Topic: RFN RetroActive Game Nominations

[Stratos]

GameFaqs isn't an accurate gauge though. RPGs are what most people primarily need FAQs for over most other genres of games. Plus it's not always the fact that it is an RPG that gets something to win I think. Sometimes the notoriety of a game or series sells a game.

[TJ Spyke]

It's partly because it slows down the whole process. You have to give people more time to play a RPG before having the discussion than you would for other types of games.

[Mop it up]

If you don't want RPGs then don't nominate/vote for any. There's no reason to arbitrarily exclude them. Let the people decide.

[UncleBob]

The last poll shows that the people don't know what's good for them.

[Mop it up]

The last poll was manipulated by NWR staff.

Conspiracy! 

[vudu]

The last poll shows that the people don't know what's good for them.

Actually, Mother 3 is pretty fanfuckingtastic.

[TJ Spyke]

Except that there is no legal way to play it in English, that was the problem.

[vudu]

One man's problem is another man's don't let that stop you from playing a great game.

[NWR_insanolord]

There are legal ways to do it; I'm pretty confident no one playing the game for this used them, but they're there.

[TJ Spyke]

Please explain how you can legally play this in English considering it would require you to alter the game (either on the cartridge or the ROM, both of which are illegal as you are altering copyrighted content without permission). The most you could do is have translated text in a word document and looking at that as you play.

[NWR_insanolord]

Nintendo lost a legal battle with Galoob when they claimed it was illegal to modify game code without their permission. If you import a cartridge of the game and rip that cartridge to your hard drive yourself, and then apply the patch, that's legal. Like I said, I'm pretty sure no one did that for this feature, but the option is there.

[UncleBob]

insanolord - I'm pretty sure the FanTran Team admitted in an interview that what they was doing was technically illegal (but planned to continue unless they were contacted by NoA).

[NWR_insanolord]

The only way it could be illegal would be if translating the game without Nintendo's permission were illegal; all the technical aspects of it are legal. Even if translating the game were illegal, it would be illegal for the translation team, but I don't know how that would affect anyone simply downloading and installing the patch.

[Mop it up]

Eh, it doesn't really matter. Mother 3 is no longer available at retail, it makes no difference if one buys a used copy or downloads a ROM or whatever method they use, as either way, the publisher doesn't get any money for it.

[TJ Spyke]

Nintendo lost a legal battle with Galoob when they claimed it was illegal to modify game code without their permission. If you import a cartridge of the game and rip that cartridge to your hard drive yourself, and then apply the patch, that's legal. Like I said, I'm pretty sure no one did that for this feature, but the option is there.

No, Nintendo lost because the judge said that Galoob wasn't technically doing anything wrong, it was consumers who were actually violating copyright laws. The judge said that the device (Game Genie) was legal, but acknowledged that consumers would be the ones violating copyrights if they chose to modify games with it. I guess it's similar to how DVD burners are legal even though they can be used for illegal means.

If you open the cartridge and tamper with the code, you are breaking the law. You more than likely won't get in trouble unless you try and sell it, but you are still breaking the law. I know some people don't feel guilty about breaking the law so they can play it in English, but I wouldn't do it.

[NWR_insanolord]

http://www.patentarcade.com/2005/08/case-lewis-galoob-v-nintendo-9th-cir.html

The court ruled that what the Game Genie did was considered fair use.

a party who distributes a copyrighted work cannot dictate how that work is to be enjoyed

It's not illegal unless Nintendo can prove that it hurts their business, and in this case, since they aren't releasing the game here, I don't think they can do that. If anything, it improves their business by getting people to buy it who couldn't play it without the translation.

[TJ Spyke]

This is nothing like Game Genie anyways. That lawsuit brings up another lawsuit which is more like this situation (Midway Manufacturing Co. v. Artic International, Inc.), where it was ruled illegal to basically copy a games code and replace it since it is considered a derivative work. That is what applies here, people modding the game are taking the code and replacing it with a English translation, which is derivative and not allowed. I guess you could try and argue that it falls under the "fair use" clause as you are not profiting from it, but that would be shaky legal grounds since you are replacing game code rather than just enhancing it (which is the main reason the judge ruled in favor of Galoob). It has nothing to do with hurting business or not (although hurting business would increase the copyright owners chance of winning). If somebody decided to sell unlicensed copies of the arcade game Sheriff, would it be hurting Nintendo's business even though they haven't actually used the IP in 30 years? No, but the company doing it would still be considered guilty.

[Jonnyboy117]

So uh... got any nominations? I think we're set for the eventual N64 round, but DS is still wide open. I'm hoping for some esoteric variety and yes, depending on the schedule, I may avoid RPGs or other very long, story-based games. They have proven difficult to work with in this format.

[NWR_insanolord]

This may count as a long, story-based game, but I nominate Advance Wars: Days of Ruin. It was a real departure for a series that had remained pretty much the same up until that point, and did some things that I remember not everyone liking. Also, I recently bought it and have been meaning to play it.

[Mop it up]

So uh... got any nominations? I think we're set for the eventual N64 round,

May I ask which nominations are going to appear in the N64 poll?

[Stratos]

I want Rayman 2 on the poll. I still have a brand new copy of the game I will open up for play. It was reportedly a vary good 3rd party platforming effort and comparing it to other platformers of it's time that are better known (Banjo Kazooie, Mario 64, DK 64) would be fun.

[UncleBob]

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3891/you_say_tomato_a_pro_on_.php

[In this in-depth interview, Gamasutra talks to Mother 3 fan-translator Clyde 'Tomato' Mandelin on working on the unofficial translation of the Nintendo classic, his day job in translation, and his localization heroes.]

"We know what we're doing isn't 100% legal. But even so, we try our best not to step on companies' toes. In fact, I've received a number of e-mails in the past from professionals inside major game companies giving their thanks, offering to buy me drinks sometime, stuff like that. What we do is appreciated, but in a hidden way, I think."

[TJ Spyke]

So uh... got any nominations? I think we're set for the eventual N64 round, but DS is still wide open. I'm hoping for some esoteric variety and yes, depending on the schedule, I may avoid RPGs or other very long, story-based games. They have proven difficult to work with in this format.

Check the previous page where I and others nominated several already, I assume you want more though (regarding Advance Wars, I tried to stick to retro and picked the first one. The first one also has something the second didn't: the dual screen battles that had you battling on both screens).

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

• Soul Bubbles (a brief but really unique and well constructed puzzle game, though I don't know if it will be easy to find)
• Donkey Kong Jungle Climber (a more enjoyable take on the King of Swing formula)
• Dementium: The Ward (haven't played it, but I wouldn't mind seeing how a first-person survival horror works on DS)
• Advance Wars: Dark Conflict (not played this either, though I've heard this could be the best in the Wars franchise)

That's my tuppence.

Quoted my own post, in case you didn't see the nominations I made earlier. And if an N64 poll is coming soon too, I would second the nomination of Rayman 2, which a friend of mine says is the best in the series.

[gojira]

Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword - Team Ninja, great use of the touch screen, non-RPG length, really cheap on Amazon.com.

I also think Bangai-O Spirits and Advance Wars: Dual Strike would be good games to play.  Bangai-O is also pretty cheap on amazon, Advance Wars less so.