Author Topic: ZUN and Touhou status update  (Read 412829 times)

Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: Wreck-It Ralph makes ZUN cry
« Reply #210 on: May 10, 2013, 10:25:49 AM »
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All that stuff but Suwako also happened in CiLR.

Yeah, but if you only use Inaba of Moon and Earth as reference, some people don't believe you.

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Some forum posts say, with FS, ZUN wanted to find one who was a clean slate, not involved with the Touhou fandom, and was greatly pleased to discover Harukawa. But as I said, it's hard to tell whether they were paraphrasing real things they heard, daydreaming, or just trolling.

So many inconclusive answers.

cuc

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Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: Wreck-It Ralph makes ZUN cry
« Reply #211 on: May 12, 2013, 02:37:28 PM »
Touhou 14 demo development in the last stretch.

From May 11:
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Beer has almost run out, so I was going to the supermarket to buy some. At that moment, my father-in-law came to fetch us some beer. Dad, you are so good at understanding our thoughts!

Seems the wife is going to bring some guests home. Development is in the totally awesome last spurt, so I'll be hiding in my workshop today.

From May 12 (today):
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ZUN: Coming up with skill names for fighting games always drives me nuts. This is not limited to HM.

ZUN: Eat this! "Japanese Pilsener"!

Someone: Only skill names? In general, aren't names coupled with moves?

ZUN: Indeed, names are coupled with moves. However in the case of fighting games, often the skills' gameplay are created first and foremost, and names are added later.

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Someone: Hello. Congratulations on the new game. When you make a game, which part is the most difficult, programming, music, or artwork?

ZUN: Attending the cons.

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heppoko: [After retweeting news about a possible Martian Successor Nadesico sequel]They are making a sequel? -> It's a social game. Better not be like this...

ZUN: May also be live action.

heppoko: Touhou has already been adapted into live action by TMA [NOTE: infamous producer of cosplay porn videos], so there's nothing to worry about.

D.N.A.: |?д)

ZUN: Not adapted by Hollywood yet.
« Last Edit: May 12, 2013, 11:50:51 PM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

Drake

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Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: Not adapted by Hollywood yet
« Reply #212 on: May 12, 2013, 09:58:10 PM »
ZUN is a classy fellow

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

Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: Not adapted by Hollywood yet
« Reply #213 on: May 12, 2013, 11:30:37 PM »
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ZUN: Coming up with skill names for fighting games always drives me nuts. This is not limited to HM.

ZUN: Eat this! "Japanese Plisener"!

Someone: Only skill names? In general, aren't names coupled with moves?

ZUN: Indeed, names are coupled with moves. However in the case of fighting games, often the skills' gameplay are created first and foremost, and names are added later.

That was interesting to know.

Tengukami

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Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: Not adapted by Hollywood yet
« Reply #214 on: May 12, 2013, 11:48:31 PM »
Pretty sure that's supposed to be "Pilsener", a type of beer.

"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."

cuc

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Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: Not adapted by Hollywood yet
« Reply #215 on: May 13, 2013, 12:20:12 AM »
I knew that but still spelt it wrong.

I'm thinking about adding a list of recurring names to the OP. This is a rough draft.

Hakurei Kannushi and family:
ZUN: Sole member of Shanghai Alice Gengakudan (Shanghai Alice Fantasy Music Band). Making Touhou full-time since 2007.

ki-san: ZUN's wife and former co-worker. Game programmer. Loves frogs. Also loves drinking.

The doujin game friends:
Iruka Unabara: Leader and designer of Twilight Frontier (Tasofro for short), developer of the fighting games.

Uni Akiyama: a.k.a. U2, composer at Twilight Frontier. Wrote "Broken Moon".

D.N.A. Softwares: Good friends with ZUN. Developer of Touhou Unreal Mahjong.

heppoko: A relatively young doujin developer.

Game industry connections:
Yuuichi Tanzawa: ZUN's former co-worker, now a game designer at Square Enix. Main member of the PoriPori Club web broadcast.

Yoshiro Kimura: Legendary game designer known for creating cult games such as Chulip and Little King Story. Main member of PoriPori Club.

Print work-related:
Aya Azuma: Artist of Touhou Ibarakasen ~ Wild and Horned Hermit. Still in college.

Moe Harukawa: Artist of Touhou Suzunaan ~ Forbidden Scrollery.

Tetsuro Okonogi: Editor of several Touhou print works at the publisher Ichijinsha. Hosts ZUN's monthly web broadcast "Radio Begins from the Second Pub" (Nikenme Radio).
« Last Edit: May 13, 2013, 03:02:31 AM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

cuc

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Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: Not adapted by Hollywood yet
« Reply #216 on: May 14, 2013, 01:45:05 PM »
Touhou 13.5 has gone gold! Detailed translation here. Seems Tasofro will be updating their site in the next few days before Reitaisai.

==================

ZUN tweets from May 13:
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Someone: Hello. I'm a fan of Touhou. One question, what is the price of July 27's WaHH Vol. 3? BTW, Personally I'd like to hear Kasen's BGM.

ZUN: Vol. 3 is sold as a normal version and a special version bundled with a figurine. You can see the details here. I want to hear Kasen's BGM, too. [link to a news article about WaHH]

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ZUN: GungHo's market cap has surpassed Nintendo. [link to a news article]

[NOTE: GungHo is the company behind Puzzle & Dragons, the highest-grossing mobile phone game in Japan and worldwide. Their success story is unprecedented; if you care about the game industry, you should take at least a little notice of that.]

ZUN: Surpassing Nintendo with just one mobile app hit. How romantic.
« Last Edit: May 14, 2013, 02:05:00 PM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

N-Forza

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Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: Touhou 13.5 gone gold
« Reply #217 on: May 14, 2013, 03:19:26 PM »
The Japanese like to use "romantic" more in a "something happening beyond your wildest dreams" or "ultimate ideal" sense on numerous occasions though, including this.

cuc

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Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: Touhou 13.5 gone gold
« Reply #218 on: May 15, 2013, 02:45:16 PM »
ZUN twitter, May 15:

At 2 AM:
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Getting up at this hour, such a life is coming to an end soon.
I wonder whether he adapted such a schedule (getting up at midnight, and going to bed at dusk) for the development of other games before.

At 6 AM:
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Drink while developing games, and you'll know. Compared to drawing and composing, programming takes up the least amount of space, and suits drinking the best. Therefore programmers should drink.
No comment.

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Someone: This time Sakuya is a playable character. I feel for this Incident, it's still OK to continue Youmu and Sanae's promotion to this position. Then why is Sakuya the only one playable? (Not counting the two basic playables Reimu and Marisa)

ZUN: Please play the game, then you'll see it.
So there'll be full justification for Sakuya's involvement. Not that he ever failed to provide it.

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Someone: Sorry to trouble you while you are busy. In the upcoming Hakurei Shrine Regular Grand Festival, Twilight Frontier will release the complete version of HM, and Shanghai Alice will release the trial version of DDC. Will both games be sold as a bundle on that day? I'm worried if I get in the line for one game, I won't be able to buy the other.

ZUN: This hasn't been decided yet. Selling both simultaneously has both advantages and disadvantages. We'll have to talk with the con staff and consider the matter.
Related Touhou history: several times in the past, ZUN and Tasofro actually made use of a "combined queue" at conventions: the two circle were seated together, and their customers used the same queue, so you only had to wait in one line to buy the products of them both. Apparently they did that even when the game sold by Twilight Frontier had nothing to do with Touhou.

It has been known for a few months that ZUN and Tasofro's booths are next to each other during this Reitaisai, but we still don't know how they'll solve the simultaneous release problem this time.
« Last Edit: May 15, 2013, 03:59:29 PM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

cuc

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Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: Touhou 14 demo also gone gold
« Reply #219 on: May 16, 2013, 04:54:58 AM »
At 9AM, May 16:
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ZUN: It's the time to burn the master disc, right~?

At 12PM:
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ZUN: The burning of the master disc has begun. I use at most one or two CD-Rs each year, but has got fewer and fewer of them.

Someone: How about Taiyo Yuden's [NOTE: inventor of the CD-R tech] CD-R specifically designed for master discs?

ZUN: I don't use something that expensive.
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

cuc

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Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: Touhou 14 demo also gone gold
« Reply #220 on: May 16, 2013, 06:34:11 AM »
From 1 PM:
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ZUN: Haven't come out in a while~ I see the world has already entered summer.

An hour later, probably after sending the master disc to manufacturer:
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ZUN: Gone gold! I can turn back into a human being now!

ZUN: To commemorate my return to humanity, I have no choice but to go drinking.
« Last Edit: May 16, 2013, 07:13:42 AM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

Tengukami

  • Breaking news. Any season.
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Well he's certainly got his priorities in order.

Also, love the image of ZUN burning a master disc of a new Touhou game to a generic bargain bin CD-R from a convenience store.

"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."

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Touhou 13.5 has gone gold! Detailed translation here. Seems Tasofro will be updating their site in the next few days before Reitaisai.

What does this term mean, I hear it a lot, but I never bother to research.

cuc

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From a quick google:
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A game has "Gone Gold" when the final master copy has been produced at the developer and sent off for replication, packaging and shipment. The game is not yet released, but it will typically be around 2-3 weeks (sometimes less) before it begins appearing on store shelves and online pre-orders arriving at doorsteps. The term itself comes from the old practice of recordable CDs being manufactured with gold film. Hence the gold colored CD actually being the source, with no reference to copies sold as in the recording industry.

Now the research part, with help from Japanese wikipedia:

The phrase Tasofro used is actually the Japan-made English "master up", also used by the wider software industry. It has more of a "deadline" implication, and can be used for non-final versions such as beta versions.

Another phrase used by both the West and Japan is "golden master", referring to the final version.
« Last Edit: May 16, 2013, 10:15:45 AM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

cuc

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From 4PM:
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ZUN: Somehow I am here drinking with Okonogi. We drunk a lot.

From 8PM:
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ZUN: Drunk too much, gotta sleep. Seems I can't turn back to human yet.
I guess he's going to stay a youkai for a while.
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

Tengukami

  • Breaking news. Any season.
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  • I said, with a posed look.
He's like Keine. Only instead of the moon transforming him, it's beer.

"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."

CyberAngel

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He's like Keine. Only instead of the moon transforming him, it's beer.

Were-beasts are said to turn when they're drunk as well. So...he IS Keine, then?

an unmatched sock

  • Um...what's this?
  • Should I be concerned? I think I should be concern
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Were-beasts are said to turn when they're drunk as well. So...he IS Keine, then?

Well, he alone can truly make or destroy Gensokyo's history, so all signs point to yes.

Kirin no Sora

  • Wanderer of Gensokyo
  • I have returned from the nothingness once more...
...but if ZUN is Keine, what does that make ki-san?
There is no greater joy than knowing that the Touhou invasion is unstoppable, and the legacy of Gensokyo will never fade away...

Sagus

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Mokou.

yeah i'm not very creative  :V
« Last Edit: May 17, 2013, 12:51:04 AM by Sagus »
Peketo's Drawing Stuffs
Despite the name, it's mostly 3D models.

My fanfics.

update!!! Hijiri Byakuren in Hopeless Masquerade

http://www.tasofro.net/touhou135/index.html#130517

Kaze_Senshi

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Yay Byakuren, is her using a sword in the picture? Also did someone noticed that in the most of pictures someone is punching Marisa? :V
My youtube channel with my creations: https://www.youtube.com/user/KazeSenshi2929
( ゆっくりしていってね)>

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ZUN: Today, my wife's are coming to Tokyo so I can't join the 'boriboriclub'. Heading out for a drink


A short while ago. Boribori seems to be an onomatopeia for munching or scrunching. Huh.

cuc

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It's PoriPori☆Club, a web stream broadcast hosted by several game developers. ZUN has appeared in this show so many times they began to call ZUN their "regular guest" this year. He already had to give up the last show because he was busy making Touhou 14. Now that his wife's parents are coming, he'll miss another show.

But prior to this tweet...

At 8PM, May 17:
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ZUN: I've gotten used to sleeping at this hour, so I unintentionally fell asleep. Out for drinking now.

At 5AM, May 18:
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ZUN: Despite feeling drowsy, I still unexpectedly managed to drink into the morning. My return to humanity is complete.
What a high standard for being a human.

Well, I guess that's it for the Touhou 14 dev process twitter watch. The next few days should be mostly about translating Touhou 13.5 character reveals, which I'll be doing in the Frontpage News "HM Yay" thread. Look for my posts there.

HM updates start here:
http://nazr.in/4Gk

DDC early translation and analysis:
http://nazr.in/4zg

BTW, FS Ch. 7 will be released on May 25, one day before Reitaisai.

In unrelated fangame news, have you watched the trailer for Fantasy Maiden Wars 3?
http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm20886320

EDIT:
Futo update:
http://nazr.in/4IA

Miko update:
http://nazr.in/4JL
« Last Edit: May 19, 2013, 01:46:34 PM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

cuc

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Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: 2 days till Grand Festival
« Reply #234 on: May 24, 2013, 11:04:34 AM »
On May 23, ZUN retweeted the news about Amazon's Kindle Worlds service, where Amazon would acquire licenses for certain properties, allowing people to publish fanfiction for those IPs on Kindle for profit, and giving a cut to the IP owner.
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ZUN: Interesting. Why not try something like that in Japan?

Ban: We are going to do it.
Ban is head of the game/anime/manga department of Dwango, the company that runs Nico Video (if you are old enough, yes, Dwango inherited this name from the Doom online multiplayer service.) That's one solution to the TPP doujin doomsday, eh?

At 16PM, May 24:
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ZUN: I haven't been this nervous in a long time. This is already my second shower.
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

cuc

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Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: the day before the Grand Festival
« Reply #235 on: May 25, 2013, 01:42:32 PM »
Why was ZUN nervous yesterday? The answer is not Reitaisai, about which he should have nothing to worry about. The reason is this:

At 11PM, May 24:
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ZUN: Today, I got to drink with the master I'm a fan of, whom I consider to be the person closest to fantasy. This is the best experience of my life. I saw Akaishi Sanjin with my own eyes!! He is so kawaii.
Japanese Wikipedia tells me, Akaishi Sanjin is a director of the Taekwondo Association of Japan, and an elderly man with white beard.

At 10AM, May 25:
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ZUN: I got up and saw the priceless sake and black tea is still there in the room. It was not a dream.
Fanboy mode ZUN, you are kawaii, too!

So, who is this Akaishi Sanjin ZUN thinks so highly of he gives him the "closest to fantasy" evaluation? Since little non-Japanese info exists on him, he does need some introduction.

Akaishi Sanjin is a scholar with many insights about the mysteries of Japanese history, but instead of working in the academia, he opted to write popular history books about them. He is also the mentor of Kyogoku Natsuhiko. Kyogoku Natsuhiko, whom you may have heard from various anime adaptations, is a writer of supernatural mysteries. ZUN hasn't said much about it, but Kyogoku's works, especially his definition of youkai as arising from human imagination and memories, are a huge influence on the metaphysics of Touhou universe. It's harder to gauge how much Akaishi has influenced Touhou, but he's definitely not someone to be overlooked.

BTW, "Akaishi Sanjin" is a pen name. 散人 ?sanjin?, literally "unbound person", in traditional East Asian culture, is a person who lives freely, unwilling to climb the social ladders by becoming an official. Many scholars use this word in their pen names. It's also the exact word I've always used to describe ZUN.

==================

ZUN's blog update:
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The discs have been delivered

The CDs for tomorrow's Reitaisai release are done.
Of course I totally haven't replaced it with my Buddhist chanting CD by mistake.
Now I won't be going to Reitaisai empty-handed.
The price is 300 yen~ Don't make me give you changes, (especially newcomers should take notice)


Then he tweeted:
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ZUN: No idea why it's Sakuya.

ZUN: I'm already feeling the fulfillment at the end of a con now.

==================

HM updates: according to Unabara's tweets at this moment

-When making today's build, they discovered a critical ("nuclear landmine") bug.
-1 hour ago as of this post, they had just completed the unexpected heavy work to fix it.
-They will issue a patch tomorrow.
-Of course the promised gameplay video isn't happening.
« Last Edit: May 25, 2013, 03:33:10 PM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

cuc

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Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: the day before the Grand Festival
« Reply #236 on: May 25, 2013, 02:16:35 PM »
...And I forgot to post this: the golden Cirno at Akibahara's Toronoana store, standing amidst the catalogs of Reitaisai 10 (the catalog itself serves as the entrance ticket to Reitaisai), with the HM trailer playing behind her. It's a prize for something, I think. Click to enlarge.

The booth (taken by xykjxc):


The figure (taken by Protect_My_Garage):


It says "no photos allowed" there, but everyone takes pictures all the same.
« Last Edit: May 25, 2013, 02:44:04 PM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

Tengukami

  • Breaking news. Any season.
  • *
  • I said, with a posed look.
Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: the day before the Grand Festival
« Reply #237 on: May 25, 2013, 02:18:29 PM »
So Cirno is the final boss of HM?

"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."

cuc

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Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: the day before the Grand Festival
« Reply #238 on: May 25, 2013, 02:47:58 PM »
Oh darn it, forgot it again. The catalog doesn't have a ticket attached; it is the ticket itself. I only just realized every single non-circle, non-staff attender must be carrying this heavy book around.
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

ninryu

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Re: ZUN and Touhou status updates: the day before the Grand Festival
« Reply #239 on: May 25, 2013, 05:35:35 PM »
Doesn't look that heavy, though.

It's hard to believe a god like ZUN can fanboy over someone. That person must be really special.