Some TurboGrafx-16 related correspondence

Joe Redifer · 05/27/2008, 09:39 PM

I used to write to game companies all the time in order to extrapolate as much info about videogames and systems as I possibly could. About 75% of the time or so they'd respond. Here are two TurboGrafx-16 related letters I found the other day while digging around and scanned them just for YOU!

This first one is from NEC themselves, and it looks like I spilled Coke® on it at some point.

I desaturated it and tried to make it less objectional, but I didn't want to spend too much time in Photoshop with a letter like this. You can pretty much guess what I was asking by their responses:

This letter is from the world famous Working Designs. I was disappointed when I rediscovered the letter that it wasn't written by Victor Ireland. Oh well. Here it is:

Enjoy. I know I did at the time!

Turbo D · 05/27/2008, 09:45 PM

Those are great letters Joe! Its pretty cool that you got those companies to respond like that. I didn't know that genesis exile was missing a town, probably because I don't own that version, haha.

Keranu · 05/27/2008, 10:43 PM

Great letters! I love the "670 megabits" part where the dude had to contact the engineer to get a precise number and wasn't sure how much was music and how much was programming.

Quote from: turbo DI didn't know that genesis exile was missing a town, probably because I don't own that version, haha.

I think he's referring to the town with the people being burned, which I think was just censored in the Genesis version and not removed.

Joe Redifer · 05/27/2008, 10:56 PM

It was removed from the US version as I think the Japanese version has it included.

Ceti Alpha · 05/27/2008, 11:15 PM

These are great letters Joe. Very, very cool.

Nazi NecroPhile · 05/28/2008, 11:19 AM

Thanks for sharing those gems, Joe. The hottest games for 1991 included The Addams Family and Talespin..... who knew?

Ceti Alpha · 05/28/2008, 11:32 AM

Why is Bonk so mad at the TG logo?

Nazi NecroPhile · 05/28/2008, 12:10 PM

Quote from: itec on 05/28/2008, 11:32 AMWhy is Bonk so mad at the TG logo?

It took away his mascara and eyeliner.

MurderDate · 05/28/2008, 01:32 PM

Good for you, Joe, writing those companies like that back then! I bet you were a cool little kid.

Lord Thag · 05/29/2008, 02:06 AM

Nice! Interesting to see a Working Designs letter. They were based in my hometown (Redding CA). afriend and I used to pull copies of Lunar out of the dumpster behind their offices in high school. I've met a few of the voice talent used in Lunar (friends of a buddy up north), as well as Victor himself. Victor can be cool, but I heard he was a royal pain to work for (he stiffed several of the Lunar voice-talent out of their paychecks). Interesting guy though, and most definitely NOT a Sony fan. Sony pretty much killed his company, due to the restrictions on importing Japanese games, which was WD bread and butter. You wouldn't believe how many copies of Lunar he still has stacked in his warehouse. He makes a living just selling them on the evilbay.

That said, last a friend of mine heard from him, the working Designs phoenix may be rising from the ashes one day soon ....

And no, you're not getting any more information than that

spenoza · 05/29/2008, 01:01 PM

Victor himself has talked repeatedly about reviving WD, if not with the same name in spirit. And he definitely has something in the works. It's just a matter of what it is. He's only shy as to the details, never the intent.

theoakwoody · 05/29/2008, 10:35 PM

QuoteInteresting guy though, and most definitely NOT a Sony fan. Sony pretty much killed his company, due to the restrictions on importing Japanese games, which was WD bread and butter.

Forgive my ignorance but what were the restrictions imposed and what is the current situation like for a company to import a jap only game and translate it. I mean big companies like Capcom probably wouldn't just hand out the Resident Evil 0 remake to anyone but there are still a ton of RPGs that never make it over here.

By the way if anyone has read any Ireland interviews did he ever discuss how he chose which games to translate?

guyjin · 05/29/2008, 10:46 PM

Quote from: theoakwoody on 05/29/2008, 10:35 PMForgive my ignorance but what were the restrictions imposed

sony didn't like RPGs (at first) and didn't like 2D games at all. these were what WD did best.

also, don't say 'jap'. read the forum rules again.

Mobius · 05/29/2008, 11:04 PM

Cool, I like that first letter a lot. I wrote a few letters to Nintendo back in the late SNES/early N64 days. They always responded! I wonder if game companies today would do the same.

We should write a letter to Hudson!

TR0N · 05/30/2008, 12:48 AM

Quote from: guest on 05/29/2008, 01:01 PMVictor himself has talked repeatedly about reviving WD, if not with the same name in spirit. And he definitely has something in the works. It's just a matter of what it is. He's only shy as to the details, never the intent.

I thought that was what gaijin works was for to publish 360 games.

Though so far i haven't herd or seen any thing on it at all.

OldRover · 05/30/2008, 08:39 AM

Hudson never responds. I've written them countless letters, mainly on the subject of Neutopia III, wanting to know if a sequel would appear and then requesting permission to develop my own. About 5 years ago, I gave up writing to them.

I had some correspondence with Don Shirley at Working Designs a number of years ago. In addition to the letter, he also sent me a couple of WD posters, a Parasol Stars one and I think an Exile one as well. I wish I still had all of that but it was lost a loooooong time ago.

Ceti Alpha · 05/30/2008, 09:06 AM

Quote from: OldRover on 05/30/2008, 08:39 AMHudson never responds. I've written them countless letters, mainly on the subject of Neutopia III, wanting to know if a sequel would appear and then requesting permission to develop my own. About 5 years ago, I gave up writing to them.

I had some correspondence with Don Shirley at Working Designs a number of years ago. In addition to the letter, he also sent me a couple of WD posters, a Parasol Stars one and I think an Exile one as well. I wish I still had all of that but it was lost a loooooong time ago.

That sucks on all counts. You think Hudson Soft would want to answer you regarding Neutopia III. Maybe they have plans for a 3D Neutopia and they're all hush, hush about it.

As for the lost WD posters...

esteban · 06/24/2008, 11:50 PM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 05/27/2008, 09:39 PMI used to write to game companies all the time in order to extrapolate as much info about videogames and systems as I possibly could. About 75% of the time or so they'd respond. Here are two TurboGrafx-16 related letters I found the other day while digging around and scanned them just for YOU!

...

Enjoy. I know I did at the time!

Dude, thanks for sharing. I love the end of the WD letter: "your continuing belief that Turbografx (especially CD) is the best!"

And, thanks to your first letter, I will now refer to myself as a "TurboPlayer", even though Addams Family was decidedly not one of the hottest games for 1991.

spenoza · 06/25/2008, 07:40 PM

Exactly. Intent is there but the details are a mystery.

-Brandon

LEO EL INCOMPARABLE · 07/13/2008, 09:59 AM

impressive !!!