Taito announces new Arcade download system

[newguns]

http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2010/0 ... ad_system/

Article above, apparently Grev and CAVE are on board.

[plasticxo]

This sounds like the end of the PCBs as we know it today.

[kernow]

Looks like it's only for typex 2 to me. After all you need a standardised client hardware no? Makes sense to use tx2 in that case.

[njiska]

I'm concerned about the impact this could have on the private market. Especially if companies don't simultaneously release PCB editions and legacy titles are not maintained.

[Drum]

I'm concerned about the impact this could have on the private market. Especially if companies don't simultaneously release PCB editions and legacy titles are not maintained.

I'm absolutely ecstatic about the impact this could have on the private market.

[TidusBlade]

Oh wait, if this system actually gets adopted and succeeds... I may never own a PCB my whole life :O Paranoia aside though, I can imagine this getting cracked somehow, landing arcade games in the same state as consoles with tons of time and money being spent on combating piracy almost uselessly.

[Ex-Cyber]

Paranoia aside though, I can imagine this getting cracked somehow, landing arcade games in the same state as consoles with tons of time and money being spent on combating piracy almost uselessly.

Considering the number of games with protection MCUs that have been bootlegged over the years, I think arcade games may have gotten there first.

[Elixir]

http://www.4gamer.net/games/017/G001762/20100909090/

Says nothing about Cave.

So this thing is basically Taito's solution to countering piracy? Also yeah, it sounds like it's only catering to one platform right now.

[ROBOTRON]

Sad....1st The Neo-Geo stopped making carts, then comes the end of the PCB market as a whole. Everyone will probably go to the system despite Cave not being mentioned...I still see the future. We're all doomed to digital media and no more carts, disc, etc.

I'm getting into my time machine and going back to 1980.

Hmmmmmmmm.....wtf did I do with those time crystals? I canna go back in time without them.

[Deca]

I have very mixed feelings about this.

[Dave_K.]

Oh noes! This multiple arcade machine emulation technology is going to completely displace PCBs and ruin the private/secondary collectors market!

*facepalm*

[Aguraki]

full digital media is a good thing for the environment.
no more billions of useless CDs,no more packaging,etc...
I like it.

about the OP topic I just hope quality won't be hurt.

[ROBOTRON]

full digital media is a good thing for the environment.
no more billions of useless CDs,no more packaging,etc...
I like it.

about the OP topic I just hope quality won't be hurt.

Yeah, until you face the red ring of death or a PS3 cascade fail. When all your digtal media is lost then what? Buy it all over again? At least with neo carts, PCB's disc, etc. joo still have the game media, just get your machine fixed/or get a new one and insert coin.

[Shuurin]

More power to the companies if they feel this will drastically cut down on production costs. They list that the system will eventually allow the player to select a game from a catalog, this could help operators increase traffic to their stores since there would be something for everyone. I can't help but think this goes both ways sadly, it could crush some operators if their competition essentially has access to everything they do. Plus this sounds like they are making it easier for a crafty person to dump the roms. Only time will tell I guess.

[Malc74]

full digital media is a good thing for the environment.
no more billions of useless CDs,no more packaging,etc...
I like it.

about the OP topic I just hope quality won't be hurt.

Yeah, until you face the red ring of death or a PS3 cascade fail. When all your digtal media is lost then what? Buy it all over again? At least with neo carts, PCB's disc, etc. joo still have the game media, just get your machine fixed/or get a new one and insert coin.

If (or when) your Xbox RRoD's you just have to redownload the permissions for all your downloadable content onto your new machine. It's a bit fiddly, sure, but you certainly don't have to buy it all over again.

[EPS21]

Oh boy, Steam for the arcade industry!

If this is what it takes to save arcades, I'm all for it, much like how Steam saved PC gaming. I wonder if they'll ever support this in the west/worldwide, so that operators and collectors over here may also legally purchase these games. If it's anything like konami's e-amuse system has been, my guess is it'll never make it here.

[Ex-Cyber]

If (or when) your Xbox RRoD's you just have to redownload the permissions for all your downloadable content onto your new machine. It's a bit fiddly, sure, but you certainly don't have to buy it all over again.

Nothing guarantees that those servers will still be up ten years from now, or that "your" games won't have been pulled from the servers because of some licensing issue. Both scenarios have already happened with other services. I doubt this is a major concern for arcade operators, though.

[Dave_K.]

Looks like it's only for typex 2 to me. After all you need a standardised client hardware no? Makes sense to use tx2 in that case.

Looks like Taito announced their next generation hardware called Type X Zero. Both Type X2 and Zero will be compatible with the new digital download system. Personally, anything that gets new games into arcades faster is a good thing. The private market will eventually get an upgraded version of the new games on consoles.

[ROBOTRON]

full digital media is a good thing for the environment.
no more billions of useless CDs,no more packaging,etc...
I like it.

about the OP topic I just hope quality won't be hurt.

Yeah, until you face the red ring of death or a PS3 cascade fail. When all your digtal media is lost then what? Buy it all over again? At least with neo carts, PCB's disc, etc. joo still have the game media, just get your machine fixed/or get a new one and insert coin.

10 - 4 affirmative.

[Ed Oscuro]

Boy it's sure easy getting your old PCBs repaired by the arcade manufacturer (who probably doesn't have parts anymore even if they still are in business)!

CPS2 suicide battery servicing versus re-downloading permissions...

[ncp]

Boy it's sure easy getting your old PCBs repaired by the arcade manufacturer (who probably doesn't have parts anymore even if they still are in business)!

CPS2 suicide battery servicing versus re-downloading permissions...

logic is for casuals anyway

[cfx]

.

[Aguraki]

Boy it's sure easy getting your old PCBs repaired by the arcade manufacturer (who probably doesn't have parts anymore even if they still are in business)!

And it'll be somehow easier getting your obsolete Type-X Zero system repaired when it's 10 years old and parts are no longer available for it? And since you probably didn't buy multiples of it, when your one PCB/system dies, all of the games you bought for it are unusable.

yes since it will become "MAME" like after a while anyway.
don't hang up like that to the packaging it's not a proof of eternity.

[Ed Oscuro]

Boy it's sure easy getting your old PCBs repaired by the arcade manufacturer (who probably doesn't have parts anymore even if they still are in business)!

And it'll be somehow easier getting your obsolete Type-X Zero system repaired when it's 10 years old and parts are no longer available for it? And since you probably didn't buy multiples of it, when your one PCB/system dies, all of the games you bought for it are unusable.

Where did I say things are getting better?

In any case, it's a clear sign of the times: Companies that previously, in a good market for arcade games, would have been doing their utmost to elbow each other off the floors of arcades are now banding together. The objective is to try to hold together one system to bring down prices for themselves (and for arcade operators). I know people are imagining a "$5000 download" but the cost savings in digital distribution to a common platform are well known. If anything the problem is they aren't going far enough - they might as well just brand a software system, like Steam, and run on regular PC hardware (that's how I'll expect the industry may end up - clearly, big LCD screens are nothing new to most people, nor is multiplayer, and many arcades simply won't be as well appointed for these setups as a player's own home would be). In any case, with the industry doing poorly, the arcade manufacturers will set the terms out of necessity. I don't know if arcade operators will be enthusiastic or downbeat; a lot of that will come with how well or badly they come out of this once the terms of using the system are known. It's a safe bet that the manufacturers aren't looking to increase total costs for operators, but it's not known if they will try to pass of a unified system and digital distribution as the sole sources of savings.