Topic: Konami Facebook team responding to Operation: Akumajo

[TheouAegis]

I don't belong to Operation: Akumajo, so my voice doesn't much matter. But I won't play LoS because I could tell at first glance that it wasn't my preferred style of play. I also don't want another LoI, because even though I play it, I don't like it. I also don't want a CV64, because I hated trying to play a 3D Castlevania platformer. (I'll give it another try one of these days). I also don't want another Metroidvania. I haven't played anything since SOTN because as soon as I seen that a game is a Metroidvania, I think, "Oh another boring find-and-grind with even worse graphics." I would have played Chronicles if I had a PSP. In other words, I want 2.5D Castlevanias and only 2.5Dvanias. I hate 3D games, personally.

[crisis]

I haven't played anything since SOTN

Damn, sorry to hear that. You're missing out.

[Flame]

I want 2.5D Castlevanias and only 2.5Dvanias. I hate 3D games, personally.

Jesus Christ, what.

Games evolve, and should evolve. That mindset is the reason Mega Man is still stuck in 2D without a successful 3D platformer, and currently in game limbo, having slipped from public "careness"

[cecil-kain]

When it's the way you're going about it already.

What are you specifically objecting to?  "the way you're going about it" is extremely vague.  Is it our mission statement?  Our images?  Our videos?  Some random comment that was made here, Facebook, or elsewhere?  What was said?  What was the context?  Etc...  The copout is "everything" so let's cut to the chase.  What would you do differently --presuming you agree with the objective?

Your first post in this thread.

The first post in this thread includes an introduction and 3 separate quoted conversations.  Could you be a little more specific?

What we want varies from person to person. Some people DO want the LoS games to continue. That right there debunks your statement.

When did we say that we DO NOT want the LoS games to continue?  We have some outspoken LoS fans in our group --because they understand Operation: Akumajo is not about Lords of Shadow, it's about preserving Akumajo Dracula.  Konami has positioned LoS as a reboot *a replacement* to Akumajo Dracula --and we are responding in that context.

However you are missing the real point of all of this entirely. You can't think of specifically what you, or you perceive others, to want. You need to make a reasonable suggestion and actually back it up with a logical set of reasons why they should even bother. So far, I've seen nothing in the way of this from your organization. It's always been things like "1999DCW OR WE DON'T WANT IT".

It sounds like you believe we shouldn't be asking for anything unless we can present Konami some kind of a market study showing point by point how and why they should make games like Demon Castle War.  What's wrong with telling Konami what we want, and letting them respond with some market study telling us why they can't?

I don't have time to go through every single bullet point, so I will summarize the idea.

Big media in the industry, such as IGN and others, will not usually publish about groups like this if they're handling it like you do. Take a better look at how other petitions and such have handled their campaigns. Learn how to professionally conduct yourself. Little things like using the organization's title to speak through with your own voice dwindle your professional reputation. I really don't have time to tutor you guys on this. Just study a lot more before you jump head long into it. As much as you may not want to hear it; if you can't seem to fix it just hand the reigns off to someone else. Then again, now you have this stigma already attached to the group's name and it may not be possible to turn the image you've already presented around. As it is, and I know you may disagree but, I don't think you will be accomplishing anything in the long run.

At the end of the day, it's usually the games that make the news --not the fans.  For example --Megaman Legends 3 was a major story when it was first announced, so naturally its cancellation and the resulting fan outrage were a natural follow up on that story.  That publicity was the fuel behind 100,00 Strong.  Majora's Mask would never have come up, if not for the massive media coverage of Ocarina 3DS --and the passive challenge from Zelda series producer, Eiji Aonuma.

Operation Rainfall is the one major exception.  They actually formed on IGN's forums and receivd favorable coverage on the IGN website just a few days after Nintendo announced that Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, and Pandora's Tower would not be localized for North American release.  Although I don't have evidence, one might suspect the editors publishing the story may have had a vested interest in the group.  But even so, the games themselves were still newsworthy.

Considering that Castlevania isn't in the news, how would you have us follow any of these examples.  I know you're talking about the tone of our activism, but what you're not understanding is that these groups have had some very powerful friends carrying their water.  They never really needed to make much noise to draw attention to their causes --the media delivered their message to the masses for them.

[VladCT]

Damn, if this keeps up I might have to nominate both uzo and cecil-kain for the Master Debater award. LOL

[Danial]

These conversations are the first actions I've seen from Operation Akumajo, and they're a bit childish.  I don't know what else you've done so far, but here the group comes off as sniping fanboys more than an organized effort, and neither Konami or any media outlet will pay attention to you as long as that is the case.

Uzo is correct, if you want to be taken with any amount of seriousness you need to start acting more professional.

You need to decide on a very specific goal.  There's a lot of different things Konami could do for an anniversary, and you have to clearly outline what you're crusading for.  "Not LoS", isn't an adequate answer.

You should only have one mouthpiece.  It's fine for supporters to chime in with ideas, requests, and complaints on a forum or website, but when addressing Konami there should only be one voice. 

It's fine to have a Facebook presence, but if you want to speak with a company on a professional level you're going to have to do it privately.  Very few large companies will discuss their operations at all, they're definitely not going to do it on a public forum.

Leave your ego at home.  It doesn't matter if you hated LoS, insulting Cox and his team isn't going to get you anywhere.  Neither is constantly telling them how you liked Iga or any other previous CV creator better.

Keep the fire burning, but know when to turn down the heat.  We all love Castlevania, but it's ultimately Konami's property to do what they want with.  That doesn't mean you should stop (as long as you're properly run), but it does mean that you'll have to live with what Konami decides. 

[KaZudra]

No, Cox. It really doesn't make sense. Because that means it shouldn't even use the name Castlevania.

basically all he said was, "its a multiverse approach on castlevania, it has no ties to the Original timeline."

Does that make sense?

[Sumac]

This childish pouting, unwarranted self importance, misguided sense of entitlement, and continually treating Konami like the enemy, is why you guys are struggling to get off the ground. It certainly is keeping myself, and others, from showing hands of support.

Gee...Sounds like certain part of Castlevania fandom in a nutshell. 

On a more serious note - as of now OA comes as a creation of several fanboys who want things to be their way...or the highway. I don't think that big corporation works on the wishes of the few guys who were insulted with some creative liberty.

If I were Konami staff, I'd just put some bot to answer all your pleas with a gentle "Thank You" from now on and that's it. Well, until OA will not have more substance rather than "some fans pissed of that things changed". It should be something more respectable and mature.

It sounds like you believe we shouldn't be asking for anything unless we can present Konami some kind of a market study showing point by point how and why they should make games like Demon Castle War.  What's wrong with telling Konami what we want, and letting them respond with some market study telling us why they can't?

LOS creation is the answer to your question. If Castlevania was a "healthy", very popular franchise, that was widely loved everywhere for what it is, not for what it once was, no reboot would be needed ever.

[cecil-kain]

These conversations are the first actions I've seen from Operation Akumajo, and they're a bit childish.  I don't know what else you've done so far, but here the group comes off as sniping fanboys more than an organized effort, and neither Konami or any media outlet will pay attention to you as long as that is the case.

Uzo is correct, if you want to be taken with any amount of seriousness you need to start acting more professional.

You need to decide on a very specific goal.  There's a lot of different things Konami could do for an anniversary, and you have to clearly outline what you're crusading for.  "Not LoS", isn't an adequate answer.

You should only have one mouthpiece.  It's fine for supporters to chime in with ideas, requests, and complaints on a forum or website, but when addressing Konami there should only be one voice. 

It's fine to have a Facebook presence, but if you want to speak with a company on a professional level you're going to have to do it privately.  Very few large companies will discuss their operations at all, they're definitely not going to do it on a public forum.

Leave your ego at home.  It doesn't matter if you hated LoS, insulting Cox and his team isn't going to get you anywhere.  Neither is constantly telling them how you liked Iga or any other previous CV creator better.

Keep the fire burning, but know when to turn down the heat.  We all love Castlevania, but it's ultimately Konami's property to do what they want with.  That doesn't mean you should stop (as long as you're properly run), but it does mean that you'll have to live with what Konami decides.

The term "professional" is being used a bit loosely in this topic.  I'm still waiting for specific examples of unprofessional actions or comments that I can respond to or perhaps even learn from.  Our goals are ambitious and very clearly outlined in our mission statement.

When it comes to Lords of Shadow, we actually AGREE with David Cox --it is not an Akumajo game --it is a completely separate universe.  Therefore, we cannot accept it as a reboot for the existing Castlevania continuity.  We have no objection whatsoever to seeing LoS continue --what we object to is seeing Akumajo Dracula discontinued.

Aside from any comments relevant to our cause, we're really not that interested in David Cox.  Although we certainly have a great many Igarashi fans within our group, our official position is that he's only needed for the Demon Castle War.

As you can see from the convos quoted in the first post, Operation: Akumajo is posting on Konami's official Castlevania Page on Facebook --so we are, in effect, speaking publicly with one voice.  As for engaging Konami privately --I can tell you that emails have been sent, but no response has been received.  And quite frankly, an official response can't be expected at this point.  In fact, it was a surprise to see Konami engaging us publicly on Facebook --thus the creation of this topic.

[A-Yty]

basically all he said was, "its a multiverse approach on castlevania, it has no ties to the Original timeline."

Does that make sense?

That's not all he said. And I think it's up to him to clarify what he said.

[crisis]

He's pretty much saying it's a reboot of the series, but completely separate to the series, so much that it could be it's own series.




yup.

[Neobelmont]

PSP is the reason we dont have other games like DXC.

The PSP never caught on as well as in the US in Japan, at least not as fast. DXC came out 2007. Maverick Hunter X Came out in 06. The PSP was not as widespread in japan as in the US back then. They both suffered a lack of Japanese sales, and thus had no "sequels". If they had been PS2, they might have sold better.

Odd  was not DXC a smash hit or best seller compared to MHX or UGG or something you know the little red line thing on the cover?

Konami was one the right track with the Dracula X Chronicles. Not only does it appeal to the same crowd as Rebirth, but that game also demonstrates what can be achieved when Castlevania is taken seriously. The 2.5-D graphic presentation was gorgeous and refreshing --exactly the sort of treatment needed for Castlevania to compete in the modern market. Although there are a couple nitpicky details (like Rondo’s outdated play-control) the only real problem was that someone at Konami decided DXC wasn’t worthy of the full HD home console treatment. Putting DXC on the PSP was easily one of the worst Castlevania decisions that Konami has ever made. Did they really expect the fanbase to drop their DSs and shell a couple hundred more dollars for Sony’s competing system? Oh well --that’s another discussion altogether...
-------------------------------------------------------

That is what I did heck what can I say psp looked good and DCX sold it.

[C Belmont]

That's not all he said. And I think it's up to him to clarify what he said

Good luck getting him to
Cox doesn't answer questions anymore he prefers to just repeat the tiniest bit of praise LOS receives & make useless comments like "What a horrible night to have a curse..."

[Flame]

When did we say that we DO NOT want the LoS games to continue?

You are presenting the argument of how It isn't a true Castlevania.

Operation: Akumajo is not about Lords of Shadow, it's about preserving Akumajo Dracula.  Konami has positioned LoS as a reboot *a replacement* to Akumajo Dracula --and we are responding in that context.

Uh huh.



All I see here is LOS ISNT CASTLEVANIA BRING BACK WHAT WE KNOW

Also its things like that. "Its lazy but at least it's castlevania..." Those hurt your image too. You are rolling over and accepting Konami's shit, to aid your point that it is better than LoS because at least it is the Castlevania you know.

Its along the same vein as the people who are totally Ok with Mega Man X being only a card and DLC skin for Zero in MvC3 after being the top polled character in almost any poll he was in, and with the massive fan demand he had. The people who go "Well it's better than nothing... Be happy with what you got."

You are accepting HD solely on he grounds that it is not LoS. It's a game that even most of the Castlevania fanbase agrees is the laziest copout ever.

"BUT AT LEAST IT'S CASTLEVANIA!" is what you say.

The problem is you hang onto the notion of what Castlevania "should be". Something different for everyone.

Also, consistency. It's "Operation Akumajo", but you talk about Castlevania. Choose one name and stick with it.

[Vrakanox]

Yeah, the one picture that irks me is the "failure comes in 3 dimensions" and then it shows Curse of Darkness. CoD and LoI have a decent sized fan-base and they are also part of the old canon which is what Akumajo Dracula is trying to preserve.