So proud of my Piko Piko Detroit friends!

tinycartridge:

March’s Chiptune Events

If you enjoy chipmusic/chiptunes, here are some events THIS WEEK and NEXT WEEK in North America that you might find interesting.

First up, if you’re attending PAX East this weekend in Boston and want to do some dancing way before you go to the concerts, stop by the Jamspace Friday (3/22) and Saturday (3/23) between 11:30 am and 2:30 pm for some great chiptunes presented by the Boston8Bit crew. Individual performers for each day are listed on their Facebook event.

Also, if you see me walking around PAX East, say hi! I’ll be there all weekend, likely playing Johann Sebastian Joust.

If you happen to be in or around Montreal instead, this Saturday the 23rd is also an installment of Toy Company, which you may recall from this video highlight. A group of some of my favorite North American artists will be performing this time around and it promises to be an amazing show. It is being hosted at Foonzo, a gaming bar in Montreal.

For those of you attending GDC and/or living in San Francisco, 8bitSF has you covered with not 1 but 2 chip shows next week. There is POW POW: A Colossal Night of Sound + Vision (3/26) and POW POW: Bonus Round (3/29), the latter of which includes Derris Kharlan, who we’ve featured here before.

Lastly, if you’re in New York City (or the surrounding area) on Saturday the 30th, Pulsewave will be having a show featuring the Piko Piko Detroit crew! The event details are on the Facebook event or Pulsewave NYC’s Tumblr. This event has an open mic so if you’ve been making some chiptunes, come on out and show us!

tinycartridge: Satoru Iwata’s killer Mother 2/Earthbound jacket Before we get into this amazing piece, here’s a real quick follow-up to yesterday’s Japanese Mother 2 interview — someone’s translating it! They’re translating the interview, that is, not localizing the Wii U Virtual Console release. Just want to make that clear. Anyway, Nintendo’s CEO and president tweeted this photo last night of a special gift he (and the rest of the Mother 2 team) received after working on the RPG. As you can imagine, this is an extremely rare item, but one actually showed up in an online auction a few years ago! I’m envisioning Iwata spending the evening cruising through Shinjuku streets, wearing this jacket and a pair of leather gloves to complete the Ryan Gosling/Drive image. Iwata’s giving you a night call to tell you how he feels. BUY Mother 3/Earthbound, Hobonichi Techo 2013
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tinycartridge:

Satoru Iwata’s killer Mother 2/Earthbound jacket

Before we get into this amazing piece, here’s a real quick follow-up to yesterday’s Japanese Mother 2 interview — someone’s translating it! They’re translating the interview, that is, not localizing the Wii U Virtual Console release. Just want to make that clear.

Anyway, Nintendo’s CEO and president tweeted this photo last night of a special gift he (and the rest of the Mother 2 team) received after working on the RPG. As you can imagine, this is an extremely rare item, but one actually showed up in an online auction a few years ago!

I’m envisioning Iwata spending the evening cruising through Shinjuku streets, wearing this jacket and a pair of leather gloves to complete the Ryan Gosling/Drive image. Iwata’s giving you a night call to tell you how he feels.

BUY Mother 3/Earthbound, Hobonichi Techo 2013

So I got published last week…

Kind of anyway. It pretty much made my Monday last week to see that my Bitmob article got promoted to front page - meaning it made it through to VentureBeat as well! You can read that here.  (And you should - if you like Kickstarter, dating sims, or both.)

Not too bad for my third real long-form piece; at least I think so.

Next up: writing something every day or couple of days. And just dealing with it, no matter how awful it is the first time through.

Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance is out today, but my copy is a forty-minutes-both-ways drive away. That’s probably going to wait for tomorrow, then. Oh well!

Also, the other part of m-bro, Derek, is going to be presenting some of our panel material at Go!DaikoCon this weekend in either Novi or Troy but I can’t remember which four-lettered suburb it is. Still, go check that out - I’m going to be working all weekend. 

Enough housekeeping - going to try to get some stuff done.

From my good friend sammei, who may or may not work with me on something kind of somewhat soon: Tekken Tag Tournament 2 drops on September 11 of this year.  The preorder bonuses are early unlocks of certain characters and stages (differing depending on which retailer you go to) - Harada’s gone on record several times to say DLC of extra characters will never be charged for. All that stuff would have been slowly time released; this just means you get it right away instead of waiting the requisite amount of time.  BUT LOOK AT THAT COLLECTOR’S EDITION. -grabby hands- WHY IS IT ONLY IN EUROPE?? I hope it gets a stateside release, too… 
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From my good friend sammei, who may or may not work with me on something kind of somewhat soon:

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 drops on September 11 of this year. 

The preorder bonuses are early unlocks of certain characters and stages (differing depending on which retailer you go to) - Harada’s gone on record several times to say DLC of extra characters will never be charged for. All that stuff would have been slowly time released; this just means you get it right away instead of waiting the requisite amount of time. 

BUT LOOK AT THAT COLLECTOR’S EDITION. -grabby hands- WHY IS IT ONLY IN EUROPE?? I hope it gets a stateside release, too… 

ADDENDUM: Persona 4 Arena Wants To Stay Home

Atlus USA today issued the following statement:

Friends of ATLUS,

The last week brought with it news that Persona°4 Arena™ would effectively become the first PlayStation°3 system game to be region-locked. We can today confirm that this is true; the game will be region-locked in all its respective territories of release.

As we’ve ascertained from your impassioned responses online, this is obviously a tremendous frustration for many fans. We understand the various perspectives on the matter. Those who fear this is a slippery slope, the beginning of a dangerous and unnecessary precedent. Those who import foreign hardware for a multitude of reasons and expect to be unlimited in their software selection. Those who aren’t necessarily affected by this issue, but who are principally opposed to it. We are not blind to these concerns and we pledge to grow ever more informed as to exactly what our fans want. It should be added that we were completely unprepared for the force with which the community communicated their disapproval.

There are, however, a few points to clarify. This is NOT the beginning of a new ATLUS policy, nor do we view it as a precedent or a slippery slope. If anything, your determination and dedication to what you believe in has certainly stood in the face of that. This is an isolated case, a situation precipitated by a number of factors, some of which are simply out of our North American hands. Moreover, and perhaps there is no way to convince our fans of this considering the magnitude of the betrayal many are feeling, but we are not doing this out of malice or a desire to control. Allow us to explain.

Persona 4 Arena achieves a number of triumphs for our North American publishing house. For years, our fans have asked us to include dual language audio in our games. Finally, with P4 Arena, we were able to deliver on that desire and include the exact same content as the Japanese release for our North American fans. Moreover, our North American community is often forced to wait months for a localized release (a plight our friends across the Atlantic can relate to). Again, with P4 Arena, we’re able to release within two weeks of Japan. We pushed hard for these things. We know our fans want them—well really, EXPECT them—and we did our best to get as much for our release as possible.

The unforeseen consequence in all of this was that we had a version of our biggest game of the year releasing within a couple weeks in two territories, both identical in content, but at radically different price points. Importing, as great as it is for gamers who otherwise can’t get access to a title, can also cannibalize the performance of a title in one territory to the benefit of another. While we’re all one big ATLUS family, the reality is that the dramatic difference between the Yen and the Dollar makes for a dramatic difference in price. So the decision was made, perhaps at the expense of some of our fans, clearly at the frustration of many, to region-lock Persona 4 Arena.

For many of you, there is no explanation that resonates, no justification that atones for this fact. We can only endeavor to earn back your confidence and, to learn from your arguments. We absolutely recognize the fear 
this is the beginning of a trend. We in no way view it as such. Please also keep in mind that the game’s excellent online multiplayer is global, a fact that is in no way affected by the region-lock. Players can compete against fighters from all territories.

A tremendous team of talented developers and artists poured their blood, sweat, and tears into Persona 4 Arena, and every reaction we’ve ever received to the game has shown that those efforts are readily apparent. The decision to region-lock P4 Arena was a business one, one that has very clearly affected how many perceive the project, but we ask you to please not overlook the exceptional efforts of the people behind the game and to work with us through constructive dialogue.

Thank you.

Persona 4 Arena Wants To Stay Home

After someone on their official forums spilled the beans, Atlus USA confirmed to EGM that Persona 4: Arena is the first Playstation 3 title to have a region lock.

Sony Computer Entertainment has always left the question of region locking up to publishers, but nobody has tried it in the six-year lifespan of the PS3. P4A is going to feature dual language voice acting and text in both Japan and the US; it also was announced for a European release by publisher Zen United with signs pointing to the same dual audio for the European disc. 

Atlus USA is not going on the record as to why they’re going this route, particularly when they’re also confirming one set of global servers. Posters on NeoGAF.com seem to think this could be the result of a later Euro release or to avoid reverse importing into Japan, where the currently strong yen means games are even more expensive than in the American market.

I don’t like the precedent this sets - throwing six years of region free games to the wind for one title seems really odd. Some are calling for a boycott on Twitter with the hashtag #BoycottPersona4Arena, while others feel that the game still deserves support while the practice does not. Even a small boycott could have a very big impact on such a niche release’s fortune at retail; knowing this, the silence as to why the game is region-locked is deafening. It’s known that Atlus USA’s PR manager, Aram Jabbari, is at EVO this weekend - perhaps a statement is coming afterward.

Source: egmnow.com

Persona 4 Arena in a Bigger Arena?

(I really neglect this a lot. Need to get back on track. Thanks for bearing with me. Want some rumors? Okay.)

Thanks to Ragingnight on NeoGAF for posting this: 

Those of you who follow fighting game tournaments and are getting excited for Persona 4 Arena may want to read this Twitter thread:

https://twitter.com/fubarduck/status/217842670847012864

Fubarduck is the proprietor of Arcade UFO in Austin and follows both the Japanese and US arcade scenes; Carlos is the fighting game/Sony Community Manager for Major League Gaming.

Why, this thread would lead me to believe we might see Persona 4 Arena as an MLG game coming up soon… which would be impressive. I’ve wondered how well this game would crack the tournament scene over here with Blazblue failing to permanently carve out a spot at EVO. Maybe Persona 4 Arena will be Arc’s next huge game here and there?

Want to show your support? There’s a petition here, which Carlos is aware of.

Source: neogaf.com

5 Things From E3

Better late than never, here are the five things I’m most excited for from E3.

1. The Last Of Us breaks off from Uncharted’s rails

When the gameplay demo for The Last Of Us started during Sony’s E3 press conference, excitement shot through the room I was watching it in. We had all been anticipating this since the start of their presser and we were not disappointed. The demo was long and gorgeous; it showed off the animation Naughty Dog is known for and even a system that lets you combine items to fashion makeshift weapons. The whole game was compelling and desperate and that’s what I was looking for.

But the real surprises didn’t come from what was shown on stage, but the impressions that followed from people at the show. See, from where I was, the demo looked great but heavily scripted. Then this thread popped up on NeoGAF and as I read the quotes collected from various articles, I quickly realized this game is going to be much more dynamic than it looked at first blush. I’ll let this quote from IGN’s Greg Miller clue you in:

“OK, so you know how in the conference demo Joel and Ellie immediately went left in the old hotel? That wasn’t how it went in my private demo. They scavenged more and that ladder wasn’t there. The duo had to find a way up to the stairs to continue moving through the hotel. After scoping the place out, Joel spotted a ladder, rolled over a laundry cart, and boosted Ellie up on it to grab the tool. If Joel hadn’t spotted the ladder but still boosted Ellie up, she would’ve announced her discovery. […] After seeing both of these demos, there’s a part in the conference footage that stands out to me. After Joel tosses his Molotov cocktail and burns a man alive, Ellie exclaims “S***, Joel!” In the heat of the original presentation, it didn’t seem out of character — it was her reacting to the situation. But after watching the 17-minute demo — where that scene never happens — Ellie’s line doesn’t sound like she’s freaking out about the situation but more about Joel’s action. It sounds like she’s responding to him acting way more aggressive than he normally does.”

Yeah. So now it seems a lot more of the game is generated on-the-fly than we first thought. The Last Of Us is shaping up to be something pretty special. (You can read the rest of Greg Miller’s impressions here.)

2. Sound Shapes comes to PS3

I got to play an early build of Sound Shapes last summer and it was captivating. Simple to get into and manipulate, the aesthetic and mechanics complemented each other well and the game felt very fun. I was very excited, but I knew it would be a while before I could get my hands on a Vita so I was a little disappointed.

Just before E3, Superbrothers, Jim Guthrie and Queasy announced that they had collaborated on an “album” in Sound Shapes called CORPOREAL. My excitement shot off the charts, as you may remember that Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP was my favorite game of 2011. And then, finally, on the first day of E3 Queasy announced that the game was coming to both PS3 and Vita on August 7th. I couldn’t be more thrilled that I’ll get to play it before I get a Vita, but I do wonder how the construction controls will work with a controller.

3. Project P-100

The frustration after Nintendo’s main press conference was everywhere. Nintendo managed to show off their new system without any real surprises. We did finally get to see Pikmin 3, and Nintendo also showed New Super Mario Bros. U and Nintendo Land, but even though Nintendo Land came out of nowhere it seems to be a more robust minigame collection; NSMB U is another 2D Mario; and Pikmin 3 was something we knew about for quite a while.

A little bit after the press conference ended, though, the GameTrailers stream mentioned a new game that Nintendo themselves hadn’t shown - and this was from PlatinumGames! They showed it a bit later and it’s called Project P-100. Directed by Hideki Kamiya, this bright and flashy action game doesn’t seem to really exploit the Wii U gamepad too strongly but it is a compelling fusion of Pikmin and Viewtiful Joe. The heroes you collect join your group and you can even fuse them into a giant sword or gun to take down giant enemies. It looks like exactly the flashy, upbeat title everyone was agitating for all show long and should be a must-play when Wii U hits later this year.

Want more impressions of Project P-100? Check out Polygon’s thoughts here.

4. The backlash

Speaking of agitating, many members of the industry were doing it in spades. Writers and developers alike wrote tweet after blog about the multitude of super-violence and sexist tropes on display over the week. (Kris Graft’s is one of my favorite reads so far.) I already talked a bit about this earlier myself, so I won’t drag it out in the view too much here, but there is a lot of frustration brewing in the big, bombastic game market. But if we are tired of seeing the same thing over and over, it’s time for us to stop being so complicit in its creation - the kind of frustration we saw over those four days was the start of it. 

All that said, unique games were much more on display once you got outside of the press conferences; things like P-100 and Sound Shapes had no screen time in the conferences but were absolute highlights of the show. Cover these!

5. Knocking on the next generation’s door

I honestly can’t remember which day of the show it was when the Agni’s Philosophy tech demo popped up quietly online. But I do remember my reaction because it’s the same each time I watch it - I want this to be a game and I want to play it today. Square’s demo is almost a reality; as we await new console hardware and the PC marches on, we’re going to be in for some absolute gorgeous stuff the next couple of years (to say nothing of Unreal Engine 4, Frostbite 2, and other major tech advancements.)

Star Wars 1313’s little showing gave us a taste of what gameplay could look like in the next couple years as well. The game looks remarkably well along for a title that it seems to be understood isn’t even targeted for current platforms. With games incubating this long, we could have a very stunning lineup of launch titles for Microsoft & Sony’s next boxes…whenever they decide to unleash them on a console market which really needs a shot in the arm this year.

E3 2012: The One With No Good Surprises

Perhaps it’s easier for me to critique this year’s E3 because I wasn’t there.

Don’t get me wrong; I haven’t touched any of the games on the show floor or talked to any of the development staff on site. But I watched all three press conferences (four, if you count Nintendo’s 3DS software conference) and have been devouring every piece of media I can find. I’ve camped out on Twitter, NeoGAF, and pretty much any other relevant forum to read impressions of the show and the games in it.

There seems to be a very tangible backlash building in the critical community. It’s not new but it has been building over the past months and is now approaching a tidal wave. Writers are still previewing and interviewing for titles like Call of Duty, Gears of War, God of War, and Halo 4; but then they’re turning to Twitter and other avenues to vent about how tired they are of the unbridled super-violence that has spawned sequel after sequel in those series. Many of the fans are riding alongside them; how can you not, in the face of - as an example - a third God of War prequel starring the same lead character, in the same time period, with the same weapons and similar abilities that seems to exist simply because there is some creature the art team can conceive of that Kratos hasn’t dissected?

There’s been some gasoline thrown on the always-smoldering booth babe issue as well by the controversial Hitman trailer and Tomb Raider media released. So many women in the industry have been voicing their concerns all week long and, from the outside, it’s truly sad that so many people who are partners in building and furthering games are feeling so shut out so that publishers can appeal to a couple drooling staffers from a third-rate blog. (Yes, I realize this isn’t even on a sixth-rate blog, but we’re not talking about me here.) I don’t know that a PAX-style policy is what is necessarily appropriate, but if I’m the ESA I’m sitting down with some of these women - and maybe Penny Arcade’s Robert Khoo, who enforces a PAX policy that limits the race to the bottom that exhibitors are all too happy to engage in - to develop some kind of guidelines. Whether they choose to do that, or (as seems likely) not says a lot about how concerned they are that the entire industry is welcomed to E3.

And then there are the games. All of the press conferences were met with apathy at best; more likely, though, was acidic anger. Microsoft chose to spend more time on things like SmartGlass, Nike Fitness and XBox Music than showing gameplay of newly announced games like Gears Of War: Judgment. Sony just launched a new handheld in March and chose to not publicize any games for it , instead focusing on a JK Rowling-supported augmented reality game for Move called Wonderbook: Book of Spells - whose demo took far too long and didn’t function as intended. Even Nintendo couldn’t be counted on to show something fresh and new for their fresh, new Wii U - the two launch titles of their own they focused on were New Super Mario Bros. U, a 2D Mario title, and Nintendo Land, a Nintendo-themed minigame collection. They chose to save their truly unique launch title, Platinum’s Project P-100, for a reveal post-press conference on GameTrailers. All three companies said they were trying to keep their conferences short, but all were guilty of choosing the wrong things to show.

This was countered by the games as they were actually shown, with extended demos of Sony’s The Last Of Us, Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs and Platinum/Kojima Productions’ Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance getting a lot of talk. Even Square Enix got some very positive buzz for its upcoming beleaguered release, Sleeping Dogs and their new Luminous Studio engine. Overall the show floor held the real story, which is one we already knew - there are a lot of very good games on the way but not a lot new to announce as it seems a lot of new ideas are being sat on until the next generation of platforms.

Look for a personal list of the best and worst stuff from E3 over the weekend.