Sunday, July 4, 2010

The Out-Cast: Episode 07 - E3 2010 Report


This is the sixth episode of the Out-Cast. In this episode, we talk about E3 2010. This episode was recorded right after E3 and we had hoped to have it up right away. However, in the middle of editing, Gwyn's appendix burst and he spent a week in the hospital after it went a bit septic. So here we are, better late than never. Please leave any comments or questions in the section bellow.

Download: Mediafire, iTunes
Streaming: Blip.tv


00:00:00 What's the Happs?
Gwyn

  • Splinter Cell Convition
  • Super Street Fight 4
  • Space Adventure Cobra
  • Nagabuchi
Richard
  • Red Dead Redemption
  • Mass Effect 2
  • Chrono Trigger
Kyle
  • Soccer and Summer
  • Fami-case Exhibition
  • Muteki Mario
36:44 E3
  • History of E3
40:02 Microsoft
  • Press Conference
  • Kinect
  • Gears of War III
  • Halo: Reech
  • Medal of Honor
1:04:38 Sony
  • Twisted Metal
  • 3D
  • Move
  • Gran Turismo 5
  • Portal 2
  • The 3rd Birthday


01:32:23 Nintendo
  • Zelda
  • Kirby
  • Donkey Kong
  • 3DS
02:09:47 Third Party
  • Metal Gear Rising
  • Child of Eden
  • Rayman
  • The Old Republic
  • Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
  • Castlevania
  • Scott Pilgrim vs the World
  • El Shaddai
  • Enslaved


02:39:19 Dissapointments and No Shows
  • Milo
  • Mega Man Legends 3
  • The Last Guardian
  • SSX
  • Half Life 2: Episode 3
  • Dreamcast 2
  • Natural Selection 2
  • Dudebro: My Shit is Fucked Up So I Gotta Shoot/Slice You II: It's Strait Up Dog Time
02:50:49 Best Showing at E3

02:52:20 Mail Bag
  • Favorite things about living in Japan?
  • What do you miss from home?
  • Why did you move to Japan?
  • How safe is Japan?
  • Will iPhone rule western portable gaming?
  • Is there self-segrgation between western and Japanese gamers?
  • Which is more popular in Japan, Evangelion or Macross?
  • What are the differences between Eva 2.0 and 2.22
  • Do you prefer Japanese or Western Games?
  • What music do you play during the cast?
  • What are some awesome PS1 or PS2 titles?
  • Are games cosidered a lesser form of media?
  • What is "Moe"?
  • What is so popular about the Japanese High School setting?

55 comments:

riley said...

My god I have a lot of questions in this segment. lol. Hope you're doing better Gwyn! Can't wait to have a listen.

GROW said...

I think Hideo Kojima's Taboo game is MGS: WW2

what is more taboo for japan than dismemberment.?

KG Jung said...
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KG Jung said...
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KG Jung said...
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riley said...

Great podcast guys! Thanks for answering all of my questions. For the record, I love it when you have really long episodes. Given the choice, I'd always choose a four hour cast over a two hour one. It's always entertaining and the more the better.

Since you didn't comment on it, I'm interested in your opinions on InFamous 2. I realize we don't know a ton of information, but they've released a gameplay trailer recently and there's been several articles released. The main gripe most people have is how they've changed the protagonist, but I like the new Cole better. I know it might seem like selling out by making him more mainstream, but they've compared the new Cole to Nathan Drake insofar that he's more of an everyday guy and I think that's great. The best thing for me about Uncharted 2 was how easily I connected with Nate in a way that I rarely do, because most people I know would swear their heads off if a train/jeep/building came hurtling at them with deadly intent.

Thanks again for the podcast, and I'm looking forward to the next episode. (Also hoping Gwyn is recovering).

feitclub said...

I haven't finished listening yet (4 HOUR PODCAST IS 4 HOURS LONG) but I will say this: arguing about polygon counts and textures makes Baby Go cry.

Don't make him cry.

riley said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
KG Jung said...

Woah, looks like my "thesis" comment(s) was deleted. Were they too long or did I piss one of you guys off?

Ultimate Origami said...

Was that a technoish version of a song from FFVI with actual lyrics that I heard in this podcast? Could a get a song name and artist for that please?

Unknown said...

Hey Kyle I wanted to ask you a question. Since you seem like the one who is most interested in anime, what do you think about the 2010 Summer Season? I'm one of those American otaku who rely on fansubs to get my feed of Japanese media (I know you hate people who download content but I really don't have much of a choice). I'm not sure if you follow the seasons that closely but I just wanted to know your opinion if you did. So far, I like Amagami SS, Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi, Seikimatsu Occult Gakuin (which is apart of the Anime no Chikara program), Nurarihyon no Mago, Highschool of the Dead, Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu, and Seitokai Yakuindomo. Of course, I don't know if you've watched any of these but like I said I'm just interested to hear your opinion on it if you do. Oh, and I wanted to thank you for talking about RAINBOW a few podcasts back. At first I wasn't going to watch it but after listening to you rave about it I decided to give it a chance and I've really enjoyed it. The latest episode (14) was really satisfying and I can't wait to see how Setsuko and Mario's relationship develops next episode.

Also, could you give me some advice on learning Japanese? I'm a 16 year old high school student going into my Junior year after this Summer, and I've been learning Japanese through anime, manga, and online sources for about 2-3 years now. I think I'm finally at the point where I can call myself the equivalent to a beginner/mid-1st year student (I know a fair amount of words and have a grasp of the basic grammar) but I feel like I've hit a wall. I feel like, without using them daily, I can't remember that many advanced words well and learning how Kanji works is really confusing me. I definitely won't be able to get any formal teaching until I go off to college in two years so I'm wondering if you have any tips since I remember you saying you learned a lot of Japanese being in a similar situation as me in the first podcast.

oh btw, do you or one of the other guys on the podcast read the Toaru Majutsu no Index light novels? No particular reason to ask, I've just heard good things about them and I like the anime adaptation of it.

silversaucer said...

"Hey Kyle I wanted to ask you a question. Since you seem like the one who is most interested in anime"

I think Gwyn would probably argue that statement from what I've heard of the podcasts lol.

Unknown said...

Oops, I meant Gwyn lol. Also, I should probably ask how long it took you guys to learn Japanese/become fluent in it.

Kyle said...

KG Jung: None of us can figure out what happened to your posts. We most certainly did not delete them! They were there one moment, and just disappeared the next. Like we said in the cast, we welcome all forms of input so please feel free to write/comment/post all you want!!!

kavi: You heard correctly! The song is entitled "Aria di Mezzo Carattere" by Q;indvi. It is off Square-Enix's recent "Chill SQ" album, and is readily available on iTunes.

Ben: Yeah, that would be Gywn you are thinking of. Among the three of us, I am the one who is probably the least interested in anime. BUT! Ask and you shall receive! In terms of new anime shows I personally would recommend, "Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei" (四畳半神話大系) is put simply, mind blowingly awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff8hcR5Eo-k

It is so unique and packed full of creativity, that I don't even know where to begin. Everything from the art style, to the way the story is told (the narrative is told through voice overs of the protagonist, who speaks a mile a minute in a somewhat monotone voice) is totally original. Watching it reminds me of why I got into anime in the first place.

KG Jung said...

Well, I didn't think it was likely you guys deleted my comments. I don't think I said anything offensive. I did notice two things that might help figure out the glitch:

1) When I was posting my comments, I would get a Google error page about the submission. However when I went back to your webpage the comments were published anyway. This happened all 3 times.

2) Before my comments disappeared, I noticed that the comment counter on the main page referring to this entry did not match up with the actual number of comments. It had one more than was actually there

Anyway, I'll just repost my comments with a slight correction on my FF "cred". Thanks.

KG Jung said...

Repost of my previous comments since my initial posts have disappeared into the Google void . . . .

Wow! Four hour podcast. Thanks, guys. A few remarks:

1) Mass Effect 2: Just FYI, for both male or female Shepard you can romance yeoman Kelly Chambers......kinda. If you choose dialog option that are flirty with her and ask the right question, you can have a romance with her after the suicide mission (assuming you don't have any current romances at that point and Kelly is still alive). There's no sex scene, but you can invite her up to your cabin and watch her do a private dance in a stripper outfit, have her sit on your lap, or snuggle in bed.

2) Holy cow, someone actually played Rival Schools/Project Justice other than me. I have a Dreamcast that can play JP games. I typically buy consoles for fighting games and Rival Schools just had a charm about it. Watching Hinata beat up people is just amusing.

3) The lack of any news on HL2, Episode 3 truly was disappointing. Wasn't the move to episodic content supposed to make releases faster? That doesn't seem to be the case. I heard that Valve pretty much gave up on the episodic model since it wasn't resulting in a faster/cheaper product.

4) I've done a lot of study on Japanese culture and history and if I had to sum up Japanese people and their behavior it would be they are frustratingly human. Insular? Exclusionist? Xenophobic? Racist? Narrow minded? Ignorant? Arrogant? Sure......but doesn't that describe any group of people? Every group has their negatives and the aforementioned faults are most definitely not exclusive to the JPs. You can find plenty of the same crap no matter where you go. The Japanese may be exclusionist, but they've never thrown a non-Japanese person into a concentration camp for the crime of not being JP, unlike America that did just that to American citizens because they weren't white. The Japanese have their faults, but those same faults can be seen everywhere you go regardless of race or nationality. I'm sure you guys understand that, but I hope other potential listeners don't walk away thinking these faults are in any way particular to JPs or that native JPs are going to have these things fit them automatically simply because they are JP.

Continued below . . . .

KG Jung said...

I mentioned that I've played all FF games released in the US. That's actually false. I didn't play FFI, II, and III. I've played everything from VII to XIII EXCEPT for IX. Sorry for the misstatement.

5) FFXI: Of course comparing FFXII to FFX seems like quite a leap in game play. You've skipped an entire game in between (and one that is quite different from the single player FF games). That was my point. If you had played FFXI you would have seen that XII wasn't the big leap at all. XII was a leap from X as you said, but most definitely not from XI. Pretty much everyone in my FFXI linkshell stopped playing XI to play XII for a few days. We had a great deal of deja vu with XII since it really was like playing an MMORPG without the online component. We laughed at how people complained about the grinding and farming in FFXII. It's nothing compared to XI's. It's really child's play. It is really curious why they got rid of the camera panning system in XI and XII in XIII. I can't imagine how anyone in Square thought giving players less control over such a thing is needed or desired by the players.

The role of a tank is not quite the same as having a cover materia in other FF games. In XI the tank is an important role and specialized job and not a simple ability or attribute you switch in and out. Now it's been a very long time since I played VII, VIII, or X; but I don't recall there being a situation in which one fought battles in that manner. Typically hate bounces around and the party keeps fighting soaking up any damage and using heal, stance or potions to counter damage. In FFXI it doesn't work that way. Hate control is absolutely vital. It typically means success or complete failure especially in endgame. At endgame, you are typically fighting what are called HNM or Hyper Notorious Monsters. These mobs are called this because they are typically far more difficult than regular mobs you XP off of. You need several combined parties to take them down and more often than not they are either hard to hit or have so much defense/vitality that your hits are pin pricks. The HNMs, however, hit like a ton of bricks and most non-tank jobs will be killed within 1-3 hits. Mages are especially vulnerable as you can imagine. Keeping hate solely on one person allows mages to purely focus their MP pools on either healing that one person or nuking/buffing/debuffing the mob. A tank that can't keep hate or a damage dealer (melee) or black mage that goes all out without any thought of actually playing his job competently will result in the hate bouncing around which will get him and other people killed. Even FFXIII over simplifies the this as a simple paradigm shift. In FFXI, it's a dedicated job and not a simple role you can gear shift. You gear up, you play, you merit your attributes and skills to enhance your ability to hold that hate so that people like healers, nukers, and other members of the party don't get killed. Does a FFXI Paladin have Cover? Yes, but it's a lot more than simply having that job ability.

If one played XI, you could skip a lot of that extended tutorial in XIII. Square would only have to explain the need to balance attacker and blaster role to max the damage bar to maximize the mobs vulnerability to damage. You wouldn't need to force FFXI players to understand the different roles and why they matter. The tank-damage dealers-healer-nuker-buffer/debuffer dynamic is already well understood. That idiot on You-tube who was only using attacker to take down a mob and then complaining that it takes too long to kill stuff was clearly 1) a moron 2) a moron who didn't play XI or any other MMO.

Continued below . . . .

KG Jung said...

Concerning the JP self exclusionism on FFXI, I just want to add that despite how some Westerners may view it as racism, it's not quite as simple as that. You guys already listed many of the other reasons why JPs may not be open to non-JP players. I just want to add that another reason can be that's it's kind of boring to not be able to talk to party members while doing whatever the party is doing. The lack of a common understood language among all party members hinders the socialization possible during these events and make it a lot less interesting. It's also why partying with friends is SO much better than a random pick-up party with a bunch of strangers.

Also the view by JPs that western players aren't as good is kinda of true in FFXI. From my experience, the JP players were almost always very well organized. Everyone knows their job and how to play them at least competently and this almost always led to incredible XP/hour rates. On the other hand, NA players were a mixed bag. Some are good, but some were just god awful. If a player was gimped or clueless and an all around noob, you could bet with certainty that it was a non-JP player. Of course some JP players overreacted and simply assumed ALL non-JP players were incompetent gimps.

I found that if you at least make an attempt to type some Japanese beyond the auto-translate function it can go a long way to overcome or reduce JP wariness.

6) EVA: You'll get no argument from me that EVA is more popular than Macross. You will get an argument on which is a better mecha show, however. Macross is a mecha show, while EVA really isn't. Mecha is not really EVA's focus and is more a show with some mecha in it. EVA has better drama, but Macross has far better mecha action/combat.

7) High school: I think that the reason why JPs may focus on their high school days is related to what you guys mentioned on how adults aren't allowed to have hobbies and personal interests. If the old adage, "All work and no play makes Jake a dull boy" is true then Japan sounds like a nation of Jacks. I'm still not clear why college days wouldn't be more glorified. You got no work, no real study, a lot of free time you never had in high school . . . . . . . Wait. I get it. No uniforms in college. Seifuku-freaks ^_^ .

8) On the topic of cartooning Nazis: I think Mel Brooks was making Richard's point in his movie "To Be Or Not To Be"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRnqHXHwTCs

Mind you, Mel Brooks is Jewish so I'm sure this skit was offensive to wannabe Nazis rather than to their victims.

Thanks again for the long podcast, guys. Sorry for this long comment, but the podcast was 4 hours long. There's a lot to potentially comment on.

Roku said...

1)When I played Final Fantasy 11, Japanese players where amazing because they have this ingame translator and I would communicate with them to an extent and they always needed minimal instruction and did their job amazingly like a real pro. Most western Final Fantasy 11 players were either very cool and helpful or the biggest annoying dbag Call of duty xbox live esqu people. Haven't played in 3 years but I remember my lightning party had two Japanese players(white mage and summoner) and personally were amazing! But thats my ffxi experience(was good but long and took too much time.)

Roku said...

2)Also sorry my awesome games question was vague, I ment Japanese games. It can be any genre(minus racing but favorites are jrpg/rpg, tbs, and fps.) But you answered my questions and thank you! But ya if you have any other titles, that's awesome, lay em on me(could be a list of 2 or 20 or 200!) And even if it's not a genre I mentioned above don't worry. But also saw you posted the music and thanks! You guys listened and rock hard! And another list type question but, I want to do my part that I haven't over the years for the anime industry and I ask what are the best dvds/blu-rays(or if none come to mind gundam models or other things) of anime that you would say are worth buying. Also don't worry what I love because from what i've heard, your guys interests in anime kinda line up with mine. Rock on! Will check back!

Roku said...

3)It’s funny because the order of Media in America like you guys said is way different(view from Atlanta), which I would say would be movies, video games, anime/manga together(mid way behind games.) But something I think about that makes manga and anime not sell in America is a few big things:
*Subbers and people are willing to watch an inferior quality, especially fans! Now don’t get me wrong I’ve watched a ton or subbed stuff and also a second part too…..it’s in Japanese and rarely is the English better but it’s becoming more even(which might soon die because no one is buying.) But here’s my other counter to that, I can’t watch the anime even in English on my TV(to even support the show through I’m watching the commercials which I would be more than willing to do to support the industry), except Bleach at midnight on Saturday(sorry F*** that.) Also Naruto Shippuden is on some extra pay Disney channel! It’s shameful how it isn’t on TV! When I was a small child Tenchi Muyo, Gundam Wing, Outlaw Star, G Gundam, Rurouni Kenshin were on TV(Toonami!) If you don’t have kids who love the show, that grow up loving it and getting into more anime, then of course the industry will die! Terrible reference but no gateway drug, no hard core druggies! And Bakugan and Yugiho will get kids to buy cards for a while but they won’t push anime! And you said it the kids buy Naruto and Bleach and a lot will see other stuff in Shounen Jump and grow from there. Also it hasn’t been socially cool yet to like anime/manga, I mean you don’t see middle age people at all(except for a few) who like anime or manga in the states! Which also means if anime isn’t in mainstream media it isn’t getting shown! I took a break from anime for awhile and would watch 1 or 2 shows here and their but recently I’ve come back full force( to put in perspective: All of EVA, Eureka 7, Gundam Unicorn, Summer Wars, Devil May Cry, Sora no Woto, Working!, Seitokai no ichizon, Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Major, Ookiku Furikabutte, Hetalia, FMA brotherhood, Fairy Tail, Bleach, Naruto Shippduen, Hitman Reborn, and a few more in the past months!) But in America I would argue that anime and manga are considered geeky and you would, like video gaming in japan be labeled a hard core gamer even if you in reality were only are mainstream or casual. Summer for me is different because it is my break, from everything and it’s me time! During the year I play sports, work out morning and night, homework, school, friends so summer I usually go crazy at something! This year is try to learn Japanese and watch anime and play oldschool videogames I missed. And this is coming from a guy entering college in Atlanta. Fresh from high school it was not cool to like anime/manga but I did like it and had to kind a be like you guys about your love for video games. I was like the boss who went up and asked you if Gundam Unicorn was good? To put in perspective it was cool(over all groups not just gamers) to play Call of duty over Xbox live(which I hate) but not watch EVA or Bleach (or read.) Gaming in America has become what Manga as you described is in Japan and reverse for what it is in the States.

Roku said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Roku said...

But out of all that my other question would be what do you think kills the anime/manga industry abroad or in another way makes it work in Japan? And any anime you would recommend as a need to watch to be considered an anime fan?

Haymar said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Haymar said...

Great Podcast guys! I have a few questions.
1)Why is Dragon Quest so much more popular than Final Fantasy in Japan?
in the West it seems to be the opposite.
2)What are your impressions on the new Final Fantasy Versus XIII screenshots? They are much more Western looking and open world like than FFXIII. How do you think the Japanese would react to a more western style game under the name Final Fantasy?
3)I really enjoy the music you play on the podcast and as someone who knows very little about Japanese music, where would you say is a good place to start looking into Japanese music. I know one band, The Asian Kung-Fu Generation, from Full Metal Alchemist and I love their music.
Sorry for all the questions and Thank You!

KG Jung said...

Just FYI guys, my original posts are mysteriously reappearing (at least 2 of them). I'm deleting them since I've already reposted them. Just weird.

Ultimate Origami said...

Hey Haymar, check out a group called Kagrra, they might be my all time favourite band. They're a Japanese rock group but they also incorporate sort of a traditional sound if that makes any sense.

Here's a link to one of my favourite songs by them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmQv-O27pwU

silversaucer said...

F'ing AWESOME PODCAST!!!

I have a question are any of you guys actually going to be AT TGS?

Unknown said...

I wish they would have showed more Birth by Sleep at E3.

I was wondering, is there anyway to watch TGS? Like is there a stream online or will G4 show it? I can't wait to see Square-Enix at TGS.

Haymar said...

Thanks Kavi! I enjoyed the song quite a bit. If you haven't checked out The Asian Kung-Fu Generation, here is a link to one of my favorite songs by them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56rmuVFMRTo&feature=related
I hope you like it =)

feitclub said...

nf2541, there's not really any stage shows at TGS like there are at E3. Big companies come in and display their wares in massive booths, but aside from the occasional speech there is no parallel to an E3 press event.

silversaucer said...

Gwyn,

You say you do not like the new Zelda because its too kiddish, you need your story and your dark graphics and mature gameplay. Yet your excited for Rayman? The definition of kiddish cell shaded happy go lucky gaming.

SolidBoss said...

Another great podcast and this time a HUGE one! I had to take 2 breaks to watch all of this but as always I enjoyed a lot :)

It was very interesting to hear why is there so many anime types of School days/Slice of life in japan. I know you guys are not big fans of that type but here goes my first question: I was wondering if anyone of you watched Clannad? I think this may be the best anime of school days and Im sure im not the only one too say that After Story is a masterpiece on all levels! if you guys never watched I strongly recommend it.

Another question for you guys.

I would like too know a little more of Japan, in particular the Akihabara. I already know its a major shopping area for electronic, computer, anime and games but i would like too know more, please tell me what kind of stuff you guys buy there and your travels to there. Is there really maid cafes that dress like anime? what were the most strange thing you guys saw there on your first time?

Last question here it goes: Hikikomori or NEET was refered many times on animes I watched.How huge is this in japan and how does it impact in japanese society?

m2use said...

I LOVE your podcast ! I finally found someone who have exactly the same taste in games !

Gwyn said...

@Silversaucer - I'm going to have to disagree with you on that one. The obviously lovingly crafted 2D animation in Rayman, as well as the fact that its a downloadable title (and most - not all but most - gamers who download stuff from Live and PSN are generally old enough to have credit cards) indicate that its being aimed at an older than average audience if anything.
I liked the direction Zelda took in the Twilight Princess and was hoping to see some deeper themes be introduced as the next step of the series evolution. In tone at least, what I've seen of the Skyward Sword seems to be an evolutionary digression - going back to retelling the same story with a few new twists AGAIN. Ie, its aimed at a new, YOUNG audience. And dont even get me started on the fact that it has no standard control option. To hell with that. As someone who grew up in the 16bit era though, the 2D art of Rayman looks awesome. I think Im typical of the audience they are going for.

Roni Peled said...

I believe that kyle tried to say that high school isn't that great. How would you describe it ? Actually, could you talk about the suicide rate ? Seems like an interesting subject ( not crazy xD).

SolidBoss said...

I would also like to know your impressions on the new Blazblue Continnum Shit, if by any change any of you knows or played it. Thanks

silversaucer said...

@Kyle

Hey Kyle, we never got your impressions on MGS: Peacewalker now that the NA version is out. Did you ever play it? I bought it day 1 and have 100 hours in it and am still playing it. I love it. The biggest MGS game and most addicting I think. Too bad the story couldn't compete with the console games.

Han said...

Test (sorry I'm new at this)

Han said...

Page 1.

Ok, I'm gonna be "that" guy and write way too much about the Outcast Podcast. Simply because I think it is stellar!!! With over 1400 subscribers on Richard's YouTube page and a ton of listeners, fans, this is not something you 3 don't know. I bet countless many have been with you guys since the beginning of the Outcast and are following but haven't chimed in (like me). I have been consolidating my impressions, comments, questions, ect and will drop it on yous today.

Next I'll say I bet some of the following has already been discussed previous posts but I'm not gonna read through them all and sort it out. Is that really necessary? hm... no. Also I am not the most logical writer so please excuse the spelling and grammar trips. My name is Han and like you I love "good" videogames. Believe me we feel the same about the ones I call "good" videogames (from listening to all of your Podcasts I know this)

How I got into the Outcast is I stumbled upon Richard's FF13 review while looking for anything FF13 online to ease the agonizing moments of waiting for the release here in the states. I loved his review due to the enthusiasm, the way the review was actually thought out, written, edited, and executed awed me. I am quite particular about everything and this pleased me very much. Neat and tidy, nicy nice. At first I must admit I thought this Radicals dude was a nutcase, hootin and hollerin in the nerdiest of ways. I thought it was all a joke for a moment until I realized, a few seconds later, like a brick wall it hit me. Bamm. Wow, this is some quality pro sh*t. Right on! I was pumped. Instantly I became a fan. Sold.

The FF13 review was not only professionally done/edited. The opinions expressed were just and made a lot of sense, backed up by facts and spoken by someone whom sounded like they were an old school gamer (I've gamed from the NES era) not to say that in a conceded way but.. well.. you get the idea. I later found out that there were 2 more gamers whom will be showing the same traits as Radical, Kyle and Gwyn ::crowd cheers:: I then went to the Outcast website, downloaded the only episode, OO, and started to listen to it.

I listened to the FF13 podcast 4, maybe 5, 7 times? I lost count. A lot of which time I spent on Gran Pulse grinding. It past the time, extremely entertaining, just no BS in the podcast, no BS at all. I could relate to so many things. It's like every thing said was up my alley. From the love of RPGs to Sandbox games being not as good, to the references to older classics. Also I do believe I understand more of the podcast because I am from Vietnam, currently living in the states so some of the cultural things talked about I can agree with. Like when you guys were talking about Japanese girls being the way they are vs views of Westerners on Vanille. All this was months ago so I don't remember much of anything else besides I loved and agreed and loved and agreed on a lot of topics. So.. I'm gonna move on.

Han said...

Page 2.


You guys show respect for one another on the podcast. There is a sense of camaraderie that is very inviting. I could really dig that. As someone who is on xbox live here in America and is Asian it is so hard to have a discussion about games with gamers that aren't nay sayin little brats whom is completely disrespectful. Yeah yeah I am sounding like an a hole right now and I know not all Americans are like that, yadi yada, spare me. Most kids now are born and raised on Xbox live, a generation of nubs, little swearin inconsiderate selfish little bastards. Have you guys played Xbox here in the states? it's really awful most of the time.

I'll give you an example, something I consider normal is when a friend comes into a live party I would introduce them to everyone, the few times I did there's this silence like what the f? are you a tool? Just how corny are you? Just little things of respect and Eastern ideas of how to act is not there on Xbox live. instead alot of what can be expected is curses, sarcasm and one ups. In the last podcast (I know I'm all over the place) you guys discuss how Westerners are looked at as scary, they are. For this reason I keep my friends list small. I have made many of good friends on Live that are all kinds of Americans, their just hard to come by. I feel like putting my gametag here now but.. no. To sum it up the discussions are smart and considerate. Where else can I find this? who knows, its here on the Outcast though..

Back to the Podcast. I like how it is set up, what's the happs with you 3 followed by a discussion of current events, current games and future games. Wrapping it up with mail. Hey wait I have an idea, instead of me rambling on Ill just bullet some comments (C) and questions (Q) in no particular order. Thanks for reading if you've made it this far:

C) I hope you guys are gonna do more exclusive podcast on big games like you did FF13 and PSP Metal Gear. Some of the games I hope will make it to exclusive podcasts are Versus 13, The Last Guardian, The new Zelda, Rising, you know.. the bad*ss stuff.

C) I am not an anime or manga or whatever yous call it fan so whenever this kind of discussion goes on in the podcast it is way over my head. I am sure there are some listeners that are both anime and gamers and you guys cater to them. Fair enough. But for me I can do without. If you guys are ever thinking of spitting up the podcast you would have my vote. However I do understand that it's a mixture that is indissovable for you guys. It's all good.

Han said...

Page 3.

C) Sometimes you guys get too exited and interrupt each other... a lot. It has gotten better the later podcasts, I do believe Radical is the most guilty (sorry Richard). It's not "too" bad, sometimes even funny. I know you guys are exited. Be mindful of it more if you can.

C) I love the David Hayter impressions, I would like an entire podcast done in this manner. J/K. no really can you? no? ok.

C) I have noted and would like to commend to Richard's perfectionism on his gaming ways and YouTube skills. Kyle's love for style, the platforming genre and preservation of his inner child. Gywn's "extra" appreciation of music. And all 3 of y'all's professionalism.

C) If you have time, go back and normalize all of your podcasts. Some are really soft. I do believe whomever is editing is getting better at the recording/editing process. It is really sounding good now. I have been normalizing the podcasts before putting it on my mp3 player, the last podcast on E3 was already done for me. Maybe you guys can do this for all the podcasts for future listeners.

Q) Do you guys get paid for doing the podcast? If not keep it up guys and one day the world will know and hopefully you'll score a job or something. I'll be the 1st subscriber. The podcast is "that" good. Just don't say anything you don't mean if you ever reach that point. (As I am reviewing my facts I noticed Richard is now working for Gamezone or something like that (I'll have to check this out). Way to go man! You deserve it.)

Q) What kind of mic do you use? how do you sit? all in front or in a circle? What sort of software do you use for the podcast recording and editing? I am into recording gear and would like to know.

Q) Is there any way the podcast can be every 2 weeks? I do think 3 week is too long a wait... if not it's OK. Also know I do enjoy long podcasts, the last one on E3 was 4 hours? good times.

Q) This one may come out weird but believe me it's not ment to. Post some pics of Kyle and Gwyn if you can. We call know what Richard looks like from all of his videos. I've listened to so much of your podcast a face to pair with the voice would be nice.

Q) Why the secretcy on your jobs? I am curious but I'm not that concerned.

Q) It's not a question of if but a question of when. Any thoughts on a Microsoft hand held? I want HD graphics in my hand . Please discuss.

Q) I am studying music composition and recording arts, tell me if you guys know anything about this art and how someone like me out of school might view the pursuit of a job doing this in japan for a gaming company. Provided I am good at what I do of course.

Q) How do you guys view a serious issue call "gaming addiction" I know at times I am spending way too much time gaming and I'd like for you guys to have a serious talk about how this may or may not effect your life, past and present. Mention the joy gaming as a kid and the progression of adulthood, the added responsibilities and the juggle of the games.

Even with all I have said, I feel like I haven't scratched the surface about what I want to know about the culture and the discussions of dozens upon dozens of games. This is mainly because when I am listening to the podcast I would have tons of comments and questions but would then forget them. I think I've given you guys enough for today anyways. As you can see I didn't have any questions on specific games. I'll post them if they are bugging me bad enough. I plan on listening to the Outcast for as long as you guys are willing to get together and produce them so consider this mail a token of gratitude towards the quality work yous have done. Thank You.

Your #1 Fan (I know it's so clique and corny but yeah..)

Han (that's Han like Solo and not like hand : )

KG Jung said...

With the debut of the life sized EVA 01 Test Type at Fujikyu, has Kyle recovered from his convulsions of joy? I'm guessing the fans will be setting up a shantytown near Evangelion World so they never have to leave. I'm sure they'll be selling cool souvenirs at the gift shop like copies of the Bible: NERV Edition.

silversaucer said...

Episode 8 - Han's mailbag.

SolidBoss said...

I hope you guys show us pictures of yourselfs once you guys go to the EVA 01 life size debut!
So many comments and questions here I think they are really going to be needing a whole lot of the episode to answer all of them :P

Anonymous said...

Hello Gwyn, Kyle, Richard-- glad to see you all still going strong with the podcast. It's always a pleasure to hear your insightful impressions on the latest in gaming. The length of this episode was perfect; I just see it as more listening enjoyment.

I'd just like to ask a few questions and make a few comments based off what you discussed in this episode.

- Any specific reason that you guys don't play MMOs (well I know Richard does, I'm looking at you Gwyn and Kyle)? I'd imagine it's mainly from a lack of playing time. But in general though, what are your opinions on MMOs in Japan? Specifically FFXI, and how you think FFXIV will perform in Japan.

- Judging from what you guys say on the podcast, it sounds like work in Japan takes up a significant proportion of your lives. I know it depends on the job, but what are your opinions on the workplace in Japan, and why is it considered to be such a big deal (to the point where all other hobbies must be abandoned for it)?

- You guys talked about where manga, movies, anime, and video games all stand in Japanese society. What place does music take in this list? From what I have seen, Japanese people enjoy a lot of the music from the West (The Beatles are a good example). Are the Japanese who enjoy Western music alienated by other Japanese?

Well that's pretty much all I have for now... I actually had a few more comments that I wanted to make as I was listening, but as I am typing this they slip my mind. In any case I continue to be amazed at the quality of the podcast and the incredible depth of your impressions. Thanks for taking the time to do these episodes, and I look forward to seeing more from you all.

- Zain

Gwyn said...

EEGADS! At this rate every show will be a mailbag special! hahaha. But seriously, great work on the feedback guys. Always appreciated.
We are hoping to do a special podcast session late this week. Why special? Well, being summer, which is when most events and concerts are held, its hard to find time to get the crew together (I currently have one afternoon free in the next 6 weeks!) so we are hoping (fingers crossed) to somehow get off work at a reasonable time to do it one evening. Either way, keep a lookout for something new to listen to early next week!
(@han: obviously, while we would love to do the show twice a month, there honestly just isnt enough time in anyones schedule to do it that often. Besides which, doing it more often would mean less time to do new and cool stuff to talk about ON the podcast! Bear with us though - we aim to get a new ep up soon!)

silversaucer said...

I know most of you guys don't PC game but if you do are you gonna get Starcraft 2? That game is going to be sooo amazing. Only 7 more days and I am way too hyped. I'm so hyped that if the game doesn't grant me immortal life it will be a let down.

KG Jung said...

You could try answering the mailbag in the comments section instead of the podcast if there are too many questions.

Podcast idea: Special on EVA and its influence on modern anime, JP culture. If you're really daring have Kyle host it while he's stinking drunk as he dares anyone to claim that Anno and Miyamoto are not GODS! If you're really feeling lazy just record him drunk at that Mario bar.

riley said...

Is this an example of how japanese people react to black people? I saw this clip and it instantly brought me back to the first episode when you guys talked about Sazh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyPtSlYHtAw&feature=related

Unknown said...

It seems like there is no shortage of comments and everyone is now asking a lot of questions and making really long comments so I will keep mine as short as I can.

I have listened to your podcasts since day one, but I never commented since I tend to have little time to comment or posts on boards. This time, I was inspired by Kyle's comments about how he and all of you like hearing back from listeners. But out of all the podcasts I've ever listened to from the net and iTunes, your podcasts have been by far the most entertaining and most pleasurable to listen to.

I think the three of you have great chemistry when you are together so I hope the podcasts continue. I enjoy Gwyn's opinions on games since I am not from Australia and I find his perspectives from outside North America quite interesting. I also enjoy Richard's perspectives on the podcasts and reviews on youtube, though admittedly I've only watched a few like FF13 and Kingdom Heart's Birth by Sleep's reviews. I don't know why, but I really enjoy Kyle's comments whether they pertain to gaming or not. I am quite familiar with the gaming trends and news in Japan and Korea as well so most of the things you all say I know are very true. Simply put, I love listening to your podcasts.

Please keep up the great work and I hope the working conditions in Japan doesn't destroy your love of games. Great work again, guys!

P.S. I hope Gwyn recovers well and feels better.

Tom said...

Damn, that was a long podcast! But poor Gwyn ended up in the hospital... Oh well, I hope you're feeling better, man! Anyways, I have to ask, since I think one day I'm moving out to Japan (It's something I've wanted to do for a long time), what's the best way to learn Japanese? How did you guys do it? Should I rely on Rosseta Stone, an online program, or what?

Gwyn said...

Well everyone, the latest podcast is recorded and should be going up late this weekend (am currently picking away at the editing here and there). In the meantime, I'm going to get around to answering some older questions here that I have been meaning to get around to.

@KGJUNG: 'I'm still not clear why college days wouldn't be more glorified. You got no work, no real study, a lot of free time you never had in high school'
-The thing with college life is that the experience varies wildly depending on what college you are at and where. Theres almost TOO MUCH freedom (having spent a year at Japanese college in Hokkaido, it is totally true that once students finish the 'examination hell' of getting into college, they then do nearly nothing but club activities, drinking and pursuing whatever hobbies they have for 3 years. This is considered the main period in your life when you are totally free, 4th year is job hunting), whereas in highschool students have a certain amount of freedom within strictly established guidelines. Therefore everyone has the overall same experience in highschool. Everyone - regardless of era, area or income. Thats why it becomes the common touchstone for youthful nostalgia for pretty much the entire nation.

@Han - thoughts on a Microsoft handheld? It wont happen. Period. The biggest expanding handheld market is Japan and the Japanese dont require HD devices or particularly like foreign/Microsoft products.

@Zain - Interesting question on the place of music in Japanese society. No, Japanese who listen to Western music are not considered strange - Western music is still quite popular here although the vast bulk of music consumed is in Japanese. A good example of this is the Sat night Top 40 and Countdown TV programs - both ommit any and all English music. To get a Top 40 on tv that includes English stuff you need to turn to cable channels. The free to air charts are all Japanese music only.
Overall, music would be placed above movies on the ranking of social acceptance. Music is about as mainstream as culture gets - more so than in the West maybe possibly due to the huge Karaoke culture here. Whether its on tv, at the local convenience store, on your mobile phone or in the Karaoke booth, music is everywhere and is, for the most part, highly manufactured.

KG Jung said...

This one is for Kyle:

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/341405/july-27-2010/bp-s-live-hayward-cam

- There you have it. Mario is just that powerful.

Kyle said...

Oh yeah, thanks! I saw this! I watch the colbert report every night when I get home from work.

Mario is featured just as heavily, if not more so, on Japanese TV! If you can stomach an evening of Japanese prime time TV (NOT on easy task, trust me), you will constantly hear sound effects from the Mario series.

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