Phantom Dust: Behind the Scenes

In December, he lined up outside Shibuya's Yodobashi Camera to score himself a Sony PSP -- and he passed the time in line by playing his Nintendo DS. Phantom Dust finally had a North American publisher, yet Futatsugi was preoccupied with handheld monomania. "The PSP is pretty amazing isn't it?" he asks, even saying extemporaneously how perfect Phantom Dust would work as a Nintendo DS port.




heh
 
Thx Wario. Awesome read. I know the game is good, but if I didn't know anything about it, I think I would buy the game purely on principle. The team put a lot of work into the game and it is certainly worth $20. This would be a huge compliment to any Xbox library. I know Gafers will buy the game, I just hope that the rest of America gets a clue.

An Xbox collection without Phantom Dust will be like a Saturn collection without Panzer Dragoon.
 
he got screwed. so much work went into phantom dust at MS in Redmond. The game should have come out by MS.
 
Very well written by our very own Novery. And a really interesting story to boot. Talk about developer's hard luck.... damn.

This piece was originally slated to run in the "next" issue of XBN but thankfully we were able to use it for 1up.com
 
I'm picking this game up on day 1. For all the people who complain about the industry being creatively bankrupt, they'll be the epitome of hypocricy if they don't buy this game.

edit: I want to add that the article was very well written and very well done. Big kudos to the author and XBN and 1up and the developer. I wish more game interviews/stories would be this... human.
 
getting the game on day 1 too, I've always been interested in this, and I want to show to MS that they do make stupid decisions sometimes. I was really piss when MS removed this game from their US line up....screw you MS!
now at $19, I might even buy 2, one to give to a friend who probably won't buy it if not given as a gift. Stupid casuals.
 
All of you better buy this fuckin game. Though its more like stealing than buying for 19 bucks. Theres no excuse. And trust me when I say the game is crack. I paid almost 400 bucks (asian xbox, converter, game, overnight shipping) to play this pup back in September and i'd do it all over again. My in game clock reads well over 300 hours now... and counting.
 
For $20, it's a must. From what I've read, the game seems like a winner. I hope it comes with a 2-month XBL trial.
 
Great article Novery, as expected from a fan of the game like you !
Do you know if Futatsugi will keep working for Microsoft Japan after this whole stupid stuff ? I sure would like MGS Japan to continue producing such original and great games for Xbox 2.
I know the Magatama team is said to be working on a RPG for Xbox 2 (after all the main guy of the team was head programmer on FF9), but I have much more faith in Futatsugi Team Tree than Team Breakout...
 
Poor sod, I feel for him. It is not normal for such a good game to get quasi-axed just when it is almost out there. We can only wonder what happened :_(

BTW, I'd appreciate some word on US disc, I'd be pleased to import it if it's region free there is not a PAL release scheduled AFAIK =(
 
Thanks for the kind words everyone. It was a fun article to write and Futatsugi is a great interview. He says stuff that make PR people cringe (like he would like to see Phantom Dust on NDS). Haha.

Blimblim said:
Do you know if Futatsugi will keep working for Microsoft Japan after this whole stupid stuff ? I sure would like MGS Japan to continue producing such original and great games for Xbox 2.
Click to expand...

Yeah, Futatsugi is still at MSG Tokyo and is doing research for his next game. It will be for Xbox 2.

Wario64 said:
good read, there's also a new trailer, for the U.S. version I assume...actually I don't think it's new, looks like the E3 one
Click to expand...

Yeah, that trailer Majesco gave us wasn't very good, in my opinion. This one is about a bajillion times better: http://xboxphreaker.com/phantomdustlive2.wmv

-rp
 
chespace said:
Very well written by our very own Novery. And a really interesting story to boot. Talk about developer's hard luck.... damn.

This piece was originally slated to run in the "next" issue of XBN but thankfully we were able to use it for 1up.com
Click to expand...


Novery amd Chespace get a big round of applause!

Thanks for getting this informatrion out to those of us who care. I remember in a previous Phantom Dust thread, I asked if the XBN staff would get us some behind the scenes info and you kept your word. I along with many other truly appreciate this. I'll spread the gospel. ;)
 
novery said:
Yeah, Futatsugi is still at MSG Tokyo and is doing research for his next game. It will be for Xbox 2.
Click to expand...
While you are at it, do you have any info about team breakout's next game ? Still a RPG ?
Do you think From Software will follow MS and have the Otogi/MWC team move to Xbox 2 ? Considering the horrible sales they get, I still don't really understand how they can continue producing games exclusively for Xbox 1 (or 2).
Thanks a lot for your informations, and everything else ;)
 
"Play styles are so different. Westerners prefer power-ups and more action. Japanese players are more patient, which can frustrate Americans who try to overpower their opponents," says Futatsugi. "I notice these differences even in Halo 2. When I enter a room that's 'rocket launchers-only CTF,' I know it was organized by an American."
Click to expand...
I love that quote. It's so true. :lol I love playing Assault with Japanese guys on my team, 'cause it usually ends up going minutes into overtime while the Japanese crew slowly make their way into the enemy base unseen, while everyone else on the team is yelling "yo, get in there now I just cleared everyone out, omg jesus fuck get in there now they're coming back hurry the fu... *urgh, static*". I'm hoping beyond hope for a region-free release of Phantom Dust in the States, too.

Nice article, BTW.
 
BuG said:
I love that quote. It's so true. :lol I love playing Assault with Japanese guys on my team, 'cause it usually ends up going minutes into overtime while the Japanese crew slowly make their way into the enemy base unseen, while everyone else on the team is yelling "yo, get in there now I just cleared everyone out, omg jesus fuck get in there now they're coming back hurry the fu... *urgh, static*". I'm hoping beyond hope for a region-free release of Phantom Dust in the States, too.

Nice article, BTW.
Click to expand...

Haha, that's awesome. If the Xbox has done anything this generation, it's legacy will be drawing the line of demarcation between Japanese and Western gamers and styles. Both sides are running at full steam in opposite directions (except: is Japan back at full steam yet? and how much of RE4 and MGS3 were designed specifically with Westerners in mind?)... next generation will be very interesting indeed.
 
I agree with you 100% Che, good observation. I see the advertisement of a blond woman for the new Champions PS2 hack and slash and I had to do a double take that this wasn't a magazine from the 80s NES era (which was similar in that you could tell a Japanese from a Western game from a hundred miles). I would put my money on the table that relative dominance of Japanese games was a temporary fad.
 
Vortac said:
I agree with you 100% Che, good observation. I see the advertisement of a blond woman for the new Champions PS2 hack and slash and I had to do a double take that this wasn't a magazine from the 80s NES era (which was similar in that you could tell a Japanese from a Western game from a hundred miles). I would put my money on the table that relative dominance of Japanese games was a temporary fad.
Click to expand...

Heh, I know what you mean. The thesis has been brewing in my head for at least the past year now, and we were going to do a feature in XBN entitled loosely, "does japan still matter?" and talk about the widening divide between the U.S. and Japanese markets both in terms of numbers and tastes (which are deeply intertwined).

The more time I spend in Japan (granted, not that much -- only been there 4 or 5 times in the last two years), the more I see Japanese gaming habits as somewhat "alien" -- mostly due to the fact that the U.S. gaming industry has matured so incredibly much this generation. As someone who was once a "hardcore import gamer," Western developers have nutured a completely different side of my gaming persona -- something I didn't think was possible last generation.

In any case, the Xbox is a tangible representation of that Western maturation.
 
Official box art just hit EBGames.com:

255669.jpg


The JP box art, for reference:

mimpdpackageexp0001.jpg


I like the Majesco version much better since it does a good job of hiding the fugliness that is the lead character.

-rp
 
novery said:
I like the Majesco version much better since it does a good job of hiding the fugliness that is the lead character.
Click to expand...

Isn't that fugliness there to appeal to western gamers in the first place? :)

Ugh, damn Microsoft!
 
This game rox sox. I can hardly wait to play it online against mofos! For only $20, there's no reason any discerning XBox owner shouldn't have a copy - especially for the XBL play.
 
screw you guys. the lead character of phantom dust looks awesome. huge bluish-white quiff. zipper with massive teeth on futuristic leather jacket. odd geometric skin lesion on left cheekbone. and the other guy who's a slight variation on the same themes! that's fucking class.
 
drohne said:
screw you guys. the lead character of phantom dust looks awesome. huge bluish-white quiff. zipper with massive teeth on futuristic leather jacket. odd geometric skin lesion on left cheekbone. and the other guy who's a slight variation on the same themes! that's fucking class.
Click to expand...

What, Billy Idol fucked your mom or sumthin'? Leave these metrosexuals alone!
 
chespace said:
Isn't that fugliness there to appeal to western gamers in the first place? :)

Ugh, damn Microsoft!
Click to expand...
MS should be ashamed of themselves. they not only managed to uglyfy this game, they managed not to publish their OWN game.
that's a first!
they should kiss this guy's feet that he is sticking around, i mean his team could be making the equivalent of ICO for xenon, they NEED these games. MS has no clue about japan.
 
You guys at 1UP should've asked him for concepts for their previous non-americanized characters. I'd be interested in knowing what changed.

Nice work on the feature. Very interesting read.

I also wonder why the game is priced at $19.99. This game doesn't strike me as a game many more people would buy at $19.99 as opposed to, say, $29.99 or $34.99.

I would pay $49.99 for it.
 
The 1up features mentions a perfect score from one of the Famitsu reviewers. What were the other scores for the game?
 
Chrono said:
The 1up features mentions a perfect score from one of the Famitsu reviewers. What were the other scores for the game?
Click to expand...

Famitsu Weekly: 9 / 8 / 7 / 10 : 34/40

Famitsu Xbox: 9 / 9 / 9 / 9 : 36/40

-rp
 
billy idol! that's exactly it. he looks like billy idol from one of those crap old postapocalyptic-themed videos. haha.
 
IJoel said:
You guys at 1UP should've asked him for concepts for their previous non-americanized characters. I'd be interested in knowing what changed.

Nice work on the feature. Very interesting read.

I also wonder why the game is priced at $19.99. This game doesn't strike me as a game many more people would buy at $19.99 as opposed to, say, $29.99 or $34.99.

I would pay $49.99 for it.
Click to expand...

Actually it may, March is loaded with games, and I know I couldn't buy it if it was higher than $19, even though it is worth more.
 
Trakball said:
This game rox sox. I can hardly wait to play it online against mofos! For only $20, there's no reason any discerning XBox owner shouldn't have a copy - especially for the XBL play.
Click to expand...

IAWTP. Even if the game were priced at $30, it would still sell well.
 
I'm not letting this one slip away, launch buy for measly $20. Also, this will likely be an easier sell in the real world too, much more so than something like a JSRF, a game I really haven't been able to find anyone in the real world who even wants to talk about it other than to say they didn't like it.
 
Wario64 said:
Mind as well make this the Phantom Dust hype thread

Here's the magazine ad.:

phantomdust0el.jpg
Click to expand...

"200 single player missions" is a typo by the way. It was included in all of Majesco's PR write-ups, too. The game has 114 missions, which is still a lot.

-rp
 
Time to get this hype train rolling... only one week to go. You signed the petitions and you whined to MS, now put your money on the table.
 
jedimike said:
An Xbox collection without Phantom Dust will be like a Saturn collection without Panzer Dragoon.
Click to expand...
If that's the case everyone should just wait for Phantom Dust Zwei. :P
 
Blimblim said:
I know the Magatama team is said to be working on a RPG for Xbox 2 (after all the main guy of the team was head programmer on FF9), but I have much more faith in Futatsugi Team Tree than Team Breakout...
Click to expand...
So how is MGSJ set up exactly? I take it there's 2 seperate software R&D teams (Team Tree & Team Breakout) and a management division working with contracted developers? Where are the staff coming from to aid MistWalker, Q entertainment and Game Republic in their Xenon efforts then? Team Tree/Breakout? Or are they seperate?
 
Hey, this game is coming out next week!

I've been vaguely tracking this game for awhile. I'll definitely grab it now that I know it only costs 20 bucks!
 
jarrod said:
So how is MGSJ set up exactly? I take it there's 2 seperate software R&D teams (Team Tree & Team Breakout) and a management division working with contracted developers? Where are the staff coming from to aid MistWalker, Q entertainment and Game Republic in their Xenon efforts then? Team Tree/Breakout? Or are they seperate?
Click to expand...
Well, I guess Team Breakout is now working with Mistwalker, it's been mentionned in interviews that both guys would work together. It should also give a very nice technological head start to these projects since Team Breakout has been working on a RPG since the end of Magatama's dev.
As for Q/GR, I have no idea how this will work out. There is no mention of them joining forces with MGS Japan for development IIRC.
 
chespace said:
Speaking of hype train, check out http://phantomdust.1up.com.

The creator (and producer on other Panzer Dragoon games) is keeping a weekly journal here. Part 2 will go up on Friday.
Click to expand...

Wow, I saw the other thread with this in it, but the OP made it sound like there wasn't anything there besides the one short quote. I hope 1up can get more devs onboard with this... it's great having some insight with the devs. I think Bungie went a bit overboard with the weekly updates, but it was better than nothing. That personal touch is part of what makes gamers bond with the games and their creators.

The game is only $20! ... put off that DoomIII, Splinter Cell, or whatever game and get this instead. Think of the money you'll save by waiting for those other games to drop in price.
 
Following the game's Asia-only launch in September, Futatsugi and other members of Microsoft Game Studios Tokyo team logged on to Xbox Live to help players get accustomed to the game and award those with winning strategies. A "Challenge the Meister" campaigned kicked off a series of Japan-only events that highlighted Phantom Dust's biggest selling point -- its multiplayer battles.
Click to expand...
That rocks. It probably helped that there are only 12 XDudes in Japan so something like this is actually possible. Anyway, definitely gonna pick this one up.
 
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