Can cheap and good coexist?

Its basic human instinct to look for the best deal when buying things. Customer will feel good knowing that they are not overcharged. The seller also hope that the customer will spread good things about their shop to others.

However this assumption does not apply to shops that are not concerned about reputation and goodwill. They will try to extract whatever they can get from the customer but resorting to deceit and misrepresentation. If customer complains, they will resort to brute force. If there are more complaints, they will close the shop and open another one under a different name.

Well established game shops are known to offer good service at fantastic prices. However when black sheeps beckons to unsuspecting customers with unbelievably cheap prices, the latter trust in well established game shop began to waiver. Some customer will confront the game shop with "if THAT shop (i.e. black sheep) can offer me such prices, why can't you match it. So much for my faith in you!"'

Recently there was an account of a couple traumatic experience at a popular forum. They visited a shady shop in Sim Lim Square. After refusing to pay more monies to 'increase the internal memory' of their newly acquired PSP, things turned ugly. The male customer was badly assaulted by three of the shop assistant.

The irony is the customer had done his research and is well aware that its a shady shop. But they were too tired after comparing prices at shop after shop. So they just want to get over and done with the purchase. They thought that might not be so unlucky.

There is a popular saying, if the price is too good to be true, its probably fake. Remember this golden rule well.

Games Region Coding

Do you ever have a problem with console games bought overseas not running on your console. If yes, chances is you are a victim of region coding.

Like DVD, all console games are region coded. The grouping of the region code is different for different type of media. E.g. according to Wikipedia, DVD has 8 different region code. On the other hand, PS2 games only have 3 types of region code - NTSC/U, NTSC/J, PAL.

Region coding the media is futile if the hardware are not region coded. Hence all the consoles are also similar coded. Hence it ensure that games bought from one region cannot be played on console from another region. If a US gamer wants to play games that are only launch in Japan, they will have to buy a Japanese console.

If all games were available at the same price and released on the same day, region coding might not have been such a big issue. However in reality it rarely happens. Some games are exclusive to a region. Other such as Nintendo's Super Smash Brother Brawl was released in Europe/Australia in June 08 - 3 months after it was launched in the US (and 6 months after it was launched in Japan). The price of game also varies widely across different region. Games are cheaper in US than Australia/Europe.

Companies have leverage on 'overriding' region coding to sell their products. Datel's Freeloader allow Wii user to play games from another region. However Nintendo didn't take it lightly. It promptly issue System Update 3.3 which cancel the loophole exploited by Freeloader and render the latter a white elephant.

There are others that uses hardware to overcome the region coding it. e.g. modchip. Console manufacturers responded by making their console harder to mod.

If it is the same game, why don't they just do away with region coding?

Region coding allows software developer to customise their product to a particular.
The controversial Manhunt 2 was deemed too violent in the EU and Rockstar had to launch a "tone down" version of the game there. Suda51's No More Heroes (PAL version) was also customised to address the same concern. Games from different region can also have slightly different content. E.g. PS2's Final Fantasy X.

Console manufacturer priced their console differently in different geographical region. If it desperately want to penetrate a market, the console will be priced more cheaply there. Some times, it can be up to 30% cheaper. If there is no region coding, a shrewd businessman would buy consoles from that region and sell it elsewhere for a handsome profit. However region coding prevents them from doing so. E.g. Wii are sold very cheaply in Korea. However, there is little incentive for one to import a Wii from that region. Firstly it can't play games from your region. Secondly, few people can understand the Korean System Menu.

However in recent years, there appears to be a trend towards "region free" . E.g. PS3 console can play games from any region. Some of the popular Xbox360 titles are also region free. E.g. Assassin Creed, Left4Dead, Fable II, Red Alert 3, Call of Duty: World at War.

Will this trend continue? Only time will tell.

Do you know that your Xbox360 can be different from your neighbour's

A number of potential XBox360 buyers are waiting impatiently for the latest XBox 360 that is equipped with Jasper motherboard.

Majority of the XBox360 gamers or PS3 gamers does not know that Microsoft and Sony changes the motherboard inside their console over time. If all XBox360 can run the same game, then they should have the same hardware. Right or wrong?

No. They use hardware that possess the same capability but are smaller in size than their predecessor. Unlike PC upgrades, the motherboard changes does not increase the console's CPU or GPU power.

Nevertheless such changes are good for you. They leverage on technological advances to consume less energy every time you play. Lower power consumption also mean less heat being produced. And hopefully lower the risk of getting RROD.

Such changes also open up the possibility of giving your XBox 360 a new design. Sony has done this numerous time to its PSX, PS2, PSP. Nintendo has also done it to the DS.

Microsoft benefits too. They can price the console more competitively as newer motherboard are cheaper to produce.