Murayama Considering a Certain Offer

[Auragaea]

the new arranged soundtrack that was released just 2 months ago

I'm rather disturbed by how they are pushing Tierkreis to be among the five main installments, instead of a mere forgettable spin-off.

Maybe Tierkreis II is the future of this franchise.

I really hope not. There is too much mystery in the main series to just up and give up on it, whereas Tierkreis really isn't thought provoking and seems to be aimed at 10 year olds.

[Raww Le Klueze]

I'm rather disturbed by how they are pushing Tierkreis to be among the five main installments, instead of a mere forgettable spin-off.

Maybe Tierkreis II is the future of this franchise.

If it is, I'm holding you and everyone else that bought the abomination personally responsible.

[EternalOnslaught]

I read from the NeoGAF thread that Murayama apparently had a ten year goal, that he wanted to be a freelance after spending his time at Konami or something. That going back to Konami would break his own goal.

That's what I got from reading that thread anyways, that could be the choice he is making right now.

[Iesous]

Whether Konami or not, a permanent offer from any company would be breaking his goal. But, that could also very well explain the difficulty of the decision. Has he been freelancing this entire time since S3? If so, maybe he hasn't found freelancing all it's cracked up to be.

[The Minstrel]

I read from the NeoGAF thread that Murayama apparently had a ten year goal, that he wanted to be a freelance after spending his time at Konami or something. That going back to Konami would break his own goal.

That's what I got from reading that thread anyways, that could be the choice he is making right now.

Hold on -- where did he say exactly that this "offering from a certain company" would means join it ? Isn't one of the basis of freelancing being, apart from creating on your own way and behalf, to also receive requests for greater companies' projects ? As a freelance, he for sure received a proposal to join the famous RPG project, yet it's surely not meaning to actually join the said company. So from this point of view, working with Konami or any company wouldn't be "against his goals", except if I missed something here. There is clearly a certain familiarity with the said company he spoke about, so we can expect Konami -- he would feel uneasy to have to work with them again, since he simply threw everything on the wall by the time he left, and surely there were more to this story than simply his own sudden decision. (Or else he wouldn't have left in the middle of Suikoden III's production, although finishing its story-board)

So I did think it's Konami, and even if it isn't, I do think it doesn't mean to actually join the company, rather working with them. So I don't think it has anything to do with its past "goals". However, it's better not get too crazy about it, even if it is revealed to be send by Konami -- it may be Suikoden VI as much as it could be Tierkreis II, or something not even Suikoden-related.

[Neclord X]

If it is, I'm holding you and everyone else that bought the abomination personally responsible.

Me too

[KC_MCDOHL]

I agree, I believe there are far too many signs for there NOT to be a future Suikoden installment. I get the feeling that there will be an anouncement very soon if not at E3. Remember, we where always this negative about the future of the series before S5 was announced and the same with Teirkries. I think we should try to be optimistic this time around. And, hoprfully, if Murayama gets back on board then that may mean that the current staff realises they need his expertise to get the story back onto some direction which they seem to have lost with Teirkries.

[EternalOnslaught]

It could mean anything, maybe not join a company, but his mood when he wrote that post was that it reflects that of someone contemplating crossing the Rubicon which is an idiom meaning passing the point of no return and a very risky one at that. But of course, it's probably best not to read too much into it to make our own assumptions.

[blah1017]

I agree, I believe there are far too many signs for there NOT to be a future Suikoden installment. I get the feeling that there will be an anouncement very soon if not at E3. Remember, we where always this negative about the future of the series before S5 was announced and the same with Teirkries. I think we should try to be optimistic this time around. And, hoprfully, if Murayama gets back on board then that may mean that the current staff realises they need his expertise to get the story back onto some direction which they seem to have lost with Teirkries.

I agree with this entire post. Signs have been pointing to a new installment, and really how long are we going to be pessimistic about this.

Whatever happens, happens. Personally I'm hopeful.

[Calvin]

I found this supposed quote of Murayama to be of particular interest:

None of that is true, he assures. Konami always wanted me to stay. After the success of Suikoden II they listened to me and I could practically ask for anything. To erase me from the credits was simply an issue about following the rules, even if all employees disliked it.
But, even as I started at Konami I set up a goal for myself to not work there for longer than 10 years and then I wanted to go freelance. When that time was up in 2002 I had done three games and I simply wanted to move on. There is no bad blood, I still meet my old Suikoden-team for a beer from time to time.
And if Konami would give me an offer to come back I would seriously consider it.

It was posted by thecsquad at Neogaf, and is an excerpt from an interview with Level a few months ago, according to him. Also, after a little bit of scurrying about the forums it looks like this may originally have been Raww's translation, which lends more authenticity to it.

Someone mentioned the 10 year thing here in this thread I believe, but I am drawn to the end of the quote, when he says he would "seriously consider" an offer to return to Konami. That's something you say to friends and family, not to the media--unless you want to indirectly convey interest to spark job offers. Just a theory, but one that makes me believe he'd be likely to accept an offer from Konami that had acceptable terms.

[Raww Le Klueze]

It was posted by thecsquad at Neogaf

http://www.suikosource.com/phpBB3/viewt ... 62&start=0

[thcrock]

I just quoted a section of Raww's post (I'm thcsquad at neogaf). Looking at the neogaf post, I should probably have put a link to the post here for the full context.

[Vextor]

Update:


Murayama posted on his blog (on the Blue Moon Studio site) that he "decided to not cross the river."

That obviously refers to "crossing the Rubicon" in his previous entry, and thus it seems our hopes are dashed.

[Antimatzist]

Well, we didn't even know if the offer was from Konami in the first place, so I don't feel really disappointed... just a little bit.

[patapi]

Wonder why. Maybe the offer isn't lucrative enough?