Arcsys at FanimeCon 2010 in San Jose

[Onlysol]

Did you know that Arcsys will have a presence at this year's FanimeCon? No? Then allow me to fill you in!

(Incidentally, if you are wondering "What's a Fanime?" be sure to drop by their homepage.)

The probably-well-known-here father-figures of Guilty Gear and BlazBlue- Daisuke Ishiwatari and Toshimichi Mori, respectively- will both be Guests of Honor this year! This means that they will be giving a couple of panels, doing signings and attending the super-exclusive meet-the-guests party among other things. If you would like, you can take a look at the official announcement and while you are at it be sure to drop by the guests page as well.

Now, aside from just making sure that everyone is aware of this fortuitous turn of events, I am also here to ask for everyone's opinion of just what exactly they would hope to see at Fanime from Arcsys's Dynamic Duo.

Specifically I would like to hear what topics you want covered at their panels, even if you don't plan on attending, but any other input would be very appreciated. Time is short I can't make any promises but please don't let that stop you from making suggestions. Daisuke Ishiwatari vs Reuben Langdon / Sol vs. Ken grudge match anyone?

I know some people may have trouble withstanding the... er... environment of an anime convention, but if you can make it swing by for at least the weekend so that you can interact with some of the crew that brought you some of your favorite games!

More details will be forthcoming regarding scheduling and Aksys Games (whose thunder I am doing my best to not to steal), but in the meantime please let me know if you have any questions or concerns and I will do my best to keep you all informed!

[Onlysol]

As a special treat to you devoted fans, here is some super-secret scheduling information!

PANELS

• Saturday @ 12:00PM in Panels #3 (Marriott Salon 4-6): BlazBlue Q&A
  
• Sunday @ 1:00PM in Panels #3 (Marriott Salon 4-6): Guilty Gear Q&A
  
  
  Bonus round
  
  • Saturday @ 11:00AM in Panels #3 (Marriott Salon 4-6): Aksys Games: Get Hype!
    

  AUTOGRAPHS

  Most likely Friday evening and Sunday afternoon.

  TOURNAMENTS

  Bother AKSYS?

[SethDahlios]

I think a FAQ session with questions taken from your boards and Dustloop would help. Especially if it clears up common questions, such as the opinions on taking Guilty Gear AC to 360/PS3 amongst other things. Also questions on where the company is going, perhaps even if they want to jump (or perhaps revisit as the case may be) into other genres. (such as an action platformer or Role Playing Game.)

[Onlysol]

You're right on the money, finding out those common questions and making sure that we can either answer them ahead of time or at least be prepared to answer them if they come up is exactly why I'm here :D

[SethDahlios]

1) Possibilities of revisting the Guilty Gear IP.

2) Failing a revisit in the near future, porting the most recent guilty gear to the 360, PS3, or PC.

3) Plans on where the Blaz Blue IP is going and if it will reach a natural conclusion in the near future.

4) Plans to collaborate with other companies on combining or creating new IP. (Ala a new game entirely or a VS. style game.)

5) Perhaps a Cosplay contest judged by creator Daisuke?

[qwerty]

i really didn't want to go to fanime this year, but now i guess i have to.

[Honnou]

This might be my first Fanime.

1) How Daisuke plans to make Overture fun.

2) What Daisuke thinks about having the GG character faces flash on the screen in obnoxiously big sizes ala Melty when they super or FB. ArcSys can use the GUILTY GEAR X PROMO ANIMU faces to save time and munnies.

3) Beg Mori to not allow Arcana Blue to be made.

4) Remind them both that Taokaka means taopoopoo in spanish

[TaoFTW]

Wow, this just might be the most hype fanime ever.

[Onlysol]

Thanks for your questions!

1) Possibilities of revisting the Guilty Gear IP.

2) Failing a revisit in the near future, porting the most recent guilty gear to the 360, PS3, or PC.

3) Plans on where the Blaz Blue IP is going and if it will reach a natural conclusion in the near future.

4) Plans to collaborate with other companies on combining or creating new IP. (Ala a new game entirely or a VS. style game.)

Noted!

5) Perhaps a Cosplay contest judged by creator Daisuke?

I rather like this idea, and will pass it on.

1) How Daisuke plans to make Overture fun.

Overture was fun! This question is open to everyone really, but what specifically did you dislike about it? Also, "It wasn't a 2D fighting game" is not a valid answer to that question.

2) What Daisuke thinks about having the GG character faces flash on the screen in obnoxiously big sizes ala Melty when they super or FB. ArcSys can use the GUILTY GEAR X PROMO ANIMU faces to save time and munnies.

I'd like to say this sort of super is more the style of other companies, but honestly both Basara X and Fist of the North Star throw giant animu drawings out during super moves. Why would you like to see this brought in to GG?

3) Beg Mori to not allow Arcana Blue to be made.

Um, pretty sure that is still just an April Fools joke

4) Remind them both that Taokaka means taopoopoo in spanish

I will get right on this, providing embarrassing revelations of multi-lingual double meanings is one of my favorite pastimes

[qwerty]

hey ask him how he made johnny so cool

also if herzog zwei was his main inspiration behind overture

[Honnou]

I have a question for OnlySol now.

WHY SO SERIOUS?

I actually happen to like Overture but I question the value of making an even more niche game than GG as a fighter. GG fighting fans tend to not like it, the game isn't like Dynasty Warriors at all either despite comparison and it isn't a plain RTS either, so it's pretty hard to market IMHO.

I'm not serious about showing the faces of the characters during supers, and I have to disagree about it being "other companies' style" because pretty much any anime-esque fighter has it. ArcSys games have it too sometimes.

[shezmu]

Well, looks I have to at least try to make this. Anywho, SethDahlios got the most of the big ones. I myself am interested in how GG came about. Like focusing on the inside details that haven't been made public, stuff like that. Perhaps do the same for BB for the people interested in that franchise. Maybe add in Daisuke's advice to people interested in making fighters.

Also, a signed picture of Daisuke with the entire GG cast cosplayed in the picture would be hype. I would seriously pay money for that.

[Sanoshi]

If any of you guys plan on going to the Q&A Panel, regardless if you don't know what question you're gonna ask, just get in line as soon as you can. At AX there were so many questions about them as a game developers more than GG/BB :[ I wanted to know more about plans and what's in development.

Praying someone asks about porting GG game to PS3 or PSN! Make it happen guys :]

[ZéroGén]

!!O_O!!!

Daisuke should be bumbarded with ALL GG questions ..

but

my must have answered questions are.....

1)if there really is a new GG in the works....can we get GGAC ported to nexgen before that...were dying here!

2)or even a AC "Isuka" with sum kind of auto-turn....lol IDK....fail

3)is ARKSYS really going to build up the BB community in plans of developing BB3 only to nerf the entire game and send the community plumiting into the ocean known as GG.........cause that would be awsome.!!

[Onlysol]

I have a question for OnlySol now.

WHY SO SERIOUS?

Because pleasing fans is Serious Business! Plus, I am a programmer, not a legit community manager, so I can't get away with acting borderline crazy like those Aksys folks. If you want ridiculous things bondage kits in your special editions or extremely manly logos, then you should be talking with them. Also, thanks for your feedback on Overture, everything helps!

I myself am interested in how GG came about. Like focusing on the inside details that haven't been made public, stuff like that.

Some of this has come out in various interviews already, such as last year's Gamasutra interview, or if you can read French, the current and next issues(#7 & #8) of IG-Magazine have very long articles about BlazBlue which, assuming they actually printed everything they covered in the interview, should have a lot of that sort of talk in it. Of course, if you are completely up on the interviews Arc has done then you'll have no choice but to wait for the panel to satisfy your curiosity. I sincerely hope you can last until next month on hype alone.

If any of you guys plan on going to the Q&A Panel, regardless if you don't know what question you're gonna ask, just get in line as soon as you can. At AX there were so many questions about them as a game developers more than GG/BB

There will be 2 one-hour panels this time, 1 for GG and 1 for BB, plus a 1-hour Aksys panel, so ideally such extreme measures won't be necessary. I was actually at that AX panel, so I was able to see what worked and what did not seem to go as planned and will address those issues as best I can. Particularly I would like to make the Fanime panels a bit more moderated to make the best use of the limited time available, so please try to have your questions thought out beforehand so the panel moderator doesn't have to embarrass you and call you silly names.

I wanted to know more about plans and what's in development.

I am sorry to say that these are exactly the types of questions that will likely not get answered. You have my apologies, but that is just how Arc- and a lot of other Japanese companies for that matter- do their marketing. We'll see though, maybe I can make a miracle?

Lastly, ZéroGén, my friend, you are almost completely incoherent. Please come back to this thread when the caffeine wears off, and I will be more than happy to work with you.

[TaoFTW]

I am, personally, humbled to see Daisuke and Toshimichi come to my hometown. My first thoughts are, "Can I MM Daisuke and Toshimichi to a game of BB/GG?"

On a more serious note, my question is, "Every - successful - game designer, or company, have one regret from making their finished product to how they, supposedly, like it. If Daisuke and Toshimichi could revisit a game they muddied their hands in, what would they do differently and how would they do it?" I don't expect this question to be answered here, but I will bring it up during the Q&A panel sessions.

[qwerty]

i still want to know if daisuke was rockin herzog zwei back when mega drives were hundreds of dollars

because that game owns and i (think i) see a lot of its influence in overture

[Onlysol]

My first thoughts are, "Can I MM Daisuke and Toshimichi to a game of BB/GG?

I don't know, CAN you? I will do my best to convince them to the game room since I think that would be a treat to all the US fans. I won't be at the 'Con personally though, so if you really want this to happen, bug the Aksys guys at their booth.

i still want to know if daisuke was rockin herzog zwei back when mega drives were hundreds of dollars

That's actually a good question, and if I get enough of these I'll try to pre-interview the Dynamic Duo and post the shorter answers here. Odds are the panels will open with a selection of "known good" questions asked by the moderator, and I'd like as many as possible to come from here.

[RinHara5aki]

Pre-reg'd, and going. For sure.

Is this Daisuke's first "get in touch" basis with the US BB facing? Seems like this is a pretty rare thing to happen.

[Chun]

I honesty think an Event-Mode with the creators of BB would be amazing. 1 Match exhibition with these guys, for the duration of the time.

[RinHara5aki]

Hmmm... Only i'm trying to find the exact date Daisuke and Toshi are actually DOING the panels. I somehow can't find that info on the Fanime site. Do you know when they are doing it? Or are they doing it every day for 4 days back to back :3? XD..

WAAAAA MAYBE WE CAN INVITE HIM TO SVGL!!!

Probably not.

[Onlysol]

Is this Daisuke's first "get in touch" basis with the US BB facing? Seems like this is a pretty rare thing to happen.

As far as I know the only other times that the Dynamic Duo have done this sort of event was at last year's AX. I assume that was what you are asking? I wasn't quite sure

Hmmm... Only i'm trying to find the exact date Daisuke and Toshi are actually DOING the panels. I somehow can't find that info on the Fanime site. Do you know when they are doing it? Or are they doing it every day for 4 days back to back :3? XD.

The panels are all tentatively scheduled to be in the afternoon on the weekends. I will update my 2nd post as soon as the dates are finalized.

[RinHara5aki]

AX? Dunno that convention.. but yeah generally thats what I was asking. Damn I need the dates/times now.... :/.. hmm..

Oh umm... also the 60$ reg.. that covers the entire 4 days? Or just for one day. Cuz that would suck. Not up to 240$ worth of circling the same convention over and over.

[Onlysol]

Fanime pre-reg gets you a badge that's valid for the entire convention. Also, the panels being on Sat/Sun is pretty much decided at this point, it's just that the schedule hasn't been officially finalized.

[Narcowski]

I hope someone records these panels; I'm very interested in some of the responses, and flying cross-country to go isn't a possibility