Update 11/06/24 at 2:00 a.m.: The first three character clips have been released, featuring Laharl from Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, Valvatorez from Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten, and Pirilika from Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless.
from Disgaea's reddit discord server ripped from Disgaea RPG
Swimsuit Ao's concept art from Disgaea RPG
from disgaea's reddit discord server ripped from disgaea RPG
from Disgaea's reddit discord server ripped from Disgaea RPG
A glimpse of the next work's concept!? Disgaea 7's development director Shunsuke Minoha talks about the response and the future of the series
How will one of the best simulation RPGs evolve? We asked him about his plans for the future.
WEBSITE TRANSLATION:
Nippon Ichi Software's 30th anniversary concept store nationwide caravan will be featured in " Disgaea 7 " and will conclude on April 29, 2024.
Then, on July 25th (Thursday), the main story and additional DLC for ` `Disgaea 7 '' will be compiled, and all new elements will be added to ``Disgaea 7'' so far. ' will be released.
Shunsuke Minoba, the head of development for the game, said, `` Everything is starting to come in. We asked him about the highlights of ``Disgaea'' and ``the future of Disgaea.''
I fell in love with “Disgaea 2 PORTABLE” and joined the company!
--First of all, please give us a brief self-introduction and history.
Mr. Minoha (hereinafter, titles omitted) My name is Shunsuke Minoha and I am the head of development for Disgaea 7 .I discovered the fun of Disgaea with ``Disgaea 2 PORTABLE'' on PSP, and then played ``Disgaea 4'' on PS3 and thought ` ` I wish I could be involved in the production of games like this,'' so I went to Nippon Ichi Software as a programmer. I joined the company as a
The first game I worked on as a development staff member was `` Disgaea 4 Return ,'' which was released on PS Vita , and the game I participated in from the beginning (as a programmer) was `` Disgaea 5. '' After that, he left the series for a while and was assigned to another title, and was once again involved in the production of `` Disgaea 7, '' serving as the head of development.
――What were your impressions after going from being a fan to being a creator?
I learned about the design philosophy that I hadn't noticed while playing as a Minoha player, and I rediscovered the game's appeal from a different perspective, thinking, ``Wow, that's interesting!''
--What did you think of the design philosophy behind "Disgaea", Mr. Minoha?
Minoha : The first thingis that while it is well-made as a simulation RPG, players can freely destroy it . In Disgaea 5 , this would mean things like the various ``Netherworld Effects'' that affect the entire map, and the ``Comet Disaster'' skill that can attack enemies on the entire map. ``It's okay to go this far in a simulation RPG!'' (laughs)
The other thing is " the fun of developing characters ." This is the most optimal training method at the current stage, this will be the case when the character becomes a little stronger...The training methods are layered, so the optimal approach will change depending on the level of training, so it is all about planning the steps for training. I felt that it was designed as a big fun.
I definitely wanted to add Asagiri Asagi and change the specifications of “The Founder’s Seven Swings”!
――Disgaea 7 was released on January 26, 2023, and what was the reaction from players?
Minoha `` 7 '' was produced with the concept of `` Disgaea-like Disgaea '' to appeal to everyone who has played the series deeplyI feel that we were able to create a product that ``hits home'' just as we aimed for .
--On July 25th (Thursday), all of the new scenarios and new characters that have been distributed so far have been included in "Disgaea 7". ' will be released. When did the project start moving forward?
Planning for the Minohamoto title started around January of this year, and I was asked, ``Are there any elements you'd like to add?''I answered, ` ` There are at least two things I'd like to do! ''
One is to have the popular character Asagiri Asagi participate in the new scenario and set. The other thing is to make it possible for anyone to have the seven weapons `` The Founder's Seven Swings '' that have an important meaning in the main story.
``Disgaea 7: I've started getting everything so far. ” From the PV
--Please tell us the purpose of each additional element.
I feel sorry for all the Minoha players, but I failed to understand how popular Asagi was.`` 7 '' was released, I've received many comments like `` Asagi is missing! '' and `` I want Asagi to come! '', so I felt I had to add something at this timing.
There was actually an issue with the founder's Nanifuri when `` 7 '' was first released that allowed it to be passed to other characters. It was just unexpected behavior, so we applied a patch to fix it, but at the time, some people said, `` I wish the old Disgaea games would have let you do this much. '' (LOL) I agree with that opinion, so I decided to implement it as an official specification.
``Disgaea 7: I've started getting everything so far. ” From the PV
Additionally, in addition to releasing the status cap , which can be said to be a regular feature in the series , we have also added the most evil boss " Rakshasa Baal ", so please be sure to further train your favorite character and take on them.
--I see many players pouring their love into generic characters rather than unique characters. Which of the general characters does Minoha like?
Minoha 's favorite character is the magic swordsman . " She's cute ", " she has big breasts ", " she has mysterious eyes that can see into the future "...she's perfect! also like Sorcerer (Female) just as much.
From the official website of “Disgaea 7”
What are the highlights of the new scenario “Kai Entai Hen” and Asagi?
--Please tell us the concept and highlights of the new scenario "Kai Entai Hen" in which Asagi joins the team.
Minoha: Up until now, in the Disgaea series, past characters have been consolidated and distributed for each series.`` 7 '', we attempted a new combination that transcended the boundaries of the series, but it received mixed reviews, with some saying, ``It gave us more depth by understanding the relationships with characters that we had no connection to before.'' One person said, ``I wanted to see a classic combination.''
In response to this, `` Kai Entai Hen '' is a story that goes around the successive demon worlds (worlds of each series) in order .
``Disgaea 7: I've started getting everything so far. ” From the official website
――I get the impression that Asagi is a different person in each series he participates in, but what kind of position does Asagi stand in in “Kai Entai Arc”?
Asagi Minoba is basically a child who can do anything, but this time Asagi is an Asagi who became the main character in another world.
--Asagi has been in the position of being the ``eternal protagonist of the next work'' for a long time, but now you can enjoy Asagi taking on the role you've always wanted.
The most difficult stage is a special stage challenge event that is extremely difficult.
--During the last three days of the Nippon Ichi Software 30th Anniversary Concept Store held at Hakata Marui until April 29th, "Disgaea 7" will be featured, and a challenge event "Devil Shogi Certification Exam" will be held on a special stage created by the development team. "ed." will be carried out.
Minoha : We created this product in response to a request from our sales department, who said, ``We want to hold a Disgaea event at the Hakata Marui venue
Because the Disgaea series allows for thorough character development, there is a big difference between those who play the game casually and those who get involved. If you only watch one, people in the other group won't be able to enjoy it, so we've prepared four stages so that you can challenge them step by step.
From the Nippon Ichi Software 30th Anniversary Concept Store in Hakata Marui announcement page
I think you can easily clear the Prinny level , which is the easiest level , if you have played some kind of turn-based simulation RPG.
The next demon class is Etna , who has the magical ability `` Sadistic (damage dealt to the unit with the highest HP +50%)'' and `` Explosive constitution (explodes when thrown, dealing damage to surrounding characters)' '. ), which requires a little understanding of the system and skills, such as throwing a Prinny with a ``Prinny'' to annihilate the enemy at once. It's a spoiler, but... (lol).
I think even people who have played a lot of Disgaea will find the most difficult level , Super Demon Lord , to be challenging. During the preliminary test play, no one in our sales department was able to pass the test.
That said, Disgaea users always come up with solutions and strategies that we couldn't even imagine, so we don't really know what will happen.
(Editor's note: This interview was conducted before the "Devil Shogi Certification Exam Edition" was held at the concept store)
――Are there no plans to release “Devil Shogi Certification Exam Edition” after the concept store closes?
Minoha: Currently, there are no plans for that. If it is well received, we hope to use it for future offline events.
It's easier to get drawn into the "swamp" - this is what the future of "Disgaea" will look like!
--Please tell us about the future of the "Disgaea" series. Are there any plans to release "Disgaea 8" or something similar?
Minoha: Unfortunately, there's nothing I can talk about right now... However, I would like to continueto be involved in the development of the " Disgaea " series and continue to create products that can draw people into the " swamp "!
――Then, if you were to make a new work as director, are there any things you would like to do or elements you would like to include?
MinohaThe first thing toto take a different approach from Disgaea 6 and create a system that is easy for new people to get into .
A major appeal of the series is the huge amount of replay elements , but this can easily become a hurdle for those who are trying it out for the first time. Therefore, I think it would be great if we could create some kind of system that would shorten the time it takes for children to realize the joy of training, in a way that is different from simplification.
Although the appeal of the series is that you can endlessly develop and strengthen your favorite characters, Minoha says that this endless process can become a hurdle...
--So you want to draw them into the "nurturing swamp" more smoothly.
Minoha: That’s what it is!
--Do you have any future plans for the "Disgaea" series, not just the next work?
Minoha: First of all, it's the revival of the "character world" . We've received a lot of feedback saying, "We want it back!", so we think we should include it.
In terms of story and setting, I was able to mention ``Bushiroad,'' which had existed only in terms of setting in `` Disgaea 7 '', so I was able to mention ``Bushiroad'', which has been mentioned in the series, such as ``a village for women only'' and ``Heaven.'' I'd like to do a scenario someday that digs deeper into the setting.
--I'm looking forward to both! Mr. Minoha has been the head of development since ``Disgaea 7'', but do you think that the ``Disgaea spirit'' of the past series has been inherited?
Minoha's `` Disgaea 7 '' is a work that focuses on being a `` Disgaea-like Disgaea, '' and I understand that it has been well received by users.
However, when I was working on `` 7 '' and it was starting to take shape, a senior colleague told me, ` `Disgaea is a game where anything goes '' and it really stuck with me... I'm also wondering if Disgaea should be a little more `` destroying ''.
Disgaea 7's ``Grow Deka Magic'' system is one of the elements that embodies the ``anything goes'' concept. Prinny becomes super huge!
――A game will be created (planned) based on the conflict between ``What is Disgaea-like?'' and ``Disgaea is a game where anything goes.'' So... Finally, please give us a message.
Minoha I have started to receive all of ``Disgaea 7'' released on July 25th (Thursday)” has an affordable price, so it is recommended as a “first Disgaea” for those who have no experience with the series.
The latest series "Disgaea 7" released in January 2023 includes all currently distributed DLC and various benefits. Furthermore, with the addition of newly distributed scenarios, new characters, and playable elements, this is a great value book that allows you to enjoy all of ``Disgaea 7''!
What are the deep fans looking for? How can we increase the number of new fans? I would like to continue working on this while maintaining that balance, so I look forward to your continued support of the Disgaea series!
Product InfoTitle : Makai Senki Disgaea 7 I have started to include everything so far.Genre : The deadliest simulation RPG in historyCompatible models : Nintendo Switch/PlayStation 5/PlayStation 4Release date : July 25, 2024Development manager : Shunsuke MinohaCharacter design : Takehito HaradaCERO : C (for ages 15 and over)Price : 5,980 yen (6,578 yen including tax)