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Does anyone know? It would be the greatest thing ever if it was...
> Value Added Tax (VAT) is added to all non-essential items we
> buy.
Everything from fags to chocolate to games to bikes etc all
> have VAT.
I think the only things that don't are clothes and the
> very basic food stuffs like bread, vegetables, fruit etc.
FYO, VAT on clothes only occurs on clothes above a certain size (at which point you become adult size and must pay VAT on clothes)... anyway, back to games!
Sonic
Everything from fags to chocolate to games to bikes etc all have VAT.
I think the only things that don't are clothes and the very basic food stuffs like bread, vegetables, fruit etc.
A interesting point that i think i should add thought, is why is VAT charged on computer games????
considerign a high majority of games are aimed at children, they shouldn't carry the usual 17.5% government charge, this is where importing really comes in, as i can get a brand new american game for cheaper than uk (as its been out longer)plus in the us they only charge 5% vat on games, making the games a lot cheaper....
Why do I like obscure jao games? Well, Virtual On came out on the DC in Japan... and sold out... in America... and sold out... the twin stick controller was released... and sold out. This is an example of a hugely popular game that will never come out here! If you like ZOE, you will love this game
American games? They are CHEAPER, FASTER, and come out SOONER. Why wait? why bother!
UK games: once in a while you have to buy the UK game... usually for the Net options.
Sonic
> Sega were absolutely confident that the DC
> would be non-piratable.
As I said, that strikes me as a very short-sighted view. Whatever protection you use, it will - with little or no exceptions - be cracked.
> Finally... why not buy an imported console????
> This ELSPA guy obviosuly doesn't know that US consoles play US
> games, UK consoles play UK games and Jap consoles Play Jap games.
I think he does...
> obscure Japanese only games
Personally I don't see the fascination with these. Not only are they usually pretty odd and/or poor, but I have no interest in a game where I can read neither the manual or the on-screen text! Final Fantasy gmes would be unplayable!
> English spoken games from the US that come out before here.
Again, I don't see the problem with waiting...
> enhanced UK games
...when we get the best version! :-)
didn't it just have the 60Hz option (hence
> stupid mags say "it's faster!")
Thats true. I suppose they mean it refreshes faster, so really they should say the game is 'smoother'.
Buts thats just being pedantic.
:-)
No, the graphics were tidied up quite
> considerably, gameplay was speeded up and there some extra levels as
> well, i think...
Oh yer.. completely forgot (even though I had the game!).
You're right on all points, except that the game was not faster... didn't it just have the 60Hz option (hence stupid mags say "it's faster!")
Sonic
Now, Sega.
Sega were absolutely confident that the DC would be non-piratable. As a result they never had anby anti-chipping rules, except that it invalidated your warwnty (as is expected).
Why did they add regional coding. Well, actually they were going to remove it in the new Asian DCs... however since DC production has stopped the idea flopped!
Sega did not know that piracy was possible (seeing as DCs do not use CDs). When it became possible to do so then they changed the circuit boards so that old chips would not work. Not until that point did they ever say that chipping was bad.
Finally... why not buy an imported console???? This ELSPA guy obviosuly doesn't know that US consoles play US games, UK consoles play UK games and Jap consoles Play Jap games. So I would have to buy 3 £300 consoles to be able to play all the games I want to (obscure Japanese only games, English spoken games from the US that come out before here, enhanced UK games). OR I could buy one £300 consoles and then chip for £20!
Sonic
Now, as for the
> UK version of DOA2... it was not MUCH better than the Japanese
> version... didn't it just have more costumes?
No, the graphics were tidied up quite considerably, gameplay was speeded up and there some extra levels as well, i think...
> Look... importing is fine!
No-one is questioning importing at all. The issue is that chipped consoles can play pirate discs.
> Sega even like people importing, and had
> no problem with people chipping their DCs for the first year of the
> console's life
I find that hard to believe. If Sega don't mind people chipping to play imports, why did they decide to region-code their games in the first place?
> seeing as games couldn't be copied... thus chips
> were only used for importing.
"You can chip our console until the games are copyable!"
How short-sighted a view is that? No wonder they ran into problems.
> Anyway, who is going to stop me chipping my PS2/DC/GC for
> the sole purpose of importing?
The law will, eventually - if the bill mentioned by the ELSPA rep goes through.
> I don't like being ripped off, and as a result am all for being able to play
> games sooner, with faster gameplay, better screen displays and the
> ability to play games that never come out over here!
All fair points, but as the ELSPA guy said, if you want to play import games, why not buy an import console?