Macross 30

[unclechopchop]

It's like you're seriously blind and didn't bother watching the preview video.

Or maybe I'm talking about what some other are talking about.

[Renato]

If this turns out to be a RPG and not a fly around, transforming shoot em up, my pre-order will be cancelled. And to all of the people that say that I'm being stupid, I CAN'T READ JAPANESE!!

Heh, I wouldn't say you are being stupid.... at least not for not being able to read Japanese.

Mao did sing and summon the power of her people to produce a physical effect at the end of Zero. That, and she's got raw protoculture blood.

Can't just sing to be a Macross true Idol, gotta accomplish something big with it.

Hear that, Ishtar? TRY HARDER NEXT TIME!!

[Kaldar5]

Heh, I wouldn't say you are being stupid.... at least not for not being able to read Japanese.

Hear that, Ishtar? TRY HARDER NEXT TIME!!

Yeah, all Ishtar did was cancel out Wendy Ryder's singing..... Really, that doesn't take much. I think even the humans listening were thankful for it XD

She would have had a much greater effect by just broadcasting video of the outfit she was wearing. THAT would win a battle.

But props to Ishtar for going out and spreading culture to her race of people that don't exist because they aren't cannon anymore.... doh.

I shouldn't be so hard on Mac II, I still absolutely love the Mikimoto char designs.

Edited February 3, 2013 by Kaldar5

[Graham]

It would be nice if there was an option to exclude the RPG elements for those who just want the action.

Graham

[D.D. Ivanov]

Or maybe I'm talking about what some other are talking about.

You don't have to understand Japanese to hear the "Flight action-RPG" that's explicitly stated in the trailer, along with the fact that 90% of the trailer is Valkyries flying around, blowing things up, or singing songs to things in Basara's case.

[LOW_ALT]

It would be nice if there was an option to exclude the RPG elements for those who just want the action. Graham

^Agreed, or at least make them two different modes like MTF

Edited February 3, 2013 by LOW_ALT

[Tochiro]

It's like you're seriously blind and didn't bother watching the preview video.

THIS ↑ This x 9999.

I mean, what on earth has happened to cause this sudden amount of backlash? I'm honestly stumped by all this.

The game has been classified as a "Flight Action RPG" for months now. Note the order of those words. Look at the trailer from last year. Its a FLIGHT (fly around the open planet) ACTION (get into dogfights, take on capships, do quests) RPG (overarching story to give mission structure and development/parts system for making new talks).

NOWHERE has it been said or even hinted at that this is a full, JRPG. Where the hell are people getting that idea from?

As for the autobattle system, as I've said before, this is obviously for the younger, Frontier fan-set. The people who want to just experience the story and arent necessarily good at games. And the are a LOT of fans like that atm. You dont HAVE to use it.

It would be nice if there was an option to exclude the RPG elements for those who just want the action. Graham

So... its not alright to make a mode that accommodates those who just want the story, but its ok to implement one for people who just want the action?

Besides which, there IS a mode where you can focus more on just the action - as that last Famitsu interview pointed out, you can pick specific pilots (which will mean the story wont be relevant) once youve cleared the game once.

So what they are doing here is trying to cater to all fansets to keep everyone happy while maximising potential sales in a small (and shrinking) market for a game which is a niche IP.

Doing a hardcore simulation game would be flat out commercial suicide. Most gamers here want story first (as the failure of all Western RPGS without exception clearly illustrates).

Moreover, remove the story? Essentially remove one of the key pillars that makes Macross what it is? Really? Because what would be left wouldnt be Macross. To hear anyone even suggest that is really disheartening.

Artdink has no reason to change their core gameplay mechanics and has given no indication that they are going to do so. For anyone having problems with lists of valk parts or story scenes, the internet is there to help. Which is way more than I had back in the 90s when, with almost no Japanese, I sat with 2 paper dictionaries for over 90 hrs to play through Final Fantasy 8 rather than wait the 6 months or more that the localized PAL version would take. No internet, no translation sites. And, unlike Macross 30, Final Fantasy 8 WAS a full-on JRPG. Macross 30 is an action game with RPG trimmings. Has Macross fandom really become so pussified that they cant handle some menus of text and a few cutscenes?

Edited February 3, 2013 by Tochiro

[sketchley]

Doing a hardcore simulation game would be flat out commercial suicide. Most gamers here want story first (as the failure of all Western RPGS without exception clearly illustrates).

Let's all not forget the target market: Japan. The majority of the people who buy and play games, buy and play RPGs. RPGs and RPG style games are not only proven winners, they compose a large chunk of the game market.

The Western (US) market is more oriented toward action and simulator games without the RPG market. There's bound to be a disconnect between what Western gamers want, and Japanese game companies are producing for their target domestic market.

Reality check: we're lucky to be getting such a high quality game on the PS3. Period. The lion's share of the Japanese market is the hand-held console.

Has Macross fandom really become so pussified that they cant handle some menus of text and a few cutscenes?

I don't think it's Macross fandom per se. Western anime/gaming fandom in general has been spoiled by the internet. "Look in a dictionary to try a game/anime? Yeek!"

Edited February 3, 2013 by sketchley

[TyrValein]

Sketchley, Tochiro, you're saying exactly what I've been trying to get across for the last few days...And like I've said over and over, I'll be out there, translating as much as I can (which is to say, not very much) and doing a Let's Play for the people who want to get the most that they can out of the game. Initially hearing that it would be a "flight action RPG" is what really pushed me to get the game (and a PS3 for that matter).

Though I have to say, I liked Mass Effect 1 and Dragon Age: Origins (and their respective stories) when they were a niche title made by an independent company (basically before EA came into the equation).

[Gerli]

My PS3 is ready

[UN Spacy]

That's the spirit.

[Tochiro]

Sketchley - Many thanks for adding some context to my comment. I tend to presume, for better or for worse, that the sort of people who are into older mecha shows like Macross probably also grew up in the days when Japanese gaming was king and, as such, have some idea as to the past and current state of the industry. Perhaps thats expecting too much.

Regardless, I find the attitude that seems to have suddenly sprung up regarding having rpg and story elements to be no-less bizarre, not to mention disappointing.

And if this game doesnt sell, its a sure bet that the series will go back to the PSP (no, not the Vita).

[Dio]

Sketchley, Tochiro, you're saying exactly what I've been trying to get across for the last few days...And like I've said over and over, I'll be out there, translating as much as I can (which is to say, not very much) and doing a Let's Play for the people who want to get the most that they can out of the game.

Speaking of... that translated character relationship chart that was posted on the front page is awesome, would it be possible to locate those kind of resources in an index of some sort, so we don't have to parse dozens of pages of forum threads to find them?

[sketchley]

Sketchley - Many thanks for adding some context to my comment. I tend to presume, for better or for worse, that the sort of people who are into older mecha shows like Macross probably also grew up in the days when Japanese gaming was king and, as such, have some idea as to the past and current state of the industry.

Where one is in the world tends to influence one's perceptions of the world. Things that are taken for granted where one is may be utterly bizarre or completely unknown to someone from somewhere else. Hopefully us MWers will always keep that in mind when we post.

Regardless, I find the attitude that seems to have suddenly sprung up regarding having rpg and story elements to be no-less bizarre, not to mention disappointing.

I'd like to say ignorance is bliss, but I think it's the ugly side of the sense of entitlement making it's presence known...

EDIT: replaced you with one - as it's intended for everyone, not just Tochiro.

Edited February 3, 2013 by sketchley

[unclechopchop]

God forbid anybody expresses an opinion.....

[Graham]

God forbid anybody expresses an opinion.....

Mm, quite. The outpouring against those of us who dare to express an opinion that we have no interest in jrpgs is quite surprising.

The majority of Macross games have always been action oriented, be it Scrambled Valkyrie, Macross 2036, VF-X, VF-X2, MPGE, M3, VO, Macross Since 1983, the PS2 DYRL game, MAF, MUF (all of which I've owned & played). While many of us old timers have no problem using Japanese/English dictionaries or trawling the internet for translated help guides, I think what we/I'm saying is we hope the jrpg aspect is minimised, or at least there is an option to skip the jrpg aspect. While having a story is good, VF-X2's story was great, as was M3's, (even if the game play was crap), I hope there is not endless screens of chat between characters in this game.

Graham

[Kaldar5]

Speaking of... that translated character relationship chart that was posted on the front page is awesome, would it be possible to locate those kind of resources in an index of some sort, so we don't have to parse dozens of pages of forum threads to find them?

+1

We have the opportunity to be a great resource for people that haven't yet joined the Macross World community but are looking for help with this game.

Lets get people together, and consolidate some info. And when people do some searching for help, they end up here.

My PS3 is ready

Gah! Mine is not.

I have to repair my bluray laser seems everything works, but it won't read Blurays.

I've ordered my PS3 tornado super pack er, I mean bluray laser read head to replace it, but haven't installed it yet.

As far as the chat in the game, at least it's fully vocalized. I have a much better time understanding spoken Japanese than I do reading it.

Edited February 3, 2013 by Kaldar5

[xrentonx]

Relax, man! I think exactly one guy said that he might cancel and he mistakenly thought it was a full on JRPG. There's a few of us who aren't exactly excited about the JRPG aspects of the game (whatever extent it may be). No need for the diatribe...it's ok!

Never heard "pussified" used in that context before but there's a first for everything

Edited February 3, 2013 by xrentonx

[Marzan]

Misa is not a singer, that's why she's not there. They said that they gathered various singers from different time periods. Yeah, I don't know what Mao is doing there, either. I guess she did sing that island song thing that one time...

As for Ishtar... Yeah, it's a shame that she's getting ignored, but par for the course by this point.

EDIT -- Hang on, Misa did sing at least two songs, making her more worthy than Mao. Even Miria and the bridge bunnies have their own songs. Argh

Miria's song actually makes it on SDFM series itself. And as for Misa, "Under an Umbrella" and "Thinking of a White Christmas" have to count for something

[VF5SS]

God forbid anybody expresses an opinion.....

Heaven forbid you actually read the thread before jumping in :v

[Tochiro]

Mm, quite. The outpouring against those of us who dare to express an opinion that we have no interest in jrpgs is quite surprising.

I don't have a problem with opinions. Quite the opposite in fact. The variety of different opinions on MW is why I frequent the site.

But I like to know the reasoning behind said opinions. Especially when they are on topics that I actively try to translate articles about and keep everyone who is interested updated.

And, as I mentioned previously, I don't get why these opinions are coming out NOW. The game genre hasn't changed. The gameplay footage we have had for 6 weeks hasn't changed. So I dont get why people are suddenly voicing their concerns about the rpg elements in the game now. Why not back in December? No new information has come to light apart from, primarily, game mechanics, so I don't get why this is an issue now as opposed to earlier. If there's new information I've missed, I'd like to know it. If its misinformation like that blog and the mistranslated swimsuit slippage article, I like to do what I can to get the facts and clear up the misunderstanding.

Edited February 3, 2013 by Tochiro

[Duymon]

I finally decided to start reading the game site. Pretty cool info. Apparently you have to work your way up all the way from the VF-0 to whatever valk you want. Simliar to other Artdink games like Gundam Battle survive you can get certain parts that add bonuses and whatnot to our ship. It looks like the point system is gone and your pilot instead gains levels. There's even a screen shot where it shows a shop where you can buy repair kits and what not for healing O_o

The high-speed rail sections are for only certain parts of the game so the majority of it will be like other artdink games it seems (as in more open)

The Automode feature seems really weird... but if I understand correctly you can have an AI just fly your ship around and shoot crap while you watch O_o

Make sure to watch the official gamesite. A new movie every few days up until release

http://b.bngi-channel.jp/macross30/movie/

Btw, couldn't help but post this screeny

Edited February 3, 2013 by Duymon

[dizman]

Ooh that Isamu 29 is sleek, I can't wait for bandai to make a website exclusive version that I can't get . I think people are a little confused about the RPG aspect of this game, its not going to be a point and click JRPG like the old days. To me it seems the RPG aspect is referring to the leveling up of valks, parts for them and pilots. That has been in the artdink macross games since Ace Frontier and isn't complicated at all. Listing the game as a flight action rpg is probably just a way to market to RPG fans seeing as rpgs are big in Japan.

[unclechopchop]

Heaven forbid you actually read the thread before jumping in :v

It's like you're seriously blind and didn't bother reading what other people are saying as well.

[unclechopchop]

It's like you're seriously blind and didn't bother reading what some other people are saying as well.

[Gerli]

Automode? No thanks.

I wish they let us use some reactive weaponry...

[Tochiro]

Speaking of... that translated character relationship chart that was posted on the front page is awesome, would it be possible to locate those kind of resources in an index of some sort, so we don't have to parse dozens of pages of forum threads to find them?

The thing is, most FAQs/Walkthrus will be up over at Gamefaqs first from my experience.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/687898-macross-30-ginga-o-tsunagu-utagoe

How about we start a new, dedicated discussion thread when the title is about to come out to exchange hints and tips/ask questions though? (ie, as opposed to doing that at the end of this, pre-release thread).

I finally decided to start reading the game site.....

The last recent information (which isnt on the official website) is from last week just in case you missed it:

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=37500&p=1018517

Also, nearly all screenshots up until late Dec. can be found here if you are interested (down the bottom of the page):

http://www.macrossworld.com/3749/macross-30-new-trailer-gameplay-details/

Finally, I'd recommend BNGI's youtube channel over the official site for the bi-weekly Macross Seminar updates.

http://www.macrossworld.com/4255/super-dimensional-seminar-digest-with-new-macross-30-footage/

Automode? No thanks.

I wish they let us use some reactive weaponry...

Maybe for the final boss?

[Gian]

Got my new PS3 and now I'm just waiting for this game! *While playing Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition, which is amazing IMO*

[Tochiro]

Got my new PS3 and now I'm just waiting for this game! *While playing Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition, which is amazing IMO*

That's the spirit! :-)

(Try the Uncharted series as well if u have time)

[TyrValein]

The thing is, most FAQs/Walkthrus will be up over at Gamefaqs first from my experience.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/687898-macross-30-ginga-o-tsunagu-utagoe

How about we start a new, dedicated discussion thread when the title is about to come out to exchange hints and tips/ask questions though? (ie, as opposed to doing that at the end of this, pre-release thread).

Yes, I know I have minimal translation skills, but the least I can do is make translations and notes for as many stores and parts as I can, and note what enemies drop what. Anything that anyone contributes helps. That's what a community does, eh?

And yes, let's start a new thread a week or so before release.

Got my new PS3 and now I'm just waiting for this game! *While playing Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition, which is amazing IMO*

Congratulatons! As a fellow new PS3 owner (relatively), I also recommend Uncharted.

[Chronocidal]

I just hope this game adapts a more standard use for the right analog stick. I don't exactly want to say they should just use the same controls as Ace Combat games since these will obviously have more functions to account for, but your standard trigger based throttle and rudder controls would also help.

Ideally, they'd just let us customize the control layout, but I guess I shouldn't hold my breath. Long as we get a camera control, it shouldn't be too bad. Being an RPG-ish game might help that, since you'll probably have folks who just want to fly around looking at the pretty scenery.

I actually am looking forward to the RPG type progression though, since besides the story, it gives you something to work toward in terms of available valks. As long as the upgrade/research/material gathering/etc isn't too tedious, it might be interesting trying to unlock the valk development trees without a translation guide. Turning in a pile of random junk you've picked up and finding out you just unlocked some new feature can be fun.

Edited February 4, 2013 by Chronocidal

[plutoniumhunter]

Jeez. Now really considering a PS3 for all the Macross and Gundam games I want to play. Too bad I shift places quite often though.

[Tochiro]

No real news in the latest seminar except for a shot of Shin & co. at the 0.51 mark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lSVefRH_aN4

[VF-15 Banshee]

I couldn't make out what Shin was saying to Nora in that clip. Anyone else catch that?

[Oihan]

I think part of the problem is that there are quite a few of us who cannot read or speak Japanese. Since we cannot understand it, we will be missing out on a lot of the story not knowing what is going on. There more than likely won't be any subtitles we can download so we can keep up with the story. Then there's the store and upgrade parts that drop/fall/whatever from enemies...we won't know what is what until everything is translated. It's all going to make playing the game very difficult. I know in the West, at least in the States, we live a very fast paced way of life. There's so much to do and so little time to do it. While we may find time to play the game, we may not find the time to play the game and translate every single thing.

I've bought Macross Triangle Frontier, but I have yet to play it. I'm still slowly going through MUF at the moment. However, my fear is that once I do get to MTF I won't be able to enjoy it as much as I currently do MAF and MUF. This is because I won't have a clue what's going on in Academy Mode. I'm sure I, and many others, probably won't get to thoroughly enjoy "Macross 30" either until there are comprehensive translations/guides of what's going on in the story and etc. So the action sequences are more than likely the only things most of us can really look forward to (for the moment).

Also, there might be a few or several of us who are coming to the party late. I didn't know about this game till about a month or so ago. There were 569 posts I had to read through to catch up. Not everyone is going to do their due diligence for whatever reason.

With all of that said, none of that is going to stop me from playing this game - I already have it per-ordered! I cannot wait to play it! I can only hope that someone will be kind enough to create a very complete and comprehensive guide so that we can follow along in the story.