Random Thoughts Thread

[Rurouni_Fencer]

I just did some yoga. I feel slightly powerful and dead at the same time.

And yes, yoga.

Can you breath fire yet?

[lisalover1]

I'd like to buy this 360, then sell the game and Kinect sensor. Sadly, I don't have $450 to invest, even if I would be making some of it back.

I think Microsoft bought the license for Star Wars just to piss Sony off by taking away the one brilliant application possible with the Move controller.

[elmagicochrisg]

I'd like to buy this 360, then sell the game and Kinect sensor. Sadly, I don't have $450 to invest, even if I would be making some of it back.

I'm not even a SW fan, but that thing looks awesome!...

[BoringSupreez]

If games in PAL countries typically cost more than they do in NTSC countries, why don't people in PAL regions import NTSC stuff to save money? I know buying the TV would cost a lot, but it could be a good investment over a long period of time.

[elmagicochrisg]

If games in PAL countries typically cost more than they do in NTSC countries, why don't people in PAL regions import NTSC stuff to save money? I know buying the TV would cost a lot, but it could be a good investment over a long period of time.

We are way past the point of having to import TVs to have NTSC signal. Most PAL region TVs can take NTSC signals just fine now. As has been the case for at least the last 10 years...

But yeah, I for one do import a lot. Not because it's cheaper, but solely for the 60Hz signal, or some other advantages, like 480p through component on Gamecube for instance...

Or simply because the games never reached our shores...

I also remember having NTSC to PAL SCART cables for my Playstation back in the days. So NTSC games would display in color even on non-NTSC compatible TVs. I'm sure they also existed for other consoles...

I remember being halfway through Parasite Eve on PS1 in B&W when I first heard of these cables in a local PC shop. I thought the guy was pulling my leg. Bought one right away, came home, and did a little dance around my table when I saw Parasite Eve in full color for the first time. Yes, yes, yes, yuuuuueeeees... lol

[Hobie-wan]

If games in PAL countries typically cost more than they do in NTSC countries, why don't people in PAL regions import NTSC stuff to save money? I know buying the TV would cost a lot, but it could be a good investment over a long period of time.

That's one of the reasons we have region encoding nonsense, so companies can (try to artificially) control releases and prices in different parts of the world based on licensing and what the market will bear price wise in an area. For things like audio CDs that weren't created without a way to restrict them built in, other silly things happen. In Japan, CDs are really expensive. Japanese record companies that release western music often demand extra tracks to try to keep people from simply importing the western copies. It also led to CD renting over there. Of course we all know about the super kludgy DRM that's been pot on some discs in an attempt to keep people from accessing the music on a PC.

[SwooshBear]

Kinda late to the party but the Star Wars 360 looks amazing.

[elmagicochrisg]

If games in PAL countries typically cost more than they do in NTSC countries, why don't people in PAL regions import NTSC stuff to save money? I know buying the TV would cost a lot, but it could be a good investment over a long period of time.

That's one of the reasons we have region encoding nonsense, so companies can (try to artificially) control releases and prices in different parts of the world based on licensing and what the market will bear price wise in an area. For things like audio CDs that weren't created without a way to restrict them built in, other silly things happen. In Japan, CDs are really expensive. Japanese record companies that release western music often demand extra tracks to try to keep people from simply importing the western copies. It also led to CD renting over there. Of course we all know about the super kludgy DRM that's been pot on some discs in an attempt to keep people from accessing the music on a PC.

That explains the high price for most Japanese game OSTs...

And that DRM shit was / is a real pain. I remember buying an original music CD (Anouk - Graduated Fools) only to find out I could not play it on anything. The damned thing was so protected even the original CD didn't want to play on nothing!... Never bought a new CD at full price ever again. Not what the music companies had in mind, but they had it coming. Can't punish someone for buying original CDs and think you can get away with it...

It also made it impossible to put them on your Xbox hard disc to create custom tracks for your games...

[lisalover1]

It blows my mind why the Ys series hasn't been released on Steam yet. Games like Recettear proved that JRPGs have a place, even in the west and on the PC of all places, so why Falcom isn't working hard to get the games released on the service is beyond me.

[Erik_Twice]

If games in PAL countries typically cost more than they do in NTSC countries, why don't people in PAL regions import NTSC stuff to save money?

Because shipping from the other side of the planet is kind of expensive.

Also, most people in Europe don't speak English so they appreciate translations and dubbing.