November 2, 2005 - Following a long silence, Sega game master Yu Suzuki has finally opened up for an interview. The head of Sega's newly formed AM Plus development group discusses a number of topics with Japan's monthly Dorimaga publication, touching upon Psy-Phi, Shenmue Online and the next generation of console gaming.
The interview is mostly concerned with Psy-Phi, the new Lindbergh arcade game which Suzuki is both directing and producing. Suzuki expresses pleasure that he was able to show the game at the September AM Show in Tokyo, and goes on to discuss the game's origins. For more from that part of the interview, check out our recent update on Psy-Phi from Sega's arcade Private Show.
Moving on to Shenmue Online, which was recently rumored to be cancelled due to development conflicts, Suzuki is quick to assure: "reports of a halt in development are completely unfounded. We have daily meetings and are currently working hard on the game's development. Rest assured." Shenmue Online is currently in development in Taiwan as a massively multiplayer Online title where players are placed in the world of Suzuki's Dreamcast epic, Shenmue. The game is set for PC release in early 2006.
Finally, the interview comes to the next generation of game systems. With Psy-Phi, Suzuki has already brought us a next generation arcade title, but will he do the same for the next generation of home systems? Although AM Plus includes the "AM" acronym for Amusement Machine (meaning arcades) in its name, Suzuki clarifies that "the AM Plus name includes the meaning of 'not just AM.'" Just as AM2 worked on home titles back in the days of Saturn and Dreamcast, we can expect similar things from AM Plus. "Although the Sega of today is split into home and arcade divisions, just as it was during Virtua Fighter's era, development is borderless," Suzuki assures.
So which next generation consoles will get AM Plus titles? Suzuki takes a neutral stance in his comments. "For a techie like me, the PS3 is very attractive, but when you consider that both companies are delivering the quality that users want, I also believe that hardware like Xbox 360, which offers easy development, is important. As for Revolution, it's very Nintendo-like in that it resets the game experience and starts with a new device."
In its heyday during the Saturn and Dreamcast era, AM2, operating under Suzuki, was considered one of the world's premier development studios for games both in arcades and on home consoles. Psy-Phi is already turning eyes toward AM Plus on the arcade side, but the world eagerly awaits its first look at what the developer, and Suzuki, can do with the next generation of home systems.
فريقه الجديد اللي أسمه AM Plus سبب تسميته بهذا الاسم هو ان العابه ما حتكون بس AM (يعني اركيد) زي بقية فرق الAM اللي كل العابها اركيد , بل حتكون في العاب اخرى منزلية , يعني التركيز على الألعاب منزلية والاركيدية
شينمو أونلاين قيد التطوير بالتعاون مع فريق تايواني وستصدر بداية ال2006
أكثر أجهزة النكست جن اللي حيركز عليها هو الPS3 ثم الXBOX 360
وهذي معلومات عن لعبته الرائعة ساي فاي :
- Psy-Phi was one of the best games from September's AM Show. The fact that the legendary Yu Suzuki was both producing and directing the game was reason enough to show interest, but an actual play test revealed a game like no other, where joysticks and buttons have been replaced by direct interaction with the screen, making for an intuitive competitive title that anyone can play.
Sega devoted much of the floor space for yesterday's arcade Private Show in Tokyo to Psy-Phi. The version of the game on display looked advanced beyond the TGS title, with new characters and attacks. Unchanged was the impressive display of innovation, making this the first must-play game for the new Lindbergh arcade board.
We commented in our initial impressions story on Psy-Phi from back at the AM Show that the game is, visually, the least impressive of the five titles currently in development for Lindbergh (be sure and check out our new screens and videos for the latest look at the title). There's a reason for this. Suzuki reveals in an interview with the latest Dorimaga that the game was originally in development for the Xbox-powered Chihiro board. Development was switched to the new board mid way through.
In the same interview, Suzuki also reveals the origins of the Psy-Phi name. He states that he enjoys Japanese manga adaptations of great science fiction works by the likes of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells where the main characters have super powers. Space Harrier actually came about because of this interest. "Psy" is an indicator of one having special powers, with the "Phi," Greek for "F," being used to stand for "Future." The title is meant to suggest a future where people have super abilities.
The game originated with the idea of making a game of dodge ball, where the players group up into teams of five and play while floating in the air. Suzuki describes the game as futuristic dodge ball. He's particularly pleased to have found girls getting totally involved with the game, playing busily with two hands, while some guys play with one hand.
A final arcade release for Psy-Phi is planned for next Spring. Based on our two play tests of the game at two arcade shows, we'd definitely suggest giving it a try
