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NEWS: Tales of Series Producer Baba Addresses Zestiria's Controversy


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Snakebit1995



Joined: 25 Apr 2015
Posts: 842
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2015 1:06 pm Reply with quote
I've said this before so I'll say it again

DLC is necessary in today's economy.

Game prices haven't changed in 2 decades+, Developers/publishers have to make up for the inflation gap somehow, and DLC is the most logical way to do it.

And it's extra content!

You either grow to accept DLC or ask for less game to be priced higher.

Also when a game goes to QA testing developers have time and it's not cost effective to have them sit around waiting for the game to release so they can get their bonus, so they work on DLC.

There is nothing ethically wrong about DLC, you try and run a business and see how easy it is to make a profit.
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varmintx



Joined: 31 Jul 2006
Posts: 1233
Location: Covington, KY
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2015 1:12 pm Reply with quote
Should really apologize now for giving validity to the nutbags' whining.
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theNightster



Joined: 14 Mar 2014
Posts: 1328
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2015 1:24 pm Reply with quote
so is Alisha basically a female Flynn from Vesperia? and when I say that I mean in terms of being a "main character" but not with your party that much
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Tomibiki



Joined: 08 Jul 2007
Posts: 837
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2015 1:46 pm Reply with quote
Wait wait wait, so they advertised her, then she wasn't playable for a good portion of the game, then they released an EXPANSION that centers on her and people are calling it monetary exploitation of a chara-WHO THE HELL CARES?!
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Ambimunch



Joined: 30 Aug 2012
Posts: 2012
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2015 1:51 pm Reply with quote
Desa wrote:
Biggest non-issue I've seen in a while.


Exactly! Why is this labeled as a "controversy" LOL.

To me it sounds like the fandom is spoiled or as a sign that we want our movies and games completely spoiled via trailers. Why watch the movie/play the game when you can experience the whole plot in a 5 minute trailer!?..
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Just-another-face



Joined: 08 Feb 2014
Posts: 324
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2015 1:52 pm Reply with quote
This is what happens when you give in to the demands of whiny male otaku in Japan. Baba didn't need to say sorry for a damn thing, but since their culture seems to be raised on being humble and apologizing for every little miscalculation they make, this could be considered commonplace...if it weren't for the fact that it's a ridiculous thing to get so worked up over. It really isn't worth a shred of his or the development team's time to apologize over trying to experiment with a new entry in the series, which was what they intended for the game from the start. I bet those lazy whiny nerds couldn't come up with an idea for Tales if it bit them in the ass. Their only suggestion would be, "Offer lots of revealing costumes for the ladies!"
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ChibiGoku



Joined: 29 May 2004
Posts: 686
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2015 1:56 pm Reply with quote
theNightster wrote:
so is Alisha basically a female Flynn from Vesperia? and when I say that I mean in terms of being a "main character" but not with your party that much


The PS3 version, Flynn is in your party much more often, and after a certain point, stays with you for the rest of the game. Him, along with Patty (which we know she existed at one point in the 360 version, due to assigned variables to her name in the menu), I suspect were cut due to needing to get the game out on time for the 360 version. However, we've never gotten a full straight answer about this, as they don't want to discuss it, but that appears to be the case.

As for Alisha, it's hard to tell if Baba is 100% telling the truth with the situation with her. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, however.
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GrayArchon



Joined: 28 Feb 2011
Posts: 393
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2015 2:04 pm Reply with quote
Tomibiki wrote:
WHO THE HELL CARES?!


The Japanese who are fans of the series and purchased the game. You know, the ones whose money is at stake, and whose opinions have some of the heaviest weight when it comes to the target market of the game.
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residentgrigo



Joined: 23 Dec 2007
Posts: 2579
Location: Germany
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2015 3:00 pm Reply with quote
So i still think that this Baba dude is a standup guy and that the studio did nothing wrong besides the usual DLC nonsense and that the publisher shaming or whatever that was what went on earlier this year was utterly inexcusable on the part of the "fans".
How many people were actuary angry as the game sold and reviewed pretty well... Or that people from over the boarder who never touched the game needed to jump on the hate-wagon too Rolling Eyes.
To anyone who hated what was done here: Just don´t buy their next game as only money talks on the free market.

I wonder what would happen if MGS 2 or FFVII were released today and not in 2001/1997.
How many articles/petitions would get to read in that case how the people involved "ruined" gaming.
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meiam



Joined: 23 Jun 2013
Posts: 3448
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2015 3:35 pm Reply with quote
As far as I can tell the controversy is only kept alive by people talking about the controversy itself (including Baba) rather than what really happened. It was extremely shit behavior of them to heavily advertise a character and then make a DLC out of her (apparently you can also buy DLC weapon and costume for her that are only usable for the short time when she's in party) but nothing spectacular.

He obviously didn't have to apologize, but he's either doing it because he want to or someone higher up is telling him to. Some people brought the game, have genuine criticism of it and are telling other people about it. Those criticism might also make them reconsider buying further tales of game, that's a perfectly legitimate choice for them and obvious Namco and probably Baba don't want that.

But honestly looking at the games he did work on, I'm not particularly impress. He was on the absolutely terrible symphonia sequel. He did work on Vesperia, but only as brand manager, whatever that means. Then he was producer for grace, that's a bit tricky to evaluate because I think it has simultaneously the worse story/character of the series and the best gameplay, I'm not quite sure which part he was responsible for. Then did xillia which had to be rushed out and so has a terrible spacing and ultra dull gameplay. So, meh, if they want to hand over the series to someone else, seems perfectly fine to me.
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Madoka...AYUKAWA!



Joined: 14 Jan 2015
Posts: 158
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2015 3:49 pm Reply with quote
Snakebit1995 wrote:
I've said this before so I'll say it again

DLC is necessary in today's economy.

Game prices haven't changed in 2 decades+, Developers/publishers have to make up for the inflation gap somehow, and DLC is the most logical way to do it.

And it's extra content!

You either grow to accept DLC or ask for less game to be priced higher.

Also when a game goes to QA testing developers have time and it's not cost effective to have them sit around waiting for the game to release so they can get their bonus, so they work on DLC.

There is nothing ethically wrong about DLC, you try and run a business and see how easy it is to make a profit.


DLC is wrong period, let alone justified, you are merely s sheep brainwashed to think "its needed" today.

Its been extensively said and researched why its wrong, and WHY its not needed nor justified.

As that wont change your point I wont further argue it. But you are one of the many culprits, merely westerners, that support this shitty DLC practice and LIKE to be treated like crap from corporations, you should be ashamed of yourself to be a sheep, if it would affect only you fine, I could care less, but you dont minding being robbed, extorted and treated like garbage affect us all.

The issue here I see it more in the terms of the DLC itself, japanese fans are probably right believing it was simply bait to make them spend more money via DLC, emulating shitty USA developer practices.

With the prices japanese fans are held hostage, its even more wrong to demand them paying more for content that should be in the game in the first place, the DLC focusing in the girl was the last nail in the coffin, and I see them righteously complaining in this case.

If it had been a mere case of her not being the protagonist or taking a major role, some could have been disappointed, but to later say fine, here is your DLC now pay me more, was what took the issue to this level.

Westerners that have not yet even played the game have no real basis to say japanese fans are wrong, and consumers are super entitled to state their opinion, as they are PAYING (most at least) to demand by any means necessary what they think is right, NO COMPANY is making anyone a favor, ITS THE OTHER WAY AROUND. Companies are the ones that should feel grateful that people is spending their hard earned money on their product. Plain and simple.

But many westerns are mere sheep.

Bravo for japanese fans standing to todays gaming developers and publishers shitty practices.
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Chrysostomus



Joined: 11 Mar 2015
Posts: 335
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2015 4:35 pm Reply with quote
Snakebit1995 wrote:
I said it before and I'll say it again, the Gaming community acts so entitled sometimes it's infuriating.
Complaining is the last consumer right we have.

But the infuriating thing is that there are actually people out there defending what is a blatant moneygrubbing experiment which failed, and that's why we're still feeling the backlash.

I mean, I know DLC characters are a thing in fighting games and other genres but now in RPGs too? Characters that are part of the main cast? No amount of damage control can justify this fiasco.
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FenixFiesta



Joined: 22 Apr 2013
Posts: 2581
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2015 4:40 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
But you are one of the many culprits, merely westerners

Except that Japanese companies and Japanese consumers are just as valid to blame when it comes to perpetuating purchasable DLC costumes.

If the Japanese consumer was so "enlightened" to avoid the obvious purchase trap the trend in promoting purchasable DLC would have died out years ago, however it persists because JAPANESE gamers love buying the latest popular Anime costume for there digital dolls.
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Tomibiki



Joined: 08 Jul 2007
Posts: 837
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2015 5:54 pm Reply with quote
GrayArchon wrote:
Tomibiki wrote:
WHO THE HELL CARES?!


The Japanese who are fans of the series and purchased the game. You know, the ones whose money is at stake, and whose opinions have some of the heaviest weight when it comes to the target market of the game.


You mean the fans who consume everything and made the DLC market palpable in the first place? They're no better than everyone else who's being bent over a barrel right now, if anything it's their constant absorption media that banged up their overseas game economy in the first place, now everyone's gotta break themselves for alt colors. No sympathy.

Anyway, it's not going anywhere and they're not gonna stop buying games. This practice was a long time coming and fighting it only asks that devs charge more for existing product, they're gonna get the money either way. Only solution is to never play, or play crappy F2P MMOs and probably still get cheesed by pay model gimmicks.
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jirg1901



Joined: 03 Jun 2014
Posts: 150
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2015 6:27 pm Reply with quote
Snakebit1995 wrote:
Jeez it's not the Devs fault you didn't feel the surprise or joy he thought he was bringing.

Yeah, it is. Who else is supposed to be responsible for the quality and reception of the product exactly?

I'm not sure why someone has to point out how absurd it is for someone who hasn't played the game to be mocking the validity of the opinions of people who have. If you bothered to read deeper you would see the issue isn't just the standard practice of a character leaving the party (the only thing you actually really know about) but rather the complaints are about the way it was written and the character treated shortly before and after, to the point some claim even the main protagonist takes a backseat to cheerleading the party member that effectively replaces her. It's not a matter of not getting to play Alishia, but rather feeling actively mocked and monetarily exploited for liking her and/or finding it to be poor quality writing in general.

Whether those things are really true you can wait to find out I guess, but you're serving to do nothing but inflate your own sense of self-importance and possibly look ridiculous later by trying to simplify their feelings into something else for your ridicule.
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