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| A mysterious scene from the CG movie on the Project Berkley bonus disc |
Japan's Dengeki Dreamcast magazine contained a huge 50-page Shenmue feature in its January 28 edition. Within this feature was a reflection on the intriguing Project Berkley bonus disc that had been released a year prior and even today can be considered to hold an abundance of hints and glimpses as to how Shenmue's plot might once have been (and even could still be) going to unfold.
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| Magazine page images kindly provided by SkillJim. |
Why "Project Berkley"?
In the late 1990s, SEGA's AM2 division, led by Yu Suzuki, embarked on an ambitious venture known internally as Project Guppy. Initially conceived with the title of Virtua Fighter RPG for the SEGA Saturn, the project subsequently transitioned to the SEGA Dreamcast and was renamed Shenmue and the associated code name changed to Project Berkley. Code names were used to maintain confidentiality during development, adding an aura of mystery to the undertaking.
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| At his GDC 2014 post-mortem talk, Yu Suzuki reveals how the code name changed during development together with the game's title. |
In recent years, Yu Suzuki has revealed the inspiration for the name "Project Berkley":
Q: At the beginning the game was given the codename “Project Berkley”, is there any special meaning behind this name?
YS: It’s actually like this [laughs]: because we realized at the start that this would be a completely different game to anything else on the market at the time, and its scale was unprecedented, we wanted to keep the project very confidential. Because of this we wanted to give it a very cool sounding name, like something from a spy movie. In Japan there’s this phrase bakkureru (ばっくれる) meaning to “pretend not to know” or “feign ignorance”, and by coincidence that there is a place in America with a similar sounding name, so we chose this “Project Berkley” codename.
A special feature of approximately 30 minutes, with the same name of Project Berkley, was included with the Japanese version of Virtua Fighter 3tb, released on Dreamcast in November 1998. Containing a CGI trailer, an extended interview with Yu Suzuki and various concept art, it provided gamers with an early glimpse into the project's innovative vision, highlighting its potential to revolutionize gaming.
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| The Virtua Fighter 3tb release included a bonus disc |
Summary of "Project Berkley" Disc Contents
- CGI Movie: the feature starts with a CGI movie that lasts a few minutes, showing clips of characters and scenes - some recognizable today as events from the first few games, and others not - accompanied by an orchestral score that includes the Shenmue theme. The movie finishes with a title of "Shenmue" in Japanese against a mirror design.
- Introduction and Vision: Yu Suzuki discusses the balance between advanced technology and game sense, which defines his creative style. He emphasizes providing players with a sense of freedom and realism, contrasting with the exaggerated mechanics of other games at the time (e.g., exploding vehicles upon collision).
- Inspiration: Suzuki's early arcade game concepts explored realistic simulations, such as dogfights in fighter planes and immersive driving experiences (inspired by the movie Cannonball Run and Ferrari road trips). These ideas prioritized enjoyment over strict realism. The transition to more narrative-driven games came from Suzuki's desire to create a title where story and characters take precedence over overly challenging mechanics.
- Breaking Genre Norms: Suzuki was inspired by RPGs like Wizardry and Ultima but wanted to evolve the genre into something more accessible and universally appealing. He coined the term "FREE" (Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment) to describe Shenmue, focusing on interactivity and freedom within a believable world. The game aimed to bridge cultural and linguistic barriers with universal themes like love, courage, family, and friendship.
- Character and World Design: Extensive care was taken in designing characters, starting with rough sketches and evolving through clay and plaster models to achieve lifelike realism. The game world was designed to be expansive, historically deep, and rich with diverse characters. Around 500 unique 3D models were planned for NPCs alone.
- Music-Driven Creativity: Suzuki introduced an innovative development process where the game's music was created first to inspire scenario writers and designers. This approach ensured a cohesive emotional tone throughout the project.
- Philosophy and Legacy: The interview clearly conveys Suzuki’s ambition to create a game that goes beyond entertainment, embedding meaningful messages and immersive storytelling. He envisioned Shenmue as a medium to connect people globally, emphasizing the value of friendship and shared human experiences.
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| The end of the Project Berkley documentary |
Magazine Article Translation
Note from Switch: I have captured images from the Project Berkley movie to match the ones that accompanied the original magazine article. The translation begins from here.
Shenmue News
Shenmue: Chapter One has just been released, and already fans are voicing their anticipation for the next installment. Today, we'll look back at the special disc distributed about a year ago, as well as deliver the latest information about Shenmue and upcoming release celebration events.
Shenmue: Chapter One Release Commemorative Feature
Reviewing the Bonus Disc
We look back at the special disc included with VF3tb, released in November 1998, and highlight the points worth noting now that Chapter One has been released!
● Highlight 1: Deciphering the Future Story from the Concept Movie
Before entering full-scale development, a concept movie was created to solidify the overall vision. Since it was created while still at the plotting stage, it doesn't necessarily exactly represent what the final product became, but its overall atmosphere has been faithfully carried across.
This means that scenes like the mysterious ruins emitting light or Shenhua using mysterious powers are very likely to appear. From the next installment onward, it seems that the story will unfold in a more dramatic and fantastical way than in Chapter One, while maintaining its realistic approach.
The Two Mirrors
▲ The existence of the Dragon Mirror and Phoenix Mirror had already been hinted at!
What is the Hidden Power Within Shenhua?
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| A concept sketch of this scene can also be seen later |
▲ It appears as though Shenhua's power has gone out of control and exploded. Could this power be a key element going forward?
Mysterious Ruins
▲ Immediately afterward, a dazzling light pours out from the statues in the ruins... A fantastical scene.
● Highlight 2: People in China Await Ryo's Encounter
The bonus disc introduced people who will appear in China and Hong Kong, making it a treasure trove of characters who do not show up in Chapter 1! While many unique individuals could be met in Yokosuka, as the story moves closer to its core in the next installments, it seems even more eccentric personalities and formidable foes await. Expectations are high!
▲ The ominous image of a dragon. How will the dragon and phoenix, which also form the background of the title graphic, play a role in the story?
▲ One man looks to be a puppeteer... another, a ninja... Are these figures, which exude an Eastern atmosphere, enemies, or could they be allies?
Even More Eccentric Characters From Chapter Two and Beyond!
Is There a Secret Hidden in the Lyrics of Shenhua's Song?
Shenhua's song is called Shenhua ~Song of the Bay~ and is sung by singer Iori. As it features the heroine's name, it includes meaningful words and phrases scattered throughout the lyrics. It is also included in the Shenmue Passport, and is a must-listen to fully enjoy the world of this game!
"The cold water flowing out from the sparkling mountainsSeeps into the pure forest cloaked in white dewThe flower blooms proud and nobleIt's gathered petals shine in pale lavenderEven the roaring wind cannot put outThe lights of pure innocent eyesUnder the gentle branches where the light gathers,A mysterious power dwells in the heart of an infantEmbraced by the plentiful flow of firefliesThe shadow seen through dreamy eyes is now far away in the distance".
● Highlight 2: The Never-Before-Seen Heroine - Shenhua’s Secret Concept Art Revealed!
In Shenmue: Chapter 1, players were surprised to see Shenhua appearing in the intro sequence and unexpectedly in cut scenes. As Yu Suzuki jokingly said, “Shenhua is like Starsha* from Space Battleship Yamato (laughs).”
* Note from Switch: Starsha, from the 1974 classic Space Battleship Yamato anime series, is an enigmatic and serene figure who guides the heroes on their journey. Like Shenhua, she embodies mystery and wisdom, acting as a symbolic presence that leads the protagonist toward a greater purpose.
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| Starsha, an enigmatic figure from the 1970s anime series Space Battleship Yamato |
▲ This is what Shenhua looked like in the early stages. Her appearance is quite different.
The Person Behind the Performance ♥
Shenhua's voice and motions are performed by actress Hazuki Ishigaki. If you want to know more about her, head to her official homepage right away!
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| Hazuki Ishigaki |
The Many Pure-hearted Expressions of Shenhua
In the main story, Ryo’s encounter with her still lies a little further ahead. Here, as a special treat, Shenhua's concept art from the early stages of development is revealed.
Extra Topic: 12/29 - Shenmue Takes Over Akihabara!
On December 29th, an event for the much-anticipated release of Shenmue was held in Akihabara, Tokyo. Masaya Matsukaze, who plays Ryo Hazuki, Hazuki Ishigaki, who plays Shenhua, and Megumi Yasu, who plays Nozomi Harasaki, held handshake sessions with fans who purchased the game at various stores in Akihabara. The event concluded on a high note, with great enthusiasm.
◆ The event was packed with media and users, making it a huge success! It was an enjoyable and memorable time for fans.
◆ During the store visits, Matsukaze himself led the way, holding a Shenmue banner. He, too, appeared to be having a great time.
--- End of translation ---
Hiroaki Takeuchi on the Project Berkley CGI Movie
Hiroaki Takeuchi spoke about his role as Shenmue's animation producer in a recent interview that featured in Adam Sipione's 2023 Shenmue Documentary, A Gamer's Journey: The Definitive History of Shenmue.
In it, he describes the creation of a "concept movie", in reference to the Project Berkley CGI movie:
"Regarding Shenmue, the first thing I produced was a concept movie. Yu-san used that concept movie as a reference to plan what sort of game he wanted to make. The concept movie was an animation, so it didn't use real-time rendering. Making this reference movie to see how the player would actually play the game was the first thing I worked on."Yu-san gave me an instruction to make a fully-animated video. So I made a complete, full-CGI trailer that was about three minutes in length. It was just like a movie preview trailer, with a sequence of highlight scenes."We also made a storyboard for it. We made a storyboard on paper, in the same way as for a Japanese animated movie, which was then made into a video storyboard, which is something that's not done commonly in Japan".
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| Hiroaki Takeuchi's interview in the Shenmue Documentary |
Animation Snippets from the Project Berkley CGI Movie
To finish up, here are a few intriguing animation captures from the Project Berkley movie. Some have been slowed to help observe the detail.
1. An Unidentified Rural Location
Lightning flashes through a darkened sky, striking the land and illuminating a wide, grassy plain on which sit a small group of buildings.
Where could this be? It does not look dissimilar to the grasslands depicted in Shenmue's final concept art chapter tile, Chapter 11:
A fan theory holds that the location shown in this tile is Xinjiang, in the west region of China, which is largely covered in desert and grasslands:
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| View over Bayan-Bulak grassland in Xinjiang (photo credit: MichaelE, Wikipedia) |
Perhaps the CG movie is foreshadowing a part of the game to be seen right at the end.
A short clip shows a white-bearded man striking towards the camera with his open palm, as snow falls around him. Perhaps a master imparting his techniques to Ryo - or a foe? Again, this environment is not familiar.
3. Ryo Jumping onto a Train
A short animation shows Ryo jumping - or being pushed - onto the side of a speeding train, and clinging on with one hand.
4. Underground Statue
This part has a real Indiana Jones feel to it! The camera sweeps forward through a darkened cave, over two furnaces burning with a surreal blue light, and past two large statues - perhaps depictions of Black Snake-Tortoises? Further on, two statues of what could be warriors mounted on horseback retract to reveal a huge stone head against the far wall. Down below, through a puff of blue smoke, a stone platform extends forward beneath to meet the base of the head. As it does so, the jaw slowly opens and light beams shoot out from holes in the head, as the eyes light up. Inside the mouth is a brightly-lit opening with a rectangular object of some kind inside...
Final Comment
I hope you enjoyed browsing through some of the content contained on the Project Berkley bonus disc, even if the magazine article did not offer much in the way of speculation. It makes you realize not only how much is packed into it, but that much of the characters, locations and events have yet to be encountered in the games released so far.
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