nintendo could do a Metroid game, for example? I think there's probably lots of developers who could do Nights 2 and make it better than the original.

Oh how quickly we forget about the way Nintendo laid the smackdown on Prime's development team when they CLEARLY had no creative direction and were about to destroy the Metroid brand. The only reason Prime was a success is because Nintendo stepped in to ensure quality. This is an undisputable fact. Sega simply isn't up to the task of quality control, nor are outside development houses up to the challenge of reviving legendary franchises.

Quite true about Nintedo. I can think o fmany times where they have had to step in to ensure quality in their games. case in point is the upcoming Star Fox 2/armada which at first glance didn' tlook up to Nintendo's quality but seems to be shaping up rather nicely now. Also I hope they step in for the GC version of Advance Wars, which also seems to be at the moment in the same place where Star Fox was.

[jmcc]

Mr. Phatty, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever read. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having seen it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

While my "2 cents" may have been purely emotional I stand by them. NiGHTS is a creatively Japanese game. That's what makes it so special and unique. I'll be the first to admit that Japanese developers have some off the wall ideas, but no one can deny that they are the most creative of the three major regions. Not one single US console developer has proven to me that they have the creative talent to continue the NiGHTS legacy. Period.

But please, feel free to debate this.

Except the majority of the creative groundwork is laid already if they're doing a straight sequel. The first game will serve as a template for making the second one. There's no need for western developers to re-invent the game, they just need to expand on the original to make it satisfying.

But the sentiment stands, in a less vitriolic sense. The idea that only Sega themselves could do a Nights game simply isn't true. I mean, who'd have thought someone other than Nintendo could do a Metroid game, for example? I think there's probably lots of developers who could do Nights 2 and make it better than the original.

Oh how quickly we forget about the way Nintendo laid the smackdown on Prime's development team when they CLEARLY had no creative direction and were about to destroy the Metroid brand. The only reason Prime was a success is because Nintendo stepped in to ensure quality. This is an undisputable fact. Sega simply isn't up to the task of quality control, nor are outside development houses up to the challenge of reviving legendary franchises.

Do you have a link to further info about this? I don't recall Nintendo having all that much involvement with MP. If true, I wager they were the ones that funked up the controls. I can't see a US dev team making controls that clunky on their own. And again, the idea that no other developers can make good out of Sega's properties? I just don't believe it. Barring the dating sim (for obvious reasons) there's no genre that Japan can do that the US can't do just as well.

[Sartori]

Do you have a link to further info about this? I don't recall Nintendo having all that much involvement with MP. If true, I wager they were the ones that funked up the controls. I can't see a US dev team making controls that clunky on their own..

Too bad Metroid Prime's controls are just fantastic. Why - as a matter of fact I was just basking in the beauty that is Prime two days ago. Wonderful control scheme, beautiful game, fantastic experience.

[hiccupleftovers]

Do you have a link to further info about this? I don't recall Nintendo having all that much involvement with MP. If true, I wager they were the ones that funked up the controls. I can't see a US dev team making controls that clunky on their own..

Too bad Metroid Prime's controls are just fantastic. Why - as a matter of fact I was just basking in the beauty that is Prime two days ago. Wonderful control scheme, beautiful game, fantastic experience.

True, the control scheme really added to the sense of exploration.

[WhipSmartBanky]

Mr. Phatty, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever read. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having seen it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

While my "2 cents" may have been purely emotional I stand by them. NiGHTS is a creatively Japanese game. That's what makes it so special and unique. I'll be the first to admit that Japanese developers have some off the wall ideas, but no one can deny that they are the most creative of the three major regions. Not one single US console developer has proven to me that they have the creative talent to continue the NiGHTS legacy. Period.

But please, feel free to debate this.

Except the majority of the creative groundwork is laid already if they're doing a straight sequel. The first game will serve as a template for making the second one. There's no need for western developers to re-invent the game, they just need to expand on the original to make it satisfying.

But the sentiment stands, in a less vitriolic sense. The idea that only Sega themselves could do a Nights game simply isn't true. I mean, who'd have thought someone other than Nintendo could do a Metroid game, for example? I think there's probably lots of developers who could do Nights 2 and make it better than the original.

Oh how quickly we forget about the way Nintendo laid the smackdown on Prime's development team when they CLEARLY had no creative direction and were about to destroy the Metroid brand. The only reason Prime was a success is because Nintendo stepped in to ensure quality. This is an undisputable fact. Sega simply isn't up to the task of quality control, nor are outside development houses up to the challenge of reviving legendary franchises.

Do you have a link to further info about this? I don't recall Nintendo having all that much involvement with MP. If true, I wager they were the ones that funked up the controls. I can't see a US dev team making controls that clunky on their own. And again, the idea that no other developers can make good out of Sega's properties? I just don't believe it. Barring the dating sim (for obvious reasons) there's no genre that Japan can do that the US can't do just as well.

Absolutely...I never felt comfortable with the bizarre control scheme of MP, and I'm still holding out hope there's at least an option to switch it in Echoes, or else I'm waiting for the bargain bin for that one too.

Beautiful controls do not including having to stand still to aim manually and making a lock-on trigger do all the work for you otherwise.

[epobirs]

If there is a god in heaven he will not allow Sega to whore out NiGHTS to the US or Europe. NiGHTS done by anyone other than Yuji Naka and Sonic Team will be a disaster of epic proportions. I realize that information from spong is hardly reliable, but even the mention of NiGHTS being developed by someone other than Sonic Team is blasphemy. The writer of this rumor should be tied down, blindfolded, have his balls cut off Braveheart style, and shot.

Are we clear?

Speaking of NiGHTS.. I've been thinking that I'd like to see the next NiGHTS title on Nintendo DS. I don't exactly have any idea of what I'd like it to be, but I'm thinking that some cool things could be done in a NiGHTS universe on that platform.

Controlling NIGHTS with the touchscreen could work out very well.

This reminds me, there was an obscure Atari arcade machine, Quantum, that would be great as a DS touchscreen controlled game.

[elprincipe]

I want a new Virtua Racing game. That would be kick ass. I want to see the old tracks done with current hardware.

Already done on PS2 in Japan with Sega Ages releases. I believe they are also coming to the U.S. Keep your fingers crossed for the VR remake making it over.

[Sartori]

Mr. Phatty, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever read. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having seen it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

While my "2 cents" may have been purely emotional I stand by them. NiGHTS is a creatively Japanese game. That's what makes it so special and unique. I'll be the first to admit that Japanese developers have some off the wall ideas, but no one can deny that they are the most creative of the three major regions. Not one single US console developer has proven to me that they have the creative talent to continue the NiGHTS legacy. Period.

But please, feel free to debate this.

Except the majority of the creative groundwork is laid already if they're doing a straight sequel. The first game will serve as a template for making the second one. There's no need for western developers to re-invent the game, they just need to expand on the original to make it satisfying.

But the sentiment stands, in a less vitriolic sense. The idea that only Sega themselves could do a Nights game simply isn't true. I mean, who'd have thought someone other than Nintendo could do a Metroid game, for example? I think there's probably lots of developers who could do Nights 2 and make it better than the original.

Oh how quickly we forget about the way Nintendo laid the smackdown on Prime's development team when they CLEARLY had no creative direction and were about to destroy the Metroid brand. The only reason Prime was a success is because Nintendo stepped in to ensure quality. This is an undisputable fact. Sega simply isn't up to the task of quality control, nor are outside development houses up to the challenge of reviving legendary franchises.

Do you have a link to further info about this? I don't recall Nintendo having all that much involvement with MP. If true, I wager they were the ones that funked up the controls. I can't see a US dev team making controls that clunky on their own. And again, the idea that no other developers can make good out of Sega's properties? I just don't believe it. Barring the dating sim (for obvious reasons) there's no genre that Japan can do that the US can't do just as well.

Absolutely...I never felt comfortable with the bizarre control scheme of MP, and I'm still holding out hope there's at least an option to switch it in Echoes, or else I'm waiting for the bargain bin for that one too.

Beautiful controls do not including having to stand still to aim manually and making a lock-on trigger do all the work for you otherwise.

The intent of the game is not to blow the shit out of enemy after enemy.

[WhipSmartBanky]

Mr. Phatty, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever read. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having seen it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

While my "2 cents" may have been purely emotional I stand by them. NiGHTS is a creatively Japanese game. That's what makes it so special and unique. I'll be the first to admit that Japanese developers have some off the wall ideas, but no one can deny that they are the most creative of the three major regions. Not one single US console developer has proven to me that they have the creative talent to continue the NiGHTS legacy. Period.

But please, feel free to debate this.

Except the majority of the creative groundwork is laid already if they're doing a straight sequel. The first game will serve as a template for making the second one. There's no need for western developers to re-invent the game, they just need to expand on the original to make it satisfying.

But the sentiment stands, in a less vitriolic sense. The idea that only Sega themselves could do a Nights game simply isn't true. I mean, who'd have thought someone other than Nintendo could do a Metroid game, for example? I think there's probably lots of developers who could do Nights 2 and make it better than the original.

Oh how quickly we forget about the way Nintendo laid the smackdown on Prime's development team when they CLEARLY had no creative direction and were about to destroy the Metroid brand. The only reason Prime was a success is because Nintendo stepped in to ensure quality. This is an undisputable fact. Sega simply isn't up to the task of quality control, nor are outside development houses up to the challenge of reviving legendary franchises.

Do you have a link to further info about this? I don't recall Nintendo having all that much involvement with MP. If true, I wager they were the ones that funked up the controls. I can't see a US dev team making controls that clunky on their own. And again, the idea that no other developers can make good out of Sega's properties? I just don't believe it. Barring the dating sim (for obvious reasons) there's no genre that Japan can do that the US can't do just as well.

Absolutely...I never felt comfortable with the bizarre control scheme of MP, and I'm still holding out hope there's at least an option to switch it in Echoes, or else I'm waiting for the bargain bin for that one too.

Beautiful controls do not including having to stand still to aim manually and making a lock-on trigger do all the work for you otherwise.

The intent of the game is not to blow the shit out of enemy after enemy.

It's not? That gun-arm, missiles, etc, could've fooled the shit out of me...

:roll:

[Sartori]

Mr. Phatty, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever read. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having seen it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

While my "2 cents" may have been purely emotional I stand by them. NiGHTS is a creatively Japanese game. That's what makes it so special and unique. I'll be the first to admit that Japanese developers have some off the wall ideas, but no one can deny that they are the most creative of the three major regions. Not one single US console developer has proven to me that they have the creative talent to continue the NiGHTS legacy. Period.

But please, feel free to debate this.

Except the majority of the creative groundwork is laid already if they're doing a straight sequel. The first game will serve as a template for making the second one. There's no need for western developers to re-invent the game, they just need to expand on the original to make it satisfying.

But the sentiment stands, in a less vitriolic sense. The idea that only Sega themselves could do a Nights game simply isn't true. I mean, who'd have thought someone other than Nintendo could do a Metroid game, for example? I think there's probably lots of developers who could do Nights 2 and make it better than the original.

Oh how quickly we forget about the way Nintendo laid the smackdown on Prime's development team when they CLEARLY had no creative direction and were about to destroy the Metroid brand. The only reason Prime was a success is because Nintendo stepped in to ensure quality. This is an undisputable fact. Sega simply isn't up to the task of quality control, nor are outside development houses up to the challenge of reviving legendary franchises.

Do you have a link to further info about this? I don't recall Nintendo having all that much involvement with MP. If true, I wager they were the ones that funked up the controls. I can't see a US dev team making controls that clunky on their own. And again, the idea that no other developers can make good out of Sega's properties? I just don't believe it. Barring the dating sim (for obvious reasons) there's no genre that Japan can do that the US can't do just as well.

Absolutely...I never felt comfortable with the bizarre control scheme of MP, and I'm still holding out hope there's at least an option to switch it in Echoes, or else I'm waiting for the bargain bin for that one too.

Beautiful controls do not including having to stand still to aim manually and making a lock-on trigger do all the work for you otherwise.

The intent of the game is not to blow the shit out of enemy after enemy.

It's not? That gun-arm, missiles, etc, could've fooled the shit out of me...

:roll:

Combat is clearly de-emphasised in Metroid Prime. Pay more attention?

[WhipSmartBanky]

Mr. Phatty, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever read. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having seen it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

While my "2 cents" may have been purely emotional I stand by them. NiGHTS is a creatively Japanese game. That's what makes it so special and unique. I'll be the first to admit that Japanese developers have some off the wall ideas, but no one can deny that they are the most creative of the three major regions. Not one single US console developer has proven to me that they have the creative talent to continue the NiGHTS legacy. Period.

But please, feel free to debate this.

Except the majority of the creative groundwork is laid already if they're doing a straight sequel. The first game will serve as a template for making the second one. There's no need for western developers to re-invent the game, they just need to expand on the original to make it satisfying.

But the sentiment stands, in a less vitriolic sense. The idea that only Sega themselves could do a Nights game simply isn't true. I mean, who'd have thought someone other than Nintendo could do a Metroid game, for example? I think there's probably lots of developers who could do Nights 2 and make it better than the original.

Oh how quickly we forget about the way Nintendo laid the smackdown on Prime's development team when they CLEARLY had no creative direction and were about to destroy the Metroid brand. The only reason Prime was a success is because Nintendo stepped in to ensure quality. This is an undisputable fact. Sega simply isn't up to the task of quality control, nor are outside development houses up to the challenge of reviving legendary franchises.

Do you have a link to further info about this? I don't recall Nintendo having all that much involvement with MP. If true, I wager they were the ones that funked up the controls. I can't see a US dev team making controls that clunky on their own. And again, the idea that no other developers can make good out of Sega's properties? I just don't believe it. Barring the dating sim (for obvious reasons) there's no genre that Japan can do that the US can't do just as well.

Absolutely...I never felt comfortable with the bizarre control scheme of MP, and I'm still holding out hope there's at least an option to switch it in Echoes, or else I'm waiting for the bargain bin for that one too.

Beautiful controls do not including having to stand still to aim manually and making a lock-on trigger do all the work for you otherwise.

The intent of the game is not to blow the shit out of enemy after enemy.

It's not? That gun-arm, missiles, etc, could've fooled the shit out of me...

:roll:

Combat is clearly de-emphasised in Metroid Prime. Pay more attention?

:rofl:

Excuses, excuses...

[BlueStorm781]

Westernazation of clasic Japaneese franchises could be an intriguing concept. It's not a bad thing, as we've seen with Metroid Prime and Metal Gear Solid : The Twin Snakes (which was a remake, really), that a great American (or Canadian) developer can do Japaneese franchises justice. However, that's not saying all Western developers are great ones. Sega should be pretty choosy on who would develop for their franchises as one really bad game done for a known series could be disasterous.

[jmcc]

Combat is clearly de-emphasised in Metroid Prime. Pay more attention?

Then why are there [respawning] enemies in nearly every room you go into?

[WhipSmartBanky]

Combat is clearly de-emphasised in Metroid Prime. Pay more attention?

Then why are there [respawning] enemies in nearly every room you go into?

Maybe he just wasn't paying attention? :rofl:

[daphatty]

Except the majority of the creative groundwork is laid already if they're doing a straight sequel. The first game will serve as a template for making the second one. There's no need for western developers to re-invent the game, they just need to expand on the original to make it satisfying.

That's just it. They will re-invent the game. Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes anyone? It's as if westerners have Lucas-itis or something.

Do you have a link to further info about this?

I managed to find a site that had enough information to explain what happened at Retro during Prime's development. Here is an excerpt of the aritcle. The link is listed below.

It was soon revealed that none other than Retro Studios, Nintendo’s newest second-party developer, was leading the project. For almost a year silence fell over the development of this hotly anticipated title and many Nintendo followers were beginning to question the progress of the title. During the period between August 2000 and May 2001 two Retro Studios projects were canned, a football game and a car combat game, which caused a major disturbance in the gaming community. Rumors of Nintendo dumping Retro started to spread and suddenly the excitement from the previous Space World looked rather dismal. It wasn’t until E3 2001 that Retro Studios gave pessimist something to drool over. A short clip of Metroid Prime and their other project, Raven Blade, were shown. Both titles generated a lot of buzz and once again faith was rejuvenated, if only for a short time. At the convention I asked Mr. Miyamoto myself about the progress of Metroid Prime and he answered, “You will not be let down. It will be worth the wait,” and this boosted the image of the game tenfold. But, all good things come to an end and for Raven Blade that couldn’t be truer. Shortly after E3 it was announced that Retro Studios’ promising Action-RPG was canned and all remaining team members (the ones who WEREN’T fired) were reallocated to the Metroid Prime project to meet the release date. In a single shot of unfortunate news Retro Studios, was again, on the black list. It didn’t help that Nintendo chose to not present a playable version of Metroid at Space World 2001, an event that would supposedly disband all negative rumors surrounding the game. This did not happen. The few screen shot leaked from media showed poorly rendered characters and horrid looking backgrounds. It looked far from a polished product and this left a bitter taste in many mouths across the nation. A few months after Space World it was learned the lead programmer of Metroid Prime left the Retro to work for another company- this particular news not sitting well with journalist.

http://www.nintendogamenet.com/specials/0014.shtml

[dafoomie]

I'm with daphatty about NiGHTS... Yuji Naka has already said he wants to do a new NiGHTS when the time is right. Just about anyone besides him and Sonic Team would screw it up. Yuji Naka is one of the few people at Sega that you do not fuck with, under any circumstances. It would be like licencing Shenmue 3 out to someone besides Yu Suzuki and his team, or at least AM2.

The article is bullshit anyway.

[daphatty]

The article is bullshit anyway.

The part about Prime's development was dead on. I didn't bother to read the rest. I tried to find the original IGN stories but it's impossible to find anything on their site since the crappy redesign.

[dafoomie]

The article is bullshit anyway.


The part about Prime's development was dead on. I didn't bother to read the rest. I tried to find the original IGN stories but it's impossible to find anything on their site since the crappy redesign.

I meant the original article at spong.

Theres nothing about where the information came from, no information about the source, not even a slight piece of circumstantial evidence, and spong is the only place that mentions this at all. And how would a British website have sources within Sega of America?

A more believable story would be that they're considering 2nd party developers for certain games, and the titles listed were pulled from thin air.

[Grave_Addiction]

Sega simply isn't up to the task of quality control, nor are outside development houses up to the challenge of reviving legendary franchises.

Yeah, but Sega has been putting out a lot of turds lately, so I don't think they can even give the proper QC on themselves. I don't know what it is, but it seems that Sega hasn't had that "magic" they used to have since the Dreamcast went to sleep.

Also, I know Traveler's Tales has done a lot of Sega games in the past, so them doing another, wouldn't surprise me. But they haven't been lighting up the charts either. Their latest games are Finding Nemo, Haven and Crash: Wrath of Cortex.

What Sega NEEDS to do is go back to their roots. Bring back the games that made them what they are today. They have such a huge following of fans, but they don't cater to them. Instead, they try to go after other demographics.

If Sega wanted to really get back in the lead, it needs to develop a new Shining Force, Panzer Dragoon RPG, a kick-ass 2D Sonic, a new Nights and basically anything they had big success with in their past. I would love to see Sega become a third-party software power again, but they need to really bring out some good games.

This move may be good for them, though. If they don't have the in-house talent to do it anymore, they need to find a way to get the good games out somehow.

[dafoomie]

Yeah, but Sega has been putting out a lot of turds lately
Bad games or bad sales? There hasn't been a string of really bad Sega titles since... The 80s?

Sega's problem has always been marketing. They make good game after good game and they don't know how to sell them. They could stand to hire an American marketing firm (or a better one) but Sega has never had a problem making good games. Thats why they went with ESPN and Take 2 to sell their sports titles... Because they sure as hell can't.

One issue though is that Sammy wants to be conservative about making new games for consoles, and do more Arcade games. Though, the more conservative types do tend to go with sequels and established brands more often.

[daphatty]

One issue though is that Sammy wants to be conservative about making new games for consoles, and do more Arcade games. Though, the more conservative types do tend to go with sequels and established brands more often.

Sammy needs to mind its own business. They are good at one thing, the arcade and arcade ports. If anyone is less qualified than Sega to make good decisions about the console market it is Sammy.

[Grave_Addiction]

Yeah, but Sega has been putting out a lot of turds lately
Bad games or bad sales? There hasn't been a string of really bad Sega titles since... The 80s?

Sega's problem has always been marketing. They make good game after good game and they don't know how to sell them. They could stand to hire an American marketing firm (or a better one) but Sega has never had a problem making good games. Thats why they went with ESPN and Take 2 to sell their sports titles... Because they sure as hell can't.

One issue though is that Sammy wants to be conservative about making new games for consoles, and do more Arcade games. Though, the more conservative types do tend to go with sequels and established brands more often.

Well, a little of both. But this is entirely my opinion, and I'm not trying to speak for the majority in anyway.

Aside from their sports games, I just don't think Sega has put out any blockbusters lately. Yeah, Shinobi was supposed to be pretty good, but what have we seen lately? Sonic Heroes wasn't all it was cracked out to be and Billy Hatcher and that damn new Pokemon-clone look pretty bad, IMO.

I dunno though, I just would like to see them stop trying to invent new franchises when they have some really great ones already. I'd just like to see them focus on what has been successful for them while try to establish a couple new franchises.

[Sartori]

I'd like to see :

Phantasy Star V
NiGHTS 2

Also - are they not developing a couple new Shining Force titles at this very moment..?

[hiccupleftovers]

Yeah, but Sega has been putting out a lot of turds lately
Bad games or bad sales? There hasn't been a string of really bad Sega titles since... The 80s?

Sega's problem has always been marketing. They make good game after good game and they don't know how to sell them. They could stand to hire an American marketing firm (or a better one) but Sega has never had a problem making good games. Thats why they went with ESPN and Take 2 to sell their sports titles... Because they sure as hell can't.

One issue though is that Sammy wants to be conservative about making new games for consoles, and do more Arcade games. Though, the more conservative types do tend to go with sequels and established brands more often.

I highly agree with your comment. Sega has come out with plenty of great games over the past 2-3 years but they have been poorly marketed. case in point is the amazing Panzer Dragoon Orta. It is an awesome rail shooter but barely any one of the general public knew about it. you cannot have jsut hardcore gamers buying your product, you need casual gamers and public to know that it is out there. Look at Square and their FF series. Everybody knows about that, from my neighbors to my mom. Also look at how House of the Dead 3 did on X Box, awesome game but barely anybody bought it. The same can be said about Otogi. All of these games stated were great in their own right, just nobody knew about them or bought them.