Turbob Xpress: Bringing affordable "gamer's" games to the community! Nearly Gone

[Ozzy_98]

"These repros are why we're going to have fewer translations done going forward"

I'm not sure I follow fully. I assume it is because people are not getting compensation or credit for their hard work to translate a game and somebody making a killer profit off everybody else's work? I assume that is what you are aiming at and I get that. I see it all the time with Mother 3 translations. 

I'm not agreeing with anybody taking somebodys work that was given to the public for free, and then cashing in and not even give credit. I get that most people that did those translations are a member of this site and probably been burned on it and not want it to happen again or keep doing something that might be kept being used despite not giving there persmission to do so. But since nobody was making a profit really off these I figure it might be a different circumstance.

Just as people choose not to look into Tobias/Fudoh/PCEWorks/PCEngine20thAnniversary/animeforever/HudsonSoftofJapan, they also don't bother to do the most basic research into the origin of these translations. If PCEWorks says their team of fans did everything, then that all you need to know.

The person who organized the Drac X translation and Ys IV dub (which Tobias has already admitted to pressing) said for years that he would be done with PCE projects if anyone ever pressed discs of anything he worked on. Even if it was a community pressing sold at a loss or just given out for free.

It's all fine and well to speculate what he may or may not have done next otherwise, but at the very least a series of dubs would have been likely. Other hackers and misc dev scene people have also expressed that they are second guessing various projects because of Tobias' actions.

One particular slap in the face was Tobias' claim that he'd be lucky to afford to offer Nightwolve as much as $1 per set. But that if he accepted, then he'd officially be part of the "team" and it would likely have been advertised more specifically than the current bs description.

The damage is already done and if most of these loose discs make it into the hands of players, then hopefully far fewer will be flipped for profit. But it's definitely having the opposite effect of encouraging fan translations. It's not about what you or I theoretically think how fan translators might feel, it's what they've already expressed.

Another thing is people who make translations or hacks without the IP holders permission normally want to stay low, and not draw too much attention to themselves incase the owner of the IP decides to send a C&D or to try to make an example out of them.

Then again I'm sure nightwolve can name one exception to the list of translators who liked to stay out of the spotlight.


There's also the whole "Seeing your work ripped from your control" that sucks ass. I have some old demos on PC-Engine, and back when Cowering was still starting out, they were marked as PD, Public Domain, when I can assure you I did not release them as public domain.  I didn't press too much though since I was using stolen artwork as place holders at the time.

[Bernie]

Keep an eye on yalls email.  I am doing some shipping tonight via PayPal. 

[toymachine78]

Woo hoo!  Best email I received all day!

[CatPix]

Indeed!

Thanks you very much for trusting me

[martinine]

Keep an eye on yalls email.  I am doing some shipping tonight via PayPal. 

Received the shipment notification! Perfect timing because the Tennkoe Bank I ordered was marked shipped today as well!

As far as the translation problems, I think it's a problem with the state of the industry. Imagine if whoever holds the rights to sell said game contacted the translator, gave them a nice deal, and then released the game. Everyone who owns a Turbo machine would buy the game. I can't believe it doesn't actually happen.  I hate that translators are essentially screwed here, but what's the actual option? It's technically illegal to do the patching and play on an emulator too. It is awful that anyone has profited from the *stolen* labor of another.

I'm glad that, as a community, you guys are trying to mitigate some of the damages while still getting games into the hands of real gamers.

Thanks.

[retro junkie]

Got my email. Great news!

[Bernie]

Hey guys, I am STILL having people gift the payment, after I have asked everyone not to....and included it in my PM to everyone.  I am not sure if it is something that is happening by accident or what, but please make sure it is NOT gifted.  I am using PayPal to print and ship, so it is just easier for everyone.  Plus, after I have created your label, you can track it right from there. 

I have refunded a few of you today, and included a note as to why.  Just resubmit without gifting.  I believe it is actually named something different now, "friends and family" I think it is?  Anyway, just be sure that you are sending funds, "for goods purchased" and not "friends and family".  That may be where the mix up is coming from.   

[shawnji]

Keep an eye on yalls email.  I am doing some shipping tonight via PayPal. 

Thanks Bernie!  I had a rough day at work today, and I was really glad to see the notification a minute ago!  It picked me right up!

[Keith Courage]

These repros are why we're going to have fewer translations done going forward.

But why? This is like a musician or movie producer saying that they will no longer record music or make any movies just because someone might download the song/movie and sell a disc of it. This happens all the time. Especially with odd or rare releases. Not saying it's right. It just happens.

Not sure if this is doable but maybe make a boot up screen for any future translations that states the translation should be free? I don't know.

Maybe someone from here could work with future translators to make discs for them. Thus keeping the market from wanting tobias copies? Just a thought.

[geise]

Bernie. I hate all this Tobias shit being given out and you already know that, but you are a god among men to jump and and deal with this shit.  This would've been me a couple weeks ago.
 

My hat is off to you.

[Mathius]

Bernie. I hate all this Tobias shit being given out and you already know that, but you are a god among men to jump and and deal with this shit.  This would've been me a couple weeks ago.
 

My hat is off to you.

Haha! Well put.

[slinkyturd]

These repros are why we're going to have fewer translations done going forward.

But why? This is like a musician or movie producer saying that they will no longer record music or make any movies just because someone might download the song/movie and sell a disc of it. This happens all the time. Especially with odd or rare releases. Not saying it's right. It just happens.

Not sure if this is doable but maybe make a boot up screen for any future translations that states the translation should be free? I don't know.

Maybe someone from here could work with future translators to make discs for them. Thus keeping the market from wanting tobias copies? Just a thought.

I don't fully understand it either. To boil down the whole situation, we have a company, for instance HudsonSoft, who makes a game and owns the rights to it. They sell their game and make their money. Then we have a person who modifies that game so people can enjoy it in a region it wasn't originally enjoyed in, but gets pissy when someone markets that work. As I see it there are two problems here. First, If the goal is to help people enjoy games they originally couldn't, why not embrace the marketing that is sure to follow? People will get the enjoyment that was intended. And second, taking the position that their work is stolen and misused is ignoring that they have already done that to the IP of, in this example: HudsonSoft, to begin with. It makes them not just a hypocritic but ones of the whiney variety. If they genuinely don't enjoy their work (which is stolen to begin with) to be stolen and sold, then they should take the effort to create the pressed discs and undercut the cost of the one they view as a thief. Forcing them out of the market. To not do that brings us back to my first issue above -live and let live.

[Gredler]

Keep an eye on yalls email.  I am doing some shipping tonight via PayPal. 

I will boil 3 CDRs thanks to this email, endlessly appreciated sir!

[TR0N]

Still waiting on reply to PM I sent.

Hope I didn't miss out this! 

Trust me you'll be taken care of.

Waiting on my shipment still i just payed for two games.

I ship once a week, so depending on what batch I processed first will depend on when I ship/shipped yours. 


Sent from my iPhone using your mama

I got the e-mail from paypal stating so thanks again.

[kosko99]

Got the email too, thanks!