Why Region lock the Internet?

The internet is great isn’t it? Someone in America can upload something online and I can view it in realtime. For the last decade or so we have had the ability to view information from different corners of the world in realtime. This is by far the internet’s greatest strength.

So why is there still so much region blocking particularly with the rise of streaming video. Physical products to some degree I get, developing something for another country takes time and resources which cost media developers. Although technology wise there is a lot less to differentiate between regions now than there was a decade ago, there are still some issues that need to be resolved when translating it to another region.

Language is the most obvious barrier but also the PAL/NTSC switch, particularly for gaming. Now though the latter barely applies, TV’s and products can easily accommodate a single system throughout the world, so why don’t they?

Take portable gaming. The DS was region free. With the internet you could quite easily buy a game only released in the US and import it to the UK. It would play without any fuss at all. The 3DS is region locked for some bizarre reason no-one has ever explained.

The closest anyone had ever come with a reason is with regional sales. Their argument as far as I can tell is if people import their sale goes towards the other regions sales, not theirs. I.e. buy from America it would add to their sales, not the UK’s. They makes it harder for companies to determine whether or not a product is worth shipping to the other country in the first place.

Case in point. The Phoenix Wright series is hugely popular in Japan but only has a cult following in the UK. Translating the large amount of text takes time so regional sales gives a good indication on whether or not this is worth their while. Fair enough.

But then when it is out in the US it is already translated in English and probably Spanish, even French too if it is also available in Canada. But that’s besides the point it is in English, I can understand it, I want to play it but when a UK release isn’t planned because regional sales are low I should be able to import it.

For example Phoenix Wright 3: Trials and Tribulations spent a lot of time in translation limbo, despite the fact the Japanese version also had an English language option. It took over a year for the game to come to the UK and there were large doubts whether it would even come. I imported it, loved it, Capcom got their sale, I got to play it, everybody wins.

Even if they hadn’t brought it to the UK the combination of the Internet and a region free device meant Capcom got an ADDITIONAL SALE. I know I am not a special case, other people did this. The fact it was later released in the UK holds no relevance.

Because I could import Capcom got their sale. If this wasn’t possible I either have to do without (fuck that) or download it illegally (which I would), Capcom would lose out on a sale.

This is what people mean by piracy is a service issue. People pirate stuff because it is cheaper but also because developers don’t always bring it to your country, or you don’t particularly want something in English to be translated into French, German, Spanish, etc before you can buy it legally.

Moving away from gaming and back to streaming video, these days On demand TV is on the rise. BBC’s iPlayer, 4oD, etc allow people to catch up on their TV when they want, for free, and everyone benefits. Except those in other countries. They are blocked from the content. Similarly there are American services which block the UK.

Imagine for a second if they weren’t. Not only that but they were showing a live stream of their channels. The technology exists for this but so far hasn’t been implemented for the exact same reasons. If they did this they would not know which markets their product would be successful in.

Do they really care though? Imagine if they then made a channel that was internet only and available to anyone. Instead of locking people out by region they could show it to everyone at the exact same time around the world. Those that want to watch it can watch it, those that don’t, don’t. No you can’t watch this because it is unavailable in your region.

They would then get the maximum people watching the show with no risk. No-one would get left out; they would get all the revenue. The technology exists, why isn’t it being done?

Instead you get Sky celebrating show from the US with the tagline “Days after it’s aired in the States”. Why not at the exact same time? In those few days I can download it illegally, watch it and completely ignore your showing. You lose out, I gain, illegally maybe but if you give me no other option… see service issue, provide the service, get your gains.

Why am I brining this up now. Well it seems a couple of the biggest names on the internet are starting to censor websites by country. Finally we get technically capable of sending information across the world in real time and Google/Twitter want to go backwards and restrict it by country. They say this is to allow them to withhold regional laws.

If they are going to start segregating the Internet by country where will it end? It goes against the Internet’s greatest strength. If there is a problem upholding the laws it is not the Internet that needs to change, it’s the law.

YOU CANNOT POLICE AN ENTITY THAT IS NOT SEGREGATED BY REGIONS WITH REGIONAL LAWS.

People will always find away around it. Take the Pirate bay. Everyone knows what they do and in many countries it is illegal. But in Sweden where it is based it is not and therefore they continue to run giving a big two fingers up to copyright holders.

This is why extreme legislation like SOPA and PIPA are even thought up. The problem with SOPA/PIPA is not that it would take down sites that promote piracy, like the Pirate bay, it that it would take down half the bloody internet. The power goes to the copyright holders, big businesses when it should be an independent panel (ala the OPEN act). It is also America imposing their laws on the rest of the world.

But it is very easy to point out flaws it’s another to find solutions to them. So how do you solve the biggest conundrum of the 21st century, how do you police the internet?

Short answer, you can’t. The only way you could is if all the countries with access to the internet agree on a single Internet law. The Internet has to be treated as a separate entity not linked to a single country because that is what it is, and should always be.

Now if only if was possible to get all the countries of the world to agree to a single law.

Game of the year 2011

Game of the Year 2011

2011 has been a fantastic year for gaming. We’ve seen new IP’s mark their mark, Trilogies come to a close and even seen the triumphant return of classic characters that have lost there way. I haven’t been able to play everything I’ve wanted due to time and there just being so many games available now (seriously, I have at least one years worth of gaming in my backlog).

To qualify for consideration I must have played it and it must have come out, by the PAL release schedule, in 2011. Ports are included and there are five so you can ignore them and consider this a top 20 rather than a top 25.

Notable releases not included in this list:

Battlefield 3 – Battlefield 1943 left a sour taste in my mouth. Everyone said that it was brilliant but I thought it was garbage. The bastard child of COD and Halo that has both their flaws and none of their benefits. Currently have this from Lovefilm so we’ll see if they have learned from their mistakes.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution, L.A. Noire, Resident Evil 4 HD, Resident Evil: Code Veronica X HD, Rayman Origins, Tales of the Abyss, Dark Souls, Mortal Kombat, Alice: Madness Returns, Super Mario 3D land, Littlebigplanet 2 – All bought but have not had time to play

Mario Kart 7 – I want this but not bought it yet.


25. Daytona USA (Score out of ten: 6)

Getting dated now. As close to the classic arcade version so far but arcade racing has moved on. A reminder of simpler times and the inclusion of a Karaoke mode is inspired, there just isn’t enough meat on the bones to warrant a higher score.

24. Space Channel 5 Part 2 (6)

Fun but short. Not really a fan of this sort of Gameplay, feels like a glorified version of Simon says. Secrets and high score beating add replay value. Good for a quick burst but anything more and it starts to drag.

23. Dead Rising 2: Off the Record (6)

Practically the same game just with Frank West. The story is pretty much the same, I was hoping for a new story set in the same area. Survivors, Psychopaths, weapons, vehicles, and useful items are pretty much all the same (although the magazine locations are different). There are some new elements, the camera from DR1 is back for example, but it just isn’t different enough to justify buying again.

22. F3AR (6)

Point man and Fettels contrasting styles offer a good level of variation leading to a decent level of replay value. Added to that the excellent use of a challenge system giving each level an arcady high score beating element. Feel a little too COD like but trying to throw horror into the mix. Too Schizophrenic, the shooting isn’t the best and the horror completely misses the mark.

21. Sonic Generations (3DS) (6)

Better bosses than its HD brother and the special stages make getting the emeralds seem a bit less cheap. S ranking is also at a good difficulty this time (it’s a little too easy in the HD version). The two styles blend too much into each other, especially half way through the game. Modern Sonic is stuck in 2D and feels more like Rivals than colours. Good use of streetpass and online multiplayer is a bonus.

20. (Ultimate) Marvel vs Capcom 3 (7)

Hyperactive, silly and everything feels cheap. It’s fun but no where near as deep as Street Fighter or Blazblue. Ultimate adds some of the features the original should have had and expands on the single player with an excellent free mode called Heroes and Heralds.

19. Okamiden (7)

Charming little game let down by the system it’s on. No analogue movement or camera control hinders the game so much. Good use of the touch screen for the Celestial Brush. Decent length and the story and characters are good enough. No where near as good as the original Okami but you can do a lot worse.

18. Dead Space 2 (7)

Linear and too monster heavy at the end, the series seems to have lost its way a bit. Isaac’s new found insanity was handled nicely and there are a couple of really cool moments, the whole of chapter 10 for example. The end though just floods you with never ending monsters, not stopping to build up tension.

17. Assassin’s Creed: Revelations (7)

Too much like Brotherhood just with less charm. The biggest difference is an unwelcome tower defence mini game that is practically unavoidable. The subject 16 cryptic message mini games don’t seem to be there and instead we get pointless first person sections. Enjoyable but a disaster compared to the rest of the series.

16. Shadows of the Damned (7)

Generic third person shooter saved by its humour. Fairly short, lacking in challenge and with some minor control issues. Unskippable cutscenes ruin any addition playthroughs and so hurt replay value. Still it’s impossible to play without a huge smile on your face and the setting is satisfyingly twisted.

15. Ms Splosion Man (7)

Continues on from the excellent Splosion man, fixing some framerate issues. Superb one button Gameplay with some good humour (I can’t make up my mind whether or not Twisted Pixel should be committed). Would’ve preferred 6 worlds of eight rather than 3 worlds of 16 though. Difficulty is pretty high but that was expected, although I can’t say I’m a fan of the skip area option message that keeps coming up whenever you fail a few times.

14. Sonic CD (8)

A classic returns. Arguably one of the best sonic games adjusted for widescreen and with a couple of new features added. The ability to select a soundtrack is very much appreciated and the achievements give a focus on discovering the exploration side of the game, this is easily missed.

13. Beyond Good and Evil HD (8)

Playing this again just makes me want a sequel. Lovely blend of Zelda style dungeon crawling and decent stealth Gameplay. Controls take a while to get used to again, particularly the camera. Not really much wrong with the game, it was great 8 years ago and it’s still great. We need more original IP’s like this, there are way too many sequels in this top 25 list.

12. Uncharted 3 (8)

You know it’s been a good year for games when an uncharted game doesn’t make a top ten. Continuation of a series than has combined good storytelling and likeable characters with strong platforming and some intelligent puzzles. Shame the gunplay has always let it down and little has improved. When enemies run through your bullets to start a fist fight in the middle of an ambush something is wrong. More puzzles, less gunplay please.

11. Gears of War 3 (8)

Nice end to a fantastic innovative trilogy. The campaign is well made with some nice twists, including a moment I never saw coming and a callback to the original infamous advertising campaign. The multiplayer is still a shotgun-fest, it’s almost as if Epic has given up trying to change that. Beast mode is a nice addition. As polished as it is ever going to be, getting a headshot in gears is still one of the most satisfying moments in gaming.

10. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (8)

MW3 is very much a case of if it aint broke don’t fix it. It has been about polishing what has made the series great rather than giving it a make over. The campaign is the best yet with the right amount of over the top action. The difficulty on veteran is spot on and great to play in short bursts. The multiplayer hasn’t change much but has been tweaked slightly to encourage competitive play over camping, addressing one of COD’s biggest problems. Specs ops, with its new horde like survival mode completes a well made package.

9. Sonic Generations (8)

Another step closer to creating a Sonic game as good as the classics. The two styles of play compliment each other nicely, being a celebration of the old and the most polished version of the new. I like the Hedgehog engine, it keeps the series unique and detached from traditional platformers like Mario. It suffers from being a little short (replay coming from S ranking and speed runs) and the bosses are pretty weak, the final one in particular being terrible.

8. Ghost Trick (9)

With Miles Edgeworth 2 unlikely to make an appearance over here the chances of more Phoenix Wright games is getting lower all the time. Ghost trick is probably the best you’re going to get. A unique blend of puzzle solving through object manipulation and storytelling that keeps you hungry for more. Original, unique and brilliant.

7. Child of Eden (9)

Unique take on the lightgun genre combing beautiful trippy visuals with a mixture of shooting and bemani. The addition of a second weapon adds the need to balance the two weapons leading to more satisfying gunplay. The new perfect octa lock system (where score multipliers come from locking onto eight targets at once and releasing on the beat of the music) gives the music meaning far more than it did in Rez. Initially short but with arcade style replay value, Child of Eden is easy to get into, difficult to master, the way a game should be.

6. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (9)

Stunningly beautiful and incredibly detailed Skyrim is a very addictive experience and you’ll be wondering where the time has gone. Still suffers from the usual Bethesda bullshit like an intrusive weight management system (I’ve never like this), and it would be nice to have scenery besides Mountains and Forests (lovely as the are I don’t think any of the areas I’ve been to compares to the beauty and uniqueness of Satorl Marsh and Eryth Sea in Xenoblade). Bit too much copy and paste particularly with dungeons.

5. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (9)

A new Zelda main series game is always something to get excited over. The use of Wii motion plus is inspired although it does make the game more difficult than usual. Motion control is used everywhere, perhaps a little too much, but to some inspired moments. The result is a unique feeling entry to a series always made to an exceptionally high standard.

4. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3DS (10)

OOT is the greatest game of all time and the 3DS version is the definitive version. At 13 years old it still feels incredible and worth every penny. The only reason it is not number one is because it is 13 years old and everyone with sense should have played it by now.

3. Batman: Arkham City (9)

Arkham Asylum was my GOTY 2009. City expands on all the things that made asylum so great and added rooftops, lots of rooftops, so you can really feel like you are Batman. I was expecting a bigger city and a longer story which stops it getting a perfect 10, however it is still a fantastic well made game

2. Portal 2 (10)

I thought this was a dead cert to be my GOTY. Expands on the original in every way a sequel should. Decent length main story with lots of charm and humour throughout. The puzzles will get the old grey matter pumping but won’t frustrate you. The inclusion of a separate but equally compelling co-op mode rounds off what is a perfect package.

1. Xenoblade Chronicles (10)

Breathtaking, Huge, pushes its system to its limits, Beautiful, long, simple yet complex, fun, gripping, unique, original, there are so many ways to describe Xenoblade its unreal. A fantastic game that came out of nowhere to steal my heart and fix itself as my number one Game of the Year. A game made for gamers that gets pretty much everything right.

So GOTY 2011 is Xenoblade Chronicles. Bet you didn’t see that one coming.

Now for some individual awards.

Exclusives:

Best Wii Exclusive: Xenoblade Chronicles (Obviously)

Best 360 Exclusive: Gears of War 3 (Multiformat seems to be winning over exclusives)

Best PS3 Exclusive: Uncharted 3

Best 3DS Exclusive: Ocarina of Time 3D

Best DS: Ghost Trick

Best PSP: N/A (can’t think of a PSP exclusive released this year that I have played)

Best PC: N/A (See PSP)

Game Elements:

Soundtrack: Sonic Generations, incredible remixes of classic tracks.

Honourable mentions go to Xenoblade, Child of Eden and Marvel vs Capcom 3

Individual Song/Track: “One who gets in our Way” the boss theme from Xenoblade. Made each boss a joy, menacing yet inspiring. Gets you pumped up for a great battle.

Honourable mentions go to Passion/Maker from Child of Eden, Ending theme of Shadows of the Damned, Crisis City Act 1 from Sonic Generations and Cara Mia Addio (The Turrent Opera) from Portal 2.

Use of Sound: Child of Eden. Sound plays too big of a role throughout not to be mentioned.

Honourable mentions: Modern Warfare 3, Gears of War 3, Arkham City

Visuals (Technical): Skyrim. Fantastic detail throughout.

Honourable Mentions: Gears of war 3, Uncharted 3, Arkham City, Ocarina of Time 3D

Visuals (Stylish): Child of Eden, one of the trippiest games ever made

Honourable Mentions: Xenoblade, Ghost Trick, Zelda: Skyward Sword, Marvel vs Capcom

Story/Dialogue: Portal 2. Funny, quotable and with an insane ending.

Honourable mentions: Xenoblade, Ghost Trick

Best Kinect use: Fruit Ninja. Child of Eden in fun but much better with a controller.

Best Wiimotion Plus use: Skyward Sword

Best Move use: N/A. Don’t use move.

Other:

Originality: Ghost Trick. Stylish and original all the way to the core.

Honourable Mentions: Child of Eden, Xenoblade, F3AR (fettles possession Gameplay)

Disappointment: Dead Space 2. Too linear and monster heavy towards the end. Last five chapters dragged on.

Dishonourable Mentions: Marvel vs Capcom 3, Dead Rising: Off the Record, Okamiden, Sonic generations (3DS)

Surprise: F3AR, despite poor reviews I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

Honourable Mentions: Xenoblade (came out of nowhere)

Jawdropping moment (Highlight see Spoilers): Portal 2

*SPOILERS highlight to see*

Portal 2’s end where you plant a portal on the moon to defeat wheatley.

*SPOILERS*

Honourable Mentions: Gears of war 3, Uncharted 3, Ghost Trick, Arkham City, Dead Space 2

*SPOILERS*

GoW3: Dom’s Death
Uncharted 3: The Desert
Ghost Trick: That you’re actually the guy’s cat.
Arkham City: Jokers Demise…..? / The fight with Mr Freeze
Dead Space 2: The needle in the eye

*SPOILERS*

Horrible Moment: Sonic Generations, The terrible final boss.

Dishonourable mentions: Zelda: Skyward sword (swimming), Dead Space 2 (too many monsters at the end), Shadows of the Damned (Unskippable cutscenes), Assassin’s Creed Revelations (Den defence)