As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

PA comic: Monday August 22, 2011

BogeyBogey I'm back, baby!Santa Monica, CAModerator mod
edited August 2011 in The Penny Arcade Hub
i-qFfXdBF-XL.jpg
The Eastern Front

The story more or less from the beginning of the Xbox 360 has been about Japan. In an unguarded moment, you might hear a person from Microsoft (who should probably know better than to talk to me) wonder aloud whether it’s possible to succeed in this business without Japan. They are asking it in a way that implies they have already answered this question for themselves and, indeed, answered it in the affirmative.

I always thought they were being ridiculous; videogames come from Japan. I created the term Microsophistry specifically to corral these bits of nonsensical, philosophical fluff that could only be proved true in a universe where that corporation’s perverse gravity could warp the natural order. But I get it now, because it’s happening.

It has to do with sequestering Japan as a market from Japan as a cultural force.

Individual titles can have a non-zero effect on adoption, but the overall picture ain’t real hot. But the world is different place than it was with the first box: the global picture is such that a multiplatform release is a given now, even for weirdo crap like Catherine. If you’re releasing a game, and there’s no backroom shenanigans, and the company is not a wholly owned subsidiary, you’re releasing it on the boxes people own.

The persistent rumor, the one that is to beautiful to live, describes a world where the next generation system is a collaborative effort between Sony and Microsoft, each playing to their own strengths. Having had experience with both, it’s rare that people express a preference for PSN as an end-user or for the Playstation 3 as a development environment. God of War and Uncharted are games you buy systems to play, though. And they need a united front to fight off retailers in an increasingly digital world.

I don’t believe this would ever happen, for no other reason than because it makes sense and is a great idea.

(CW)TB out.

Fitocracy: Join us in the SE++ group!
XBox LIVE: Bogestrom | Destiny
PSN: Bogestrom
Bogey on
«13

Posts

  • SabreMauSabreMau ネトゲしよう 판다리아Registered User regular
    Ok, I get Japan has musical games, and loli games, but where does the train part come in?

  • faitsfaits a panda eating cake seattleRegistered User regular
    SabreMau wrote:
    Ok, I get Japan has musical games, and loli games, but where does the train part come in?

    in beat train loli you play the part of a downtrodden salaryman who has to get on the train and beat some lolis.

    faits.png
  • FalxFalx Registered User regular
    Train molesters.

  • Homestar GunnerHomestar Gunner Registered User regular
    SabreMau wrote:
    Ok, I get Japan has musical games, and loli games, but where does the train part come in?

    Japan has trains. Mystery solved

  • SabreMauSabreMau ネトゲしよう 판다리아Registered User regular
    Or maybe it could be a Princess Maker style of game where instead of training the daughter to be a princess, you train her to be a Sid Meier's Railroad Tycoon.

    And the game would have an assorted J-Pop soundtrack for the Beat part.

  • SegSeg Registered User regular
    The face on that train, what kind of train is that, is it a loyal pet or something?

  • Houk the NamebringerHouk the Namebringer Nipples The EchidnaRegistered User regular
    Train Simulation games are a thing in Japan

    Also, wanting to grow up to be a train employee guy is a thing in Japan

    Not even necessarily a conductor, just a dude who works for the train company. Get the whistle, tell people when to get on and off the train

  • vIMvIM Registered User regular
    Tycho has the same face twice?

  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    Oh Japan.

  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    Small train or huge lolicon?

    YL9WnCY.png
  • I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell UpI'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up Registered User regular
    Rorus Raz wrote:
    Small train or huge lolicon?
    chibi train, clearly...

  • Dark Raven XDark Raven X Laugh hard, run fast, be kindRegistered User regular
    vIM wrote:
    Tycho has the same face twice?

    It's the full circle of the weird face parade. Having a frozen face.

    Oh brilliant
  • Peter EbelPeter Ebel CopenhagenRegistered User regular
    A bold new direction.

    Fuck off and die.
  • TurambarTurambar Independent Registered User regular
    Are the colours in the game title showing a secret message?

    Beanlol traicon
    Lolbeatrai


    Maybe not

    Steam: turamb | Origin: Turamb | 3DS: 3411-1109-4537 | NNID: Turambar | Warframe(PC): Turamb
  • AegeriAegeri Tiny wee bacteriums Plateau of LengRegistered User regular
    Wasn't one of the main games for the 360 that drove sales some kind of Lolicon pop star management sim, that recently lost its exclusivity to the PS3 (hence the 360s even worse performance).

    The Roleplayer's Guild: My blog for roleplaying games, advice and adventuring.
  • SabreMauSabreMau ネトゲしよう 판다리아Registered User regular
    The Idolmaster? The latest game in that series was released for 360 only back in February, but a PS3 version is due in October.

  • agoajagoaj Top Tier One FearRegistered User regular
    You mean idolmatster

    ujav5b9gwj1s.png
  • Maz-Maz- 飛べ Registered User regular
    Lolitrains are my favorite kind of trains.

    Add me on Switch: 7795-5541-4699
  • AlegisAlegis Impeckable Registered User regular
    Houk wrote:
    Train Simulation games are a thing in Japan

    Also, wanting to grow up to be a train employee guy is a thing in Japan

    Not even necessarily a conductor, just a dude who works for the train company. Get the whistle, tell people when to get on and off the train
    I want to be the guy with the gloves who pushes everyone into the train at rush hour

  • JustinSane07JustinSane07 Really, stupid? Brockton__BANNED USERS regular
    Man, Princess Maker.

    That takes me back to desperate ways of looking to jerk off.

  • ZandraconZandracon Registered User regular
    Train games are interesting.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZiGiMYy084

  • Dark Raven XDark Raven X Laugh hard, run fast, be kindRegistered User regular
    That is not how trains work.

    Oh brilliant
  • SabreMauSabreMau ネトゲしよう 판다리아Registered User regular
    MULTI-
    TRACK
    DRIFTING!!

  • PikaPuffPikaPuff Registered User regular
    edited August 2011
    multi-track drifting?! etc etc

    edit- augh dammit sabre

    anyways about the comic. that is my game. that game was made for me. *crawls into game case*

    PikaPuff on
    jCyyTSo.png
  • hoodie13hoodie13 punch bro Registered User regular
    yeah, trains are a Thing in Japan. It's weird. They're weird. Reminds me of this GTO story where this mob boss' son was obsessed with trains, but nobody knew except this one computer whiz kid.

    I liked GTO, it was nuts.

    PSN: HoodieThirteen
    XBL: Torn Hoodie
    @hoodiethirteen
  • HunterHunter Chemist with a heart of Au Registered User regular
    I'm just shocked they're outside while discussing this. At night too, when bears have a clear tactical advantage.

  • JAEFJAEF Unstoppably Bald Registered User regular
    edited August 2011
    Not even the crushing mediocrity of FFXIII could save the XBox in Japan? Sony to buy Microsoft in 5 years.
    Hunter wrote:
    I'm just shocked they're outside while discussing this. At night too, when bears have a clear tactical advantage.
    The only background is stars.. I think they might just be floating in space somewhere. Which means standard bears aren't a threat, but you have to start worrying about the Space Devil.

    JAEF on
  • SquallSquall hap cloud Registered User regular
    vIM wrote:
    Tycho has the same face twice?

    this threw me off too

  • Indie WinterIndie Winter die Krähe Rudi Hurzlmeier (German, b. 1952)Registered User regular
    birthday comic! couldn't have asked for anything better than Beat Train Lolicon

    wY6K6Jb.gif
  • JoeUserJoeUser Forum Santa Registered User regular
    Houk wrote:
    Train Simulation games are a thing in Japan

    Also, wanting to grow up to be a train employee guy is a thing in Japan

    Not even necessarily a conductor, just a dude who works for the train company. Get the whistle, tell people when to get on and off the train

    Even cats want to work for the train company!

    stationmastertama322872.jpg
    Tama is a calico cat who is the station master and operating officer at Kishi Station in Kinokawa, Wakayama, Japan.
    The publicity from Tama's appointment led to an increase in passengers by 17% for that month as compared to January 2006; ridership statistics for March 2007 showed a 10% increase over the previous financial year. A study has estimated that the publicity surrounding Tama has contributed 1.1 billion Yen to the local economy.

  • faitsfaits a panda eating cake seattleRegistered User regular
    That is not how trains work.

    what are you some kind of train expert

    faits.png
  • SabreMauSabreMau ネトゲしよう 판다리아Registered User regular
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Oe57xlcAcQ

    Cool, Japanese trains get cat mascot art instead of spray-paint graffiti. They should put the Tamaden train in that 360 game, too.

  • AbracadanielAbracadaniel Registered User regular
    Japan fuckin loves train sims. I see'em on Steam sometimes and I'm like, "hmm...I wonder if driving a train around would be fun"

    And then they have like five expansion packs for different historical trains.

  • acidlacedpenguinacidlacedpenguin Institutionalized Safe in jail.Registered User regular
    edited August 2011
    doki! doki! densha desu! kawaii-ne?

    and that's the extend of my Japanese education. Oh, and wareware oppai-ai. These have been critical in my daily interactions.

    also is it F40PH Friday yet?

    acidlacedpenguin on
    GT: Acidboogie PSNid: AcidLacedPenguiN
  • CenoCeno pizza time Registered User regular
    I wonder how many emails they get from genuinely angry (and oblivious) people shouting things like "YOU are the ones that is shameful! XBOX is awesome!".

  • SabreMauSabreMau ネトゲしよう 판다리아Registered User regular
    edited August 2011
    Oh, there was a Japanese port of the original Railroad Tycoon.

    7EidV.gif

    fVZZs.gif
    I thought some of you would like to know how we came to publish Railroad Tycoon Deluxe.

    Our Japanese development group released Railroad Tycoon in November of 1991. The game was a direct port to the NEC 9801 from the IBM. Our Japanese customers looked at the EGA graphics and said "Uggh!" or the Japanese equivalent.

    This motivated us to rework the graphics system for a 640x400 16 color graphics mode, (NEC Format.)

    In the process of reworking the graphics, we decided to add new theaters and trains. After we released the Japanese version of the game we were asked if we could release this product for the US/UK. Because of the interest we had on the BBS's we decided to include it in our Spring 1993 release.


    Actually, Princess Maker was also released in 1991. They should have collaborated then and there.

    SabreMau on
  • TankHammerTankHammer Atlanta Ghostbuster Atlanta, GARegistered User regular
    Y'know, this news probably would have upset me 5 or 6 years ago maybe but hearing it now made me realize that I just do not care about Japanese video games anymore. Well, at least on home consoles. The only Japanese games I've bought this generation have been DS games.

  • SilentPSilentP Registered User regular
    Zandracon wrote:
    Train games are interesting.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZiGiMYy084
    Please push the button.
    I don't know why, but that sounds really ominous.

  • Burden of ProofBurden of Proof You three boys picked a beautiful hill to die on. Registered User regular
    I'd play it.

  • SyphyreSyphyre A Dangerous Pastime Registered User regular
    Railroad Tycoon 3 was fun and interesting. But when I see big sandbox train sets on Steam, I just wonder.

    Where do the girls even come in? Do they dress like cheerleaders? And then you button mash to make them cheer properly? And when they make a good cheer the CHEERPOWERO gets sent into the generatorengine which makes the train go faster?

Sign In or Register to comment.