The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
Lots of people seem to have gopt importing and playing copied games mixed up. Here is why importing can be good, and the reasons for doing it:
Games released in Japan are designed to use their types of TV... called "NTSC". This runs at 60HZ (which means that the picture is refreshed 60 times a second).
The problem is that TVs in england use a "PAL" TV system. The reason for this is that this produces better pictures when you are watching TV. The problem however, is that the picture only runs at 50HZ, which means it is slightly slower than Japanese TVs. In addition, UK "PAL" TVs have taller screens- there's more space on the screen to fill.
So how do developers overcome this problem? The answer is 2 fold. Usually, to overcome the bigger screen, developers put big black borders at the top and bottom of it. This is most obvious in games like Ridge Racer (PS2).
Secondly, the developers must overcome the different "speeds" of TVs. Now, seeing as games are usually only running at 30 frames-per-second on a Japanese screen, you'd think that they could run at 30 frames-per second on a UK TV screen. This is true, but requires lots of extra programming. So most developers don't bother and just make the game slower. For this reason you can get faster lap times on the American Mario cart 64 than on the UK mario cart 64.
So, what's the outcome?
UK games are slower
UK games have black borders sometimes
UK games come out last!
There are 3 ways to get around this problem:
1) Be patient and wait for the UK game, which is inferior to the original. For example, Tekken runs miles faster on JApanese PSones and PS2s... it's meant to be a really fast game, but no one in England has ever been able to play it in this way.
2) Get a Dreamcast (says the man named after sega's mascot). The reason for this is as follows. In many Dreamcast games, the normal PAL TV mode is actually reprogrammed so that it fills up the screen, and runs as fast as possible. Also, if you have a modern TV, most games have a 60HZ option so that you can run the game in exactly the same way as the japanese original. This is the only console to support this.
3) IMPORT. (we finally got there!). Basically, you buy any countries console (UK/America/Japan)... whichever is cheaper!... and then you chip it. Chippig DOES not mean that you can play copied games (after all, it is theoretically impossible to copy DC/GC games), rather it means you can play games from any country. So, say Tekken 5 comes out in Japan. I can now buy it months before it comes out in the UK, and can play it in full screen and at full speed. Say, however, that the new Final Fantasy comes out... and you can't speak japanese. No problem, you can wait for the UK version and play that, or get the american version before the UK version is out!
You can also buy games that never come out in the UK... like Virtua On- one of my favs!
There are a few downsides though:
1) It can be expensive to get games from abroad. If this is the case then simply buy british games, and only get import games when:
a) they will never come out here... as many games do!
b) You really,really want the game before anyone else!
2) Initial cost of setting up can be expensive. By this, I mean that many people see the only way to import as being buying a Jap/American console. This can be v. expensive! BUT, u can just buy a UK machine and chip it for only £15.
3) U need a scart TV... but unless you have a v. old TV or an ancient one, then this is no problem.
4) Invalidate the console's waranty if you chip it. But then again, these only last a year,,,, and if u go to a proper specialist a chip will be fine.
Finally! You need not chip. There are devices for PSones that plug onto the back of the console and let u play import games- like gamesharks.
So, I hope you found that interesting... anything I left out, or missed just ask.
Sonic
(Sory about spelling mistakes... I'm at school, and it's almost lunch time!)
Games released in Japan are designed to use their types of TV... called "NTSC". This runs at 60HZ (which means that the picture is refreshed 60 times a second).
The problem is that TVs in england use a "PAL" TV system. The reason for this is that this produces better pictures when you are watching TV. The problem however, is that the picture only runs at 50HZ, which means it is slightly slower than Japanese TVs. In addition, UK "PAL" TVs have taller screens- there's more space on the screen to fill.
So how do developers overcome this problem? The answer is 2 fold. Usually, to overcome the bigger screen, developers put big black borders at the top and bottom of it. This is most obvious in games like Ridge Racer (PS2).
Secondly, the developers must overcome the different "speeds" of TVs. Now, seeing as games are usually only running at 30 frames-per-second on a Japanese screen, you'd think that they could run at 30 frames-per second on a UK TV screen. This is true, but requires lots of extra programming. So most developers don't bother and just make the game slower. For this reason you can get faster lap times on the American Mario cart 64 than on the UK mario cart 64.
So, what's the outcome?
UK games are slower
UK games have black borders sometimes
UK games come out last!
There are 3 ways to get around this problem:
1) Be patient and wait for the UK game, which is inferior to the original. For example, Tekken runs miles faster on JApanese PSones and PS2s... it's meant to be a really fast game, but no one in England has ever been able to play it in this way.
2) Get a Dreamcast (says the man named after sega's mascot). The reason for this is as follows. In many Dreamcast games, the normal PAL TV mode is actually reprogrammed so that it fills up the screen, and runs as fast as possible. Also, if you have a modern TV, most games have a 60HZ option so that you can run the game in exactly the same way as the japanese original. This is the only console to support this.
3) IMPORT. (we finally got there!). Basically, you buy any countries console (UK/America/Japan)... whichever is cheaper!... and then you chip it. Chippig DOES not mean that you can play copied games (after all, it is theoretically impossible to copy DC/GC games), rather it means you can play games from any country. So, say Tekken 5 comes out in Japan. I can now buy it months before it comes out in the UK, and can play it in full screen and at full speed. Say, however, that the new Final Fantasy comes out... and you can't speak japanese. No problem, you can wait for the UK version and play that, or get the american version before the UK version is out!
You can also buy games that never come out in the UK... like Virtua On- one of my favs!
There are a few downsides though:
1) It can be expensive to get games from abroad. If this is the case then simply buy british games, and only get import games when:
a) they will never come out here... as many games do!
b) You really,really want the game before anyone else!
2) Initial cost of setting up can be expensive. By this, I mean that many people see the only way to import as being buying a Jap/American console. This can be v. expensive! BUT, u can just buy a UK machine and chip it for only £15.
3) U need a scart TV... but unless you have a v. old TV or an ancient one, then this is no problem.
4) Invalidate the console's waranty if you chip it. But then again, these only last a year,,,, and if u go to a proper specialist a chip will be fine.
Finally! You need not chip. There are devices for PSones that plug onto the back of the console and let u play import games- like gamesharks.
So, I hope you found that interesting... anything I left out, or missed just ask.
Sonic
(Sory about spelling mistakes... I'm at school, and it's almost lunch time!)
Page:
Lots of people seem to have gopt importing and playing copied games mixed up. Here is why importing can be good, and the reasons for doing it:
Games released in Japan are designed to use their types of TV... called "NTSC". This runs at 60HZ (which means that the picture is refreshed 60 times a second).
The problem is that TVs in england use a "PAL" TV system. The reason for this is that this produces better pictures when you are watching TV. The problem however, is that the picture only runs at 50HZ, which means it is slightly slower than Japanese TVs. In addition, UK "PAL" TVs have taller screens- there's more space on the screen to fill.
So how do developers overcome this problem? The answer is 2 fold. Usually, to overcome the bigger screen, developers put big black borders at the top and bottom of it. This is most obvious in games like Ridge Racer (PS2).
Secondly, the developers must overcome the different "speeds" of TVs. Now, seeing as games are usually only running at 30 frames-per-second on a Japanese screen, you'd think that they could run at 30 frames-per second on a UK TV screen. This is true, but requires lots of extra programming. So most developers don't bother and just make the game slower. For this reason you can get faster lap times on the American Mario cart 64 than on the UK mario cart 64.
So, what's the outcome?
UK games are slower
UK games have black borders sometimes
UK games come out last!
There are 3 ways to get around this problem:
1) Be patient and wait for the UK game, which is inferior to the original. For example, Tekken runs miles faster on JApanese PSones and PS2s... it's meant to be a really fast game, but no one in England has ever been able to play it in this way.
2) Get a Dreamcast (says the man named after sega's mascot). The reason for this is as follows. In many Dreamcast games, the normal PAL TV mode is actually reprogrammed so that it fills up the screen, and runs as fast as possible. Also, if you have a modern TV, most games have a 60HZ option so that you can run the game in exactly the same way as the japanese original. This is the only console to support this.
3) IMPORT. (we finally got there!). Basically, you buy any countries console (UK/America/Japan)... whichever is cheaper!... and then you chip it. Chippig DOES not mean that you can play copied games (after all, it is theoretically impossible to copy DC/GC games), rather it means you can play games from any country. So, say Tekken 5 comes out in Japan. I can now buy it months before it comes out in the UK, and can play it in full screen and at full speed. Say, however, that the new Final Fantasy comes out... and you can't speak japanese. No problem, you can wait for the UK version and play that, or get the american version before the UK version is out!
You can also buy games that never come out in the UK... like Virtua On- one of my favs!
There are a few downsides though:
1) It can be expensive to get games from abroad. If this is the case then simply buy british games, and only get import games when:
a) they will never come out here... as many games do!
b) You really,really want the game before anyone else!
2) Initial cost of setting up can be expensive. By this, I mean that many people see the only way to import as being buying a Jap/American console. This can be v. expensive! BUT, u can just buy a UK machine and chip it for only £15.
3) U need a scart TV... but unless you have a v. old TV or an ancient one, then this is no problem.
4) Invalidate the console's waranty if you chip it. But then again, these only last a year,,,, and if u go to a proper specialist a chip will be fine.
Finally! You need not chip. There are devices for PSones that plug onto the back of the console and let u play import games- like gamesharks.
So, I hope you found that interesting... anything I left out, or missed just ask.
Sonic
(Sory about spelling mistakes... I'm at school, and it's almost lunch time!)
Games released in Japan are designed to use their types of TV... called "NTSC". This runs at 60HZ (which means that the picture is refreshed 60 times a second).
The problem is that TVs in england use a "PAL" TV system. The reason for this is that this produces better pictures when you are watching TV. The problem however, is that the picture only runs at 50HZ, which means it is slightly slower than Japanese TVs. In addition, UK "PAL" TVs have taller screens- there's more space on the screen to fill.
So how do developers overcome this problem? The answer is 2 fold. Usually, to overcome the bigger screen, developers put big black borders at the top and bottom of it. This is most obvious in games like Ridge Racer (PS2).
Secondly, the developers must overcome the different "speeds" of TVs. Now, seeing as games are usually only running at 30 frames-per-second on a Japanese screen, you'd think that they could run at 30 frames-per second on a UK TV screen. This is true, but requires lots of extra programming. So most developers don't bother and just make the game slower. For this reason you can get faster lap times on the American Mario cart 64 than on the UK mario cart 64.
So, what's the outcome?
UK games are slower
UK games have black borders sometimes
UK games come out last!
There are 3 ways to get around this problem:
1) Be patient and wait for the UK game, which is inferior to the original. For example, Tekken runs miles faster on JApanese PSones and PS2s... it's meant to be a really fast game, but no one in England has ever been able to play it in this way.
2) Get a Dreamcast (says the man named after sega's mascot). The reason for this is as follows. In many Dreamcast games, the normal PAL TV mode is actually reprogrammed so that it fills up the screen, and runs as fast as possible. Also, if you have a modern TV, most games have a 60HZ option so that you can run the game in exactly the same way as the japanese original. This is the only console to support this.
3) IMPORT. (we finally got there!). Basically, you buy any countries console (UK/America/Japan)... whichever is cheaper!... and then you chip it. Chippig DOES not mean that you can play copied games (after all, it is theoretically impossible to copy DC/GC games), rather it means you can play games from any country. So, say Tekken 5 comes out in Japan. I can now buy it months before it comes out in the UK, and can play it in full screen and at full speed. Say, however, that the new Final Fantasy comes out... and you can't speak japanese. No problem, you can wait for the UK version and play that, or get the american version before the UK version is out!
You can also buy games that never come out in the UK... like Virtua On- one of my favs!
There are a few downsides though:
1) It can be expensive to get games from abroad. If this is the case then simply buy british games, and only get import games when:
a) they will never come out here... as many games do!
b) You really,really want the game before anyone else!
2) Initial cost of setting up can be expensive. By this, I mean that many people see the only way to import as being buying a Jap/American console. This can be v. expensive! BUT, u can just buy a UK machine and chip it for only £15.
3) U need a scart TV... but unless you have a v. old TV or an ancient one, then this is no problem.
4) Invalidate the console's waranty if you chip it. But then again, these only last a year,,,, and if u go to a proper specialist a chip will be fine.
Finally! You need not chip. There are devices for PSones that plug onto the back of the console and let u play import games- like gamesharks.
So, I hope you found that interesting... anything I left out, or missed just ask.
Sonic
(Sory about spelling mistakes... I'm at school, and it's almost lunch time!)
"but unless you have a v. old TV or an ancient one, then this is no problem. "
God.. I sound like such and idiot!
Sonic
God.. I sound like such and idiot!
Sonic
About time someone made a topic about importing I love it....... now I think about it.... no I dont. Sorry sonicrav, I guess no one is interested in a topic I find very confusing.
MJswerve wrote:
> About time someone made a topic about importing I love it....... now
> I think about it.... no I dont. Sorry sonicrav, I guess no one is
> interested in a topic I find very confusing.
oh... for a moment there I thought you did actually like it. What confused you? Maybe the use of non-monosylabic words?
Sonic
> About time someone made a topic about importing I love it....... now
> I think about it.... no I dont. Sorry sonicrav, I guess no one is
> interested in a topic I find very confusing.
oh... for a moment there I thought you did actually like it. What confused you? Maybe the use of non-monosylabic words?
Sonic
MJswerve wrote:
> About time someone made a topic about importing I love it....... now
> I think about it.... no I dont. Sorry sonicrav, I guess no one is
> interested in a topic I find very confusing.
oh. for a moment there I thought you did actually like it. What confused you? Maybe the use of non-monosylabic words?
Sonic
> About time someone made a topic about importing I love it....... now
> I think about it.... no I dont. Sorry sonicrav, I guess no one is
> interested in a topic I find very confusing.
oh. for a moment there I thought you did actually like it. What confused you? Maybe the use of non-monosylabic words?
Sonic
Are you trying to say I am thick. Actually I suppose you are as I did not understand the non-monosylabic part of your post.(did I spell that word right)
I order PAL games from Newzealand and Australia. They work fine because there PAL but for some reason they come out about 3-4 months earlia over there.
Legendary Link wrote:
> I order PAL games from Newzealand and Australia. They work fine
> because there PAL but for some reason they come out about 3-4 months
> earlia over there.
On the contrary, Aussie games come out 3-4 months later! However, in some very rare cases it is the opposite as you have described.
The reason for this is as follows. Aussie used the same TV system as us (PAL), and for this reason the dealing down under are undertaken by the European divisions of companies (ie. Sony Europe), as these people are more used to dealing with PAL cdonversions etc.
Now, you are Sony Europe. You have 2 markets to feed- Europe and Aussie. They are the same land size, but in Ozzie most of the land is desert. Not only this, but the gaming community isn't big anyway! In addition, Aussie is half way round the world. For this reason european divisions ignore Aussie for the most part, and games are released MUCH later than here.
However, some games (I think 1080 snowboarding is one of them) come out months EARLIER. The reason for this is unknown except to the publishers... maybe some publisher do Japan and aussie in one go because they are near each other?
Sonic
> I order PAL games from Newzealand and Australia. They work fine
> because there PAL but for some reason they come out about 3-4 months
> earlia over there.
On the contrary, Aussie games come out 3-4 months later! However, in some very rare cases it is the opposite as you have described.
The reason for this is as follows. Aussie used the same TV system as us (PAL), and for this reason the dealing down under are undertaken by the European divisions of companies (ie. Sony Europe), as these people are more used to dealing with PAL cdonversions etc.
Now, you are Sony Europe. You have 2 markets to feed- Europe and Aussie. They are the same land size, but in Ozzie most of the land is desert. Not only this, but the gaming community isn't big anyway! In addition, Aussie is half way round the world. For this reason european divisions ignore Aussie for the most part, and games are released MUCH later than here.
However, some games (I think 1080 snowboarding is one of them) come out months EARLIER. The reason for this is unknown except to the publishers... maybe some publisher do Japan and aussie in one go because they are near each other?
Sonic
Most of the time it's Nintendo games that come out early, i got Banjo-Tooie, Pokemon gold and Zelda Majoras Mask months before they came out over here. What do u think about Sega making games for Nintendo, does this tempt u to get a GC if Sega make a Sonic game on it? question for Sonic-rav.
*faints of shock*
Ravvi's not complaining or insulting anyone!
Ravvi's not complaining or insulting anyone!
Page: