Endow said:Someone needs to explain to me why consoles games are still region-locked.
It's an albino ferret..... or something.The Sphinx said:Is that an otter? That looks like an otter.
Aeana said:It's a Mysterious Dungeon game (commonly called a 'Roguelike')... much like Nightmare of Druaga or Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. Shiren is actually the original Mysterious Dungeon series, and is also the most difficult.
Seconded. But it's all part of owning a Nintendo console. A certain amount of masochism is expected.Endow said:Someone needs to explain to me why consoles games are still region-locked.
The Sphinx said:Is that an otter? That looks like an otter.
Consoles are region-locked because intellectual property can be licensed by a copyright holder to specifc regions, and sub-licensees buy these rights for a high price and aren't too happy when consumers can easily side-step their expensive monopoly on the copyright by importing from elsewhere. For instance: a musical score by a major artist my be licensed for a game (say, the soundtrack in GTA3). In order to save money the developer, Rockstar, may choose to purchase the rights to that music ONLY for North America, postponing licensing the rights for other territories until the game has made some bank at home. This is possible because Rockstar can assure the music labels that the game won't be played elsewhere since the game is region-protected on the PS2 and XBox. (Sure, you can bypass it with mod chips, but given the difficulty and cost the licensees consider that an acceptable risk). If there were no region-protection on those consoles games that use a lot of expensive assets like music from major labels, anime, cartoon, or movie characters, and so forth would cost more to make because the licensing would be more expensive (and more complicated... all the sub-licensees in the various regions would potentially have to be party to these agreements).Endow said:Someone needs to explain to me why consoles games are still region-locked.
The Sphinx said:Consoles are region-locked because intellectual property can be licensed by a copyright holder to specifc regions, and sub-licensees buy these rights for a high price and aren't too happy when consumers can easily side-step their expensive monopoly on the copyright by importing from elsewhere. For instance: a musical score by a major artist my be licensed for a game (say, the soundtrack in GTA3). In order to save money the developer, Rockstar, may choose to purchase the rights to that music ONLY for North America, postponing licensing the rights for other territories until the game has made some bank at home. This is possible because Rockstar can assure the music labels that the game won't be played elsewhere since the game is region-protected on the PS2 and XBox. (Sure, you can bypass it with mod chips, but given the difficulty and cost the licensees consider that an acceptable risk). If there were no region-protection on those consoles games that use a lot of expensive assets like music from major labels, anime, cartoon, or movie characters, and so forth would cost more to make because the licensing would be more expensive (and more complicated... all the sub-licensees in the various regions would potentially have to be party to these agreements).
This is why region locking is driven mostly by the demands of third parties. The first parties are typically less concerned, either because they don't often make licensed games (Nintendo and MS) or because they have their own properties to license (Sony).
What about handhelds? Why don't they have region protection? I'm not certain, but I would guess it's a combination of less third party presence due to the long domination of Nintendo, and less concern among licensees due to the old "ghetto" image of handhelds.
Endow said:Someone needs to explain to me why consoles games are still region-locked.
It seems to be a top down view though(Kind of) you know like in the vast majority of MMORPG's? The first 4 shots are also cutscenes, well except the one. Bah. Should use Tales of Symphonias camera style.Zeed said:Well I've never heard of this series before and probably won't get around to playing it, but the graphics are quite nice.
Have the reasons they were locked in the past disappeared?Endow said:Someone needs to explain to me why consoles games are still region-locked.
If a game like this were to come out in America, though, it probably wouldn't be published by Chunsoft. Different publishers could license the same game for different regions, but end up competing with each other.Endow said:Regardless licenses IP isn't that significant in the grande scheme of things.Most developers still flesh their own worlds (altough pretty unoriginal ones most of the time), make their own music,characters etc..
I take it you've never played a Roguelike before.CrushDance said:It seems to be a top down view though(Kind of) you know like in the vast majority of MMORPG's? The first 4 shots are also cutscenes, well except the one. Bah. Should use Tales of Symphonias camera style.
Good looking characters but you'll barely get to see them.
CrushDance said:It seems to be a top down view though(Kind of) you know like in the vast majority of MMORPG's? The first 4 shots are also cutscenes, well except the one. Bah. Should use Tales of Symphonias camera style.
Good looking characters but you'll barely get to see them.
I know >.< I'm not saying it looks bad people!Aeana said:Here is how the SNES Shiren game plays, and how this one will as well.
JoshuaJSlone said:If a game like this were to come out in America, though, it probably wouldn't be published by Chunsoft.
Didn't a Torneko title come out before the first Shiren? Or do you mean original as in "not based on another licence"?Aeana said:It's a Mysterious Dungeon game (commonly called a 'Roguelike')... much like Nightmare of Druaga or Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. Shiren is actually the original Mysterious Dungeon series, and is also the most difficult.
Saitou said:I take it you've never played a Roguelike before.
I'm just glad it's not in ASCII.
mclem said:Didn't a Torneko title come out before the first Shiren? Or do you mean original as in "not based on another licence"?
Looks like an ermine to me (a weasel genus).The Sphinx said:Is that an otter? That looks like an otter.
ethelred said:Sega's the Japanese publisher, just like they published Shiren DS. It's a collaborative arrangement Sega and Chunsoft set up to give the games better distribution and marketing.
And since Sega's (surprisingly!) localizing Shiren DS, who knows, they might bring Shiren 3 over, too.
angelfly said:Freeloader for Wii can't come soon enough.