Developer's Den: Working Designs

[Melf]

Few companies have aroused such fiery emotions among gamers than Working Designs. Love it or hate it, you had to admit that it had an effect on the industry that bellied its size. From its incredible packaging to a seemingly never-ending series of agonizing delays, Working Designs did almost as many things wrong as it did right. Sega-16 examines the history of this controversial company in the latest installment of Developer's Den. Check out the full article and see what it is that stirs so many people up.

[David J.]

When they shit the bed (went under) I couldn't say I was suprised, seeing as every damn company out there is now bringing over games that would remain in Japan for the longest time, that had better bussiness sense (too bad about Vic's grudges, and didn't take so damn long, by fucking with the game) and by not bundling it with all of this extra fluff that no one really cared about.

In 1993, they where relevant, but when they died, not so much. In the end, IMO, they became a victim of their own success.

[Rusty Venture]

I wanted to like "Silhouette Mirage", but WD really made that game too difficult for its own good.

However, "Magic Knight Rayearth" is really awesome.

[Joe Redifer]

I have the Saturn version of Silhouette Mirage. It's OK at best. I could think of so many better titles to bring over.

Anyway, I wonder what Gaijinworks could possibly import on the 360? The system is all but dead in Japan and all of the decent games are released here anyway.

Also, I hate special edition boxes. I want boxes that fit with the rest of my game cases for that particular system. The Gears of War special edition didn't come in a real box, so I got the unspecial unlimited edition. Same with quite a few other games like Halo 2. Screw the special giant metal boxes with crap that flops around inside.

[David J.]

Well, they brought over the PSX version, which I hear is different than the Saturn version - I no longer own it. I traded it, with a few other games for some Saturn imports.

It was a decent game, but nothing to make me wet myself.

[wayne919]

RIP working designs you were one of the best

[Rusty Venture]

I have the Saturn version of Silhouette Mirage. It's OK at best. I could think of so many better titles to bring over.

I thought it was hilarious that the first boss had an attack that opened some portal and had a battleship fire guns at you.

But I'm weird like that.

[Zebbe]

I liked their limited editions of the Lunar games to PlayStation. Maybe they should have released cheap unlimited editions so more people could afford them or just see them as a worth buy.

[Ash]

The only game I bought from them that I am indefinately grateful for was Thunderforce V. Sad to see WD go, but I'm not a fan of RPG's anyhow.

[Joe Redifer]

A lot of people are forgetting about the blatant lie WD told about the extra boss that was supposedly in Thunder Force V.

[George Foreman]

I have the Saturn version of Silhouette Mirage. It's OK at best. I could think of so many better titles to bring over.

Anyway, I wonder what Gaijinworks could possibly import on the 360? The system is all but dead in Japan and all of the decent games are released here anyway.

Also, I hate special edition boxes. I want boxes that fit with the rest of my game cases for that particular system. The Gears of War special edition didn't come in a real box, so I got the unspecial unlimited edition. Same with quite a few other games like Halo 2. Screw the special giant metal boxes with crap that flops around inside.

I would like to see what Gaijin works could bring over. There are several Japanese games I've been curious about, but I just don't want to buy another 360(or pay import prices) just to play a $30-$60 game.

Yeah, I got to agree on the special edition box thing. The thing rusts and games are a hassle to take out. Not to mention the fact that the bonus footage wasn't all that special.

Viva Piñata is a little better(costs the same as standard), but the box just looks weird. It's in the shape of that horse on the box.

[InternalPrimate]

Working Designs was a special company to me. I remember a friend showing me the case for Lunar The Silver Star at school. It was right before Eternal Blue released, so it had been out for a while. I was just never interested. At the time I wasn't into either anime or rpg's, but he persisted on me trying it.

After putting around 25 hours into it, I went out an bought both it and the newly released Eternal Blue. I've been a fan of the company since. Though they disappointed me with both Arc the Lad and Growlanser. Both games were solid, but didn't have the charm of a lot of earlier releases.

Now that most great games are published in the US as well as Japan, there seemingly isn't a need for Working Designs. We're seeing more and more quirky games thanks to the DS as well. Still, I'd love to see Gaijinworks succeed (if it ever truly starts up). And hopefully it won't be tied down to one console.

I can hope can't I ?

[Joe Redifer]

I want a game where I can play as Victor Ireland as he tries to infiltrate the game industry. The amount of text for Vic's character alone would fill 9 BluRay discs, but at least it'd be very entertaining!

[Rodger]

great article on a very interesting company. When I was a little younger, I really liked the special limited editions, but nowadays, they don't hold my interest as much for the reasons others have been posting in this thread.

I do agree, that of the companies currently publishing games for a U.S market, Atlus is probably the closest in nature to WD.

[Mendicant]

Yeah... the collector's-edition-special-boxed-set-with-entirely-too-much-crap was definitely a turn in the wrong direction for WD. (Just like a couple of comicbook publishers. ) Opting to publish non-limited-just-plain-regular-edition games would have probably enabled them to last a little longer.

Ever since Popful Mail, I'd been a big fan of the company, but their PS "collections" kind of stripped away whatever faith/respect I had for them.