(Message edb:497)
Date:    Fri, 07 Jul 2000 09:56:11 PDT
To:      L5RINFO@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM
From:    Edward Bolme <edwardb@FRPG.COM>
Subject: Re: [L5RINFO] John Wick on the WotC takeover

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> That said, I present the following questions for ANYONE to answer.
>
> > > Ethnic words?  The RPG list has been requesting that FOREVER.
> > > Why?  Because most of the phrases are butcheries of the Japanese
> > > language.
>
> Name the butcheries and the proper words that should be used and your
> authority for this claim.

Perhaps the best example is "Otaku." This word has taken on a slang meaning
in Japan, which is somewhat analogous to "geek" or "fanboy." That would make
that entire family somewhat laughable in Japan.

> Do you have evidence 1) the game does not sell in Japan. 2) the game will
> not sell in Japan given its current state. 3) the game will sell in Japan
if
> it is modified. 4) the sales in Japan, as modified, will exceed the number
> of sales elsewhere in the world that won't like the game anymore (if any)?

1) Yes. 2) Yes. 3) Could happen. 4) We would not do it in a fashion so as to
poach sales.

My understanding is that the Japanese hate to see any liberties taken with
their history. Unlike Western fantasy, which has freakin' spikes on armor
and stuff, L5R is reviled because we have 10th-century helmets inthe same
pic as 7th-century armor.

I don't think that L5R in its current state will ever sell in Japan. We are
making adjustments in Gold Edition in hopes we might make inroads.

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