Starless - The Cut Edition

[kyrt]

So Starless (vn novel by the artist of bible black) is currently available for pre-order on J-list and Jast USA but I would urge caution. On the tumblr page that they have they actually confirm that they have removed some content from the game but do not specify which and ask that you contact them so they can contact you about what is missing. To my knowledge this is the only location that even mentions this cut content. Now admittedly Starless is not the type of visual novel I have any interest in whatsoever so the affect on me regarding the game is minimal. 

 

My biggest concern is the fact Jast USA do not mention that it has cut content anywhere on any website outside of tumblr as this seems to be misleading and false marketing in many ways. What exactly was the cut content? I've heard rumors that the game has bestiality so my guess is probably on that but unless you get in contact with them and ask directly they won't say. I personally cannot stand censorship of any sort and of all the visual novel companies to release games in english Jast has constantly been the offender regarding this issue (X-Change 3 and Family Project just to mention 2). If you can't release the full game don't bother to translate it and pick up something that you can. 

 

So is anyone else concerned about these sale practices of Jast USA or do you think they will own up to the fact they've cut content when it gets ready for golden master (allowing people to pre-order without the knowledge before hand)? Do you think they will do this again in the future with any of the games that they've picked up? Or is this nothing more than a premature overreaction and we have nothing to worry about in the future? Do people still intend to pick this game up? 

 

 

[johnnysasaki]

there's also the issue with Shiny Days.It is very likely it will get cut content...

[solidbatman]

I've asked them over twitter and if they don't respond, I'll shoot them an email later tonight. 

[Decay]

The cut content is was almost certainly the scenes with bestiality, and that's because of legal reasons. Many countries make it illegal, including a lot of the US. If they are to sell Starless in the US and most of Europe, it definitely has to be a cut version. Blame the law.

[Ariurotl]

On the tumblr page that they have they actually confirm that they have removed some content from the game but do not specify which and ask that you contact them so they can contact you about what is missing.

I hoped they had learned from the X-Change 3 and Kazoku Keikaku debacles, but it's the same shit all over again. I don't even care that much if stuff gets removed (although I don't support the practice), but for fuck's sake, DON'T DO IT BEHIND PEOPLE'S BACKS.

 

My best guess is, JAST believe that backlash in case of an open announcement will be greater. Casual buyer who doesn't frequent community sites and such won't know something's missing. There will be less headlines and less negative publicity.

[kyrt]

I imagine shiny days will get censored/cut as well...I'm hoping Jast will actually say something about what is missing and that we don't have to wait to find out or have them mention it on a site the average buyer wouldn't normally go to. It doesn't help that the translation quality and releases recently have been plagued with other issues the last few times as well. They say little witch romanesque hasn't had any content removed but it might still have first release bugs to work out. In regards to the cut content possibly being the bestiality I have to wonder if Lightning Warrior Raidy III will get the same treatment...on that matter I'm pretty sure Raidy II had bestiality in it so what's changed if that is the actual content that has been removed? 

 

Now admittedly they have not yet posted anything on their main website yet (they often did blog posts telling people around release time what content was removed) so it's possible they still will. The main problem is the ethics behind what they are doing right now allowing people to pre-order the game without the proper knowledge of the content surrounding the release. Even if they say something in the future they are probably already getting some people pre-ordering it right away not knowing they are getting screwed over. They are definitely trying to get the casual uninformed buyer to pick the game up regardless. Now admittedly the missing content probably does absolutely nothing harmful to the game's story as this is a nukige (I believe) but still wish they could keep ethical business practices. It definitely makes me cautious for other games getting released by them and I'll probably never trust them enough to buy a game ahead of time ever again.

 

Now because I realized how difficult it is to actually find the post I've linked it below so people don't have to search all over for it.

 

http://jastusa.tumblr.com/post/104468063735/starless-available-for-preorder#notes

[Ariurotl]

According to JAST's twitter, an announcement regarding the changes will be made soon, which is the right thing to do. It still should've been done before opening pre-orders.

[Kosakyun]

They've announced a patch, which I assume will restore the cut content from the game.

You could always just get the game and that patch.

That way, everyone wins.

[Down]

JAST's official statement.

 

The visual elements that will be removed in the English version of Starless will be:

- CGs related to scatology (usually 2-3 images in a series at the end of a sex scene, occasionally a bit more)
- CGs related to beastiality
- CGs related to cutting a certain body part with a guillotine that should not be cut

 

Gotta admit the last one must mentally hurt the average reader rather than excite him (´・ω・`)

[crunchytaco]

Starless - The Cut Edition

So it's safe for me to play arounds kids now, sweet.

[arakura]

Lol. Sweet indeed.

That third dot scares me, Down... but I find myself strangely aroused ._.

[Kosakyun]

- CGs related to cutting a certain body part with a guillotine that should not be cut

 

Even without the removed scenes, I still think it would be a cut edition.

Scary.

[nohman]

Even without the removed scenes, I still think it would be a cut edition.

Scary.

 

[Rilarion]

If they don't give information about what they've cut, it'd be a really unethical sales practice. Although I'm not interested in the game itself. I hope they inform people about the cut content

[nohman]

If they don't give information about what they've cut, it'd be a really unethical sales practice. Although I'm not interested in the game itself. I hope they inform people about the cut content

 

They've already done so. It probably would've been better for them to do so before they took pre-orders though.

[Rilarion]

They've already done so. It probably would've been better for them to do so before they took pre-orders though.

 

Well, buying it before getting better info about the cut content is also a fault of consumers, since the company has given detailed information about it I think the issue is resolved.

[Clephas]

To be honest, I was exasperated that they were bringing this over at all.

[Kaguya]

JAST's official statement.

 

 

Gotta admit the last one must mentally hurt the average reader rather than excite him (´・ω・`)

...Am I the only oddball that would only have problems with the first one? Though the others aren't particularly exciting.

Well, not planning on picking this one up, so /shrug. 

[nohman]

...Am I the only oddball that would only have problems with the first one? Though the others aren't particularly exciting.

Well, not planning on picking this one up, so /shrug. 

 

Nah. None of them are my thing, but I've been around the internet long enough and played enough porn games where none of those things are remotely alarming to me anymore. Definitely don't care they took it out, but I would've played it regardless.  

[Clephas]

Starless is one of those games you take a second look at... then scrunch up your nose in disgust before deciding you never want to look at it again.

[Down]

 

...Am I the only oddball that would only have problems with the first one? Though the others aren't particularly exciting.

I think they care more about the law rather than about disgusting their public or anything. Clearly this is a game for harcore hentai aficionados who know what they're getting into anyway, or people playing to see their favorite fetish.

[Carronade]

I think they care more about the law rather than about disgusting their public or anything. Clearly this is a game for harcore hentai aficionados who know what they're getting into anyway, or people playing to see their favorite fetish.

 

Yeah, but what they cut weren't real acts (which might or might not be forbidden in the U.S., depending on the State) but mere depictions of them. And like you said, this is a hardcore hentai game, it's not like their audience was going to be shocked by a dick or two getting cut off.

[Decay]

They don't have to be real acts. Pornography involving zoophilia is outlawed in many parts of the US and Europe. This may or may not include drawn pornography depending on the judge's current mood or the alignment of the stars. 

 

Anyways, JAST is so insistent that there will be a fan patch to restore all cut content that you have to believe that it will be a *wink* "fan" patch made anonymously by the JAST staff members themselves. 

[sanahtlig]

The official non-official patch has been released.  Notably, it was released before the download version went live on JAST USA.

Direct download

[linking torrents no longer allowed Fuwa 2015]

[Kurisu-Chan]

So, Starless is TLed?