Treasure Talks Ikaruga

[mid-Ship]

http://www.xengamers.com/sections/news/8732/

Japanese developer Treasure delighted fans and raised eyebrows among critics with the decision to release the shooting game Ikaruga on the Dreamcast earlier this month in Japan. Originally developed for Sega's Naomi arcade architecture, the game rose to popularity in the waning days of Sega's hardware business. Despite Sega's decision to cease production of the Dreamcast, Treasure decided to release the shooter on Sega's console for technical and sentimental reasons. To explain the process and the company's future plans, director Masato Maekawa recently went on record with ASCII.

ASCII: Ikaruga is just being released on the Dreamcast, even though Sega stopped production of the console long ago. Considering the popularity of the PlayStation 2, the decision to release the game on the Dreamcast is somewhat unusual, don't you think?

Maekawa-san: It was originally released on Sega's Naomi arcade architecture, so a Dreamcast translation was the most natural course. We evaluated developing a PlayStation 2 version, but our early efforts were very difficult. So we postponed plans to release Ikaruga on PS2 and went ahead with the Dreamcast version. Reaction from the hard-core fans has been strong, so I don't think its platform will have much of an effect on sales.

ASCII: Generally speaking, translations from the Naomi to the Dreamcast are said to be fairly easy. What was your experience with Ikaruga?

Maekawa-san: The translation process was very easy. Since the development environments are so similar, we had more time to focus on new elements to include for the home version.

ASCII: Can you discuss some of those special elements in the Dreamcast version?

Maekawa-san: If you play long enough you'll uncover some hidden features in the Dreamcast version. I hope the players enjoy 'prototype mode,' especially the hard- core fans.

ASCII: Lately the popularity of shooting games seems to declining when compared to the likes of the fighting genre. How have sales been for Ikaruga so far on Dreamcast?

Maekawa-san: Luckily the arcade version was very popular, so the Dreamcast version has been well received. I often hear the argument that 'shooting games don't sell anymore' from developers. But there are still shooting genre fans and I hope to continue providing quality games for them. Since the number of companies developing shooters continues to decline, it also opens up new doors for companies like ours.

ASCII: Do you have plans for any other Dreamcast titles? Also, can you talk about plans to bring Ikaruga to other platforms?

Maekawa-san: At the moment we have no plans for any other Dreamcast games. We're working on a translation of Ikaruga for the GameCube. This is mostly for the overseas audience since the sales of Dreamcast hardware and software isn't supported in most stores anymore. We're confident a full transplant on the GameCube is possible.

ASCII: What direction do you think the vertical shooting genre will take next?

Maekawa-san: I think it varies depending upon the company. However, we plan to implement new ideas and styles of gameplay, such as those introduced in Ikaruga. We're still newcomers to the genre relatively speaking, but we plan to do our best and keep the shooting tradition alive.

--Translation Asst. Tsuno Okashi

Maekawa-san: But there are still shooting genre fans and I hope to continue providing quality games for them.

Yay!!!

[GameHED]

Now port Sin and Punishment to the GC while you're at it please. I never got a chance to getthe n64 import.

[Shooting Love]

thanks for passing along the words from Maekawa-san, mid-Ship.
I'm really curious to see how a domestic Gamecube release of Ikaruga will fare...
..and what?.. they postponed plans to release Ikaruga on PS2? ..so we might see it performing on the sony after all?

Sorry I don't know the Treasure staff,.. anyone here know what other involvements Maekawa-san has had with treasure projects?, how 'bout Axelay?, or rather I mean to ask: ...are there any Axelay members involved with the Ikaruga design?

..somebody chain-up the treasure-shooter lineage for us, aye?

'n btw
So what, perhaps, is the relationship between ASCii and Treasure? I thought it was peculiar that the AScii PadFT was listed with peripherals on the back of Ikagura ('n why not AsciiStick?) and now the're Ascii is interviewing Maekawa-san. What is Ascii's role in the J-videogame market anyway?, are they just a peripheral manufacturer?

thanks in advance for any enlightenment.

[Shin Johnpv]

very cool nice to see that the GC port is bassicaly being done for US and European markets

even though i may not like many treasure games my respect for them just went up

treasure now has a +10 hat of respect from me

[Sqoon]

Sorry I don't know the Treasure staff,.. anyone here know what other involvements Maekawa-san has had with treasure projects?, how 'bout Axelay?, or rather I mean to ask: ...are there any Axelay members involved with the Ikaruga design?

Maekawa (or more commonly/correctly known as Maegawa) is the president of Treasure, and usually directs or executive produces the games.

And no, it doesn't look like anyone that worked on Axelay worked on Ikaruga.

[mid-Ship]

Originally posted by el dodo
Sorry I don't know the Treasure staff,.. anyone here know what other involvements Maekawa-san has had with treasure projects?

http://sfkosmo.gamersgraveyard.com/t...o/maegawa.html

MASATO MAEGAWA Gameography (incomplete)

Castlevania: The Adventure           ...Programmer (credited as M. Maegawa)
Gunstar Heroes                       ...Supervisor (credited as M. Maegawa)
McDonald's Treasureland Adventure    ...Program (credited as M. Maegawa)
Dynamite Headdy                      ...Main Programmer
Light Crusader                       ...Programmer (credited as M. Maegawa)
Guardian Heroes                      ...Management / Director
Mischief Makers                      ...Main Programmer / Supervisor
Radiant Silvergun                    ...Executive Producer
Bangai-O                             ...Responsible Producer (credited as Maegawa)
Silpheed: The Lost Planet            ...Director
Sin and Punishment                   ...Producer

Italics denotes a game not made under the Treasure label.

[Low]

Originally posted by el dodo

..and what?.. they postponed plans to release Ikaruga on PS2? ..so we might see it performing on the sony after all?

I'm doubting it, a few weeks ago there was a blurp on Gamefront/Magicbox saying Treasure didn't plan on releasing a PS2 version as it would require extensive reprogramming of special effects. Considering DC Ikaruga has sold briskly and GC Ikaruga will offer a even bigger audience, a PS2 version almost moot at this point. *-neo

[BER]

Originally posted by el dodo
So what, perhaps, is the relationship between ASCii and Treasure?

(EDIT: I'm wrong. Please check the next few messages for
the correction.)

There is none. The original source of the article is from
here:

http://ascii24.com/news/i/keyp/artic...38806-000.html

I doubt this is the same ASCII of which you're thinking.

[Click_Stick]

Nice.

But Prototype mode sorta sucks.

[Jay]

I saw this news in the new EGM. That makes one more GC I want to get...