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Final Fantasy 7 unofficial NES port restored, improved by modders
ROM hackers have overhauled an unofficial 8-bit version of Square Enix's Final Fantasy 7, turning what was once a barely-playable bootleg into a demake that's surprisingly faithful to its source material. Released as an unlicensed Famicom cartridge in China, Shenzhen Nanjing's unsanctioned port of Final Fantasy 7 featured familiar characters and settings from Square Enix's PSOne classic, but removed many key story elements while upping the difficulty dramatically, rendering it an impressive but flawed curiosity. After the subsequent release of a fan-made translation patch, a team led by modder Lugia2009 set out to address the game's many issues. The final product features redrawn graphics, improved music, and an actual ending, among many other bugfixes and improvements. Speaking to Destructoid, Lugia2009 revealed that his next project is a translation patch for Shenzhen Nanjing's unlicensed NES port of Pokemon Yellow.
Unlicensed World of Warcraft theme park opens in China
World Joyland hungers. If you love Chinese knock-offs -- and I know you do -- you'll love this bit of news: World Joyland, the famed and unlicensed World of Warcraft theme park in Changzhou, China, is now open for business. The people at Shanghaiist took a tour of the place, taking myriad pictures of their experience. In actuality, the park is less of a WoW rip-off and more of a Blizzard rip-off. It includes a Starcraft-themed area named "Universe of Starship" in addition to its World of Warcraft area, which is named "Terrain of Magic." What kind of rides does the place have? Well, Shanghaiist detailed one of them: Our first ride was an exciting little number called Splash of Monster Blood, and they're not kidding about the splash. We'll just say this much: trying to act cool by refusing the buy a sky blue poncho on your way in is a giant n00b stamp. The ride was, as its sign board attests, a "beast-bloody journey" (a.k.a. your standard amusement park log ride affair.) After clicking and chugging up a tunnel full of orcs and monsters, you are then plunged down into water that manages somehow to smash you from both the front and the back simultaneously. While World Joyland may have skimped on the official licensing -- China is much cooler with copyright infringement than we Americans are -- we're pretty sure they didn't skimp on anything else while building the place. The place is probably totally safe and not covered in lead-based paints. Right? Right? The news is already rolling out for the upcoming WoW Patch 4.2! Preview the new Firelands raid, marvel at the new legendary staff, and get the inside scoop on new quest hubs -- plus new tier 12 armor!
FCC votes unanimously in favor of using whitespace for 'super WiFi'
Just as we suspected earlier this month, the Federal Communications Commission has voted unanimously (that's five yeas and zero nays, if you need a specific tally) in favor of using the unlicensed whitespace airwaves for what it calls a "super WiFi" of sorts. The vote accordingly also mandates a database mapping out TV channels and major wireless mic users (e.g. broadway theaters and sports leagues), with at least two channels set aside for minor users of wireless mics. Google's Public Policy Blog wasted no time in praising the move, and more specifically the apparent rejection of "calls to enact burdensome and unnecessary constraints" that would discourage innovation. The company is accordingly now waiting on Chairman Julius Genachowski and friends to name administrators to the geolocation database and specify rules for its operation -- the last step, it believes, before products can reach consumers. So there you have it, the spare spectrum is all but good to go... ladies and gentleman, please don your thinking caps and get to work pronto.
FCC set to approve use of unlicensed airwaves for whitespace internet, wants 'innovators and entrepreneurs' to exploit them
(function() { var s = document.createElement('SCRIPT'), s1 = document.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0]; s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.async = true; s.src = 'http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js'; s1.parentNode.insertBefore(s, s1); })(); Digg Good old whitespace is finally about to get itself some real action, courtesy of the FCC's upcoming (and long-delayed) ratification of a decision to authorize its unlicensed use. Opening up the spare spectrum that resides between TV channels' broadcasting frequencies -- which in itself has expanded in the wake of the transition from analog to digital television -- is expected to be a massive boon to innovation, with exponentially larger wireless networks being the first prospective benefit. Such wireless nirvanas have already been set up in Claudville, Virginia and Wilmington, North Carolina, while Microsoft, Google, HP, Sprint, and others are said to be mulling and testing out their own ways for exploiting the newfound wireless freedom as well. Another positive note is that former requirements for white space-using devices to be able to tap into a database and identify themselves are likely to be scrapped, making for much simpler rollouts of whatever awesome new tech awaits in our future. [Thanks, Marc]
LGJ: Unlicensed games and the DMCA
Each week Mark Methenitis contributes Law of the Game on Joystiq ("LGJ"), a column on legal issues as they relate to video games: Fans of retro games or even just videos about retro games are familiar with the "unlicensed" games that existed on bygone systems like NES and SNES. These titles include a number of "Bible games" and more risque offerings like Bubble Bath Babes (box art pictured above). What's of particular interest to me, though, is how unlicensed games were ever "allowed" in the first place, and how more recent legal requirements more or less eliminate the possibility of new unlicensed titles in the retail marketplace.We can trace unlicensed games back to the US game industry's so-called "crash" in the early 1980s. At the time, the console market was basically an open playing field. If you wanted to make a game for an Atari console, you just made it. This led to the widely publicized over-saturation of low quality titles, which killed consumer confidence in the home games market. Remember, back then, there was no Joystiq.com -- let alone the other copious resources used to research a game before purchasing. So, when Nintendo came to the US and almost single-handedly brought the video game industry back from the dead, the company decided to take certain quality control measures to prevent repeating Atari's mistakes.
FCC chairman wants to fill white spaces with broadband
Good news, folks -- Kevin Martin believes that more mobile broadband is good for this nation. And we're all about getting the WiFi to the people. Just as expected, the FCC chairman has voiced his support for using vacant airwaves from the looming 2009 digital TV transition to bring mobile broadband to more areas. According to Martin: "No one should ever underestimate the potential that new technologies and innovations may bring to society." His proposal was issued ahead of an official report asserting that potential interference with existing infrastructure could be avoided if "technical safeguards" were put in place to prevent it. Sounds good from here, now go 'head with your bad self, Mr. Martin.[Image courtesy of TechLuver]Read - ProposalRead - Official interference report
FCC expected to recommend unlicensed white space spectrum use
The back-and-forth between mainstream carriers and external mega-corps may finally be coming to an end, with the almighty FCC expected to make a pivotal determination regarding the use of white space in short order. For those unaware, white space refers to the freed spectrum that will become available when broadcasters move completely to digital TV next February, and there's been a heated debate between carriers (who typically "fear" unwanted interference by unlicensed use) and tech companies like Google who see this as a great opportunity to bring wireless services to rural areas (for instance). According to a new report from Reuters, the FCC is expected to weigh in at any moment, and it'll "likely" recommend the unlicensed use of the spectrum. The advice will be based on reports generated from years of data collection, but we're all stuck waiting in tense anticipation until it's released. Anytime now, FCC...[Via phonescoop]
