you know what i hate?

[Metal Rabbit]

I hate how Japan thinks we're so stupid that we need easier modes in our FE games. But what I hate more is how much they're right...

You could survey kids in your schools and ask them what their favorite game is, and most people wont say that its a high quality console RPG. Especially in my school, its either some shooter or an MMO. Now, I'm not saying that people who favor shooters are stupider...

._.

Well i kinda am. Some of these guys are so absorbed in those type of games that they don't even try other kinds. I play RPGs mostly but I atleast try other genres. I ask someone if they would try Elite Beat Agents and they'll respond "no, that game is retarded".

Anyone have anything to add or refute? I'm really bored...

[Aurion_Emblem]

boredom = new topic?

but yes, most people would say that...people like limiting their spectrum of gaming...

I'd say no to EBA, because I value my DS's touch screen! I'd play it if my ability to see was not in imminent danger.

[Metal Rabbit]

boredom = new topic?

Of course

but yes, most people would say that...people like limiting their spectrum of gaming...

I'd say no to EBA, because I value my DS's touch screen! I'd play it if my ability to see was not in imminent danger.

The trick is to not tap so hard... I still have the original DS that I bought 3 years ago (i think?) and its still in good condition.

[CGV]

yep, same here. Every time I play FE on my laptop, people make fun of me and say it's lame, but they've never played it before. Yet a few of the people they know, got into Fire Emblem cuz of me

they play WOW.... lame asses

[Zephrion]

Yeah, it's a sad thing. Way too many people I know just don't appreciate a good storyline like I do. Most of them just want to run around and shoot/kill things. Don't get me wrong; I enjoy the occasional FPS or Hack 'n Slash, but I'm probably the only person I know that enjoys RPG games...

[Enn]

True enough, I don't see the point in dumbing down a game for wider appeal, if that same game never did appeal to the masses anyway. FE probably requires a bit more intelligence and mental investment than most games, so it's more a niche title (relatively seen, the fanbase is quite sizeable after all). So even íf the average western gamers can't face up to the same difficulty as their Japanese counterparts, FE is catering to a more specific audience. Statistics (if existant) are irrelevant. If we didn't appreciate a challenge, we wouldn't be playing FE in the first place.

Luckily in FE case the dumbing down isn't that bad, is it? At least compared to the general dumbing down seen in most genres. Super Mario Galaxy was more of a platforming chore than a challenge, and I'm really not that good a gamer.

[Metal Rabbit]

Did they dumb down SMG for us?

[Wist]

In regard to delving into multiple genres, I could not agree more that exposing oneself to a variety of genres allows one to better determine which games one will find fun and enjoyable. I have a friend who won't research games for any system other than one developed by Nintendo because he believes them to be a waste of money; it is very unfortunate I do not know how common a closed mindset on this matter is, in the US, in comparison to an open mindset, but many people appear to be missing out on some fun games because they won't give them a try. Four years ago I would never have imagined that I would have Ikaruga, DJ Max, and Fatal Frame sitting on my game shelf. You are dismissing shooters entirely, though. I am also not inclined towards shooters (I assume you are not counting shmups) but to disregard them entirely cuts out a sizable number of the games you could play.

In regard to the reduction in difficulty of Japanese games, however, I do not think the problem much lies in Japan itself. If a game's difficulty is reduced during localization, it is usually the fault of the company localizing the game in question. It was Nintendo of America who made the decision to introduce easy mode into Path of Radiance and the battle save into Radiant Dawn, not Intelligent Systems. Fire Emblem 7 is the best example of your point because it was designed to introduce the series to the rest of the world, but even in that case the difficulty of Fire Emblem 7 was not much tampered with during the localization process itself. Foreign games released by some other companies, such as Atlus USA, rarely see the difficulty of a game reduced. Games are sometimes made more difficult when localized; the hard difficulty mode of Capcom's Devil May Cry 3 became the standard difficulty mode in the North American release. It is not accurate to say that Japanese games are usually reduced in difficulty when localized, it is most often dependent on the individual game in question. If a different American company had managed to secure the rights to distributing Fire Emblem in the US, it would not surprise me if the difficulty of the games had not been altered at all.

Japanese games are not necessarily as influential in the American market as those developed locally just as American games are not necessarily as influential in the Japanese market as those developed locally. In South Korea, ignoring Korea's stressed relations with Japan, console games generally sell worse than multiplayer computer games like StarCraft (I know that StarCraft was produced in the US) or Lineage because console gaming is frowned upon as antisocial behavior. These observations are obviously not entirely accurate or globally applicable to any population, but they hold as rough generalizations. Differences in culture and market history help define what games are apt to sell well in a given region. I personally think it is impressive how many Japanese games are able to thrive in the US market, the larger population allows for companies to cater to genres which are not mainstream but still manage to make a profit. There is a market for Fire Emblem, a market for Shin Megami Tensei, a market for Disgaea, and there are markets for many other titles which will unlikely ever become mainstream in any territory.

[Metal Rabbit]

Ha... so our own people think we're idiots. That's just super. /sarcasm

And I never said I hated shooters. When I said I give other games a try, I meant shooters too. (I <3 metroid prime)

[Wist]

Ha... so our own people think we're idiots. That's just super. /sarcasm

Haha.

And I never said I hated shooters. When I said I give other games a try, I meant shooters too. (I <3 metroid prime)

Ah, ok. I misinterpreted that segment of your first post.

[Metal Rabbit]

It's quite alright <3

[Enn]

Did they dumb down SMG for us?

I meant it in a general way. It's not dumbed down compared to the Japanese version, but dumbed down in relation to previous Super Mario games. Or at least, that's my opinion. I found previous Super Mario games quite tough at times, while SMG was a walkover. I think it has to do with Nintendo wanting the Wii and its first party games to have as wide an appeal as possible.

On another note: Screw localization. They should just translate (text only, please) and keep their hands of the game mechanics.

[CGV]

maybe they dumb down games so it's not too hard and u wont give up so easily

[Tsuteto]

It's really and iffy concept. FE is a little easier to tell in the terms of "dumbing down" seeing as the gameplay really hasn't changed, but in other games like the Super Mario series, you have to remember the amount of area you have to play. I mean that in the sense of going from 2-D to 3-D, that made some games completely easy because there's just more room to do stuff, yet in other games they prevent you (jumping in shooters, anyone?) from doing stuff so you're forced a certain way. Some games are linear, even for an RPG, some are just wide ranged (Freakin' Dragon Quest...), and some just have a concept straight forward and you can just improve (typically music-rhythm).

You just have to figure out what is best for that time frame in which society is at, make sure the production stage doesn't exceed the change of times drastically, and also account for which audience you're aiming at.

As for people saying "that's stupid" when I play something... eh, doesn't really happen. I'm an adaptive gamer, so I'm good at most games within the first five to ten minutes of playing. Only a game with a unique concept (EBA at first) can throw me off, but if it's the same concept (DDR and PIU), I can pretty well go with it. Therefore they can't use an argument "You just can't play the game like I do" that much, only in certain cases (CS comes to mind, though I can do decent enough in it (*coughcoughluckcoughcough*)).

I 'think' that's all I have to say... dunno, depends on if someone says something and I feel a need to comment XP

[Nintenlord]

When I said I give other games a try, I meant shooters too. (I <3 metroid prime)

*Inhales* *Puts caps lock on* METROID PRIME IS NOT A SHOOTER!!!!

MP3 and Hunters are, but not MP1 or MP2.

I meant it in a general way. It's not dumbed down compared to the Japanese version, but dumbed down in relation to previous Super Mario games. Or at least, that's my opinion. I found previous Super Mario games quite tough at times, while SMG was a walkover. I think it has to do with Nintendo wanting the Wii and its first party games to have as wide an appeal as possible.

The hardest parts of Galaxy were just as hard as hardest parts of SM64. It's the easy part that is too easy. Sunshine was the platforming chore of 3D Marios.

PS: Everything in this post is IMO.

[鳴美]

Well they didn't give us SMB2 till All-Stars. that made it painfully obvious that they think we're complete idiots.

[Enn]

The hardest parts of Galaxy were just as hard as hardest parts of SM64. It's the easy part that is too easy. Sunshine was the platforming chore of 3D Marios.

I disagree. I remember being stuck in SM64 multiple times, not knowing where to get the star. I don't remember EVER having trouble finding it in SMG. Sure, gétting to it was tough a few times in the later levels, but the diverse challenge SM64 posed SMG wasn't.

I'm older now, ofcourse, maybe if I replayed SM64 now it would be a lot easier too. However, upon comparing the DS mario to earlier and other 2D mario's, I noticed the DS one was a lot easier too. And I played the other recently on VC, so that's a more reliable comparison too. I think Nintendo's afraid they'll scare off a lot of their new community if they keep up the difficulty level. They're probably right in fearing that might happen, but I don't have to like it.

[CGV]

I still think SMS is the ultamite ruler of the 3. I remember saying b4 that I had never played SMG, but I forgot that I've played it at people's houses and at the stores a lot, just not at my house, so I have some knowledge of SMG, but I still think that SMS was the best of the 3

Fludd FTW

[Jyosua]

I honestly had the most fun playing Sunshine. That was really an awesome game. I also like that companies like Atlus do not tamper with difficulty. It's part of the reason I was drawn to Riviera and Disgaea, despite the latter later being released by the original company that made it.

[kaonohiokala]

IMO, RE4 is better than FE9.

[Metal Rabbit]

My secret shame is that while I've played SM64, SMS, and SMG, I have not completed any of them. My little brother, 6 years younger than me is better at them than I am. I don't know why I dislike platformers... maybe because i have to rely on my skills rather than my wit. Maybe I'm too impatient.

[Jyosua]

Sadly, I have to agree, I've got a ton more playtime out of Resident Evil 4 than I have Fire Emblem 9

[Metal Rabbit]

No me gusta cosas muertas.

[CGV]

No me gusta cosas muertas.

no espanol por favor

[Metal Rabbit]

por que?