Podcast 10-2: Undone by Itagaki


Early signs point to a demure podcast, with discussions of Vita hardware and software, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword, Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, and The Simpsons Arcade Game leading off the show. However, a mention of ‘globe physics’ and alternate uses for Dead or Alive: Paradise transport the show into decidedly bawdy territory. Fortunately, a wholesome helping of Simpson’s gaming trivia, an interview with Ken from Hauppauge Computer works, and a violate round of reader mail keep the crew from becoming too uncouth.

Don’t forget to send your questions for our next mailbag, and subscribe to the Tech-Gaming Podcast on iTunes. Leaving a review would be an awesome thing to do and keep us from begging for feedback every show. Congrats to Reptile, Freddie Fingers, BL1NKY, and Punqrok Cowboy who won our Bermuda Triangle/Gold Medalist contest.

Download: Podcast 10-2: Undone by Itagaki
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About Robert Allen

Since being a toddler, Robert Allen has been immersed in video games, anime, and tokusatsu. Currently, his days are spent teaching at two southern California colleges. But his evenings and weekends are filled with STGs, RPGs, and action titles and well at writing for Tech-Gaming since 2007.

46 comments

  1. You guys and your crazy art. I want to know who comes up with the ideas.

  2. Game Crush? Damn, Deagle, that’s a low blow, even for you.

  3. Deagle, the NSX doesn’t come out until 2015. I though you knew cars 🙁

  4. “If I didn’t have an obligation to the listeners I would buy shit”

    QFT.

    • Keep listening, NOLA has the opportunity to steal one and he doesn’t.

      2 hour bus ride to play Vita games? That’s hardcore.

  5. Still excited for Hot Shots, but I hope Pangya goes to the Vita.

  6. You forgot to add Rhythm Heaven Fever to the list of impressions.

  7. No Sage appearance this week? That’s a shame.

    SNOLA- Great Vita talk. Keep the impression coming.

  8. I appreciate Sean’s honest Vita launch analysis but wish he did try FIFA out.

  9. Downloading now. One question: regarding the title and show pic, do you have one planned or just come up with it later?

  10. After hearing Seans impressions, I really can’t believe Sony is launching the system with weak titles and almost no fanfare except for the hardest of hardcore. Most retailers seem to not even know the system is coming out this week. Take a look at how Target is handling the B2G1 free deal. Really pathetic.

    • I work at TRU, and at the employee meeting someone asked what we were doing for the Vita launch. Most of the managers didn’t even know that the system was coming out this week, except one.

      So, yeah, there’s confusion about street dates, floor displays, etc. If this does well, it’s because the software, not the hardware.

  11. Where is that opening song from?

  12. You guys should probably NEVER get a job in marketing.

    I have worked as a retail buyer for almost 8 years, so I know a thing or two how chains work. If you release the Vita and don’t push it until August (for the ” Big October Push”) you going to have a dead product on your shelves. Stores don’t want that. Remember when PSP software starting underperforming at Target reduced the area to a small zone on the edges? People thought it was a sign that the unit was being discontinued.

    A plan of not supported the unit would lead to it languishing on shelves, and probably a drive where most people think the unit was a failure- the whole self-fulling prophecy. Really you have to start strong and keep strong (like the Wii, or Kinect) to be successful. Otherwise your 50 million will be burned just trying to swap people that the product isn’t a dud.

    • I like the heated debate at the end of the show. Sounded pretty tense. I hope you guys aren’t still angry.

    • I think it’s interesting that you bring up the Wii. Compared to most console releases, the Wii was pretty paltry. i stood in line to get one at a store that was only giving away 50, and that was the store that was giving away the most for that area. It was a limited initial release, and in fact, early on people weren’t sure the product was “really coming out/succeeding in sales/popular.” Later when more were released there was a big push to get them becasue people hadn’t gotten one initially.
      Now the Wii’s success as a console over all is debated, but that has more to do wtih the fact that it appeals to a particular market.
      Overall, letting a product come out with a lackluster release is not the same as a limited initial release, so the two situations aren’t exactly comparable. But from a broader analogized standpoint, the practice of allowing an initial release to be somewhat underwhelming isn’t signing a death warrant for the product. I think It depends how they handle it from there, and if they have a plan/reason for why they’re doing it that way.
      IMO.

      • Not saying your wrong, but different story here in NJ.

        When the Wii was coming out (the same time as the PS3) almost everyone who was barely into games knew about it. You know the whole “soccer mom” set who were told that sitting down playing video games would make you fat? They were ready to drop $250 no questions asked.

        My friend who worked at GS had a limited number of units (less then the number of preorders) and said it was crazy. What I’m saying is that none of that has really hit the Vita. Where are the $700 ebay auctions, where’s the crazy hype? There is none.

        If this is a plan, it’s a very interesting one.

  13. Thanks guys, I never win anything. You made my afternoon!

  14. So can one of you explain the whole IGN has exclusive rights to UMvC3 thing? Last time I checked media outlets shouldn’t be controlling the message, just reporting on it.

    Sometimes games journalism really seems like it’s fuzzing itself up.

  15. Needs more downblouse talk 😉

    So, Blue would you recommend hunting down Dead or Alive: EBV? Know if it’s BC on a 360?

    • It’s funny you should ask that when you did as I was checking out the Xbox 360 backwards compatibility list last night. Sadly, the original XBV isn’t BC. Everything else Team Ninja made for the original Xbox is, just not that. :/

      If you can find a complete copy for $5 or so, I say give it a shot. If nothing else, it’ll be a nice, relaxing game instead of something with killing. The pop/ska/reggae soundtrack they included complimented the vacation vibe perfectly. To be perfectly honest, DOA:XBV is what got me to seek out Bob Marley’s music. Video games and Pro-Wrestling have had the biggest influences on my music-buying habits.

  16. Why no contest this week? I’d love to win a Hauppauge PVR!

    Otherwise good show, except that your missing everyone’s favorite cohost.

  17. I’m with SNOLA on this one. Big super hyped release just before the holidays. That’s when people buy blindly, not a week after Valentine’s day.

  18. Saw my first Vita case and man they are tiny. Made me think of a question.

    Are back of the box screenshots still important. The ones on the back of Vita boxes are so small, it’s hard to see any detail. I want your thoughts.

  19. So I just noticed that the Idle Thumbs podcast collected $30,000 through Kickstart for their podcast- Why don’t you guys do the same?

  20. Yeah, I think not pushing it until later in the year would be a death sentence for the Vita. They could have at least dropped a few million to do a proper launch.

  21. SNOLA, I expect your Monster Hunter on 5 inch screen impressions, because no one else in the US is going to comment on this 😉

  22. I follow a few game sites and really didn’t know that the Vita was launching until last week. Had I known earlier, I could have put some money aside for it.

    Just as well, they’ll probably be problems with the first batch. I remember I got a PSP early and it had a bunch of dead pixels. So, thanks to Sony keeping it quiet, they lost at least one sale.

  23. sound quality for the opening song is ok, then when you start talking it all turns mushy and compressed.

    🙁

  24. I’d like to hear your thoughts on the Jennifer Hepler’s backlash.

    http://www.themarysue.com/inclusion-what-jennifer-heplers-story-is-all-about/

  25. Question sent for next week’s show!

  26. Fearless Bystander

    It seems retailers weren’t ready for the Vita launch as well.

    Check out Shipwreck’s pic:

    https://twitter.com/#!/Shipwreck/status/172130586943692800/photo/1

  27. Did you guys see the 1up article talking about how some developers have stopped making Vita games already?

    • You mean this one? http://www.1up.com/news/sony-denies-vita-losing-support

      So far, it’s speculation from a single source. I’m not saying it’s not true, but until we hearing additional reports, I’ll take it with a grain of salt.

      But, Deagle did have a point. Having a system in the retail system that isn’t performing isn’t going to win over developers. Without developers, there’s no incentive to buy hardware. They should have spent more money up front.

      • Yeah, good point. I just wanted to add it for next week’s discussion. Hopefully Vita will do better in the US.

  28. NOLA, was that the Vita social club you went to or something else?

    Also, what do you guys think about Sonys 3G antics? I’m pissed that I have to buy a month to get one free and then have to wait for Super Stardust. Why couldn’t they have mentioned it before.

    • I’m in the same situation. Preordered a 3G because it seemed like a good deal. No one at GS or Sony ever stated, I would have to pay to receive these items. Most savings went out the window.

  29. for the next show, you should talk about who you would bone on the Tester.