Sharin no Kuni Prefundia page is up

[Nosebleed]

http://prefundia.com/projects/view/sharin-no-kuni-a-japanese-visual-novel-localization-project/9059/

KS goal will be $140,000, of which only 35% will go towards localization (and for some reason 25% is going towards development?).

Stretch goal will be $240,000 and will allow them to translate the fandisk content.

The translation team will be Frontwing's newly formed in-house team, who they claim are native level speakers of both languages.

Planned release is September 2016 on Steam. Adult scenes will be replaced by extra content, which probably means RIP an actual adult version.

There will be 2 main releases and 2 DLC packs:

• Wheel Country, Sunflower Girl [Deluxe Edition] (Includes the main game, Sound Mode, and CG Gallery)
• Wheel Country, Sunflower Girl [Regular Edition] (Main game only)
• Sound Mode DLC pack
• CG Gallery DLC pack

So, basically, they're selling a key feature of the VN separately, that's quite a curious choice. You'd think they would remove the voices like last time with G-Senjou but apparently removing the CG gallery is something to consider removing as well.

I will say though, this title translation is cringey as hell.

[Dergonu]

5 minutes ago, Nosebleed said:

Adult scenes will be replaced by extra content.

.... I hate localizations...  

[Nosebleed]

The thought of Frontwing becoming an actual competitor in the West by publishing these big titles is both intriguing and terrifying.

[Dergonu]

Indeed. It will be interesting to see how this goes, that's for sure.

[Nosebleed]

Also I hope to god this "selling key game features as dlc" doesn't become a thing in VNs...

I understand the thought of wanting a cheaper version, but we're talking about actual game features here, not something cosmetic like voices (yes, voices are usually nice to have, but they are not integral in order to get everything out of the game). Why would you sell something that already comes with the original game 's code as dlc? It's not extra cost to develop it, they're literally just taking it from the game and selling it separately. At least voices have an excuse because of the licensing fees, but CG galleries, really? How do you even attribute a price to that?

[Darklord Rooke]

CG galleries aren't a key part of a VN. They're an extra, the key part is the story.

I'm just going to cut and paste from the other No Kuni thread, because I don't want to type things up a second time:

Quote

It has to do with the idea that creative content costs time, money, and labour, and that this should be represented in the final package. Also other Business 101 reasons, as in you believe it's not profitable to offer a full version at a cheap price and so you don't.

The idea of charging more or less for a product has to do with how many features are implemented in your VN. Assume the normal price of a VN is $40 (as it is in the Western market ... sorta.) Assume you acknowledge that a number of people would never buy a VN at that price. Assume the market and powers that be would never consider selling a full version of a VN at a significantly cheaper price. Assume you want to attempt to target this potentially untapped portion of the market. The only way to do this would be to offer a version with fewer features than the full version, and to apply a price that represents the reduced package you are offering. Yes, it doesn’t cost anything extra to offer the whole packaged at that reduced price, but you wouldn’t due it for reasons stated above. They are adopting a strategy to try and target those who don’t want to fork out a premium price and putting together a package to fulfill that strategy. It’s not ‘scummy’, they are not ‘double dipping’, they are not ‘charging extra’ for a DLC if the cheaper version + DLC = the price of the normal version. And not all ‘DLC’ is ‘shitty DLC’.

- There is nothing (YET) to suggest Frontwing are price-gouging DLC
- There is nothing (YET) to suggest Frontwing are offering the normal product for a price over the Western market norm

 

[Nosebleed]

What I don't get is the idea that something that's already coded is now getting an arbitrary price tag put on it. Unlike voices that come with licensing fees, a CG gallery is game code, and while you can always put a price tag on things, this particular case just feels so arbitrary and makes me afraid they will pull some stunt to sell the VN at a higher price than it's necessary.

It's like if someone said they're selling a pause setting as dlc. Like, yeah, it's not integral, but it's still pretty stupid to remove it.

[Darklord Rooke]

A pause feature is essential for slow readers. A CG gallery is just for those who want to look at the pictures outside of the game. One's essential and possibly needed for comprehension, the other's just an added feature (which I personally never make use of, TBH. If you want to gawk at just the pictures, you can always download them and then you can look at them without loading the game.) As Sanah said, it's a feature only hardcore VN readers would care about, and therefore something they view they can cut out of a 'no-frills' version they can then target at a more casual audience.

If they sell it a higher price than market norms, I can assume people will be upset. But once again, I support the idea of 'more options for the consumer' ... in theory. Want to see what the prices are like first.

[Nosebleed]

I understand that to an extent, and Im fine with the 2 versions existing since i would just get the full one either way, but due to how terrible the Western market's dlc practices can be, this could really turn out of the worse., and that's what's scary.

I guess it will come down to how they price these 2 versions. But the thought of giving a price tag to a CG gallery is quite jarring for me regardless.

[Deep Blue]

So now they are charging extra for the CGs and sound mode XD

Yay for the censorship striking again, I wonder how are they going to deal with that famous scene... 

Spoiler

where Eri is giving a handjob to kenichi (he is underage here, I think both of them are xD ) and this marked him for the rest of his life, specially on how he relates to women in general and in sex...

I Meant to say ririko not eri 

so they are actually charging for doing a "revision" of the existing translation and not adding the fandisk which is already included on the original game in the xbox, psp, ps3 versions...

 

Edited April 19, 2016 by Deep Blue
edited

[Darklord Rooke]

6 minutes ago, Deep Blue said:

Yay for the censorship striking again, I wonder how are they going to deal with that famous scene... 

It would be difficult if Frontwing were just cutting scenes. However, they said they'd replace the H-Scenes with 'extra content'? This opens the door for the scene to be recapped but not shown in a later scene. It'll still tick off people who want the H-scenes, but it opens the door for the story to be patched into a seamless narrative.

[bigfatround0]

21 minutes ago, Rooke said:

A pause feature is essential for slow readers. A CG gallery is just for those who want to look at the pictures outside of the game. One's essential and possibly needed for comprehension, the other's just an added feature (which I personally never make use of, TBH. If you want to gawk at just the pictures, you can always download them and then you can look at them without loading the game.) As Sanah said, it's a feature only hardcore VN readers would care about, and therefore something they view they can cut out of a 'no-frills' version they can then target at a more casual audience.

If they sell it a higher price than market norms, I can assume people will be upset. But once again, I support the idea of 'more options for the consumer' ... in theory. Want to see what the prices are like first.

You're like the only person I've seen that has been rational about this announcement. People are freaking out about paid dlc becoming a norm but we don't even know how much the game is going to cost or how much of a difference in price the two versions will be. I highly doubt the deluxe edition will be more expensive than similar length VNs. Besides not everyone cares about cg and music galleries so it's not a bad idea in theory.

5 minutes ago, Deep Blue said:

So now they are charging extra for the CGs and sound mode XD

Yay for the censorship striking again, I wonder how are they going to deal with that famous scene... 

  Reveal hidden contents

where Eri is giving a handjob to kenichi (he is underage here, I think both of them are xD ) and this marked him for the rest of his life, specially on how he relates to women in general and in sex...

 

 

Did such a scene happen? I don't even remember her having much screen time until the fandisk.

[Deep Blue]

3 minutes ago, Rooke said:

It would be difficult if Frontwing were just cutting scenes. However, they said they'd replace the H-Scenes with 'extra content'? This opens the door for the scene to be recapped but not shown in a later scene. It'll still tick off people who want the H-scenes, but it opens the door for the story to be patched into a seamless narrative.

I guess they can always narrate the scene itself without showing anything I really want to see how they handle this since they cannot avoid it because is a crucial part of the plot and kenichi's character development 

 

@bigfoot it did and like I said it's a really important scene too, read it again if you don't remember it  .

[Darklord Rooke]

Just now, Deep Blue said:

I guess they can always narrate the scene itself without showing anything I really want to see how they handle this since they cannot avoid it because is a crucial part of the plot and kenichi's character development 

I just checked their Prefundia page:

We hope to release this game in September 2016, on Steam. As the original game contains scenes with adult content, these will be replaced by less explicit scenes to ensure there are no holes in the narrative. 

There we go. That should reassure some ... should, anyway  

2 minutes ago, bigfatround0 said:

You're like the only person I've seen that has been rational about this announcement. People are freaking out about paid dlc becoming a norm but we don't even know how much the game is going to cost or how much of a difference in price the two versions will be. I highly doubt the deluxe edition will be more expensive than similar length VNs. Besides not everyone cares about cg and music galleries so it's not a bad idea in theory.

There's others, but in general the VN community leans toward hysteria. It's like their default state, or something. I find if you don't offer a reasoned counter early, it just gets more and more hyperbolic and out of control. That's not to dis anybody who takes part in that, it's just what tends to happen in groups.

[littleshogun]

My comment, well why they should ripped Extra Mode while this should be normal featured for all of the VN out there. In this case since Sharin was already translated long time ago, I think it's once again already obsolete and therefore no need for this version imo (But to some newcomer and the people who not satisfied with old translation this version should be good). Oh, since Rooke here suggesting to made the new scene integral to the story, I kind of wonder if this is actually the real reason they omitted the voice here (Although it's still unnecessary move though). I said this because I remember that Eiyuu Senki also did that with the new scene was had no voice (But all of the other scene other than new one still voiced). Well, let's see it later.

To answer bigfatround0 question, I think the scene in question would be at the beginning of chapter 2, and it's not with Eri but with Ririko (I think it's just Deep Blue did the typo there). About my rationality, to be honest I couldn't call myself the calmest and the most rational person in the world, but seeing as we already had this game translated long ago with the benefit they'll cut I think there's no need the reason to be freak out here.

Finally as for Frontwing becoming localization company, guess it will be interesting to see how it will goes for sure (And hopefully with they announce Island for Steam or something like that, since Island was all age I think there's should no need for controversy in regard of H-Scene removal just like this one and especially Konosora). I think that's all I could write here.

[bigfatround0]

2 minutes ago, littleshogun said:

 

To answer bigfatround0 question, I think the scene in question would be at the beginning of chapter 2, and it's not with Eri but with Ririko (I think it's just Deep Blue did the typo there).

 

I remember that one but it's been about three years since I played the game so my memory of it is kind of fuzzy. I wasn't sure if he was misremembering or if it was me.

[Deep Blue]

yep littleshogun is right

Spoiler

I meant ririko and not eri, having that handjob scene with his "sister" (she kinda sexual abuses him) marks kenichi, and yeah eri is not part of the plot in anyway (she gets killed a few minutes in and that's it) I don't know why they even put her in the profundia page, she only has a short story in the fandisk which are not including so I don't know.., my mistake, sorry for the confusion  

 

[SilverLi]

1 hour ago, Nosebleed said:

Also I hope to god this "selling key game features as dlc" doesn't become a thing in VNs...

The curse of modern gaming. Chop anything in 5 pieces and sell it for 10 bucks each. Of course you should pay full price for the game too. I'm not supporting Frontwing or this title though. My gaming schedule is already booked until Christmas or so. May releases...

But I agree with what most of you say. I am waiting for the pricetag before I go full riot about something I don't care about. 

[Funnerific]

1 hour ago, bigfatround0 said:

Besides not everyone cares about cg and music galleries so it's not a bad idea in theory.

 

1 hour ago, Rooke said:

There's others, but in general the VN community leans toward hysteria. It's like their default state, or something. I find if you don't offer a reasoned counter early, it just gets more and more hyperbolic and out of control. That's not to dis anybody who takes part in that, it's just what tends to happen in groups.

 

1 hour ago, Rooke said:

If they sell it a higher price than market norms, I can assume people will be upset. But once again, I support the idea of 'more options for the consumer' ... in theory. Want to see what the prices are like first.

Let's release routes as DLC! Think of all these people who only want one ending and will overpay for the full game they'll never finish. I support the idea of 'more options for the consumer'.

[Dark_blade64]

2 minutes ago, SilverLi said:

The curse of modern gaming. Chop anything in 5 pieces and sell it for 10 bucks each. Of course you should pay full price for the game too. I'm not supporting Frontwing or this title though. My gaming schedule is already booked until Christmas or so. May releases...

Why is it necessary to pay full price if you can experience the whole story by just cutting out features you weren't interest to begin with? I mean there is nothing wrong by using this method such as this because there are just there as an optional way to cut the price. Now if they force you to pay extra money for the features that would be annoying, otherwise I don't see the problem.

 

1 minute ago, Funnerific said:

 

 

Let's release routes as DLC! Think of all these people who will overpay for the full game they'll never finish. I support the idea of 'more options for the consumer'.

They never said they were releasing routes separately so I don't see the point in trying to use it as an excuse for making a sarcastic comment.

 

Anyway it seems if there is enough demand for it they might release the 18+ version? If anyone is interested I guess they should tell frontwing directly?

[Darklord Rooke]

11 minutes ago, Funnerific said:

Let's release routes as DLC! Think of all these people who only want one ending and will overpay for the full game they'll never finish. I support the idea of 'more options for the consumer'.

If routes lead to alternate endings to a VN, instead of the outdated and flawed design practice of needing to complete every route to get the true ending, then there would be no reason why you couldn’t offer separate storylines at a reduced rate and a complete package which offers all the storylines. Why? Because some people may not want to follow certain options/routes, and therefore a package which omits them may be of benefit to them.

While it’s fun to be mad at stuff which doesn’t matter, the idea that you can get the full version (a version which nobody has established is being offered at an increased price,) means that this point in time (with no information on pricing,) you’re mad that there’s a reduced features option with separate features being available separately so the consumer has the option of purchasing them at a later date - and that makes no sense. Why ARE you so mad that there is a version offered at a reduced rate sans features that aren't necessary to the VN? And spare me the useless, teenage philosophising, or disingenuous assumption making most people have been engaging in.

[Funnerific]

8 minutes ago, Dark_blade64 said:

They never said they were releasing routes separately so I don't see the point in trying to use it as an excuse for making a sarcastic comment.

They might as well, that's what's the point. There's no way they're getting a good translation out by September 2016 that doesn't use either machine TL or the existing fan TL. As if that's not enough, it won't even be a full (but all-ages) version.

 

Edit: I am mad because the standard version will most likely cost as much as a complete one should. There is no proof, of course.

[Darklord Rooke]

2 minutes ago, Funnerific said:

They might as well, that's what's the point. There's no way they're getting a good translation out by September 2016 that doesn't use either machine TL or the existing fan TL. As if that's not enough, it won't even be a full (but all-ages) version.

Considering the all-ages version will include extra scenes to offer a seamless narrative, it will be a complete enough version. It won't satisfy those looking for H-scenes, but the experience will be a complete one.

[Dark_blade64]

1 minute ago, Funnerific said:

They might as well, that's what's the point. There's no way they're getting a good translation out by September 2016 that doesn't use either machine TL or the existing fan TL. As if that's not enough, it won't even be a full (but all-ages) version.

Did you even see their prefundia page? They stated they will use the fan translation but will be heavily edited to fix errors and stuff. Now how good or bad will the translation be we'll have to wait. It might be horrible or maybe it will be decent. Time will tell my friend.

[atorq]

RIP porn. Yet another crowdfunding campaign that can't specify what changes they are making.