Author Topic: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas  (Read 12728 times)

Keine Kamishirasawa

  • The Great Sealed Historian
  • *
  • Acta est fabula, plaudite!
« Last Edit: March 14, 2014, 02:48:14 PM by Tengukami »

HyperGumba

  • Substitutional Immortality
  • Touhou MUCK's PR Person or something
Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2014, 01:45:07 PM »
Broken link by any chance?

Clicking the signature leads you to our flash-based web client! ~ Here is some extensive info on TM! ~ I also have a Tumblr now!

NekoNekoRex

  • Catgirls are Charming!
  • *
  • Catgirl Enthusiast
Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2014, 02:29:33 PM »
oh wow, that's really interesting. What are the chances he'll also make a new touhou game this year, then?

I'm guessing he'll be setting up some work with translators from the fandom to help make international release possible as well. Perhaps touhou wiki will be able to have a hand in official release of a touhou game overseas? That'd be like a dream come true from us westerners.
Kilga is this right; like is this person seriously the player, and it's not some alias or something that's designed to be deliberately obfuscating? NekoNekoRex. Who the hell is that :C   ~Poya Aaaa (Serela), Bunny Must Die Mafia

Tengukami

  • Breaking news. Any season.
  • *
  • I said, with a posed look.
Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2014, 02:53:14 PM »
Broken link by any chance?
Link fixed.

Now, on to ZUN.
Quote from: ZUN
?I?ve come here to say this. In the end, even I will have to sell my games to the world. I, too, want to make friends with the world.?

?Instead of putting all my games on sale, I will test it starting by selling some new game overseas.?
Are you ready for Call Of Duty: Gensokyo Ops?

Seriously, though, I think this was just a matter of time. After getting to see, firsthand, just a fraction of the WTC, I think ZUN has come to realize that the effort required in online distribution is vastly outweighed by the benefits. That said, I know he wants to be able to maintain his grassroots, cottage industry business model, so to me it makes sense that he would start by taking a tentative step with new games first, then seeing how bringing in older workers goes. Pretty exciting stuff.

"Human history and growth are both linked closely to strife. Without conflict, humanity would have no impetus for growth. When humans are satisfied with their present condition, they may as well give up on life."

HyperGumba

  • Substitutional Immortality
  • Touhou MUCK's PR Person or something
Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2014, 03:51:27 PM »
I have to say, having followed the news in the past, about ZUN at AWA and everything, I am not /too/ surprised, but seeing this taking this kind of development is absolutely fantastic. I doubt we will get to see anything concrete in terms of 'new game' anytime soon, probably by the end of the year... unless ZUN plans to publish whatever he has in the works for May to the Western audiences as well. Wouldn't a spin-off game be a good game to start experiments with on a new sales platform, instead of fiddling around with the main series before knowing it will work out somehow?

Clicking the signature leads you to our flash-based web client! ~ Here is some extensive info on TM! ~ I also have a Tumblr now!

cuc

  • *
  • Probably won't respond 'til this mess is sorted o?
Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2014, 04:10:50 PM »
lol actually that was a haphazardly written post, meant to go up immediately. A real report is in the works. When it is posted, I'll talk about what ZUN was thinking.
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

Gpop

  • Subconscious Rose Girl, Koishi
  • FIRST PLACE BAYBEE!
Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2014, 06:53:49 PM »
It's habbening :getdown:

Ghaleon

  • Long twintail-o-holic
Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2014, 07:27:13 PM »
Doubtful, but hopefully if things sell well for him (and i expect they will) this will make fangame devs like aquastyle consider opening up to western audiences as well.

qMyon

  • Chill - just chill
  • Keepin' it vanilla smooth
Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2014, 06:49:30 AM »
This'll be interesting. I wonder what sort of game he has in mind, and whether he has any plan for localization.

Jq1790

  • Wow I'm back to playing this game.
  • Let's puzzle together again, Karin!
Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #9 on: March 18, 2014, 11:36:21 AM »
This'll be interesting. I wonder what sort of game he has in mind, and whether he has any plan for localization.
Why would he have to, if the fans would end up doing it anyway, as he's no doubt seen?
If you're a Pazudora player and aren't on #puzzleandlibrarians, come join us!

E-Nazrin

  • .... what're you looking at?
  • fuwafuwa pachipachi
Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2014, 04:56:56 PM »
I suspect if any of the usual translation crews have gotten wind of this yet they've already tried to contact him about what sort of help he'd like on that end.

That said, the wording of the announcement makes me think that ZUN implied that this next game would be made with global publishing in mind; I'm both excited to see whether he takes advantage of that and hoping he won't stray too far from the formula for our sake.
There was something here once. Wonder what...

qMyon

  • Chill - just chill
  • Keepin' it vanilla smooth
Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #11 on: March 19, 2014, 09:45:11 AM »
Why would he have to, if the fans would end up doing it anyway, as he's no doubt seen?

"Letting fans do it" is a plan to me.  :]

One never knows if he might pull a rabbit out of his hat where this sort of thing is concerned.

Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #12 on: April 08, 2014, 10:26:54 PM »
Can you imagine if the character and places names were localized? I don't think it will happen but if it did... some names like Reimu, Marisa, Sakuya and Alice are safe because they are main characters. So are western-styled names like Wriggle, Mystia and Remilia. But what about Reisen Udongein Inaba? Suwako Moriya? Shinmyoumaru Sukuna?

A more likely scenario is that the translators accept that the game deals more with eastern culture and leave the names be. But there are other things to take into consideration. Will youkai be called spirits now? Will characters like Futo be referred to as Futo of the Mononobe? Orin means "piss" in spanish which is why I'd suggest calling her "Rinina" (a portmanteau of Rin and minina, which means she-kitty) at least in that language, or just plain Rin. Cirno could probably change to Chiruno or something else, the pronunciation of  Keine could change to sound phonetically-correct in german and finally... Shikieiki Yamaxanadu could also see some changes, like being called Eiki Shiki the Yamaxanadu or something like that.

Ahh so much at stake and to tell the truth I'd be interested to see the changes that it would entail if any. Then again, ZUN still has this in the "I'm interested" phase.

Kilgamayan

  • True
  • *
  • The Real Treasure Is You
    • Let's Play Super Marisa World
Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #13 on: April 09, 2014, 02:38:08 AM »
There is a 0% chance ZUN will agree to a deal with any localization team that would make such changes without asking him first, and there is a negative% chance ZUN would vet such things.

ZUN doesn't need the money from overseas sales, and thanks to AWA, he knows there are a number of folks here that would do just about anything for the privilege of bringing the games to the West. He's holding all the cards in this situation.
[22:40:12] <Drake> "guys i donwloaded esod but its not workan"
[22:40:21] <Drake> REPORTED
[22:40:25] <NaturallyOccurringChoja> PROBATED
[22:40:30] <Drake> ORGASM
[22:40:32] <NaturallyOccurringChoja> FUCK YEAH

[22:28:39] <Edible> Mafia would be a much easier game if we were playing "spot the asshole"

Drake

  • *
Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #14 on: April 09, 2014, 03:52:42 AM »
The only change you suggested there that makes sense is Eiki Shiki, because that's what we should have been calling her the whole time.

Will youkai be called spirits now?
Youkai aren't spirits. If anything, our current terminology of yuurei -> "phantom" and bourei -> "ghost" would change.

Will characters like Futo be referred to as Futo of the Mononobe?
Perhaps, but this isn't really a necessary change to make at all. This is just how it ends up being pronounced; it isn't even written this way.

Orin means "piss" in spanish which is why I'd suggest calling her "Rinina" (a portmanteau of Rin and minina, which means she-kitty) at least in that language, or just plain Rin.
Why would you be wary of translators "localizing" names and then make an exception.

Cirno could probably change to Chiruno or something else
why

the pronunciation of  Keine could change to sound phonetically-correct in german
keine being a german word is a total coincidence
« Last Edit: April 09, 2014, 04:02:33 AM by Drake »

A Colorful Calculating Creative and Cuddly Crafty Callipygous Clever Commander
- original art by Aiけん | ウサホリ -

Kimidori

  • Undefined Fantastic Girl, Nue
Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #15 on: April 10, 2014, 05:27:07 PM »
It's very unlikely that they would "localize" the name, the game is filled with eastern culture reference and whoever do the the translation should know the demographic who would most likely want to buy the game. and I imagine that a huge backlash from the western Touhou fandom would ensues should they do that.


"No matter what, cute is justice. If you're watching shows without moe, you should really be questioning your life decisions. The creation of 2D anime girls is the pinnacle of human achievement." -Logan M

Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #16 on: April 10, 2014, 06:55:35 PM »
There is a reason why I started my post with "can you imagine?" Well thanks to the replies I think I have an idea of what would happen! :D

and there is a negative% chance ZUN would vet such things.
Though I have seen no evidence for this statement, you people know ZUN more than I do. And I really hope, no, I trust you're right; else, everyone will flip.

@Drake: Nope, the only change I suggested was the Rinina one. Everything else was anticipating changes that, for the sake of the fandom, would never undergo. All points taken except...
Why would you be wary of translators "localizing" names and then make an exception. No, no, even if none were localized at all, this is still a realistic situation that has already happened. Dragon Ball for the Latin American version with Chichi being called Milk. Most of the rest of the names were respected (with some phonetic changes), even Mr. Satan.

@Kimidori: Exactly, if they want their "adapted" games to sell that is. Thankfully, as Kilgamayan already stated,  ZUN has THE say in this. Hopefully he will think that way.
« Last Edit: April 10, 2014, 07:31:14 PM by frostare »

Gusano Wornis

  • Member of Team Mystique
Re: At BitSummit 2014, ZUN Announced Intention to Publish Touhou Overseas
« Reply #17 on: April 16, 2014, 10:18:37 PM »
Quote
Orin means "piss" in spanish
Nope. its "Orina" that means piss. like the same thing with just an added a.
carrying dead weight since 2015~