NekoNekoSoft Future Gone to the Dogs?

[zalas]

Well, okay maybe "gone to the dogs" isn't exactly the right term... but it was really hard coming up with something punny ._.

Anyway:
http://www.din.or.jp/~nekoneko/info.htm

Looks like Scarlet is going to be NNS's final game?

[Haeleth]

Insert your Japanese swearword of choice here.

Loosely translating the key section:

Sadly, with the current state of the industry, it seems that we are unable to continue to work on this scale without changing our attitudes and ways of thinking. Therefore, after much consideration, we see no alternative but to make 'Scarlet' our final release.

In other words, they've got too many staff on the payroll (over 20, according to the article), and their games aren't selling well enough to cover their costs. Well, I guess it was made clear enough that they were in rather dire financial straits when they rereleased 'Gin'iro' and 'Mizuiro'...

It's too much to hope that Kataoka-sensei will fill Suzumoto-san's recently-vacated place at Key, but maybe he'll bounce back with a new slimmer and cheaper startup...

[AstCd2]

Commiserations.
On a more hopeful note, I hear Siesta are looking for people...

[procyon]

Bloated staff is right. Why on earth would they need 20 people. I'm not even sure how they could find work for all of them to do...

[Spiritsnare]

Originally Posted by Haeleth

It's too much to hope that Kataoka-sensei will fill Suzumoto-san's recently-vacated place at Key...

And then through insani promote the English localization of planetarian and make it official...>w<

[Nanatuha]

Originally Posted by procyon

Bloated staff is right. Why on earth would they need 20 people. I'm not even sure how they could find work for all of them to do...

According to here, it not seems exactly so. It's pretty old data of 1998, but the necessary personnel will likely not decrease from this period. (However, they often use temporary staffs as well. Accurate comparison is difficult.)

Elf 25
Aquaplus(leaf) 33 (I think I've read that they was about 60 people some time)
Championsoft(Alicesoft) 40
Visualarts(I don't know how much is the ratio of Key) 20

I suppose the causes are mainly CDs for thank to questionnaires, soaring fee of Seiyu(voice actors) and abundant fan service, or something.


Edit: Well, there was newer one (2000).

[zalas]

Yeah, there's a lot of people at Leaf at just one of their offices. If you beat Utawarerumono DVD version, you get to beat up the staff and walk around their cubicles :3

[GreatSaintLouis]

Has there been a release date announced for Scarlet, yet? I'd certainly like to try and snag it when it comes out.

[Spiritsnare]

Originally Posted by Nanatuha

I suppose the causes are...abundant fan service...

I almost thought of that as staff fanservice. Whoa.

Onto more happier news, Scarlett demo is out.
http://www.din.or.jp/~nekoneko/down_demo.htm

if I knew this was the case, I would've bought some NekoNekoSoft items from C69 :P

[Haeleth]

Originally Posted by byndhrzn

Onto more happier news, Scarlett demo is out.
http://www.din.or.jp/~nekoneko/down_demo.htm

And what engine does it turn out to use but Majiro, the same system as SIESTA's Moon Childe?

The now-obligatory hacked screenshot:


Whew, that's out of the way. Now I can go and play the demo with a clear conscience. ^_^

[GreatSaintLouis]

Oh good, I was worried there for a moment!

Is this a true 'hacked' screenshot, or is there some sort of script dumping and reinsertion tool kicking around on the Intarweb?

[Haeleth]

Originally Posted by GreatSaintLouis

Is this a true 'hacked' screenshot, or is there some sort of script dumping and reinsertion tool kicking around on the Intarweb?

It's a genuine dumped-and-reinserted-script job, of course! How can you doubt me so?

I haven't released the tool formally, but there are a few copies out there. I probably ought to get round to fixing up some of the outstanding bugs... :/

[GreatSaintLouis]

Well, it was less of a "I don't believe you!" question and more of a "There's a script dumping program? Where?!"-sort of thing.

I'd love to hear about it when you get the tool cleaned up enough for distribution! ^^