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Conversation 004: What’s Going On Right Now & An Old Discussion About Video Game Magazines and Import Game Coverage

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It’s that time of the month, again! We’re pretty much on-schedule, and here to hit you back with another podcast episode.

Since I’m getting married next week, and therefore all parties involved are pretty busy right now and will be out of town (Hell, Jeff’s down in Virginia as I type this for AnimeUSA), we had to decide what we were actually going to do for a podcast episode this month. Would we just do a cheap cop-out episode? Would we record anything? You can’t do nothing for an episode, and you can’t do a clip-show after only three episodes!

What we decided to do was have a split show. The first part is going to be as-per-the-norm, with the regular intros and talking about what we’re playing right now (along with any fun stories to be shared). We also wanted to address some of the feedback we’ve been getting (thanks for all the blog comments and e-mails, everyone!), so we hit up one e-mail and gave some suggestions based on their questions.

The “conversation” for this episode, however, is actually a topic portion of my main show, Daizenshuu EX, from nearly two years ago (January 2007). In it, we all talked about old video game magazines (specifically EGM from the early-to-mid-1990s) and their coverage of import video games. There was (obviously) a huge DragonBall slant to the discussion, but it’s actually general enough that it makes a lot of sense over here in the vgconvos style. I think you’ll all find it incredibly interesting! The only downside is that I guess this was recorded before I got the new mixer and mics, so the sound quality is quite a bit different than you may be used to. I re-balanced it, though, so it should be slightly better than it was two years ago.

You may also want to check out the page I set up back when we first recorded the episode which showcases a whole crap-ton of scans from those magazines. There’s stuff in there ranging from the very first issue of Nintendo Power (July/August 1988) up through stuff in 1997.

So there you have it! Next time you hear from me on the show I’ll be a married Mike… which isn’t all that different from how it is around here right now, except that it’ll be legal on a piece of paper! Sweet! Hopefully Jeff and Andrew can keep things going with some regular blog entries over the next couple weeks. Catch you later, everyone!

Comments

4 responses to “Conversation 004: What’s Going On Right Now & An Old Discussion About Video Game Magazines and Import Game Coverage”

  1. Captain Awesome Avatar
    Captain Awesome

    Spore really failed to live up to the hype for me, it’s a fun game, but outside of the creature creator, there really isn’t a lot of depth for an RTS fan, the game had a great concept but for me ended up feeling like a disconnected series of mini games, rather than a natural progression.

    And a pet peeve of mine is people referring to the iPhone as a gaming system, mobile phones have had commercial games for a number of years now (doesn’t anyone remember the N-gage?) why is it only after Apple release a product it becomes something other than just a mobile phone?, especially when the games are just as limited as they were in the past? (save for the touch functionality)

    I’m all for mobile gaming, but I don’t think the iPhone has ushered in a new age, it’s a phone with some neat features, not a gaming system.

    Reply
  2. mike Avatar
    mike

    @CaptainAwesome:

    Oh trust me, the first thing I do when I get a new Blackberry is install “Ka-Glom” IMMEDIATELY.

    One of the reasons we can talk about gaming on the iPhone is simply because WE OWN ONE and play games on them, as opposed to various other phones throughout the years where all we essentially did was make phone calls and play “Snake”. That’s not to say that other gaming didn’t exist, but for US, it may as well not exist. There’s just been nothing substantial to talk about previously.

    The iPhone has been positioned as every bit as much of a gaming platform as the other systems out there, especially thanks to Jobs’ “iPhone Is The Best Portable Device For Games” comment. If you POSITION it and DESCRIBE it as such, it actually gives your user-base the ability and leverage to refer to it that way.

    I’m also sensing some disgust towards the iPhone in general from you. Is that true? Why is that? Oversaturation in the media? Don’t think I’m defending it in any way, because I hate just as much about it (if not more) as I love about it, and I’m the one spending $100 a month to have it.

    Haven’t played “Spore” yet (watched Jeff play through a couple levels), but your comments on it seem to be how I think I’d feel about it.

    Reply
  3. Captain Awesome Avatar
    Captain Awesome

    I wouldn’t say disgust, as much as I would say disappointment.

    Once I waded through the media buzz and the hyperbolic press releases, I was a little under whelmed with the product, it seems to me Apple’s marketing (which they are absolute geniuses at) has bred this kind of brand worshipping bias in people and the media, where functionality plays second fiddle to the public perception of Apple products.

    I’m not an Apple hater by any means (I’m on my third iPod) they put out great hardware, but all the over saturation in the media and the hype machine working overtime for the iPhone left me with a bitter taste in my mouth, by the time I actually got my hands on it.

    I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where Apple take the iPhone in the future, but for right now I’ll just make do with my iPod in one pocket and my phone in the other.

    Anyway, keep up the great work with the podcast(s).

    Reply
  4. Jason T Avatar
    Jason T

    Hey Guys,

    Just wanted to say thank you for putting my email on the podcast. Just swung by to answer a few questions.

    1. I’m about 6′ and the Micro is not that bad. After a few minutes you get the hang of it.

    2. I have RE4 for the PS2. Great game one of the few games I actually beat.

    3. They just built a gamestop a few blocks away from me so I have to swing in to see there stock of gamecube games.

    4. I’ll check out sonic gems.

    5. I have most of the Mario games on virtual console, and renegade for the NES. Good game.

    Have you guys checked out this one http://www.estarland.com/PSP.cat..product.28209.html it has about 30 genesis games plus a few arcade ones. I got it for the psp so it’s cool when I’m on the train.

    Guys again thank you. Also Mike Congrats on your wedding. May you and Merri have many years of happiness. Take care and good work on the podcast.

    Reply

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