Pre-release thread: THE iDOLM@STER: Platinum Stars

[Cael K.]

Did you mean they were all moving simultaneously?  Or, did you mean they all had just one movement?

A little bit of both, to be honest. Generally, they go straight one way, then straight the other, and there's no variation. The motion itself doesn't feel real, and then the majority of them are totally in sync with each other. There are a few that are a little delayed, but the crowd seems to have a hivemind for the most part.

Then again, I don't know how much they're grinding down on the GPU with all the other stuff they're doing. I actually think all the penlight motions can be calculated in the GPU, but I dunno. Maybe they ran into slowdown or something.

[DeviantProtagonist]

Wow, penlights must be pretty meta. Never really cared for that detail so much as the actual performance itself.

[Reikuo]

Surprised everyone is so concerned about the story here, am I the only one who cant speak Japanese? o_O

I think the game looks really good, though the idol models have some faces that will take some getting used to. I think they look kind of odd at certain side angles. One thing cool is that its obviously a visual upgrade but it dont completely dismiss OFA as a game, like OFA kind of did to IM@S 2. People are talking about burn out but we really dont get these games often, and the story resets dont bother me one bit. Was anybodys story really all that great save for Chihaya whos story for what it is was not very new or exciting, but she managed to have a lot of personality that ended up being her own. I just really dont think a new setting, goal, or story is really ever going to make Miki or Iori, or any of them, not who they have already been established as. Granted its disappointing to see some interesting aspects of the characters lost over time and replaced by things not as good, or just bland in comparison, but that seems to always be the fate of long running stuff like this. That said the story was a really cute one that surprised almost everyone that came into contact with the series, and thats why people are a bit down about the current state of things. I am just happy the story ever got to the point where we could all care about it as much as we do.

I am just glad a new IM@S game is coming out, that has all the core features that we expect out of the main series games. While the outfits being the same on everyone is definitely a loss, everything else looks super polished and great. Bandai has never been known to go super crazy and this game definitely has the most work put into it since IM@S 2. OFA reused a ton of assets while this is reusing none. That said, the amount of content in the game is not known so we will just have to see if it can at least rival OFA in the regard.

[MetalPredat0r]

Surprised everyone is so concerned about the story here, am I the only one who cant speak Japanese? o_O

I don't speak Japanese either, but this is all based on translated info I got.

I think the game looks really good, though the idol models have some faces that will take some getting used to. I think they look kind of odd at certain side angles.

Good, I'm not the only one who noticed this. From the front, they look great. But turn them at a certain angle and that's when issues arise, especially from the profile view, which I think looks pretty bad with the second eye just sticking out as if they're close together, when they're really not.

[Rin]

Good, I'm not the only one who noticed this. From the front, they look great. But turn them at a certain angle and that's when issues arise, especially from the profile view, which I think looks pretty bad with the second eye just sticking out as if they're close together, when they're really not.

I couldn't get over that at first either. Still not sure if I have. I never wanted to bring it up, though, because I thought it was a minor detail compared to the rest of it. It is extremely noticeable though. It's almost creepy when they look at you with their heads turned and their mouths open. .__.

[Naryoril]

Wow, penlights must be pretty meta. Never really cared for that detail so much as the actual performance itself.

Neither did i, until i went to 10th... Not to mention that we never really got to see the penlights so far, because there were no really wide angle shots or shots from behind the idols.

[mariokirby]

Surprised everyone is so concerned about the story here,

Well, my only concern was if the story and relationship bonding with the idol would be the same extent as the previous games.  Of course, the only way to find out is to play the game.

The whole reset, small changes/additions, etc doesn't bother me since it's something I got used to and feel helps give it some longevity.

[Reikuo]

I don't speak Japanese either, but this is all based on translated info I got.

Good, I'm not the only one who noticed this. From the front, they look great. But turn them at a certain angle and that's when issues arise, especially from the profile view, which I think looks pretty bad with the second eye just sticking out as if they're close together, when they're really not.

Haruka and Yayoi seem to be the worst offenders, Miki nearly unaffected. Chihaya is not too bad either, Takane had a weird shot in her recent trailer. We are just going to have to see.

[ZetaFlare]

Personally I really like what I see so far and am deeply anticipating the finished product. I liked Happy so much I immediately began learning it on the piano. I don't really mind the whole "same outfits" shtick, but there are quite a few outfits, past and present, that look great together when they're the same.

[Okayu]

Surprised everyone is so concerned about the story here, am I the only one who cant speak Japanese? o_O

We have some translations out there. Me doing Chihaya's translations

If you haven't already seen it, you can watch Chihaya's OFA route and EX route here.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj8_OUG7OFPkdP5l71Sqd41m1YXcZAKTC

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj8_OUG7OFPkA4OU1BTHoS-aK2cUgWlO7

I plan on doing her PS one as well. As for everyone else I'll see how it goes after the game is out orz

Some of my favorite scenes from the older games came from day off communications as well as work promotions as it gave different situations and sides of the idols.

Was anybodys story really all that great save for Chihaya whos story for what it is was not very new or exciting, but she managed to have a lot of personality that ended up being her own.

Not very exciting? There were two months of waiting in between each set of episodes, and they added the exclusive costumes in the 2nd batch too. Plus brand new solo songs. The only way I'd be more excited is if they brought back side dramas like in SP and L4U (the more goofy/one off ones). As I said earlier it did add new information to Chihaya's history as well as an interesting take on her transition as an idol.

I just really dont think a new setting, goal, or story is really ever going to make Miki or Iori, or any of them, not who they have already been established as. Granted its disappointing to see some interesting aspects of the characters lost over time and replaced by things not as good, or just bland in comparison, but that seems to always be the fate of long running stuff like this.

That's not true at all. Character development is often about seeing a character go from one state to another, even if it's not as extreme as say Awakened Miki was. Even something as simple as moving them to another country could add a whole lot of new situations and problems.

[Reikuo]

That's not true at all. Character development is often about seeing a character go from one state to another, even if it's not as extreme as say Awakened Miki was. Even something as simple as moving them to another country could add a whole lot of new situations and problems.

Well technically true, but the story lately has not really been much of one at all. The cast has not really had any character development since the anime. OFA was basically just new interactions, same exact idols just reacting to slightly different situations. Which is what Platinum Stars is looking to be too, same cast, same exact personality's with no development from the previous installments having an effect, reacting to slightly new iterations of the same story. Personally I very much like this formula.

[Okayu]

Well technically true, but the story lately has not really been much of one at all. The cast has not really had any character development since the anime. OFA was basically just new interactions, same exact idols just reacting to slightly different situations. Which is what Platinum Stars is looking to be too, same cast, same exact personality's with no development from the previous installments having an effect, reacting to slightly new iterations of the same story. Personally I very much like this formula.

The cast hasn't had any character development since the anime? Are you sure we've been playing the same games here?

The anime was largely inspired by idolmaster 2 to begin with, so if you mean that kind of vision change with the new haircuts and what not, then yes there hasn't been a vision change since 2010.

Otherwise we might just have to agree to disagree here.

[mariokirby]

The cast has not really had any character development since the anime. OFA was basically just new interactions, same exact idols just reacting to slightly different situations. Which is what Platinum Stars is looking to be too,

Well, that sounds a little extreme.  Every game (including OFA) has character development each told with a different perspective while keeping some of the general characteristics intact.  Of course, you have to pay attention to the dialogue/story to see some of the differences in each perspective.   You can’t just look at the big picture.  Like what was said before, the anime was roughly based on im@s 2 (I maybe bias, but I wouldn’t give the anime too much credit since personally I don’t think it was a great adaptation)

[Cael K.]

Bean sprouts ahoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0jUg6r2_u0

[Okayu]

Bean sprouts ahoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0jUg6r2_u0

So with this it's pretty much confirmed it'll be going in birthday order. At least now that they've done the two new songs the rest will have to be songs we don't know about in the set list now.

Yayoi is cute as always. I kind of would like those ending chibi to be on the loading screens like the sprites in OFA.

Also since I don't see a link to it already there's going to be another live stream on the 30th.

http://imasnews765.com/?p=15509