Ushi No Tane Forum

There are still no portraits sadly, but at least we know now they try to show emotions otherwise. Bridget's scene looks fine (besides the clunky petting animation for the MC). The focus seems to be more on gestures rather than facial expressions to convey emotions, but Bridget also smiles and looks surprised in her scene. I like her little dance at the end. But Damon's scene is just terrible. Nothing chances in his face during that scene and he shows only a few gestures. From the animations alone he seems more like a robot then a human.
Both scenes reminds me a lot of the cutscenes in AWL. Back then this were great animations, but I'm not sure this will be still the case when used in a game for Switch. Maybe we get other scenes later which show a wider spectrum of expressions.

The Fishy was me. I became somewhat logged out.

seachel wrote:Saw this on the bokumono Twitter. He reminds me a lot of someone, maybe Neil? Also, no 2D portraits in the cutscene as expected.

Spoiler:

Google translation Japanese to English wrote: [Story of Seasons Olive Town and the Land of Hope]

Love candidate introduction "Damon"
My hobby is playing with motorcycles and coffee is black.
He always behaves bluntly, but also has a romantic side that loves stars.

I actually like this arrangement.

Let me see if I can do Bridget too.

Google translation Japanese to English wrote: [Story of Seasons Olive Town and the Land of Hope]
Love candidate introduction "Bridget"
The daughter of a hard and always positive animal shop.
She is very close to the animals and is always surrounded by them.
I am worried about the future of my brother Damon.

Bridget reminds me of Renee(ToT/AP) and Ellen(Magical Melody). Short haired, brown-eyed animal loving girl next door types.
Damon gives me Neil(NB) and Chase(ToT/AP) vibes. But the motorcycle part of his profile definitely has me thinking of Sebastian from Stardew Valley
The fisherman dude reminds me of Kana for some reason, and also Luke (ToT/AP)
Reina's appearance at first had be thinking that she was part of Witch Princess' family.

Overall, the marriage candidates so far are making me super nostalgic for Animal Parade.

No, I'm sorry but I can't agree with what's being said here in general.
I believe the game looks great, and seeing that it's a vast world perhaps they had to sacrifice a little on the graphics department to improve the execution of the game (yes, yes. We know about the FPS drop in the sprinkler scene. Yet, the game is still in development and the trailer has been probably recorded from a virtual console or something of the sorts). But to some users here it is nearly not enough.
You guys are asking the sun and the moon from a game that is quite niche, and it can luckily overpass 500.000 copies in it's most popular game, worldwide. This ain't a million copies game like others, and it's not backed up by Nintendo like some big titles like BoTW, AC:NH, so on and so forth.
Heck, even games like Pokemon Sw/Sh (+18M copies sold, at 60$ + a DLC of 30$) from a multimillionaire company has been criticised for it's lacking graphics, FPS drop, awful online, lifeless and reused animations and many other reasons. If a game that big has lacking graphics, what can you expect from a more niche game that even some people in the Direct believed to be a copy of SDV + AC:NH? I guess that example can explain you how unknown it is.
Yeah, sure. SDV did good, but SDV got released at a time where indie games were going strong, plus being in the PC and having a low price helped it, alongside other promotions it got. SoS/HM could never dream to have the sales SDV has gotten, and yet some people keep on demanding, and demanding, and demanding when I believe they are doing their best to give the players a good experience.

When did the fandom become so entitled? I've been lurking here for a long time, and I always thought HM folks were understanding and they'd be like "Well, let's give it a try even if I'm not convinced!" or "It's still in development, let's have hope that the devs want to give us an enjoyable experience" but what I see is lots of "uwaaah, the graphics are "bad" and there are no portraits, uwaaah, not buying". This kind of attitude doesn't help the series. If it's own fanbase doesn't give it a chance, who is gonna do it?

Fans are not beholden to creators. A game is a product, not a family member, a religion, or a charity, or etc. We do not owe it love or loyalty. If you once liked the product, but what is now being produced no longer suits you, why on earth would you buy it anyway? If I liked a certain line of clothing and they suddenly changed their designs completely to something that didn't suit me, I would definitely stop buying them. It's the same thing here. Marvelous is not our friend, and they're not making this game out of the kindness of their hearts. They are making it because they want our money. And Marvelous is not some poor little inexperienced indie group just trying to scrape by, either...Bokumono isn't their only series. The notion that it is somehow mean or unfair not to buy their game when you don't think you'll like it doesn't make any sense to me.

I have said all along that I WILL be buying it anyway, because I think I will probably still be able to enjoy the content. It's not guaranteed that I will since I am intensely visually driven, but I'm going to give it a shot to see if everything can settle into something I still enjoy, even if the art style is not to my taste. If I try Olive Town and don't enjoy it, and the next game looks similar, that game I will not buy, having already given it a fair shot.

Anonymous Fish wrote:No, I'm sorry but I can't agree with what's being said here in general.
I believe the game looks great, and seeing that it's a vast world perhaps they had to sacrifice a little on the graphics department to improve the execution of the game (yes, yes. We know about the FPS drop in the sprinkler scene. Yet, the game is still in development and the trailer has been probably recorded from a virtual console or something of the sorts). But to some users here it is nearly not enough.
You guys are asking the sun and the moon from a game that is quite niche, and it can luckily overpass 500.000 copies in it's most popular game, worldwide. This ain't a million copies game like others, and it's not backed up by Nintendo like some big titles like BoTW, AC:NH, so on and so forth.
Heck, even games like Pokemon Sw/Sh (+18M copies sold, at 60$ + a DLC of 30$) from a multimillionaire company has been criticised for it's lacking graphics, FPS drop, awful online, lifeless and reused animations and many other reasons. If a game that big has lacking graphics, what can you expect from a more niche game that even some people in the Direct believed to be a copy of SDV + AC:NH? I guess that example can explain you how unknown it is.
Yeah, sure. SDV did good, but SDV got released at a time where indie games were going strong, plus being in the PC and having a low price helped it, alongside other promotions it got. SoS/HM could never dream to have the sales SDV has gotten, and yet some people keep on demanding, and demanding, and demanding when I believe they are doing their best to give the players a good experience.

When did the fandom become so entitled? I've been lurking here for a long time, and I always thought HM folks were understanding and they'd be like "Well, let's give it a try even if I'm not convinced!" or "It's still in development, let's have hope that the devs want to give us an enjoyable experience" but what I see is lots of "uwaaah, the graphics are "bad" and there are no portraits, uwaaah, not buying". This kind of attitude doesn't help the series. If it's own fanbase doesn't give it a chance, who is gonna do it?

It isn't entitled to not buy a product that I don't want and it isn't wrong to point out the problems with it. I don't owe this company anything and saying otherwise is ridiculous.

I have to agree with Kikki & MaiIsMe. I understand feeling devoted to a series (that devotion is why I'm still lingering on these boards) - but that doesn't mean I have to wholeheartedly support the direction that it is headed.

I think Kikki mentioned it in a much earlier post, but these graphics might just be the current style/trend. It's not my cup of tea, but I can certainly respect those who favor the simpler, flatter aesthetic. It isn't rustic, but it is cheerful and uncomplicated. I do want to mention that while there can be a connection between graphics, studio size, and budget, there are also numerous examples of small indie teams creating absolutely gorgeous games (Sakuna: of Rice and Ruin was made by just two people!)

I don't want to just fixate on presentation, so I should also say that this game looks like it has plenty of redeeming qualities in terms of gameplay. As with every new Bokumono game, it is exciting to see the new marriage candidates, animals, and mechanics. Based on footage, this one reminds me a little of ANB or the first SoS with customization. I can see the appeal.

It is really fascinating to sample from all of the perspectives here! It makes me feel less alone in my disappointment, and it also keeps me hopeful for the series and its future potential. My goal is not to invalidate anyone's opinion or dampen enthusiasm. I am just coming to terms with some revelations about my personal relationship with a series that has played such an important role in my life. Now that I'm in grad school and I have a limited budget, I have to be wiser about my purchases and my time. The environment of gaming and game development has changed significantly as well. I'm still learning how to navigate these changes.

At least I do love the look of the town itself, I think they created really attractive architecture for Olive Town. When it comes to the modern vibe that others are getting, which some like and others don't...I sort of get it, I guess? To me it doesn't look all that modern, except at the very beginning where they show the MC riding away from a city on his moped. It looks fairly rustic to me, in the quaint small tourist town kind of a way...it reminds me of the Niagara region of Ontario...not the part right up at the falls in the heavily populated area, but more in the spacious, super green areas, where the vineyards and stuff are. Though Olive Town doesn't look especially old-fashioned. When people here say 'rustic', do they also include the idea that it is old-fashioned? To me 'rustic' just means countrified rather than urban, and Olive Town definitely leans well into the rustic, for me.

~

I also understand that people who are hyped for this game, or even those who are of mixed opinion but are trying to get themselves to like it because they (like me) really love this series and don't want to feel left out of something they've dedicated a lot of time and energy to. I really get that. Many of those people don't want to have to see the criticism being given by those who have found a regrettable amount to dislike about the new direction the games are taking now that they're developing for Switch. It dampens their enthusiasm, maybe. I get that, too...it's easier to be a ball of hype if everyone around you is in the same mood.

But this is not a 'what you like about Olive Town' thread. Anyone who wants to is welcome to create such a thread, but this thread is for general discussion/information, and ALL opinions and observations about the game are welcome here, unless they contain personal attacks on other people or otherwise break fogu rules.

~

EDIT: Btw, it's always grandpa. You never inherit the farm from your grandma, do you? In any of the games?

^ yeah it’s always grandpa. The mother/grandmother is never mentioned in any of the games as I recall. Except for maybe in one sentence about the grandma in one game if you count that. Don’t remember which one tho.

Edit: oh wait; in SoS: ToT, it was the only game where you got to see both of you parents. That’s never happened before.



While I’m mixed about the graphics, it never really bothered me too much when it comes to games. So long as the gameplay itself is good and keeps my attention. On this particular title, I don’t love the graphics but I don’t hate them either. Do I think they could be better and do I miss the 2D portraits? Yes, but it’s not enough to make or break the game for me personally

Kikki wrote: When people here say 'rustic', do they also include the idea that it is old-fashioned? To me 'rustic' just means countrified rather than urban, and Olive Town definitely leans well into the rustic, for me.

Aha, good point! I throw the word rustic around a lot without really specifying. I think I mean it more from an aesthetic standpoint. When I envision rustic, I think of textured woody hues rather than simpler, brighter colors. Sort of like AWL? It can also be more of a geographic label, like you described. (e.g. in the countryside or woods, away from the city.) In that case, this game certainly provides us with glimpses of woodland and stretches of uninhabited wilderness. I agree with you that the opening scene with the moped and the overall town design really match this interpretation!

I adore researching words, so I looked up some definitions:

The primary definition is definitely what you described, Kikki ("relating to the countryside; rural"). It also has some sub-definitions that I find super intriguing ("having a simplicity and charm that is considered typical of the countryside").

I think I mean it more like these two definitions:
"made of untrimmed branches or rough timber"
Or "with rough-hewn or roughened surface"

I really like it when buildings and environments in games have a kind of rough, untrimmed quality. The trees and buildings in this game look kind of round, smooth, and polished, so while it is certainly rustic in the primary sense, it doesn't quite fit these other definitions.

Yes, they do look quite polished. If you like the more rustic look in that sense...of not being polished...then I can see where this game's aesthetic would not be as pleasing as many of the past games. In this one area, though, I'm actually really happy with Olive Town, myself, because I absolutely love even just driving through (for example) Niagara on the Lake and the area surrounding it...it's like...I feel like that area is what the inside of my head looks like. It's like the perfect dream town, to me. (VERY touristy, though, given the area, and thus expensive. Points against it.)

So in that way, I'm really liking Olive Town's setting and style (the town itself, I mean). It's basically my dream town

~

Dang it, I wanna inherit the farm from grandma, one of these days. I've known a decent portion of old lady farmers and they are tough, and have gotten up to some crazy stuff in their time. Women can do almost anything they want, these days, without raising a question of whether they are 'allowed' to or not, but the idea of a woman who became a farmer on her own a hundred years ago is really cool to me, because it was uncommon. Which generally means there is a very interesting story behind it. So I'd love to have grandma be the one to hand down her farm, some time.

^
Did Eda kinda did that in the first SoS? I personally think that still counts.

Shan O 123 wrote:^
Did Eda kinda did that in the first SoS? I personally think that still counts.

True but she’s not your grandma. I guess it is The closest we’ve ever gotten lol

She’s grandma to me! Still counts ^^