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Non-NEC Console Related Discussion => Console Chat => Topic started by: shubibiman on November 30, 2016, 09:23:48 AM
Title: Game Preservation Society
Post by: shubibiman on November 30, 2016, 09:23:48 AM
You may already have heard of it but the Game Preservation Society is a colective in Japan whose aim is to preserve old computer, arcade and also console games and systems.
It was founded by frenchman Joseph Redon (who I personnaly know).
Last monday, NHK World aired a 27 minute documentary dedicated to this incredible work.
The documentary is now available for two weeks for watching at http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/vod/lens/20161128/
The documentary is in english ;)
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: elmer on November 30, 2016, 10:52:14 AM
I have no idea why it's in English ... but that's perfect! :D
Thanks for the link, it was really interesting to watch.
I'm so glad that someone is out there trying to preserve these old games for people to see/play, as opposed to those folks that just want to collect stuff and horde it away.
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: bob on November 30, 2016, 12:39:44 PM
I have no idea why it's in English ... but that's perfect! :D
Thanks for the link, it was really interesting to watch.
I'm so glad that someone is out there trying to preserve these old games for people to see/play, as opposed to those folks that just want to collect stuff and horde it away.
have you not seen the museum in Texas?
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: shubibiman on November 30, 2016, 05:10:54 PM
I have no idea why it's in English ... but that's perfect! :D
Because it was broadcasted on NHK World ;)
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: Punch on November 30, 2016, 08:51:14 PM
I couldn't watch it on the site, is this it? Wonder if being bald is a req. to join it :lol: Come to think about it, maybe hair does help to ruin games in the long run :-k
The Game Preservation Society appears on the John Sckezipawerpsdjfniak's Untold History of Japanese Developers too.
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: majors on December 01, 2016, 01:29:55 AM
Caught this last night, very cool. Too much old crusty shit for me tho...gimme my CPS2 and obey!
That first Falcom game baldy talked about was pretty cool to learn about, even if I'm not into 8-bit computers.
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: elmer on December 01, 2016, 04:43:56 AM
Nope, I'm afraid not. I know of similar things in California, especially the guys that used to show up in Kentia Hall every year at E3.
"Collecting" is such a common part of the American culture, as is the belief that anything more than a few years old is "vintage". So I have no fear that America's history of videogames will ever be lost.
IIRC, some folks back in the UK are making efforts to preserve the old stuff these days, too.
That first Falcom game baldy talked about was pretty cool to learn about, even if I'm not into 8-bit computers.
Yeah, I'd be interested in seeing more screenshots of that. It looks like a copy of the standard "Star Trek" style games that was available on so very many machines BITD.
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: bob on December 01, 2016, 05:20:40 AM
"Collecting" is such a common part of the American culture, as is the belief that anything more than a few years old is "vintage". So I have no fear that America's history of videogames will ever be lost.
Collecting and preserving are not quite the same thing. Collecting is more like piling up stuff. Preserving is more like making sure to keep the code and everything so that even if every single physical copy of a game rots, you're still able to reproduce the code, the insert and the booklet.
I do collect myself so I'm not being overly critical about people who collect too. I know that even if I try to keep my games in the best condition possible, I'm not sure that one day or another, some of them will not work because they're not eternal.
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: schweaty on December 02, 2016, 09:21:11 AM
I have no idea why it's in English ... but that's perfect! :D
Thanks for the link, it was really interesting to watch.
I'm so glad that someone is out there trying to preserve these old games for people to see/play, as opposed to those folks that just want to collect stuff and horde it away.
have you not seen the museum in Texas?
The museum in frisco, TX is legit. I went there in Oct and absolutely loved it. Very well executed
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: esteban on December 02, 2016, 11:23:24 AM
I couldn't watch it on the site, is this it? Wonder if being bald is a req. to join it :lol: Come to think about it, maybe hair does help to ruin games in the long run :-k
The Game Preservation Society appears on the John Sckezipawerpsdjfniak's Untold History of Japanese Developers too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyXaJvw_-B0
I watched both videos last night and enjoyed them. :)
I want MOAR quality videos.
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: TheClash603 on December 03, 2016, 04:46:26 AM
Did they preserve the ROM for TG16 Marble Madness to be shared with everyone? If not, not impressed.
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: bob on December 03, 2016, 06:19:30 AM
I have no idea why it's in English ... but that's perfect! :D
Thanks for the link, it was really interesting to watch.
I'm so glad that someone is out there trying to preserve these old games for people to see/play, as opposed to those folks that just want to collect stuff and horde it away.
have you not seen the museum in Texas?
The museum in frisco, TX is legit. I went there in Oct and absolutely loved it. Very well executed
i will be going in april. looks close to where i stay in grapevine
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: xelement5x on December 04, 2016, 10:01:32 AM
It's funny that it took a French guy to publicly start an initiative for preservation in Japan.
I have heard that there are lots of goodies kept hidden in private trading circles and for use of only those in the group, unauthorized sharing is a major no-no and you will get booted/blacklisted if you do.
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: shubibiman on December 04, 2016, 05:08:47 PM
Indeed, that's the main issue when it comes to preserving games in Japan: most collecters are not willing to share anything and they're more into competing with other big collecters.
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: ccovell on December 04, 2016, 09:18:04 PM
And indeed the Game Preservation Soc. is obligated NOT to publicly release games they have dumped -- if the games' owners request so. It is a recognized NPO, after all.
Not like those Lost Levels cowboys. ;-D
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: xelement5x on December 05, 2016, 07:51:21 AM
Indeed, that's the main issue when it comes to preserving games in Japan: most collecters are not willing to share anything and they're more into competing with other big collecters.
Well, at least they're not grading stuff :P
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: TheClash603 on December 10, 2016, 05:07:45 AM
I just went to the Museum of Play in Rochester, NY yesterday and it has a fairly large video game section which was pretty enjoyable. However, the website for the museum claims they have the largest collection of video games in the United States in their archives which cannot be accessed by museum goers. I suppose that it is good to have some reserves for changing and refreshing the layout, but based on the content they show off being nearly all the popular games and little of the more obscure stuff, I am guessing 90%+ of their collection will never see the light of day.
Unless the museum provided some sort of virtual collection, in which case you could view and play what they have in their archives, the fact they have one of the largest collections on the planet isn't helping anyone. Preservation without sharing is no public service.
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: esteban on December 10, 2016, 07:23:31 AM
I just went to the Museum of Play in Rochester, NY yesterday and it has a fairly large video game section which was pretty enjoyable. However, the website for the museum claims they have the largest collection of video games in the United States in their archives which cannot be accessed by museum goers. I suppose that it is good to have some reserves for changing and refreshing the layout, but based on the content they show off being nearly all the popular games and little of the more obscure stuff, I am guessing 90%+ of their collection will never see the light of day.
Unless the museum provided some sort of virtual collection, in which case you could view and play what they have in their archives, the fact they have one of the largest collections on the planet isn't helping anyone. Preservation without sharing is no public service.
I agree... if there was a way to see high quality photos + scans of all the items, I would be happy enough (most schmucks should not have access to the collection).
:)
HISTORY LESSON: I am not suggesting it would be viable, but a video game museum that controlled the experience (only staff handled media/consoles, but visitors held actual controllers + monitor in a cubicle) would be neat (for me, anyway).
Pre-YouTube, the Museum of Television in Los Angeles had a really neat system... you would be able to search the on-site database and request various films/shows... I think you could ask for around 5 things at a time. Anyway, you would sit at a little viewing cubicle and your videos would be played via a monitor... you didn't get to touch the actual videotapes, but someone in another room was physically pulling the tapes and playing them for you. Ha!
Pre-YouTube, this was absolutely amazing... I was able to watch the He Man XMAS special that way in late 90's...with tons of other stuff that I had only read about (pilot for Colombo, for example, before Peter Falk was cast). YES, of course I watched some Dr. Who.
Anyway, my wife+friends had lots of fun going there to watch stuff.
They did not have complete collections of all series, however (a decent representation)... and they were playing stuff in all different formats and range of quality (broadcast formats, LD, betamax, VHS, etc.).
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: TheClash603 on December 10, 2016, 08:00:00 AM
I agree Esteban that not everyone should be able to just walk into the archives and finger things like a cheap date. Preservation does include some level of locking down the items, the systems which everyone can access at the museum which are fairly beat up are great examples of why all items can't be on display. I could only imagine if you had a bin of Game & Watch systems what a rowdy group of 10 year old boys would do to them.
An easy to search public database with high quality scans and videos, with roms where legally allowable, would be absolutely incredible. Maybe I should take up that work for the museum...
Title: Re: Game Preservation Society
Post by: xelement5x on December 10, 2016, 08:49:07 AM
I agree Esteban that not everyone should be able to just walk into the archives and finger things like a cheap date. Preservation does include some level of locking down the items, the systems which everyone can access at the museum which are fairly beat up are great examples of why all items can't be on display. I could only imagine if you had a bin of Game & Watch systems what a rowdy group of 10 year old boys would do to them.
An easy to search public database with high quality scans and videos, with roms where legally allowable, would be absolutely incredible. Maybe I should take up that work for the museum...
They do kind of already have that: http://www.museumofplay.org/online-collections/22