Well, not necessarily anime, but a lot of Western animation producers are looking at India as a possible production center. These include Disney (which recently closed its studio in Japan) and Viacom (which wants to shift its outsourced work from Korea to India).
The thing that really sucks is that Flash work has started to be outsourced, which is pretty devastating for those of us in other places who use (and make a living from) this medium.
Use a laptop bag with a shoulder strap, and hook and arm through the strap into a pocket - prevents snatching quite well
Even better, don't use a proper laptop bag at all. Laptop sleeves are quite affordable and can be slipped into a messenger bag or backpack without anyone knowing the wiser. Some laptop sleeves double as shoulder bags, but it's much handier (and safer) to go the pack-away route.
I think that Pixar should surprise everyone and come out with a traditional 2D cell movie and show just how brilliant their storytelling really is. That way the public and media will get over how computer animation alone will make blockbusters.
Funny you say that. There's been rumors for months now (at least among animators) that Pixar is starting a 2D traditional wing of their studio.
Back to the topic at hand: I totally agree with you in that it's not so much the medium than the story. Unfortunately, the Suits at studios like Disney don't see things this way -_-
Is any part of the gaming industry unionized these days? The artistic aspects of Hollywood are-- technicians and animators included. Even some major non-union studios (I'm primarily thinking animation/effects here) will typically have decent wages and benefits for their employees.
I've heard about the insane hours in the video game industry from a couple of my friends. They've since moved on to larger game studios, but I'm still wondering...
I promised myself I'd play Xenogears a long time ago, but I still haven't gotten around to it (of course, now that it's a Greatest Hit, I should have no excuse, right?). I did play Xenosaga Ep. 1 though... blah.
I think you're missing the point of the parent post. While Nintendo's success with its home consoles tends to vary, it has (historically) had real staying power in the handheld market.
Sony does look like a serious contender with the PSP, but back in the day, so did Sega with the Game Gear...
The artists I talked to despised the idea- that they couldn't control exactly how anything they ever created was used down to the last detail.
Part of the reason that may be is due to artists' egos;) As an artist's or musician's work is considered a more "visible" aspect of a game, so naturally they'd want to take full credit. There's also the fact that, with some exceptions, artists aren't used to working on collaborative projects, be they open source or not.
Don't forget organized religion! How many RPGs have you played where the major world religion is generally percieved as good and wholesome, but in actuality is run by twisted and corrupt leaders? I can think of at least three off the top of my head (Grandia II, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy Tactics, for those keeping score at home). It kind of makes the recent flap about La Pucelle seem silly by comparison.
Final Fantasy VII went even deeper in its anti-industrialism viewpoints-- issues addressed include environmentalism (espeicially in regards to fossil fuel pollution-- the evil corporation's main commodity is a green liquid that contains the souls of dead life forms) and the dangers of genetic engineering (one thing Tolkien touched on briefly, I believe, with his Uruk-hai).
I don't know if this holds true for other industries, but in Canada, the animation studios there much prefer to hire Canadians since there are government incentives involved with doing so (may have to do with taxes, but I don't know all the details). This not only keeps Canadian animators employed at places like Nelvana, Mainframe, etc., but it also hampers Americans' efforts in getting work there (I've tried, believe me):P
I would like to see the US government offer similar incentives for companies (of all types) here-- so that there's some interest in keeping jobs in the country. Payroll tax reform sounds like a good place to start...
(nods) I like Premiere as well, and love AE. However, this latest news has got me wondering what's going to happen to AE ($699 for the regular version) when Apple is offering a motion graphics suite for less than half the price (with real-time previews, no less!). Didn't Premiere go through some similar pricing wars with Final Cut Express?
I don't know... I don't think there are many "unfair" portrayals of women in Final Fantasy games, but it seems like you're looking at some of them (Yuffie, Eiko, Tifa) merely on the surface.
For example, you forgot to mention that Yuffie has a staunch sense of nationalism that is unlike any other character in the Final Fantasy series (though Wakka's loyalty to his religious beliefs comes close). She feels humiliated by her nation's defeat in war and steals Materia as a means to help her people become powerful again. This is what makes her an admirable character.
I also think you may be a bit unfair to Lulu. Sure, there's the cleavage thing, but next to Auron, she's the most mature, levelheaded member of the party. Lulu gets little else but respect in my book.
I notice that you haven't played FF5:) That game features more playable female characters than male ones, and one of them (Faris) is a pirate who gets mistaken for a man at first. Yet after the (very funny) scene where her true gender is revealed, it's not an issue anymore. She's strong and loves her life as a pirate captain-- one of the best female characters in the series.
Very true. There was that turning point in ICO when Yorda tries to save Ico! I don't remember the exact details all that well, only that this scene amazed me in it's spur-of-the-moment action on Yorda's part.
I wonder how the author's opinion of Yorda would've been different had he finished the game...
If Samus' sex is a "punch line," what was the joke?
The joke, at least in the original Metroid, is the player's assumption throughout the game that Samus is a man.
Take it from a girl who goes by a semi-androgynous name on various video game/anime forums (Slashdot Games notwithstanding, obviously). I've been mistaken for a male multiple times; it's just what people come to expect when they see such a vague, non-feminine name coupled with a personality like mine.
(not to say that the Wonderswan was a system popular over here, but the Wonderswan ports of FF1 and FF2 did find their way to the US as Final Fantasy Origins... Maybe if the FF3 port had been completed, we'd have that game as well)
You should see the icon that's on the front page of Crunk Games regarding this particular piece of news... I think it compliments your comment nicely;)
And I too would like to see a US release of the original FF3. As I recall, Square had been planning on releasing a port of this game for the Bandai Wonderswan, but it got cancelled:P
Slashdot Mirror
The thing that really sucks is that Flash work has started to be outsourced, which is pretty devastating for those of us in other places who use (and make a living from) this medium.
Here's some links about Indian animation outsourcing. Many of them focus on how there's a lack of animators in the country, which aims to be a leader in outsourced animation production:
Padmalaya seeks 400 animators to execute new projects
Color Chips to Hike Headcount to 1,000
The Sky is the Limit!
Trained Talent Eludes Animation Industry
All links are pulled from the excellent animation blog Cartoon Brew
Even better, don't use a proper laptop bag at all. Laptop sleeves are quite affordable and can be slipped into a messenger bag or backpack without anyone knowing the wiser. Some laptop sleeves double as shoulder bags, but it's much handier (and safer) to go the pack-away route.
Funny you say that. There's been rumors for months now (at least among animators) that Pixar is starting a 2D traditional wing of their studio.
Back to the topic at hand: I totally agree with you in that it's not so much the medium than the story. Unfortunately, the Suits at studios like Disney don't see things this way -_-
I've heard about the insane hours in the video game industry from a couple of my friends. They've since moved on to larger game studios, but I'm still wondering...
I would've thought that "Wipeout" was a sure contender for Donkey Konga... guess not :P
I promised myself I'd play Xenogears a long time ago, but I still haven't gotten around to it (of course, now that it's a Greatest Hit, I should have no excuse, right?). I did play Xenosaga Ep. 1 though... blah.
And GAINAX did the Xenogears cutscenes? Haven't played that one yet, but still interesting to know...
I know next to nothing about the original Brave Fencer Musashi, but now I have an incentive for checking out the sequel...
Sony does look like a serious contender with the PSP, but back in the day, so did Sega with the Game Gear...
Heh, yeah. Check out the guy's user name too-- sure as hell explains a lot...
It's one big button (technically), so grandparent post stands ;)
Part of the reason that may be is due to artists' egos ;) As an artist's or musician's work is considered a more "visible" aspect of a game, so naturally they'd want to take full credit. There's also the fact that, with some exceptions, artists aren't used to working on collaborative projects, be they open source or not.
Anime and manga fans might also want to try The Right Stuf. They carry just about everything and some of their weekly specials are unbelievably good.
Don't forget organized religion! How many RPGs have you played where the major world religion is generally percieved as good and wholesome, but in actuality is run by twisted and corrupt leaders? I can think of at least three off the top of my head (Grandia II, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy Tactics, for those keeping score at home). It kind of makes the recent flap about La Pucelle seem silly by comparison.
Final Fantasy VII went even deeper in its anti-industrialism viewpoints-- issues addressed include environmentalism (espeicially in regards to fossil fuel pollution-- the evil corporation's main commodity is a green liquid that contains the souls of dead life forms) and the dangers of genetic engineering (one thing Tolkien touched on briefly, I believe, with his Uruk-hai).
Don't lose hope! You can always upgrade our machines and install software for us! :D
(Not that I'm all that helpless myself, just speaking for the female masses)
I would like to see the US government offer similar incentives for companies (of all types) here-- so that there's some interest in keeping jobs in the country. Payroll tax reform sounds like a good place to start...
(nods) I like Premiere as well, and love AE. However, this latest news has got me wondering what's going to happen to AE ($699 for the regular version) when Apple is offering a motion graphics suite for less than half the price (with real-time previews, no less!). Didn't Premiere go through some similar pricing wars with Final Cut Express?
Heh, good call. Forgot about Rusty ^_^
For example, you forgot to mention that Yuffie has a staunch sense of nationalism that is unlike any other character in the Final Fantasy series (though Wakka's loyalty to his religious beliefs comes close). She feels humiliated by her nation's defeat in war and steals Materia as a means to help her people become powerful again. This is what makes her an admirable character.
I also think you may be a bit unfair to Lulu. Sure, there's the cleavage thing, but next to Auron, she's the most mature, levelheaded member of the party. Lulu gets little else but respect in my book.
I notice that you haven't played FF5 :) That game features more playable female characters than male ones, and one of them (Faris) is a pirate who gets mistaken for a man at first. Yet after the (very funny) scene where her true gender is revealed, it's not an issue anymore. She's strong and loves her life as a pirate captain-- one of the best female characters in the series.
I wonder how the author's opinion of Yorda would've been different had he finished the game...
The joke, at least in the original Metroid, is the player's assumption throughout the game that Samus is a man.
Take it from a girl who goes by a semi-androgynous name on various video game/anime forums (Slashdot Games notwithstanding, obviously). I've been mistaken for a male multiple times; it's just what people come to expect when they see such a vague, non-feminine name coupled with a personality like mine.
(not to say that the Wonderswan was a system popular over here, but the Wonderswan ports of FF1 and FF2 did find their way to the US as Final Fantasy Origins... Maybe if the FF3 port had been completed, we'd have that game as well)
And I too would like to see a US release of the original FF3. As I recall, Square had been planning on releasing a port of this game for the Bandai Wonderswan, but it got cancelled :P
I vote for Final Fantasy III (Japanese version, not US), since it's the only Final Fantasy game that's never been released outside of Japan.