Sakurai commenting about "extra features"

[Water Mage]

From what I've seen Nintendo take feedback but its typically player feedback from those who have played the game. While we're still awaiting the club Nintendo replacement an Iwata Asks for Paper Mario Sticker Star shows that IS take the responses to the quesionnaires for registering the games into account.

Though that isn't to say they don't bother with any one else(otherwise they'd have never made Awakening), but in those cases they typically make decisions to appeal to players who may not have played the previous game on a large scale and elements that would increase the appeal rather than listening to an individuals demands.

The "I don't like the idea of this game or the series if it follows this direction," group are different, personally like Eclipse I don't see why they really bother. There isn't really anything to suggest that Nintendo would specifically look into the opinions of individual non-players especially within a space where you don't even need to own the game to participate. Just take a look at a certain someone making a nuisance of himself on GameFAQs for 10 years because he thought IS had betrayed him with Sacred Stones onward, what kind of impact has that kind of mindset/behaviour resulted in? Nothing to the games, but a person wasting his time getting himself more and more wound up and taking it out on a board for a series he long stopped liking.

Might I ask who is this person that believes that IS betrayed him? Or at least why he thinks they betrayed him?

I have a morbid interest in people like that, who seems to think games are made only for them, and complain loudly about it.

They make for fascinating reads.

Edited August 14, 2015 by Water Mage

[Loki Laufeyson]

Just to clear the air, I did not mean it as an insult. The problem with the wallet vote argument is that it's made on the basis of a purchase being a black and white decision. You either like something in its entirety or dislike it in its entirety. If you dislike if, don't buy it. If you like it, but it. But that's not how it is.

Edit here: to use myself as an example, I just bought Fates, 3 routes and all. But this purchase doesn't let them know what I support and don't support. That can only come from discussion.

Narrow minded was a pretty bad term to use in retrospect, I agree.

Fair enough. I do think theres plenty of merit in stating what one enjoys from a game and what one doesnt. But lets face it, game devs arent cruising around internet forums like this one to see us weigh in. They are looking at surveys, those goofy rating things you can do on the eShop, places like IGN and Metacritic, etc. Looking at general reviews and seeing a consensus in user feedback, etc. They certainly dont give a snot about someone blowing hot air on a fansite, and getting their smallclothes in knots over junk. I doubt game devs cruise Reddit and junk either. You can tell us what you like and dont like about FE14, but i dont think its gonna reach the devs that way. Wallet voting often does though. If enough reviewers negatively discuss features like the Amie, and theres a significant drop in sales as a result, yeap there you go.

It wasn't a message to the developers. It's a decision on how I spend my time. I can either use my free time to complain that some company isn't catering to MY needs (in whatever roundabout fashion I choose), or I can use my free time to find things that truly interest me. I think the latter is a better use of my time, which is why I'll gladly drop a series if it no longer appeals to me.

In other words, let the developers do what they want, because I'm not interested in making them conform to me. I'll find my own path. . .or forge one of my own.

Cheers. I had to drop Final Fantasy because it was just not going in places i enjoyed. After FF8, i just couldnt anymore. That game did everything ever in ways that i outright hated. I did say something like "ugh this game" and then just moved on. I never expected Final Fantasy to have to cater solely to me. The series was massively successful still even after i abandoned it. So... //shrug

From what I've seen Nintendo take feedback but its typically player feedback from those who have played the game. While we're still awaiting the club Nintendo replacement an Iwata Asks for Paper Mario Sticker Star shows that IS take the responses to the quesionnaires for registering the games into account.

Though that isn't to say they don't bother with any one else(otherwise they'd have never made Awakening), but in those cases they typically make decisions to appeal to players who may not have played the previous game on a large scale and elements that would increase the appeal rather than listening to an individuals demands.

The "I don't like the idea of this game or the series if it follows this direction," group are different, personally like Eclipse I don't see why they really bother. There isn't really anything to suggest that Nintendo would specifically look into the opinions of individual non-players especially within a space where you don't even need to own the game to participate. Just take a look at a certain someone making a nuisance of himself on GameFAQs for 10 years because he thought IS had betrayed him with Sacred Stones onward, what kind of impact has that kind of mindset/behaviour resulted in? Nothing to the games, but a person wasting his time getting himself more and more wound up and taking it out on a board for a series he long stopped liking.

Yeah i used to fill out those little Club Nintendo surveys a lot. The company really did look through those apparently. Id reckon if they noticed a common theme in the "What did you not like about this game" area, they would have a board meeting about it. Also, lmao im also morbidly curious as to who that was!

[Prims]

Ironically, sengoku rance has deeper and more challenging gameplay then fire emblem awakening.

ironically Sengoku Rance is better than every Fire Emblem game at everything except not being fucked up rape hentai.

the truth of the matter is that the seedy features in FE14 have effect outside the context in the game. let's be honest - IS is taking the series in this direction because marriage in FE13 sold. if FE14 sells well, IS will take it as reason to pander more to the otaku demographics in future installments. I don't mind face-rubbing or marriage, but I do wish the characters weren't cardboard cut-out anime tropes used as objects in a fantasy plot even more ridiculous than those in previous installments.

"don't like it, don't buy" is a good mentality, but people who think the fact that you don't have to experience a certain part of the game shields it from all criticism are kidding themselves. but if Nintendo's taking thoughts on video games from individual players feel free to let me know how I can get them to read my ten page essay on how silly their new Fire Emblem game is (roughly half those pages are "WHERE'S THE NEW ADVANCE WARS GAME" in bold pt 8 comic sans but still).

I think the most positive way to view FE14 is to keep in mind that FE often switches dynamics and aesthetic every 2 installments, and Nintendo's a company willing to take risks. the series being turned on its head again is entirely possible, even if unlikely. FE14 is making improvements on a lot of issues with FE13's godawful gameplay, too, so IS probably cares about some fan feedback.

finally, Sakurai thought Master Core was a good idea. Who cares what he thinks about video games!!

[Great Geargia Gateway]

if FE14 sells well, IS will take it as reason to pander more to the otaku demographics in future installments.

But they all ready are. SMTxFE.

[Jedi]

But they all ready are. SMTxFE.

Atlus is in charge of that project not IS.

[Great Geargia Gateway]

I guess. But they helped with Awakening, no?

[Jedi]

I guess. But they helped with Awakening, no?

Atlus had nothing to do with Awakening. This is literally the first time someone outside of IS has done a game with the Fire Emblem property that isn't Smash.

Edited August 15, 2015 by Jedi

[Great Geargia Gateway]

After conducting research, I wanna hit some people in the face through the internet.
Though I still don't get why IS is letting Atlus make a Otaku panderous game anyway, like what IS is doing with theirs.

[Jedi]

After conducting research, I wanna hit some people in the face through the internet.

Though I still don't get why IS is letting Atlus make a Otaku panderous game anyway, like what IS is doing with theirs.

Just because it has idols in it, its Otaku panderous? So Sega's old Space Channel 5 series was pandering to Otaku?

Atlus is known for being very Japanese in their games, I mean look at Catherine, Persona etc.

[Random Person]

After conducting research, I wanna hit some people in the face through the internet.

Though I still don't get why IS is letting Atlus make a Otaku panderous game anyway, like what IS is doing with theirs.

Because more games isn't a bad thing.

And SMTxFE have great dev team behind it, so it can turn out to be great game. Well, at least Treehouse stream did show at least solid gameplay

[Jedi]

Because more games isn't a bad thing.

And SMTxFE have great dev team behind it, so it can turn out to be great game. Well, at least Treehouse stream did show at least solid gameplay

It's producer is even the guy who did Radiant Historia, hearing he is the head dude is quite a treat honestly.

[Great Geargia Gateway]

Just because it has idols in it, its Otaku panderous? So Sega's old Space Channel 5 series was pandering to Otaku?

Atlus is known for being very Japanese in their games, I mean look at Catherine, Persona etc.

Hey, I didn't say anything. But that said, it's clear as glass. I mean, there's more to idols when you see a lot of magical color, anime tropes, the costumes and blah blah and NO MORALS. But more SMT than FE, really, there's no FE at all. Taking away the serious-ness thought of SMTxFE we had. But it's like what FE was born to do since Awk's success. Fanservice sold FE, now it's highly fanservicey in FE14 and SMTxFE to anime Otaku's. And comparing SpaceC5 to SMTxFE's anime tropes makes it hardly panderous. But that's your view on Space Channel.

Because more games isn't a bad thing.

And SMTxFE have great dev team behind it, so it can turn out to be great game. Well, at least Treehouse stream did show at least solid gameplay

Guess you're right. And I do believe it is a good age, or it can be. But it doesn't change what it sells for.

*Hesitating to post for derailing*

[eclipse]

*Hesitating to post for derailing*

Yes. Yes, it is. You guys can argue it out over PM or something.

[Shrouded In Myth]

Fair enough. I do think theres plenty of merit in stating what one enjoys from a game and what one doesnt. But lets face it, game devs arent cruising around internet forums like this one to see us weigh in. They are looking at surveys, those goofy rating things you can do on the eShop, places like IGN and Metacritic, etc. Looking at general reviews and seeing a consensus in user feedback, etc. They certainly dont give a snot about someone blowing hot air on a fansite, and getting their smallclothes in knots over junk. I doubt game devs cruise Reddit and junk either. You can tell us what you like and dont like about FE14, but i dont think its gonna reach the devs that way. Wallet voting often does though. If enough reviewers negatively discuss features like the Amie, and theres a significant drop in sales as a result, yeap there you go.

This is not true though, they actually do look at forums and fan sites. Maybe not the developers themselves but their community teams. Check this podcast (starts at around 40 minutes in.)

https://soundcloud.com/parttimegamers/episode-76

NeoGaf was mentioned by name. In hindsight it actually quite obvious, how else would Sakurai know what characters are highly requested? Why would he even respond to the fans about Ridley?

[Tryhard]

This one really rattles the nerves, doesn't it? I sort of agree with Sakurai in terms of not spending your money on things you don't like, but disliking optional things is fine - dependent on the way you go about doing it. There are some ways that are just obnoxious.

Btw, the whole "it's optional so just ignore it" is the most dismissive, useless defense ever. Plot holes in a movie? Just ignore it! D&D 3rd edition is extremely unbalanaced? Just use house rules! A long running TV or book series has a conclusion that undermines everything? Ignore it!!!

These are probably the worst examples you could have thought of, considering these are all fundamental and not optional at all. Obviously plot holes/unbalanced fundamental D&D base rules/bad conclusion would undermine your view of the product and I don't think anyone would argue otherwise. Now, there is other people who have went forward with reasoning about their disagreement of that argument in this topic, but I just felt like saying.

Unfortunately, you also took away my chance to post 'first tripping and now this Sakurai, how could you?' sarcastically, as you legitimately did it.

Edited August 16, 2015 by Tryhard

[RJWalker]

Many of these features are not optional either. Forging, a mechanic that has become a prominent feature of the last 5 games is locked behind My Castle. I like Forging. I want to use Forging. So how is My Castle just an optional feature? Many other features are integrated into it so it's not optional at all if you want to use those features. So what are my options here? Just deal with it and be forced to never use forging too? Then I'm not getting my money's worth because several useful features that I want to use are locked behind a bad one.

The "It's optional" argument doesn't work because these features are far from truly optional.

[HF Makalov Fanboy Kai]

can't you chose what belongs in your castle and what doesn't?

if so then chances are mine is only going to be a jail house.

[Gomez_Addams]

Many of these features are not optional either. Forging, a mechanic that has become a prominent feature of the last 5 games is locked behind My Castle. I like Forging. I want to use Forging. So how is My Castle just an optional feature? Many other features are integrated into it so it's not optional at all if you want to use those features. So what are my options here? Just deal with it and be forced to never use forging too? Then I'm not getting my money's worth because several useful features that I want to use are locked behind a bad one.

The "It's optional" argument doesn't work because these features are far from truly optional.

You don't have to rub any faces to use the forge.

[RJWalker]

You don't have to rub any faces to use the forge.

You still have to do that mining thing.

Personally, I don't believe there's a single good feature in My Castle, shops and armouries aside.

Edited August 16, 2015 by Ranger Jack Walker

[Great Geargia Gateway]

Well to obtain some characters like Flora. You need to level up all of the turrets to level 3 in MyCastle on Conquest. Level up all of the puppets in Birthright to get Yukimura. So if you're a guy who wants to unlock everything, then it's not really optional. Getting all Missiles Upgrades for Samus is optional, though recommended, nobody would play the game with less than 30-40 missiles. The optional excuse actually doesn't work anyway.

Though, in Pokemon Gen 6. The amie was used for not just interacting, but useful for making Eevee into Sylveon or even making your pokemon increase accuracy, dodge an attack, get rid of statuses, survive a fatal blow, etc. I believe there would be something similar that has to do with the supports and increasing the supports.

[Gomez_Addams]

Just because you have to use SOME of My Castle's features, does not automatically require you to use ALL of My Castle's features. While recruiting Izana requires building a level 3 hot springs, you do NOT, at any time, need to actually ENTER that hot spring.

[Great Geargia Gateway]

Dude, that doesn't change anything. You still have to spend time doing MyCastle errands.

[Tharne]

Dude, that doesn't change anything. You still have to spend time doing MyCastle errands.

That takes like what ? Not even 5 minutes in your entire run to upgrage and place buildings ? Come on at some times people should stop complaining for something so trivial.

[Great Geargia Gateway]

So if I ignore this optional features, that should make the game better and worth my money, right?

[Tharne]

So if I ignore this optional features, that should make the game better and worth my money, right?

That's entirely subjective.