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Burning Ranger
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"PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Fri 24 Mar 11:08post reply

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/697/697656p1.html
- and -
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6146475.html

I nearly fainted when I saw this news. Will Sony actually go through with it? If so, I will probably give more of myself to the Sony camp. My question is whether or not the system will allow region-free gaming for PS2 games. I could see myself getting Guilty Gear XX Slash and a bunch of the SNK ports that have a very small chance of being received here in the US on the PS2.

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Pollyanna
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"Re(1):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Fri 24 Mar 11:25post reply

Well, it's probably going to end up like the 360 (which is region-free), where the developers will choose to include regional lockouts. It sounds potentially promising at least.

As for playing PS2 imports...there's really no excuse not to. You can get a flip top lid and a boot disk for under $30 and have it installed (no soldering) in 15 minutes. The only disadvantage is that it voids your warranty. Well...maybe. You might even be able to get around that.

When my PS2 broke (just now) that's what I went for. I was quite tempted to try and get a Japanese FF12 PS2, though...





Burning Ranger
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"Re(2):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Fri 24 Mar 11:30post reply

quote:

As for playing PS2 imports...there's really no excuse not to. You can get a flip top lid and a boot disk for under $30 and have it installed (no soldering) in 15 minutes. The only disadvantage is that it voids your warranty. Well...maybe. You might even be able to get around that.



But I'm against making significant mods to the console. Call me a bit too cautious.

A totally Region-free PS3 will solve this problem.





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gorgeous
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"Re(1):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Fri 24 Mar 11:32post reply

quote:
Will Sony actually go through with it?


Now, now! What are you asking me for?! I'd know absolutely nothing about that.

Short answer: Maybe.
Long answer: I guess, yeah.





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"Re(3):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Fri 24 Mar 11:38post reply

quote:

Well, it's probably going to end up like the 360 (which is region-free), where the developers will choose to include regional lockouts. It sounds potentially promising at least.

As for playing PS2 imports...there's really no excuse not to. You can get a flip top lid and a boot disk for under $30 and have it installed (no soldering) in 15 minutes. The only disadvantage is that it voids your warranty. Well...maybe. You might even be able to get around that.

When my PS2 broke (just now) that's what I went for. I was quite tempted to try and get a Japanese FF12 PS2, though...

But I'm against making significant mods to the console. Call me a bit too cautious.

A totally Region-free PS3 will solve this problem.




Sounds interesting for both PS3 and the Xbox360. Of course, I will be waiting a long time for a price drop.

OT: I have voided one PS2 slim with the flip top mod until I found the instructions somewhere in the "internet." Too bad my modded PS2 won't play The Rumble Fish...







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GekigangerV
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"Re(2):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Fri 24 Mar 11:46post reply

I hope so. I have some import PS1 games that I haven't been able to play for a while since my ps1 died out.

Does this mean it will also play other region DVD movies too? I have a SF animated dvd that came with a manga I bought over the summer, something about the Fujiwara capital, that I haven't been able to watch since it is region encoded.





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"Re(1):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Fri 24 Mar 11:48post reply

This makes me want to buy a PS3 (on its debut) even more! ( if it actually will be Region 0 )
quote:
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/697/697656p1.html
- and -
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6146475.html

SNK ports that have a very small chance of being received here in the US on the PS2.

DISCUSS!!!




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Shooo-rook
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"Re(2):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Fri 24 Mar 12:19post reply

quote:
Well, it's probably going to end up like the 360 (which is region-free), where the developers will choose to include regional lockouts. It sounds potentially promising at least.





Although the thought of a region free 360 is nice, what import games for xbox or xbox 360 were amazing... the xbox has had few golden treats, and far too many ... cubic zirconium crap





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Pollyanna
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"Re(3):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Fri 24 Mar 12:35post reply

quote:

But I'm against making significant mods to the console. Call me a bit too cautious.



But that's exactly my point. It isn't a significant mod at all (you can't even -tell- on a slim PS2). It's so insignificant that your stand would have to be "I'm against doing anything whatsoever to my Playstation."

It's really not much more complicated than putting on the hardrive/modem...or hooking up a stereo.

Of course, I may be being insensitive. You might have two chainsaw arms, and doing anything, outside of switching out the disks (which is still risky) could prove fatal for your PS2. I'm just saying that the options are simple, affordable and safe enough that there's no good excuse not to do it if you want to play imports.


Digitalboy: Does it play other imports? Just not Rumble Fish?

GekigangerV: There are affordable region-free DVD boot discs for PS2. They're like...$15. I'm irritated that I can't play import PS1 games anymore, myself, since I only have an English PS2 now. I wonder if there's a boot disk option for that, though...





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"Re(4):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Fri 24 Mar 17:10post reply

Nota : to quote I don't remember who, the first X-Box was also region free... if the developpers felt like it. And they didn't.

The only practical use of this was to release a "worldwide series" in Japan, which were region free american games with just a japanese instruction booklet.

And MS don't understand why their console bombed outside the western world.





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"Re(5):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Fri 24 Mar 20:40post reply

The Rumble Fish is the ONLY imported game that I have that won't play on the flip top modded PS2. However I believe that I am not the only scum that it doesn't play for. There were some other scum on the GameFAQs message boards that had the same problem. So, it's good that it ain't just me. I had to buy a Japanese PS2 slim to play it.







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"Re(1):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Fri 24 Mar 21:02post reply

Not sure why people care about voiding their warrentee. When I got mine it was only 90 days, after which if the thing caught fire and burned down my house I was fucked as far as Sony was concerened.

I use a hard drive loader to play imports and with the exception of Popn' Music 10 it works quite well.






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"Re(2):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Sat 25 Mar 01:16:post reply

I sure hope it's true. It makes sense anyway.
Someone at Sony finally opened their eyes and realized that Region Protection just fuels piracy anyway!
I mean, I haven't modded my PS2, but I've thought about it because of games available only in Japan or Europe (mainly before the Winning Eleven series hit the North American shores), but if I had, I tell you I wouldn't have bought a single game after that, what's the point. If the company forces me to mod its system to suit my needs, why would I make the effort of buying games when I can download them after that...





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[this message was edited by Mokona on Sat 25 Mar 01:16]

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"Re(2):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Sat 25 Mar 03:55:post reply

quote:
Will Sony actually go through with it?

Now, now! What are you asking me for?! I'd know absolutely nothing about that.

Short answer: Maybe.
Long answer: I guess, yeah.

Hey Tim, while you're here and since Polly mentioned it, do you still feel the way you do now about FFXII the way you did early in the week (wonderful)? Even though none of my friends have it and I've never fully played through a game any of the new FF team have designed, I'm about this close to grabbing it tonight anyway, I just want a thumbs-up.

edit: in a vain attempt at on-topic, an all-region PS3 would be cool since I have bilingual friends who live in the States and just buy the US console, then are bummed by having to play bad FF translations...





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[this message was edited by Maou on Sat 25 Mar 03:57]

Pollyanna
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"Re(3):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Sat 25 Mar 06:56post reply

quote:

Someone at Sony finally opened their eyes and realized that Region Protection just fuels piracy anyway!
I mean, I haven't modded my PS2, but I've thought about it because of games available only in Japan or Europe (mainly before the Winning Eleven series hit the North American shores), but if I had, I tell you I wouldn't have bought a single game after that, what's the point. If the company forces me to mod its system to suit my needs, why would I make the effort of buying games when I can download them after that...



I think you're right, but I think that's a stupid outlook at the same time. I mean, you're right, because region locking absolutely DOES fuel piracy. Many people just want to play some or one import game, mod their system, then find out they can do...other things.

But saying "because they region locked, now there's no point in me paying for anything" is apples and oranges. If you have so little honor to download every game you play, then your attitude is already "why pay for it if I don't have to?" Region locking is just an excuse and not so great an insult as to repeatedly commit a crime.

It's not piracy that I'm condemning so much as justification. I can't condemn piracy, because I've downloaded things myself. However, now that I have money, I don't so much, because I don't get much satisfaction from having something I don't actually own.

BUT...I think a good way to reduce piracy and make companies try harder is to make demos of games widely available and downloadable. There are MANY games that I've wasted money on because I didn't know what they were really like (reviews RARELY help). If people could download demos, they might do that, rather than download games (it's faster after all). That way the justification of "I'm not paying for a game that might totally suck" is out, since you'll know if a game is good or not BEFORE you buy it.

The people who don't need any justification and will pirate at any excuse (why pay for it if I don't have to?) are probably lost causes anyway.

I think a lot of companies are probably afraid of publishing demos, though...because they know their games aren't good enough.





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"Re(4):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Sat 25 Mar 10:18post reply

This is great news for importers! No more bloody mods or buying multiple systems. Missing this is what I get for not coming here enough!





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"Alternative retail justification?" , posted Sat 25 Mar 11:53post reply

quote:

But saying "because they region locked, now there's no point in me paying for anything" is apples and oranges. If you have so little honor to download every game you play, then your attitude is already "why pay for it if I don't have to?" Region locking is just an excuse and not so great an insult as to repeatedly commit a crime.

It's not piracy that I'm condemning so much as justification. I can't condemn piracy, because I've downloaded things myself. However, now that I have money, I don't so much, because I don't get much satisfaction from having something I don't actually own.

The people who don't need any justification and will pirate at any excuse (why pay for it if I don't have to?) are probably lost causes anyway.



After reading this I'm curious how you feel about people who only purchase used copies of readily available games. Obviously buying used games isn't a crime and the purchasers did pay a considerable amount (usually price minus $5.00) to legitimately own their copy but the people and companies that developed the game don't get anything for the purchase. So while the used market is by no means stealing it does have an effect comparable to piracy.

It's understandable that people don't want to pay more than they have to for, well, anything. But the question is whether the gamers have any 'responsibility' to support the companies who create the products they purchase. It seems almost unreasonable to compare the used market to piracy but one would think that the honorable thing to do would be to buy a new copy and assure that the various people responsible get their due. Along those arguments wouldn't the used purchaser's desire to save a few bucks just constitute another form of justification? Or does the lack of malicious intent make it more acceptable?





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Pollyanna
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"Re(1):Alternative retail justification?" , posted Sat 25 Mar 12:14post reply

quote:

After reading this I'm curious how you feel about people who only purchase used copies of readily available games.



Every time you buy something you're supporting SOMETHING, even if it's the used game market...if you want to look at it that way.

Buuut...you're still showing a demand for the product. For example, if used copies of a game are in high demand, then the company (if they're smart) will create a second print of it (or a remake). In that case, the used market actually helped the creators. This isn't especially uncommon.

But that's not what I'm getting at. I honestly don't much care for "supporting companies" until the piracy situation gets so bad that it makes them incapable of making games.

My issue here isn't about support, it's about not breaking the law. Or rather, not justifying your breaking of the law.

That being said, if I was a developer, I wouldn't want people to pirate MY games, but if the alternative was them not playing them at all, I'd rather have them pirated.





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"Re(5):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Sat 25 Mar 13:51post reply

quote:
Nota : to quote I don't remember who, the first X-Box was also region free... if the developpers felt like it. And they didn't.

The only practical use of this was to release a "worldwide series" in Japan, which were region free american games with just a japanese instruction booklet.

And MS don't understand why their console bombed outside the western world.



Exactly, the fact that its region free its a plus, but that doesn't mean developers will feel like doing their releases worldwide. So i guess we will have to wait.





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"Re(4):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Sat 25 Mar 14:23post reply

quote:
I'm irritated that I can't play import PS1 games anymore, myself, since I only have an English PS2 now. I wonder if there's a boot disk option for that, though...


You can, believe it or not, use a PSone game shark CD to boot imports with a flip top. Just load the disc up, wait till you can choose to start the game, CHOOSE to start the game and when it tells you to switch the disc you do so with the new lid. Press X a couple of times and you're on your way.

There's also an (apparently) all-region Breaker Pro for the PSone that you can use the same way, which costs more but lacks the annoying Shark loading video and can change the video mode too, IIRC.





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"Re(5):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Sun 26 Mar 06:07post reply

I think more interesting is the rumor Microsoft is going to sell cheap developer kits for as little as 1,000 dollars opening up the 360 to legal homebrewn apps.





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"Re(6):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Thu 30 Mar 05:58post reply

yeah, so I was the one who asked that question at the press Q&A, and indeed the aim is to make it region free. MORE IMPORTANTLY TO ME - it will play european games as well, which means that I can probably buy those english traslated budget games (like the daibijin) from that italian company, and play them on an NTSC compatible TV. That's pretty cool.

though I could be just being stupid and wrong.





crazymike
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"Re(7):PS3 Region Free: IS THIS TRUE?!?" , posted Thu 30 Mar 13:58post reply

For 500 bucks it better be region free and also cook me breakfast.