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I was re-watching the Shenmue intro and something really, really bothered me.

K

Kastrioti

Persecution Complex
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dfACAex0rE

Why is it that every single step that Ryo takes, including when he is walking, ends with a very loud *THUMP* *THUMP* *THUMP* *THUMP* It's unbelievably annoying and the thumping sound overrides the brilliant soundtrack playing in the backround, and the epic dialogue going on between the characters. You'd think with a $100,000,000 budget back in 1999 someone would have noticed this.

I bought Shenmue on launch day and it was one of my most anticipated games ever up to this day, but I never noticed this as a 12 year old when I received it as a Christmas gift. I still own my original copy, no Dreamcast anymore, but I will be getting one soon and start rebuilding my old collection. However I'm afraid when I go back to play Shenmue because I'm afraid it will tarnish the nostalgia I had for the game. Shenmue was IIRC the first "open world game" preceding GTA3 and fucking blew my mind at the time. Are there any GAFfers with a DC and a copy of Shenmue 1 or 2 Import that can play the game to see if Ryo's annoying footsteps translate into the everyday gameplay?

Still though when that music kicks in at 2:16, memories started flooding back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dfACAex0rE&t=2m14s

250px-LanDi_Profile.jpg


"Get up, I'll allow you to die like a warrior."
 
R

Richie

Member
As someone totally foreign to the Shenmue series, I took a look at the video and don't think the sound effects are -that- much, OP.
Don't think I'd have paid them much attention if you hadn't pointed it out.
 
K

kittens

Unconfirmed Member
Hearing foot steps in games was still a pretty cool novelty in games back then. I remember Goldeneye and Perfect Dark having foot steps sounds and it kinda blew my mind.
 
K

Kastrioti

Persecution Complex
N

Nyoro SF

Member
kittens said:
Hearing foot steps in games was still a pretty cool novelty in games back then. I remember Goldeneye and Perfect Dark having foot steps sounds and it kinda blew my mind.
Click to expand...

Yes. I remember the extremely loud footsteps in older games... it was unrealistic, but it added to the tension/mood.
 
K

Kastrioti

Persecution Complex
Colonel Nasty said:
The fact that Lan Di never got his makes my blood boil.
Click to expand...

I honestly have faith we'll see a kickstarter Shenmue 3 at some point within the next few years. Yu Suzuki has hinted it too many times in interviews this year for me to believe nothing will happen. You can tell it bothers him he never got the greenlight to finish the series due to various circumstances out of his hands.

I believe something will happen via kickstarter to finish the story line, whether game, or comic. I don't care just let me know what happens. But I know the second a kickstarter happens it will break records for kickstarter games.

ShenmueDojo remains powerful.
 
D

Dark Octave

Banned
Makes sense for a game made in '99. They didn't really take into consideration sound priority in scenes back then. His footsteps were important for the opening where he's running but other than that they shouldn't have existed after that especially the far shot right after the running portion.

We get smarter as we learn usually.
Colonel Nasty said:
The fact that Lan Di never got his makes my blood boil.
Click to expand...
Sitting in some beach-side corporate building, enjoying his money, power and the fact that he got away with murder while making his victim's son watch.
 
U

Unbound By Death

Member
I gave good money to buy an xbox from a person i knew just to play this game back in the day (couldn't find a dreamcast). Those were the days.

Never finished it since my xbox died and i had no more money to fix it. : /
 
T

Trojan X

Banned
Unbound By Death said:
I gave good money to buy an xbox from a person i knew just to play this game back in the day (couldn't find a dreamcast). Those were the days.

Never finished it since my xbox died and i had no more money to fix it. : /
Click to expand...

Maybe it's a good thing for many things were "off" with the Xbox version. The definitive version was still the Dreamcast version, no matter how many extra people the Xbox version placed on screen.
 
D

Dark Octave

Banned
Trojan X said:
Maybe it's a good thing for many things were "off" with the Xbox version. The definitive version was still the Dreamcast version, no matter how many extra people the Xbox version placed on screen.
Click to expand...
Out of curiosity, what was off?

I played the first one on DC and the sequel on Xbox.
 
K

Kastrioti

Persecution Complex
Trojan X said:
Maybe it's a good thing for many things were "off" with the Xbox version. The definitive version was still the Dreamcast version, no matter how many extra people the Xbox version placed on screen.
Click to expand...

I begged my parents to import Shenmue 2 with a disc that could run it on my US Dreamcast. What were the differences between the DC and Xbox version? My Shenmue 2 Japanese import is probably my most prized piece of gaming collection because of all the drama that I had to endure to get the game, and all the drama it endured to even exist.
 
G

Gigarator

Member
Kastrioti said:
What were the differences between the DC and Xbox version?
Click to expand...

You could take pictures in the Xbox version and use some filters to make the game look sepia or black & white if you really wanted to. The lighting was better in the Xbox version as was the overall framerate. The game also came on 1 DVD instead of 4 GD-ROM's so I suppose that was convenient. The big change would be the English dub present in the Xbox version while the Dreamcast release was still Japanese with English subs.

If you really want to dig into the details here's some texture alterations.
 
K

Kastrioti

Persecution Complex
D

Dreamwriter

Member
I don't get it, I watched the video you linked, and just heard wood creaking quietly when people walked, no loud bangs or anything.
 
M

Maligna

Banned
Still hoping for a Shenmue announcement of some kinda at the Shenmue retrospective in March with Yu Suzuki and Mark Cerny. I may take the day off work to watch it streaming.

As for the footsteps, it has never bothered me.
 
K

Kastrioti

Persecution Complex
Dreamwriter said:
I don't get it, I watched the video you linked, and just heard wood creaking quietly when people walked, no loud bangs or anything.
Click to expand...

Well I linked two parts: The start of the video where he is running on concrete and you still hear the annoying thumping sound, and the second part which was just to point out how amazing the OST was, especially at that part.

If you can't hear those thumps throughout the video your volume is down or you're deaf.
 
K

klausbert

Member
Fuck this shit, i'm getting my Dreamcast out the basement and replaying Shenmue 1&2. There's been too many things about them on the internet and on GAF lately. I can't take it. All the video in the OP does is making me want to play it again.
 
D

Dreamwriter

Member
Kastrioti said:
Well I linked two parts: The start of the video where he is running on concrete and you still hear the annoying thumping sound, and the second part which was just to point out how amazing the OST was, especially at that part.

If you can't hear those thumps throughout the video your volume is down or you're deaf.
Click to expand...

That makes sense, I didn't notice the first link, and figured you were talking about the second one. I'd bet the issue here is one of memory - the intro plays smoothly, which means most of it is in memory at all times, and the game was originally a Saturn title. Thus they couldn't have different thump sounds for every surface - sounds like they used one for all the outdoor bits and another for all the indoor bits.
 
M

MilkBeard

Member
The sound design is really really bad in Shenmue. It's the dark side to this brilliant game. The voices are terrible, the sound recording is terrible (just listen to how bad the recordings sound...I mean, did a professional do this? I don't think so...) and even the music sounds like it was compressed. I think part of the reason they did this was to be able to fit the game on the discs...but it's such a shame, because the game, visually, was brilliant and the design was was really good. I hope Sega has all the original uncompressed recordings somewhere if they ever decide to do an HD port.
 
S

Sapphire Dreams

Member
You think that is bad? Just listen to how loud walking sounds in Final Fantasy XIII. Dear Lord, it's so so loud you'd think they're wearing step dancing shoes.
 
M

MilkBeard

Member
Metalic said:
You think that is bad? Just listen to how loud walking sounds in Final Fantasy XIII. Dear Lord, it's so so loud you'd think they're wearing step dancing shoes.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I remember a particular scene with all the characters walking and they all have the same, loud stepping sound with no variation.

Actually, I think Lightning Returns is even worse. I was watching Kagari's stream and the sound effects sounded so...out of place? Seems like they really slapped that game together.
 
Acquiescence

Acquiescence

Member
I played through Shenmue again this Christmas for the first time since 2007 (I know the exact date because my old save was still lingering around), and it's still fucking amazing. It's such a great feeling when you play through a game you've regarded as a masterpiece since the day it came out, and you find it still holds up years later. The voice-acting is still as atrocious as I remember, and there's a whole lot of needless standing around and waiting for time to pass, but otherwise it's brilliant. I don't think any other game quite captured the feeling of embarking on an epic journey like Shenmue did. Seeing Ryo walk through the streets of Dobuita at the end of the game and my own realisation that he's not going to see any of these people again for a long time... damn. I wanted to play Shenmue II straight afterwards, but I got a shit ton of games for Christmas so I'll have to wait.

I tell you, nothing is as painful as reaching the end of Shenmue II. Now that truly is heartbreaking.
 
T

Trojan X

Banned
Kastrioti said:
I begged my parents to import Shenmue 2 with a disc that could run it on my US Dreamcast. What were the differences between the DC and Xbox version? My Shenmue 2 Japanese import is probably my most prized piece of gaming collection because of all the drama that I had to endure to get the game, and all the drama it endured to even exist.
Click to expand...

Dark Octave said:
Out of curiosity, what was off?

I played the first one on DC and the sequel on Xbox.
Click to expand...


It's super late over here in Japan so I'll do my best to answer this. The differences are the following:

1) Colour and lighting system - the colours, overall clarity, and lighting on the Dreamcast is much better than the Xbox even though the Xbox version featured more lights. The Xbox version have some picture filtering tinker effects that add nothing to the game (it hurts to play the game in monochome, brown'ish pastel colours, and knowing that the effect is a button away is distracting). The Xbox Xbox anti-aliasing effects and blooming caused the Xbox version to look washed out and blurry when compared to the Dreamcast version which is bad.

2) Sound timings - there are areas in the xbox version where the music and s-fx execution doesn't quite hit at the right point to bring out the hype in certain scenes.

3) Using Shenmue 1 save file - The Dreamcast version ties the relationship or experience with the first game better by utilizing the save file. If you play and complete the first game, you can take all your moves unlocks and its power level; money, which is super important; and you can bring all your items to the second game so you will feel you haven't left the Shenmue universe. For people that love Shenmue, the ability to do this is a big deal. You can't do that on the Xbox; you will start on default with some moves unlocked.

4) Full Japanese voice over - The Dreamcast version features Japanese voices and English subs. The Xbox version featured English subs that were entirely completed.

6) Better textures - The Xbox are missing and feature ruined textures and objects in particular sections.

7) Xbox better sound and fps consistency - Plus point for the Xbox version is the game plays at 5.1 on particular cut scenes and you can take photo shots. Also, the XBox version ran at a slightly higher resolution (though you won't see this if you played the Dreamcast version using the VGA cable), the 30fps is more consistent, it slows down less, and it can display more people on screen. Strange thing is though there are more pedestrians on the Dreamcast version on the pier level.


8) The VMU - Another plus point for the Dreamcast version is using the VMU - it will display additional information about the game including Moves Command.
 
S

ShenmueNextGen

Neo Member
It never even bothered me, not even today. I believe it is a very minor thing to consider compared to the whole awesomeness of Shenmue I's airy world. Shenmue creators back then tried to bring reality into the game, thus decided to give Ryo's footsteps a sound effect to make you feel with sound that he is not floating but stepping on the ground.

You may have noticed that depending on the type of ground, Ryo's footsteps sound changes dynamically, bringing more realism to the environment.

By the way, now that we are talking about Ryo's foosteps, consider to watch this documentary which coincidentally is called "In Ryo's Footsteps - Shenmue 2 Documentary". #SaveShenmue
 
R

_Ryo_

Member
Having recently played both versions, I say they hold up very well. The only complaint I have is actually controlling Ryo's walking. The battle system is still awesome, the graphics are still good, the story holds up aswell.

Also it really bothers me on the Xbox how many textures have been changed and how a lot of glass is not transparent.
 
T

Trojan X

Banned
_Ryo_ said:
Having recently played both versions, I say they hold up very well. The only complaint I have is actually controlling Ryo's walking. The battle system is still awesome, the graphics are still good, the story holds up aswell.

Also it really bothers me on the Xbox how many textures have been changed and how a lot of glass is not transparent.
Click to expand...

I am often scared to play Shenmue because I know I always end up being hooked.

Now that I am in Japan, I am thinking of travelling to the places that Ryo went to just to satisfy my curiousity.
 
D

Dragoon En Regalia

Member
MilkBeard said:
The sound design is really really bad in Shenmue. It's the dark side to this brilliant game. The voices are terrible, the sound recording is terrible (just listen to how bad the recordings sound...I mean, did a professional do this? I don't think so...) and even the music sounds like it was compressed. I think part of the reason they did this was to be able to fit the game on the discs...but it's such a shame, because the game, visually, was brilliant and the design was was really good. I hope Sega has all the original uncompressed recordings somewhere if they ever decide to do an HD port.
Click to expand...
The recent Undub lets us play with English subs and the solid Japanese voice-track, aside from Tom who had lines changed for Western localization. A new English dub for both games would be a dream come true, but this option's now available via CD-R.

One thing people look over with Shenmue's cinematics is how stylized and melodramatic they are, relative to the focus on realistic depiction of locations and lives in-game. Everything has to feel like an over-the-top martial arts movie! And I love it, if only because Suzuki never uses it to devalue the story and characters, only play with players' expectations.
 
V

VMAN01

Member
People are saying that this game may happen with a kickstarter of some kind...However wasn't the Shenmue series one of the most expensive games at the time of its creation? Meaning; would it not be even more expensive for a game of that scope to be made today? I have no doubt that expensive games can be crowd funded especially with Star Citizen proving to be an example of that BUT the fan base for Shenmue would be substantially lower than that of a game like Star Citizen would it not?
 
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