Author Topic: Touhou 16 「東方天空璋(とうほうてんくうしょう) ~ Hidden Star in Four Seasons」 announced  (Read 294946 times)

Helepolis

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I immediately began thinking about that circular motive on the opening screen. Perhaps they're the same?
Yup, they are exactly the same. It is the loading screen window/circle thingi indeed. The size even matches without resizing if I put them together in Photoshop.

[attach=1]

Spectral Nexus

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There is a huge wheel or something big behind the boss. It goes all around.
It's definitely visible, however I believe it may not be related to the silhouette, and is moreso a background graphic, considering the wheel does seem to overlap the silhouette rather than merging with it -- you can see it more clearly by looking at the two side characters. This most likely suggests that the two graphics are separate rather than being one and the same, as they have different opacities.

But the relation to the loading screen graphic is very interesting indeed.

EDIT: On second thought, I may have misinterpreted the original comment, as you don't explicitly say that you think the wheel sigil is part of the boss graphic itself. My apologies there
« Last Edit: July 26, 2017, 08:47:12 PM by Spectral Nexus »
COMPOSING FOR: Magical Moon Story / Mystic Memory Drive (Full Game)
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- Hopefully a few of my own future fangames! :-D

I swear the rightmost character actually has her left arm raised and is holding something. Am I going mad?
Whatever this is, I really have no idea what to make out of it. The two side characters assisting the center one or them being a separate encounter (or both of these options at once) seem about equally plausible.

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks of that!  It looks kind of like she's holding a sheathed sword's handle on her back. 

Tengukami

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I reckon it's probably the aforementioned bamboo shrub described in cuc's post.

"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."

With Lily coming back for spring, do you think it's possible that Letty comes back as the stage 4 midboss? (Or boss!) She was fought in the Forest of Magic in PCB, so I don't think it's impossible that this is the case.

Jimmy

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Yeah, she definitely would fit the theme of the upcoming winter stage, but knowing ZUN, she'll rather be a midboss and the main boss of that stage is most likely a new character.
Normal 1cc: EoSD, PCB, IN, PoFV, MoF, UFO, TD, DDC, LoLK Legacy, HSiFS, WBaWC
Hard 1cc: IN, DDC, HSiFS
Extra clears: MoF, DDC, HSiFS, WBaWC

Goals: Going Extra Hard!

I'd wager that no, Letty won't come back, but it's certainly possible. We didn't get the Akis in the Autumn stage so it's not like ZUN's going out of his way to include the season youkai. Plus Lily's already a pretty recurring character, and since she's a simple minded fairy who doesn't talk it seems like it's pretty easy to just throw her in.

Though it's not impossible or even that unlikely. I'd just guess no.
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cuc

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Brief summary of some more random info on Matara-jin - again, I'm not saying they have to figure in Touhou 16 at all, but it breaks down what his deal is:

Origin:
Ennin was one of the important Buddhist monks who studied at Tang China. During his voyage back to Japan, he heard Matara-jin calling out to him. His sect would establish Matara-jin as the patron of 常行三昧堂 (JP: Jōgyō-zanmai-dō) - a hall for mystic training, and 玄旨帰命 (JP: Genshi Kimyō) - a Tantric rite of initiation. All in all, he was supposed to be a hidden god not shown to the public.

As patron of the performing arts:
This also makes him the patron of ushirodo, the space at the rear of the temple complex. Among other purposes, the ushirodo was used for Noh and related theatrical performances. This should be why Matara-jin became a patron of the performing arts associated with the Hata clan.

Connection with Silla Korea:
Ennin frequently associated with and learned from monk scholars of Silla during his stay in China, especially when at 赤山法華院 (CN: Chishan Fahua-yuan), a temple in today's Shandong Province founded by a Silla general. In his true nature, Matara-jin might simply be adopted from their local worship.

Explanaining his role as Yama's secretary:
Said local god is often explained to be 泰山府君 (CN: Taishan Fujun; JP: Taizan Fukun), god of Mount Taishan in Shandong, one of the most important mountains in Chinese culture. The notion of this god appeared around 200 CE under the influence of Buddhism, as patron of the boundary between the living and the dead. The god was highly popular with rich Taoist and folk lore appearances, and played an important role in the wizardry of Abe no Seimei.

(Mount Tai and Taishan Fujun also have a strong connection with the Big Dipper.)

As a merger of Daikokuten and Dakini, hermaphrodite, god of eroticism, etc.:
The Genshi Kimyō rite would absorb increasingly more elements of Tantric eroticism, leading to its banning as an evil cult in mid-Edo era, and the burning of its books.


EDIT:
By the way, I forgot about mentioning the biggest connection. It is common Chinese lore that the direction of the Big Dipper's handle indicates the four seasons. In spring it points east, in summer south, and so on. This is something you might be taught in elementary schools.


EDIT2:
I also haven't reported on July 14's Nikenme Radio stream. In short:

- ZUN couldn't guarantee the downloadable demo be released at the usual time. This is why we haven't seen the demo.
- The second half of HSiFS will betray your expectation. It will make you feel uneasy, maybe creep you out. You will see it from the artwork of the fourth boss.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2017, 07:03:50 AM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter


- The second half of HSiFS will betray your expectation. It will make you feel uneasy, maybe creep you out. You will see it from the artwork of the fourth boss.

Yeesh, so much for a game he said it wouldn't have too many twists, hahaha.  I'm curious about what kind of uneasy youkai he could be talking about.  Since it's more or less guaranteed it'd be in the forest of magic, at night, and during winter, there's quite a handful of scary looking youkai that would fit the bill.

Fulisha of Light

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- The second half of HSiFS will betray your expectation. It will make you feel uneasy, maybe creep you out. You will see it from the artwork of the fourth boss.

inb4 he adds a male character to the game  :V

cuc

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On the other hand, he also said the Reisen Extra will anger us, and it did?by being a glorified ad for the next fighting game lol.
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

Jimmy

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To be fair, Nemuno already had creeped me out decently on the first encounter, but if ZUN himself says that the fourth boss is gonna be creepy, oh boy, gotta brace myself for the next stage.

I feel like that the twist in HSiFS' plot is gonna be good deal greater than in LoLK. Seeing what ZUN said according to cuc's post, I don't think that this game will turn out to be that light-hearted at all :V

Still looking forward to it though, especially the potential triple final boss fight.
Normal 1cc: EoSD, PCB, IN, PoFV, MoF, UFO, TD, DDC, LoLK Legacy, HSiFS, WBaWC
Hard 1cc: IN, DDC, HSiFS
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Goals: Going Extra Hard!

CrestedPeak9

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I can hardly say I'm surprised given how serious the music sounded...
That said, I wonder how the difficulty will turn out to be like.
Lunatic 1cc: EoSD, PCB, IN, MoF, TD, DDC, LoLK, HSiFS, WBaWC

Spectral Nexus

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I just hope the fanbase will be more accepting to whatever it is.
COMPOSING FOR: Magical Moon Story / Mystic Memory Drive (Full Game)
- Old Chateau Story (Stage 3 and Title Themes)
- Ephemeral Unnatural Balance (Stage 2 & Stage 5 Themes)
- Illusionary Visual Twilight (Full Game)
- Hopefully a few of my own future fangames! :-D

Kilgamayan

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I like the amount of speculation surrounding the idea of a three-person final boss fight as if we didn't already get one in 12.8 (and, to a lesser extent, 13).
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game2011

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I like the amount of speculation surrounding the idea of a three-person final boss fight as if we didn't already get one in 12.8 (and, to a lesser extent, 13).
The difference is that the two games you mentioned are a trio of bosses that appeared in previous stages, whereas this one is implied that all three bosses won't show up until the final battle.

As for the stage 4 boss comment, as long as she's not based on any monster/demon/ghost that has relations to viscus (internal organs), I'm cool with it.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2017, 01:00:27 PM by game2011 »

Helepolis

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Except there is no implication but only assumption based on a front cover. It remains speculation no matter how you look at it.

game2011

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Except there is no implication but only assumption based on a front cover. It remains speculation no matter how you look at it.
It's the first time something like this happened.  ZUN never squeezed bosses from multiple stages onto the cover before, barring the PC-98 ones.

Helepolis

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I understand and agree with ZUN surprising us by displaying multiple silhouettes. That is a fact and definitely something new based on his last releases. However, some people are jumping the gun speculating about them being final bosses together. Of course nothing wrong with hopes and wishes. But it won't be anything surprising, as Ten Desires had it already. Even if they were from previous stages.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2017, 01:07:05 PM by Helepolis »

cuc

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It's the first time something like this happened.  ZUN never squeezed bosses from multiple stages onto the cover before, barring the PC-98 ones.
Mokou was featured on the IN cover. I'm not pulling your leg, you can find her silhouette inside the moon.
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

game2011

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Mokou was featured on the IN cover. I'm not pulling your leg, you can find her silhouette inside the moon.
She is, however, very small compared to Kaguya, whereas all three on this game's cover are equally big.  It's as if they are equally important.

Tengukami

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I, for one, welcome having my expectations betrayed and being creeped out by a Touhou game.

So if the trio is the final boss, and the artwork of the 4th boss is going to be a reflection of the latter half of the game, then I suspect a variety of extreme weather conditions: high winds, hail, lightning, torrential rain and so forth. The fourth boss will be some kind of extreme weather spirit, coming at you with weather conditions that reflect whatever secondary skill you chose. Then in Stage 5 you'll have to deal with the companions of Matara-jin, and then in Stage 6 you'll deal with all three of them.

That, or Stage 4 will have Alex Jones as the boss, who screams at you and hurls gay frogs at you.

"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."

Suwako Moriya

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The only thing this dimension does well is show its ass. We might as well applaud it! - Albert Burneko

Well, this game happened.

I'm jumpin up n down now. all of this new speculation has got me hyped.
(also for those living in america and Canada, expect the new game on the 10th not the 11th)

Drake

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For those living in the Americas I'd hope they're either in Japan at the time or are willing to wait for the mail!

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But it won't be anything surprising, as Ten Desires had it already. Even if they were from previous stages.

Even if it isn't surprising, it might at least be better utilized than Ten Desire's version of it.  For Ten Desires, it was just one single spell card (and a rather simplistic one) where IIRC Miko herself didn't even DO ANYTHING whatsoever (which was funny and made even funnier by the dialogue but makes the battle itself more like a battle against two turrets and one hit box than a battle against three bosses).

If the final battle even has anything remotely to do with three different characters, odds are pretty good it'll top what Ten Desires did if only by stint of a low bar being set.

(that's talking about if they're just basically summoned familiars of course a la Ten Desires.  ZUN already did an actual tri-boss fight with Fairy Wars as pointed out previously)
« Last Edit: July 27, 2017, 03:58:43 PM by Tiamat »

Jimmy

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She is, however, very small compared to Kaguya, whereas all three on this game's cover are equally big.  It's as if they are equally important.
Plus, the two silhouettes flanking the middle one both have that distinct feature on their heads, which can also be seen on the picture with Matara-jin and his both servants that cuc's posted a couple of pages back, making me doubt that they'll be main bosses by themselves. I reckon that one of them could already appear on stage 4/5 and the other one on stage 5/6 as midbosses and then appear altogether with the actual final boss.
Normal 1cc: EoSD, PCB, IN, PoFV, MoF, UFO, TD, DDC, LoLK Legacy, HSiFS, WBaWC
Hard 1cc: IN, DDC, HSiFS
Extra clears: MoF, DDC, HSiFS, WBaWC

Goals: Going Extra Hard!

Plus, the two silhouettes flanking the middle one both have that distinct feature on their heads, which can also be seen on the picture with Matara-jin and his both servants that cuc's posted a couple of pages back, making me doubt that they'll be main bosses by themselves. I reckon that one of them could already appear on stage 4/5 and the other one on stage 5/6 as midbosses and then appear altogether with the actual final boss.

Other posiblility is to have 2 midbosses on stage 6, that would be cool, and then you could face all three of them as the final boss.

Jimmy

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Or that.
A double midboss for the final stage would certainly be unique too, since it's never happened before either. However, I think it'd be a tad more likely that they'd appear earlier trying to halt the heroines' progress, and because they're being inevitably defeated while fighting on their own, they'll try to fight the heroines together with their master/the final boss in the end.

Let's wait and see. There are quite a number of possibilities.
« Last Edit: July 28, 2017, 10:28:43 AM by Jimmy »
Normal 1cc: EoSD, PCB, IN, PoFV, MoF, UFO, TD, DDC, LoLK Legacy, HSiFS, WBaWC
Hard 1cc: IN, DDC, HSiFS
Extra clears: MoF, DDC, HSiFS, WBaWC

Goals: Going Extra Hard!

game2011

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Or that.
A double midboss
Not final stage, but happened already in DDC's extra stage, the Tsukumo Sisters.