Five Entertainment Reforms Millenials Should Be Fighting For
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I tend to think that many aspects of #3 (Backwards Compatibility) are a function of our increasingly out-of-touch copyright and IP laws. Backwards compatibility wouldn't be as much of an issue- nor would the gradual disintegration of media formats no longer supported- if, once a particular title is out of production, IP holders would allow people who actually care about the works for reasons other than potential profits to do their work for them and archive them. Technically you can still get in as much trouble for offering a download of a PS1 or SNES game as you can for a more recent release, and there are plenty of horror stories of "digitally restored" movies that only exist because some random collector came forward who had done a better job preserving a film canister than the studio that originally created the movie.
Please don't pretend backwards compatibility for games is as simple as backwards compatibility for movies. Converting a movie only requires that you preserve the audio and visual streams. Converting a game requires that you emulate the underlying hardware or else write a complex program to automatically convert code optimized for another system on the fly to the new one.
Sony and Microsoft didn't remove backwards compatibility for next gen consoles because they are mean money grubbing bastards - Any halfway intelligent businessman would see giving existing customers a reason to stay enfranchised is a great idea - they did it because adding it would have required them to increase the cost of the console to a level the consumer would be unwilling to pay.
Sony should know - They did this once with the PS3 and it was one of the reasons the PS3 was initially such an overpriced machine and failed so badly at launch.
As for number four: Wow, I had no idea that the lack of translations was purely due to space and not, say, the cost of creating accurate translations in multiple languages and the even greater cost of an entire extra audio track.
Sony and Microsoft didn't remove backwards compatibility for next gen consoles because they are mean money grubbing bastards - Any halfway intelligent businessman would see giving existing customers a reason to stay enfranchised is a great idea - they did it because adding it would have required them to increase the cost of the console to a level the consumer would be unwilling to pay.
Sony should know - They did this once with the PS3 and it was one of the reasons the PS3 was initially such an overpriced machine and failed so badly at launch.
As for number four: Wow, I had no idea that the lack of translations was purely due to space and not, say, the cost of creating accurate translations in multiple languages and the even greater cost of an entire extra audio track.
Just a fun reminder about Conflict Minerals and Consumer Electronics...
http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/content/conflict-minerals-company-rankings
Nintendo is frequently cited as the WORST consumer electronics company for ensuring that illegal conflict minerals aren't being used in their products... they also have the worst environmental record of all the major consumer electronics companies...
So...yeah... Apple and Microsoft are apparently pretty darn good about it, as is Intel... Sony doesn't rank nearly as high but they are much better than Nintendo...
http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/content/conflict-minerals-company-rankings
Nintendo is frequently cited as the WORST consumer electronics company for ensuring that illegal conflict minerals aren't being used in their products... they also have the worst environmental record of all the major consumer electronics companies...
So...yeah... Apple and Microsoft are apparently pretty darn good about it, as is Intel... Sony doesn't rank nearly as high but they are much better than Nintendo...
If you had just gone on about formats for digital products your number 3 would have been fine, but attempting to bash the Xbone and PS4 was rather ill thought out. Thanks to the CELL processor Sony would have to practically include most of the components of the PS3 in order to be backwards compatible, raising the price of the console which didn't help it's predecessor against the 360.
I came here to say pretty much the same think. While preservation of games is an important endeavour, it is infinitely more complex than preservation of movies, because its intrinsically associated with the technology it runs. While preserving a movie requires preserving the video and the audio synchronized with it, preserving a game requires to preserve (or reconstruct) the hardware that it was built to run in, including parts that, are likely, no longer built.Falterfire said:
Movies don't have that problem. I don't need a pianist to be able to watch A Trip to the Moon, nor do I need a drive-in theater to see some exploitation movie like Ilsa... It would be a nice curiosity, but its not like its required by the medium and its not possible to reproduce in other way. There are some exceptions, of course, like watching "Scent of Mystery" in my house or reading "House of Leaves" on a kindle, but 99.99% of the content of other mediums is easily preservable because our way of experience it doesn't evolve with it.
Games, on the other hand, need the hardware to run... there is no way to run E.T. or Wii Sports without the original hardware (unless we count emulation, a process that runs entirely on the part of the consumer, since the publisher doesn't want/doesn't care/simply can't do it itself). To expect otherwise would require a) that console manufacturers and technology holders (and everyone in between) would compromise to never stop producing the components to run certain generation of games (good luck trying to force Commodore to make more Amigas); or b) building each generation, literally, on top of the previous one. So, the Playstation 4 has to have a Playstation 3, 2 and 1 built inside it, the Wii U needs a Wii, a Gamecube, an N64, SNES and NES (complete with cartridge slots), and Windows 8 should have XP, 98, 3.1 and DOS. That would increase costs to ridiculous levels (the PS3 is still too specific, complex and expensive to produce to believe it can be reduced to a cheap component inside the PS4), but it would also seriously hamper progress and innovation (so now the XBOX 1 needs to have an HD DVD drive to be compatible with the 360? What about the XBOX 2?)...
The other comments are pretty reasonable, but 3 is rather disingenuous... too focus in how consumers believe technology should work instead of how it actually works. I am sure Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo would love to have 100% BC, but they all know its not feasible.
I'm sorry if I'm a bit grumpy, but I hate generational labels to begin with. Pre-judging anyone based on how old they are, what supposed generation their parents were, whatever is bullshit. Everything you've outlined is stuff I am in a high demand for and I am basing my consumer behavior along the lines you're recommending. Why, should your recommendations be focused on a group of people ill defined by another ill defined group of people? Why can't someone who would be labeled as a baby boomer demand these things? Why wouldn't it matter if they did? You've outlined things PEOPLE should be demanding, I don't see (nor have I ever seen) much improvement by bringing the notion of generations into it.
Just a comment, but... I would like someone to explain to me the problems of 1 and 2 (particularly 2) in cases of piracy when the only restriction is TV schedule. I believe they are the main reasons why some mediums and distribution systems have that kind of problem...
You see: I have pirated TV shows, for example, downloading episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or Game of Thrones, which I am not going to be apologetic or defensive about, but since I am already subscribed to the cable channels that transmit them (so Sony TV or HBO should get their share though my MSO), I hardly feel like I am doing something illegitimate. What I do, I do it mostly because their schedule or timing does not suit my convenience. Why should I feel like I am stealing someone's food when I only want to access something I already paid for in a way its convenient to me? And before you mention something like Netflix or HBO Go are behind regional locks too, so even when the TV channels do transmit the content on my country, I can't access it online.
I have to ask because I am against piracy in most of its forms. I buy tons of original games and music, and while convenience is an important factor, it is also guilt for the people that put a lot of hard work into them. But I can't understand why this case should be considered at the same level as those, since I already paid for access to the content.
You see: I have pirated TV shows, for example, downloading episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or Game of Thrones, which I am not going to be apologetic or defensive about, but since I am already subscribed to the cable channels that transmit them (so Sony TV or HBO should get their share though my MSO), I hardly feel like I am doing something illegitimate. What I do, I do it mostly because their schedule or timing does not suit my convenience. Why should I feel like I am stealing someone's food when I only want to access something I already paid for in a way its convenient to me? And before you mention something like Netflix or HBO Go are behind regional locks too, so even when the TV channels do transmit the content on my country, I can't access it online.
I have to ask because I am against piracy in most of its forms. I buy tons of original games and music, and while convenience is an important factor, it is also guilt for the people that put a lot of hard work into them. But I can't understand why this case should be considered at the same level as those, since I already paid for access to the content.
1) The old guy in me wants to rant about how this just motivates an entitlement mentality that shows no respect for patience or doing without if you can't meet someone else's schedule. The admin worker really sees this as an issue when other deadlines seem to be expected to be met, not worked around your schedule (aka the why you don't get to hand in your time sheet 3 days late and still get paid rule).
I mean, I appreciate the convenience, and I'm aware it will have to be an end game for entertainment, but can we quit acting like having to meet a schedule is somehow a punishment?
2) Region locks exist due to captive markets. If you follow anime circles, you hear a lot about the prices, and how they get linked to a fear of reverse importation: ordering the $20 DVD from the states because the $50 japanese DVD seems like a bad deal. Factor in the desire for censorship by certain governments and you can see why this hasn't happened yet. Yes, it needs to go away, but having seen companies cut licensing deals if they couldn't release anime DVDs in america on the japanese pricing model, it'll be a long road.
3) We've been through this on your GOT site: gaming is designed to be disposable, and hardware is making it more and more difficult to be any kind of collector. Technological issues aside, there's always a fear we'll just squeeze more value out of the old than buy the new. This isn't limited to games: books and DVDs got out of print all the time (Disney makes a killing off that) and stores only stock new stuff (just ask how much fun I had trying to get all 11 MASH sets years after they came out). So many markets are based on a "ooh shiny and new" mentality, and some hardware choices (even not BC related) seem to be set on punishing having the other end.
4) Yeah, short one: this costs money. You need a good ADR director as translation isn't transposition. Differing grammar, syntax, cultural references, all need to be dealt with if you don't want an inadvertent comedy piece.
5) A nice idea: but I've said this before as well, unless it can compete economically, it isn't going to happen and most people toss their values out the window when the alternative costs more. Back to number 1: if you come off like you won't go out of your way to get what you want, no company will believe you'd ever pay more for a product or boycott theirs.
I mean, I appreciate the convenience, and I'm aware it will have to be an end game for entertainment, but can we quit acting like having to meet a schedule is somehow a punishment?
2) Region locks exist due to captive markets. If you follow anime circles, you hear a lot about the prices, and how they get linked to a fear of reverse importation: ordering the $20 DVD from the states because the $50 japanese DVD seems like a bad deal. Factor in the desire for censorship by certain governments and you can see why this hasn't happened yet. Yes, it needs to go away, but having seen companies cut licensing deals if they couldn't release anime DVDs in america on the japanese pricing model, it'll be a long road.
3) We've been through this on your GOT site: gaming is designed to be disposable, and hardware is making it more and more difficult to be any kind of collector. Technological issues aside, there's always a fear we'll just squeeze more value out of the old than buy the new. This isn't limited to games: books and DVDs got out of print all the time (Disney makes a killing off that) and stores only stock new stuff (just ask how much fun I had trying to get all 11 MASH sets years after they came out). So many markets are based on a "ooh shiny and new" mentality, and some hardware choices (even not BC related) seem to be set on punishing having the other end.
4) Yeah, short one: this costs money. You need a good ADR director as translation isn't transposition. Differing grammar, syntax, cultural references, all need to be dealt with if you don't want an inadvertent comedy piece.
5) A nice idea: but I've said this before as well, unless it can compete economically, it isn't going to happen and most people toss their values out the window when the alternative costs more. Back to number 1: if you come off like you won't go out of your way to get what you want, no company will believe you'd ever pay more for a product or boycott theirs.
I see you've been reading the Escapist with the ads turned on...
OT:
1) I'm inclined to give them a month in theaters before pushing it to other media. Let the cinemas have their run so that the rest of us can figure out if we want a permanent copy.
2) Yep. I want to stop having to use multiple computers so I can watch DVDs without worrying about being region locked.
3) Also yep. It shouldn't take that much tooth pulling to put in a basic emulator if it really is as hard as they make it out to be.
4) It's already being done on a individual level via well-intentioned pirates who just want others to enjoy the shows without having to learn a third or fourth language. I'm honestly surprised an English sub isn't SOP at this point to cater to American and European markets.
5) This is a problem that really comes down to money and mining. A lot of those minerals used to be mined in the central US but free trade agreements made it more profitable to mine them elsewhere. At a certain point, it's going to come down to governments willing to put tariffs on goods containing conflict minerals, something no one wants to have to explain to the retail consumer.
4) Yeah, as others have already mentioned, quality translations cost money. I live in a country where the vast majority of TV-shows and movies are translated and people still aren't willing to pay adequately for the work translators do. So it's not surprising that smaller languages often get overlooked during the translation process. It has nothing to do with technical limitations of subtitling/dubbing.
Not to mention that the major companies are taking steps to preserve the old games. Nintendo has the virtual console and actually was able to put backwards compatibility into the Wii U because they were able to make it purely with software emulation. Sony recently announced a steaming game service for their old PS1, 2, and 3 games. Plus, the move to x86 architecture for both Xbox and PS was a serious step forward in ensuring backwards compatibility is much easier going forward.hermes200 said:
Certainly more can and should be done, but the technical problems associated with backwards compatibility are staggering and it does not do to pretend backwards compatibility is always a practical possibility. As much as I like Movie Bob he is, in this instance, just whining about what he wants. What he should be doing is consider the problem and what might be practically done and then rallying the gaming public towards this practical solution. It is good that he recognizes the problem, but I believe this was lower than his usual standard. To be clear, this is a sign of respect; While I don't always agree with him, I believe him capable, intelligent, and fair. If he was an idiot I would just write off his opinion and ignore it.
That is the only issue listed that I have a firm grasp on, so it is the only one I feel comfortable commenting on. The rest of the article was good though. Interesting and entertaining read.
Nice to see I'm not the only one who is upset about the lack of backward compatibility for either the Xbox or the PS4.
Going off of that, I can think of something that I haven't been able to find on the internet: the original The Hobbit film. You know, that cartoon version from back in the day? And I mean the original version, not the DVD version. Massive parts of the soundtrack from the DVD version are missing. You can only hear them on the VHS. However, since the VHS is super rare now (it seems), and barely anyone has a VCR anymore, the true version isn't uploaded anywhere. Now granted, I have looked everywhere on the internet because I own the VHS, but every now and then I go to youtube to watch parts of the film and I cringe because it's the DVD version.
So yeah, I like the idea of finding ways to support older formats on newer machines. I know it can't always be done (because a VHS will not work in a DVD player apparently), but I still agree that some effort should go into it.
Going off of that, I can think of something that I haven't been able to find on the internet: the original The Hobbit film. You know, that cartoon version from back in the day? And I mean the original version, not the DVD version. Massive parts of the soundtrack from the DVD version are missing. You can only hear them on the VHS. However, since the VHS is super rare now (it seems), and barely anyone has a VCR anymore, the true version isn't uploaded anywhere. Now granted, I have looked everywhere on the internet because I own the VHS, but every now and then I go to youtube to watch parts of the film and I cringe because it's the DVD version.
So yeah, I like the idea of finding ways to support older formats on newer machines. I know it can't always be done (because a VHS will not work in a DVD player apparently), but I still agree that some effort should go into it.
I work at a Regal Theater and we actually have closed caption glasses like you described (but they stream the captions through an attached receiver kind of like google glass). Actually we have a more pairs of them than other locations because our location is in a city with a significant deaf population, so these glasses are used fairly often. Granted, they are pretty new and tend to malfunction pretty easily, but they let people see movies that wouldn't have CC showings at a reasonable hour, which kind of outweighs those negatives.
I could see how many would be hesitant over the first reform since it would hurt box office revenue. However, a lot of people are becoming more patient and waiting for home release mostly because the theater experience has suffered greatly (people talking during the movie, texting on their smart phones, etc). If theaters want to remain relevant, they need to start running their places better. Alamo Draft House, for example, has a zero tolerance policy against people that spoil the movie going experience for others with their bad habits. Plus we're seeing theaters offer more selection with dine-in foods and alcohol beverages. One of my local theaters has reopened recently and is offering beer, wine, and food items other than candy and popcorn.
Maybe, for once, how consumers believe technology should work should be considered over how it 'actually works' (which really, just translates to how manufacturers say it should work. Not completely without merit, but not completely valid, either).hermes200 said:
Console gaming for so long, I'm getting tired of the big manufacturers finding ways to cut down a new console's utility. I'm particularly sick of the argument that it's 'too expensive', or that it's a sound business plan to cut BC out. Again, it's not inherently wrong to think this, but it's not appealing; not in a digital age, and not while game libraries are growing faster and larger. Besides, these companies have built these consoles from the ground up; why can't they design more portable, cheaper versions of the hardware needed, such as the cell processor, into their new systems? Hell, there's precedence that they work towards that process; look how many different system models were ultimately available, not just for the PS3, but the 360 and Wii as well.
I'd even be willing to concede my usual demand for backwards compatability slightly, in that I'd just want disc-based content to be apply. It makes more sense, from a console-owner's perspective; you pop in a disc, and you expect the game to work. Even confinded to one manufacturer, you don't really expect contemporary consoles to have the variety of cartridge ports necessary to play older titles (though cartridge-based games are probably easier to emulate), but you do expect a disc to be pretty universal. But even that's a pretty gross assumption out of console-owner-centric perspective.
But consumers don't make these consoles. Point #3 of this article remains valid because as far as the big 3 go, they decide what these consoles can or cannot do. All consumers do is spend money; it's about the only language we speak and I'd rather it go to something taking the extra steps to be used in the long run. I only (and usually) take offense at lack of backwards compatibility, but there are many other areas where manufacturers seem to cut corners in service, and they're making a trend out of it, seemingly. I'm just fearful of the day that console manufacturers cling to this trend so hard, we get a crap system that was 'designed to pave the way for the next generation'.
On a notion of ideals, if you discount graphics technology, what warrants a generation change?
The eldery in me wants to agree, but remembers when this was being hyped as the near future in 1995 and is annoyed that it's been nearly two decades of feet dragging.Redd the Sock said:
Only if you count the entire music market as a captive market. Region locks are an outcropping of the record industry lobbying to prevent what you called "reverse importation" on a larger scale. It used to be a lot cheaper for distros to buy records and CDs in bulk from places like South America on the cheap and sell them either at a discount or eat the remaining profits themselves. The record industry didn't like being undercut and pushed for import taxes/tariffs/whatever. If they could have got away with region locking Compact Discs, they probably would have. As it is, the video market became serious business and sought to protect themselves. Fortunately, DVD came out after issues of piracy, copying (even lawful copying) and importing were all well-known, so they developed a system right in the medium and its players.
As it is, people were still finding better deals (even with import) on movies and using multi-region DVD players to get around this. They started punishing that by generating DVDs that would only play in fixed-region DVD players. They really hate not having control.
It's not just anime. The whole industry is worried that you might be able to buy something cheaper than the prices they want you to pay.
This one's always strange to me, because of the industry's obsession with remakes and re-releases. It's like they're ramping us up specifically for nostalgia. And this happens in other media, too. More so with movies and music than books, but still. And I get that they can get new money out of us on an individual release, but they need to go much bigger for that to be a real model: something they don't seem willing or able to do.
quick note to backwards compatibility, you seem to have forgotten that the WiiU is in fact fully reverse compatible with all Wii software, AND its hardware as well. Microsoft and Sony are making you spend $4-500 to abandon your current game library and making you buy new controllers but Nintendo isn't. Though on the flip side it could be that nintendo relied too much on that backwards compatibility, as the console went like 8 months or so with a pretty pitiful library of its own...but now that more games are coming out I think it's past that particular hiccup...as long as more 3rd party software is made for it in the long run.