I wasn't entirely surprised by the demand, as Lunar: SSSC was/is/will be Working Designs' best-selling game, with roughly a quarter-million units sold through. Also, there were quite a few gamers who simply couldn't afford the premium-priced original release, although I doubt they would've been pleased with the Fan Edition.Originally Posted by Needle
I've ranted about WD's downward spiral in many previous threads, but here's the jist of my blatherings: 1) All the Japanese developers and publishers WD used to work with have gone under or merged with larger companies. 2) WD is being outbid for localization rights by Ubi Soft, Activision, Eidos, and other massive American publishers. 3) Victor has settled down, grown soft, and lost touch with his fans. 4) Victor has alienated virtually everyone in the industry, including game journalists and, more perilously, his corporate overlords at Sony, who won't let him release Goemon (too old/ugly) and are forcing him to bundle Growlanser 2 and 3 (also old/ugly). Victor doesn't post much on the WD board because he's too busy scrambling to keep his company afloat.These days the company seems to be making less announcements and releasing less completed games than in past years (and, as an effect, finally sparing us ludicrous release dates!). Even Victor has gotten very quiet with the fans who hang out at the forum at their website. It really makes me believe something is up.
Inspiring? Nah, I was just fortunate enough to help localize a great RPG with wonderful characters. I guarantee more people read and were amused by my SSSC (and EBC) scripts than every review and guide I've written put together, which is both wonderful and terribly depressing.In any event, your writing on the PS port of Lunar is nothing short of inspiring, and despite all the jaded feelings, I'm damned happy you worked on it. Let's not let the rerelease spoil what is, essentially, a fantastic game!
Some hardcore RPG fans would argue that I screwed up SSSC with my excessive Americanization of the dialogue, and in my feeble defense, I tried very hard to limit my pop-culture references to catchphrases that wouldn't slap you upside the head if you didn't know them, as opposed to Victor's blatant referencing of Wheaties, Shannen Doherty, et cetera.
-- Z.