To Aru Series video Games

[OH&S]

Alright, so I've been doing some reading up on news regarding the new PS4/Vita game.

First regarding what was posted to Kamachi's Official Website:

News for March 13, 2017:
>Yesterday at the Dengeki Bunko Spring Festival 2017 New Project Stage it was announced that Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On would be developed into a game!
>For details, please check out the Special Report page!

Said page contains various information that was already stated on a follow up Dengeki Online article and the Sega Virtual-On website.

This highly cited Gematsu article translates some information revealed on the Sega Virtual-On website and copy/pasted on the Dengeki Online article and Kamachi website.

Sega has announced A Certain Magical Virtual-On for PlayStation 4 and PS Vita, a crossover between Dengeki Bunko's A Certain Magical Index light novel series and Sega's Cyber Troopers Virtual-On action game series stemming from a crossover light novel published in May 2016. It is a high-speed battle action game with online support due out in Japan in 2018.

A Certain Magical Virtual-On is set in the world of A Certain Magical Index, in which Cyber Troopers Virtual-On appears as a “sport.” Stemming from the people piloting Virtuaroids mechas and participating in this sport was a sudden development leading to a world crisis that will eventually be made clear. The game is being written by A Certain Magical Index author Kazuma Kamachi, and Virtual-On series character designer Hajime Katoki is in charge of illustrations.

The world that appears in A Certain Magical Index will carry over to the game. Starting with the protagonist Toma Kamijo, various characters including Index, Accelerator, and Mikoto Misaka will pilot Virtuaroids, and fierce battles will unfold in the Academy City setting.

The high-speed battle action that has become a staple of the Virtual-On series will be present, and Sega promises to make maximum use of the experience it gained in developing the series. The special abilities possessed by the characters of the A Certain Magical Index series will be amplified by piloting a Virtuaroid—fired as an attack from the mecha—and used as a new battle method. It is said to be “one of this game’s biggest appeals.”

The Dengeki Online article and Virtual-On website also had comments from Index author Kamachi and mecha designer Hajime Katoki. But I didn't think they were important.

What was important and of interest to both the Virtual-On and Toaru Series fanbases were comments made by Watari Jūrō, the returning Virtual-On series producer. These were the only comments not posted on either the Dengeki Online article or the Kamachi Official website; only the Virtual-On website.

So without further ado, a crappy but somewhat-readable-enough translation and formatting by me:

TL;DR…

Watari Jūrō Column from Sega Virtual-On Website

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I have to say, I quite like the guy. Those are some big goals you're trying to achieve there; satisfying two separate fanbases in a collaboration neither of them particularly wanted is insane. God speed, Watari. You are in an astonishingly unenviable position.

At the very least, I'm feeling a lot better knowing that the game is in his hands.

How about everyone else?

[Callum18]

Originally Posted by OH&S

Alright, so I've been doing some reading up on news regarding the new PS4/Vita game.

First regarding what was posted to Kamachi's Official Website:

News for March 13, 2017:
>Yesterday at the Dengeki Bunko Spring Festival 2017 New Project Stage it was announced that Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On would be developed into a game!
>For details, please check out the Special Report page!

Said page contains various information that was already stated on a follow up Dengeki Online article and the Sega Virtual-On website.

This highly cited Gematsu article translates some information revealed on the Sega Virtual-On website and copy/pasted on the Dengeki Online article and Kamachi website.



The Dengeki Online article and Virtual-On website also had comments from Index author Kamachi and mecha designer Hajime Katoki. But I didn't think they were important.

What was important and of interest to both the Virtual-On and Toaru Series fanbases were comments made by Watari Jūrō, the returning Virtual-On series producer. These were the only comments not posted on either the Dengeki Online article or the Kamachi Official website; only the Virtual-On website.

So without further ado, a crappy but somewhat-readable-enough translation and formatting by me:

TL;DR…

Watari Jūrō Column from Sega Virtual-On Website

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

I have to say, I quite like the guy. Those are some big goals you're trying to achieve there; satisfying two separate fanbases in a collaboration neither of them particularly wanted is insane. God speed, Watari. You are in an astonishingly unenviable position.

At the very least, I'm feeling a lot better knowing that the game is in his hands.

How about everyone else?

That was a lovely read! I really appreciate all the hard work and effort they are putting into this. I will 100% buy and support the game if it comes out in the UK XD. But now this where I have to say the honest and cold truth...

Unless Index III gets official announce by 2018 (when the game is release) along with some other things, the game has a very strong chance of flopping.

Fans were quickly turn off by this being the big project and not Index III, to the point where the dislike bar on the Youtube vid PV was petty big. Had Dengeki (Miki) not jump in with the whole Wait a Bit Longer For S3 bit, the project would have been doomed from the word GO! (much like the HO anime). It was only after Miki said the magic words that fans started to get hyped.

I think the game is going to be great and has potential to make both series to go somewhere. But that potential will only be bought out if the following thing happens...

1: Index III gets official announce (This is the big one and will be the fate of the game success)
2: The game is good and plays true to the older Virtual-On games.
3: The game comes out in the West.


All theses things will play a role on if the game is a big hit or not. I have high hopes for this, and it would be a huge shame for them to go throw all the blood, sweat and tears away.

Don't blow it!

[Chaos2Frozen]

The high-speed battle action that has become a staple of the Virtual-On series will be present, and Sega promises to make maximum use of the experience it gained in developing the series. The special abilities possessed by the characters of the A Certain Magical Index series will be amplified by piloting a Virtuaroid—fired as an attack from the mecha—and used as a new battle method. It is said to be “one of this game’s biggest appeals.”

Well, that is appealing.

Bring on the gameplay video.

[OH&S]

Hold your horses, I've got more to share.

Watari posted a brief development diary on his twitter account that I've translated here:

TL;DR…

Development Diary#7

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So the Kamijou problem has reared its head in once again. But now it's actually being actively worked on rather then sidestepped as in Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax. What ever they do, I hope the somehow incorporate the Dragon Strike like the Index PSP game did.

Originally Posted by Callum18

<snip>

I'll have to disagree with some parts while agreeing with others.

All that the developers have to do is make a mechanically functional game that is fun to play and is well received on the level of the original Virtual-On games for this to be a success.

That's it.

Index III would always make things better for the Index fans but the V-O fans are starving for a good new Virtual-On game that hasn't happened for 15 years. Not that it wouldn't be a plus if it did.

Having the game release in the West is a bit irrelevant. I mena I'm sure that there's a small market in the West for this kinda game but not anything that its overall success is riding upon.

Of course, if all three of the things you mention happen then that would indeed be its best case scenario.

[Chaos2Frozen]

I don't know how it is for the Japanese fans but I pretty sure VO fans in the west would be a lot less amiable hearing that it's paired with a LN series. I'm fairly certain some of you guys also frequent Neogaf so you must have seen the reactions that I did. That being said, gameplay comes first with those people so I'll wait till the first gameplay footage comes out before trying to climb that hill... It's tiring to repeatedly say "HIGH SPEED BATTLE ACTION" to people thinking it's going to be a VN.

That said, reading the developer's thoughts and how he's taking this quite seriously is heartening.

That said, I think people are overthinking how to use Imagine Breaker.

That said, compared to how "beginner friendly" a lot of fighting game protagonists are, Kamijou is more like a specialized counter characters, those are pretty tough to play lol. So I'm guessing that's where the difficulty comes from.

[OH&S]

Originally Posted by Chaos2Frozen

I don't know how it is for the Japanese fans but I pretty sure VO fans in the west would be a lot less amiable hearing that it's paired with a LN series. I'm fairly certain some of you guys also frequent Neogaf so you must have seen the reactions that I did. That being said, gameplay comes first with those people so I'll wait till the first gameplay footage comes out before trying to climb that hill... It's tiring to repeatedly say "HIGH SPEED BATTLE ACTION" to people thinking it's going to be a VN.

Are you kidding me? That's honestly been the best part of this entire announcement. Seeing all the Sega/VO fans collectively lose their shit at the announcement of a new VO game and then lose their shit again when they realize its been paired with that animu-crap. Or more specifically their confusion as to what the hell Index is

[Callum18]

Originally Posted by OH&S

Hold your horses, I've got more to share.

Watari posted a brief development diary on his twitter account that I've translated here:

TL;DR…

Development Diary#7

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So the Kamijou problem has reared its head in once again. But now it's actually being actively worked on rather then sidestepped as in Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax. What ever they do, I hope the somehow incorporate the Dragon Strike like the Index PSP game did.



I'll have to disagree with some parts while agreeing with others.

All that the developers have to do is make a mechanically functional game that is fun to play and is well received on the level of the original Virtual-On games for this to be a success.

That's it.

Index III would always make things better for the Index fans but the V-O fans are starving for a good new Virtual-On game that hasn't happened for 15 years. Not that it wouldn't be a plus if it did.

Having the game release in the West is a bit irrelevant. I mena I'm sure that there's a small market in the West for this kinda game but not anything that its overall success is riding upon.

Of course, if all three of the things you mention happen then that would indeed be its best case scenario.

Believe it or not, V-O fans also took the game very poorly as well. They were upset that V-O was finally returning after 15 years only for it to be pair-up with a LN series. I also believe Index III (more so this) and the west release could play a role in the success. But shell see XD. The best case scenario would be Index III getting out to go with the game. That I feel we both agree on XD.

As for the whole Touma thing, every fighting game always has a teir list. If I was them, I would make Touma as fair has possible but knowing he will be a higher teir fighter. It would be a shame to ruin the main man himself, trying to balance him to the point where he is unplayable.

[wavehawk]

Originally Posted by Callum18

Believe it or not, V-O fans also took the game very poorly as well. They were upset that V-O was finally returning after 15 years only for it to be pair-up with a LN series.

- I love the To Aru series and I'm an old school Virtual On fan. I like them both SEPARATELY.

Put together, this is an idea about as bad as a T-Bone Steak with Halo-Halo topping on top (two OTHER things I like separately but would be horrible as one item). The way this collaboration comes across sounds like the result of horribly saturday night drunken improv-fanfiction session over cases of beer and too much Gundam VS Gundam...

I could be wrong. Dear god I hope I'm utterly wrong and it turns out to be a good game after all but I highly doubt it.

...and while thinking of Temjin's Rifle Poke acting like Touma's Right Fist may be amusing at first it probably won't be a---

[OH&S]

Originally Posted by wavehawk

- I love the To Aru series and I'm an old school Virtual On fan. I like them both SEPARATELY.

Put together, this is an idea about as bad as a T-Bone Steak with Halo-Halo topping on top (two OTHER things I like separately but would be horrible as one item). The way this collaboration comes across sounds like the result of horribly saturday night drunken improv-fanfiction session over cases of beer and too much Gundam VS Gundam...

I could be wrong. Dear god I hope I'm utterly wrong and it turns out to be a good game after all but I highly doubt it.

...and while thinking of Temjin's Rifle Poke acting like Touma's Right Fist may be amusing at first it probably won't be a---

I can almost feel your pain.

Since you're the first fan of both that I've seen on this forum, if you don't mind me asking:

1. Does reading the translation of Virtual-On series Producer Watari Juro's comments in my previous posts help to alleviate at least 'some' of the worries that you had when you first heard about this?

2. What is the bare minimum that this game needs to accomplish in order for you to consider it successful (or worthwhile to you), collaboration insult notwithstanding?

My guess echoes Chaos' in that it just needs to be a good Virtual-On game.

[wavehawk]

1.) Not really. Chris Roberts (creator of Wing Commander) directed the Wing Commander movie and I felt it was passable at best. By that I mean I don't trust the original creator/director to get iyt right. Look at what George Lucas did with the Star Wars Prequels.

2.) In a nutshell: only if the gameplay is more like VOOT than FORCE or MARZ. Virtual On is many things but ploddingly slow solely to show off cutscene attacks is not one of them. Second: reintroduce Twin-sticks. I played VOOM and VOOT in Arcades and using a console pad doesn't do it for me.(prolly the only reason I still prefer PC FPS though I haven't played a game in ages).

In before they REALLY break my heart and they put in Temjin Two-Sword as a special character...

[OH&S]

Originally Posted by wavehawk

1.) Not really. Chris Roberts (creator of Wing Commander) directed the Wing Commander movie and I felt it was passable at best. By that I mean I don't trust the original creator/director to get iyt right. Look at what George Lucas did with the Star Wars Prequels.

2.) In a nutshell: only if the gameplay is more like VOOT than FORCE or MARZ. Virtual On is many things but ploddingly slow solely to show off cutscene attacks is not one of them. Second: reintroduce Twin-sticks. I played VOOM and VOOT in Arcades and using a console pad doesn't do it for me.(prolly the only reason I still prefer PC FPS though I haven't played a game in ages).

In before they REALLY break my heart and they put in Temjin Two-Sword as a special character...

1. Touché. While I don't find the examples you gave 100% comparable, the point still stands.

2. That seems consistent with what I've heard from other Western VO fans: Twin-Sticks + VOOT gameplay.

As for my thoughts regarding it, Sega may not end up making the successful game that Watari is striving for but his comments are certainly good lip service and evidence enough that he'll at least give it a worthwhile shot. That's good enough for me, regardless of outcome.

As for point 2, it'll truly be miraculous if it happens. If Sega actually treats this like a VO revival rather than just a collaboration then we'll see twin-sticks. Gameplay is going to be up in the air until gameplay trailer is released (probably at the Autumn Festival in October) but it'll depend on how the Index components influence gameplay and whether or not Watari looks back at FORCE and MARZ as inferior to VOOT.

[OH&S]

Some more tidbits from Watari Juurou's twitter:

>Today, it’s about the time that I can tweet something official soon.
---
>[Development Diary #17]

>Responding to various approval documents in the morning.

>1:30pm – 3:30pm: Outside Work
>4:00pm – 5:00pm: Conference, Part 1
>5:00pm – 6:00pm: Secret Conference
>6:30pm – 8:00pm: Conference, Part 2

>In short, it was a day of full of conferences.
===
From @vow_2017:

>Thank you for the great number of supportive comments since the announcement of Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On! Hot cheers have also arrived from the stores as well. This photo is from the Medio in Okayama Prefecture. It is in the Nishiichi store. It’s a must-see shopfront exhibit that’s overflowing with love!

Images

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===
In response to on English speaking fan:

Please make it play like VOOT or VOOM. Just not VOM. This is the world's greatest series. I needed this. Thank you.

>Thank you very much; I'll do my best!
===
Not sure if the thing he wanted to announce was announced but he made the mistake of responding to an English spekaing VO fan that wanted VOOM/VOOT gameplay. Now Watari has no excuse now.

[wavehawk]

So essentially Touma gets the 707 version Temjin from VOOT. If that means VOOT gameplay I'm up with that. It's kind of funny--I do like some of the VO Force designs (like Kagekiyo, a model of which I've built) but dislike the game itself.

...no 10-80?

[OH&S]

VO Series Producer Watari Jūrō wrote another column on the Virtual-On website on April 10, 2017. As per usual, I've translated it and other related material with my crappy translation skills. Enjoy!

Introductory Tweets:

1. In this column, I will suggest specific page references in the 'Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On' novel that will be helpful as material to predict how the game will take shape. Later on, there’s also a moment of my past tweets and the like. Though, it’s slightly long if you don’t mind reading it.
   
2. This column, "What kind of game is VO in the Index World?", can be understood without getting to the first half of the novel; just under 100 pages! In addition, the crux of the novel is Kamijou-kun doing more than the usual Kamijou-kun would do. This is the point that secures the good impression after reading.

TL;DR…

Watari Jūrō Column from Sega Virtual-On Website

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Follow up tweets:

1. Originally Posted by reply to

   Seems like Doctor Watari is desperately trying to explain it but there is no necessity for the robots in 'Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On' to be from Virtual-On in the first place. Good grief. It truly looks like the creator is making what he wants to make, in a bad way.

   If it seems that way, that's most likely due to Virtual-On's own insufficiency, isn’t it? Since it is the first one in 15 years, there is only devotion from here on out. ^ ^
   
2. Development Diary # 32: Today as well, we have quietly checked the equipment and materials for debugging.
   Images

   The image is an icon; not a game screen

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And on the Sega Official Twitter Account:

• If you are visiting Sega Group Headquarters, please feel free to take photos.
  PS4/PS Vita "Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On" is going to be released in 2018. Please stay tuned!
  
  
  Images

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[wavehawk]

Well...I'm not expecting much from this but I hope it can actually be a GOOD Virtual On game, not a "Robot Fighting Game with Index Characters pasted on".

...could be worse. It could have been a Crossover with Zoids...

[OH&S]

^
Zoids was the shit back in early 2000s...

Anyways, important info from the Official Twitter acount for Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On:

>Starting from May, the official twitter account will make planned tweets about the game every Wednesday.
>In the first planned tweet, the Virtuaroids that appeared in the Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On novel will be introduced with pictures!
>As the world view will also be weaved together, it will also be useful for those people asking "What kind of Virtual-On is it?"!
>Look forward to tomorrow's tweet!

[Marcus H.]

Kinda surprised that you guys aren't talking about the Chinese-based MMOARPG based on Index.

[Seafoam]

I don't think many people know about it, although I'm keeping an eye on it for post OT13 characters being playable/in the story.

[OH&S]

Originally Posted by OH&S

^
Zoids was the shit back in early 2000s...

Anyways, important info from the Official Twitter acount for Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On:

>Starting from May, the official twitter account will make planned tweets about the game every Wednesday.
>In the first planned tweet, the Virtuaroids that appeared in the Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On novel will be introduced with pictures!
>As the world view will also be weaved together, it will also be useful for those people asking "What kind of Virtual-On is it?"!
>Look forward to tomorrow's tweet!

And the first virtuaroid revealed in the tweets is: RVR-33 APHARMD S: Apharmd the Striker

Images

Oratario Tangram? Pics included in Tweets

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The first two tweets give a bit of in-game lore about them which I didn't find important. The third tweet however:

>Actually, Apharmd S doesn't appear in the Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On novel.
>Will this unit appear in the game version?
>In that case, who will pilot it?
>By all means, please wait for the follow-up report.

So... basically teasing. Next tweet on Wednesday.

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

Kinda surprised that you guys aren't talking about the Chinese-based MMOARPG based on Index.

Originally Posted by Seafoam

I don't think many people know about it, although I'm keeping an eye on it for post OT13 characters being playable/in the story.

I'm honestly not sure what to make of it. It looks like a decent amount of work has been put into it. But on the other hand, Dengeki Bunko has quite literally made zero mentions of it anywhere despite it supposedly being official.

YouTube

https://youtu.be/urSFhabn8uc

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Even Atsushi Abe (Kamijou's VA) went to China to promote it; not that Dengeki would tell me.

[Marcus H.]

Some anon on /a/ has told threads that it was first designed as a China-only project, and it was compared to Dragon Ball Online that was Korea-only before it was released on Japan.

This explains why Dengeki hasn't said anything about it despite Atsushi Abe promoting the MMO as well as the copyrights of Kamachi, Project Index/Railgun and ASCII Media Works shown in promotional videos.