There's a final pic I haven't posted yet with the concept villages/dungeon list, and it is wildly different from what made it into the game. They did get far enough to make the menu textures for the locations though, which may mean something? or not? those types of textures are extremely easy to whip up anyway... but it's curious that the files themselves actually made it inside the game data.
The E: Gothic master ITEMS file also has column dedicated to two (2) Villages that aren't in the game. I had always wondered what the names referred to, and finding the menu textures finally solved that mystery.
The columns were supposed to denote item availability in those village's shop(s), but in the E: Gothic ITEMS file they are blank.
Lastly, it is also very interesting the circumstances surrounding the Lead Project Director of Elminage Original (and 2 and 3) and his abrupt departure from Starfish studio. I was only able to find a brief interview in a japanese gaming blog and I had to read it using Google Translate, but basically he gave no answer as to why he left Starfish, and he did not comment on whether or not it had anything to do with the different direction E: Gothic went (important to note that E: Gothic is the only Elminage game where he wasn't the Lead Project Director)--
--he only talked about how it was simply time for him to go as he says (remember, Google Translate) that he no longer felt valued.
aight, i was googling JP Amazin reviews of Original and Gothic to see If I could find japanese gamers commenting on DAISUKE KOMIYAMA (Lead on E: Original for the very first iteration of the game on PS2, all the way up till Elminage 3) and his departure from Starfish SD, but I couldn't find anything so I gave up.
Goolging the japanese kanji for Elminage + KOMIYAMA + quit/fired/Starfish yielded this quote from a JP gaming site's review of Gothic:
"Mr. Daisuke Komiyama served as the series director before the release of the third series work has left the company.The non- numbering work after that can not deny the feeling of being strayed."
I *think* what happened was the E: Gothic director, Tanaka Something (who, btw, had never previously done anything for Starfish or its contractors such as UFO and Ghostlight; E: Gothic was Tanaka's very first project for Starfish)--
--ahem, I find it fun to conjecture that Komiyama wanted to make Gothic another Elminage 4, something that can be inferred from the texture work done with the names of multiple Villages/Towns, and a menu texture completely done with a dungeon list similar to E: Original (and 2 and 3)... and that suddenly Tanaka said WHOA NELLY I WANT TO MAKE L33T HARD-CORE WIZARDRY GAME YOU ARE OLD NEWS KOMIYAMA IT IS TIME TO RECAPTURE DUNGEON FEEL OF MAYBE NEVER FIND EXIT!!!
Cue japanese-style drama (i.e. no one does anything overtly dramatic), and then Komiyama decided to leave UFO/Starfish SD because he felt pushed aside.
Pure conjecture but fun!
In Original I have mostly cleared the Kraidia caves... was trolled to the "no entry zone", struggled a bit to get to the center, spent a long time looking for some switch I might have missed. Finally passed, checked online and was dissapointed to learn that you need to trigger an event later (after 2 rings) to unlock the door. That was a waste of time.
Beat the Mirror Marsh, thought it was pretty cool, if not really difficult. Also explored most of the Maura Forest. The mobs in the Heart of the Forest kick my ass though. Maybe now that I got a few more levels, need to try again.
My Alchemist changed to Hunter. Level 11 now. With only one Alchemy level 7 slot, for now. Wonder if he'll maybe grow to 3 slots after Hunter level 15. Even worse, Protectorate has not came back yet. Again, wonder if it ever will past level 13. Using the Longbow for now.
My fairy Mage now also has 3 Summon slots and is a level 12 Alchemist. Will soon turn her to a Cleric, to finally settle for Bishop. I'm gathering a ton of junk and item slots are VERY limited so I'm really missing the Bishop. And I've found a sweet Flame Rod for her.
Found some Aozasa Katanas for my Samurai (+10 to-hit? nice!). And an Innocent Sword. 7 base attacks? Sweet! Guess I won't be using that 24% Paralysis boosted two-handed Helm Splitter.
Brawler is still using the starter bandages. Would be time for an upgrade, but I'm not finding much. Hopefully Thief can improve things... but Mastery is still far away.
Valkyrie was using the Flamberge, then the Scimitar - > Innocent Sword + Bewitching Dagger combo, after found a Longsword +1 gave the Innocent Sword to Samurai and started using the Longsword (Samurais can't use it). Haven't really found any worthwhile spears yet. In Gothic the spears were often my best weapons, unlike here... so far.
Thief... still using the boomerang. But mostly setting things on fire with the Flamberge.
Well, I've conquered Sheba and Wayne Ruins, so I'm perhaps somewhere around midgame. Also have more Fame then I should ever need. Hmm, Compass shows yellow directions in Wayne for the Time Ring... but it doesn't become blue in any of the 3 areas. Weird. Maybe when I find the remaining 2 crown jewels the NPC inside wanted. Only got the Ring of Change from the elven king so far, I think.
Getting Thief mastery was quite a game changer. My Brawler went from doing 30-40 damage to 120-130 per hit main hand + 80-90 offhand (Sharp Tooths +3 and Beast Fangs +1). Also has a ranged option with Tentacles +2. Huge damage boost for my Hunter as well. From Longbow plinking for 30-40 damage to Raging Bow for 130 damage.
Samurai is now rocking dual Innocent Swords, while Valkyrie uses Innocent Sword + Chimera Dagger.
Also stole some nice armors for my Samurai (-6 AC, Samurai only... not cursed!) and Hunter (Shell Bra +1: only -3 AC, but base 70% Magic Resist). Could use an upgrade from the basic Boomerang for my Thief. Although she's mostly using the Flame Rod for now.
Could also farm +2 ores from Trash Collectors now if I felt like it, I suppose.
Obviously many enemies, who are primarily melee, are pretty much helpless after taking their toys away.
For now I feel the difficulty in the further dungeon entry areas could ramp up a bit faster. Typically in the initial areas I'm in no risk... and deeper in the threats are very few as well.
But I really like the dungeon design so far. Think its the best out of the crawlers I have played (which admittedly isn't a large number).
A pity that item and monster descriptions weren't translated (that was also the case in Gothic).