[Translation]Interview about the stages

[theodora]

Hi~Desmond,I brought the translation as I promised!

For readers: This is an interview about the new KOF XIII stages of Yamamoto P. The interview has been out for a while but I didn't see any pose about it, so I talked to Desmond and he suggested me to translate it and share it here! So behold everyone, here are the new stages that you are going to see from your XBOX360 or PS3!
BTW, English is not my first language, so you may see some weird grammar here. Please point it out so I can correct it. ^^;




Original pose from official blog Part 1
Original pose from official blog Part 2

1. Ash's stage（Burnt Remains）

It seems this is a stage that has a lot of meaning in it. Where is it anyway?
Also, if you can say it for sure, what kind of image you had when creating this stage?
Yamamoto P:
This is the castle that Ash and Elisabeth used to live when they were young.
Ten years (or longer) ago, the castle caught  fire and burned to dust.
According to the remains, it should be a terribly serious fire.
This stage gave a very lonely first image; however, you can also see the light shines in from the cloud.
We tried to make it a lonely but lovely stage.

The statue at the back, is it the Winged Victory, goddess of victory from Greek's mythology?
Yamamoto P:
It is favored by the artist, but actually, he didn't know anything about goddess or Greek's mythology. How could he said he was graduated from act school?
In the creation of this stage, we changed the size of the statue many times.
It made things surprisingly hard, but hopefully, it can become a strong image of this beautiful stage.

I wonder if this stage has background characters like the arcade vision?
If there is any, can you talk about it at the area you are able to?
Yamamoto P:
Well...Actually, it was very clear and easy to see.
This time we try to let some SNK characters that fit this stage show in the background.
In this stage, a character that use sword will appear in armor.

2. Saiki(before transformation)'s stage（Vessel Room）

In the creation of this stage, I know the staff call here "Saiki stage." Is this the base of "Those from the past?"
Yamamoto P:
This place is right under the final Colosseum and the "Gate of Fate," where the players fight the final boss.
This is the place build for collect Orochi's power.

It is a pretty creepy place. What is the Red Ball in the background?
Yamamoto P:
An equipment that collect Orochi's power? Or something like that.
As the time of round change, the ball will become bigger, and the surroundings will change.

What difficulty you have been through when creating this stage?
Yamamoto P:
We try to preform Orochi's power with something red, but it took us quite a while to get an agreement on what that "something" is.
It is something like blood but shining...some running bloody red liquid.
The liquid on the ground will slowly run to the red ball in the middle.
We spent a lot of time on some small thing like this.

3. Billy's stage（Clock Tower）

What is the concept of this stage?
Yamamoto P:
First we thought, if we think about Billy, what kind of stage will suit him the best? We came up that the London view in Fatal Fury SP, the gearwheels running on the floor was a very powerful image. Therefore, the keyword here is "gearwheels."
In truth, we had many other ideas beside clock tower. For example, an elevator, a turning viewing platform or a huge washing factory...
At last we decided to use a British style clock tower.

What background characters in this stage? I saw Billy's sitter Lily Kane.
Yamamoto P:
There are some other characters that have strong relationship with Billy in this stage. Please find them all.

4. Southtown

What is the concept of this stage?
Yamamoto P:
This is Micky's stage from Art of Fighting 1.
We use the comparison of those tall building that are far away to show the desolate of this small alley.
Fighting in the clean air of a rainy morning should feel really good.

What is important of this stage?
Yamamoto P:
You can see some cats wonder around, but according to different rounds, the surroundings will change.
Also, the teen who sit in the back, it was originally an old man. After some discussion, we decide to change him to a weird teen.

It seems this stage also has background characters.
Yamamoto P:
You can see people like Mr. Big doing some suspicious transaction in the background.
Also, please take a good look at the poster on the wall.

5. Pao Pao Cafe

What store of this Pao Pao Cafe?
Yamamoto P:
This is the original store of Pao Pao Cafe.
Compare to Fatal Fury 1, the interior is much more gorgeous.
And the second floor is completely full.
It seems Richard is doing pretty good on his cafe.

Is the BGM a familiar song?
Yamamoto P:
Yes, it is the 「ハレマー教カポエレ派戦いの歌（信ずるものは救われる）」 (theodore: I could not find any translation of this song, so sorry everyone )
Unfortunately, in KOF XIII the BGM follow the characters but not the stages. However, this song has many fans even inside the staff.

Is there any background characters?
Yamamoto P:
Of course! There are some necessary characters in this stage, please find them all.
There are two background characters in this stage. Can you find them?

6. Sky Noah

What is the concept of this stage?
Yamamoto P:
This is the Sky Noah stage from 2003. It's clear once compare two stage, the baby panther has grow quite a bit.

What is important of this stage?
Yamamoto P:
It would be Rose's different action in different round.
In 2003, she was playing piano or having tea. There are 5 rounds so please spend some time look at her.
Rose in wrath is...pretty horrible?
Also, please pay some attention on Rose's dress.
We chose this dress through a poll inside the company.

7. Kyokugenryu Dojo

I saw Marco and that student with glasses in the background, is this the dojo in Brazil?
Yamamoto P:
Yes, we use the dojo image from the ending of Mark of the Wolves.


As I can see, the floor is broken, is there some economic problem in this dojo?
Yamamoto P:
The window glasses are broken too. According to the stage, this dojo have some serious financial problems.
And there is some blood on the wall...whose blood could it be?

There is a child with beard in the background, is he really a child?
Yamamoto P:
No, although he looks like an old man, he is a kid.
Maybe because he is very nervous, his eyes wide open, it makes him looks really cute.
*We have change the color of where looked like beard.

Any background characters in this stage?
Yamamoto P:
Eiji, Kazumi, Marin and Hayate, the Anti-Kyokugenryu team from XI came to reconnaissance their enemy.
Hayate wants to mix Kyokugenryu into his Savage style, so he pay a lot of attention in the fight.

8. Ancient Ruins

All I see is desert and seems nobody here.
This is quite a special stage and I really have feeling into it.
What reference did you use to create this stage?
Yamamoto P:
We got tons of photo from our marketing department and we used the reference of Diraiya Ruins from Saudi Arabia.
In this stage, there are many different like cloudy and night according to different round.
We try to make the players feel good when playing in this stage.

Is there any background characters?
Yamamoto P:
Maybe? Maybe not? Is there any or is there none?
Please play in this stage to verify it.




OK!(Throw my cap) I am done with this translation! It seems there are many interesting stages in the console version(or however you call it). I am pretty interested in those stages but first thing I need to work on my combo, for now Kula is like the Great Wall cross in front of me and I cannot get over it.
Hope you guys enjoy this interview! See ya next time...or see you in GGPO!

[desmond_kof]

Thanks a lot, theo!

btw, be sure to introduce yourself here: http://dreamcancel.com/forum/index.php?board=9.0 

[SAB-CA]

Hmmm, is there really a NIGHT version of Stage 8, the Ancient Ruins? If so, that's be really cool to see! I'm pretty sure there wasn't anything of the sort in the Evo or Otakon builds, so maybe they've continued to add variations, even after those builds.

Thanks for the in-depth translation, theodora! It's much appreciated!

[theodora]

>>Desmond
Yeah, you're welcome! I still have some time since this is the beginning of the semester, hopefully I can do more translation on other information of KOF XIII^^

>>SAB-CA
If Yamamoto P say so then it should be, he is the directer of KOF XIII, you know.
An other stage I am curious is the new video of Flame Iori on the top page, I never see that stage at any version of KOF XIII. I wonder is that also a stage that will appear in console version.