Why Biohazard became Resident Evil and Versus DLC; Unlock Key or Not?

[A-J]

Games Radar have asked Chris Kramer for the real reason the title of the game was changed from Biohazard to Resident Evil. Although the reasons for this aren't exactly news to long time fans and members of the community, or to those who've done their ABC, it's always nice to get a public official reminder from Capcom themselves on the subject.

“As an example, I pointed out that a crappy DOS-based game had just come out in the US called ‘Biohazard’ (not to mention the New York hardcore band of the same name) and that we’d never be able to secure the mark. As a result, the head of marketing held a company-wide contest to come up with a new name for the game.”

The full Q&A can be found here:
Chris Kramer on Resident Evil Title Change

In other news, Capcom VP Christian Svensson has once more spoken out about the subject about whether or not the Resident Evil 5 Versus DLC download is new code or just an unlock key for code already on the disc.

“Keys are 100K or less. It is not a key. We have said in the past, it uses assets from the disc (like levels, models, audio, etc.) but the code is new and does not exist on the disc.”

Capcom Claim DLC Not Just Unlock Key

To some it may seem worth noting that the PS3 version probably introduced the Versus code in its 1.02 update patch. If this is the case, this may have been done as an effort to minimize expenses.

[Rombie]

It's has already stated several times in the 90's via magazine interviews that the name was already being used in other products and the band Biohazard and couldn't be used in the US... so none of this is surprising.

Would have been better/more interesting if he could remember some of the other suggestions. For example, that list of potential discarded titles for Dead Rising was awesome.

[The Dude]

Can somebody remind me why Chris Kramer remains employed?

[Petronio]

Can somebody remind me why Chris Kramer remains employed?

He is really handsome.

[Vixtro]

Been a known fact for ages now why the "Resident Evil" name was used.

About RE5, I thought that it was just code and that resources already on the disk were being used ever since people started bitching about it.

Key or code though, I ain't wasting 400 points on it just to play "mobile turrets". RE5 is fine as a co-op game for me and I'll go play verses on a game actually designed for it.

[Carnivol]

Yeah. This is kinda "old news" in every possible ways. And the thing about the DLC not being just an unlock key is correct. So I don't really see why we have this on the frontpage in such a direct way. Guess a slight edit to the post is incoming ;)


But, yeah, can't sell you over on RE5 VS DLC, it pretty much plays like an RE5 skinned 4 player Battlezone, as you said :p

[Stu]

It's a lot of fun with friends, but that's about it.

I'm a firm believer that this content was already on the disc. From the fact it was mentioned in the demo code, right down to their latest weak excuse. Thanks for informing us of the size of keys usually (you're wrong, by the way, they're actually 108kb), but why would you even need to know that in the first place?

Conspiracy theorists might say you've just attached a bunch of filler data to the unlock key just to try and give yourselves some breathing space!

Under 2mb would still be too small i think for the new code (i'm fully aware the assets are still on the disc) in my opinion.

On such a note...if the demo was hacked, is it not possible for people to look into what files ARE on the disc? Is that theoretically possible?

[Carnivol]

Under 2mb would still be too small i think for the new code (i'm fully aware the assets are still on the disc) in my opinion.

You might want to download and try kkrieger and debris then.


All that existed of Versus in the demo was a brief mention of it as a menu entry. Which is fairly common to do for planned expansion content (to leave some doors open)

[Stu]

Are either of those links to demoscene material?

If so, i'm aware of that sort of work, have read a good ammount of material on them since Linger Of Shadows or whatever it was called on PS3.

Truth is though...since when did companies like Capcom care for that level of compression?

[Carnivol]

Just pointing out that you can do a whole lot of fancy stuff on less space than all of Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) ever used.

So a little over 1mb is more than enough for just the additional net and functionality code for something that already has its graphics and engine present on the game disc.

[Stu]

Yeah that's demoscene, they make ridiculously good stuff for minimal file sizes. Definitely NOT the levels of compresson Capcom would be looking into!

As for the "net and functionality code", how do you know it would fit inside a file that's under 2mb?