PR with Team Four Star

[Disguise]

Hey haven't posted here in awhile. Game looks amazing as usual. That Vegeta model is incredible. This isn't related to any in-game stuff for once. Instead, it's more like a PR (Public Relations) suggestion.

There's a team devoted to doing an abridged version of DBZ, and it's pretty hilarious. Team Four Star, at www.teamfourstar.com. They actively attend anime events and are gaining popularity among people. I'm willing to bet that if ESF were to talk to TFS about doing some sort of joint project, to promote both the game release and the abridged releases, then it would help unite both communities together. Humor + Amazing Game is a good combination all DBZ fans love.

What project could you work on together? I'd say the most important thing is to talk with them first and see what they think. I bet people can brainstorm something great on the spot and work with it.

Here's an idea though: During one of their episodes, randomly convert the anime episode into the video game through some weird plot twist. Like when Goku and Vegeta enter the inside of Buu's stomach. That probably won't be happening until like 6-12 months down the road for the abridged series, and by that time, the game will be a lot closer to release. Then there can be actors who act out the scenario that TFS comes up with. Animators could make the models speak the dialogue, or 3 frames could be taken of mouth movement and TFS could do the rest.

If this could fit seamlessly into their series and show off how awesome the game is at the same time, people would be spreading that video across Facebook in a heartbeat. And TFS could even feature it at one of the events they attend. I bet it'd get a ton of attention and get a lot more people looking at the game prior to its release. Plus we could all enjoy the funny antics of Team Four Star together.

 

[Vegeta]

I think maybe you're just a superfan of Team Four Star. Especially with that last bit, about trying to syncronize audio from a video clip with the in-game models. Or, having it redone for that matter. It sounds excessive and unnecessary. I probably don't speak for the ESF team when I say this, but I'm pretty sure that isn't something they have in mind; they're trying to make a game. All of that sounds more like it would fit a community project better, you know, something done by fans. Making something like that official sounds a little juvenile, I mean think about it.

 

[Deathshot]

I actually would like to see this happen. Maybe get an Affiliation thing going between each other.

 

[MrPlow]

Well both TFS and ESF team's want to stay below the radar from TOEI and Namco Bandai or whoever owns the rights to DB and the DB video games. TFS already got banned on Youtube once, and imho if those two got to cooperate i think it might just set off one quite larger blip on the shut down radar.

 

[Grega]

I do wonder why people are asuming finimation doesnt know about us. They know, they just dont see us a problem to their market.

 

[MrPlow]

I do wonder why people are asuming finimation doesnt know about us. They know, they just dont see us a problem to their market.

Well i've seen some of you mention that the mod could get into trouble if it gets too famous

 

[Raven]

I'm fairly certain that these people are not interested in any kind of cooperation at least judging from my previous experience with hobby-voice actors on DBZ.

 

[The Deco]

Well i've seen some of you mention that the mod could get into trouble if it gets too famous

As far as I remember, the problem is if ESF comes out profitable. (or a funimation sales drop which will probably end up blaming ESF )

 

[Disguise]

I'm not a super fan of TFS. I just started watching it a few weeks ago with a friend of mine, and I thought it was cool how personally involved they were with this hobby they have. It's a very creative and worthwhile effort, long after the series has been established, and it puts a new face on a well-known series. Much like this MOD will do as well. It's appealing to people who are long time fans of the series and want to see something new. That's why it seems like both groups would have a lot to gain by working on something together.

I don't know about any other voice acting groups. Never really bothered to check any out before. But I get the impression, where this group is made up of like 6-10 people and their sense of humor varies a bit from episode to episode, that they would be open to trying something new and they might have a lot to contribute overall. You can't pre-determine what will happen or close off possibilities before you try. Otherwise you're just limiting your opportunities. Opportunities that could completely change things in an unimaginable way.

And if shutting down is such a big problem, why hasn't it happened already? Who says it won't happen a month after the MOD's release? In fact, I'd say the more popular it is, the harder it will be to shut down, since so many more people would disagree with the decision, and it could hurt their company's reputation to be discouraging fan-based involvement. It's not like this is a brand new project they're working on. Funimation has all sorts of other projects they're taking on now to make money from. DBZ's only income will be generated through DBZ Kai, and the Abridged Series / MOD will only encourage more people to watch that. Their games are exactly the same and have been remade to perfection over 9000 times. There is nothing left to gain from them. Funimation is at the end of their rope with the DBZ franchise, and they need something new.

And who knows, Funimation may want to contract you into making this an official commercial release if you gain enough popularity on it. I wouldn't doubt that in the least bit. They don't have any PC, FPS, multiplayer DBZ games like this. So it won't take away from their game franchise either. Take a risk, start thinking big here. You've certainly got the talent for it from what I'm seeing you guys put out there. You've had a solid team of people committed over a long period of time working on this project with the same engine, successfully incorporating newer technology into it to make it look like THIS. Show me a business that wouldn't be willing to invest some money into everything you've already done, for everything they'd have to gain from it.

Hell, bring me on as your PR guy. I'll find some opportunities for networking and promoting the game, and then I'll talk personally with some Funimation higher-ups and show them everything they have to gain by contracting you to release this game.

But yeah... A TFS project would be a good idea for starters IMO. Popularity for this MOD would only be a good thing.

 

[Slofreak]

DBZ abridged comon "abridged"?? thats so naruto lol

And DBZ abriged it's just bunch of parody videos. -.-"

Earth Special Forces is already popular. Funmation, Bandai, Atari and tenkaichi designers probobly already heard about it and probobly even tryed out Earth Special forces at some point