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Forum - View topicNEWS: Working Designs Shuts Down
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Ataru
 Posts: 2306 Location: Missouri (Strikeman) |
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As a really big fan of this company, I will really miss them. From their release of the collector edition of Lunar and Lunar 2 with Ghaleon punching puppet, which you have to pre-order it when it came out, which I still have... somewhere. Need the less, since the Sega CD days, Lunar was my Final Fantasy and pulled me and others to the aging system that hardly anyone bought... will that and Sonic CD, the best Sonic game ever.
But as more game companys are bring over niche titles like Katamari and other companys grabbing the "gold", it's hard for the company to stay a float, that and not getting being able to obtain approval for all the games he wanted to port over. If you call yourself a gamer... make that RPG gamer and never heard of this company, your are not a gamer in my heart. |
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GATSU
Posts: 15337 |
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Bah, first they blame SEGA for their problems and now Sony. They just kept licensing too many obscure games and selling them above market prices. I enjoyed Lunar, but I understand how people feel about paying $70 for it.
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otimus
 Posts: 63 |
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Good riddance. Lunar and Lunar 2 are two of my favorite games of all time, and they outright butchered them.
It's not a wise idea to replace word play jokes with POTTY HUMOR AND CLINTON JOKES, AND JOKES ABOUT WHEATIES. For that, I cheer for their demise. (Note, that's mostly because I could be called a Lunar fanboy.) |
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ChibiGoku
Posts: 678 |
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OHMYGODTHEYLOCOLIZEDSEVERALJOKESOMGTHEWORLDISENDING Ahem. Listen, Working designs did not modify any of the nudity in Eternal Blue (PSX Edition) , which they easily could of done. Majority of the translation was decent from my memory, with a few jokes changed here or there. Not to mention, WD provided the original lyrics, both romaji and translation, in the manual that was provided. I don't see Square doing that, ever. WD is a decent company, not one of the best, but is decent. Though at times, I do wish they would of left alone the songs in japanese, but I guess we just have to deal with what we get. The only thing that sucks is Goemon for PS2 will remain unreleased here in the US now. I'm doubting we'll actually ever see anymore Goemon releases. . . . . . |
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Nionel
 Posts: 357 Location: Nebraska |
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I assume this means we're out of luck on a state side release of any more Growlaser games or the PS2 version of Dragon Force for that matter. It's too bad, I like companies like WD and Atlus that bring over the more niche RPGs, since a lot of those are better than the more main stream stuff. This makes me wish I had held on to my copies of the Lunar games though
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Seif
 Posts: 457 |
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Because Japanesae wordplay is just so OMGWTF AWESOME, right? And anyone compnay that dares to alter PUNS should be condemed and ran out of buisness, regardless of how many fans the please or how much work they put into there games. They offended YOU, by god. They obviously deserve it. Go you. I'm also a Lunar fanboy. Lunar II is my favorite game of all time. I actually FINISHED that piece of shit they called Lunar: Dragon Song. And I love WD. Even if they altered some dialouge, they kept the spirit and the magic into the games. They cared. They cared about release cult hits to a audience no other company would give the time of day. You know what? You may have not liked or wanted all that premium packaging, but a decked out Lunar:SSSC for $70 is still better then no Lunar at all. They cared about there fans, and actually personally replied to emails. I've contacted them twice, and they gave me long reasonable answers rather then stock repiles. And they loved the games they worked on. They effort they put into there releases is insane. No other company has the devotion they had to their products. WD was a fan-made company supported by fans. They set the bar for localization in RPGs. They will be missed. |
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otimus
Posts: 63 |
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They could try and replace a word play joke with at least something kind of or even vaguely similiar in english, not a frigging goddamn clinton joke, or potty jokes, or whatever. It just KILLS the moments they're in. I was VERY Happy they cut down on it in Lunar 2.
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Chrno2
 Posts: 6171 Location: USA |
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Man now this is news! I had wondered what was going on with them and all since they hadn't been active since the last 'Lunar' game.
While I wasn't crazy about their "dubbing" in such games like 'Lunar', I do thank them for taking that step in porting other classic game titles that gave us something different in the days of 'FF'. So in a way they have made a little mark on RPG gaming history. No matter how cheesy their scripting is. Like they say, if you don't like how a game company does something you can always learn "Japanese" and play the imports. I own both the domestic and the imports of the 'Lunar' series. But only the remakes on the PSX/PS1. I also own the domestic version on the Sega CD. I don't forsee myself giving up them up anytime soon. 
So, fare thee well oh sweet prince. Or in the case of 'John Truitt' of 'Lunar' fame, "Tah-tah sweet pea!" 
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CorneredAngel
 Posts: 854 Location: New York, NY |
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Not entirely true - since Lunar, they brought out Gungriffon Blaze, Silpheed, and Growlancer Generations, all for the PS2. At least the last one of those made a splash if you are into tactical RPGs any. But ultimately, like Jeremy Parish commented, what got them was irrelevance, and being caught by the trend they pioneered. Atlus and NIS are doing a much better job of putting out quirky Japanese games than WD ever could, and now, with things like Katamari, even the big boys are getting in on the game. A small outfit like Working Designs just couldn't compete. |
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Chrno2
Posts: 6171 Location: USA |
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Ahhh, I see.
Yes, I do remember the 'Langrisser' and 'Growlanser' series. Thanks for the extra info "CorneredAngel" 
Well, I figured as much. I mean for awhile 'WD' was the little company that managed to make a break in the 'RPGs' business. Every now and then you got some good titles and some odd titles. Then came 'Atlus' U.S.A. And they brought us a few of the 'Nippon Ichi' software titles. But as you can see 'Atlus' has picked up the pace on bigger prospects. One being the 'Shin Megami Tensei' games. Which are created by 'Atlus JP' anyway. Now 'Nippon Ichi Software' is getting popularity here through other companies. Not mention them getting a subsidiary company here in the states (NIS) so they can publish their own titles. Again another small company making waves. Even though their first game here with 'Atlus' wasn't exactly a hit it got their foot in the door. But 'Disgaea' gave them their major mark on the *map.To push for their other material. Oh and let's not forget 'Ubi Soft' taking over with some titles of their own. Like the 'Evolution' series and the 'Grandia' series (not counting the 3rd installment released by 'Square-Enix'). Yeah, I guess 'WD' did get left in the dust. As you can see the movement. After reading reading 'Fred Patten's essays on "Watching Anime, Reading Manga" I realize gaming industries share a lot in common with anime when it comes to being ported to our shores. What starts out small grows to something bigger. And depending on how things go some little companies survive and some die. Yep, that's the way it goes. |
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Ataru
Posts: 2306 Location: Missouri (Strikeman) |
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 Hello translation errors.
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JETBLACK87
 Posts: 1073 |
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Butchered brings to mind good things: 
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GATSU
Posts: 15337 |
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Don't really care about the pop culture references, but the voice actors on the PS games were pretty lame, especially Gayleon, I mean Ghaleon. Also, I don't see the point in paying $70 for crap I don't need. I mean it might be great if I sold junk on E-bay, but I'd like better accessories for my money. Anyway, even the fans were grumbling about how long they took to release something. I've often compared them to Animeigo, although at least the latter company finally found a hit in its samurai library.
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JETBLACK87
Posts: 1073 |
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Did they ever release two versions of any of their games? Like a special addition and a regular one? I'm sure there are people that like paying that much money for that sort of thing, but as a few have already said, there are people that don't like it.
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Seif
Posts: 457 |
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Wow, that was pretty clever. And yeah, not everyone wanted the extra stuff, but at least they busted their ass bringing it over. Expensive edition is better then not version at all, no? |
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