DRX (ruiz@IX.NETCOM.COM)
Wed, 11 Nov 1998 19:01:48 -0700
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 19:01:48 -0700 From: DRX <ruiz@IX.NETCOM.COM> Subject: Re: Miscellaneous Sakura Taisen thoughts (minor ST1 spoilers)
Jose Barragán wrote:
> >I've been wracking my brains for some new topics. How about these?
> >
> >s
> >p
> >o
> >i
> >l
> >e
> >r
> >
> >s
> >p
> >a
> >c
> >e
> >
> >Sakura Taisen 1:
> >
> > Has anybody ever killed both of the robots that try to destroy the
> >tower? I tried a few times, but the tough one kept healing himself, so I
> >gave up, figuring he had unlimited heals.
>
> Same thing here. I once tried to see if I could kill him but got reeeeeally
> bored early on. Didn't even get to notice that he had unlimited heals, in
> fact.
Thinking back, I died a couple times attacking the strong one but then I found
out just pick off the one at the bottom:)
>
>
> >Sakura Taisen 3 thoughts:
> >
> > An idea for ST3: How about a beat-'em-up, in the style of Guardian
> >Heroes/Streets of Rage/Final Fight? Choice of characters, multiple paths
> >and stories, special moves, etc. Heck, why not a Street Fighter-esque
> >Sakura Taisen? I think that would be really cool, if, of course, it's done
> >right. (It would be really hard to do right...for starters, the koubus look
> >too similar; maybe they could make new, more personalized designs? Of
> >course, there would have to be a face window that would show each pilot
> >during the fight, and they'd wince when they got hit, say things like
> >"Kanzaki funjinryuu... houou no mai!" when they do their special moves,
> >taunt opponents, etc. There are enough characters for a fighting game,
> >anyway.) I know many of you will hate the thought of ST in different
> >genres, but I think it's fun to think about.
I don't think a SF type game would fly, the only people that would fit the bill
are Kanna and maybe Oogami (the times he practices with her). I think a koubu
mech battle would work best as a sub game on a seperate disc or something. The
other way it might work is if it was changed into a Magicesque type battle
system dealing out the players cards. This would still retain some form of
strategy that ST loosely incorporates already.
>
>
> This would make a far better 'side game' (like Hanagumi Taisen Columns) than
> a real sequel. The main ST games should always be adventure games with
> strategy aspects, IMO. The side games can explore different game genres.
>
> >
> > Boy, ST3 has some pretty big shoes to fill. I guess we kind of went of
> >this already, but what makes Sakura Taisen Sakura Taisen? The characters?
> >The dating? The battles? All of it? Some more than others? What I'm getting
> >at is, is ST3 locked into the same dating sim + strategy-RPG format?
>
> I believe that it is, yes. There might be improvements to the engine and
> such, but the basic format should remain the same. I mean, imagine if Final
> Fantasy VII had been a 3-D fighting game instead of an RPG! Can you imagine
> all the people who would have been extremely pissed off?
>
> > Are
> >the lesser sales figures of ST2 indication that the same formula won't
> >necessarily cut it anymore?
>
> No, I think the sales figures just reflect the slow demise of the Saturn.
> There simply aren't as many people interested in Saturn games as when the
> first ST game came out (thus, the low sales of the excellent 2-D Capcom
> fighting game conversions).
>
> > Would any ST game not in the dating sim + S-RPG
> >format not be worthy of the name Sakura Taisen 3?
>
> Like I said before, a fighting game or puzzle game or whatever might make an
> excellent side game, but I think the main reason ST is so popular is because
> it manages to mix aspects of a dating sim, adventure game, and strategy game
> so perfectly. They shouldn't muck up the formula, only improve upon it.
>
> > Is ST running out of
> >steam? Is the dating-sim genre itself running out of steam? Perhaps it
> >would be best if it didn't progress past ST3, like others have said?
>
> I really just want the game's story to end with ST3. Have Oogami marry one
> of the girls (or in the case of the younger ones', have them as steady
> girlfriends or whatever), and finish the storyline up that way.
>
> >
> > What do y'all think?
> >
I will continue to enjoy ST games as long as Red/Sega produces stuff that is
imaginative, fun, and original. As soon as they start to milk the Sakura Taisen
title will boring spin-offs that's the day I put in another game. But I don't
see that ever happening, more than likely Red will start a new series with the
flavor of ST but will be an enjoyable game in itself. One reason I'm excited
about To The North:) I think Sakura Taisen has maybe one game left after 3 with
a majority of new younger characters, but with enough of the ST essence to make
it a worthwhile title that improves the series instead of just dragging it on w/
another sequel.
>
> >Paul
-- "Success = opportunity + preparation" -Taoism/The Way Danny Ruiz/DRX Homepage http://pw2.netcom.com/~ruiz/ IRC/kazuma/ICQ/20235173/AOL IM/DRX1975