Unearthing yet another early Xenogears staff interview!

It was sort of a good thing I got a Twitter/X account recently since it alerted me to another previously unknown interview with the Xenogears developers thanks to Linnaea who dug up the March 1998 issue of Famitsu PS in a tweet. Thanks to Siris who bought and scanned the magazine, and Will Bill who did the translation, we now also have this nice little interview preserved.

I have also updated the History of Xenogears article with some quotes from this interview. Probably this is the last early Xenogears interview we'll find. But then again, I thought the last one was also the last and there weren't any more. So who knows. Maybe another one will eventually get unearthed. I also know there are at least one or two Xenosaga interviews that were lost in time and never recovered.

Added an "About" page and starting a Patreon

I have added an "About" page for the study guide that provides some basic information about the site. You can now also follow me on Twitter/X if you want, though I am not sure how often I will be using it.

I have also set up a Patreon since economic times are tough and I think it makes sense to start earning something from my hard work over the years, especially if you want me to stay around and regularly be active on maintaining the site. I still plan on finishing it up regardless, but having supporters on Patreon will definitely motivate me to finish it quicker. Otherwise I might just go back to sleep for a while until another dawn wakes me up again.

As a special treat I have put up the first part of the Xenosaga Story Analysis on Patreon, which will not be published on this website for some time. I might also put up some exclusive stuff on there, and share plans for the site I do not normally share, but I have not decided yet. Translation work will not be posted on Patreon however, since I am not charging money for other people's work.

The History of Xenogears article has been updated

As regular visitors may already have noticed (especially if you have read through the History articles in the last couple of days), I have expanded the History of Xenogears article (Part 1 of the History of Xenogears and Xenosaga) with information that has emerged since the last update, including the early lore draft that Yasuyuki Honne shared earlier this year on his Twitter/X page for the game's anniversary.

Having not read through the article in several years I was able to look at it with fresh eyes and found that some parts needed to flow and connect better. So I re-arranged some parts and also properly introduced more of the other people on the development team rather than expecting people to already know who they are. I think it makes for a much better read now. But most of the additions are in the "Developing the game" chapter of the article.

I have also gone back to the original structure of the History article series by dividing Xenosaga Episode I and Xenosaga II/III into two separate articles or parts since I think it makes for an easier read. It also brings more room for other sections in the top cross-column on the site where I want to add sections for "Articles" and "Links." I have not really made any additions and modifications to the History of Xenosaga articles yet, but I plan to. I am just waiting for translations of previously untranslated Xenosaga Episode I lore pages that may be useful to reference and examine.