My main concern

The first mainline Harvest Moon game developed by Natsume. Nintendo 3DS. [ Game Guide ] JP release = None. NA release = Nov 2014. EU release = Jun 2015.
killedthecolony
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About this game is the graphics are just gonna ruin it for me. Story of Seasons looks a lot more mature so i might just have to sit this one out. Anyone feel the same way?
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LeBurns
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First, welcome to the forum.

Second. YES. The graphics look very ... cheap ... half done ... etc. I have liked what I've heard of the gameplay though. If SoS was coming out at the same time as TLV I would pick SoS, but since SoS may not come out till year end and TLV most likely next month, I figure I'll get both since I may be finished with one before the other comes out.
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Welcome to fogu! Now to share my opinions...
killedthecolony wrote:About this game is the graphics are just gonna ruin it for me[...]Anyone feel the same way?

No. The graphics may not be the "greatest", but that doesn't make the game play horrible as well. Despite the fact that mine craft has ugly lego graphics, for an example, many people still play it because they enjoy the game play. Hell, I even seen someone complain about the new Legend of Zelda game for the Wii U saying that the graphics weren't that great and were "past gen". To be frank, I thought the same as you about the art being doggone awful, until I read more things about the game in the Harvest Moon the Lost Valley Info Thread and checked CeeCee's updates on HM:LV as well. It's has some pretty interesting features in the game.
So horrible graphics ≠ awful game.
killedthecolony wrote:Story of Seasons looks a lot more mature so i might just have to sit this one out.

Not sure if it's "more mature" considering they're both cute little cartoons. Everything is so happy and cutesy in the new harvest moon games now'a'days anyways.
However, I may be biased because I'm not really into that "cute" anime art seen in both SoS and LV, but I will play the games regardless, if they both have good gameplay.

So I highly recommend that you check out Harvest Moon the Lost Valley Info Thread to see it's cool new features. It may sway your mind like it did me. If not, to each their own.
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Some of us are concerned 're: the graphics, gameplay dynamics etc in HM:TLV.

if someone truly hates the graphics in any game, it can impact their enjoyment. HM:TLV is much more cartoonish looking than SoS.
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lostsongs
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My biggest concern is also about the graphics. I'm mainly worried that they will distract from the gameplay. Normally, I don't mind not having top quality graphics, but I really dislike the style of this game. I don't like the cartoonish appearances and some things about the character designs bother me. For an example, I hate that Iris and April have their eyes closed. It's very distracting to me. I'm also not a fan of any of the bachelors.

Despite all of the above, I think Natsume is bringing many refreshing ideas to Harvest Moon, like the minecraft like customization and different crop outcomes. I also like that you don't have to keep changing tools. I'm going to wait and see what other people say about the game after it comes out before I decide If I want to buy it or not.

I should make it clear that I'm more interested in finding out how well the gameplay works out, which is the main reason why I will wait for reviews. Even if I dislike the graphics, if the game play is awesome, I will get the game. The key here is that gameplay, not graphics will be the deciding factor.
Last edited by lostsongs on Sep 28, 2014 10:24 am, edited 2 times in total.
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I actually kind of find it sad often really good games get slighted for something so sad and superficial.

Wind Waker: Great game with many improvements to Ocarina of Time. Still considered a classic.

At release: The graphics are so childish, oh my « Harvest Goddess »! This game sucks we're not babies, we want the game to look mature. I'm not buying it because the graphics suck! We need mature games because we act mature!

Kirby's Epic Yarn: I will admit that this game was also slighted because it actually had little to do with the Kirby franchise. Rather than hearing that complaint constantly, I heard this complaint far more often:

This game is so babyish! Yarn? YARN? This game looks like it was made for little kids. Now no one is going to take that pink ball seriously. I'm not buying it.



I get it, graphics are important! They help immensely with the feel of the game. But seriously, the people on this forum seem to only care about how things look. I've seen more posts on how this game is "ugly" and "ugh I hate the ugly" rather than "I think these features might work because..." or "I'm worried about terriforming because...". Those discussions happen of course, but no matter what, people just have to bring up "the graphics make my eyes so sad :(".

I wouldn't mind this if people weren't calling Story of Season mature. Ha! They are just the same stereotypical anime designs that you could find in any other half baked Japanese RPG series. They use those graphics because they ARE EASIER TO MARKET TO CHILDREN. I don't know about the gameplay as it hasn't come back yet, but you know who has had an extremely childish gameplay model for the past several games? Oh yeah, it's Bokoju Monotagari!

That's the series that has dulled down any and all characters to cut bland cut outs. It's that series that mistakes fetch quests for "difficulty". It's that series that focuses so hard on marriage and yet is unwilling to give any of the dateable people any kind of personality. It's that series that at times has required you to use wifi because they made the animal caring process so tedious. It's that series that will give you a tutorial for literally anything.

Do you think they do that because they think you're mature? No. They do that because you'll buy it anyways because of the pretty graphics and name. The Lost Valley has the potential to not be very good. This is the same company that messed up basic translations and made Hometown Story. But don't let graphics be your deciding factor. This is one of the biggest problems with the gaming industry. Instead of going for the graphically challenged game that actually takes risks, they go for the same pretty big company games because it's familiar.
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LeBurns
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Well SoS may be easier to market to children ... but what is TLV marketing to? I mean those graphics are pretty pre-school looking IMO.

But I'm not as worried about that as much anymore. I'm sure when the game comes out there will be plenty of threads about the terraforming and dating and farming rare crops and such. It's just right now all we really have is the graphics. None of us that I know of have been able to play a demo or anything.
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...So are people upset that the graphics aren't the greatest because they enjoy the dating aspect of the game the most? I think that some of those who do not find the art appealing in this game, don't want to play due to the bachelor(ettes) looking undateable to them. So that may be why they prefer SoS over LV. Nothing wrong with that, but I wouldn't judge LV so quickly without reading up on it. If they did read about LV and still don't like it, then I'm glad they took their time to check it out before throwing it off to the side.
Personally, I don't care much for the dating; I just see it as a bonus. I enjoy the farming the most in both RF/HM games(and the fighting/dungeons in RF of course). So, I'd probably buy LV instead of SoS
but RF series will always be the first buy if they finally release a new one!
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Meriberry
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I am not a fan of the graphics either. The 3DS is capable of an amazing amount of detail, and while the gameplay has me cautiously interested, yes, the graphics turn me off. I have grown used to the more.... mature pictures of the previous games. The LV characters all look like bobbleheads that will tip over if you touch them wrong. At least in SoS you don't look like you'll fall over with a poke and lay there with your giant head unable to get up.

(Though that just gives me mental images that are kind of hilarious. They'd be like turtles stuck on their backs.)

If they were more proportionate, I would be more intrigued. Also if it still didn't feel like they were co-opting the game.

I will admit that none of the bachelors or bachelorettes appeal to me either. They have some interesting ideas, and they sound complicated, but none of them are to the same level of interesting, and yes, this does tie back into the graphics. Sure the 3D model heads can make some amusing expressions, but I'm not impressed.

It's an interesting premise, and surprisingly cheap, but it also LOOKS cheap. I'm definitely going to wait a while before buying it. If I buy it at all.
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I suppose I'll chime in a bit too.

Yeah, the graphics are a bit... Childish. Which I find weird since Natsume claims that they have "mature" themes yet chose to portray the characters in such a chibi-fied manner. Weird... Anyways, none of the marriageable characters, let alone the NPCs, interest me because of the art style they chose. Still, even the worst graphics can be saved by good game mechanics and a good, well thought out story. I'll admit that TLV has some interesting game mechanics from what I've seen, but it's the writing that has me concerned above all else. From what we've been told about the characters, while they all have the potential for character development, I'm worried about how they'll be written. There is such a thing as "trying too hard" and if they try to force those more serious themes then it just comes off as stilted. The games don't all have to be happy go lucky, but they also don't need to be in the midst of a dysfunction junction where everyone has serious issues and an unhappy family life. Again, that can be done if they write it well. The thing is, I don't know how Natsume is as a game dev. I know how they are as a localization company and I was not impressed with ANB, so that's where my hesitance stems from.

Chibi graphics are generally hit or miss in my opinion. It can either be done well, like Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, or... The Lost Valley. Even then, you get people complaining about the graphics no matter what the game is. I'm cautiously interested in the game myself, but I'll just wait and see what happens.
killedthecolony
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LeBurns wrote:First, welcome to the forum.

Second. YES. The graphics look very ... cheap ... half done ... etc. I have liked what I've heard of the gameplay though. If SoS was coming out at the same time as TLV I would pick SoS, but since SoS may not come out till year end and TLV most likely next month, I figure I'll get both since I may be finished with one before the other comes out.
i might get both as well for the same reason
killedthecolony
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Rice wrote:Welcome to fogu! Now to share my opinions...
killedthecolony wrote:About this game is the graphics are just gonna ruin it for me[...]Anyone feel the same way?

No. The graphics may not be the "greatest", but that doesn't make the game play horrible as well. Despite the fact that mine craft has ugly lego graphics, for an example, many people still play it because they enjoy the game play. Hell, I even seen someone complain about the new Legend of Zelda game for the Wii U saying that the graphics weren't that great and were "past gen". To be frank, I thought the same as you about the art being doggone awful, until I read more things about the game in the Harvest Moon the Lost Valley Info Thread and checked CeeCee's updates on HM:LV as well. It's has some pretty interesting features in the game.
So horrible graphics ≠ awful game.
killedthecolony wrote:Story of Seasons looks a lot more mature so i might just have to sit this one out.

Not sure if it's "more mature" considering they're both cute little cartoons. Everything is so happy and cutesy in the new harvest moon games now'a'days anyways.
However, I may be biased because I'm not really into that "cute" anime art seen in both SoS and LV, but I will play the games regardless, if they both have good gameplay.

So I highly recommend that you check out Harvest Moon the Lost Valley Info Thread to see it's cool new features. It may sway your mind like it did me. If not, to each their own.
i'm going to check the thread out now! thanks for your input! its nice hearing everyone's opinion :)
killedthecolony
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lostsongs wrote:My biggest concern is also about the graphics. I'm mainly worried that they will distract from the gameplay. Normally, I don't mind not having top quality graphics, but I really dislike the style of this game. I don't like the cartoonish appearances and some things about the character designs bother me. For an example, I hate that Iris and April have their eyes closed. It's very distracting to me. I'm also not a fan of any of the bachelors.

Despite all of the above, I think Natsume is bringing many refreshing ideas to Harvest Moon, like the minecraft like customization and different crop outcomes. I also like that you don't have to keep changing tools. I'm going to wait and see what other people say about the game after it comes out before I decide If I want to buy it or not.

I should make it clear that I'm more interested in finding out how well the gameplay works out, which is the main reason why I will wait for reviews. Even if I dislike the graphics, if the game play is awesome, I will get the game. The key here is that gameplay, not graphics will be the deciding factor.
the tool feature is a really nice improvement i think. saves some time so nothing negative there!
killedthecolony
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Meriberry wrote:I am not a fan of the graphics either. The 3DS is capable of an amazing amount of detail, and while the gameplay has me cautiously interested, yes, the graphics turn me off. I have grown used to the more.... mature pictures of the previous games. The LV characters all look like bobbleheads that will tip over if you touch them wrong. At least in SoS you don't look like you'll fall over with a poke and lay there with your giant head unable to get up.

(Though that just gives me mental images that are kind of hilarious. They'd be like turtles stuck on their backs.)

If they were more proportionate, I would be more intrigued. Also if it still didn't feel like they were co-opting the game.

I will admit that none of the bachelors or bachelorettes appeal to me either. They have some interesting ideas, and they sound complicated, but none of them are to the same level of interesting, and yes, this does tie back into the graphics. Sure the 3D model heads can make some amusing expressions, but I'm not impressed.

It's an interesting premise, and surprisingly cheap, but it also LOOKS cheap. I'm definitely going to wait a while before buying it. If I buy it at all.
Looking cheap is a perfect way of putting it! Thats exactly how i feel about it.
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centen
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I think it's a bit disingenuous to act like The Lost Valley's graphics are on the same level of quality as the Wind Waker's.
Image Image

The Wind Waker's graphics are a very distinct style, but were still rendered with excellent quality. Look at the difference in how smooth the ears are on Link, and how jagged they are on Claire. See how you can see each individual finger on Link, but Claire's hands are a blob? Even in the background, Link has a full, distinct shadow, and Claire is given a small blob, which doesn't make sense with where the light source is implied to be and how big her head/hair is. Even the circle in the metronome on LoZ is prettier than the circle on the happy face in TLV.

And keep in mind: Wind Waker was released in 2002, a full twelve years before TLV, and so managed to do more with worse technology available. It's the style that didn't resonate well with some people on LoZ, not the quality. If TLV was rendered to the same high quality that LoZ achieved, I don't think people would be complaining about the graphics as much.

I think the graphics also get a bigger focus, because it's such an obvious deficiency. The elements they are speaking to have the potential to be good, but considering how poorly ANB was localized, I understand people being skeptical of the promises made + the terrible graphics on top of it. For me, I think the direction Natsume wants to go in seems promising, but when an known -- not indie! -- company cannot even come close to maximizing the potential of the system in the wake of independent releases from tiny, unknown companies that show it can be done, and can be done well, like Shovel Knight, Steamworld Dig, and Gunman Clive... yeah, it's a bit worrisome.
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