I'm not usually one to make all-encompassing statements like this, but Skies of Arcadia is the best RPG ever. I mean it... ever. The game is beautiful beyond belief. Its world and characters are unlike anything ever put into pixels. And forget Lara Croft -- Aika is the sexiest video game character yet. You have got to love that handlebar hairdo.
Before I get into the site, I have to give props to the excellent job the Localization staff did on this game. In order to ship this game on time, they took the candle, burned it at both ends, took any wax that dropped off and burned that, too. They also helped me out with the site by providing a lot of content and contact with the Japanese team. Klay and Chris, you guys rawk.
The site's design was based on the map screen in the game itself, although the geography on the map was different in order to stay spoiler-free. Mike (the site's designer) did a good job of capturing the feel of the game, along with bringing out some neato Flash tricks like the twitching compass.
But you don't go to a site because of the way it looks, do you? To that end, I made sure to add some nice, juicy content. There was a great section on Overworks (the developer), where I wrote a little history of the group as well as conducted three interviews with members of the Skies team. There were also some cool downloads, including the Japanese TV commercials for the game and sound files from the English localization.
If you haven't played Skies of Arcadia, consider your life incomplete. This personal website you are reading is mainly for my own amusement, but consider this a public service message -- play Skies of Arcadia now!.
The Legend Will Never Die
The best got even better. In January 2003, Skies of Arcadia Legends was released for the GameCube. It added several new features to my favorite RPG, and I hope that each and every one of you A) has a GameCube, and 2) has played this game!
As for the Legends site, I didn't actually do much for it. There wasn't any time to create new content, so I adapted the copy from the Dreamcast Skies site. The Legends site had a nice look-and-feel to it, and was still worth checking out, even if the content wasn't so compelling.
Skies of Arcadia Site Content
(completed 10/28/00)
(The Skies site is no longer published on Sega.com. In the interest of historical preservation, I've posted the entire content of the site below. The copy might not read well out of the context of the site, but here it is anyway.)
Story
The age of exploration has dawned upon the
world of Arcadia. Brave adventurers set sail
across the vast skies in search of treasures untold.
And, where there is treasure,
There will be Air Pirates...
Arcadia is a world of boundless skies, where people lead their lives under the glow of six moons. Floating islands provide a welcome oasis for those who navigate the vast expanse of sky. Imperial armies and Air Pirates alike set sail in search of new discoveries and artifacts from an ancient age.
A young Air Pirate named Vyse sails the skies in search of treasure... and adventure. Accompanied by his childhood friend, Aika, and their mysterious partner Fina, he begins an epic journey to discover what lies beyond the sunset. Unbeknownst to him, Vyse is heading into a much darker sky than he could ever imagine...
Features
Game World
When you take the wheel in Skies of Arcadia, you'll travel through a completely unique RPG world. It is a world of perpetual change, where the limitless skies are a place to live, trade, and do battle. From the floating island fortress of Valua to the parched deserts of Nasr, the world of Arcadia is like nothing you've ever seen.
Moon Stones
Arcadia is orbited by six different colored moons. Fragments of these moons sometimes fall from the sky, and are strong sources of magical force. You will use the power of Moon Stones to cast magic and strengthen your weapons.
Battle System
The skies are dangerous, and you will find yourself engaging in plenty of hand-to-hand combat. Your battle options are many, thanks to a deep combat engine that features powerful magic spells, intense special attacks, and a Spirit meter that determines your combat abilities.
Ship Battles
Ships aren't just a means of transportation, but are also weapons of war. The ship-to-ship battles feature an innovative combat engine for strategic turn-based warfare. You can also enhance your ship with new cannons, armor, and crew members.
Weapons
Just as your magic spells are imbued with the power of the moons, so are your weapons. In combat, you can fortify your weapons with the power of a particular Moon Stone. Different Moon Stones affect enemies in different ways, so be sure to experiment.
Crew and Headquarters
Once you become the captain of your own ship, you can start recruiting people to be in your crew. Your crew members will aid you in combat and enhance your ship's abilities. You can also construct your own headquarters with multiple, upgradeable buildings that increase the availability of items and other services.
Discoveries
The world of Arcadia is a vast one, and there are many new things to be found. What better way to make your mark than by finding some long-forgotten landmarks? You can make money and gain recognition by making Discoveries... just make sure you find them first!
Pinta's Quest
Along the course of your adventures, you will meet a diminutive traveler named Pinta. Pinta just loves searching the skies for items, and with the Pinta's Quest VMU minigame, you can lead him on a quest for items and gold to line your coffers.
Swashbuckler Meter
Respect and admiration are goals of all aspiring heroes. In order to be a true hero, you have to act like one. The Swashbuckler Meter measures how well you handle certain decisions throughout the course of the game. This rating will affect how others treat you and how well you perform in combat.
Exclusive Homepage
Choosing the game's "Homepage" option gives you access to an exclusive Skies of Arcadia website. You will find VMU downloads that add new features and items to the game.
Characters
Vyse
Vyse is the son of the infamous Blue Rogue, Dyne. He is an aspiring young Air Pirate with dreams of someday being the captain of his own ship and seeing what lies beyond the sunset. He has strong determination and an iron will, and adamantly believes that nothing is impossible.
Aika
This fiery and playful treasure hunter is Vyse's childhood friend. She lost her parents when she was young, and Vyse's family helped take care of her. She's a bit of a tomboy, but she has a feminine side as well. She is a morale lifter for the group, and loves nothing more than finding (and spending) gold and treasure.
Fina
Fina is a mysterious young lady on a secret quest that she can't reveal. Vyse and Aika found her knocked unconscious while raiding a Valuan battleship. She seems quiet and unassuming, yet naive to the ways of the world. But when pushed, she shows an inner strength and an unbreakable sense of honor and duty.
Drachma
Drachma is a stubborn and grumpy old sailor. He doesn't talk very much, but when he does, it is usually to scold Vyse. He is a hardened fisherman and is rough around the edges, but for some reason he seems to have a soft spot for the heroes... Perhaps there is more to the gruff old man than he shows...
Gilder
Gilder is a Blue Rogue, just like Vyse. However, he sails the skies in search of "the good life." Nothing means more to him than having a good time, especially when it means spending quality time with the ladies. He may be a bit of a joker, but he can definitely hold his own in the heat of battle.
Galcian
Galcian is the head of the Valuan Imperial Armada. It is said that he is the greatest warrior to ever live, as well as a genius tactician. He follows the orders of the Empress, but while his actions seem true, his mind always seems to be somewhere else...
Alfonso
The only son of Valua's most noble family, he is the 1st Admiral of the Valuan Armada. The only reason for his high position is his birth status... and everyone knows it but him. He is pompous and overly confident, and would not hesitate to betray an ally to meet his own ends.
Teodora
She is the tyrranical Empress of the Valuan Empire. She has a lust for power like no other, and will not tolerate insolence. She'll be nice to you as long as you can further her regime. Otherwise, she wouldn't think twice about watching you die.
Overworks
Overworks History
Overworks is the developer of Skies of Arcadia. This Japan-based game house (formerly called Sega AM R&D Dept. #7) was formed in 1995, and has created title after groundbreaking title for Sega systems. What follows is a roster of Overworks' renowned catalog.
9/96 -- Sega Rally Championship Plus (Sega Saturn - Japan)
9/96 -- Sakura Wars (SS - Japan)
11/96 -- Riglord Saga 2 (SS - Japan)
12/96 -- Daytona USA Deluxe (SS - Europe)
1/97 -- Daytona USA Circuit Edition (SS - Japan)
3/97 -- Advanced World War (SS - Japan)
3/97 -- Sakura Wars Columns (SS - Japan)
11/97 -- Let's Make a J-League Pro Soccer Club! 2 (SS - Japan)
12/97 -- Sakura Wars Columns (Arcade - Japan)
4/98 -- Sakura Wars 2 (SS - Japan)
7/98 -- Deep Fear (SS - Japan)
1/99 -- Deep Fear (SS - Europe)
9/99 -- Atsumare! Guruguru Onsen (Dreamcast - Japan)
(First Dreamcast game to feature network gameplay.)
1/00 -- Sakura Wars Columns 2 (DC - Japan)
5/00 -- Sakura Wars (DC - Japan)
9/00 -- Sakura Wars 2 (DC - Japan)
10/00 -- Eternal Arcadia (DC - Japan)
(First game to utilize the "@barai" system)
10/00 -- Atsumare! Guruguru Onsen BB (DC - Japan)
(First console game to utilize a broadband connection.)
11/00 -- Skies of Arcadia (DC - US)
Shuntaro Tanaka Interview
Name: Shuntaro Tanaka
Nickname: People just call me Shuntaro...
Position/Job: Game Designer
Time at Sega: 7 years
Past projects: Sakura Wars series
Current projects: The European version of Skies of Arcadia
Favorite food: I love noodles. Everything from ramen to rigatoni.
Favorite movie: I love Anime films... Hitchcock films... and the movie "It's a Wonderful Life"
Favorite music / band: Japanese group "Yuzu." I love the acoustic guitar, so...
Blood type: A
Zodiac: Taurus
Describe your role and day-to-day activities on the Skies of Arcadia project.
I was responsible for writing the thousands of pages of text. So, basically I had to write the dialog and develop each scenario. It was quite stressful and I found myself buying music CDs on a weekly basis to relieve that stress. I'm sure my coworkers grew rather annoyed with me constantly humming to myself as I listened to my music of the week on my headphones [laugh].
What messages and themes did you want to convey in the story and characters of Skies of Arcadia?
I suppose if there was any one thing that I wanted to tell the audience, it had to be that good things come to those who try and live their dreams and realize their aspirations. In the story, the main character, Vyse, is a young man who is enthralled by the "undiscovered world." Through his adventures into this uncharted territory, he discovers new sights, tastes, smells, and meets new people... people with dreams like his own. I believe that people should always dream and hope. It doesn't matter what it is... you just need to look beyond who you are and what you have... and aspire for something greater. It can even be something as simple as gathering the courage to ask out the person that you like. If you have dreams and aspirations, you will continue to grow as a person.
I'm sure the people playing Skies of Arcadia have their own dreams... and I hope that this game will ensure that they never let go of those dreams. Sometimes, dreams do come true.
In creating the unique world of Arcadia, what were some of your influences?
Old tales of adventure on the high seas like "Treasure Island" were my greatest influences. Tales of pirates and sailors fighting the forces of nature, encountering legendary beasts like giant squids, skulls and crossbones... I remember reading all of those books and feeling that sense of adventure and even a sense of nervousness when the sailors would travel into the unknown. I wanted to try and get that same feeling into a game.
And, actually, nature itself inspired me. Just the sheer scale of things in nature is amazing. The sky, the forests, underground caves, etc... I wanted the audience to be able to experience all of these wonders in a game. Nature dwarves us humans... and yet one person can accomplish so much in his life... I wanted to tell that to people.
What was your favorite part of the Skies of Arcadia development process? What was the most difficult part?
It has to be trying to implement the "sky." It was a real pain to try and figure out how to create a 3D sky in which the players can travel all over the place, and yet maintain the feel of the game. However, looking back... it was actually kind of fun.
What do you do when you are away from work?
I've actually been playing online games at home lately. My friends and I play regularly, and we even write the accounts of our adventures on a little website that we made. I also bought a car recently, so I have been spending a lot of time driving around on the weekends. Not really to anywhere in particular... just sort of exploring, I guess. Since I can be behind the wheel of a ship, it might as well be a car, right? [laugh] My next challenge: parasailing.
Rieko Kodama Interview
Name: Rieko Kodama
Nickname: Nothing in particular, really.
Position/Job: Game Producer
Time at Sega: 17 years
Past projects: Phantasy Star Series, Deep Fear (Saturn)
Current projects: Skies of Arcadia (Japanese, US, and European versions)
Favorite food: Avocado, kiritanbo nabe (a hotpot dish native to Akita)
Favorite movie: "Odoru Daisousasen the Movie" (a movie based on a popular TV series)
Favorite music / band: Japanese R&B singer Hirai Ken, English band 10CC
Blood type: A
Zodiac: Gemini
Describe your role and day-to-day activities on the Skies of Arcadia project.
Ensuring that the quality of the title is of the highest caliber, organizing promotions and publicity of the title, and general production duties in dealing with the international versions.
Skies of Arcadia is a completely unique RPG. What makes this game special for you?
Hmm... what really does make it different? Rather than have me explain the details to you, I would rather have you play the game and see for yourself. What stands out to you? What did you enjoy most about the game? I'd rather not spoil it for anyone, so I'll leave it up to the audience to discover the answer.
What was your favorite part of the Skies of Arcadia development process? What was the most difficult part?
The most difficult parts of the whole development process had to be the very beginning and the very end. Basically, trying to get the concepts down onto paper and then into code was extremely difficult. Also, the final testing process was nerve wracking. I was exhausted physically and mentally by the end. However, I consider myself lucky. I was able to make the game that I wanted. Now, looking back... all the good moments and the bad moments are treasured memories.
Describe your idea of the perfect gaming experience.
I haven't really thought about the "perfect gaming experience" much. What would the perfect game be? It would have to be something that is enjoyable by all the people of the world and would have to be fun for years and years to come. I don't believe there is any one particular answer to this.
What do you do when you are away from work?
I really enjoy traveling. Ever since the project started, I've been dying to go on a trip throughout Japan. Actually though, once the localization of the title is finished, I'd really like to visit Egypt. I want to see the pyramids with my own eyes...
Klayton Vorlick Interview
Name: Klayton Vorlick
Nickname: Let's not get into that... (it's Klay, actually)
Position/Job: Localization Specialist
Time at Sega: Since February 2000
Past projects: Jet Grind Radio (asst. producer) and Seaman (translations)
Current projects: Outtrigger
Favorite food: Hmm... sushi, perhaps?
Favorite movie: Braveheart... maybe.
Favorite music / band: Utada Hikaru (Japanese R&B singer)
Blood type: A (is this necessary?)
Zodiac: Libra
Describe a day in the life of Klayton Vorlick during the Skies of Arcadia project.
Wake up in the morning, get to work late, stay until about 5 in the morning, go to sleep (not necessarily at home), wake up, get to work late, stay until...
What was your favorite part of the localization process of Skies of Arcadia? What was the most difficult part?
My favorite part of the whole project had to be actually playing the game itself. The game is just amazing. I haven't played a game this satisfying in a very long time. The most difficult part had to be finalizing the text. There were so many consistency issues, especially when dealing with items that are actually mentioned in-game.
Skies of Arcadia is an RPG like no other. What makes this game special for you?
I actually really love the characters. We had a great time writing their dialogue. There aren't many games out there with characters that have this much depth and life to them. I also loved the monster, ship, and dungeon design. The team did an excellent job at creating a unifying feel to the whole game. I think it's been a while since any of us have experienced such a high-spirited adventure as this...
We get a lot of mail from people asking how they can get into the game industry. What suggestions do you have for people interested in localization?
While it's not absolutely necessary to get into localization, being fluent in Japanese and knowing Japanese culture (and I don't mean just watching anime and stuff) really helps. A good, solid background in gaming is a necessity. And it never hurts to have a college degree.
What do you do when you are away from work?
It's all about the karaoke!!! I try to go as often as I can. And in my spare time, what else would I do besides play games? No, seriously, though... I try to balance time spent playing games with time spent outdoors. Anything that catches my attention, really. Next challenge: skydiving...
|
3...2...1... Contact!