Topic: Operation Akumajo preparing for Konami Campaign 9/26/11

[cecil-kain]

Based on the recent survey, I can see that most of you who haven't joined Operation: Akumajo are abstaining due to various objections over the Youtube video or the Mission Statement.  Still, it's been encouraging to see the interest that's out there --even the cynicism...  For those that want to participate in our activities, but do not have a Facebook account --the following message is DEFINITELY for you.  And for those that believe in what we're doing, but don't like the way we're doing it --I sincerely hope you do something to support Castlevania even if it doesn't exactly follow our group's methods...

Castlevania’s 25th Anniversary is in 2 weeks and it’s time to get ready. Our official strategy involves engaging Konami directly and indirectly, personally and collectively. The following campaigns will commence officially on Monday, September 26.

First. All of our members are requested to start writing emails to Konami in strong support of traditional 2-D Castlevania games --and specifically request creation of both the 1999 Demon Castle War and Dracula’s Curse Remastered. Operation: Akumajo is not providing any form letters for this effort. Please take the time to write your emails thoughtfully and let your passion shine through. The service reps at Konami are doing their jobs, so please use courteous language that would encourage them to pass our collective sentiment along to their superiors. And if you are lucky enough to get a response, please keep that conversation going as far as you can take it!

Second. All members are also requested to create video testimonials to be posted on our Youtube channel as part of a larger viral effort. Although there’s no “correct form” your testimonial should at least touch on 3 primary topics... Congratulate Konami on the 25th Anniversary, tell them why you love Castlevania, and what you want to see next. Last but not least, give your name and state your support Operation: Akumajo.

Third. All members are requested to publicly engage Konami over Facebook. If you haven’t “liked” Konami’s official Castlevania Page, please do so. Every time they post a new topic respond by requesting the Demon Castle War, Dracula’s Curse Remastered --otherwise voice your support for 2-D Castlevania or Operation: Akumajo. This activity will also help spread our message and attract additional support within the Castlevania fanbase...

And finally... At some point, Konami needs to see the money. Therefore everyone with a Playstation 3 MUST download Harmony of Despair as soon as it becomes available. I have no doubt Konami is watching the sales of this game very closely as a trial balloon. The greater the sales, the more likely we are to see a serious investment in the kind of Castlevania games we’re asking them to make. It’s imperative for us to show Konami that 2-D Castlevania is not only viable but lucrative as well! In fact, If you’ve put off any digital purchases like Castlevania Adventure Rebirth, Virtual Console ClassicVanias, DXC, SotN, or even Castlevania console themes --NOW is the time to buy!

Again, this is a call to get ready. Our campaign will begin in earnest Monday, September 26.

[Odile Kuronuma]

This is a pretty interesting plan, but I can see a few holes in it. First of all, I'm not sure if people are willing to write to Konami and give their names(at least I do). I prefer to stay anonymous over the internet, for many reasons. Those from the US and Europe wouldn't understand I guess, but I can tell you that things in here are a bit different, and it's better to stay anonymous on the internet
The other point that I found flawed in your plan is that I don't think many people are willing to buy Harmony of Despair for the PS3. It's not a good game to begin with. And why would they take the trouble to buy a PS3 just so they can play Hod? Ok there's LOS, but I don't consider it a Castlevania game. And even if we buy the 2D games we're not sure that Konami is going to give us what we want. They're pretty unpredictable. OoE was good and relatively well received among the fans, and yet they decided to make LoS.I don't know if OoE sold well, but the way I see things is that nowadays game companies are more interested in making 3D games.
I'd really like to help, but I'm not even sure if people want 2D Castlevanias anymore, or at least not the metroidvania formula.

[cecil-kain]

This is a pretty interesting plan, but I can see a few holes in it. First of all, I'm not sure if people are willing to write to Konami and give their names(at least I do). I prefer to stay anonymous over the internet, for many reasons. Those from the US and Europe wouldn't understand I guess, but I can tell you that things in here are a bit different, and it's better to stay anonymous on the internet
The other point that I found flawed in your plan is that I don't think many people are willing to buy Harmony of Despair for the PS3. It's not a good game to begin with. And why would they take the trouble to buy a PS3 just so they can play Hod? Ok there's LOS, but I don't consider it a Castlevania game. And even if we buy the 2D games we're not sure that Konami is going to give us what we want. They're pretty unpredictable. OoE was good and relatively well received among the fans, and yet they decided to make LoS.I don't know if OoE sold well, but the way I see things is that nowadays game companies are more interested in making 3D games.
I'd really like to help, but I'm not even sure if people want 2D Castlevanias anymore, or at least not the metroidvania formula.

There's nothing wrong with using an alias.  Cecil Kain is not my real name, but that's how I'm known to the fanbase.  So when I do my testimonial I'm probably going to continue under the name Cecil Kain.  Either way, the point is to personalize the movement --and that means removing the faceless, namelessness of the fans and overcome the corporate perception that we're just a bunch of numbers.

As for HD --I understand it's a lazy excuse for a game, but at least it's Castlevania.  And more importantly, it will be the game that Konami's watching.  Showing the company what's in it for them is an essential part of the overall strategy.  So if HD is simply unacceptable, maybe think about some of the other content out there --like Rebirth...

[C Belmont]

I think your gonna have to be a bit more specific about where we should send our emails, after all it's not gonna have much impact if they are spread across several different email addresses.

Creating a video testimonial sounds like it could be fun, I just hope I can find the time to put one together.

[cecil-kain]

I think your gonna have to be a bit more specific about where we should send our emails, after all it's not gonna have much impact if they are spread across several different email addresses.Creating a video testimonial sounds like it could be fun, I just hope I can find the time to put one together.

I'm giving the 2 week notice now to make sure everyone can find the time to do it.  None of this actually begins until the official anniversary date arrives on 9/26/11.  That's when I'll give out the email address and that sort of thing...

[shelverton.]

I don't wanna support Harmony of Despair cause it is everything I don't want Castlevania to be. It's online, it's recycled, it's downloadable. No, no and no. Sure, it's 2D but that doesn't help when everything else is wrong IMO. I'd much rather have Lords of Shadow 2, 3 and 4 to be honest. I do however think that this operation is cool. I support a lot of things in it and I might even send a letter to Konami.

EDIT: I'll pick up Rebirth though. And maybe Rondo and the other oldies, even though I already own them elsewhere and didn't plan on getting them again...

[Sonic_Reaper]

Whether you like HoD is besides the point.  If Konami sees that the 2D incarnations are no longer creating viable sales, they won't listen to a word the fanbase says.  Why should they?  They're assuming that even if they cater to the demands, the sales still won't be all that hot.  If you have a PS3, and strongly support this movement, I would download it, at least try it, and if it's not your cup of tea, just leave it or delete, and move on.  I'm not sure what the price is, but it's $15 on Xbox Live.  2 weeks is plenty time to scrounge up $15.

[SenileSnake]

basically your strategy is to buy every shit konami flings at us just to show them we will buy every shit they fling at us so they continue to fling shit at us.



good strategy.

[cecil-kain]

basically your strategy is to buy every shit konami flings at us just to show them we will buy every shit they fling at us so they continue to fling shit at us.



good strategy.

Your tact is impeccable.  Unfortunately, any sensible strategy MUST show Konami that we're willing to pay for the quality that we're asking for.  Like I said before, HD is lazy, but if Konami is making money hand over fist on the cheap --we're that much more likely to see a serious investment the next time around.  How can you expect Konami to put their time and energy into designing a quality product, if they don't see strong support from their core fanbase?  You're also forgetting the other elements of the strategy.  The fans obviously want higher quality and I'm sure that will come out in the emails and testimonials as well...  Or maybe --you just don't agree with the final objectives...

[JR]

I definitely won't buy HD for the sake of showing support for the series. Some people were insulted by Konami trotting the PS3 version out like it was a brand new game, and it just shows how lazy Konami has become (along with pushing out incomplete hi def collections of old games). Although I bought the 360 version and all of the DLC, I won't support Konami's lazier approach to the series any longer. I know that the series can always use bigger sales, but one could argue that supporting rushed, low-budget titles will give us just more of the very same thing in the future. (But if my girlfriend wants to play this game with me, then I can buy it because of the local co-op support, but that's another story). I'll continue to purchase downloadable Virtual Console titles and things like that, but I don't want to encourage Konami to possibly prioritize the HD budget route above all else.

I'll be ready to email Konami when the anniversary hits, but only with concerns to the anniversary itself, or the state of the series in general (though I'm not quite sure how to approach that yet). But I can't support telling Konami which games to make...1999 or a CVIII remake, or anything else.

[KaZudra]

I'll buy the game, but be assured that there will be a high change I'll use a hacked save with pre-leveled Jon,Richter, Shanoa, Simon, Julius, and Fuuma, Cause I'm not spending 5+ hours (7+ Jon and Shanoa) Just to grind on to max out or even decent stats on characters.

[Odile Kuronuma]

I agree with SenileSnake. We can't show our support to 2D Castlevania by buying games like HD. If we do, they'll just give us the same HD crap over and over again.We have to show Konami that we want QUALITY 2D games. And if they can't give us what we want, then the series should die .

[KaZudra]

I agree with SenileSnake. We can't show our support to 2D Castlevania by buying games like HD. If we do, they'll just give us the same HD crap over and over again.We have to show Konami that we want QUALITY 2D games. And if they can't give us what we want, then the series should die .

yep, cause castlevania should die because of ONE Lazy game.
some people should listen to how ridiculous they sound sometimes.

[cecil-kain]

I agree with SenileSnake. We can't show our support to 2D Castlevania by buying games like HD. If we do, they'll just give us the same HD crap over and over again.We have to show Konami that we want QUALITY 2D games. And if they can't give us what we want, then the series should die .

Demanding something without some show of good faith on our part makes a good argument for Operation: Akumajo's critics.  If HD isn't for you, then maybe consider sending Konami an email explaining how they can do better.  Nobody here is going to fault you for taking a stand on quality, but I'm telling you --an effective campaign depends on showing them that we're also willing to reward their investment.  Maybe one of the other digital purchases would suit you better...  Rebirth perhaps?

[angevil]

1999 Demon Castle War and Dracula’s Curse Remastered

I really want both of those games to see the light of day. I will definitely write to Konami, and everyone who is a Castlevania fan should do it. I will try to write a longer message, but if you don`t have time, you can at least type one or two sentences. It would mean a lot. Unless you want 2D Castlevania to die. I know what I will write, it is everything that I have been thinking about CV for the last few years. Did we decide which email address to write to?