andykmv
Active member
Any IREM frans ? An AA member is meeting up with a prior IREM employee in Japan...
Aussie Arcade member Hollo is meeting up with a prior IREM employee to talk to him about his irem days etc.
if anyone would like to put forward any questions of interest that Hollo can ask, please post them here!
you will have to be quick though, this process started about 4 weeks ago, and meetings are being arranged......
please refer to the excerpt below from the AA thread for more info (a quick/dirty "save as text")...
======================================
(Hollo)
Well, had an interesting meeting yesterday at work....
Turns out a PhD candidate in one of my classes (early 50s, but back at grad
school for the aim of starting his own business) was an employee at Irem
during Japan's game heyday!
I mentioned that there is a growing home arcade scene in Aus., and also that
Barcades seem to be making a comeback with the old-school games being the
focus. He was pretty interested to hear about that.
I will be meeting up with him again in the coming weeks, and I have already
expressed an eagerness to speak with any of the guys from Irem involved in
any of the big titles, to which he seemed keen to help with (could be just
Japanese politeness though).
Man, did my jaw hit the ground when he said "have you ever heard of Irem -
that's where I was working". Very cool stuff.
I am hoping that I might have a good connection in to at the very least get
some promo material with this guy. I did mention that friends of mine back
home (and me) are very interesting in obtaining a few of the early item from
Irem even now. I could see the pride and surprise in him.
QN:
Ask him about the IPM days please. Would like some more info
on the name change from IPM to IREM, if indeed the rumours are true.
QN:
Hey mate, I have a question i'd like to ask him if
possible.
It refers to the relationship between Irem and Broderbund a US company.
Irem converted some of their games for arcade & console such as Lode Runner.
How did this relationship come about? and when they did the conversions -
did they use the original code or did they reconstruct it?
QN:
Hey SPL, I have been contacted by Mr Staypuft
regarding his writing of an article based on interviews from the guy I know,
plus others if I can source them - he has had interest from Retro-Gamer
already I hear.
I am hoping to line-up a visit to Irem, but I am not sure of how possible
this will be yet. The guy I am in contact with seems pretty keen though, so
if that all goes ahead then hopefully many questions will be answered.
StayPuft will be getting the questions together, so hopefully he's keeping a
close eye on this thread. Spoke with my contact yesterday, and he mentioned
that he plans to put me in touch with person who was head of development on
a few titles - not sure which titles yet. This guy still works there by the
sounds of it.
It's all happening! The only thing is that holidays are coming up next week,
so there is no chance of me getting to see anyone for a few weeks or so.
Looking good though. Quick Reply Reply With Quote
Yes, as Hollo mentioned, there is potentially (no guarantee)
some interest from RG mag in this subject. Depends on many factors, of
course. Either way, I'd be sharing the information with the AA members in
some form.
But let's not rush... better to take this one step at a time and find some
good information, rather than just rush. It's so very, very hard to talk to
the old Japanese arcade devs, so let's make the most of it.
Thanks again to Hollo for opening up this wonderful opportunity for the
Aussie Arcade community. Great stuff.
Short update....
Got a chance to speak to the guy in more detail today (first time in a fair
while) and things are looking damn good.
Turns out a person I will be introduced to soon was a lead project director
working in Irem - latest titles being R-Type Final (PS2) and R-Type Tactics
(PSP), and this particular guy has left Irem to start his own production
house. This guy is looking for some coverage and after he was told there
might be a chance of an article he is keen to meet me.
Also we got on to the topic of how some of the big names in Japanese
production have left - Capcom guys ring bells here. Turns out he has had
contact with many of the industry leaders - including big names behind
titles like Street Fighter II.
Anyway, I should be seeing him next Friday (schedule permitting this is) so
hopefully I can get some things moving - just a pity I have real work to do
as well...
Short update....
Got a chance to speak to the guy in more detail today (first time in a fair
while) and things are looking damn good.
Turns out a person I will be introduced to soon was a lead project director
working in Irem - latest titles being R-Type Final (PS2) and R-Type Tactics
(PSP), and this particular guy has left Irem to start his own production
house. This guy is looking for some coverage and after he was told there
might be a chance of an article he is keen to meet me.
Also we got on to the topic of how some of the big names in Japanese
production have left - Capcom guys ring bells here. Turns out he has had
contact with many of the industry leaders - including big names behind
titles like Street Fighter II.
Anyway, I should be seeing him next Friday (schedule permitting this is) so
hopefully I can get some things moving - just a pity I have real work to do
as well...
Sounds darn exciting. Looking forward to whatever eventuates.
If all questions could be posted in the thread here it will help. I will
then ask Staypuft to put them all together in one file as he will be the guy
writing the thing up. Hopefully this isn't getting bigger than you can
handle though StayPuft - this guy I will be introduced to means business.
I'd like to have something to show them that you've done, so could you send
me something you've had published in the past.
I am getting pretty excited about meeting this guy I have to say. Also some
of the people in his software house have some interesting backgrounds too
apparently.
Aussie Arcade member Hollo is meeting up with a prior IREM employee to talk to him about his irem days etc.
if anyone would like to put forward any questions of interest that Hollo can ask, please post them here!
you will have to be quick though, this process started about 4 weeks ago, and meetings are being arranged......
please refer to the excerpt below from the AA thread for more info (a quick/dirty "save as text")...
======================================
(Hollo)
Well, had an interesting meeting yesterday at work....
Turns out a PhD candidate in one of my classes (early 50s, but back at grad
school for the aim of starting his own business) was an employee at Irem
during Japan's game heyday!
I mentioned that there is a growing home arcade scene in Aus., and also that
Barcades seem to be making a comeback with the old-school games being the
focus. He was pretty interested to hear about that.
I will be meeting up with him again in the coming weeks, and I have already
expressed an eagerness to speak with any of the guys from Irem involved in
any of the big titles, to which he seemed keen to help with (could be just
Japanese politeness though).
Man, did my jaw hit the ground when he said "have you ever heard of Irem -
that's where I was working". Very cool stuff.
I am hoping that I might have a good connection in to at the very least get
some promo material with this guy. I did mention that friends of mine back
home (and me) are very interesting in obtaining a few of the early item from
Irem even now. I could see the pride and surprise in him.
QN:
Ask him about the IPM days please. Would like some more info
on the name change from IPM to IREM, if indeed the rumours are true.
QN:
Hey mate, I have a question i'd like to ask him if
possible.
It refers to the relationship between Irem and Broderbund a US company.
Irem converted some of their games for arcade & console such as Lode Runner.
How did this relationship come about? and when they did the conversions -
did they use the original code or did they reconstruct it?
QN:
Hey SPL, I have been contacted by Mr Staypuft
regarding his writing of an article based on interviews from the guy I know,
plus others if I can source them - he has had interest from Retro-Gamer
already I hear.
I am hoping to line-up a visit to Irem, but I am not sure of how possible
this will be yet. The guy I am in contact with seems pretty keen though, so
if that all goes ahead then hopefully many questions will be answered.
StayPuft will be getting the questions together, so hopefully he's keeping a
close eye on this thread. Spoke with my contact yesterday, and he mentioned
that he plans to put me in touch with person who was head of development on
a few titles - not sure which titles yet. This guy still works there by the
sounds of it.
It's all happening! The only thing is that holidays are coming up next week,
so there is no chance of me getting to see anyone for a few weeks or so.
Looking good though. Quick Reply Reply With Quote
Yes, as Hollo mentioned, there is potentially (no guarantee)
some interest from RG mag in this subject. Depends on many factors, of
course. Either way, I'd be sharing the information with the AA members in
some form.
But let's not rush... better to take this one step at a time and find some
good information, rather than just rush. It's so very, very hard to talk to
the old Japanese arcade devs, so let's make the most of it.
Thanks again to Hollo for opening up this wonderful opportunity for the
Aussie Arcade community. Great stuff.
Short update....
Got a chance to speak to the guy in more detail today (first time in a fair
while) and things are looking damn good.
Turns out a person I will be introduced to soon was a lead project director
working in Irem - latest titles being R-Type Final (PS2) and R-Type Tactics
(PSP), and this particular guy has left Irem to start his own production
house. This guy is looking for some coverage and after he was told there
might be a chance of an article he is keen to meet me.
Also we got on to the topic of how some of the big names in Japanese
production have left - Capcom guys ring bells here. Turns out he has had
contact with many of the industry leaders - including big names behind
titles like Street Fighter II.
Anyway, I should be seeing him next Friday (schedule permitting this is) so
hopefully I can get some things moving - just a pity I have real work to do
as well...
Short update....
Got a chance to speak to the guy in more detail today (first time in a fair
while) and things are looking damn good.
Turns out a person I will be introduced to soon was a lead project director
working in Irem - latest titles being R-Type Final (PS2) and R-Type Tactics
(PSP), and this particular guy has left Irem to start his own production
house. This guy is looking for some coverage and after he was told there
might be a chance of an article he is keen to meet me.
Also we got on to the topic of how some of the big names in Japanese
production have left - Capcom guys ring bells here. Turns out he has had
contact with many of the industry leaders - including big names behind
titles like Street Fighter II.
Anyway, I should be seeing him next Friday (schedule permitting this is) so
hopefully I can get some things moving - just a pity I have real work to do
as well...
Sounds darn exciting. Looking forward to whatever eventuates.
If all questions could be posted in the thread here it will help. I will
then ask Staypuft to put them all together in one file as he will be the guy
writing the thing up. Hopefully this isn't getting bigger than you can
handle though StayPuft - this guy I will be introduced to means business.
I'd like to have something to show them that you've done, so could you send
me something you've had published in the past.
I am getting pretty excited about meeting this guy I have to say. Also some
of the people in his software house have some interesting backgrounds too
apparently.

