Author Topic: Coverage of Digital Games Expo 2013 in VideoGameGeek  (Read 7371 times)

cuc

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Coverage of Digital Games Expo 2013 in VideoGameGeek
« on: November 20, 2013, 09:13:31 AM »
VideoGameGeek, which is a sister site to world's largest board game site BoardGameGeek, has published a story about Digital Games Expo 2013 and Japanese indie games. ZUN is mentioned prominently in this article (summary of Touhou related shenagians is here.)

http://videogamegeek.com/blogpost/24969/digital-games-expo-2013-an-indie-games-expo-in-to

Since the article is written by Simon Lundstr?m, an old guard manga translator from Sweden, the article displays an understanding of Japanese doujin culture you can't find in coverage done by the average Western game journalists.
« Last Edit: November 20, 2013, 10:36:09 AM by cuc »
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cuc

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Re: Coverage of Digital Games Expo 2013 in VideoGameGeek
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2013, 10:51:59 AM »
Done reading. I think the author, in his attempt to portrait ZUN as a visionary, may have made what ZUN said sound a little too much like definite and grandiose statements. People may walk away from this article with the impression that ZUN will retire from making yearly shooting games, for example, when DDC's ending clearly indicates that story of Gensokyo is far from over. The article could also use some editing (Puzzle and Dragons doesn't have a sales number? French Bread is "now" doing arcade development, not "not".)

However, this is still a valuable article that says things  rarely said in most Western coverage - how many Western articles begin by acknowledging the rumor that Japanese developers prefer to hire non-gamers?
« Last Edit: November 20, 2013, 10:56:06 AM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

CyberAngel

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Re: Coverage of Digital Games Expo 2013 in VideoGameGeek
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2013, 05:17:51 PM »
I think the author, in his attempt to portrait ZUN as a visionary, may have made what ZUN said sound a little too much like definite and grandiose statements. People may walk away from this article with the impression that ZUN will retire from making yearly shooting games, for example, when DDC's ending clearly indicates that story of Gensokyo is far from over.

Agreed, he does sound too definite, but in reality:

Quote from: Simon Lundstr?m
[...]and just making some weird games when he feels like it[...]

Isn't that what ZUN was actually doing the whole time? :D

What ZUN could've really meant was probably that he won't be coming to as many cons that would make him a sole embodiment of Japanese doujin devs, unlike this year. Well, it's always nice to see ZUN staying true to himself.

Firestorm29

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Re: Coverage of Digital Games Expo 2013 in VideoGameGeek
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2013, 05:35:31 PM »

Isn't that what ZUN was actually doing the whole time? :D

What ZUN could've really meant was probably that he won't be coming to as many cons that would make him a sole embodiment of Japanese doujin devs, unlike this year. Well, it's always nice to see ZUN staying true to himself.
I actually was asking the same thing, but I found this idea of him being a spokesperson to indie games from 2004+ in the article to be something that threw me off. I know recently he's been pushing people who want to make games just go with their desire, but I never quite thought of him as being in that sort of role for so long.

Though it is also interesting how be brought up points how it is so hard to me an indie person in Japan to get things published with needing a larger brand name to back you, and how it seems like the opposite on our side of the ocean where any piece of junk makes it in the online stores. I would have expected it to be the reverse considering I've come across more than a few titles that would be able to easily compete.

Sahgren

Re: Coverage of Digital Games Expo 2013 in VideoGameGeek
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2013, 08:17:35 PM »
I'm a little surprised to see how many people work on each game and how long it takes. I'm used to hearing about big name, 100+ person companies spending years on each game. 2-3 people programming from scratch over about a year would really drive production costs down now that I think about it.

CyberAngel

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Re: Coverage of Digital Games Expo 2013 in VideoGameGeek
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2013, 09:32:00 PM »
That's how commercial game development was until mid nineties as well. A few people could create a masterpiece in a short time, and get enough return to build a huge company. Then they decided they need to "keep up with the standards" and bloated their budgets in every way imaginable. And now they're complaining they can't cover the expenses anymore. Sad. ...I actually wonder how much did this play a role in that "Japanese commercial gaming dying" thing.

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Re: Coverage of Digital Games Expo 2013 in VideoGameGeek
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2013, 04:36:27 AM »
I'm a little surprised to see how many people work on each game and how long it takes. I'm used to hearing about big name, 100+ person companies spending years on each game. 2-3 people programming from scratch over about a year would really drive production costs down now that I think about it.
In my experience, it generally makes more sense to have less programmers per game unless it's super huge and requires modular implementation and strictly enforced protocol. Too many chefs, if you will. Can't say for sure if art assets are the same deal, though.


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Firestorm29

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Re: Coverage of Digital Games Expo 2013 in VideoGameGeek
« Reply #7 on: November 21, 2013, 10:59:01 AM »
Personally, I think it's more that game companies have become too business-like, kinda like what ZUN alluded, too. More about whats "in" and a bit of the game for everyone rather than making something of a good quality.