Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (March 11, 2011)

[Zetsubo]

In these times the emotion of society is raw. Unpredictable.

We also have to take care to avoid the Jingoists and puritanical members of society come out of their holes and beat drums the loudest.

Originally Posted by Shinji103

Yeah, I'd heard that Disaster Report 4 was canned before. (I really don't know anything about those games though, but that's not the point) I fear that while the victims of the quake and tsunami are holding together quite well, these game company businessman are doing their own version of panicking. Do they think that people will do anything drastic like riot or boycott their games if there's even the slightest hint of tragedy connection? I can completely understand the power shortages hurting game development, but this is going really overboard. It just sounds too much like bean counters going paranoid to me. It's really sickening watching these companies practically panic like this when people who actually suffered from the disaster are doing so well to hold it together.

The bean counters have to be paranoid because in such times a few loud mouth idiots can ruin their company.

Originally Posted by Vexx

Agreed.. I completely understand power, logistics, missing developers, etc. But the "omg, we can't release this because event X just happened" is utterly .... cowardly????? idiotic???

I haven't quite figured this little cultural artifact out because they've done it a number of times (anime, movies, etc) because of coincidence with some real life event and it really fails to make much sense sometimes.

It is not cowardly and idiotic to hold the release of the game in question.

You simply cannot gauge the reaction of the anti-otaku NON GAME PLAYERS or the busybody housewives, wagon riding politicians or news hawkers.

For example: Some journalist or columnist in some newspaper will write an article that will make the company look as if they are directly trying to profit from the disaster.

They will question the companies patriotism.

They will accuse them of horrific capitalistic greed.

Then ordinary folks will indeed perceive it that way... and a wave of controversy will ensue.

Good to sell papers, bad for the Game company.

In short bad press is REALLY BAD in these times because it can cause stocks to go down, investors to pull out and parents wont buy these games for their kids.

So the company has to think of its image first and foremost in times like these.

It is too dangerous because society is first and foremost VERY EMOTIONAL !

[Jinto]

Originally Posted by Random32

I think it's understandable that they don't want to release anything. I think a tv channel got criticized for resumig their normal broadcasts too soon.


still, I don't think that anything bad could happen from releasing a game on time...

My hypothesis...

A typical software project is often under pressure when the release date nears. Usually there is often so much left to do, that developers have to work overtime to make it by the release date.
Now at the current situation you can forget overtime work for various reasons, so event xy can be conveniently used as an excuse to postpone the release date. The costs for developing the project would have been almost the same anyway. The damage to the image when releasing a very buggy software product can be very huge however. So, in a case of software being not ready/late for the release date.....

[Random32]

As a very wise person once said, "The first 90% of your code takes 90% of your time, the last 10% also takes 90% of your time."

Though your explanation plays a part, I think the bean counters are seriously worried about their image.

[Tri-ring]

Sad tale told from a handler of a rescue dog.

災害救助犬が1日で150体の遺体を発見する震災の惨状

本来、生存者を探して救助するのが救助犬の役目。しかし、今回の東日本大震災では残念ながら別のものになっ てしまった。民間の災害救助犬・レイラとともに被災地の岩手・大船渡市に救助に行った災害救助犬の調教師・ 村田忍さん（39）はこう話す。
The mission of a rescue dog is to locate and inform the presence of a survivor trapped within the rubble but sadly this was not the case for rescue dog Layla and her handler Ms. Murata as she tells her tale what she witnessed in Ofunato district where she and her dog was dispatched to help.

　＊　＊　＊
　レイラは生きている人を発見したら、大喜びでうれしそうに吠え、早く見つけて！とばかりにこちらへ駆け寄 ってきたりします。亡くなっている場合は、私のほうを振り向いて哀しい目つきをするんです。調教師はそんな 犬の表情やしぐさを読み取っていくんです。でもあのとき、レイラは次から次へと、ここにも、ここにも、と哀 しい目をするんです。

Layla would bark with glee when she finds a survivor running towards me demanding for the person to be rescued but when she finds remains of a deceased she just turns around with a sad expression in her eyes.
I can see it in her eyes as she turns again and again with that same expression here is one, another and another.

「レイラ！ そんなにあるわけないでしょ。もうろくしちゃったの？ 真面目にやりなさい！」って私は3回も叱りつけてしまったくらいなんです。

I got frustrated thinking that can't be true and scolded her telling that there can't be that many three times.

　私たちが1日歩いた場所だけでもレイラは150回も反応し、私はそこに旗を立てて進んでいきました。その 旗の立っているところを、自衛隊員のかたがたが捜索していくのですが、実際、旗を立てたところすべてから遺 体が発見されたそうです。

Within one day Layla responded 150 times and I planted a flag at each location Layla responded. The JSDF personnel found a body at each location.

　一刻一秒でも急げば、生存者が発見できるかもしれないと私たちは早く早くと前へ突き進んでいきました。は っと振り返ると、自衛隊員ははるか後方にいました。それを見たときに我に返り、ゾッとする思いでした。遺体 が多すぎて収容する作業がついてこられなかったのです。

We went as fast as we could scouring the terrain in the hopes of find a survivor. After a while I looked back and was shocked finding ourselves alone since the JSDF personnel couldn't keep up the pace with so many remains to be recovered.

[Mystique]

Why the hell are the worst aftershocks occuring at night x.x;;
Tsunami warning has been released for Miyagi for a 1m wave, but that was probably the strongest aftershock to the actual day... 1 month ago x.x;;
Oi, oi... can't sleep now...

*watching the news*
hmm... if I'm hearing correctly, there's been some power loss in Sendai area again?
*Trains in Tokyo have stopped for now, moving trains have also safely stopped for the meantime
*Magnitude 7.4 at epicentre
*Duration even in Tokyo lasted for about a full minute

[Tri-ring]

Here we go again, an intensity 6 earthquake just hit the Miyagi area at 23:37 that was felt here in Tokyo. They are issuing a Tsunami warning that may reach as high as 2meter in some of the coastal area in Miyagi.

[GundamFan0083]

Mag 7.4 hits off the coast of Honshu.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake

[delirium]

I hope it doesn't cause much damage.

[Mithfalath]

Any news about the latest aftershock? It does say that tsunami warnings have been alerted. How bad is it really there though?

[Mystique]

Still watching the news, homes nearby have lost power though, and people are being advised to go somewhere high.
That's as far as I can tell.
Tri-ring will prob help with the nuclear plant status, they're having a conference now

edit:
Wish I could link the video from one of the channels of the nearby towns and streetlights losing power in the height of that.
Just all went black, some cars stopped driving (some kept driving, lol).

In Ichinoseki, inland from Japan's eastern coast, buildings shook violently, knocking items from shelves and toppling furniture, but there was no heavy damage to the buildings themselves. Immediately after the quake, all power was cut. The city went dark, but cars drove around normally and people assembled in the streets despite the late hour.

Wonder how the refugees are coping tho...

@ Guardian Enzo - I did, soon after it occured. At least the Shinkansen have stopped for now, but if things are fine down in Akiba, then all the better, cause I was concerned bout that for the morning.
http://travel.jorudan.co.jp/exit/eq.html For updates in jp.

Oi... been an hr already since it happened, gonna try to sleep since I need to get up later today.
Night.

[Tri-ring]

Originally Posted by Mystique

Still watching the news, homes nearby have lost power though, and people are being advised to go somewhere high.
That's as far as I can tell.
Tri-ring will prob help with the nuclear plant status, they're having a conference now

The Fukushima Dai-Ichi and Dai-Ni nuclear power plants have reported no trouble has been found so far.
The Onaga nuclear power plant's two out of three external electric supply circuit had been severed used to cool the reactor core. The remaining circuit is still live providing power to cool the core.
No change in level of radioactivity.

[Mithfalath]

Thank you so much for the updates!

[Guardian Enzo]

Well, I felt that one (I'm in Tokyo as of 4 this afternoon). News seems to be saying no major damage and the plants up North came through fine. It wasn't a violent shake here, but it did last almost a minute so I knew it was an aftershock of some magnitude rather than a tiddler centered here.

BTW, let me just say I'm right next to the Yamanote line at Akiba and I've heard several trains go by in the last 15 minutes. Who said they were stopped?

[Green²]

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquak...hake/c0002ksa/
http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eq_depot/2...0002ksa_l.html

"BREAKING NEWS: No abnormality found in radiation levels at Onagawa plant: nuke agency -Kyodo News"


It's like it would be be better to build them on top of Mt. Fugi at this point. No tsunami to worry about that high then at least.

[j0x]

Originally Posted by GundamFan0083

Mag 7.4 hits off the coast of Honshu.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake

jeez, hoping for minor damages only

[Guardian Enzo]

Tsunami warning lifted. Biggest concern right now appears to be restoring power to the areas that are blacked out.

Off to bed - hopefully, I'll get some sleep...

[Jinto]

Originally Posted by Green²

...
It's like it would be be better to build them on top of Mt. Fugi at this point. No tsunami to worry about that high then at least.

You need a lot of water to cool them, especially in an emergency situation. So, even when condensers are used, you need at least a (not so small) river nearby.

[Green²]

Originally Posted by Jinto

You need a lot of water to cool them, especially in an emergency situation. So, even when condensers are used, you need at least a (not so small) river nearby.

Ah, but in that event, the reactor would be safely thrown to somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. +/- whatever the wind direction of the volcanic explosion of course.


Sarcasm... Moving on...

"Onagawa nuclear plant loses part of outside power
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/08_04.html"

"http://af.reuters.com/article/energy...7EA01H20110407

TOKYO, April 8 (Reuters) - Tohoku Electric's Onagawa nuclear power plant has restarted the system to cool its spent fuel pool after a halt following an earthquake late on Thursday, Japan's nuclear regulator said on Friday."

[Xagzan]

So...what's the current status after the 7.4?

[WanderingKnight]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

Well, I felt that one (I'm in Tokyo as of 4 this afternoon). News seems to be saying no major damage and the plants up North came through fine. It wasn't a violent shake here, but it did last almost a minute so I knew it was an aftershock of some magnitude rather than a tiddler centered here.

Wow, you went at this time? Gotta congratulate you on your guts man, I had plans to go back in October this year but I've held them off... probably going to return in April next year if things get smoothed out over there.