Chapter 182: Brachio- Saurus~
In the midst of the story in Final Frontier 6, there was an event where Seris, an imperial court lady, appeared on stage disguised as an actress.
Originally designed as an event using MIDI audio, I succeeded in using Raon's performance and our expertise to integrate the actual voice of a musical actor into the game.
A moment later, under the night sky on the screen, a simple story narration flowed over her, elegantly dressed, and...
"In the face of an invasion by enemies, the heroine forced into marriage with the enemy prince gazes at the night sky every night, longing for her lover..."
My lovely, in a distant place,
An eternal love that never fades,
Though it hasn't been long since we swore,
Even in sorrow,
Even in agony...
The star shining in the night sky,
I see as you
An unwanted pledge,
Must it be made?
What should I do? My love?
Please answer...
(Presently, the player moves the character and dances with the apparition of their beloved while the man disappears, leaving behind a bouquet.)
Thank you,
My beloved one,
For answering
This heart that once wavered...
Quietly and tenderly,
For responding...
I'll wait for you,
Forever and ever.
In the finale, as the bouquet is thrown into the night sky, the people gathered in front of the Pentagon booth were staring at the screen with blank expressions.
"W-What did we just watch?"
"It feels like something tugs at the heart..."
As Final Frontier continued its sixth series, showcasing the extreme of contemporary 2D graphics, despite the era flowing towards 3D games using polygons, the detailed emotional expressions seemed challenging.
"Oh, indeed. 3D graphics aren't bad, but games just excel in 2D..."
"Even in the previous 5th, the graphics were good, but 6 is on another level."
Series 6, an amalgamation of all elements showcased in 2D RPGs, provided unique abilities to each character, like the character 'Matthew' currently on screen...
"Wow!! Using command inputs for special abilities?"
By inputting the Hadouken command from Street Fighter 2, Matthew shoots a gust of wind towards the enemya character I adored since childhood.
Especially, the protagonists in Final Frontier 6 each held their own story. With a cast of 12 characters, the extensive story narrated to users was armed with luxurious content exceeding a playtime of 20 hours.
Was it around this time?
Rumors circulated that the odd-numbered series of Final Frontier emphasized new systems, while even-numbered series focused on storylines.
The opera scene in Seris soothed the hearts of users heated up by the conference between Mintendo and Sony. As the promotional video for Final Frontier ended, the audience cheered with gentle applause.
"Here, representing Pentagon Soft and in charge of the development of Final Frontier 6, let's welcome Mr. Kawaguchi to the stage."
"Wow~!"
Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the users' support, Mr. Kawaguchi appeared on stage, his expression more composed than before.
"Thank you for your support. I'm Hironobu Kawaguchi."
After bowing respectfully to the audience gathered at the event, Mr. Kawaguchi took the microphone.
"Frankly, standing on such a grand stage for the first time, I'm quite nervous. I'm honored to introduce Final Frontier 6 that I've created on this global stage."
After finishing his greetings, I looked at the audience and added a brief explanation about the current CES conference.
"As showcased in Mintendo's Project 64 and Sony's Gear Station, a new era of intense 3D games has opened up. NEGA and Sony announced the release of a new console by year-end, and Mintendo, leading the gaming industry, is also focusing on 3D games using polygon technology. However, perhaps a different approach is needed."
As I spoke, some of the heads among the gathered audience began to nod, understanding the intent behind my words.
"Polygon technology is a newly born marvel. Of course, computer graphics, known as CG in the film industry, have been active for some time. However, its application in games is a first for this generation. On the contrary, 2D graphic technology has made tremendous advancements over the past decade."
Those who caught on to my intention started nodding slowly.
"As you've witnessed in Final Frontier 6, it excellently encapsulates the atmosphere of the dark end of this century. Watching the development progress of Final Frontier, one day, I had this sudden thought."
Observing the intrigued expressions of the audience, I slightly curled up one side of my mouth, continuing behind the question.
"What if we were to combine 2D illustrations and 3D polygons?"
"Huh...?"
"What is that person saying right now?"
The people seemed puzzled, unable to grasp what I had just said.
The combination of Polygon and illustrationtwo completely contrasting elementswas something the current generation of gamers, who had just seen Real Fighter, couldn't even imagine.
"It seems my words didn't quite convey the meaning. But don't worry. Although it might not be well-known in the US, there's an Eastern proverb I like. 'Seeing is believing,' meaning it's better to see something once than to hear about it a hundred times. What do you think? It's simple yet accurate, isn't it?"
Observing the users' reactions, I glanced towards the waiting room, where unexpectedly, instead of Uchimura, Rob and Morita were both signaling "OK."
Nodding slightly to their message, I took a step back with Mr. Kawaguchi, continuing after a pause.
"Then, take your time to appreciate. This is the new Polygon technology prepared by our Pentagon..."
"You're not here with me anymore, but I always have you in my heart."
"That line..."
"Oh... my... god... The street I have left...?"
"That's not right. Stop it..."
"How much more tears do you want to draw from my eyes!?"
Reaching out toward the snowflakes falling from the sky, delicate fingers extended...
And the strands of hair fluttering in the cold wind...
The expressions of the people gathered in front of the Pentagon booth froze at the opening video of the 1990 masterpiece, 'The Street I Have Left.'
Smiling at their mesmerized faces, I slightly covered my mouth with the microphone and spoke.
"Introducing the tag demo using the specifications of the 'Complete Raon,' a console project prepared by Pentagon."
The English title of 'The Street I Have Left' appeared on the screen in glamorous handwriting, followed shortly after by the next text, causing another burst of cheers.
"Wow!!"
-The full voice.-
Just this sentence alone earned thunderous praise from the CES attendees.
"Full... voice?!"
"So, does that mean we'll hear all the heroines' lines in actual voices?"
Those who had played 'The Street I Have Left,' remembering the poignancy conveyed by the line "I always have you in my heart," were certain.
But shortly after, the appearance of the heroine Miyuki shocked the audience once again.
Though somewhat awkward, her smiling figure facing the players was undoubtedly a 3D-rendered character.
"Even though she's obviously a 3D character, she gives off a 2D illustration vibe..."
"This looks way better than the realistic fighter we just saw, doesn't it?"
Moving to the center stage amidst the murmurs, I explained, "This is one of the bonus modes using the 'Complete Raon' specifications in 'The Street I Have Left.' The newly remastered version will feature voice data for all the heroines' dialogues."
"Wow... is it really full voice?"
"And once again, for those who enjoyed 'The Street I Have Left'... we've added a new mode where you can converse with her after clearing the game. In this mode, you can experience our Pentagon's fusion of 2D and 3D using cartoon rendering and a 360-degree camera angle."
"Wow... is this some sort of fan service mode?"
"Just the full voice feature alone is worth buying..."
With the full polygon representation of Miyuki filling the screen, smiles spread across the faces of the audience. Clearing my throat, I continued.
"Besides the bonus features, Morita-san, the original creator, is also remaking the character illustrations and event scenes for the base story to fit the new platform. Please look forward to it. Now, let me introduce our next project."
*Swoosh... Swoosh Swoosh Swoosh~!!! Crash!!!
As the broken sword fell from the sky and hit the ground, the audience watching the conference couldn't contain their incredulity.
Understandably so, as that scene was familiar to anyone who had enjoyed Pentagon Soft's games...
While the promotional video played, I brought the microphone closer to my mouth.
"You've been waiting for a long time. The second episode of Dragon Emblem 2."
"Huh...!? Wha-wha-what!?"
"A... a tomb of a dragon!"
Kiiiing~!!
Now, the iconic sound of the Dragon Emblem resounded, and the familiar title appeared on the white screen.
"Wowww!!!"
"Yeah!! I knew it would be like this!!"
"What, what!? Is this really Dragon Emblem!?"
The sudden announcement of the sequel to Dragon Emblem sparked a fervor among the attendees, momentarily shaking the atmosphere settled by the opera event and 'The Street I Have Left.'
>
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