Working Designs

[Medic_wheat]

I thought I'd post a thread regarding one of my favorit (and sadly no longer existing) video game publishers.  I have noticed that there are a few who collect their games and seem to enjoy the level of product Working Designs became known for.

Feel free to post you current games or collectables, want list, holy grail type stuff or musings related to their games. 

I will post a picture later of my Working Desins games during the weekend as I have it spread out and recently got one of the Saturn games to add. 

TurboGrafx-16 & Turbo CD
 Cadash (Got the PC Engine verson..will need to correct that one day)
 Cosmic Fantasy 2 (have)
 Exile
 Exile: Wicked Phenomenon (I have only seen one listing so far and it seemed to go for crazy money)
 Parasol Stars
 Vasteel (have)
 
Sega CD (Complete collection)
When I stumbled on  a very complete Sega CD collection of games these became my prize). 
 Lunar: The Silver Star
 Lunar: Eternal Blue
 Popful Mail
 Vay
 
Sega Saturn
 Albert Odyssey: Legend of Eldean
 Dragon Force
 Iron Storm
 Magic Knight Rayearth (just picked up and so excited!)
 Sega Ages
 Shining Wisdom
 
PlayStation
 Alundra
 Arc the Lad Collection (Had...it sort of disapeared......I hate it when that happens)
 Elemental Gearbolt (Have and man is it fun) pew pew
 Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
 Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete (Have)
 RayStorm
 RayCrisis
 Silhouette Mirage
 Thunder Force V
 Vanguard Bandits
 
PlayStation 2
 Growlanser Generations (originally had the CE) but it simply disapeared.  I recnetly picked up the noramle edition.
 Gungriffon Blaze
 Silpheed: The Lost Planet


I want to say I am missing one or two games...a Sega Saturn game that was JP only and another...but I am sure someone will correct me soon enough....

[mitsuman]

I saw the title of the post and got a little excited!
I used to have Vasteel, Parasol Stars, and Cosmic Fantasy 2. They are all great games.

[jlued686]

Man, I used to adore these guys. They were the first Third Party I ever took notice of. And it all started with Parasol Stars and Cosmic Fantasy 2. CF2 was the first traditional RPG I really got into; at the time I thought it was a masterpiece. The years haven't been kind to it, but I still go back to it every now and again.

Off the top of my head, this is what I have:

TurboGrafx-16 & Turbo CD
Cadash
 Exile
 Exile: Wicked Phenomenon
 Parasol Stars
 Vasteel
 
Sega CD
Lunar: Eternal Blue
Popful Mail
Vay
 
PlayStation
Alundra
Arc the Lad Collection
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete
RayStorm
 
PlayStation 2
Growlanser Generations
Silpheed: The Lost Planet


Victor Ireland is now here:
http://www.gaijinworks.com/

It's not quite up to the Working Designs legacy (yet?), but still doing some good stuff.

[CrackTiger]

It's not quite up to the Working Designs legacy (yet?), but still doing some good stuff.

No new games yet with an npc telling you how they just pooped their pants and how it's nice and squishy?

[munchiaz]

working designs was one of the companies that got me into JRPGs. I love them for that, and for bringing over one of my favorite games of all time, Vanguard bandits.

[xcrement5x]

I'm a big Working Designs fan too. 

I have all of their games complete, and within that all the individual variants of each game that have been documented.  I'm currently in the process of trying to get more of their promo stuff, but a lot of the random bits they sold are out of my budget now.  Even worse is the Assassin's Case, unless I win the lottery or something I'll probably never own one.

I'm a regular over on the Gaijinworks forum actually, and Vic talks about lots of random WD stuff over there when you ask about it.  He's definitely still engaged with the fans, though a lot of the talk goes towards other CEs that are coming out frequently.

[HailingTheThings]

More like Working Behinds, j/k they're alright, I have a few, maybe I'll go trough my stuffs or something and then tell things about things.

[NecroPhile]

I have all the Turbob releases and Class of Heroes 2 for the PSP, and I'm not holding my breath, but I hope Vic brings out some more goodies for the PSP.  He's been promising info. on their next game for over a year, but the contract is perpetually "almost finalized"; so if it ever does happen, it'll likely be download only.  I give no fucks for downloads.

[TR0N]

WD for a time when they were the only publisher that gave jrpgs a damn.Still i wouldn't say they were perfect.Taking liberties with translation and tweaking a game,when it wasn't all ways a must.Still what i have by them.

Sega Saturn
Albert Odyssey
Dragon Force
Shining Wisdom
Sega Ages
Magic Knight Ray Earth

Turbografx 16
Cadash
Exile
Exile Wicked Phenomenon
Cosmic Fantasy 2
Vasteel
Parasole Stars

PS1
Lunar The Silver Star Story Complete
Lunar Eternal Blue Complete
Thunder Force V
Arc of the Lad Collection
Alundra

PS2
Growlanser Generations Deluxe

Sega CD
Lunar The Silver Star Story
Lunar The Eternal Blue
Popful Mail

I'll say one thing,it wasn't cheap buying the games by wd again for the sega-cd.I still need a copy of vay and that's it.

[munchiaz]

WD for a time when they were the only publisher that gave jrpgs a damn.Still i wouldn't say they were perfect.Taking liberties with translation and tweaking a game,when it wasn't all ways a must.Still what i have by them.

Sega Saturn
Albert Odyssey
Dragon Force
Shining Wisdom
Sega Ages
Magic Knight Ray Earth

Turbografx 16
Cadash
Exile
Exile Wicked Phenomenon
Cosmic Fantasy 2
Vasteel
Parasole Stars

PS1
Lunar The Silver Star Story Complete
Lunar Eternal Blue Complete
Thunder Force V
Arc of the Lad Collection

PS2
Growlanser Generations Deluxe

Sega CD
Lunar The Silver Star Story
Lunar The Eternal Blue
Popful Mail

I'll say one thing,it wasn't cheap buying the games by wd again for the sega-cd.I still need a copy of vay and that's it.

I'll trade you my copy of Vay for your copy of popfulmail 

[TR0N]

WD for a time when they were the only publisher that gave jrpgs a damn.Still i wouldn't say they were perfect.Taking liberties with translation and tweaking a game,when it wasn't all ways a must.Still what i have by them.

Sega Saturn
Albert Odyssey
Dragon Force
Shining Wisdom
Sega Ages
Magic Knight Ray Earth

Turbografx 16
Cadash
Exile
Exile Wicked Phenomenon
Cosmic Fantasy 2
Vasteel
Parasole Stars

PS1
Lunar The Silver Star Story Complete
Lunar Eternal Blue Complete
Thunder Force V
Arc of the Lad Collection
Alundra

PS2
Growlanser Generations Deluxe

Sega CD
Lunar The Silver Star Story
Lunar The Eternal Blue
Popful Mail

I'll say one thing,it wasn't cheap buying the games by wd again for the sega-cd.I still need a copy of vay and that's it.

I'll trade you my copy of Vay for your copy of popfulmail 

Oh no popful mail is one of my most favorite game for the sega-cd 

[SamIAm]

Oh Popful Mail.

Given the tone of the original, the translation that Working Designs did was just excellent. Natural, funny, memorable - I mean, maybe you didn't laugh at the odd pop-culture joke, but they kept that to a minimum. I think it's an example of a great translation.

But damn did they screw up the gameplay. The design of the original is such that you're supposed to be able to withstand many successive hits. You can usually take anywhere from 10 to 20 total before you die. The invincible/recovery time is short, and some attacks are almost unavoidable, but that's all right because you can take it.

In the US version, you'll die in anywhere from 3 to 5 hits. The Japanese version is admittedly a little too easy, but the US version is just infuriating at times because of how quickly enemies can kill you. And the very first big boss, the wood golem, is probably the hardest boss in the US version because he takes 40 HP (out of 100) every time he hits you. In the JP version, he takes 5.

It's actually one of my favorite games of all time, but I wish I could play it in English without the odd rage-inducing cheap deaths.

[TR0N]

Oh Popful Mail.

Given the tone of the original, the translation that Working Designs did was just excellent. Natural, funny, memorable - I mean, maybe you didn't laugh at the odd pop-culture joke, but they kept that to a minimum. I think it's an example of a great translation.

But damn did they screw up the gameplay. The design of the original is such that you're supposed to be able to withstand many successive hits. You can usually take anywhere from 10 to 20 total before you die. The invincible/recovery time is short, and some attacks are almost unavoidable, but that's all right because you can take it.

In the US version, you'll die in anywhere from 3 to 5 hits. The Japanese version is admittedly a little too easy, but the US version is just infuriating at times because of how quickly enemies can kill you. And the very first big boss, the wood golem, is probably the hardest boss in the US version because he takes 40 HP (out of 100) every time he hits you. In the JP version, he takes 5.

It's actually one of my favorite games of all time, but I wish I could play it in English without the odd rage-inducing cheap deaths.

An example where WD tweaked a game when it wasn't needed.Ive heard how much they ruined,silhouette mirage for the PS1 with it's difficulty change.Which is why i never bother with it and i stuck to the saturn version instead.Far as upping popful mail difficulty i don't think it was necessary but it doesn't make the game impossible to complete.

[SamIAm]

Yeah, I've beaten the US version, but it was terribly full of those "DAMMIT, THIS IS JUST STUPID" moments, while the Japanese version is pretty much a stress-less clear.

[wildfruit]

I have alundra and parasol stars.
Although alundra wasn't published by WD in PAL lands I guess its probably their translation still

[DragonmasterDan]

I have the whole Working Design library as well and have been a big fan of their games going back to Cadash being the first game of theirs I owned.

Some of my favorite games ever (Lunar 1 and 2 for Sega CD, Dragon Force for Saturn) were published by WD. While I'm not enamored with everything they published (Vay for example) I'm overall a very big fan of their games.

[xcrement5x]

Oh Popful Mail.

Given the tone of the original, the translation that Working Designs did was just excellent. Natural, funny, memorable - I mean, maybe you didn't laugh at the odd pop-culture joke, but they kept that to a minimum. I think it's an example of a great translation.

But damn did they screw up the gameplay. The design of the original is such that you're supposed to be able to withstand many successive hits. You can usually take anywhere from 10 to 20 total before you die. The invincible/recovery time is short, and some attacks are almost unavoidable, but that's all right because you can take it.

In the US version, you'll die in anywhere from 3 to 5 hits. The Japanese version is admittedly a little too easy, but the US version is just infuriating at times because of how quickly enemies can kill you. And the very first big boss, the wood golem, is probably the hardest boss in the US version because he takes 40 HP (out of 100) every time he hits you. In the JP version, he takes 5.

It's actually one of my favorite games of all time, but I wish I could play it in English without the odd rage-inducing cheap deaths.

Popful Mail is also probably my favorite SegaCD game but you're right about the difficulty, it is incredibly tweaked compared to the JP version.  I really had to WANT to devote the time in the game to get through it, and a fair bit of time was spent grinding so I could stock up on items and survive boss fights sometimes. 

That said, I got hooked on the franchise and am now a Popful Mail addict, I look through YJA almost daily to see if I can find new goodies.

[pixeljunkie]

I'm eternally bummed they ruined Exile 2 though. But they were overall a great publisher

[roflmao]

I have a love/hate relationship with WD.  I love that they brought over so many awesome text-heavy games, but I hate the crude humor they unnecessarily added.

My WD library used to be a bit larger, but some of the Saturn RPGs I sold after completing them because I figured I'd never want to play through them again. (I was wrong)

Currently I have:
TurboGrafx-16 & Turbo CD - Cadash, Cosmic Fantasy 2, Parasol Stars
Sega Saturn - Dragon Force
PlayStation 2 - Silpheed: The Lost Planet

[Medic_wheat]

I like that the PS2 games are still very accessable in price. Probably why I have held off on getting them

[TheClash603]

I like that the PS2 games are still very accessable in price. Probably why I have held off on getting them

Isn't this reverse logic?

[MrFulci]

If a person likes PS2 stuff, now would probably be a good time to grab stuff for it. The system has been discontinued for about almost 10 years. From what I've noticed with game systems, is after 10 years, things tend to creep up a bit in price.


*edited to add - I looked it up, and now I see the pS2 wasn't discontinued as early as I thought. Still, the PS3 was introduced in 2006, so that's what I was going off of.

[Medic_wheat]

I like that the PS2 games are still very accessable in price. Probably why I have held off on getting them

Isn't this reverse logic?

No it is that these are still on the cheap side. I usually pick up the more expensive stuff on my list to kock them off unless I stumble on something else in the wild.  Which is why yhere are so many holes in my collection.

Example. I have wanted mike tydons punchput abd super punch out. See them fairly regular but usually pass because I find something else that might cost the combined total of the games. Its annoying as I could knock out the lower end stuff first then tackle the more expensive stuff but I tend to do it in reverse.

[bob]

Example. I have wanted mike tydons punchput abd super punch out. See them fairly regular but usually pass because I find something else that might cost the combined total of the games. Its annoying as I could knock out the lower end stuff first then tackle the more expensive stuff but I tend to do it in reverse.

tydons punchput?
thats pretty awesome.

[Medic_wheat]

Example. I have wanted mike tydons punchput abd super punch out. See them fairly regular but usually pass because I find something else that might cost the combined total of the games. Its annoying as I could knock out the lower end stuff first then tackle the more expensive stuff but I tend to do it in reverse.

tydons punchput?
thats pretty awesome.

So yeah. Let's try that tap talk lol.

[Medic_wheat]

I was playing Exile 2 on a flight the other day. Made it to Baghdad where everyone was whining about bloodshed and starvation or whatnot, but the most dramatic complaint came from an NPC that bemoaned the fact that the Clispins had cut off the town's cable TV service and he couldn't watch some sitcom or other. I chuckled audibly and thought "classic vic".

Wait what?  Have yet to play either game in this series but isn't this set in midevil times?

[MrFulci]

More like, "Middleeast" times.

[Medic_wheat]

More like, "Middleeast" times.

Ahh just the sort of fun I need


Question does it make my PTSD better or worse? 


Any Allag ack bars thrown in?

White devil lines? 

Maybe human suicide bombings I can relate to?  😆

[xcrement5x]

More like, "Middleeast" times.

Ahh just the sort of fun I need


Question does it make my PTSD better or worse? 


Any Allag ack bars thrown in?

White devil lines? 

Maybe human suicide bombings I can relate to?

Lol, is this like a Raisin Bar?

[Medic_wheat]

More like, "Middleeast" times.

Ahh just the sort of fun I need


Question does it make my PTSD better or worse? 


Any Allag ack bars thrown in?

White devil lines? 

Maybe human suicide bombings I can relate to?

Lol, is this like a Raisin Bar?

Maybe.

Nah I meant the phrase Allāhu Akbar

[ifkz]

My WD collection

TG-16
Cadash (loosie)
Cosmic Fantasy 2 (bought new, opened it, but I need to play it more)
Parasol Stars (my card is a lot rough, found a manual for it.  Works!)

Sega Saturn
Dragon Force (no warranty card)
Sega Ages (a 2014 find locally!)
Iron Storm

PS1
Thunder Force V
Alundra (with the tiny map)
RayCrisis & RayStorm (bought together at auction)
Elemental Gearbolt (2013 purchase, bought some MadCatz lightguns just for this game)

PS2
Growlanser Generations (found used at Gamestop of all places years ago. Non deluxe)
Silpheed The lost Planet (love the series starting on the Sega CD)
Gungriffon Blaze (another one from Gamestop)

Sega CD
Lunar The Silver Star Story
Lunar The Eternal Blue
Popful Mail
Vay (with a tattered map)

I don't have any of the neat junk WD used to give away with their games like the amulets, puppets, card decks or anything like that.  If anyone has some the swag, please post!

[Miracle_Warrior]

I own some of their stuff as well, and always appreciated their attention to detail.  I am sure they had the right intention behind some of the difficulty tweaks, but the execution wasn't always the best.  I think that's what I appreciate about their translations though, they weren't lazy about it at all.

My WD collection includes:

Sega CD:

Vay
Popful Mail
Lunar SSS
Lunar EB

Turbografx:

Cadash
Cosmic Fantasy 2
Exile Wicked Phenomenon

Saturn:

Albert Odyssey

[JoshTurboTrollX]

I only currently have one WD game for Turbob and that's Cosmic Fantasy 2.  I'm pretty much in agreement with everyone else that it's a fantastic story and presentation with some oddball/broken gameplay elements that you have to ignore/tread through in order to see the entire game.  Something I revisit from time to time.  I have Exile 2 imported.  It's interesting seeing the game with changed voices/dialogue and missing parallax scrolling.  It's a sacrifice for paying far less moneys and better challenge balance.

I also have Lunar and Vay for the Sega CD.  I've always liked WD, but can understand some of the criticisms they've received over the years.

Curse Sony for killing Vic's hard work!!

[DragonmasterDan]

I only currently have one WD game for Turbob and that's Cosmic Fantasy 2.  I'm pretty much in agreement with everyone else that it's a fantastic story and presentation with some oddball/broken gameplay elements that you have to ignore/tread through in order to see the entire game.  Something I revisit from time to time.  I have Exile 2 imported.  It's interesting seeing the game with changed voices/dialogue and missing parallax scrolling.  It's a sacrifice for paying far less moneys and better challenge balance.

Cadash and Exile are most owns.

[NecroPhile]

Parasol Stars is a must own too.

[InfraMan]

Wow, I have more WD stuff than I even realized... I checked their release list on Wiki, and the only ones I'm missing are Cadash, Parasol Stars, Sega Ages, RayStorm, and RayCrisis.

It would be fun to go ahead and complete the collection, but it looks like Sega Ages is kind of on the expensive side, so I dunno. Also, I'm 99% sure I've owned both of the two "Ray" games at some point in the past... I must have sold or traded them ages ago.

I've always had a soft spot for WD's releases, in spite of some of the weird unnecessary changes they often made (like the ammo/spirit system in Silhouette Mirage, or having to spend magic experience points to save your game in Lunar 2).

On the topic of Exile 2, I actually kind of enjoyed the increased difficulty... it was a nice change from the cakewalk that was Exile 1. To be honest, I didn't really think Exile 2 was all that hard until the very last section, which was pure evil. But even that part became relatively easy with a little trial and error and memorization. Ironically, the very last boss in the game was stupid easy for some reason.

[technozombie]

I was always drawn to their Sega CD advertisements in magazines. Too bad I couldn't afford the system. I have quite a few WD games now. Too many to list off the top of my head(I'm at work  ). I was working for Software Etc when Lunar came out for Playstation and that put me on the path to seeking out their games. As far as translations, at ~16, I just accepted it for what was, not knowing(or caring) that they might be straying from the original Japanese.

[munchiaz]

I started playing Vanguard Bandits again on PSP. I love the game, and its honestly one of my favorite SRPG games. I'm doing the Empire route right now.

[ctophil]

Yeah, Working Designs was known for high quality translations of Japanese titles.  I didn't start knowing about them until the Lunar games came out on PS1, kinda late in the game I know.  Too bad I sold those game later on.  But I still have Growlanser Generations Deluxe Boxset for PS2, Arc the Lad Collection for PS1, and Magic Knight Rayearth for Sega Saturn. 

I will get the Lunar games again for Sega CD eventually.  Lunar was one of my favorite RPG series of all time, right next to the earlier Final Fantasy games.

[TR0N]

I've always had a soft spot for WD's releases, in spite of some of the weird unnecessary changes they often made (like the ammo/spirit system in Silhouette Mirage, or having to spend magic experience points to save your game in Lunar 2).

Few years ago i listen to a podcast where vic was a guest.He did explain why the changes were made to silhouette mirage.Vic stated so the game wouldn't be completed so easily,meaning no returns by the customer.When i heard about the said changes i just imported it for the sega saturn instead.

[Medic_wheat]

Yeah, Working Designs was known for high quality translations of Japanese titles.  I didn't start knowing about them until the Lunar games came out on PS1, kinda late in the game I know.  Too bad I sold those game later on.  But I still have Growlanser Generations Deluxe Boxset for PS2, Arc the Lad Collection for PS1, and Magic Knight Rayearth for Sega Saturn. 

I will get the Lunar games again for Sega CD eventually.  Lunar was one of my favorite RPG series of all time, right next to the earlier Final Fantasy games.

I do wonder what changes were made between the sega cd and ps1 release of these two Lunar games.

Or where they direct ports with no changes made apart from being on two diffrent systems.

[DragonmasterDan]

I do wonder what changes were made between the sega cd and ps1 release of these two Lunar games.

Or where they direct ports with no changes made apart from being on two diffrent systems.

There's a lot of changes at Lunar-Net.com you can find out all about them.

A very brief explanation is that the original Sega CD version of Lunar 1 has a different scenario than the Saturn, Playstation, IOS and PC remakes.

The GBA remake of Lunar 1 has an even greater changed scenario (and seems to line up with the novelization of the story produced some years later), and the PSP version is changed even further though reverts some changes from the GBA version.

Lunar 2 really only has two versions, the Sega CD original, and the remake for Saturn and Playstation. The remakes between Saturn and Playstation are more or less the same.

[ctophil]

Yeah, Working Designs was known for high quality translations of Japanese titles.  I didn't start knowing about them until the Lunar games came out on PS1, kinda late in the game I know.  Too bad I sold those game later on.  But I still have Growlanser Generations Deluxe Boxset for PS2, Arc the Lad Collection for PS1, and Magic Knight Rayearth for Sega Saturn. 

I will get the Lunar games again for Sega CD eventually.  Lunar was one of my favorite RPG series of all time, right next to the earlier Final Fantasy games.

I do wonder what changes were made between the sega cd and ps1 release of these two Lunar games.

Or where they direct ports with no changes made apart from being on two diffrent systems.

What I do know that are different are the intro song, boat song, and overall music.  To me the Sega CD soundtrack is a lot catchier and is superior to the PS1 version.  You should listen to it on Youtube to judge yourself.  Hardcore Lunar fans believe that the Sega CD version is better in every way, including the story itself.  Sure, the PS1 version had better graphics and animation.  But from what I've seen, the fans are correct with this one. 

I also own the PSP version.  However, I only played for an hour or so.  They changed the intro song and remixed the soundtrack once again.  Sounds good though in its own way.

[xcrement5x]

The Lunar TSS (SegaCD) Soundtrack is pretty awesome in my opinion compared to the later revision, the only standout on the PS1 being the boat song which I think pretty much owes 90% of it's popularity to the singer who did a really really good job. 

That said, I still think Grandia is Iwadare's best work.

[DragonmasterDan]

The Lunar TSS (SegaCD) Soundtrack is pretty awesome in my opinion compared to the later revision, the only standout on the PS1 being the boat song which I think pretty much owes 90% of it's popularity to the singer who did a really really good job. 

That said, I still think Grandia is Iwadare's best work.

Agreed on Grandia.

TSS wasn't entirely done by Iwadare/Two Five either. There was someone else involved with the music due to the size/scale of the project.

[Medic_wheat]

I have some WD collection updates coming ASAP.


Punch punch. 


Punch.

[DragonmasterDan]

I have some WD collection put dates coming ASAP.


Punch punch. 


Punch.

Put dates?
This doesn't even make any sense.

[munchiaz]

I have some WD collection updates coming ASAP.


Punch punch. 


Punch.

hand puppet

[xcrement5x]

Lol, sometimes deciphering what comes out of medic's phone is like it's own minigame.

[DragonmasterDan]

Lol, sometimes deciphering what comes out of medic's phone is like it's own minigame.

Is that mini game called "boost the post count" ?