Author Topic: Downloading Touhou Games  (Read 21317 times)

Letty Whiterock

Downloading Touhou Games
« on: November 17, 2010, 09:04:59 PM »
Do you think there could be a potential future in offering upcoming Touhou releases via digital download a la sites like DLsite? A number of games are offered through such services, and while it's not like Paletweb and the like are difficult services to use, download services for games are all the rage now (Steam, XBLA, PSN, etc.) and can help provide content to people who aren't exactly trusting of purchasing physical copies online. This isn't to say that ZUN will offer Touhou games in this manner (he probably won't), but do you think that doing so would help spread awareness and increase potential sales to the Touhou fans at large? Maybe decrease piracy of Touhou games just a little bit? Discussion!

Ghaleon

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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #1 on: November 17, 2010, 09:19:11 PM »
Oh god I hope so. for everything, I hope that it will happen, that Zun will support it, that it will increase awareness, decrease piracy. All of it.
When Reccetear came out on Steam, that's exactly why I purchased it right away even though I never even played,seen,heard of the game yet. Granted, I'm also a big supporter for ALL doujin games, not just Touhou, so it wasn't for Touhou only, but pretty much everything that applies for Doujin games applies for Touhou.

That and I'm not against more fans of the series, more fans = more fanwork which = more great arrangement bands/fangames, etc. I don't mind sifting thru the bad/meh work to get the gems.

edit: Sorry got carried away, as for what I THINK...I honestly don't know if it will happen or not, but if it did, I do think it would increase awareness and decrease piracy as well.

Savory

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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #2 on: November 17, 2010, 09:20:48 PM »
Sounds like a good idea. I mean the more you prohibit something, the more people would want to break the rules. Being unfortunate that the series is only sold in Japan, at least allowing a widespread download system will, as you say,  increase awareness of the series and bring piracy to a screeching halt (maybe).

Iryan

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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #3 on: November 17, 2010, 09:21:47 PM »
I am going to say what I already said some time ago:

Touhou XX on Steam would be great in every possible way, but just as unlikely. Still


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« Last Edit: November 17, 2010, 09:29:06 PM by Iryan »
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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2010, 09:22:34 PM »
At first when I read the title and the first few sentences I thought you lost your mind and actually suggested piracy.

* Gpop sighs out of relief

Anyways, tbh looking at how ZUN the chances of this are VERY low atm, especially since he seems to focus his releases on events such as Comiket and Reitaisai. And I don't think he would trust sites for people to download from for various reasons, especially if it's not gonna be put on a program like Steam and such.

Of course, there might be chances that people might take this action into their own hands and try it on their own and give most of the money directly to ZUN but it's so unlikely that he'll approve of that as well...

Didn't he also mention something about the fact that he didn't want it to get too popular that it'll get out of hand for him to control the doujin community on his series?

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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2010, 09:27:59 PM »
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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #6 on: November 17, 2010, 09:38:35 PM »
Didn't he also mention something about the fact that he didn't want it to get too popular that it'll get out of hand for him to control the doujin community on his series?

He did. And it failed hard   :D I wonder where he is in control now, if it comes to fandom and doujins...


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Downloading Touhou games
« Reply #7 on: November 17, 2010, 09:40:17 PM »
I think it would definitely decrease piracy. The whole reason why people pirate games, after cost, is ease of obtainment. People would still want their free games, but many more would probably get the games legally.

I also think it could, but not necessarily would, increase its popularity. And I'm OK with that. Touhou isn't a clubhouse. It's just a great series. The more who discover it, the better.

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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #8 on: November 17, 2010, 09:48:26 PM »
stuff

Lol he thinks that ZUN actually cares about distribution in the west -3-
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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #9 on: November 17, 2010, 09:55:35 PM »
bring piracy to a screeching halt

As long as you have to pay for it, this is never going to happen.

I do think it would be a good idea, however. It would definitely produce more fans, as right now you either have to pirate it or find some way to get it from Japan.

At first when I read the title and the first few sentences I thought you lost your mind and actually suggested piracy.

Glad I'm not the only one.
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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #10 on: November 17, 2010, 10:13:46 PM »
Yeah I came in here going 'sweet, time to watch snowball challenge or epic ban'.

It's a neat idea, either way. Saves me from worrying about having to replace CDs that pets get to.

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Downloading Touhou games
« Reply #11 on: November 17, 2010, 10:17:35 PM »
Lol Ubiquital didn't actually read the OP.

"Human history and growth are both linked closely to strife. Without conflict, humanity would have no impetus for growth. When humans are satisfied with their present condition, they may as well give up on life."

Re: Downloading Touhou games
« Reply #12 on: November 17, 2010, 10:30:51 PM »
Lol Ubiquital didn't actually read the OP.

Ur right, so I shall change it to :

"Lol he thinks that ZUN  might possibly care about distribution in the west -3-"
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Letty Whiterock

Re: Downloading Touhou games
« Reply #13 on: November 17, 2010, 10:35:47 PM »
Ur right, so I shall change it to :

"Lol he thinks that ZUN  might possibly care about distribution in the west -3-"

Great contribution to the discussion.

Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #14 on: November 17, 2010, 10:44:44 PM »
Yeah I came in here going 'sweet, time to watch snowball challenge or epic ban'.

That'd be a bit ironic, given that Letty used to hand said Snowball Challenges out.

Anyway, as has been mentioned, it would probably decrease piracy by giving people a new avenue with which to legally obtain the games. Wouldn't completely stamp it out, though. Though, how would the games' sales perform relative to the other things available on Steam/etc.? Given Recettear, they'd at least be mildly popular, but they might be overshadowed by FPS games and such.

Ghaleon

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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #15 on: November 17, 2010, 10:49:16 PM »
Wasn't Letty the one that organized an e-mail to Zun requesting for such things as internet purchases or donations or something and never got a response?
In any case I don't think Letty thinks Zun does or doesn't or might care about sales in the west, it's just a theoretical scenario to discuss...
It seems like someone STILL hasn't read the op though, as made clear if you read
Quote
(He probably won't)

There is one possibility for when Zun may want to expand sales though if he currently is totally uninterested though, not a good one. If for some reason he decides to take a big break (or quit altogether) from making Touhou games but doesn't want his income to take a break too, he can probably earn some cash without making moar games for awhile doing that.

I'll continue to fantasize about Touhou being available on Steam and Zun happily making moar though (without UFO powerups that is, god I hate those).

Edit: If Touhou became available on Steam, I would assume its popularity would be quite high (also because of Reccetear's success), which makes me wonder. How much would it affect the STG genre's popularity to us cave-dwelling westerners?
« Last Edit: November 17, 2010, 10:51:04 PM by Ghaleon »

Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #16 on: November 17, 2010, 10:55:48 PM »

There is one possibility for when Zun may want to expand sales though if he currently is totally uninterested though, not a good one. If for some reason he decides to take a big break (or quit altogether) from making Touhou games but doesn't want his income to take a break too, he can probably earn some cash without making moar games for awhile doing that.

I'll continue to fantasize about Touhou being available on Steam and Zun happily making moar though (without UFO powerups that is, god I hate those).

Edit: If Touhou became available on Steam, I would assume its popularity would be quite high (also because of Reccetear's success), which makes me wonder. How much would it affect the STG genre's popularity to us cave-dwelling westerners?

Well, assuming that ZUN might actually be interested in the western market, and somehow does end up putting the games on steam or some other download site, I doubt it would be hugely popular (beyond the existing fans.) Recettear had it's start in the western fanbase, but what I think will keep it's popularity high is the game's creativity, as opposed to Touhou, which are, gameplay-wise, more run-of-the-mill. Besides, it's not like there's going to be another wave of popularity for shmups in the west.
« Last Edit: November 17, 2010, 11:14:13 PM by Ubiquitial »
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Letty Whiterock

Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #17 on: November 17, 2010, 11:17:09 PM »
Wasn't Letty the one that organized an e-mail to Zun requesting for such things as internet purchases or donations or something and never got a response?

Afraid not. However, I did contact [erka:es], the creators of Rosenkreuzstilette, about digital distribution. Lo and behold: http://eng.dlsite.com/work/=/product_id/RE051185

Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #18 on: November 17, 2010, 11:38:28 PM »
I could see it happening eventually, especially with the older games; however, like Platine Dispositif, ZUN might opt to do disc-based compilation releases instead. I'd love for him to re-release that PC-98 compilation, but I'm not sure if he actually has the rights to those games.

If Touhou does go digital, it most likely will end up on sites like DLsite, DiGiKet, Melonbooks, and Messe Sanoh. Except for Melonbooks and DLsite, these sites tend to be exclusionary, so us foreigners would still be stuck with having to buy the physical releases, and personally, that's what I would prefer to continue doing.

Steam or some other Western service would probably only enter the picture if ZUN were to license the Touhou games to a doujin localizer like Rockin' Android, and they in particular, lately seem to be interested in PSN more than anything.
« Last Edit: November 17, 2010, 11:49:10 PM by Aisha »

Drake

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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #19 on: November 17, 2010, 11:58:09 PM »
Okay people you seriously need to get that this isn't talking about using a western service. If it was offered online, it would be aimed towards Japan, but westerners would be able to buy it. Stop all the "ZUN doesn't care about the west" nonsense, it has nothing to do with this. Offering it online would make it easier to obtain for westerners, but the main focus is "all Touhou fans".

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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #20 on: November 18, 2010, 12:07:59 AM »
cave-dwelling westerners
I thought "Cave-dwelling" and thought of Deathsmiles and other danmaku games that actually have been released Stateside ...

Letty Whiterock

Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #21 on: November 18, 2010, 12:08:33 AM »
Okay people you seriously need to get that this isn't talking about using a western service. If it was offered online, it would be aimed towards Japan, but westerners would be able to buy it. Stop all the "ZUN doesn't care about the west" nonsense, it has nothing to do with this. Offering it online would make it easier to obtain for westerners, but the main focus is "all Touhou fans".

This guy. This guy right here.

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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #22 on: November 18, 2010, 12:23:21 AM »
This is what happens when people just jump into the topic without reading the OP properly.

Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #23 on: November 18, 2010, 12:47:09 AM »
This is what happens when people just jump into the topic without reading the OP properly.

Well, watcha gonna do? The OP was a paragraph long! It would have taken almost 45 seconds to read it, and another 45 to come up with a smart response! My time is valuable.    ;)
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Ghaleon

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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #24 on: November 18, 2010, 01:06:31 AM »
Well, watcha gonna do? The OP was a paragraph long! It would have taken almost 45 seconds to read it, and another 45 to come up with a smart response! My time is valuable.    ;)

learn and re-shift the focus back to the topic by saying something related to it like so:
So wur do I download EoSD? *hides* (I'm not serious don't hurt me).

Anyway, for the record, my own knowledge of purchasing games online is very limited. Even steam is something I've mostly ignored until the announcement of Reccetear (I like having a jewel case and manual and whatnot...Though manuals tend to suck for the last few years, so yeah.. kinda starting to become questionable). so when I mentioned it I wasn't specifically thinking for westerners so much as the only buy and download online game database I knew of >=)

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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #25 on: November 18, 2010, 01:24:23 AM »
It's not just ZUN, almost every doujin game circle really doesn't care too much about digital distribution. Even Carpe Fulgur had to prod EGS about it with Recettear (although there were other factors in play). Most of it is that most circles aren't out to necessarily hit it big, and they're just accustomed to the whole Comiket-style or doujin store sales method. They will gladly sell to you if you come to them, but they don't seem motivated to make that extra effort to be easily accessible, for whatever reason.

Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #26 on: November 18, 2010, 01:26:02 AM »
It's not just ZUN, almost every doujin game circle really doesn't care too much about digital distribution. Even Carpe Fulgur had to prod EGS about it with Recettear (although there were other factors in play). Most of it is that most circles aren't out to necessarily hit it big, and they're just accustomed to the whole Comiket-style or doujin store sales method. They will gladly sell to you if you come to them, but they don't seem motivated to make that extra effort to be easily accessible, for whatever reason.

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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #27 on: November 18, 2010, 01:51:18 AM »
Of doujin game making, rather.

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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #28 on: November 18, 2010, 01:11:25 PM »
I say it would be really nice if Touhou will be buyable in Steam. It's more accessible that way, and it'd be much easier for people to get it without going to Japan. (well, for me at least because I'm 15 and I don't have a passport yet.)

If, however, I wanted a memento or some sorts, (like that awesome jewel case) I'd buy it right from Japan.

I think it might help reel in some more fans, but meh. Do not like Touhou to become too popular.


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Re: Downloading Touhou Games
« Reply #29 on: November 18, 2010, 01:20:56 PM »
Do not like Touhou to become too popular.
Any particular reason why? It's not like it isn't already popular enough to have the annoying fanbase.