James

[color=#707875]The unfortunate thing is that ideology gets put at the forefront here. And it's really not that simple. Yeah, you can choose who to have sex with...but you can't choose who you fall in love with or are attracted to. Straight people know that, surely. I mean, that's why break-ups in relationships are so difficult -- you can't just sit there and switch off your emotions. You can't say "Okay, today I'm going to like her. Actually, no, today I'm going to like [i]her[/i]." It just doesn't work like that. As far as it not being natural...well, I'm sure that there are some hard-line Islamic clerics who would tell you that certain things are not "natural" (ie: wearing certain clothing or not having a beard or something along those lines). But that's a religious point of view. It's a personal philosophical opinion. At the basic level, we're talking about what makes us human -- who we are. When you attack that, you are understandably hitting a nerve. Let's also be clear that being homosexual or bisexual doesn't automatically somehow make you promiscuous. That's yet another misconception/stereotype. Having said all of the above, I have one major problem with this thread; it's gotten so far off track that it's ridiculous. I shouldn't have to come into these threads and pull everyone up to remind them about the thread's original intention. The question was, if you experiment, does it make you bisexual or homosexual? Right now nobody is even attempting to answer that question. Those of you who want to simply condemn people and rant at people are advised not to post in the thread. You have a choice. Be civil and contribute positively to the discussion, or don't post. Everything posted at OB should be considered in that context. In the same way that I would not tolerate people who blatantly attack people's religious or political beliefs, I also won't tolerate those who attack someone's actual humanity. OB is intended to be a welcoming place, where people can feel safe. And that's not what I'm seeing here. So please, let's bear that in mind. This will be my absolute last warning on that point.[/color]

[QUOTE=Baron Samedi][size=1] Oh, and James? I think Azure was referring to Dagger's idea to type it up in Notepad. But anyway, once you've copied it into the WYSIWYG editor, you highlight and change stuff. Very easy, still.[/size][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]I know what Azure is referring to. lol I'm simply saying that the inability to cache information in the WYSIWYG editor doesn't defeat its purpose, is all. Unfortunately, no matter what we do (whether information is cached or not), some people will still occasionally have this problem. All you can do is be careful that you don't click off the page while you're writing a post, or that you copy your post as you write it, or that you write it in Notepad first. There's very little we can do on our end to actually change that.[/color]

[color=#707875]Thank you. I guess that this thread should serve to remind everyone that plagiarism is really not a good idea here at OB (or in general). By plagiarising, you're not only using someone else's work...but you're leaving no room for your own work to improve. And that hurts everyone, including yourself. But also, it kind of wastes everyone's time too. It means another thread closure and another wasted thread for visitors to the site. Please don't plagiarise in future.[/color]

[color=#707875]Are you serious? lol That is obviously a photograph with a filter added. Perhaps someone will be kind enough to find a copy of the original photo somewhere on the Internet?[/color]

[quote name='Deimos']I love this game!!!!![/quote] [color=#707875]Deimos...please ensure that you take a look at our rules page and our FAQ. Basically, it's really important that you explain [i]why[/i] you like the game and that you demonstrate some kind of depth to your posts. Looking at other people's posts is a great indicator, actually. It'll give you an idea of the quality we are looking for here at OtakuBoards. If you have any questions, please use the Suggestions & Feedback forum. [/color]

[QUOTE=AzureWolf][font=Book Antiqua][size=2][color=blue]Bleh it makes all these functions in this WYSI-whatever editor useless.[/color][/size][/font] [/QUOTE] [color=#707875]o_O The WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) editor is there for people who don't want to use vB tags. But if you accidentally click another link on the page and leave the post...that has no relationship to the WYSIWYG post editor. I mean, it doesn't make it any less useful. lol I think that all of these suggestions are fine. For really really long posts, I tend to use Notepad (pretty much only in RPGs), but Ctrl+C is also a great (and quick) way to back up any work that you're doing.[/color]

[quote name='densuke']I don't get where I come off sounding like I am unaware of the copyrights held by the Japanese producers, or that I wish to deny these rights to the companies.[/quote] [color=#707875]You don't come off that way. I was talking about intellectual property, not copyright. The two are legally different. By illegally downloading content, you are violating intellectual property laws (which relates to this situation far more closely than copyright law).[/color] [quote name='densuke']All I said was that Greenfield won't be a party to anything the Japanese companies do, regardless of what he says. It's not possible, as I have explained.[/quote] [color=#707875]Yeah, that's okay...but I wasn't really arguing against that point specifically. I was simply pointing out that the distribution of fansubbed content is illegal and that the Japanese manufacturers are well within their right to stop it. Whether they do that via a licensee or via some other third party is neither here not there, so long as it's legal.[/color] [quote name='densuke']And there's no precedent in which the Japanese companies have done anything against English-language fansubbers. Nothing specific was mentioned about their plans to do so either. Until they do there's nothing newsworthy in what Greenfield said.[/quote] [color=#707875]Whether or not there's a precedent...again, that's kinda neither here nor there. There was no precedent for music corporations going after file swappers until it first happened within the last few years, but that didn't make it any less of a reality when the time came. So I'm not trying to say that this is definitely going to happen or something. I'm only saying that if it does, nobody can really complain.[/color] [quote name='densuke']I don't see an obvious connection between English-language fansubs and the Asian pirate market. HK pirate DVDs use English-language scripts from "in-house" translators with obvious dodgy results. I heard of exactly one case where an English-language translation script used in an HK bootleg was taken from a fansub group.[/quote] [color=#707875]There could be a number of reasons why you don't see an obvious connection. Perhaps you don't live in this region (I assume you live in America?), perhaps you don't have any statistical data on it or perhaps there's some other reason. I don't know. In this case, I can tell you that there are plenty of fansubs that make their way out there as pirate DVDs. I've seen them myself; in Australia, we get a great deal of these items as a result of our proximity and relationship to the asian distributors. It's a shame, too. And basically, whether you've only heard of one case or not...that doesn't mean that there only ever was one case. You know? The anecdotal evidence will change depending on who you talk to, but in the end, that strays from the core issue of illegally downloading content over the Internet.[/color] [quote name='densuke']Again, the major problem is the distribution of unsubbed TV recordings - and those originate in and are distributed in Japan and Asia (mostly via P-to-P programs). I don't think that Bittorrent distribution of unsubbed recordings from American websites is any more ethical or desirable than BT distribution of US DVD rips, but there are offshore players in that game too. And there's very little value in a strictly legalistic interpretation of the situation because it fails to engage any ethical considerations not based on that interpretation. [/quote] [color=#707875]Why is the distribution of unsubbed stuff any worse than the distribution of subbed stuff? What you're telling me is that because one group involves "offshore players", we should therefore either turn a blind eye to it, or somehow treat it with kid gloves. I don't think that's reasonable, from any perspective. It's like saying that if a music single comes out in America but not Australia, I have more right to download it than an American citizen does. Rubbish. I have no right to download it without paying, nor does my American counterpart. Your last sentence hasn't been given a great deal of support, even by your own statements. What ethical considerations are there? Is it not ethical to protect one's own intellectual property? What's [i]not[/i] ethical, is for me to sit here on my computer, add my own subs to a Japanese show and then freely distribute it over the Internet. That is both illegal and ethically wrong. MP3 distributors frequently try to use an ethics/moral argument (or some kind of Robin Hood analogy), but that only makes me feel more sympathetic to the companies who actually put their heart and souls into the product (and who aren't being paid).[/color] [quote name='densuke']The "blurring" I am talking about was kicked off by Greenfield, who cited a case of action taken against pirates as the first step in some undisclosed plan against fansubbers. I think it is fair to question his motives in doing this. Even assuming that he is engaging in smear tactics is fair - there is no call for him to associate fansubs with heroin.[/quote] [color=#707875]But by saying that, you're assuming that there is a clear distinction between piracy and fansubbing. I'm saying that there isn't. Yes, there are some differences there. And as I mentioned earlier, there are some nuances and subtleties to the debate (obviously, distributing fansubs in a foreign market is probably not as damaging as selling stuff on the street in the company's own market). [i]However[/i], I see that as a justification for illegal behavior and nothing more. Regardless where fansubbed content is produced, once it's on the Internet it can be downloaded by anyone anywhere. That reality [i]alone[/i] warrants futher attention from the companies involved. But even if that weren't the case, there's still a reality involving illegal downloading of content. No matter what spin is put on it, it isn't legal. And if it isn't legal, is it appropriate for companies to take action if they so desire.[/color] [quote name='densuke']None of this amounts to a cut-and-dried case for telling fansubbers to pack it in. Even with the current glut of licensing companies and a concurrent rush to license the very latest titles, there are plenty of older shows being subbed which don't seem likely to be licensed. In a few rare instances these shows won't even be re-released in Japan due to intractable copyright problems. Fansubs of these shows provide valuable historical context and aesthetic enjoyment which would not otherwise be available.[/quote] [color=#707875]If you want to talk about older shows, that's a different story. However, there's still a clear-cut answer to that. And the comparison I'd draw would be between old anime episodes and ROMs (digital copies of old games that are no longer in circulation). I could say that by downloading a 10 year old game that is no longer on the shelves, I'm not hurting Nintendo or whoever. And therefore it's okay. But that's just a justification for stealing. lol I mean, again, let's be realistic here -- that's all we're talking about. We're trying to justify stealing. And there's nothing ethical about that. You've also said that "in a few rare instances, these shows won't be re-released in Japan". Okay, a few rare instances. What about all the [i]other[/i] instances where stuff is downloaded illegally? Whichever way you look at it, it isn't legal. And what "valuable historical context" do fansubbers provide? lol C'mon. I understand that fansubbers are enthusiasts themselves, but let's not pretend that they're doing some kind of service to art and culture. Fundamentally, they are no different from someone distributing MP3s, copies of films or ROMs over the Internet.[/color]

[QUOTE=densuke]As I stated, if the Japanese companies want to choke off English-language fansubbing, they are going to have to do it on their own and not by proxy (which is what Greenfield seems to be talking about). The licensees can't do anything about shows they don't have licenses for. Once the shows are licensed, the licensees are merely protecting their own potential market. I don't see why the Japanese companies need to be invoked in this, or why Greenfield is blurring the distinction between piracy and fansubbing.[/QUOTE] [color=#707875]I understand what you're saying about the licensees, however, we have to bear in mind that this material [i]is[/i] owned by the Japanese companies. At the very least, the intellectual property belongs to them. They therefore have the right to protect it, in whichever territory they choose. Secondly, it's fair to say that much of this stuff is still making its way back to the asia pacific region (and potentially other markets too). Nobody can say that fansubbing has no relationship to piracy, when there is an obvious intrinsic relationship there. Considering that much of this stuff is being subbed in America, it's fair to say that the Japanese companies have the right to a) stop the subbers and fansub distributors and b) to cut off the pirates within the region that the fansubs are selling or being physically distributed (as well as via the Internet). The Internet presents a particular problem. You could say that Americans could download the stuff that isn't licensed and therefore, they are doing nothing wrong. Although it's true that the anime isn't licensed, it's also true that downloading that content is nonetheless illegal, as a result of intellectual property laws. So whether or not the anime is licensed is a relatively moot point, in my view. The only reason that would come into it is whether or not licensees should be involved -- but obviously they are and I assume that they are legally able to be involved. So if it's a legal operation, I don't have any particular objection to it. It's hard to say whether or not the distinction between fansubbing and piracy is being blurred. I don't know (and I haven't seen in this thread) any truly authoritative statistics on that point. But again, it's worth mentioning that there [i]is[/i] fansubbed material in this region (and potentially other regions), which is sold via pirate software/bootleg vendors. The distinction here would be the same as saying "I download MP3s but I don't burn them and sell them." Sure, burning and selling MP3s en masse is a bigger problem for the companies. But let's not kid ourselves; both are illegal.[/color]

[color=#707875]I'm not an expert on this matter, but my general thought is that I tend to equate fansubbing with ROMs and things like that. Whether or not Americans have access to certain shows, it's true that there are some in other countries (particularly in the asia pacific region) who are downloading shows rather than buying them. Of course there are various nuances in the debate, but basically, if you take an existing product and you download it for free without the company's permission...you are stealing. As with the MP3 debate, a lot of people try to justify the practice, citing all manner of sources. But ultimately, I think it's reasonable that Japanese companies who develop this content want to protect it (from piracy and fansubbing, both of which are intrinsically linked, whether or not fansubbed copies are being printed onto DVD for sale -- and I think we can presume that this does happen, whether or not it makes up the bulk of pirated product).[/color]

[quote name='tzen']well i still dont really like the ide of "renting" games down to my console to play.... :confused: i stick to my other consols :tasty: hehehe .... but does any oneknow how much the monthly fee is then?[/quote] [color=#707875]It's no different to renting games for your existing console, except that it's cheaper. Cheaper than both buying and renting, I'd say. Plus you get a large library of games that are essentially free...so you'd get to play far more games than you could afford on console. The main thing I'm trying to say is that it's worth giving it a go before you dismiss it. If you want to know more, you can visit the Infinium Labs' Phantom thread in this very forum. I don't have a link right now though...so you'll have to do a search for that title.[/color]

[quote name='Wingnut Ninja][color=teal'] I mean, that hadn't been pulled off anywhere else before, and backwards compatibility was a wise move, but when you think about it from Nintendo's perspective, these so-called inventions don't help the games at all. Hardware and technology don't surface how games are supposed to be, and certain add-ons are more or less an appeal to juice up the system's prestige.[/color][/quote] [color=#707875]This is an important point, which has become more important in recent times. Reggie Fils-Aime recently gave a speech about Nintendo's approach with DS. He began by talking about Game Boy and how Nintendo has fought off nine competitors over the last 15 years. One of the more interesting elements was a discussion about "applications that are native to the hardware environment." For example, Fils-Aime said that one of the current trends is to combine multiple functions into one product. But he warned that this must be done carefully. He pointed out that people may not want to buy a toaster that is combined with a coffee machine. He also spoke about PDAs that include phone technology and how nobody uses them as a phone. The overall point he was making is that adding more components into a product isn't [i]necessarily[/i] the best solution. Some combinations are not going to work and consumers won't always warm to certain combinations. Or they'll use one element in preference to another. This actually occurred in the early stages of the PS2's life in Japan. You may remember that The Matrix was the highest selling "software" for PS2 in Japan for quite some time -- a movie, not a game. DVD movie sales were cannibalising PS2 game sales. From my perspective, I personally don't mind having a DVD player in a game system -- but only if I didn't own a DVD player already. Since I own one (and since a DVD player on its own is superior to Sony's "add-in" DVD player), I don't necessarily want to spend those extra bucks to get a hybrid machine. At the same time, Fils-Aime spoke about Sony's PSX, which is a [i]huge[/i] example of this idea of technology conglomeration. It's a PS2, a DVD player, DVD burner, hard drive and Internet access point. It can do a billion things at once and it looks gorgeous. But it didn't sell. It reminds me of the phrase, "Jack of all trades but expert in none." Fils-Aime also mentioned that Sony's EyeToy (a far cheaper and "inferior" product to PSX) was doing huge business worldwide. Isn't it funny that a machine seen as being far less technologically advanced and cool -- yet still having a very important purpose as an entertaiment device -- was the far more popular product? The EyeToy is more popular because, as Fils-Aime puts it, it is more entertaining. And that's the point he was making; people will buy what is more fun and not what is more powerful. This also brings me back to the discussion about PSP and DS. One of the PSP's biggest drawcards is that it can play PS2 games on the road. However, Fils-Aime draws this strategy into question. He uses simple logic. The kind of games on Game Boy and DS are generally the kind of games that you can pick up and play for a few minutes at a time if you like. In other words, they're the kind of games you can play for short bursts while you're in the car or on the bus. At the same time, PSP is receiving what are primarily PS2-ports. Assuming that people [i]do[/i] want to play replicas of PS2 games on the road, you also have to ask yourself how they're going to find the time to play these games. How many times do you go on a three hour bus trip or plane flight? You could counter that by saying that people will still want to play PSP at home. But Fils-Aime points out that if this is the environment, people tend to prefer playing on their big TV with their stereo system going, rather than on a little screen. In that sense, DS is not marketed or aimed at the people who want to play at home. It's aimed at those who want to have a game experience on the road, where a larger commitment of time is not always necessary. Of course, there are always exceptions to all of this. I'm sure that PSP will still have plenty of games that you can play in quick bursts. So I'm not trying to create a watertight case or anything like that, I'm only saying that these are the questions behind the philosophy. And these are some of the reasons why Sony is already demonstrating its inexperience in the handheld market. From my perspective, I'm personally excited about PSP. But I'm only excited about it if I can play PSP-exclusive games. I do not have an interest in playing PS2 ports on the road, as I simply don't travel for long distances very often. On another subject -- but still related to innovation -- Fils-Aime said that over the last decade or so, many companies have focused their innovation efforts on the screen. In other words, the goal has been to make on-screen visuals look better. But as we know, we're at the stage now where many of these enhancements are incremental. Yes, the display technology gets better and yes, games tend to look better as the technology improves. But because this change in incremental and because many of the more subtle changes are never going to be noticed by most people (like plugging your progressive-scan enabled system into a non-progressive scan TV; technology's there but can't be seen), there is a need to develop change in other key areas. One area is in interaction. This is possibly the most important area for the next ten years. If screen graphics are always improving and if it is a given that graphics will always get better, what else can you improve and innovate with? One thing you can do is change the way that players actually connect with the game content. Afterall, when you do that, you aren't just affecting what they see. You're affecting how the game itself plays. Which is more important? If you play a game that looks better than anything you've seen, but feels identical to everything you've played before...or you play a game that looks great but that also feels completely new and different to anything you've experienced? You decide. This is precisely why you will see Nintendo taking advantage of a variety of technologies and concepts (which include touch-screen sensitivity and potentially gyroscopic technology). Just look at Donkey Konga. The game looks fine; there's nothing revolutionary about its looks, but there's also nothing wrong with them. What's different is the way the game plays. You use bongo drums instead of a controller. The difference is profound; if you've read the E3 impressions, you'll know that the game received a glowing report from everyone who came into contact with it. It [i]feels[/i] like something fresh and new. It doesn't just [i]look[/i] pretty. If we follow this idea to its logical conclusion, we may very well end up with games that look totally photorealistic. Once that happens, how will any game ever feel new again? Perhaps then developers will have to focus on the actual art style a lot more. But the most likely answer is that developers will try to find new and fun ways of interacting with games, to give them a very different feeling. This idea (about graphics reaching a plateau) is something that Nintendo are already trying to address. Nobody else -- not Microsoft or Sony -- are doing that in any significant way right now. Both Sony and Microsoft [i]will[/i] eventually face this reality. And I'm sure they'll come up with something. But right now, their focus is on adding more hardware features and making better in-game graphics. Nintendo takes all of those things for granted (in other words, they know that graphics will get better and they will include that as part of their strategy), but they do recognize that there's a far-reaching situation involved beyond that. Sony did something very Nintendo-like with EyeToy, though. They put fun and [i]fun innovation[/i] first. And what happens when you do that? You achieve significant success. While I'm not personally a huge EyeToy fan, I do acknowledge that it's a hugely successful product for Sony. And for good reason; they deserve kudos for delivering something like that. Again, there is still so much to talk about here. But maybe my post will give everyone some thoughts about where to steer the discussion.[/color]

[QUOTE=tzen] and now for the Phantom :devil: ... personaly i have checked it out a bit and im kinda impresed how they made it but yet.... i mean look at the frekkin prices?! whos gonna pay it to play games thats been out to other consols a long long time now, and to download theire own labeld games for a extra fee!! :eek: now thats a eek moment.... well personaly im not gonna buy the junk... and if u look back at their phantom 1 that they said would revulutionise the gaming industry... It was a scam.. couse they made a prototype to show of with, but they never made it actually, they just made money on showing of the prototype and never realesed the actuall game. i mean what?! :demon:[/QUOTE] [color=#707875]You don't pay an "extra fee" to download games. You don't even buy the hardware. You simply sign-up to a subscription service and you receive the hardware for free. When you do that, you are given immediate access to a large library of existing software that is downloadable without an extra fee. But you can pay to download certain software (I imagine the latest stuff), which would probably end up being cheaper than regular renting at any rate. Secondly, the first Phantom wasn't a joke. They intended to produce it. But for various reasons, they were unable to. But now that they have Seamus Blackley involved, they have some serious backing. They've taken the machine from concept to production-ready stage in a very reasonable timeframe. Unfortunately, so many people are unwilling to try new ideas. And as I think this post suggests, there are some huge misunderstandings out there about the hardware. I'm not intending to say "Oh it's great, go and buy one right now!"; I'm intending to say "don't write it off until you know more about it". Writing it off now would be the same as writing off any new hardware before you try it. Some have already done that with Nintendo DS. But I guarantee you, those very people will be eating their hats by the end of this year.[/color]

[color=#707875]Excellent post, Mr. Ninja. ~_^ This is really a great topic to discuss. It's one area that I have a strong connection to; I've written several articles about innovation in the industry. And as a result of various other articles, I've had the opportunity to do a lot of research on the subject at various times. I should start by saying that Shigeru Miyamoto is a lot like George Lucas. I was watching a biography show about his life today and he mentioned something that stuck out to me. When Lucas spoke of technology (ie: CGI versus other forms), he said that it's not about technology itself...it's about how you use technology to tell a story more effectively. In the case of Miyamoto and Nintendo, this is at the core of their design philosophy. Too many people make the mistake of suggesting that Nintendo don't care about technology and that they're only interested in making games that are visually unimpressive. Apart from the obvious contradictions (Wind Waker, Metroid Prime and so on), there's the simple point that Nintendo itself has frequently made. Miyamoto has often said that technology is the device through which you offer gaming experiences. So where Sony and Microsoft are viewed (by Nintendo) as selling hardware, Nintendo views itself as a software merchant primarily. By this I mean, Nintendo isn't saying "buy our console because it's the most powerful and has more features", they are saying "buy our console because it's the only place you'll find these games." Nintendo understands that people don't buy a console and leave it at that. They buy a console in order to access game content. So it's the game content that is the most important thing -- but by the same token, you need technology that will allow you to deliver the best kind of content possible. This goes back to the old discussion about polygons and so on. When PlayStation 2 was announced, Sony spent a great deal of time talking about how many polygons the system could push. Nintendo's answer was that the polygons are not what's important -- it's the paint that you cover them with, which matters. So with GameCube, they put less emphasis on the number of polygons and more emphasis on making the paint beautiful. I know that it tends to sound like I'm propping up Nintendo to the detriment of the other companies. And to some extent that's true, but there's a reason for it. The main reason is that many people (even in the gaming media), do not understand where Nintendo is coming from. When Satoru Iwata talks about making games "more simple", some in the media automatically translate that to meaning "dumbed down, kids games". But no, that's not what he's saying. Iwata is actually making a reasonably complex point about the evolution of games. He's saying that over the years, game interaction has become more complex. We've gone from using a joystick and one button, to controller layouts with multiple sticks, buttons and more. Iwata feels that for new players (people who haven't yet played games, whether they are old or young), this creates a somewhat steep learning curve. His solution is to simplify interaction methods -- not to dumb down games themselves, but to make interaction easier and more fluid. Enter DS. So this is what he's saying. But so many people go out there and jump all over a little translated quote, simply because they are not willing to do the research, or to go out there and find out more information. As a gamer and as a game journalist, it's a constant frustration of mine. In comparison, I think that people tend to understand Sony and Microsoft a lot more, because their direction is more palatable...in the sense that it's a more logical evolution, particularly because it mirrors the evolution that we've seen in other industries (as with mobile phones, personal computers and so on). In today's industry, I tend to agree that more and more companies are making cookie-cutter games. Everyone wants to be the next GTA. To some degree, this is very understandable; games are becoming more expensive to develop and as a result, companies have to make safer and safer bets in order to make money. But by the same token, this create stagnation in the market. And therefore, it's like a catch 22 -- people only like those games because that's the only choice they have. You're not giving them the choice to buy interesting and unique new software. In regard to development costs specifically, it's a really dangerous issue right now. Many of the smaller developers are being swallowed up by bigger publishers, because they can't afford to move to the next generation of games. This happened during the 2D-3D shift; making 3D games is far more expensive than making 2D games. It requires a larger team of staff, more powerful hardware and more hardware research. The end result is that many companies who are only just surviving in the 2D era end up dying out when 3D arrives. Although we're in a more gradual stream of evolution (ie: 3D to better 3D), costs are still rising all the time. There was once a time where you never needed to write lengthy scripts and pay voice actors. There was a time when you never needed to develop sophisticated game engines -- the cost of which can be in the millions at times. Different companies have different solutions for that. Microsoft has provided a new XNA initiative for developers and Sony is apparently going to be adopting an open-source system for PS3 (or something close to that, at any rate). Even in the PC world, you see a lot of companies licensing game engines (eg: Doom 3 engine), simply because it's far too expensive to develop their own. All of this also relates back to what I've said about comparisons between DS and PSP being totally moot. The two machines are completely different. Their games are completely different, their hardware is completely different, their price and target markets are completely different. But because the gaming media (and many gamers) are still in the 1990's mindset (that everyone is automatically in competition with everyone else and that there are no nuances to the market), we get these silly comparison articles and everything. Although I don't have a [i]huge[/i] problem with that, as such, I do think that it's symptomatic of the fact that many people have the wrong interpretation of the market and the direction it's moving in. There are suggestions that rising costs and shrinking design innovation could lead to another early-80's-style collapse. In Japan, that looks like a very realistic proposition. In North America and elsewhere, it's not such a problem; those other markets are keeping the Japanese giants afloat. But for how long? The market reaction in those territories could well be a generation behind, for all we know. And that will also depend on what Sony and Microsoft do with their next consoles. There's so much more to say about all of this, it's such a big topic. But I'll open the floor for someone else. ~_^[/color]

[color=#707875]The Phantom shouldn't be knocked so easily. It's an incredibly ambitious project and the fact that they're actually puttting it together reasonably well is a testament to the developers. So-called "hardcore" gamers may absolutely loathe the concept, but there are a hell of a lot of gamers out there who are perfect for Phantom. Anyway, that aside... I should preface my post by saying that I rarely play console games these days. I'm at a point where I only play a few console games here and there. Part of it is simply because at this stage, I can't afford to buy as many games as I used to. But also, there are seemingly less games that interest me now (although there are quite a few that I'm looking forward to over the next year and a half). Having said that, if I had to choose one console over the others, it would be GameCube. Oddly enough, I probably play GameCube less than the other platforms (well, less than PS2 anyway). But I would tend to choose GameCube because the value of a new Mario, Zelda or other big Nintendo title is worth 30 good PS2 titles to me. I get a tremendous amount from individual games that I truly adore. So far, GameCube has not disappointed me, but it's fair to say that the second half of its life will be far more entertaining (and wallet-draining) for me. There are just too many games to look forward to; Paper Mario 2, Pikmin 2, Metroid Prime: Echoes, Resident Evil 4, Donkey Konga, Donkey Kong's Jungle Beat, etc etc... I'm looking forward to a few PS2 games, but right now GameCube has most of the stuff that I'm personally interested in. Still, I would say that each system has its moments. There are some stunning PS2 games, which I'm so glad I bought. And while I don't own an Xbox, there are definitely plenty of cool titles on that system that interest me; just not enough to warrant buying one at the current price. I think we have to underline that there's a difference between what we like (our personal tastes) and what the "market" likes. Each console is successful for different reasons and when I see these back and forth "debates" about which console is better...I just find it ridiculous. As a gamer, I'm more interested in looking at [i]everything[/i] that I can, rather than blocking something out because of its brand name or its unconventional concept. This has happened with the Phantom already; without even considering the sensible business model behind it or even giving it a chance in your own living room. But alas, it happens. Also, I think that we are so lucky right now as gamers. Not only are games getting better and better in general, but there are so many new things to look forward to in the near future. Not only the next gen consoles and second/third generation games, but also new machines like PSP and Nintendo DS (both of which are going to be great). All of this cool hardware and software makes me think that I'm going to have to find a way to make more money, because I can't afford it all. PS2 in some linear model with graphics is very silly.[/color]

[color=#707875]Erm, well, the best way to explain it is that it's just an art-based thing in the Art & Design forum. It's nothing to worry about. It's just a fun/silly thing between groups of people, who are using funny images and animations to kind of "compete" with each other. Obviously we wouldn't allow an actual argument to go on like that...so it's just a comical thing using art. In other words, it's all above board (so far, anyway). I hope that answers your question.[/color]

[color=#707875]Okay, just to let you guys know, I've slightly edited the posting order for this chapter. It's taking too long for the next post to arrive, and I want to move things along. Since QA is away at the moment, I've moved Heaven's Cloud up by one spot; HC, I'm asking you to post next. QA can post after you. This will give Queen Asuka a little more time and some leeway, while still keeping the RPG moving.[/color]

[color=#707875]Regarding Ju-On and The Grudge...The Grudge isn't a remake of Ju-On to my knowledge. The Grudge is just the western name for Ju-On. This movie has been available for a long time in Australia (I've seen it a couple of times). It's alright. Nowhere near as good as Ring. And in many respects, it tries to mimmick Ring...but fails. lol So, I was somewhat disappointed with it. The story is also [i]very[/i] spotty. But it's still worth watching if you like Japanese horror. I don't really know what I'm looking forward to. Right now, I'm mostly looking forward to Kill Bill: Volume 2 on DVD (so, a non-cinema release). Meet the Fockers looks like it'll be a fun night out and I still haven't seen I, Robot, which looks like a pretty standard action movie (but hey, I don't mind going just for the fun of it ~_^). Other than that, I'm not sure. I haven't seen much for 2004 that really sticks out for me. Most of the stuff I have an interest in is beyond 2004 (ie: The Ring 2 and various other sequels). I'm still looking forward to watching Hero in cinemas though.[/color]

[color=#707875]There's a really simple answer to all of this. If you are attracted to someone of the same sex and not someone of the opposite sex, you are gay. If you are attracted to people of both sexes, you are bisexual. And if you're attracted to members of the opposite sex, you are heterosexual. This is pretty obvious, irrespective of whether or not you "experiment". You might have sex with someone and totally dislike it. But that's just sex. The question is, could you fall in love with someone of the same gender? There's a [i]lot[/i] more to it than sex; it's a very deep thing. So I don't think that experimentation or sex alone determines what your sexuality is. It's the way you are able to feel about someone that dictates it -- whether or not you can fall in love and be attracted to someone of whatever gender.[/color]

[color=#707875]Wow, thanks for all the compliments, guys. It's cool to see that my banners actually get noticed. Hehe Anyway, um...to answer your question, I have a very specific way of making these banners. Basically, I can only do screen captures of DVDs if I have my hardware acceleration off, which makes the resulting shot look pretty bleh. And that way isn't so good anyway, as it's very cumbersome. What I do instead is take a QuickTime file and choose a specific shot that I want to capture. Then I choose the first screen and press Ctrl + C. I then paste that as a new image in PSP (in this way, I can avoid taking a shot of the entire screen). I repeat that step with every frame that I want to use, but I add the new frames as layers in the one image. Once this is done, I have to change my canvas size and add the other bits in that I want to use. It's really easy; I just add my own new content on layers that sit above the animation frames. Then I hide the ones I don't want (so I only show the first layer, as well as the covering layers) and I save that as the first frame. I repeat that process until I've done about 25-50 frames. Depending on the banner, there's more to it than that -- but I don't want to get too detailed here. The second Elle Driver banner was the toughest, because I had to make the pulsating circle loop at the correct time; in other words, the circle has to be compressed as the left window animation ends. If the timing and frame numbers were not right, the red window with the circle would skip; the circle wouldn't pulsate in and out nicely, it'd stop halfway through and start again or something. But the way I've done it, the transition occurs when the circle is pulled back, so you don't see the transition -- it looks constant. You [i]do[/i] see the transition on the left window, however, I figure that it just looks like a movie cut (as in the trailer). So I didn't mind that so much. Anyway, thanks again for your comments. I've never put all my animated banners in one thread before, so it's interesting to see which ones you like more.[/color]

[color=#707875]Welcome to the boards. Please be aware of our rules (found on the left navigation menu), which specifically rule out welcome threads. Basically, we prefer it if people introduce themselves by what they post in discussions. Contribution to discussion is the best way to make yourself known around here. ^_^ The rules are really a must-read, as they'lll help you to find your way around and acquaint yourself with OtakuBoards. If you have any questions, please feel free to use the Suggestions & Feedback forum. [/color]

[color=#707875]To elaborate on what Syk3 said: I just want to make it clear that I regard this thread to be a [i]very[/i] liberal use of our attachment system. We allow you to make attachments for two reasons; to provide images that are relevant to a thread, to display your artwork for discussion/advice and to post other artwork that can be discussed. To simply address a thread to another member and say "here are your banners", is to utilize absolutely no effort whatsoever. OtakuBoards is not simply here to host people's images, especially considering that only one of those will end up being used. So, in future, please [b]do not[/b] create this type of thread. You may create a thread where people critique your work and where art is discussed, but these "Hey ____, here is your banner" type threads are really a no-no. If this actually becomes a discussion, it can stay open. Otherwise, it'll be closed.[/color]

[color=#707875]Lately I've been on an animated banner binge, as some of you may have noticed. It started with a black and white Kill Bill: Volume 2 banner and went from there. I thought that I'd show you my latest banner, but also, I'd like to display all of my animated banners in here, to see which you like best. First, here are my latest ones: [b]Elle Driver[/b] [img]http://www.killing-bill.com/images/james/ellebanner2.gif[/img] [b]Elle Driver[/b] [img]http://www.killing-bill.com/images/james/ellebanner.gif[/img] The second one is the one that I made first, but as you can see, it's a bit short. I wanted something a little longer, which is why I settled on my current one. These ones are the original set of Volume 2 banners that I'd made a while ago: [b]Volume 2[/b] [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/jamesimages/kbanimation2.gif[/img] [b]Volume 2[/b] [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/jamesimages/kbanimation3.gif[/img] [b]Volume 2[/b] [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/jamesimages/kbanimation4.gif[/img] With these ones, I ended up finally using the third version, because it was longer and looped a little better. The second one was just way too short...and in a looping animation, I think it's critical to have some kind of smooth transition. [b]I, Robot[/b] [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/jamesimages/robotanimation.gif[/img] This is the banner I've been using at Group Sounds (Tony's boards). [b]Pulp Fiction[/b] [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/jamesimages/pf_banner.gif[/img] This is the banner that I was using up until recently; the way that the camera comes out from behind the column worked really, really well for this image (as in, it provided a nice transition). [b]The Bride/Volume 1[/b] [img]http://www.killing-bill.com/images/james/kb_banner.gif[/img] This is the banner I was using most recently. I really like this one, personally. It's a cool scene and I like the colours. [b]Vernita Green[/b] [img]http://www.killing-bill.com/images/james/vernitabanner.gif[/img] My current banner. I've included some details about it in a later post. [b]The Bride[/b] [img]http://www.killing-bill.com/images/james/the_bride_banner.gif[/img] This is my latest banner. It's also the largest I've produced, in terms of memory (it's about as many frames as the Vernita banner though). Considering that I wanted to do a theme for each character, I wanted to make The Bride's theme really cool. Afterall, she's my favourite character. ~_^ Once the image caches in your computer, you'll see it as it was meant to be (ie: you'll see the correct speed and fluidity). I am also having fun playing with new introductions of my logo. [b]Appleseed[/b] [img]http://www.killing-bill.com/images/james/appleseed_banner.gif[/img] My newest banner...I'm only moderately happy with it. But yeah, I thought I'd have a brief break from Kill Bill. ~_^ [b]The Matrix Reloaded[/b] [img]http://www.killing-bill.com/images/james/reanimatrix_1.gif[/img] This is my current banner. I thought I'd take a break from Kill Bill to explore my other favourite film franchise: The Matrix. I think that The Matrix is going to be very ripe material for animated banners. It's also a good way to remind people about The Reanimatrix (which is still open! Go and post! ~_^) [b]Star Wars: Episode III[/b] [img]http://www.killing-bill.com/images/james/episodeIII.gif[/img] Pretty self explanatory; these shots are from the The Revenge of the Sith. I'm using it for a bit, but I'll go back to a Matrix one pretty soon. If you'd like to use this one (or any of these banners), you can do so, provided that you credit me in your siggy. So there you go...I don't think I've missed anything. ^_^; Making GIF animations is a lot of fun, but it's very time consuming work. And it's [i]very[/i] hard to make a detailed animation that falls under several hundred KB. So I'm reasonably happy with these individual banners, in the sense that none of them are [i]too[/i] large. And after a few seconds, they cache, which is also good (so you don't have to re-download them every single time you view 'em). Anyway, thoughts/comments? [/color]

[quote name='Alan][font=Arial][size=1][color=Indigo]Regarding wallpapers... what happened to the comments I had on mine? Its not that it matters, but I found it rather odd that they'd all... you know... disappeared. [/color][/size'][/font][/quote] [color=#707875]I had the same thing happen to mine. But I don't know what the cause was, unfortunately.[/color]

[QUOTE=eh luu] perhaps a solution to this is to have atleast one book not wrapped [could be like said a synopsis], so that people can look through it and see if they like it or not, then if they do, they can buy a wrapped book that hasnt been messed around with? [/QUOTE] [color=#707875]I actually think that is an awesome solution. That way, you eliminate two problems: 1) multiple mangas with bent pages and tears and 2) a huge number of people reading mangas without buying them. If only one copy is free to flip through, people can take a moment to get a quick impression of it and then they can buy a shrink-wrapped version. So yeah, I think I like the idea of having one raw display version. I think that could satisfy people on both sides of the fence.[/color]

[color=#707875]I can't really speak to the anti-social issue, because I really don't know if there are any major trends out there. But I can tell you one thing -- I think that the Internet is partially responsible for poor English. lol I think that a lot of people who use the 'net frequently (especially those who don't pay much attention to their English online) are falling into a habit where they feel that they simply don't [i]need[/i] to use proper English. Now, online, that's not a huge problem (depending on where you are and what you want to do). However, what happens if that laziness translates to the physical world? I mean, sometimes I am amazed when I see people who are my age, but who are terrible at spelling things when they're writing essays and such (some people even use Internet lingo in essays; that's bound to cause a problem lol). In some ways it's kind of sad, because when I see txt speak and stuff, I kind of find that it doesn't provide much expression. Everyone who speaks like that comes across in the same way to me. So because they aren't putting any real thought into what they're saying, there's no sense of depth to their communication. Does that make sense? In my own experience, the Internet has a mixed effect I guess. Obviously many of the people that I talk to online are not people who I talk to in the physical world...but still, I don't think that the Internet has made me anti-social or anything. Actually, for me, the Internet has been a huge gateway to opportunity in my own life. The experience I've gained and the contacts I've made have, in many cases, directly influenced my career and education. So I feel that you can take positive things from the Internet if you choose to use it in that way. But it's different if the Internet consumes your life to a point where it starts detracting from your social life and your career prospects.[/color]