How to revive the Australian Gaming Industry

A major casualty of a troubled industry

There's no denying that the Australian gaming industry is, to put it midly, in a spot of trouble.  At the rate things are going, Australia wont be producing any titles - certainly not any for consoles.  It's a shame really, since gaming rakes in almost $2 billion dollars a year.  That's great for the Australian businesses that sell gaming software and hardware, and undoubtably just as good for international developers - which means the profits don't stay in Australia.

A few decades ago, the Australian movie industry went through a bad patch, to the point when very few movies were actually made - but these days, it's far more healthy (and even confident enough to produce it's own blockbusters: Australia and Tomorrow When The War Began, for example).  For the Australian gaming industry to not only survive, but flourish, it too needs some serious intervention.

It's great that the Australian government has come on board, with an overhaul of the ratings system, and financial support for local developers.  The success of Australia's own gaming expo - EB Games Expo - in October this year, was enough to ensure that it will definitely be on again in 2012.  Though, to be honest, for its future to become truly secure, a couple of changes would be needed.  Firstly, a name of name should be considered - to say, the Australian Gaming Expo.  I know that without EB Games, this expo would not have happened, but, changing its name to something that sounds more representative of gaming in this country could only be a positive boost.  I don't see why it couldn't be presented as such:

EBGames proudly presents

the AustralianGamingExpo2012  

 (for example)

It's a minor thing, but anything that could improve it should at least be considered.  Another, more significant aspect that needs to be addressed, is the absence of any major announcements (all of which had been announced at E3, GamesCom and the Tokyo Game Show).  If the EB Games, the expo's organiser and chief sponsor, could negotiate at least three major announcements for AGE2012 - that weren't announced at the other three big expos, than that would be a considerable boost.  Also, if a couple of publishers were to release a major title (or two) at the AGE (say a week) before the titles appeared in shops - that would certainly aid in raising the profile of the Australia expo.

Two things to consider - which would be a major injection into the "sickly" Australian gaming industry - would be to establish a major publisher in Australia, say Square-Enix or Microsoft Game Studios.  And having that publisher provide support in helping to establish and maintaining Australian game developers.  It would also have the benefit of increasing the possibility of more games being released in Australia - and that would serve to increase the worth of gaming in this country.

The second thing to consider, would be the establishment of an Australian game console.  This option could be considered a risk, but in conjunction with the establishment of a major international publisher in Australia to support it, it could work.  Even if it's just plays HD games and nothing else, it could be developed and promoted as a high-end console for low-income gamers.  At least, it's "food for thought".

Whether someone takes these ideas onboard or not, something significant needs to be done - before there is no chance whatsoever of reviving the Australian gaming industry. 

JRPGs are alive and kicking

There's been talk over recent months that the JRPG genre is dead, and that developers are turning away from them.  With a new development company established to make specifically JRPGs, and a dozen titles due to come out over the next 12 months, talk of the JRPG being dead is severely misguided.
  

One of the surprising aspect of 2011 is that there have been no titles released on the Xbox360, although Final Fantasy XIII-2 is due for release in Japan in December.  Also, there has been an increase of titles released on the PS3 - more this year than in all the previous years of the PS3's life (putting aside all the ports of Xbox360 exclusives).  Releases of JRPGs on the PSP and DS continue to be a constant.

So, what can fans of JRPGs expect over the next 12 months?  Here's a list of some of what is to come for Home Consoles:

Final Fantasy XIII-2 (Xbox360/PS3)

 Xbox360

Final Fantasy XIII-2 (Dec.15 in Japan, Jan. 31 in Nth.America, Feb.2 in Australia & Feb.3 in Europe)

Star Ocean 5 (in early stages of production, so no release date is forthcoming)

Final Fantasy Versus XIII (not officially confirmed for the 360 as yet, there is no sign of a release date)

Playstation 3

Tales of Graces F (expected release in mid-March, 2012 - possibly Australia, the US and Europe)

Ni no Kuni (PS3/DS)

Ni no Kuni [a Level-5/Studio Gibli co-production] (Nov. 17 in Japan, with plans for an international release)

 Final Fantasy XIII-2 (Dec.15 in Japan, Jan. 31 in Nth.America, Feb.2 in Australia & Feb.3 in Europe)

 Tales of Xilia (Expected September 8 release in Japan, with plans for an international release)

Final Fantasy Versus XIII (so far there is no sign of a release date as yet)

The Last Story (Wii)

Nintendo Wii

Xenoblade Chronicles (just release in Australia and Europe, so far no mention of a US release)

The Last Story (early-2012 in Australia and Europe, no word on a US release)

Dragon Quest X (possibly late-2011/early-2012 in Japan, with a planned international release)

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Nov. 18 in Europe, Nov. 20 in the US, Nov./Dec. in Australia)

Pandora's Tower (early-2012 in Australia and Europe, no word on a US release)

There are many more coming out than is actually listed here, but with little or no information about them.  Additionally, there are even more coming out for the PSP, DS and 3DS - including a DS version of Ni no Kuni (already released in Japan), White Knight Chronicles: Origins (PSP - released last month in Australia), Final Fantasy: Type-0 (PSP [2xUMDs] - October 23 release for Japan, with no date yet for international release), The Little Battlers (PSP), a port of PS2 game Tales of the Abyss (3DS - Nov. 25, 2011 for Europe & Feb. 14, 2012 for US), Tales of Innocence R (Vita) and a HD remake of Final Fantasy X (Vita/PS3).

So all you fans and haters out there take notice - the JRPG is going to be around for a very long time to come.

 

How to decide the best JRPG ever made?

This is a question that will gain a wide variety of responses from JRPG fans and gamers.  But how do we truly determine which is really the best one ever made?  Over the years, there have been quite a number of polls conducted, with some games featuring in just about everyone - while some truly wonderful games either don't get a mention, or poll rather poorly.  One way to determine how popular a game is, is through sales - and on that basis, Final Fantasy VII would probably win (amassing over 10 million sales - incl. PSN downloads).  But just because it sold a lot of copies, does that make it the most popular JRPG of all time?  It's good indication, but certainly not a guarantee. 

Another indication could be demands from a game's fans for the developer to make a sequel, or a remake if it's an older game.  It's no secret that fans of Final Fantasy VII have been crying out (virtually screaming) to Square-Enix for both, for well over a decade now.  While Square-Enix have yet to respond with either (despite confirming a remake has been green-lit), they have made a prequel game as well as a sequel in the form of a CGI movie.  The recent annoncement of a HD remake of Final Fantasy X will please some fans, but undoubtably frustrate and baffle others.  It certainly would make more sense to develop a HD remake of their most popular and most successful game ever.  Could this be an indication that Final Fantasy VII is the greatest JRPG of all time?  It's definitely a strong indicator.

It's no secret that Final Fantasy VII practically sold the Playstion 1 console and RPGs to the world, not to mention making the RPG a certifiable genre.  Imagine what would have happened if Nintendo had made the Nintendo64 console with discs rather than cartridges - Nintendo would not have lost the Final Fantasy series to Sony for one thing.

There's no doubt that Final Fantasy VII is popular and well-known, and topped (or rated very highly) in nearly ever poll - so it would be a fair comment to declare it the greatest JRPG of all-time.  But ... there have been other JRPGs that have sold well, rated well in polls and have fans wanting sequels.  Games from other popular series such as Dragon Quest, Star Ocean, Megami Tensei, Ys, Xenosaga, Grandia and Shadow Hearts - to name but a few - all have done well and become popular.

Whatever the sales figures, or the results of polls, or the legions of fans - deciding the most popular JRPG of all time is certainly always going to be a source of conjecture amongst gamers and fans of JRPGs.

Playstation Vita versus Nintendo 3DS: early thoughts

 

Nintendo's 3DS has been out for while now, and while there are some great improvements over its predecessor - the DS/DSi - how does it compare against the PSP and its successor, the Playstation Vita?  Well, firstly the graphics and screen are a significant improvement, and at least bring it on par with the PSP.  And while the 3D screen is larger than the 2D screen (or even the DS screens), it is still smaller than the PSPs.

 

The 3D feature is incredible and adds a fantastic new dimension to gameplay, though its difficult to use it for long durations of time - which is a problem for long games like RPGs.  The promised feature of 3D movies has yet to even eventuate, and demand is so less than expected that Nintendo have dropped the price considerably. 

While I've been tempted to get a 3DS, I've held off, preferring my PSP and waiting for the Vita.  From what I've seen of Sony's new handheld, I'm blown away at what it is capable of.  It has a larger and higher quality screen than the PSP (that is touch, similar to quality smartphones), a touchpad on the back, 2 x control sticks (compared to the 3DS' one) and the processing power of a Xbox360/PS3.  So powerful is the Vita, that a PS3 game was ported (yes, ported) to the Vita (and it only took around a week to do so!).

 

It will use a new type of flash-card in place of the UMD that the PSP uses ... and while Sony have said it can play PSP games downloaded from the PSN, it still has not addressed the issue that has been raised by PSP owners - being able to play UMD games (since it does not have a disc drive).  There has been talk of an exchange option, where UMD games can be exchanged for the new flash-card format, but if this does go ahead, it looks as if it may only happen in Japan.  Also, there is no feature that allows gamers to play the Vita through the TV ... so no being able to play the big Vita games on a big screen (which, considering the potential for PS3-like Vita games, is rather disappointing).

With both the 3DS and the Vita expected to be about the same price upon the Vita's release, and both backward compatible, it's really going to be a matter of which system has the games us gamers want to play.  Both systems have improved remarkably over the DS and PSP, and while the 3DS has 3D and the ability to be backward compatible with its physical games, the Vita has the power and speed of a high-end home console, not to mention several dozen games already in development and being supported by every major developer on the planet.  And if Sony can sort out the issue with playing physical PSP games on the Vita, and have it able to play through the TV, then I will be getting the Vita over the 3DS.

But as any good gamer would say, you should always go for the system that has the games that you want to play on it.

ADDITIONAL NOTE (Nov. 17, 2011):  Sony have confirmed that they will be releasing a UMD-converter for the Vita, which will mean users will be able to play UMD games and movies on the Vita.

Fragile Dreams - A Studio Ghibli RPG?

In searching for a new JRPG game to play, I came across a Nintendo Wii title called Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon.  The previews of the game looked interesting, and I most likely wouldn't have brought it if there were a Xbox360 game.  But after playing it, I am so very glad that I did get this game.

As much as I love JRPG games, I also love anime films, including Studio Ghibli films (Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Howl's Moving Castle) - and this game bears a striking resemblance to one of their films.  I mean, if Studio Ghibli went into game development, Fragile Dreams would have been the result.  It certainly has the look and feel of one of their films, which certainly negates the fact the game uses Wii graphics - it works for this game.

Another strong aspect of this game is the soundtrack; beautiful songs and impressive musical scores very well-placed within the game - adding to the overall impression and gameplay of the game.  One thing that should be noted is the loading time - it is very short.  Saving a game, I went to check something in a magazine, and was surprised when it was saved before I could even open the magazine.

The game is not without its flaws; it only took 25 and a half hours to complete from start to finish, and other characters that do accompany you, never participate in battle.  But when all is said and done, this is game is a must for anyone who is into RPGs and Studio Ghibli films.

SONY PSP-3000 versus Nintendo DSi

Can’t decide which handheld gaming console you want to buy?   Hopefully this comparative list will help.  And while the PSPs graphics are similar to the PS2, and the DSi closer to SNES/PS1, you should also take into account which system has the games you want to play.  Additionally, you have to hunt around for movies on UMD (as none have been released since late last year) – but they can be downloaded from the PlayStation store.   (I’ll try and put together a comparison between the SONY PSP2 and the Nintendo 3DS once both systems are released).

Specification	SONY PSP-3000	Nintendo DSi
Dimensions	w169.4mm/d18.6mm/h71.4mm	w137mm/d18.9mm/h74.9mm
Weight	189g (incl.battery)	214g (with touch pen)
Screen	4.3inch (16:9) TFT drive/full-transparent type	2 x 3.25inch (4:3) TFT-LCD (1 x Touch Screen)
Screen Resolution	480 x 272 16.77 million colours	256 x 192 260,000 colours
CPU	Based on MIPS R4000/32-bit 1-333 MHz	1 x 67 MHz (ARM) 1 x 33 MHz (ARM7TDMI)
Camera	Optical Go!Cam (1.3mp)	2 x built-in cameras (VGA 0.3mp)
Storage	64mb internal flash memory (DDR SDRAM) Memory Stick (up to 16gb)* UMD (1.8gb)	256mb internal flash memory SD slot (up to 2gb) SDHC card (up to 32gb)
Connectivity	Wi-Fi Browser Headphone Jack High Speed USB 2.0 Video Out	Wi-Fi Browser Headphone Jack Mic. connector
Online Store	Yes (PlayStation Store)	Yes (DSi Shop)
Battery Life	4- 6hrs (games) 4-5hrs (UMD movies)	3-4hrs (highest brightness)
Charge Time	1hr and 30mins	2hrs and 30mins
Charge	AC adaptor USB cable	AC adaptor
Sound	Built-in stereo speakers & mic. Multi-channel Audio/3D sound	Built-in mic.
Audio/Video files	MP3 with MPEG-1/2 MP4 (MPEG-4 AAC) WAVE (Linear PCM) WMA	AAC (ext: .m4a, .mp4, .3gp)
Store and display photos	Yes	Yes
Features	Wireless Multiplayer View photos Read Digital Comics Skype Remote Play (Access PS3) Connect to TV	Wireless MultiPlayer View photos Pictochat

*possibly up to 128gb

Gaming is only going to get bigger

What does the future of gaming hold?  There are a lot of things happening and even more yet to happen;  from Playstation 3's Move and Xbox360's Natal (Kinect), to the next-generation consoles (Xbox720 and Playstation 4); from Nintendo's 3DS and Playstation's PSP2 handheld consoles to the rumors and talk of SEGA's return to the console market for the next generation (SEGA Ringedge).

It certainly is an exciting time to be a gamer, but also a rather expensive one; along with the new hardware, comes new games and new equipment - it all adds up.  What will determine the success of all the new releases of hardware will be the range of game; not just the range, but the quality as well.  Whichever company can release the biggest variety - in genre and titles - will secure their future.  As a gamer myself, and I'm sure other gamers will agree, is that all this activity is certainly going to give us a lot of choice.  Not only that, but some headaches as well - whether or not to get the new consoles right away.  Many choose to do so, but just as many will wait until a decent range of quality games are released.

Now all this new technology is all very exciting, with many gamers chomping at the bit to get their hands on it, but it is not the only thing on their minds.  In Australia there is a ban on R-rated games (boo!) - any coming into the country are either sent back to be edited (more like butchered) or simply banned from sale here.  A decision of allowing R-rated games in Australia is currently before government, and should their decision be a favourable one, it will not only be a big deal for gamers, but for developers as well.  But unfortunately it does not appear to be something that will happen anytime soon, as those responsible for making the final decision appear lacking the ability to do so.

At any rate, for all those gamers out there - the next 5 years are going to be very exciting!  Especially is the talk of 3D HD games comes to fruition.

Final Fantasy XIII is blockbuster gaming

This is a game that was years in development, originally beginning in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 console.  But following the popularity of Square-Enix's Final Fantasy VII technical demo for the PlayStation 3, the project switched to the newer console.  But was the wait worth it?  I would say yes.  Technically, the game is at least 2-3 years ahead of any other game coming out this year; perhaps the biggest positive of the game.  The detail of the characters, their environments is simply breathtaking - as is the seemless transition between gameplay and cutscenes.  Another positive aspect of the game is the storytelling; perhaps the most human and compelling story ever scene in gaming.  Not to say that there aren't other fantastic stories told in other games, but Final Fantasy XIII's is by far the most human drama.

 The game's soundtrack is the third of the game's strongest aspects, really driving home the emotion of the game's events.  Perhaps the most notable song (and the most popular amongst those who've played the game, is the haunting and powerful Dust to Dust - and its placement within the game (when you visit the character of Vanille's home town) is enough to give you goosebumps.

A fourth aspect that serves to make this a must play game, is the new battle system.  It is faster, more energetic and features some very exciting options; one of which sees you able to transform your Eidolons (immortal and powerful magickal creatures).  This particular feature looks totally fantastic in some of the later cutscenes, making them even more exciting.

The game is not however without its flaws; the most notable of these is the lack of towns and interaction with NPCs (Non-Playable Characters).  This is perhaps not the most talked about flaw of the game - that being the extensive linear gameplay that is a feature of half the game.  While this aspect works well in the first few chapters, as it really fits in well with the flow of the story, it soon becomes tedious (offering a severe lack of exploration).  That however soon changes later on when you arrive in a place called Gran Pulse, which is totally open, and fully explorable.  This is where sidequests (lacking for the most part until now) become available, and in very large numbers.

One other negative aspect is the complete absence of shops to visit - all shopping is done through online-like terminals located at save points.  But when you look at the sheer blockbuster-epic-size scale of the game (which is very cinematic), it's not difficult to see why those flaws are apparent.  The game is simply huge, and to correct those flaws (having more towns, shops, interactive NPCs, and making the game more open and less linear), would have greatly increased the cost and production time of the game.

But with all that said-and-done, the positives far out-way the negatives, and the game is a must buy for RPG fans, gamers and those who love good storytelling and high-tech visuals.  As of May 19 this year, the game has already sold 5.75 million copies and has become the fastest selling game in the Final Fantasy series.