Konami and the Tokimeki Memorial Series for boys and girls

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eichan ssu!
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Konami and the Tokimeki Memorial Series for boys and girls

#1 Post by eichan ssu! »

So, as we are all aware Konami has released numerous dating sim since 19xx's particularly or exclusively for boys up until 2002 when they released the very first girl's side. Well, telling the truth, i've played the male vers. and particularly the female's since i'm a girl and so far, konami never disappointed me. As the release of Tokimeki Memorial 4 and TMGS 3, I have to say, I'll die adoring konami. I also like their other games of course like their releases for tenipuri and shugo chara, and many more other.

So, to those who have played some games from konami, what is your paticular opinion and did it disappoint you or satisfied you? And if ever you have played many games from this company, what game/series struck you the most?

Lol. I'm just really curious. And if ever, to all game makers, was there a game from this company that somehow inspired you?

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Re: Konami and the Tokimeki Memorial Series for boys and gir

#2 Post by LVUER »

Konami has dissapoint me since they don't localize much of their games into English... Tokimemo series are the prime examples... and then Love Plus, aaaaagh...!!!
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Re: Konami and the Tokimeki Memorial Series for boys and gir

#3 Post by Ramidel »

Up-Up-Down-Down-Left-Right-Left-Right-B-A-Start.

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Re: Konami and the Tokimeki Memorial Series for boys and gir

#4 Post by Riviera »

Ramidel wrote:Up-Up-Down-Down-Left-Right-Left-Right-B-A-Start.
Ahhh, old school. :lol:
Will edit/proofread for cookies.

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Re: Konami and the Tokimeki Memorial Series for boys and gir

#5 Post by feyz »

Totally agree! They're extremely awesome but why they don't make it in English too?!

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Re: Konami and the Tokimeki Memorial Series for boys and gir

#6 Post by gekiganwing »

Konami code + Tokimemo = all stats up thirty? (That's a gameplay element that would be rather amusing in a retro de-make...)
feyz wrote:Totally agree! They're extremely awesome but why they don't make it in English too?!
That's a complex question, and I think there's several answers:

1. The English speaking console game fandom grew in different ways. IMHO, there was always a big emphasis on action, sports, and kids' games. Console games were pretty much tied to toys through much of the 80s and 90s. Publishers almost always made games that their audience (typically boys and teenagers) would consider "cool."

Every now and then, there would be a console game with quite a bit of story that had two people falling in love, like Cecil and Rosa in Final Fantasy 4, but it would be just one small element of the game. When the first Harvest Moon was released at the very end of the SNES era, it was unprecedented.

2. In the English speaking computer game fandom, you could find things that console publishers wouldn't allow. If you knew where to look, you could find Romantic Encounters at the Dome, or Little Computer People, or the Leisure Suit Larry series. (I honestly didn't know where to find computer games growing up... I don't know if they had decent distribution.) If there were cute and worksafe romance games that were created in English back in the day, I haven't heard of them...

3. There's always been the assumption that games with a distinctly Japanese aesthetic and themes don't sell. A few crazy weeaboos like me buy weird translated games... but the top selling video games tend to be serious action games.

4. Most of the translated romance games that were translated in the 90s were NSFW (see this page on the Translation Library: http://translationlibrary.blicky.net/ff ... base04.htm ). Only a few had enough story to keep anime/manga fans interested, and only a few had any complex gameplay.

5. Konami released Brooktown High in English in 2007. It was okay, I guess, but I'm not sure what audience the company intended to reach. The same company has struggled to create other niche content for English speaking audiences (Rock Revolution was a "too little, way too late" apology for no official Guitar Freaks localizations, and I don't think many fans liked Pop 'n' Music for the Wii).

...So yeah, be glad that there's a few games with gameplay similar to the Tokimemo series in English these days. It's taken a long time, but indie developers/translators are slowly changing things.

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Re: Konami and the Tokimeki Memorial Series for boys and gir

#7 Post by GLACIER »

gekiganwing wrote: 5. Konami released Brooktown High in English in 2007. It was okay, I guess, but I'm not sure what audience the company intended to reach.
They were targeting the mainstream - basically, the type of people who might enjoy games like The Sims.

Where new development is concerned, companies like Konami don't care for niche. Even in Japan, male-oriented Tokimeki Memorial barely hangs on by a thread. Female-oriented TM isn't a world of a difference, but they at least have developers who are interested in producing the series (and when a brand is niche, it needs internal advocates. The execs aren't the ones who'd actively push for further development).

Tokimeki Memorial was relevant for Konami when they sold one million copies of the original (and half a million copies of the sequel). That was mainstream market penetration. However, it's pretty insignificant now.

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Re: Konami and the Tokimeki Memorial Series for boys and gir

#8 Post by lunaticskye14 »

@GLACIER:

I don't think i agree with you. Many of Konami relatively, TokiMemo either for boys or girls, is quite a hit. I've never seen a TokiMEmo(I'm particularly sure about TM 4 and Girl's Sides) that hasn't been on the top lists of best selling games....

Also, its not just that "they have developers who are interested in producing", it is because fans wishes to do another sequel(check neoromance forum and other related sites). What is the use of developing a game which no one is expecting to? I don't think that fits at all.


I don't think that translating the games is a good idea(its my own opinion). Mainly because:

-the fanbase of the japanese seiyuus are too hard to resist and i doubt that if ever any game would be translated, so goes the voice acting.
-some exclusively understandable in japanese words would be replace and its killing the joy.(i.e.= boku will be I, ore will be I, watashi will be I) it loses the impact.

I'm not into English voice actors really... i confess its a biased. And there are some that buys the games for sole reason of the voice actor(some doesn't really care for the plot whatsoetc.).

Though the fan translations would be nice just that, it is such a hassle fixing bugs and errors or such...(i experienced it in tales of innocence though)

On-topic: Everything I've posted so far, was realted to the games i've played. I've played as many games from konami. Dating sim or not. And I strongly hold on my stand that I don't want it translated(one more thing on translated games are piracy, I don't want to lose an awesome gaming company)

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Re: Konami and the Tokimeki Memorial Series for boys and gir

#9 Post by flowerthief »

I've sniffed some titles from Konami that have struck me as niche. This one for example. It appears to be a visual novel (with mini-games).

No one's gonna answer the OP? Then I will:
And if ever you have played many games from this company, what game/series struck you the most?
It's cliche to name them, but the Metal Gear series, Castlevania series, Silent Hill series, Dance Dance Revolution, and Tokimeki Memorial of course :) And lots more. I think I've maybe spent more of my gaming life enjoying games by Konami than by any other publisher. Oh wait, Street Fighter isn't Konami....
And if ever, to all game makers, was there a game from this company that somehow inspired you?
Inspired or not, I wager almost anyone who makes a dating sim--a real simulation with complex gameplay--in a school setting is being influenced by Tokimemo whether they're conscious of it or not. I make it my business to seek out any promising game in this genre that looks like it might have some new interesting gameplay mechanic or approach that hasn't been done before, for inspiration and fun.

Lately I've been catching up on Enterbrain's PS2 datesims; Kimikiss, Amagami, True Love Story series. Good stuff! I can recommend these to anyone who enjoys Tokimemo (and can read Japanese). The gameplay in these games is roughly as complex as in a Tokimemo game, but revolves around managing conversations and conversation topics rather than stat-building. This is a recurring theme to the point where you get the feeling they were trying to perfect the concept with each new title. I'm sure there's lots of new things that could be done with the idea that no one has tried before....
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Re: Konami and the Tokimeki Memorial Series for boys and gir

#10 Post by lunaticskye14 »

@flowerthief: now that you mentioned it..... i posted on topic but afterall its about my conclusion on my earlier statement.lol

kk.
The game that struck me the most? TMGS of course. Not forgetting the tenipuri games(especially crystal drive 2005). And yes, castlevania.

I won't say i was disappointed in any games by konami, rather just unsatisfied. There are some games that i felt there could be something more... but that's just personal opinion. bleh, its not like those messages will reach the maker's ears.lol

Inspired me? Probably. But not to the extent of inspiring to make a game like blahblah... Inspired me to daydream actually. Daydream about a life if only it was like the game(i'm pointing at you TMGS and Castlevania).lol

I bet that wraps up. I'm particularly a Konami fan so i won't badmouth them...much(if i'm badmouthing them)

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Re: Konami and the Tokimeki Memorial Series for boys and gir

#11 Post by GLACIER »

lunaticskye14 wrote:I don't think i agree with you. Many of Konami relatively, TokiMemo either for boys or girls, is quite a hit. I've never seen a TokiMEmo(I'm particularly sure about TM 4 and Girl's Sides) that hasn't been on the top lists of best selling games....
Tokimemo still hits the weekly lists (mainly because the Japanese market is so weak these days), but we're looking at around 50,000-100,000 copies now. Comparatively, the first game did half a million copies on the PSOne, and over a million across all platforms.

In the case of TM4, 70,000 copies is pretty good for an otaku game, but it's far from a big hit for the company.
Also, its not just that "they have developers who are interested in producing", it is because fans wishes to do another sequel(check neoromance forum and other related sites). What is the use of developing a game which no one is expecting to? I don't think that fits at all.
You're misunderstanding what I mean. There are two types of projects that get approved: one is mandated by upper management because of extreme success/high sales potential, while the other is pitched by development staff (and then approved by management if the resources are there and if the plan looks profitable). Customer requests mean a better pitch.

It's true that Tokimeki Memorial needs fan demand for more sequels to be developed, but they also need producers who're interested in making that pitch in the first place. When it comes to niche games, upper management doesn't care, so they aren't going to get the ball rolling on their own.

"Boys-side" Tokimeki Memorial languished for years because internal interest was lacking. If you've read any older interviews with the producer, Metal Yuuki, you'll find all kinds of excuses for not creating more TM (i.e. the fans are so crazy, and it's impossible to please them! Whatever we do, this always hate it!). Konami finally released TM4 last year, but that was after an eight year hiatus and with a totally new staff.

Meanwhile, the developers of Girl's Side always seemed excited about what they were making. I don't think it's any coincidence that a lot more work has been done in that area (two PS2 games, two highly enhanced DS ports/remakes, one new DS game).

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Re: Konami and the Tokimeki Memorial Series for boys and gir

#12 Post by flowerthief »

I just gotta say something about Mahou Sensei Negima!, now that I started playing the first one on the ps2 (1jikanme). You almost never hear anything about this series, which is a cryin' shame because it is all at once
a. the best anime->game adaption I've played
b. the best galge Konami has made, quite possibly
c. the perviest game Konami has made, certainly (contrary to what you may think, that title doesn't belong to Sexy Parodius :lol: )
d. one of the relatively few galge on the ps2 that actually makes some use of the ps2's hardware capabilities
e. probably the most complex galge I've ever played

This game just has so much going for it. I'm not gonna say it's as good as Disgaea or anything but...well, it's up there :)

And is their fanservice in it like in the manga/anime? TONS.
It's a monumental pity that Konami will never in a million years bring this one over to us (and the level of Japanese ability required to play it is pretty high so I doubt it sees many imports).

I've been playing Love Plus+ at the same time that I'm playing Negima, and while I do like it, I'm having a lot more fun with Negima. Also, Negima is giving me all sorts of inspiration for games I wish I could make.
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Re: Konami and the Tokimeki Memorial Series for boys and gir

#13 Post by suzuki-han »

I've been playing lots of KONAMI games(Currently Zac and Ombra: The Mysterious Amusement Park--sorry if it is wrong translation). I admit when I'm just nothing but a clueless girl who knows nothing about Japanese reading and speaking I have to admit its so goddamn boring(I hate myself for saying it when I finally learned how to though).

Hm, I never really hated any games from Konami, except for the Twilight(sorry twilight fans, but I'm no to Twilight though I love vampires). Inspiring? I guess every game I've played from KONAMi or even in other companies are quite inspiring... nothing strucked out me much but nothing lousy too... though, i highlight that I love all the otome games/dating sim from Konami.

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Re: Konami and the Tokimeki Memorial Series for boys and gir

#14 Post by LVUER »

@flowerthief:
Negima is also made for Wii, though Negima for Wii is more RPG-action oriented. I don't know much detail since it's in Japanese. And since it's Wii, don't expect anything ... you know...
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Re: Konami and the Tokimeki Memorial Series for boys and gir

#15 Post by flowerthief »

^Well, it looks fun. Of course you can never tell until you play it for yourself. If Negima were to have awesome games being made for it by different developers on different platforms it would be almost too good to believe for the fans. My experience has been that anime-to-game adaptions tend not to blow up my skirt all that much (Negima-related pun intended :D), but game-to-anime seems to turn out better for some reason. Most anime-to-game I've tried felt like slow, unexciting versions of the anime they're based on.
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