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I have to say that I am fed up with publishers releasing a game in the UK so much later than the US, and sometimes even the rest of the english speaking world.
This was brought on by the amazing speed of a UK release of Final Fantasy VI, around 8 years after the Japanese / US releases. Now perhaps that is unfair, because it wasn't seen that the UK market would like the game at that time. But why do so many games take several months to arrive over here?
I don't believe that I have ever seen any game that has been truly "localised".
If we could wait a couple of months and have a fully patched, fully British version of the game, then fine. I have the UK CB games, and I certainly can't see any points where a change would be neccessary for the US / UK. Some of the (UK) games I've played have specific US wordings that have never been changed.
Other games seem to give you a game with a patch, and then a few changes that seem to make no sense. Take the recent Myst 3. The only changes between the two versions (a 6 month release difference) were a few changes in the way the graphical options worked. They didn't change the graphics, they just moved the menus around. Why? Don't ask me. To add insult to injury, the manual included in the game still used the US menus, making some things pretty incomprehensible.
I once heard a games publisher claim that, as you said, CD protection and copyright issues need to be changed. Again, I see no reason why it matters. Another annoying thing is that these tiny differences often mean that the UK version is incompatible with patches and upgrades, and sometimes even mods and levels (though this is quite unusual). Therefore, we usually have to not only wait for the original game, but then also for a UK patch.
So what we get is a late game, pointless changes, incompatable versions, and US wordings. Wow. Great.
I suppose the main reason is that the UK release is a "European Release", so the publisher translates the game into 50 languages, then releases a game practically identical to its US counterpart.
In any case, I think this ought to change. In the world of the net, instant communication and so on, there is no need to leave a English speaking country so far behind the US, and even Australia and non-Europe English speakers.
See Ya ;-)
PinkPig
This was brought on by the amazing speed of a UK release of Final Fantasy VI, around 8 years after the Japanese / US releases. Now perhaps that is unfair, because it wasn't seen that the UK market would like the game at that time. But why do so many games take several months to arrive over here?
I don't believe that I have ever seen any game that has been truly "localised".
If we could wait a couple of months and have a fully patched, fully British version of the game, then fine. I have the UK CB games, and I certainly can't see any points where a change would be neccessary for the US / UK. Some of the (UK) games I've played have specific US wordings that have never been changed.
Other games seem to give you a game with a patch, and then a few changes that seem to make no sense. Take the recent Myst 3. The only changes between the two versions (a 6 month release difference) were a few changes in the way the graphical options worked. They didn't change the graphics, they just moved the menus around. Why? Don't ask me. To add insult to injury, the manual included in the game still used the US menus, making some things pretty incomprehensible.
I once heard a games publisher claim that, as you said, CD protection and copyright issues need to be changed. Again, I see no reason why it matters. Another annoying thing is that these tiny differences often mean that the UK version is incompatible with patches and upgrades, and sometimes even mods and levels (though this is quite unusual). Therefore, we usually have to not only wait for the original game, but then also for a UK patch.
So what we get is a late game, pointless changes, incompatable versions, and US wordings. Wow. Great.
I suppose the main reason is that the UK release is a "European Release", so the publisher translates the game into 50 languages, then releases a game practically identical to its US counterpart.
In any case, I think this ought to change. In the world of the net, instant communication and so on, there is no need to leave a English speaking country so far behind the US, and even Australia and non-Europe English speakers.
See Ya ;-)
PinkPig
At least we get some games before Japan (although not before America). Eternal DArkness made by Silicon Knights in American and all RARE games get released over here before Japan.
They counteract that though with us waiting 1 year to play the first smash brothers.
They counteract that though with us waiting 1 year to play the first smash brothers.
Dringo wrote:
> I was impressed by Majora's Mask, 8 months it took to get over here but the
> language wasn't american it was english, i laughed everytime i read
> "Gosh".
Hi Pink Pig havent seen you for a while.
Hello there!!!!!
Yes, I've been hibernating (as all pigs do????) (???)
I think I'm just about alive - but I agree, why does Japan get a release date for FFXI before we do for FFX?
EVIL Square - Europe People (You see, they got it wrong - Europe isn't square.......)
See Ya ;-)
PinkPig
> I was impressed by Majora's Mask, 8 months it took to get over here but the
> language wasn't american it was english, i laughed everytime i read
> "Gosh".
Hi Pink Pig havent seen you for a while.
Hello there!!!!!
Yes, I've been hibernating (as all pigs do????) (???)
I think I'm just about alive - but I agree, why does Japan get a release date for FFXI before we do for FFX?
EVIL Square - Europe People (You see, they got it wrong - Europe isn't square.......)
See Ya ;-)
PinkPig
I know how we all suffer in waiting for the next game in a long running series, but when the game gets here, finally, it's usually well worth the wait!
I think that many of the GameCube and X-box games will be well worth the wait, as they are finally released over the next few months.
I hate waiting, but i'm happy aslong as the games are worth it.
I think that many of the GameCube and X-box games will be well worth the wait, as they are finally released over the next few months.
I hate waiting, but i'm happy aslong as the games are worth it.
I hate the fact that the Japs will be getting FFXI before we even see FFX released over here.
At least my GBA has no lockouts. Dont have to wait for any titles :) Just get them all imported from north America.
At least my GBA has no lockouts. Dont have to wait for any titles :) Just get them all imported from north America.
I was impressed by Majora's Mask, 8 months it took to get over here but the language wasn't american it was english, i laughed everytime i read "Gosh".
Hi Pink Pig havent seen you for a while.
Hi Pink Pig havent seen you for a while.
I wrote a topic a while back that touched on this issue. My idea was to remove all teritorial lock outs, and develop games for all regions and languages symataneously.
This would not only reduce the cost of the game, but would get rid of "conversion time". Games shops in England would have to complete with the cheaper ones in America, and game prices would further go down.
The problem is that the retailers in England could no longer charge extortionately high prices for games.... so it'll never happen :(
Sonic
This would not only reduce the cost of the game, but would get rid of "conversion time". Games shops in England would have to complete with the cheaper ones in America, and game prices would further go down.
The problem is that the retailers in England could no longer charge extortionately high prices for games.... so it'll never happen :(
Sonic
I have to say that I am fed up with publishers releasing a game in the UK so much later than the US, and sometimes even the rest of the english speaking world.
This was brought on by the amazing speed of a UK release of Final Fantasy VI, around 8 years after the Japanese / US releases. Now perhaps that is unfair, because it wasn't seen that the UK market would like the game at that time. But why do so many games take several months to arrive over here?
I don't believe that I have ever seen any game that has been truly "localised".
If we could wait a couple of months and have a fully patched, fully British version of the game, then fine. I have the UK CB games, and I certainly can't see any points where a change would be neccessary for the US / UK. Some of the (UK) games I've played have specific US wordings that have never been changed.
Other games seem to give you a game with a patch, and then a few changes that seem to make no sense. Take the recent Myst 3. The only changes between the two versions (a 6 month release difference) were a few changes in the way the graphical options worked. They didn't change the graphics, they just moved the menus around. Why? Don't ask me. To add insult to injury, the manual included in the game still used the US menus, making some things pretty incomprehensible.
I once heard a games publisher claim that, as you said, CD protection and copyright issues need to be changed. Again, I see no reason why it matters. Another annoying thing is that these tiny differences often mean that the UK version is incompatible with patches and upgrades, and sometimes even mods and levels (though this is quite unusual). Therefore, we usually have to not only wait for the original game, but then also for a UK patch.
So what we get is a late game, pointless changes, incompatable versions, and US wordings. Wow. Great.
I suppose the main reason is that the UK release is a "European Release", so the publisher translates the game into 50 languages, then releases a game practically identical to its US counterpart.
In any case, I think this ought to change. In the world of the net, instant communication and so on, there is no need to leave a English speaking country so far behind the US, and even Australia and non-Europe English speakers.
See Ya ;-)
PinkPig
This was brought on by the amazing speed of a UK release of Final Fantasy VI, around 8 years after the Japanese / US releases. Now perhaps that is unfair, because it wasn't seen that the UK market would like the game at that time. But why do so many games take several months to arrive over here?
I don't believe that I have ever seen any game that has been truly "localised".
If we could wait a couple of months and have a fully patched, fully British version of the game, then fine. I have the UK CB games, and I certainly can't see any points where a change would be neccessary for the US / UK. Some of the (UK) games I've played have specific US wordings that have never been changed.
Other games seem to give you a game with a patch, and then a few changes that seem to make no sense. Take the recent Myst 3. The only changes between the two versions (a 6 month release difference) were a few changes in the way the graphical options worked. They didn't change the graphics, they just moved the menus around. Why? Don't ask me. To add insult to injury, the manual included in the game still used the US menus, making some things pretty incomprehensible.
I once heard a games publisher claim that, as you said, CD protection and copyright issues need to be changed. Again, I see no reason why it matters. Another annoying thing is that these tiny differences often mean that the UK version is incompatible with patches and upgrades, and sometimes even mods and levels (though this is quite unusual). Therefore, we usually have to not only wait for the original game, but then also for a UK patch.
So what we get is a late game, pointless changes, incompatable versions, and US wordings. Wow. Great.
I suppose the main reason is that the UK release is a "European Release", so the publisher translates the game into 50 languages, then releases a game practically identical to its US counterpart.
In any case, I think this ought to change. In the world of the net, instant communication and so on, there is no need to leave a English speaking country so far behind the US, and even Australia and non-Europe English speakers.
See Ya ;-)
PinkPig