What version?
Round 1 is actually a Japanese chain, so they tend to carry the latest of everything on the official E-amuse network, and are the only way to play on real E-amuse in the US. Any other places with networked machines machines run on another network that you can find about on your own time, as I can't really talk about it here (you cant legal me).
Not everything - locations that carry DDR, pop'n, and jubeat tend to be running older versions offline due to the necessary licensing arrangements for those games not being completed.
So it looks like Round 1 has opened in Arlington TX. A bit of a drive for me, but they do have IIDX and Guitadora and other Japanese arcade games.
Went there yesterday. 45 minute drive, but before it opened the only other option was the 3 hour drive to Austin, so I guess it's not too bad. First time playing on a real cab and the buttons were nice, but the increased turntable distance wrecked me so I was barely passing 9s (though I managed Mei H after a second try). eAmuse wasn't working; don't know whether it's not set up at all or if it was just having problems that day. Doesn't matter too much since I don't have a card anyway.
Anyone happen to know the arcade turntable distance from the buttons? I wanna try simulating it with my USKOC.
Went there yesterday. 45 minute drive, but before it opened the only other option was the 3 hour drive to Austin, so I guess it's not too bad. First time playing on a real cab and the buttons were nice, but the increased turntable distance wrecked me so I was barely passing 9s (though I managed Mei H after a second try). eAmuse wasn't working; don't know whether it's not set up at all or if it was just having problems that day. Doesn't matter too much since I don't have a card anyway.
Anyone happen to know the arcade turntable distance from the buttons? I wanna try simulating it with my USKOC.
Programmed World -is- the user-made server for arcade machines, built to support arcades that imported machines for public use. There's more to it that I'm uncomfortable discussing in public, but yes, this is very much within their rights.What the hell? Do they have legal precedent to do that?
And I also believe there's user-made servers to circumvent the Bemani network BS.
It was bound to happen And Konami isn't smart enough anymore to do a home version of IIDX these days.
There's no public source of the network going down to my knowledge, but I've heard the exact same thing myself on Twitter and the like and nothing to the contrary.It's a very Square Enix-tier move. "We won't release it, but we don't want you playing it on your own either."
And this isn't like Type-0; arcades bought these cabinets. It's not their fault you won't localize them or support the US market.
Is there a source on this, by the way? No Bemanistyle, and they were my avenue for stuff like this back in the day.
There's no public source of the network going down to my knowledge, but I've heard the exact same thing myself on Twitter and the like and nothing to the contrary.
The issue is that the game's are not sold like they were in the past. The cabinet costs have come down (about half of what they were a few years ago is the number I've heard from a couple of people) and the updates are free -- but now you have to pay e-amuse license fees and per-game fees. Konami doesn't have the infrastructure in place to handle payments in the US (never mind resolving issues like daily network maintenance occurring during prime time in the US), and I doubt any arcade operator (outside of Round 1) could afford the fees. And even if the cabinet they import is a legit version of Pendual, what happens when they move on to the next version? It's pretty clear that there are cabinets here that started as pre-Tricoro cabinets now running the latest version, so that data has to be coming from somewhere, and I would imagine that would be a huge concern as well.
I'm not even going to pretend I have any idea of the legal implications of machines licensed in this matter, and while it may be an interesting legal question I doubt anyone involved has the resources or wherewithal to find out.
I also get the general impression that Konami wishes the international fandom for Bemani games just didn't exist, and that it's been a huge net negative to them. All it really got them were a few failed US releases and heartburn in the forms of things like In The Groove and Programmed World.
I'm skeptical that using a custom server to run an online game that you legitimately purchased could be considered illegal. Immoral, maybe('for sale and use in Japan only'), but not illegal.
Edit: Is another console iteration unlikely?
It's a very Square Enix-tier move. "We won't release it, but we don't want you playing it on your own either."
And this isn't like Type-0; arcades bought these cabinets. It's not their fault you won't localize them or support the US market.
Is there a source on this, by the way? No Bemanistyle, and they were my avenue for stuff like this back in the day.
I'm skeptical that using a custom server to run an online game that you legitimately purchased could be considered illegal. Immoral, maybe('for sale and use in Japan only'), but not illegal.
I think it would be very possible -- it just wouldn't make any financial sense, since it would gut their arcade revenues way too much. The only way I could see it making sense is doing one final release after the final version of the arcade version (whenever that is -- and given the general performance of arcades in Japan, that's probably sooner rather than later), and then use that to sell most of the series as DLC as one last squeeze of that rock.There's no chance in hell. They already skipped PS3, and it's even less likely they have the budget to make a PS4 IIDX controller.
Just shared the news with the folks at UFO. Mood changed quite a bit at the "funeral". About time we got some official support.
So this means they can go official?
Potentially, BUT it's going to depend on how the system is set up. The current way that Konami handles things through Paseli makes it harder for arcades to turn a profit on these machines. We will have to just wait and see how this will work out.
At this point is official support really going to matter? Seems far too late.
Well... I've been staring at a FP7 EMP for a few hours. I definitely can't pull the trigger right now, though. I would buy a cheaper controller, but it's over $100 anyway... May as well go all out if I ever get one.There's no chance in hell. They already skipped PS3, and it's even less likely they have the budget to make a PS4 IIDX controller.
My friend has one of these controllers. Is it significantly better than other controllers?
Konami's making it pretty difficult to keep players interested in Pendual if songs like this are what we have to look forward to as special unlocks:I didn't know this thread was so dead.
PEE is more arcade precise than a FP7 in terms of dimension layout. I'd be inclined to take the former if I would be willing to commit that kind of money on a controller (which I did).My friend has one of these controllers. Is it significantly better than other controllers?
I like this one, but in all honesty your second possibility is far more likely these days. :/1) IIDX 23 - Singularity. The main visual theme incorporates a motif of circuitry, electronics, data processing, &c.; sort of like The Matrix in mentality or even hearkening back to the Cyber Mind designs they had in some points of 3rd and 4th Style. The song roster is basically a new Spada, and is capped off with five new Prim songs.
I don't know, Konami are not in the best of shape right now. While they could badly use some good PR, does their moron of a CEO even care about IIDX?
Also, I love how we're still in Gaming, heh.