Why Are There So Few Japanese Apolytoners?

Adam Smith · May 29, 2002, 09:48

Just thinking about this yesterday.

With a population of 130 million or so Japan has about the same population as the two largest European countries combined.
English is by far the most common second language.
Real incomes equal or exceed that of most European countries.

But off the top of my head I can't think of a single Japanese Apolytoner.

So why are there so few Japanese Apolytoners?

Civilization is not available in Japan?
There is not yet a Japanese version of the game?
Internet connection or time is prohibitively expensive?
Other?

Paul Hanson · May 29, 2002, 10:35

I think the Japanese are for more into console gaming than computer gaming. They're probably all sat playing on their PS2's and Gamecubes rather than at their PC's.

Ecthy · May 29, 2002, 10:36

It's like with France I think. Different culture.

BTW, this thread could become a lot more fun in the OT.

BTW, if you think how many there are from Finnland and Israel, and then how few Germans, French or even Japanese there are, it is a conundrum! Though it might be possible there are so few Germans because they'Re all ashamed of me

Immortal Wombat · May 29, 2002, 10:57

There are many Germans, they just don't like to admit to it

Harovan · May 29, 2002, 11:42

Quote:

Originally posted by Ecthelion
Though it might be possible there are so few Germans because they'Re all ashamed of me

How true

... but I have no problem to admit it though.

Mercator · May 29, 2002, 12:25

Konnichi wa. watashi wa berugi no merucatoru desu. o-genki desu ka

I'm learning Japanese, and I'll be living in Japan in a while.

Kassiopeia · May 29, 2002, 12:30

My guess would be that there are Japanese Civ-forums for those few Japanese Civ-players out there. The same applies to Germans and the French.

I think Zopperoni is from Japan, but I am definitely not sure. He is the only one I can think of. Maybe Urban Ranger?

Ecthy · May 29, 2002, 12:40

UR is from Korea IIRC, and Zopper is from the Netherlands

Zopper originates from... Singapore? though

Kassiopeia · May 29, 2002, 13:12

Okay, thanks for correcting Ecth.

There are so few Asian Apolytoners around, I guess...

Ecthy · May 29, 2002, 13:17

No Indians, either. They're just like Japanese, French, Germans.

Dauphin · May 29, 2002, 13:34

There aren't any Finns either.

Alex · May 29, 2002, 13:53

Quote:

Originally posted by Sagacious Dolphin
There aren't any Finns either.

My mother is a Finn and she must be somewhere around here.

Kassiopeia · May 29, 2002, 14:00

Quote:

Originally posted by Sagacious Dolphin
There aren't any Finns either.

True. I myself am merely a glitch in the vBulletin script.

Dauphin · May 29, 2002, 14:11

Quote:

True. I myself am merely a glitch in the vBulletin script.

Thats why the "Finns" look like they write in jibberish, it is jibberish.

Bugs ****ing Bunny · May 29, 2002, 15:40

Hellokitty!

TCO · May 29, 2002, 17:54

AS,

1. They generally have poor English (say what you want about their second language prevelance.)

2. Their culture is more insular and different than ours.

Chowlett · May 29, 2002, 19:04

Sorry, but - their culture is more different than ours?

DaShi · May 29, 2002, 19:19

Is their culture different?

Apocalypse · May 29, 2002, 20:07

Japanese don't generally come to console forums on US sites either, as I learned from my one year crusade. There was a good amount from South East Asia (which were surprisingly pro-PC and pro-Strategy).

TCO · May 29, 2002, 20:09

Chowlett.

Finland-US < Japan-US

I should have said "even more different"

Or just said that they are not Western and that the primary culture on this board is Western.

TCO · May 29, 2002, 20:13

dp

DarkCloud · May 29, 2002, 22:29

...It may be because many Japanese
a: like consoles (already stated)
b: don't own computers.
:hmm:

-

Quote:

I'm learning Japanese, and I'll be living in Japan in a while.

congratulations and good luck

Lodi · May 29, 2002, 23:15

Perhaps the online community is not as well developed in Japan. If most people do not have computers as Dark stated then it follows there wouldn't be many people online with a further lacking in ISP developement throughout Japan. How many of their housing choices would even be capable of a high bandwith system anyway?

Tingkai · May 29, 2002, 23:34

I would think that language would be the big factor. They also have a large enough population base to support Japanese language civ sites.

By the way, Urban Ranger is in Hong Kong (and I'm pretty sure he is from Hong Kong)

Adam Smith · May 30, 2002, 00:21

Saw some figures somewhere today that the percent of people with internet access in Japan is the same or maybe a shade higher than in Germany. Didn't see anything about price though. NTT must surely be involved in some way, and IIRC they are a bit pricey.

The Mad Monk · May 30, 2002, 03:20

Quote:

Originally posted by Ecthelion
UR is from Korea IIRC, and Zopper is from the Netherlands

Zopper originates from... Singapore? though

I'm fairly sure Urban Ranger is from Hong Kong or another coastal Chinese city.

Ecthy · May 30, 2002, 04:23

OK, so he's Hongkongese. But then Xin Yu is Korean

Ecthy · May 30, 2002, 04:23

When I come to think about it, Xin Yu is a Chinese that has moved to the US.

So Yin26 is Korean, but that should be for certain

phoenixcager · May 30, 2002, 12:07

Quote:

Originally posted by kassiopeia
I think Zopperoni is from Japan, but I am definitely not sure. He is the only one I can think of. Maybe Urban Ranger?

Wrong. They're both ethnic Chinese.

Zopper did mention that he lived in Singapore for a little while, and now lives in Europe, and UR lives in Hong Kong.

btw, I thought Yin26 is an American living in Korea.

rah · May 30, 2002, 12:19

It's simple, we don't speak Japanese, so we're beneath them.

RAH