Hello Shining Force III fans!

Is it that time already? Gearing up for V21 over the next couple of months…

If you have not already please be sure to vote in the ongoing poll threads regarding David’s classes and Spell names. There is plenty of description of the choices in the first post for both of these to help you make your choices. Both allow two selections so you can vote on both spell names and because there are so many good options for David’s classes. These will run until Oct. 10 and the results will be implemented in V21.

David’s Classes Decision

Spell Names Decision

For the Let’s Play update:

GenmaTheSamurai completed his SF3 LP including the PD. Thanks Genma!
Shining Force III Scenario 3 BLIND

Maeths is nearing the end of Sc2. I’m very much enjoying this LP!
Shining Force 3 Scenario 2

Let’s play like we’re Elite has finished Sc1. Let’s hope he returns for the other scenarios.
Let’s Play Shining Force 3 Scenario 1

ARRPEEGEE has resumed his playthrough of Sc2 and is currently at the end of Ch2.
Shining Force III

Also on the Twitch front Ic3lion has completed all three scenarios and I have it on good confidence that he plans to look at the PD as well in the near future.

And last, but certainly not least, the Shining Podcast lives! A podcast exploring the classic Shining games. (from the description) Episode 0 – Why Shining Force? invites some of the biggest Shining Force fans to share how they found Shining Force and what they love about the games. This serves as a pilot of sorts for the podcast. Future episodes will dive into the games themselves. Topics such as lore, strategy, characters, items, etc. There is no set timetable for release. These will be a labor of love and will be produced on a relaxed schedule.

Episode 0 – Why Shining Force? has been released on the Shining Force Magic! YouTube channel and website. I created Shining Force Magic! to serve as a repository for shining related projects including the Shining Podcast! The website is very basic at the moment, just to give us a place to host the MP3 (audio only) version of the podcast, but we will be making improvements in the short term and I plan to implement a proper design for the site at some point. So if you would like to contribute to any of this, including the website design, please contact me on the credits page or at our new SFM! email. shiningforcemagic@gmail.com

Go check it out now and be sure to subscribe.
100 subs and we get a custom url that will be easier to share.
Episode 0 – Why Shining Force?

Exciting stuff!
You’ll hear from me again in November when you can expect your first look at V21!


legalize freedom!

I hope everyone is enjoying V20!

Work continues in a few different areas. My review of Sc2 is continuing in Ch5. Saraband for the third and last time. It’s always a beast. I’ve been able to make many, many great improvements to Sc3 in particular as a result of the LPs happening now. Sc2 to a lessor extent as well. More about the LPs below.

There is an engaging discussion happening in the forum about David’s classes. What I initially believed to be a simple question has evolved into a more involved discussion. There are actually two threads, one being a poll that was a bit premature. I think another poll is in order once we come to some conclusion. Check it out and join the discussion.
https://forums.shiningforcecentral.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=44307
https://forums.shiningforcecentral.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=44412

Alot of good things have happened regarding the Hiroyuki Takahashi interview on the premium disc. GenmaTheSamurai requested a translation mostly for his own knowledge, I reached out to Mr2dax who has helped with our favorite project, and a couple of days later we had a translation! Genma has since put together a subtitled video on his channel.
https://forums.shiningforcecentral.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=44203
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PharPfkSCzU

Meanwhile, Elite Evil was working toward getting the best quality conversion of the video to edit with subtitles and actually get video back into the premium disc image. He has successfully completed a proof of concept! More on this to come, but I hope to have this interview subtitled in V21. Credit to Elite Evil (Let’s play like we’re Elite) for dreaming big.
https://forums.shiningforcecentral.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=44459

There are more people playing SF3 (and the translation) on the internet than ever before. It seems to have caught on with the streaming crowd as well. All of the following are using V20:

GenmaTheSamurai has finished Sc3 and plans to do the PD at some point. Genma talks to most everyone, so this has really allowed my to make a pass on Sc3 in a relatively short amount of time. I’m not quite finished, but will be soon enough. Thanks Genma!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTR4myyWS2RhshKjxPoXbIQHtzy7t0nFw

Maeths is currently in Ch3 of Sc2. He may be the best combination of knowledgable play and entertainment going right now. Check him out.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLL5x6AUcyj03Wxuwl-PolJ_BnLQlCc0Xg

Let’s play like we’re Elite is nearing the end of Sc1. Another entertaining LP.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgZgCZOd9_S08DHD5hV_GzODNcVGKiwgn

ARRPEEGEE (formally RPGnutter) has finished Sc1 and has started Sc2 but is moving pretty slow recently.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOWlfpfaMDTUS2K7wucvuplqrr1t5URyG

In addition to the standard LPs, there are a number of streamers playing SF3. We won’t be featuring any of these since they tend to be more about the stream than the game and from what I’ve seen the streamers generally have far less reverance for the game than dedicated LPers, so your milage may vary. That said, there are no fewer than five SF3 playthroughs happening on Twitch at the moment. I haven’t had a chance to check all of them out, but most appear to be using V20. I have popped in on BorgsRPGQuest and JasuBakuhatsu (who also posts his stream on YouTube) and got them to upgrade to the patch, so if you see any that aren’t using the translation patch, please advise them!

The Shining Fandom keeps chugging along!

legalize freedom!

V20 is now ready for your enjoyment! Download with the button to the right.
A zip version is also available, but you will most certainly want the self-extractor due to this version using the Penko icon. Cutest patch ever 😛

Please report any issues or feedback in the forum HERE.

I’m very happy with what this year’s update brings. Let’s get down to the most visible updates.

• In Saraband, each of the two large country headquarters now referred to as “command center” for clarity and contrast with the heros’ army headquarters’.
• Many corrections and improvements, primarily in Sc2 and Sc3.

Small fixes to dialog in Sc1:

• Hero meeting at the waterfall; Medion more clearly states Synbios’ need for Zero is greater than his own.
• Switching point battle; Line about crushing the Republican dogs edited to more suit Medion’s character.
• Palsis seeing the Titan at the bottom of the moat; He now acknowledges what Basanda reveals in the prior battle.

Sc2

• Ready for beta through chapter 4!
• The large electrical devices at Elbesem Temple courtyard are now referred to as “Elbesem Temple Core”. The dialog review in this area more fully revealed exactly what these are and that is better reflected in the dialog now as well.

Sc3

• Battle 4 advice corrected. Previously it would seem as if the staff’s power had already been released.
• Shortened the third promotion dialog (Elbesem… Grant your blessing…) to prevent it from overlapping Gracia’s face for everyone.
• Church promotion lines tweaked to accommodate those with classes that begin with vowels.
• Keeper now gives better directions to the hero test.

There are alot of epic events in Sc2 Chapter 4 that have been polished to a shine. After the horror of what they find on the way to Elbesem Temple, our heros save Gracia and he breaks the seal in a tense scene. They escape only to be caught in an epic two-part sea battle. General Rogan is deceived and finds himself in mortal danger. And finally, we see the beginnings of the Sc3 force splinter off in an emotional farewell. I told myself I wasn’t going to cry…

This will no doubt play out soon for all to see as there are two LPs that I expect will be starting Sc2 with V20 in the near future. Maeths is nearing the end of Sc1 Ch4 and a new entry RPGnutter is at the end of Sc1.
Meanwhile, GenmaTheSamurai has finished his Shining the Holy Ark LP and is ready to start Sc3 fresh with V20.

You can find these and many other excellent playthroughs on the Media page.

Enjoy!

legalize freedom!

The SF3Patch V20 preview has been posted to the FTP. Download with the button to the right.
Remember if you have issues with virus software flagging the exe, a zip version is also available on the FTP. AVG is currently scanning and allowing it, but your results may vary.

Please try out the new patch and report any issues in the forum HERE.

There are still a couple of things I want to get added before the official release next month, so plan to update again around the first week of December.

In case you haven’t been following along, there was some good discussion regarding the red text for Galm (and Bulzome). It was a trial of sorts to see how it would work and it didn’t work all that well. Poll results aided the decision to remove it. Thanks to eveyone who responded!

In LP news, Zanon has finished Sc2. Genma is doing a Shining the Holy Ark LP in between scenarios 2 and 3.
And we have a new LP! Maeths started with a very old version of the patch, but will be current moving forward starting with Ep 13. Thanks Maeths for showcasing the translation patch!

Talk to you soon!

legalize freedom!

Hello SF3 fans! Not too much to report this time.

Work is ongoing in Sc2. I hope to finish polishing Ch4 for the release of V20!

On the LP front, Zanon has started Sc2 and Genma is wrapping up Sc2. Check the media page for links.

The first episode of the Shining Podcast! is being recorded and is in production. I won’t necessarily be covering the Shining Podcast! in this space, except for those that involve SF3 and the translation project, but once the initial episode is released, I’ll blast where to find it and you can follow from there.

You’ll hear from me again around the first of November when the V20 test files are released for a month of making-sure-nothing-is-wrong like usual.

Keep Shining!

legalize freedom!

I hope everyone is enjoying V19!

Just a quick update to let everyone know the latest.

Work continues on Sc2 incorporating the reviewed lines (End of Ch5) and comprehensive playtesting (End of Ch4).

I have decided not to do the Retropalooza thing this year, but I am thinking every two years might be a good interval. I do, however, plan to go and bribe a couple of appropriate booths to display some business cards so we can get some exposure that way.

For a while now I have been thinking about starting a podcast centered around the classic shining games.
Please visit the All Things Shining forum thread for details and email me or respond in the thread to answer the call for talent!
https://forums.shiningforcecentral.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=42893

Until next time,

legalize freedom!

The time has come! V19 is ready to go! You can download it using the button to the right.

However, we have had some problems with certain virus software flagging SF3Patch.exe (a self-extracting archive) as a suspected virus. Rest easy, there is no actual virus. It is a false positive related to self-extracting archives in general. I can verify this is happening with AVG and Avast, but the issue may also be happening on others. Just be aware.

If this affects you, you have a couple of options.
1. Disable your virus protection, download and install the patch, re-enable virus protection.
2. Moving forward, I plan to include SF3Patch.zip alongside the normal exe patch archive. Just unpack where you would normally install, but without the slick presentation.

I’m excited about V19! Here’s why. The list of visible changes is shorter than normal. What? …you might say. Yes, because this is the first version where I can say the list of needed changes is drying up. While there is still much work to do with getting the remainder of Sc3 reviewed by a translator, incorporating the remaining lines that have been reviewed and giving the storyline a close look, the big-ticket things have been done. It will be the finer details and special additions from here on out. That’s why I’m excited about V19. I do need to concentrate on getting chapters to beta (finished) status and I plan to do just that.

Now on to the most visible updates:

• Many corrections and improvements, particularly in Sc3
• Improved clarity of the Edmund, Rogan, Produn and Brutus storylines throughout
• Added a tribute to the real Hedva and David in Sc2 at David’s room on the Stump Skywalk.
  Continue to knock on the door before triggering battle 11. On the last line, David will be singing their very famous song “I Dream of Naomi“.
• Corrected Dark Dragon’s name in the Premium Disc battle
• Many new icons added (thanks to Special T)

And the rest is the nitty gritty. Working to perfect the Sc3 experience!
I believe all the major problem areas in Sc3 have been addressed. Minor dialog oddities may still exist in places, but it’s a good time to dive in if you’ve been holding off. The whole package is in really good shape.

Please don’t hesitate to provide any feedback you have. Contact me if you would like to contribute as a proper playtester.

Please share any comments or suggestions in the forum HERE.

Enjoy!

legalize freedom!

The SF3Patch V19 preview has been posted to the FTP. Download with the button to the right.

Please try out the new patch and report any issues in the forum HERE.

Work will continue over the next month before the official release, so be sure to update again next month.

until then,

legalize freedom!

Work continues incorporating reviewed lines and with the in-game review. The research for the Edmund/Produn storyline is being incorporated. There are lines that deal with this throughout the game and many were saying differing things. I believe it is all coordinated now.

I’ve also included an easter egg for David. I’m betting the vast majority of players don’t even know about this, but when you first make your way up to the Stump Skywalk and find David’s room, if you continue to knock on the door you get a pretty good gag. The last line which continues to repeat was an uninspired “He appears to be busy”, so that seemed like a great place to give a nod to the real Hedva and David. I fashioned a music note in one of the unused text character slots and included some lyrics to their very famous song “I Dream of Naomi” as if you could hear him singing through the door. I’ll try to get a video up of the entire gag at some point.

As usual I plan to begin preparing the files for release in October and release test files around the beginning of November with this year’s official release coming in the first week or two of December.

Our favorite translation project continues to be more visible in the public arena. I was contacted by Kevin Wong, a contributor to several gaming websites who was interested in doing an article about our project. I gladly answered his questions and provided what I could. It came out a bit too much about me for my taste personally, but I understand the desire to humanize these things. I certainly appreciate the promotion of the project and thanked Mr. Wong for taking an interest. The article is now live at Zam, a fairly new gaming news site. Check it out!

We have a new entry with an LP that started not long ago. Zanon is currently in Sc1 Ch4 and is posting at a nice rate. This will be the LP for purists that prefer to experience the game without commentary. I understand this LP will be taking a different path than most by using Jade and Edmund among other things. Thanks for the LP Zanon!

Keep up with this and all the featured LPs on the Media page.

The next time you hear from me I will be posting V19 test files!

Until then,

legalize freedom!

Thanks again to everyone who supported the project’s presence at Retropalooza Houston 2017!
It was a great experience. See the posts below for more information.

I’m currently back to incorporating reviewed lines in Sc2 where I’m in Ch5. I’m also plodding ahead with the Sc2 comprehensive in-game review, currently in Ch4.

As some of the SF3 Let’s Plays are coming to an end, I’ve been able to catch the worst of the errors and oddities in Sc3, particularly at the end. Thanks to the LPer’s for playtesting. You are making a real difference in the next patch!

Speaking of incorporating reviewed lines, we currently find ourselves without a dedicated translator, so now is the time to volunteer if you are qualified or get the word out to any qualified translators you may know. A couple of translators are available when I have specific questions, but we really need someone to be more involved.
In case some of you may not recall, we are currently reviewing near the beginning of Sc3, but Sc3 will be a bit different because close to half of the lines have already been reviewed (because they were initially missing) and so we just need to fill in the blanks. Also in case you don’t recall, we made an effort to document all the needed lines in the form of in-game images to make it easier for the translators to work. Volunteers please contact me on the Credits and Contact page or post in the forum if you are a SFC member.

And finally, thanks once again to all the Let’s Players for entertaining us, making the Shining Force III Translation Project more visible and providing some valuable play testing to aid the project. Follow the featured LPs on the Media page.

Until next time,

legalize freedom!