[Suikoden] is still dead, long live Suikoden

[DHerder222]

That's cool. I haven't seen yours but there are a few on Youtube that are pretty long, like 30 minutes, so they're good for getting a sense of the game. I saw Haohmaru and Nakoruru so I wonder if they'll starting throwing every SNK character in there, KOF or not.

[DHerder222]

So okay. Aside from mostly demographic categories like race, gender and homeland, I see four groupings that would have an actual impact on the character's abilities and stats:

Element - 7 (Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Lightning, Order & Chaos)
Type - 5 (Balanced, Attacker, Defender, Healer & Support)
Weapon - 12 (One-Handed Sword, Two-Handed Sword, Bow, Axe, Thrown, Claw, Polearm, Staff, Wand, Dual Weapon, Hammer & Gun)
Army (This would be the type of unit the character leads in army battles if they're made a commander) - 5 (Infantry, Archers, Cavalry, Rune & Machine)

That makes a total of 2100 potential combos, although of course some would be much more common than others. I think that's a good enough spread.

[Falcon Critical]

Perhaps too much spread, but yeah it makes sense to me.

[DHerder222]

Could probably cut down on weapons, but all of those categories seemed prominent enough to include.

[DHerder222]

Okay, something extremely random just happened.

We were watching NHK World, a broadcast channel for English-language Japanese news. There's a show called Rakugo Nippon, a comedy-travel show.

It did an episode on Iwate Prefecture and used the Suikoden V opening theme in its intro. If I can find a video I'll post.

I remember a track from Mass Effect once wound up on a Food Network show, I wonder if video game music pops up on Japanese TV too.

[Delthazar]

I've heard Mass Effect tracks turn up on Top Gear, too. In that case, some of the music in the trilogy was sourced from outside EA/Bioware, particularly the two Faunts songs used for end credits (ME1 and 3) and most of the club tracks, so you might hear 'em pop up in other places like that sometimes. Bits of Mass Effect's club music turns up occasionally in racing games, for instance.

That said, I'm pretty sure the selection I heard on Top Gear was from the actual ME3 score and not an outsourced track, which is a bit more interesting 'cause I guess it implies EA put some of their original stuff up on audio asset networks or something for other producers to use in all kinds of stuff (unless their composers retained the rights and did that themselves.)

These days when gaps need to be filled for incidental music which doesn't require another track from your composer everyone seems to grab what they need from Audio Network, and that's how the same goofy club beat turns up in a Life is Strange party scene one year and as an NHL goal song the next year. It's the A/V professional's equivalent of Twitch streamers sourcing their music from royalty-free YouTube channels.

...I suppose all this holds true for Suikoden and Japanese games in general, even if they're old, though a game's main theme turning up way outside that game is a little more surprising. I don't remember if they went outside Konami for that song like they did with Suikoden IV, so that could be it.

[Delthazar]

Oh! Wrestling themes are another funny example. Top Gear also used Hardcore Holly and the Hardy Boys' old entrance themes here and there, meaning those tracks were never WWE originals but came from some b-roll library somewhere, whatever the 90s version of Audio Network was, I guess.

But my absolute all-time favourite instance of this is Booker T's theme turning up in a Kids in the Hall skit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-CtKIo7olM

[DHerder222]

Wow, that is glorious. I had no idea.

Here's the video that has Suikoden V's theme. Starts at 1:41. I was pretty amazed when I heard the track on my TV.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/vod/ ... s/3019039/

[John Layfield]

Wind of Phantom, yeah, it's a licensed or commissioned track for sure. Similar to La Mer in Suikoden IV, which was scrubbed from the Suikoden V promotional video that included videos of all the games opening videos, for similar raisins.

[True Perception]

Hey, John: In V, do any of the non-playable characters have stats, that you know of? I was wondering about Ferid, specifically, but any info would be cool.

[True Perception]

Dirty old women attracted to mysterious men in eye patches? Check!

[John Layfield]

Hey, John: In V, do any of the non-playable characters have stats, that you know of? I was wondering about Ferid, specifically, but any info would be cool.

Nah, sadly there isn't really any invisible "what-if" stats hidden away for convoy-style characters.

[Falcon Critical]

That just means we have full control over assigning 'canon' stats to them. SSS spectrum here we goooo!

[True Perception]

Man, this 100K potch limit in the early game of Suikoden V is bullshit! I'm a trading fool, right now, and I keep getting stuck not being able to sell stuff. I mean, the damn Pearls sell for nearly that amount!

Just got back from the second trip to Lordlake. Pssh! "Hatred" Fortress...

[Estranged]

I really hope I have time to play this summer. Been super busy though.

[True Perception]

Man, they should put my face up around town, because I just robbed Haud blind! You want jewelry, you say? Well, I just so happen to have a girl who can teleport me to the Dwarven Mines, Estrise, and Raftfleet. Be back in a jiffy!

[Estranged]

So far I haven't been able to play this summer. Way too much going on giving me almost no chill time.

[DHerder222]

I haven't gone through ANY Suikoden in probably 3-4 years. TP's comment made me think it might be time to go through one again.

[True Perception]

Morbs just finished a playthrough, too. We've been going back and forth on Facebook Messenger.

Edit: Has the mister been brought into the fold yet? Could be a good excuse.

[Estranged]

Morbs hadn't been on here in a while so it's good to hear he's still around in some way.

I still haven't unpacked my PS2 from moving the last time. Just so much going on, and now school is starting back up next month.

[DHerder222]

Edit: Has the mister been brought into the fold yet? Could be a good excuse.

My mister, and the Suikoden fold? I've tried on and off over the years. But he's not a super-retro gamer.

I just dug out my PS2 as well from our move. If my memory cards are still functioning, maybe I'll try again.

[DHerder222]

Hey, has anyone heard of this upcoming title Arca-Last? The Suikoden Revival Movement on Facebook wrote a message saying this upcoming mobile JRPG has been worked by some former Suikostaff and looks like it might mimic its battle and recruitment systems. Unfortunately, no word on an English launch.

I don't know what any of the text on the website says, but it does seem to have the look like a Suiko title.

https://arca-last.com/index.html

[Bier_Engel]

I feel like I've heard the name somewhere, but I looked it up, and it didn't seem familiar (but that is very Suikoden-like art). I'd totally check it out if it gets an English release.

[DHerder222]

Me too, I hope it does well enough for a Western release. And, you know, it's good and such.

[True Perception]

Damn; what the hell happened to Mamie?