Prerelease:Tengai Makyou: Ziria (TurboGrafx-CD)
This page details prerelease information and/or media for Tengai Makyou: Ziria (TurboGrafx-CD).
 | To do: Obviously, it'd be great to pull out all the individual screenshots from the magazines, have side-by-side comparisons with the final game, fully translate all the text, etc., but this is at least a start. Also, the first sections of this are largely just paraphrased from Japanese Wikipedia; if you want citations for the information that doesn't come from the magazines, check there. |
Origins
Tengai Makyou was originally conceived of in the mid-'80s as a novel. After the concept was presented to and rejected by publisher Kadokawa Shoten, it was then developed for production as an anime in conjunction with Tokyo Movie Shinsha, but this plan too fell through. In 1987, the concept was presented to Hudson Soft, and the decision was made to develop it as a game for the CD-ROM² system, with the project's expansive plot seen as a way to showcase the CD-ROM's large capacity. At this point, the PC-Engine had not even been released, so development of the game occurred in tandem with the CD hardware.
Also, despite the initial plans being scrapped, Ziria was ultimately also released as both a novel (which came out a few months after the game) and an OVA (about a year afterward). These both hew much more closely to the original story concepts than the game. Indeed, despite its prominence, the PC-Engine version of Ziria is actually something of a lone wolf as far as the series goes; future Tengai Makyou media, such as the game's Xbox 360 remake, generally eschews the original release in favor of more closely following the novel's story and characterization.
Development
Three distinct versions of the game are known to have been developed:
- The earliest version featured overworlds with characters drawn to a very high head proportion, which was intended to show off the PC-Engine's superior sprite capabilities compared to the competiton. It's unclear exactly what kind of gameplay this version was using. It was scrapped around the middle of 1988 or so, at a stage where it was playable but seemingly still rather early in development. Though the game was more or less redone from scratch afterward, some resources developed at this point, such as certain enemy graphics, managed to last all the way to the final.
- After abandoning the first attempt, a second version of the game was created. It adopted more RPG-typical "chibi" overworld graphics while retaining larger and more detailed spritework for battles. At this point, the game was an action RPG: exploration took place on an overworld like the final's (albeit confined to a tiny window displayed alongside an automap and status window), but battles used some form of action combat. This version was by all indications developed to an advanced stage, but toward the end of 1988, it was apparently deemed lacking and reworked again at Hudson Soft's behest.
- The final version of the game seems to have been created in about half a year, using the previous version as a base but with many modifications. Gameplay was redesigned as a turn-based RPG in the mold of Dragon Quest, and while some of the basic aspects of the plot were retained, it was heavily reworked and simplified into a more straightforward "good guys take down the big bad guy" story. (This may have been done in an effort to make the game more appealing to children; the final script notably uses far fewer kanji than earlier versions, making it easier for young players to read.) Aspects related to thievery were heavily downplayed, probably to make Ziria a more conventionally heroic protagonist, and original final boss Ba'al Daimon was removed, with Masakado, who was previously just a means for Ba'al Daimon to gain power, taking its place and inheriting its character design.
Some video footage (of unclear origin – shown at a convention?) of the two scrapped versions of the game exists, though the short length and rapid cuts make it hard to discern much about how they actually worked.
Magazine Previews
Due to being the first RPG for the CD system, which was seen as critical for success in the Japanese game environment of the time, the game was heavily promoted by Hudson prior to release and widely covered by contemporary magazines.
Gekkan PC Engine
Gekkan PC Engine ran fairly comprehensive coverage on the game starting from its inaugural issue in June 1988, with an article on the game's development in every issue even as it was delayed and massively retooled. The magazine was apparently interested enough in the game to send staff to the offices where it was being developed to cover it directly; photographs of the development team at work, and complaints from the author about how cold it is in Hokkaido (where development was taking place), were a regular feature.
June 1988
p. 50–51
In its very first issue, the magazine covers the upcoming CD-ROM² and makes mention of Tengai Makyou, showing two screenshots which appear to date from the earliest version of the game – both the original title screen and the early interface design seen in the brief video footage above are shown.
August 1988
p. 48
Despite its name ("Monthly PC Engine"), Gekkan PC Engine didn't actually start running issues monthly until January 1989, so there are gaps in the issues' releases, and hence the coverage of the game, early in the run.
Amongst coverage of the CD-ROM²'s announcement event, there is a one-page feature on Tengai Makyou. The screenshots are now clearly of the second version of the game, with the gameplay confined to a small window and most of the screen taken up by the interface; the article's text remarks on the dramatic change and states that while the previous version was mostly designed to promote the CD-ROM, this one is intended to refine it into "a balanced form as a game." The game is at this point slated for a fall release.
It's stated that in previous versions, all conversations were carried out via "CD sound (the voices of actors)," but that in the new one, normal messages are text only and voice acting is only used at certain points.
The battle system is shown for the first time. This and other magazines are all very light on details about exactly how it works, both here and in future coverage. It's stated only to be action-based and "simple," suggesting it may never have really been finalized before being scrapped.
The game is at this point using a 16x16 font but only spacing the characters by about 12 pixels, with predictably awful-looking results in which some characters can clearly be seen to overlap each other. The final game uses a 12×12 font instead.
October 1988
p. 9
Tengai Makyou is shown in the October issue alongside other titles for the as-yet-unreleased CD-ROM add-on, with a single screenshot and small blurb. The release date has now been pushed back to "next year" to "make it that much better." Ryuichi Sakamoto is announced to be in charge of the game's music.
January 1989
pp. 18–19
In January, the magazine finally began proper monthly publication, kicking off regular coverage of Tengai Makyou with a two-page spread.
The first page describes the opening animation, stating it to be approximately five minutes of "full animation" that explain the game's backstory, accompanied by Ryuichi Sakamoto's music.
The second page delves into the game mechanics. The battle system is again shown and again waved off as consisting of "simple action battles" in which Ziria can "use jutsu, of course." Stealing is first introduced here, with a screenshot of the thieving minigame and a caption stating that "Ziria's level goes up by stealing."
February 1989
pp. 6–11
The first detailed look at the game. This article finally gives a proper introduction to the setting and story, with explanations of Jipang, the Bando region, etc. Much emphasis is placed on the idea of the game's era as a time of war and suffering (as illustrated by the burning city in the intro), an element which was greatly reduced in prominence later on.
At this point, the plot begins with Ziria "resolving to make his name renowned as a chivalrous thief" and "setting out across the land on a combat training trip"; a screenshot shows the Toad Hermit telling him, "And then return here once again. That is the time when your true training shall be over." Ziria is stated to be a descendent of the Toad tribe of the Fire Clan, which is explained to be "a mysterious clan living in Japan since ancient times (though perhaps you could think of them as a kind of ninja), and a people who hold special powers unlike an ordinary person."
P.H. Chada is introduced for the first time, alongside a remarkably elaborate mockup of the nonexistent Far East of Eden book that the game is supposedly based on.
Tsunade and Orochimaru are introduced (the latter's name humorously miswritten as "Daijamaru" in the furigana). Orochimaru is stated to be a "nihilistic hot guy (who is apparently also a spy for the Tycoons)," with no further explanation. It's explicitly stated that these characters don't fight with you in combat.
The Virtue stat is mentioned, and stated to "go up when you defeat monsters, and down when you steal," with no indication of its actual effects.
A screenshot of a kabuki play is shown with a caption indicating it's from the opening. Coverage elsewhere states that seeing a kabuki play was what incited Ziria to want to travel to Edo, so that's presumably what it's depicting.
March 1989
pp. 12–13
The point where the game's rework into its final form begins. The game's release will "be a little late due to various circumstances," with the in-depth coverage promised in the previous issue accordingly shelved in favor of a briefer two-page development update.
A screenshot is shown of a character proclaiming himself to be "Gennou" and stating that "I've created the Great Hammer to smash the Sesshou-seki." In the final game, the Great Hammer still exists and serves this purpose, but it's obtained in a very incidental fashion from a man in a Kumogiri Hamlet.
The previous version's cramped windowed layout is gone, and the game now uses the full screen for displaying the overworld. The game is stated to have adopted party-based combat and a command-based battle system. It's also stated that there will be "guest party members"; Hoteimaru is shown for the first time and stated to be one of these. (He never plays this role in the finished game, though his name does still appear in the game's internal list of such characters.)
Inexplicably, an image of what seems to be Tarantul's death sprite is labeled as being a picture of Orochimaru...whose name continues to be miswritten as "Daijamaru." How humiliating.
In a screenshot, Hoteimaru says, "Oh, I am Hoteimaru! The evil demon Ba'al Daimon is invading Jipang," which seems to be the only mention of Ba'al Daimon in any of the magazine coverage.
April 1989
pp. 30–31
Nothing particularly earth-shattering here. Development is progressing, the story is said to be almost complete, the graphics are going well, and the game supposedly just needs to be fine-tuned. They did finally figure out how to write Orochimaru's name.
Special attention is drawn to the Thief Inns (which become Kumogiri Inns in the final), noting that it's possible to save there. Though the magazine doesn't state this, other coverage makes clear that these were the only places where it was possible to save at this point.
May 1989
pp. 8–9
The game is now getting pretty close to final, so differences are much fewer. The Thirteen Daimon Cultists are profiled. The game's revised story is presented, largely paraphrased from the finalized opening cutscene. The battle screen remains slightly different, with a larger window at the bottom. A rather obviously bugged screenshot with an area name too long to fit in the name window is prominently shown for some reason (this was fixed for the final by shortening the name from なめくじ仙人洞, "Slug Hermit Shrine," to ナメクジの洞, "Slug Shrine").
June 1989
pp. 6–9
A more in-depth look at the now quite close to final game. Most aspects are minimally different, but apparently the stealing mechanics were still in place to some extent in this version; a sidebar encourages the reader to "steal money from the warehouses of corrupt merchants" while warning that "if you steal too much, your Virtue will go down."
PC Engine Fan
Compared to Gekkan PC Engine, PC Engine Fan seemed much less concerned with the game. Though it ran similar coverage to Gekkan at first, it ignored the game completely for several months after its release date was pushed back, only resuming once it was in a fairly close to final state.
January 1989
pp. 12
A brief one-page introduction to the game, which "seems to have a slightly strange atmosphere that hasn't been seen before." Much ado is made of Ryuichi Sakamoto's involvement. Doesn't really have much to say that Gekkan didn't.
February 1989
pp. 6–11
Compared to the coverage in Gekkan from the same month, PC Engine Fan opts for more focus on the game flow, describing the first two areas in some detail alongside a map. Aside from that, much of it is unsurprisingly similar.
The game is referred to with the subtitle 坂東編, Bandou-hen, meaning "The Bando Saga" ("Bando" being the old name for what is now the Kanto region of Japan, in which the game takes place). This naming heavily implies that a sequel set elsewhere in Japan was already being planned, and indeed, this is exactly what would come to pass with Tengai Makyou II. However, this subtitle was ultimately dropped.
Area 0
The game's opening is described:
The time is the late Muromachi period [1336-1573]. Deep in the mountains of Tsukuba, a boy devotes himself to his harsh training. Yes, it's our protagonist, Ziria.
One day, Ziria comes to the Toad Hermit, his master and foster parent, and tells him he wants to go to Edo.
"What? You want to go to Edo?"
Jiria says, "Yes, Master. I want to go to Edo, the heart of Bando. I saw a kabuki play, and it was awesome. They say that Edo is a flourishing place, just like something from kabuki. I wanna try going there."
"Ha-ha-ha. Gotten interested in girls*, have you, Ziria? Well, that's fine. Listen, Ziria: You are a thief. A thief lives as he pleases. Fan the flames of your desires, and make a maelstrom from your passion for living as you will. Hear me, Ziria: Make your name known to all the world..."
This conversation between Ziria and the Toad Hermit, too, is all told via video that's just like a cartoon. It's enough to make you start to wonder, "Is this really a game?"
After this, the game's initial setup begins. Up to now, deciding Ziria's (i.e. you, the player's) initial stats has been done by traveling to places in the Area and answering quizzes, with the number of correct answers determining the results, but apparently this is going to change.
This Area, Mount Tsukuba, is the preparatory stage before Ziria sets out for Edo.
* While this seems like a non sequitur, a screenshot of the intro in the February 1989 coverage from Gekkan PC Engine prominently features a female kabuki performer, which is presumably what Ziria saw and this is referring to.
Area 1
Tsukuba is stated to have "four towns, plus one," which are "Mito, Tsuchiura, Kashima, and Itako, while the 'plus one' is Ibaraki." Itako and Ibaraki were both cut from the final game.
In a screenshot, Mito Koumon claims, "If you steal, your Virtue will go down. If your Virtue goes down, your life will get hard. Be benevolent!" This is expounded on later in the article: "You steal from the shops of corrupt merchants and others who make poor people suffer. Then, you distribute the stolen money to the poor. If you don't give it away, your Virtue will remain low, and clearing the Area will be painful." It's also stated that "certain conditions" are needed in order to steal, since "if you're sneaking into someone's house, you can't just brazenly stroll in in the middle of the day."
Exactly what the consequences for low Virtue are supposed to be are never stated, here or in other coverage, beyond the vague suggestion that the game becomes more difficult. It's possibly it simply served as EXP as in the final, except with the possibility of decreasing under some circumstances.
Area 2
The process of getting to the second area is described as such: "Defeat the monsters in Area 1, and you'll be given a certain item. If you don't use that item, you won't be able to get to Area 2. Also, the place where you can get from Area 1 to 2 is a secret, but you'll probably get an idea of it if you look at the map." An image of the Oodanuki is also shown, with a caption indicating that defeating it is required to get to the next area.
The Shikigami enemy is shown, labeled as an "oni." The image caption even remarks that the "dinosaur-like body" is a strange choice for an oni, though it's unclear whether this design actually was intended to be an oni or if it's a mix-up on the magazine's part.
As in the final game, Area 2 is Banmou. The article states it consists of seven towns: Ashikaga, Utsunomiya, Shirakawa, Kagamiishi, the Hawaiian Center, Miharu, and Oota. Kagamiishi and Miharu are not in the finished game, while the Hawaiian Center became "Hawai Village."
Tamamohime is mentioned in conjunction with Utsunomiya, with it being stated that this is where the player gets "a critical item, the 'Passport.'" This is similar to the final game, though rather than an actual item, the player just gets permission from the castle's lord to pass a checkpoint.
A sidebar discusses the cut character Bashou: "This image is of Bashou, a character modeled on the real-life Matsuo Bashou, who you'll meet in various places. He's constantly reciting haiku, and it seems there's some kind of secret within them. You might be able to get critical information, so be sure to check it out! By the way, in order to meet this Bashou, you'll need some information. He won't let you see him that easily. You're good at RPGs, so we're sure you'll figure out how to gather the information right away."
Map
The map contains descriptions of the towns in the first two areas.
Shirakawa: This is a castle town which flourished around Shirakawa Castle, but it's rife with the stench of evil. There are pretty powerful monsters, and even if you beat them, you may be made to suffer for it in the future.
Miharu: There's said to be a very powerful sword in this town, but you won't be able to find it right away. Here, you'll be able to find a hint toward discovering one of your allies.
Utsunomiya: This is a castle town. A monster lurks in Utsunomiya Castle, and it's starting a battle, with Shirakawa Castle to the north its aim. So, what are you going to do, Ziria?
Ashikaga: It might be called a town, but there's nothing here. It's just a school, and if you investigate the library there, you'll be able to get various hints.
Tsuchiura: Tsuchiura Castle is here. Valuable treasures are usually hidden in castles, and it seems that's the case here as well. If you don't have that treasure, you'll suffer for it later on.
Itako: Itako is famous for its many rivers and its boating. Monsters related to rivers appear there. If you beat them, you'll be able to get new information.
Kashima: Kashima Shrine is in Kashima. Here, a certain sword master appears. If you become his disciple, something good may happen. Also, there are apparently many secrets hidden in the surroundings. Investigate slowly and carefully so you don't overlook anything.
Mito: Even today, Mito is famed for Koumon-sama of Mito and its plums. Somewhere in here, you should be able to meet Koumon-sama, accompanied by his retainers Suke-san and Kaku-san. Additionally, there is just one Thief Inn in this Area, and staying there is an absolute requirement. Will you be able to pull it off?
Oota: This is also a castle town. If you get the treasure hidden in Oota Castle, you'll be able to use a powerful jutsu. Also, be sure you don't fail to listen to the information around town.
Hawaiian Center: Just like a modern Hawaiian Center, this is a hot spring inn. Perhaps you should take a nice rest there without complaining that it's an old man thing.
Kagamiishi: Here in Kagamiishi Village, there's a rock called the "Kagamiishi" [literally "Mirror Stone"]. It's said that long ago, a millionaire who lived here left behind a treasure, and apparently, a hint toward its hiding place is hidden in this stone. Solve the mystery and obtain the valuable treasure.
Data
The final page describes various "data" from the game. The Konabi jutsu is mentioned, along with a more powerful version of it called "Konaen" (粉炎, literally "powder flame" as opposed to Konabi's "powder fire") which doesn't exist in the final game.
The various types of stores in the game are listed. A list of "large stores" is given and explained to be the stores the player is allowed to steal from: "Rice Shop, Shipping Agency, Liquor Store, Money Exchange, Kimono Shop, Lumber Dealer." Unused maps for all of these remain in the final game. It's also stated that there are temples and castles the player can steal items from.
It's mentioned that there are swordsmiths who can repair the player's sword if it becomes worn, a mechanic which was mercifully discarded (though unused maps for these locations still exist). Jutsu scrolls are said to be sold at antique stores; they are never sold in the final game.
Finally, it seems that the magazine was informed of the plans to overhaul the game only after the article had already been written, as it concludes with the following sidebar:
It seems that Hudson holds great enthusiasm for this Tengai Makyou, and wants it to be a truly monumental work that will leave a mark on history. To that effect, we have just recently received word from Hudson that the contents of the game are going to change significantly. They have stated that this work, which a great deal of time has been spent creating, may be remade from scratch. Of course, what that means is that they're doing it in order to please all of you users more. So, it's possible the contents of this issue may totally change. Should that happen, we apologize to you, the reader. However, Ryuichi Sakamoto's music, the protagonist Ziria's character, and so on will remain the same, and the basic charm of being a game that incorporates cartoon animation shouldn't change. When the new content becomes clear, we intend to notify you with a news bulletin in our pages.
If the content changes entirely, the release date will unfortunately also be pushed back, and Hudson says it may be in May or later. They state that they will make it into a masterpiece that won't betray your high expectations, so please bear with it.
Also, on a side note, we've heard that an event about Tengai Makyou will be held around February. There are rumors that Ryuichi Sakamoto will be making a visit(?) to Japan to participate. If we get detailed information from Hudson, we'll report on it, so please look forward to that while you wait.
Perhaps miffed at spending a lot of time writing up descriptions of material that got axed immediately afterwards, the magazine didn't report on the game again until its May issue, when its new direction had solidified.
May 1989
pp. 12–15
Much of the coverage here is similar to that of Gekkan, with the same Hudson-provided screenshots.
The first part of the article states that narration has been added to the opening, with a sidebar summarizing the content (which is the same as the final game). It's stated that this was done "to make the game's objective, which had not been made clear, possible to understand just by seeing the opening." The screenshots shown are still of the old version of the intro; the coverage here suggests that the old intro's graphics were being used with the new narration at this point, which seems rather odd given their vastly differing content. It's possible this was a misunderstanding on the magazine's part, and that in the absence of screenshots of the new intro, they simply reused the ones they'd previously received.
The same screenshot of Bashou from the last round of coverage is shown, and even at this stage he's stated to be "a key to the story" (though again, this may be a case of reused screenshots and bad assumptions).
The list of shops from the previous article is mostly repeated. Thief Inns are now mentioned as an area where the player can save. It's stated that there are "guardhouses and magistrates' offices" where the player will be taken if they get caught stealing. It's also noted that "souvenir shops" sell "items which are especially important for getting information."
The game's new battle system is explicitly stated to be similar to Dragon Quest.
A side blurb provides some interesting side information:
Why is the title "Tengai Makyou"? One reason is that Japan (Jipang) as seen by the author of the original work, the American "Chada," was a "kisou tengai na makyou" [奇想天外な魔境, literally "fantastic mysterious place" or "bizarre demon-infested place"]. Another is that there is an evil god who rules over the earth from heaven, and that name was created as a phrase to curse heaven.*
The game's setting is the Muromachi period [1336-1573], but characters like Matsuo Bashou [lived 1644-1694] and Mito Koumon [lived 1628-1701] appear, and all sorts of ridiculous things happen in it. This is said to be because its concept is adopted from the world of kabuki. The Edo period [1603-1868] is the basic setting for kabuki, but it also incorporates incidents and characters from the Kamakura period [1185-1333] and Muromachi period.
Finally, does the fact that it has the subtitle "The Bando Saga" mean we have a sequel to look forward to?
* The meaning of this is unclear. It sounds like it could be referring to Ba'al Daimon, but that character had most likely already been cut from the story at this point.
On the final page, the Thirteen Daimon Cultists are presented along with which areas they appear in.
June 1989
pp. 10–13
An opening blurb apologizes for the fact that "every time we feature this game, the system has changed" and promises that it's now nearly complete, noting that the changes are "the result of hard work to try to make you all able to enjoy it very much."
The intro is shown, now fully finalized.
A side box describes changes to the game, noting that it's now possible to save at all inns rather than just Thief Inns.
The revised sights of Tsukuba are presented in more detail than the February issue, with plentiful screenshots. Most things seem to now match the final, though some of the dialogue shown differs. It's stated that the player can receive 両100 by talking to the frogs in the starting area, when in the final it's only 両80 (though it's easy to believe this could be a mistake on the magazine's part).
