Family Computer Disk System: Difference between revisions
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The main reason why Family Computer Disk System was not released outside Japan and why it eventually lost developer support altogether is believed to be due to a lack of success caused by various issues with the system:<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rEgsR61aNQ</ref> | The main reason why Family Computer Disk System was not released outside Japan and why it eventually lost developer support altogether is believed to be due to a lack of success caused by various issues with the system:<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rEgsR61aNQ</ref> | ||
*The games were significantly easier to pirate; the way the Disk System recognized pirated games was by checking to see if the "I" and the third "N" embossed "NINTENDO" logo at the bottom of a Disk Card was present, via fitting a raised version of the same logo into the embossing. The intention behind this was for Nintendo to be able to directly counter production of unauthorized Disk Drive games by suing their manufacturers for trademark infringement, assuming that pirates would copy the full logo outright. However, it was easy for pirates to bypass this check without directly copying Nintendo's logo by creating alternate off-brand logos with the "I" and third "N" intact (i.e. "NINFENDO" or "NINIENDO") or by simply embossing blank spaces that occupied the locations of the necessary letters. Furthermore, the fact that Disk Cards were simply modified versions of Quick Disks (a brand of floppy disk easily purchasable in stores in the late 1980's) meant that unauthorized Disk Cards could be easily manufactured by attaching a copy check-compatible piece of plastic to the bottom of a Quick Disk. | *The games were significantly easier to pirate; the way the Disk System recognized pirated games was by checking to see if the "I" and the third "N" in the embossed "NINTENDO" logo at the bottom of a Disk Card was present, via fitting a raised version of the same logo into the embossing. The intention behind this was for Nintendo to be able to directly counter production of unauthorized Disk Drive games by suing their manufacturers for trademark infringement, assuming that pirates would copy the full logo outright. However, it was easy for pirates to bypass this check without directly copying Nintendo's logo by creating alternate off-brand logos with the "I" and third "N" intact (i.e. "NINFENDO" or "NINIENDO") or by simply embossing blank spaces that occupied the locations of the necessary letters. Furthermore, the fact that Disk Cards were simply modified versions of Quick Disks (a brand of floppy disk easily purchasable in stores in the late 1980's) meant that unauthorized Disk Cards could be easily manufactured by attaching a copy check-compatible piece of plastic to the bottom of a Quick Disk. | ||
*The games were easier to damage; Disk Cards, being a form of magnetic media, were sensitive to magnetic wavelengths, and unlike regular 3.5-inch floppy disks, most Disk Cards did not include a shutter to protect the window that exposed the magnetic disk inside; shutters were only included on blue competition cards and gold prize cards. The lack of a shutter meant that the disk could get scratched, dirty, or even grow mold in severe cases. | *The games were easier to damage; Disk Cards, being a form of magnetic media, were sensitive to magnetic wavelengths, and unlike regular 3.5-inch floppy disks, most Disk Cards did not include a shutter to protect the window that exposed the magnetic disk inside; shutters were only included on blue competition cards and gold prize cards. The lack of a shutter meant that the disk could get scratched, dirty, or even grow mold in severe cases. | ||
*The system itself was more fragile than the base Famicom, due to the large number of moving parts needed for the disk drive; in particular, the rubber belt that the system used was prone to wearing down much faster than that of a standard floppy disk drive. | *The system itself was more fragile than the base Famicom, due to the large number of moving parts needed for the disk drive; in particular, the rubber belt that the system used was prone to wearing down much faster than that of a standard floppy disk drive. | ||
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The piracy issue was an especially big problem for Nintendo, and is believed to be the source of their stringent policies regarding copyright protection. It is also widely believed that the Disk System's high piracy rate is what convinced Nintendo to use cartridges for the [[Nintendo 64]] rather than the technologically superior optical discs seen in their rivals, the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation. | The piracy issue was an especially big problem for Nintendo, and is believed to be the source of their stringent policies regarding copyright protection. It is also widely believed that the Disk System's high piracy rate is what convinced Nintendo to use cartridges for the [[Nintendo 64]] rather than the technologically superior optical discs seen in their rivals, the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation. | ||
In 1986, Nintendo sought to counter Disk System piracy by installing special Disk Writer kiosks that would allow consumers to download games onto Disk | In 1986, Nintendo sought to counter Disk System piracy by installing special Disk Writer kiosks that would allow consumers to download games onto Disk Cards for ¥500 as opposed to the retail price of ¥2,600; some Disk System games were even exclusive to these kiosks. The service was very popular, remaining in place until the Family Computer line's discontinuation in 2003, 9 years ''after'' the discontinuation of the Disk System itself. | ||
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