Topic: RetroActive #13 Poll -- GBA Edition

[NWR_Neal]

The translation is a derivative work of Mother 3 and thus copyright infringing anyway.

Has Nintendo shut it down? Obviously it doesn't mean anything to them that it exists.

[Jonnyboy117]

KDR, I have no idea whether you're correct about the "derivative work" definition, but it is not illegal to possess or interact with a copyright-infringing product.

Edit: Here's a note from the translators' FAQ:

You guys rock. I wish I could help or donate or something!  The best way to show your support is to buy an actual copy of the   Japanese game, from here   or here   if possible, but places have been running out of stock lately, so it   might be too late now. If that’s not an option, buying the two MOTHER 3   soundtracks on iTunes or an   official MOTHER 3 shirt would be another cool way to show your   support. There’s always MOTHER   1+2, too. These are all tiny little ways to actually show Nintendo   your support for the series.

[NWR_Karl]

All of this Mother 3 talk is irrelevant, anyway, since TEAM STAN is clearly making its voice heard. Keep it moving!

[vudu]

I have a feeling Karl is abusing the system.

It's not going to be a great discussion when the regular RFN crew is forced to talk about a tennis game by themselves because Stan didn't show and everyone who voted TEAM STAN doesn't play the game.

[nickmitch]

Without a written statement from Stan, Mother 3 is the only choice.

[jrlibrarian]

I have a feeling Karl is abusing the system.

It's not going to be a great discussion when the regular RFN crew is forced to talk about a tennis game by themselves because Stan didn't show and everyone who voted TEAM STAN doesn't play the game.

Whichever game is chosen, whether it be Mario Tennis or Mother 3, I will do my best to play it.
 
Stan, you better show up for RFN if Tennis wins, however.

[Jet Pilot]

I have to say that Mother 3 is a terrible choice.  Listing this game in the poll does nothing other than condone illegal game piracy. 

Regardless of whether or not the translation is a copyright infringement (probably not), the fact that the only way to play this game in English is via a pirated ROM means that -- should this game win -- NWR will be asking its users to obtain a pirated copy of the game via illegal download.  Not only is that opening the users up to legal liability, but possibly the website was well.  Let's stick to legitimate games please, John.

I voted for Drill Dozer because it's an interesting game that you don't hear about much and it's not a choice that encourages piracy.

[vudu]

As Jonny said, you're free to play Mother 3 on an original Japanese cartridge using a translation guide.  If you choose to play a pirated ROM it's between you and your conscience.

[UncleBob]

As Jonny said, you're free to play Mother 3 on an original Japanese cartridge using a translation guide.  If you choose to play a pirated ROM it's between you and your conscience.

I think the issue here is that the idea of RetroActive was to pick older games that are reasonably easy to obtain.

To expect people to import a Japanese-only game, then either learn Japanese or have the equipment to copy the GBA cartridge in order to install the translation patch... it's above and beyond.

No to Mother 3.

[noname2200]

Now I want to pick Mother 3 just for lulz...

Went with Golden Sun, primarily because it's the only one on the list that I own.  I haven't played it since its release either, so it'll be pretty fresh too.  All I remember was "whoa...big world now, huh?"

[mac<censored>]

Man, what a bunch of wimps...

[NWR_insanolord]

I went ahead and voted for Mario Tennis because I think I still have it around here somewhere and it'd be interesting to see if I'd still be as disappointed by it now as I was originally.

[RABicle]

Mario Tennis is amazing but vudu someone is blackmailing me into voting for Mother 3 Maybe if someone can also balckmail me in being able to play it somehow and like I can use some device I own to play it.

[Jet Pilot]

As Jonny said, you're free to play Mother 3 on an original Japanese cartridge using a translation guide.  If you choose to play a pirated ROM it's between you and your conscience.

I think the issue here is that the idea of RetroActive was to pick older games that are reasonably easy to obtain.

To expect people to import a Japanese-only game, then either learn Japanese or have the equipment to copy the GBA cartridge in order to install the translation patch... it's above and beyond.

No to Mother 3.

This is another very valid point.

[NWR_Neal]

I think Mother 3 is a fantastic game and I really think everyone who's interested in Nintendo games should play it. Piracy schmiracy. Nintendo ain't publishing this gem in North America and those die-hards made a damn good translation patch. It's the only way English speakers will be able to fully understand the game.

[TJ Spyke]

Piracy is not any less illegal or immoral just because it's not released here. There was no reason to include a game that is not possible to get without importing (and then requiring you to either  have a fan translation guide ready or illegally tamper with the game itself) or illegally download the ROM to play. I want Nintendo to release the game too, but that doesn't matter. I honestly don't care which other game wins the poll, I support any of the first five picks.

[Mop it up]

As Jonny said, you're free to play Mother 3 on an original Japanese cartridge using a translation guide.  If you choose to play a pirated ROM it's between you and your conscience.

I think the issue here is that the idea of RetroActive was to pick older games that are reasonably easy to obtain.

To expect people to import a Japanese-only game, then either learn Japanese or have the equipment to copy the GBA cartridge in order to install the translation patch... it's above and beyond.

No to Mother 3.

This is another very valid point.

Agreed. It isn't a RetroActive if no one has played it before.

[vudu]

Agreed. It isn't a RetroActive if no one has played it before.

Wrong.  RetroActive is a way to discover old games that you've never played before.

Mother 3 is four years old and very few people here have played it.  It's a perfect candidate.

[mac<censored>]

Agreed. It isn't a RetroActive if no one has played it before.

Wrong.  RetroActive is a way to discover old games that you've never played before.

Mother 3 is four years old and very few people here have played it.  It's a perfect candidate.

... and to give people some experience with importing, finding fan translations, etc., in a supportive group environment.

[Crimm]

You're all dense. Games are eliminated because of difficulty obtaining them. Ease of acquisition is a determining factor in candidacy, but it is not part of the mission statement.

I don't think Mother 3 is a great candidate personally, not because everyone playing it will be using pirated copies. It is a concern. However Jonathan makes the candidate lists so in the end that is his discretion.

I think its a bad candidate because this is the GBA retrospective, and there is nothing "retrospective" about a game that was released postmortem and in reality was never released at all. There are other, more important, games in the GBA library.  However, that is my personal opinion. It extends to games like Mario Tennis, which is really only famous because of an absurd review.

Honestly, I'd rather we dictate from on high the games we're going to do. However, we don't.

There. That's as official as you're going to get regarding the goals of Retroactive.

[UncleBob]

I just hope the site doesn't lose any professional relationships by, basically, endorsing the use of illegal ROMs and emulation.

[mac<censored>]

I just hope the site doesn't lose any professional relationships by, basically, endorsing the use of illegal ROMs and emulation.

There is no need to do so, so it's not an issue.

[UncleBob]

We can all pretend that the ten or so participants in Retroactive are going to legitimately import a copy of the game, then learn Japanese, have a translation guide handy or have the equipment to rip their own ROM and apply the translation patch.

Well, maybe you can pretend that much.  My imagination stops at unicorns and fairy dust.

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

Honestly, I'd rather we dictate from on high the games we're going to do. However, we don't.

That's fair enough. After all, you are agreeing to pay for each poll-winning title, so I suppose it is fair to say that you should be able to choose what you're spending your money on.

If you feel that strongly about it, James, you could tamper with the poll and switch out one of the games for The Minish Cap.

[NWR_Karl]

I find it oddly tickling that people actually give this much of a **** about RetroActive.