Espgaluda II

[yyr]

Quietly, NCSX started a pre-order page for the LE.

http://www.shopncsx.com/espgaludaiiblac ... ion-1.aspx

Update: December 24, 2009
NCS expects to open up preorders for the limited edition of Espgaluda II Black Label next week. Please wait for further updates on the allocation ratio from Cave.

[Defcon 5]

Cant help myself, but the cover looks awefull
iam fine with the Regular Edition!!

[Special World]

Yeah, regular edition looks at least 2x better than special edition.

[antares]

Does anyone know how much the price of the LE was on amazon.jp to preorder?
Yes-Asia has it up for 143 $ which seems quite expensive

[Elixir]

I don't remember, but it wasn't above 10k.

[Exarion]

"This will have a direct impact on whether Espgaluda II and other titles will be localized for America," Asada warned us. "So it's probably a good idea to pick it up!"

from the same announcement as mushi 1.5 being region free. I'm personally going to wait for them to announce it to either be region free or have a US release (both possible) before ordering, because i don't have a japanese 360.

[Nico87]

So which version is everyone getting? I'm leaning towards the regular edition, because the LE cover art makes the game looks like it's a dating game or a pretty bad JRPG.

[MachineAres 1CC]

I'm pretty sure the region lock is just a couple flags they set when they put the disc together, so there would be no costs associated with making it whatever they wanted.

Region locking exists because in making Japanese games only work in Japan, the companies can license their game out to distributors in other countries, without fear of people importing copies across regions and cutting into their profits. American/European publisher doesn't have to worry about the general public importing copies from Japan before they can finish localizing, and Japan doesn't have to worry about people in their home country waiting for what will most likely be the cheaper overseas release. Same thing with games originating in America/Europe, just rotate the point of views a bit.

So basically put, if Cave decides to license their games to an American/European distributor, they would probably region lock the game so that potential distributors don't run the risk of bringing over a game that the majority of the customer base has already imported.

That's a good, complete explanation of region coding, I'm glad someone finally cleared it up, I'm far too lazy. Its an International business decision, plain and simple. The exact same thing happens with DVD of movies or anything else from around the world. Sometimes certain countries are lazy, careless, or just don't care about trying to license things in other countries, so they leave it region free. In the case of Mushi 1.5, CAVE had something else in mind though, so its kind of a different story. I could really care less about the region coding on Espgaluda, I can play either region, but I'm very curious to see if CAVE announces anything if they talk about the region coding, if they state whether it had a lot to do with sales or reception of Mushi or not.

Also, have we confirmed what comes in the LE of Espgaluda yet? NCSX says it comes with a faceplate, but I'm also wondering if that's a real faceplate or just another sticker, and even regarless of that, there has to be more to an LE than just a faceplate. And I actually like the LE cover, its a more difinitive and clear art style than the other box, much less busy.

EDIT: Oh nevermind, it is a sticker, not a real faceplate, NCSX's gallery shows it.

[StarCreator]

Also, have we confirmed what comes in the LE of Espgaluda yet? NCSX says it comes with a faceplate, but I'm also wondering if that's a real faceplate or just another sticker, and even regarless of that, there has to be more to an LE than just a faceplate. And I actually like the LE cover, its a more difinitive and clear art style than the other box, much less busy.

EDIT: Oh nevermind, it is a sticker, not a real faceplate, NCSX's gallery shows it.

Where are you seeing this gallery? I'm pretty sure that a sticker and different cover art isn't enough to justify the jump in price between the regular and limited editions when nothing else about the package is different.

[Nico87]

Well, every LE obviously has the soundtrack included, while only the first-print editions of the regular version will have the soundtrack cd. Other than that, I think it's just the sticker and the cover art, sadly. Oh, and probably a tin/larger box aswell. Basically the same as the Futari LE.

[Zero Gunner]

Also, have we confirmed what comes in the LE of Espgaluda yet? NCSX says it comes with a faceplate, but I'm also wondering if that's a real faceplate or just another sticker, and even regarless of that, there has to be more to an LE than just a faceplate. And I actually like the LE cover, its a more difinitive and clear art style than the other box, much less busy.

EDIT: Oh nevermind, it is a sticker, not a real faceplate, NCSX's gallery shows it.

Where are you seeing this gallery? I'm pretty sure that a sticker and different cover art isn't enough to justify the jump in price between the regular and limited editions when nothing else about the package is different.

Just below the cover image is a link that says "View More Images". Click that and a second window opens that has 8 images, one of which is an image of a faceplate sticker. Depending on your browser config this may not open; I use FF with Noscript and I had to allow scripts to run for the image gallery to properly appear. It's weird though that the image on Cave's blog shows a fully assembled faceplate encased in styrofoam (as if removed from a larger LE box) but NCS now shows it as a sticker. I wonder which is accurate....

[apple arcade]

I think it's a real faceplate. NCSX says a faceplate is included, not a sticker.

That's probably just a preliminary picture.

[chempop]

That's bizzar, it's anyone's guess at this point if it'll be a sticker or a faceplate (with a sticker on it). I'm curious if faceplate art has always just been stickers added, or if they actually have art that is directly printed on the plastic (maybe a stupid question)...

I don't really understand where all the hate on the LE art comes from, the characters are drawn very well, nice colors, detail, etc. I like the clouds and overall layout of the LE a lot. Granted, the Standard Ed boxart trumps it, but I think both are excellent.

One thing I've noticed that I don't think was mentioned yet is why only the LE has "Black Label" on the box. Also, is it confirmed that Black Label is selectable from the get-go, or will it be a DLC... hmmmmmmmm....

[Elixir]

I would immediately assume it's a sticker, but the enclosure indicates that's how it's going to be commercially distributed.

Anyway, preordered the regular edition with telephone card. The stress of trying to find LE reservations just isn't worth it.

[ASK]

Preordered the regular ed. from NCSX, don't feel like dealing with the same stuff that happened with Futari from PA (ordered in Sept, no 1.01, took a month to get here, $14 customs). Fingers crossed that it's region free, but if it's not, I'll just get a japanese 360.

[Nico87]

I sent an e-mail to NCSX asking if they were still taking pre-orders for the first-print regular edition, and their answer was yes, so I went ahead and pre-ordered it.

[GaijinPunch]

That's a good, complete explanation of region coding,

It only covers the development side... not the business side which is what's stop these releases from being unlocked.

[Nico87]

One thing I've noticed that I don't think was mentioned yet is why only the LE has "Black Label" on the box. Also, is it confirmed that Black Label is selectable from the get-go, or will it be a DLC... hmmmmmmmm....

I'm wondering about this aswell. Why would only the LE have "Black Label" on the box? If it will be available for everyone through DLC, then fine, but if only LE owners get a Black Label mode, suicide is the only option. And I kinda need to know this fast, seeing as if only the LE owners gets a Black Label mode, I will have to cancel my pre-order for the first-print regular edition, and then wait and pre-order the LE.

[emphatic]

One thing I've noticed that I don't think was mentioned yet is why only the LE has "Black Label" on the box. Also, is it confirmed that Black Label is selectable from the get-go, or will it be a DLC... hmmmmmmmm....

I'm wondering about this aswell. Why would only the LE have "Black Label" on the box? If it will be available for everyone through DLC, then fine, but if only LE owners get a Black Label mode, suicide is the only option.

As I understand it, the Port is called "ESPGALUDA - Black Label". That's why they've put *new* characters and new music into the game as well. Have any of the covers shown even been finalized?

[Nico87]

Well, that picture above looks fairly finalized, though I haven't seen any physical copies of the regular edition as of yet.

[GaijinPunch]

Black Label playable out of the box. It was the only mode playable at the event today, so they're really pushing it. My understanding is Yagawa's Arrange Mode will be DLC... but don't quote me on that. EOJ and adverse have been keeping up w/ it more than I, big time.

[MachineAres 1CC]

Wow, that's confusing, having 2 different answers to the faceplate question. That would be fantastic if its a real faceplate, but who knows. I'm pre-ordering the LE, either way once NCSX puts it up for order.

[EOJ]

My understanding is Yagawa's Arrange Mode will be DLC

Nah, Arrange is playable right out of the box, along with 5 other modes. So far, no DLC has been mentioned for this game.

[Skykid]

Not the best news, but if anyone has checked the Ketsui thread there's a good chance that Esp2 will be region locked after all.

[GaijinPunch]

My understanding is Yagawa's Arrange Mode will be DLC

Nah, Arrange is playable right out of the box, along with 5 other modes. So far, no DLC has been mentioned for this game.

Even better! I like Black Label... I will probably, once again, not bother w/ the regular vanilla mode as I have devoted a large piece of my life to it already.

[BulletMagnet]

Even better! I like Black Label... I will probably, once again, not bother w/ the regular vanilla mode as I have devoted a large piece of my life to it already.

Well, at least now you actually have a "pause" button in case the kid starts acting up.

[Zweihander]

If it is indeed region locked (CAVE = no strangers to being fuckheads, so I wouldn't put it past them), I may be pissed for a day but that's about it. It's kind of win-win for me.

Region free Galuda 2: Import game, play on friend's 360 like I've been doing with Futari.

Region locked Galuda 2: Rage for 5 minutes, get over it; no way in hell I'd import an entire console just to play it and maybe two other Jap-only games that interest me. (namely, Deathsmiles, and Ketsui Nukem Forever)

[apple arcade]

One thing I've noticed that I don't think was mentioned yet is why only the LE has "Black Label" on the box

[elvis]

I'm pretty sure the region lock is just a couple flags they set when they put the disc together, so there would be no costs associated with making it whatever they wanted.

Region locking exists because in making Japanese games only work in Japan, the companies can license their game out to distributors in other countries, without fear of people importing copies across regions and cutting into their profits. American/European publisher doesn't have to worry about the general public importing copies from Japan before they can finish localizing, and Japan doesn't have to worry about people in their home country waiting for what will most likely be the cheaper overseas release. Same thing with games originating in America/Europe, just rotate the point of views a bit.

So basically put, if Cave decides to license their games to an American/European distributor, they would probably region lock the game so that potential distributors don't run the risk of bringing over a game that the majority of the customer base has already imported.

IMO it's an antiquated system that needs to go away, and if the popular story is true, MS shouldn't have bowed to publisher pressure to implement a regioning system on the 360.

While I despise region-locking as much as the next guy, I read somewhere that on the XBox 360 platform if a company releases a game region free, they have to go through all the legal hoops of ensuring it passes local legislation (classification ratings, etc) in all potential regions of sale.

I can't confirm if it's true or not (and if it is, why Sony don't follow the same procedure for the PS3), but it wouldn't surprise me in the least given what I've heard from friends of mine who are XBLA devs working in Japan, and the legal crap Microsoft forces them to put up with. Cave to date haven't released any of their shooters in the West, and have announced several times they really aren't interested in doing so. It makes no sense for them to follow the above-quoted doctrine of region-encoding for the sake of US/PAL publishers when it's clear they've never pushed that angle in the past.

What I will do is be emailing some developer friends of mine in the coming weeks and asking them if they can shed some light on why region locking is so prevalent on the Xbox 360, but not the PS3.

[MachineAres 1CC]

What I will do is be emailing some developer friends of mine in the coming weeks and asking them if they can shed some light on why region locking is so prevalent on the Xbox 360, but not the PS3.

Because there's no games for PS3?