I need help reading a letter from Capcom Japan

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by tplarkin7

It is an historically based written work which includes the people, places, things, and story for the game. It is both fictional and non-fictional. It includes an 840 page script equal to a 14 hour movie.

If you want to see it, the project is summarized in this PDF: http://home.comcast.net/~tplarkin7/Summary.pdf

Just so you know (and I'm speaking as a lawyer here), companies dealing with IP are loathe to accept unsolicited works because of the risk that, if they come up with something later on that resembles your work, they run the risk of being sued by you.

As a matter of policy, this type of company does not even look at the work you submit. They just send a rejection letter.

Hollywood companies are notorious for doing this with unsolicited scripts. The advice is usually to find an agent and push it through the "proper" channels.

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by tplarkin7

It is an historically based written work which includes the people, places, things, and story for the game. It is both fictional and non-fictional. It includes an 840 page script equal to a 14 hour movie.

If you want to see it, the project is summarized in this PDF: http://home.comcast.net/~tplarkin7/Summary.pdf

An RPG game based on the bible?

Interesting.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

An RPG game based on the bible?

Interesting.

Jesus used holiness to turn water into wine. It's super effective!

[tplarkin7]

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

An RPG game based on the bible?

Interesting.

I understand that it might be a hard sell. Some of the highest grossing movies are based on the bible. To me, this idea is a no-brainer for something new in video games.

[tplarkin7]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

Jesus used holiness to turn water into wine. It's super effective!

True. Imagine standing at the six stone water jars after they turned to wine and then tipping one over.

That's just a thought regarding the interaction with such an event. Of course, it would never change scripture, but it's OK to have fun with it.

Thanks for your advice regarding the fear of lawsuits. I have learned that it is nearly impossible for a developer to lend me an ear.

[MissMisa]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

Just so you know (and I'm speaking as a lawyer here), companies dealing with IP are loathe to accept unsolicited works because of the risk that, if they come up with something later on that resembles your work, they run the risk of being sued by you.

As a matter of policy, this type of company does not even look at the work you submit. They just send a rejection letter.

Hollywood companies are notorious for doing this with unsolicited scripts. The advice is usually to find an agent and push it through the "proper" channels.

Basically this.

I'm studying areas related to game design and I've also visited a game design company to do testing (Team 17, made Worms and Alien Breed and had involvement with Lemmings.)

There is no way you will ever step into a job where you are the 'game designer' or the 'ideas man.' You must study a discipline and then work your way up to a lead position before they will even begin to take an interest in your ideas.

Unless you work for a very small company or start your own indie company (not recommended unless you are highly skilled and highly motivated because 90% of the time, they fail) you don't stand a chance on ideas alone.

Also, what qualifications do you have? Game design is very portfolio orientated but I think around 70-80% of new recruits have a degree. Compared to most other creative industries this is a high rate.

If you are interested in ideas and such, perhaps scriptwriting is a discipline you could take up. Get a degree in English.

I can guarantee you that 99.9% of all Japanese game companies will not hire you for anything other than translation, localisation or cultural research work. Why? Because Japan already has a highly trained and highly skilled workforce in Japan that are fluent in Japanese.

I'm not saying it's impossible, like almost everyone told me when I was younger. You just have to have a hell of a lot of motivation.

Great places to be for game design at the moment (if you aren't Japanese!) are Canada, the UK and the USA in places.

Also, never use free translator tools like babelfish/bing when sending off formal requests. It's better to learn a bit of Japanese and try really hard, or just send it in English. Otherwise it can scramble things totally and sound really foolish.

[This advice isn't entirely aimed at you, but it's general for others too.]

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by MissMisa

Also, never use free translator tools like babelfish/bing when sending off formal requests. It's better to learn a bit of Japanese and try really hard, or just send it in English. Otherwise it can scramble things totally and sound really foolish.

[This advice isn't entirely aimed at you, but it's general for others too.]

To me, if the job wouldn't require Japanese (which is hilarious considering this is a position with Capcom Japan [in Japan], almost guaranteed to require near-fluent Japanese), then the correct path when sending a cover letter for a job would be to have it professionally translated if it were necessary to have it in Japanese.

[MissMisa]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

To me, if the job wouldn't require Japanese (which is hilarious considering this is a position with Capcom Japan [in Japan], almost guaranteed to require near-fluent Japanese), then the correct path when sending a cover letter for a job would be to have it professionally translated if it were necessary to have it in Japanese.

Yeah, you are right.

But yeah, if you can't speak near-fluent Japanese there is really no point...

[steel]

Family-oriented/Christian/'Edutainment' ... that all sounds closer to what a firm like Brethren Entertainment might be doing:

Games, Demos, Fun - Brethren Entertainment Studios

[MMM]

Why would a Japanese game maker be interested in a game about the Bible?