Difference between revisions of "Data West"

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| founded=1984-05-29{{ref|http://web.archive.org/web/19991021213851/http://www.datawest.co.jp/gyom_gai.html}}{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20231201090259/https://www.datawest.co.jp/company.html}}
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| headquarters=[[wikipedia:Tsurumi-ku, Osaka|3-chōme-8-28 Hanatenhigashi, Tsurumi Ward, Osaka 538-0044, Japan]]{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20231201090259/https://www.datawest.co.jp/company.html}}
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{{stub}}'''{{PAGENAME}} Co., Ltd.''' (データウエスト株式会社), sometimes written as '''DATAWEST'''{{fileref|Datawest logo.svg}}, is a Japanese car navigation systems company{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/19991023022357/http://www.datawest.co.jp/jyu_car.html}} and former video game publisher and developer.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20231201090259/https://www.datawest.co.jp/company.html}} It produced several notable franchises during the 1980s and 1990s, such as the ''Rayxanber'' and ''Psychic Detective'' series, and are known for their early support of both [[CD-ROM]] technology and the [[FM Towns]] personal computer.
  
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'''Datawest Inc.''', sometimes written as '''Data West''', was a video game development company, entirely unrelated to the more successful [[Data East]]. The company produced several Japanese adventure games during the 1980s and 1990s, though these days focuses on GPS devices and iOS apps for Japan.
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The company is entirely unrelated to the similarly-named [[Data East]].
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==Company==
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{{PAGENAME}} was founded on May 29, 1984 in [[wikipedia:Tsurumi-ku, Osaka|Tsurumi, Osaka]], and officially established two years later on May 26, 1986.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20231201090259/https://www.datawest.co.jp/company.html}} The company initially focused on software development, ranging from peripheral firmware{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/19990209161101/http://www.datawest.co.jp/soft_fir.html}}, car navigation systems{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/19991023022357/http://www.datawest.co.jp/jyu_car.html}}{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/19990209190853/http://www.datawest.co.jp/soft_st.html}}, systems management{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/19990204044014/http://www.datawest.co.jp/jyu_apri.html}}, and video games{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/19981203142618/http://www.datawest.co.jp/gyom_ma.html}}, while also offering services like 3D computer graphics creation{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/19990203191936/http://www.datawest.co.jp/cg_cg.html}} and professional CD pressing{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/19990203180522/http://www.datawest.co.jp/cd_daps.html}} (through a dedicated facility known as the DAPS Center{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/19991106025306/http://www.datawest.co.jp/toiawase.html}}). {{PAGENAME}} later established a joint venture with Nichimen to form Strawberry Co., Ltd. (ストロベリー株式会社), a company which specializes in car navigation, mapping data, and multimedia integration.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/19990209190853/http://www.datawest.co.jp/soft_st.html}}
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The studio primarily focused on [[NEC]]'s platforms (particularly the [[FM Towns]]), and was an early embracer of [[CD-ROM]] technology. It also experimented in more obscure platforms, releasing software for both the [[PC-FX]] and [[LaserActive]]. {{PAGENAME}} was even one of the earliest developers to adopt [[wikipedia:JPEG|JPEG]] technology, with the compression prominently featured in the ''Psychic Detective Series''.
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The majority of the company's soundtracks were composed by their in-house composer, guitarist [[Yasuhito Saito]]. Known for his jazzy style of video game rock, and occasionally drawing inspiration from diverse genres like hip-hop and latin, his music was and continues to be one of {{PAGENAME}}'s most well-remembered legacies.
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==DAPS==
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[[File:DataWest DAPS logo.png|thumb|right|320px]]
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Introduced in 1990, '''DAPS''' (DATAWEST ACTIVE PICTURE SYSTEM) is a graphics streaming technology developed by Data West to address issues of slow load times with early [[CD-ROM]] hardware. Reportedly, the technology works by efficiently loading upcoming graphic data during animated scenes to ensure a seamless viewing experience.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20231229043447/https://towerofclassicgame.com/pds_clm01#toc15}} Data West also ran a facility called the DAPS Center which handled the company's CD pressing business{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/19991106025306/http://www.datawest.co.jp/toiawase.html}}{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/19990203180522/http://www.datawest.co.jp/cd_daps.html}}; despite the name, it does not appear the technology was ever offered to clients using the service.
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DAPS appears on both the company's released [[Mega-CD]] games (''[[Psychic Detective Series Vol. 3: AÝA]]''{{fileref|PDSV3 MCD JP Box Front.jpg}} and ''[[Psychic Detective Series Vol. 4: Orgel|Vol. 4: Orgel]]''{{fileref|PDSV4 MCD JP Box Front.jpg}}), as well as being a major selling point for the ultimately-unreleased ''[[Merrygoround: The 4th Unit Series]]''.{{magref|bemega|1992-05|143}}
  
 
==Softography==
 
==Softography==
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===[[Mega CD]]===
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{{CompanyHistoryAll|{{PAGENAME}}}}
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*''[[Psychic Detective Series Vol. 3: Aya]]'' (1993)
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*''[[Psychic Detective Series Vol. 4: Orgel]]'' (1993)
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==External links==
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*''[[The 4th Unit: Merry Go Round]]'' (unreleased)
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*[https://www.datawest.co.jp/index.html Official website] (Japanese)
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*''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eii9Pw28_hw Pushing Multimedia Forward: The Games of Data West]'' video essay by F_T_B at [https://www.youtube.com YouTube]
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==References==
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<references/>
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{{NECRetro}}
 
{{NECRetro}}

Revision as of 22:47, 21 May 2024

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Data West Co., Ltd. (データウエスト株式会社), sometimes written as DATAWEST[3], is a Japanese car navigation systems company[4] and former video game publisher and developer.[2] It produced several notable franchises during the 1980s and 1990s, such as the Rayxanber and Psychic Detective series, and are known for their early support of both CD-ROM technology and the FM Towns personal computer.

The company is entirely unrelated to the similarly-named Data East.

Company

Data West was founded on May 29, 1984 in Tsurumi, Osaka, and officially established two years later on May 26, 1986.[2] The company initially focused on software development, ranging from peripheral firmware[5], car navigation systems[4][6], systems management[7], and video games[8], while also offering services like 3D computer graphics creation[9] and professional CD pressing[10] (through a dedicated facility known as the DAPS Center[11]). Data West later established a joint venture with Nichimen to form Strawberry Co., Ltd. (ストロベリー株式会社), a company which specializes in car navigation, mapping data, and multimedia integration.[6]

The studio primarily focused on NEC's platforms (particularly the FM Towns), and was an early embracer of CD-ROM technology. It also experimented in more obscure platforms, releasing software for both the PC-FX and LaserActive. Data West was even one of the earliest developers to adopt JPEG technology, with the compression prominently featured in the Psychic Detective Series.

The majority of the company's soundtracks were composed by their in-house composer, guitarist Yasuhito Saito. Known for his jazzy style of video game rock, and occasionally drawing inspiration from diverse genres like hip-hop and latin, his music was and continues to be one of Data West's most well-remembered legacies.

DAPS

DataWest DAPS logo.png

Introduced in 1990, DAPS (DATAWEST ACTIVE PICTURE SYSTEM) is a graphics streaming technology developed by Data West to address issues of slow load times with early CD-ROM hardware. Reportedly, the technology works by efficiently loading upcoming graphic data during animated scenes to ensure a seamless viewing experience.[12] Data West also ran a facility called the DAPS Center which handled the company's CD pressing business[11][10]; despite the name, it does not appear the technology was ever offered to clients using the service.

DAPS appears on both the company's released Mega-CD games (Psychic Detective Series Vol. 3: AÝA[13] and Vol. 4: Orgel[14]), as well as being a major selling point for the ultimately-unreleased Merrygoround: The 4th Unit Series.[15]

Softography

Mega-CD

External links

References

  1. ↑ http://www.datawest.co.jp/gyom_gai.html (Wayback Machine: 1999-10-21 21:38)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 https://www.datawest.co.jp/company.html (Wayback Machine: 2023-12-01 09:02)
  3. ↑ File:Datawest logo.svg
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.datawest.co.jp/jyu_car.html (Wayback Machine: 1999-10-23 02:23)
  5. ↑ http://www.datawest.co.jp/soft_fir.html (Wayback Machine: 1999-02-09 16:11)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://www.datawest.co.jp/soft_st.html (Wayback Machine: 1999-02-09 19:08)
  7. ↑ http://www.datawest.co.jp/jyu_apri.html (Wayback Machine: 1999-02-04 04:40)
  8. ↑ http://www.datawest.co.jp/gyom_ma.html (Wayback Machine: 1998-12-03 14:26)
  9. ↑ http://www.datawest.co.jp/cg_cg.html (Wayback Machine: 1999-02-03 19:19)
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 http://www.datawest.co.jp/cd_daps.html (Wayback Machine: 1999-02-03 18:05)
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 http://www.datawest.co.jp/toiawase.html (Wayback Machine: 1999-11-06 02:53)
  12. ↑ https://towerofclassicgame.com/pds_clm01#toc15 (Wayback Machine: 2023-12-29 04:34)
  13. ↑ File:PDSV3 MCD JP Box Front.jpg
  14. ↑ File:PDSV4 MCD JP Box Front.jpg
  15. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "May 1992" (JP; 1992-04-08), page 143
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