Chrono Compendium
News and Updates => Site Updates => Topic started by: ZeaLitY on October 04, 2005, 11:10:03 am
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In the everlasting hunt for Masato Kato's career affiliation, new headway has been made via an IGN news post: he's signed on to Children of Mana, a game produced by none other than Square Enix. He's in charge of the story, of course, which (like those of his other titles) will probably be engaging and deep. The news bulletin reveals:
The game's producer is Kouchi Ishii, the creator of the Seiken Densetsu series and the director of its earlier games. Children of Mana will feature a story by Masato Kato, who worked as a writer on Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Baten Kaitos, and Xenogears. The character designs will be done by Nao Ikeda, who worked on Legend of Mana and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.
But does this mean Masato Kato is back with Square Enix for good? Many fans hope so, as this would align the forces necessary for a great new Chrono series game. However, Kato as last reported as a freelancer, and this might simply be a one-time deal at the moment. Regardless, it's good that Kato's apparently worked his creative differences out with the company. Now, if only Mitsuda had signed on the project too! Stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed. The press release can be accessed here (http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q4-2005/100305a.html).
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[Deleted]
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Another Kato DS game? I am SO glad I am getting one.
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Maybe now we'll have a decent Mana game after the SNES.
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This is a wonderful sign for the Chro... the Mana future.
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We don't know the exact circumstances behind Masato Kato's departure. I suspect it may have been a combination of
a) having enough experience and pedigree (Chrono series, FFXI) to strike it out on his own. Within the industry, freelance scenario work is a new concept, and he's among the first to try it
b) getting an interesting offer from outside the company (a former colleague)
c) realizing that Square would probably have no new projects for him (due to the continuation of FFXI and the fact that other teams have their own preferred writers already) in the forseeable future. It seems that Children of Mana, which is being produced under a newly assembled team, has turned out to be his first opportunity.
At any rate, I don't think there was ever any deep resentment between him and Square, despite whatever misgivings he may have had (starting from the problems on Chrono Trigger to the post-Chrono Cross resource chaos created by Sakaguchi's FF movie) during his tenure.
It's important to note that Kato worked as a FFXI planning director and scenarist up until the project's completion. He then became a freelancer after getting the Baten Kaitos offer. However, Kato also continued to represent Square (along with some of the upper producers) at those FFXI award ceremonies, so their working relationship was at least amicable.
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Maybe now we'll have a decent Mana game after the SNES.
So your saying Legend of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 4) for PlayStation is not a decent game
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I thought SOM was created by Brownie Browns, a team that LEFT squeenix?
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I thought SOM was created by Brownie Browns, a team that LEFT squeenix?
Brownie Brown created Sword of Mana for Square Enix. They were founded by a portion of the Legend of Mana staff, mainly artists (and none of the designers or directors). However, only a couple of them had anything to do with the SNES games.
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Uh, wasn't Sword of Mana a remake of Seiken Densetsu/FFAdventure or something?
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Uh, wasn't Sword of Mana a remake of Seiken Densetsu/FFAdventure or something?
Yeah
I thought SOM was created by Brownie Browns, a team that LEFT squeenix?
Brownie Brown created Sword of Mana for Square Enix. They were founded by a portion of the Legend of Mana staff, mainly artists (and none of the designers or directors). However, only a couple of them had anything to do with the SNES games.
So is it an internal studio, because if they broke up, why create games for the company you were with? Is it like, Monolith Soft, or like Amusement Vision?
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So is it an internal studio, because if they broke up, why create games for the company you were with? Is it like, Monolith Soft, or like Amusement Vision?
Brownie Brown is a Nintendo subsidiary. The founding staff broke away from Square during the disarray (regarding projects and money) stemming from the FF movie. Additionally, they wanted to focus on 2D graphics instead of 3D, which was Square's direction for its post-PSOne games.
As for the Sword of Mana arrangement, why not? Square offered them the contract, and they accepted (with Nintendo's authorization, of course).
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Maybe now we'll have a decent Mana game after the SNES.
So your saying Legend of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 4) for PlayStation is not a decent game
Yes. As was Sword of Mana for the GBA.
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so noboby gets confused
Seiken Densetsu Sword of Mana
Seiken Densetsu Secret of Mana
Sieken Densetsu 3
Seiken Densetsu 4 Legend of Mana
Seiken Densetsu DS Children of Mana
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No...
Seiken Densetsu 1=Final Fantasy Adventure
Seiken Densetsu 2=Secret of Mana
Seiken Densetsu 3=Secret of Mana 2
from there go crazy. I stopped paying attention after these
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Seiken Densetsu 3=Secret of Mana 2
Technically that's not right...That's like calling the NES game Mother "Earthbound ZERO"...:roll: Not to mention any of the madness w/the Fire Emblem game names...There is no actual "Secret of Mana 2", that's just the fan name for SD3.
I think silent protagonist just forgot to put a 2 on the second Seiken Densetsu he listed...that'd make his list right as far as I know though he didn't include the FFA name for Seiken Densetsu/Sword of Mana...but I could be wrong...
Seiken Densetsu = Final Fantasy Adventure (NA release) = Sword of Mana (remake)
Seiken Densetsu II = Secret of Mana (NA release)
Seiken Densetsu III = Secret of Mana II (Fan translation)
I personally don't know if LoM was SD4...I never played it...So I'll leave the rest of the list as silent protagonist put it...
Seiken Densetsu IV = Legend of Mana (NA release)
Seiken Densetsu DS = Children of Mana (NA release)
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Seiken Densetsu is commonly reffered to as Secret of Mana. I cant believe i am defending the name SOM, im usually the one shouting at my friends for calling and of the Mana games x of Mana
EDIT: Sorry V
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It is commonly reffered to as Secret of Mana.
What are you reffering to? What is "it"? Seiken Densetsu? Or are you talking about something specific that I or someone said? Your post sorta confused me...
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Seiken Densetsu 3=Secret of Mana 2
Technically that's not right...That's like calling the NES game Mother "Earthbound ZERO"...:roll: Not to mention any of the madness w/the Fire Emblem game names...There is no actual "Secret of Mana 2", that's just the fan name for SD3.
It was most probably going to be named Secret of Mana 2 for the American translation, before they decided not to translate it. Seiken Densetsu 2's translation was even called "Final Fantasy Adventure 2" during the first localization works.
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A new Mana game!? All I can say is GREAT!!! SD3 (Secret of mana 2) is one of my favorite games of all time! If they can shake off the crap of Legend of Mana and Sword of Mana, and get back to the storyline/gameplay that made SD2 and SD3 great, I'll crap my pants!
Which system is this being released on?
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DS. Kato is kicking a lot of ass these days.
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I personally don't know if LoM was SD4...I never played it...So I'll leave the rest of the list as silent protagonist put it...
Legend of Mana (released as Seiken Densetsu: Legend of Mana) and Children of Mana are spinoffs. The real Seiken Densetsu 4 is in production.
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DS? Well, i'll wait to see how the reviews are. If they are good, I'll buy a DS.
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I played SD2 and SD3 very often, and in my opinion, they are better than Sword of Mana for GBA(remake of SD if i got it right). Is the gameplay of the other SD games like in SD2/3?
Perhaps they will go on working together if these releases become as good as they/we hope and they will think about a new Chrono game, at least I hope.
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SD3 and SD2 are the best, and anyone who say otherwise is a weirdo, like my friend who is in love with FFX, thinks its the best RPG (along with FFX2 and KH) and when I asked him if he's played others, he said a bit of 7.
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I could care less about 2 personally. Sword and 3 are best in my books. Ok both in gameplay & character customization AND character development and story. Take that boy, girl and sprite!
:P
(yes, i'm aware they have 'official names')