WGT 2008 Kickoff Party
The World GameMaster Tournament 2008 kicks off! Mini event report and pictures after the jump!
Japan Rising
(Image source: KaneNash on deviantART. Larger version available from his site)
Yesterday I took a day off work to collect my passport from the Japan Embassy, hoping that my application for the tourist visa would be approved. Initially I was concerned that my lowly bank account wouldn’t be enough to convince the authorities to approve my visa. But to my relief, I found the approved visa in my passport when I collected it from the collection counter.
Now I can’t wait to meet up with Japanese high school girls! I hear they can be quite a blast.
Rumor: Sony to launch PS3 in Malaysia
Multiplay reports that Sony is close to launching the Sony PlayStation 3 in the country. Well, since there’s no official word from Sony Malaysia and I can’t exactly confirm anything at the moment, I guess this news is best filed under ‘rumor’.
But if you take into consideration that Malaysia has already launched the PlayStation Portable here, the chances of Sony Malaysia bringing in the PSP’s bigger brother into the country are high. It’s just a matter of when and where.
P.S. Just don’t forget to bookmark your calendar.
Obscene Anime Figurines Raid
Wondering why your order for that Chu Chu Astram figurine hasn’t arrived yet in your local figurine store? Well, chances are it may have been consficated. Harian Metro, a Malay-language tabloid did a special investigative report on anime figurines, and reported it to the authorities, who promptly took action.
Young collectors with fetish for obscene dolls
PORNOGRAPHIC dolls, which can cost up to RM200 each, have flooded the local market and are being snapped up by well-off young collectors.
Harian Metro reported that collecting these dolls was a hobby to some, especially children from wealthy homes, according to the Home Ministry Quranic text control division central enforcement unit head Mohd Rizal Abidin.
The dolls were being sold in shopping malls in the Klang Valley.
“The traders told us that most of these dolls are popular with teenagers who bought them for their own private collection, or as gifts for their friends.
“Action has to be taken as such pornographic dolls affect society’s moral values,” he said after raiding several premises which sold such dolls in Bukit Bintang, Subang Jaya, Petaling Jaya and Brickfields since last Monday.
Mohd Rizal said they confiscated 114 dolls valued at about RM10,000.
(source: The Star Online)
The original report can be found here, courtesy of Google Cache.
Selling Indecent Toys (retrieved 12th August 2008)
I like it how the reporter grossly generalizes that these figurines are mainly bought by ‘anak orang kaya’ (children of rich people). I’m hardly wealthy, and I know quite a number of collectors who aren’t rich either - we just save our money like anybody else.
This incident reminds me of the infamous KOSMO! incident two years back, when the tabloid reported that anime was animated sex. Well, glad to see yet another tabloid of journalistic integrity picking up the pace!
Figure Mall’s Kevin is understandably pissed about this. Valho has a more reasonable outlook on the whole situation, though Setsuna is panicking.
Figure Review: Chu Chu Astram 1/8 PVC Good Smile Company
Love at first bite. Lots and lots of Chu Chu Astram pictures after the break to sink your fangs in.
Consumer Association of Penang recommends banning GTA
The Star has published a letter/email from the President of the Consumer Association of Penang, recommending that the Malaysian government follow the footsteps of the Thai authorities in banning the Grand Theft Auto series, after a young Thai man robbed a taxi and fatally stabbed the driver. It was widely reported that the young man wanted to see how easy it was to hijack the taxi like in the game.
As the CAP has raised the issue of increased aggression of violent videogames in young viewers, I’d like to point out that there are also several well-publicised studies that show that these videogames do not have a lasting negative impact on most players. These instances of raised aggression tend to be short term and are even quite common in teens who participate or watch competitive sports. So do we then start banning football for its links to ‘increased aggression’ in teens? In fact for most cases, videogames can be cathartic, especially for players with pent-up stress. I would advise Mohamed Idris - president of the CAP - to read the insightful Grand Theft Childhood by Harvard Medical School researchers Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson.
Furthermore, I find it odd that while the CAP mentions violent TV programmes in the email, the CAP do not demand that these violent programmes receive the same treatment as violent videogames. If the CAP is fair, then they should also demand equal action to be taken against violent TV programmes, movies, and books that are already in the market. Why single out videogames? Is it because the CAP still assumes that videogames are only for children? Yes, there are videogames for children, but a good deal of games are catered towards us young adults who are mature enough to tell right from wrong, and make sensible, responsible decisions. Too bad I can’t say the same for most of our local politicians.
As a final note, I’d like to inform the CAP that the GTA series have actually been circulating in the country, legally and illegally, for over a decade. Just how many violent crimes commited by young children or teenagers in Malaysia have been attributed to GTA or videogames? As far as I know, there has been NONE. Zero. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong though.
While I can understand the concerns that the CAP has raised, I do believe they have overstepped their boundaries on requesting the government to ban the game, especially when the association’s primary concern should be about protecting consumer rights, NOT, as Game Politics rightly pointed out, limiting our choices as consumers by requesting censorship. Gamers are consumers too, especially us adult gamers who have a right to play and enjoy games with mature content.
GameAxis August 2008
GameAxis Malaysia gets an extra spurt of WAAAGH!!! this August to come out with this very manly cover of two sworn enemies rushing at each other. This month’s cover story is a little different from other cover stories, as it is presented as a transcribe of a diary entry penned by a nasty green Orc. There’s a handy codex on each page that nicely explains some of the terms in the article so that it gets the reader up to speed on Warhammer Online this coming September.
This month’s issue was exhausting: beside helping to run GameAxis LIVE, I had to write a 9-page coverage article about the event, as well as watch nearly all of the first few episodes of the new lineup of anime this season for the Anime Summer 2008 Lineup article. I also had to wrap up the WCG 2008 Malaysia supplement, which comes bundled with this month’s issue.
Anyhow, I’m gonna enjoy myself this weekend with the Maple Story 3rd Birthday Bash taking place this Saturday at Cineleisure Damansara, and the ongoing Animax Youth Festival at 1Utama. Remember, we’ll be giving out a free Sony PSP courtesy of Sony Malaysia to the winner of our mini racing tournament at the AYF, so come on down and you may just win a shiny handheld console!
GTAIV confirmed for PC, Coming this November
Expected, but at least we now have official confirmation. Kotaku has the story:
Rockstar Games Announces Grand Theft Auto IV for the PC
New York, NY – August 6, 2008 – Rockstar Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), is proud to announce that Grand Theft Auto IV will be arriving on the PC on November 18th and 21st in North America and Europe, respectively.
“We are very excited to be releasing the PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV,” said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. “The whole team is dedicated to bringing an amazing gaming experience to the PC. The game looks and plays beautifully on PC and we can’t wait for people to play it.”
Developed by series creator Rockstar North and set in Liberty City, the latest installment in the enormously successful Grand Theft Auto series features a painstakingly detailed and life-like city for players to explore; a rich, immersive narrative experience; an original soundtrack highlighting the cultural eclecticism of Liberty City; and newly expanded multiplayer just for the PC.
Okay, PC Gamer Malaysia. NOW you can excite us with the delightful details about the PC version.
Maple Story Birthday Invite
Just received a VIP Invite from AsiaSoft Online for the upcoming Maple SEA 3rd Birthday party at Cineleisure Damansara this Saturday. Included with the VIP invite was this chocolate cupcake with the Blue Mushroom monster on it!
Isn’t it cute? Well, I can’t wait to sink my teeth into it and see its face half-bitten off. Oh sweet revenge for all those misery it caused me when I was a lowly level 15 Bowman in the Subways! Mwahahahah.
Animax Youth Festival
The Animax Youth Festival will take place at 1Utama, High Street this weekend, and GameAxis Malaysia will be there too! We’ll be having a mini racing gaming competition where participants may stand to walk away with a Sony PlayStation Portable! See you there!
Event: Animax Youth Festival
Date: 8th - 10th August 2008
Time: 12 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Venue: 1Utama Shopping Complex, High Street
