[HO] Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes - Secuela espiritual de Suikoden

Hey there, heroes!

Remember, remember, it’s now November, and that means another meaty update for all of you waiting for that new drip of Eiyuden information. We know the wait for that monthly update can be tough, so we’re trying our best to make sure the wait is worth it.

Surveys
It’s finally here! The main event! The thing you’ve been waiting months for! The Eiyuden Chronicle Kickstarter Survey (survey, survey, survey…)! First, an important reminder: some of you received marketing surveys during the Kickstarter campaign. This was NOT the official Kickstarter survey.

The official survey will go out starting Friday, November 13th (ooh, spooky!) in Japan, and Thursday November 12th in the US. With over 45,000 backers, this will be a process that takes several days to finish. If you don’t get your survey on the first day, don’t panic! It will absolutely arrive within a few days. If you haven’t received your survey within one week’s time, please reach out to us at pr@rabbitandbearstudios.com.

Also, please, please, PLEASE check your spam folder first, to make sure the survey didn’t end up there by mistake. The survey will be open for a large part of the development process, but since your answers will allow us to get an early read on some key information, it would be extremely helpful to get your responses sooner rather than later.

We’re also working on a store backend solution that will allow pre-existing backers to purchase additional items. This system will also allow backers to input any reward related details that are not covered in the upcoming backer survey. We appreciate your patience as we continue to develop and test this brand new system.

Hey there heroes!

Usually, you wouldn’t be hearing from us for another month at least. However, due to the large number of questions and comments concerning the survey, we’ve decided to put together a special survey FAQ update for all of you.

First off, we apologize for any confusion or inconvenience that the survey process may have caused, but please, don’t panic! Some potential issues come from the nature of the backend technology used for creating surveys in Kickstarter. Believe it or not, we had to manually create a survey for each reward tier, including every reissue of a previously exhausted tier. This amounted to roughly 80 individual surveys that needed to be created on our side. It was a lot of hours of work! (Banner guy is really tired!)

Here’s the good news! We’re going to later be opening a fulfillment website that will allow backers plenty of time to change many of their key selections before final shipping down the road. This will provide us a more efficient way to collect the more detailed information we will need, allow backers to purchase additional add-ons (like the companion game), and allow you to make the changes to your reward selections at your leisure. As long as we are able to get an email address where we can reach you to provide access to the backend, we will be able to efficiently adjust any issues that might arise. We’ll have more information on the fulfillment website in an upcoming update.

That being said, it never hurts to have some of the core information we asked in the survey. Some of that will allow us to execute the Discord role distribution, as well as get a general understanding of the platform split.

So, with that explanation out of the way, we would like to list some of the key ongoing issues along with our suggested solutions.

Q: I’m getting an error on my survey when I try to submit it. How can I submit my survey?

A: This is more likely caused by the fact that there is an empty required field somewhere in the survey. If a required field does not apply to you (eg. a physical address when you’ve already ordered a digital copy, see question 2 below), all you have to do is type “N/A” in the field, so that it is filled. This should hopefully stop the error from occurring, and allow you to submit your survey.

Q: I only ordered a digital copy, but the survey is asking me for my physical address. For privacy reasons, I don’t want to input my physical address. What do I do?

A: That’s totally fine. If you do not have any physical rewards being sent out to you, simply type “N/A” into the address box.

Q: What information should I provide for my Discord account? I’m new to the platform, so please provide an example.

A: For the Discord account, we need both the name you’ve chosen, along with the hashtag and number code that Discord assigns to you when you create your account. For instance, “TheChosenOne#3654”. Unfortunately, without the hashtag and number included in your answer, we will not be able to find your account to assign you the role you want.

Q: I backed the Trinity Noble Redux tier and was unable to select the 3x Job Reward Set since the options were radio buttons instead of check boxes. What do I do?

A: This is our mistake! In the process of making the multitude of surveys, we made a mistake on that question. When the fulfillment website opens up, we’ll be sure to rectify that mistake, allowing you to choose all of the job reward sets you intended to pledge for in the campaign.

Q: I am a Japanese backer. When I input Japanese into the address, I get an error, and I’m unable to submit my survey.

A: After consulting Kickstarter, we’ve determined that this is likely an error caused by attempting to complete the survey in Japanese on a smartphone. Kickstarter is currently looking into the problem and attempting to fix it, but for now, we recommend you fill out the backer survey in a PC browser.

Q: I am a Japanese backer new to Kickstarter. When I input my address, a slightly different address appears to the right of the address I input. What is this?

A: That is the suggested address that the Kickstarter algorithm has output. If you are confident that the address you entered is correct, feel free to use your original address, though feel free to use the suggested address if you’re sure it’s correct. In any event, we feel confident that we’ll be able to deliver your rewards without issue.

Q: I made a mistake inputting some of the key information on the survey when I submitted it. How do I correct that?

A: So long as your email address is not incorrect, any other key information will be editable via the backend store once it opens. If your email is incorrectly input, please send an email to pr@rabbitandbearstudios.com, with the title “WRONG BACKER SURVEY ADDRESS”, and in the body, list your backer number and your updated email address. Note that you can find your backer number by going to the Eiyuden Chronicles project page, and clicking the link at the top that says “View Pledge”. The pop-up that appears will show the details of your pledge, along with your backer number at the very bottom.

The survey process is ongoing and has its ups and downs. We will continue to adjust these pieces as we get feedback and continue to address the various issues that arise. As always, thank you for your patience, and we hope you look forward to the December update. We know you’re going to love it!

A Word From the Team J-diary vol.1

Hello, I'm Murakami J, producer and art director.
How long has it been since I posted a production note to users?
For the first time in years...well, a decade? It's been so long that I can't even remember.
This is because I was able to safely start the Eiyuden project with your support. Personally, it's been a long time since I've worked directly on a production site.
This project, as you know, has four leaders who would normally work as a producer or director and lead the overall game production.
In addition, all of them have former experience in the field and are skilled at their craft.
Even though they are old, these dependable colleagues are working on site, each with their own role to play this time. So I am able to focus on one thing in peace.
I haven't had this kind of feeling for over a decade.
An environment that is not affected by external factors...
This situation that allows me to focus on being creative...
An atmosphere with like-minded, dependable friends...
Hmmm...how wonderful it is.
Again, I can't thank you all enough.
Well, that was a long preface.
Here's an update.
It has already been three months since then we received your enthusiastic support at the Kickstarter event.
In terms of production, we have been talking with external partners for future phase of this project while reinforcing our internal production system.
On the art side, we are working on the specifications of the battles and city scenes shown at the Kickstarter to make them much close to the actual game, bringing to their final form.
Recently, we are considering a new way to present "one-on-one battle".
The system for the one-on-one battle is still in the planning stage, but Murayama said, he want the "one-on-one battle" to be focused on presentations, so as an art director I'll be suggesting the team something that might become a hint for building an interesting system while dreaming about what I want to do in terms of visual effects and character actions that are different from normal battles.
One of my priorities is probably the pixel art, which will be the most demanding part of this project's art aspect.
I'm giving a lecture to my staff about this, and we're preparing for mass production.
This game will have a ton of characters (and Kickstarter stretch goals added some more), and I'm not going to be able to do it all by myself...
Mass production is our top priority.
I've talked about this in interviews before, but the size of the pixel art in Eiyuden is much larger than that of the past.
This is due to the difference in the resolution of game screens between now and then, but it is quite a challenge.
Since the area of pixels per frame is large, my hand gets strained from time to time.
It is not impossible to make a "pseudo pixel art style" by relying on modern convenient technology, but as a result of experimenting with various techniques, it does not bring out the original good taste of pixel art.
I'm very particular about this, and I spend a lot of time and effort on it, carefully drawing by hand.
Currently, we are working on the pixel patterns for the basic animation of the six characters that we already showed as prototypes...

Fulfillment Store

Beginning some time in February, we will be launching a Fulfillment store for existing backers as well as new backers. We will be sending out the registration link to backers. Upon registering your account, you will be able to access the fulfillment back end.

Via the backer specific fulfillment store, you will be able to purchase additional add-ons, make changes to your initial pledge (eg. t-shirt sizes, platform of choice), and adjust your personal information, such as your shipping address. Any orders made for additional items can be combined with your kickstarter rewards order.

This store will also allow new backers to be a part of the Eiyuden experience for anyone who missed the initial Kickstarter campaign. However, prices for these new backers will be slightly higher than the prices for the initial campaign, to show our gratitude to the initial backers that made this project possible in the first place.

We look forward to unveiling the store next month! If you have any gaming friends that you know would be interested in joining the Eiyuden family, be sure to point them in the fulfillment store’s direction once it goes live.

Murayama's monthly development report

Currently, I'm spending a lot of time working on the foundation of the main story. Just like creating a normal storyline, what characters will appear and what will happen is important, but there are also special conditions that arise as a game scenario.

Personally, I want to create a scene that allow the player to play and control the game as soon as when it starts, and there is also a part of me that wants to measure the timing of the gameplay, such as placing the acquisition of the Fortress City earlier in the game's total play time.

It's a mixture of all of these things, and I'm slowly starting to see the whole shape of the game. In addition to that, this time there will be DLC content such as side stories and companion games.

The story requires a large number of characters to be involved, so if you're not careful, things might not add up and I often have a hard time wrapping my head around that.

At the same time, I've been working on the details of the game's various systems, such as the battle system, training system, war events, and Fortress City system.

In that aspect, I will be the one to set the standard, become the leader and decide which way is the right way. In video games, there are many forms of right answers, but if they are all mixed together in the same title, the system and the game will become confusing.

So, what is the right answer for Eiyuden? My duty is to think about that as well.

It's still a task that I often struggle with. I'm trying to give them as clear of an answer as possible, because if I think too much, it will confuse the staff, but I'm always nervous.

2021 will be a year of a full sprint before a long jump, as we continue to go through trial and error, to create Eiyuden in a better form.

I would like to ask for your enthusiastic support for this year as well. It really encourages our staff.

-Yoshitaka Murayama

2021 Happy New Year!

This is J. Murakami, who gained a lot of weight during the New Year's holidays, as expected.

Thank you very much for all your support last year. I think this year will be the most difficult year of my life as a game creator, and I expect it will also be the most fun. Of course, there have been many such projects in the past. But this year, the quality is completely different. The reason is that your expectations and support are very close to us.

There is a sense of tension and mission to meet the expectations that are right in front of us, and the feedback and support I get when I overcome them. These things come in turns and become the driving force for progress... Rinse and repeat.

This is a brand-new way to create a game, so I've been excited and thrilled for a long time. I feel very lucky to be able to have such a fresh and stimulating experience at my age. And I hope this project will be a fresh and exciting experience for you as well. I will continue to listen to you all and do my best to make you feel that way this year.

But when I sometimes feel like I'm about to lose, please listen to my complaints. And please whisper, "Hang in there ♡".

If you do, I'm sure I'll be able to do my best again.

J. Murakami is a man who grows when he is praised and treated kindly.

I look forward to being treated as such lol

Anyway, let's have some fun as well this year.

-J. Murakami

we’ll see you in February for our next update, which will feature our first glimpse at some in-game animation!

But this year, the quality is completely different. The reason is that your expectations and support are very close to us.

We’ve got some exciting news for all of you that have been waiting for it. We finally have a preview of the post-campaign backer shop, and we’re excited to finally share it with you.
On the fulfillment website, first time pledgers will have the opportunity to pledge to the campaign. Original campaign backers (legacy) will be given access to an exclusive backer shop, where they can buy add-ons, upgrade pledges, and alter their registered information.

In order to balance the financial fulfillment risks while incentivizing the backers who have supported us during our initial campaign, there will be a few limitations.

Prices for new backers are roughly 15-25% higher than those for legacy backers. This is largely due to the fact that the backers that pledged during the campaign are the ones that made this game possible in the first place. If you are a legacy backer, you will be able to purchase add-ons at their original campaign price.
The Figures in the Monument tier were financially priced out as a part of a bundle. Therefore, their individual prices are somewhat high when purchased as an individual, additional item. While they may seem pricey, they are an exclusive item to this campaign, and all funds go towards the continued development of the game.
Unfortunately, due to the complicated nature of how Job Rewards were bundled, we are unable to offer them via the fulfillment website.
While having a publisher does allow us the opportunity to make the best game we can, sales from the backer shop go directly to the development of the game, and help lower the number of units we would need to sell in order to break even. And of course, if Eiyuden Chronicle is a financial success, that would increase the likelihood of future sequels, which is something we all want!

This "spin doctor," as he likes to call himself, has a deep love for beigoma, a game of wind-up tops. As he likes to tell Nowa and the others, "The strongest bonds begin with these cords."
A student of physics, he became enamored with the elusive, unpredictable movement of a spinning top. Was it possible the will of the spinner was acting on the top somehow? And thus began Dr. Corque's search for a player that could prove his hypothesis.
"Beigoma is a microcosm of the world, a map of what life should be. I'm looking for a warrior who's worth devoting my life to."

Character Profile: Barnard Sawad
Origin: People of the desert
Gender: Male
Age: 38
Favorite food: Spiced coffee

Character Profile: Marin
Home: The League of Nations
Gender: Female
Age: 14
Favorite food: Mushroom risotto

It’s always hard to announce a delay, but we wanted to be transparent with you backers about the reasons behind it, and we wanted to make sure all of you knew about this as soon as it was clear that production would need more time, due to the large amount of content we are currently creating.

What this means is we are looking at a delay, rather than the previously announced October 2022 release. Rest assured, we’ll be sure to update all of you as soon as we have more specifics.

**Important Backer Notifications**
Backer Discord Roles

At this point, we’ve done an initial pass on doling out Backer-exclusive discord roles to backers in our community that are already active on our official Discord server. There are, however, still plenty of you that have yet to join our Discord.

We’ll be sending out an email soon to all of you that still need to claim your backer exclusive Discord role. All you have to do once you get that email is join our Official Discord here, and we’ll take care of the rest.

Of course, if you’ve already joined the Eiyuden Chronicle Discord, you don’t have to do anything at all!

Character Profile: Code L
Home: The League of Nations
Gender: Male
Age: 22
Favorite food: Helado de chocolate y menta

kjavi escribió:Como pinta

Hey there heroes!

So, normally we wouldn’t put out another update so soon, but we had some information we couldn’t wait to share with everyone!

As some of you may have seen, we showed off Eiyuden Chronicle Rising at the Microsoft E3 conference and talked about both games arriving on Xbox Game Pass.

We know that an announcement like this can make people a little nervous about whether the game will still be released on their console of choice, and we wanted to reassure everyone that the game will arrive on every major console at the same time, as promised!

Here’s a message from Murayama-san, leader of Rabbit & Bear, explaining what this entails for the backers:

A Message about the Game Pass contract and new DLC

A new Eiyuden Chronicle trailer with some new gameplay footage was revealed at E3! I hope all of our backers enjoyed it!

I'd like to give a comment on the Game Pass deal with Microsoft that was announced at the show and give a big surprise report to everyone.

We at R&B Studios started this project to create Eiyuden Chronicle the way we would like it to be. We are not a big game company and started from almost nothing. So we needed a solution to secure the IP to our own game, and gain development funding while keeping that IP.

So, we approached our backers through crowdfunding, and all of you showed your support in a big way.

Of course, the $4million+ raised is a huge amount of money. The development of a game requires a lot of money, especially in the RPG genre, which makes it difficult to create new titles. We were continuing negotiations and efforts to secure funding even after the Kickstarter campaign ended.

Our success on Kickstarter was not just about funding: it also gave us confidence that we have so many passionate fans supporting us. As the result of all your support, we were able to secure a partnership with 505 Games.

This is exactly what we were hoping for, and 505 Games has never intervened in our creative process on developing Eiyuden Chronicle.

And now, we have received a huge offer from Microsoft to join Game Pass.

We decided to accept this offer and we believe this will ultimately be a positive push which will move the project of Eiyuden Chronicle forward. We are aiming to make Eiyuden Chronicle an enjoyable title for a long period of time.

We've already announced that we'll be releasing “Seign's story” as DLC1 and “Marisa's story” as DLC2 at regular intervals following the release of the main game. And with the Game Pass deal, we promise our backers that we will continue to enhance the quality and the content of Eiyuden Chronicle, while at the same time, giving back to you in a more tangible way.

The project of Eiyuden Chronicle, which you have nurtured with your kind support, is now ready to give its fruits back to you.

This was initially planned and the project was once cancelled due to funding reasons. But we are pleased to announce to you that we are creating “DLC3”!

We want this DLC to symbolize the fact that Eiyuden Chronicle was started thanks to the enthusiastic support of the backers. DLC3 will be created in collaboration with you!

And of course, we will add this DLC3 as a reward for all backers.

We hope that you will be happy with this plan.

To ensure the longevity of Eiyuden Chronicle, we are also planning online content which will help you enjoy the game for a long period of time.

We would like to thank all of you for your continued support and encouragement on Eiyuden Chronicle.

Rabbit＆Bear Studios

Yoshitaka Murayama

Backer Selected DLC

As Murayama-san mentioned, one of the most exciting things we are able to do with Microsoft’s support is offer a third DLC pack to give for free to all backers! And in keeping with the theme of appreciating your support, as you are the ones who helped us create this game in the first place, we will be working together with you in choosing what type of DLC gets released.

DLC Schedule

We are fully focused on the main game, and so we can’t commit to a specific timeline for the release of the DLC at this point in time. However, the current plan is to try and release said DLC at regular intervals following the release of the main game.

That’s all for now, but as always, we’d like to thank all of our backers for your support!

If you have any questions regarding the campaign, then you can reach us at (pr@rabbitandbearstudios.com). Or, if you have any questions regarding merchandise or the legacy backers’ store, then please contact the Yetee team at (eiyuden@theyetee.com). We will also continue to check in on backers’ comments from time to time, too!

Marat escribió:Cuando lo anunciaron hoy por la tarde en la conferencia de Xbox los de 3d juegos no tenian pinta de tener idea de que iba. Se ve que no tiene mucha fama el sucesor de suikoden.

Michael Abeki
hace alrededor de 1 hora

This is good news, but... Will we get the chance to change what platforms we want the game on? Think it'd be fair to allow people that option.

Rabbit & Bear StudiosCreador
hace alrededor de 1 hora

You will have the option up until 6 months before the final game launches.

eL PiRRi escribió:Una pena, porque para mi, y supongo que muchos que seamos de por aquí de los 80s y comenzamos justo en PSX con el tirón de FF7, para mi FF7 y Suikoden 2 los pongo a la par los dos, y justo por debajo Wild Arms, y algo más debajo FF6, FF8, FF9, Legend of Legaia y Legend of Dragoon ,

Marat escribió:Cuando lo anunciaron hoy por la tarde en la conferencia de Xbox los de 3d juegos no tenian pinta de tener idea de que iba. Se ve que no tiene mucha fama el sucesor de suikoden.

kjavi escribió:

Marat escribió:Cuando lo anunciaron hoy por la tarde en la conferencia de Xbox los de 3d juegos no tenian pinta de tener idea de que iba. Se ve que no tiene mucha fama el sucesor de suikoden.

Concretamente han dicho Golden Sun

Adinx escribió:El que han anunciado hoy en el E3 de que va? El Rising ese?

A mi este juego me llama mucho la atención, para mi los Suikoden de PSX eran obras maestras, de hecho hace poco me puse con el Suikoden 2 en emulador de movil pero había un momento que se quedaba pillado hiciera lo que hiciera así que lo dejé. Lo malo es que queda tanto tiempo para que salga que ya uno se olvida casi... el desarrollo se está haciendo eterno y aún le quedan mínimo dos años T_T

Marat escribió:Cuando lo anunciaron hoy por la tarde en la conferencia de Xbox los de 3d juegos no tenian pinta de tener idea de que iba. Se ve que no tiene mucha fama el sucesor de suikoden.

Trentito escribió:¿Entonces se vuelve exclusivo?

Adinx escribió:El que han anunciado hoy en el E3 de que va? El Rising ese?

A mi este juego me llama mucho la atención, para mi los Suikoden de PSX eran obras maestras, de hecho hace poco me puse con el Suikoden 2 en emulador de movil pero había un momento que se quedaba pillado hiciera lo que hiciera así que lo dejé. Lo malo es que queda tanto tiempo para que salga que ya uno se olvida casi... el desarrollo se está haciendo eterno y aún le quedan mínimo dos años T_T

r3vl1s escribió:Tiene pinta brutal y lo pillaré día 1 seguro pero quedan mínimo 2 años asi que me parece mas o menos normal que el hilo todavía tenga poco movimiento.
Se puede apoyar todavía económicamente el proyecto o está todo cerrado ya hasta salida?

PHANTASIA escribió:Por lo que se ve en el trailer...¿no os parece el motor muy parecido al 2D-HD de Square?

※日本語のアップデートは下の方にあります

Hey there heroes!

Welcome to our June monthly update!
Some of you may have seen it already, but we’ve started work on role distribution on Discord! In addition, as a bonus reward attached to backer Discord roles we have created several special Discord channels. These will enable backers to suggest, discuss, and vote on many Eiyuden Chronicle community features, such as upcoming events and official collectible merchandise that can be won or included in community giveaways.

We’re currently using a Discord bot that will authenticate your registered backer email and then allow you to choose one of the three main roles thereafter. If you are a backer then please visit https://eiyudendiscord.com/ and fill out the registration form to receive your backer roles on Discord.

For those of you who are registered for a Noble role, this is also available to you! Please note, for backers who did not pledge at a $1000 tier or higher but did end up pledging $1000 or more via a combination of lower tiers and add-ons, we will need to assign your role manually. Please send us an email at pr@rabbitandbearstudios.com to receive your noble role or if your backer email is not found when you attempt to register it for a Discord role. This may take some time, so please be patient and we will add you ASAP!

Kawano’s Comment:
Marin’s older brother, the archer. His design was pretty much decided beforehand, so I was able to draw him as I saw fit. There are sibling characters here and there, so I was able to see the similarities and differences while designing them. It’s been really fun.

Murayama's Monthly Development Report

This month, there were new things shown at the E3 showcase. It took a lot of work to put all of that together. It’s been a tough month.

At this point in time, there isn’t a lot that I can show you. However, our development team worked extra hard in making a video for us.

Eiyuden: Hundred Heroes has been a completely different beast to work on compared to all the different projects I’ve been on throughout my career. Those projects usually had their announcements around the end phase. Which meant there were a lot of resources to use for videos and most of the project has already taken shape.

But in Eiyuden’s case, it started on Kickstarter. Everything moves much quicker. We started the project running and haven’t really stopped since, announcing things as quickly as we finish them.

We’ve had some difficult times because of that.

There is, however, some merit to this way of doing things. We’re able to collect lots of feedback from the very beginning.

Of course, the final say and what kind of product we want to create lies solely on our shoulders, but it’s exciting hearing everyone’s opinions and feedback.

I would have never guessed everyone loved the shark that much.

There’s still a long road ahead of us, but I’m sure it will be an enjoyable one with everyone by our side.

A Word from the Team

KS June’s Comment: Kawano

I apologize for not writing recently. It’s me, the character illustrator rep, Kawano.

Eiyuden’s prequel, Eiyuden: Rising, was just announced the other day.

This story takes place in the same world as Eiyuden, so some of the characters can be seen on a... business trip... coming from the main series.

Because of this, although the release is still down the road, I’ve been busy drawing a lot of characters that appear in Rising.

And well, there was that one character that appeared in the announcement trailer. There were a lot of things that I struggled with regarding that character, and I thought now would be a good time to complain about it, but the trailer was over in an instant, so I’ll save my comments for a later time. ^^;

So, stay tuned for more details in future reports!

...well, maybe I’ll show you all just a little, just a liiiiitle bit. A silhouette.

Laters!

r3vl1s escribió:Tiene pinta brutal y lo pillaré día 1 seguro pero quedan mínimo 2 años asi que me parece mas o menos normal que el hilo todavía tenga poco movimiento.
Se puede apoyar todavía económicamente el proyecto o está todo cerrado ya hasta salida?

Chenkaiser escribió:

r3vl1s escribió:Tiene pinta brutal y lo pillaré día 1 seguro pero quedan mínimo 2 años asi que me parece mas o menos normal que el hilo todavía tenga poco movimiento.
Se puede apoyar todavía económicamente el proyecto o está todo cerrado ya hasta salida?

Parece que la otra vez me colé y sí que había una página adicional para cualquiera que todavía quisiera apoyarlo

https://yeteeproductions.com/collection ... cker-store

Eso sí, cerrará accesos el 28 de Agosto así que hasta entonces todavía se puede seguir apoyando el juego hasta entonces.

**Important Backer Notifications**
Slacker Backer Store Closing

Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and so we are announcing the closure of the slacker backer store on August 28th, 2021. This is largely because the growing number of backers is becoming harder to manage logistically and the team would like to focus more of their energy on driving the development of the game towards completion.

Rest assured, this is NOT the legacy backer store, which will continue to stay open! Any current backers will still have the option to buy add-ons from the legacy backer store.

So be sure to spread the word, in case you have any friends, family or pets that would like to join the ranks of our backer heroes over the next month!

Murayama's Monthly Development Report

My main task right now is to finalize the story which means coming up with the general dialogue as well as locations (including what happens in each place). This month, I’m tackling Chapter 3—I say Chapter 3, but we still haven’t decided how many chapters the game will contain or whether it’ll even consist of chapters, but in terms of script writing, I’m just over the first hump after the opening.

In the process of writing, you can end up with unexpected dilemmas—forcing characters who haven’t made an appearance in the story yet to suddenly show up or giving minor characters a major part to play in the plot.

When creating a character’s profile, trying to decide on a name for them can take up the most time and cause the most headaches. To begin with, I try to come up with a name that matches the traits of the character. For a solemn, dignified character, I might mix in elaborate sounds to give off the same impression. If they’re a happy-go-lucky kind of character, I’ll try and give them a catchy short-and-sweet name.

With an ensemble cast spanning over 100 characters, I have to consider how easy it would be for a player to remember each individual name as well. If you have 100 characters with unusual-sounding names, no one’s going to be able to remember them, so I try to pick names that might sound somewhat familiar or be easy to remember. At the same time, however, if you have names that are too ordinary, then you run the risk of losing that heroic edge to your characters.

Don’t you think Noah, Sei, and Melissa all fit under that perfect equilibrium?

A Word from the Team

J-Diary Vol. 3

It’s boiling hot!

We’re really in the dead of summer.

If you’ve been watching the Olympics, you’ve probably noticed how hot it can get in Tokyo. We’ve been getting some world-class temperatures lately—or so it seems at least...

I wanted to start this with something seasonal, but in truth, I’ve been working every day from home with my AC on full blast.

I barely get out of my seat, and I haven’t had a chance to savor the seasons firsthand...

Hey all, it’s been a while—J. Murakami here, currently terrified to see what this month’s electric bill will look like.

Here’s our update on the design for the month.

We’ve inserted the assets created thus far into the game, and we’re at a stage where we can play through it, making balance adjustments as we go.

Since we’re checking everything as we play, it’s a lot easier for us to see what’s going wrong when graphical issues pop up. We’re spending most of our time fixing these at the moment.

We’ll have to fine-tune the assets and decide how we want the game’s visuals to turn out which will be a huge task afterwards.

Normally, this part’s the most fun, but everything needs to be done in parallel, so it can get quite stressful.

There are just so many moving bits to an RPG... It’s been a real reminder of how tough it can be to make one.

I’m in charge of creating the sprites and all I can say is it’s coming along lol. The 3D backgrounds are taking up a lot more time and money than we first anticipated, so we need to sort that out right away, I guess.

As you can see, we’re just stepping up to the plate each day and batting away the issues that come our way. We’re finally starting to breathe some life into our characters in this world we call a game so that’s always exciting!

The teaser video only contained one scene to show the concept of the game and how it would look, which is why we’re ecstatic to see Murakami’s story, world, and characters spring to life.

We appreciate your continued support and hope to meet your expectations!

Tokyo Game Show 2021

That's right, Tokyo Game Show will be returning again this year with their online platform filled to bursting with news and announcements that'll have us gamers bouncing with excitement. With online showcases, creator exhibits and even a full VR arena, there'll be plenty to see and do. Not to mention, our super-secret insider sources tell us that we'll want to pay extra special attention to the 505 Games showcase on October 1...

Eiyuden Chronicle Rising will release in Spring 2022 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

Murayama's Monthly Development Report

Personally, I feel that storytelling in games is quite different to that for TV series or novels. Of course, the way stories are created changes depending on the medium. For example, there is a huge difference between work that is entirely written versus video-based work. The latter uses techniques to convey meaning through moving images that cannot be conveyed through dialogue alone, while novels have their own techniques.

One unique technique that I'm always conscious of in game storytelling is synchronizing the feelings and sensations communicated through the story with those experienced during gameplay itself.

In a scene where the story is bitter and painful, you have to use production techniques to make the gameplay reflect those feelings as well.

For that reason, when I'm writing for a game, I'll also include specifications about the gameplay, like requesting for certain parts to have enemies that are stronger than usual.

I'll also ask for there to be a little more distance between certain locations, so that players have time to walk around and explore on their own before another big event in the game starts.

I think this is a production technique rarely seen in other media.

On the flip side, I sometimes work on synchronizing how the story develops with the gameplay aspects.In an RPG, players are guided along a single path in terms of both the story and gameplay during the beginning stages. This is so players don't get lost right at the start.

However, at some point, players start to be given more choices, and more freedom in where to go and how to enjoy the many different aspects of the game.

Stories for games are also written in a way that complements this format. That's another technique I find unique to game storytelling.

The skeleton has already been built, so now I need to add the meat. In other words, fleshing out the story, which is taking up most of my time these days.

the_her0 escribió:La f orma de moverse los personajes del Rising me parece una mierda.
El que me interesa realmente es el hundred heroes, cada vez que veo un trailer mas eyaculo

Murayama's Monthly Development Report

In terms of making plans, I think I'm leaning more towards being an "analytical planner". In answering the question of "what makes a game fun?", my process starts with playing fun games.

Just like directors should be knowledgeable about films, I think game developers need to be well versed in video games.

So, that poses the question: Is copying good games the way to go?

When I encounter a good game, I start dissecting what makes that game so enjoyable. I want to understand the system and how it's made. Which parts make it good?

I break down the systems and think about the gimmicks in their most basic form:

Games with mass production or resource management mechanics, the joy of collecting things, or sometimes even what makes a sound effect so satisfying or the perfect timing for things on screen to shine.

From there I try to figure out if I can recreate those gimmicks in fresh ways, and then build a concrete system from those ideas.

They say that creation starts from imitation, but I believe there is a world of difference between simply imitating and creating something different using imitation as the starting point.

Holiday Message

Murayama:

How has this year been for everyone? This year was, and next year will be, filled with days of struggling with game production. I know we still have a way to go, but it would mean a lot to have you there by my side.

Kawano:

Hi, it's Kawano. 2021 is drawing to a close.

Developers like us are well aware that making a game (especially an RPG) takes a long time.

Unlike games that go through production and then get announced to the public when the final product is within reach, this one started after receiving your support.

I can't believe we are coming up to our second year...

It really pains my heart to make you wait for so long. I'm truly sorry.

Development still has a long way to go, so please, bear with us.

(In the meantime, Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising, developed by Natsume Atari will be released!)

It should start getting a little bit colder in Japan now. Please take care of yourselves, everyone!

Murakami:

It's that time of year again.

My birthday is in November, so growing up, I've always looked forward to the birthday, Christmas, and New Year combo at the end of the year.

However, that sense of excitement has faded somewhere along the way.

It might be because the end of the year usually coincides with huge milestones in videogame development. So, I end up focusing on those aspects of my life.

While that is still the case, I feel like something has changed in the year that's passed.

The challenges and trials have gotten harder, but I find myself having the same sense of excitement every day.

I think it's because working on a project that is backed by every single one of you has been such a joy.

The sense of motivation I have right now feels like I'm throwing myself into event preparation, celebrating that event with my friends, then moving on to the next one.

Thank you so much.

We are currently making major improvements to meet everyone's expectations, so we have been pretty quiet for a while. But starting next year, we will be able to slowly show you some very exciting things.

We are sorry for making you wait, but it would mean a lot if we could keep up the same enthusiasm until Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes and Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising are released.

Thank you all for your continued support!

Murakami J

Komuta:

Wait. What? The year is already ending?

There must be some kind of mistake. Are we sure there aren't any time thieves at work?

Calm down... Chill... Close your eyes and take a deep breath.

When you open them back up, it will be Halloween again... Ah, who am I kidding?

Hello, everyone. Happy Holidays!

Komuta here and I’m really disoriented by how fast time is going by.

This is the second time we'll be able to close out a year with all of you.

It really makes me appreciate the fact that we are making Eiyuden Chronicle

with overwhelming support from all over the world throughout this process.

Thank you so much.

I really don't have time to be disorientated. Lol.

Looking back, from the latter half of last year we’ve created prototypes and identified issues within the core elements of the game such as fields, battles, towns, large-scale combat, and duels.

It was a hectic year of getting to a place where we can confidently say “we’ll go with this take until the very end.”

There are still a lot of decisions to be made and it feels like there’s never enough time. How can I possibly fit everything in when there is so much I want to do? Making a wrong call with what to keep and what to cut from the game can be irreparable. But during those times, I try to always go back to the original essence of the game.

Because that very essence is what makes the Eiyuden Chronicle that you have chosen to support.

Starting next year, we'll begin the process of solidifying and fine tuning the core aspects Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. But sooner still will be the release of the Eiyuden prequel--Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising. I hope you’re looking forward to it!

I wish everyone a happy new year!