Issue #4: EMPLOYEES OF THE UNEMPLOYED

06-30-2008, 08:23 AM

It feels like we just can't get Izuna off our minds... Can you blame us?

This Production Diary takes a rather detailed look at localizing Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja Returns. Not only does it describe some of the challenges of localization, but it even throws out a few cool statistics at the end. Let us know what you think!

READ ISSUE #4: "EMPLOYEES OF THE UNEMPLOYED"

unknown · 06-30-2008, 08:33 AM

Very interesting.

Chronis · 06-30-2008, 09:03 AM

It was pretty interesting but it just didn't have that one thing that the others had that made it really good. But overall, since you guys at Atlus are very confident in your work, I may end up trying Izuna out.

Garlyle · 06-30-2008, 10:35 AM

I can only imagine some of the horror stories your testers could relay... @_@

Still, I'm really glad to see all this work getting put into it. It's so common for companies just to localize a game but keep bugs in the original releases intact [Or in the case of some game companies, release a new 'updated' game and still not fix the bugs from last year's version...]

Of course... there'll be more that get found, I bet, but that's normal for just about any game XD

dp192 · 06-30-2008, 11:26 AM

Although I can't say that it influence the fact that I was planning on getting it, it is good to know that their aren't any major bugs and your hard work is much appreciated.

Quote:

Number of monkeys we could have hired to do their job: 0

Not to do the work, but you should have hired some monkeys, anyway. My chimpanzee use to make my life a lot more interesting when I was a kid growing up in Africa, but I don't think their all that legal in the U.S.

VMan · 06-30-2008, 11:37 AM

I'd love to hear what some of those "not bug" bugs were, lol. But another interesting read. I have a lot of respect for testers and the hard work they put in to give solid meaning to the words "Quality Assurance".

banballow · 06-30-2008, 11:41 AM

Quote:

You too can say thanks, by purchasing a copy of Izuna 2 on day one.

Oh, I had already planned on doing that. I've already got two reserved, and depending on my desire to get all of the reversible cover arts (luck could also be a factor), that number could just keep climbing.

Thanks to all the folks that worked on the localization, much appreciated.

jeffx · 06-30-2008, 11:44 AM

excellent, thanks for doing these. in my case, this one was the most interesting so far.

malroth · 06-30-2008, 11:56 AM

I'm amazed that the only debug option available was that kill command. I've got a lot of respect for the QA's for suffering through something so difficult.

Maxine MagicFox · 06-30-2008, 12:31 PM

This was a very humorous entry. Though, I definitely feel for the poor 6 players who made up the debug team. And: thanks for working so hard for us! Especially with a game that can be exceptionally nasty without the glitches.

Kemble · 06-30-2008, 02:36 PM

I wish more stories of this nature were relayed to fans of a game. As a software developer, I understand the difficulty that can come with testing software. I don't think most people understand the world of testing a product that has an infinite number of test cases. Obviously, hit the boundary cases, but bizarre things happen with software an even the most "secure" of use cases.

Thanks for the diary. Informative stuff!

miruki · 06-30-2008, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Number of bugs our testers reported to which we responded: "That's not a bug, that's the way this game works:" 17

Hahaha... that kind of amuses me alot. :>

Too bad I'm not much of a dungeon crawler fan, I really like the style and humor of the Izuna games.. :/

Apocalypse · 06-30-2008, 10:17 PM

Very interesting. I personally am surprised that the Japanese version supposedly has so many flaws that it would need such an intense debug session. At any rate, I do plan on buying the game on day one (if buying online counts as that...

), if that helps ease the pain of debugging the apparent mess.

shimo · 07-01-2008, 03:03 AM

it nice to fix bugs from from Japanese's version of the game. interesting.

by the way

Quote:

Number of DS systems almost thrown against the wall: 6

Is that true ?

tross · 07-02-2008, 02:14 PM

Well, I hope it's all fixed. I would hate to lose all my items because of a glitch, especially if I worked hard to make a powerful weapon. Thanks to the testers for taking the time to discover the glitches, it must have been tedious to play through Izuna 2 multiple times. Not to mention gathering items and money, and upgrading weapons multiple times.

Manly Biceps · 07-02-2008, 02:48 PM

This also omits the time the project lead was playing through the game and had his DS die on him because he ran out of battery.

The DS is your enemy, too.

Chronis · 07-02-2008, 05:19 PM

^^^Mr Biceps, you seem to know a lot about Atlus's inner workings. So I'm guessing you work for them, yes? So now I'm wondering if you're part of the debug team or what? Cuz you're probably full of stories... or Production Diaries.

Onion of Mystery · 07-02-2008, 05:33 PM

He just hangs around, like his title implies.

Chronis · 07-02-2008, 05:36 PM

Then get him to work! With a name like Manly Biceps, he needs to be packing trucks full of Izunas and Trauma Centers or something.

Manly Biceps · 07-02-2008, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chronis

Then get him to work! With a name like Manly Biceps, he needs to be packing trucks full of Izunas and Trauma Centers or something.

I've been known to open boxes without even using a box cutter. Watch out, I'm crazy like that.

Voodoo · 07-02-2008, 05:44 PM

^ You probably way like 110 soaking wet.

Sanctine · 07-02-2008, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voodoo

^ You probably way like 110 soaking wet.

Wow, Voodoo. That's a new low, even for you.

Manly Biceps · 07-02-2008, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voodoo

^ You probably way like 110 soaking wet.

I do like to travel the 110 freeway while in a hot tub limo...

Chronis · 07-02-2008, 05:50 PM

If Manly Biceps is really Girly Biceps, I would LMAO. Unless he really can open a box without a box cutter. Then I'd probably all the girly men around me.

Voodoo · 07-02-2008, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sanctine

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voodoo

^ You probably way like 110 soaking wet.

Wow, Voodoo. That's a new low, even for you.

LOL yeah that was petty bad. The said part is I ment to put weigh.

My I.Q. -1 point

Master Zombots · 07-03-2008, 11:14 AM

Thanks for yet another great Production Diary Atlus!

psychoneko · 07-03-2008, 11:34 AM

I'm of the opinion that the artist (who also belongs to the Romantic Fool doujinshi circle) could earn extra money from making and selling artbooks of Izuna. I know that I would definitely purchase it.

gfdrga · 12-19-2008, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ;44322

It feels like we just can't get Izuna off our minds... Can you blame us?

This Production Diary takes a rather detailed look at localizing Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja Returns. Not only does it describe some of the challenges of localization, but it even throws out a few cool statistics at the end. Let us know what you think!

READ ISSUE #4: "EMPLOYEES OF THE UNEMPLOYED"

Yeah, i can do it as that which you had said. plz dont worry about it.