Time is winding down, and so are your chances to get in on Operation Blinking Mirror, the massive effort to get Konami of Japan to take a hard look back at the Suikoden series. Mainly the first two Suikoden games, which paved the way for how the story should stay. In recent years the series has somewhat strayed away from the original storyline and took to a different direction, such as with games like tierkreis. This not good, as the roots of the Suikoden story needs to stay the course of what it once was. Operation Blinking Mirror is not only an effort to keep the series true to its roots, but also to get Konami to port the first two games to other formats like Xbox Live, PSN, Android, iOS, and PSP. Development of a Suikoden 6 game wouldn't hurt either, it's been a while.
Chris, the head guy in this video below encourages you to send in your Suikoden related material to help the cause. This includes fan material, cosplay photos, artwork, anything. Even just a letter asking Konami to take the series to a serious level again and not abandon it like it seems they have in the past few years. We now have less than two weeks until mail day. December 10th-12th is the time frame you need to send in your Suikoden materials. Not just you, but your friends as well. Anyone you can bring on board over the next few days, do it! If our voice is loud enough, Konami of Japan will hear it. So here is the address where you will be mailing in your material. Good luck to us all.
Fumiaki Tanaka Konami Digital Entertainment 9-7-2, Akasaka Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-8324 Japan
With the Suikoden Revival Movement in full gear, and the quest to get games like Suikoden brought to other formats, Operation Rainfall is in the same effort to get Genso Suikoden Tsumugareshi Hyakunen no Toki for the PSP in Japan localized to other parts of the world. Now it seems like the effort has a second wind to go along with it. Adam Boyes who used to work for Capcom, now works for Sony, and in that he and others have a desire to bring IP's (Intellectual Properties) to the Playstation format. The list includes big titles like Shenmue, Final Fantasy Type-O, and of course, our beloved last Suikoden game that was launched on the PSP last year.
Adam Boyes made a few statements to Kotaku recently on the issue.....
“there was a massive amount of requests for all kinds of huge IPs that are big in Japan. And those are the ones we’re going after, based on the popularity of the requests, so you can imagine there’s lots of… whatever games I say, [people are] gonna be like ‘Ahh, it’s coming!’
Getting games localized is a time consuming process, and it takes conversation and a delicate balance of acquiring those IP's. The intent is to make the consumer happy, as Adam states that they have a massive list and want to get as many big titles as possible to the Playstation. Bringing some of the mentioned games in the discussion to the Western part of the world should start within the next year, as Adam said. Hopefully Suikoden will make that list, as the movement to get anything done with the series has been somewhat frustrating, but the fight carries on. Take a look at the full interview if you like with Adam Boyes here.
Also take a look at the video for Genso Suikoden Tsumugareshi Hyakunen no Toki below if you haven't seen what it's like. It might be different than what your used to in past Suikoden games.
Contra has been around a long time, over 25 years now. But gambling has certainly been around much longer. Since then, companies like Konami thought it would be a good idea to combine the two for fans of both gaming and gambling. Both Suikoden and Castlevania managed to land their own pachislot machine, so why not a Contra 3D machine? Recently they did just that, and launched a machine with all of the elements you've come to known and love from the series. This even includes music you should be familiar with. Even thought you might not be able to read Japanese, you can still check out an official page for the new gambling title here.
There are various pages there, some for showing you what the 3D graphics look like, along with characters, story mode, samples of music to listen to, and so fourth. Let me know what you think of it in the comment section below.
Any of you who might be participating in Operation Blinking Mirror, here is the information you'll need below to send in your Suikoden material. If you don't know what Operation Blinking Mirror even is, it is an attempt to get Konami of Japan to notice their fan base and to bring Suikoden 1 and 2 to other formats such as Xbox Live, PSN, iOS, Android and other formats that need good ports. Development of a new Suikoden 6 game would be a nice addition too. So without further delay, here is a post I received from Dan on Facebook.
"Many of you have been wondering what address we'll be using for this campaign. After leveraging several options, we've finally arrived at the following:
Fumiaki Tanaka Konami Digital Entertainment 9-7-2, Akasaka Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-8324 Japan
That's right, we'll be targeting Fumiaki Tanaka, President of Konami Digital Entertainment, himself!
On a related note, only twenty-seven days remain until Operation Blinking Mirror is set to begin. Start getting those submissions ready!"
Dan
So there you have it, we now have less than one month, as the time frame is set between December 10th-12th for you to send in your material, being fan letters, cosplay performances, self made CDS and so fourth. Also join us on Facebook and make some new friends!
If you are a fan of the Suikoden series, then may this post find you, and find you well. Operation Blinking Mirror, which is somewhat of an extension effort from the Revival Movement started a while back, now has 40 days left for you to prepare any material you plan on sending in. This includes such items as CDs with your own elements included with it, artwork, cosplay pictures, self made posters, and event just a letter will do. Whatever you can come up with, mail it to Konami of Japan on December 10th. The effort behind this is crystal clear, Blinking Mirror (along with myself) are trying to get Konami's attention to bring back Suikoden in various ways.
Suikoden I & II on formats like Xbox Live, PSN, iOS, Android and even Steam would be a terrific first start. A new Suikoden 6 game considered for production would be another nice addition. The hope is that once Konami sees how dedicated their fan base is, that they will give the series another serious look. Suikoden has been sitting on the shelf for far too long, and needs to make a serious comeback in the worst way. If you would like to get in on the cause, as I hope you would, feel free to do so as you have 40 days to prepare for it. The official Facebook page for Operation Blinking Mirror will give you some more insight. Also don't forget to hang out in the Revival Movement page to chat with your friends, and share your thoughts, as well as your material for both pages. Cheers!
Over time, the effort to get Genso Suikoden: Tsumugareshi Hyakunen no Toki localized has been an ever so steady process, even though it seems to have slowed down a bit. So I thought I would do another post to try to get those numbers up a tad bit. Months ago, or even longer the Suikoden Revival Movement was set into motion to try to get the first two titles onto other formats such as PSN and Xbox Live. An overwhelming desire for a Suikoden 6 game was also put into interest by fans such as me, and now the group called OperationRainfall has taken another step with Tsumugareshi Hyakunen no Toki. As always, the attempt is to get this PSP Japanese title localized, meaning, bringing to the Western part of the world. Calling attention to Konami is anything short of a cakewalk. The UK division of Konami however is taking a second look at the Revival Movement, and at least acknowledges the effort behind the movement. As for localizing the recent PSP game, the number of votes so far is 6,523 Votes, which is an 8% lead over the runner up "Beyond the Labyrinth". Let's continue to maintain that lead and get those vote numbers even higher still.
The Revival Movement presses on, and by now the UK division of Konami has taken some attention to the cause behind it all. Back when it was started, it was only a blip on the radar, and thanks to efforts of those who care enough, we are making some waves. The Suikoden game series has suffered a lack of new games, and a lack of taking the first 2 titles and bringing them to other formats like Xbox Live, PSN, Android, iOS and so on. Hopefully that will change one day, as Konami UK has issued some kind statements in that regard. Let's take a look at what they posted recently.
"We love our communities, and often find ourselves overwhelmed by the enthusiasm, passion and creativity shown off by fans of our many game series."
"One such group isthe increasingly popularSuikoden Revival Movementthat forms a base which fans of the classic Suikoden RPG games can discuss the past, present and future of the series whilst also showing off some truly epic fan-art and cosplay. The main aim of the movement however is to bring Suikoden back into the consciousness of the wider gaming community so that a wider audience can celebrate the game."
"Although the last Suikoden game was released in the UK way back in 2006, the group still strives to achieve their goal posting regular articles and holding frequent competitions for members to engage with. As such, we decided to give them the floor to explain why Suikoden is so close to their hearts, why it stands out among other games and why it should be offered to a much wider audience. Below is how they responded."
The members of the Revival Movement were allowed to respond to Konami's statements, and so they did, in a very lengthy manner. Hey!, if they give you the microphone, take your time speaking into it I say. So this is their response.
“At the Suikoden Revival Movement, often the first question we are asked is: “why Suikoden?” implying that out of all the classic RPGs that could be revived, why select Suikoden and only Suikoden as our focus? To answer that question requires length, as we love this series so much that the answers are often fumbled and rambling, as if we were asked to explain why we love our own dog. Moreover, like all great games, Suikoden has many things about it that are deeply personal, and we alone could never know what scene or character touched the hearts of every fan of the series, nor could we ever know what Suikoden means to every member of our movement.
To put it plainly: the Suikoden series are not just great games, but a great Konami games. Konami has made a good habit of releasing titles that work to innovate the genres that they fall into. As far back as the original Metal Gear and Castlevania titles, Konami has always produced games that were more artful, more thoughtful. Metal Gear Solid took the military action genre and stood it on its head, telling not just an emotional and compelling story, but innovating the game play by forcing the player to rely on stealth tactics and their own intelligence. Silent Hill did much the same, as it walked back the metaphors common in many horror games, reminding us that our true fears are our own inner demons.
Suikoden was released almost two full years before MGS, and did that exact thing: it created much more than was there before it. On the surface –and indeed, in the early portion of the game– the story and game play seem to be a re-hashing of a standard fantasy setting, but over time, becomes so much more than that. The characters are a collection of brilliant minds and dubious motivations, that range from the outwardly noble, to the openly greedy, from idealists to realists. We are shown a picture of a corrupt monarchy, that in the end, is the sorrowful result of one man’s dream of creating a better kingdom.
Subtly, the game asks questions to the player: Is military power necessary to create positive social change? If so, how do you balance power with the corruption and decadency that power often brings? And the player is left to decide for themselves what the answers to these questions are. In Suikoden, there are no evil plans to destroy the world, no arch-enemies of peace and justice lusting to remake the world in their own image. Just difficult questions and difficult choices. In the end, despite the fantasy setting, I have never played a game that is so simply human.
So, we have established that Suikoden is in line with many of the great Konami games of its era, but there is more to it than just that. I am reminded of the words of the great filmmaker, Terrence Malick: “always respect the audience.” The Suikoden gamesundeniably respect their audience, and they treat the player like an intelligent human being.
Which brings me to the question I wish I was asked more often. Not just “why Suikoden?” but also “why now?” Why is it so vital that people play these games? The answer to that question is –again– difficult, but it illustrates some of the problems of the wider games industry. To put it bluntly, the games acts as something of a counterpoint to not just the genre of the RPG, but to many modern games.
Often in games, we are given a single hero upon which we focus, and the supporting characters, the storyline, the setting, the music, and the numerous other elements that comprise a game fade into the background. We focus on one single hero that is central to everything, forgetting the passions, philosophies, and ideas of people that are not the character we are invited to project ourselves onto. Often, the fates of the game’s world are left to whim of the player, to be remade entirely in the image of the hero.
In Suikoden, this idea of unity is one of the main narratives that runs throughout the series. In the original Water Margin novel -upon which the games are loosely based- the theme of unity is prevalent, too. In fact, some of the English translations of the novel go by the title: All men are Brothers, and while I cannot agree with arbitrarily changing the name of the book like that, it does illustrate how important that moral narrative is to the core of the novel.
All too often, the heroes found in games are simply cynical products of the circumstances that generate them, rather than people actively trying to change the world around them for the better. Suikoden shows us that while the answers to the questions it poses are difficult, the questions can be addressed through unity and cooperation.
The basic difference in design philosophy between Suikoden and many modern games can be simplified to this: modern games encourage the player to indulge, and Suikoden encourages the player to think. While there is nothing inherently wrong with indulging in a game, Suikoden chooses to instead challenge its own players, not just in terms of game play, but in terms of the game’s theme and narrative as well. The games respect their audience first and foremost, and that is reason enough to continue to play and love this series.”
So in a nutshell, there you have it. They certainly took the time to speak their minds, and the UK part of Konami was kind enough to listen. All I personally can say is, many thanks on both parts, and on that note, one down, two more to go.
By now we are very familiar with movies based on video games, and video games based on movies. But yet few of us ever wonder about the casino business, and how games have inspired new machines there as well. Suikoden happens to be one of them, along with other Konami game hits like Castlevania. So let's take a quick look at a of video featuring Suikoden, in the world of gambling. Part IV of Suikoden for one, as you can see in the video below being explained in a cool video trailer. But the concept is to show you what a Suikoden pachislot gambling machine looks like after being made.
Few people realize that Konami *does* have a pretty large hand in the casino business. Yes, indeed, they aren't limited to games like Metal Gear. Personally, I would love to get my hands on a couple of pachislot machines made by Konami, especially a Suikoden based one. Let me know what you think about this sort of concept, or what you would like to see made in the future based on the series. It really needs to make a return in more ways than one.
The drive to bring about some news for Suikoden 6, or at least get the first couple of titles onto other formats has not died out. In fact, it's only gotten stronger. You can feel the excitement growing as the Revival Movement has taken another step forward and decided to start another new campaign. This time it's called Operation Blinking Mirror, and you're not going to believe the amount of followers on Facebook that are contributing to the Suikoden cause.
Currently about 13,700 followers are behind the effort, and that's not exactly chicken feed. If you too, are a fan of the series, I strongly ask that you join the cause, as it will allow Konami of Japan to realize how big the fan base really is, and that bringing about another Suikoden game is not only in their best interest, but will keep the fans coming back for more.
Co-founder Chris Holmes had this to say about Operation Blinking Mirror....
"From December 10 to December 12, we’re going to have a massive mailing campaign to KCEJ, Konami Japan’s headquarters. Now, you can just send a letter if you want, but Suikoden Day showed the massive creative potential within all of [the Suikoden fandom]. So, we encourage you to send anything."
"From CDs with your own arrangements, to artwork, even cosplay pictures – just anything creative you can think of – send it out to Konami Japan on these days."
“From what started off as a band of a couple of hundred followers, has now – in true Suikoden fashion – turned into an almost full-scale army.”
If you want to take part in this cause, which I highly advise, you can join the Revival Movement, and also take part in Blinking Mirror this winter. As a fellow fan of the series, I would love to see the first two Suikoden games land on other formats, as well as the announcement of a Suikoden 6. It's been too long since it's gotten any real attention from Konami. Let's turn that 13,700 followers into 30,000 and beyond. Hopefully this movement will kick start the series again with new development. Move over Final Fantasy, there's a new sheriff in town.
