Just found this the other day, and it looks like there isn't a thread for it, so here it is!
Here's the link: http://www.mother4game.com/
And here's the teaser for it:
If all goes well, coming out Winter 2014!
Just found this the other day, and it looks like there isn't a thread for it, so here it is!
Here's the link: http://www.mother4game.com/
And here's the teaser for it:
If all goes well, coming out Winter 2014!
What's up with those laughs?
The series IS known to be pretty bizarre and even terrifying at times, I think that's the mood the creators were trying to get across with this teaser.
I was wondering if Itoi would be taken up on his challenge. Seems pretty solid from the trailer, but the best aspects of Mother games are not things that translate well to previews. Still, I'll be looking out for this.
Definitely interesting. They are obviously heavily basing the style on Earthbound and not Mother 3 but that's not a bad thing.
At first I as skeptical, but after reading several interviews from Itoi I'm pretty much okay with any sort direction a group of dedicated fans takes with the series. Wishing them all the success because it must be really hard working on a project like this for free.
Bumping a lifeless thread for an update!
Look for it in June!
I don't like this.
I admire the work they're doing on this as it is definintely NOT easy.
But…I'm not a huge fan of calling this thing MOTHER 4. I know there probably won't be a Mother 4 but still, it kinda rubs me the wrong way by calling this thing by a formal title like this. It's a nitpick, but I preferred that they called this thing Mother:(Insert subtitle here) to suggest that this IS a fan made project (even though it is clearly obvious) rather than something official with a numeral following it.
…Good lord, that is Do They Know It's Christmas.
On the other hand, I can respect the name after reading some of Itoi's interviews. The context of his comment on leaving the next Mother game to whoever would do it was that he wanted to be outside of the experience for once. Like he wanted to be be the player and not the developer. If Itoi ever does play the Mother 4 fangame (and provided that it turns out good), I think he'll appreciate the game being named that to some extent.
I guess it is a little arrogant, but for all the work and love they've put into it, I don't mind.
I'm with Wagomu. Itoi pretty much giving permission to the fans to take over the franchise and someone actually going through with that with what so far seems to be so much care and effort means a lot to me and I'll be eager to see what they do with it.
I honestly really hate it, even if Itoi said it was okay, I think it's an issue on behalf of the developers for doing it in the first place. I think it's really shitty to follow up and say it's Mother 4 and inject themselves as the successors of the series? The mindset of "if THEY wont make a sequel I will" is pretty gross to me, since it's an entirely unnecessary projection and Mother 3 was a good "ending"?
It's cool that they worked so hard and fan creation stuff is great and I am a damn obsessive when it comes to fan content, but Mother isn't their vision lol. It's not really their place to say this is a fan sequel. They can make a game inspired by their sequences and call it like ANOTHER MOTHER: MOTHER FAN GAME or something but it's not their reigns to pick up and I don't like it one bit that they named it like that.
Like there never even needed to be reigns in the first place, Mother wasn't Final Fantasy, it was very much Itoi's perosnal game? It's not a SERIES you just pick up?
All the work is cool? It'll probably even be cool. I just don't like the idea of how they approached this at all.
I don't really hate it but my dislike of it is pretty much along the same lines of Holy. Something just really doesn't jive with me when it comes to numbering the title "Mother 4"
Well, but then we can go further and ask how it's any of our place to say what they can or can't do, especially when the one person who DOES have a say, Itoi, said it was fine.
Well, but then we can go further and ask how it's any of our place to say what they can't or can't do, especially when the one person who DOES have a say, Itoi, said it was fine.
Well I mean they named it Mother 4 from the beginning and that's pretty damn telling. Itoi may have said it was okay after it was already pretty underway, but all the issues come back to the fact that from the beginning they decided Mother needed a sequel and THEY were gonna do it? Not cool imo. People are really awful to creators nowadays when it comes to their stuff, like "ah yes, THIS is MINE now" and this is sooo constant online. Even if this game is good, it's still gonna be these creators own different thing + derivative elements born from Mother and it just doesn't seem great, since their experiences were shaped from Mother's existence, versus Itoi having directed it from his own self.
When people base a sequel on their experiences with it, and not their having developed the previous games, that's completely different. I just don't get why they couldn't have called it a something else, and yes their approach of saying its the SEQUEL to Mother 3 is incredibly different than just any old fangame. Like this is for real an attempt to continue the series, admission to fangame or not.
There are some things about the spritework that don't really sit right with me. Like, the MODERN MIND is pretty cool but the enemies just look…I dunno, generic? Like, more flat than Mother 3's enemy sprites.
Well I mean they named it Mother 4 from the beginning and that's pretty damn telling. Itoi may have said it was okay after it was already pretty underway, but all the issues come back to the fact that from the beginning they decided Mother needed a sequel and THEY were gonna do it? Not cool imo. People are really awful to creators nowadays when it comes to their stuff, like "ah yes, THIS is MINE now" and this is sooo constant online. Even if this game is good, it's still gonna be these creators own different thing + derivative elements born from Mother and it just doesn't seem great, since their experiences were shaped from Mother's existence, versus Itoi having directed it from his own self.
When people base a sequel on their experiences with it, and not their having developed the previous games, that's completely different.
Well, there's a part of me that thinks the project wouldn't even exist if it weren't for Itoi's comments. To me, it's always read more like "challenge accepted" than "if you don't use it you lose it."
Hmm, the whole name thing didn't even occur to me.
Well, as the old adage goes, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet (or rotten, depending on the final product).
Well I mean they named it Mother 4 from the beginning and that's pretty damn telling. Itoi may have said it was okay after it was already pretty underway, but all the issues come back to the fact that from the beginning they decided Mother needed a sequel and THEY were gonna do it? Not cool imo. People are really awful to creators nowadays when it comes to their stuff, like "ah yes, THIS is MINE now" and this is sooo constant online. Even if this game is good, it's still gonna be these creators own different thing + derivative elements born from Mother and it just doesn't seem great, since their experiences were shaped from Mother's existence, versus Itoi having directed it from his own self.
When people base a sequel on their experiences with it, and not their having developed the previous games, that's completely different.
How are you getting any of this from this project? The project more than anything is for fans of the series seeing how otherwise we would NOT see any more Mother games ever. It's like saying the fans made Mother 3 localizations their own and calling them shitty and gross for that, when instead it allowed for an awesome experience to reach people it otherwise wouldn't have.
Most of the project is also CONSTANTLY supporting Nintendo and Earthbound, and, if anything, good interest in this game will wind up benefiting Nintendo by providing marketing they're not even doing themselves.
Also, LITERALLY what itoi said:
"So if someone approached me and said that they'd like to make MOTHER 4, I might just tell them to go for it. (laughs) If there was a MOTHER 4, I'd like to play it."
I don't see how using the same title Itoi said would be cool with him means they're being selfish.
And every game is naturally a result of the minds of the creators, like no fucking shit, but that doesn't mean this game won't exude as much mother charm and quality as the other ones. That's something we judge when we actually have the product.
edit: Oh yea, also, time-wise, it makes no fucking sense to assume they were working on this project BEFORE Itoi made his comments on the issue, seeing how the interview took place pretty soon after Mother 3 released, from what I understand.
edit edit: Verified. The interview is from July 2006. At the earliest, work on Mother 4 began around 2009/2010 based on the information on their site.
How are you getting any of this from this project? The project more than anything is for fans of the series seeing how otherwise we would NOT see any more Mother games ever. It's like saying the fans made Mother 3 localizations their own and calling them shitty and gross for that, when instead it allowed for an awesome experience to reach people it otherwise wouldn't have.
Most of the project is also CONSTANTLY supporting Nintendo and Earthbound, and, if anything, good interest in this game will wind up benefiting Nintendo by providing marketing they're not even doing themselves.Also, LITERALLY what itoi said:
"So if someone approached me and said that they'd like to make MOTHER 4, I might just tell them to go for it. (laughs) If there was a MOTHER 4, I'd like to play it."
I don't see how using the same title Itoi said would be cool with him means they're being selfish.And every game is naturally a result of the minds of the creators, like no fucking shit, but that doesn't mean this game won't exude as much mother charm and quality as the other ones. That's something we judge when we actually have the product.
edit: Oh yea, also, time-wise, it makes no fucking sense to assume they were working on this project BEFORE Itoi made his comments on the issue, seeing how the interview took place pretty soon after Mother 3 released, from what I understand.
A lot of this comes from interpreting the idea of calling it MOTHER 4 right from the start (even disregarding what Itoi said). Because honestly, it'll be very VERY difficult to match Itoi's vision of Mother 1-3 because he's the one that was responsible for it. Mother is a very special sort of game that I feel manifests from a specific creative mind (Itoi's). And by calling it MOTHER 4, I feel you're sorta claiming this as a continuation of it (even though most folks even overlook it) which will only breed sheer disappointment. Itoi maybe cool with it, but I feel there may be a real cocky attitude behind calling it a continuation of Itoi's vision (even though that may not be the fan project's motivation, that's what the name MOTHER 4 implies).
And to be completely honest, I think it is impossible to recapture Mother. As an emotionally driven project as Mother, it simply cannot be emulated by anyone else. You can emulate the sprites, music style, and overall quirkiness, but it still will not be Mother. And by calling it Mother 4 (even if Itoi's okay with it), I feel it's going to be held up to ridiculous standards. So heck…WHY call it Mother 4 in the first place? Heck, why even bother calling it Mother? By simply looking at it, I know it is influenced by the Mother franchise and no one from the original team had any influence on it. I think the team even said that there isn't any connection with this game and the previous titles.
But since they boldly called this thing Mother 4, I'm going to judge it through Mother standards (which is...absurdly high). And so far...it's disappointing in that regard (but as a fan project, it's pretty freaking awesome).
edit: Oh yea, also, time-wise, it makes no fucking sense to assume they were working on this project BEFORE Itoi made his comments on the issue, seeing how the interview took place pretty soon after Mother 3 released, from what I understand.
edit edit: Verified. The interview is from July 2006. At the earliest, work on Mother 4 began around 2009/2010 based on the information on their site.
I was talking about Itoi's comments post Mother 4 fangame, you and Wagomu were talking about a different interview entirely that I forgot happened a long time ago actually, which I forgot about entirely. (EDIT: or nevermind. I think I just misinterpreted that quote as having come later and not earlier). It gives the project a different feel though, and I never said it wasn't born out of love, but my opinions are otherwise unchanged.
Also, why do you mention the Mother 3 localization project though, that's not similar. I am saying "do we need to see any more Mother games though, like at the end of the day do Mother fans really feel like they have to continue it on. The creator is done with it and he was basically why it was what it was." That's what the feeling is when I don't think it sounds great to try to follow up the series. Why can't gamers let something go?
Which isn't a question that needs a response, because otherwise it'll just be "WHY DOES ANYTHING HAPPEN". Valiantt posted above me without my realizing and I share similar feelings, so at this point okay, I don't really think this is a discussion that needs to happen much anymore if people are just going to fight about it.
My issue is more with the whole argument of assuming they're entitled assholes who are taking ownership of a concept. Especially when what they're doing is far beyond that, and they're just instead providing the fans something that would otherwise not happen. It implies a lot of assumptions about what the project's purpose is and what the ultimate impact is it will have on the series.
Regarding Mother as a series, the themes can definitely continue regardless of what the overarching story or characters are.
! Mother 3 is essentially completely different from EB aside from having the same game mechanics and the presence of Porky, but if you went and changed Porky's name it would not have affected it at all
And I mention this to illustrate that the spirit of the series is not like that of other series with ongoing storylines where sometimes and end is an end and that's ok. The connecting themes of the game are themes that are pretty universal and ongoing and millions of stories could continue to be made to align with these themes in the proper way, whether it came from Itoi's mind or someone else's entirely.
And like Wags already said, calling it Mother 4 is not about saying "ours IS the sequel, we got dibs, live with it", but about looking at Itoi's words can comments and figuring that they wanted to do that and make that Mother 4 game a reality. When Itoi gave the fans so many awesome experiences, how is it wrong for the fans to make one in honor of that that Itoi will be able to enjoy as the player? Something he said he wanted to do?
Additionally, if this is your perspective, keep in mind this is a fan game and for all intents and purposes, if you HATE the idea, it might as well not exist. Because IT'S A FAN GAME. They're not taking over canon, over reality, and the world won't remember this as an official sequel or even as a real member of the series. Whether the title is Mother 4 or anything else entirely.
If you don't like it, this game or its purpose or origin doesn't have to EVER EVER EVER affect your feelings towards the series.
The thing is, even if Itoi says "go ahead and do it"… does that mean one should? He gave the liberty to do it which is great on his part (says a lot about him which is different from those asses in Square or whatever that shut down projects like this). However, I feel just because he says he allows it, does it mean one should go ahead and make a "Mother 4"? A lot of expectations and responsibility falls on a profoundly effective franchise like Mother.
(Note: just because I don't agree with their naming choice, doesn't mean I'm condemning them. In fact, it's pretty damn cool that they worked this hard and are ambitious. BUT...I still think tact is important here and I think it is highly overlooked when giving this the title MOTHER 4. There's soo many insinuations that can be found by that title alone).
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Additionally, if this is your perspective, keep in mind this is a fan game and for all intents and purposes, if you HATE the idea, it might as well not exist. Because IT'S A FAN GAME. They're not taking over canon, over reality, and the world won't remember this as an official sequel or even as a real member of the series. Whether the title is Mother 4 or anything else entirely.
If you don't like it, this game or its purpose or origin doesn't have to EVER EVER EVER affect your feelings towards the series.
But that is what is implied behind the title MOTHER 4. It wants to be tied with Itoi's universe regardless of what the fan makers intended (and for all I know they have wonderful intentions behind this project). But that's the sorta impression one would get from the title Mother 4.
It's a fan game yes, but to be honest, it will never be able to emulate Itoi's emotional investment because it's not Itoi's game. So again, why call it Mother 4? Why set up these impossible expectations they will never achieve?
Why not "Mother/Earthbound: Subtitle here" or a completely new title that connects it to the Mother franchise? That way it doesn't set up the expectation of being "Mother": Itoi's branchild and emotional revelation.
The thing is, even if Itoi says "go ahead and do it"… does that mean one should? He gave the liberty to do it which is great on his part (says a lot about him which is different from those asses in Square or whatever that shut down projects like this). However, I feel just because he says he allows it, does it mean one should go ahead and make a "Mother 4"? A lot of expectations and responsibility falls on a profoundly effective franchise like Mother.
(Note: just because I don't agree with their naming choice, doesn't mean I'm condemning them. In fact, it's pretty damn cool that they worked this hard and are ambitious. BUT...I still think tact is important here and I think it is highly overlooked when giving this the title MOTHER 4. There's soo many insinuations that can be found by that title alone).
Why NOT do it?
The way I see it you could sit there and not do anything "in respect" of the series, or you could go and do something also "in respect" of the series AND its creator.
One of those options leads to a new game, a new story, a new experience, and fun. It's easy for me to choose which of those I prefer.
ALSO, again, A Mother game as much as you may want to believe it ISN'T defined by the fact that Itoi made it. If the themes and ideas and experiences are similar there's no reason why it should be seen as any different or as worse. Sure, we don't have the same security when it comes to the execution of the product, and it won't be the same story teller, but that doesn't make it a bad thing.
And the implication about the title meaning loftiness or anything else is entirely yours. I see "Mother" in the title and I am happy because I enjoyed the experiences in Mother 2 and 3 and seeing they want to share something of the same tone and are aiming for the same caliber means I WANT to play that. I am no one to tell them they're not good enough to do it because honestly, I don't know that. I'll judge when the game comes out.
I was talking about Itoi's comments post Mother 4 fangame, you and Wagomu were talking about a different interview entirely that I forgot happened a long time ago actually, which I forgot about entirely. It gives the project a different feel though, and I never said it wasn't born out of love, but my opinions are otherwise unchanged.
Could you post the interview you're talking about? Don't know if I read it and I would be interested in doing so.
(Yeah, this, is the old interview Noq and I are talking about for anyone's reference)
But I guess at least the way I see it, the development of this game and naming it "Mother 4" is a conversational action. It's not like they're trying to make like a naked hermit crab stealing a someone's pimped out shell, but instead they're responding like a jazz musician adding some notes around a masterful phrase. The game exists not only as an outside response to the Mother series itself, but I don't see how it could possibly exist independent of Itoi's impactful words.
On the end of the creators, naming the game "Mother 4" couldn't have been a thoughtless action, because it does carry a lot of weight to it. Are there any other fan-made games that have done such a thing? Naming a fan game as the next in the series is a peculiar action with a significant meaning. I think that the meaning in question is an important part of its identity in relation to the work it's based on as well as the artist responsible for the original. Naming it anything else would take away from the game's statement and what it adds to the conversation.
Why NOT do it?
The way I see it you could sit there and not do anything "in respect" of the series, or you could go and do something also "in respect" of the series AND its creator.
One of those options leads to a new game, a new story, a new experience, and fun. It's easy for me to choose which of those I prefer.
Because they're not Itoi.
With any other franchise, I wouldn't have any problem with it. Like, I could care less if someone came up with a Super Mario 4 without any Miyamato involvement because it's a simple game. However, most folks that played Mother know that it's more than a simple game. It's the product of someone's personal emotional and psychological construct. The music choice, the art design, the overall structure and narrative are all telling that it's NOT a normal game. It wasn't strictly trying to tell a story or heck be a general "video game", but it's mostly trying to convey someone's emotional processes (and yes there are other games like this BUT…Mother is just one of the most obvious ones).
Mother was a very "personal" project. Making a "Mother 4" without Itoi is like taking someone's diary and saying "I'm going to make a sequel to this because I knew them very well". Okay, the intentions may be good but it WON'T be the real thing even if it claims to be with the title Mother 4. That's what it insinuates. It's obviously a fan project, but the name insinuates that it wants to be Itoi's project even though it clearly never will be. That's the responsibility and expectations that are set with the name "Mother 4".
It MAY get away with being called Mother 4 if someone from the original team was involved or the team found Itoi's "Mother 4 wishlist" or personal dairy or something. But, they're making this out from their own emotional investment in the franchise which is (again) not a bad thing. However, the name has incredible weight to it that I think they overlooked when starting the project.
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Are there any other fan-made games that have done such a thing? Naming a fan game as the next in the series is a peculiar action with a significant meaning. I think that the meaning in question is an important part of its identity in relation to the work it's based on as well as the artist responsible for the original. Naming it anything else would take away from the game's statement and what it adds to the conversation.
Heck, there are official games that I am glad that they NEVER gave a numeral continuation to.
Silent Hill for starters (heck I eve question why Silent Hill 4 is called…Silent Hill 4: The Room instead of just "SH:THE ROOM" or something)
I think complaining about the title is the dumbest pettiest shit. Especially with the creator literally saying he thinks it would be cool. Nobody is trying to appropriate someone else's work or pass it off as official. It's not a secret that it's a fan project and it's not profitable and it's just a labor of love. Whether or not it lives up to the predecessors in the series is entirely a separate matter. Sure, they are big shoes to fill, in the sense that by calling it a sequel it will set a lot of high initial expectations. And they may not be met, but who cares? What negative impact is it going to have on ANYONE? Hell, most people won't even know what the hell "Mother" even is – the target audience is pretty much just big series fans. And if you're even aware enough to complain then you're aware enough to not set unrealistic expectations.
Really it reduces to pretty selfish thoughts ("the series is too perfect and doesn't deserve to be tainted by any type of continuation, fan or otherwise") and thoughts that I'm not sure anyone who didn't develop the game are even entitled to have ("this is an insult to Itoi and the team"). If changing the name is all you need to be okay with it, then you're shallow as shit. And if changing the name DOESN'T make this any better for you, then fuck off and let other people enjoy it?
Calm down. It was a valid thing to discuss, but if it's people just being mean about it then just stop talking about it because "dumbest pettitest shit" is not fun to be called for anyone, as if your experiences alone constitute the only feelings on the complicated issues of fan works and the degrees of them.
Like I said, it's a minor nitpick that with intentions that are not even probably even sustained by the fan makers themselves. But, that's what the name "Mother 4" insinuates and the expectations that are suggested by it. Again, why call it Mother 4? Instead of something else?
And Mother isn't perfect (and no one said it was). The series are based on someone's personal psychological construct. Emulating another person's psychological construct is a remarkably difficult endeavor that is bound to fail. The name implies that it intends to follow up on Itoi's own construct which is impossible. And I never implied that it was an insult to Itoi's endeavor, I'm just suggesting that it's improbable to continue it without Itoi and claim that it is a continuation through the namesake.
And like I said, this has nothing to do with my enjoyment of it and such (as like I said and some tend to seem to have ignored: I do appreciate/admire the project and it's ambitions). The problem is based on the interpretation of the name and what is implied by it. And like I said, it's a nitpick. A quite profound nitpick, but still a nitpick. It's a fan project and nothing more, EVEN THOUGH the name "Mother 4" suggests otherwise.
Again, why call it Mother 4? Instead of something else?
I think the fact that we're having this conversation at all shows great significance in naming the game as such, haha.
I think the fact that we're having this conversation at all shows great significance in naming the game as such, haha.
I just wish these guys were a little bit more clever to think of a better title than "Mother 4". In fact, I kinda wish this was some sort of "spiritual successor" rather than a "SEQUEL". This could've totally been its own thing with a kickstarter and such.
Yeah, I know it's not all about the money but…if it means more EARTHBOUND-LIKE stuff, then I'm all for it. Heck, if this thing was successful, it could've spawned its own franchise. BUT NOPE! MOTHER 4! And the weight that comes with it.
I just wish these guys were a little bit more clever to think of a better title than "Mother 4". In fact, I kinda wish this was some sort of "spiritual successor" rather than a "SEQUEL". This could've totally been its own thing with a kickstarter and such.
Yeah, I know it's not all about the money but…if it means more EARTHBOUND-LIKE stuff, then I'm all for it. Heck, if this thing was successful, it could've spawned its own franchise. BUT NOPE! MOTHER 4! And the weight that comes with it.
Honestly, how could there be a better title than Mother 4? You can't say it doesn't have impact.
how dare the developers name something with the expectation of meeting the quality of the series. They should instead call it something else and resign themselves to the fact they're making an inferior product just by default.
^ sarcasm btw … I don't get why any developers of something as deep and elaborate as a mother game would choose to name it something not Mother because "we're not worthy!"
Also, again, it comes from Itoi that the themes and costruct of Mother is universal enough that anyone can continue the work he started. Even if a lot comes from his own experiences and mental construct, that's just because he is restricted to those when trying to tell the story in the same way a writer is limited to her/his reality when writing or telling a story.
It really does boil down to the fact that Itoi HIMSELF, the mastermind behind this whole thing, argues for the fact that the Mother series is universal enough that fans are welcome to continue it themselves, but for some reason people here think they know better to judge and hold a name in a pedestal like art that can't be touched by anyone not worthy.
I just wish these guys were a little bit more clever to think of a better title than "Mother 4". In fact, I kinda wish this was some sort of "spiritual successor" rather than a "SEQUEL". This could've totally been its own thing with a kickstarter and such.
Yeah, I know it's not all about the money but…if it means more EARTHBOUND-LIKE stuff, then I'm all for it. Heck, if this thing was successful, it could've spawned its own franchise. BUT NOPE! MOTHER 4! And the weight that comes with it.
The weight that comes with it is intentional. That's the point. If they bit off more than they could chew then so be it. They are the ones who suffer whatever form of "consequences" you call that; nobody else. There are really obvious possible reasons to call it Mother 4. The pride of feeling you are making a strong enough tribute to belong in the series, a desire to be taken seriously and not just another doofus half-assed side project, making a statement about how much fans love the series and its legacy. Like, this automatic assumption of pretentiousness is just one very narrow possible interpretation. And to me, the fact that you suggest a Kickstarted spiritual successor means you're missing that entire central point of this being a labor of love. A FREE project made 100% to honor the series, not to piggyback off of it into a new and possibly profitable IP.
how dare the developers name something with the expectation of meeting the quality of the series. They should instead call it something else and resign themselves to the fact they're making an inferior product just by default.
^ sarcasm btw … I don't get why any developers of something as deep and elaborate as a mother game would choose to name it something not Mother because "we're not worthy!"
Clearly it didn't stop the shcmucks responsible for Silent Hill: Book of Memories from using the name "SILENT HILL". At least they had the common sense of not calling it Silent Hill 7 :ninja: (the ninja means I am facetious here)
PS: But at least it was nice enough to give us a vocal version of Love Psalm which was pretty good
Again like I said, this has nothing to do with quality (seriously why do folks keep insinuating that I think of this as an inferior product). It's about emulating Itoi's state of mind and reproducing it as a continuation of it by giving it a name that suggests it: "Mother 4"
This also has nothing to do with whether Itoi is okay or not with it. I am arguing strictly on the implication behind the name and why I find it troublesome. And yes, the name Mother is important because it holds weight. Shall I shit in a bucket and call it Mother 5? (PLEASE don't misconstrue this previous facetious comment on the fan group's work. It's GOOD. PERIOD).
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(1)There are really obvious possible reasons to call it Mother 4. The pride of feeling you are making a strong enough tribute to belong in the series, a desire to be taken seriously and not just another doofus half-assed side project, making a statement about how much fans love the series and its legacy. Like, this automatic assumption of pretentiousness is just one very narrow possible interpretation.(2) And to me, the fact that you suggest a Kickstarted spiritual successor means you're missing that entire central point of this being a labor of love. A FREE project made 100% to honor the series, not to piggyback off of it into a new and possibly profitable IP.
(1): Oh there won't be any consequences by it. I don't expect there to be. Like I said, minor nitpick. Just seems like a conceited name with some iffy implications. The name itself won't diminish whatever pleasure I may garner from this fan project (though I WILL just it as a "Mother" game as the title demands). I'll let the game's presentation be the indicator of that.
(2): I'm aware of what this is. And like I said many times, I admire it and the devotion these guys have. It's awe aspiring. But…it was just a mere suggestion of what could have possibly came from this. Nothing more~
I mean okay but changing the name would not change the intentions so it's still just the sentiment that nothing will ever be worthy of being considered a Mother game (or Itoi's vision or whatever). Which may be true based on any person's opinion but considering that being a worthy Mother game is PRECISELY the goal of the project… it seems like a really weird complaint to me. Unless they are actually stealing credit or intentionally misleading/confusing people. Otherwise they are just embracing their ambitions full-on.
how dare the developers name something with the expectation of meeting the quality of the series. They should instead call it something else and resign themselves to the fact they're making an inferior product just by default.
Nobody said that, my approach in thinking isn't even in that ballpark, but okay. Art is weird. When something takes off, it's out of your hands. Different people have different reactions to it. I have a friend who did throwaway gag comics about video games that people got so into, some decided they would Kickstart a sequel to it (they took it down by her request). Another has had his art taken so frequently through the internet claiming them as memes that he's just tired of hearing about it and disowned them inbetween endless business emails trying to capitalize on it. I know someone else who makes hella good and incredibly full-of-love fancomics about old SEGA characters they never use anymore, more in vein with this, and I think it's neat. My feelings on M4 are very complicated? I'm not valiantt, the person you're talking to anymore, but since I was the one who started this flaring up again I still feel addressed.
So sorry I guess for trying to verbalize these really weird feelings that have come from a lot of experiences of interacting with Fan Content through my friends and myself, and trying to wrestle with the sincere query of "how out of your hands is your creation", which can sincerely be a really worrying thing for some people whose work takes off beyond the level they imagined? Itoi is cool with it, okay, it was still worth thinking about when I am still very wary of it. I guess it was strongly worded, but damn if it didn't feel like it was thrown back even harder, which only makes it more offputting to talk about. The End I guess?
I mean okay but changing the name would not change the intentions so it's still just the sentiment that nothing will ever be worthy of being considered a Mother game (or Itoi's vision or whatever). Which may be true based on any person's opinion but considering that being a worthy Mother game is PRECISELY the goal of the project… it seems like a really weird complaint to me. Unless they are actually stealing credit or intentionally misleading/confusing people. Otherwise they are just embracing their ambitions full-on.
The thing is, it cannot be THE NEXT "Mother" game. It is not possible to fully emulate what Itoi wants from it and how he wanted to continue from there. I admire what it is trying to be, but isn't it a tad conceited? Then again, I suppose emulation is the greatest flattery one could give.
And it is clear they certainly don't have any ill intentions with this project, but if they're expecting it to BE "Mother 4" (a product Itoi himself would make) then that's like saying "I expect to direct Beetlejuice 2 without anyone from the original team with my dedicated squad of ragtag Tim Burton fans (assuming Burton is okay with this in my hypothetical example). And the product will be as if Burton himself did it. Hence: Bettlejuice 2." I can't fault them for being ambitious, but the sheer suggestion that it intends on being "Mother 4" just grinds me the wrong way.
The thing is, it cannot be THE NEXT "Mother" game. It is not possible to fully emulate what Itoi wants from it and how he wanted to continue from there. I admire what it is trying to be, but isn't it a tad conceited? Then again, I suppose emulation is the greatest flattery one could give.
Except it kind of is because that's exactly what Itoi wanted from Mother 4 – for other people to take care of it so he could be a player instead of a creator and enjoy it as a fan.
….summer? Summer my ass. It's a neverending winter until I have this game. You can't just dangle something this good in my face for this long then tell me to wait more. Listen up. Earthbound and Mother 3 are my hands down favorite games ever. There are very few games I play over again, especially RPGs being so long. And I've beaten both probably 4 times each. Not many games resonate with me this well to the point I enjoy it that much. And I'll happily play them both again when the time calls for it. Heck, I even get super excited at fangames I know damn well can't produce half the quality as those two. I just need an excuse to fulfill my mother cravings. The hell else is gonna do it, Nintendo? Pfft, they can't even give me an excuse to play mother 3 again ( just kidding Nintendo I love you for giving me an opportunity to give earthbound my money, but seriously gimme mother 3 already). Then you guys come along showin me some real legit lookin stuff yo. Like, if mother actually had like a real sequel, ya know? Like if Itoi was all like, "yo, sorry fo makin you wait so long dawg" and just raised his angelic hands and poof, there it was, just like how the other 3 were created, true story. So here I am waiting for years building up hype to the boiling point of actually typing all this noise and pretending I'm actually upset in any way. Argh, can't take the wait any more.
Wait, why can Leo use PSI? He doesn't look like someone who can use PSI!
0/10. Worst game.
I will agree that inserting yourself into a series out of nowhere can be seen as cheeky. But with all the context of everything Itoi himself has said, and the fact that clearly there would not be an official sequel, things are rather different. I take issue with the "it doesn't matter what Itoi says" argument.
I'm personally psyched about Meryl based shallowly on the fact I love her design and hair color. Kumatora rocked in every sort of way, so I don't expect her to be that cool, but hopefully a bit more noteworthy than Paula. She did seem to be trying to buy dirty magazines …
I'll even say that once something is created, and exposed to the masses to view/play/whatever, it's out of the creator's hands. Especially if that something was created to be shared publicly and not privately (obviously not if you only want to share with people close to you). Itoi knew that in creating Mother 1/2/3, people would play it and make the experience of playing it their own. No one can take that from them. And if some fans, with the right skillset decided to use their experiences as a base to create a game as an homage, then that is their own creation, to do what they please. Besides, as avid fans I'm sure they'll change the name at the drop of an Itoi/Nintendo phone-call.
I was thinking of some alternate titles, and came up with a stupid one: Another Mother.
To those bothered by it being called Mother 4, I wouldn't worry about it. Itoi may be cool with it but that doesn't mean a suit in Nintendo won't Cease and Desist it.
*reads over previous page
…
Looking forward to playing the "freeware labor of love fangame" Mother 4.
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There are actually fangames and mods of existing games that use the numbering of the series they came from. It's not really an unheard of practice, and I can't really see myself taking it as seriously as some of you people. It's fine that you can argue "Ioti's orignal vision" or some deeper artistic thing that probally doesn't exist, but it's silly considering his vision wasn't some arbitrary number stuck on a title.
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All in all I'm just happy this is a thing. It may not be "official", but I've been dabbling in things that aren't technically canon in other series I enjoy, and it hasn't lessened my experiences in any way. The fact we're getting something new that's related to Mother is exciting!
@Cyan:
There are some things about the spritework that don't really sit right with me. Like, the MODERN MIND is pretty cool but the enemies just look…I dunno, generic? Like, more flat than Mother 3's enemy sprites.
I'm in the same boat. The sprites sort of look like the kind you see on cheap mobile games these days. It's probably since I expected GBA graphics (as dated as they may be), but I'm sure I'll get use to it.
I'm personally psyched about Meryl based shallowly on the fact I love her design and hair color. Kumatora rocked in every sort of way, so I don't expect her to be that cool, but hopefully a bit more noteworthy than Paula. She did seem to be trying to buy dirty magazines …
… I just now realized that was Kumatora in your avatar a few months ago.
I'm slow.
I'm quite fond of the character designs. Except Floyd, not too crazy about him, but I'm sure he'll grow on me. I really wish they kept the previous level jingles they had, I didn't like the new ones as much. Still an awesome idea though.
I think Mother 1 designs are the worst.
But since it was from the NES era, I think its okay.
Beside the Itoi interview, I guess there may be other contributing factors to naming it Mother "4", like the fact that there's never going to be a real sequel, and the fan-community is small and dedicated enough that everyone would probably have heard about it, and no one else would really put as much time to make such a big, full-fledged game. (Though I suppose these kinds of fans are by the handful in every fandom)
And the interview is fulfilled, and Itoi is going to play this eventually, then is a Japanese translation in the works?