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why is japan important for console success? well:
1 - two of the three major console manufacturers are based there
2 - most of the talent is there
well, it depends on what you call talent. there's plenty of development talent outside of japan. i think what it boils down to is that the japanese videogame design ethic produces a certain style of games.
i don't know if you'd call that style more artistic, or more detail oriented, or what, but it's become the model for console games. i think one of the reasons that there's something of a rift between console and pc gaming is that people who grew up with consoles are accustom to the japanese style of games.
as i see it it is not as much a specific style as it is polished. japanese games tend to be more polished with greater attention to detail. in general good graphics in the rest of the world tend to mean technically advanced, whereas for japanese developers it means looking good. a factor not to forget is that japan is more then 1/3 of the world market for console games.
however, what you're seeing now, even on consoles of japanese origin, is a growing popularity (in the us) of european and north american games.
tony hawk is made by us developers.
grand theft auto is made by uk developers.
metroid prime was made by a us developer.
most us/uk made games look naff, i mean there are many good looking ones like halo and metroid prime and such, but even those lack little details like good facial animation like final fantasy x or the gamecube's resident evil's. that bothers me, you play halo, yeah awesome levels and grass and everything but the faces are so terrible, they put no detail into them.
what i'm trying to get at is that the japanese style isn't really better, it's just different. if you look at games by the primere western developers, there is a considerable amount of attention to detail there. i'm just saying that it's different. you also have to consider that japanese games tend to be more linear, where many western titles tend to be more non-linear. with many of these non-linear games, it's not possible to put in a lot of "attention to detail" and still release the game in any reasonable amount of time.
really, what i'm getting to is that it's a matter of style rather then a matter of one being better then the other. mostly i believe it's for financial reasons. the japanese can get just as psychotic for certain releases as we can, and they're willing to pay big bucks just as we are. plus, a lot of the major game and console creators are located there. they're also obsessive when it comes to "the next big thing," such as games or electronics (or pokemon).
i truly have tried to understand, but the japanesse, while they may seem to be like us since they play a ton of videogames like us, just aren't like us. and thats ok, but over there its a whole nother idea about lots of things. its a different culture. in fact, most Japanesse games we get probably aren't the most japanesse influenced ones out there. japan is important to videogames, since there are so many people there that play them. but the united states is also important to videogames as well, as is europe (though some people dont act like it). japan seems important to us because most people look at them as trendsetters in the videogame world. thats it. as far as sales go though, if the usa/canada and europe didnt buy any ps2s, you bet it wouldn't be number one. japan just seems to set trends and develop many heavyweight games, but thats changing, slowly but surly. who knows, soon everone may be looking to the uk for the next big thing. then it could shift to the us. its just where the most development goes on, which is japan right now.
there is allot of hardware that did not sell in us/eu and do very well, live and strive in Japan. wonderswan, x68000 among others come to mind. i can however not think of any console or computer made in ue/eu that did not make it in japan and still managed to survive. i can not put the finger on it, the only thing i can see is the great quality of japanese products and the strength of their consumers. but they do seem to be the judge for success or failure of electronic equipment.
compare splinter cell with mgs2
splinter cell is amazing technically but falls flat when it trys to convey emotion something which mgs2 does with ease.
japan seem to put more love into the games.
the nearest the west has to gaming celbrities would be carmack who is a technical guy, stamper bros (rare) or peter molyneux who's had his hands in some cool games but gets credit for too much like miyamoto. he's not developing fable or bc but you see interviews everywhere because he helped create the satellite companies from lionhead.
if north america or europe didn't buy any ps2's (zero), thats millions and millions of dollars that they wouldn't have. if there was a console that all of north america and europe did buy at the same time, i think the other console would beat the ps2. japan does seem to get more things electronically than we do, but thats because we have different needs. like I dont need a laptop the size of my keyboard because I dont commute to work on a crowded tokyo train every morning. its the cultural differences of things we really don't need and hence wouldn't buy that make japan different. the world is smaller because of the information age and it shows more cultural differences. many of the development areas outside japan can't compete with installed user bases in japan though, and since most of the good equipment is developed in japan, the other stuff is generally naff anyway. wonderswan is sucessful in japan, but it will never make as much money or influence as the others since it isnt international. many things do good in this country that dont in japan, though they aren't electronically related. what it comes down to is this. japan develops and markets most electronic equipment, automatically (right or wrong) making its citizens experts on whats hot and whats not. will japan remain the electronic capital of the world? who knows, since a lot of cell phone work is done in finland now, and us developed systems like xbox doing quite well too. japan has no natural resources to market like the us/eu, and they have to do electronics to stay alfloat. the scary part to that is, no matter what, the grain, mines and timber found in some areas like in the us and europe will never be gone and are renewable, and they drive the economys of those countries. japan rests on one industry that could pack up and leave easier since electronics can be developed anywhere.
for me, the distinction lies with the fact that the japanese tend to treat their games more like art. there's a clear goal and feeling trying to be conveyed to the player. among all the games I've played, japanese ones have always held more beauty. i'm not referring to graphics, per se, but the various other qualities that combine on the digital canvas. err, is this making any sense? my point is i'd like to see an american developer come up with something like jsrf or shenmue. it's certainly possible.
thanks for reading
monk
1 - two of the three major console manufacturers are based there
2 - most of the talent is there
well, it depends on what you call talent. there's plenty of development talent outside of japan. i think what it boils down to is that the japanese videogame design ethic produces a certain style of games.
i don't know if you'd call that style more artistic, or more detail oriented, or what, but it's become the model for console games. i think one of the reasons that there's something of a rift between console and pc gaming is that people who grew up with consoles are accustom to the japanese style of games.
as i see it it is not as much a specific style as it is polished. japanese games tend to be more polished with greater attention to detail. in general good graphics in the rest of the world tend to mean technically advanced, whereas for japanese developers it means looking good. a factor not to forget is that japan is more then 1/3 of the world market for console games.
however, what you're seeing now, even on consoles of japanese origin, is a growing popularity (in the us) of european and north american games.
tony hawk is made by us developers.
grand theft auto is made by uk developers.
metroid prime was made by a us developer.
most us/uk made games look naff, i mean there are many good looking ones like halo and metroid prime and such, but even those lack little details like good facial animation like final fantasy x or the gamecube's resident evil's. that bothers me, you play halo, yeah awesome levels and grass and everything but the faces are so terrible, they put no detail into them.
what i'm trying to get at is that the japanese style isn't really better, it's just different. if you look at games by the primere western developers, there is a considerable amount of attention to detail there. i'm just saying that it's different. you also have to consider that japanese games tend to be more linear, where many western titles tend to be more non-linear. with many of these non-linear games, it's not possible to put in a lot of "attention to detail" and still release the game in any reasonable amount of time.
really, what i'm getting to is that it's a matter of style rather then a matter of one being better then the other. mostly i believe it's for financial reasons. the japanese can get just as psychotic for certain releases as we can, and they're willing to pay big bucks just as we are. plus, a lot of the major game and console creators are located there. they're also obsessive when it comes to "the next big thing," such as games or electronics (or pokemon).
i truly have tried to understand, but the japanesse, while they may seem to be like us since they play a ton of videogames like us, just aren't like us. and thats ok, but over there its a whole nother idea about lots of things. its a different culture. in fact, most Japanesse games we get probably aren't the most japanesse influenced ones out there. japan is important to videogames, since there are so many people there that play them. but the united states is also important to videogames as well, as is europe (though some people dont act like it). japan seems important to us because most people look at them as trendsetters in the videogame world. thats it. as far as sales go though, if the usa/canada and europe didnt buy any ps2s, you bet it wouldn't be number one. japan just seems to set trends and develop many heavyweight games, but thats changing, slowly but surly. who knows, soon everone may be looking to the uk for the next big thing. then it could shift to the us. its just where the most development goes on, which is japan right now.
there is allot of hardware that did not sell in us/eu and do very well, live and strive in Japan. wonderswan, x68000 among others come to mind. i can however not think of any console or computer made in ue/eu that did not make it in japan and still managed to survive. i can not put the finger on it, the only thing i can see is the great quality of japanese products and the strength of their consumers. but they do seem to be the judge for success or failure of electronic equipment.
compare splinter cell with mgs2
splinter cell is amazing technically but falls flat when it trys to convey emotion something which mgs2 does with ease.
japan seem to put more love into the games.
the nearest the west has to gaming celbrities would be carmack who is a technical guy, stamper bros (rare) or peter molyneux who's had his hands in some cool games but gets credit for too much like miyamoto. he's not developing fable or bc but you see interviews everywhere because he helped create the satellite companies from lionhead.
if north america or europe didn't buy any ps2's (zero), thats millions and millions of dollars that they wouldn't have. if there was a console that all of north america and europe did buy at the same time, i think the other console would beat the ps2. japan does seem to get more things electronically than we do, but thats because we have different needs. like I dont need a laptop the size of my keyboard because I dont commute to work on a crowded tokyo train every morning. its the cultural differences of things we really don't need and hence wouldn't buy that make japan different. the world is smaller because of the information age and it shows more cultural differences. many of the development areas outside japan can't compete with installed user bases in japan though, and since most of the good equipment is developed in japan, the other stuff is generally naff anyway. wonderswan is sucessful in japan, but it will never make as much money or influence as the others since it isnt international. many things do good in this country that dont in japan, though they aren't electronically related. what it comes down to is this. japan develops and markets most electronic equipment, automatically (right or wrong) making its citizens experts on whats hot and whats not. will japan remain the electronic capital of the world? who knows, since a lot of cell phone work is done in finland now, and us developed systems like xbox doing quite well too. japan has no natural resources to market like the us/eu, and they have to do electronics to stay alfloat. the scary part to that is, no matter what, the grain, mines and timber found in some areas like in the us and europe will never be gone and are renewable, and they drive the economys of those countries. japan rests on one industry that could pack up and leave easier since electronics can be developed anywhere.
for me, the distinction lies with the fact that the japanese tend to treat their games more like art. there's a clear goal and feeling trying to be conveyed to the player. among all the games I've played, japanese ones have always held more beauty. i'm not referring to graphics, per se, but the various other qualities that combine on the digital canvas. err, is this making any sense? my point is i'd like to see an american developer come up with something like jsrf or shenmue. it's certainly possible.
thanks for reading
monk
There have been no replies to this thread yet.
why is japan important for console success? well:
1 - two of the three major console manufacturers are based there
2 - most of the talent is there
well, it depends on what you call talent. there's plenty of development talent outside of japan. i think what it boils down to is that the japanese videogame design ethic produces a certain style of games.
i don't know if you'd call that style more artistic, or more detail oriented, or what, but it's become the model for console games. i think one of the reasons that there's something of a rift between console and pc gaming is that people who grew up with consoles are accustom to the japanese style of games.
as i see it it is not as much a specific style as it is polished. japanese games tend to be more polished with greater attention to detail. in general good graphics in the rest of the world tend to mean technically advanced, whereas for japanese developers it means looking good. a factor not to forget is that japan is more then 1/3 of the world market for console games.
however, what you're seeing now, even on consoles of japanese origin, is a growing popularity (in the us) of european and north american games.
tony hawk is made by us developers.
grand theft auto is made by uk developers.
metroid prime was made by a us developer.
most us/uk made games look naff, i mean there are many good looking ones like halo and metroid prime and such, but even those lack little details like good facial animation like final fantasy x or the gamecube's resident evil's. that bothers me, you play halo, yeah awesome levels and grass and everything but the faces are so terrible, they put no detail into them.
what i'm trying to get at is that the japanese style isn't really better, it's just different. if you look at games by the primere western developers, there is a considerable amount of attention to detail there. i'm just saying that it's different. you also have to consider that japanese games tend to be more linear, where many western titles tend to be more non-linear. with many of these non-linear games, it's not possible to put in a lot of "attention to detail" and still release the game in any reasonable amount of time.
really, what i'm getting to is that it's a matter of style rather then a matter of one being better then the other. mostly i believe it's for financial reasons. the japanese can get just as psychotic for certain releases as we can, and they're willing to pay big bucks just as we are. plus, a lot of the major game and console creators are located there. they're also obsessive when it comes to "the next big thing," such as games or electronics (or pokemon).
i truly have tried to understand, but the japanesse, while they may seem to be like us since they play a ton of videogames like us, just aren't like us. and thats ok, but over there its a whole nother idea about lots of things. its a different culture. in fact, most Japanesse games we get probably aren't the most japanesse influenced ones out there. japan is important to videogames, since there are so many people there that play them. but the united states is also important to videogames as well, as is europe (though some people dont act like it). japan seems important to us because most people look at them as trendsetters in the videogame world. thats it. as far as sales go though, if the usa/canada and europe didnt buy any ps2s, you bet it wouldn't be number one. japan just seems to set trends and develop many heavyweight games, but thats changing, slowly but surly. who knows, soon everone may be looking to the uk for the next big thing. then it could shift to the us. its just where the most development goes on, which is japan right now.
there is allot of hardware that did not sell in us/eu and do very well, live and strive in Japan. wonderswan, x68000 among others come to mind. i can however not think of any console or computer made in ue/eu that did not make it in japan and still managed to survive. i can not put the finger on it, the only thing i can see is the great quality of japanese products and the strength of their consumers. but they do seem to be the judge for success or failure of electronic equipment.
compare splinter cell with mgs2
splinter cell is amazing technically but falls flat when it trys to convey emotion something which mgs2 does with ease.
japan seem to put more love into the games.
the nearest the west has to gaming celbrities would be carmack who is a technical guy, stamper bros (rare) or peter molyneux who's had his hands in some cool games but gets credit for too much like miyamoto. he's not developing fable or bc but you see interviews everywhere because he helped create the satellite companies from lionhead.
if north america or europe didn't buy any ps2's (zero), thats millions and millions of dollars that they wouldn't have. if there was a console that all of north america and europe did buy at the same time, i think the other console would beat the ps2. japan does seem to get more things electronically than we do, but thats because we have different needs. like I dont need a laptop the size of my keyboard because I dont commute to work on a crowded tokyo train every morning. its the cultural differences of things we really don't need and hence wouldn't buy that make japan different. the world is smaller because of the information age and it shows more cultural differences. many of the development areas outside japan can't compete with installed user bases in japan though, and since most of the good equipment is developed in japan, the other stuff is generally naff anyway. wonderswan is sucessful in japan, but it will never make as much money or influence as the others since it isnt international. many things do good in this country that dont in japan, though they aren't electronically related. what it comes down to is this. japan develops and markets most electronic equipment, automatically (right or wrong) making its citizens experts on whats hot and whats not. will japan remain the electronic capital of the world? who knows, since a lot of cell phone work is done in finland now, and us developed systems like xbox doing quite well too. japan has no natural resources to market like the us/eu, and they have to do electronics to stay alfloat. the scary part to that is, no matter what, the grain, mines and timber found in some areas like in the us and europe will never be gone and are renewable, and they drive the economys of those countries. japan rests on one industry that could pack up and leave easier since electronics can be developed anywhere.
for me, the distinction lies with the fact that the japanese tend to treat their games more like art. there's a clear goal and feeling trying to be conveyed to the player. among all the games I've played, japanese ones have always held more beauty. i'm not referring to graphics, per se, but the various other qualities that combine on the digital canvas. err, is this making any sense? my point is i'd like to see an american developer come up with something like jsrf or shenmue. it's certainly possible.
thanks for reading
monk
1 - two of the three major console manufacturers are based there
2 - most of the talent is there
well, it depends on what you call talent. there's plenty of development talent outside of japan. i think what it boils down to is that the japanese videogame design ethic produces a certain style of games.
i don't know if you'd call that style more artistic, or more detail oriented, or what, but it's become the model for console games. i think one of the reasons that there's something of a rift between console and pc gaming is that people who grew up with consoles are accustom to the japanese style of games.
as i see it it is not as much a specific style as it is polished. japanese games tend to be more polished with greater attention to detail. in general good graphics in the rest of the world tend to mean technically advanced, whereas for japanese developers it means looking good. a factor not to forget is that japan is more then 1/3 of the world market for console games.
however, what you're seeing now, even on consoles of japanese origin, is a growing popularity (in the us) of european and north american games.
tony hawk is made by us developers.
grand theft auto is made by uk developers.
metroid prime was made by a us developer.
most us/uk made games look naff, i mean there are many good looking ones like halo and metroid prime and such, but even those lack little details like good facial animation like final fantasy x or the gamecube's resident evil's. that bothers me, you play halo, yeah awesome levels and grass and everything but the faces are so terrible, they put no detail into them.
what i'm trying to get at is that the japanese style isn't really better, it's just different. if you look at games by the primere western developers, there is a considerable amount of attention to detail there. i'm just saying that it's different. you also have to consider that japanese games tend to be more linear, where many western titles tend to be more non-linear. with many of these non-linear games, it's not possible to put in a lot of "attention to detail" and still release the game in any reasonable amount of time.
really, what i'm getting to is that it's a matter of style rather then a matter of one being better then the other. mostly i believe it's for financial reasons. the japanese can get just as psychotic for certain releases as we can, and they're willing to pay big bucks just as we are. plus, a lot of the major game and console creators are located there. they're also obsessive when it comes to "the next big thing," such as games or electronics (or pokemon).
i truly have tried to understand, but the japanesse, while they may seem to be like us since they play a ton of videogames like us, just aren't like us. and thats ok, but over there its a whole nother idea about lots of things. its a different culture. in fact, most Japanesse games we get probably aren't the most japanesse influenced ones out there. japan is important to videogames, since there are so many people there that play them. but the united states is also important to videogames as well, as is europe (though some people dont act like it). japan seems important to us because most people look at them as trendsetters in the videogame world. thats it. as far as sales go though, if the usa/canada and europe didnt buy any ps2s, you bet it wouldn't be number one. japan just seems to set trends and develop many heavyweight games, but thats changing, slowly but surly. who knows, soon everone may be looking to the uk for the next big thing. then it could shift to the us. its just where the most development goes on, which is japan right now.
there is allot of hardware that did not sell in us/eu and do very well, live and strive in Japan. wonderswan, x68000 among others come to mind. i can however not think of any console or computer made in ue/eu that did not make it in japan and still managed to survive. i can not put the finger on it, the only thing i can see is the great quality of japanese products and the strength of their consumers. but they do seem to be the judge for success or failure of electronic equipment.
compare splinter cell with mgs2
splinter cell is amazing technically but falls flat when it trys to convey emotion something which mgs2 does with ease.
japan seem to put more love into the games.
the nearest the west has to gaming celbrities would be carmack who is a technical guy, stamper bros (rare) or peter molyneux who's had his hands in some cool games but gets credit for too much like miyamoto. he's not developing fable or bc but you see interviews everywhere because he helped create the satellite companies from lionhead.
if north america or europe didn't buy any ps2's (zero), thats millions and millions of dollars that they wouldn't have. if there was a console that all of north america and europe did buy at the same time, i think the other console would beat the ps2. japan does seem to get more things electronically than we do, but thats because we have different needs. like I dont need a laptop the size of my keyboard because I dont commute to work on a crowded tokyo train every morning. its the cultural differences of things we really don't need and hence wouldn't buy that make japan different. the world is smaller because of the information age and it shows more cultural differences. many of the development areas outside japan can't compete with installed user bases in japan though, and since most of the good equipment is developed in japan, the other stuff is generally naff anyway. wonderswan is sucessful in japan, but it will never make as much money or influence as the others since it isnt international. many things do good in this country that dont in japan, though they aren't electronically related. what it comes down to is this. japan develops and markets most electronic equipment, automatically (right or wrong) making its citizens experts on whats hot and whats not. will japan remain the electronic capital of the world? who knows, since a lot of cell phone work is done in finland now, and us developed systems like xbox doing quite well too. japan has no natural resources to market like the us/eu, and they have to do electronics to stay alfloat. the scary part to that is, no matter what, the grain, mines and timber found in some areas like in the us and europe will never be gone and are renewable, and they drive the economys of those countries. japan rests on one industry that could pack up and leave easier since electronics can be developed anywhere.
for me, the distinction lies with the fact that the japanese tend to treat their games more like art. there's a clear goal and feeling trying to be conveyed to the player. among all the games I've played, japanese ones have always held more beauty. i'm not referring to graphics, per se, but the various other qualities that combine on the digital canvas. err, is this making any sense? my point is i'd like to see an american developer come up with something like jsrf or shenmue. it's certainly possible.
thanks for reading
monk