PS Vita and Macross Ace Frontier compatibility?

[Swooshiex]

Hi everyone,

I'm keen on getting the PS Vita and Macross Ave Frontier (and sequels). Do they work together? Is there anything that I need to be aware of to ensure that whatever is compatible and works?

Thank you so much!

[Tochiro]

There is no way that I am aware of to get the Macross PSP games to run on a Vita because BandaiNamco does not release many games for digital distribution that include (even partly) yet gird party IP. Your best bet is to buy a PSP for them. The games themselves are region free. Any bonus movie UMDs included with special editions of the games will be region locked.

[LOW_ALT]

Not True! I play Triangle Frontier on my Vita all the time. However the only way you can play these games on a Vita currently is through one of the exploited PSN games, allowing use of the TN firmware. At which point you can play your backed-up version of any UMD you have purchased. Contrary to popular believe, backing up your purchased UMB PSP games is legal, so is using CEF-TN though a purchased PSN game (I use Gravity Crash). Just don't distribute your back-up copy of your UMD, that's not fair to the developers who work hard on these awesome games!

I was even able to transfer my 100% game save for Triangle Frontier over to my Vita. That game looks excellent on the Vita's screen. Other games I have tested are Gundam Battle Universe, Another Century's Episode Portable, Macross Ace Frontier, and Macross Ultimate frontier. If anybody needs help, just ask.

Edited March 4, 2013 by LOW_ALT

[Tochiro]

Not True! I play Triangle Frontier on my Vita all the time. However the only way you can play these games on a Vita currently is through one of the exploited PSN games, allowing use of the TN firmware. At which point you can play your backed-up version of any UMD you have purchased. Contrary to popular believe, backing up your purchased UMB PSP games is legal, so is using CEF-TN though a purchased PSN game (I use Gravity Crash). Just don't distribute your back-up copy of your UMD, that's not fair to the developers who work hard on these awesome games!

I was even able to transfer my 100% game save for Triangle Frontier over to my Vita. That game looks excellent on the Vita's screen. Other games I have tested are Gundam Battle Universe, Another Century's Episode Portable, Macross Ace Frontier, and Macross Ultimate frontier. If anybody needs help, just ask.

Well, I stand corrected. I was presuming that we were talking about 100% legal and legit methods here. My bad.

[LOW_ALT]

Well, I stand corrected. I was presuming that we were talking about 100% legal and legit methods here. My bad.

Nothing illegal about playing back-ups of games that you've already purchased. It's like "jail-breaking" an iPhone.

[Swooshiex]

Not True! I play Triangle Frontier on my Vita all the time. However the only way you can play these games on a Vita currently is through one of the exploited PSN games, allowing use of the TN firmware. At which point you can play your backed-up version of any UMD you have purchased. Contrary to popular believe, backing up your purchased UMB PSP games is legal, so is using CEF-TN though a purchased PSN game (I use Gravity Crash). Just don't distribute your back-up copy of your UMD, that's not fair to the developers who work hard on these awesome games!

I was even able to transfer my 100% game save for Triangle Frontier over to my Vita. That game looks excellent on the Vita's screen. Other games I have tested are Gundam Battle Universe, Another Century's Episode Portable, Macross Ace Frontier, and Macross Ultimate frontier. If anybody needs help, just ask.

thank you so much! i'm excited!

what's TN, UMD, UMB, CEF-TN? i'm a super newbie.

can i switch back to normal firmware in future? when i sell the Vita to upgrade i guess.

do i need a bigger memory card?

[Tochiro]

Nothing illegal about playing back-ups of games that you've already purchased. It's like "jail-breaking" an iPhone.

Uh, sorry, but no it isnt.

Now, for the sake of full disclosure, I work for a Japanese entertainment company. And yes, among the many things we make are games on all platforms. I’ve watched the bottom drop out of the overseas PSP market over the last 5-6 years and seen what it’s done to both what we can release overseas as well as the more personal effect it’s had on salaries and layoffs. And I’ve heard all the excuses from people pirating games. And then I hear all the complaints from PSP users that don’t get the games they want released in English.

It’s like making pies in one of those glass-walled bakeries that lets customers watch the baker at work, except the people on the other side of the glass take my pies without paying and there’s nothing I can do about it other than try to make more pies. In the meantime, more customers come in, have a fit that there are no fresh pies, and either never come back or else start stealing pies themselves.

So you’ll excuse me if my take on this isn’t quite the same as a fan living overseas who just wants to get their hands on a game that hasn’t been released locally and isn’t willing to import the game/hardware.

Also, pie. Mmmmmm, pie.

Now, we are talking about a Japanese product and Japanese laws expressly prohibit the copying of digital material for private backup purposes.

Even if you own a physical copy, the method by which you are getting the ISO is illegal under Japanese law (again, since we are talking about a Japanese product here). Uploading and downloading of unauthorized digital content is a crime.

(Just last week, there were raids and resulting arrests of 27 ‘uploaders’ that was paraded all over the media. Copying stuff, whether for private use or not, is not something that’s taken lightly.)

And unlike the downloading law, uploading was made illegal earlier (no exact date off the top of my head, sorry) meaning that there’s a fair chance the ISO is technically illegal if it was ripped and uploaded from within Japan.

Then theres the Vita itself – last I checked, there was no clause in the systems User Agreement that expressly condoned custom firmware.

Also, if Bandai-Namco has not legally and officially put the PSP Macross games up for digital distribution then theres a reason behind this. Despite what the internet may think, Japanese software developers tend to like making money. Bandai-Namco has released digital DL versions of other games, why not Macross?

Simple, theres other rights holdersinvolved. A digital version isn’t doable due to contractual issues between the rights holders. Not even the Japanese users get it. Why users overseas think their ‘need’ (entertainment is a luxury, not a right) to play the game in a format that its not on and isn’t authorized for is greater than the rights of the companies that actually own/make the content is beyond me.

So, since there is no way to buy an off-the-shelf Vita, access PSN, and pay for and download the PSP games for use on the system from PSN, I stand by my original comment. There is no (technically legal and official) way to do this, whereas a second hand PSP and importing the region free games from Japan works perfectly.

(Heres a listing of all the Macross PSP games. Note that none have digital versions noted.)

But look, I get it. Most of this stuff is of no concern to anyone who isn’t in Japan. None of the above is a direct attack on you and this IS Macross we are talking about.

Macross has always been a grey area since fans know there is not and never will be local releases outside of Japan. As

such, I think it’s fair to say that most of us turn a blind eye when it comes to ‘acquiring’ Macross stuff since people often have no other means they can resort to. And for everyone who downloads (for example) fansubs, there are some who are willing to import the actual discs/games, etc, from Japan to support the franchise. Others will support it via the toys and merch. This is one of the great things about Macross fandom.

And I am totally aware that your suggestion was based on the presumption that the original poster actually purchase the games as well, which is commendable. Kudos for that, seriously. Heck, if someone else gets to enjoy these great games, then that’s always a plus!

But, if this is the track you guys take, could you please conduct the detailed talks about custom firmware and

ISOs via PM? Because having to read about it in a forum I respect and enjoy so much, while looking around the office at empty desks where colleagues used to be makes me want to throw up in my mouth a bit.

Edited March 5, 2013 by Tochiro

[Swooshiex]

Thank you for the insightful sharing Tochiro! Now I have a much better understanding as to why we have not been getting games in english, voice and subs.

I've ordered the game from Japan and its on the way.

I'm hesitant about getting the PSP becomes it doesn't come with the "stick" controls. It seems like the game would be more fun with the PS Vita controls. It's also the latest hardware. That's why I'm more keen to play it on the PS Vita if it's possible.

[dialNforNinja]

You can set the controls to use the joystick on the PSP rather than the D-pad, if you like. As for which game to get, I prefer Ultimate as it doesn't require going through a wall-o-foreign-text dating sim mode with pilot skills/stats locked outside the sim, and more units have Missile C (including the VF-27) - Triangle has the YF-25, Tornado Pack, and a couple dozen more missions. Ace's missions are mostly different from the sequels while the later games' are 95% the same.

[Juton]

This thread is as good a place as any to ask. I've read that no Macross game will be localized for North America. Why is this, I assume it has something to do with licensing, either with respect to Harmony Gold or the dispute between who owns what of SDF Macross? Could the Japanese just include English subtitles and sell the game locally in Japan? Do they not do this because of the cost of the translation or some other reason?

[dialNforNinja]

I'd imagine they don't do so because people living in Japan tend to speak Japanese... as for the rest, Harmony Gold and licensing issues are pretty much the reason, yes. Probably also at the root of the switch from UNS and the fighting kite logo to NUNS and their stupid looking onion.

[Tochiro]

This thread is as good a place as any to ask. I've read that no Macross game will be localized for North America. Why is this, I assume it has something to do with licensing, either with respect to Harmony Gold or the dispute between who owns what of SDF Macross? Could the Japanese just include English subtitles and sell the game locally in Japan? Do they not do this because of the cost of the translation or some other reason?

regarding the lack of English subtitles, this is a question thats come up a few times in the past, but the easiest way to answer is with another question:

Q)What Japan-only games have come out with English subtitles in the past.

A) None!

As a general rule, billingual games in Japan are either a)foreign-made games on PS3 which support both language tracks (ie, heavy rain, Uncharted (although both were censored) etc, or b)games with minimal text that get a simultaneous global release (ie, all of Capcoms recent fighting games). Games that are made in japan for the Japanese market and arent scheduled to be released abroad never have English included in them, even the big-sellers, so why WOULD a more niche title like a Macross game have them (and while the Macross games have sold relatively well on the PSP by Japanese standards, they ARE niche and dont hold a candle to even mid-tier US titles sales-wise.

So firstly, theres little precedent for such a thing happening.As dialN noted - the Japanese speak Japanese. More importantly, only a tiny percentage of them speak/understand English at anything nearing the fluency that would be needed to understand a game narrative. Add to this the ever-present licensing issues and the cost, and it simply isnt worth it to publishers to include English. The cost alone includes translation (would need to be outsourced), implementation (can be done internally), and QA (preferrably internally but would require English speaking QA staff to be hired especially for the job), not to mention the impact on overall schedule (every plot tweak or mission change could result in changes to all the steps just listed) or the added cost to product management. And that isnt counting any on-disc extras (documentaries, etc) which would may also need to be subbed. Then theres the hassle of enquiries from abroad when its likely that no-one at Bandai Namco Japans customer support speaks English. All this for a handful of extra units sold.

All legal/licensing issues aside, financially it just isnt viable.

(sales figs from another thread FYI)

LTD sales of Artdink Macross Games

Macross Ace Frontier: 160,000

Macross Ultimate Frontier: 170,000

Macross Triangle Frontier: 120,000

Macross Trial Frontier Hybrid Pack: 210,000 (incl. movie)

Macross Final Frontier Hybrid Pack: 220,000 (incl. movie)

Macross 30: 75,000

(Sources: vgchartz.com & 4gamer)

[Juton]

@Tochiro

I had always assumed that some Japanese games where given English subtitles even if they weren't marketed outside of Japan. Thanks for the clarification. You did mention licensing as an issue, is that with Harmony Gold or with one of the Japanese licensees?

[Gerli]

It's seem that PSP games can be now be played in "modified" PS3... I know... I know, but this whole HG thing and the small niche that prevent for these games to be more accessible in Occident really makes me cheer for these things...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BqvUiP47lFg

[Zoroastres]

Still.... I could marginally justify pirating the games to play on a PC emulator, but not on a modded PS3. Both are "wrong," I know, but the one just seems more wrong to me. Funny how our minds can stratify things like this.

[Renato]

It's seem that PSP games can be now be played in "modified" PS3... I know... I know, but this whole HG thing and the small niche that prevent for these games to be more accessible in Occident really makes me cheer for these things...

I don't know what that has to do with anything in the case of PSP games. The PSP is region-free. There is nothing preventing you from purchasing the game, nor playing it anywhere on the planet.

[Tochiro]

I don't know what that has to do with anything in the case of PSP games. The PSP is region-free. There is nothing preventing you from purchasing the game, nor playing it anywhere on the planet.

Renato, you beat me to it. Emulation of region free games is, imo, wrong. They will run on a locally bought system from any region and will actually look worse when emulated on a big screen. And if you absolutely must play on a big screen, latter PSP models have AV output so you can do just that. The game was made region free and buying it supports the franchise, so why not do so?

(and PSPs are cheaper than PS3s too!)

[Gerli]

I don't know what that has to do with anything in the case of PSP games. The PSP is region-free. There is nothing preventing you from purchasing the game, nor playing it anywhere on the planet.

I know (I have Ultimate Frontier) the only problem is the language barrier and the costs (import games from japan to Argentina is a real pain in the back... I almost lost my Macross 30 copy in the customs )

[Delta_Lop]

is their any way to get macross last frontier on PC?

 

[Delta_Lop]

I keep getting a message that i searched up and turned out to be a "generic error message" plz help. Also, can anybody translate this game?