Codex Interview RPG Codex Retrospective Interview: Winston Douglas Wood on Phantasie and Star Command

[Fatty]

Phantasie

 

[CappenVarra]

 

[DaveO]

What are the best versions for each Phantasie?
I had the Atari ST ones in the good ol' days and I'd like to replay the series.

Apple II has the complete collection along with Commodore 64. IBM versions are incomplete by missing the second game, and the Atari 800 only had the first game IIRC.

 

[Crooked Bee]

PC98 has the best-looking versions of all 4 games...

...but only if you speak Japanese.

 

[octavius]

What are the best versions for each Phantasie?
I had the Atari ST ones in the good ol' days and I'd like to replay the series.

The 16 bit versions have far superior graphics. There was no Amiga (and probaly Atari ST) version of P2, though.
One problem I had with the Amiga versions was finding a (cracked) copy of P1 without the map already being explored. On the DOS version there was an option to "reset" the map, IIRC.

 

[Tramboi]

The 16 bit versions have far superior graphics. There was no Amiga (and probaly Atari ST) version of P2, though.
One problem I had with the Amiga versions was finding a (cracked) copy of P1 without the map already being explored. On the DOS version there was an option to "reset" the map, IIRC.

Same problem here on the ST

I wonder if there are gameplay differences between the versions... besides interface differences.

And Bee, I don't speak japanese, even if my employer tried to convince me to learn it. My time is precious, I prefere wasting it replaying Phantasie and lurking the Codex!

 

[HobGoblin42]

Phantasie, lovely Phantasie, how much did I love my characters jumping up and down when attacking in combat.
I have to link shamelessly to one of my previous blog entries about Phantasie.

 

[Harg Harfardarssen]

In 1990 Phantasie IV was released exclusively in Japan for MSX, NEC and Sharp computers. The game credits you as the creator of the series, but the actual development is credited to a Japanese company called Star Craft, Inc. What do you know about this game and did you have any involvement in it at all?

I designed Phantasie IV completely. I was able to go to Japan and meet the programmers from Star Craft but I was never able to test the game to any extent. I did consider doing another fantasy RPG but decided to do Star Command instead.​

That's exciting to hear! Did you design Phantasie IV specifically for Star Craft, or have you already had it designed (for SSI perhaps) by the time Star Craft approached you? And why wasn't it published in the West?

Starcraft approached SSI with the idea of doing Phantasie IV in Japan. SSI then contacted me and I designed the game. SSI would have published it if anyone had been available to adapt it to computers like the Apple II or Commodore 64 but that never happened (I was busy designing and programming other software).​

This part of the interview should be cut out and posted in the jrpg forum. Fucking reverse-weeaboos, taking all our jerbs. And games.

From the way this sounds, SSI didn't have a problem with the cost of an adaption, they just couldn't find anyone to do it. Is there something I'm missing? It's kind of insane to me that SSI would have published it if only they could have found someone they could pay to port it over.

 

[bpstrat]

Thank you so much for doing this interview! The Phantasie games were some of my favorites growing up and I've always wondered what Winston Douglas (Lord) Wood has been up to. I was thrilled to hear that he is working on Phantasie V!

Since there have been a few questions about different versions of the game, I can absolutely confirm that I, II, and III all came out on the Atari ST (as you can tell by my avatar image). I have them all here in their boxes on my game shelf. Plus I've played them all and transferred my characters from each game into the next. I and II and fully playable on Steem, but the third one had some issues and I had to copy the images back to disks and finish the game on my old ST.

Mr. Wood, if you are reading this, please know I'll pick up Phantasie V on day one, if you get around to finishing it.

 

[LESS T_T]

By the way I am currently working on Phantasie V. I don't get much time to work on it so its a very slow process. If you want you can check back with me in about a year and I will let you know the status of the project.

It's almost a year, Crooked Bee!

 

[Crooked Bee]

Email sent.

 

[Crooked Bee]

By the way I am currently working on Phantasie V. I don't get much time to work on it so its a very slow process. If you want you can check back with me in about a year and I will let you know the status of the project.

It's almost a year, Crooked Bee!

Got a reply:

Unfortunately the project seems to be on hold. I was working with a partner who was going to find funding to hire programmers while I did most of the design work. He has so far not been able to find the funding. If I find out anything more I will let you know.

Oh well.

 

[LESS T_T]

Aw, then we should wait.

Thanks for the update, Crooked Bee.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

I am not usually into Kickstarters because I like to see a finished product demo before putting money into a game, but I would Kickstart a Phantasie V. Phantasie 1 was my second CRPG, after Temple of Apshai. And Phantasie was my first completed CRPG series.

 

[octavius]

I am not usually into Kickstarters because I like to see a finished product demo before putting money into a game, but I would Kickstart a Phantasie V. Phantasie 1 was my second CRPG, after Temple of Apshai. And Phantasie was my first completed CRPG series.

Phantasie is the ancient (pre Dungeon Master) CRPG series that has aged least bad, IMO.
Would be interesting to see a true sequel, but I fear it would be too tainted by Japanese influence after the designer having moved there.

 

[BoernEMo]

Wow, anyone by chance knows his LinkedIn-Profile?
I am currently working on an extended Phantasie I for mobile devices...
Maybe I could share some ideas with him?

 

[Ladonna]

Just wondering if anyone tried bugging him again about Phantasie V?