Shenmue Online

Shenmue Online is a MMORPG in which the players take part in scenarios exits of Shenmue II while choosing among three classes of characters divided into clans carried out by Sha Hua, Xiu Ying and Wu Ying (three principal characters of the history).

Rumors circulating on L (Internet affirmed that the development of the play had been cancelled following legal problems relating to the legitimacy of work. Nevertheless these rumors were contradicted following one maintains with Yu Suzuki, the creator of the saga Shenmue, thus confirming the exit of the title in 2007 in Korea and China, but any information with regard to the American and European exits, if as well is as there is.

Development

The development of Shenmue Online was initially announced in 2004 by SEGA with the close cooperation of JC Entertainment. The beta-test for the system of play online was to begin at the beginning of 2005.

In 2005 however, JC Entertainment desisted from the development of Shenmue Online, but puiqu' they held 50% of the intellectual property of Shenmue Online, it took place there with a legal debate to determine to which belonged the rights on the play. Fortunately, it seems that this subject was discussed with eight-close apart from the courts.

In November 2005, Yu Suzuki confirmed in an interview that Shenmue Online was always under development, in spite of the rumors and the legal problems.

Gameplay

Translation of a quotation of this interview of Yu Suzuki:

the players will join one of the three clans carried out by Sha Hua, Xiu Ying and Wu Ying, and will evolve/move in the total history by supplementing tasks assigned by the chief of clan. Biensur, during the development of the history, each clan will interact with the others in situations of co-operation or opposition. Lan Di and Ryo will take part even in certain situations.

Yu Suzuki mentions that even if Korean company JCE were withdrawn from the project, since Shenmue Online of Sega, they are an initiative will supplement their mission at all events, and that in spite of the rumors circulating on the Net the development of the play continues well while following their original objectives. He adds that Sega will emit an official announcement on good progresses in the future.

When Yu is questioned in connection with the possible activities in Shenmue 2 and if those are found in Shenmue Online it answers that the sets of arcades will be part, just like two-third of the other activities of Shenmue 2 like work, the collections of the capsules of toys, etc will be also integrated there, with more exclusive contents with Shenmue Online, adding that the play will proceed in HongKong but also in China and Macao. Yu smiles when one asked him what the players will be able to make in Macao.

Yu also affirmed that the QTE will be also integrated into the gameplay of Shenmue Online, but it is technically impossible to use the same system of QTE in a play online. What means that in Shenmue Online, the QTE will be rather directed towards a use within a framework MMO, but since the implementation of the system was not finished yet, it cannot return in the details.

the world of Shenmue is very well adapted for a play online. That of Shenmue Online will be much larger than the versions on consoles, including more than 1200 places and buildings, and it will be possible for each player to have his own house. Yu adds that he always appreciated the Chinese culture, this is why he is very happy that Shenmue is appreciated Chinese players. This is why it carries out this play for the Chinese market. But from a point of view videoludic, Shenmue Online will incluera many functions that all the players will appreciate.

Evolution of graphics during the development

When Shenmue Online was initially announced, under the supervision of JC Entertainment, the first captures of screens disappointed many fans of Shenmue, graphics being particularly old-fashioned whereas the series of play Shenmue always offered graphics avant-gardists and époustouflant for the time on the Dreamcast of SEGA.

Old captures of screens

However, the new captures of screens made in 2005, with a new development team, show a clear graphic improvement, even if it remains still insufficient to compete with the tenors of the moment.

See too

External bonds

Official site of Shenmue Online
Official site of Shenmue
Shenmue Dojo
NW' S Shenmue and related ranges site
The Hazuki Dojo
Shenmue Files
Italian Fansite
Shenmue-Saga

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