GPS News
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January 2023 Vol.06

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C ar dboard Computer Jo in s a s
F ir s t Fo reign Corpor a te S p o n s o r
The Game Preservation Society is honored to announce that
Cardboard Computer has become our latest corporate sponsor.
Their staff has made a generous donation which will help to further
our game preservation activities and research.

$18,000 USD. This is astunning
showofsupport which will go
towards our archive
project. Through thisdonation, we are proud
to welcome Cardboard
Computer as a corporate supporter, our first as a company locatedoutside of Japan.

Cardboard Computer is an independent game studio comprised ofprogrammer Tamas Kemenczy, writer and co-developer Jake Elliott,and music composer Ben Babbitt. Since 2013 they have beenreleasing their game Kentucky Route Zero, an adventure spanningfive episodes and featuring a unique visual style. The game takes
the player into the caves underneath Kentucky, into the mysterious
Route Zero, attempting to deliver one last package for the day. The
story weaves a modern American myth as you travel this hidden
highway and encounter its strange locations and inhabitants. Its
narrative has certainly had a tremendous impact on players andcritics, as it won several awards and placed in numerous "BestGames of the Decade" lists.

We are deeply grateful to Cardboard Computer and their translation
staff, not only for their support for game preservation and theirgracious contribution, but also for their effort in bringing this uniquegame to Japanese audiences. We thank them for caring about
creating a meaningful and enjoyable localization.
Kentucky Route Zero is available on PC, Switch, PlayStation 4 andXbox One. The improved Japanese translation is not yet available,
but be sure to follow both Cardboard Computer and GPS on twitter(@cardboardcompy and @gamepres) for announcements on when
it will be available.

The game will soon feature a much improved translation into
Japanese. While the game was previously available in Japanese, it
was partially machine translated and simply did not match thequality of the rest of the game. The current translation team is madeup of fans of the game who are passionate about getting things rightand are currently working towards presenting the game to Japaneseplayers in a way that they can truly appreciate its dialogue and plot.
The translation team also understands the value of games as worksof culture and the need to preserve them for the future. They have
opted to donate 100% of their salary from their work on Kentucky
Route Zero to the Game Preservation Society, an amount totaling

12023 January Vol.06

2 021 Activities ReportAug ust 2 0 21 to Ju ly 2 0 2 22021 marked the 10th anniversary of the founding of the GPS, bringing
with it special events such as live video streams and charity auctions. For
details regarding our work on the JACA Media Arts Archive project, pleasesee volume 17 of the Japanese edition of GPS News.

Research
Projec t s

GPS News
vol.17The development of technologies and methods for the preservation of electronic games
and related devices and documents

Game Packaging Disassembly and Digitization

Main Archive Breaks 15,000 Games

With a focus on PC-98 software, we have disassembled andstored 226 packages, scanned in an additional 1,435 packages,
and added 1,279 images to our digital archive.

Support for Macintosh Floppy Disks Added toPaulineUnder contract from the National Diet Library, we conducted asurvey on the digital migration of their floppy disk collection. We
then did further development on Pauline in order to support
Macintosh format floppy disks.

PC-88 Floppy Disk Data Migration
Continuing our work from the previous fiscal year, we have used
the Pauline backup device to migrate the data from 2,961 PC-88
5.25" floppy disks.

Research on i-mode Phone App Data
Digitization of MSX Cartridges

The public i-mode access website shut down in November 2021.
The GPS took action and collected a total of 876 games from theplatform. Furthermore, we recorded video of browsing theservice pages before they became unavailable.

We have performed data migration on 250 MSX cartridges, ofwhich 31 have had their circuit boards photographed.

Awareness
Projec t s

The promotion and education of technologies and methods for the preservation ofelectronic games and related devices and documents

Game Related Paperwork Inventory
We have added 2,968 new PC-98 game pack-in materials, including such items as manuals, registration cards and supplemental paperwork,from 1,869 games to our database. (Currently totaling 12,057 items in our database.)

10th Anniversary Streaming Events■Introducing Activities Made Possible By Our Members
So that we can have our preservation activities understood,
we introduced our archival project and the various devices used in that process.

■Lecture: "Ask a Legendary Game Creator #5"(Guest: Rika SUZUKI)
On Saturday, April 23rd 2022, we streamed our talkevent with Riverhillsoft game planner & scenario
creator Rika SUZUKI. Vice chairman Fukuda led thediscussion about the development of these importantgames she worked on from that time. Going forward,
we will be hosting our annual lecture events via
online streaming from the start.

2

You can find
our YouTube channel here.

Online Publication of the 4th "Ask a LegendaryGame Creator" Event From 2019

Production of Documentary Series "Geimu"
Work on our documentary series focusing on
interviewing game creator continued with therelease of episode 2 and the planning for
episode 3. Episode 2 is available now on our
YouTube channel.

We have published the online version of theevent hosted by the GPS on Saturday, August
3rd, 2019 in the members only content sectionof our website. (Currently Japanese only.)■Lecture: "Ask a Legendary Game Creator #4"

Creation of Program Listing Information fromGame Magazines

Guest: Yōichi MIYAJI
We have provided the entire transcript of the talk given by our
special guest, former Game Arts president Yōichi Miyaji.

We have cataloged the program listings from a total of 169
magazines across such publications as ASCII, LOGiN and
POPCOM.

■Exhibition: "The Early Days of Game Arts"

Home Page Server Migration

Have a look at the valuable materials that were on display at theevent from their early works such as Thexder, Silpheed andGambler Jikochūshin-ha.

Publication of English Newsletters and DiscordServer Grand Opening

Japanese Newsletter Releases Becomes Triannual

We continue to publish our English newsletters. We have also
opened an international Discord server for our supporters
around the world.

Volume 16 of the Japanese edition of the newsletter was a full 16
pages commemorating the 10 year anniversary of the GPS witha look back at our history. You can find it in the digital librarysection of our website. (Currently Japanese only.)

Par tnership
Projec t s

The collaboration with and support of archivists and preservation projects andorganizations in order to further the technologies and methods for the preservation ofelectronic games and related devices and materials

Supplying Game Data to the JACA Media Archive

Holding Charity Auctions

We have added 673 additional titles to the database
representing software from minor hardware or that couldn't bepreviously added. Furthermore, we made corrections to entries
in both the JACA Media Arts Database (also known as theMADB) and our own online games catalog.

As part of our 10th anniversary events, we held charity auctionsof some of the items presented to us from Kōgadō Studio. Allproceeds (excluding fees and related expenses) will go towards
preservation activities.
We would like to once again to express our gratitude to Kōgadō
Studio for their partnership with the GPS with this donation.

Changes to the Online Game Catalog:
Integration with the MADB
We have provided 1,511 entries from our game catalog to the
MADB. We are analyzing how we can develop improvements
such as updates to our search function and the information
browsing mechanism for researchers.

Dates: 2021 December to 2022 June
Total Amount Raised: 502,039 yen
Total Items Auctions: 156

You can find the JACAMedia Arts Database here.

English Version of the Online Game Catalog
Initial Research on the Logo Vectorization Project,with 32 Items Created
Stronger Relations with International Game
Preservation & Archivist Organizations

3

2023 January Vol.06

Fiscal Year 2021

Our organization publishes an annual financial report to ensure the continued confidence andsupport of our members. This document outlines how funds coming from such sources as

Treasury Report

membership fees and the JACA subsidy are used in our activities.

Outline of Organizational Activities
Our work is divided into three project categories, with money allocated to each as needed for operation.

Research
Projects

Awareness
Projects

Description

ExamplesDescription

ExamplesThe development of technologies and methods for the preservation ofelectronic games and related devices and documents
Data migration of PC-88 floppy disks
MSX cartridge preservation, including data extraction,
circuit board photography and label scans

The promotion and sharing technologies and methods for the preservation ofelectronic games and related devices and documents
Documentary production
Online streaming events

Partnership
Projects

Description

ExamplesThe collaboration with and support of archivists and preservation projects andorganizations in order to further the technologies and methods
for the preservation of electronic games and related devices and materials
Sharing game data with the JACA Media Archive
Conducting charity auctions

How Our Funds are Used
(Currency: Japanese Yen)

Operational Revenue

Operational Expenses[From Membership Fees]

Research Projects

4,702,149

Regular Members (Individual)

375,000

Awareness Projects

3,836,606

Supporters (Corporate)

170,000

Partnership Projects

3,836,606

Supporters (Individual)

2,036,250

Regular Members (Executive)

Project Divisions Total
Administration

925,000
5,000

Enrollment Fees

Total Expenses

12,375,361
465,673
12,841,034[From Donations]
Donations513,539

Sponsorship

600,000[From Subsidies]
Subsidies

3,368,000

Governmental Contracts

1,650,000

Operational
Revenue
Other Revenue0.3%
Project Revenue0.4%

Operational
Expenses

IncomeAdministration
3.6%[From Projects]
11,406

Projects[Other Revenue]
Interest

1,017

Miscellaneous

26,000Total Revenue

Subsidies
51.8%

Membership
Fees
36.3%

Research
Projects
36.6%

Awareness
Projects
29.9%

9,681,212
Donations
11.5%

4Partnership
Projects
129.9%

Consolidated Income Statement for Designated Non-Profit Activities in Fiscal 2021
From 2021 August 1st 2021 to 2022 July 31st
Tax Included - Currency: Japanese Yen
All Divisions【Operational Revenue】【Membership Fees Received】
375,000
Members (Individual)
170,000
Supporters (Corporate)
2,036,250
Supporters (Individual)
925,000
Members (Executive)
5,000
Enrollment Fees
【Donations Received】
513,539
Donations
600,000
Sponsorships【Subsidies & Other Revenue Received】
3,368,000
Subsidies
1,650,000
Governmental Contracts【Project Revenue Received】
11,406
Independent Project Revenue【Other Revenue Received】
1,017
Interest
26,000Miscellaneous
9,681,212
Operational Revenue Total【Operational Expenses】
Project Divisions【Project Expenses】
Research
Awareness
Partnership（Personnel Expenses）
4,774,475
918,426
1,418,507
2,437,542
Salary & Compensation [Projects]
24,547
8,267
7,610
8,670
Mandated Benefits [Projects]
147,074
51,126
6,982
88,966
Commuting Compensation [Projects]
4,946,096
977,819
1,433,099
2,535,178
Personnel Expenses Total
Other Expenses
1,227,004
213,829
827,575
Outsourced Work [Projects]
185,600
35,76035,760Gifts [Projects]
8,850
8,850
Volunteer Gratitude [Projects]
90,92987,530Printing & Publishing [Projects]
3,399
10,119
10,119Meeting Expenses [Projects]
308,830
5,586
266,416
Travel Expenses [Projects]
36,82836,402
2,727
18,840
Shipping Expenses [Projects]
14,835440,386
26,230384,305
Network Services [Projects]
29,851
1,545,790
16,547
139,360
Consumable Supplies [Projects]
1,389,883
9,131
9,131
Repairs [Projects]
150,62156,914
Building Utilities [Projects]
93,707694,220
347,504
Building Rent & Land Fees [Projects]
346,716
1,661
1,661
Membership Fees [Projects]
1,531
1,531
Advertising & Publicity [Projects]
87,642
12,00075,642
Guest Entertainment [Projects]
46,244
1,244
Taxes [Projects]
45,00020,00020,000
Remuneration [Projects]
47,14944,137
Handling Fees [Projects]
3,012
69,971
3,125
48,706
Bank Charges [Projects]
18,14065,611
65,611
Interest Payments [Projects]
4,897,851
327,373
2,403,507
Other Expenses
2,166,971
9,843,947
1,305,192
3,836,606
Project Expenses Total
4,702,149【Administrative Costs】（Personnel）
97
Mandated Benefits [Admin]
7,783
Benefits [Admin]
7,880
Personnel Total（Other Expenses）
26,400Outsourced Work [Admin]
22,270Printing & Publishing [Admin]
810
Travel Expenses [Admin]
124,092
Network Services [Admin]
2,754
Periodicals & Books [Admin]
19,525
Consumable Supplies [Admin]
32,408
Building Utilities [Admin]
212,464
Building Rent & Land Fees [Admin]
4,900
Membership Fees [Admin]
2,000
Handling Fees [Admin]
10,170Bank Charges [Admin]
457,793
Other Expenses Total
465,673
Administrative Expenses Total
10,309,620
Operational Expenses Total
Net Balance△ 628,408【Non-Operational Revenue】
0
Non-Operational Revenue Total【Non-Operational Expenses】
0
Non-Operational Expenses Total
Pre-Tax Net Capital Balance△ 628,408
Net Capital Balance△ 628,408
5,336,113
Net Capital Balance Carried From Previous Term
4,707,705
Net Capital Balance Carried To Next Term
1,339,705
Unconstrained Net Capital

5

A Note from the Accounting TeamThe Game Preservation Society conducts its
business openly and in strict adherence to therules of money accounting for non-profit
organizations.The majority of our project budget
is set aside for non-profit activities such aspreservation work. We aim to put yourcontributions directly to such work.
Within the restrictions imposed by the Corona
virus pandemic that continued in 2021, we
found ourselves looking for project work toundertake and tie to our activities. From afinancial point of view, we worked to manage
the budget and bring expenses to a suitable levelin order to expand our revenue generation andstabilize our income.
On the income side, we have focused onincreasing both individual and corporate
support. As a non-profit organization, we candirectly accept donations and operate only witha clear understanding of our activities. With thatin mind, we will always thoroughly and firmly
explain the organization's guiding principles andpreservation activities in order to further ensure
our public approval.
We also looked to other means of receiving
support by conducting charity auctions of someof the items that were previously donated. (Thisis included in the financial report underDonations Received.)
Moreover, we provided services for various
governmental agencies, such as our ongoingcollaboration with the Ministry of Cultural
Affairs to expand their media archive as well as
floppy disk analysis for the National Diet Library.
With these efforts, our operating revenue
increased by 15% versus the previous fiscal year.
On the expenses side, operational costs
increased in accordance with our expanded
activities and revenue.
With projects such as our ongoing digitalarchive work, commissioned work from the
National Diet Library and documentary film
production, our primary expenditures went toprojects in the public interest.
With regards to administrative costs, we wereable to reduce costs from a number of subjects,
resulting from our planned reduction of
spending.
Having a stable and secure financial base isessential to managing and expanding theactivities of an organization. There areuncertainties around obtaining governmental
subsidies and contract work going into the next
fiscal year, so we are preparing a rigid budget.
Right now, every bit of support from ourmembers is crucial. We hope for your continued
assistance as we are work diligently to reach ourgoals.

2023 January Vol.06

Fiscal 2022 Business Plan
Research Projects
Game Packaging Digitization

Information Gathering for the Retired Mobile App
Service i-mode

We have digitized around 1,000 to 2,000 packages via scanning. Of
these, about 800 were cardboard which take time to dismantle.

We will be arranging the information obtained from our 2021 effort todownload i-mode apps. Starting with a creating a retro mobile gamedatabase, we will be strengthening research on preserving these apps withinternational collaboration.

Floppy Disk Data Migration
We will continue our data migration work using the Pauline preservation
device. We have plans to work on 1,700 to 1,900 PC-8x01 and FM-7/8
based floppy disks.

Research on LaserActive Preservation

We will be aiming to research modding audio cassette decks anddetermine standards for cassette tape preservation.

In the 1980s, the BBC produced a multimedia "new version" of theirDomesday Book, looking at life in England at that time, utilizing LaserDisc
technology. In order to preserve this production, a LaserDisc data
migration tool was developed. We are studying how this tool can be used
for the preservation of Japanese domestically releaed LaserDiscs.

Maintenance for Data East Cassette System (Daikase)

Research on Emulation Technology for the FM-7 Series

We are beginning research on PCB preservation. This year, we plan toperform repair and restore large board + large cassette (what is popularly
called "daikase") Deco systems.

We will begin studying how HFEv3 technology can be used in FM-7
emulation.
HFEv3 is an image format developed for use with HxCFloppyEmulator thatis able to represent special properties such as unstable bits. In order tohave this format used with existing emulators for PC, we are preparing
documentation and development materials for emulators.

Resumption of Cassette Tape Preservation Research

Research on Standards for Digitizing Game
Related Paperwork
This will be research on deciding a standard for scanning game manuals
and the like. We intend to publish color profiles for past scan data (withinternational collaboration) and publish work scripts for Adobe software.

Awareness Projects
Cataloging of Game Related Items

Indexing PC Magazines

We plan to add between 3,600 and 4,200 entries related to domestic
Japanese computer games to our database.

Continuing our work from the previous year, we will be aggregating
information from such magzines as I/O and creating an index. This year we
will be adding "Mycom BASIC Magazine" and "Mycom," aiming to index
between 100 and 114 issues.
We have previously indexed program listing, but starting this year we will
be indexing game advertisements as well. (Planning on completing
between 135 and 160 issues.)

Online Streaming Events
We plan to hold occasional discussion events and preservation
demonstration online video streams.

Work on the Geimu Documentary Series

Engish Newsletter Publication and Site Renewal

The second episode of our documentary series which focuses on Japanesegame creators, Geimu, aired its second episode in 2022. We will beworking toward a third episode in the upcoming year.

We continue to publish an annual English newsletter. We have plans tobring our English language site, which currently has old information, up to
par with our Japanese version in order to better server our international
supporters.

6

Partnership Projects
Organization of Data for the JACA Media Arts Database

Holding Charity Auctions

The data gathered during fiscal 2018 and 2019, originally for the Japanese
Agency for Cultural Affair's Media Arts Database (MADB), consisting ofaround 2,250 to 2,716 items, will be curated and added to our database.

This year we will once again be offering duplicate items from the archivewith one or two charity auctions. All proceeds go towards supportingpreservation activities.

Reneweal of Our Oficial Online Game Catalog

Study on Logo Vectorization WorkWe will be adding package artwork and updating our online game catalog.
Furthermore, we will be adding browsing capabilities for official
researchers.

We will continue to work with various countries around the world tovectorize logos of their game brands (aiming for between 40 and 48 logos).
As with all game related materials, these will be added to our database.

Updates to the Input Recording Device

Establishment of Item Acquisition Fund

We will continue work on adding support for analog controllers to ourgame play input recording device. We have plans to record game play for
DeCo cassette games.

For some time now, we have received messages from international
supporters to the effect of, "I will provide the funds, so please purchase thisgame from a Japanese auction site and preserve it." In order to facilitate
these requests, we will be fundraising and managing an account for thispurpose.

Episode 2 of Geimu, a documentary series
presented by the Game Preservation Society,is now available!
The GPS is producing the documentary series "Geimu," inSuzuki-san founded Riverhillsoft in Fukuoka, Japan in 1983

which we conduct interviews with creators of games of thealong with Kazuhiro OKAZAKI, where she acted as game

past in order to record the history from their point of view.

planner and scenario writer. In this latest episode, we travel to
Fukuoka and record the memories of her time at Riverhillsoft
and CING and of the games she developed.

With a focus on a single creator in each episode, thedocumentary introduces the games that they were involved
with and the stories of their development while presenting

Geimu episode two is available now on the GPS YouTube

gameplay footage and product images that make the works

channel. With the continued support of our members, we

discussed easy to see and understand.

plan to produce episode three in fiscal 2022.

In episode two, we invited Rika SUZUKI to share her stories.

7

2021 December Vol.05

C o m p a n i e s Su p p o rtin g O u r E ffo rts
The effort needed to preserve games for the future requires the cooperation of many people and organizations.
The Game Preservation Society is proud to be supported in part by the following corporations.

Archival Conservation & Enclosures Co., Ltd.

Japan HDD Association

BeXide Inc.

Kogado Studio, Inc.

Brother Industries, Ltd.

Pixel Co., Ltd.

Cardboard Computer

Takai Shokai

Tsugumi, Co., Ltd

We received the following words of congratulations on the 10th anniversary of the GPS from Mr. TANI, president of Kōgadō Studio.

Congratulations to the Game Preservation Society on their 10th Anniversary
We wish to offer our congratulations on the 10th anniversary ofmany of them closing in half that time. For the GPS to continue

your establishment! It has been more than five years since we

as it has demonstrates its great worth.

were introduced at a gaming industry meeting. Since that time,

The members of the GPS work under the motto of "We will save

we have remained in contact and recently had the opportunity

the games!" It's plain to see how such passion brings successto donate some of Kōgadō Studio's old products. Some of theseyear after year.

items had been carefully kept in storage from the time when we

I foresee the Society continuing its important mission for thesold Schwarzchild on floppy disks, and we asked the GPS tonext 20, 30 years into the future. As members of the same

maintain the same standards when adding them to their archive.

industry, our studio carries the same sense of purpose, and we

For duplicate surplus items, we agreed to offer them for sale toare happy to assist, even in small ways, with the significance ofPC game fans by means of charity auctions. Thank you togame preservation and with passing it along to the future.

everyone who participated in these auctions.

As we celebrate this important point in your history, we hope for

It's extremely difficult for an organization to survive. According

many more years of friendly partnership.

to some reports, only 6% of startups make it to ten years, with

Congratulations on 10 years!
Ippei TANI, President, Kōgadō Studio, Inc.

We Need Everyone's Support To Save Games For The Next 100 Years And Beyond
We at the GPS are working as hard as we can, but even now many
games are already lost to time. Our support from companies and thegovernment is not enough, so we turn to you, our members, forassistance.

You can support us forjust a couple dollars a month
Register for monthly payments on the web site

If you have any questions, please contact us directly:

Current Memberships

Total: 446 Members

AssetsJPY 4,707,705

Net Assets

JPY 1,339,705[By Type]
Permanent: 30, Individual: 398 (International: 112), Corporate: 11 (International: 2), Honorary: 7

Archival work sponsored in partby the JACA Media Arts Archive Support Project for 2022.

NPO Game Preservation Society GPS News
Publisher: NPO Game Preservation Society, Tokyo-to, Setagaya-ku, Todoroki 8-19-1 Suite C٢٠٢٣.١٠.٢١ ١١:٢٣:٥٩ +٠٩'٠٠'

Layout: Yōko KITAGUCHI - Editor & Translation: Damian ROGERS - Contact: info@gamepres.org

82023 January Vol.06