SNKP Gives Official Response to Cardfighters Glitch.

[EX_Andy]

Too little, too late.

--EDIT--

To take that a bit further: because they so spectacularly messed up this launch, and because they are so inept at launching a new game in the United States market, they have burned much of what was left of their audience. I read GameSpot's review this morning, it wasn't quite the 1/10 (it was 4-something/10), but it shared the common opinion.

Here's my take:

SNK (or at least the shell that pretends to be SNK) took a game that could've made them relevant again --a game that would've showed people that SNK was about more than just cheaply milking and exploiting its game library-- and demonstrated that it is incompetent and uncaring for its fans and gamers at large.

Can the blame be squarely placed on SNK USA? Yes and no. This post-fall SNK USA has not demonstrated any significant competence (I still cringe at how badly the SNK vs Capcom location test and launch were handled). However, SNK USA is the face of SNK and I feel no issue with blaming SNK in Japan for allowing these individuals to prosper. To me it seems like we have executives at SNK USA who are proud to be executives, but not actually doing competent work. They're in love with doing "executive" things. As a result we see this mess, something that could've been avoided if they had been focused and acting in the interest of providing consumers a quality product. Clearly, that is not a priority anymore.

Ben Herman was in charge of SNK USA at the time this disaster occurred. Why didn't he manage his underlings well enough to guarantee that this product wouldn't come out broken? There is no excuse. Even if SNK Japan handed him a broken product, it's should be their job to make sure it's not a total disaster (and apparently even the English translation would've tipped them off that something was amiss).

I know it can be fun sometimes to get melodramatic on the Internet and make sweeping proclamations, but this is hardly the huge catastrophe that people are making it out to be. No, I don't think it's OK for SNKP to have shipped a broken game, because it's not OK for any company to ship a broken game.

But this is a card battle game on the Nintendo DS, which is a handheld console that has a bunch of other, higher-profile card battle games already. Also, it's the followup to an incredibly obscure game, Card Fighters Clash, which most people outside of this forum have never heard of, on an incredibly obscure and extinct handheld, the Neo Geo Pocket, which most people outside of this forum have never heard of. Even if the game had worked perfectly, it realistically wouldn't have had much of an impact. Very few people outside of this forum would know or understand the esoteric fanservice references to games like Twinkle Star Sprites and Psycho Soldier. This is also in no way the only broken video game to have shipped in history, or even this year, nor will it be the last. It's much, much less high-profile than a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. or a Spider-Man 3 (which is broken to hell on PS2 and Wii).

I think I've figured out why it took SNK USA so long to respond.

They start to get all these comments about the game not working right. After all the people are rounded up they decide to investigate. Since no one at SNK USA apparently has a video game system, they instruct the intern to go fetch them a DS; of course, that process involves a capital expenditure above the level that requires permission from a superior, and this somehow involved contacting the office in Japan. Once they acquired the permission and bought the system, they quickly realized they had another problem since none of the employees of SNK USA were actual gamers and they were baffled by how to play the game. After throwing around options, like hiring consultants to play the game for them in front of them, someone realized their kid actually played games and invited him over --unfortunately he was studying for finals so it took a few days to get him. It took the kid a few hours to work through all the bad translation, but he eventually found the bug. Of course, by that time the top brass of SNK USA had to leave due to a schedule conflict (they needed to attend a useless trade show in Orlando and play a round of golf with someone who might be a good connection for future employment --being an executive is fun!). Luckily, Ben Herman remembered to turn on his Blackberry the other day and was able to send out the above message to be posted.

At least, that's how I envision it.

Fanfiction can be fun, too, I guess. For some people. Or maybe, rather than jumping to conclusions like a bunch of trigger-happy overreactors, they conducted a thorough investigation on the matter, which probably involved back-and-forth with SNKP Japan, and are struggling to come up with an equitable solution for the fans who bought the game. Only SNK employees know what's really going on at the home offices; the rest is all speculation.

Yes I agree it should have never gotten through. But come on the Xbox Live version of Frogger was released with bugs and it is about as 2d you can get. At least CFC DS is more complex then that, It uses a Touchscreen

anyway I am in no way saying SNK/P do not screw up with this. I am just more willing to see what is going to be done about it before I go beating them up on it.

One of the few voices of reason here. I'd really recommend that everyone else take a breath, and maybe step away from that keyboard for a while.

 

[qube]

The above message was brought to you by SNK-Playmore USA.

 

[Tom]

I agree a bug like this shouldn't have gotten through especially since it isn't random. I was really looking forward to pick this up to try out the card fighters clash series for the first time and this is what happens. I hope it gets fixed soon.. I really wanted to play this.

 

[SouthtownKid]

Its kind of hard for me to blame SNK USA for this, seeing as how last I knew they had 15 people working for them. There's a difference between a major company with large development teams pushing out a bugged product (Ex: you fall through the ground on some levels for the new Sonic game on the 360 made by Sega) and a company that is ridiculously under staffed (SNK USA) doing so.

That argument is completely bullshit. Other small companies muddle through with less. The US branch of Natsume has about 3 or 4 people in the company. They don't release buggy, broken games.

Either you allow a broken game to leave your doors, or you don't. It has nothing to do with the number of people. Either you take the time and effort needed to do a competent job, or you just throw something out there and say, "whatever."

 

[Fakk2]

Hmmmm, this is another reason I say Playmore is garbage. Another Playmore fuckup. Not really surprising to me. When the hell is Playmore gonna die already??


Oh thats right, they wanna fuck over the KOF series first before they call it quits. I cant wait to see that shit happen.

 

[Jedah Doma]

Yea, this making excuses for SNK PLaymore is bull. This isn't their first screw up. The Xbox releases saw a slew of problems (especially online), before that the PS1 versions of NG games were terrible, and now this comes along. If this is a "fan service", then why wasn't more time taken on the game for fans. They screwed up and now are trying to come up with a good excuse to cover their collective asses. Simple as that.

 

[Cernex]

The above message was brought to you by SNK-Playmore USA.

Perhaps Alba Meira disguised???

El Cernex

 

[taitai]

It's much, much less high-profile than a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. or a Spider-Man 3 (which is broken to hell on PS2 and Wii).

I will say this, atleast you can *play* CFC, unlike say, Spider-Man 3...

 

[Neo Alec]

Once they acquired the permission and bought the system, they quickly realized they had another problem since none of the employees of SNK USA were actual gamers and they were baffled by how to play the game.

Learning to play Cardfighters is no easy task. My hat goes off to whoever figured it out.

Hmmmm, this is another reason I say Playmore is garbage. Another Playmore fuckup. Not really surprising to me. When the hell is Playmore gonna die already??

The American SNK Playmore. The Japanese version didn't have the bug.

 

[Mad Mage]

I don't care. What does a glitch matter in a game where the balance is so broken you can win every time without trying? All you do is play low cost cards and attack with everything and you're guaranteed a win. It gets boring FAR before the 9th floor even on the first playthrough.

So if you ask me, people are concentrating on the wrong issue here. If SNK Japan makes terrible games like this, it doesn't matter what SNK USA does to them.

 

[taitai]

I don't care. What does a glitch matter in a game where the balance is so broken you can win every time without trying? All you do is play low cost cards and attack with everything and you're guaranteed a win. It gets boring FAR before the 9th floor even on the first playthrough.

So if you ask me, people are concentrating on the wrong issue here. If SNK Japan makes terrible games like this, it doesn't matter what SNK USA does to them.

What do you expect from a company that makes little girl molestation games now?

 

[aria]

I know it can be fun sometimes to get melodramatic on the Internet and make sweeping proclamations, but this is hardly the huge catastrophe that people are making it out to be. No, I don't think it's OK for SNKP to have shipped a broken game, because it's not OK for any company to ship a broken game.

But this is a card battle game on the Nintendo DS, which is a handheld console that has a bunch of other, higher-profile card battle games already. Also, it's the followup to an incredibly obscure game, Card Fighters Clash, which most people outside of this forum have never heard of, on an incredibly obscure and extinct handheld, the Neo Geo Pocket, which most people outside of this forum have never heard of. Even if the game had worked perfectly, it realistically wouldn't have had much of an impact. Very few people outside of this forum would know or understand the esoteric fanservice references to games like Twinkle Star Sprites and Psycho Soldier. This is also in no way the only broken video game to have shipped in history, or even this year, nor will it be the last. It's much, much less high-profile than a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. or a Spider-Man 3 (which is broken to hell on PS2 and Wii).

I don't think I was being too harsh, management failed and embarrassed a company already a shell of itself.

Work with me here: take into consideration the industry. You work in a field where, if an error is made, it's not usually a big deal --you can run a correction in the next issue. I work in an industry (med devices) where, if there's an error, people can get seriously injured --so the tolerance is basically nil. That guides my perspective: These guys are somewhere in between the two, closer to a publication but still at a point where an error can cause a product to be ultimately useless (like most software/engineering companies). But this is where it gets baffling: as people have pointed out, having a relatively low number of staff isn't unique --other companies have been able to still produce quality games, companies with less than 10 people have produced medical devices that would cause serious injury if they malfunctioned --but they don't. What could set this apart?

To be fair to SNK USA, it's not certain what led to the broken game (although QA was certainly a major factor). However, it can be said, without a doubt, that there was a failure in management to make sure that their system/process for releasing games worked well. If the system had worked well, a broken game would not have been released --a catastrophic failure in every sense of the term. If something like this had happened in other engineering fields, the law can subject the management to criminal penalties. Those don't apply to SNK USA (and they shouldn't), but it does put the onus of this error on management, and I have not been impressed by the new SNK USA team since they were introduced after the SNK-P resurrection (not like the Barones were much better, but I don't believe in leaning back on low expectations).

What does that say about the respect for the consumer when a company doesn't even properly check the game its releasing? SNK has always been lackluster in how it treated its American fans (white blood in SS/MS/etc; the SS5S fatality fiasco), but this really sends a message that they don't particularly give a damn. Maybe they do, maybe --somewhere in those hearts-- Ben Herman & Co. really do care about the gamers, problem is they haven't shown us that and we should not have to search for it.

Its because some want to say "aw, it's just the video game industry --cut them some slack" that our hobby is still the lingering subject of snobbery as just a kid's field (despite the fact that many gamers our age have become professionals in many areas)

Fanfiction can be fun, too, I guess. For some people. Or maybe, rather than jumping to conclusions like a bunch of trigger-happy overreactors, they conducted a thorough investigation on the matter, which probably involved back-and-forth with SNKP Japan, and are struggling to come up with an equitable solution for the fans who bought the game. Only SNK employees know what's really going on at the home offices; the rest is all speculation.

So, according to you, it's bad to be too serious and/or melodramatic... and it's also bad to make light of the situation.

Should I bow and accept whatever they tell us? You have too much deference; of course that may be a part of the industry.

 

[Magician]

I'm in the "too little, too late" boat.

It's easy enough to roll over the computer with a deck full of 300/400 HP, 400 BP, 1 force characters and a handful of BP booster cards to get the 1st round KO.

I'd just rather play something else, and I shall.

 

[Soniku]

After a careful analysis by the game’s programmers and after reviewing the reported bug encountered when meeting John on level 9 we, SNKP USA, have decided that the best action is to offer a replacement cartridge. We will order new repaired DS cartridges from Nintendo that will take approximately six weeks to receive. As soon as we receive the replacement cartridges we will give instructions as to where to mail your DS cartridge to receive a replacement. We apologize for this programming error and will correct it as soon as possible. Please do not return your game to the store of purchase. We will do an exchange program as soon as the new game paks arrive from Nintendo. Please continue to visit our website for updated information. We will update this announcement as soon as we are able to plan a date for the exchange to begin.

Thank you,

Ben Herman
President
SNK PLAYMORE USA CORPORATION

w00t! Replacement cartridges that'll take at least 2 months to receive! If I were anyone else, I'd probably return my CFC now...

Yeah I feel this is the best cause of action thanks for taking out the time to address the issue.

Go fuck yourself, suck up.

 

[KagerouSama]

The Recall begins.....in 6 weeks!!

Hello everyone,



After a careful analysis by the game’s programmers and after reviewing the reported bug encountered when meeting John on level 9 we, SNKP USA, have decided that the best action is to offer a replacement cartridge. We will order new repaired DS cartridges from Nintendo that will take approximately six weeks to receive. As soon as we receive the replacement cartridges we will give instructions as to where to mail your DS cartridge to receive a replacement. We apologize for this programming error and will correct it as soon as possible. Please do not return your game to the store of purchase. We will do an exchange program as soon as the new game paks arrive from Nintendo. Please continue to visit our website for updated information. We will update this announcement as soon as we are able to plan a date for the exchange to begin.



Thank you,



Ben Herman

President

SNK PLAYMORE USA CORPORATION

After a careful analysis by the game’s programmers and after reviewing the reported bug encountered when meeting John on level 9 we, SNKP USA, have decided that the best action is to offer a replacement cartridge. We will order new repaired DS cartridges from Nintendo that will take approximately six weeks to receive. As soon as we receive the replacement cartridges we will give instructions as to where to mail your DS cartridge to receive a replacement. We apologize for this programming error and will correct it as soon as possible. Please do not return your game to the store of purchase. We will do an exchange program as soon as the new game paks arrive from Nintendo. Please continue to visit our website for updated information. We will update this announcement as soon as we are able to plan a date for the exchange to begin.

Thank you,

Ben Herman
President
SNK PLAYMORE USA CORPORATION

At least they will be replacing them.

 

[RyanDG]

That argument is completely bullshit. Other small companies muddle through with less. The US branch of Natsume has about 3 or 4 people in the company. They don't release buggy, broken games.

I wouldn't use Natsume as an example of a company that doesn't release buggy, broken games... Harvest Moon for the DS is horribly flawed (and buggy) and includes several file corruption errors that will cause you to lose your saved games.

 

[E=MC2]

its about fucking time they announce KOFXII, or show us some pictures, or designs or something. not that this isn't something, its just not what I'm expecting every time i come to this site. the news is making itself wait too damn long, hope its worth it.

 

[caleb1883]

Is anyone keeping their's in hopes it becomes collectible? Or do you think all these bad cartridges will just end up in the desert with all of Atari's copies of ET?

 

[bugula]

what the FUCK is wrong with that alba guy.

i cant fuckin stand him.

was a 3 word reply with NO CONTENT really necessary?

i hate that guy.

I dunno...I'm thinking we should try to barter for him. We could give up Corky and get Alba over here. He'd be a little bit more fun to have around since he's more vocal.

 

[Lashujin]

Bobak's story is probably very true considering the stories I've heard about the old SNK and their relationship with the Japanese office (i.e. buying japanese neo mags to know what games were coming out soon)

 

[Soniku]

I dunno...I'm thinking we should try to barter for him. We could give up Corky and get Alba over here. He'd be a little bit more fun to have around since he's more vocal.

Good idea, but I think he'll begin to hurt our brains too much after 3 days to a week... Still, I'm willing to try anything.

Bobak's story is probably very true considering the stories I've heard about the old SNK and their relationship with the Japanese office (i.e. buying japanese neo mags to know what games were coming out soon)

You've gotta be shitting me.

 

[LoneSage]

lol, alba deleted my post...pretty sure he's a mod.
That's the closest he'll ever get to having a job at SNK.

 

[wizkid007]

The game itself is quite balanced. I think it is the coding that is broken. Specifically the AI. Its very predictable and works on a few basic rules that are easily undone. The actual card battle is quite fun in my opinion. I just wish the ai was smarter, which is exactly why this game should have had online play.

SNK also took the easy way out. I like to roam around and explore. I mean wtf, picking a dot that repersents a person to fight is really gay. The rpg elements of the former game are really missed. Plus I am not that far into the game and I believe I have seen 3 differnent cards to unfreeze all your characters? wtf is that, what happened to just one card with an attribute. Did they just get bored and start naming extra cards because they have the imagination of a spoon?

 

[wizkid007]

Bobak's story is probably very true considering the stories I've heard about the old SNK and their relationship with the Japanese office (i.e. buying japanese neo mags to know what games were coming out soon)

Wow. Drones in a room pushing around dust.

 

[Neo Alec]

I think I'd still rather SNK have a US presence rather than none at all. Without them, far fewer games would come out in North America, and third party publishers would release the few that do.

At least SNK Playmore publishes their own games now. There was a time in their supposed glory days when the games they released on consoles were usually published by a third party.