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[MrSerrels]

This is the statement I received from Sony about Motorstorm:

"Further to the recent events in Christchurch, New Zealand, we are shocked and saddened to see the impact of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and our thoughts are with all those affected. We are very conscious of the underlying theme in MotorStorm and are doing everything we can to be as sensitive as possible to the situation. A number of steps have already taken immediate effect including the delay in distribution of the product in New Zealand. In Australia, the game is already in distribution, however we are ceasing any further shipments and have pulled the total marketing launch campaign in consideration of both of these recent tragic events."

 

[viciouskillersquirrel]

Radiant Historia still hasn't arrived. I haven't felt so frustrated by not having a game in years.

On the other hand, now that I've cleared the Ruvas Forest (f*ck that level, seriously), I'm loving my hard naked Shanoa run in Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia. It's brutally difficult, but the savepoints are frequent enough that I never feel like it's impossible to make progress.

Also, I serendipitously found a Gold Ring, this morning, which means I don't have to worry so much about being able to afford to stock up on healing items. Before anyone asks: no, I'm not going for all the medals. I've done that once already and it was painful enough the first time.

I <3 metroidvanias. God damn it, Konami, IGA's 1999 game could've been incredible! Why'd you have to go and ruin Castlevania like that? >:-(

 

[Bernbaum]

This is the statement I received from Sony about Motorstorm:

"Further to the recent events in Christchurch, New Zealand, we are shocked and saddened to see the impact of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and our thoughts are with all those affected. We are very conscious of the underlying theme in MotorStorm and are doing everything we can to be as sensitive as possible to the situation. A number of steps have already taken immediate effect including the delay in distribution of the product in New Zealand. In Australia, the game is already in distribution, however we are ceasing any further shipments and have pulled the total marketing launch campaign in consideration of both of these recent tragic events."

Hats off to Sony I guess for doing the respectable thing.

 

[Mar]

I <3 metroidvanias. God damn it, Konami, IGA's 1999 game could've been incredible! Why'd you have to go and ruin Castlevania like that? >:-(

Have you played Ultimate Ghosts n Goblins? My favourite game in the genre.

 

[viciouskillersquirrel]

Have you played Ultimate Ghosts n Goblins? My favourite game in the genre.

Unfortunately not. I keep thinking it'd be right up my alley, but I sold my PSP before I had a chance to play it (through a combination of a release drought and my needing the money at the time). I kept hoping to see a GnG port to DS, but it never happened.

Mind you, my impression of it was that it was less metroidvania and more old school Castlevania in the way it played.

 

[evlcookie]

Hats off to Sony I guess for doing the respectable thing.

I don't understand the delaying of a game due to current world events, But jolly good show Sony.

Side note, I want to know how this thing is shipped and if it will turn up in working order - http://1-day.com.au/products/AA4DSN1PB

 

[Shaneus]

I don't understand the delaying of a game due to current world events, But jolly good show Sony.

Side note, I want to know how this thing is shipped and if it will turn up in working order - http://1-day.com.au/products/AA4DSN1PB

I can almost guarantee you that it will be pretty crappy. Just save your pennies and buy a real one

 

[Choc]

This is the statement I received from Sony about Motorstorm:

"Further to the recent events in Christchurch, New Zealand, we are shocked and saddened to see the impact of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and our thoughts are with all those affected. We are very conscious of the underlying theme in MotorStorm and are doing everything we can to be as sensitive as possible to the situation. A number of steps have already taken immediate effect including the delay in distribution of the product in New Zealand. In Australia, the game is already in distribution, however we are ceasing any further shipments and have pulled the total marketing launch campaign in consideration of both of these recent tragic events."

It's already in the Channel in the UK and they have barred retailers selling it. It's not that hard....

 

[Planet_JASE]

Should Sony Aus have done the same? Like I said the other day I am in two minds but if SCEE did it so should Australia especially given Japan is closer to us.

No, I think they did the right thing releasing it. Let's preface my rationale with all the usual bullshit: I haven't been affected by the earthquake, I know of people that have been, I'd like to think of myself as compassionate, I think I'm considerate, don't attempt to intentionally upset people and would rate myself as an okay person at worst. So...

I get a little bit upset when games, movies, art, culture gets delayed because of it's similarities with a natural disaster / terrorist attack / whatever, especially when the production commenced well before the event and has not been designed with reference to it.

I feel for the people in NZ and Japan, the same as I feel for the people in my home state that were affected by the floods and cyclones. however, I feel that it's slightly petty to take a cultural object (film / book / game, etc) as offensive. I wasn't personally affected by the floods but even if I were, I would hope (I'm almost certain, in fact) that I wouldn't take offense at everything that involved floods, waves, rising water levels, etc. I would not see Waterworld as and evil, mocking, unsympathetic jibe at my situation.

When something is being released at the time of or around the event, much in the case of Motorstorm currently or that Arnie movie (Collateral Damage) around the World Trade Centre attacks I can see why there would be pause for though. This doesn't mean that I support the delay, editing or scrapping of it.

It's unfortunate. It really is. What I don't get is why these objections only exist on newly or about-to-be-released properties. Why is it that Motorstorm should get delayed while you can still go our there and buy any number of games that have natural disasters as the basis of the game world? Why delay Collateral Damage when Die Hard still existed (along with any number of other similarly-themed films are) on the shelves?

Even if I were to support the delaying of such items out of respect, how long does respect last? 1 month, 3 months? 12? 18? There was an outcry when Collateral Damage was released (I think) almost a year later. After it had been edited.

I think at some point people need to realise that companies and employees still need to make money, live their lives and support their families. Life needs to go on for everyone else and as long as the product in question has not been made in bad taste in response to the events I really have no issue with it.

 

[Planet_JASE]

Oh, I hadn't thought of marketing.

It wouldn't go amiss reviewing one's marketing and ensuring that, in light of current world events, could not be taken as callous or seem to be in poor taste.

I agree with that point from Sony.

 

[Gazunta]

It's more to prevent journos who write for audiences that don't understand how long it takes to make a game / movie / whatever from writing "SONY PROFITS FROM EARTHQUAKE MISERY IN SICK GAME" headlines...

Spoiler

...in newspapers that directly profit from earthquake misery

 

[Choc]

For those who don't know Disaster Report 4 has been flat out cancelled and scrapped

It was 2 months from release.

So its not just motorstorm

 

[Shaneus]

I understand why they'd pull advertising, but not the game itself. I haven't seen the boxart, but I'd assume it's more closely related to racing than natural disasters? I doubt anyone would look at the cover and think "Oh, it's a game about earthquakes and floods with maybe some racing involved possibly".

 

[codswallop]

For those who don't know Disaster Report 4 has been flat out cancelled and scrapped

Which is a shame because it seems like they're a small company putting out niche games that, while they don't sell millions of copies, were at least profitable enough to let people who enjoy them keep doing so, and people who enjoy making them also continue to do so.

Could be enough to put them under.

 

[Planet_JASE]

For those who don't know Disaster Report 4 has been flat out cancelled and scrapped

It was 2 months from release.

So its not just motorstorm

I understand that it's not just Motorstorm but that doesn't make it any better. I really, really, really, truly beleive that if games like Disaster Report 4 and Motorstorm should not be made then we should have no games/films/books/art that reference large scale events and disasters. Why are companies allowed to be disrespectful to all those that lost lives in war by referencing actually battles that took place and countless lives but a racing game can't have a world that exists in a state that is similar to a geological event.

The rules to all of these things are just crazy and don't make sense.

 

[codswallop]

Ubisoft supplies pirated copy of their own soundtrack to AssBro deluxe edition owners: http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/g4dh1/ubisoft_using_torrented_soundtrack_as_a_part_of/

 

[Planet_JASE]

Ubisoft supplies pirated copy of their own soundtrack to AssBro deluxe edition owners: http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/g4dh1/ubisoft_using_torrented_soundtrack_as_a_part_of/

Maybe they're implementing a LBP style community created content approach? If the community's going to crack a game for you/encode your soundtrack, why not use it!

 

[Choc]

Ok reasons why Motorstorm is NOT appropriate today


1. The game is set in the middle of earthquakes

2. As you race buildings collapse

3. As the buildings collapse people are seen running about


The whole THEME of the game is Earthquakes.....

 

[Planet_JASE]

Cannot operate the web. Double post.

 

[Planet_JASE]

Ok reasons why Motorstorm is NOT appropriate today


1. The game is set in the middle of earthquakes

2. As you race buildings collapse

3. As the buildings collapse people are seen running about


The whole THEME of the game is Earthquakes.....

First off, I'm not sure if you are supporting it or just listing justifiable reasons as you see it. I'm replying as if you were supporting to pulling of the game, Choc; no offense intended if it was the latter.

Games that also feature earthquakes that are currently on the shelves (list stolen from the internets):

Fracture
Bad Day L.A.
Incredible Crisis
Any SimCity game
Cities XL
Any Final Fantasy game where enemies keep casting Earthquake
Disaster Report

We currently have wars going on in the world where lives are constantly being lost. Is it fair that we play games where we have fun killing each other recreating historic battles? How is that respectful to those that actually gave up their lives in those conflicts?

People die each day in car accidents, some of them due to the reckless driving of others. Should be allow games such as NFS & Burnout, where the main idea is to drive counter to the road rules and purposefully cause crashes.

there are games upon games that feature "mundane daily tragedies" (that there is no money in the news agencies in exploiting) that don't get this sort of backlash. Why is it only reserved for situations involving a crisis?

 

[Choc]

i support the delay of the release.


What i would not support as you rightly say is stuff already on the shelf being pulled.


Stuff on the shelves already is unlikely to be marketed heavily at the moment as its already had its day in the sun. Sony was about to blitz the media with television ads full of earthquakes etc

This of course is coming down to marketing. They don't want to be seen as marketing a game with insensitive images (imagine watching the Japanese disaster then during an ad see that game being shown, you'd be kinda wtf)

But to support the game they need to market. As well as this, if you have played the game (as I have) and i'd be itnerested to hear serrels take on this as i am sure he has played it too, you would probably get why now is not the best time to ship it

If it was out 2 weeks ago fair enough leave it, but to ship it and market it right now is not the right time.

 

[Ventron]

Are you bound by some sort of exclusivity agreement or are you planning to release it in some other form (say iOS)? I'm curious to play it.

I have no agreement, it's just written in C# which means Xbox Indie Games is the only place where it will run.

 

[legend166]

So why do I need to go to an interview for my passport?

What are they going to ask me? What my strengths and weaknesses are?

 

[viciouskillersquirrel]

I have no agreement, it's just written in C# which means Xbox Indie Games is the only place where it will run.

Basic C++ is the extent of my programming knowledge and I don't even know what distinguishes C# from it. Are C# compilers not available for other platforms?

 

[Fredescu]

So why do I need to go to an interview for my passport?

What are they going to ask me? What my strengths and weaknesses are?

It's not really an interview, it's just someone making sure you filled out the form correctly while you're present.

 

[Omikron]

It's not really an interview, it's just someone making sure you filled out the form correctly while you're present.

This. And no doubt to make sure the pictures you provide are actually of who you say you are

 

[Planet_JASE]

But to support the game they need to market. As well as this, if you have played the game (as I have) and i'd be itnerested to hear serrels take on this as i am sure he has played it too, you would probably get why now is not the best time to ship it

I've not played the game but have seen gameplay footage, so I know a little about what's in it (obviously not as much as yourself). I can see how it would be hard to market the game currently which makes releasing it problematic. As a business I can see why you would not want to send a game into the market if you can't hard-sell it to consumers.

However, the reason why people would not want it released is because of the setting more so than any attributed marketing campaign that would accompany it. Sony, rather, want to delay putting it out because they can't promote it. Different reasons but the same result.

Personally, if you were going to get offended by the game there's more than enough reason to do so outside of current global events. The footage I've seen contained destruction on a city wide basis; vehicles careened out of control while aflame; building collapsing as you neared them and streets caving in. The concerning part is that there are people desperately trying to flee the chaos, only to get mowed down by the contestants as they race (heck, why are the cars racing during an earthquake?). If I were going to get offended by anything contained within the game it would be that, not the setting.

I agree why Sony may want to delay the game but it's not the same reason as to why people want the game stopped. It also doesn't mean that I agree with the fact that it has.

Anyway, I'm enjoying this discussion. This is the sort of stuff that drew me in and kept me coming back to this thread.

 

[Choc]

It's not really an interview, it's just someone making sure you filled out the form correctly while you're present.

they also check your birth certificate etc is legitimate

and the photos you are submitting are good enough. The photos need to be 100% accurate with no shadows etc else DFAT will reject it

but yeah its not an interview so to speak, just checking crap is correct.

Make sure when you fill out the form you do not go outside the lines of the boxes, else it gets rejected.

 

[MrSerrels]

With these things I just don't really feel passionately about it at all. I wouldn't really connect the two because I tend to seperate fact and fiction.

But, yeah, I back Sony's decision. It's a PR nightmare - you don't want to be seen as profiting from what is a harrowing event. I don't even necessarily think the content in the game matters, just the theme and the trivialising of what is a terrible disaster in video game form.

I just don't think Motorstorm Apocalypse, which uses earthquakes as a game mechanic to open new shortcuts in a racing game needs to be all over TV ads or billboards right now.

 

[Ventron]

Basic C++ is the extent of my programming knowledge and I don't even know what distinguishes C# from it. Are C# compilers not available for other platforms?

It also uses the XNA framework, not available on other platforms. I came to C# from C++ and C# is basically just an easier version for those who hate pointers and manual memory management. I don't, but saving some time is still OK in my book.

 

[legend166]

They didn't accept my application because it looks like someone may have written over the date on the part where the guarantor signs. Except it was because he had to press hard because of a crappy pen.

 

[markot]

They didn't accept my application because it looks like someone may have written over the date on the part where the guarantor signs. Except it was because he had to press hard because of a crappy pen.

Dont lie, they found out your family arrived by boat!

 

[jambo]

Nah, they just found out he was a Swans supporter.

 

[legend166]

Dont lie, they found out your family arrived by boat!

Yeah, but we're white so it doesn't matter.

 

[codswallop]

Dont lie, they found out your family arrived by boat!

Nah, they just found out he was a Swans supporter.

All these things sound like reasons to give someone a passport to make sure they can get out of the country...

Edit: My father arrived by boat.

 

[AdventureRacing]

Just found out my uncle was murdered last night. I won't pretend i was really close to him but man its a strange feeling. He was a good guy and thinking about what happened to him is pretty horrible.

 

[Choc]

Yeah its a pain in the arse legend, it has to be so perfect

interesting...


:|

 

[Choc]

Just found out my uncle was murdered last night. I won't pretend i was really close to him but man its a strange feeling. He was a good guy and thinking about what happened to him is pretty horrible.

what?

is it on the news?

 

[jambo]

EDIT: Sorry to hear Adventure.

interesting...

Figures. They already do iPod touch trade-ins and the iPad has tons of games.

 

[legend166]

Yeah its a pain in the arse legend, it has to be so perfect

interesting...


:|

Might be a pretty good deal for people wanting to upgrade to iPad 2 without the hassles of selling?



Sorry to hear about that Adventure.

 

[AdventureRacing]

what?

is it on the news?

Yes but i haven't seen the story.

Edit: it was on the top stories on google news, not sure if its still there.

 

[MrSerrels]

http://australianchristianlobby.org...on-should-not-pre-empt-classification-review/

I know I shouldn't let it bother me, but fuck's sake these guys wind me up. At least spell O'Connor right FFS...

 

[Stackboy]

I'll be picking up Motorstorm: Apocalypse tonight. I understand why the game is being pulled in some areas by Sony, but at the same time, there are plenty of end of the world games out there that have the same effect.

 

[legend166]

Phil Hughes scores a hundred in the Sheffield Shield final. Yay NSW!

 

[Gazunta]

Jesus Adventure, that's awful. Condolences to your family. Hope whoever committed this is brought to justice swiftly.

 

[Danoss]

ACL does not accept the argument that introducing an R18+ category for games would protect children as it would be naive to think that children would not get a hold of them.

Why have a classification system at all then?

Also, if this is their argument, why aren't they using it as a springboard to ban R18+ movies on top of this? According to them, it'd be naive to think that kids aren't watching them too.

They wind me up too Serrels, they're the most backward thinking bunch of idiots.

 

[markot]

ACL are scum, they are opposing the ACT and NT from getting more democratic rights, ie not having single ministers in federal parliament be able to turn over territory laws just because they dont like them, because they are freaked out that it might lead to GAY MARRIAGE somehow, even though none of this would make it possible for them, like any state, to have gay marriage because marriage is a federal issue and their laws always trump state ones if there is a conflict..........

Fuck em and their nosy bastardryness.

 

[Mar]

Just found out my uncle was murdered last night. I won't pretend i was really close to him but man its a strange feeling. He was a good guy and thinking about what happened to him is pretty horrible.

What the fuck dude. My thoughts go to you and your family.

 

[Choc]

Yeah sorry adventure, condolences

 

[jambo]

Internet rolls over tomorrow, computer at home is hammering away and downloading as much as possible!