A History of Korean Gaming
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타프시스템 Taff System / 엔틱스 소프트 Ntix Soft
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Founded:
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February 1990
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Status:
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dissolved (2005)
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Key People:
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鄭宰榮 정재영 Jeong Jaeyeong:
CEO (1992-2003)
박승환 Park Seunghwan
CEO (August 2003-March 2005)
박징환 Park Jinghwan:
CEO (March 2005-?)
오승택 O Seungtaek:
CEO (2005)
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Website:
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www.taff.co.kr (offline)
www.ntixsoft.com (offline)
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Red Duck
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Founded:
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February 2006
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Status:
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active
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Key People:
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오승택 O Seungtaek:
CEO (2006-today)
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Website:
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www.redduck.com
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Profile:
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Prior to the establishment of Taff System, founder president Jeong Jaeyeong spent a number of years in Japan, from 1988 to 1992, keeping himself alive with various jobs, from factory work to an employment at Studio Pierrot. Finally, he found his destiny in game development, joined SNK as an intern and helped develop Sengoku Denshou. (In the credits, Moonmin sounds like an alias for a Korean, which would make him the co-director of the game, although that identification is not backed by hard facts.) Because he didn't have any capital to speak of, Jeong mortgaged his TV and VCR to rent a cheap office room a friend had used as an atelier. The first computer where Taff games were programmed on was borrowed from another friend's mother, and had to be given back whenever she decided she would need it.1
In the game sector, they were most famous for their series of fishing simulations, but Taff System weren't content to develop only games, but in result of Cycle Force programmer Lee Gijeong's interest in 3D simulations also programmed a professional military simulation software that was actually used by the Korean army for a long time2. They also created CGI animations for advertisement purposes.
The company was bought by the online gaming portal provider Neowiz in 2003, and renamed to Ntix Soft in March 20043. In November 2005 Ntix was taken over by NB-Tech and became a Bio Venture company (later to be bought by Hepahope Korea4), but its game development division split from the company and reformed once again as the Neowiz-owned team Red Duck5.
In 2009 another company claiming the legacy of Taff was founded, Ntaff. The CEO had worked on the Virtual Deep Sea Fishing games, but Ntaff's first and so far only game—the smart phone app Zombie Panic—doesn't betray its origin much.
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Edutainment (1994-1996)
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K1탱크 (K-1 Tank) - PC-DOS (November 1994)
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낚시광 (Nakksigwang) series - PC-DOS (November 1994-1996)
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못말리는탈옥범 (Monmallineun Tarokbeom) - PC-DOS (February 1996)
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싸이클포스 (Cycle Force) - PC-DOS (April 1996)
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大物낚시광 (대물 낚시광 / Daemul Nakksigwang) / Angling the Giant / Virtual Deep Sea Fishing series - Windows, Mobile (1998-2010)
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붕가붕가 (Boong-Ga Boong-Ga) / Spank 'em! - Arcade (June 2000)
Boong-ga Boong-ga
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Boong-ga Boong-ga
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Flyer
Boong-Ga Boong-Ga went through the news a couple of years ago as "that crazy Japanese butt slapping game". Actually, it was a crazy Korean game, but also popular in Japan thanks to the shared cultural heritage of the ddongchim ("shit strike"), how it is called in Korea, where children stretch out both hands' index finger as if to fake holding a gun, and then proceed to assault someone's anus.
The victim for the attack is be chosen from eight targets, who are meant to symbolize people "that make your life miserable". The list goes: Ex-girlfriend, ex-boyfriend, gangster, mother-in-law, gold digger, prostitute, child molester and con-artist (quite curious that "your boss" is not on the list) and whose suffering faces are then shown omn screen. It is technically a prize game, and it spits out cards that "explain your sexual behaviour." In English the game was advertised as Spank 'em!, but the fake index finger "controller" that belongs to the cabinet betrays the game's true intentions.
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Boong-ga Boong-ga
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Boong-ga Boong-ga
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검정 고무신 (Geomjeong Gomusin) - Windows (April 26th, 2002)
Geomjeong Gomusin
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Based on a popular manhwa and animated TV show, in Geomjeong Gomusin two brothers Giyeong and Gicheol have been [treiben] to an uninhabited island while playing with their boat. Now they have to dodge the local apes' attacks and find a way back home.
The promotional description for the game promised a game for small kids and parents alike, with stages in different genres like puzzle, action or rhythm game.
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Geomjeong Gomusin
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미니비 (MiniB) - Windows (December 12th, 2002)
MiniB game
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MiniB is a licensed title as well, this time the original was a series of funny flash animations. The PC game is all but forgotten now, a single known screenshots suggest that it was a sidescrolling brawler. A mobile game based on the license was also made, but that was unrelated to Taff's game.
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MiniB flash
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딩아~곤충나라대모험~ (Dinga: Gonchung Nara Daemoheom) - Windows (2002)
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요구르팅 (Yogurting) - Windows (May 10th, 2005)
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A.V.A. (아바): Alliance of Valiant Arms - Windows (October 23rd, 2007)
A.V.A.
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A.V.A.
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Wallpaper
Red Duck's most popular game and the only one still running, the team FPS A.V.A. was first made public in an open beta in summer 2007.
The game that is also available in Japan and the US features a plethora of differnt play modes that go well beyond the standard Counterstrike model, from escort and convoy missions through escape and rescue up to mindless free-for-all games.
A.V.A. was awarded at the Korean Game of the Year Awards (Daehanminguk Game Daesang) 2007 in the categories best game, best graphics and best character design9.
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A.V.A.
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A.V.A.
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공박 (Gong Bak) - Windows (November 30th, 2007)
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찹스 (Chaps) - Windows (February 20th, 2008)
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꿈도리 안내 (Kkumdori Annae) (1993)
스피드 업 (Speed Up) (1996)
블랙 위도우 (Black Widow) (1996-1997)
듀레스 (Duress) (1997)
루시아드 (Lussiard) (2003)
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References
1. PC Power Zine 8/1999, page 318
2. http://www.khgames.co.kr/week_11/main_content.htm?mCode=7964931101284122&sCode=2139261101368374&idx=5&code=w_devperson&page=1 As of 2001 about 60% of their income was made with simulation software for the military (PC Power Zine 12/2001, page 213)
3. http://www.khgames.co.kr/week_01/main_content.htm?mCode=1615871101284119&sCode=3618171101284391&idx=130&code=w_job&page=2
4. http://thinkpool.joins.com/concert/joins/i/noticeRead.jsp?name=notice&code=039350&number=361789
5. http://webzine.inven.co.kr/news/?news=9755
6. http://magazine.jungle.co.kr/junglespecial/foreigndesigner/interview_show.asp?idx=82&page=31
7. Wikipedia on Liancourt Rocks
8. http://www.ggemguide.com/news_mobile_view.htm?uid=1118
9. http://www.thisisgame.com/board/view.php?id=139049&category=102
A History of Korean Gaming
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