Bangai-O

^

I once considered getting an SC-1000 but it'd just take up space and be used once or something.

Your laptop is a beast, ryudo

Absentia wrote:Last night, I watched Rashomon, and I'm certainly glad I did.

Is that really how you remember it?

Have you Falcomophiles seen this: http://www.siliconera.com/2013/02/22/25 ... iconera%29

Best thing I've watched in a long time

Lizzie & Sarah

I really can't imagine why they didn't make it into a full series. It's like a Jaaaaaaaaam sitcom.

http://i.imgur.com/F0HoEwJ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/YNv6DAb.jpg

11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:

12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven , and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again ; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

From the excellent clocktower.fr fansite ( http://www.clocktower.fr/index.php/haunting-ground ):

Haunting Ground est un jeu développé et édité par Capcom. Sortit fin avril 2005 au Japon -nommé Demento- et en Europe (début mai pour l’Amérique du nord), ce titre est passé assez inaperçu auprès du grand public, mais a fait couler pas mal d’encre. Pas sur le contenu de celui-ci, ni sur ses qualités intrinsèques, mais plutôt sur ses origines. En effet, d’un point de vu gameplay, le jeu se rapproche énormément de Clock Tower. Fiona Belli, jeune fille tout juste majeure, se réveille -après un accident de voiture- dans un étrange château où sont menées d’horribles expériences. Celle-ci va devoir trouver un moyen de s’enfuir.

Certains n’hésitent pas à dire que Haunting Ground a été développé comme étant Clock Tower 4, ce qui semble être la théorie la plus probable, d’autant que certaines personnes ayant travaillées sur Clock Tower 3 font partie du staff de Haunting Ground, tels que Hisanori Ohtsuki (Programmeur), Yukio Andoh (Designer), Noboru Sugimura (Scénariste), Kôji Nakajima (Producteur) et Tatsuya Minami (Producteur exécutif).
Certains d’entre eux ont également travaillés sur Resident Evil 4. Quel rapport ? J’y viendrai quelques lignes plus bas…

Donc, s’il est plus ou moins établi que Haunting Ground a bien été développé originalement comme un Clock Tower, la raison du changement de cap reste plus ou moins obscure. La théorie qui revient le plus souvent est que l’érotisme qui se dégage du titre était en inéquation avec l’ambiance de la franchise, ce qui aurait poussé les développeurs à en faire un titre totalement original.

Si Haunting Ground / Demento reprend bon nombre d’éléments issus de la franchise Clock Tower (Ennemi récurrent, stress, cachettes, etc.) et de Clock Tower 3 (les scénariis sont presque les mêmes), les inspirations (pour ne pas dire pompage ou recyclage) ne s’arrêtent pas là.
Et c’est là que je ressors ma carte Resident Evil 4.

Pour ceux qui l’ignorent, RE4 a eu un développement plus que chaotique. Á plusieurs reprises les programmeurs ont revus leur copie, changeant ainsi plusieurs fois de scénario, d’environnement et de protagonistes.
Ainsi, il est intéressant de savoir que la toute première version de RE4 avait pour héros un homme ayant été l’objet des expériences d’Umbrella Corp., un homme aux cheveux blanc nommé… Dante !
Et oui, au début des années 2000, on ne faisait pas de gâchis chez Capcom, et c’est ainsi que la toute première beta de RE4 a posée les bases d’une nouvelle franchise à succès : Devil May Cry.
Les autres reliquats du développement de Resident Evil 4 –du moins, pour certains d’entre eux- échapperont à la corbeille pour servir à l’élaboration d’autres titres de l’éditeur.
Ainsi, Haunting Ground aura repris à RE4 certains décors qui auront plus ou moins été modifiés pour que l’on ne repère pas la supercherie.
Raté…

Abbreviated translation:

"... Some don't hesitate in saying that Haunting Ground was developed as Clock Tower 4, which is the most probable theory, especially as some of CT3's staff reprised roles in HG (Hisanori Ohtsuki (Programmer), Yukio Andoh (Designer), Noboru Sugimura (Scenario), Kôji Nakajima (Producer) et Tatsuya Minami (Exec. Producer).
However some of them also worked on RE4.
So, if it's more or less established that HG was originally developed as a CT, the reason for changing its title and direction is more or less obscure. The theory that comes up most often is that the underlying erotism clashed with the environment of the series, and made the developers go for an all-new title."
and then it goes on showing, with screenshots, the similarities with RE4's environments.

So, a little from column A, a little from column B. But, of course, this has CT written all over it, and barely any RE. It's a good thing.

Thank you.

In meantime, I got this book: http://www.hkupress.org/Common/Reader/P ... 9888083367

I'll let you know if it's Shenmue relevant once I finish it.

Yep!

I just had to butt in, hadn't I...

http://i.imgur.com/1ssxfEm.jpg
I've never actually played it, but its one of my most wanted games for when I get back into playing again.

I love Afrika, ... it's a game with an amazing atmosphere. Even if you're not interested in photography it hooks you in with it's wonderful soundtrack and it's gameplay is just as thrilling as any other "stealth/sniping" game. Getting that perfect shot is just as cool as in Far Cry 2/3...

SIREN is one of the horror greats, imo... the PS3 episode really nailed it on production values and ironed out some annoying kinks of the PS2 games, and again, offers an amazing atmosphere...

Writing a more detailed outline for my movie project DESERT while listening to AM Number Stations for inspiration (they play a part in this story).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbhCeWtX9sg

This shit is starting to scare me now.

I have this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Conet_Project

It's absolutely wonderful.

1 Shenmue & Shenmue II
2 Red Seeds Profile
3 Virtua Tennis 2
4 Yakuza
5 Shadow of the Colossus
6 The Neverhood
7 Raw Danger!
8 The Path
9 Far Cry 2
10 Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings

There's a good mix.

While I beat a lot of games especially in the first half of 2013, not a whole lot of them were from that year. In fact, according to my records, I only bought five 2013 games (and one of them was a re-release). So maybe next year I should give a better best games of 2013 list.

Of what I did play, Attack of the Friday Monsters! was the best. It was just a little snippet of what a regular Boku no Natsuyasumi game is, but it felt more apt as a portable game than the games from that series that came out on PSP (where they always felt to me like "standard" console games, where you'd be playing sitting down. The nostalgia from 70s Japan is there. The simple and rewarding gameplay is there as well. In the end it's such a pleasant experience that it's hard not to love it. And for the first time, I could actually understand everything they were saying. Brilliant.

Papers Please was great as well. A very simple gameplay experience that starts getting increasingly complex, and full of tiny little details. Plus the concept in itself is great. To play a customs officer sounds like a joke but the actual gameplay is entertaining and even addictive, and the story wrapped around it is surprising. Its crushing setting reminded me a little of Cartlife...

Animal Crossing was great. Probably the best one yet. But it's a game where you tend to consume it intensely for a few weeks, and then as your mind wanders to someplace else it's very hard to get back into it. I can't recall much more than endless island raids!

GTA V was alright, standard. Having three characters was interesting especially for the non-story portion, but as characters in a story I didn't find them very interesting.

Proteus was great... but not really a game. But certainly very engaging, as time really does fly by as you explore it, mostly with your ears.

400 Years was cool. Simple yet interesting gameplay mechanic. Very short though (it is free).

I am looking forward to playing Black Flag, Two Souls, Bioshock Infinite, Gone Home, The Stanley Parable, Brothers, Kentucky Route Zero in 2014 and commenting on them in 2015. Ta-ra

There's an interesting european company (danes) that did very hard games indeed.
HG101 had a pretty good article on them a few years ago: http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/zyrinx/zyrinx.htm

Apart from the difficulty the games also had interesting technical feats to them. Red Zone, which was a cult game from my childhood, having seen it in the SEGA mags, but only getting to play it much later, especially, since it had a lot of 3D effects, FMV and two portions of gameplay, since you piloted a heli but also had on-foot missions.

They went on to make the Hitman games as IO Interactive. They used to be hard, as well.

Thank you... This has made me so happy. What a way to start my Sunday.

SEGA's been publishing some great interviews with the team responsible for the 3D ports of its arcade classics (including 3 Yu Suzuki pieces): http://blogs.sega.com/2015/01/12/sega-3d-classics-3d-afterbunner-ii-%E2%80%93-a-classic-reborn-part-1/

#1 SEGA’s permanent storage warehouse must be a gaming paradise. Imagine, all of SEGA's machines under one roof...

#2 Hiroshi Iuchi, director of Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga Gradius 5, etc designed a bonus Special Mode in After Burner 2. Waaah..

EDIT: forgot to add part 2 of the interview http://blogs.sega.com/2015/01/13/

and #3 the fact that they captured actual crowd and mechanical sounds from the arcade machine is amazing.

Outstanding work, BlueMue! Thank you! Ausgezeichnet!

..."And the Wizard of Booze" ?!

Apparently this was once Flying Hamster 2: http://tinycartridge.com/post/817938535 ... rom-wonder

^Apart from VC games, I would suggest you take a look at the Guild series of games (especially Attack of the Friday Monsters as I recall you having an interest in the Boku no Natsuyasumi series), as well as Shovel Knight and Mighty Switch Force. Bloody Gunvolt are still not out in Europe but I am also looking forward to Outrun 3D. Yumi's Odd Odyssey (Sayonara Umihara Kawase) is another gem, though quite pricy.

Attack of the Friday Monsters! is, just as I'd expected, really, really endearing so far. Just about the most innocent thing I've played in a long time, and that actually counts for a helluva lot. I love things like this every now and then, taking a break from the usual combat and complication of other games. It's refreshing. I'm also a total sucker for nostalgic stories about childhood, and the Japanese seem to have a greater knack and interest in this stuff than those in the west. Loving it so far.
And special bonus: pre-rendered backgrounds!
Always a plus.

A bit of a curve ball, but you may have read (or watched the movie adaptation) of Tekkonkinkreet by Taiyou Matsumoto. Well, another of his series, Sunny , is being published right now and is totally about being a kid in 70s Japan, much like this game. I love it.

I noticed my list had a fair share of absentees. There's a lot of games from really great series I like quite a bit that couldn't break the top 10. So I'll try to post my favourite series:
1. Shenmue
2. Yakuza (except Dead Souls)
3. The Legend of Zelda
4. Virtua Fighter
5. OutRun (especially the first and 2006)
6. Disaster Report-Raw Danger
7. Metal Gear Solid
8. Space Invaders (especially the first, '91, both Extremes and Infinity Gene)
9. Hotel Dusk-Last Window
10. MSR-PGR (especially MSR and PGR2)

So, comparing to the favourite games list, Shenmue, Yakuza and Raw Danger remain strong, the Virtua Tennis (only 2 is exceptional), Tetris (there are loads of bad Tetris games), and WarioWare (they're great but all too similar) series don't make the grade this time. Neither do oustees Far Cry or Age of Empires.
On the other hand, TLoZ, VF, OutRun and MGS (at least) make their due appearance.

8 Bit Horse's best 2D games of 2014

^I agree. They're a pretty awesome website because they go in-depth with everything, as long as it's 2D. http://8bithorse.blogspot.pt/
And the website is horse-free. Its voice reminds me of Jared from Superjail, though hehe http://superjail.wikia.com/wiki/Jared

EDIT:
Oh my! New Leynos! That had flown under my radar!.. http://www.siliconera.com/2015/02/12/assualt-suit-leynos-shoots-first-stage/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFZQ2A9MdFc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DZL9I0PQrU

^I think I can relate to what you're feeling as I often think how it would be to own, for instance, just one game or something. To that effect, over the past couple of years I think I've sold or got rid of about 150 games, and I actually am enjoying getting games on the e-shop, like the GBC Zeldas, as they're not cluttering up any shelves neither were they a big burden on my money. I actually haven't played a tv-console in over a year (though I still am looking forward to Yakuza 5 on the PS3).
I guess I've been gradually trying to get to something like your Christmas box, though it might take a while. I'm not sure where it comes from in my case (I think it might come from something Bob Dylan said once, but I can't remember the exact quote atm), but there does seem to be a lot of stuff that isn't useful 364 days out of the year (or more), yet still takes up space and, ultimately, complicates our existence.
It would be nice to just have the stuff you need (including to be entertained) rather than everything else.
I once talked with a local mom&pop record store owner over here and he told me of a customer of his who had imposed on himself a strict "100 record" limit, where everytime he bought a new record from him, he'd get rid of one of his old ones. That struck a chord with the way i see things, and sometimes it feels like it'd be better to just throw things out rather than hold on to them.
Who are we holding these things for?
(sorry about rambling there for a bit)

The 2 new OutRun tracks for the 3DS release

For you cinemaphiles out there: First and final frames of movies

I wish they had put the movie list in the actual clip though

I'm pretty sure a centralized European office only started halfway through the 128bit generation. I think up to then all big countries had an office taking care of printing, advertising and distribution (possibly taking over smaller neighbour countries), which would explain SEGA's (for instance) country-specific advertisement, games that came out in one country but not in others, and the aforementioned all-french, or all-german language games and instructions.
The UK offices were probably the smoothest operators since they could just put out the american versions (or was language corrected for british grammar? )

8 games. I hadn't got any in a long time. http://i.imgur.com/vMrLrDs.jpg http://i.imgur.com/55Lf1Iq.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/PTvOBTh.jpg?1 http://i.imgur.com/kkapt8G.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/mVMIeIj.jpg http://i.imgur.com/sjqy5IG.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/lDBO1Nd.jpg?1 http://i.imgur.com/4b5spLQ.jpg?1

^Thank you!

Then let's get this rolling again. Back to the year 2000.

This isn't really Japanese music but I have been fascinated with Masaaki Suzuki and his Bach Collegium Japan. He is, quite simply, one of the foremost Bach and ancient music specialists in the world. The baroque style isn't exactly the most popular in the world, and it's of mostly religious inspiration. Although Suzuki-san grew up in a Christian home (a rarity in Japan), that he'd become one of the top experts of a style of music that has nothing to do with his homecountry is spectacular. Plus his Bach Collegium Japan, an orchestra and choral group mostly comprised of Japanese people sing in German or Latin. Suzuki has been known to translate the original texts so his singers understand the meaning of what they're singing. That they can sing it with so much passion even though they didn't grow up in a judaeo-christian culture and society is amazing.
They've already recorded all of Bach's cantatas in a mind boggling 55 records, plus Suzuki himself is a virtuoso harpsichordist and organist (I can't imagine how hard it must have been to try and learn these instruments in Japan - there can't be that many available), and is also in the process of recording all of Bach's keyboard works as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiKgrevzT-g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A-TNYT_1LM

I have a question for any of you guys who're very familiar with the Genesis/Mega Drive. Personally, I'm much more familiar with the SNES than I am with the Genesis, but i'm looking for games of a certain type on the Genesis -- that type is games like Link to the Past or Super Metroid. Games that have large connected overworlds that you can explore but aren't JRPGs. Most Genesis games I've played are usually level-based, which is fine, but I'm looking for something with more of a Metroid/Dark Souls approach. I'm familiar with Crusader of Centy, which I'm going to check out, but want to know if there are anymore I should be aware of. Anyway, thanks.

There aren't a lot of those, they are definitely not of the Genesis' strengths. I suggest Beyond Oasis, Wonder Boy in Monster World, Landstalker. You could also go for Treasure's Light Crusader, but you'll probably feel short-changed.
The best Metroid type game should be Castlevania Bloodlines, for obvious reasons. Something with a bit more action is the first Turrican. "Mega" Turrican had more linear stages.

None of those imo, despite being good to great games, are anywhere near Super Metroid of LTTP so I hope you're not setting yourself up for disappointment. Those two are probably as good as it gets in their categories.

Looks like, I can wait one year more, before I get a PS4.

Fantastic news all the same.

: )

I don't think anyone's posted this yet.
I've finally got the french book in the mail, despite having preordered it.
It's mostly text but it has a nice little photo section at the end, with pictures of real-site inspirations for the game that I thought I'd share:
https://imgur.com/a/eZK7Z

^I envy your solid 2nd hand market!..

Is it your "dream" guitar? What other models/makers were you considering?
I haven't played electrics in years and have only 1 MIC semiacoustic Ibanez (only play acoustics). I'm sure for that sort of money you'd be looking at plenty of different options.
Baritones are interesting but that's a beast and a half.. I imagine for heavy metal music it might be different but I can't imagine having a baritone as a main guitar..

Beautiful guitar, congratulations!

Ah well that's perfect then...

I'm sure sooner or later, when the situation is right, you'll want to add the baritone or go custom. The lack of decent local stores is a usual problem but these days quality control even in factory-made instruments is pretty good and online stores usually offer a trial period. That said you can always mess with dials, pickups and pedals if you desire a different sound. Be wary that a baritone might be a bit harder to play due to the longer scale length.
In the meantime you've got a professional instrument that will make you a better player, as you've surely felt by now. I don't know what guitar you were playing on previously but it seems like it was a big jump in quality and that really makes more of a difference than one imagines. Of course a great player can make a shoebox with strings sound great but a great instrument makes everything so easier and smoother.
I wouldn't worry about the aches from string gauge as that's something you'll grow accustomed to in time (assuming it gives you the tone you want). 13s seems like too much for an electric though! Be sure ESP recommends (or.. doesn't NOT recommend) using such a high gauge. It might warp the guitar's neck due to excess tension (unless of course you already play in drop tunings or.. you could tune it to standard but a half or full step down)

BTW, any less obvious Shenmue references in Yakuza 0? I've only seen the "You Game" arcade signs on Tahei Blvd..
I swear there's an homage to Yu Suzuki in one of Majima's sub stories. He resembles the leader of a cult Majima has to infiltrate. See if you agree when you get to it..

Eeeehhh... I dunno on that one. The thin mustache, long hair, and lack of a cheek mole negates it in my mind, but I could be wrong. The cult leader definitely reminds me of someone (can't for the life of me put my finger on who, though) but I don't know that I'd point toward Yu Suzuki.

Well, the obvious reference would be Shoko Asahara, the actual doomsday cult leader of the Aum Shinrikyo, who did the sarin gas attacks in the Tokyo subway.

https://i.imgur.com/qNGV0ca.jpg https://i.imgur.com/1zdd8Sb.jpg

Could be a bit of both! The face and demeanor is Asahara, but the mole and name are more similar to Yu..

The sort of references I was expecting though would be more of .. you know.. some sort of thing that hinted of a shared gameworld, since Yakuza 0 takes place right during Shenmue's timeframe.. Maybe one of those Segatasanshiro posters you'd see near Abe store... or those Shen hua chocolates and crisps, if not one of the stores actually being a Tomato (or just have the jingle).. Just wishful thinking, I know.

Not as barbaric as death by marlin cannon