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Let's all bow our heads in silent reflection
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MySonsFanatic
Joined: 28 Oct 2005
Posts: 60
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 Posted: Dec Tue 13, 2005 9:29 am Post subject: Let's all bow our heads in silent reflection
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http://www.workingdesigns.com/forum/showthread.php?t=118916
Working Designs is dead, long live Working Designs.
_________________
and it wasn't just the romance of it all
that gives me what I get
but something back there nameless -Bukowski
Last edited by MySonsFanatic on Dec Wed 21, 2005 7:47 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Sanctine
Joined: 11 Nov 2005
Posts: 40
Location: Montréal
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Posted: Dec Tue 13, 2005 9:55 am Post subject:
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I just heard about this on the Atlus boards, and have to say, am deeply saddened by the news. Working Designs was always one of my favourite localizers.
This is definitely a sad day in gaming history... 
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SemperFi2382
Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 775
Location: Chicago Suburbs, IL USA
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Posted: Dec Tue 13, 2005 10:37 am Post subject:
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Wow...
I don't believe it. Yet another good company falls to the hammer of...I can't even begin to explain the level of annoyance I have with the game software industry sometimes. 
However, I will leave it be and have a moment of silence. Let's just hope that more companies take the time and effort to do things that Working Designs did for their fanbase. I may not have played all their games, nor did I enjoy all of them, but I applaud them and wish all of their employees luck in finding a suitable replacement.
_________________
"The Object is not to die for your country, but to make the other poor bastard die for his." - General Patton
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Coarse Limely
Joined: 07 Nov 2002
Posts: 70
Location: Drapes
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Posted: Dec Tue 13, 2005 7:08 pm Post subject:
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Well, they dropped the ball in not publishing Lunar for the DS, and Nippon Ichi and others were starting to compete heavily for their fans here in the States, so I guess I can see why they closed down. It's sad, but they didn't diversify enough. There were any number of titles for systems other than sony's that they could have published, but they gave up on Sega before the Dreamcast and refused to work with Nintendo. A more well-rounded approach might have saved them. I've said it before and I'll say it again: sony is doing their best to destroy the video game industry. I blame them, as I always do, for this latest tradgedy.
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DanielRuoss
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 103
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
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Posted: Dec Tue 13, 2005 7:42 pm Post subject:
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I don't get it. I looked at their game list and wasn't very impressed. Please clue me in as to why this is such a tragedy? Not trying to be a smart a**. I'm just curious.....
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Sanctine
Joined: 11 Nov 2005
Posts: 40
Location: Montréal
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Posted: Dec Tue 13, 2005 8:39 pm Post subject:
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| DanielRuoss wrote: |
| I don't get it. I looked at their game list and wasn't very impressed. Please clue me in as to why this is such a tragedy? Not trying to be a smart a**. I'm just curious..... |
Because they were pretty much the first localizer. That, and they were the only company at that time who didn't give us half-assed translations.
Of course, there are many localizers now, some of which do just as good, if not better a job than WD. I will still miss them greatly, though...
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MySonsFanatic
Joined: 28 Oct 2005
Posts: 60
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Posted: Dec Tue 13, 2005 8:54 pm Post subject:
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| DanielRuoss wrote: |
| I don't get it. I looked at their game list and wasn't very impressed. Please clue me in as to why this is such a tragedy? Not trying to be a smart a**. I'm just curious..... |
They went above and beyond and took the time to do it right. It's interesting to note that they were criticised for this as well. That isn't to say there are no complaints about the company but those are moot at this point. This is why I come down pretty hard when anyone wishes ANY gaming company dead. Any company, even one we don't like, means games and gamers. When companies like WD die we have neither, erm...well, we are still gamers I hope.
_________________
and it wasn't just the romance of it all
that gives me what I get
but something back there nameless -Bukowski
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SemperFi2382
Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 775
Location: Chicago Suburbs, IL USA
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Posted: Dec Wed 14, 2005 9:05 am Post subject:
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| MySonsFanatic wrote: |
| DanielRuoss wrote: |
| I don't get it. I looked at their game list and wasn't very impressed. Please clue me in as to why this is such a tragedy? Not trying to be a smart a**. I'm just curious..... |
...Any company, even one we don't like, means games and gamers. When companies like WD die we have neither, erm...well, we are still gamers I hope.
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I think I know what you mean lol.
Essentially, every gamer has "their" game or genre. When a company that caters to "their" game or genre goes under, that gamer has mixed feelings about the industry.
For example, Black Isle Studios was one of my favorite Development Houses, know for games like Fallout and Baldur's Gate. I was very upset by this and in fact, stop looking at anything their publisher (Interplay) put out. Of course, once they canned Black Isle, all their games sucked, including the last iteration of Fallout.
Now, one of my favorite series has been sold to another company to make a sequel to a series that has NONE of the original developers. So, when the game is released, I'm sure to have mixed emotions there.
Anyhow, Working Designs was a company that localized games for the US market. This is something that is a huge hurdle, as Sony (not sure about Nintendo and Microsoft) must okay an import game to be localized. Which means that even if the game could sell well, it might not ever see stateside just because Sony said no. So, while we can get crappy games a dime a dozen here in the states, we have to hope that companies will fight to bring import games here to localize. Many of which have HUGE followings and sell very well. However, many other titles don't ever see stateside because Sony doesn't think there is a market. Right, and I don't have a pulse. Do they SEE how many people import games, mod their systems to be region free (for those that don't buy an imported console) and how many times people ask to have a game imported?
For example, take the Dai Senryaku series. That is a popular series in Japan, but I'm sure it's a series that Kemco had to put up a good fight to have localized. Although, I'm not sure how Microsoft or Nintendo act with imports. However, I know that any Sony console will be a difficult one to get a Dai Sen port on. Which, considering that I own more PS2 games and know more PS2 gamers, I would love to see a Dai Sen port on a Sony console (or handheld, but I dont have a PSP yet lol).
Can you imagine how fustrating it must be for people that are big gamers, but don't read Japanese? Think of all the great games they might have missed because it's hard to find a company that will localize that title. Sure, import games aren't always someone's cup of tea, but I don't play every US game or genre either.
[rant]Maybe it's just me, but I see things that I like that are niche slowly being cast aside because it's not profitable enough. It makes money, but since it won't make you rich, it's not good enough...WTF. So, even when a company that might might make a niche YOU are interested in goes under, that's one less for the little guys and one more win for the big monster corporate monster. So, in the future, less companies might be willing to take the chance to work in the niche, because if the trend continues, the little guy won't have any more players left.[/rant]
So, impressive list or not Daniel, the localization battle isn't one that we as gamers can really afford to lose. Not trying to be snippy either, just this is one of my hot topic button issues in gaming. 
_________________
"The Object is not to die for your country, but to make the other poor bastard die for his." - General Patton
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DanielRuoss
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 103
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
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Posted: Dec Wed 14, 2005 6:49 pm Post subject:
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Thank you. I had no idea this was about localization issues. I still don't really understand why it's so hard (legally speaking, not technically) to bring over Japanese games. Is it copyright laws? Are there technical issues besides translation that give a headache? Whats the real difference between the different region designations? Any info would be enlightening! 
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Sanctine
Joined: 11 Nov 2005
Posts: 40
Location: Montréal
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Posted: Dec Wed 14, 2005 8:10 pm Post subject:
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| DanielRuoss wrote: |
| Thank you. I had no idea this was about localization issues. I still don't really understand why it's so hard (legally speaking, not technically) to bring over Japanese games. Is it copyright laws? Are there technical issues besides translation that give a headache? Whats the real difference between the different region designations? Any info would be enlightening!
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There are legal issues; for example, I doubt we're going to ever get a release of Super Robot Wars here, because of the HUGE licensing issues with all of those animes.
As for the technical issues, sometimes. Often times the localizers get incomplete or broken code and are forced to work around it, resulting in delays.
[edit] And I also forgot to mention that they have Sony breathing down their necks about the titles they wish to localize.
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Adoug
Site Admin
Joined: 31 Oct 2003
Posts: 746
Location: Seatown
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Posted: Dec Thu 15, 2005 5:34 pm Post subject:
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Adoug, as a gamer first, tips hit hat and has a moment of silence for the demise of Working Designs... 
~ 
_________________
"The path to Knighthood is paved with strength and nobility, not LSD and sideburns." Black Knight from Family Guy.
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