The latest issue of Retro Gamer has a Cave feature, with interviews and all. No scans (though they may be coming), but here's the info the dude (Dandy_Sephy from the Cave-STG forums) has put up:
- Until Progear, all slowdown was due to a lack of processing power. From DoDonPachi Daioujou and onward, they've added programmed slowdown.
- PGM had inferior graphics power but superior CPU which led to changes in design and bullet sizes and spreads.
- With SH-3 they began throwing bullets all over the place because of the increased processing power.
- Ikeda's influences are Salamander (number of bullets), Battle Garegga (bullet patterns), Kyūkyoku Tiger and Raiden (enemy timing).
- Guwange's XBLA release was a trial for international releases, with a sales target of 50,000 downloads.
- Asada says there are "no costs" associated with making a game region free, it's purely a business decision based on the market and licensing opportunities. The reply was a response to a direct question of Microsoft's approval process.
- There were offers to license the PS2 titles to the West but Cave preferred to concentrate on Japan at the time.
- There are offers "on the table" for more publishing deals, Asada believes there will be more games coming to the West.
- Dangun Feveron's release is still undecided, but will depend on how they look at Guwange. They don't correct the assumption it will be on XBL.
- Asada's previous mention of Deathsmiles 3 returns, but Asada mentions he and Inoue are actually working on the design concept. If the game is made it will be the last in the series.
- 360 was chosen because of other shooter companies using it, no plans for PS3.
It's great to hear that there's a good chance Deathsmiles 3 will actually be a thing (well, I assume there's a good chance, since they're actually working on it to some extent and the series' sales have been good). I'm hoping for 2D graphics and a Valentine's Day theme.
But man, the part about there actually being publishers who wanted to bring over the Playstation 2 versions of Mushihime-sama et al. to the West and Cave refusing... major bummer.
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