tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9013533765370589846.post1911486037780760249..comments2023-08-04T03:20:33.393-06:00Comments on Musings of a Sega Racing Fan: Going It Alone Without SegaEric4372http://www.blogger.com/profile/09095046432310137155noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9013533765370589846.post-91012674251424970002012-04-02T01:47:52.483-05:002012-04-02T01:47:52.483-05:00An excellent reply. I see what you mean about Sega...An excellent reply. I see what you mean about Sega aficionados working at Sega. Clearly Sega's not the strongest place to work so you gotta be somewhat of a Sega diehard to go there. But it's got to be a real bummer that people like you and I who really want to aid Sega just got nowhere. But with the way the game industry's going, frankly you gotta be some crack producer and/or boast a decade or two's worth of experience to get a chance to call the shots.<br /><br />Oh well, here's to hoping we (or some avid Sega racing fans) catch lightning in a bottle.<br /><br />Haven't read the Tom Kalinske article since it's long but I see what you mean. Sega's like a fast car but with little traction. They made many mistakes (such as the Sega CD/32X) but superstar talent like Yu Suzuki and Yuji Naka kept them in the game. Sure, they had a nice run with their consoles but they had their personal demons that Nintendo didn't seem to have. Nintendo kept trucking along at a steady pace, Sega took a dive, end of story.<br /><br />And I like the speed runner's post. It's a bit of a low blow against a lot of arty-farty games today (including Shenmue) but I see what he means. For someone with that "prestige," it takes some guts to say that for everyone to hear. I played some racing games like Daytona 2 or even my Super Sprint game and it's just awesome, even artistic in a sense to nail those tricky sections. Watching others' speedruns is great too, particularly OutRun 2 or Daytona 1. Much more enjoyable than these dialogue-laden games of today.Eric4372https://www.blogger.com/profile/09095046432310137155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9013533765370589846.post-59001089288233765432012-03-31T22:48:42.302-06:002012-03-31T22:48:42.302-06:00To be honest, although much of my own ambitions to...To be honest, although much of my own ambitions toward getting into the game industry was largely due to Sega games, I couldn't find myself wanting to join their American branch, more so with the way they were more about publishing than developing. I know with this announcement some people are saying that Sega of America is dead, but to me, in a different sense, the monster that was Sega of America died when the Sega Technical Institute went under. Then there was a slight bit of hope when Sonic Team USA surfaced, but then we saw how that turned out. There was a time where I told myself that if I ever did join SoA, I'd want to help build a new STI, but it wasn't a serious thought to be honest.<br /><br />But like others, I can't say I find this move surprising. I've been saying for a while that Sega needs to change something as they're nothing close to what they used to be. Less arcades, the Sammy merger, software-only development and losing some of their biggest names that made the company what it is. As much as I want to support them, a lot of "their" recent games lack that Sega flare that was apparent in the games they developed, Sumo Digital probably being my exception. My condolences to all of those who were laid off, and I wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors. For all we know, they might've joined Sega with similar goals as us, but weren't in a position to make a big impact.<br /><br />I guess the way I see it, Sega's in big need, and perhaps long overdue, of restructuring themselves. Perhaps this is a move that can lead to good things; the current formula is clearly not working for them. Aside from publishing games, the only games made internally they seemed to survive under was Sonic, Yakuza and Virtua Fighter, the latter two being powerhouses in Japan but not outside of it. Still, considering what I read more and more about SOJ, it can certainly lead to worse things.<br /><br />Looking at those screenshots of SoA's offices are depressing, not that the gloom-and-doom cloudy skies help any. I have an old magazine from way back in the day, right before the Playstation/Saturn launch, with an interview with then-Sega-CEO Tom Kalinske, and the building featured in the background definitely fit with what Sega was back then. <a href="http://www.segaretro.org/Tom_Kalinske" rel="nofollow">Scan</a><br /><br />With Kalinske on mind, considering he was the man behind the marketing back in the Genesis days, behind Sega making fun of Nintendo and the Sega Scream, it makes me wonder how SoA would be like now if he were in charge of the given situation. There's also a link to an <a href="http://www.sega-16.com/2006/07/interview-tom-kalinske/" rel="nofollow">interview on Sega 16</a> with him. The more I learn about him, the more I learn that SOJ higher-ups really don't do anything but shoot themselves in the foot. Definitely a fascinating read.<br /><br />Also stumbled upon <a href="http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=13290233&postcount=1" rel="nofollow">a rant on the industry by a Halo 3 speed-runner</a>, and I think it sums up what you and I think extremely well. Then of course, there's the opposing viewpoint to consider. Things are ever-changing. Anything can happen.Sestren NKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09752989234869643274noreply@blogger.com