Japan loves to torture America...

HyperZeroX · Net Battler Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 91

Many of my favorite games have been imported, as Japan loves to make Japan Exclusive games, or versions of games with extras, EX:

(JP Only)Namco x Capcom
(EX in JP only)Kingdom Hearts Final Mix

I was wondering if their is ANY type of device to convert Japanese Text to English in video games?

Zan · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 12:24 pm Post subject:

good job lol

Namco/Monolith of America is the one at fault for us not getting NxC, not Japan. NoA really dislikes 2d games now, apparently. The same goes for most exclusive games.

TriggerEXE · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 3:53 pm Post subject:

I was talking about this with my friend the other day. I commented that Japan is much more business savy in many areas of video game and anime fandom and that the US just plain sucks at it. His response was that there isn't a big enough fan base here to support the same things that Japan has. That it wouldn't be worth it to import certain games, toys, and other merchandise into the US because not enough people would buy them. Sure, we would, but we don't represent a large enough percent of the populous. I begged to differ. :]

I dunno, I just like to think that there are lots more people out there who would buy such things if given the opportunity. Rather than having to go online searching, paying tons for shipping, and/or having to learn Japanese or translate it in order to get any use out of said item. The Rockman toys are better in Japan. For the most part. Comparing the DX Rockman.EXE figure to the Mattel NT Warrior figure... Sure, we have more in the way of selection, but they typically have more in the way of quality and posability. KH is big over there too. They have tons of cool KH stuff that is for sale everywhere. Keyblade keychains, necklaces, figures, hats, shirts, posters, etc. What do we have here? Hardly anything.

I really wish sometimes that fans had more input into decisions. Letters to companies mostly fall on deaf ears though. Sad but true. They only see charts and graphs and the all mighty dollar sign.
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Unknown Neo · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:08 pm Post subject:

Either we don't have enough people that would buy this stuff (I doubt it sometimes) or businesses just don't know how much money they could make off of it.

Haly K · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 6:01 pm Post subject:

NxC is on the PS2, right? If it were released here, I would so get it! For the fact that Klonoa is in it, mind you. Laughing

*sigh* Some games, like Klonoa(sadly), don't do as well outside of Japan as others, like Halo and Resident Evil. ( It seems that action games are more popular in the US, while more creative games like KH and FF are popular in Japan. WTF is up with that?! :O )
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HeatShadow · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 8:47 pm Post subject:

The only way to get Japanese products over here is to spend money to translate and market them. And one of the first rules of business is that you don't do something if you don't expect to get a net gain out of it. Japan doesn't hate us, we just haven't given them a good enough reason for them to spend their money on us.
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Mugen.exe · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 11:22 pm Post subject:

Agreed. Economics 101. What we really need to do is convert as many people as we can to the world of anime, manga, and Japanese video-games! If I can convert 100 people, then I'm sure you guys (and girls) all can. *Great, now I've gotta go convert 100 people!
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Broken Goggles · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 11:23 pm Post subject:

SaMaster14 · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 12:22 am Post subject:

Also the fact that a lot of the shows that the games are about haven't come out in the US yet. Maybe if people push for the shows the games will come too.

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SaitoRockman · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 6:33 am Post subject:

I already imported NamcoXCapcom a LONG time ago, it's a lot like Final Fantasy Tactics in terms of gameplay control, and the fighting... I don't know how to describe it. Great game however.

Now, what I have learned about in my area about their tastes in games is the following information.

Things they will buy it for:

- Guns.... lots of guns....
- Swearing. As much as possible.
- If it gets into trouble with law.
- If it has rap music or a rapper on the box.
- If it's simplistic and very simple to play.
- If everyone else has the same game. (Even my friends do the same, every single one of them has the exact same Gamecube games. Sonic Adventure 2, ToS, Smash Bros Melee, and PSO.)
- If the game has a very big muscled character.
- It has be rated M.
- It has to have 'Sexual Themes" in the rating contents.
- If it has the words, Grand, Theft, or Auto, in the title.

Now, what they don't buy a game for is:

- If the game has a character with anime-style hair.
- If the game has a name that's hard to say-out. ("Uh... Shin Muggaagu MICHIMICHI!" they're supposed to say, "Shin Megami Tensei Digital Devil Saga)
- If the game is rated E.
- If the game has anything to do with Nintendo.
- If the game is an RPG.
- If it has anything to do with Capcom.
- If the words Legend, Of, or Zelda are in the title.
- If it is based off a Japanese-made anime.
- If the game got a good rating.
- If the main character doesn't have a gun.
- If the game is too long.
- If it's on GBA.
- If it's on DS.
- If it's on GCN.
- If the name has any Japanese letters next to that name.
- If the box is too colorful.
- If it has to do with shiny robots.

that's all for now.

Vpower.exe · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 12:03 pm Post subject:

In other words about Kingdom Hearts, we sort of already have the extra's. (although Japan got some more if I'm correct with that Final Mix thingie...)

And I heard that Namco X Capcom wasn't so good in Japan or something :S
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yxnomei · Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 11

I am not entirely convinced it's about fanbase. On a sidenote to western culture's current infatuation with Asian cinema, it shows that many westerners are able to keep an open mide about such matters, many reputable reporters, reviewers and publications continually treating foreign cinema with the same respect and dignity home-grown feature films are privy to, whether that means a good or bad review mark. Video gaming's own cultural base belongs in the east, so many of the original reputable companies including Nintendo, Treasure and Koei are Japanese. The work of the marketing man then, yes, but not entirely. That's why games such as Katamari make successful releases in Europe and America (several times, it seems).

Logistics then? Releases in different regions to different region settings to different regional translations and then there's demand. Xbox 360s and PSPs are a good indication of demand affecting releases - do they simply have enough units for a worldwide release? Do they have the audience? While games such as Kingdom Hearts Final Mix may well have sold, having established such a... fervent cult base, would Namco x Capcom really have worked? It sounds to me like the most extreme of extreme cases, crossovers designed to appeal to peoples familiar with the characteristics of both companies and respective games/ gaming characters. It certainly won't bring in any new players, new audiences and it would certainly have been a risk with its heavily chibi stylings and excessive anime cut-scenes.

Ah well, what do I know? All I'm waiting for is Shadow of the Collosus.
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charles · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 2:16 pm Post subject:

you wanna know what i did?
played the japanese demo...you'll figure out things at you play it...i'll buy the full version soon....VERY SOOON Evil or Very Mad

:poof:

Broken Goggles · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 2:21 pm Post subject:

Now that I think about it, Japan should've never released games like Kingdom Hearts or FFX. I say, Japan get's the games first. Then, the company can just ignore Europe, US, and the other nations with the original copy. Then, months/1 year later, Japan could release the new updated version to all nations.
If they have never thought of this, then I am PO and disappointed. Square will always remain loyal to Japan no matter what. As cruel as it may sound, I was thrilled to find out that we got the better version of KH than Japan. I was like "How do you like it now?! Getting the crappy version for once!" and I'm sure Japanese fans were just as mad as most of us when we got inferior versions.

Ok so, I guess it's all about:
-Type of games
-Fanbase
-Money
-Loyalty to your country. Whether Japan, America, Europe, UK, whatever.

If Square gave America the better versions and not Japan, they'd lose lots of Japanese fans, who are really the main people supporting them.

Same with 360. If they made less Western-liked games, they'd lose lots of fans in America. 360 needs America to survive.
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Ganon · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 5:03 pm Post subject:

That's an interesting way to look at the video game industry! Laughing

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Unknown Neo · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 7:28 pm Post subject:

So what we've figured out is, people in the west are supposed to like games with more "real-life", things while the asian countries in the east are supposed to like games with more fantasy aspects.
But one thing about some people here in the west can be stupid when it comes to games, like saitorockman referenced. I bet they all have either xboxes or a lot of sports and FPSes. But I won't go into to that.

The point being, some people like good games and some people like bad games.

Aethos · Net Battler Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 66

YaminoMiko · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 9:37 pm Post subject:

It's not fair! I really wanted to play Final Mix.

I swear...Americans are so into guns and blood. What is up with them playing Grand Auto Theft. I've seen my brother played it once and it's all pointless. No plot or whatsoever.

Like what the others said, the Asain games has more sense and great storyplot for the games, that's why I prefer Final Fantasty, DotHack, Kingdom Hearts and all the other games that were originally created in Japan. I mostly play RPGs though...they have the best storyplot.

Anyways...like my friend from school say, "Friggin Japanese people are friggin lucky." XD
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Zan · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:10 pm Post subject:

Because all Americans love to play Halo and Grand Theft Auto and Mortal Kombat right? Maybe you guys should look at the entire picture instead of following your "Japan is way better than America because it has manga and anime and games" angle.

I'd pick gameplay over story any day. If I wanted to finish a 1000 hour saga of epic proportions, I'd read a book. loll.

Broken Goggles · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:17 pm Post subject:

Well the XBOX is more towards a mature audience. Most of owners I've seen with 360s are adults about 20+ years old. I was watching X-Play and they also said that 360 so far is towards a mature audience. I doubt the little kids would enjoy Call of Duty 2 (good game btw), Perfect Dark Zero, Quake 4, and especially Condemned. ...wow, those are all in first person. Laughing

Sorry, but most of these people hardly have an imagination. Reality killed it.

Kameo is the only game that kids would/might want but they were still outnumbered by games meant for an older audience.

On topic, Japanese games are more liked in Japan naturally.
Which country on the world does Japan like the most? Japan!
What about America? ...America, that's what!

Japan wants the best for their people. So does America.
Japan gets the exclusive titles that no other nation gets.
America gets a better 360 than Japan.
-Bigger library
-More backwards compatible games.
-Europe has 156 BC games
-America has at least 200 BC games
-Japan gets 12 BC games.
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