Review of the Konami DDR Hand Controller

Konami's Playstation DDR Hand Controller (circa 2000)

Background

This was a home controller for use in your hand designed by Konami and sold in 2000.  Although DDR could be played on controller perfectly fine for 1P mode, it was a bit of a hassle to play SOLO (6-panel) or double (8-panel) since that required a combination of the L/R buttons and/or a second controller (though there are people quite comfortable with the 2-controller setup).

Button Layout

Okay, the button layout is obviously designed to mimic a DDR Stage for your fingers...well, kind of.  It puts two 6-panel (SOLO) stages side by side.  The button layout is as follows relative to a DualShock Controller:


Start/Select : As shown

1P Left : D-Pad Left
1P Down : D-Pad Down
1P Up : D-Pad Up
1P Right : D-Pad Right
1P Up-Left : L1
1P Up-Right : R1

2P Left : Square
2P Down : X
2P Up : Triangle
2P Right : Circle
2P Up-Left : L2
2P Up-Right : R2

This of course means that if you really wanted to, you could use this with other Playstation games, but the controller is a bit stiff and I can't think of too many games outside of maybe some RPGs where it might be nice to have them on the front of the controller.

Usability/Comfort

To start, it fits well in your hand, much like a regular DualShock controller.  However, it does feel weird for there to be no L/R buttons, have no analog sticks, and have a slightly wider top section (it makes the top panel area more of a rectangular shape)

Once you get over that hurdle though, the buttons are actually quite stiff, even after quite a bit of use.  I'm not sure if they were designed that way for more of a sense of stability but in any case, you really notice that you have to put more effort into charts that start to get fast at all.  Granted, it does soften up a bit after a *lot* of use.  I have considered taking it apart and lubricating the buttons on several occasions but since this controller is actually a bit difficult to find these days I didn't want to take the chance of messing it up and wrecking it or something.

Overall Impressions

For 4-panel play, I much prefer the regular DualShock.  However, for practicing double play this has been a great help to me since I don't feel comfortable with the two-controller setup and it seems more natural to me since the controller is set up like a dual stage.  It was also good for 6-panel play as well though I was getting used to using the L/R buttons before the SOLO/6-panel series was dropped altogether so this may be a moot point/not a selling point anymore.

If you are interested in playing double mode on controller or possibly 6-panel mode, this may be worth checking out for you, though for 4-panel play, the Dualshock works much nicer IMHO.

These controllers were not particularly expensive when they were new (2000~2500 yen) and they were under 1000 yen in the following years until they became rare.  If you can find one at a used game shop or in the back streets of Akihabara, you can probably still get it for anywhere between 1000~2000 yen but if you order online through Amazon or such, you could pay as high as 3500~4000 yen.

Tokyo Game Show 2011

Here is a gallery of Pictures from the weekend

Okay, I'll lay out some of the good points first:

• The usually strict rules on cameras seems to have been relaxed a little bit this year.  It seemed to be getting worse with each passing year up to the point the press weren't allowed to take photos at some venues.
• Even though it was very crowded as usual, it did feel like you could move around a bit faster this year.  I'm not sure why that was. 
• More cosplayers than in previous years.  I'm not really into cosplay at all, but I can't deny that having a good number of them adds to the atmosphere.

And some of the not so good:

• Leaflets and pamphlets galore, but no bags for love nor money except for two places: the "GREE" booth in the 2nd hall and the Gamefreak display outside the exhibition halls.
• Long lineups are expected, but it was a bit ridiculous to see 3 hour waits (or closed off lines completely) at some lines (The PlayStation VITA being the most popular)

And, on to the meat of the show, some of the games (and hardware).  There are far more than I can list here but I'll go over the ones that were popular or ones I had a particular interest in.


Playstation Vita
http://www.jp.playstation.com/psvita/

It was there and it was *the* hot product of the show.  A number of games were already announced for it and it also looks to be backwards compatible with the PSP library.

Uncharted
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjomWyt1oU4
Wipeout 2064
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WJOYG_lnT0


Xperia PLAY
http://www.sonyericsson.co.jp/product/docomo/so-01d/

This is an Android phone by Docomo that also plays games, and the phone slides out to reveal a controller, meaning this looks like a portable game system that just happens to also make phone calls.  One big point is that it is Playstation-certified which means that Playstation games on the Playstation Network certified by Sony are playable on this phone in addition to their own lineup.  There are a handful ready to play now (20 or so from the sounds of it)

Square Enix

Theatrhythm - Final Fantasy (Nintendo 3DS)

http://www.square-enix.co.jp/t_ff/

A Final Fantasy...rhythm game.  I see the gameplay demo on the main site but I'm unsure about this title.  At least the genre still has some life left to it, I suppose.  You tap, drag and slash the stylus on the 3DS screen to victory.

Final Fantasy X13-2 (PS3 / Xbox360)
http://www.square-enix.co.jp/fabula/ff13-2/

I saw this in action and although it looked just as nice as the previous installment (read: real pretty) and moved very fluently, a lot of gamers are concerned this will turn out like the last time Square-Enix tried to make a direct sequel to a Final Fantasy game (FFX-2).  We'll see when this is out.  The only other thing of note is the Japanese release also coming out on Xbox 360 at the same time as the PS3 (the Xbox 360 release of FF13 came much later in Japan)...not that there are too many people that own Xbox360s in Japan anyways.

Final Fantasy Type Zero (PSP)
http://www.square-enix.co.jp/fabula/0/

I'm still not exactly sure what this is supposed to be.  It looks like a Monster Hunter type game but at this point I'm not sure.  The game is out soon, though.  Monster Hunter reigns supreme in that genre here though (with God Eater having a share of the pie, , so I'm not sure how this will fare

Konami

Reflec Beat Plus (iOS)
http://www.konami.jp/products/touch_reflecbeatplus/

It plays just like the arcade version.  It doesn't seem *as* sensitive but it might be a combination of the smaller play area/screen and the fact I might have been touching the iPad screen lighter than I touch the screen on the Reflec Beat arcade game.

jubeat Plus (iOS)
http://www.konami.jp/products/touch_jubeatplus/

I haven't played this myself, just seen it in action.  It looks very nice too though I might have similar issues with sensitivity as I mentioned above with Reflect Beat Plus

New Love Plus +  (3DS)
http://www.konami.jp/products/newloveplus/

I'm not really a fan of these dating simulator games but I know they are popular.  From what I have seen the gameplay is still basically the same.  I'm not sure if there is more to this over the Nintendo DS version than the 3D gimmick.


Sony

Ni no Kuni  (Ghibli)  (PS3)
http://www.ninokuni.jp/

This was originally on the Nintendo DS and raised a few eyebrows at first because it was produced in part by Ghibli, the same company that brought us many of the classic Japanese animated films.  The promos for the Nintendo DS version looked very nice but someone seemed to be lost in the transition to the small portable screen.  The PS3 version has a completely different story and actually does look Ghibli-esque this time around.  There is buzz for this when it comes out

ICO / Shadow of the Colossus HD (PS3)
http://www.jp.playstation.com/scej/title/ico/main.html#/greatsharing
http://www.jp.playstation.com/scej/title/wander/

These are both older games from the PS2 era brought to life in high-def on the PS3.  They may be the same game (not sure about added content) but they look wonderful in HD this time around and Shadow of the Colossus doesn't have the extreme motion blur used to cover up the fact it couldn't keep up the framerate at busy/complicated times.

Capcom


Monster Hunter 3 Tri-G (3DS)
http://www.capcom.co.jp/monsterhunter/3G/

This is another installment of the Monster Hunter franchise.  The one thing of note is support for an extra "slide pad" which is a plug-in secondary analog stick on the right side.  I'm not sure how this is utilized

Street Fighter vs. Tekken (PS3 / Vita / Xbox360).
http://www.capcom.co.jp/sfxtk/

I honestly don't know a lot about these fighting games but there was a fair sized stand devoted to it.  Take a look at the site to find out more, I suppose.

Asura's Wrath (PS3)
http://www.capcom.co.jp/asura/

This was announced at last year's Tokyo Game Show and it appeared here again.  There isn't that much to say right now but while last year it looked like it might be a Sengoku Musen type game, it looks more like a God of War type game this time around.  It looked a lot slicker this time but there still wasn't much reported on the actual game itself.

Sega

Rhythm Kaito R (3DS)
http://r.sega.jp/

There was a large booth devoted to this.  It looks like Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! or Elite Beat Agents in combination with Rhythm Tengoku.  I don't see what all the hype is about yet, but I'm keeping tabs on this since I am into rhythm games and all.

Project Diva Extend (PSP)
http://miku.sega.jp/extend/index.html

The next installment of the Project Diva music game series by Sega.  There is this and another game for the 3DS.  The series was well received but some players here are concerned the whole series is getting stale.

Project Mirai (3DS)
http://miku.sega.jp/mirai/

This is "the other" Hatsune Miku (Project Diva) game.  This one looks similar with everything in "Chibi" or super-deformed style.  I'm not sure if that alone (and being on the 3DS) is a big enough reason to run out and get this.



(I know there are more titles I should probably add and possible errors, etc. but I can update this post as need be)

10 Jubeat Machines Ahoy!

Some places sure like to pack in as many of the same game as possible.  It isn't often I see 10 of the same game except for some fighting games.

So you want to be an Interpreter

As I have worked as a professional translator and interpreter on and off for a number of years, I thought I would share some of the common tips and tricks of the trade as shared within the groups of translators and interpreters I have dealt with over the years.  This will be a kind of point form list but I'll expand on each.  Some of these may seem obvious but the number of clients and executive staff that don't know or comprehend some of this is a bit concerning.

* Translators and Interpreters are usually noticeably better going from language A->B than the other way around.  True fluency in two languages is very rare (to the point of understanding all the nuances/subtleties of both languages as a native speaker would)

* Interpretation in particular is very mentally exhausting.  Ideally, for every hour of interpretation, you should take a 10 minute break to clear your mind, though also ideally, no one meeting should be more than an hour despite them sometimes being significantly longer.

* Take a memo pad and jot down key words/points as they are said so you don't get everything jumbled or lost in your mind

* Make sure you stop the speaker every couple sentences or so.  The longer you wait between each translation/interpretation the harder it gets to keep it all straight and remember the details.

* Ask the speakers to speak up if you are having trouble hearing.  You need to be able to hear what is going on.

* In a first meeting, it is common for specific company/industry only terminology to pop up.  Odds are one side of the meeting will ask for clarification but you should pipe up and ask for clarification as soon as possible if nobody else asks for clarification first.

* On that note, make sure you clear up any ambiguous or hard to understand terminology or contents before you try to interpret them (and ask as soon as possible).  Never try to BS your way through something, as it will come back to bite you sooner or later.

* Jokes and humor don't translate well and it usually isn't worth your time or trouble to try and convey it to the other party.

* Do not try to add personal interpretation to something.  Keep things deadpan and have the other side clarify what they imply.

* However, if you belong to one side of the meeting (same company), feel free to subtly note to your side (perhaps during a break) anything that seems odd or out of place.  Don't try to make it an issue in the meeting in front of everyone since your job is just to interpret, not make management, financial or business decisions.

* Do not participate in insults if things go awry, keep things neutral or tone down the insult to the basic point behind the insult if you are being forced to interpret

* People make mistakes and nobody is perfect, don't sweat any minor mistakes and don't take criticism from one side or the other to heart, especially if it is the case where you are the only one there capable of decent interpretation between two languages.

* Have a drink of water with you.  Your throat will start to go dry, especially if it turns into a lengthy meeting.  Losing your voice after several long meetings in a week is not unheard of.

(and on translation)

* As a side note, an average translator can handle about 8 to 10 pages of translation a day of decent quality assuming 250 words a page.  If someone claims more than that, like 25, he/she is using machine translation aids and/or rushing the quality to the point of an error-filled inconsistent translation.  Also, consider the fact you will need to go back and proofread your work.  Don't let management schedule an impossible workload in a very short time, and remind them the translation will suffer the more the deadline is rushed.

The 10 "K"s of Japanese IT

Originally, there were "3K" jobs referring to the ones cheap labor (stereotypically foreign labor) pulled off in place of native Japanese. The three Ks were "Kitsui" (Hard and in physical or demanding), "Kitanai" (Dirty) and "Kiken" (Dangerous)

In recent years, the IT industry has become a buyer's market and the employees have had to bear some heavy burdens. As a result, the IT industry doesn't have a very glamorous image, and this affects the industry because graduates are turned off the industry altogether in some cases because they do not wish a lifestyle like that of their fathers, a lifestyle that took their father from them at an early age, kept their father out of their family lives, etc. Although smaller and startup companies are less prone to these, this list summarizes the most common concerns and complaints among Japanese "salarymen" workers. This started at around 5 but keeps getting more added to it (as people find more to complain about)

1. Kitsui (Demanding workload)
2. Kaerenai (Can't go home (on time/at the end of the work day))
3. Kyuuryo ga hikui (Low salary)
4. Kisoku ga kibishii (Stringent company/industry rules)
5. Kyuukei ga torenai (Can't take a break)
6. Keshou ga noranai (Can't get time to put on makeup (Women only))
7. Kekkon dekinai (Can't get married)
8. Koi mo dekinai (Can't find love)
9. Kinyoubi nomini ikenai (Can't go out/relax on a Friday night)
10. Kaachann (fukumu yome) ni moushiwakenai (lit. Apologies to mother/wife (for interruptions in social plans, unable to make/plan/attend family events). It can also mean regret for disappointing your mother/wife (for perceiving oneself as a failure or disappointment))

Other ones I've come across

11. Karoshi (Death from overwork)
12. Karojisatsu (Suicide brought on from overwork)
13. Kodomo mo dekinai (Can't have children)
...
And the list goes on

If industry "experts" and recruiting firms are wondering why people aren't so thrilled to work in IT, maybe improving the working conditions would help...

It's too bad there are companies that are proud to operate to make employees miserable to such a degree

Happy BDay to Me + Book Photos

Yay, I'm another year older (June 2)

Also, pics of my book (The only difference between the proof copy I have and the real thing is the thickness of the paper inside which is marginally better in the final copy):

HR and Candidates Debasing Themselves

This isn't anything particularly new, but in the economic crunch of recent years, I have witnessed just how much people will sacrifice their beliefs, time and money just to land a job originally advertised with much better conditions.

Yes, back when I was unemployed and looking through some of the job posting at the government employment agency "Hello Work", I found some particularly bad jobs (trilingual full-time translator (English, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese) making minimum wage - highest possible income only reached after a few years with the company - yes, I checked into this - but in reality I wouldn't expect the salary to increase any)

These are not the ones I'm talking about. Some people need the money and I don't hold it against them for trying to get anything out there in times of need. If a job is advertised with low pay and/or long hours, at least you know up front what they are asking of you.

The problem is when an employer lays out a decent job with decent conditions/pay and then pulls the rug out from your feet at a group interview just to see how cheaply he can land a slave.

It almost seems criminal for some of these employers to cram 30+ people in a room and cutting people out of the running if they won't budge on hours, conditions or salary (it is a Battle Royale, with the HR staff reducing the offer gradually and seeing who is left at the end). I know it is real tough landing a job here, but you aren't doing yourself a favor by taking on a mountain of responsibilities with long hours for peanuts. It just leads to depression and anxiety, and the worst thing is that you have set a precedent that your boss (thinks) he can just easily find another slave for peanuts if you dare complain. If you have a family to support or even live in a decent apartment alone, you may very well not be able to support yourself/family. (Working Poor, as it is known)

I know it is an employer's market out there, but it would be nice if the labor board of Japan wasn't so toothless. In a few of the interviews I have been given I have been asked some outrageous things.

* Will I work 300 hours a month?
* Will I work for minimum wage (as a Unix Sysadmin) just to land the job?
* Do I have a problem paying transportation costs to/from clients offices around Japan at my own expense (for a job that doesn't pay that well to start with)
* Would you pay for an apartment close to the office (at your own expense) so you can work longer hours instead of wasting it on the trains home?

I could go on, but why isn't this sort of questioning and behavior illegal? Even when I have phoned the labor board on some of these people, very little comes from it, almost like it were just a slap on the wrist. And to make matters worse, as long as candidates think that the only way to get a job is by debasing themselves to the point of slavery/poverty, things won't improve.

I'm happy for those out there that have decent paying jobs at fair conditions. They say it is all about what you know but the smarter ones of them will say it is all about who you know. When you don't have that option, the rat race is an...interesting place, indeed.