Questions for Grandia II
1. Are there any new features compared to the Dreamcast version? Are there many similarities?
A: We are certain that you can enjoy it more because we added new bonus movies and upgraded the quality. There are no changes in the game content.
2. Did you enjoy programming for the PS2? Are there any effects that you couldn't have imagined with the Dreamcast?
A. It was a little bit hard because we had to reconcile the special functions of the Dreamcast (such as the beautiful graphics) with the software. The quality of the movie is improved because the PS2 allows us to use MPEG2.
3. What are the characteristics of "Grandia" and "Grandia II"? What is the difference between these two works?
A: The common characteristics are their screenplays in which love is the theme and they move people. The initial target machine for Grandia was the Sega Saturn, however, Grandia II was targeted for the Dreamcast so that it is a completely 3D game.
4. Are you planning to sell a bonus disc or limited version?
A : We are not part of the marketing division so are unaware of limited editions or bonus items with the US version. This is a question you need to ask UBISOFT.
5. I think the screenplay for "Grandia" is pretty good. Did you stress the screenplay for "Grandia II" as well?
A: Of course we regarded it as very important. There are two heroines so that there are romantic relationships going on and there are stories about the past and what's going on in the mind of the lead character (told by the elder brother and Sky who is always around).
6. Were there any inspirations you received for the character design and the setting of the game content, etc.? Such as books, movies or animation...
A: Nothing in particular. But we were careful that it didn't become the same as something that everybody knows.
7. "Grandia" is famous for its revolutionary fighting system. How did you create this?
A: The earlier art game series titled "Lunar" employed a turn-based fighting system. We thought about making it somewhat real time and easy for the user based on that and it became the system of Grandia (active battle). There was no basic idea. We came up with a lot of things and the current form happened to fulfill our greatest needs.
8. In Japan, the "Grandia II" PS2 version is going to be on sale after the popular new title "Grandia X". Are there any correlations between the screenplay of these two titles?
A: In terms of the screenplay, there is no relationship at all. The philosophy of Grandia is, however, inherited.
9. Recently, the popularity of the, "RPG" game genre is spreading to Europe. When you create a game that is only sold in Japan, such as "Grandia", do you keep Europe in mind?
A: We keep it in mind to a certain extent, however, it is difficult to gain an understanding of the image of early Europe, so that it is pretty difficult to directly put in an European ambiance.
10. "Grandia II" is a title with huge expectations. How were the sales results in Japan and the United States? What do you expect for the European market?
A: About US version you need to ask UBI. The Japanese version (DC) shipped approximately 200 thousand copies in Japan. Given the number of DreamCast consoles in circulation back then, I think quite a few users played it. However, from back then on, there were many requests to port it to the PS2 version so that we are hoping that many users will play this both in Japan and Europe. In Europe, the Grandia PS2 version went on sale. We would like for both the people who have already played it and those who are finding out about Grandia for the first time to play it. We would like to get feedback from the European audience so please send comments to the website of GameArts.